Getting Started!, Advice on what equipment to buy Options

[jekeputz]

I'm getting an Imac, plenty of power. I have logic express. I sing and play guitar and want to record songs.

I know nothing about what else I need to plug mic and guitar into computer.

I know I know, I'm clueless! Can someone tell me very simply what I need to get going

eg microphone, and.....?

Thanks,

[Mac Daddy]

jekeputz,

"Just Getting Started".

{ I'm getting an Imac, plenty of power. I have logic express. I sing and play guitar and want to record songs.

I know nothing about what else I need to plug mic and guitar into computer. I know I know, I'm clueless! Can someone tell me very simply what I need to get going eg microphone, and.....? Thanks}

Congratulations. jekeputz. Logic Express is a very good choice and will easily handle many Tracks of Vocals and Guitar.We know how excited you are to get started, but we don't want you to make mistakes making bad purchases. The next most important part is getting a "good" Interface and Sound Card. Each has his or her favorite, it also depends on you budget. There are many good "Unbiased" Reviews from (soundonsound.com)

Get an External Hard Drive to store your Guitar and Vocals. 250-500 GB.

I am partial to DI (DIRECT IN) as it eliminates the need for a Guitar Amp and Microphone and also 'Hum'. The are some very good Set-Ups for guitar, Native Instrument 'Guitar Rig' and Line 6 has affordable Hardware to handle all your Amp Choices for years to come. If your playing an Acoustic, more adjustments have to be taken into account., Microphone, Pick-Up, Electic Acoustic....

You will also need a Good Vocal Microphone. Vocal Microphones can range from insanely cheap to stupidly expensive. I am going to say a decent 'Entry Level' Microphone that has obtain a good reputation for a "Quaily Sound" is an Rode. See (soundonsound.com/review).

Where are you RECORDING Vocals? Can you control your "Environment"? Will we hear the next door neighbors dog barking on your recordings, airplanes, sirens, washing machine?

Take your time. You have plenty of time. Music will always be here waiting for you, have fun, the learning curve can be eased if you know someone who has Logic Express of take a course/tour/test at your local Mac Retailer. Many have Music Sections now. And it's free, just tell them you are thinking about buying it but "How Does It Work"? There are also some great DVD... I think it's called Mac Pro Video????

First... Good Interface and Sound Card.... Oh, yes, "Learn to play and sing".

Good Luck.

[azkid]

Ditto, What Mac Daddy said, he's been very gracious (and I hope), friend of mine!

You haven't told us anything about budget, nor your existing equipment... but please do? I also sing and play guitar, so I do believe that I understand a little about your options...

So if I may ask, what kind of guitar? Acoustic, or, electric? And! I will "give it up" to Rode microphones,... Their is no better, but if you're on a budget,...

The Shure SM 58 is the classic standby... warm, responsive, rich,... It does my voice very well!
If you've two channels to record,.. guitar & vocal,... the options are many.

Welcome, and rest easy,... YOUR music will come. There are many options to getting it into your iMac

What will you do with the recordings?

[mortalengines]

I agree with azkid and MacDaddy on the microphone choices and also there are a couple of other good cheap microphones you may want to consider as well: MXL makes some great microphones as well as the Blue Ball and several mics made by Oktava....it all gets down to what you need them for. The ones I mentioned need phantom power so you would need to find a cheap pre amp or interface with it. As interfaces go.....If I wanted to go fairly inexpensive...I would consider the Line 6 Gearbox as it is cheap and has some nice goodies thrown in for good measure (there are also some nice effects available that can be used as plug ins for an inexpensive upgrade). Hope this helps!

www.myspace.com/mortal_engines

[Mac Daddy]

mortalengines, azkid and all, we know the dreams, hopes and problems associated with "Getting Started" we want to start "Yesterday". I would hate to see anyone make bad purchases or ones you probably won't even use! I have thousands of Euros of such Software taking massive amounts of Memory... Just sitting there.... Sigh....

This is what a German Technician, who used to travel around the Planet setting up Recording Studios, I'm not going to name drop, but for the best Recording Tape Machines. Digital music put him out of the Tape Machine business, mostly, he still travels the world tweaking and fixing.... "Damn, he's rich"!

My, point... I know, I digress, too much... Hans, said: "Never change an functioning operating system". I could not remember why I did not become attracted to all the "New Stuff" coming out everyday... It was the words of my very first "Technician". He built my very first "Studio"... Didn't cost much. He was doing it more of a gift... I still paid him for his many visits.

I began expanding my Hard and Software and began having the music retailers visit my home/studio and put it together. Today, finally, with the exception of several really expensive pieces of Hardware and Software (Drawmer, Neve, SPL, Avalon, Waves, T.C. Electronic, etc., etc.) I'm happy, however, a Member of 440 I have been working with, is going to visit from Paris and "Optimize" my G5!!!

I'm really changing in my old age... I used to get excited about, girls, parties, drugs and gigs, now it's getting my computer "Optimized".... Sigh...

In closing, we really can't help the "New First Time Systems" by giving advice. We can only "Guess". I would love to enter the Computer Music World today. It's great. It seems to work well and at a more affordable price than when I began putting my Studio together... Hardware has remained expensive and not much has changed.

mortalengines, I was happy to hear you like Line 6 too. I really hate "Hum". There is no need for it in todays Recorded Music... It's shouldn't even be on Stage... Hate it... Digressing...

[deaconblue]

jekeputz,

I'll add my 2¢ to the bucket...

First I agree with Mac Daddy on his assessment and advice. If you have already maxed out the RAM on your iMac, then jump in with a good, fast FireWire hard drive to store your audio files on. First it'll keep you from losing them in case your system goes awry and you need to 'nuke and install' it to recover. BUT, make sure you back up regularly. I usually burn the raw project files (Logic, Logic Express, DP and Garage Band project folders) to DVDs so that you have at least a redundant copy of your work. The old joke of "they keep telling me to back up my hard drive, but I can't seem to find the reverse switch" is funny until your project has gone missing and you were up to the mixing/mastering stage...

As for an interface to get your stuff into the iMac, depends on your budget (Ed-Zachary azkid!!). You can go for fairly inexpensive (M-Audio USB Mobile Pre ≈ $149 US) to mid-range (MOTU 828mkII ≈ $750 US) to extremely high end (DigiHD system ≈$3k US). I have personally used the M-Audio USB Pre, the Alesis io|26 and the MOTU 828 (mk I) ad have had really good results with all three. I like the 828 for my non-mobile studio and it has a good clean sound, but prefer some tube on the mic pre's to give 'em some warmth. The M-Audio is one of my favorites for mobile work for the sheer minimal size and good sound quality I have been able to get out of it. However, I would also say that if I were making a first purchase these days I'd be very tempted to look at a Mackie or Alesis system with a built in DAW control surface and FireWire recording interface to have it "all in one" or at least pretty close to it.

For mics, I use a few different ones and again I think azkid has hit the nail on the head with the question of what kind of guitar are you recording? If you are doing an electric, I think Mac Daddy is on the track with a DI solution to get rid of a need to acoustically treat your room and go direct. That leaves you a slew of options from the V-Amp (a little noisy and a wee bit limited) to the POD Pro or straight Tech 21 SansAmp DI or various other "amps/effects in a box' solutions including software rigs (Amplitube and NI come to mind). As well as the Line 6 Gearbox suggestion from mortalengines. Excellent choice for the money.

However, for vocals and acoustic guitar, you'll need to be mindful of where you are recording. But, then I'd recommend a good medium to large diaphragm condenser mic. The Oktava 219 is good for the money (≈$140 US), but the MXL Marshall 990 has shown to be a really sweet mic for the money (≈$60 US). But Blue Mics have a good choice for under $100 US. Musician's Friend actually has a bundle sale on right now for an M-Audio mic pre and two MXL condenser mics for about $140, a small diaphragm and large diaphragm mic pack for vocals and acoustic guitar.

Lots of choices out there and, luckily, lots of great help from the members of this forum. I know I have gleaned plenty from these fine people over the years.

Hope that helps. Please post back if we have muddied the waters for you or if you have complete clarity as well. Either way, you have the best pipeline to help available.

peace.

[muziker]

You might also log on to ww.audiomidi.com when it comes to gear. They have a ton of information, reviews, spotlights, and comments about all kinds of gear and software. A very good resource - and they also have good prices. Their sales staff is very knowledgable and can help out with just about any question you might have.