Wonder if you guys can share some of your experiences. In a separate thread I spoke about having a voice like a frog and you lovely people have encouraged me to keep sining away and eventually it will come together when I find the right kind of song and of course the correct key for my voice.
Now I am always happy to give anything a go so I thought about getting myself some audio recording equipment to listen to myself and (mainly my guitar playing) see what it all sounds like. Hopefully then I can critically analyse my 'performance' and consequently improve. I don't want to spend a fortune so I simply thought of using a couple of mics attached to a small mixer unit and feeding it into a small cassette recorder. Basic I know but I should get an idea - what do you think? Or should I go for a reel to reel?
On a separate query I am also interested in learning more about antique guitars. Anyone know any good websites/ articles/ magazines/ books?
What did the guitarist do when he was told to turn on his amp?
He caressed it softly and told it that he loved it.
Hi Welshman
Re Recording
Recording ones playing can be a terrible yet rewarding thing.
I take it you have a computer :roll: Dowload Audacity (free) here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ get an adapter for you guitar cable from ehr, big to small, and plug it into your sound card. That should get you going for a while. If you try to record more tracks you may find that you need a better sound card in order to align the tracks properly - something to do with the latency of the sound card.
There is a forum for these things if you look a bit down on the index page. :arrow: :arrow:
good luck
lars
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
I take it you have a computer :roll: Dowload Audacity (free) here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ get an adapter for you guitar cable from ehr, big to small, and plug it into your sound card. That should get you going for a while.
Yea, Audacity is a really good program, so I agree. I've had no problems with it so far :D
I'll try it .. and thanks. Any suggestions for when I use my acoustic? At the risk of sounding like a technophobe - do I feed everything into the computer from my amp? Or should I get a tape of some kind and go the old-fashioned way?
D
What did the guitarist do when he was told to turn on his amp?
He caressed it softly and told it that he loved it.
I suggest a computer if budget is a constraint. You can set up an 'electric guitar' recording setup for about $5 if you already have a pc. For an accoustic you'll need a mic and a pre-amp. If you don't need a mixer you can get a basic mic + stand-alone pre-amp for $40. From there the sky and your wallet is the limit.
Hmm... I dont know about an acoustic. I have that same problem though. Ill try to find out.
if your acoustic is also electric you can get a DI box and go right into the computer.
Audacity works for starts. I eventually went to a more sophisticated software program. but Audacity I still use for some things.
Hi,
I've found that the most important thing about any recording device is convenience of use. I've downloaded various programs like Audacity (which seems excellent and is very popular) but I've never used them. :( I set them up, have a fiddle around, and that's as far as it goes. I just don't want to have to hook up to a computer every time I want to practice, or if I get an idea that I want to put down before I forget it.
A simple tape recorder that can be quickly used wherever you play may actually be a better bet - even though the sound may be a bit ordinary, and you can't do any fancy tricks on on - simply because it does get used. But that's very much a personal thing - a computer is fine for many people.
I'm still looking for another recorder. I have a good 8 track mixer/recorder which is theoretically ideal for the job, but I never seemed to use it. So this morning I've shifted it away from the computer and down to my main practice area, where I should use it more. I'm also looking out for something cheap, light and portable for more or less 'instant' use. Something that I can use quickly without worrying about sound quality or not being able to transfer it into a mixer or onto a computer.
I've started working on my singing now, and intend to start recording it to monitor progress. I thought I'd start by recording Happy Birthday - as it's one that I've already been singing for well over half a century, so I know the words and the tune. :wink:
Has anybody used one of these:
BEHRINGER UCG102 GUITAR USB INTERFACE
They seem to be an inexpensive option if they can do a reasonable job.
I'm also looking out for something cheap, light and portable for more or less 'instant' use. Something that I can use quickly without worrying about sound quality or not being able to transfer it into a mixer or onto a computer.
Hi Chris
I have (or rather my job has, but no one else uses it :roll: ) a Mini Disc recorder with an external stereo mic. Light and portable? yes, cheap? well... Easy to use and good sound quality. Maybe that's something to check out?
And I trust we will have Happy Birthday in the hear here forum soon ;)
lars
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
I have (or rather my job has, but no one else uses it :roll: ) a Mini Disc recorder with an external stereo mic. Light and portable? yes, cheap? well... Easy to use and good sound quality. Maybe that's something to check out?
Thanks Lars. I've seen them recommended before, and about 6 months ago I tried to get one here and couldn't find any for sale at all. :( They seemed to have completely vanished from the local shops. I've no idea why they disappeared so swiftly, but I might check the stores in our nearby city again and see if they ever got any back in. Australia is a fairly small market and my home State only has a couple of million people spread over a massive area, so sometimes they just don't bother to restock if demand isn't high enough.
I moved my other recorder this morning, so it's much more accessible now. It just remains to be seen how much I use it. :wink: I aim to put something in Hear Here before too much longer. I can't keep hiding behind these excuses... :oops:
This is the one I have now:
Not cheap, but it should do everything I need for a while yet. Its only drawback is that it needs to be connected to monitor speakers or an amp for playback. So not so good for quick recordings 'on the run'.
Cheers,
Chris
I've found that the most important thing about any recording device is convenience of use.
So true. I myself live in a 11m2 room, with everything always plugged in and cubase always running. If I have an idea I just hit record and am on my way. If you don't have a computer close or it takes too much time to get it going a simple tapedeck would indeed be preferable.
If I remember back I had a Tascam recorder and sure getting things down quick is a consideration. However I see no extra time in turning on a PC and turning on a tape recorder. The real benefit of a recording in a PC and using decent software is that you can edit the recording so easily and remove unwanted noise etc.
Bottom line for starters not essential but if you want to really record anything in a near professional quality the PC is the way to go. An audio interface, a mic and reasonable software and the sky is the limit. Anything ese is delaying the inevatable IMHO.
Gerry
Those who can't dance always blame the band.
My guitars and amps are kept in the same room as the computer, so if I'm ready to record something it doesn't take but a second to fire up Audacity.....sometimes I leave it running and forget it's on. and sometimes I get a pleasant surprise when I play it back! Amazing, sometimes, what you come up with when you're just messing about!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
If I remember back I had a Tascam recorder and sure getting things down quick is a consideration. However I see no extra time in turning on a PC and turning on a tape recorder.
Gerry
I know just what you mean. But for me it's not a matter of speed, it's an issue of actually doing it versus always meaning to record but never getting around to it. Sleutelbos and Vic sound like they have a good arrangement where the two things can live alongside each other. :) But it hasn't worked for me. I guess it's a personal thing that's partly due to the difficulty of putting my computer and the regular practice spot in the same place. But it's also partly down to my preference for operating knobs and levers rather than software menus and mice.
I've now shifted the recorder to a spot where I do play more often, with no distractions. It all gets turned on with the amp, so it's now just a matter of just pressing a button and recording. If I did need to massage anything on the computer I can load it in via a memory card reader. But there's not much I'd need to do that for at this stage - except tranferring to web space or burning to CD.
The proof will be in how many times I use it in the new arrangement. 8) But zero recordings in 6 months through the computer shouldn't be a hard target to beat. I still fancy having something 100% portable that I could slip into my pocket and use for singing practice, and quick ideas, rhythm patterns etc. There seem to be plenty of small memeory card based gadgets around that have voice recording capabilities, and built in music players, so I'll have to check them out. The quality is sure to be low, as they're meant for voice dictation, but it might be enough for rough stuff?? Anybody used one??
Cheers,
Chris
