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This is NOT a guide on how to convert a spare room into a full-blown 128 track billion dollar studio with $35 and some duct tape.
This is a Beginner's Guide to recording your own music at home in a bedroom, computer room, or music room, into a Home PC.
First, you should have the following, IN ADDITION TO a guitar:
-Something to get the sound from your guitar to the PC. This can be a POD, V-Amp, whatever, or it can be a raging 100w stack with
a Shure SM-57 if you have the luxury of being able to run a raging 100w stack. Most people don't, and if modelers sucked so bad,
they wouldn't be selling like hotcakes. If you're that opposed to modelers, invest in a soundproof recording box and a smaller amp.
Notice the key word "invest": "invest" always means "expensive". I won't tell a Beginning recordist to "invest", unless they've been
touring professionally for years and always had a Pro studio to go into, but now want to do it on their home PC.
So after you've got your modeler ready to run, you can plug it into the next piece of hardware:
-A Compressor/Limiter: YES, you SHOULD have one. NO, you DON'T need the Compressor, you need the Limiter, but stand-alone Peak Limiters
only come in TWO varieties; the ULTRA CHEAP Radio Shack brand stuff that sucks, and the ULTRA EXPENSIVE high-grade pro-studio stuff
that you can't afford. So get an Alesis 3630. It's cheap, it's powerful, it's easy to use, and it does the job. Learn how to work it.
What you want from this device is NOT that "pnnnNOOOOOOWWWWWWWW" Compressed Jazz Guitar sound, you want it to catch the sharp "P" sounds,
as well as to subdue the extreme harsh highs and sub-sonic lows so they don't overload your recording input and make you blow the track.
I do NOT recommend trying to get away with just using a BOSS Comp/Lim pedal - it ain't the same.
-Computer:
--Sound card should have a Stereo Line Input or L/R RCA inputs. If you want an Echo Layla sound card, by all means,
rush out and get one if you have the extra $$$$$$ to throw away. A Soundblaster Live works just as good for a Beginner, and costs
a lot less.
--You also need the correct cable adaptors to convert your sound cables to computer-friendly connections - namely a 1/4" to 1/8" adaptor.
You can find these anywhere audio products are sold (WalMart, Radio Shack, etc etc).
--Speakers: Here's where you'll probably run into trouble. You will hear people say that it's best to have a set of Studio-Quality
Near-Field monitors. Those cost money. A pretty good bit. You're a Beginner. You decide for yourself if you need them.
-Optional outboard gear:
--You CAN get a mixer or stand-alone multi-track unit if you want to record the whole band in a more "studio-like"
format, but if it's just you and your guitar, you probably don't need one.
--A Drum Machine. You can find some older drum machines like the Alesis SR-16 pretty cheap these days, but your soundcard's MIDI drums
are probably better if you've got a recent sound card with a lot of RAM on it. There are a few other units such as made by BOSS
that still sound good as well, and you don't have to load them up with EQ and other advanced recording "tricks" to get them to sound
realistic - or even good.
--Finalizer: I doubt it seriously. I've mixed and recorded my own CDs that have levels as high if not higher (and still not peaking) than
most "store-bought" CDs out there, all without the $1000+ Finalizer units. You DO need a good ear, though, so you can tell what's peaking
and where and how to EQ it. That takes time to learn - about as much time as it does to come up with the money for a Finalizer.
-Software: Obviously Windows does not include ProTools. There are tons of free programs out there. I mean legitimately free, not free that you
get from file-sharing services. There are also tons of software you can buy - the ones most people are getting from file-sharing services.
Ask around and you'll get a different opinion from everyone you talk to. Personally I use Syntrillium's CoolEdit2000, but sadly Adobe
bought them out and as far as I know killed the program, or beefed it up to try to compete with ProTools. Either way, my favorite
program is dead. But I've heard good things about Cakewalk (Sonor, GuitarTracks32), and one called Nuendo (which many people are pronouncing
"new-endo" but I'm pretty sure it's supposed to sound like "innuendo" - capital "N" and all that?).
But anyway, you might be able to find an old freeware app called N-Track - a program that had basically unlimited tracks (according to your
processor and RAM).
Whatever program you decide on, you might want to look into the features it has. TDM plug ins ($$$) and all that are designed and priced
for Professional Studios using ProTools and Cubase and such, and a Beginner to Intermediate recordist doesn't need them. However,
you DO want a program that not only allows you to RECORD tracks, but also to EDIT those tracks. Find something with graphic AND parametric
EQs that you can apply to the tracks to shape and smooth them as needed. Also most programs should include MP3 conversion, but check anyway.
================================================== ================================================== ================
Newc
This is a Beginner's Guide to recording your own music at home in a bedroom, computer room, or music room, into a Home PC.
First, you should have the following, IN ADDITION TO a guitar:
-Something to get the sound from your guitar to the PC. This can be a POD, V-Amp, whatever, or it can be a raging 100w stack with
a Shure SM-57 if you have the luxury of being able to run a raging 100w stack. Most people don't, and if modelers sucked so bad,
they wouldn't be selling like hotcakes. If you're that opposed to modelers, invest in a soundproof recording box and a smaller amp.
Notice the key word "invest": "invest" always means "expensive". I won't tell a Beginning recordist to "invest", unless they've been
touring professionally for years and always had a Pro studio to go into, but now want to do it on their home PC.
So after you've got your modeler ready to run, you can plug it into the next piece of hardware:
-A Compressor/Limiter: YES, you SHOULD have one. NO, you DON'T need the Compressor, you need the Limiter, but stand-alone Peak Limiters
only come in TWO varieties; the ULTRA CHEAP Radio Shack brand stuff that sucks, and the ULTRA EXPENSIVE high-grade pro-studio stuff
that you can't afford. So get an Alesis 3630. It's cheap, it's powerful, it's easy to use, and it does the job. Learn how to work it.
What you want from this device is NOT that "pnnnNOOOOOOWWWWWWWW" Compressed Jazz Guitar sound, you want it to catch the sharp "P" sounds,
as well as to subdue the extreme harsh highs and sub-sonic lows so they don't overload your recording input and make you blow the track.
I do NOT recommend trying to get away with just using a BOSS Comp/Lim pedal - it ain't the same.
-Computer:
--Sound card should have a Stereo Line Input or L/R RCA inputs. If you want an Echo Layla sound card, by all means,
rush out and get one if you have the extra $$$$$$ to throw away. A Soundblaster Live works just as good for a Beginner, and costs
a lot less.
--You also need the correct cable adaptors to convert your sound cables to computer-friendly connections - namely a 1/4" to 1/8" adaptor.
You can find these anywhere audio products are sold (WalMart, Radio Shack, etc etc).
--Speakers: Here's where you'll probably run into trouble. You will hear people say that it's best to have a set of Studio-Quality
Near-Field monitors. Those cost money. A pretty good bit. You're a Beginner. You decide for yourself if you need them.
-Optional outboard gear:
--You CAN get a mixer or stand-alone multi-track unit if you want to record the whole band in a more "studio-like"
format, but if it's just you and your guitar, you probably don't need one.
--A Drum Machine. You can find some older drum machines like the Alesis SR-16 pretty cheap these days, but your soundcard's MIDI drums
are probably better if you've got a recent sound card with a lot of RAM on it. There are a few other units such as made by BOSS
that still sound good as well, and you don't have to load them up with EQ and other advanced recording "tricks" to get them to sound
realistic - or even good.
--Finalizer: I doubt it seriously. I've mixed and recorded my own CDs that have levels as high if not higher (and still not peaking) than
most "store-bought" CDs out there, all without the $1000+ Finalizer units. You DO need a good ear, though, so you can tell what's peaking
and where and how to EQ it. That takes time to learn - about as much time as it does to come up with the money for a Finalizer.
-Software: Obviously Windows does not include ProTools. There are tons of free programs out there. I mean legitimately free, not free that you
get from file-sharing services. There are also tons of software you can buy - the ones most people are getting from file-sharing services.
Ask around and you'll get a different opinion from everyone you talk to. Personally I use Syntrillium's CoolEdit2000, but sadly Adobe
bought them out and as far as I know killed the program, or beefed it up to try to compete with ProTools. Either way, my favorite
program is dead. But I've heard good things about Cakewalk (Sonor, GuitarTracks32), and one called Nuendo (which many people are pronouncing
"new-endo" but I'm pretty sure it's supposed to sound like "innuendo" - capital "N" and all that?).
But anyway, you might be able to find an old freeware app called N-Track - a program that had basically unlimited tracks (according to your
processor and RAM).
Whatever program you decide on, you might want to look into the features it has. TDM plug ins ($$$) and all that are designed and priced
for Professional Studios using ProTools and Cubase and such, and a Beginner to Intermediate recordist doesn't need them. However,
you DO want a program that not only allows you to RECORD tracks, but also to EDIT those tracks. Find something with graphic AND parametric
EQs that you can apply to the tracks to shape and smooth them as needed. Also most programs should include MP3 conversion, but check anyway.
================================================== ================================================== ================
Newc
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