Creating a laptop based studio on a budget: best options?

[mortigitempo]

Hello everyone! Out of all the recording sites I've seen, this one so far has been so far the most helpful by far, just skimming through the forums and articles, and you all seem very knowledgeable. I hope someone can help me with this specific question, even if you get them all the time :P

So I'm basically a newb, who has used a multitrack recorder (Zoom HD8) to record my one man band (I play all the instruments one at a time overdubbing) for about the last 7 or 8 months. Audio quality is mostly acceptable, but I want to move to a computer based studio because I've heard there is much more "potential." Doing early research though, I'm pretty intimidated by it all because it seems much more complicated than just the "plug in and record" way im doing things now.

Basically, I have about 1400$ to spend right now. I already have an Audio Technica at2020 mic, a Yamaha DTXplorer electric kit, a microkorg, and some cheapy cables, along with all the other instruments. THe style of music I'm recording is heavily influenced by shoegaze/dreampop from the early 90's, only reason i mention that is cuz i need some good quality guitar effects, mostly delay and reverb.

So how should I allocate that money? Should I buy a very powerful computer, but spend less on the interface? Which is more important?

As well, for a small home studio, and for someone like myself who doesn't need crazy features, just dependabilty, great sound quality, great effects and some growth potential, which interfaces should I consider, and what features are most important? I hear MOTU is good, as well as the Konnekt4D, but the guy at the store told me i should buy the Tascam US1641.

Is there anything other than a computer and an interface that I'll need?

thanks in advance for some answers guys!

[mortigitempo]

anyone wanna give me a hand or should I try a different site... or some commission making biased salesperson?

[richiebee]

In addition to the computer and interface, you'll need software. You could find an interface that comes bundled with a sequencer, and it may suit you fine, or at least get you started. For your kind of music, I'd recommend you look at Cubase or Sonar if you're a PC user or Logic if you're a Mac user.

Your budget won't buy a great laptop. Do you even need a laptop? A desktop computer will give you much better value for money and better feature set. How would you feel about building your own computer? Look down the road... how do you see your computer use? Someone who makes extensive use of Virtual Instruments has different needs to someone who just records acoustic instruments. How are your drum sounds? Do you see them being replaced with high quality samples? If so, you'll need a high spec'd computer. Think carefully before buying a machine with Vista. While its true that some musicians are running smoothly with it, many are not. If you can find a machine with XP, or set up an XP partition, then you'll probably be in for a better time. Of course if you're a Mac person, then stick with OSX! Do you know much about computers? Do you feel comfortable picking one out? We can talk features and specs depending on what you're looking to do with the computer.

With the interface, you'll find most of those sold by music stores in the budget range are in a similar quality. You mention MOTU, but if you need to include that computer in your budget, it won't stretch to anything MOTU. If you get a computer with firewire, consider the Focusrite Saffire LE. It has four inputs, including two on XLR with mic pre-amps and phantom power. Tascam has notoriously bad customer service, and they're stuff is just mediocre in quality. The Konnekt is in the same kind of league as the Saffire. Probably even made in the same factory.

Pretty much all interfaces are of decent audio quality, its build quality that really differs at the budget end. I would avoid consumer stuff too (SoundBlaster etc), because the needs of a gamer are different to those of a musician.

[mortigitempo]

hmm alot to think about. Well thanks to christmas, and the fact that I myself am on commission in a retail environment and had a good last couple days, I think my budget just increased by quite a few hundred dollars

The reason I was considering a laptop was due to portability. If even I want to bring my "studio" on the road to a buddies house or whatever, it would be difficult to do with a desktop. The laptop will be almost entirely dedicated to recording. What would be the advantage of building my own computer, what would it cost and where could I get it done? So do you think if i'm to buy a new computer I should spend the extra couple hundred and get a mac? And my final computer question... all the better interfaces need firewire, so why are macs the only laptops that have firewire inputs that i can find!

virtual instruments I might use occaisionally but not frequently. Virtual effects I will use all the time. I will definately be using high quality samples at some point, a la BFD, etc through MIDI with my drumkit.

And yes, about the interfaces, this is exactly what I keep hearing. So based on your reply, it seems I should put more of my budget into the computer and software portion than I should into the interface. I will look into the Saffire.

Thanks so much for your help!