Recording tools?

[BloodRose]

Looking into some recording tools to get started. New comp is unobtainable for awhile. I hope my current one has enough space to do some.
Ive just started looking, but am I correct that all Id need to start would be something like a Line 6 POD Studio UX1, Sonic port or Sonic port vx? If so, what one is recommended? I did a search and found info on the UX1, but the language started going over my head and I wasnt able to follow what was being recommended. Pls advise and thank you!

[greekdude]

Re: Recording tools?

You'll need a USB audio interface, and then a DAW. Personally I use boss ME-25 -> Ubuntu Linux (Jack, Ardour5). I can even record and shoot HD video at the same time.

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Recording tools?

How do you want to record your guitars? mic'd up? Using amp sims etc?

You will certainly need a small USB interface and a DAW. Go Reaper for the DAW, it's $60 and fully functional. Bam. As for interface there are a TON in the <$200 range. Focusrites are popular and steinburg UR series as well (and come with a light version of Cubase IIRC).

Give a little more info on what you want to do and we'll help ya out. Also, need computer specs.

[DankStar]

Re: Recording tools?

new focusrites are great - they fixed the clipping issue. pretty much all you need with all the free stuff out there.

[BloodRose]

Re: Recording tools?

How do you want to record your guitars? mic'd up? Using amp sims etc?

You will certainly need a small USB interface and a DAW. Go Reaper for the DAW, it's $60 and fully functional. Bam. As for interface there are a TON in the <$200 range. Focusrites are popular and steinburg UR series as well (and come with a light version of Cubase IIRC).

Give a little more info on what you want to do and we'll help ya out. Also, need computer specs.

Well, just starting. So... Like to be able to plug in and record myself playing to begin with. preferably with drum tracks.. ultimately like to be able to have drum loops and be able to play lead and rhythm guitar and a bass track....

One thing that concerns me tho. The computer slows and stalls easy. It doesnt have large processing capacity

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Recording tools?

CPU speed and RAM size are going to determine how much you're able to do. On a weak system, playing back a stereo drum track while you record guitar/bass can be a chore, if not impossible. If you have multiple drum tracks i.e. each kit piece on its own track, or you're running VST plugins or effects generated by the DAW (compression, EQ, etc) that's going to make it even harder.

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Recording tools?

Any Windows 7 PC should be fine. I use my work PC bought in 2010 with 3GB RAM and 2.7Ghz dual-core Pentium. I record 7 guitar tracks with it at the same time, with 2 drum track, 1 bass track, a couple of synths and everything is fine.

[Davii]

Re: Recording tools?

One thing to do, regardless of other things, is to have a seperate hard drive/SSD purely to record to. You can record to the same drive as the operating system, but that tends to foul up, and people often look for the issue elsewhere when it does (like the cpu/ram isn't good enough, when they're fine etc).

It's a big subject area, but there's a lot of useable budget stuff available, and always something of interest on eBay; Even a small interface with only 2 mic inputs might have an ADAT port on it, which you could plug a Behringer ADA8000 into, and bag yourself 8 channels

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Recording tools?

Whats your current specs BloodRose? go to your start menu and type 'dxdiag' (or alternatively RUN 'dxdiag') it will give you your basic specs. Really just looking for processor type/ speed and RAM.

If you know how to 'rebuild' a computer (i.e. back up your files, and give a fresh OS install' that is highly recommended as well.

[greekdude]

Re: Recording tools?

CPU speed and RAM size are going to determine how much you're able to do. On a weak system, playing back a stereo drum track while you record guitar/bass can be a chore, if not impossible. If you have multiple drum tracks i.e. each kit piece on its own track, or you're running VST plugins or effects generated by the DAW (compression, EQ, etc) that's going to make it even harder.

If you use your hardware smart then there is no problem. What I mean : the USB audio interface is a sound card, it just feeds the computer program (DAW) with data, no main CPU processing involved. Computer soundcard may also provide a lot of computational power. For sims/filters/etc no need to do it real time, they can wait for offline processing. Likewise video can be written raw from the camera with no transcoding. This way CPU usage is kept to the bare minimum.
I did this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbJDNJyUHtM with an old (2011) 4-core linux laptop, and both the audio recording & video recording were done simultaneously in a single shot. No afterwards editing of any kind. Just shoot the video while recording and then upload to youtube. No analog I/O (cabs/speakers) involved. All processing is on digital signal.

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Recording tools?

You need to see if if feels right too. There's something about it for me that just does'nt work & I'm yet to record on my PC ..though I do have an interface (Line 6 Tonedirect w/PODfarm2). Can't really get the feel for/hang of it (and have'nt really tried too hard either tbh..) mainly 'cause it's no fun & I can't seem to get a tone out of anything that feels "right" ..it's either too fuzzy/noisy or too weak (have to fight it for soloing etc..). I was thinking of maybe getting one of those Focusrite type things with the XLR input so I can mic/record with my real amps, but have'nt got around to it. For now the handheld recorder/cheap chinese mic w/Behringer minimic pre route is working wonders for me anyway ..so maybe later

My point being....it kinda feels "boring" plugging into a PC (working with this that & the other sim etc..) to me, so maybe see if you have the aptitude for it first..