What sort of home recording equipment should I get for my singing and playing the guitar?

Question

Hey everybody and hope you are having a great time for the festive period. I want so spend around three hundred pounds on something to record music at home, I obviously need a mic (I have ZERO experience in them) and either something like a 4 track or a soundcard (my PC is fast) to record tracks on, including, hopefully, to be able to cope when my mates come round to jam. I literally have no idea where to start but the songs are getting good and we need something to just get them down with, so they sound good enough for just myspace or something. I don't know, thanks guys and sorry I seem to be so inarticulate today.

Answer 1

I would recommend Cakewalk Homestudio software. I use it and it is very user-friendly. They even have software/hardware specific to guitar recording. A pretty penny though. I got my copy on eBay for less than $100. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Hi
is your pc general use home computer that your wife/kids/great aunt are going to muck about with? You might want to think about buying a cheap second pc.

The downers about PC recording: They have noisy fans in which can be picked up by your microphone. If you use an electric guitar like a fender strat then you can get pickup noise interferance if you sit next to a monitor.

However, the good side of PC's is that you can easily find software for mixing, recording, making drum loops, and get it onto cd's or the web very easily.

I've an Audigy Platinum card which has a front-of-pc interface card for plugging in instruments, midi cables, headphones etc. It's under a hundred pounds these days.

The alternative is a stand-alone digital recording device - the sort you get from Roland and Fostex. You can plug in multiple guitars and mics and use knobs and faders which are easier to manipulate real-time than software style ones. Some now have built in cd recorders, but you can always connect them to your pc and transfer the mixes.

I have a Roland VS880 which cost 1500 about 10 years ago, but tthese days you can buy them of Ebay for a fraction. Plus the latest ones around these days have a lot more bang for your buck. Yuk, what a horrible phrase!

Answer 3

You need a 4-track recorder (digital would be preferred, but analog works just fine. In terms of a PC, you may need some MIDI hookups. You'll need some mic's. If you're recording with an acoustic guitar, I would suggest at least 2 mic's for the axe alone (one to attach to body or even put in the sound hole and one set up a few feet away to catch the sound that spreads, maybe even a third one set up even further away for a nice reverb echo effect). I would also getsome acoustic foam to line the walls of your recording studio/room. This way no sound will enter the room that you don't want and no sound will escape the room and be lost. You can even pick some up by the foot at like Home Depot or something. Line the bass drum on the set with foil and set the mic up real close to it (this was a technique used by John Bonham of Led Zeppelin; case in point songs like "Kashmir" and "When the Levee Breaks"; listen to the full reverbed sound of the bass drum, it's pretty f'n sweet). A light or indicator of sorts set up outside the door of your studio can't hurt either. This way, no one will interrupt your sessions. Personally, I don't to like to externally mic the amps. I plug right into the board, but that's for more of like a punk/thrash sound. My favorite store to shop at is Sam Ash. They got the goods, bro. If you don't have one near you, you can go online to shop.

Answer 4

£300 is not a lot I'm afraid but I know what its like not be a millionaire,,,
I play and record acoustic guitar on and off, I started with a 4track fostex much like everyone else around me in the eighties....
But if your acoustic and vocal the mike is everything.
I spent 250 on mine second hand and that is not a lot.
As for pc I record into laptops sound card via input and use windows movie it's crap but ok just.
Sometimes I go in via a pod (£100 second hand or less) but you
might need a pre-amp some mikes come with a built in pre-amp.
I also have external sound card (sound blaster) cheap but good enough with multiple i/o's.
Once you have a recording on file with movie maker you can get a home studio recording software pckg mine is Home Studio and it was £90.
drop me an e if you want more info
Keep at it, merry xmas

Answer 5

Not sure, but what's your bands name, I wanna look out for them in the future!
Good luck with it all :D

Answer 6

stupid