Usb mic or audio interface?

Niallseroreilly

Starting to record a few tunes and im bot sure if i should use a usb mic or mic to audio interface. Any experience? Or recommendations?

Also any software recommendations?

Cirrus

With a USB mic you can usually get everything you need to get recording in one neat package for a relatively low price.

With an audio interface you get more flexibility, in that you can pick and choose which mic you want to use.

Quite often, the built in digital conversion in USB mics isn't quite up to the standard of standalone interfaces, because USB mics are seen as more of a beginner/ prosumer market.

Reaper has a long free trial and after that can still be used though there's a welcome screen that starts to make you feel a bit guilty, definitely worth a punt. I use Sonar, but if you're starting out I'd say Reaper's the way to go, or maybe Logic if you're on Mac though I don't know if that's still free.

guitarfishbay

Garage Band is free on Mac, Logic X has to be purchased from the App Store (and is about £200).

If you're a beginner on Mac Garage Band will do everything you need, otherwise Reaper would be the way to go.

If you think you'll do a lot of recording in the future I'd get an interface and mic, because that way if you need to upgrade interface/buy more mics the mic you start out with will still be useful.

wave100

I would definitely go the audio interface route - then you can record other things like synths, bass etc by plugging them into the AI without worrying about micing up. You might not have a requirement for that at the moment, but who knows what your needs will be in the future? Also you can plug your guitar straight in and use amp simulation software like Guitar Rig or Amplitube. You might be in the happy situation of being able to record a cranked guitar amp whenever you want, but most folk have neighbours  and/or family that prevent it!
  You don't say whether you are using PC or Mac, but on PC anyway you want something with low latency ASIO drivers - not sure if a USB mic will provide that. Also, while Reaper is a good suggestion for software (and cross platform) an AI will usually come with DAW software which you might prefer - Ableton Live is good for "dancey" loop based composition for example.

Ben8010

Depends on what you want it for. If you're wanting to get in to recording it's better to spend a little extra on the interface+mic now to save you having to buy the USB mic now and then buying the interface+mic in the near future (I hope that makes sense!), because if you're wanting to get into recording you're probably gonna end up buying an AI & a few mics in the future anyway.

If you're only wanting it to do some rough demos or the occasional recording then a USB mic will probably do.

I can't reccomend a USB mic 'cause I've never had one but I can reccomend a Focusrite Scarlett Interface. They look great, are great quality and come with a load of cool plug-ins. Most audio interfaces come with a DAW (albeit one which will have limitations in some way) as well which is good to get started.

My advice for software is to try all the free demos from the main dogs (Cubase, Reaper etc. etc.) or Garage Band if you're on Mac, see which one you like the best.

TheBigDipper

Another vote for audio interface and separate microphone - for the same reasons, really. 
Another vote for GarageBand if you're on a Mac or an iPad. Free and very usable. 

I own and would recommend the PreSonus AudioBox iTwo if you are an iPad user as well as a PC/Mac user. It also has proper MIDI sockets as well as MIDI over USB - which means you can use a MIDI keyboard (for example) that doesn't have a USB port and yet still connect it to your PC/Mac/iPad by plugging it into the iTwo. I bought it when I was just using GB on an iPad and don't yet have any reason to change it. 

The iTwo came with a free home studio version of their DAW - Studio One - which I thought was very decent looking but I was already on the GB/Logic Pro path.

menamestom

The Rode NT-USB is really good.  It's quick to set up and sounds great.  Built in pop shield and the in built headphone mic means you can get the right mix and volume from the mic.

If you are recording with an ipad you need an adapter, but personally I think with an ipad I'd go with a powered interface as the lightening port is such low power and headroom is greatly reduced over standard USB.

To get a better sound than the NT-USB with an interface, you would probably need to spend around £250, plus it's a little bit more to set up and cart round, the NT-USB wins for convenience.