Best starting setup for laptop <$300

[kurth]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

As a songwriting tool I find a PC or laptop to be buzz kill to the creative process.

The best possible aid for the songwriting process is a voice recording app if you have a smartphone or a small handheld recorder to keep close by to where you are playing. Sometimes a great song idea is as simple as humming a melody that pops into your head.

A DAW and all it's constituent support hardware is great for multi-tracking or editing, but something QUICK that only needs a couple of button pushes to capture song ideas is ideal.

With a handheld recorder I can capture an entire song idea while I'd still be waiting for a laptop to boot up.

The best of both worlds might be a dedicated recorder like a Zoom R8 or the new Zoom Livetrak series of mixer/ recorders. You can QUICKLY record a song then add more tracks to flush out something into a more finished form.

Often these types of machines are better for great sounding very low noise recordings rather than working with a machine that does your word processing, photo editing, etc.

.....for song ideas that might come anywhere anytime ....I use my phone.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by kurth

well...you mention songwriting....so I'll go against the grain and say an interface will be vastly more utilitarian if you intend to refine or add tracks.

A computer-based system is certainly more flexible and offers greater power. But note what our OP says - he's not singing, and it doesn't sound like he's playing with others or is a multi-instrumentalist, or wants to play duets with himself. He wants to record his guitar and be able to evaluate his playing, compare how different strings sound on his guitar, and so on... He also says he has no interest in going down the recording rabbit hole. So I'm assuming overdubbing, multi-tracking, editing and mixing, etc, etc are not of interest at this time.

Of course, a nice thing for beginners about the Zoom recorders is that you can "graduate" to a computer based system when you want to. A USB cable to the computer, download Audacity, and you're ready to do the whole computer based approach when you're ready for it. In the meantime, you've got a recorder with near zero learning curve, and the ability to record in different locations once you discover the issue of room acoustics. They're not the answer for everything, but for someone new to recording, with the goals described here, I think they make sense.

[Cachecropp]

I found a Zoom H4N, the predecessor to the H4N Pro for $110. It seems the Pro didn’t change much other than improved pre-amps. I like the portability because I do some business travel and sometimes am playing guitar in hotel rooms.

Thanks for all the advise. I’ll play with this unit and then see what the next step is.

[kurth]

.....that works nicely cause it's also an audio interface, at a great price. And its even got 4 track recording....pretty nice. And you still have room for a mic, or two. Maybe a matched pair of shure sm57's.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by kurth

Maybe a matched pair of shure sm57's.

Is that a real thing? I've never heard of Shure selling 57s as matched pairs.

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by Cachecropp

I would like to begin recording my guitar playing for my own education, listening purposes. So I have a laptop and an IPad. I need a microphone, recording software and any accessories to make this work.

What is the best low priced setup to give me the most real and accurate acoustic guitar sound while recording in my home office?

I agree with Doug and others that the Zoom recorders are a great option and you also might want to take a look at the Izotope Spire. I have both the Spire and a Zoom H5. For your stated use in this thread, both would be very viable tools for you.

[kurth]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Is that a real thing? I've never heard of Shure selling 57s as matched pairs.

https://reverb.com/item/9703334-bund...-adaptors-ties

[guitarmint]

Solid advices by fingerstyle masters themselves !

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by kurth

https://reverb.com/item/9703334-bund...-adaptors-ties

I think that's just someone being creative in trying to sell their pair. I don't think Shure has ever sold SM57s as a matched pair.

[Gdjjr]

You have an iPad you really don't *need* any add ons- it will do all you need to do for home recording- unless you want to be a pro- my you tube channel has 40 videos, 1 was done straight to my lap top and 1 was done to an iPad mini- the rest were to my iPhone SE (updated version of a 7) - if you want to be critical (which I don't) use a set of ear plugs/buds connected to your phone-

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I think that's just someone being creative in trying to sell their pair. I don't think Shure has ever sold SM57s as a matched pair.

That add has become the brunt of much sarcasm over on GS

[FrankHudson]

I'm generally an advocate of computer based recording, and with my project I do a lot of it, but the OP has the case where the stand-alone makes the most sense to me too. Import the recordings from it into their laptop and use Audacity (free software) to trim out the tops and tails or other light editing.

In the off-chance that they get into recording and want to enjoy the enormous power and flexibility that can afforded and learned to be used to some effect by mere mortals in the DAW/computer world, the hand-held/portable recorder still has it's uses.

I use my Zoom to record environmental sounds, even guest vocals. You can use your phone for that, but the inexpensive cost and semi-rugged build of the Zoom I have is more fitting.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

That add has become the brunt of much sarcasm over on GS

That sounds like a fun read. I just tried to find the thread with no luck. Can you find it again easily? If not, don't sweat it.

[kurth]

Originally Posted by jim1960

That sounds like a fun read. I just tried to find the thread with no luck. Can you find it again easily? If not, don't sweat it.

well I'm sure 8 posts on gearspace is being derided to eternity for a used reverb add , and maybe shure doesn't make matched pairs. Actually I see no proof they do or don't. But if someone is doubtful....and poor, then they can choose a matched pair of behringer c-2's for $50 for the pair. Most reviewers can't tell the difference. Of course there's always the possibility that sweetwater is lying as well.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...crophones-pair

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by kurth

well I'm sure 8 posts on gearspace is being derided to eternity for a used reverb add , and maybe shure doesn't make matched pairs. Actually I see no proof they do or don't. But if someone is doubtful....and poor, then they can choose a matched pair of behringer c-2's for $50 for the pair. Most reviewers can't tell the difference. Of course there's always the possibility that sweetwater is lying as well.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...crophones-pair

Sweetwater isn't lying because Behringer advertises those as a "matched pair" where Shure does not advertise matched pairs of the SM57.

However, what "matched" actually means in this context is not universal for all mics and brands. On high end mics, someone is actually taking individual measurements of the microphones and they're either finding matches and/or fine tuning mics to be matches. At the C2 price point, there is no way that is happening. All it really means at that price point is the mics are either consecutive or from the same production run. There's no guarantee the Behringer or any low end mics advertised as a "matched pair" actually have identical frequency responses.

All that said, there's really very little necessity for a pair of mics to be "matched." For the home recordist, it's really not something to be concerned about.