General Music Chat

Can anyone recommend a software for using on a laptoip for home recording.
Not lookin to spend a lot of money, just want good value package.
Any help would be appreciated.

John Slowhand

Can anyone recommend a software for using on a laptoip for home recording.
Not lookin to spend a lot of money, just want good value package.
Any help would be appreciated.

John Slowhand

Mac or Windows Laptop?

Can anyone recommend a software for using on a laptoip for home recording.
Not lookin to spend a lot of money, just want good value package.
Any help would be appreciated.

John Slowhand

The problem you may have is that most "laptoip" sound cards are quite noisy because system buss activity carried through the ground traces will also be picked up with integrated sound cards resulting in HF noise.
Another problem is that some integrated sound cards do not have a stereo line input. You would have to be familiar with your system sound card before purchasing any recording software.

I just picked up Guitar Tracks Pro 4 just to see what the sound engine was like. It uses the Sonar file system, so it is very clean. At $99.00 it will record 32 tracks @ 24/96. It also has a built in guitar amplifier enabling direct input from an instrument or microphone without any impedance matching required before the sound card.

Not a killer recording system, but a lot of "stuff" .... good for the price. I bought mine from Musicians Friend so shipping is free.

I say go to a GC or Sam Ash and talk to the recording guys. Let them know what you have, what you want to do and how much you want to spend. I know they sometimes have package deals at GC where you get monitors, interface, software and a mic.
Maybe grab a copy of a digital recording mag. Read some reviews.

I use a real simple version of Protools with an M-Audio interface.
Between a mic and the interface, I've spent just under 200 bucks just to be able to record simple demos at home. I don't know how much cheaper you can make it. But you also get what you pay for.
Good Luck to you.

you have to get a interface
such as focusrite saffire
you can't record on a computer with just software
i suppose you could sing into the mic.
but I'm guessing your not in to opera

Can anyone recommend a software for using on a laptoip for home recording.
Not lookin to spend a lot of money, just want good value package.
Any help would be appreciated.

John Slowhand

I use Cubase SE3 ($140 usd) for Mac.
For a USB input, the MAudio Fasttrack ($99)

All my recordings from my profile are recorded with these.

Get REAPER - it's cheap (if not free).
http://www.reaper.fm

You'll also want to get an Audio Interface. They are reasonably cheap. Having one will allow you to bypass your microphone / line in 1/8" jacks which have terrible Analog to Digitial converters. All AI's have 1/4 jacks, and most will have powered XLR mic inputs for microphones that require power.

This one is a bit pricy, but it's a great example of what a good AI has to offer. This one is on my purchase list:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ ... hwodNR_pnQ

but you can get cheaper ones, in the $150 - $200 range. Make sure it uses USB as most laptops don't have a firewire port.

Here's a good guide -
http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_interfa ... _chart.htm

I have the Presonus Firewire Moblile, and it has served me well, however some people have warned against it because of terrible technical support and some oddities in routing software.

Good hunting.

I say go to a GC or Sam Ash and talk to the recording guys. Let them know what you have, what you want to do and how much you want to spend. I know they sometimes have package deals at GC where you get monitors, interface, software and a mic.
Maybe grab a copy of a digital recording mag. Read some reviews.

I use a real simple version of Protools with an M-Audio interface.
Between a mic and the interface, I've spent just under 200 bucks just to be able to record simple demos at home. I don't know how much cheaper you can make it. But you also get what you pay for.
Good Luck to you.

Ditto that!

Also, I use Acid STudio (To practice accompaniments, vocals, harms, etc. tracks before I hit the studio) .

I personally don't want anything to do with home recording (for production purposes) ...At least not until I get a full degree in sound engineering...since regardless of the software, i would still need to know what the heck i am doing...

Mixcraft

Jahva

I got the M-Auidio / pro tools set up as well. But so far I'm baffled. I got a new laptop at the same time in Win 7 which itself is new to me.

Did you identify any resources that what where particularly helpful in making this architecture stand up and shout?

thanks
Talbot

two words:
Studio One

you want this on your laptop so you can go mobile?

Assuming that you are only wanting to demo songs you write, and not trying to professionally record an album on your laptop, I'd get a Samson usb mic and Acid 8

You'll have to use the mic on anything you want to record, unless you get an interface also.

OK smart guys here we go.
Now keep in mind I'm the trigger man around here not the geek squad.


I have a new mixer in route and looking into a multi track recorder as well.

Question: Being as I want to construct practice tracks for various members of the band IE drum line muted for the drummer bass muted for the bassist ETC.

Would I be better off setting up a computer to do these tasks.

I have some resources set aside for my mission but I'd not care to waste any of them if you know what I mean.

For a point of reference the mixer is a 20 channel 4 bus where as I am able to record off the channels individually off the bus outputs or the USB output.

I'm really over my head here.

OK smart guys here we go.
Now keep in mind I'm the trigger man around here not the geek squad.


I have a new mixer in route and looking into a multi track recorder as well.

Question: Being as I want to construct practice tracks for various members of the band IE drum line muted for the drummer bass muted for the bassist ETC.

Would I be better off setting up a computer to do these tasks.

I have some resources set aside for my mission but I'd not care to waste any of them if you know what I mean.

For a point of reference the mixer is a 20 channel 4 bus where as I am able to record off the channels individually off the bus outputs or the USB output.

I'm really over my head here.

That makes a rehearsal more complicated than it needs to be, because you are talking about several different mixes being recorded onto several different tracks which requires a lot of technical attention.

You'd be better off just setting a tape recorder in the middle of the room and letting everyone hear the (same) overall sound and structure of the song. If it's just a work tape recording there is no need for all that hassle, imo, because it distracts too much from what needs to happen at rehearsal.

Not that it can't be done...it just seems like a lot of extra distraction from the task at hand (rehearsals) that won't yield great results without a larger investment and someone specifically assigned to the job.



.

Thanks for the input and yes it would be a hassle.

But, me thinks you miss understood my intent.

I would make one recording that I could alternately mute tracks for individual use ( wood-shedding ) other than setting up the recording equipment before rehearsal I would not intend for anything to distract from our time together.

I do appreciate the input though ... makes me rethink the whole idea as being too labor intensive to truly be beneficial.