Re: [Harp-L] Recording setups

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"G. E. Popenoe" wrote:

<I'm thinking of buying computer and software for composing and  
<recording.
<
<I have the notion to buy an I Mac with the latest operating system and  
<something like Protools LE with a basic M Audio interface.
<
<It is not my objective to have a full recording studio. At most, I may  
<record myself and one other player.
<
<Mainly, I want to be able to record and share files with singer  
<songwriters and other players.

Gary,

First, let me note that PCs with AMD Athlon x2 3800+ processors, plenty of horsepower for what you have in mind, can now be purchased from tigerdirect.com for about $250--so if you don't need a laptop for the mobility, a PC tower is almost certainly the least expensive way to go.

Second, if you want to buy a Mac, why don't you try Garageband first before you lay out for more stuff?  Garageband is a very capable program, it's built-in to the new Macs, and the files it produces are compatible with Logic, an even more capable program that offers upgrades in functionality in several steps.

You didn't mention whether you were going to do much with MIDI and soft synths.  If the answer is yes, then the path through Garageband to Logic is almost certainly a better choice than ProTools.  

If you're planning to record and edit the vast majority of your stuff as audio, ProTools may make better sense.  I'd recommend that you get a demo and check it out.  

For the audio interface, just ask yourself how many tracks you plan to record at once.  If you only plan to record voice and guitar simultaneously, a stereo-in stereo-out interface will do it.  If you want to record a full band with drums, you need 8 ins and outs minimum.  (I'm in the former camp, and all my work is done on a 2-in 2-out interface.  A good interface at that level runs from $100-$150, and many of the available interfaces ship with decent recording software such as Cubase LE or Sonar LE.) 

In any case, your needs are pretty simple, and you should be able to make a good choice for a modest outlay.  In fact, it's a lot harder to make a bad choice nowadays than a good one.  All of the top digital audio workstations (DAWs) (such as cubase, logic, SONAR, protools, etc.) are extremely potent tools for making music, and all of them offer packages that begin with the basics and move up to deluxe versions with everything a pro composer and producer could want and then some. 

Don't forget to leave room in your budget for a decent mic or two and maybe a preamp, if you don't have those already.

Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com
latest mp3s always at http://broadjam.com/rhunter