Suggestions on how to set up a recording/jamming setup

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Rob227

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Every time I try to get into recording something it becomes overwhelming with the direction to go in order to set this up. The amount of software to choose from is huge. Basically I want to easily create a drum track, bass track, rhythm track and some lead tracks to play over top of them. I have a cheap condenser mic and my quad of course. It would be nice to run the quad directly into something because I can't turn my amp up that much where I am. Playing and using headphones is probably the best route for working on this at any time of day. I need something simple and intuitive to use.

It seems like most guitar software is a few hundred bucks so I am wondering if I should just buy an Ipad and to use its garage band software. I have always been a pc guy so I don't know if I really want to go this route. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjj-tLKvH5Q&list=PLaMCLbUTxpgJfHLspukXIdxQWuz05kez8
 
Check out Reaper. http://www.reaper.fm/purchase.php
Reaper is free to try as long as you like. If you like it I suggest buying the license for $60. This helps the developer make free upgrades and pays him for his work.
 
+1 on Reaper.

You will need an interface. Anything from M-Audio or Presonus will work well. I think the small USB or Firewire boxes are between $79-99.
 
To answer part of your question, I use the 'recording out' on a quad when I was an apartment dweller. I was able to get lots usable tones out of it. I don't know how to attach an mp3, but here's a song I did with the direct quad.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9cZTric8VlVTzRlYUlZdWhob0k/edit?usp=sharing

I use Cakewalk Sonar X3 Producer, but basic version is $99.

https://www.cakewalk.com/products/SONAR/

I have a few recording setups, but my simplest setup is a Lexicon Lamda 2x2 USB interface into my laptop. It's an old unit but it was $129 like 6 years ago. There are better and less expensive interfaces available. I take the recording out of my quad and plug it directly into the Lexicon.

Any software is going to have a learning curve but youtube seems to take care of that. I've never used and iPad for recording, but it seems like you would spend well into the $500+ area for the iPad, cabling, and apps.
 
I downloaded Reaper and checked it out. I don't see any easy way of creating drum tracks on it. Maybe I just need more time to figure it out. This is where I start getting confused, do I need some external software for that? I only want to use the interface is for guitar tracks. I was hoping to create the rest with software.

Nice audio clip. I tried out Sonar a few years ago but it was just too complicated for me to get into it. I need something more basic and intuitive to use.
 
I bought a Zoom G3X multi effects pedal about a year ago. Some of the effects are really good, some not so much. But it came with the software sequel LE 3 which I recently downloaded. My computer skills range from poor to non existent. I'm actually getting some ware with this program. I've so far been able to program drums and lay down a bass and guitar track. It's been 2 steps forward and 1 step back for me but I can't help but think someone with just average computer skills could navigate this program fairly well. I keep flipping back and forth between the recording program and the 125 page PDF manual. I plug into the G3X pedal which has a USB out to my P.C. That's the only time the amp modeling sounds on the pedal sound good they suck in a live situation. The sequel LE 3 program has a lot of loops and pre programed stuff that I've yet to find useful but I've a long long way to go with this. I hope this was helpful to someone, If I can get as far as I've gotten, It CAN'T be that hard to operate.
 
Try this page for some plug ins to install with reaper. http://www.gtgsynths.com/plugins.htm There is a drum program here
 
Rob227 said:
I downloaded Reaper and checked it out. I don't see any easy way of creating drum tracks on it. Maybe I just need more time to figure it out. This is where I start getting confused, do I need some external software for that? I only want to use the interface is for guitar tracks. I was hoping to create the rest with software.

Nice audio clip. I tried out Sonar a few years ago but it was just too complicated for me to get into it. I need something more basic and intuitive to use.

You will always have to have some input and do some legwork. Best to learn something a bit more complicated because once you learn, you'll be able to do a lot more. There's a few basics you need to know so here's a start for you to learn:

Go to youtube and search drums in Reaper Heaps of videos.


VST's....
Drums, bass, pianos, keys and heaps of other software instruments are also known VST instruments (virtual instruments). You install the VST's on your PC and then tell Reaper where to find them on your PC (ie. point to the applicable VST folder). Once Reaper knows where to look, start a track and place one VST instrument per Track, ie. Track 1 is for Drums, Track 2 for Bass, Track 3 for Keys, Track 4 for Piano.

However, the VST's don't magically compose a song for you! They are there in your tracks (if you use any VST) waiting for direction from you. You are the composer and you need to tell the VST what notes should be played. That's your role in all of this. Place notes in a MIDI track that's linked to the instrument track (in this case Drums). The notes you place in the MIDI track tells the Drums what part of the Drum Kit to hit (snare, kick, cymbal, cow bell, etc). Once you get a basic 4/4 going for a measure or two, copy and paste this measure multiple times along your track. Instant drumming. You can also modify any measure with different drumming patterns (more notes or less notes or hit different parts of the kit) and copy this measure where you want along your track.


MIDI songs:
Also, you can download midi songs and midi drums (free). Google free midi songs or free midi drums. Heaps available and in different genres. Once you understand how midi tracks work, you can dissect a midi song and delete all the other instruments in that song and keep the drum patterns. Instant drumming for a whole song.


Some more:
Google free VST drums for reaper. Here's one link that could be interesting: http://forum.vanderbilly.com/showthread.php?t=19343

Google how to install vst in reaper also vst folder for Reaper

Reaper is a great program and well worth learning a few things about it. I have used Reaper, it's still installed, but I don't use it now because I use Cakewalk X2, however, all good recording software works in a similar way.

Hope this helps you and gives you an insight into how powerful a good program like Reaper is. Don't give up because it's difficult, or takes time to learn, or doesn't give instant satisfaction. Once you learn the basics and you get better at 'drumming' and also learning to compose with other VST's, you wouldn't go any other way. Simple is good, but that's all it is and it only goes so far. Then what?

-B
 
Thanks for taking the time to make such a detailed response. I will have to start digging into this and going through the youtube video's.
 
I'm about to sell the PC my band used for recording. It's in a 1U case, no fans, laptop power supply and a M-Audio 1010LT installed. The PC is so quiet you can hear the hard drives spinning. With a SSHD it would be deadly quiet. Based on a EPIA Mini-ITX motherboard.

Was able to track a 4 piece band without any problem, 10 years ago :)
 
I have been watching some Reaper tutorials and I've managed to get a basic drum track going. This is pretty cool now that I am getting the hang of it. I'm wondering about the audio interface though. What would happen if I tried to run directly from the recording out on the quad into my computer directly? Has anyone tried this? I am going to give this a try and see what happens.

From what I have read so far there are latency problems with the cheaper end of the range audio interfaces that are out there so before I go spending $80-$150 on it I thought I'd mention it and see if anyone has had any experience with this.
 
I've run my quad direct into my Mac line in using the main outs (not recording outs.) I then applied an IR to the signal and was quite pleased with the results.

It may require some careful messing with the levels on your computer, but I dont know why running the record outs to your computer shouldn't work.
 
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