Laptop Recording

[12steps]

My Setups:

Computer(s)

• PC (XP Professional sp2 - 2.4GHz Pentium + 512mb RAM + 40 gig HD + SoundBlaster Live! soundcard)
  
• PC (Vista Home Premium PentiumD 820 (S) DC (2.8GHz / 800 MHz); 2MB L2 cache; Dual Core + 1GIG RAM + 320GIG HD + RealTek Soundcard)
  
• Laptop (Toshiba Satellite - 1.4GHz processor - 196mb RAM - 40GIG HD - integrated audio)
  

Software

• Sonar PE 5.2 (on laptop)
  
• Sonar PE 6.2 (on both PC's)
  
• Reason 2.5
  
• Ableton LIVE! (?ver)
  
• Soundforge 8
  

"Outboard" Gear (Laughable! 2 cheap-o mixers and a POD - but hey, they do what I need for now! LOL)

• Phonic MM1002 Compact Mixer
  
• Behringer UBB1002 Compact Mixer
  
• Bass POD XT (Kidney Bean)
  

Mics and Preamps

• Church Audio PreAmp and Binaural Stealth Mics
  
• Oktava MC012 Cardioid Condenser Microphone
  
• Shure SM57 and SM58 mics
  
• An array of other mics similar to the SM58
  

Monitors

• Pair of Alesis Monitor ONE MK 2 near-field monitors (not hooked up cuz I don't have a power amp yet - BOOO!)
  
• so, for now I am using my cheapo Aiwa bookshelf-style component stereo, circa 1989 - yes, one of those CD/Tape/AM-FM tuner all-in-one pieces of junk you used to see in most dorms or first appartments.
  
• Sony noise-cancelling headphones
  
• Sony over-the ear, typical walk-man style headphones
  

How I use my setups:

I record every rehearsal of my project band and burn CD's for everyone after rehearsal. This is the best way to get songs worked up quickly!

I have the stealth mics and the Oktava condenser capturing the room. I mix them through one of the small mixers and send that signal to my laptop where I record it all using Sonar. I then export each take and burn CD's for us all to have in our cars. That way, while we drive around town, we can listen to and think about our tunes. This seems to go a long way toward getting parts really refined and fixing stuff that does not work well.

Hello, New to the board. Not to recording, but I need some help.

I record live speaker events and have been doing so using a pc, sound forge for software, podium condensor mics and an alesis usb mixer. Recently, I bought a laptop and after doing research, found an maudio firewire interface (sound card) and used it to record one two day recording last weekend. Been having some problems with this solution and I was wondering if anyone else uses something other than firewire or is there, more importantly, some firewire mixers or soundcards that one would REALLY recommend?

I am trying to simplify what I have to lug to gigs, but, lol....it is getting more complex as I am getting frustrated with the limitations of and danger of frying my other equipment re: maudio firewire soundcard.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Li

[Thrithwaite]

Hello, New to the board. Not to recording, but I need some help.

I record live speaker events and have been doing so using a pc, sound forge for software, podium condensor mics and an alesis usb mixer. Recently, I bought a laptop and after doing research, found an maudio firewire interface (sound card) and used it to record one two day recording last weekend. Been having some problems with this solution and I was wondering if anyone else uses something other than firewire or is there, more importantly, some firewire mixers or soundcards that one would REALLY recommend?

I am trying to simplify what I have to lug to gigs, but, lol....it is getting more complex as I am getting frustrated with the limitations of and danger of frying my other equipment re: maudio firewire soundcard.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Li

Hey! Welcome to Songstuff! I'm pretty new around here myself. I always thought M_Audio stuff was pretty good gear!. I do know a friend that had some trouble with a Delta card from M_Audio. It was a conflict with the VIA chipset. Check the website for conflicts or do a search!

[john]

Welcome to the boards. If you haven't already, please feel free to post an intro to yourself in our introduce yourself board.

I'll move this into a topic of it's own to make it easier to focus on.

Out of interest, what are the problems you are having with your maudio? What version of Firewire does your machine use

I use a cardbus solution (EMU 1616M). It's pretty good now I've got used to it. There's a review in the gear review board somewhere. There are some compatability issues you would need to investigate.

You don't mention how many tracks you simultaneously record? I assume 1?

If you are doing several, personally I'd avoid USB as it is a bit heavier on your main processor, but that's me.

Cheers

John

[blackdiamond13]

I dont understand why you're using the Firewire, isn't USB a lot easier to use just generally for everything? Why make life more complicated than it has to be? I never used Firewire anything, and it looks pretty frightening. Or am I simply afraid to face the unknown? Well, seems you're having problems with it, anyway. Has anyone had good experiences with FireWire? Thanks, blackdiamond13 @ Jemsite

plug n play is what i like, idiot proof