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Vintage threads from the first ten years

Computer based home studio.

7/17/2000 8:22 AM
Mark Abbott	Computer based home studio. I should point out exactly what I'm about here. I want to replace my old 4 track tape recorder, with something like Cubase VST. I was wondering what experience people in a similar situation have had, I find myself asking all the usual questions. 1/ PC vs MAC, (I use the libraries computer). 2/ which sound card? 3/ How much hard disc memory etc? If there are other programmes that would be useful please advise me, as if there are sites out there for this kind of thing like wise please advise me. Much thanks. Mark Abbott.

7/17/2000 8:22 AM

Mark Abbott

Computer based home studio.

I should point out exactly what I'm about here. I want to replace my old 4 track tape recorder, with something like Cubase VST.

I was wondering what experience people in a similar situation have had, I find myself asking all the usual questions.

1/ PC vs MAC, (I use the libraries computer).

2/ which sound card?

3/ How much hard disc memory etc?

If there are other programmes that would be useful please advise me, as if there are sites out there for this kind of thing like wise please advise me.

Much thanks.

Mark Abbott.

7/17/2000 1:17 PM
paul perry	http://home.earthlink.net/~fmah/scardfaq.html would be a good start. Don't forget you need a 'full duplex' card if you want to get sound FROM the card and SEND sound to the card at the same time. And, I think you would need something like 5 meg of disk per track/minute. There are I believe MANY much cheaper progs thatn Cubase VST. My advice on the PC/MAC war is, use what your friends use. Personally, I use IBM because it's cheaper & there are MANY more suppliers. But, if you are getting into computer audio, you will need a savvy friend to get it going & keep it going. Whether you have a Mac or IBM.

7/17/2000 1:17 PM

paul perry

http://home.earthlink.net/~fmah/scardfaq.html

would be a good start.
Don't forget you need a 'full duplex' card if you want to get sound FROM the card and SEND sound to the card at the same time.
And, I think you would need something like 5 meg of disk per track/minute.
There are I believe MANY much cheaper progs thatn Cubase VST.
My advice on the PC/MAC war is, use what your friends use. Personally, I use IBM because it's cheaper & there are MANY more suppliers. But, if you are getting into computer audio, you will need a savvy friend to get it going & keep it going. Whether you have a Mac or IBM.

7/17/2000 1:39 PM
Xavi Martínez	As I´ve been working with this setup for a while, I think I can share my opinions. 1. Mac is WAY better, less trouble, but WAY more expensive, hardware is top quality but not cheap at all, so go for the PC 2.Any full duplex card, but beware: Soundblaster cards (and most of cheap ones) work at 8 bit resolution while reproducing/recording. Try fitting 2 soundcards (one for recording, one for reproducing). 3. As much as you can afford !!! I would suggest a CDR for backup, since PC´s are unpredictable and one day you boot the computer and have corrupted files or whatever... To me, Cubase is the best program, very friendly and easy to work with,besides you can download free plugins such as the mda combo, a good amp simulator for direct recording. I also would suggest that you use any kind of mixer or mix pre-amps, instead of plugging your mic into the soundcard, NOISE is all you gonna get. Try a cheap Behringer minimixer or whatever, it will do the job. Hope this helps

7/17/2000 1:39 PM

Xavi Martínez

As I´ve been working with this setup for a while, I think I can share my opinions.

1. Mac is WAY better, less trouble, but WAY more expensive, hardware is top quality but not cheap at all, so go for the PC

2.Any full duplex card, but beware: Soundblaster cards (and most of cheap ones) work at 8 bit resolution while reproducing/recording. Try fitting 2 soundcards (one for recording, one for reproducing).

3. As much as you can afford !!! I would suggest a CDR for backup, since PC´s are unpredictable and one day you boot the computer and have corrupted files or whatever...

To me, Cubase is the best program, very friendly and easy to work with,besides you can download free plugins such as the mda combo, a good amp simulator for direct recording.
I also would suggest that you use any kind of mixer or mix pre-amps, instead of plugging your mic into the soundcard, NOISE is all you gonna get. Try a cheap Behringer minimixer or whatever, it will do the job.
Hope this helps

7/17/2000 3:25 PM
Carlo	Mark - here's a link to an excellent BBS for such info... http://www.audioforums.com/ Carlo

7/17/2000 3:36 PM
Bryan James	the real key to this question is how much you want to spend. i don't know much of mac's anymore haven't touched one in 5 years. (and doing much better now) there are plenty of different sulotions for the pc but price is a huge factor. i think if i remember corectly a reasonable multi channel sound card (with 4 lines in and out is going to start aroun 300-400 and work up. if you are going to do recording for others i would stay away from your generic sound cards. but if your going to do it just for yourself at home then all means use a SBLive for about $100, but if you want to start drifting to more of a pro end expect to pay between 500-1000 for a sound card. (now all these ranges where priced last year when i was looking so they might be different right now.) -Bryan

7/17/2000 3:36 PM

Bryan James

the real key to this question is how much you want to spend.

i don't know much of mac's anymore haven't touched one in 5 years. (and doing much better now)

there are plenty of different sulotions for the pc but price is a huge factor. i think if i remember corectly a reasonable multi channel sound card (with 4 lines in and out is going to start aroun 300-400 and work up. if you are going to do recording for others i would stay away from your generic sound cards. but if your going to do it just for yourself at home then all means use a SBLive for about $100, but if you want to start drifting to more of a pro end expect to pay between 500-1000 for a sound card. (now all these ranges where priced last year when i was looking so they might be different right now.)

-Bryan

7/17/2000 3:45 PM
Brad	Well Mark, You are on the road to constant upgrades and occasional headaches.But that's OK. As long as you start with as fast of a computer as possible, and it's not already hopelessly obsolete, you should be able to use any number of programs with good results. And to cut down on headaches ALWAYS, OFTEN backup. You have to decide if you want a MIDI/DAW, or just an audio only type thing . 2 soundcards can be helpful. Just make sure one of them is always the master timer...(I found that out). A small mixer will be extremely useful, for both inputting and playback. A decent compressor is a good idea when recording into a computer.....have you ever heard a slammed into red digital audio signal? Not pretty. I have a webpage that I've just started fooling around with. It is basically a site for beginner computer-music folk, and some other stuff thrown in. Not near done yet, but it's just kind of a hobby thing. It's basically a decent starting point to links that have a lot of other links. BTW, if anyone else has any ideas, suggestions, or good links to add, lemme know. As I said, I've just started this, and I'm not quite sure where it'll end. (If Bruce would start a WebPage...I'd have him linked near the top. Bruce?) http://members.aol.com/PlinkFoyd/index.html Good luck, Brad

7/17/2000 3:45 PM

Brad

Well Mark,
You are on the road to constant upgrades and occasional headaches.But that's OK. As long as you start with as fast of a computer as possible, and it's not already hopelessly obsolete, you should be able to use any number of programs with good results. And to cut down on headaches ALWAYS, OFTEN backup. You have to decide if you want a MIDI/DAW, or just an audio only type thing . 2 soundcards can be helpful. Just make sure one of them is always the master timer...(I found that out). A small mixer will be extremely useful, for both inputting and playback. A decent compressor is a good idea when recording into a computer.....have you ever heard a slammed into red digital audio signal? Not pretty. I have a webpage that I've just started fooling around with. It is basically a site for beginner computer-music folk, and some other stuff thrown in. Not near done yet, but it's just kind of a hobby thing. It's basically a decent starting point to links that have a lot of other links. BTW, if anyone else has any ideas, suggestions, or good links to add, lemme know. As I said, I've just started this, and I'm not quite sure where it'll end. (If Bruce would start a WebPage...I'd have him linked near the top. Bruce?)
http://members.aol.com/PlinkFoyd/index.html
Good luck,
Brad

7/18/2000 4:58 AM
Mark Hammer	I don't get to play much anymore, but when I do it's usually while sitting at the computer waiting for something to install, or load, or scan, or format, or whatever. I plug in and strum while leaning back in my chair. And I'll tell you something, if you plan to be working the controls yourself, with the keyboard in easy reach and screen in sight, plan on spending a lot of time dealing with hum and RF noise, because that's what pickups and computers do when they get together. Now, obviously there is more to digital recording than laying down guitar or bass tracks, but if you are primarily a guitar player, as many here are, it's important to plan out how you are going to keep hum and RF noise from being the bane of your recording existence. This is a dilemma that will supercede all other choices you make on the computer end of things. If you have humbuckers, then I suppose there is no problem, although even decent humbuckers aren't immune to a screen 18 inches away. If you like and play single coils at all, then you can either: a) predicate all recording on leaving time at the beginning and end of tracks to situate yourself a safe distance away and edit it out later b) make sure guitar tracks are laid down with someone else at the controls c) have a big enough screen and long enough mouse or keyboard cord that you can sit far away d) figure out a way to digitally remove hum and noise e) figure out some way of screening the screen so you can sit near enough to see it but not suffer the consequences f) go with a different type of display (e.g., LCD) that won't generate hum in your pickups, or that will allow you to situate yourself far away from hum (e.g., get a video card with a composite video out and run the video to your 27" TV, and sit across the room) I would be interested in hearing how people out there who do direct to disc recording on their own have licked this problem.

7/18/2000 4:58 AM

Mark Hammer

I don't get to play much anymore, but when I do it's usually while sitting at the computer waiting for something to install, or load, or scan, or format, or whatever. I plug in and strum while leaning back in my chair. And I'll tell you something, if you plan to be working the controls yourself, with the keyboard in easy reach and screen in sight, plan on spending a lot of time dealing with hum and RF noise, because that's what pickups and computers do when they get together.

Now, obviously there is more to digital recording than laying down guitar or bass tracks, but if you are primarily a guitar player, as many here are, it's important to plan out how you are going to keep hum and RF noise from being the bane of your recording existence. This is a dilemma that will supercede all other choices you make on the computer end of things.

If you have humbuckers, then I suppose there is no problem, although even decent humbuckers aren't immune to a screen 18 inches away. If you like and play single coils at all, then you can either:
a) predicate all recording on leaving time at the beginning and end of tracks to situate yourself a safe distance away and edit it out later
b) make sure guitar tracks are laid down with someone else at the controls
c) have a big enough screen and long enough mouse or keyboard cord that you can sit far away
d) figure out a way to digitally remove hum and noise
e) figure out some way of screening the screen so you can sit near enough to see it but not suffer the consequences
f) go with a different type of display (e.g., LCD) that won't generate hum in your pickups, or that will allow you to situate yourself far away from hum (e.g., get a video card with a composite video out and run the video to your 27" TV, and sit across the room)

I would be interested in hearing how people out there who do direct to disc recording on their own have licked this problem.

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