• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: ABOUT RECORDING A SONG

THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME, so I want to know some extra information ABOUT SONGWRITING.
A) COMPACT FLASH RECORDING

1) You have lyrics + music = a song.
2) Let's keep it simple = ONLY THE MUSIC.
3) THAT TUNE YOU WROTE, YOU WANT THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN LISTEN TO IT.
4) I  HAVE A BOSS BR600 WITH COMPACT FLASH CARD (520Mb + 2Gb)
5) EVERYTHING GOES WELL and you put your COMPACT FLASH IN YOUR PC.
6) Nothing happens, and all the music you recorded is .BRO
7) WHAT IS .BRO? Do you need to readapt your CF card? 

B) CAN I PLUG IN MY GUITAR IN MY PC? And if yes:

1) WHAT DO I NEED TO PLUG MY GUITAR IN MY PC?
2) ARE THERE SPECIAL "CABLES"to use?
3) IF YES, CAN SOMEONE SHOW ME A PICTURE WITH THE "MATERIAL" YOU USE TO CONNECT YOUR GUITAR ON YOUR PC?
4) I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • Registered: 2007-03-24
  • Posts: 1,108

Re: ABOUT RECORDING A SONG

Hey Doc,
Russell has done a stellar job in the recording forum answering all those questions. I can tell you how I am set up; maybe it will help.

Phase I
I downloaded Audacity software (free) and bought a cheap PC mike/headset and an adapter from 1/4" to 1/8" to allow me to directly plug in to my PC's sound card (already had the guitar cable). This got me going in a very basic manner. Total cost was minimal (under 20 $ US)

Phase II
After the novelty (and shock of how awful  I sounded) wore off my next purchase was a decent PC USB microphone ( I settled on MXL for the price but there are certainly better ones out there; again read the posts in the recording Forum for advice on your selection).

Phase III (currently and always expanding)
Picked up a Tascam USB audio interface which allows me to further tweak my levels and allows more types of inputs like MIDI, Phono, XLR, etc. I also added a line 6 POD for effects in line before the Tascam (and damn is that fun!!). I bought 2 additional microphones. One for instrument recording; one for voice. DON"T underestimate the power of a great mic. I've started using Mixcraft for recording/mixing as it has a few more features and builtin tracks but Audacity is a great product that didn't let me down. I added some multi input Alesis speakers (MXL 320 USB) to allow me to feed the audio in my Line 6 effects POD to multiple inputs (to record and listen.


Sorry for the long post. I am digging my recording set up and look forward to building on it. From your other posts I imagine you already have a lot of what is necessary to record. Again, Russell Harding's posts and tutorials will help you get started...So blame him when it becomes and obsession!!!! (as it did for me!!!)

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello