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Easiest recording software

robd

robd

Supporting Member
Mar 3, 2004
1,770
972
just outside B-more Maryland
#1
I picked up an 8 channel computer interface to stick in the basement to record practice and jam sessions.

What is the easiest software to record with.

I used to have a Yamaha AW1600 digital recorder that was super easy to use, pretty much a mixing board with record buttons.

Is there anything out there thats easy to use? Maybe something that has a gui that looks like a mixer?

The guitarist has sonar and is super good with it so he will do all the effects, mixing etc. I just need to be able to record the 8 wave files and then he can take it home and do the rest.

Thanks
 
#3
Pretty much any of the major DAWs can be set up to be ready to record in one click after you open them, but you'll want to set up a project template ahead of time that maps your 8 inputs to 8 tracks and arms all the tracks for record, and maybe do something with aux channels assigned to outputs if you want to send back custom monitoring mixes. Set that as your default "new project" template and off you go!

You can probably strike Ableton Live from your list. Live doesn't understand takes yet. It's great for electronic/loop based stuff, not so much for capturing a bunch of takes and then comping them.

Download the demos and give 'em a try!
 
#4
If you want to keep costs low, there are a few free open-source options.
For really simple recording of 2 channels or less, look for Audacity
And if you want more than 2 channels, and your interface supports it, look for Kristal Audio Engine.
They both get the job done in Windows and they're easy to use.
 
#6
My favorite is reaper. You can download it and try it for free after 30 days they ask that you pay I think $40. They have tutorials on YouTube to show you how to do everything. I also have protools but reaper is my choice for all the demos i do. I use several virtual instruments like Steven slate drums for programming drums with midi for demos and east west quantum leap for adding orchestral instruments that are recordings of real instruments that are sampled and controllable with midi(sounds amazing but takes up a chunk of your hardrive). The other benefit of reaper over pro tools is it does not limit your tracks. Protools forces you to upgrade if you want more tracks and more plugin compatibility. As for the benefit of protools. With protools you can easily make videos. You can attach the video to a track then put your own audio on other tracks so If you want to make a cheap music video with the studio version of the song or if you want to get all pink Floyd with it you can actually make a movie and write the music to go along with it.
 
#8
robd said:
I picked up an 8 channel computer interface to stick in the basement to record practice and jam sessions.

What is the easiest software to record with.

I used to have a Yamaha AW1600 digital recorder that was super easy to use, pretty much a mixing board with record buttons.

Is there anything out there thats easy to use? Maybe something that has a gui that looks like a mixer?

The guitarist has sonar and is super good with it so he will do all the effects, mixing etc. I just need to be able to record the 8 wave files and then he can take it home and do the rest.

Thanks
Click to expand...

The guitarist should read the ELU for Sonar. He can install it on several computers including yours. He can only use 1 instance at any 1 time.

When he's at rehearsal, he can use your computer, when he's at home he can use his.

He will not need to re-register on each computer he installs it on. Same registration.

You can't use his license though, but you might want to look into Sonar yourself. It is a great package, easy to use, and scales up to great to complex recording and DAW tasks. Having a buddy that knows Sonar well is a giant help in the learning curve. You'll learn a lot by just seeing what others do with it.
 
#12
+1 on Sonar, but lots of good suggestions here. Sonar X2 Essentials is $99, pretty good price considering what you get for the money.

I strongly suggest factoring into your decision the quality of the user community supporting the tool. However easy your toolset is to use, you WILL have questions and problems, it's just the nature of the beast. Generally speaking, the more popular the software, the larger and more helpful the user community that can help you with the inevitable questions. Cakewalk does a great job supporting a large and really quite valuable user community.
 

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