Andy P
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Post by Andy P on Nov 17, 2014 19:43:39 GMT
OK I've been here for all of two days so it's high time I picked some brains. Any recommendations for recording guitar/vocals?
I've been trying Cubase (unintelligible to me) and then Presonus Studio One (free version) via a Behringer 1202FX mixer plus interface, using Asio4ALL. Can't get on with it at all. Even though I got the latency down to 10 millisecs I keep getting jumpy, jerky uncoordinated phrasing in the second guitar track, no matter how strictly I've kept to the click on the first. I've attempted to learn from various Youtube tutorials but they all talk to me like I already have a basic understanding. Which I don't! I tried the Studio One Facebook forum and although several people very kindly tried to help, they all gave different answers as to what the problem was e.g. insufficient RAM, inferior soundcard, ASIO not good enough, lack of suitable processing speed of my laptop, etc etc etc!
So I thought I would try getting hold of something like a Zoom R8 and using it as a recorder rather than a DAW interface (just hark at me, using this jargon like I know what it all means - believe me, I don't). I gather I could then upload my recorded tracks into Studio One for editing and mixing and there would be no latency issue. Is that correct?
Look forward to all the help I can get and please restrict any replies which you might be kind enough to send to monosyllabic idiot's guide type language.
I need to get on quickly as I see there's a rather nice guitar up for grabs, though judging from some of the entries I've just been listening to, I'll have my work cut out.
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Post by chad on Nov 17, 2014 22:49:27 GMT
you may not want to hear this but, any recordings I've been involved in in the past have been with Cubase, I know it's a bit daunting but it is the biz, if you spend time learning how to use it, even basically it'll be in your favour, as long as you've got the PC to handle it and, time to learn it.
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Andy P
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Post by Andy P on Nov 18, 2014 7:30:10 GMT
Thanks chad :-)
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Nov 18, 2014 8:54:43 GMT
I haven't made any recordings for a while, but I almost always use a Tascam digital pocket studio, and master it on the hardware.
I only then use Audacity to top/tail the recording and convert to mp3. Very low tech but I'm happy with it.
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Nov 18, 2014 9:08:36 GMT
I record using a Zoom H2N as a USB microphone straight into Audacity. I've learned enough to get rid of background noise and add extra tracks to the recording but haven't worked out what all the other things, like reverb, are - or what to do with 'em, so I don't. Everything is just as it is.
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Post by vikingblues on Nov 19, 2014 7:34:17 GMT
Recording music on a PC can be a minefield. Trying to wrestle with how the software even works can be daunting if it's been designed by people who use a different logic to yourself. But trying to get software, interface and operating system to work together can be a pig. As evidence reviews on Amazon on any of these products - a real mix of 5 stars from those who strike lucky and 1 star from those who don't. As far as operating systems go I found a machine with XP gave me few problems, Vista was a pig, and Windows 7 was OK. But there will be many people out there who will say they've never had a problem with Vista and regard me as some sort of moron as a result. My existing system (Alesis iO2 and Samplitude Music Studio 16 or 2013 date back to those times with Vista - one of the few combinations of software and interface that I could get to work at all AND understand as well). At least with a stand alone recording system all you should have to worry about is understanding the way it works. Assuming that it will connect up with a PC OK for transfer of files, etc. I have tried a few stand alone systems and some have been very intuitive, some I've needed to keep referring to the manual for basic operations. With the very small ones, like the Yamaha Pocketrak PR7 I sometimes use you have to accept that though the sound is remarkably good for something so small and cheap it's never going to be near as good as a decent condenser microphone into a well behaved computer. Mark
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007
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Post by 007 on Nov 19, 2014 10:10:31 GMT
Someone at geetar club has sent me a link to Realpro looks ok not sure its actually recording software though irealpro.com
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Andy P
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Post by Andy P on Nov 19, 2014 20:51:32 GMT
Thanks so much for all your replies. It's reassuring to know that I'm not the only person to find all this stuff impenetrable. At this stage I'm just interested in making reasonably decent recordings. They don't have to be CD quality. If I get to that stage, my son has his own small but perfectly formed recording studio. The trouble is he lives in Edinburgh and we live in west Cornwall! However, we are planning on moving up that way next year. We're looking at the area around Dunbar (not a million miles from North Berwick, Mark!).
So I think I'll go ahead and get hold of the Zoom R8, which is under £200 and does attract good reviews. If I ever do get my head round DAWs (unlikely), it has that facility too.
The realpro app looks useful 007, though as you say it's not recording software.
Thanks again.
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Post by creamburmese on Nov 20, 2014 15:13:06 GMT
You aren't the only one! I struggle with even the most basic recording stuff - and there appears to be surprisingly little on the internet that reduces it to a cookbook approach for the absolute beginner. I have managed to record though I have so little knowledge it's scary - it was a matter of ordering things based on comments here and there and trial and error when hooking it up. And you'd laugh at my level of understanding ..I have microphone (I think it's a BLUE something or other) on a stand, attached to a little red box (Scarlett something or other) connected to my laptop. To start and stop the recording, I was using Garageband but it tends to crash unexpectedly, so yesterday downloaded Audacity for the first time. Managed to record and import existing tracks successfully first time - yeah! but then several times I got the tracks in some kind of mode where I couldn't play it or edit it and had to close the program and start again to get the cursor to work.....Grrrrrh. It was probably some perfectly legitimate mode it was in, but I had no idea what it was and couldn't get out of it. So good luck and tell us how you get on!
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Andy P
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Post by Andy P on Nov 20, 2014 18:17:03 GMT
Oh I feel your frustration! As you suggest, by trial and error one can inch one's way forward, but why can't someone, somewhere, produce a completely basic guide? It seems that all those involved in so-called tutorials lack the ability to put themselves in the position of a complete beginner and refrain from using jargon. Good luck!
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Post by andyhowell on Nov 20, 2014 18:17:15 GMT
There is quite a lot around regarding pure recording techniques, stereo mics, etc. the Doug Young videos are very helpful. It is less clear when it comes to computer recording software, drivers and so on.
If you are using Macs life should be a lot easier as their system audio is built for all kinds of pro audio applications. PC users need to ensure they are using the right kind and most recent drivers for interfaces and software.
If it all looks too daunting take a cue from Leo and use a Zoom or similar recorder. Gearslutz.com is a god sight for advice on techniques and gear though be warned; as the title suggest you can get yourself drawn into a lot of expenditure!
For me stereo recording is a good idea. A pair of small condenser MICS work well plugged into a reasonable 2 channel mixer - Steinberg are very good and competitively priced, Focusrite not bad and so on.
I record onto my macs using Logic X, not cheap but great value for money. People get impressed with the virtual instruments that come with the app I think it is good to have a professional editing tool and their conversion to digital is very classy!
Go this way and your basic budget will need to be £500 to £600. For less of an initial investment You can use several of the Zoom recorders with external mics!
You can't do this without spending a little cash. It is a good idea if your computer has some decent memory in it as well, about 8 megs.
I'm off before you all start shouting at me!
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andrewjw
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Post by andrewjw on Nov 20, 2014 19:47:29 GMT
If you have a Mac/I pad you can get excellent results using GarageBand...intuitive and as easy as it gets to use ...all you need is an inexpensive interface plus a mic that gives you sound for money value ...Rode possibly lead the way with their 1TA...value for money and easy to use.
Once you get your head round that then it is a natural step up to use Logic Express...but for acoustic music at an amateur level there is not a whole lot of difference IMHO.
All of our recordings as posted on the Plucky Duck/SoundCloud have been done following that route....we've had some complimentary ( hopefully not sycophantic ) comments re the recording quality....
The Zoom route seems to work just as well for others...another way to get great results inexpensively.
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Andy P
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Post by Andy P on Nov 21, 2014 11:50:09 GMT
Thanks guys, your input is much appreciated and all leads will be followed up. Love the name Gearslutz, really captures the concept!
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missclarktree
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Post by missclarktree on Nov 22, 2014 11:44:09 GMT
I've managed to learn how to record using the Zoom H2, but still have no idea how people combine that with the visual side. Web cams are so poor in quality - I don't know why they have to be worse than what's on the average mobile phone, but that's the mystery of computers.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Nov 22, 2014 13:10:39 GMT
missclarktree - does your computer have Window Movie Maker or something similar, Alison? If so, you can import a video into that and add a soundfile from your Zoom. There will be an option in Movie Maker, or whatever, to mute the sound from the video track, allowing the Zoom recording to be heard - you do need to sync it to the pictures by clicking and dragging, and theres an option to fine tune that by button clicking when it's nearly there, which is a bit trial and errory, but does get there - most of mine are done like that. Keith
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