Author Topic: Recording options (Updated and Mules clip) (Read 4054 times)

Henk · « **on:** November 18, 2007, 04:42:57 PM »

I am going to gather a basic recording setup, but since there is so much new stuff out there i do have some questions. I would be gratefull for any more experienced opinions.

I have:

Modern PC
Sennheiser e825s (general recording mic with full range)
Qedit, but only an old version

I need/would like:

Some guitarport with signal compensation options or maybe an USB multi effect(with ditto signal boosting properties)? Must have good software in its package for recording and good quality basic post processing options, i will not/rarely use any digital effects however.

Maybe a new mic, but rather not one that is very expensive. I used the e825s mainly for drum recording which it does very well IMO.

A program to convert .wav into .mp3, preferably a simple shareware version.

EDIT: Some basic but not too digi sounding drum patterns would be great also.

All should work out in a way i will be able to hear alot of detail, dark and mushy recordings are useless to me. Obviously i want the most bang for my buck aswell.....

Thanks in advance for your advice,

Kindest regards,

Henk

waves · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2007, 04:53:02 PM »

wave to mp3 - you want audacity though you'll have to download the lame encoder too but its not too hard.. also with audacity you can normalise, do fades etc etc.

oh, its freeware by the way, and always improving

_tom_ · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2007, 04:56:49 PM »

Yeah audacity is good for basic stuff such as recording the seperate and converting wavs into mp3. I use Reaper for mixing and adding any fx - http://www.c--kos.com/reaper/

maverickf1jockey · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2007, 04:57:19 PM »

There's a program called SUPER which will do EVERY media file you can think of and change it to any other sort of file.

waves · « **Reply #4 on:** November 18, 2007, 05:02:36 PM »

and if you want guitar and mic inputs the black box is pretty good. plus it has bundles of effects and amp models..

very cheap as well - http://www.musiconmypc.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/215

Henk · « **Reply #5 on:** November 18, 2007, 05:22:27 PM »

Quote from: waves

and if you want guitar and mic inputs the black box is pretty good. plus it has bundles of effects and amp models..

very cheap as well - http://www.musiconmypc.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/215

Ow yes, drum patterns would be very usefull, especially if not too cheesy digi ones.

Any more options on those?

(i edited my first post for the drum patterns)

waves · « **Reply #6 on:** November 18, 2007, 05:32:07 PM »

the black box drum patterns don't sound too shabby. it really is a bargain..

check him out, he helped create it http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=media.linnblackbox

you'd need something to record on your pc still though but what tom recommended looks good and its free.

Henk · « **Reply #7 on:** November 18, 2007, 05:58:43 PM »

Quote from: waves

you'd need something to record on your pc still though but what tom recommended looks good and its free.

Yeah iknow, but many guitarports come with allmost free software as a package deal, maybe theres a good deal among those.

I do have the older Qedit Pro package which is fine for recording though, probably just need to test it if it still works properly.

Still i need a good guitarport with some volume control boost kind of thingy and the idea of having some basic drums to work with would really be great, especially since i think the sound of those should have improved.

Thanks for your ideas by the way!

Henk · « **Reply #8 on:** November 18, 2007, 07:22:40 PM »

For anyone who would like to have use a drum metronome while playing, i found this one.

http://www.playrecord.net/resource/metronome/free-midi-metronome.php

Henk · « **Reply #9 on:** November 20, 2007, 06:22:01 AM »

I have talked with someone who has a studio and he said i should just get a good soundcard, like firewire, to record everything as clean as possible. He says that most recording multieffects edit process the track wile playing and the recording quality isnt very high. Since i will be recording from actual amps i just need something to get it to harddisk as fast and good as possible.

I also found out the drumloops wont work, i am used to play uptempo, so the drum has to hit the snare before the beat and the digi samples ive heard dont do that. Maybe i can find a recording somewhere i can loop though.

Thanks for your interest, ill let you know how all turns out.

Kindest regards, Henk

waves · « **Reply #10 on:** November 20, 2007, 07:49:14 AM »

Can i ask what your budget is?

Henk · « **Reply #11 on:** November 20, 2007, 08:11:42 AM »

Depends really, couple of hundred i suppose.

Henk · « **Reply #12 on:** November 23, 2007, 06:32:53 PM »

OK Update.....

I have bought the Line 6 Toneport GX, very basic recording device but for my purposes it should be enough. Ik can buy something better if i feel the need later on, right?

Anyway, the hardware is pretty much a jack to USB thing, but the software is great!!!! Ive tried everything that should be ok to record basic guitar stuff and founf that it can do all. Micing a cab works fine allthough you might need to boost the mic signal with a preamp, the software offers several boosters which work fine IMO. I have tried my dodgy old DOD G7 multi effect as a preamp and it worked fine.

If you might have a weak signal, the Audacity has a very good signal boost, it makes me prefer to boost afterwards but a signal lower then -20 DB should be boosted IMO.

The ONLY thing i didnt like about it is the fact that the online package (30 days free) offers hundreds of really PRO drum loops(DLable), but they cant be recorded in Audacity. Offcourse this is due to the artists protection but for personal use i think it should be recordable.

Anyway, crafty chap as i am i found a way to loop a recording and recorded this, does take some skill to stick the guitar which is recorded seperately to the drum recording though. Audacity has proven to do all that and more, it isnt a very large program, but it lacks nothing and youll even get way more than that, for free!!! Audacity ROCKS!!!

Playing trough my PC literally flattened everything from 3D to 2D IMO. NO dynamics, overtones and so one, well ok a bit but not in comparable amounts, harmonics are still there though allthough not as pleasing IMO.

I havent yet found a decent enough clean sound, but the -gain on sticks- sounds are awsome, well at least for recording. I OFFCOURSE immediately turned to test my RL setup of JCM800 with vintage marshal cab(greenback 20's). I put a Rat in front of it since the tubescreamer sucked, but anyway it came pretty close to my ears soundwise(still having to conform to a 2D version offcourse!!).

After setting the whole lot up i tried to put something with drums together. Exept for the bad guitar playing it sounds decent enough for a couple of hours work. So im posting it anyway, please keep in mind i have been playing again for only a couple of months after a lengthly pause.

I was trying out some Jan Akkerman(<CRAZY!!!!) riffs at first by the way(from Focus), and let that inspire me further on. The drums are really ALL THAT IMO, 140 BPS or therabouts.

Recording was done from Mules AIV in a Gibson LP Custom -> Line 6 Toneport GX -> Gearbox(Toneport software) -> Audacity(recording software).

EDIT:http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=774994

Thanks for your interest,

Kindest regards,

Henk

FernandoDuarte · « **Reply #13 on:** November 23, 2007, 06:51:02 PM »

hummm here the link gone to the homepage... coundn't listen the songe :?

Henk · « **Reply #14 on:** November 23, 2007, 06:58:56 PM »

Woops sorry, all new to me, here should be the proper link:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=774994