Help getting started

[Psychocream]

Hey,

New on here , just wanted some advice on equipment. I'm wanting to start recording some music at home. I've got a copy of Cubase SX 3. As a drummer I have my own kit and a couple of mics. got a keyboard with midi in/out, my friends have guitars and amps and that so if i got them in to play thats that covered.

So what do I need to get recording I know I need some kind of mixer and interface, possibly a new sound card as well. Not really wanting to record like abbey road! but of-course I want to get a good sound, i am a student on a budget. Been reading into the various aspects of recording, like setting up the room, mic techniques ect ect. So what do I need guys.

[tacman7]

New cards are really great, lot better than the 'old' days.

You don't need a mixer if you get an interface with enough inputs and outputs.

You have to choose PCI, Firewire, or USB.

Audio Interfaces | Sweetwater.com

Also good info up on the right.

[Psychocream]

so if i got a inferface I can put my mics/amps ect in through there and mix it directly on the comp ?

Is there much of a quality difference between PCI, Firewire, or USB?

And would a usb mixer work in place of an interface ?

My sound card is some realtek high definition audio thing.

[jagcmos]

Originally Posted by Psychocream

so if i got a inferface I can put my mics/amps ect in through there and mix it directly on the comp ?

Yes. Almost all daws contain a gui mixing console.
Many interfaces come with a free daw like cubase and protools. The free copies have some limitations, but for the beginner, more than enough tracks and effects.

Is there much of a quality difference between PCI, Firewire, or USB?

No difference in quality. Data is data.
The difference is in real not theoretical data transfer speed.

And would a usb mixer work in place of an interface ?

Yes, but be warned that a lot of them (lower priced) don't actually allow you to record each input separately, but only send a mixed 2 channel stereo signal to the computer.
Read the on-line information closely, and contact the manufacturer for details.

My sound card is some realtek high definition audio thing.

A lot of people on this forum record with the realtek card, but most end up installing a freeware program called ASIO4ALL to replace the default driver and reduce latency.
You will be stuck with recording a single track at a time and utilizing the multi-tracking capability of your daw.

[Psychocream]

so i wouldn't be able to use a seperate track for each drum with this sound card ?

[jagcmos]

Originally Posted by Psychocream

so i wouldn't be able to use a seperate track for each drum with this sound card ?

Yes. You will be able to use a separate track for each drum, but your realtek card only has a single mono input, some are stereo,
and this would require you to record the drums one at a time unless you use a external analog mixer.

[Psychocream]

so how would i do this then,

lets say i have a kick mic, snare, 3 toms and 2 overheads, i plug them all into there own inputs on an audio interface. is it then just one connection from my inferface to the comp? Or multiple? And my card wouldn't let me record all the drums at once on seperate tracks without going mics > mixer > inferface > comp ?

[jagcmos]

Originally Posted by Psychocream

so how would i do this then,

lets say i have a kick mic, snare, 3 toms and 2 overheads, i plug them all into there own inputs on an audio interface. is it then just one connection from my inferface to the comp? Or multiple? And my card wouldn't let me record all the drums at once on seperate tracks without going mics > mixer > inferface > comp ?

In this case, if you purchase a interface that has at least 7 mic inputs and plug each mic into its own input,
the interface would let you record all drums at once and send all inputs to the computer to be recorded via a single data cable/connection.

[Psychocream]

and i'd be able to set each input as a separate track on cubase ?

[jagcmos]

Originally Posted by Psychocream

and i'd be able to set each input as a separate track on cubase ?

Yes. You will be able to set each input as a separate track on cubase.

Disclaimer - Most audio interfaces send a separate signal to the computer for each input, but certain interfaces, especially usb mixers, do not.
They only send a mixed 2 channel stereo signal of all the inputs to the computer.

Read the product manuals on their website carefully and contact the manufacturer if you're not sure.