NEWBIE: Affordably transforming PC to a DAW

[bonzo341]

Hi folks,

This is my first post here. I enjoy the site and have learned a lot from browsing the forums. I know several similar threads exist but I didn't want to risk hi-jacking another's. I must disclaim being an extreme newbie and would be grateful for any suggestions.

I intend to begin toeing the waters of digital recording and MIDI sequencing but am really overwhelmed by all the options for hardware and software (let alone the terminology). I am a drum instructor, and envision using the machine largely to this end. I would like to record a lesson and be able to churn out a digital copy for the student moments later. Also, the software would ideally be good for sequencing; for instance, I'd like to program a drum groove that might play for a bar or two and then cut out for a few measures (with a click or possibly nothing in its place).

However, I don't want to give the impression that I don't want to explore the potential of multi-track recording. I also wish to offer services as a drummer; if somebody needs a drum track, I could record it in fairly high fidelity on my machine and then send it out. Also, I would like the ability to record a band.

FWIW, I have a Vista PC, sporting an Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, 2GB of 800MHz DDRII memory, and a Creative Labs SB X-Fi XtremeGamer. At present, I use a heck of a lot of Band-in-a-Box and sometimes hook up my computer to a MIDI keyboard (albeit a cheap one) via a USB interface

If this can be acheived affordably--I am hoping for a solution less than $500 or thereabout. I would very much appreciate any insight. Thank you for your time and patience.

Matt

[TimOBrien]

First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764516345/102-9059220-3248917?v=glance&n=283155&amp%3Bn=507846&amp%3Bs=books&v=glance
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)

Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm

Also Good Info:
http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Other recording books:
http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html


Plenty of software around to record for free to start out on:

Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net

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

Other freebies and shareware: www.hitsquad.com/smm

Plus, you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine; they not only have info and newbie articles, but they give away a free music studio (sequencers, plugins and sound samples) in every issues included DVD.

[bonzo341]

Thanks a lot for your throrough response, Tim! You've provided a good deal of information to begin digesting. I appreciate your time.

Matt

[ecc83]

Welcome to the funny farm!
If you need to make music parts check out Magix Notation 2 CD-ROM,probably $50.00 to you. There are better score apps (e.g. Sibelius) but they are V expensive.
Any problems finding it, PM me.
Dave.

[TimOBrien]

Matt, that's a standard response I have in Wordpad and post regularly anytime someone asks the basic question ----saves retyping over and over!!

Freebies are the best way to start:

Another great option is REAPER by http://www.cockos.com/reaper/
(It's $40 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)

And Dave's post on notation reminded me to post about another bargain:
Melody Assistant ($20) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages - http://myriad-online.com
Demo you can try on the website.

[Bops2000]

I would say ACID lite, however -it does not spit out notation. sonatas, comes to mind, probably does'nt exist.
to do it rite, for scoring, or a representitive thereof via a computer, your gonna have to run midi signals in from the instrument, and that costs. Roland has a great picup, as well as yamaha.
If it was me, I'd slap a shure sm 57 in the room, "tape it' via sonar or cubase or whatever, and be done with it.
you already have the charts.
You could try "Band in a box" software, a great group of folks, that will work with you, we are talking $40 for program, and I believe, they will accomodate educational folks with high regard, good people, no frills.
their only downfall is they are k'nooks...I tease

[bonzo341]

Thanks, fellas! I appreciate your suggestions. I definitely have some homework in front of me.

All the best,

Matt

[poorsod]

That's a Good PC. Lots of potential for VSTs.

If you're going to be programming drum patterns and not playing them live (as you implied in the OP), then you can't do any better than NI Battery (http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=battery3_us). The samples are arranged in logical 'cells' for easy control by a MIDI drum pad and there are some incredibly advanced effects and sample-twisting possibilities for the weirder beats. Look at the website; it absolutely excels at drum-machinery.

Of course, it needs a VST host to work. Reaper (http://www.cockos.com/reaper/) is 'uncrippled unexpiring shareware' (it's free for as long as you don't want to pay, $40 thereafter) and offers many of the features for MIDI and audio DAWery that are touted by the industry-standards Cubase, SONAR and Pro Tools.

If you're a recording/session drummer willing to pay for your DAW, go for SONAR (http://www.cakewalk.com/sonar/). It's got AudioSnap which can first quantise your audio drum-loop and then de-quantise it a little to keep it natural. Put simply, it makes you look to the outside world like a better drummer than you are (unless you're already excellent, in which case you don't need it).
AudioSnap is better than both Cubase 'HitPoints' and Pro Tools 'Beat Detective' because the audio is a little more elastic, there are more and better stretching algorithms and it's inplace so you can easily quantize all different audio parts to one another. You can also do a fair amount more with AudioSnap than either rival.
And plus, SONAR comes with a pretty decent virtual drummer if you're not willing to shell out for Battery (if you need that stuff).

[sabianq]

my standard response,

dual hard drives (the more the merrier)
keep your OS and applications on one HDD while keeping your projects and scratch disk targets on the other hdds.

Max out your memory.
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sorry, got caught in a loop there

i use Adobe Audition.
get yourself a good SATA DVD recorder

and now that computers are so cheap,
have another one dedicated to accessing the Internet only
this makes it convenient to peruse the web while your other computer is doing the hard number crunching
.
this will keep crashes to a minimum and isolate your audio computer form online virus's and other Internet crap.
just map some folders as drives between the two.

[ecc83]

Hi Sabiang,
I have the setup you describe and I think more and more people go will that way if only to keep legacy gear running. They might be forced to run three machines for instance if they buy a laptop with Vista on it( Now there's GREEN is'nt it!) and also as MS ( and others) become ever more petty and intrusive.

The only downside I can see with not having your music pc internet capable is authorising software. My limited experience in this area suggests that this is a pain if the pc involved is not "webbable".

I also understand that some in the software industry are going away from dongles and most peeps agree that this is about b time but the other security methods (aka Greed?) can be just as bad. I have ultimately relented and have my "music" pc with internet capability. I do find though that often the thing goes online without my prompting. Do you or anyone else know of a way to stop this? I would like to "lock out" the internet (keeping shared printer,drives etc) and only go on when I specifically wanted to, perhaps with a password.
Dave.

[poorsod]

Along with 1GB of memory at the very least, a multicore processor will definitely pay off when you are up and running. You'll find yourself with loads of VSTs all at the same time - several per track - so with two or more cores one will be able to sort out the playing & recording while the other runs your FX and instruments.

[mgrowe]

Keep it as simple as possible is my tip. You need a simple drum software like fruity loops. a good cheap audio card (I use an e-mu 0404 - lots of ins and outs but not very dear).
The 0404 comes with Cubase LE so you could use that for recording/sequencing.

The PC will be fine as it is powerful enough to do all you need to.

I would also say get a cheap mixer as it makes the process a lot easier to have it setup and change what plugs in to it rather than having to swap leads in your soundcard.

I assume your drums are acoustic so you will need a mic . the shure sm58 is a good cheap one and has a good history/pedigree.

Good luck in your building

[poorsod]

NOT Fruity Loops though. I refer you to pretty much any of my posts over the last few weeks. Get either a dedicated drum sampler VST like Battery, or a jack-of-all-trades sampler like Kontakt or SampleTank or something for your drum sequencing.

If you're going to be recording any audio at all you will need an SM58. It's the universal mic, absolutely legendary. There are, admittedly, others better tuned to certain tasks but whatever the source an SM58 will do the job.