I have $400-$500. Lets assume I'm buying new, only because speculative Craigslist used market conversations rarely go anywhere useful. My main goal is that I want to record bass and guitar tracks for online collaboration. I've done that with a cheap single interface box before and even a Rocksmith cable plugged into my computer before that.
I like Reaper and have purchased Addictive Drums 1 and 2, so I don't really plan to pick an interface based on included software. I have a decent desktop PC running Windows 10. I also have a Blue Snowball USB mic that I've never managed to do anything useful with - it might have been a mistake purchase.
Other than the drums, I don't love buying both effects pedals and plugins for the computer, and this leads me to think I want to mic my amp and focus on real effects, mainly because the reverse leaves me practicing wearing headphones plugged into a computer and just isn't inspiring. Also latency - I tend to play based on the dry signal and listen back to hear effects because the latency bothers me otherwise. Again, this is uninspiring. Lastly, I occasionally play with a guitarist at home, just for fun, and would like to be able to record both of us, but this isn't the main goal. I definitely don't see that as something where we'd both sit down and play into my computer wearing headphones, though. Also, I'd like to record solo vocals tracks. My voice isn't good or anything, but I'd still like to.
So I think I need:
A USB interface with 2 (3?) mic inputs.
2 mics suitable for mic'ing a cab/combo amp. It would be nice if they also mic acoustic instruments passably.
1 mic that handles vocals. It would be great if that could be one of the mics above, but I understand those might be two different kinds of mics.
What I don't think I need:
Expensive included software
A computer
Guitars, basses, amps
I freely admit that I don't know what I'm doing, just what I'd like to be able to do. Thanks for indulging a long-winded post.
I like Reaper and have purchased Addictive Drums 1 and 2, so I don't really plan to pick an interface based on included software. I have a decent desktop PC running Windows 10. I also have a Blue Snowball USB mic that I've never managed to do anything useful with - it might have been a mistake purchase.
Other than the drums, I don't love buying both effects pedals and plugins for the computer, and this leads me to think I want to mic my amp and focus on real effects, mainly because the reverse leaves me practicing wearing headphones plugged into a computer and just isn't inspiring. Also latency - I tend to play based on the dry signal and listen back to hear effects because the latency bothers me otherwise. Again, this is uninspiring. Lastly, I occasionally play with a guitarist at home, just for fun, and would like to be able to record both of us, but this isn't the main goal. I definitely don't see that as something where we'd both sit down and play into my computer wearing headphones, though. Also, I'd like to record solo vocals tracks. My voice isn't good or anything, but I'd still like to.
So I think I need:
A USB interface with 2 (3?) mic inputs.
2 mics suitable for mic'ing a cab/combo amp. It would be nice if they also mic acoustic instruments passably.
1 mic that handles vocals. It would be great if that could be one of the mics above, but I understand those might be two different kinds of mics.
What I don't think I need:
Expensive included software
A computer
Guitars, basses, amps
I freely admit that I don't know what I'm doing, just what I'd like to be able to do. Thanks for indulging a long-winded post.
