Starting From Scratch

[Empty Pockets]

I'm totally new to the home recording game and looking to finally get rigged up.

My goal is a simple rig for recording heavy bluesy punky rock in my bedroom in my apartment.

I have my tone pretty well dialed in using my amp and pedals so i'm not looking for a bunch of digital plug-ins and amp models and stuff...i need an interface for recording my amp, then programming drums and possibly adding MIDI keys (organs, strings, whatever) to songs if the mood strikes me.

it looks like i could get started using my old dying laptop and this thing from Line 6 and a decent microphone but since my laptop needs replacing i might as well start at the foundation :smokin:

So to start my quest, what's a good, mid-priced (like say not a thousand dollars) laptop with enough power to run my mini-studio? I don't know anything about computers or which brands are worth dealing with.

Part of me is saying I should just save my money and get an OPC but it's not a laptop and is...well...EXPENSIVE...

We'll worry about the interface, monitors, the mic and the software once I get the hardware straightened out. So what's your favorite laptop right now?

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Starting From Scratch

Actually, the right answer is impossible to give. It seems like you will record amximum 2 tracks simultaneously.
The Laptop you are going to get can be something around 400 dollars. Get something used, put Windows XP on it, and you are good to go.
There are tons of good interfaces, but there is no cheap way to get a good DA/AD conversion. If you choose to buy a macbook used, you still can get the latest logic, pair with apogee, and tataaaaaa.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Starting From Scratch

are you opposed to a stand alone recorder? there's some nice looking affordable digital ones out these days - you basically get a mixer, mic preamp/phantom power, CD burner, and highly portable recorder all in one and can leave the mixing/mastering process for the computer. just transfer the files and start mixing. probably how I'll always do it. there's a suite tascam one for around 4 bones that I've been eyeballing.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Starting From Scratch

Yeah but four bones is about as much as a nice new laptop :smokin:

 

[DankStar]

Re: Starting From Scratch

Yeah but four bones is about as much as a nice new laptop :smokin:

funny how that works, hehe.

 

[everdrone]

Re: Starting From Scratch

it looks like i could get started using my old dying laptop and this thing from Line 6 and a decent microphone but since my laptop needs replacing i might as well start at the foundation :smokin:

So to start my quest, what's a good, mid-priced (like say not a thousand dollars) laptop with enough power to run my mini-studio? I don't know anything about computers or which brands are worth dealing with.
So what's your favorite laptop right now?

none.

desktop is way cheaper faster better.

I was looking at this a year ago. I got a quad processor. better processor will help recordings. duo core is fine, but mine was a laptop and kept crashing and then died, I stressed it out alot... moral of the story is if you like recording alot, youll want more than duo core.

I got a 100$ line 6 toneport, reaper, and ezdrummer! thats all u need. My desktop is a quad and it cost with the monitor about $550.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Starting From Scratch

Just get what you want and finance a macbook pro. Or the cheapest imac they make, that'd be even better.