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So I'm thinking about getting into computer based recording. I'm old school and record all of my stuff on a Tascam DP-02 digital eight track. It's straight forward and it actually sounds great! It gets to be a pain in the ass though because I have to bounce tracks. I get carried away sometimes and add parts I didn't plan on in the beginning.

With that being said... I'm debating on pro-tools or to go with a motu interface and use some other software. I've tried Ableton Live and I hate it. I've seen pro-tools in action but never messed with it on my computer. I'm really concerned about latency. The last time I messed with computer based recording I was using Adobe Audition and couldn't fix the lag issue.

My computer should be more than capable of handling the processing of pro-tools. Built it with a 2.4GHZ dual core, 4GB of ram and 7200 SATA II drives, XP Pro.

Any thoughts? Of course I could stick with old faithful and continue recording the way I do now. Hell I think it sounds good. Just a pain in the ass sometimes. You can check out my recordings on my profile.

I've tried cubase SX 3 and Sonar studio edition 7. I like cubase because every channel has its own EQ and a bunch of FX slots. Although Sonar seems to be easier to use, its easier to edit audio, slide, cut, crossfade. I would just suggest finding a demo version of each or a friend who has an editing program.
As far as latency goes, you should check out ASIO FOR ALL, it saved me tons of headache. Some programs can be rather temperamental when you set up inputs and recording quality, make sure everything is set on the same sample rate or you could run into some weird sounds. My biggest problem was getting my hardware and software on the same page.
And yeah, your computer is bad ass, I've run cubase SX 3 on 512 mb RAM and 3.2 GHZ. and we're not talkin about no dual core.
I also use Steinberg Wavelab for mastering and it is very simple and all your plugins from cubase work just the same.

If your computer has the space for ProTools, Cubase, or some other computer interface recording, and if you have the budget available to purchase the software and additional hardware that is required, that is going to be the way to go. I think that a computer-based home studio is the next step in the "evolution" of budget recording. Cassette 4-tracks, then digital multitracks, now Cubase and ProTools. Make sure to read all directions included with all of your new gear and utilize any support forums offered by the manufacturers before tinkering with and figuring out your new equipment. Learning by discovery is great, but just make sure you have a good idea of what you're doing first.

Congrats, and good luck!

Hi eseime.
What do you use now would be my question. What is your set-up? Is it home-based or do you have the luxury of money to use a studio?

Great stuff by the way. Don't you sing? You do look like a singer.

Whatever you're working with now comes off as top-notch. Why not get another 8-track & use them in tandem, if you need more tracks? You have the chops & the ability to make very very good recordings with what you have now. Don't fix it if it ain't broke, imho.

What an idiot I am. Thanks for the heads up Phil

Yup I had to bounce tracks too when I had one of these years ago. I hated it for that. However if you are going digital it will be a steep learning curve, lots of frustrations, reading manuals etc.

You have a great sound, I think Phil is right.

*** If you wanted to play with it and learn slowly you could throw a line feed from Tascam into your prefered PC software and tinker with it there I suppose. Frankly because you have so many tracks within software you tend to try and use them.

Pretty much now I only use 5 tracks minus Vox at present. it really is all I need for now.

I'd have another Tascam in a heartbeat. Cubase works very well indeed.

I've seen that you can get a nice used ADAT for a cpl hundred or less. Heck, my drummer might even have one for sale. I'll ask him when he gets back from his vacation.

Cakewalk Sonar 6 here in conjunction with Guitar Rig 2, the soundcard in the pedal board actually takes over for the shitty soundmax setup in the laptop.

With the dualcore, round here we'd say you would be prime to go to Cakewalk Sonar 7 or 8.

We do not use it, as the laptop we're using is not a duocore and behaves badly when faced with CS 7 or 8, but it LOVES 6 because 6 is not resource intensive.

I would like to record live shows directly off the sound board and on to my laptop. Do you guys have any suggestions on programs and or tools I should be using? Has anyone tried this?

A local guy does that stuff, lone, but I dunno what he uses. Next time I see him I'll try to remember to ask.

philbymon wrote:A local guy does that stuff, lone, but I dunno what he uses. Next time I see him I'll try to remember to ask.

Thanks

What interface are you guys using with cakewalk/sonar?

I'm pretty happy with Cubase although I figure all of them do things differently or in some cases, easier than others, so I use a few.

I think someone on this thread said to download some demo progs and see how they run for you? I think like everything else you'll know yourself what works best for you, often times that can or may be ease of use? Certainly is in my case anyway.

I still think like Phil if you can produce sounds like you are doing on just a Tascam you should leave it there and save the pennies for some good studio time. I think you've beaten off a lot of people on here including myself for the shear quality of your recordings which are unbelievable given what you are using.

Kudos.

eseime wrote:What interface are you guys using with cakewalk/sonar?

If you have problems with lag time, its usually because you are using the soundcard built into your motherboard. If you have an add-in sound card of most any kind, then that will fix your problem. It will make a HUGE difference. I most highly recommend a usb or firewire sound card, which is usually bundled with some sort of recording software. I got a lexicon lambda usb desktop 'recording studio' which is just a sound card that has all the hookups and comes with cubase, paid $179, hope this helps

thelonerambler wrote:I would like to record live shows directly off the sound board and on to my laptop. Do you guys have any suggestions on programs and or tools I should be using? Has anyone tried this?

I use a Alesis Multimix 8 USB mixer with the USB cable. There is nothing I can't record. On the internet its a "what you hear is what you get" using the Soundforge 7 Software. Just set your audio and recording in the "Device Stettings" to USB.

For Live recording I still use the USB cable but I use two different microphones. Audio-Technica AT897 Condenser Shotgun Microphone or The Audio-Technica PRO 24 Stereo Condenser Microphone with the "stereo to dual mono cable adapter.