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Location: ranson,wva | my old recording rig took a dump a few weeks ago,and im thinking about getting a rig that will run directly thru my notebook. any advice on what is good,whats total shite..the only stipulation is it has to be somewhat simple to operate. maybe something with a line in that i can plug in to the guitar or mic externaly.....any help is much apericated...thanks jason |
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Location: PDX | This is a great place to start. And they have a searchable forum here.
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gh1 |
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Location: ranson,wva | thanks gh,ive got a cheap digital recorder with line in but it sounds like crap...not that im a great player or singer but the recorder makes me sound worse.lol ill give that site a look. jason |
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Location: Detroit area | I just picked up the Boss BR 900 digital 8 track w/the built-in CD R/RW. There are a few things I haven't yet figured out, but it's AWESOME, and quite easy to use. The built-in effects are just fantastic. |
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Location: Snåsa, Norway | You can try to use the line or mic input on your computer and download Audacity or Kristal Audio Engine . Both are freeware, and give you ok recording possibilities.
The only equipment needed for this solution is an 1/4-1/8 adapter to plug in the cable into the input jack on the computer. Better solution for input is to run through a mixer or some external usb or firewire soundcard, like Line 6 Toneport, or M-Audio FastTrack (there are many options), but plugging the guitar directly in will give you an idea of how the software works. |
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Location: ranson,wva | ive been looking around and i think ive decided on a stand alone recorder that has some effects and is portable. it hold up to 300min on the stock sandisk and i can get one with more memory at staples for about $40.00. then dump it to my laptop where ive got editing software and other shite...jason |
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Location: Carle Place, NY | I have this and it works well. Lexicon Omega
It's not a stand alone unit, but it's small and light so if you have a laptop it would be portable. |
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Location: ranson,wva | im seriously looking at a few models. the boss rig looks good and has nice features,the omega has good features as well. but at the moment price is a factor. so im waffeling over the options at the present time...jason |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Don't know how much you want to spend but these are pretty good units for the money.
Boss Micro BR |
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Location: ranson,wva | thats one of the ones im waffeling over..heres the other one im thinking about http://www.zzounds.com/item--FOSMR8MKII and this one http://www.zzounds.com/item--ZOMH4 do these one look any good?? you have to keep in mind my old rig was a 4 track cassette recorder so im verry green as to this digital stuff. thanks jason |
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Location: ms | I just got a BR600 I have not had a chance to use it but the guy i got it from did a demo that sounded nice. He set it up in my living room to show me the basic`s. In about ten minutes he had two songs on vocal and guitar done. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Yes, the BR600 is another nice one but I was trying to keep the price point low since JC didn't specifiy how much was in the budget. |
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Location: Utah | I've had good luck with the Lexicon Alpha. It's reasonably cheap and works well. Lexicon Alpha at MF
It seems to cleanly digitize my electric guitar as well as the Ovation. It does NOT have phantom power, so if you need phantom for a mic you either have to upgrade to the Lambda or Omega, or get a mic preamp.
I have the M Audio Audio Buddy preamp which has phantom power, and it does a decent job. Audio Buddy at MF . There are a lot of mic preamps in the under $150 range that look pretty good and get good user review.
For software, I use Guitar Tracks Pro. Check out EBay for education software. As long as you have a student of some sort in the house, you can get a substantial discount on software. GT Pro is all you need to record, plus a lot more than most amateurs could ever need. It has a ton of flexibility and hass a truly professional level of editing capability. You can even turn your guitar into a bass! There are tons of effects plugins that are free, either that come with it or can be downloaded from the web.
For a really terrible example of my playing, here's a durg-like version of a Christmas carol I whipped together with GTPro, with my electric guitar through the Lexicon Alpha. Click Here |
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Location: FL | No expert here but this is a relatively cheap way to get two tracks (i.e. vocal/guitar) down simultaneously. I use a stereo mixer and pan one channel hard left, the other hard right. This is particularly useful if you're mic-ing the guitar. Most mic's will require pre-amps to get a decent line level into your computer. In the computer, of course, you'll need software that will enable you to route each of the stereo input channels to a separate track for recording - from which point you can play with getting your mix, stereo image and any desired effects right.
My ears ring loudly anyway so I'm about as much an audiophile as I am a brain surgeon and most of my home recording has been quick and dirty experiments. Some examples are at iTroubador.com. I might add that a friend has used the technique described above with considerably better results than my own and laid down a very nice recording of 'The Boxer' also found at iTroubador.com. (It gets a lot of downloads). He used a condensor mic on the instruments. |
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Location: Round Rock, TX | If you're looking at the zoom, then also look at the Eiderol. The RS-9 may be more than the Zoom, but it has really good sound, even using the built in mics. A friend of mine has been using one to record his live solo and duo gigs. The sound really blew me away, even before he downloaded and mastered it. |
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Location: Utah | Just wanted to mention that final mastering seems to make a very large difference. Guitar Tracks recording software allows for software effects plugins, and those plugins work very well. I find that adding a touch of compression makes the recording sound much better. A bit of reverb and a tad of eq helps, too.
I'm a total beginner at recording, but these plugins are easy to use. They are standard format and other recording programs use them as well. Some are available free on the web to download, and others come with the software. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | So Jason, What have you decided?
I need to get something to work with in working out song ideas. I'm trying to find the one that you plug in the mic and guitar and push ONE button and you're off to the races. Push it again to stop. Maybe I can learn something from your search? |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Bill, that pretty much describes a cassette recorder! :D
Seriously, any of the new digital recorders will do precisely that. Just decide which one grabs you the most and run with it. |
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Location: Vermont USA | Hey Bill give a look at the Boss Mirco BR it might be just what your looking. Its easy to use even I can run it.
Pauly |
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Location: NJ | It was mentioned before, but THIS is what you want:
Edirol
I've seen/heard this thing in action, and it's "tits".
I was talking to you about it on NewYears w/Kim.
Press a button - record. Stupidly simple.
Stereo mics.
Listen to playback w/headphones.
Plug it into your computer to playback or e-mail files.
I was at a rehearsal studio about a month ago helping a friend audition a drummer and the guy had one of these and we recorded the entire audition simply and with amazing sound.
The only thing you'd need is a bigger memory card - probably about $50.
Y'can't overdub with it, but's an amazingly small, EASY-TO-USE digital "scratchpad".
There was a full review of this thing in the most recent AcousticGuitar. |
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Location: ranson,wva | well bill,i put that on the back because i just put new cones in my tricone..but now im back on the search..lol there is a few that ive used at my buddies place back home and it worked well http://www.zzounds.com/item--BOSBR600 but i had a hrd time getting the functions down with reltive ease...but these 2 here are the ones im leaning to http://www.zzounds.com/item--FOSMR8MKII or this one http://www.zzounds.com/item--ZOMH4 take a look and tell me what you think. im going for stand alone with the ability to back up to my desktop or note book for mixing,editing and such...jason |
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| The direction I'm pursuing (no results yet, still in the acquisition phase) (in fact, when is that not the case??) is to get a TapCo Link.USB ($149?) or Mackie Onyx Satellite ($399, except there was a deal on eBay last night...) and the bundled Tracktion software. Seems to be a pretty rabid users' community (apologies to any who belong, I will be joining you shortly, I'm sure) around Tracktion, which is usually a sign of a good-but-underrated product. The TapCo interface is USB (therefore somewhat more hardware sensitive?) while the Onyx is FireWire. Assuming you have a decent enough laptop in the first place, it gets you out of the dedicated box/carved-in-stone-features situation for modest coinage. Tracktion 3 is on the horizon (NAMM?) as well, so it's a growing product. Supports VST plugins (and some are included in the bundle, it sounds like) and MIDI in the current version, if that matters to you.
Forums and info about Tracktion and Onyx interfaces at www.mackie.com, Link.USB info turns up in the Tracktion threads often.
So many choices.....so few dollars ;-)
Enjoy the search and the results! |
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Location: Hiram, Georgia | Thanks for chiming in E-A-D-G-B-E, you need to visit more often... phil |
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August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | i settled on the zoom mrs4b 4 track. it looks simple enough for a moron like me to use and had good features,plus its stand alone. plug in the usb.back the tracks onto the notebook and edit,copy,burn..ect...jason |
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home recording equipment
