Advice for Simple PC Demo Recording

[michaelm101]

I lived in my own recording studio 1990-2005 and used 1" and 2" analog recorders and then switched to ADATS.

Out of the music loop for a loong time.

I want to put together a demo for my new solo thing and don't want to break out an old ADAT and mixer, etc.

What can I use to basically lay down at the most, 4 tracks?

Thanks in advance!

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by michaelm101

I lived in my own recording studio 1990-2005 and used 1" and 2" analog recorders and then switched to ADATS.

Out of the music loop for a loong time.

I want to put together a demo for my new solo thing and don't want to break out an old ADAT and mixer, etc.

What can I use to basically lay down at the most, 4 tracks?

Thanks in advance!

There are so many choices it's hard to pick one. And that multitude of choices will all make 4 track recordings of that demonstrate what you're doing to someone.

I'm going to assume overdubbing, One Man Band demos. Tell us more about what you foresee needing to do on your demos.

There are handhelds and all in ones. I don't have any experience myself with current models that do mulitracking.* I would tend myself to want to do things that a DAW does well, like comping vocals or editing out the one duff note in a good take. This argues for getting a small interface and recording to a computer. Recording, just recording, is not challenging, it doesn't require the latest or most powerful computer. Even phones and tablets can serve.

Audacity (Free), GarageBand (also free, but Apple only), and Reaper (low cost and free to try) can all be that DAW software.


*I do have some small experience with the Izotope Spire which is sort of an all in one, though it uses a phone or tablet extensively. The Unique Selling Proposition there is that it will automatically apply some magic Izotope effects sheen to the recordings which for some people with no great interest in production may be an aid to making the demo recordings sound more "pro." If that sounds interesting to you, I think there are a couple of folks here with more Spire expereince.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by michaelm101

I lived in my own recording studio 1990-2005 and used 1" and 2" analog recorders and then switched to ADATS.

Out of the music loop for a loong time.

I want to put together a demo for my new solo thing and don't want to break out an old ADAT and mixer, etc.

What can I use to basically lay down at the most, 4 tracks?

Thanks in advance!

I recommend you divide your project into two parts, capture and editing. The PC is great for editing duties, but can be frustrating to use for the recording duties. It chains you to one spot, can generate self-noise with cooling fans, and can hamper the creative process. When you're doing actual tracking you want the process to be as easy as possible to avoid being distracted by all the stuff that the PC is going to require.

You have a few choices in a simple multi-track capable recorder that can handle your capture duties, I'd personally opt for a Zoom R8. It is silent, almost as easy to operate as a old-school cassette recorder, has phantom power for condenser mics, and records 24 bit files. That's a great help for getting high quality sound without pushing your level at the point where you get digital overloads, which must be avoided at all costs problem.

The R24 lets you pick the best possible room or area to record in without being chained to your PC. You'll need good mic(s) and a set of headphones to do overdubs. You may have good condenser mics already, I use Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro phones and like them a lot for virtually all my audio needs.

Do your audio recordings, transfer the files to your PC, and hook up the R8 in interface mode. Import your 24 bit wav files into your DAW (I like and use Reaper) and finish up your editing.

This two step process will give you the high quality audio you are looking for.

[shufflebeat]

Do you have a computer, laptop or iPad?
Do you have a smartphone (Android or iPhone)?
Do you have any mics/cables from the olden days?
Do you have headphones?

[michaelm101]

Originally Posted by shufflebeat

Do you have a computer, laptop or iPad?
Do you have a smartphone (Android or iPhone)?
Do you have any mics/cables from the olden days?
Do you have headphones?

I have all of the above, but must say I'm a desktop PC guy... Thx!

[Chipotle]

Assuming you have a reasonably-powered desktop PC and can record in the space where it lives, you'll need an audio interface and Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software. (If you lived in a recording studio, I'll assume you have or know about mics etc.). You'll probably also want monitors.

Look for an interface that will give you as many input channels and mic preamps as you'll need at once. If you are recording your four tracks simultaneously with mics, you'll need an interface to handle that. I'd always go for a unit with at least two mic preamps for stereo recording, at a minimum. If you are only recording one or two tracks at a time, any DAW software can create as many tracks as you need.

All the "standard" DAWs are full featured, and which you use really comes down to your preferred workflow and cost. I like how customizable Reaper is, and after a free 60-day demo it only costs $60.

Powered monitor speakers are typically how most folks go these days.

I have a lower-end--but perfectly capable--setup: Focusrite 2i2 interface ($160), Reaper DAW ($60) and Presonus Eris e5 powered monitor speakers ($250/pr). In hindsight I might have gone with a slightly nicer interface like an Audient or Motu.

[ChuckS]

Do you have external preamps from your prior studio? If so, they might be better than what you get in entry level audio interfaces. Do you already have monitors? It might be helpful if you list the equipment you already have, describe how many channels you want to record simultaneously, what you 'quality' expectations are, and your budget.

[Glennwillow]

Hi Michael,

It seems like the possibilities are infinite about how to do recording with 4 independent channels. I can identify with your past experience with analog equipment and then ADATs. I have been recording since I was 16 years old and I'm now 73, so I have probably gone through many of the recording technologies that you have.

I have used dedicated multi-track digital recorders. I have a Roland VS-1880 digital recorder sitting next to me that I have not even turned on for at least the last 10 years. I recorded several albums with this recorder and it's still not a bad choice.

Today I use my PC and Cubase Pro 10. I use a couple of external mic preamps and a Steinberg interface to get signals into my computer.

The reason I went in the Cubase direction is because my son has used Cubase for some considerable time and knows the system inside out. In fact, he put a computer together for me and set up a system with Cubase as a gift some years ago, because he was convinced that once I started recording on a computer that I would really appreciate what could be done. He runs his own music business doing composition work for video games, podcasts, movies, etc. When I get stuck, he helps me out. I seem to have learned more in recent years and haven't needed his help for a couple of years now.

When I am recording outside of my studio I usually take a small digital recorder, in my case a Tascam DR44WL, along with a couple of external condenser mics. My experience with these small recorders is that the limitation is the microphones. Plug very good mics into the XLR connectors and turn on the phantom power and these little recorders sound very good -- I think as good as the DAT recorder I have sitting on my desk that I haven't turned on for several years. So small digital recorders using external mics is not a bad option. The problem is that editing is not terribly easy, which it is on a desktop DAW (digital audio workstation), such as Pro Tools or Cubase, etc.

Regarding small digital recorders, over the last few years I recorded three very good sounding solo piano CDs down at a local church using my Tascam DR44WL and two Audio Technica AT-4050 LDC mics. To my ears, these CDs sound as good as or better than any Windham Hill piano CDs. However, I did the editing and mastering for these recordings on my DAW using Cubase.

If you have someone who can help you locally, that might be the place to start. I had my son just over the river and through the woods (literally), and he is a gold mine of information and he is extremely patient.

What I can say is that I have used, I think, every recording technology available over the last 50 years, and from where I sit now, I am extremely happy with what I can do from my desk, on my computer, using Cubase. Pro Tools is another possibility, and there are other systems that are less expensive, of course. But these systems can be intimidating when you are starting out. Some people buy this stuff and literally can never get started.

Regarding computer noise and recording with a DAW, for me this has not been a concern. I thought it would be, but it's not. My tower type computer CPU is literally 5 feet away from where I sit to record and I do not pick up any significant noise from the computer. My computer is a standard Dell computer, nothing fancy, just powerful. Solid state hard drives are helpful to reduce noise, but I rarely if ever pick up hard drive noise, either, and I don't have solid state hard drives. If I really turn up the gain after a recording on my monitors, I can hear the digital clock clicking on the wall about 30 feet away from me more than I can hear any computer fan noise. (I can't hear that clock ticking right now from where I am sitting at my computer desk.) So for me, computer noise has not been an issue.

I hope this is helpful to give you my own perspective. If you are interested in the quality of my recordings, please check out my YouTube channel linked just below.

- Glenn

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

Assuming you have a reasonably-powered desktop PC and can record in the space where it lives, you'll need an audio interface and Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software.... You'll probably also want monitors....

This is basically what I've got, except some nice headphones instead of monitors. Most USB audio interfaces (like Focusrite Scarlett) come with a free "lite" version of some DAW software that will work for multitracking. Or pick up Reaper for $60, as mentioned. I grabbed Cubase Elements for $80 on a "stupid deal of the day."

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

This is basically what I've got, except some nice headphones instead of monitors. Most USB audio interfaces (like Focusrite Scarlett) come with a free "lite" version of some DAW software that will work for multitracking. Or pick up Reaper for $60, as mentioned. I grabbed Cubase Elements for $80 on a "stupid deal of the day."

Cubase Elements does a lot of only $80-$100. It's a good way to get started.

- Glenn

[lkingston]

Cubasis on an M1 iPad Pro with a USB-C interface and some AUV3 plugins is an absolute joy!

[lukegard22]

I'm far, far, far from an expert, but a free DAW option is Ableton Live Lite. The workflow really clicks with my brain. You can certainly do 4 track songs, with some free basic plugins thru Ableton.
That's my two cent's worth.