Home Recording

[Dark Soul]

I was curious to see how many people around here mess with home recording. I'm slowly converting my PC into a recording studio using Cakewalk Sonar and various useful plug-ins. Is anyone else doing anything like this? What software do you use? What kinds of problems have you run into and how did you solve them? Share links to any useful software (preferably free or very cheap) you've found on the web.

[Banned]

Here are some random studio thingies that bring a smile to my face:

Reaper - Cheap, powerful, and lightweight multi-tracking software. The least resource-hungry DAW I've ever used, by a country mile.

EZdrummer - Great sounding drum tracks for dummies.

Have you experimented with re-amping? The idea being that you record guitars and bass clean and dry, then dial in your tone afterward with a plug-in providing the sound. If you like to experiment with sounds, or just want the instruments to sound right in the mix, it's a godsend.

There's pretty fierce competition in the amp plug-in market, but I stick with the Line 6 stuff out of familiarity. The new Pod Farm plug-in is a blast. You drag and drop your rig. Check out the Sounds link for examples of the clean guitar signal and what it sounds like after being processed.

[orangekick]

We've been using Reaper to track our latest recording. It's going very well so far. We're going to farm it out for mastering and all at the end, but we're getting the sounds that we want to start with and no one is telling us how to do anything.

[Dark Soul]

Thanks for the replies, guys! I've never heard of this re-amping thing. Could you explain in more detail?

I shall have to check out Reaper. Sounds juicy...

[Banned]

I've never heard of this re-amping thing. Could you explain in more detail?

Well, let me run through recording a typical guitar track.

The guitar is fed to the computer through a USB interface. In my case, I have a Line 6 KB37 keyboard. It has 1/4" jacks, mic jacks, and a MIDI keyboard. Whatever your input, it feeds to the computer via USB. The guitar is totally clean at this point - just guitar, cable, interface.

In Reaper, you arm a track to record the input - the clean guitar. But while you're recording, you can put plug-ins on the track and listen to how it will sound when processed. So I might throw on the Line 6 plug-in and listen to the guitar signal through a Bogner Ecstasy amp model.

But even though I hear the Bogner sound, it still records the clean signal. That's the key.

Okay, now the track is recorded. Lets say I listen to it the next day and decide I want more of a Dual Recto sound. No problem - just set the plug-in to a Recto sound so the clean signal is feeding a Recto. Want to adjust the gain? Go ahead. Add some more mids? Go ahead. Does it need some reverb? Go ahead.

You literally dial in your sound AFTER you record it. You have only recorded your raw performance on the guitar. The sound is then infinitely variable. Your tone becomes a creative expression, rather than a guesstimate.

[Dark Soul]

Jimi: Okay, I follow you there. I'm not using a USB input, though. I plug my guitar into the Line In on my sound card. Should I be doing it differently?

[BassFinger]

Jimi: Okay, I follow you there. I'm not using a USB input, though. I plug my guitar into the Line In on my sound card. Should I be doing it differently?

The line input of the soundcard is fine. It's just one of the ways to get the sound into the computer. USB and Firewire have come along the last few years. I'm actually using a Line 6 USB device now but plan on going back to a PCI device, and Event Audio Mia Midi, less the $150. I seem to be having problems with USB drivers and Windows Vista. Damn you Vista!!

[BassFinger]

Oh yeah...OP question.

I have Sonar Home Studio 6. I use a Line 6 UX2 Toneport which is a USB audio interface but I've been having problems with the USB drivers. I originally had WinXP Media Edition which I eventually found out doesn't really like USB audio drivers and then I upgraded to Vista Ultimate (duh!!) which seems to be having problems also. My next move is to pick up a copy of XP Professional (...or buy an Apple). I may pick up a PCI audio interface also like an M-Audio or Echo Audio.

I also have Propellerhead Reason but I haven't messed with it much. I actually have to motivated to work with this stuff. Reason is basically synths and samplers with no audio recording option. Though there are ways to get audio into Reason.

[orangekick]

We've been using Reaper to track our latest recording. It's going very well so far. We're going to farm it out for mastering and all at the end, but we're getting the sounds that we want to start with and no one is telling us how to do anything.

Update:

We have now scrapped the computer and have a 16 track Fostex tape machine. The computer is stacked in the corner and will no longer be turned on for recording purposes. Our next disc will be recorded with nothing but tape and tubes.

[Killjingle]

what went wrong for u guys?

[bassist4life2004]

I recently got into home recording, thanks to Keith. I purchased an HP laptop and an EMU 0202 USB interface. I do have some problems with vista home premium running the EMU, but i figured out some of the problems and resolved them. The interface supposedly isnt supported on the vista platform but there are vista drivers that will let it work. My main problem is getting it started (i.e turning the interface on and off until vista picks it up) I should just downgrade to xp pro but my computer won't be able to utilize the dual processor feature, which sucks.

Im looking into possibly getting a multi track digital recorder with the USB or firewire option and multitracking that way to make it easier.

[orangekick]

what went wrong for u guys?

Nothing went wrong. We just realized that the computer is a hindrance. We work better if we know that we have to get it right the first time. I would never try to make demos with a reel-to-reel. This is all about making an album that we are proud to listen to. With a computer, there is too much of us saying that we'll just go back and fix something later. We end up messing with things too much.

I think that too many bands lean on computers any more. Rock bands should make records while standing in a room with each other. Amps should be cranked and drums should be slammed.

[Killjingle]

I dont know if I agree with u 100%; but I certainly respect your opinion and I really dug your previous recording.

Look forward to hearing it.

[Dark Soul]

Rock bands should make records while standing in a room with each other. Amps should be cranked and drums should be slammed.

I have to agree with you there. There's more to making a great recording than just playing the song correctly. When the whole band is jamming together, you can really capture that collective energy. Unfortunately for a guy like me, I'm trying to record music I've written on my own and I don't have an entire band of musicians to record all at once. So I just have to do the best I can and hope it turns out alright.

[BassFinger]

Rock bands should make records while standing in a room with each other. Amps should be cranked and drums should be slammed.

I have to agree with you there. There's more to making a great recording than just playing the song correctly. When the whole band is jamming together, you can really capture that collective energy. Unfortunately for a guy like me, I'm trying to record music I've written on my own and I don't have an entire band of musicians to record all at once. So I just have to do the best I can and hope it turns out alright.

Actually, some groups record to tape and then digitally process multi-track.

[orangekick]

I dont know if I agree with u 100%; but I certainly respect your opinion and I really dug your previous recording.

Look forward to hearing it.

No worries. I know this approach isn't for everybody. I'm sure that there will be a quite a few times when we're going to be pulling our hair out while doing this, but the vibe will be 10x better on this disc than the last one.

[orangekick]

Rock bands should make records while standing in a room with each other. Amps should be cranked and drums should be slammed.

I have to agree with you there. There's more to making a great recording than just playing the song correctly. When the whole band is jamming together, you can really capture that collective energy. Unfortunately for a guy like me, I'm trying to record music I've written on my own and I don't have an entire band of musicians to record all at once. So I just have to do the best I can and hope it turns out alright.

Actually, some groups record to tape and then digitally process multi-track.

This is true. We had been considering doing that at first. Then we talked to someone who runs an analog studio here in Pittsburgh and they are very excited to have us come in and mix down from our machine and then master our tracks on their machines. The only time that anything digital will be involved will be when the actual CD is pressed. We're also putting this out on vinyl, so this should be really cool.

[Killjingle]

the vinyl pressing will be cool.
The vibe of your band is perfect for that.

I cant see someone wanting The Embalmed on vinyl. Not our typical fans anyways.

[Dark Soul]

Actually, some groups record to tape and then digitally process multi-track.

Well, that isn't a practical option for me. Since I'm doing everything myself and I'm not much of a drummer (and I don't have decent kit even if I were), the drums have to be programmed with MIDI and then everything else recorded along with the drums to keep everything in time. Digital seems like the easiest way to go. Plus I'm poor and can't afford any more equipment.

[Dark Soul]

BTW...I'm curious: How does one go about getting an album made on vinyl? That might be cool to do just for fun. I like the retro feel of vinyl...even though I don't actually have a turn table...lol!

[orangekick]

There are a bunch of places that still do vinyl pressing. The most important part is the mixing and mastering when you are pressing to vinyl. You need to take your tracks to someone who knows how to work with tracks so that they sound right when they hit vinyl.

We're talking to the guys over here at Tree Lady Studios about finishing up our disc. One of their guys specializes in preparing tracks for vinyl.

[Chuxema]

I've used Cool Edit and Audacity.
I prefer Audacity out of the two though.
It is a whole lot more user friendly.

[Chuxema]

BTW...I'm curious: How does one go about getting an album made on vinyl? That might be cool to do just for fun. I like the retro feel of vinyl...even though I don't actually have a turn table...lol!

United Record Pressing does shit for most the bands I
listen to.

[BloodyFingers]

I built my computer it is a AMD based 3200+, 800 mhz FSBS, 2 gig of ddr ram, 3 80gig harddrives, And the audio is M-audio delta 44. $149.95 for the audio card. I run a old version of Sonar producer. It comes with enough plugins to get you going. I use a Behringer 2442fx mixer. It has the 4 group output on it which works great with the delta 44. After that it's just a matter of the right cables and you on your way. If you want to hear my production work on our tunes just click on the link below and goto The Delve website. If you would like to stop over sometime and check it out let me know.

[Killjingle]

I dig the big electronica sound. I can hear some intersting guitar lines over the music.

Nice work