Need: Home Studio Advice

[TheMajorMiller]

Looking for help concerning home recording on the PC. I have a Mackie 1604 VLZ and was hoping to get some suggestions for a sound card/program that will allow me to multi-track. I love my board (especially the pre-s) and am not yet committed to going fully digital. Thanks in advance.

[kronosonic]

You'll get a lot of different opinions. I'd suggest:

RME soundcard
Steinberg Cubase SX or Nuendo

RME and Steinberg stuff tends to work very well together.

[kayagum]

If you're getting your feet wet:

Go to mackie.com and download the Tracktion software. Their free special just ended, but the price is a lot cheaper than some of the other software out there. Try it and see if you like it. Low risk.

For soundcards, just go to any of the millions of music store websites to look at a few. If you're just getting started, I think getting a simple one will do you just fine until you get more into digital recording. You will know when you want to upgrade. Again, low risk.

Good luck!

[TheMajorMiller]

I should have mentioned before...I current own a Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum Card (the 'cool' black one with the distributor box) and have been going from the tape output on the Mackie board into the RCA ins on the box. I've been using ACID and recording one track at a time (I work alone, so this has never really been a problem). I just recently started recording drums at home, and recording it to one track is...well...you can imagine.

[Bill @ Irie Lab]

Howzit?

The Tracktion software from Mackie - very inexpensive (recently free for TapeOp folks, check their site) at ~ $80. Easy to pick up the ropes, track count limited only by machine capacity, full MIDI, and high sample rates and bit depths. VST and VSTi support and a nice intuitive interface. I've used them all and this is a cheap, quality in.

The E-Mu soundcards - Fine sonics offering the high def rates and depths and ON-BOARD Fx to conserve CPU capacity. Nice work!

Along with your board and rig you'll be laying down killer tracks.

Cheaper still? ProTools Free and the Creative soundcard that came with the 'puter. (WIN 98 only)

Pick up any issue of Future Music [UK] and see there's a bewildering range out there but "be not Ye discourged.

Cheers,

Bill

[nipsy]

take a hammer and smash your computer to bits....you'll be alot happier in the long run........

[andyg666]

try the m-audio delta 1010. it gives you 8 ins and 8 outs which you can route through the mackie. it sounds pretty good and i think it's about 5 bills. for software, the best program depends on what type of recording you're doing. cubase is great if you want to use midi, and the audio recording is good too, but it's a bit comfusing for a newbie.. abode audition is nice and simple for straight audio recording/mixing. logic audio will drive you nuts but is probably the most fully functional sftwre.

[dynomike]

Here's a cheap path that allows for flexibility in upgrading later:

Grab a used motu 2408 MKI or MKII. Both have 8 analog ins and outs (which you can use from the direct outs on the board) and also have 24 adat ins and outs. I originally used mine analog when I had an analog mixer like yours, but now that I've got a Panasonic DA7, I can just use the ADAT (digital) ins and outs on the same interface.

Really flexible, and really cheap.

I use cakewalk sonar, and it works great... I've used tracktion as well and its fantastic for the money, but I don't like doing edits in it as much. Obviously, not as many features for $80 vs. $300. Start with tracktion for sure... the motu has asio support, so it will work with a little fiddling.

Mike

[8th_note]

I second the recommendation of the M-Audio Delta 1010. It sounds good and has been rock solid. I have one with a Mackie 1642.

Regarding software, I suggest you take a look at N-Track Studio. Inexpensive (about $75) and very quick to learn. I downloaded the free Tracktion program and I'm not impressed. I'll take N-Track any day over Tracktion. I put the link below.

If you're in the mood to spend a little more money, I have another suggestion. The mic pres in the Mackie are held in utter contempt by many members of this board and I have to agree that they do sound thin. You might want to pick up a better mic pre, particularly for vocals. I have a Presunus BlueTube mic pre that sounds substantially better than the Mackie, particularly when I bypass the board and run it directly into my Delta 1010. Most of the pro dudes here would say the Presonus is crap but even it sounds quite a bit better than the Mackie pres IMO.

N-Track

[Everybody's X]

If you really just want to see what you can do without an investment, I'd recommend checking out Krystal. It's free 16 tracks, vst support and its about as straight forward as you can get. It's pretty much a tape recorder with some effects available. If I ever get enough outboard gear I may just switch for good.

http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/

get good on something like this and then spend your money