Solutions for recording original music at home on your computer?

[Azurephoenix]

I'm not sure if this should go in the artists corner or not so if it needs be, mods feel free to move it into the appropriate section.

As I know there's quite a few musically inclined people here on Halforums and a few of them who likely have direct experience in these matters I have a few questions.

I'm looking to record demos of a few original songs that I have written over the years as well as a few cover tunes. The type of music is heavy metal and songs will usually have two guitars, bass guitar, drums and vocals. I will be tracking the drums (because I really don't have the money to get the right setup to record them live at the moment) but I need to know what sort of equipment and software would be good for the rest of the stuff.

Any advice would be great as I'm totally out of touch with what sort of solutions, programs and equipment exist now for this.

Currently I have all my instruments, amplifiers, effects pedals, patch cords but no microphones or ways to connect them to a PC. I also have next to no software for editing or mixing music (I have an old version of SoundForge but that's not really a multracking music utility).

Thanks.

 

[Tinwhistler]

By the time you buy microphones and stuff, it would be close to the same price as having simply gone to a studio and recorded your demo. There's a few studios around here who will do a 4 song demo for anywhere between $500 and a grand, for instance. Compare that with the cost of a handful of mikes and equipment and software. And it'll be mixed/recorded by someone who's (supposedly) good at what they're doing.

 

[Azurephoenix]

Hmmmm... well I already have a studio in mind for when I have these songs down really good. I'm looking more at intermediate level recordings to help me with the song writing (and lead guitar) writing process. I guess I should mention that this is a solo project so when I'm writing new parts I need recordings to work from (got no band mates to help out).

I can also do without the voice recordings which would scrap the need for expensive condenser microphones. I just need a way to record a guitar/bass/keyboard signal.

 

[Espy]

Well, if there is a pc equivalent of Garageband that would do what you want. It's what I started learning in, probably the best basic program. Any PC users have an equivalent? Or buy a mac mini and get something like this: M-AUDIO - Fast Track - Record Guitar and Vocals on Your Computer

 

[LordRavage]

I tend to use SoundForge and Acid Pro. Get yourself a pretty good mic and you can record the vocals, alter them in Soundforge and then arrange them with the music in AcidPro. I used Reason to make beats and samples but your set up might need something a little different. I like AcidPro because it makes it real easy to arrange the music how you want.

Have you thought about looking into local recording studio? A friend of mine swears by them but they can get expensive.

Sorry if I rehashed what people have already said.

 

[PatrThom]

Way back when, it was Cool Edit Pro (which was later purchased by Adobe). Record is probably the closest thing to Garageband for PC. Check out the video (it's a hoot).


You'll need some sort of audio interface, of course. I would recommend at least 4 discrete inputs, but you can 'cheat' music from multiple sources into a computer with a decent 2-channel USB interface if you route everything through a small 6-8ch mixer or something and then just run L and R to the computer. It means more work and less flexibility while mixing, but it also means a lot less money. You might want to stick with only recording 2ch max until you get the hang of everything anyway. Figure on spending $200-300 for a really good interface, perhaps half that for an adequate one.

2x mic stands, 2x balanced cables, 2x mics. Get condenser mics if you can afford them, halfway decent ones go for as little as $60-75 ea. Budget about $300 to get everything for a two-channel set up.

All prices much lower if you find someone looking to unload their unused equipment, of course.

--Patrick

 

[David]

With your amplifier, you should be able to plug it directly into your PC's microphone port with a cheap TRS to TRS-mini (the standard audio headphone) connector. You could probably get one at a 99cent store. Though honestly, I have no clue how the quality would compared to recording with a microphone. I've had success only with getting some sound effects from my keyboard, nothing high end.

 

[Azurephoenix]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm definitely going to research Acid pro and Record a bit more and I'll have to look into USB interfaces so I can plug my electric guitar and keyboard into the computer.

I'll probably hold back on the vocals as that will require a good microphone and such. I'll probably save that part for and actual studio when the time comes. Thanks again.