Robben Ford Discussion

[JohnnyZ]

Now that I'm on a technoweenie roll...

As part of my guitar lessons practice, I record a few chords that I play over and over so that I can play along with it and apply the many scales patterns I've learned to make melodies. I'm using a pocket-sized digital voice recorder, so needless to say, the fidelity of the playback leaves much to be desired. This method is effective in serving its purpose, however, I'd also like to be recording the melodies I'm creating over the chords. And, hearing it in hi-fi would be much more pleasing...

So, assuming I'll be using my PC, what is the simplest way to record and record over, and what do I need (hardware & software) to get started?

Thanks,
~JZ~
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Soul on Eleven

[nineacres]

Johnny,
Coincidentally, I have just made the same move - I have an old Tascam Porta Studio HD that I bought in '92 but the output is to cassette tape and so that rendered it somewhat obselete, and also I was tired of having to reach around to the back of my PC to plug my guitar into the sound card (the last time I did so, the thing tipped over with a load thud and dislodged the processor from the motherboard). So I decided to upgrade my soundcard to something decent, purchasing an M-Audio Delta 44 of eBay.co.uk. This is an amazing piece of kit with four 1/4inch input sockets and 4 1/4inch output sockets. However, just plugging your guitar into the soundcard doesn't really give you what you'd like to hear - you need a preamp. I bought a Behringer Tube Ultragain MIC200 and now I can get a really decent sound out of my guitar on the PC. By the way, I've found that my Strat and Tele work better for this sort of thing better than a guitar with Humbuckers (my Heritage 535) That's the hardware part - as for the software, you can download Kristal Audio for free and start multitrack recording as soon as you get your head around how to work it. It's really not that difficult. But the real treat, in my opinion, is using the VST plugins, loads of which you can download free from the Net. When you consider that the sounds you get using these would cost $$$ if yo have to buy all the pedals (if you're into all this sort of thing, that is). Also, you don't have to use your PC speakers - I plugged one end of a guitar cable into an output socket of the M-Audio card, and the other end into my guitar amp and - voila' - instant aural gratification! You might like to check out this site for more information: http://www.homerecordingconnection.com/index.php I have found this site to be extremely useful and informative.

I hope this helps,

Dave
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"Creativeness often consists of merely turning up what is already there. Did you know that right and left shoes were only thought up a little more than a century ago?" - Bernice Fitz-Gibbon 1894-1982

[fig]

JohnnyZ -
I use Cakewalk's Sonar. It's unlimited tracks.

[Aeolian]

Because I need the inputs to record live drums I have a Digi 01, but you can get by with an M-Box which just plugs into a USB port on any computer (even a laptop). I've seen cheaper set ups, but an M-Box will get you into ProTools and prepare you for doing serious stuff down the road. And as long as you don't need to record more than two channels at a time, you're at the pro level already. And you get a couple of Focusrite mike preamps in the bargin, which are much better than any of the entry level seperate preamps out there.

For the practicing thing, I'm a big fan of Band-In-The-Box. There have been a couple of threads on this. A really great guitarist/teacher I know likes to have his students record backings on cassettes or whatever so they can practice rhythm and doing something repetitively, but he personally loved the BIB.
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There are no such things as wrong notes, there's only the look on your face.
My Stuff: www.stevekirbymusic.com

[JohnnyZ]

Thanks for all the helpfull advice. I've decided to order Band in a Box 2005. So, what will I need to get in order to record- mic? preamp?

Thanks,
JSS
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Soul on Eleven

[Aeolian]

Opps, I hope I haven't misled you. Band In the Box is a great practice tool, and even performance tool if you have a decent synth, but it doesn't do recording that I know of. Maybe the new version has something using the computers sound card.

To do recording, you need some sort of interface, Event, Aardvark, DigiDesign, or whatever. And software, Cakewalk, Sonar, ProTools, etc...
_________________
There are no such things as wrong notes, there's only the look on your face.
My Stuff: www.stevekirbymusic.com

[JohnnyZ]