Recording on laptop

[Huge94]

Hi there,

I need a new computer for recording. I would prefer a laptop because I need to record drums and cannot do it at home. What are the specs I should be looking for at minimum? I will not have a huge database of samples, nor will I have many tracks going on at any given time.

Many thanks!

 

[BioWeapon]

If your tracks and samples are limited, you don't need anything that goes the speed of light. Look for a laptop with an integrated sound card for better recording and sound quality in general.

 

[seamonkey]

You're probably not recording drums in an ideal studio environment.
If you can't capture what you need with a MS Mic setup I'd say it's not worth it.
Record what you can on a isolated track, then look at a drum replacer VST.
Or get the drummer to use triggers.

 

[tsverrir]

The more RAM the better (4GB absolute minimum). I would go for quad-core CPU. Use an external soundcard. You can't rely on laptop soundcards for low latency recording.

 

[1958Bassman]

You're probably not recording drums in an ideal studio environment.
If you can't capture what you need with a MS Mic setup I'd say it's not worth it.
Record what you can on a isolated track, then look at a drum replacer VST.
Or get the drummer to use triggers.

A USB audio interface isn't necessarily too expensive to make this work.

 

[noiseguy]

Laptop requirements really aren't that high. The more you spend, the easier it is and better it sounds, I expect, but the expense is in interfaces, not the computer.

I recorded vocal - rhythm guitar - drum track on a 2008 Dell Latitude D630 running Audacity and a virtual drum machine on Fedora 12 OS. I wouldn't call it studio quality work, but then I recorded it in my apartment with consumer-grade mic I bought at Target and a piezo pickup on the acoustic guitar run straight to the soundcard.

 

[Huge94]

Thanks all for the replies. I have to say I do have a Tascam interface that seems to be doiing the trick just fine. My basic recording apparatus for now is this and a Shure microphone. I will have other microphones at my disposal to record drums.

It seems that there are diverging ideas for the soundcard. Integrated vs. External, what is the difference exactly?

 

[Beersurgeon]

Hi,

I use an old Dell Latitude D610 (2.13 GHz with 2GB RAM) that I use a Tascam US-1800 that Cubase 5 LE is the DAW. I have good success with my set up albeit fairly old laptop. I have gone up 10 tracks simultaneously and never had an issue. I bet you can get a good basic set up that will do what you want for a low price.

Cheers!!

 

[nick98338]

(snip)It seems that there are diverging ideas for the soundcard. Integrated vs. External, what is the difference exactly?

Ins & Outs. Integrated, or internal, sound cards don't usually have a lot of ways to get sound into, and out of, the card. I've never seen a card for a laptop that had many ins and outs. External devices are usually some kind of box with multiple jacks and plugs and often adjustment knobs. The bigger the box, the more ins and outs you get.

 

[Huge94]

Oh I see, but I use an audio interface. Does it matter for me then?

 

[nick98338]

If you use an audio interface, then you are good. If it has enough ins and outs for your needs. The terms soundcard, and audio interface, mean almost the same thing. Both do A/D conversion, and routing. While the interface is plugged into your computer, it 'becomes' your soundcard. So, the line between what is one and the other gets blurry. There are a few differences between what is normally called a soundcard, and what is an audio interface.
Most cheapo soundcards, that come in computers, are only designed to get sound 'out' of a computer. They have limited ways to get sound 'into' the computer. Audio interfaces are designed to get sound both in, and out of a computer. They have XLR jacks and 1/4in jacks that most 'soundcards' don't have. Some 'good' sound cards have multi-channel sound. 5.1, or 7.1 stereo. Good for games and movies. Not needed for most music recording. Audio interfaces usually don't have 5.1, or 7.1 capabilities. 2-channel stereo is all that is needed.