Getting Started...

[willhig]

Hello.

I must admit, I am a novice at this art... I can't seem to sort out the odds and ends in audio technology.

Right now a friend and I are working on a movie (http://www.studioanon.com a small description) and we realized we might need to record voices.

We also realized we would have to record our own music.

I know somebody using Logic 6 on a Mac (I think) who makes very good music. I am looking into using this software, possibly paired with BIAS Peak or Deck, though I'm not entirely sure about anything.

We were also looking into condenser microphones, the VS-880, and other such necessities for recording voices and vocals.

Please help me find the right recording and editing equipment, and possibly software if possible!

Thanks so much!

[john]

Hi Willhig

Welcome to Songstuff!

Sorry not to have replied sooner.

I'm not a Mac user, so I can't help on that score.

I'm assuming that you will be recording the audio to sync to the video using smpte time code or similar.

I have used a VS880 and it can sync to smpte as MIDI code. The VS880 doesn't have phantom power, so that restricts your choice of microphone.

Why do you want a hard disk recorder and a pc/software recording package? I'd be tempted to get a really good sound card (like one from creamware), and make sure that your system components are able to sync to a common time code.

What are you intending using the microphones for?

I guess some specifics on how you intend to use system components would really help.

Cheers

John

[willhig]

Actually, I do use a Mac.

The only trouble is that it's a Powerbook G4, so I can't get a sound card (darn!). Would I need to get an upgradable computer, then?

Also, the microphones would be used to record voices and sound effects.

Logic 6 would be used to compose music (we have to to avoid copyright infringement )

Basically those are the main ingredients. We would need all of the accompanying equipment too, but those two things are our targets.

We would also like to be able to take just the microphone and a digital recorder or the laptop on trips to record sounds we can't find here (there's a really quiet town that has lots of interesting sounds, but we can't haul a desktop there and back!).

Of course a plain computer microphone and Soudsoap could fix that problem, I think.

[john]

Hey

As I said, I don't use a mac, but a lot of the software is similarly featured to PCs.

ok, to make a portable studio, look at a firewire audio unit (like the FW410) to give you a reasonable amount of I/O and phantom power, and if you don't have an external synth/sample module get a good synth pcmcia card (or get an I/O and synth in one unit), and some external storage media.

Logic Audio should be suffice, but you may need the Platinum version. You'll need to sheck the feature set.

For a microphone, consider the Rode NT2. It is excellent for vocals, though it is a studio microphone. Maybe one of the other guys on the board can recommend a good microphone to be used outside (it depends whether you want to always record onto your powerbook, or if you will have a more portable recording unit (like dat or minidisc) for uploading to the powerbook later (I'm thinking of sound effect recording here).

I hope this helps!

Cheers

John

Cheers

John

[willhig]

Yes, we were looking at studio microphones for now just for anything. Would it be really bad to use it outside?

-

So the basic parts are:

-Computer (duh)

-I/O

As far as I know.

The tutorials for Logic 6 Platinum at apple.com (http://www.apple.com/software/pro/logic/qu...ingstarted.html) say there are different elements:

-Computer

-Audio Interface (I think something like "audio out")

-MIDI Interface

-something else that I can't quite put my finger on that acts as an instrument / mic in

I pirated Logic to try to learn how to use it before I purchase it, but even if I compose with it's keyboard window, it will not make sound. At all. I believe it needs an "audio interface" to be plugged in, or some samples to run off of (even though it already lists a few). What equipment do I need for samples? How do they work (as in; how does Logic recognize and use MIDI samples when only the MIDI interface is connected)?

Here's some more questions:

With the I/O you reccommended, does it also have a MIDI interface?

How would Logic record?

Why can't I use already digital (AIFF, WAV, etc) in Logic?

When an external digital recorder is being used, what format does it record audio in, and how can it be converted? Will Logic do this?

Sorry, I'm such a beginner...

[john]

Hi

Ok....

You can use that microphone outside. But it requires phantom power (i.e. a 48v power supply, usually a desk or IO unit supplies this). If you intend to capture environmental souns using a portable DAT or mini disc, they won't have a 48v power supply. In fact, outside you have to run on batteries, unless you have a very long power cable, and battery units do not supply this voltage.

So either get 2 microphones (a non-phantom power one to be portable, and a good studio mic) or get one good quality non-phantom power mic (recommendations anyone?)

The firewire device (FW410) has 2 analogue INs, several analogue OUTs (8 I think), timecode support, and MIDI in and out. There are other units that will provide something.

To make sounds using MIDI you have to use a synth or sampler (either an external hardware unit, a soundcard with synth/sample support, or a software synth/sampler).

MIDI is control information, like what note, or how long the note is, or how loud. The actual sounds are created by a synth or sampler. MIDI tells the synth or sampler to make play the sound that corresponds to the note, and to play it that lound and for that long.

So if you have an external synth or sampler you will need a physical MIDI IO.

If you do not have an external synth you can use you laptop soundcard (not very good quality) or get another pc based sound generator (software synth, pcmcia card, usb/firewire device).

To play audio/wave files you can do this in several ways, but the most obvious is by directly adding the files to logic as an audio track. You would do this for a 'real' instrument recording, like a vocal. These recordings can be processed with an effect, or moved in time.

I'm not a Logic user, so I can't advise on specifics, but if Logic can't import audio tracks, it must be the worst sequencer prog there is, and I don't believe that. Could you be trying to add a wave file to a Midi track? Is it being added but just not playing back? If so, have you set up logic to work with your sound card? Have you selected that card as an output?  Just some thoughts...

Cheers

John

[willhig]

Interesting.

This really helps, thanks very much.

I know a friend in Arizona who can possibly help me with Logic specifics.

As for basic recording things, how would everything be connected?

As far as I know, the IO is connected to a sampler via Analog in, which is connected to the controller via MIDI in. A microphone is connected to an Analog in, and the IO is connected to the computer via Firewire. The studio monitors are connected to the audio interface via speaker wires (?), which is in turn connected to the computer via USB.

Is all that right? If possible, could someone tell me exacly how Logic records, and if it can be recorded onto an external hard drive (Firewire 800 with hope), or would that overload the Powerbook's IO processor?

Thanks so much!

[john]

Hey

Glad to help.

I'm going out tonight, and I don't have time to post a decent answer before I go. If I get time I'll post something later. Although they're a little out of date you should maybe check out the Songstuff "Getting Started" and PC Set Up articles.

Cheers

John

[john]

Hi

Can you give a list of the equiptment you have? That would help.

I don't know about Logic specifically but I don't see why the laptop would be overloaded. What is the spec of your laptop?

Cheers

John

[willhig]

I have no equipment. That's why I'm asking  . I want to make sure I buy the right thing when it's time...

[Steve]

I would suggest you visit a few music stores and try out some of whats on offer! You'll get first hand and expert advice, and you'll be able to make sure that everything you buy works with everything else.

[john]

A good suggestion Steve. If you can, go to a Music shop that sells Music PCs and get them to demo if you can. It certainly won't hurt.

Meanwhil, I'll have a think and see what I can come up with, though my suggestions above are worth checking out.

cheers

John

(Well at least I think they are!)

[willhig]

Sounds like great ideas!

Thanks so much!

[john]

How're you getting on? Any progress?

Cheers

John

[Guest]

Yeah, what happened?

[Steve]

They're probably too busy making hit records to bother with us schmucks in Songstuff...