computer recording?

[bluenote420]

hey, just wondering what programs, gadgets people use to record on their computer, especially the audio files posted on this site. Thanks!

[Dr. Ellwood]

I use a program called Cool Edit Pro and a USB microphone. Some guys are using Cakewalk Sonor, some Cubebase and there are some pretty neat free download programs you can use also. Other guys will come on here and give you much more specific informantion/advise, be patient and keep watching the thread! it's lot of fun doing computer recording! good luck!

[Gruupi]

Cool Elwood, I use Cool Edit Pro also, I thought I was the only dinosaur left. I use The Echo Layla as the digital converter/soundcard and a traditional live sound mixer for mic preamps. It was a big learning curve all around but the results were great, there is alot of flexability in digital recording. I had always wanted to get it into recording but the little Tascam cassette units that were in my price range never quite impressed me enough to want to jump in before.

 

You still have to learn the ins and outs of recording techique, such as microphone placement and setting the levels so as not to overload the channels. But all the mixdown tools that were available in analog recording are all automated in computer programs. The ability to preview and undo effects and mixes is just too easy compared to what someone with tape would have to go through.

[Mike Z]

I use the Lexicon Omega USB interface, and Cubase LE. It's great for my desktop computer. When I finally get a laptop I will get something smaller for mobile recording.

 

I was talking to an audio engineer friend of mine and he told me that Pro-Tools is the standard in the US and Cubase is the standard in Europe. I don't know how accurate that is, but you may want to consider Pro-Tools if you are going to take it to a professional for mixing. If not, then get whatever you can afford.

 

I am sure guys will come along that know more about this than I. Have fun recording.

[Xplorer]

I'm also using Cool Edit. I have a Soundblaster X-Fi card that works great. I'm using Native Instruments Guitar Rig 2 for some effects, all other effects/preamp is handled by a ART DST-4 lined' into the soundcard.

[Scott Fraser]

I run a full blown studio business on Digital Performer, with an Apple dual 2.5gHz G5. I also run it on my laptop when I'm on the road.

 

Scott Fraser

[caprae]

Scott - you ever play (shouldn't use that term) with Garage Band?

[AeroG33k]

Can you use 1/4" to 1/8" connector to plug the guitar into the mic input? If not, what kind of DI/Software would you guys recommend for cheap recording directly to the pc?

[dreibel]

Originally posted by AeroG33k:

Can you use 1/4" to 1/8" connector to plug the guitar into the mic input? If not, what kind of DI/Software would you guys recommend for cheap recording directly to the pc?

I wouldn't recommend doing that, as it'll sound awful, the card really needs to see a signal at line level. It's best to buffer the guitar signal with some sort of preamp - like a mixer, or a direct box. One cool solution is ART's Tube MP, which will buffer the signal and also has a tube preamp to warm up the sound a bit, it's also pretty cheap at around $55 now. (For a bit more ART is now making a Tube MP with a USB port on it, which means you can plug into the computer's USB).

Companies like Griffin Technology also are now making cables with the proper USB connector for plugging in direct.

 

I've been seeing in some music mags from the UK reviews for a new USB-equipped budget guitar called the ESI Pro Jammate UG-1, basically a "poor man's Brian Moore". It's getting some raves for its sound quality as well as being a pretty good Strat clone, and it even comes with copies of Amplitube for doing amp modelling. It can't do MIDI, but I can see some of the advantages of using this if you want to plug in direct.

[A String]

Originally posted by dreibel:

Originally posted by AeroG33k:

Can you use 1/4" to 1/8" connector to plug the guitar into the mic input? If not, what kind of DI/Software would you guys recommend for cheap recording directly to the pc?

I wouldn't recommend doing that, as it'll sound awful, the card really needs to see a signal at line level. It's best to buffer the guitar signal with some sort of preamp - like a mixer, or a direct box. One cool solution is ART's Tube MP, which will buffer the signal and also has a tube preamp to warm up the sound a bit, it's also pretty cheap at around $55 now. (For a bit more ART is now making a Tube MP with a USB port on it, which means you can plug into the computer's USB).

Companies like Griffin Technology also are now making cables with the proper USB connector for plugging in direct.

 

I've been seeing in some music mags from the UK reviews for a new USB-equipped budget guitar called the ESI Pro Jammate UG-1, basically a "poor man's Brian Moore". It's getting some raves for its sound quality as well as being a pretty good Strat clone, and it even comes with copies of Amplitube for doing amp modelling. It can't do MIDI, but I can see some of the advantages of using this if you want to plug in direct.

I'm sorry guy, but I'll have to respectfully disagree. I think going direct sounds fantastic. I have some recordings by myself and by others who use this technique all the time, and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between those recordings and ones where the signal is handled before going in.

 

The trick is in how you handle the signal once it's in the computer. How you EQ it etc.

[strangedogs]

I have a small pre-amp but it's not needed on my 20" G5 Imac as it apparently has a small built-in pre-amp. Just using a 1/4" - 1/8" adapter I get amazing sound using software amps. I normally use Logic Express 7 or Ableton's LIVE 5 but Garageband 3 is also a blast to record with - so many kewl things in it...

 

I'm running my Zoom G2 directly into my Imac now and the sound is great - whisper quiet too when not playing thanks to Zoom's noise cancelling circuitry. You'd swear I have an amp that I'm micing but it's just the Zoom direct.

[Trucks]

Originally posted by ellwood:

I use a program called Cool Edit Pro and a USB microphone. Some guys are using Cakewalk Sonor, some Cubebase and there are some pretty neat free download programs you can use also. Other guys will come on here and give you much more specific informantion/advise, be patient and keep watching the thread! it's lot of fun doing computer recording! good luck!

Have you noticed that in Cool Edit Pro if you multitrack it and save the final mixdown as a wav etc you get a loud white noise fuzz a few seconds in... I guessed you were using it also as one of your soundclicks has the same white noise

[stamplicker]

I'd have to agree with the "plug - in - to - mic", you might get some sounds you really don't want. There should be a "Line-In" tha tyou can plug into. If not, then the "Mic In" might be the way to go and won't be so bad. But it would be strange if there was only "Speaker out" and "Mic In" only?

 

As far as I remember. "Mic In" is like plugging in to the Phono jack(record player) of a stereo. Where "Line In" is more compliant.

[AeroG33k]

Originally posted by stamplicker:

I'd have to agree with the "plug - in - to - mic", you might get some sounds you really don't want. There should be a "Line-In" tha tyou can plug into. If not, then the "Mic In" might be the way to go and won't be so bad. But it would be strange if there was only "Speaker out" and "Mic In" only?

 

As far as I remember. "Mic In" is like plugging in to the Phono jack(record player) of a stereo. Where "Line In" is more compliant.

Well, I'm talking about what i got on my HP laptop, not a dedicated sound card.

I think my friend might have some firewire DI box I could borrow though, he's knows his recording stuff. What is a good amp modeling/effect software that's free or fairly cheap?

[Scott Fraser]

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No I haven't. I opened it up when I got my last laptop, but haven't delved in at all. It seems largely loop & sample based, which isn't at all what I do. Learning Digital Performer is a major learning curve, so I haven't looked into too many other applications. I know some people who do most of their work in GargeBand, though, so it must provide a good work space.

 

Scott Fraser

[caprae]

That doesn't surprise me, Scott. Once you learn a high end system you would feel limited.

 

I know you can do live tracks there are a lot of amp sims and pedal affects built in.

 

I know there are a couple of sites where all of the work is supposed be done in Garage Band.