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Computer Recording
- Thread starter bl2112
- Start date
I used Sonar for a long time but recently switched to Reaper http://www.reaper.fm/
It does all that the high end / top dollar stuff does... but as long as you don't use it to record others for profit, it's only $60. Free 30 day full trial too.
It does all that the high end / top dollar stuff does... but as long as you don't use it to record others for profit, it's only $60. Free 30 day full trial too.
+1 on Reaper
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talk to this guy he uses Reaper....there are some samples on this page
and you can use it to record others as long as you don't make more than $20,000 a year
Link Removed
talk to this guy he uses Reaper....there are some samples on this page
and you can use it to record others as long as you don't make more than $20,000 a year
that's like asking "which bass should I buy" - it depends on who you are and what you plan on doing. Read as much as you can about the various programs and then decide.
BTW - I use Cakewalk Sonar, but I'm really interested in PreSonus' new program that comes out this summer.
BTW - I use Cakewalk Sonar, but I'm really interested in PreSonus' new program that comes out this summer.
Before you get carried away, make sure the audio on the laptop is quiet enough to record with -- many of them are not, especially cheap ones.
The one I'm using at the moment is so incredibly noisy it's literally impossible to use for any kind of audio I/O, even for something like Skype, much less recording.
Anyway, Reaper is good, but they just released v3.0 and it apparently has some serious debugging to go through yet.
The one I'm using at the moment is so incredibly noisy it's literally impossible to use for any kind of audio I/O, even for something like Skype, much less recording.
Anyway, Reaper is good, but they just released v3.0 and it apparently has some serious debugging to go through yet.
Before you get carried away, make sure the audio on the laptop is quiet enough to record with -- many of them are not, especially cheap ones.
The one I'm using at the moment is so incredibly noisy it's literally impossible to use for any kind of audio I/O, even for something like Skype, much less recording.
Anyway, Reaper is good, but they just released v3.0 and it apparently has some serious debugging to go through yet.
+1 to all of the above. I'd jump for a high-quality interface and free software before even thinking about dumping money into a DAW.
On the Reaper issue, a lot of my plugins are causing crashes (even the low-impact ones like EQs and compressors), although Reaper itself seems to be doing fine and dandy. I'm sure it'll be all sorted out in the next few updates, but I'll heartily suggest newer engineers to avoid it until 3.1 drops. It's frustrating enough when you're just starting out, you don't need mysterious crashes and hang-ups holding you back as well.
OP, I'd suggest getting your feet wet with Audacity, Kristal, Linux MultiMedia Studio, or Mu.Lab Free. You can always upgrade to a full-featured commercial DAW later on. For the record, I went from Cubase to Sonar to Reaper, and highly suggest the latter once you know what you're doing, but even with the new manual, Reaper has a very steep learning curve.
My point is though that many laptops generate so much noise NO interface will effectively work with them.
This one, for example, generates so much horrific static and hard drive noise through the USB ports that I can't even use it to program a modeler with its editing software. Incredible, but true.
Any money for an audio I/O adapter would be 100% wasted.
Yeah, the release was way premature. Even the fanboys on their forum are a bit unhappy.
Yeah, but it's more intuitive for me than Cubase. Cubase was just a brick wall.
My point is though that many laptops generate so much noise NO interface will effectively work with them.
This one, for example, generates so much horrific static and hard drive noise through the USB ports that I can't even use it to program a modeler with its editing software. Incredible, but true.
Any money for an audio I/O adapter would be 100% wasted.
Not so much if he has PCMIA ports. Those tend to be better isolated against noise.
Then again, I'm not much of a laptop guy and would suggest that anyone thinking of putting together a recording setup go with a desktop instead.
Aye, this is the only Reaper release where rollbacks aren't unheard-of. The screwed the pooch a bit with this one.
Yeah, but it's more intuitive for me than Cubase. Cubase was just a brick wall.
Bleh, don't remind me. Great plugin package, lots of innovative features, absolutely terrible workflow. Maybe Cubase 5 has fixed the bass ackwards routing and organization, but I doubt it.
You wouldn't believe the trouble I have trying to convince musicians who aren't very computer-savvy to buy a desktop for computer recording. I lose out nearly every time. The "I wanna take it with me" defeats my "to do what, exactly?". A computer recording setup ought to be dedicated for that. I personally wouldn't touch a laptop for recording. Even when it works, it's often three times the trouble to get going and the recordings aren't very good.
It needs to be a good one, too.
You'd be amazed at the noises you can get from a cheap desktop motherboard. [click]
Until a year ago, I'd have agreed completely with you, but my new MacBook Pro does GREAT work recording with Logic and GarageBand. The tracking I do with it on-location is every bit as good as with my big home studio Mac rig. Of course, I use good preamps/interfaces, and I have the laptop maxed out with RAM, but still, it records every bit as well as my studio Mac. I've produced CDs, jingles, and demos for lots of bands and soloists using the laptop alone now.
Get a Zoom H2 for $199 and Reaper for $60 (run the demo until you have cash to register it). Record ideas on the H2, transfer to laptop via usb and edit in Reaper. You can also use the H2 to record direct to the laptop when it's hooked up via USB.
- Oct 7, 2000
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- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
I did lots of recording on a cheap acer laptop with Cubase and ZOOM B21u, and aside from some latency problems that were fixed by simply downloading asio4all, never had any problems and got some great (for my purposes) recordings. The Songs FAIK and BRITNEY SPEARS in my myspace link Link Removed were recorded with that.
The ZOOM b21u is $169 (outlet price) at American Musical, and comes packaged with Cubase. I think it's fairly decent fx pedal too, has beat box in it, and works as an excellent interface. Only hitch for me is that it only takes in one (stereo) signal at a time. The cheapest multi input that works well (at least last year) was the Lexicon Omega. I bought one and used it a few times for seperating drum tracks from my drum machine.
As far as programs go, I think they all do pretty much the same these days - especially at the entry level. The most common programs I see in studios are Pro Tools and Cubase. I figured if I was going to learn to use one it might as well be one of those as it would have some benefits at times when I'm recording on the outside. I still, for my own personal use, have not had any need to go beyond the free version of cubase.
Last thoughts - most programs have a somewhat steep learning curve and will take a bit of a time investment to learn. I'd research them as much as possible and see what'll best fit your needs. You may never need to go beyong the free versions that come bundled with an interface. If you just want to record one instrument at a time you can get yourself a really inexpensive (under $50 interface), if you want to use multiple inputs and record a band - the price is going to go up. Gotta check on what they come bundled with too. I always liked and trusted Cubase.
The ZOOM b21u is $169 (outlet price) at American Musical, and comes packaged with Cubase. I think it's fairly decent fx pedal too, has beat box in it, and works as an excellent interface. Only hitch for me is that it only takes in one (stereo) signal at a time. The cheapest multi input that works well (at least last year) was the Lexicon Omega. I bought one and used it a few times for seperating drum tracks from my drum machine.
As far as programs go, I think they all do pretty much the same these days - especially at the entry level. The most common programs I see in studios are Pro Tools and Cubase. I figured if I was going to learn to use one it might as well be one of those as it would have some benefits at times when I'm recording on the outside. I still, for my own personal use, have not had any need to go beyond the free version of cubase.
Last thoughts - most programs have a somewhat steep learning curve and will take a bit of a time investment to learn. I'd research them as much as possible and see what'll best fit your needs. You may never need to go beyong the free versions that come bundled with an interface. If you just want to record one instrument at a time you can get yourself a really inexpensive (under $50 interface), if you want to use multiple inputs and record a band - the price is going to go up. Gotta check on what they come bundled with too. I always liked and trusted Cubase.
Long-time Cubase user here, it's not hard to learn and one of the most user-friendly programs I've encountered, and of course Reaper gets well-deserved rave reviews (price is hard to beat).Between either one, you can't go wrong.
Can't say I'm very enamored of Pro-Tools in the slightest, yeah, i know it's the "industry standard" (how the bloody hell did that happen?), but honestly, it's clunky, user unfriendly and too proprietary for its own good. Not a great program for newbies or those with little patience.
Can't say I'm very enamored of Pro-Tools in the slightest, yeah, i know it's the "industry standard" (how the bloody hell did that happen?), but honestly, it's clunky, user unfriendly and too proprietary for its own good. Not a great program for newbies or those with little patience.
A Mac is a different animal, usually higher quality than your run-of-the-mill laptop. I'd have less trouble if someone wanted to use a Mac laptop, but I'd still rather see them get a desktop anyway. For a desktop, the great thing is the freedom in all the things you can put in it, from a huge screen to PCI boards so you never have to worry about latency to having more than two USB ports. Not a lot of laptops I've seen have more than two.
Hah, Protools, one of my bete noires. I have to often help my band leader because everything is so convoluted on there that he forgets how to do tasks if he doesn't do them often enough. I think he keeps me around in the band just because of that since he isn't computer savvy. I've been around computers since the Apple ][ days (some college even says I have a degree in CS) so I usually can think like the idiot who designed the nasty interfaces I've come across. Protools is one of the ones that really takes the biscuit. Everything they do seems designed to make one have to take a class just to use it for something simple.
True - the Mac IS a better breed of animal (okay, you said 'different: I said better ;0) And this animal has three USB ports and PCI expansion slots. I also keep a big external DVI monitor in my recording-on-the-road case to give me dual displays.
- Mar 18, 2009
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- Bass Is The Heart Of The Band -Patrick Pfieffer
