WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

[ATom2]

Hari or Atom2 could probably advise you better on the software synth options.

I'm not going to be any help in this discussion as I use all external sound sources, i.e. my keyboards, and record directly into my stand alone Roland unit. It was rather expensive initially, but I don't need to rely on all that software, plug-ins, PC etc... I do absolutely no work via a PC. I just plug and go!

Sorry,

Tom

[Guest voclizr]

Tom;

What kind of media do you back up to? I'm wondering because your Roland dosen't have (built-in) a CD-RW drive.

John B.

[hariossa]

hello!, sorry for the delay, I missed this one... here I go:

you don't need any FX processor or mixer if you're planning to record just yourself (singing or playng).

you don't need a MIDI interface if your sound card has one.

you don't need a lot of other things...

the best thing about computer recording is that your setup is very simple,

- the main thing you need is the fastest and biggest PC (with 2 fast hard drives) that you can buy,

- a good sound card with MIDI that fits your needs,

- a keyboard controller (a keyboard but without a synth inside or any other sound generator, it just sends MIDI data),

- a good microphone and a couple of cables.

(having 2 PC monitors is also an exellent idea, so buy a video card with 2 outs if you can).

synths, samplers and mixing is going to be done inside the PC using software.

software is a very personal choice, beacuse most of them do the same things, don't buy one just because everybody uses it, try all of them before, you can download demos and make a choice.

software synths and samplers abound in the net, so think about the sounds you want to hear and try some before buying as I said.

you can find also exellent software for FREE!!, as I always recommend: buy some issues of computer music magazine

you can find on their cd's all what you need to get started.

follow Prometeus advice about reading songstuff tutorials and the sound on sound website.

hope it helps a bit, gotta go now...

cheers!!

Edited January 31, 2006 by hariossa

[ATom2]

Tom;

What kind of media do you back up to? I'm wondering because your Roland dosen't have (built-in) a CD-RW drive.

John B.

I have an external cd-rw drive. Just a tad slower than the built in ones.

At this point I have enough drink coasters for a wedding of 300.

[Prometheus]

follow Prometeus advice about reading songstuff tutorials and the sound on sound website.

Absolutely... Not meaning to be patronizing, but I'm very concerned that you (James) might be taking the attitude that if you buy a lot of fancy toys, you'll be producing commercial quality recordings in a few weeks. I've noticed that you've been jumping on every post regarding equipment and have totally ignored everything said about learning how to use the equipment... Before you spend massive amounts of money, you've got to be sure that you aren't wasting your dosh trying to run before you can walk... When I decided I wanted to move from pottering around with an eight track to being a studio engineer in big studio set ups, I went back to College and did a two year course to get some recognised qualifications and to interact with Industry experienced professionals... I've never regretted this, and while College is not for everyone, I know for a fact that unless you spend the time developing a very clear idea of what you're doing with the equipment and why you're doing it, the first time anything unexpected comes up in a recording situation, you'll be out of your depth.

It takes a clever man years to reach the level of broadcast quality mixes, with focus, drive, direction and learning...

A seasoned engineer with a mike, a compressor, a graphic equalizer and a tape of somekind will create a far better recording than a rookie would in abbey road... As a matter of fact, I doubt a man picked at random from the street could get as far as switching on the equipment in a big studio...

Edited February 1, 2006 by Prometheus

[jameswales]

Absolutely... Not meaning to be patronizing, but I'm very concerned that you (James) might be taking the attitude that if you buy a lot of fancy toys, you'll be producing commercial quality recordings in a few weeks. I've noticed that you've been jumping on every post regarding equipment and have totally ignored everything said about learning how to use the equipment... Before you spend massive amounts of money, you've got to be sure that you aren't wasting your dosh trying to run before you can walk... When I decided I wanted to move from pottering around with an eight track to being a studio engineer in big studio set ups, I went back to College and did a two year course to get some recognised qualifications and to interact with Industry experienced professionals... I've never regretted this, and while College is not for everyone, I know for a fact that unless you spend the time developing a very clear idea of what you're doing with the equipment and why you're doing it, the first time anything unexpected comes up in a recording situation, you'll be out of your depth.

It takes a clever man years to reach the level of broadcast quality mixes, with focus, drive, direction and learning...

A seasoned engineer with a mike, a compressor, a graphic equalizer and a tape of somekind will create a far better recording than a rookie would in abbey road... As a matter of fact, I doubt a man picked at random from the street could get as far as switching on the equipment in a big studio...

All I have done is ask questions about different pieces of equipment. The only way I can learn what I need to buy is by asking these questions. I don't have time to go to college. I have a young family and would rather spend my time learning how to use the equipment at home rather than being away at the nearest college, which is 60 miles away. Yes I have menthioned alot of different pieces of equipment because I wanted to find out what they did, and whether they would benefit. I thought that was what this forum was for?

I know for a fact that I am not going to be producing top class recordings anytime soon. If I don't know what a piece of equipment does, i'm not gonna buy it. However, I won't know what a piece of equipment does and whether it is what I need unless I ask.

[Prometheus]

All I have done is ask questions about different pieces of equipment. The only way I can learn what I need to buy is by asking these questions. I don't have time to go to college. I have a young family and would rather spend my time learning how to use the equipment at home rather than being away at the nearest college, which is 60 miles away. Yes I have menthioned alot of different pieces of equipment because I wanted to find out what they did, and whether they would benefit. I thought that was what this forum was for?

I know for a fact that I am not going to be producing top class recordings anytime soon. If I don't know what a piece of equipment does, i'm not gonna buy it. However, I won't know what a piece of equipment does and whether it is what I need unless I ask.

Don't misunderstand me here, I'd just hate to talk you into spending loads of money without telling you what's involved... I think Sound Recording and mixing is great, and I'd love to see everyone getting into it, and I think it's great that your enthusiastic about getting all the right gear for it, I just want to make sure you're aware it's a long road to learn all the stuff you need to learn... Absolutely no offense was meant...

Well... you need an AGENT, a crew of PR-people, a HIT-RECORD, and then some... anyway, IF this was all about GEAR, CUBASE is ALL you NEED, IF You can USE IT.

Simple as that.

Bye.

H.

You do need to get a reasonable signal into Cubase, which entails a mike and a preamp of some kind if you want anything that sounds better than AM Radio played through a half inch speaker cone...

[jameswales]

Don't misunderstand me here, I'd just hate to talk you into spending loads of money without telling you what's involved... I think Sound Recording and mixing is great, and I'd love to see everyone getting into it, and I think it's great that your enthusiastic about getting all the right gear for it, I just want to make sure you're aware it's a long road to learn all the stuff you need to learn... Absolutely no offense was meant...

Prometheus

I know no offense was meant. I agree completly with what you say. I know it's gonna take me a long time to learn what I need to learn, and the way i'm going at the moment, it's gonna take me longer than most!!! I just can't wait to get started learning!!!

Does anybody have a list of what they have in their home pc recording and what all the pieces do? And why they are there?

[Prometheus]

Prometheus

I know no offense was meant. I agree completly with what you say. I know it's gonna take me a long time to learn what I need to learn, and the way i'm going at the moment, it's gonna take me longer than most!!! I just can't wait to get started learning!!!

Does anybody have a list of what they have in their home pc recording and what all the pieces do? And why they are there?

I can give you a run down on what I've got...

A Spirit Studio 24-8-1 Desk (Fantastic Routing Device)

Alesis Point Seven Monitor Speakers (I love them)

An Maudio Delta 10 10 (Desk to sound card Analogue digital converters)

2 Patch bays (Behringer Ultrapatch Pro and and G & T) for patching in effects units

A Behrigner Multigate (I usually use for working on drum sounds)

2 x Behringer Composer Pro Compressors (For Dynamic Control and Limiting at the recording stage)

A Boss RCL 10 Compressor

An Alesis M-EQ 230 Graphich Equaliser

A Digitech TSR 12 Time Domain Effects Unit (Chorus, Flange, Phaser, Reverb Etc)

A Behringer Ultrafex II Enhancer (For adding a bit of Aural Excitment to a mix)

A Boss RV 70 Reverb

A Tascam DA 30 Mark II Data recorder (For mastering)

A Yamaha R100 Reverb Unit

A Pioneer A400 amp

A sony MSD JE510 MiniDisc Recorder

A Yamaha MD8 Mixer

A Spirit Folio 8 track Desk

A Peavey Unity 1000 desk (been through the wars and a bit battered now)

A Stagg Cardioid Condenser Mic

A Behringer B1 Cardioid Condenser

A DI box (to increase signal strength and Convert Jack to XLR)

2 Home made Pop Shields (To stop vocal plosives on recordings)

A NAD Compact Disc Player

A Midi Plus 61 Midicontroller Keyboard

Instruments

A Roland Juno 6 Analogue Synth

A Stagg Les Paul Copy

A thirty year old Hohner Precision Copy Bass (affectionately named Agatha)

An Epiphone SG25

Two C Harps

A number of percussion devices (tambourines, Maracca's etc)

A bongo Drum

Some Rudimentary Video Capturing Equipment and A Samsung Digital Campcorder that takes Hi-8 tapes

Cubase v5.0 and a number of plugins

CoolEditPro II

Bonk Enc (Freeware File Encoder)

And Nero Burning Rom (For final Mastering)

And a Tascam 244 4 track Porta Studio

[jameswales]

I can give you a run down on what I've got...

A Spirit Studio 24-8-1 Desk (Fantastic Routing Device)

Alesis Point Seven Monitor Speakers (I love them)

An Maudio Delta 10 10 (Desk to sound card Analogue digital converters)

2 Patch bays (Behringer Ultrapatch Pro and and G & T) for patching in effects units

A Behrigner Multigate (I usually use for working on drum sounds)

2 x Behringer Composer Pro Compressors (For Dynamic Control and Limiting at the recording stage)

A Boss RCL 10 Compressor

An Alesis M-EQ 230 Graphich Equaliser

A Digitech TSR 12 Time Domain Effects Unit (Chorus, Flange, Phaser, Reverb Etc)

A Behringer Ultrafex II Enhancer (For adding a bit of Aural Excitment to a mix)

A Boss RV 70 Reverb

A Tascam DA 30 Mark II Data recorder (For mastering)

A Yamaha R100 Reverb Unit

A Pioneer A400 amp

A sony MSD JE510 MiniDisc Recorder

A Yamaha MD8 Mixer

A Spirit Folio 8 track Desk

A Peavey Unity 1000 desk (been through the wars and a bit battered now)

A Stagg Cardioid Condenser Mic

A Behringer B1 Cardioid Condenser

A DI box (to increase signal strength and Convert Jack to XLR)

2 Home made Pop Shields (To stop vocal plosives on recordings)

A NAD Compact Disc Player

A Midi Plus 61 Midicontroller Keyboard

Instruments

A Roland Juno 6 Analogue Synth

A Stagg Les Paul Copy

A thirty year old Hohner Precision Copy Bass (affectionately named Agatha)

An Epiphone SG25

Two C Harps

A number of percussion devices (tambourines, Maracca's etc)

A bongo Drum

Some Rudimentary Video Capturing Equipment and A Samsung Digital Campcorder that takes Hi-8 tapes

Cubase v5.0 and a number of plugins

CoolEditPro II

Bonk Enc (Freeware File Encoder)

And Nero Burning Rom (For final Mastering)

And a Tascam 244 4 track Porta Studio

THAT'S ALOT OF STUFF!!!

[jameswales]

Absolutely... Not meaning to be patronizing, but I'm very concerned that you (James) might be taking the attitude that if you buy a lot of fancy toys, you'll be producing commercial quality recordings in a few weeks. I've noticed that you've been jumping on every post regarding equipment and have totally ignored everything said about learning how to use the equipment... Before you spend massive amounts of money, you've got to be sure that you aren't wasting your dosh trying to run before you can walk... When I decided I wanted to move from pottering around with an eight track to being a studio engineer in big studio set ups, I went back to College and did a two year course to get some recognised qualifications and to interact with Industry experienced professionals... I've never regretted this, and while College is not for everyone, I know for a fact that unless you spend the time developing a very clear idea of what you're doing with the equipment and why you're doing it, the first time anything unexpected comes up in a recording situation, you'll be out of your depth.

It takes a clever man years to reach the level of broadcast quality mixes, with focus, drive, direction and learning...

A seasoned engineer with a mike, a compressor, a graphic equalizer and a tape of somekind will create a far better recording than a rookie would in abbey road... As a matter of fact, I doubt a man picked at random from the street could get as far as switching on the equipment in a big studio...

Ok. I've taken everything everyone, especially Prometheus, intoi account and I think this is the best way forward for me. I'm going to start with a basic set-up, computer, cuebase and keyboard. Is there naything else I will need to get started?

Is the following a good enough computer to run Cuebase? I realise I will probably have to buy a new sound card!!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/P4-3-0-PRESCOTT-1MB-...1QQcmdZViewItem

Edited February 2, 2006 by jameswales

[Nightwolf]

That PC should be fine. You will need an interface (something to plug the keyboard and mic into), like the firebox, presonus, digi. If these plug in via midi, you won't need a soundcard. Most interfaces come with the PC card. Most interfaces have outputs that do not get sent to the PC's soundcard.

I'm on the other end of the scale from Prom:

PC (3Gig, 512 RAM)

Digi 001 interface with PC card included

Protools 6.4?

AKG D690 microphone

cheap Yamahaha keyboard

Piano

more guitars than I can count

a ZOOM guitar pedal

Yamaha DTXpress electronic drumkit

[Alistair]

I have Cakewalk Guitar Tracks 2, a laptop PC with nowhere near enough hard disk memory, a portable hard disk of 80GB, a Sennheiser Mic, a guitar lead jack and two guitars.

That's it.

[jameswales]

That PC should be fine. You will need an interface (something to plug the keyboard and mic into), like the firebox, presonus, digi. If these plug in via midi, you won't need a soundcard. Most interfaces come with the PC card. Most interfaces have outputs that do not get sent to the PC's soundcard.

I'm on the other end of the scale from Prom:

PC (3Gig, 512 RAM)

Digi 001 interface with PC card included

Protools 6.4?

AKG D690 microphone

cheap Yamahaha keyboard

Piano

more guitars than I can count

a ZOOM guitar pedal

Yamaha DTXpress electronic drumkit

Would the following interface be any good or should I spend a bit more and get a digi 001?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tascam-US-122-USB-Au...1QQcmdZViewItem

Would I need to buy a sound card as well as the above?

[jameswales]

hello!, sorry for the delay, I missed this one... here I go:

you don't need any FX processor or mixer if you're planning to record just yourself (singing or playng).

you don't need a MIDI interface if your sound card has one.

you don't need a lot of other things...

the best thing about computer recording is that your setup is very simple,

- the main thing you need is the fastest and biggest PC (with 2 fast hard drives) that you can buy,

- a good sound card with MIDI that fits your needs,

- a keyboard controller (a keyboard but without a synth inside or any other sound generator, it just sends MIDI data),

- a good microphone and a couple of cables.

(having 2 PC monitors is also an exellent idea, so buy a video card with 2 outs if you can).

synths, samplers and mixing is going to be done inside the PC using software.

software is a very personal choice, beacuse most of them do the same things, don't buy one just because everybody uses it, try all of them before, you can download demos and make a choice.

software synths and samplers abound in the net, so think about the sounds you want to hear and try some before buying as I said.

you can find also exellent software for FREE!!, as I always recommend: buy some issues of computer music magazine

you can find on their cd's all what you need to get started.

follow Prometeus advice about reading songstuff tutorials and the sound on sound website.

hope it helps a bit, gotta go now...

cheers!!

Is it best to buy a keyboard with all the sounds, or, like above, one that just send midi signals? If it is the later, where do all the different sounds for the instruments come from?

[jameswales]

That PC should be fine. You will need an interface (something to plug the keyboard and mic into), like the firebox, presonus, digi. If these plug in via midi, you won't need a soundcard. Most interfaces come with the PC card. Most interfaces have outputs that do not get sent to the PC's soundcard.

I'm on the other end of the scale from Prom:

PC (3Gig, 512 RAM)

Digi 001 interface with PC card included

Protools 6.4?

AKG D690 microphone

cheap Yamahaha keyboard

Piano

more guitars than I can count

a ZOOM guitar pedal

Yamaha DTXpress electronic drumkit

WHAT ABOUT THIS? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Would I need to buy a sound card? If so, any suggestions?

[hariossa]

PC (3Gig, 512 RAM)

Digi 001 interface with PC card included

Protools 6.4?

protools just updated to version 7, with a full makeup in the MIDI side, you may want to update...

more guitars than I can count

a ZOOM guitar pedal

you have a zillion guitars?!!

I love guitars, why don't you post some pics?

my setup:

P4 1.8G, 1G SDRAM 2 monitors 17" (yes, the old big heavy ones)

Creative Audigy 1 with KX Drivers (thanks to Finn Arild)

my new tube mic that I bought from thomann

my faithfull Pearl custom electric guitar

a mouth organ (melodica)

a hartley benton 5 strings fretless bass (from thomann too)

a Roland PC 180A keyboard MIDI controller

an AKAI MPD 16 Drum MIDI controller

lots of percussive stuff spreaded around the house that includes an udu, a little djembe, some indian bells, a wood frog from thailand, shakers in all kind of shapes (I just fill with rice anything that can make a shaker)...

Edited February 2, 2006 by hariossa

[jameswales]

protools just updated to version 7, with a full makeup in the MIDI side, you may want to update...

you have a zillion guitars?!!

I love guitars, why don't you post some pics?

my setup:

P4 1.8G, 1G SDRAM 2 monitors 17" (yes, the old big heavy ones)

Creative Audigy 1 with KX Drivers (thanks to Finn Arild)

my new tube mic that I bought from thomann

my faithfull Pearl custom electric guitar

a mouth organ (melodica)

a hartley benton 5 strings fretless bass (from thomann too)

a Roland PC 180A keyboard MIDI controller

an AKAI MPD 16 Drum MIDI controller

lots of percussive stuff spreaded around the house that includes an udu, a little djembe, some indian bells, a wood frog from thailand, shakers in all kind of shapes (I just fill with rice anything that can make a shaker)...

How many sounds does the keyboard come with?

[hariossa]

How many sounds does the keyboard come with?

not a single sound, it's just a controller, it only sends MIDI data like the Akai MPD 16,

the sounds are produced by softsynths in the PC.

[Prometheus]

One thing I've noticed that can save the day in many situations that I'd forgottent to mention, silly as this may sound, is a few G Clamps of varying sizes, especially if you do location work... ALways good gadgets to have around...