Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

this is finally going to happen, I run a ad on Craigslist a few weeks ago, wanting free recording time for a percentage of any profits on the music realized, I have composed.. I got 1 comeback and although he kept sayin' "he'd work me in" between his projects it never happened..run another ad with a little different approach, "record a track of mine and I play guitar on your project for free", kinda like a trade-off, also said I was having a hard time with money and would be willing to pay but can't afford much,(which is true, I am not flush with cash like some of you here )) I get 5 replies and decided to go with the guy with the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra in Cakewalk Sonar 8 for a hard pack of Camel cigarettes and 2 liter of Pepsi, or 10 bucks whatever I choose for an hour session.. think I can get it done in 1 hour but he's willing to give me more time, and I'm gonna tip the heck out of him if this sounds as good of production quality audio as Slacker's stuff or KLUGMO's stuff.. hope to upload it within a few days, and I have to bring a USB stick if I want the master files..

Unless you have a copy of Cakewalk, make sure he renders the original tracks(s) for you to WAV or AIFF format so that you can import them into any other DAW (even free Audacity) for mixing down/working with.

In an hour, I might record up to a half a dozen tracks on a typical 4-5 minute song (and throw away as many, too.)
Is this acoustic guitar or electric? What does he have for mics?

yeah, forgot to mention he burns a CD with the mp3 files for free, and said if I want the master files I have to supply my own USB stick, which I have to purchase tomorrow before the session.. he said most clients run direct into interface w/ GTR Amp Modeler/ Tone Simulator plugin, so I believe all I have to do is take my Nashville Telecaster in without my honkin' Fender DeVille amp which I didn't feel like lugging that horse around anyway..but might take in my acostic guitar as a backup if the direct method is less than desirable.. this piece though is more easily played on my Telecaster w/ super clean tone than my dreadnought,, I didn't ask him what he uses for mics? hope they are good, I have a SHURE SM-58? if I recollect in my gig bag?I might ought to take along? but surely if he's in the business, he knows what's good??? but he kinda sounds like he has a lot of business since he had only two available time slots open the upcoming week

let's hope he's got top of the line Neumann mics! right!

Recording is tricky fun & frustrating. I think I'd rather hang drywall.

Best wishes ... and make sure we get to hear the resultant tracks ... please.

I'm just glad it's I want a product 4 to 5 minutes long, and hoping it does not take hours to get a 4 minute "tune"

Dane Ellis Allen wrote:I'm just glad it's I want a product 4 to 5 minutes long, and hoping it does not take hours to get a 4 minute "tune"

If it is well rehearsed before you get into the studio it should only take as long as it takes to play it.

If you just want a clean Tele sound, DI into the board will work. Note this will sound the same as when you plug your Tele into a PA system, or something else than a guitar amp - it will NOT be the same as the clean sound you use in your Fender amp.
A SM58 won't do too well by itself recording an acoustic, but if the room has good sound treatment, it could be used.

USB sticks are cheap. Note you want non-compressed files in a format useable in other software than Cakewalk - WAV or AIFF. 'Master files' could be Cakewalk's format and useless to you. MP3 files are compressed and can sound like crap if you want to work with them.

Since you already have a computer (assuming you are not posting from the library!), consider saving up a few bucks to start recording yourself.
Read some of the Newbie threads at homerecording.com. You can get started with a $100 USB audio interface and download Reaper (free to try, $60 to register), assuming you've got some kind of speakers and headphones to use.