Home recording - minimum system requirements?

[Inazone]

I need to put together a PC to bring to our rehearsal space, something very basic. It would only need to record two tracks at a time, probably just drums (1 overhead mic, 1 trigger module out), and I really don't want to buy any additional equipment. Due to the hazardous environment - smoke, beverages, clumsy bandmates - I don't want to bring my tower from home, so I pieced together a "slimline" desktop case with a P3/500 CPU, 512MB RAM and a 30GB hard drive. For software, I'd use trusty old Cakewalk Pro Audio 3 and probably install my Echo Mia card.

Cakewalk's requirements are far lower, so I don't foresee any issues. Can anyone think of a reason why that wouldn't be enough horsepower for basic recording?

[Budman68]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

<font color="aqua">I can't imagine you having a problem at all with that setup, what soundcard would you be using? </font>

[Inazone]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

Right now it just has an old SB Live, which was part of a MF home recording package "back in the day". I would probably take the Echo Mia from my tower and try it in the P3, although for scratch drum tracks it probably wouldn't be necessary.

[Budman68]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

<font color="aqua">agreed, you'd be fine with the sound blaster, especially since you're only using a couple of tracks. </font>

[Inazone]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

OK, well hopefully I can try this out soon. I just need to resist this strange desire to attempt rack-mounting the PC...

[slash]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

[ QUOTE ]
OK, well hopefully I can try this out soon. I just need to resist this strange desire to attempt rack-mounting the PC...

[/ QUOTE ]

Not strange at all. I think that would be cool! Go for it [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

rack it up!!!!!!!!!

[data187]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

i think i would go with a mac + garageband.
i heard the new nin album was recorded using garage band.

[Ace]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

We racked up all our 'puter's for editing LA Metal. Pretty handy actually... Great way to keep beer and clumsy people out of there. Now just as long as you don't let clumsy people USE the puter, you'll be fine!!

[srommes]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

We used a very similar set-up a few years back and never had any problems. I think we used an M-Audio delta 44 soundcard with break-out box. I like haveing a break-out box with 1/4 ins/outs for recording instruments straight into.

[Newc]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

Just make sure you run into the Line In, not the Mic in [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]
Are you running the mics into a mixer? If not, see about getting at least a small one, or an Alesis 3630 to serve as a buffer as well as something to convert the mic plugs to 1/4"-1/8" jacks.
Of course if you're taking the Echo, you probably don't have to worry about that.

Put a small fan next to the PC to keep the smoke from getting in the vents.
Put a clear plastic dropcloth over the keyboard.
Put a bunch of small furniture or amp stuff in front of the PC to keep people away from it.

[Inazone]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

I'm not using anything in this configuration that I'm very attached to! The PC is an old Micron that was destined for the junkpile at work, but a CPU upgrade and some extra RAM have made it functional once again. I've tested the SB Live card with a Johnson J-Station and it should have no problem with a line-level input from a drum trigger module. I have a little Behringer mixer if I need it.

It would be a little ironic if I actually started using this setup for recording on a regular basis, as I've been neglecting my "real" PC that was purchased for the very purpose of home recording.

[Newc]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

Actually you'd be surprised how recording live to 2 tracks improves a band's tightness, because you know that you can't screw up and fix it with an overdub later.

[Mordor]

Re: Home recording - minimum system requirements?

I think your pc will be fine for two tracks at time,but you cannot use too many plugins during mixing in my opinion.If your using a sound blaster use this driver:
http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?skip=1
it will improve latency time with EMU10K1 and EMU10K2 based soundcards