Hi folks,
I'm going to sort out my spare room with the basic kit I need to record. Sick of getting stuff out of cupboards, searching for extension leads, unplugging lamps, spending most of my time setting up, rather than actually playing.
I'm a real beginner, so all I've got so far is (apart from guitar, amp and pedal board obviously):
Macbook air
M-Audio studio speakers
TC Helicon Voicelive pedal and mic
SR-16 drum machine
Teenage Engineering PO-32
USB Audio interface (basic Alesis core 1)
iPad for synth apps
So (idiot question incoming...) what do I need to link all this together? Presumably a mixer? Or just a more fancy audio interface? Where do I start, and how am I best arranging it so that everything is connected, I can just switch it all on and get going, without loads of set up each time?
Any advice really appreciated.
Cheers,
Jon
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Telecaster American Deluxe, Cornell Romany amp, without the talent to use them properly
Comments
IIRC, the SR-16 has Left, Right and a couple of additional mono output sockets. Count the SR-16 as four signals.
Consideration #2 - How confident are you about getting instrument group sub-mixes right first time?
Taking the SR-16 as an example again, if you are happy to take the stereo overall sound *as is*, tap off the snare drum and one other for separate processing and, then, blend the results as one stereo source, this will save time later in the music making process.
If you prefer to keep your options open as long as possible into a music project, record everything separately.
Consideration #3 - Money versus convenience.
A pre-owned analogue console with thirty-something input channel strips is likely to cost less than in audio/MIDI in/out box with thirty-something sockets and all of the metering and conversion chips. The *price* for a hardware mixing console is that it occupies a lot of space and requires miles of good quality cables.
The advantage of the big in/out box option is that all of the mixing and interconnection is done virtually. The DAW makes all of the necessary connections and remembers settings.
The disadvantage of this is that happy accidents are less likely to happen. Some of our favourite sounds occurred by chance because somebody plugged something in the wrong way around or there was a level mismatch that happened to sound interesting despite being "wrong".
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Telecaster American Deluxe, Cornell Romany amp, without the talent to use them properly
I don't know what a "pre-owned analogue console" is, nor an "audio/MIDI in/out box". Can you give me examples of what those are?
Also, as I mentioned in previous reply: I'm a total beginner with this stuff.
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Telecaster American Deluxe, Cornell Romany amp, without the talent to use them properly
In in terms of mixer vs audio interface...it’s a personal preference. An analog interface will limit your mixing options in the daw, whereas a digital mixer will allow multiple channels to be recorded simultaneously and sent to individual tracks - however for a cost effective setup it’s probably better to just get a good multi channel interface and then mix within the daw itself.
I started out with a Focusrite scarlett 2i2, then upgraded to a 2i4 and now I’m on an 18i20 as I’m recording drums, etc and expanding my recording chops. I’ve had good experience with the Scarlett’s as they offer good quality/price ratio, they are plug and play with Mac, have decent preamps, and also have some nice features like clipping indicators on the knobs, etc (all handy for the newby).
If your budget allows maybe look at whatever scarlett’s Include adat. That way you can buy an interface with fewer ins/outs at the start and then expand without needing to buy a whole new interface.
mostly have fun and enjoy. If you want any more info drop me a pm and I’ll answer what I can. I can’t profess to being a total pro, but I’ve been in your shoes and I’ve learned some lessons along the way. Also double check your Mac and see if it has usb/thunderbolt or FireWire....the newer macs don’t include FireWire so that rules a lot of interfaces out (this is also partly why the Scarlett is my recommendation).
The Alesis only takes one input at a time, but I have a dual-input USB audio interface/mixer, and I almost never use both at the same time.
Get GarageBand for your Mac. It’s typical Apple semi-pro software — frustrating at first, but amazing once you get used to it. There are plenty of other DAWs, but GB is free, and has some killer features for the lone musician — the Drummer is worth it alone.
One thing you might need right now is a mic, if you’re planning to sing or mic an amp. Otherwise just start!
IMO you need a recording interface with more inputs so you can have all this gear already plugged in for recording and then use your DAW or interface mixer software to sum the inputs.
So the suggestions (the ones my limited technical brain can fully understand) range from:
@mistercharlie - stick with what I've got. I guess what I'm really only having a problem with is simply recording with guitar into the interface, faffing about unplugging the lead and swapping over to a mic or other source, then more faff if I want to record drums or whatever. Sort of just want to have everything permanently plugged in so I can switch between things easier.
So does that mean...
@absolutpepper and @Bod - choose one of the Focusrite Scarlett things? There seem to be endless ones of those to choose from, along with 1st and second gen. So would all of these remove the need for the Alesis interface? @Bod seems to be suggesting that I'd need the 18i8 for that, or have I misunderstood? Can't quite work out which one I'd need based on the list of potential inputs in the OP.
Or of course, there's:
@maltingsaudio - Zedi 10 desk. I just wonder if that's getting too complex for me, or is it deceptive and not really any more technical than the Focusrite?
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Telecaster American Deluxe, Cornell Romany amp, without the talent to use them properly
I would add that I hate recording with a vengeance, but having seen how easy my QU16 set itself up with Logic on a mac was a real eye opener in the yes I can use this easily stakes. Previous attempts using a PC and Traktion where just a frustrating mind fuck trying to get stuff out of the computer on initial set up as windows and the programme wouldn't let me route the returns sensibly. Thread here http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/121396/traktion-problem#latest
I'd not thought about the fact that the mixer cuts out the need for the mac completely. Though actually, it's perhaps less about having something ready to play, than having something ready to record ideas.
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Telecaster American Deluxe, Cornell Romany amp, without the talent to use them properly
Im a newbie in this field myself, and only a few weeks in front of you...
Over Easter, I purchased a few things to try and compare, using their excellent returns policy. The Focusrite stuff really stood out in terms of ease of use (needed to be dead simple) and good support videos.
The Scarlett 2i4 is excellent.
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Telecaster American Deluxe, Cornell Romany amp, without the talent to use them properly