BS: Recording on PC - Little help?

Subject: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: dwditty
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 09:06 AM

I am about to spring for a new PC. I have heard the results of some multitrack recordings done on the PC that sound great (burned onto a CD). I have some good mics, a good mixer, and a good effects unit. Just recording voice and guitar tracks - nothing fancy. I will buy as much PC as I can afford in terms of performance and memory. I am looking for advice on simple to use software and a sound card. Little help? Thanks.

dw

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: Fiolar
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 01:39 PM

I would most strongly reccomend "Easy CD Creator 5" which is a joy to use. Version 4 was by Adaptec but Version 5 is by Roxio. I have been using it not only to burn ordinary CDs but to transfer my CD collection to MP3s and it is so simple and effective to use. Suggest you have a discussion with the retailer when you go to purchase your computer reagrding the best sound card. Good luck.

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 02:08 PM

Old thread here might be of use (Not that I understand what they are talking about!)

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 02:57 PM

I got Soundblaster Live and later found that it is not really a good one for recording, although it gives good effects for those who like to play computer games. So don't get that one. There is a very good site: http://www.homerecording.com (I hope that's the right one) that has lots of info and there is a newbie's section which I found very helpful. I use a minidisk recorder (I'm just recording myself and a guitar, so I don't need a lot of tracks) and Cool Edit, and then burn songs onto a CD using Easy CD Creator 5, which also includes software for making the jewel cases and CD labels.

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: IvanB
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 03:26 PM

dw, it the 'Links' section above, there is a category called 'Home Recording,' which has a fair amount of good info.

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 04:14 PM

See Macs & PCs thread of the last week, the specs I listed. Contact me FMI.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: English Jon
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 05:37 AM

Hmmm. I suppose budget won't run to a G3 Mac with a Digi01 Pro tools in out box?

Try: Emagic Audiowerk cards. Theres a two channel version and an 8 channel version. In both cases the Audio Quality is pretty good - miles better than a SB card, and they're both reasonably cheap for the features offered. These are audio only cards. No onboard sounds, no MIDI.

PC wise, you will need a fast hard disk, 7200 speed is fine or greater if possible. Also, Lots of memory - as much as you can afford. I would advise you to go for an Intel Processor, as more kit is compatible. My AMD system doesn't like certain programmes (sic) for instance. Try and get a system with a large Cache Memory, as this will improve performance no end. Also try to keep your system, programmes etc on one HD and leave another for just writing Audio Data. Defrag regularly.

Software-wise Cubase is good, Logic Audio is good (there's a crippleware version included with the Emagic cards). If you look at the Digidesign website, you can download an 8 track version of pro tools which works with some configurations of PC. This is however a taster product. You almost certainly will end up wanting a full 5.1 TDM system!!!

Other software to look at is Nuendo (expensive - very nice) and Vegas (which I like a lot)

Hope this helps,

English Jon

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: Morticia
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 07:11 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: GUEST,gomez
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 07:52 AM

I've been using an Aark 24/96 for a while now and I am delighted with the performance. There are reviews on the web, I recommend you have a look. I chose it because experience has taught me that a PC used for sound-recording should not be used for anything else. Sound cards are demanding beasts and resent having to share system resources. I have an old PC. 233 pentium1 MMX with 64Mb ram and a big hard drive. this is the minimum spec for the Aark24/96. The card that goes in the pc has a complete recording system on board that works almost independently of the PC so you don't need a flashy pc to run it. The package comes with cakewalk proaudio9 which I don't find easy to work with. I use CoolEdit pro. You can amplify a signal that is barely audible up to full strength and there is virtually zero added noise. I was not familiar with 24bit sound quality before i bought this kit. I was astonished by the clarity the Aark gives to accoustic sound.

It's an option worthy of consideration.

http://www.aardvark-pro.com/pc_audio.html

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: Noreen
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 08:14 AM

I was astonished by the clarity the Aark gives to accoustic sound ... me too, gomez! Only ever having heard my voice recorded with small tape recorders, the quality in the recording from your seemingly simple system in a smallish front room was astounding.

When can I come back again? :0)

Noreen

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: GUEST,Gomez
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 06:58 PM

Hi Noreen. I spent some time on your recordings and there are nine complete songs (one instrumental). shule arune is available at: http://www.freedrive.com/GetMain.asp?affiliate=221694&menuset=explorer&menuid=explorer&us=ACTIVE if you want to download it. it's abot 3 and a half megs. I can mail you a cd of audio or mp3s as you wish. hope all is well with you

g

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: Noreen
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 07:43 PM

Thanks, g. I went to the link above and registered but came to a dead end- do I need your filename to find it?

CD or mp3s are fine, whichever is better for you- mp3s would take a while though- don't want to make any more work for you.

Looking forward... :0)

Noreen

Subject: RE: BS: Recording on PC - Little help?
From: Gomez
Date: 13 Jul 01 - 05:26 AM

sorry Noreen. I didn't read the instructions. hopefully you will get an email directing you to the mp3 file, soon.