Where to start with recording guitar / music production.

tony99

I feel it’s time I started laying down something tangible, but don’t really know where to start.

Recording my guitar and loops that I can solo over is a must. Not too bothered about vocals at this point but would like something that can at least give me drum tracks. I think I’ll be needing a DAW, and then some sort of software. Is that right? I’m an absolute noob at this stuff.

I have the guitars I like; a good range of sounds, strat, tele, LP. I’ve never been one for having loads of pedals, I make do with effects available on my amp: a Boss Katana 50 (mk 1); I haven’t tried the tone studio yet so I’m probably missing out a bit. Although if the software that you guys can recommend has more effects to choose from that’d be great.

My laptop is fairly strong and up to date; currently running happily on Windows 10. Even if it comes to the point of getting a laptop purely for the music stuff then that might not be out of the question

 

So, what do you think is best for a beginner? Can you point me in the right direction?

duotone

https://www.reaper.fm/ - DAW
https://www.powerdrumkit.com/ - Free Drums to get started.
https://www.toontrack.com/product/ezdrummer-3/ - Paid Drums, when you want to go deeper down the rabbit hole.

Fez

What @duotone said, plus an interface - focusright scarlet is well thought of but loads of others available. Monitors though headphones would get you going. 
Once you are up and running with that Computer music magazine comes with loads of free software fx processors that will work with reaper.
YouTube vids by Kenny Gioia and Adam Steel at Hop pole studios are very helpful.

LastMantra

Reaper, ezdrummer and a cheap but decent interface. Try second hand, lots of people upgrading for more inputs and stuff. One input would do you to start, more, obviously, gives you more options. Headphones and/or monitor speakers. Most get by with headphones to begin with. 

There's loads of free instruments and fx online so don't need to spend a fortune figuring out what you want. 

PrecisionGuided

Audacity (free) for the simple stuff, Presonus Studio One (free) for tracking. 
Get some good monitors (Presonus Eris 4.5 are great value).
Use the Katana as soundcard and then get an audio module later (Presonus / Focusrite etc.)
.

tony99

Saw in another thread about simply getting,. mac or macbook pro, protones and a livewire, so would that get me started. (I need to check who said that and tag him into this really)

ChrisRG

+1 for Studio One and Eris 4.5.  I started with those and a Presonus interface.  You get Studio One Artist DAW free with Presonus interfaces.

Reaper and Focusrite are also great starting points.

Although I had a valve amp, I also used Scuffhams S-Gear software for amps and effects.  That way you just DI the guitar into the interface and put the amp and effects in on the DAW.

tony99

someone's gonna hopefully break this down a little bit more for me

I really appreciate all the advice but I really am new to all this and I don't know literally where to start, some posts are going way over my head

ChrisRG

Fair enough, I remember that feeling.  There are people much more knowledgeable on here than me but basically, to record yourself playing you've got a couple of basic options.  You can mic up an amp, take a direct feed from the amp (rec out on the katana) or go direct into software and add you amp and effects in the computer. 

In all these situations, you need an audio interface to take the incoming signal into you computer and some recording software or DAW (digital audio workstation) to record that signal.  Then to listen back you'll need to studio monitors (speakers) or headphones.

An audio interface is an external box which basically replaces you computers sound card.  You can then use it to record from a mic or guitar.  You also connect your monitors to it so you can hear what you've recorded.

The basic options are as follows

Option 1 - Recording your amp - You need to put a mic in front of the amp to record what you play.
Guitar > Amp > Mic > Interface > DAW

Option 2 - Direct out from your amp - No mic this time as you plug your amp (rec out) into the interface.
Guitar > Amp > Interface > DAW

Option 3 - Guitar direct using software plugins to add effects.  You plug you guitar into the interface a record a "dry" signal.
Guitar > Interface > DAW > amp/effect plugin

Software plugins are installed into you DAW and allow you to then process your guitar signal either during recording or after.  You can add different amp and effects.

Another option mentioned above is to use the katana as the interface.  I don't own a katana so maybe someone else will explain this but this may remove the need for an interface.  This could be a really cheap option as you could use Reaper (free) as your DAW so all you would need to buy would be monitors or headphones.

I'm not sure if that's explained well or not so hopefully it makes sense.

Chris

steamabacus

Funnily enough, I've just been leafing through* an old Sound On Sound magazine 'smart guide' - 'Music Technology Basics & Beyond' - that would be ideal for you to get your head around the basics. Some of it is a little out-of-date with modern software (published 2010) but all the basics are still relevant.

I see it's available online as a free e-book (.pdf) now ...

https://www.soundonsound.com/news/free-ebook-recording-technology-basics-beyond

* Don't ask where, but it's the smallest room in the house.

[edit] I've just noticed that link seems to be a (more recent?) version of the one I was reading on the bog.

[edit] Yes, the link seems to be something SoS released last year.

The old physical 'bookzine' was this ...

http://sos-smartguides.squarespace.com/mtbb/

andy_k

As a first step, before spending any money, I would attempt option 4 above.
Install Reaper, which is free to try, and fully functional.
Install the drivers for the Katana, and have the latest version of the Tonestudio on there as well.
In Reaper, there is a preferences option, in which you will have to select the Katana as an input, and you may have to do a bit of experimenting to get used to how you will select / monitor the output.
In essence, a computer usually likes to see a single device for audio in / out, which would mean that whatever you use to record would also be used for playback, which is not ideal in the case of using the Katana as an interface, it works well as an input, but less well as a stereo output, although the headphone out can be useful.
On my windows machine, I use a piece of software called Asio4all, which is installed, this is then selected as an audio I/O in Reaper and allows different devices to be used for recording and playback.
At first it will seem overwhelming, but the feeling you get when you have recorded your first track along to a metronome makes it all worth it, and it gets easier each time you do something.
One of the strengths of Reaper, is the way you create a project the way you want it, and then this can be saved as a template for future use, ie a recording project can be set up very differently to a mixing project, or a mastering project, or a video project etc etc.
Have a look for Kenny Gioia on YT, he does excellent tutorial videos for beginners in Reaper, and once you have got a grasp of things you will be off to the races, with not a penny spent in the process.
Later on, you can research a dedicated interface, like a Focusrite Scarlett, which is a basic 2 channel I/O, but there are many similar options, and you may decide you want more inputs to record a band, or drums in which case you will need something like a Zoom R16 ( my choice for a multi purpose device )

DavidR

You'll get lots of great FB advice on this.

For acoustic, this is what I do. My emphasis is on low cost.

Zoom hand held digital recorder using the built in stereo mics and a high sample rate. Then put SD card from Zoom into PC and edit file using Audacity freeware. Then save as .wav file and broadcast (to the world!) on SoundCloud. (I use to make CD's but no-one listens to them much anymore. None of the family and only one or two mates even have a CD player).

I have people listening to my music all over the planet on SoundCloud. GOK why!

All of this system is free except for the initial outlay for Zoom handheld. I have a H4 but there are more modern versions available. They're not cheap.

Zoom H4N PRO Digital Multitrack Recorder Earplug, 6 cm, Black : Amazon.co.uk: Musical Instruments & DJ

The operational aspects of Zoom recorder and Audacity are not particularly intuitive and take a bit of learning. But that's true for quite a lot of recording kit/software. You don't actually need to be a Sound Engineer, but there are processes to be mastered. That's part of the fun! Similarly, SoundCloud is brilliant but you have to find your way about. Especially the process whereby you have to create a Playlist before converting it to an Album. Google most questions and you'll get an answer though.

Stream BR - DBR - 2022 - Y - Confessions Of A Brigand - Angelo Branduardi by D B Rance | Listen online for free on SoundCloud

Good Luck.