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how do you record?

icomeformusic	Date: March 22, 2006 @ 6:11 PM do you go, guitar-mixer-computer guitar-mic-comp guitar-computer whats the best way to go?
celtaidd	Date: March 22, 2006 @ 6:25 PM I use Guitar-Effects pedal-computer
Distilled1	Date: March 22, 2006 @ 7:09 PM Guitar-Effects pedal-mixer-computer-ADAT-computer-CD master
EchoMinor	Date: March 22, 2006 @ 7:49 PM Guitar/Effects Petals/Computer!
shadowself	Date: March 22, 2006 @ 10:33 PM synths on computer
K3VIN	Date: March 22, 2006 @ 10:34 PM naked
MisterQ	Date: March 22, 2006 @ 10:36 PM guitar-mic-comp
imemine	Date: March 22, 2006 @ 10:39 PM Tin can---string---Tin Can---- wire spool-----reel-to-reel--- computer.
mattbanx	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 3:41 AM Keyboard or guitar to the mic input on the sound card. From the headphone input of one computer to the mic input of the other for overdubbing. I sometimes go from electric guitar/reverb unit/to the sound card for a more jazz, blues vibe.
mattbanx	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 3:51 AM I forgot to add that I also go from a mic to a sound card. I also have a mic that I put inside my acoustic guitar. Pretty close a setup to a tin can and a wire string.
GeneHilbert	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 4:06 AM Guitar.... Effect Pedals, Pod, JStation, Cyber-twin..... or whatever to mixer... computer Keyboard controller..... midi.... synths internal and external thru midi/audio to mixer... computer I need to update Tin can---string drivers – maybe a fresh install
billhudson	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 7:10 AM Well for me I find a good studio where ever I am. I then come ready and find the best musicians I can find. At the most I do 3 takes right off the bat. I do not record and listen and record and listen. I try to get it as fresh as I can. I then pick the best of the 3. Still Pickin' Bill H.
EmpireDay3	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 10:40 AM bill, in those couple of sentences you have given the best recording advice I have ever read on Dmusic. Try to get it as fresh as you can. It seems with all the technology, the real purpose of recording has been lost - recording is about capturing a great performance. Can you do a million takes in pro tools and pick one? Sure, if you're splitting hairs and want to suck half the life from your track. I've been working with this group on their 4 song demo since the middle of january. All the instrument tracks were laid in a weekend. We have now racked up 73 hours on vocals - for a 4 song demo. We spent an hour and fifteen minutes last night punching the word "he" at the beginning of a phrase. Each one sounded almost identical to the one before it, none of them were out of key or off time, the singer just thought he could do better. It finally got to the point where it didn't sound right any more - it sounded like a punch, which it was, so we had to go back and do the whole phrase again. At some point you gotta commit - doesn't matter how it gets to tape - pick the one that FEELS the best. thank you Bill for sharing your insight and you all for allowing me to rant a bit -
kingo	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 10:51 AM Hey, I resent that. Sometimes recording is about capturing a horrible performance. Come on now." id="210587">"recording is about capturing a great performance.recording is about capturing a great performance." Hey, I resent that. Sometimes recording is about capturing a horrible performance. Come on now.
EmpireDay3	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 11:19 AM this is also true as evidenced by some other bands I have had in
GeneHilbert	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 1:15 PM I do a combination of both EmpireDay3 and billhudson. Both have the merits and short falls. EmpireDay3 - that sounded pretty extreme....... to obsess that much over one word when it’s find is a little over the top. You should have just stated this and moved on, because there is nothing that will drain the creativity faster than editing just for the sake of editing, especially when everyone else is ready to go. Never edit until the recording is done and instruments are put away. Being in the mixing mode is the time to play with options, (effects, different arrangements ideas, etc). As for myself - my stuff is always ready to go, but I’ve been doing this a long time and it’s all set up. So it’s easier for me to change gears and hats. Still I try to separate instrumental and vocal recording time from editing and mixing. bill has it right – there is nothing like having everyone there – knocking it out. This is the basic argument for why many feel live performance recording are better because of the lively energetic nature of the event. But lets be honest - not everyone has their best stuff all time. Regardless how polished you are - sometimes the shit just doesn’t happen. It might be good and fine but still it’s just ok. Then there are times where you are in the zone and there is nothing like it – the shit is just pouring out of you. Being both in the zone and in a recording facility is a rare event especially for those not accustomed to doing it. Or having the tape running at every show just in case the magic happens is not always possible. Although it’s easier now than it use to be. So multi-track recording does have it advantages. The trick is, knowing when enough or when enough or too much.
EvilPicnic	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 1:52 PM I make sounds into a small, grey, £5 computer microphone plugged into the back of the computer; and make use of Audacity to record and fiddle with these sounds.
Distilled1	Date: March 23, 2006 @ 2:41 PM Eric that wasen't Marvin was it
Crysiss	Date: April 13, 2006 @ 7:28 PM I have the same way of recording as evilpicnic
HerSweetSoli...	Date: April 15, 2006 @ 9:47 PM
ScienceHarbor	Date: April 16, 2006 @ 12:01 PM cpu I've found brings out your natural sound, the same sound you'd have at a show. I don't think you want white noise, that is just a hissy/buzzing sound in the background that you get from using mediocre mics. But if you want to put it on, just record a track without playing anything on it, and turn up the volume.
Elu	Date: May 15, 2006 @ 11:06 AM The best way to get a good guitar sound is to use a pre-amp. The pre-amp warms the sound and makes it sound like it's coming from any array of different amps and utilizes many an effect to get exactly what you want. Most people who record guitars straight into the computer will get a flat, thin guitar sound. There is no depth when it's recorded this way. I would recommend to anyone who is recording at home to purchase some sort of pre-amp for guitars. I would also recommend doing something similar to vocals. I use a pre-amp for them as well. Most of the time I record guitars without any effects, just the pre-amp to get the warm sound and then I add effects and eq the guitar after it is in the mix so that if fits where it is supposed to.
billrhynes	Date: May 15, 2006 @ 1:54 PM I don't know what's best for everyone, but I do agree with the pre-amp thing Elu mentioned. Line 6 makes the best pre amp devices Ive heard. Right now what Ive got to work with, is pretty basic, guitar, bass, a real cheap vocal mic and a 16 channel Zoom digital multitrack recorder with built in drum machine, internal 40 gig hard drive and cd burner. My guitar goes directly into my Zoom which has an amazing guitar proccessor with quality effects up the ying-yang. Same thing for bass and vocals, tho I'm seriously planning on investing in a good two or three hundred dollar microphone, since I've been doing a lot more clean-type vocals...as opposed to the distorted, Ministry style vox that I've been doing for a long time and doesn't require an expensive mic I prefer to be sober and sharp for the drum programming(as primitive as mine is at times), and numerous 'keystrokes' involved with digital gear, it requires all the concentration I can mustre...I keep a pad and pencil nearby for keeping records of all my track information, drum sequences, virtual tracks and other events, etc. Now, I have a hard disc loaded with song ideas on my Zoom. Sometimes I'll come up with a riff, and nothing else, and that idea will sit on the drive until I am inspired enough to come up with parts to follow it and get a real song happening. When that happens, I record it part by part, not worrying how rough the takes are, just the groove and the arrangement that's going down. Usually one riff will lead to another idea, resulting in another recorded section...programming rythm along the way, until I have a complete song. Then, If I want to redo any of the parts (like guitar)in order to slick them up a mite, I either go back and do the part over from the beginning, unless I just have a small section that can be punched in and fixed without leaving any apparent gaps, howevr even an obvious seem in a punched in section can have a musical quality to it that adds to the piece -you never know! (I like to call those "happy accidents")a lot of the inspiration come in the middle of recording...and that always keeps it spontaneous and fun for me. I almost never write an entire song before I sit down to record it. So, in a sequence, it's usually rythm guitar and drums being created at the same time, bass next..then finally, I punch in any leads and/or vox. Then, I can tweak the mix, provided all my input levels were good at the start, adjust mixdown effects and compression parameters, make notes on paper for any and all events that might need an additional level boost or cut at a particular point on the counter, and hopefully remember them at mixdown! Digital is great, compared to analog days...copy and paste, moving sections, virtual tracks, precise editing points...so many handy options thruout the entire process, but my favorite songs take the least tweaking. After I mix down to the master channel, which I can do with one of a variety of mastering presets...I burn to cd, finalize the disc, then the cd goes into the PC and I pull up my ripping program, converting the song to Mp3. I never claim to be a proffessional recording tech, or by any means an expert, but I am all I've got, and am always learning. Soon I'll be taking on the project of re-ripping all my masters at a much higher bit rate, since I made the mistake of ripping many of my songs at a rate which is not quite to my satisfaction. Anyway, that's how I make soup.
kingo	Date: May 15, 2006 @ 3:22 PM Nice work laying all that out, Bill. Good info.
TonyRandall	Date: June 5, 2006 @ 10:41 PM im getting my toneport in a couple of days, but up until now i have been recording with "sound recorder" which came in the "accesories" folder in my start menu... the recording quality is so bad, i havent even bothered to post any of them in my profile...
victorsskull	Date: June 5, 2006 @ 10:42 PM with my answering machine
leedsquietman	Date: June 5, 2006 @ 11:41 PM How do you record! I press the record button and make some noise!
Shortboy	Date: June 13, 2006 @ 4:47 PM Mic, Mixer, computer.