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Post by grampalerxst on Jan 24, 2014 5:36:32 GMT -6
I would like to find a simple, inexpensive way to periodically record my playing as a way of logging progress. A number of years ago I had a desktop PC with an upgraded soundcard that had a nice audio interface I could plug into and record right on the computer. That computer died and now I have a laptop that only has USB interfaces. I don't currently have any standalone recording devices. I can connect my POD via USB, but the only way to get anything to work is by configuring the computer to use the POD as the "sound card", and that seems to be a flaky setup (I've got the Windows 8 equivalent of the blue screen of death a couple times). i downloaded an audio program called Reaper that I can evaluate for free for 60 days, but it's pretty comprehensive and intimidating in it's complexity. The thought of making it work with the POD is daunting. The main thing I'd like to do is take an mp3 or wave file (e.g., the BYCU backing tracks) and record/copy it in stereo as a bed track pair and be able to add a stereo guitar signal on top, capture that as well, and then convert to .mp3 or .wav without it being a big production. I'd like the sound quality to be decent, but it doesn't need to be "professional" as this is just a scratchpad for me to be able to monitor my playing over time (and possibly share with folks here). I'm not really interested in adding video at this time. Anyone have any suggestions. I'm not broke but on a fairly tight budget. Retirement i looming and I'm working in the trade space of today's guitar toys versus tomorrow's grocery and utility bills.  |
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Post by GnLguy on Jan 24, 2014 7:44:57 GMT -6
Kristal Audio Engine is an open source recording package that has been available for a while. I've never tried it but from what I've read, it may do what you are hoping to accomplish www.kreatives.org/kristal/ |
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Post by matonanjin on Jan 24, 2014 10:14:03 GMT -6
First, grampalerxst, let me say that recording yourself is a great way of documenting your progress. Depressing, but definitely helpful. I have thought some things sounded pretty good until I recorded it and listened to it played back. It's a great way of hearing some areas that need work. The unfortunate reality is that what ever route you go is going to require a certain investment in time to learn the process. Reaper is intimidating at first blush. But it is nearly the standard for those of us that don't want to go to the expense or learning curve of Protools. Here is a book that I bought to learn Reaper called Home Recording for Beginners. As its name would suggest it is for us newbies. It is set up loosely as lesson per day to learn Reaper in 30 days. And here is a Reaper Forum. That link takes you directly to the "Newbieland" sub-forum. I have found people there pretty helpful and tolerant of my stupid questions. And Reaper will allow you to evaluate it for 60 days. But after 60 days it doesn't shut off. It just keeps nagging you. I first got it in April of 2012. I got my copy with the home recording book. Then I sort of lost interest in recording for many months. When I fired it up lately that year it still ran. I did buy it and believe if you use it you should do so. But strictly speaking it will allow you more time to learn it than just a couple months. I use a usb interface a Behringer GUITAR LINK UCG102. I believe I spent around $40 on ebay. I did run into a couple issues with its driver and getting it setup. This interface and Reaper will allow you to do exactly what you described and is exactly how I use it. And it will allow to do so for not a lot of cash investment. Being in retirement I also hate it when groceries and such interfere with my guitar toys purchases!!  Good luck. |
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Post by Marc on Jan 24, 2014 11:49:36 GMT -6
Recording can be a lot of fun and suck up all your time too. I have a few computers, I also work in IT as a linux admin so I’ve got all kinds of junk laying around. that's another story for another time. My desktop has the built in sound card, I purchased an EMU 0404 PCI card 7 years ago i still use sometimes. I also picked up a Tascam US100 off craigslist for $20 I use it the most, it's just easy. I can also take it form computer to computer pretty easy. tascam.com/product/us-100/I have an old errr vintage Portastudio 414 that used audio cassette tapes (remember those things). You can pick them up pretty cheap any more. this is my 2nd unit, i got it for $50 off ebay. I like to be away form the computer sometimes so this allows me to do just that. Reaper is really pretty good, and I’ve hear good things about kristal as well. I have old version of the LE or 'light versions' of cakewalk and cubase. I also picked up Magix Music Creater many years ago. Magix was my first prgorm i recorded with. It does not matter what you use, most of the time the features in those programs are going to far exceed what your doing. there is a bit of a learning curve in any of them. download install and try out. You can defiantly do it on the cheap. I'm always son a shoe string budget for music. |
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Post by grampalerxst on Jan 24, 2014 15:00:40 GMT -6
Well, I managed to have some degree of success getting my pod and reaper to talk together. I guess now all I have to do is download the mp3 backing tracks and I'll be all set. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check out the Kristal Audio in case I decide I don't want to pay the $60 for reaper. So far I'm not 100% pleased with how reaper is working (I'm sure it's some sort of cockpit error), but it'll do the job in the short run. Thanks again.
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Post by nursedad on Jan 24, 2014 16:29:32 GMT -6
Recording for me is really easy I have Fenders Mustang III amp and recording is as easy as a usb connection from the amp to my computer running Audacity. I open the backing track in Audacity and hit record which plays the track and records what ever it is I am trying to do then once i have take I like I export to mp3 it is that easy.
I posted this in Double Stop stomp before I saw this thread so please forgive the double post
Audacity btw is open source ie free.
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Post by Phil on Jan 26, 2014 4:53:01 GMT -6
Recording for me is really easy I have Fenders Mustang III amp and recording is as easy as a usb connection from the amp to my computer running Audacity. I open the backing track in Audacity and hit record which plays the track and records what ever it is I am trying to do then once i have take I like I export to mp3 it is that easy. I posted this in Double Stop stomp before I saw this thread so please forgive the double post Audacity btw is open source ie free. This is the same thing I used to record "Minor Blues" except I have a Mustang I. Recording was a breeze, but I still have a lot of playing around to do to get the sound I want. The sound I get through the amp is significantly different than through the computer via the USB. |
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Post by grampalerxst on Jan 26, 2014 6:10:52 GMT -6
I'm not familiar with Fender Mustang amps, but the power stage of the amp and the speaker/cabinet will modify the tone coming out of the preamp. Depending on what exactly they're putting on the USB, that could be the difference in what the amp puts into the room and what the USB interface sends to the computer.
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Post by Phil on Jan 26, 2014 13:51:31 GMT -6
Grampa,
This recording stuff is driving me to drink (like I need an excuse). I've spent this whole weekend fooling around with this stuff. I just downloaded an updated version of Audacity and now I can't record anything! I'll figure it out eventually, but it's frustrating.
Anyway, are you using one of those USB interfaces? I'm behind the curve on this stuff, but I'm learning a lot this weekend. Of course this is taking away from my practice time, plus my wife keeps pestering me with foolishness like, "When are you going to fix the (insert whatever is broken here)that you've been promising for the past 4 months." Jeez, doesn't she know anything about priorities?
It appears that I need a USB interface to use the Amplitube software that came with my amp. My amp's interface won't work it with it. Apparently, Fender packaged Amplitube with the amp even though they don't work together. It's nice that they included this software, but it would have also been nice if they had said up front that I need a separate USB interface to use the software.
I'm sorry this is getting so long, but can you recommend a cheap USB interface?
Thanks,
Phil
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