Advice for recording

[Fo7]

Hi folks. Obviously I am new around here. I am looking for some advice to help me record my git-tar strangling. I want to use software, and was wondering what you all have used and liked or not liked.

I have been playing for a bit over 25 years; mostly interested in blues-rock and the jazzier side of blues. I have a couple of Strats(one with Duncans, one stock) and a Martin D-28; I like to believe I know how to play 'em. But perhaps recording will prove otherwise...

Anyway, thanks for any help or suggestions you might provide.

And btw, I am seriously impressed by this forum.

[PFDarkside]

First off, are you planning on recording on your computer or on tape/digital media? That's a huge decision... (I record on an old version of Cakewalk, I like it) Second, are you going to be using any "direct boxes" or PODs or speaker simulators? Are you going to go the traditional route with amps/cabs/mics/preamps/media? Some good items to have are:
Good mics (Not necessarily expensive, a Shure SM-58 can do a good job)
Decent Preamp
Compressor/Limiter

Those can be fed into either a computer or a DAT/Tape machine. Give us your budget, if you are going to record just yourself or an entire band, etc... and I think you can get some great help here!

Also, I learned a lot at www.homerecording.com

I forgot to mention, just like guitar tone, technique has as much to do with the final result as equipment, I'm sure Jimmy Page could get better recordings from my rig than I could with his studio.

[Fo7]

Thanks for your reply. I want to use a computer; specifically I was asking about software. I want to record myself. I can play bass and a bit of keys, and was going to use a drum machine or program of some sort. I would prefer to mic as much as possible, but am prepared to entertain the idea of using stuff like direct boxes and so on.

My budget is essentially whatever I can convince my boss...er, wife, to let me spend. Now obviously the less I spend on recording, the more I can spend on guitars.....

Thanks for the link; the site has already been helpful.

[PFDarkside]

Ok, cool...

Like I said I use an old version of Cakewalk, which I think is now SONAR. Depending on the soundcard in your computer you can get decent results, but to really take advantage of the software you might want to consider a new soundcard.

My approach is pretty old school, I use an SM-58 on the amp, into an inexpensive tube mic preamp, into an inexpensive compressor into the soundcard. Basically get a good sound with the amp, set up maybe a close mic and a far mic (stereo inputs) and go.

As far as drum tracks are concerned, I use an old version of Fruity Loops with Drum Samples I bought from M-Audio I believe. It's basically an easy to use sequencer that uses .wav files, the results are as good as your samples and programming. You could definately get some royalty free drum tracks from different sources if you don't want to program your own.

One other option is the new product from Line 6, the tone port ( http://www.line6.com/toneport/ ) It's new, but it might get you better results than the cheap stuff I mentioned above.

[Fo7]

I think what I am going to do is check out Cakewalk Guitar Pro 3. It sounds like it will do, and seems pretty inexpensive. I have always kind of steered clear of recording, because I am pretty sure it is majorly addictive....But, no guts, no glory, right?

[Brow]

My main program for recording is currently Cool Edit Pro 2.1 (which is now called Adobe Audition). It's 1 of the simpler programs to setup and use.

It's an 'Audio only' recroding program, but there's nothing to stop you programming drums in a different program and then export the drums and then importing them into Cool Edit Pro (which is what I do).

As far as actual recording goes, I have an M-Audio MobilePre USB Audio Interface/Mic Pre-amp which plugs directly into a USB port on my PC and allows me to record direct (from a POD etc) or from upto 2 mics.

As far as mics go, a Shure SM57 or SM58 will be fine for most applications involving Electric guitar and Bass although I'm not a fan of them for recording acoustic instruments.

I also have a Blue Baby Bottle Condenser mic which is my preferred mic for home recording over the SM58 I also have. I find the Blue to be a very transparent mic, so it neither adds nor takes anything away from the source sound. The end recording ends up sounding pretty much like the instrument did in the room (unlike a 57 for example, which adds a little treble).

Hopefully some of what I've said may be useful, and it's not just me waffling on

[Rotten Guitar String]

If you're after some decent free recording software try Kristal Audio Engine from www.kreatives.org

Along with a POD or something similar plugged straight into your PC, that setup would do the trick