Music recording
Discussion
Which is the best for recording on?Would it be an "all-in-one" such as the Korg D3200/YamahaAW1600 etc or would a pc/mac plus software be the choice of PHers?I assume it may be a case of "horses for courses" but I am fishing for the opinions of the PH music collective.(and those of more experience than me! 
)
)As you'd expect, it all depends on what you are recording and ultimately what you might want to do to/with it when it is recorded.
The all-in-ones are great....for just that. I have a Boss BR 1180 at home that I use as a note/sketch pad really. It's dead easy to use and still sounds great (though I tended not to use the guitar sounds as my Pod XT is far superior so end up recording the output of that into the Boss (although with the Boss you do have the ability to record dry and apply effects non-destructively later which is cute for a little compact recorder). It is possible to produce good sounding full tracks on them but often with compromises and the editing/mastering is often quite fiddly.
This is where a computer-based setup comes into its own. With a resonable spec PC, decent sound card and Cubase SX you'll have an amazingly flexible system. Plus if you intend adding other instruments/samplers/synths to your recordings then you can't go wrong with the wealth of virtual instruments (VSTis) around these days. The beauty of this is they're software and integrate seemlessly with Cubase so no need for external boxes and leads. Have a look at Carillon pre-built ones if you're not comfy with building your own - www.carillondirect.com. Their AC1 LE at £649 is more than adequate (but you don't get a monitor and you'll need a better sound card - a good budget sound card is the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 - www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Audiophile2496-main.html which are about £100 or so I think now).
There's tons of other things to consider but it's really difficult to answer without knowing what you want to actually record/achieve. Throw in some more detail.
The all-in-ones are great....for just that. I have a Boss BR 1180 at home that I use as a note/sketch pad really. It's dead easy to use and still sounds great (though I tended not to use the guitar sounds as my Pod XT is far superior so end up recording the output of that into the Boss (although with the Boss you do have the ability to record dry and apply effects non-destructively later which is cute for a little compact recorder). It is possible to produce good sounding full tracks on them but often with compromises and the editing/mastering is often quite fiddly.
This is where a computer-based setup comes into its own. With a resonable spec PC, decent sound card and Cubase SX you'll have an amazingly flexible system. Plus if you intend adding other instruments/samplers/synths to your recordings then you can't go wrong with the wealth of virtual instruments (VSTis) around these days. The beauty of this is they're software and integrate seemlessly with Cubase so no need for external boxes and leads. Have a look at Carillon pre-built ones if you're not comfy with building your own - www.carillondirect.com. Their AC1 LE at £649 is more than adequate (but you don't get a monitor and you'll need a better sound card - a good budget sound card is the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 - www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Audiophile2496-main.html which are about £100 or so I think now).
There's tons of other things to consider but it's really difficult to answer without knowing what you want to actually record/achieve. Throw in some more detail.
Thanks neil. I actually want to record real instruments not computer generated stuff.If I were to go the pc way and wanted to record several things at once (eg multi mike set up for a drum kit) I assume I would need some sort of mixer?
>> Edited by esselte on Saturday 3rd December 12:54
>> Edited by esselte on Saturday 3rd December 12:54
Perhaps something like my Boss multi-track might what you need then. It has 8 inputs that can be recorded simultaneously (something that is quite rare on these types of machines - compare this with the ones you mentioned) and each input is recorded to a seperate track for mixdown (or whatever) later. Funnily enough, this is not so each to achieve with a PC on a budget. As you said, you could use an little analogue mixer, mic up the kit and record it in stereo but this is really inflexible (as you probably know). If you wanted to record the different components of the kit onto individual tracks you'd have to do it digitally. You'd then be into buying a mixer with digital output and these do not start cheap i.e. £1400 for a Yamaha 01v (their entry level digital mixer) - you can probably get cheaper ones (Samson, Behringer etc. but you'd have to research ones that have digital I/O as there are just too many for me to search through )
) Something else to consider with the compact multitrackers is - if you wanted to, can you get the recorded material out easily? With the Boss, it has a USB port on it so you can copy off the recorded takes to a PC. I used to do this a lot - transfer takes to the PC, process them (or...ahem...tidy them up a bit ) then send them back to the Boss. My Boss has a CD drive to burn tracks to CD but I've never used it. I used to transfer the mixdown to the PC and burn it on there.
) then send them back to the Boss. My Boss has a CD drive to burn tracks to CD but I've never used it. I used to transfer the mixdown to the PC and burn it on there.You don't need a mixer to record various instruments at a time. For my poertable rig I use an apple PB and a Digidesign 002. Add an 8ch preamp with ADAT (Focusrite Octopre or Mackie Onyx for ex') and you have 12 Mic channels at a time.
Some of the specialised hardware units are good such as the Roland VS series or the Yamaha AW4416, but I just prefer to edit and mx in Pro-tools.
Some of the specialised hardware units are good such as the Roland VS series or the Yamaha AW4416, but I just prefer to edit and mx in Pro-tools.
Well the computer will give you better results (just like a digital camera, resolution is the key), also more options and more tracks (mind you, once you get past 60,000 it's all a bit academic) - but this route is a lot more expensive - I've just upgraded my kit and it cost the price of a decent family car. 
If you are really serious - buy a Mac not a PC. Although they both run the same software, the Mac is more stable - especially when it only runs music software and not quake 3!
I use PC's and Macs to record - but for live session recordings, it's always the Mac.
Steve
If you are really serious - buy a Mac not a PC. Although they both run the same software, the Mac is more stable - especially when it only runs music software and not quake 3!
I use PC's and Macs to record - but for live session recordings, it's always the Mac.
Steve
Wotcha gone and bought then Steve?
We're currently using a Mac with a MOTU 896 HD (8 MIC ins) plus another 8 ins over ADAT. The key thing about recording on a computer, using something like Logic and ProTools, if you can add effects later and even the built-in effects in Logic Express are pretty bloody decent. By effects I'm only talking about a touch of compression/reverb BTW.
Of course, if your instruments don't have outputs, or you want to record the sound of a guitar AND the amp, you'll need to think about microphones too... that's a whole world of expense. Decent vocal mics cost thousands...
When you start thinking of Digital Village and it's ilk as toyshops, you know you're in trouble.
We're currently using a Mac with a MOTU 896 HD (8 MIC ins) plus another 8 ins over ADAT. The key thing about recording on a computer, using something like Logic and ProTools, if you can add effects later and even the built-in effects in Logic Express are pretty bloody decent. By effects I'm only talking about a touch of compression/reverb BTW.
Of course, if your instruments don't have outputs, or you want to record the sound of a guitar AND the amp, you'll need to think about microphones too... that's a whole world of expense. Decent vocal mics cost thousands...
When you start thinking of Digital Village and it's ilk as toyshops, you know you're in trouble.
Like Medusa, I have a Carillon AC-1 for home music recording with Cubase & Reason etc.
I use a Echo Gina/24 or a Ego-Sys WAMI rack 24 for the audio ins and outs.
Computers are so much for flexible for recording, editing mixing than standalone, but require more set up & maintenance. Virtual instruments are really useful too.
Don't need microphones or and environment, becuase it all goes in direct or via modelling preamps.
If I want real drums etc, I go into a recording studio with all the acoustic treatments and proper pre-amps, valave compressors etc.
Koenig
I use a Echo Gina/24 or a Ego-Sys WAMI rack 24 for the audio ins and outs.
Computers are so much for flexible for recording, editing mixing than standalone, but require more set up & maintenance. Virtual instruments are really useful too.
Don't need microphones or and environment, becuase it all goes in direct or via modelling preamps.
If I want real drums etc, I go into a recording studio with all the acoustic treatments and proper pre-amps, valave compressors etc.
Koenig
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