Simple technical question about music making

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Now the old answer to this question would be get a four track tape recorder. But if I wanted to make a simple home recording studio, what would I need? A software package probably. Would I need an extra/special soundcard to get the most out of the package? What do people recommend? I have to start making more music or I'll never do it.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:54 (twenty-one years ago)

fuck a multitracking

― Whiskeytown Littlecock (ex machina), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Do you have a Mac or a PC?

There have been threads here about both recently...

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

(My powerbook has a line in, so I don't need an external soundcard/board/whatever... but I know that lots of earlier Macs did not.)

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

What jon

― thorJESUHOY, Friday, 30 July 2004 14:58 (twenty-one years ago)

PC. Sorry if it's been done before. I want to make a record made with any instruments I can find secondhand or lying in skips. I want to start making an inventory of stuff I need.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:58 (twenty-one years ago)

The answer to your query is DDD
Do
(not)
DO
digitall

― thorJESUHOY (Thor), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Dog Latin, my advice is to just use a pc and whatever soundcard you have now.

― Whiskeytown Littlecock (ex machina), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, I can't help you with PC, that's a mystery to me. You probably do need some kind of soundcard input (unless your machine has a line in - in which case you can use that, though you may need to boost the volume using an amp of some kind).

I use Cubase for recording "live" instruments. I'm sure there are better programmes - ProTools does a stripped down version, I know, for home tapers.

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:01 (twenty-one years ago)

get a 4-track tape recorder. really.

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

DDD is kind of funny with an implicit parenthetical (not)... given that it would read
Do
Do
Digital
which... by the way, i think is great advice... if you can record from the right amps you
can get a perfectly warm sound... or you can embrace the digital sound... either way,
there's plenty of ways to get whatever sound you want that will fool even the most
ardent analog supporter... and the editing choices are a blessing.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Friday, 30 July 2004 16:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll add to the question if I may. What good books are there out there for (home) recording techniques, etc.?

I got an old copy of Home Recording for Musicians from a friend, but its a bit lacking. It covers a lot of stuff in shallow depth. I know how analogue/digital works, and the physics and crap. I'm interested in how people use the equipment, best practices and such. Oh and a good book on actually using MIDI would be good. I know what it is, but I guess am more interested in where it fits best into the toolchain.

Also, what is your favorite recording software on a budget and why?

― Mike Salmo (salmo), Friday, 30 July 2004 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

can't give you any recommendations other than to say that i, personally, have never needed another book outside of a manual on any of the software i've used (cubase sx, pro tools free, reaktor, battery, reason, live)... it very much depends upon the kind of music you want to make... if you want to use your computer there are plenty of free options to get your feet wet with (and actually, on the much more advanced end, there are free programs that involve odd and awful programming)... i'd say that pro tools free is probably the coolest downloadable program purely for its utility... my problem was that once i traded up to OSX i couldn't use it any more... so i bought (gasp! yes, that kind of bought, like, with currency-- though pretty easy to find copies for pc online) cubase sx... and it's great too... i do mostly electronic music but i record a lot of live instruments too.
midi becomes easier with trial and error.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Friday, 30 July 2004 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey: the guys on this board can be pretty annoying (they're all pretty stereotypical 1960's-80's ROCKERS in taste) but can be very helpful with technical questions: http://homerecording.com/bbs.

― St. Nicholas (Nick A.), Friday, 30 July 2004 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

The Electrial Audio board is handy too

― Whiskeytown Littlecock (ex machina), Friday, 30 July 2004 17:46 (twenty-one years ago)

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