I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

[Epica]

Hello,

I got loads of song ideas, as well for my band as for a instrumental cd maybe [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

But I want to be able to record my guitar parts on the computer (at home) and then later add bass and drums with some sort of editing program if you know what I mean..

What do I need? I already got the computer and the guitars.. what else? Which programs, equipment etc..

thanks for replies

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

first off you need a pro soundcard with analog to digital converters. if you have a POD then you can stop there and focus on software. if you are planning on recording a mic'd amp, you'll need a pre-amp for the mic.

there are so many progs out there. i personnaly use sonar. but any of the products by: motu, propellerhead, logic, adobe audition, sonic foundry (sound forge/ vegas, acid), cakewald or steinburg; will do just fine.

~JW

[IommiChild]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

The audigy platinum 2 soundcard with all the front inputs is pretty good...As for software, the new Sonar is awesome, but its pretty spendy. It all kinda depends on how much you wanna spend.

[metafaza]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

You can look into n-Track or Digital Orchestrator. I think these two are pretty ok for their price. I'm drifting into Cakewalk Guitar Tracks teritory, but that may be just being used to it after some time.

[dan glover]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

Software wise I use cool edit pro and it halls ass. You can probobly grab it off kazzaa or something for free. Also a line 6 pod might be a good idea and it will be cheaper then mics, mixers, new soundcard and shit you need if you want to mic your cab.

[OnlineStageGear]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

Argh.. kazzaa.... Computer Takeover.
Do Not put Kazza on your pc. It must install manditory spyware.

Anywho... N-Track is the cheapest and a very simple program to use. The Line-In on most soundcards is adequate to get you started. If you are going to go above 4 or 6 tracks, you should atleast have a 800 MHz processor and 256 Ram or you are going to get hiccups, especially if you put effects on the tracks.

Matt

[Emthrax]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

A LOT of patience. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

All kidding aside- a good soundcard (I like the audigy platinum that was previously mentioned)that comes with an interface, I don't know what you call it exactly. Anyway, you can just open your recording program, arm a track, plug and play.
Cakewalk and Cubase as far as PC studio programs go are very good. Cakewalk really is a cakewalk too and you can pick up one of their nifty software programs at Best Buy for about $30.
Hope this helps somewhat. Good luck.

[ScarredDollFace]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

Before you decide on what you are going to get you need answer some questions:

1) How much do you want to spend (maximum amount)?

2) What exactly do you want to get out of it (quality)?


Somethings to consider:
You will notice that question 1 and 2 are at opposing ends so to speak; the more money you spend the higher the quality (generally speaking), but your also $pending ($$$) more money.

If you going to record drums then your going to 8 inputs or so.

Where are you going record? Your recording maybe very well sound like where you are recording it (think reverb of the room for starters), especially for drums.

What do you want to do with these recordings (personal CDs for you and your band, Demo CDs to be handed to A&R guys, commercial CD)?

How much time do you want to invest in learning how to record things so they sound right to you? Are you wiling to read books? If yes, how thick can to books be? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

How pro do you want go?

Assuming that you want good (CD quality) recordings, want to record guitar, bass and drums, and are will to spend a few hours a night or so learning how to record, I will say that you will need:
1. an audio interface ($700 - $2000 and up $)
2. some mics (shure SM57 for guitar) ($70)
3. DI (for bass)($70)
4. Headphone (a good pair $70)
5. maybe studio monitors ($500) (you can mix on headphones, but who would want to?)
6. Software (MAY COME WITH AUDIO INTERFACE THAT YOU NEED TO BUY ANYWAY [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] )
For Software, Pro-Tools is good, but my personal favorite (and what I use) is Digital Performer 4


I should point out that I am audio engineer, so this what I do and If you have any more questions I am more then willing to help you out.

Good Luck!

Nick

[Lordofgain]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

I am using a Digi 002 rack. I wish I jnew what in the hell I am doing! [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[ScarredDollFace]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

Originally posted by Lordofgain:
I am using a Digi 002 rack. I wish I jnew what in the hell I am doing! [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If your interested you might want to read these books for starters:

Modern Recording Techniques by David Miles Huber and Robert E. Runstein

Pro Tools 5.1 for Music Production by Mike Collins

Pro Tools book is about Pro Tools 5.1, but Pro Tool really hasn't changed that much in the past couple years so it is still a very good book.

Modern Recording Techniques is a good general record book which has been very helpful to me.

Hope this helps.

Nick

[Infernal Death]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

Yeah the easiest and cheapest way would be using a pod or v-amp or something similiar.
If you want to mic your amp it will get more complicated but you also have more control over your sound (type of mic, mic position, type of mic preamp).

As for a software well i thing this really is a master of personal taste. Most of the more famous software (protools, cubase, sonar, logic etc.) all have their strong points and are more than enough for a guitar player who wants to do some recording. It's more with which program you can work best. There are quite some demo version outs there so it would be best to download them and find out which one comes the nearest to the way you want to work.

Well from here on you can spend limitless money on recording gear [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
What i think should be basic equipment (besides mics,software and pc) are studio monitors. Don't try to mix on headphones or consumer monitors. It won't translate very good to other systems. Tannoy reveal are often choosen as cheap monitors (i think around $250 for the passive version and maybe $500 for the actives, don't know actual prices).

I wouldn't worry too much about hardware effects on the beginning since most software have already some effects or you can download some free plugins or buy some. However what i find pretty useful is a hardware compressor to already compress your guitar signal before entering the digital domain. You can hit your converters with a much stronger signal without having to worry to much about digital distortion and clipping and your signal/noise ratio will be better. And it will sound better with the right compressor.
I use a UA 1176LN compressor and absolutely love what it does on distorted guitars [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

Oh and i have to agree with Nek. Modern Recording Techniques is a very good book for all general themes of recording. If you want to dive into recording this is well spend money.

Flo

[ScarredDollFace]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

Originally posted by Infernal Death:
Yeah the easiest and cheapest way would be using a pod or v-amp or something similiar.
If you want to mic your amp it will get more complicated but you also have more control over your sound (type of mic, mic position, type of mic preamp).

As for a software well i thing this really is a master of personal taste. Most of the more famous software (protools, cubase, sonar, logic etc.) all have their strong points and are more than enough for a guitar player who wants to do some recording. It's more with which program you can work best. There are quite some demo version outs there so it would be best to download them and find out which one comes the nearest to the way you want to work.

Well from here on you can spend limitless money on recording gear [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
What i think should be basic equipment (besides mics,software and pc) are studio monitors. Don't try to mix on headphones or consumer monitors. It won't translate very good to other systems. Tannoy reveal are often choosen as cheap monitors (i think around $250 for the passive version and maybe $500 for the actives, don't know actual prices).

I wouldn't worry too much about hardware effects on the beginning since most software have already some effects or you can download some free plugins or buy some. However what i find pretty useful is a hardware compressor to already compress your guitar signal before entering the digital domain. You can hit your converters with a much stronger signal without having to worry to much about digital distortion and clipping and your signal/noise ratio will be better. And it will sound better with the right compressor.
I use a compressor and absolutely love what it does on distorted guitars [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

Oh and i have to agree with Nek. Modern Recording Techniques is a very good book for all general themes of recording. If you want to dive into recording this is well spend money.

Flo

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I don't think that a POD would easier or cheaper. I mean a POD will cost $300 or so and a SM57, a stand and a cable will cost 100 to 150 bucks and as for easier, you are going to have to adjust levels some what anyway and if this is going to be a some what permanent setup you can just leave the levels on your interface alone for the most part, so I can't really see how a POD would be easier or cheaper. I can see a tube amp played through speakers and miked sounding much better.

The free plug-ins that will come with whatever software you choose will be more then enough to get you started. And yes, I have to agree that what software you choose to use is a personal decision, thats why I use DP4 instead of Pro-Tool. Pro-Tool has never worked the way that I work, so I hate it more the analog tape (your mileage may very).
I also like using a compressor before the A/D converters. You can mix on headphone if you can't afford a good set of studio monitors. Will admit (and warn you) that it is not as easy and you have to really know the headphone you are using, but then again you will have to learn what your studio monitors sound like in the room that you are mixing in too.
Flo you got an 1176? [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img] very nice! What else do you got?

Nick

[Infernal Death]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

Well you have forgotten a mic preamp which you need with a SM57. And a ok mic preamp easily can run $300 alone, no limit above [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Running a SM57 on the mic in of a soundblaster isn't a good idea, i think.
Well i have found it to be harder to capture the amp sound with a mic. With a tube amp you need to crank it to get the best sound and then you should check the mic position and experiment with it. This easily can take half an hour or more.
And yes i also see a tube amp miced sounding better [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

As for the 1176 well i got to admit that i don't have a original. Since i am a student there is no way i can afford the original. Instead i builded myself a copy of the 1176. There are schematics floating around the net of recording gear.
As i never had the opportunity to test it against the original i can't say how close it is but some other people have (with their builded units) and they said it's really close. The other thing is that there are i believe 6-7 revisions of the 1176 and all of them are builded differently so even among the original ones (blackface, silverface,whatever) there are some differences in sound.
As for the other stuff i have:
I have a SSL mixbus compressor (those out of the SSL4000 series mixing consoles). I believe the standalone version is called SSL FX G384.
I have a Gyraf Audio G9 copy. This is a two channel real tube mic preamp and it really sounds fantastic. Quality wise it's in the same range as Manley and all the other cool companies.
Next is a tube eq which is loosely based on a pultec. It used the same filter layout but with a different amp circuit with a different tube. Here is a pic of the amp board (without the transformers):


Then i have a 2 channel active ic-based eq out of a calrec mixing desk. It's ready, i just need to finish the metal work.

And finally i am doing a Sontec MEP-250 clone which is a 2 channel 5 band fully parametric eq. It's assembled but it seems there are still some problems as it distorts when passing audio so i guess i need to work on it for some more time [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

The future "want" list (the units i want to build) includes: Neve 1073, Neve 1081, Pultec EQP-1A clone and maybe a Teletronix LA2A. Oh and a API 312 mic preamp would also be nice. We'll see [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Flo

[El Bastardo]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

I think a line6 guitarport would be the cheapest way out there. In Holland these cost about 160 euro's or so. And with this thing you have your guitarsound available as an ASIO source. Ideal for with cubase.

Leon..

[Epica]

Re: I want to record songs on the computer. What do I need?

thanks for all the replies..

I'll so some more research, now I know what to look for