Help for a home recording beginner

[dougjwray]

Fellow musicians keep pestering me to get files from them and add bass.
The last time I recorded anything, it was with the built-in condenser mic on a Panasonic cassette boombox.
Someone recommended Acoustic Mixcraft 9 for the DAW.
I recently bought a Scarlett interface for my son, but we haven't touched it yet.
I own a laptop running Windows.
I own headphones.
I own several electric basses.
All I want to do is retrieve recordings from other people, add bass (no effects, plug-ins, modelling, etc.), save my work, and send the tracks back to my friends and colleagues.
I'm amazingly unambitious about all of this.

Could anyone recommend a narrowly focused video or print thing that would cover this without going overboard into the universe of wondrous things that an expert can achieve?

 

[seamonkey]

What are the other people you are working with using?
Use the same thing they use. Pick the friendliest person to copy their set up from.
Life will be easier.

 

[skycruiser]

Fellow musicians keep pestering me to get files from them and add bass.
The last time I recorded anything, it was with the built-in condenser mic on a Panasonic cassette boombox.
Someone recommended Acoustic Mixcraft 9 for the DAW.
I recently bought a Scarlett interface for my son, but we haven't touched it yet.
I own a laptop running Windows.
I own headphones.
I own several electric basses.
All I want to do is retrieve recordings from other people, add bass (no effects, plug-ins, modelling, etc.), save my work, and send the tracks back to my friends and colleagues.
I'm amazingly unambitious about all of this.

Could anyone recommend a narrowly focused video or print thing that would cover this without going overboard into the universe of wondrous things that an expert can achieve?

You sound like you're close to where I am. Early beginner. Audacity is free and what I'm using. Very easy to use. Pick up a DI pedal/box to run your bass signal into the Scarlett, or bypass that and plug in directly (though you may not be happy with the sound - the DI lets you fiddle with EQ). Import the audio file you want to play with into a new Audacity project. Create a new mono track. Make sure the Scarlett is recognized as the audio input source. Since you are recording directly you don't need headphones. Check your levels and as you record it will play the imported track, so hook up speakers to you computer to play along. My USB interface is laggy so after I record I have to align the recorded audio with the original. Or if you want to just send the new track to your collaborators, Mute the original track and just export your recorded track to audio file.

There may be better ways but this has worked for me, as I said, very early beginner. Good luck!

 

[dougjwray]

Thanks for your input, guys.
A question: are DAWs standardized? I mean, if I use Audacity and send it to someone, would that person be able to open it with Mixcraft? (I'm not even talking Apple vs Microsoft.)

 

[skycruiser]

Thanks for your input, guys.
A question: are DAWs standardized? I mean, if I use Audacity and send it to someone, would that person be able to open it with Mixcraft? (I'm not even talking Apple vs Microsoft.)

I don't know the answer to that. We have been sharing audio files such as M4A or even MP3. We aren't doing anything fancy and compression isn't really a concern at this point. There may be a common file type that can be exported and shared between programs through. It may depend specifically on which programs you are using. I would also think you could export and import something like a WAV file and basically lose nothing.

 

[The Owl]

Thanks for your input, guys.
A question: are DAWs standardized? I mean, if I use Audacity and send it to someone, would that person be able to open it with Mixcraft? (I'm not even talking Apple vs Microsoft.)

Most DAW have common features and also have their differences/quirks. The thing they all have in common is the linear timeline and virtual mixing console.

Audacity is actually better suited to audio editing than multi track recording.

Nowadays Cakewalk is a freebie from Bandlab and very versatile. Reaper and Cubase are highly recommended too.

I do long distance recording collaboration and I find the best thing to do is send WAV files back and forth. That saves you the aggravation and anxiety of having to have the same system as others you collaborate with. All DAW's can read WAV files without any problem. Sending project files back and forth is far more trouble than its worth. Stick to high quality audio files.

 

[vindibona1]

I'm sort of in your shoes, probably a step or two ahead, but not much further along. I found Audacity to be the easiest to get going with. It's simple, but it's simplicity also has it's limitations.

I'm now beginning to work with Reaper. The big benefit to Reaper is that you can download a fully functional program and use it for free for 60 days (and secretly beyond). But if you decide it's worth buying a license it's only $60 for a program that's comparable to other costing 8 or 9 times more. It took me a lot longer to get my first tracks down with Reaper than with Audacity, but as I'm experiencing Reaper's power and completeness, with time on my hands I want to experiment more (if I can only find a replacement interface for my M-Track which I think crapped out).

 

[And I]

A question: are DAWs standardized? I mean, if I use Audacity and send it to someone, would that person be able to open it with Mixcraft?

Nope, each DAW has it's own file format. There is a standardized format called OMF that some DAWs support, but it's kinda quirky.

 

[skwee]

However: you can export anything as an .aiff or .wav file that can be used universally.

 

[akrachanko]

You sound like you're close to where I am. Early beginner. Audacity is free and what I'm using. Very easy to use. Pick up a DI pedal/box to run your bass signal into the Scarlett, or bypass that and plug in directly (though you may not be happy with the sound - the DI lets you fiddle with EQ). Import the audio file you want to play with into a new Audacity project. Create a new mono track. Make sure the Scarlett is recognized as the audio input source. Since you are recording directly you don't need headphones. Check your levels and as you record it will play the imported track, so hook up speakers to you computer to play along. My USB interface is laggy so after I record I have to align the recorded audio with the original. Or if you want to just send the new track to your collaborators, Mute the original track and just export your recorded track to audio file.

There may be better ways but this has worked for me, as I said, very early beginner. Good luck!

This is an excellent write up! This is basically exactly what I do, and it's pretty much independent of DAW.

If you're on Windows, make sure your interface is using the ASIO driver, which cuts latency to almost nothing. I have a Scarlett, and record while listening through the interface, and I do not have to adjust for latency when done.

 

[JZQuantum]

Get the DAW called Reaper. You can connect your interface and record your bass. You can import WAVs, mp3, AIFF and record your parts over it. You can export WAVs or other formats and then send back to whomever you want by dropbox, google drive, etc.. These files will be pretty big.

Reaper is a professional DAW and is free to trial. It's only $60 after the trial, which is very high value because they give you unlimited updates for the version you buy. You'll get free updates for several years.

You can find lots of tutorials, but it is really easy to use.

 

[Kro]

Get the DAW called Reaper. You can connect your interface and record your bass. You can import WAVs, mp3, AIFF and record your parts over it. You can export WAVs or other formats and then send back to whomever you want by dropbox, google drive, etc.. These files will be pretty big.

Reaper is a professional DAW and is free to trial. It's only $60 after the trial, which is very high value because they give you unlimited updates for the version you buy. You'll get free updates for several years.

You can find lots of tutorials, but it is really easy to use.

I can second (third or fourth) this recommendation. I just spent the last few hours working in Reaper... with my Scarlett I might add - I love it.

I also Recommend the Reaper video tutorials. They have them for all levels - search for what you need to do, even if simple, and odds are there's a video to guide you through it.

 

[rohi]

Thanks for your input, guys.
A question: are DAWs standardized? I mean, if I use Audacity and send it to someone, would that person be able to open it with Mixcraft? (I'm not even talking Apple vs Microsoft.)

With Audacity, as long as you export the tracks in question as .wav, then yes, the other person would be able to open it. By default, "saving" with Audacity creates an Audacity-specific project file, which is only compatible with Audacity. To export as a .wav file, you have to select the "export as..." in the file menu, rather than "save".

As for DAWs, I *highly* recommend REAPER, as it is free (or next to free). Take the time to sit down, spend an hour or two watching videos by Kenny Gioia or The REAPERblog on YouTube, and you'll be tracking in no time.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Fellow musicians keep pestering me to get files from them and add bass.
The last time I recorded anything, it was with the built-in condenser mic on a Panasonic cassette boombox.
Someone recommended Acoustic Mixcraft 9 for the DAW.
I recently bought a Scarlett interface for my son, but we haven't touched it yet.
I own a laptop running Windows.
I own headphones.
I own several electric basses.
All I want to do is retrieve recordings from other people, add bass (no effects, plug-ins, modelling, etc.), save my work, and send the tracks back to my friends and colleagues.
I'm amazingly unambitious about all of this.

Could anyone recommend a narrowly focused video or print thing that would cover this without going overboard into the universe of wondrous things that an expert can achieve?

Plug in your scarlett, and set it all up. Download reaper, and start messing with it. Then, when you got down how to add a blank track to the screen, actually record something. When you've got that down, have your friends send you a wave file. Click the "track" tab, and import the wave into a track. Record with it. Delete the track, keep your bass recording. Render your file as a wave. Email it back to your friend. Done and done.

 

[Julian G]

I was using Audacity then i started having problems with getting it to record anything, repeatedly went over the settings but to no avail and then when I uploaded something that I had previously recorded with Audacity the bass track sounded nothing like what it had sounded like before it had turned into a small fuzzy sound!!
Now I'm using/trying to use Cakewalk which I'm slowly getting to grips with; its free and not over complicated to get started though it appears to have a lot of features I've not used yet.

 

[RedVee]

You sound like you're close to where I am. Early beginner. Audacity is free and what I'm using. Very easy to use. Pick up a DI pedal/box to run your bass signal into the Scarlett, or bypass that and plug in directly (though you may not be happy with the sound - the DI lets you fiddle with EQ). Import the audio file you want to play with into a new Audacity project. Create a new mono track. Make sure the Scarlett is recognized as the audio input source. Since you are recording directly you don't need headphones. Check your levels and as you record it will play the imported track, so hook up speakers to you computer to play along. My USB interface is laggy so after I record I have to align the recorded audio with the original. Or if you want to just send the new track to your collaborators, Mute the original track and just export your recorded track to audio file.

There may be better ways but this has worked for me, as I said, very early beginner. Good luck!

ok, thanks. I’m taking some guitar lessons during this enforced downtime. Using audacity to play tracks made by the teach that I try to play along with. The tempo option is good there.
I’m hoping that I’ll be able to record my own projects eventually with my bass, Uke and guitar. More for my own entertainment than anything. Your post makes me think this may do me for a while.

 

[FatSamy]

If you record straight into your audio interface I would recomend plucking the strings softly and recording with a low level.
This will give you a better sounding recording and whoever you send it to will love you for leaving them room to process the sound in mixing and mastering.

 

[Kro]

Click the "track" tab, and import the wave into a track.

You can also frag the file right into reaper, if it's easier.

Record with it. Delete the track, keep your bass recording. Render your file as a wave.

Or you could just hit the "m" button on the imported wav, or "s" on the recorded bass track to solo it. Either one before rendering will provide the bass only track to share.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm usually reluctant to delete things much (space permitting) I'd keep it there in case I needed to come back and make edits.

 

[Kro]

If you record straight into your audio interface I would recomend plucking the strings softly and recording with a low level.
This will give you a better sounding recording and whoever you send it to will love you for leaving them room to process the sound in mixing and mastering.

I'm sorry this just isn't true. Perform as you would normally, and learn how to manage the levels correctly and it'll be a much better recording all around. The level should be optimal, not low.

There's no reason to limit dynamics for the sake of... I don't know what.

 

[TreySonagras]

I’ve been playing around with Garage Band during the lockdown. Not the best in the world but it’s pretty easy to use.