Old guy getting back into it . . .

[Bruze]

Hi all: Here's a brief history, in case anyone is wondering why the dumb questions which will follow.

I'm pushing 62, started playing flattop and 5-string banjo in the mid-'70s. I've been pretty much away from it for probably 15 years but am getting back into playing guitar. I'm mostly into bluegrass and old country. My mentors over the years have been Chet Atkins, Don Reno, and the various Ernest Tubb lead players. Too bad I'm not even close to any of them in talent.

I play a lot of oddball stuff and there aren't any rhythm players in my area (anymore, but there used to be) that are interested in learning it so I'm reduced to playing alone.

Back around the early to mid-'80s I bought a 4-track Ross (I think?) cassette recorder and had a lot of fun with it.

I would like to do this again but using modern equipment, of which I am totally clueless. I am computer savvy and assume there are recording machines that use a hard drive instead of tapes.

Where can I learn about recording in today's world? Am I better off just recording to my laptop? I think I can figure out how to do that quite easily, but what about playback? I would need more power and speaker quality than my laptop has if I were to play out somewhere, obviously.

TIA!

[Davis Webb]

You can either go stand alone or invest in a digital audio workstation..DAW.

First you need an audio interface. There are many available. It converts yer mic signal into digital. Tascam and many other lines are avail.

Then you need software. Cubase comes to mind. I have Ableton Live. There are others.

For playback, hook up the output of the interface to some powered monitors. I have some Fostex, very small, each has its own internal amplifier.

Then yer done. EZ.

The hard part is learning to use the software. But its not that hard.

Or you can buy something like the Tascam DP008, its a stand alone 8 track recorder.


Let me know if you need any other help.

[moon]

I think you'd be better off with an interface rather than a recorder, but we can figure that out as we go along.

Here's a video of a very good, two-channel interface, the Sound Devices Usbpre2 in action which will maybe explain something about how they work.

How many ins and outs do you want? That's not always as simple a question as it sounds. I only ever record a maximum of two channels at a time but I bought an interface with many more. I have an old synth (2 analogue ins), mic pres (2 analogue ins), external reverb unit send and return (2 analogue I/O and midi for sysex dumps), a second computer on sampler duty (SPDIF digital in & more midi) and finally 2 more analogue outs for monitoring. I only ever play one instrument at a time but it's nice not to have plug things in and out all the time.

Audio routing can very quickly get quite complicated but if you're sure you'll never want to plug in anything more than a couple of mics, a two-channel interface will be fine.

[Bob1131]

Bruze, welcome to the AGF! I am an "older" person too and I'm fairly computer literate, but I found using a DAW and my home computer a bit of a hassle because the computer couldn't stay set-up for recording and I dislike menus and using the mouse to adjust various parameters (I prefer real knobs, sliders and dials). The learning curve for most of the DAWs is quite steep and I just wasn't interested in becoming a software engineer! So, now I use a stand alone Boss BR864 (now obsolete) which makes multi-tracking a snap, and I am very happy with its ease of use and decent sound quality. The unit stays set up, so whenever I want to record all I have to do is turn it on and start playing music! There are some great units available today in almost every price range. Of course, if you think you are going to really sink yourself into the art and science of recording, a computer based set-up will provide more options and growth potential.

Home recording can be a very deep money pit, so every bit of research you put into the front end can save you a lot in the end. My best advice is to take some time to compare stand alone units and DAWs at a store near you, and determine what your needs and limits are. No matter which course you take it will require time and experimentation to optimize mic placement and room acoustics to get good recordings.

[napman]

Originally Posted by Bob1131

No matter which course you take it will require time and experimentation to optimize mic placement and room acoustics to get good recordings.

So true Bob, and may I add that we are just as strong as our weakest link in our chains. After all said and done the thing that will shine brightly (or dimly) out of those gadgets is the amount of your TALENT that you have either STRONG or WEAK

I'm 65 and just getting into this "Recording" and also having fun stumbling along too!!

[Bruze]

Thanks to everyone who responded, but I am even more lost now than I was!

I did most of my recording with a Teac reel-to-reel which I threw out some years ago, and the 4 track cassette Ross which I mentioned that I bought in the mid '80s. So I've missed at least a generation, or probably two, of recording technology.

I did look up the "Tascam," and from what I gather it is more or less like my 4 track cassette only digital. But what is an "interface"?

I would like to keep this as simple as I can, but maybe that isn't even possible. Huge learning curves used to be a welcome challenge to me, but in recent years I've gotten kinda tired of it all and just don't have the gnawing hunger to learn new things.

[napman]

Originally Posted by Bruze

I did look up the "Tascam," and from what I gather it is more or less like my 4 track cassette only digital. But what is an "interface"?

.

Hi Bruze,
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=240052

and also
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=246476

I myself don't know anything about this Tascam model. I'm currently learning/using Tascam DP-02 that cost quite a bit more. And many years ago I used Tascam Porta02MKII (cassette type).

[alohachris]

Aloha Bruze,

50+ year gigger here. So, welcome back after your long hiatus. Looking for some context huh for recording & the latest gear? Well there is a TON more information available today than there was back when we were young. And yes, it can be daunting, confusing, contradictory & all over the place. As Moon, said, it's the info that will save you the most money & time in the longrun. So get as much as you can, Bruze - starting with using your ears on the gear.

So start simply in terms of gathering & sifting through all the info. Think about what you want to achieve, budget, audience, etc. And start investigating information about the elements of signal chains - NOT just a single part of that - & the electronics. Try to plan your chain using complementary pieces.

It's the great SUM of the parts you're after, Bruze. And the knowledge of how to use them.

Use the 'SEARCH' button here @ AGF to find similar threads started by many others getting back into the game.

First, go to Sweetwater Pro's site & order a free catalog. Lots of great info there about the latest gear & about computer recording chains. Ditto for B&H Photo's catalog.

http://www.sweetwater.com/progeardirectory/

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

The best site for recording information, IMO, is Gearslutz.com. Great forums for all levels of expertise:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/

Pay particular attention to the GS Studio/Room Treatment forum.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/studi...ion-acoustics/

Nothing can improve your recordings more early in the game than simple DIY Room Treatment - not even gear upgrades.

http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2011/...adband-panels/

As you increase your knowledge, the GS classifieds are a great place to score gear upgrades in great condition:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/

Two Other great sources are Soundpure & Mercenary:

http://www.soundpure.com/gclid=CJTRo...FQJ9hwodOTybcA

http://www.mercenary.com/

What kind of computer do you have?

If it's a Mac you already own a nice DAW - the free Garageband. That plus an interface (for digitizing analog info from mic's etc. to digital for computer -the Apogee Duet is a great one for Mac's), some mic's, monitors, headphone's & some stands & cables, etc., can get you started quickly to where ya want to go - for a start.

A simple, great place to get in touch with current computer recording is the the small hand-held digital recorders.

The Zoom H4N or Tascam DR-40 have on-board mic's & also allow you to use external mic's (I think that's necessary). Both are "studio's in a box." Then you link them to your computer & mix & master on your DAW. Check them out:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...FUgZQgodd1wXZA

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...FQ1vhwodniwibw

Once you get into a rig, you should read this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Mixing-Secrets...4678511&sr=1-1

Check out these few resources to get started & check back soon.

The only thing that may shock you if you return to the stage is that the audience is NOT present anymore - always fiddling with their digital electronica or yelling into a cellphone. That IS THE biggest change & challenge for older acoustic musicians.

Good Luck, Bruze!

alohachris

[moon]

Originally Posted by Bruze

I did look up the "Tascam," and from what I gather it is more or less like my 4 track cassette only digital. But what is an "interface"?

A standalone recorder will record wav (or flac, mp3 etc) to its own internal storage device (a compact flash card).

An audio interface is designed to connect to a computer and recordings end up on the computer's hard drive. Onboard audio is pretty poor - an audio interface replaces that with something better. It's hardly possible to be worse.

Just to confuse things, some standalone recorders can also work as audio interfaces... For example, the Zoom H4N.

You can get started with one of the Zoom handhelds for under $200, or you can spend $2,000 on just one mic, another $2k so it won't get lonely, $2k for a preamp, $2k for ADDA converters, and (good news at last..) a mere $1,000 for an interface to the computer.

And anywhere in between.

[Mr Fixit eh]

Originally Posted by Bruze

Hi all: Here's a brief history, in case anyone is wondering why the dumb questions which will follow.

I'm pushing 62, started playing flattop and 5-string banjo in the mid-'70s. I've been pretty much away from it for probably 15 years but am getting back into playing guitar. I'm mostly into bluegrass and old country. My mentors over the years have been Chet Atkins, Don Reno, and the various Ernest Tubb lead players. Too bad I'm not even close to any of them in talent.

I play a lot of oddball stuff and there aren't any rhythm players in my area (anymore, but there used to be) that are interested in learning it so I'm reduced to playing alone.

Back around the early to mid-'80s I bought a 4-track Ross (I think?) cassette recorder and had a lot of fun with it.

I would like to do this again but using modern equipment, of which I am totally clueless. I am computer savvy and assume there are recording machines that use a hard drive instead of tapes.

Where can I learn about recording in today's world? Am I better off just recording to my laptop? I think I can figure out how to do that quite easily, but what about playback? I would need more power and speaker quality than my laptop has if I were to play out somewhere, obviously.

TIA!

Hi and welcome to AGF!

I think the first question to answer is what do you want to do. You can buy a pretty decent hand-held digital recorder for $200 if you just want to record and play back. You can also hook them up to your computer and transfer songs to your computer - for playing back or sharing with others.

You can buy a nice little webcam for about $100 with built-in mic that will do a fine job of recording simple YouTube videos.

You can purchase an external microphone(s) and record to your computer. This requires an audio interface (basically a little box that converts analog to digital format. You can get a free software called Audacity to do the recording. Or you can skip the audio interface by purchasing what's called a USB mic that connects directly to your computer.

You can buy more expensive digital recording devices that allow you to mix and multi-track. Similar to the hand-held about, but with fancier features.

Basically you'll need to decide what you want to do, how complicated/simple you want it to be, and how much you want to spend, then we can help with more suggestions.

Steve

[Bruze]

Wow, what a wealth of information!

Thanks to all who responded. There is so much info and links here it's going to take me some time to get through it and learn what I need to learn.

I already ordered the "ProGear" catalog (I think that's what it was) from Sweetwater, whom I have never heard of before -- thanks to Alohachris.

[jpd]

Originally Posted by Bruze

Hi all: Here's a brief history, in case anyone is wondering why the dumb questions which will follow.

I'm pushing 62, started playing flattop and 5-string banjo in the mid-'70s. I've been pretty much away from it for probably 15 years but am getting back into playing guitar. I'm mostly into bluegrass and old country. My mentors over the years have been Chet Atkins, Don Reno, and the various Ernest Tubb lead players. Too bad I'm not even close to any of them in talent.

I play a lot of oddball stuff and there aren't any rhythm players in my area (anymore, but there used to be) that are interested in learning it so I'm reduced to playing alone.

Back around the early to mid-'80s I bought a 4-track Ross (I think?) cassette recorder and had a lot of fun with it.

I would like to do this again but using modern equipment, of which I am totally clueless. I am computer savvy and assume there are recording machines that use a hard drive instead of tapes.

Where can I learn about recording in today's world? Am I better off just recording to my laptop? I think I can figure out how to do that quite easily, but what about playback? I would need more power and speaker quality than my laptop has if I were to play out somewhere, obviously.

TIA!

Same here. Seems to be a lot of us around the same age rekindeling the drive to play on. Must be the largest group of guitarists in the history of the world!

[Rick Shepherd]

Originally Posted by Bruze

Thanks to everyone who responded, but I am even more lost now than I was!

I did most of my recording with a Teac reel-to-reel which I threw out some years ago, and the 4 track cassette Ross which I mentioned that I bought in the mid '80s. So I've missed at least a generation, or probably two, of recording technology.

I did look up the "Tascam," and from what I gather it is more or less like my 4 track cassette only digital. But what is an "interface"?

I would like to keep this as simple as I can, but maybe that isn't even possible. Huge learning curves used to be a welcome challenge to me, but in recent years I've gotten kinda tired of it all and just don't have the gnawing hunger to learn new things.

Hi Bruze,

The two recorders you used to use years ago, and the Tascam unit you mentioned are considered stand-alone units. But, if you decide you want to use your computer as part of a recording setup, you would then need to purchase an, "interface", which connects to your computer. This interface allows you to get your recorded signal into the computer so you can control and manipulate the signal using your recording software.

For example: I have a recording interface that I use, an M-Audio Profire 610. The unit has inputs for my microphones as well as other input and output options. It connects directly to my laptop using a fire-wire cable. This interface has built-in converters, which converts the analog signal to a digital signal that is recognized by your computer.

I simply connect a mic or two, open up my recording software, and record away.My recording interface has a headphone output to monitor and listen to my tracks.

So, if you use a computer, your recording setup would consist of the computer(with audio software), the recording interface, microphone(s), and either a pair of monitors or headphones.

A stand-alone recorder might be your best choice, just to keep things simple.


Hope this makes it easier to understand!

[Bern]

Originally Posted by moon

I think you'd be better off with an interface rather than a recorder, but we can figure that out as we go along.

Here's a video of a very good, two-channel interface, the Sound Devices Usbpre2 in action which will maybe explain something about how they work.

How many ins and outs do you want? That's not always as simple a question as it sounds. I only ever record a maximum of two channels at a time but I bought an interface with many more. I have an old synth (2 analogue ins), mic pres (2 analogue ins), external reverb unit send and return (2 analogue I/O and midi for sysex dumps), a second computer on sampler duty (SPDIF digital in & more midi) and finally 2 more analogue outs for monitoring. I only ever play one instrument at a time but it's nice not to have plug things in and out all the time.

Audio routing can very quickly get quite complicated but if you're sure you'll never want to plug in anything more than a couple of mics, a two-channel interface will be fine.

Can you connect a external hard drive for storage and download from it as well ?

[moon]

No. The Usbpre2 is just an interface. The computer it's connected to supplies the storage.

Sound Devices also make some nice standalone recorders. Not cheap though...