Confused newbie - help needed!!

> > > Confused newbie - help needed!!

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Member Since: Feb 12, 2006

I've rediscovered my youth, dusted off the guitars and really gotten into computer based recording, thanks to an underpowered iBook 600mHz running Garageband 2! I cant afford a new Mac system but would like to get me pc set-up to achieve the same kind of resuts. At the moent I am taking free (?) midi files off the net and remixing them in GB2, assigning great sounding software instruments to the midi tracks and mixing down to use as backing tracks.

My current pc set up cant reproduce these greats sounding software instruments in GB2 - I'm presuming this is to do with the soundcard. Will the following solve my problem:-

- upgrade soundcard, if so any suggestions?
- software - I like the look on Traktion 2 anmd the package comes bundled with Sampletank etc which looks great value

Will this get me the same kinda results as GB2?

Jools

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Kaos is only a form of insanity
Member
Since: Feb 03, 2005

Feb 12, 2006 07:33 am

hi jools and wlcome to HRC

you will find that there are a whole different array of soundcards and it will depend on what you are looking to record.

for example will you be doing just solo work or looking to record a number of intruments a the same time?, drums for example.

There are a lot of people here who use 2 input sound cards and those who use multi inputs so you will get some varying answers.

If you search the forums you will find a whole list of info regarding this question.

You could for example use the ESI juli@ card 2 in 2out or the audiophile 24/94 for pc based solutions

For the software I use Audition and Waves but I am probably not the best placed to answer as I don't use midi at present.

Member
Since: Feb 12, 2006

Feb 12, 2006 07:38 am

The only real instruments I am likely to record is guitar (acoustic & electric, bass). As for drums & keyboard etc I have a midi keyboard for this, which is why the quality of the sampled sounds is so interesting to me.

I have downloaded demo programs of software like Cubase, Traktion 2 etc but cant get any decent samples, I'm guessing because i only have a basic soundcard. But this is where is get really confused......

Just had a look a t the E-MU Emulator X package, maybe this is what I need and in my budget (up to £200 ideally).

Jools

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002

Feb 12, 2006 10:47 am

If I was you I would stick with GarageBand. I have never used it, but always heard great things about it, and as long as you already have it, what the hell. What I would concentrate on is finding a decent sound device (the two mentioned above are both good) and getting some good softsynths with good samples. Native Instruments is awesome in this capacity. PowerFX is also a great sample-based business with a couple of cool, reasonably priced softsynths.

Welcome to HRC.

Member
Since: Feb 12, 2006

Feb 12, 2006 10:55 am

Garageband is great, but trouble is my iBook simply isn't powerful enough to handle the software instruments. I have to lock the tracks to have any chance of playing anything with a couple of software instruments tracks.

I'd prefer to go PC route which I can continue ot upgrade as I can afford to.

Jools

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002

Feb 12, 2006 11:03 am

Ohhhhh, I see what you issue is, OK, I misunderstood the first post...

Sonar is another decent package, and the "Home Studio" edition is priced well, the "XL" package comes with all sorts of extra effects and I believe softsynths...

www.zzounds.com/a--884907/item--CAKHSXL

check it out

At 600Mhz, your iBook will not run much current software at all.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Feb 12, 2006 04:38 pm

Hey jools, I will second dB's suggestion on the Cakewalk products. They do come with a nice array of goodies to get you started at a low price. And upgrading is one of their greatest benifits. You can affordably upgrade when the time is right for you. The higher end packages such as Sonar PE and Project 5 come loaded to the top with some of the best software synths and samplers out there. Easy to use and very straight forward. And going the PC route this os one of the top applications out there.

Frisco's Most Underrated
Member
Since: Jan 28, 2003

Feb 12, 2006 04:59 pm

Quote:
My current pc set up cant reproduce these greats sounding software instruments in GB2 - I'm presuming this is to do with the soundcard.

The reason you can't reproduce the sounds you're getting from the software instruments in GB2 is because your current system does not have comparable software instruments. You can make all the hardware upgrades you want to (soundcard etc.), but you will still not have the software instruments generating the sound. Now you can buy some software for your PC that has good software intstruments in them. Reason has some pretty good, sampled instruments. I'm not sure what the Cakewalk products offer in terms of sampled instruments, like GB2 has.

Member
Since: Feb 12, 2006

Feb 13, 2006 12:11 pm

Thanks to all for the advice, I think I finally understand how it all works! I've now managed to play some quality samples with the free demo version of Sampletank opened up in the free demo version of Traktion!

I've imported a few midi sequences off the net and tried assigning the software samples to the midi tracks. Only problem is synchronisation, which I'm presuming is a latency problem. Thats where the better soundcard with ASIO drivers comes into play I guess.

Just got to work out what to spend my £150-200 on now, the shopping list changes hourly!!!

cheers, Jools

> > > Confused newbie - help needed!!

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