What do i need to start recording on my PC?

[headhunter]

I have a p4, windows xp pro edition, 17´ monitor, 128MB RAM, 2x40GB HD, and a soundcard that came with the pc (don´t know the name)



I´m planning to use cubase/logic and Reason 2.0 plus various softsynths. I have a few hardwaresynths that i would like to integrate into the system and hopefully record vocals as well.



What is the next step? Besides getting the aforementioned software, i guess i should also invest in a good soundcard. But there are just so many! How many I/O , which brand? etc..



Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanx

 

[lowjk]

>> I have a p4, windows xp pro edition, 17´ monitor, 128MB RAM



RAM not enuff for Cubase and Reason. Up it to 512MB or even 1024MB.



>> 2x40GB HD



Consider 15,0000 RPM SCSI HD if you are recording a lot of track or going for 24bit 96khz recording. If not, make sure you are using 7,200 rpm EIDE ATA 100 or 133 drives.



>> and a soundcard that came with the pc (don´t know the name)



You can use this for simple recording. Using this with CUBASE or REASON without ASIO drivers will drive you to tears.



So buy a decent soundcard. The no of input/output depends on you. You may wish to consider since M-audio series which have a good write up. This also brings me to ....



>> I have a few hardwaresynths that i would like to integrate into the system and hopefully record vocals as well.



Then you will need a 8x8 Midi Interface.

M-audio has one.

So does Steinberg. You may wish to go for Steinberg because you will be able to make use of the LTB with Steinberg Cubase5.x/ SX for tighter timing.



(let me know if you are getting one. I´m itching to buy one too.)



jk





<font size=-1>[ Edited by lowjk On Date _MONTHDATETIME ]</font>

 

[Cheez]

I agree with LowJK. You more RAM you have the better, especially if you´re going to use multiple softsynth plug-ins. You will find yourself running out of RAM very quickly if you record a few tracks AND running plug-ins at the same time. Windows XP itself eats up a lot of RAM. 1GB and above will be safe.



Why Cubase and Logic on the same machine? You only need one since they are duplicating each other. My DAW has only the bare essentials - keeps everything running as stable and as fast as possible.



As for MIDI interface, Steinberg´s interfaces (MIDEX may have an advantage if you´re using Cubase due to LTB, as suggested by LowJK. MOTU is pretty good too. If you´re going for Logic, then emagic´s AMT8 may have the advantage of tighter MIDI timing. I have a dislike for USB MIDI interfaces basically because of poor latency issues. This may not be a problem now as it was in the past particularly if your CPU is fast, but I still stay clear of USB just in case. This is only my personal preference (in fact, I disable all my USB ports as well as all unused PCI slots in the bios - you´ll be surprised how much CPU resources that frees up!).



Hard drives - SCSI is the best if you have the money. Go for U160 or U320 SCSI controllers. If you´re on budget, a fast 7200rpm IDE should be enough. Just make sure that the HD for recording is dedicated for just that use; Windows and all other programs should be installed on one HD other than the one for recording. Looks like you´ve already got your HD. If not, check the website for the specs of the HD you want to get. Different drives with the same rpm perform differently. What you really want to know is the write and seek time - the lower the better.



Soundcards - M-audio is good, as recommended. You really want to make sure the card has the IOs you need. I´ve no experience with M-audio, but I´ve been using Echo for many years with good results - very low noise, very low latency, multi-client (can use more than one audio application at the same time). Echo Mia may be worth a look - 4 analog IOs (8 virtual audio outputs), S/PDIF IO, 24/96 , relatively cheap. Swizer in Singapore sells it; otherwise check out Ebay. I get some of my stuffs there really cheap.



One issue you want to ponder upon, particularly if you´re going to record vocals, is the problem of noise. Some HD are noisier than others. 2 hard-drives, CPU and casing fans etc creates quite an amount of noise and can be a problem if you´re recording vocals. My machine sounds like an aeroplane every time I turn it on (CPU fan, casing fan, 1 IDE drive, 2 SCSI drives, 2 drive cooling fans). I´m open to suggestions...

Oh, by the way, what is your budget?

<font size=-1>[ Edited by Cheez On Date _MONTHDATETIME ]</font>

 

[jogn]

Why are you using winXP? WinXP supposedly the successor of all the windows Oses is prone to dying. Try win2k for a more stable environment.

Pump up ram - 512 SDram costs are at 132. If you can wait, m-audio premiered their firewire external soundcard with 4 ins and 10 outs. Supposedly they totally slashed their price on that as well, so you could be looking at a sub 1K firewire solution. Also, they´re now selling their USB2.0 soundcard based on the 2496 audiophile at musikmesse. That´ll be at 480 Mbps theoretical. Cable noise will screw that and most mobos should be on 1.1 including most laptops, so you need to check that out.

Soft synth wise, any problems with CPU usage will mean it´s time to bounce down to audio. I´m saying this because Reason is going to suck your PC dry, if you´re thinking of jamming along to it. I do get audio artifacts when some windowing operation occurs as i alt-tab.

I personally feel that the choke point will be the soundcard and the monitor speakers. Crap latency will kill the fun and if like me, you´re using computer speakers a la quake crushing altec lansings, you´d eventually be wanting some proper monitors.

 

[Cheez]

Serial ATA may be the way to go. SATA 2 is coming out soon.



Check out this link to western digital SATA drive:

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/WD360GD.asp



10000rpm at a third of the cost of SCSI! 5.2ms seek time! Lets hope that the storage capacity will increase.