Jas
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Registered: 13th Oct 04
Location: Mid Wales
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if i wanted to record songs that i had composed....
i would need what?
program,,, some sort of mixer?
please provide a link for what i would need xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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mikeef
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Registered: 20th Aug 06
Location: Kent
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Audacity might be what your after
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/windows
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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depends what you're doing - are you playing an instrument/mic? or you using a midi keyboard? You haven't said!
For starters audacity is just a wave editor, doesn't do a multitracking etc. So i would look at software like Nuendo/Logic/Protools (protools you need hardware for it to run, logic runs on mac, nuendo is pc based and can be had for nothing). With a multitracker you can then lay down multiple tracks, do drops ins, use virtual instruments (VSTs etc) and obviously allowing you to record from an input source. You can then chop and edit either the midi (if using virtual instruments or triggering external hardware) or audio tracks. Then mix them and bounce them down etc
Eitherway, you haven't said what you're doing nor what you want to accomplish - if you're really serious about it start buying some mags. I personally recommend Sound on Sound (have a hardware background, but do cover a lot of software), or if you're purely into software producing/mixing/mastering then look at Future Music etc.
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Laney
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Registered: 6th May 03
Location: Leeds
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http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm
Pretty much covers everything
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CraigyG
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Registered: 20th Oct 02
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
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quote:
Originally posted by Dom
depends what you're doing - are you playing an instrument/mic? or you using a midi keyboard? You haven't said!
For starters audacity is just a wave editor, doesn't do a multitracking etc. So i would look at software like Nuendo/Logic/Protools (protools you need hardware for it to run, logic runs on mac, nuendo is pc based and can be had for nothing). With a multitracker you can then lay down multiple tracks, do drops ins, use virtual instruments (VSTs etc) and obviously allowing you to record from an input source. You can then chop and edit either the midi (if using virtual instruments or triggering external hardware) or audio tracks. Then mix them and bounce them down etc
Eitherway, you haven't said what you're doing nor what you want to accomplish - if you're really serious about it start buying some mags. I personally recommend Sound on Sound (have a hardware background, but do cover a lot of software), or if you're purely into software producing/mixing/mastering then look at Future Music etc.
I'll go for Cubase instead of Nuendo as Nuendo is used more for video stuff. Cubase & Ableton Live are awesome for recording stuff into, use Cubase all the time to record vocals, drums etc
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Jas
Member
Registered: 13th Oct 04
Location: Mid Wales
User status: Offline
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record my guitar sorry, and maybe vocals  
Ive been recommended cubase, but im not sure what id need to plug my guitar / mic into?
is there any special mixers or anything? perhaps mixers with built in effects etc?
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Jas
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Registered: 13th Oct 04
Location: Mid Wales
User status: Offline
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p.s cheers for the help people 
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by CraigyG
quote:
Originally posted by Dom
depends what you're doing - are you playing an instrument/mic? or you using a midi keyboard? You haven't said!
For starters audacity is just a wave editor, doesn't do a multitracking etc. So i would look at software like Nuendo/Logic/Protools (protools you need hardware for it to run, logic runs on mac, nuendo is pc based and can be had for nothing). With a multitracker you can then lay down multiple tracks, do drops ins, use virtual instruments (VSTs etc) and obviously allowing you to record from an input source. You can then chop and edit either the midi (if using virtual instruments or triggering external hardware) or audio tracks. Then mix them and bounce them down etc
Eitherway, you haven't said what you're doing nor what you want to accomplish - if you're really serious about it start buying some mags. I personally recommend Sound on Sound (have a hardware background, but do cover a lot of software), or if you're purely into software producing/mixing/mastering then look at Future Music etc.
I'll go for Cubase instead of Nuendo as Nuendo is used more for video stuff. Cubase & Ableton Live are awesome for recording stuff into, use Cubase all the time to record vocals, drums etc
Cubase is a cut down version of nuendo, and nuendo handles audio a lot better than cubase, hence why nuendo is used in studios, like protools and logic and you never see cubase! Plus the comment about video isn't correct, cubase handles video also....in fact no different to nuendo. Just that nuendo has a better audio engine, handles more audio tracks etc etc
So use nuendo, it’s no harder than cubase to learn and if you're serious about recording music, then having understanding of an industry standard DAW is useful.
As for actual recording, you need a decent card - leave creative stuff well alone!! ebay for an m-audio card, not only can you use them with nuendo etc but you can run a version of Protools - i'm biased as I run a protools setup here, but personally it's a lot lot better for audio than anything else. Though if you're planning on using virtual instruments....well it doesn't support VSTs for starters.
But yes, either get an m-audio card (pci card, around £100 2nd hand) or you can pickup a Digidesign Mbox (usb) for around £150 2nd hand (which will give you protools) or if you're not worried about running the latest protools then you can pick up a Digi 001 (pci card - with breakout box, I have one floating around somewhere, 8ins 8 outs + ADAT/midi/spdif etc) for around £50 quid.
Either way, if you're recording guitar/vocals then you'll need the card to have a preamp (the 001 has two solid sounding preamps) - unless you fancy getting an external preamp, which can be anything from a few 100 new to a few 1000! If you're going to use a condenser (/capacitor) mic then you'll need the option of phantom power (+48v) to power the mic. Dynamic microphones don't need this!
As for mixers, no need really, unless you're playing to mixer externally plus you do all of your effects within your DAW application (nuendo, logic etc) as well as your mixing and mastering.
If you're planning to recording vocals and acoustic guitar, then for cheapness get a Shure SM58/57 - it’s a dynamic mic, isn't brilliant but works well and sturdy as hell. If you have a bit more cash then look at T-bone mics. There made by thomann.de (german company, alright priced), but for the cash the stuff is suppose to be pretty damn good - ie: 200 quid condenser is suppose (I’ve yet to use one) to be equivalent to say a 500/600 quid neumann mic.
If you have a few hundred to spend on a mic then start looking at a neumann tlm 103 (absolute brilliant for acoustic guitars - both acoustic and electrics pointing at the cab, vocals - though better for females, wind instruments, I use them all the time in my recordings) or the brilliant all rounder, AKG 414 (does pretty much everything with good results). Both of these mics are around 500 quid new (2nd hand around 300 quid).
Also if you're really serious about recording, then one of the first bits of hardware I would get is a good pair of monitors (flat-response speakers). I currently run a pair of KRK RP8's - for the £400 I paid they sound brilliant, offer a solid bottom and middle, with the top end highlighting plenty of detail. If you don't want to spend that amount of cash, then look at the edirol line of active (no external amp) monitors - around £100 quid, and for the money I was impressed - they produce a lot of sound from a small box!
Hopefully that'll help, it is fairly expensive hobby to get into - i’m not saying you cant get good results using cheap stuff but if you have a decent solid setup and with decent knowledge of mic placement, eq'ing (compression etc) you can expect brilliant results.
Either way, get a few copies of Sound on Sound or look on there forums!
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Jas
Member
Registered: 13th Oct 04
Location: Mid Wales
User status: Offline
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Dom you're pretty cracked on with this stuff mate, cant find one of the card's on ebay, anychance you could find me one,
Moving house in a month and im gonna have more space so i'l be able to have room for a mini recording area
Dont want anything really complex and advanced to start with, and if i find im enjoying it etc then il upgrade my parts etc eventually, just want something to get me going at first, decent program and a card that will do the trick is what im after for now I think...
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Jas
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Registered: 13th Oct 04
Location: Mid Wales
User status: Offline
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/M-AUDIO-DELTA-410-PCI-SOUNDCARD_W0QQitemZ110121613890QQihZ001QQcategoryZ123445QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
something like that?
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Jas
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Registered: 13th Oct 04
Location: Mid Wales
User status: Offline
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im gonna go for the m-audio jamlab.. cna get one from American ebay sent for £40ish
they seem ok for the price as a starting point..
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Laney
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Registered: 6th May 03
Location: Leeds
User status: Offline
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Spot on Dom as usual!
I ran one of these:
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/4001
With one of these:
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/2998
..for a while until I could afford more/better mic's that were tailor made for the purpose.
EDIT - I was running it all into Logic Express. Only 'cause I'm too tight for Pro-Tools 
[Edited on 07-05-2007 by Laney]
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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If you have firewire then i would look at M-audio's Firewire Solo, around £100 new, has one (un/)Blanaced jack in aswell as one XLR in (for instruments as well as mics). It'll be a lot more useful than that jamlab thing mate, plus it supports protools m-powered (special edition for m-audio gear) and i recommend you use protools from the start (if you're mostly planning to lay audio down!).
And i agree with Laney, the edirol stuff is suppose to be pretty good and the NT1's are brilliant mics for the cash and very versatile! But if you can afford the extra 30 quid, go for the Rode NT1000 - i use them to record steinways/yamaha (and the one of Bosendorfer) grand pianos and offer a slightly smoother sound (though if you have the cash and looking at the Rode series, the NTK is the one to spend it on) end and sounds awsome on acoustic guitars or infront of a marshall/vox cab.
If it's an acoustic guitar you want to record then go for a decent condenser mic, as they have a better top end over dynamics and most of them have a decent SPL (sound pressure level) to handle cabs aswell (at a reasonable level).
If you're wanting to record electric, then i would recommend DI (direct injection) straight into the card (using a decent preamp, either onboard or an external rack preamp) and then using Amplitude/Guitar Rack style plugins for effects. FFS never use one of those boss shit-in-a-box pedal boards, they sound terrible and plugins sound a lot lot better. If you have a decent cab stack, with a marshall/Vox (im not a fan of tranny heads like Laneys etc) head, with a good sounding distortion then USE that over any shitty boss pedal or digital plugin - use a good condensor, omni polar pattern, mic it slightly off centre (aim for the rubber surround) from one of the cones and about foot away! (obviously play around though)
Eitherway, you should start at getting a decent set of monitors or atleast budget for them first. No point in spending a few hundred pounds for a decent card and mic setup to be only hearing crap through some shoddy "smiley-faced" (have a boosted bottom and top end, so the frequency graph looks like a smiley face) hifi/desktop/portable speakers.
If you're planning to have a little area (within a room) for recording, corner it off with some suspended duvets from the ceiling - it's a cheap and cheerful (and crude) method of sound proofing, reducing top end frequencies. Again a suspended duvet in a cylinder, with a mic placed on a stand dead centre acts as a fairly good vocal booth (or if you make tall enough to reach the floor with a number of duvets, a good place to record acoustic guitar).
eitherway, start to read up on forums (SoS) and get a number of mags, best places to learn about choosing the right gear!
Eitherway, there are a number of us that are active in music recording so don't hesitate to ask if you need help
Laney - does help to be fairly clued up when doing a degree in sound engineering  i take it you never were able to find a dodge copy of nuendo for mac then with having to use a piss-poor excuse of a multitracker, Logic? 
[Edited on 07-05-2007 by Dom]
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Laney
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Registered: 6th May 03
Location: Leeds
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Dom
Laney - does help to be fairly clued up when doing a degree in sound engineering i take it you never were able to find a dodge copy of nuendo for mac then with having to use a piss-poor excuse of a multitracker, Logic?
[Edited on 07-05-2007 by Dom]
Ha, I didn't mean to sound patronising mate  I don't find Logic bad at all for basic home-studio demo stuff. Thats all I'd use it for mind you
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Laney
quote:
Originally posted by Dom
Laney - does help to be fairly clued up when doing a degree in sound engineering i take it you never were able to find a dodge copy of nuendo for mac then with having to use a piss-poor excuse of a multitracker, Logic?
[Edited on 07-05-2007 by Dom]
Ha, I didn't mean to sound patronising mate I don't find Logic bad at all for basic home-studio demo stuff. Thats all I'd use it for mind you
Nah you didn't sound patronising mate I "have" to use logic as part of my course, but i happily told my lecturer to go fuck himself and that i would use protools with Live rewired to it. Just the fact that it's a bit backwards with something, especially audio editing - logic will edit the actual orginal file, which is fine unless you want to go back and change something or use the original file again. Majority of other trackers will create a copy of that audio file then apply the edit to that, keeping the original file perfectly intact.
Plus i find the audio editor a bit shoddy.
If you're doing midi work though, i find it pretty easy, just like nuendo - it's one area digidesign haven't brought up to scratch in protools, midi work under protools is far from ideal epecially if you need to do anything quickly 
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Kurt
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Registered: 23rd Oct 05
Location: Hi
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i had no problem with logic doing my btec national in music tech...
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