simple recording

[phantomengineer]

'ello. in another thread in songwritingstuff, steve said i should start a thread here if i wanted to learn to record stuff onto my PC. to answer his questions in that thread, i play guitar and harmonica, and sing. and, yes, when i turn on my PC, it DOES make a noise. i have absolutely no idea as to how i would record anything. i'm not the least bit technical. therefore, i would love any suggestions you may have, if you don't get too technical, which i realize may be a problem. anyway, thanks for your time.

tom

[NYMorningstar]

It all depends on how good you want the recording to come out.  

The most important part of recording is the quality of what you're recording.  You need a good room and good instruments before you can get a good sound to record.  

Once you have that established the next step is to learn how to track, mix and master and what equipment is appropriate for each.  

If you just need to get an idea recorded and don't care too much about the quality just use a cheap computer mic and the sound recorder that comes with windows. ~ click~ start/programs/entertainment/soundrecorder.  

For multitracking there is alot of freeware and shareware available following a google search.  

If you want a better sound for acoustic recording use a condensor mic with a good preamp.  To expand your computers recording capabilities look into getting a better soundcard that can multitrack.

[Alistair]

Tom

Like you, I was a novice to computer recording.

I bought myself a copy of Cakewalk Guitar Tracks 2. It cost about $100. This is a CD-Rom based programme which looks like an 8 track studio. Even for a novice like me it is very simple and you can burn what you record to CD.

You can plug your guitar straight into the PC without the need for an amp. You can add effects post-recording from the programme.

I also bought a Sennheiser mic for the vocals and a mic stand. Total cost, less than $200.

The programme also comes with drum loops - which I have not yet mastered.

I'd definitely recommend it.

ALISTAIR

[Steve]

Hey Tom. Is any of this any good? If not we can get right back to basics if you like!?

[phantomengineer]

steve, i appreciate people trying to help, and i'm sure i could put some of it to good use if i was in the financial position to do it

[Steve]

Do you have a microphone?

My first recordings on the PC were made with a tiny little mic that cost me £3 (about $4.50)

What guitar do you have? Accoustic? Electric?

If it's an accoustic guitar, get a cheap mic and play and sing your songs into it. Quality of recording I think is less important than quality of writing.

Alistair mentions earlier about freeware recording packages. Scour the net for these and try a few out. I'll have a look myself and see if I can find some links.

If you have an electric guitar, I used to play and sing songs as with an accoustic but just put the mic a little closer to the guitar! I have never tried to plug the guitar straight into the soundcard so I don't know if that works or not?

[Steve]

try this

http://www.audiomelody.com/index.php?/melo.../view/full/131/

or you should find something to suit you here;

http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/

[phantomengineer]

hey steve. thanks for the links, i'll check them out. i have an acoustic and an electric guitar, but i primarily play the acoustic

[john]

Hey Tom

How are you getting on with the recording?

Cheers

John

[FinnArild]

Tom, there's nothing wrong with putting a band together play your stuff live and taping it. A lot of times it's much better. You learn much more about music too, that way. Doing home recording on a computer, you usually need to learn a whole lot more about computers than music.

If you can't gather a band; write your songs down on paper with lyrics and chords over it. Play it to friends and others. Tape it with a regular tape player.

A (too) well kept secret that all good producers know; it's the songs and lyrics that matter, not the production.

[nigel lawry]

hey phantom

heres a web site that offers lots of advice

www.pcrecording.com

also

www.audioforums.com

have fun!!

peace

nige

[FinnArild]

Where did your parents get that "finn-bit" anyway? I guess that there are old viking-names and such that have that FINN-bit in them...

Something like that. It's a pretty common name in Norway.

The Norwegians don't seem to like the Swedish very much! I can understand that with us FINNS, the Swedes are our PET-ENEMY (AFTER the RUSSIANS) but what is the story between the Norwegian and Swedes? Something to do with the history, maybe?

Personally I don't have any problems with (most) Swedes. I guess there may be some petty resentment since it's only 100 years (this year, actually) since we were made independent from Sweden. There may also be some history from 2nd world war although a lot of Norwegian have Swedes to thank for being alive today. But anyway - this is a huge digression (notice how I managed to write "huge" without the use of versals).

AND when you HAVE the BAND together.... you CAN RECORD THE BAND with a computer.... so... a PC is just a tool, like an AXE, a bass, a guitar, or a chain-saw.

Only thing that matters IS HOW YOU USE IT!

That is, of course, true. I only wanted to point out that you don't _have_ to use a computer to make good music and that often (and especially for beginners) it's more of an obstacle since one has to learn all kinds of other stuff than music.