Getting started with compootahs and wotnot
Ok i've always been a guitar / stopboxes / amp man. Now I want to use my PC and/or iphone but I know f*ck all about it, and I mean f*ck all. Don't even know what I want to use it for. Recording? Effects? No idea. Can anyone tell me what to do? Is it all free nowadays?
Hi Viz,
No, it is not all free! The biggest initial outlay is for an Audio Interface and you will not do better than this...
http://www.dv247.com/news/Get%20Guit...dio%206/133324
for anything like the money.
If that is too rich for you, I will suggest one, and one only, alternative. The M-Audio Fast Track pro. Around £120 new but 2/3 that second hand....Why just that AI you say?
Because I know it very well, it is electronically very reliable (I have never read of one going wrong in 5 years) The drivers are extremely solid and well written (if you don't know what "drivers" are, not matter ATMO. You will, Oh! how you will!) The Pro will allow you to connect a guitar directly and play and record it on any PC or mac you are ever likely to encounter. It will work on the slowest old clunker you can find (even back to Win 98 I think!).
It has two microphone inputs each with Phantom power and again, no messin' for a mic, get a Shure SM57 to stick in front of your amps (again, second hand can work. Cash Converter shops I find useful and again if REALLY cash strapped, any 30quid ish dynamic will work pretty well on an amp.)
For recording software yes, we ARE now into free stuff! Audacity is often mentioned and is fine but do google for and download MAGIX Samplitude Silver. Totally free, has built in MP3 encoder and "looks" like most other recording software (often just called a "Digital Audio Workstation" or sometimes a "sequencer").
Thus equipped you will have the TECHNICAL tools to make CD "pro" quality recordings..You won't! But that takes skill and experience (and a decently sounding room. But that can wait). You will however have a lot of fun.
Lots of much more experienced recordist than I here all willing to help you but get some hardware first and get stuck in.
Dave.
Awesome. I'm gonna hunt the whole lot down. Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't recommend this enough: http://www.reaper.fm/
No Forbidding Allowed
My band made (another) Xmas song: https://soundcloud.com/polarityman/p...in-vallhalla-2
Ta. Jeez there's a whole world out there
Yup! And we haven't even mentioned MIDI yet!Originally Posted by Viz
Dave.
MIDI. We have now!
It's not really worth worrying about MIDI unless you want to start using external synth modules or record electronic drums. Virtual software instruments do use MIDI, but as it's generally hidden behind everything else, don't worry about it. Even if you end up getting a MIDI keyboard, the maim thing is to set the MIDI channel of the keyboard and the virtual instrument to the same number (1-16 or omni/all channels) and you're away.
Absolutely! No need to worry about MIDI. In any case both the NI and the Pro come with MIDI ports so you won't have to get into extra dangly usb boxes.
A general comment if I may?
Look at S/H shops for old Yamaha/Casio/Roland "portasounds". These keyboards can often be picked up for less than a nifty, just make sure they have MIDI DINs on them. Ok, the sounds will not be wonderful but latency is zero and most have a built in sequencer which allows of setting a drum pattern to play along with. The resultant MIDI data can be recorded and used to trigger better drum sounds later on.
Dave.
"Of course it sounds better without the bossa nova" - Vim Fuego
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