Musically Inclined...?

[ChrisLDog]

Hey Atma, Coz, frEk, anyone else who knows

My band and I want to record some tracks for a demo CD. I already have a mixer, mics, and a keyboard with MIDI capability. I was looking for a sound card for my computer that will basically eliminate the need to buy an expensive multitrack recorder.

If possible, I want to be able to record a couple of live tracks simultaneously (i.e. drums and bass) to separate tracks in Cubase (I don't even know if this is possible...). I'd also like a little MIDI cabability.

I know Atma already recommended the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 to someone, and I wonder if this is what I need, too. Or if there is something new out there that is better for around the same price or a little more.


Thanks for any help here.

Chris

[atma]

well it really depends on your budget limitations. for something like 200 bucks you can get an m-audio delta 44, which has 4 inputs and 4 outputs. with that you could record 2 seperate stereo tracks or 4 mono instruments/inputs simultanously in cubase. however it doesn't have any midi as far as i know. if you wanted to spend even more and wanted more inputs/outputs, they have the delta 1010 which has (you guessed it) 10 inputs and 10 outputs. it also has midi, and for that price you wont find anything with that many i/o or midi. there's a lot of other cards out there as well. you might want to just call up sweetwater and ask to talk to someone who's really knowledgable with soundcards. that way you can tell them exactly what you're interested in acheiving and they should be able to lay the options out for you within your budget range. the people there have a lot of years of experience with music technology--most of them are studio engineers or musicians and they have all the latest stuff at their disposal, so they can be really helpful. anyway, good luck!

[Cozmo D]

Chris, since you're near LA, pump Sweetwater for info, then check Sam Ash, Guitar Center, and some of the other larger music stores for better prices. Sweetwater is a bit expensive.

[frEk]

yeah it really all depends on what price range you're talkin, the audiophile's only $150, it's pretty much the cheapest card around that'll be suitable for audio stuff but if i were looking for something in that range i'd spend an extra $50 and get an echo mia midi card. the mia midi has the same features as the audiophile (spdif i/o, 1 midi i/o, and stereo analog i/o except the analog is 1/4" balanced instead of rca). the delta 44 is like $230 for 4 1/4" i/o but yeah, no midi/digital (delta 66 has digital ($280) and you can always get a 1x1 midi interface for like $40). i'm not really a big fan of the m-audio stuff myself, the omni studio is cool for 4 ins ($430), but your payin for 2 mic pres which you already got in the mixer, but yeah the delta 1010 (8 analog i/o, spdif, and 1x1 midi) does have pretty good converters in it for the price ($600)(not the 1010 LT, there different cards but the LT is cool if you need a whole lot of inputs for only $280). there's also things like the digi 001 too for $800 which has pretty good connectivity but if you think you're really gonna be into doing this there's alot of really good cards (rme) for around a grand, some'll even let you ditch the mixer all together (aardvark q10, motu 896), but yeah then you're not really getting around the cost of a multitrack with cd burning capability (more flexible recording on the computer though).

http://www.maudio.net/products/m-audio/delta.php
http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/
http://www.digidesign.com/
http://www.aardvarkaudio.com/aasd-v1/index.html
http://www.motu.com/
http://www.digi-club.de/english/hdsp/multifa.htm

oh yeah, you are on a desktop computer right? none of those cards will work directly on a laptop, save the rme and the motu 896 (motu's for old men though) but there's alot of options for laptops too. what's your computer specs anyway?

[Cozmo D]

(motu's for old men though)

[ChrisLDog]

Thanks for the advise guys , I'll probably call Sweetwater in the next couple days.

Well, I haven't gotten my new computer yet, but I'm going to build an AMD Athlon XP 2.4GHz with a 120GB 7200RPM HD, 512-1024MB of DDR-RAM, then I would add the soundcard I buy (obviously). Oh yeah, how important is a video card? Do I need a really good one, or is an average 16MB video card good enough? I'll probably install Windows 2000 Pro and Cubase 5.1 or SL (if I can get my hands on it)

As for the music hardware side, I have a Behringer UB1622FX-PRO mixer, a QSC 300W amp (I forgot the model, but it's mainly for practicing with the band), a couple of Shure SM58 mics and I play a Yamaha S80 keyboard. I use a pair of Denon headphones as monitors, but I know I'll have to get monitors or monitor headphones too.

I know none of my equipment is real good, but I've recorded some stuff on my old crappy computer one track at a time using Cubase 5.1 and it still sounds pretty good, but it just takes a long time, and forget about more than, like, 5 tracks per song with effects.

I'll build the computer sometime in the next week and a half. If you guys have any more suggestions (that won't break the bank too much) keep them coming... :thumup:

[ChrisLDog]

And Coz, man those alien avatars are freakin' me out.

[ChrisLDog]

As it turns out, the salesman at Sam Ash was able to talk me into getting a Delta 44. Very nice stuff. But why am I so weak... Anyways, Coz, I was wondering if one of these mysterious "Care Packages" could find it's way to my house... :thumup:

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm getting started now.

[Cozmo D]

I'm outa the care package buisness...ever since I sent 10 fukkin CDs to FD in muthafukkin England and he never even said thanx!

I've spread enough love around here, one of these selfish bastids that I spread it too can spread some of thier own now.

I would say meet me in LA at the show on the 16th, but that promoter's lookin mighty shaky at the moment!

[ChrisLDog]

That's cool. Thanks anyways Coz. If it works out for your show in LA, tho', I'll be there.














Hey FD, way to go, jerk face!

Juss playin'. :mrgreen:

[Cozmo D]

Cool.

[atma]

10 cds?? what the hell did you send fd anyway..

the next time i go and buy some cd-rs i can make copies of reason or other audio apps for people who want them.

[Cozmo D]

I sent him a shitload of apps, softsynths, plug-ins, and sample CDs.

And the Reason CDs on top of it!

HERE'S AN IDEA FOLKS!!!

Since you guys want this stuff, go out and buy some blank CDRs and send them to Atma, or whoever else is willing to make copies for you. Perhaps that would make some people more appreciative! :wink:

[fd]

I'm outa the care package buisness...ever since I sent 10 fukkin CDs to FD in muthafukkin England and he never even said thanx!

You lying bastard, I made a whole post to thank you for it.

It went something along the lines of "damn thats a shitloada cd's" then about 500 thumbs up icons.


and you said somthing like just dont get your ass sued

but fine.

fuck ya old man!

[Cozmo D]

They don't use the phrase "thank you" across the pond huh...and I remember no thumbs up signs either! Fukkin limey bastid!

[atma]

what exactly is 'limey' anyway :P

[syxxpm]

limey....a person who eats limes (usually british)to prevent the onslaught of scurvy..... :thumup:

[fd]

They don't use the phrase "thank you" across the pond huh...and I remember no thumbs up signs either! Fukkin limey bastid!

oh shove em up your ass you stupid yank poofter

[atma]

whoa... dont forget coz has admin status. he might just ban your ungratefull ass!

[Cozmo D]

Go kiss ya queen mum's rottin bum, ya blood puddin eatin mad cow havin Revolutionary War losin piece of shyte!!! :flipoff: :flipoff: :flipoff: :flipoff: :flipoff: