General Music Chat

HI Everybody,

I recently purchased a new Roland FP80 Digital Grand Piano, a new Martin Acoustic guitar, a new new mic and a new Desktop PC. I want to make a home based recording studio.
I don't know what type of Audio-interface to purchase and I don't know what Type of Software to purchase. I have had experience with ACID music back 9 years ago and , Garage band and LOGIC for the MAC, but I don't have the MAC anymore. In the past, I hooked my older portable grand piano directly into the computer, played a track, unplugged the piano then hooked the guitar into the computer and laid a track, then unplug the guitar and then plugged in the mic. I had no idea what I was doing. But it seemed to work, but it took a lot of time and the sound wasn't the best quality.

I want to be able to record piano, guitar and vocals as well as digital drums. If I have a digital piano, do I need to buy a midi?

If anyone has any advice on what they used, I would really appreciate it.

I am willing to invest a little more (you pay for what you get).

Thanks

Thanks, I will look into this Apollo interface. I wonder if they offer 4 inputs?

I need an input for a digital piano, acoustic guitar and a mic. Will the Apollo 8 handle that?

There are a number of options for USB audio interfaces with multiple inputs. Look at the Tascam 1200 (it's being phased out, so there are good deals out there), the Tascam 16x08, Focusrite Scarlet 18i8, Steinberg UR44, Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6.

Although many of the interfaces come packaged with a limited edition DAW, for recording software look at Reaper. Free to download the full uncrippled version, $60 to register it if you like it.

Well
I use a Tascam DP32/w-CD burner which has all equipment necessary to record. Uses a SD card for memory.
We have approx 7-8 songs on it now. Which don't seem alot but the data is huge. Working on parts.
It records up to 8 channels at once. I also have a Cube Base Computer program that I use to mix a stero output from the Tascam to it. THen I exports and make an .mp3 file to send that stereo mix to other memebers of the band.
If you are recording one or two parts at a time to a computer you still need an interface to get you to the computer inputs.
Cap't Zero

IMHO, home studios are good for recording demos and song sketches, not so good for finished product. Good equipment and software is expensive so it's not for the hobby player. Plus you will spend more time setting up, configuring and maintaining the gear than you will actually recording. But best of luck.

Jimmy - not so much anymore. Software makes virtually NO difference when recording, it's only what you can do with it after tracking, and most full-featured DAWs these days indeed do it all, no need to spend $600+ for the latest Protools version, then another $600 next year when they update it. Can the average ear tell the difference betwen a vocal recorded wiht a $200 mic or a $600 mic or a $2000 mic? Nope! Side-by-side/blind comparisons have proved it.
What IS important is the room where the tracking takes place. Getting the tracks recorded well at the start is the big difference.
Sure there is maintaining/learning the gear, etc, and that's where the artist/band has to decide "do I/we want to buy/learn how to do this?" or "do we pay someone else to do it all each time we want to record?"

IMHO, home studios are good for recording demos and song sketches, not so good for finished product. Good equipment and software is expensive so it's not for the hobby player. Plus you will spend more time setting up, configuring and maintaining the gear than you will actually recording. But best of luck.

This has been my experience exactly Jimmy. A home recording always sounds like... A home recording to me unless you are Rob Hoffman and worked alongside Quincy Jones for 20 years. It's not about the gear either. Just as much mad skills are required to get a great recording as required to write or play a great song. From my perspective, if you want to record for kicks and grins, do a home studio. If you want to sell your music, trust the pros. My own recordings, and at the risk of sounding catty, Guitarmikeb's are the poster children for this difference in results and are clearly the work of hobbyists from the first 2 bars. Recording at home can be fun, but no one will confuse our stuff with a well produced pro recording.
Forum member Yod demonstrates the result of working with "A list" people to produce a stunning recording on his track "Dead Sea".
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax9tqimDr2s
I was fortunate to sit through some of these sessions and watch the best in the business ply their craft. They earned every penny IMO. Others will surely disagree.

Dave I pretty much agree with you, but, if as jimmydanger said earlier, if you just want song sketches on file for later enhancement or re-recording them at an 80 dollar an hour studio then home recording is justified and somewhat affordable, .. keep recording, throw them up on a music host, and maybe hit pay dirt if the right record executive stumbles upon them and says, rough recording but I love the gist of the tune, let's contact that guy and make an offer$$$$$.. as I recall a fairly crappy recording of a Filipino band playing in the Philippines landed the lead singer a gig with Journey.. not bad end results if you ask me.. won't happen but rarely, but panning for gold is hit and miss too.. LOL h

That is the best use for a home project studio I think Dane. Creating demos to share ideas it works great. For me the iPad and GarageBand is just about perfect. $400 project studio. Bam! It also contains a bunch of virtual instruments so I can lay down drums, percussion, bass, keys etc while sitting in an airport killing time. All the basic tracks can be done this way so when I get home I just record live guitar and vocals and mix down. A very useful demo tool IMO.

thanks Bill for posting.. are you not the guy that had a different handle here a few years back that did the electronica/new age type music that had a great sound to it?, but it was electronica produced by a machine that had been programmed? and using loops extensively? maybe I'm thinking of somebody else.. good job Bill!