Basic home recording setup advice please

racman

I am looking to do some basic home recording and really need some expert input into doing this with a cost effective, versatile, easy to use setup please.

I recently purchased a Zoom H2n which is perfect for basic recording of ideas but I need a little more. Life has changed somewhat since I relocated to CT and whereas when I was in JHB I used to get the basic song down with acoustic guitar and then take it to practice and add in instrument parts as I developed the song for live use but now I don't have access to this opportunity. I am also experimenting a little more with rudimentary instrumental melodies now as well.

So essentially I am looking to add basic vocals, electric and acoustic guitars but have the facility to add a few instruments and/or rhythm parts via software (maybe drum and bass etc). While it is still in the idea phase, I am also looking to develop a duo set with acoustic and electric guitars but need to work out/experiment with the parts etc myself first.

The sole purpose would really be to develop ideas, parts etc and get the song down and maybe put something on the web to get feedback etc but I have no aspirations to develop a recording studio for anything other than that so costs and complexity needs to be focused on that purpose only. (Windows based pc)

Simple (to use and set up), cost effective, efficient and fit for purpose is what I am looking for...help

ajdebeer

Hey
How much is your budget?

The first thing you need is a DAW ( digital audio workstation)

Then a cheap midi keyboard you can look at a novation launchkey series a nice one is about r1000

The zoom will work for a audio interface but would recommend to buy a good interface.

The daw you can look at reaper its very good for the price the other is logic if you have a mac , reason,abelton live, pro tools, cubase that's a few but they are expensive all off them have a free trial you can test out to see which you like the best.

Then a mic you can get cheap mic's in every music store if your doing the studio thing i would personally suggested a condenser mic cause you can record acoustic guitar amazingly well but that's my own opinion

That is that i think

racman

Thanks. I would appreciate specific details as well though rather than generalizations eg god interface, cheap mids etc

BTW, why are you posting twice on every reply (see the Tokai thread as well)?

ajdebeer

Im on holiday here in belito and the mobile internet is bad and wp app also so sometime it give an error and still post it. Th novation launchkey is for me the best cheap midi keyboards.
I bought an akai mpk mini got it for 900 but its abit small the novation ones are awesome and have good pads for drums too and the interface part i will need to know your budget

V8

RoyC wrote: Thanks. I would appreciate specific details as well though rather than generalizations eg god interface, cheap mids etc

BTW, why are you posting twice on every reply (see the Tokai thread as well)?

Budget and expected quality are good questions to start with,

Although (from my reading) you can't go wrong with a Focusrite Scarlett recording interface (For you the maybe the 2i4 - 2 in's, midi in/out, 2xmic pre's, phantom power for mics). The 2i2 and studio version don't come with midi in/out - so that's out.

There are alternatives to the Focusrite - Presonus, Edirol/Roland, Line 6 UX series, mAudio (and many more). It just seems, bang for buck - the focusrite scarlett is the 1st choice. Apparently their customer service is quite good and I'm told the local distributor is just down the road from you (Paarden Eiland).

It comes with a simplified version of Cubase (DAW), although a lot of people 'round GFSA use Reaper (myself included).

You may want a condenser mic for recording, dynamic mics's (E.g. Shure SM57/58) typically don't capture all the detail that a acoustic guitar can provide - I was thoroughly impressed with this clip mixerboy posted a while back using a R600 condenser mic : http://www.guitarforum.co.za/recordings/cheap-acoustic-guitar-test/.

Norman86

Something else to consider is that your mic and your mic pre amp match and making sure they're compatible, as you dont want to overdrive your pre.

here is a good bit of info from Rane:

http://www.rane.com/note148.html

racman

Mmm...thx everyone but I really was looking for specific setup ideas and what it is I actually need to do this.

Kalcium

I'd say something along the lines of a Samson C01/C03 condenser mic or a Shure SM57/58 for an all-purpose mic. The Samson C01 has no pad (-10dB) feature though so it may clip in your interface if recording electric guitar (mine did).
Secondhand about R700 should get you a shure or C03 when available.

A 2in-2out USB interface such as the Scarlett mentioned above, or an M-Audio Fast Track or a ART USB Dual Pre or Presonus or Alesis. Secondhand these can generally be had for about R800.

Midi keyboard is optional, but you can just use a virtual midi keyboard in your DAW using your computer keyboard. I have no recommendations but Im sure others can chip in. There are quite a few USB midi keyboards so no need to worry too much about a midi input on your interface. These can be had for about R1000 secondhand

A DAW such as Reaper (my personal choice). Reaper is cheap and powerful, at about $60 you really can't go wrong.

There are tons of free VSTi's available online. If you are looking for Drums or Bass or Keyboard sounds you should find them quite easily.

With all of these you'll be able to put together tracks as you described in your post above. You can also just use the mic you already have in the zoom since you aren't looking at using these for anything other than as a compositional tool.

Kalcium

After googling the Zoom it seems all you really need is a DAW...Record individual tracks with your zoom (idealy straight into your DAW, which I think you can do with the zoom) and then just add extra tracks to that as you wish, whether it be more recorded audio (vocals/guitar) or midi tracks using VSTi's (virtual instruments)

AlanRatcliffe

Two routes you can go - either upgrade your Zoom to something with multitrack capabilities or go PC DAW.

For PC you'll need DAW software and a decent interface, a mic and some cans or speakers. As it's still more a "sketchpad" for ideas, no need to get fancy. Depending on your needs, you might even be able to get away with something like Band in a Box. But as you have already found, these things do escalate... ?, so always better to plan with the next step in mind.

Another option is to get Reaper as a DAW, EZ Drummer for drum rhythms, Broomstick Bass for bass accompaniment. That'll give you the best of both worlds with plenty of upgradeability.

domhatch

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Two routes you can go - either upgrade your Zoom to something with multitrack capabilities or go PC DAW.

For PC you'll need DAW software and a decent interface, a mic and some cans or speakers. As it's still more a "sketchpad" for ideas, no need to get fancy. Depending on your needs, you might even be able to get away with something like Band in a Box. But as you have already found, these things do escalate... ?, so always better to plan with the next step in mind.

Another option is to get Reaper as a DAW, EZ Drummer for drum rhythms, Broomstick Bass for bass accompaniment. That'll give you the best of both worlds with plenty of upgradeability.

+1. can heartily recommend ez drummer and reaper. they're both incredibly intuitive, and there are masses of resources both here and on the net in general if you come unglued. and i just took a look at broomstick bass - thanks for the tip alan, that might just be the cheapest bass i'll ever buy.

good luck
dh|