software vs hardware mixer
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Posted on Nov 27, 2004 05:51 am
Beta Decay
Member Since: Nov 27, 2004
this is my third time trying to post. i hope i'm not spamming the forum by accident. Anyways great site. i was completely clueless until i found this.
So i've been looking to set up a home studio. I read DB masters article on what to get and then went shopping online. I had a mixer, sequence software, mics, and a compressor in my shoping cart. Then i went to check out soundcards and found that some of the pricier soundcards have mixer and compressor software already on them. I read that the compressor software sucks but i haven't read much on the mixer issue. So what do you guru's suggest?
MY INFO:
I'm solo
I wouldn't be recording live drums yet, but when i do it will probably be on a ten piece.
I would also be recording guitar, bass, and vocals, but that doesn't matter if I'm multitracking right?
I'm recording on PC obviously.
My budget is 1500-2000 U.S. but I'm not sure if i need that much.
The guitar would be mic'd but i don't have a bass amp. So i need a vamp right, or does my sequencer negate the need to even have a bass?
Music style is grungy emoish rock, if it matters.
In the future I plan to record friend's projects as well but nothing live.
THIS IS WHAT WAS IN MY SHOPPING CART:
SOUNDCRAFT FOLIO NOTEPAD MIXER
MACKIE SQ2 COMPRESSOR
SHURE SM58
SHURE PG81
CUBASE SX3
My next purchase would have been a soundcard and then some speakers. So should I buy a pricier soundcard(emu 1820m, ardvark proQ10) and lose the mixer, or keep the mixer and buy a cheaper soundcard? Is there any point in having a software and a hardware mixer?
SOME FINAL QUESTIONS:
Do I need to buy any extra cables or does all this stuff come ready to plug in?
Would you advise getting a midi controller? I heard they're useful with a sequencer but I don't know squat about sequencers.
Finally is it advisable to get something like an AKAI MPC? My friend has one and they seem fun, but again I don't know if the Cubase does the same stuff.
You guys are great thanks in advance!!
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Nov 27, 2004 08:46 am Welcome to HRC.
Well, software compression does not suck, it just has different uses, it is used AFTER recording. WHile recording hardware compression is often necessary to control the signal before it gets to the recording media, in you case the sound card.
The mixer built in to software or sound card control panels are just volume controls. To properly record a microphone it also must be preamped, this is what many people use the mixer for, it's preamps, and for the simple flipping of sources that are going to the sound card. I hardware mixer is still a good bit of gear to have. For a cheaper solution to multitrack with an m-audio delta 1010 LT might be a nice option. However, if you are not recording a full kit of drums and are solo, thereby just recording yourself, one instrument at a time (or any amount of people one instrument at a time, that large of a sound card is really not necessary. You could get a simple M-Audio Audiophile 2496 or ESI Juli@ (I am in the same place as you, just me recording myself over myself, I use the Juli@).
Nov 28, 2004 06:16 pm thanks, for the reply. Point taken on the compressor.
i tried to find info on an ESI julia but had no luck, is it discontinued? anyway the m-audio is what I'm leaning towards right now. The 1010lt is 200 dollars cheaper then the 1010. I tried to read the specs but just got confused. All i could tell is that the 1010 is an older model and has the external rack. Is there any reason to buy the M-Audio 1010 instead of the 1010lt.
My biggest concern is the soundquality of my final recordings. So i wouldn't be interested in paying 200 more for extra features unless it's going to give me a better recording.
Also, i get the gist of sequencing software but I'm still kind of lost. Is Cubase or Sonar going to let me create music or is it just for editing and multitracking music from other sources?
Nov 28, 2004 07:34 pm No, it's a brand new card, not discontinued. They don't carry it at Musician's Friend for some lame reason. www.esi-pro.com will have a list of places you can go to buy them. I have tried to tell MF to carry them but I never even get a response from them. MF is starting to piss me off a little bit. My personal review of Juli@ is at www.homerecordingconnecti...tory&id=443
Regarding the LT, it does not have the breakout box, and I believe has RCA jacks, which are fine, but 1/4" jacks are better...
Cubase and Sonar, with the bundled VSTi instruments will help you create beats and such plus record and mix audio.
Nov 29, 2004 03:28 am I would definately suggest a hardware mixer and compressor. You cant beat the flexibility of a mixer, and a hardware compressor is nearly necessary to get even sounding vocal tracks.
I looked at the Soundcraft mixer specs online, and unless I'm missing something crucial here, I would suggest the Behringer mixers for value. Behringer is a well respected name here at HRC, and the mixers are great, and at a fraction of the cost of most others. Also, remember that there's a ton of great stuff online for free that will help enhance your recordings. Check out flame's links article for a bunch of links to free plugins and applications. Just to name a small few here, I would suggest anything from Digitalfishphones, Leafdrums if you need some decent sounding drums and have no way to record them (or no kit to record), Big Tick Hexaline, and Camelphatfree.
