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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 613
Location: Zion, Illinois | Probably one of the best value per cost products is NTrack.
NTrack Recording Software
It's free to try out and only $45 to buy.
For stand along recorders, there are many in the $300-$400 range by Fostex, Tascam, Korg, Boss. Some use memory cards and can connect to your computer via USB. Others had hard drives for recording. I picked up a Fostex VS-08 last year for $399. It is an 8-track recorder with 16 virtual tracks. By 8-track I mean it can play back 8 tracks. You can only record 2 at a time, but that's all that I need. The 16 virtual tracks are for storage. You can record 6 tracks, mix them down to 2, move the 6 tracks off to storage freeing up the six tracks for further recording.
Bradley |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Go to www.Digidesign.com and you can download a fully working 8-track version of Protools (check the platform, it's not compatible with certain windows operating systems) Protools is the industry standard for professional recording & this version is free, has no time-limit and is very well specified. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Be forewarned: It will not install on Win2000 (and I'm not sure about XP, either). |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | The free ProTools 8 track demo is not compatible with WinXP. If you must have a windows based recording program, Cakewalk Home Studio is among the best IMHO (under $100). Dave |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Dave,
Is the Cakewalk XL version worth the extra money? |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | i know this is allot to ask, but you cyber amigos are my link to understanding this stuff while being surrounded by burros, horses and crowing roosters (no shit).
i would like to record multiple tracts simultaneously and edit them later, ie live recording or small studio stuff. the end objective is to produce cd's outside of the local club we play in which has recording gear. this is for the new and most popular of three bands i play in, REDNECK MOTHERS,(the name was given to us by a good friend who suggested we play as a group,gave us a high season, every saturday job as long as he is in business, and it stuck). we seem to have a good season developing next year. i want this to be "our thing" and not feel indebted for our present or future success.
here is what i have, as well as decent mics, stands cables and instruments.
1)roland edirol a6 16gb hd recorder. designed to edit sound trac of videos. similar to a roland 808. i can only record and edit one track at a time, can record more with a mixer, but still only edit them as 1 track.
2)mackie dfx12 mixer
3)sony vaio laptop athalon 1.85 ghz chip, 512k ram, 40 gig hd. i'm not sure what the soundcard is. it is probably integrated since it's a laptop. it has a cdr rw dvd drive. a similar laptop is my wifes.
4) i also have a couple of yamaha 4 track recorders we use for practice tools.
i'd like to both record live and when steve (guit voc) and donnie (harmonica) and i (guit voc)record something using a rythm programmer, that beto (bass) and chico (drums) can lay down their stuff later to replace the rythm trac. the roland has 8 virtual track capacity, and we have gotten tight enough, and beto and chico are good enough, that they would hit a good one in 2-3 takes max.
we have a logistics and gig problem that makes getting all of the gear and us 5 together a challenge. the guitar/guitar/harp trio would be easy, as we all live close and don't have "real" jobs. the club owner likes to keep his protools and laptop secrets to himself and his ability to record has indebted a number of local musicians to him. kind of a secret power like the wizard of oz. he really is a good guy though.
he has recorded two cd's for our charity band called bubba and the bottom feeders, and b&bf members sit in regularly with his band, "the shuffle band" for beers. steve and i are regulars. it all works out fine because b&bf is about raising money for poor people and financially it is about the same as if we paid someone to record with what the band earns.
so anyway can i do it with what i have? |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Russ, probably the path of least resistance would be to make a live recording using the 4 track. Find a room you know sounds good & spend some time getting the balance as good as it will get. Use a pair of identical mikes in the room as the basis of the recoding & experiment with placement. (There's some basic information about stereo miking here; http://homerecording.about.com/library/weekly/aa051397.htm?terms=stereo+recording+ techniques go to the homepage & try a search on location recording or microphone techniques) ) you could mic the drums & backine & use another mixer to sub-mix them to track 3, and take a direct feed from the PA so you have some extra control over the vocal balance to track 4. With a little patience you can make excellent recordings using this mehod. The key is a good lively sounding room, a good acoustic balance and a lot of patience. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 63
Location: Virginia | JLester,
I'm assuming your computer is pretty much up to date. Depending upon what you're after, you could go with the Fostex MR8 which is a fairly inexpensive ($300) 8 track digital recorder designed to be used in conjunction with the computer via USB. I use n-Track software to edit and mix. The nice thing about n-Track is that, other than the price there are so many FREE fx plug-ins available for it. Good luck with your decision. You might want to check out the Homerecording.com BBS and get some first hand accounts of any equipment you might be considering.
bd |
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March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | paul t thanks, by 4 track i guess you are refering to the tape machine? i'll check out the sites.
so with pro tools how do you get the post mix ability with only one input to the computer? |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Russ, If you go direct the the sound card on a mini-TRS plug you can record a single stereo source or 2 mono sources simultaneously, which is fine if you're working by yourself & overdubbing parts. If you need to record numerous parts simultaneously and keep them descreet you'd need to invest in a break-out box or USB digital mixer. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | ok-----a breakout box. or a usb mixer. that sounds like the ticket. is that something easy to find, or mail order? |
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Joined:
December 2002
Posts: 939
Location: Fort Worth, Texas | gave us a high season, every saturday job
Where can I get one of those every Saturday "high" season jobs?
Seriously, when is the low and high season? Winter=high and summer=low? I'd r-e-a-l-l-y like to plan a trip down there and make it as econimic as possible, like maybe next "low" season.
Good luck with the recording... |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Russ, it'll be easier and probably cheaper to find a USB mixer compatible with your laptop than a breakout-box. But unless you want to spend a lot of cash you wont get more than 4 simultaneous inputs.
Take a look at this as an example Street price will be under $500.
http://www.tascam.com/products/product_information.php?product_id=13.
They do a cheaper one but only has 2 simultaneous inputs. | |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | high season is nov till may. the rest is low season. i started writing this about an hour and a half ago, but a 30# yellow fin tuna showed up at the door. first things first-------
we have plenty of opportunity to play, but the high season is really the best. give me plenty of advance notice and i'll se if i can dig up a budget room. that is about the only thing that really changes pricewise from high to low season. better than saving a few bucks and sweating all over your guitar. one way or another we will get you on stage for a few open mic sessions, and you can jam with our band too. | |
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January 2003
Posts: 63
Location: Virginia | Jason,
If you're planning to go directly into your soundcard with a mic......you may be disappointed with the results unless you have a really good soundcard. If you are going to use your computer to record, might want to invest in a cheap Behringer mixer (UB 1002) and plug into the "line in" jack.
bd | |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | thanks for the tip on the usb mixer paul.
i'm going to play with what i have for awhile. next usa trip i'll see what i can find. | |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | If you have firewire capability and can spend around $700 you could go for the MOTU 828 interface, which has 8 simultaneous inputs. Mark Of The Unicorn gear is the dog's cahones.
http://www.motu.com/ | |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | i gots de firewire. now i'm getting very interested. | |
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(Cheap) Recording Options
