Recording on PC

[Bob S]

I'm looking to record some home guitar playing. Can any of you good people recommend a decent sounding, inexpensive way to do this.
Any suggestions welcome - I trolled around on the net and ended up more confused than normal.
Thanks in advance,
Bob

[Structo]

Quite a few years ago I had a program called Cake Walk Guitar Tracks.
It was like a recording console on the screen and you could adjust each thing.

At the time I was using a Line 6 POD XTL and plugging that straight into the sound card on my PC.

It worked pretty slick.

Nowadays there are a lot more programs to choose from and better interfaces.

What I did was lay down a basic drum track (I could add fills and cymbals later)
Then I laid down the rhythm parts. Then the lead.

There are a few freeware recording software programs out there.
Audacity for one.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

A good interface or soundcard is good too because what you will run into is called latency, a kind of lag, for lack of better words.

I've been planning on getting my recording setup going again soon.
This time I will use a Shure 57 microphone on my speaker cab, a tube preamp to goose it a little.

One thing that really helps the whole process is to get some good monitors speakers.

Because what it sounds like out of your computer speakers ain't what it's going to sound like on your home stereo.
So I had to do a lot of running back and forth when I was EQ'ing the mix.

Hope that helps.

[selloutrr]

buy an MBox 2 they are super cheap and sound the best for the price. Plus if you record something you like you, you are already using protools so you can take it to a real studio to mix.

protools offers modeling software like ampfarm or you can plug in a microphone and track your amp.

[Decko]

+1 for Mbox.

Just bought one myself.

Headphones are good to have and some powered flat response monitors.


......

[surfsup]

Software:
http://reaper.fm/

Hardware:
Presonus Firebox

If you want to start recording amp cabs, well you need mics, mic stands, mic cords, placement issues, room soundboards/treatment, etc.

I home record when I have time and record guitar direct in (plug the guitar into the hardware input). Then I use a "reamp" to send that signal as many times/"takes" as I want to an amp, and can adjust mic placement and not have to play the guitar each time. Helps bigtime.

The more you want to do the more expensive it gets. A good ribbon mic is awesome for a "room" mic but you need a mic-pre and the mic. That's going to be $600 for the combo. A shure SM57 is a good start but sounds thin used alone imo.

Wanna do songs? Add in some more instruments and you'll need plugs (FX). Add it up...

[amplifiednation]

Get a small mixer and you can run direct into your soundcard also you can get a condensor mic for the best results. I have used sony acid for years its multitracking and looping is amazing. Dont waste your money on a usb device, the condensor mic is the way to go if you want good high quality recordings and is money better spent

[FunkyE9th]

The Zoom H4 (not sure what the latest model is) is nice and simple. It can function as a standalone recorder or you can hook it up to your PC. It comes with Cubase software. I'm sure Zoom has a newer model, might we worth checking out.

[overtone]

+1 on surfsup suggestion for Reaper as the recording software, it is really worth a look at and you can test run it for a long, long time...
I found it to be very intuitive to use.

[Bob S]

Wow - Thanks guys.
Got some investigating to do today. At leat now I have some ideas on what to look at.
The more I learn, the less I know...

[Gibsonman63]

Sounds like you have figured out that you are sticking your toe in a very deep pond.

1+ also on the Reaper. Once you learn the basics, everything is expandable, so it is easy to go from guitar demos to full band demos and beyond, at least as far as the software is concerned.

There is a lot of good information on recordingreview.com as well as a free downloadable 300 page primer on getting started. There is a lot of no nonsense stuff there about getting the most out of what you have rather than mindlessly buying a bunch of stuff.

[selloutrr]

here is my problem with using anything other then protools.

Say you get lucky and track "the track" or something that turns into more then a scratch track? these other programs limit you to A: using them for the entire song. Keep in mind these are not professional recording systems and you are limited by the software. B: You can try to convert the tracks to something useable in protools but more times then not the conversion adds unwanted artifacts. The conversion software is not cheap!

Protools MBOX 2 lets you run Protools 8 which is compatable with HD this allows you to track up to 2 tracks at a time. edit and build a basic template you can then take into an HD studio and turn into a professional product.

otherwise you have to rerecord the song and hope you capture the "magic". I hear all the time.. "what do you mean my software isn't protools compatable?" and "damn.. I wish i had done this in protools first i've put so much work into it."

For better or worse Protools is the industry standard. If you do heavy Midi production Reason and Logic are a runner up.

[JamesHealey]

This is the best value way to do it by far! and quality of sound!

Software:
http://reaper.fm/

Hardware:
Presonus Firebox

If you want to start recording amp cabs, well you need mics, mic stands, mic cords, placement issues, room soundboards/treatment, etc.

I home record when I have time and record guitar direct in (plug the guitar into the hardware input). Then I use a "reamp" to send that signal as many times/"takes" as I want to an amp, and can adjust mic placement and not have to play the guitar each time. Helps bigtime.

The more you want to do the more expensive it gets. A good ribbon mic is awesome for a "room" mic but you need a mic-pre and the mic. That's going to be $600 for the combo. A shure SM57 is a good start but sounds thin used alone imo.

Wanna do songs? Add in some more instruments and you'll need plugs (FX). Add it up...

[surfsup]

sellout, Reaper does all that and more. In fact, the routing capabilities have been claimed recently to be as good or better than protools. I'd say Reaper's issue today is its editing and multitakes, but that is just a preference. I don't like the interface.

Tracks can be multi-tracked, copied, edited, recopied, resaved into new items, etc. It is quite powerful and getting more and more recognition.

[JamesHealey]

I agree Protools is the industry standard and I've used and loved it for years and in a professional environment I wouldn't use anything else.


But for home recording on a budget, you cannot beat reaper it's fantastic and works a treat, the quality is there and so is the power..

I use it and i'm thoroughly impressed.

[selloutrr]

Can you import reaper files seemlessly to protools?

My point is not that you can can't do it cheaper. I can't think of a commercial studio that uses reaper? So my concern is, why make the effort to record, recording is effort, if it's not going to be expandable and usuable in the event you track something great? You don't need great mics or preamps, if your performance is great you can reamp and do it all in the studio using what you already played, ampfarm, melodyne, autotune.... etc.

If all you want to do is track ideas and jam practice, use a portable handheld recorder or even a video camera so you have a visual as well as audio. most camera's come with video/audio editing software and upload directly to the PC.

which ever software you decide you run. look for at least 2 channels of simultaneous recording. use one channel for a D.I. Box (dry) and the other channel amp/wet/whatever gets your tone. that way if you end up with something you like but you don't like the way your tone fits the end mix. reamp and dial the amp to fit the mix.