Suggest Hardware For Music Recording?

[ricanflow]

With a pc you have way more flexibility, can edit/arrange the tracks much easier and can use vst plugins to clean up the vocals.

Heres an example:
Focusrite Saffire LE 6-In/8-Out FireWire Interface and more Audio Interfaces and Convertors at GuitarCenter.com.

You dont need a lot of power for tracking. Just do a clean install of windows xp and have 2gb of ram with a failry recent cpu (dual core) and youll be set. Ive recorded tracks that have made it onto the radio with an external mixer and my old laptop with just a 1.4ghz pentium m and 2gb ram.

That along with a decent quality condenser, pop filter and stand and a good tracking program (not FL Studio or audacity) and some basic plugins will give you clean sounding demos.

 

[Fairuza]

Thankyou, Ricanflow. Thanks for the link, I like the look of it.

Is it likely to work with my laptop though? I don't have dual core in either of my machines. They are both Pentium 4.

What is 'firewire'? I only know about USB.

I was just looking at this when I noticed your post.

 

[Fairuza]

Okay, just read up on Firewire and looked in the motherboard manual. The desktop I'm running has an IEEE 1394 port connector. Is this what I need?

I don't have a dual core processor, but is that really necessary?

 

[Fairuza]

the dedicated hardware route is super expensive

Pc's are used in the industry to record most of the music you hear on the radio...and with a budget of 250 euros you are just barely getting started.

just get a sound card with zero latency that is design for studio recording

Here's a thought:

People were recording music a long time before computers came along. It was heard on the (old crackly) radio at the time, but more importantly, it sounds great on the master tape. A lot of the modern music I hear now is clearly over-produced and audibly-quantized, to my ears.

Now there are hundreds of reel-reel tape 4-track recorders going cheap, that nobody wants. I'm tempted to actually look into what it would cost to make a retro analogue studio, using old cast offs. I reckon it would be fun putting it together. The PC I already have would be fine for adding effects, burning to CD and making WAVs.

Maybe someone still makes the tape?

If it don't work, I can always open my studio as a museum

Just a thought... I need to find a musician's forum. Some will laugh, I'm sure. Others may find it quaintly interesting.

 

[EricB]

Here's a thought:

People were recording music a long time before computers came along. It was heard on the (old crackly) radio at the time, but more importantly, it sounds great on the master tape. A lot of the modern music I hear now is clearly over-produced and audibly-quantized, to my ears.

Now there are hundreds of reel-reel tape 4-track recorders going cheap, that nobody wants. I'm tempted to actually look into what it would cost to make a retro analogue studio, using old cast offs. I reckon it would be fun putting it together. The PC I already have would be fine for adding effects, burning to CD and making WAVs.

Maybe someone still makes the tape?

If it don't work, I can always open my studio as a museum

Just a thought... I need to find a musician's forum. Some will laugh, I'm sure. Others may find it quaintly interesting.

one reason that you won't find support with that. when they came out with cd recorders, hard drive and cd rippers fdor a computer, everybody and their mother threw that old analog tape junk away. digital doesn't lose quality and you can make a perfect copy everytime you copy it.

with tapes and reel to reel, you had wow and flutter issues. that tape could easily saturated and it was real easily prone to damage and you had to work everything into real time.

 

[Fairuza]

Well, if I had money to burn, I love that old junk... It has charm.

Wow and flutter would annoy me. No good for easy recording.

I can afford to buy the interface Ricanflow suggested or the Tascam 4-track.

There are issues with the machine I need to take into account and also a few other options to consider.

I agree the PC offers flexibility and upgradability but it has it's downsides (hence why musicians still use standalone hardware). I feel at my price level it has it's place as a clean-up and copying tool. I'm not sure computers are the answer to everything, unless we can afford to dedicate one machine to a limited number of tasks... In which case, such a system would be great, I am sure, but I'm keeping an open mind on this one...

You see just by paying more careful attention to my mixing this week, I have begun to achieve a slightly cleaner sound with the old laptop.

I'll wait for a musican friend to come off holiday, who will be able to give more detailed advice. Thanks, anyway.

 

[ricanflow]

The industry standard is pro tools, which is run on pc's and macs.

No, you dont have to have a dual core. But with the more cpu power at your disposal, the more plugins and effects you can use. The majority of your issues are not having a real interface and daw software. Just those two alone will improve it greatly.

And ive always recorded on my main computer, with no issues. Ive also used the same computer to game, watch movies, and be online. Again no issues.......these days a simple antivirus and common sense will keep your pc clean.

You can use standalone gear if you want...but you will spend more and get less in the long run.

 

[EricB]

The industry standard is pro tools, which is run on pc's and macs.

No, you dont have to have a dual core. But with the more cpu power at your disposal, the more plugins and effects you can use. The majority of your issues are not having a real interface and daw software. Just those two alone will improve it greatly.

And ive always recorded on my main computer, with no issues. Ive also used the same computer to game, watch movies, and be online. Again no issues.......these days a simple antivirus and common sense will keep your pc clean.

You can use standalone gear if you want...but you will spend more and get less in the long run.

a nice summary. it would have took me 2 days to explain it

 

[Fairuza]

No, you dont have to have a dual core.

Okay, thanks.

But with the more cpu power at your disposal, the more plugins and effects you can use. The majority of your issues are not having a real interface and daw software. Just those two alone will improve it greatly.

Yes, that is true. Also, by being more mindful and accurate about record-in levels and not overdoing the FX, I'm hearing a slight improvement. The latency issue is now corrected in Audacity, with the Beta version. I'm thinking about how much better things could be, using better software.

Like I say, I'm keeping an open mind. The Firewire interface you suggested appears good value for money, with it's bundled software. Am considering it, against a very versatile Yamaha recorder I have seen, which is portable and offers good mixing capability.

Thanks again.

 

[EricB]

you really need hardware to fix the latency issue. software can fix it a little bit but not like hardware can. software can't make a regular sound card have 0 latency.