tips for a cheap recording set up?

B

BloodRose

Professional Scapegoat
Ive been wanting to start recording some, but my kids are beating me to it. My 11 year old recorded a CD for her friends for Christmas. She sang and played accoustic (Im soooo proud!) into her digi cam or something and uploaded on the comp. It isnt bad. Just the mix of guitar to vocals.
I need a real recording set up. Cheap and easy to use. Easy to use for me mostly, cuz the kids figure out everything..
Our comp is a low dollar laptop currently.
There is so many things out there, its mind numbing.. So, toss some starters my way.. thanks!

I
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

All these gadgets have pretty competent video recording now. Audio is kinda usable, the problem is whether you can connect stereo mics.

You'll never beat your kids at using any of this crap, though :D
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

innerdreamrecords.co said:
If your computer can handle it this is tough to beat for the money imo.

http://line6.com/podstudioux1/
Click to expand...

As much as I like what Line6 do, if you're willing to spend a little more, I'd go for something like the M-Audio Fast Track Pro, as it gives you the ability to 'track' in stereo. It also has 48v phantom power available for use with condenser mics.

For recording software, Reaper gets a lot of praise, but you've also got lower end versions of most of the big names (Sonar, Logic, Cubase, ProTools) at very reasonable numbers, and are more than good enough for anyone just starting their way into recording. In fact, The Fast Track Pro comes bundled with Pro Tools SE, which may be all you need to get going.
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

tascam dp 004, or if you really want cheap and portable try out a blue mikey, fits in your ipod, not horrible sound
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

thanks for the input thus far. If possible, Id like 2 avenues of recommendation...

One- inexpensive as decently possible. Id like to get started asap as my daughter has already done a cd, Id like her to be able to get better recordings in the near future..

two- maybe a small investment of a couple hundred bux. Im gonna try sell a guitar to fund something better. Id like to have basics , Mic and way to get drum accompanyment.
(Im a total noob) Thanks
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

Well I'm not sure where my recommendation fits exactly in scenario 1 or 2, but I put my money where my mouth is, picked up one of those M-Audio Fast Track Pros and have just installed it without a hitch, along with Pro Tools SE.

Having has a very brief look at the latter, I have to say that I'm rather impressed with its capabilities. Not only does it record audio from any of the sources the FTPro can handle, it also has MIDI features and a screen to edit them without a MIDI capable keyboard, and it also comes with a bunch of loops that can be used to set up some simple backing tracks too. It has a whole bunch of plugins for the usual range of effects (reverb, delay, chorus, filters, compressor, limiter, EQ etc.) and even has an amp simulator plug-in to run your guitar into. With the FTPro and PTSE, I could plug a guitar straight in and record to disk, with no other amplification being needed.

With this and the addition of a cheap condenser mic for recording acoustic stuff, I think you could do everything you want to do in either of your avenues very quickly.

The export options within PTSE are limited to WAV for your finished track, but it does look as if there's an option to upgrade to something that includes MP3, though I'm sure you could find a free tool somewhere that would convert the WAVs for you.

So far. I'm more than impressed at what it does for the price.
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

Chris of Arabia said:
For recording software, Reaper gets a lot of praise, but you've also got lower end versions of most of the big names (Sonar, Logic, Cubase, ProTools) at very reasonable numbers, and are more than good enough for anyone just starting their way into recording.
Click to expand...


Reaper is much better than any of the cutdown versions of the "Big names", and I prefer it over the full versions of Sonar or Pro Tools. There's even a few professional studios using it.

BTW, I make my living building computers for musicians and videographers, and have been doing audio on computers for about 15 years now.
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

Easiest way to get good usable tracks is to get a decent recording interface for your computer. Grab yourself a good recording application and have at it.

I have quite a few interfaces and have been recording on the PC/laptop for quite some time. If I can offer you any suggestions or setting tips...let me know.
I seen a resonable USB interface that had direct guitar input and another input for a mic.
I think it was about $100 but you can get them cheaper if you check through the gear forums.
Good luck.
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

uOpt said:
Better than for inaudible sound for sure!
Click to expand...

Haha, I was thinking of using a USB mic, or a cassette recorder. Just wondering whether a USB mic is worth the extra money as opposed to the cheaper option of a cassette recorder.
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

purplestrat said:
Haha, I was thinking of using a USB mic, or a cassette recorder. Just wondering whether a USB mic is worth the extra money as opposed to the cheaper option of a cassette recorder.
Click to expand...

I've got a Blue Yeti that seems to work rather nicely. It's not had the stiffest of workouts yet, but early tests are promising.
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

gettting recordings to sound good on your own can turn into a time/moneypit

reaper is free for 30 days trial

podfarm is $100 and you can record bass and guitar and vocals with it

ezdrummer is $100 and you get decent drums

that is the stuff I use, I am always looking to upgrade tho :)

I am looking at ezmix toontrack packs and guitar impulses at the moment :)
 
Re: tips for a cheap recording set up?

ez drummer is great from what I hear.

I use addictive drums and build a bass groove with my j bass while listening to the auto sync'ed kit, after I run addictive drums again and record the drum beat to another track.

Then it's just add guitar and you're set.

You could get a very simple 2 xlr in usb/firewire interface and a used sennheiser md421 to mic your speaker if you're not concerned with beats and what not (in the used market, probably a good 300 for both). Audacity is a nice transparent program, if you feed it via a good mic and interface it's just as good as any multi-track minus the mastering gear. But IMO, mastering has become very gaudy and over compressed these days, a -3db normalized track that is gently compressed via audacity will sound great as long as the signal of origin is coming in clean and defined from the mic.

While I'm recording on the fly, I throw on backing tracks and turn on this Belkin Tune Talk stereo ipod adaptor. It has 2 mics run in stereo all in a neat little unit, I prop up my ipod using a shoe so it's pointed at my speaker and so it picks up my computer speakers playing the backing tracks, it sounds pretty decent and that little apparatus goes for less than 100. It's great for recording your own gigs and concerts as well, it has auto leveling.
 
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