Newbie At The Start Point.., What looking for the start! Options

[flutejb]

Today i've received my FIRST mac, a great powerbook 12" 1,5 Ghz.
I'm a classical music musician and i'd like to rec my performance with a good quality...
So, i think i should buy an external HD, i thought for LaCie 100Gb.
But i absolutely don't know nothing about mic and ampli (or pre-ampli, i don't know the difference too..).
Can you help me? i would like to spend at max about 150-200 euro (200-250 $).
Who are so kindly to help me?
Thanks for your help

jb

[lepetitmartien]

What's your instrument ? It's important to know for a mic choice. It's a flute?

You may me able to start without the external drive (only a mono or stereo could work with the internal) and maybe see that later. Note it may hiccups on recording/playback with only this too, so the drive is the safety route.

No problem wit the LaCie. But any external drive using an oxford bridge in Firewire will do.

You can buy relatively good mics for about 150€ but you'll need a decent pre with it. At first look for the pre on the interface you'll use. It's a bit tight on the budget to do better. But you'll can always buy better mic/pre later.

Also, how much RAM have you got in the powerbook?

[flutejb]

yah! i play flute and my mac is a PB 12" with 512 MB and 80 GB, 1.5 Ghz.. what can you say for microphone and pre-ampli brands?
My mac seller told me about Imic..but.. are good? and, why i need a pre-ampli and not an amply too?
sorry, i'm really newbie in musical recording and i'd like to get the best from my new mac.. as my finance can..
thank you very much

[justd]

Hi Flutejb,
I think best is to walk to the next musicstore and ask what's best for your flute. I wouldn't use a Imic. Mac is good but far away with their equipment from recording standards.
deejay

[flutejb]

Thank you.
They told me i need usb microphone and a preampli. Can you indicate me one?
Thank you

[nickdaum]

I'm a newbie too (*the* clueless newbie) but I have a couple of advices:
* you probably don't need right now an external HD, 80GB is a good start;
* when you get one take good care it's silent, some are noisier than a desktop UC; it should have no fan;
* take a FireWire one, 7200 rpm; IMO which the vendor makes little difference;
* the other folks may be more savvy than I am but why don't get a mobile audio interface such as the M-Audio ones?
http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=produc...obileinterfaces

It takes care of the usual weak link in the system: the A/D, D/A conversion. If you use a USB microphone you rely on the built-in converter of the computer which can't be as good as a professional one, although the Mac ones have a fairly good reputation.
I own the FW Solo model. It delivers the best sound I ever plugged on my amp, which is pretty good.
It has 2 connections: one XLR for a mike with phantom power, and one 1/4" for an electric instrument such as a guitar. It means you have all the choice of professional hardware to plug into it. If you go to a studio or any other professional environment to can use their mike instead of being obliged to install your own.

HTH

Nick

[lepetitmartien]

On a USB microphone the converters are in the mic, not in the mac USB don't handle analogue signals just digital data.

flutejb, iMic is crap, it's only en entry solution for no $ newbie and you need some $$ software to get the most of it (a dedicated driver). You'd better off looking for a decent USB or small FW interface. when you'll need better preamps, you'll can always buy a better pre and plug it in the line ins of the interface.

I don't have experience with flutes so I don't have the right mic for you. But there's great mics in the 150$ range. I'd like someone with better clues to answer on this.

[gonechan]

hi flutejb

well ,a flute is not a very easy instrument to mic ,and of course the final sound will depend on this.since your budget is tight ,i think a good choice mic would be a shure SM57(around 70euros) ,this mic is a very good investment because of it's versatily and durability.then you'll need a preamp ,well you could look into de 'mic 100' series of Behringer(about 40~50 euros i reckon),these preamps are not exellent ,but they do their job well enough for the price tag.then the best would be to get a small audio interface like the low range M-Audio ones.maybe with 250~300euros you'll get the whole rig.,second hand gear is always a good choice.
now to mic the flute ,you'll have to experiment a bit ,a shure way to do it is to point the mic towards the mouth piece(is it called that way??) but not too close ,i think that 20cm is around the minimum distance ,then try different angles ,different positions in the room you're planning on record into ,even different rooms.
good luck!