Home Recording

[John Matrix]

Hey dudes, I'm looking to start recording at home. For those of you who do this already, how do you recommend connecting the mic to the computer? Do you plug straight into your soundcard or do you use a pre-amp. I was looking at one of the things, but if I don't really need it I'd like to save my money.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/ART-USB-Dual-Pre-TwoChannel-PreamplifierComputer-Interface?sku=703092

I should note that my sound card is nothing special.

[biltmore]

I record through an interface, but I can bypass the pre-amps on it so that I may use my own. Since I record a lot of tracks at one time, I use an interface with Firewire 400 instead of USB 2.0.

If you're only recording a track or two at a time, then a USB interface just might be the way to go for you. That said, that ART *might* be decent, I've never used it, but the fact it's using USB 1.1 is just horrible.

I believe this one uses USB 2.0 and is the same price as the ART interface you linked to:

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/M-Audio-MobilePre-USB-Portable-Audio-Interface?sku=701368

Sure, you probably could get away with recording using your internal soundcard ... but more than likely it's not going to sound that great.

[John Matrix]

thanks for the tip! If I get the USB pre-amp, do I need to replace my soundcard with something nicer? Or does that take care of it?

[HRobert]

I have a TASCAM US-122L USB 2.0.  Rather flexable.  Look at the TASCAM web site for more information.  What I like is that it has ZERO latency and direct input monitoring.  Has two XLR inputs with phantom powering, 2 TRS inpots, a Hi-Z input, and RCA stereo line outputs.  Nice unit, affordable, and came with Cubase LE software and TASCAM GIGASTUDIO 3.0 LE.

[chev]

thanks for the tip! If I get the USB pre-amp, do I need to replace my soundcard with something nicer? Or does that take care of it?

everything goes by the unit, it's your soundcard & your preamps...

Presonus makes good quality and affordable products too!

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-2X2-USB-Recording-System?sku=243007

I use the Firestudio Project to get 8 mic inputs but they make a smaller one with 2 mic inputs, might be a bit more expensive than the M-Audio but of much better quality...you can find them in used gear sometimes...

[Addam]

I record through an interface, but I can bypass the pre-amps on it so that I may use my own. Since I record a lot of tracks at one time, I use an interface with Firewire 400 instead of USB 2.0.

If you're only recording a track or two at a time, then a USB interface just might be the way to go for you. That said, that ART *might* be decent, I've never used it, but the fact it's using USB 1.1 is just horrible.

I believe this one uses USB 2.0 and is the same price as the ART interface you linked to:

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/M-Audio-MobilePre-USB-Portable-Audio-Interface?sku=701368

Sure, you probably could get away with recording using your internal soundcard ... but more than likely it's not going to sound that great.

I have an 8 input interface which is USB 2.0(Tascam US1641) and have never had any problems with recording lots of tracks at the same time.  That being said, Cubase is a pain to figure out.  Also, the LE version is terrible IMO.  You can't really do anything with it.  Also, it's kind of "glitchy", or at least that's what I've encountered with it.

thanks for the tip! If I get the USB pre-amp, do I need to replace my soundcard with something nicer? Or does that take care of it?

everything goes by the unit, it's your soundcard & your preamps...

Presonus makes good quality and affordable products too!

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-2X2-USB-Recording-System?sku=243007

I use the Firestudio Project to get 8 mic inputs but they make a smaller one with 2 mic inputs, might be a bit more expensive than the M-Audio but of much better quality...you can find them in used gear sometimes...

What software does Presonus products come with?  I hate that M-Audio is owned by Digidesign and now Protools ONLY works with M-Audio products.  Protools is, in my opinion, really easy to figure out and has numerous things you can do with it (even with the "lowest" version) to make recording even easier.  I took a quarter long class at a community college dealing with music recording and we recorded into Protools HD(which is the version used to record in surround sound) and I had no problem figuring out the layout of that software, by myself, even though I had been messing with Cubase LE for multiple months before hand.  Also, after we recorded into HD we could transfer it into Protools LE(I believe it was called that) and while there was a bit of a downgrade from HD, obviously, it was still very user friendly and had a million great things you could still do with your recording. 

tl;dr: IMO, Protools lowest version> Cubase highest version.

[chev]

before I move to Apple and Logic Express, I used Reaper on PC! seriously the most user-friendly DAW out there!

and you can use it for absolutely free! just download & install and it works with every sound device!

After a few months using it, I just bought it to support them, hey 40$ for a personal license will do as long as you don't make 20,000$US with it. and then for the commercial license, 150$, still cheap!

http://www.reaper.fm/download.php

[Addam]

Chev, I didn't really see any screen shots on that Reaper website.  How is the EQ on the program and also, does it support downloadable content such as gates and limiters?  Does it come with any gates or limiters and if so, how are they?

[chev]

Chev, I didn't really see any screen shots on that Reaper website.  How is the EQ on the program and also, does it support downloadable content such as gates and limiters?  Does it come with any gates or limiters and if so, how are they?

yeah Reaper comes with a bunch of plug-ins EQ, comp, limiter which are ok, but you can use bunch of downloadable plug-ins with it no problem.

I used their 5 band EQ a lot...

here's some screenshots they have on their website:

http://www.reaper.fm/sshots.php

you can customize with themes & colors as you like.

a good safe source for free downloadable plug-ins if you don't already know it.

http://www.dontcrack.com/

[Addam]

Thanks for the heads up.  I think I am gonna download it.  Did you have any problems or big complaints with it once you started getting into the program more?

[John Matrix]

trying to decide between these two. They seem to both have nice features and a good price for a beginner such as myself. I want to try to buy today to get the "cyber monday" discount.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/TASCAM-US-144MKII-USB-AUDIO-MIDI-INTERFACE-105631592-i1474245.gc

http://www.guitarcenter.com/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-2X2-USB-Recording-System-104841978-i1388074.gc

Anyone wanna throw in their two cents?

[biltmore]

I'd go with PreSonus out of those 2 choices.

[chev]

Thanks for the heads up.  I think I am gonna download it.  Did you have any problems or big complaints with it once you started getting into the program more?

nop didn't had any problem with it on PC, on Apple their were funny display bug but it's optimized for PC so you should be fine.

I did a mix with it for my friends doom band and it went out good! 16 tracks and up with no problem on a M-Audio Audiophile 2496 in 44.kHz 24 bit. you should definitly try it, it's free anyway! I had Ezdrummer, Amplitube 2.0, T-Racks working fine with it...

[Addam]

Thanks for the heads up.  I think I am gonna download it.  Did you have any problems or big complaints with it once you started getting into the program more?

nop didn't had any problem with it on PC, on Apple their were funny display bug but it's optimized for PC so you should be fine.

I did a mix with it for my friends doom band and it went out good! 16 tracks and up with no problem on a M-Audio Audiophile 2496 in 44.kHz 24 bit. you should definitly try it, it's free anyway! I had Ezdrummer, Amplitube 2.0, T-Racks working fine with it...

Well, I think this thread has sovled my new DAW problem that I was suffering for some time.  Thanks alot!