Hi all,

I'm trying to help a friend setup a PC so she can record her songs to
save as MP3 and as demo CD's. It's mainly guitar, vocals, some
keyboard, and maybe a bass. She only has a PC (newer Dell with Windows
XP Pro) but me being a Mac guy and having toyed with Garage Band I'm
looking at that avenue.

Either method she'll need to invest in some software and hardware for
inputing the audio into the computer. If we go with Garage Band she
can use my PowerMac G4 (dual 867/768 Megs Ram) but she'll need to
invest in the input components. If we go with PC, what suggestions do
you guys have and what components are needed to get the audio into the
computer?

On the PC side I've heard of such applications like Cakewalk and
others, but I'm not sure what my options are. Also what's needed to
get the audio actually into the computer? Can someone make some
suggestions?

Sorry for the basic questions, but even though I know computers I know
next to nothing about doing audio work with computers
Thanks and take care,

Ringo

"Ringo Langly" wrote in message
oups.com

If we go with PC, what suggestions do
you guys have and what components are needed to get the audio into the
computer?

(1) The audio interface that comes with the computer system board
(2) A consumer-level audio interface, probably made by Creative Labs
(3) An median-level audio production oriented card, probably by M-Audio or
Echo
(4) A high-end interface such as the LynxTWO

note, some of these audio interfaces are Mac/PC compatible

On the PC side I've heard of such applications like Cakewalk and
others, but I'm not sure what my options are.

If you're recording live instruments and voices there are a load of
different products ranging from Audacity (freeware) to Adobe Audition to a
number of high end products including Pro Tools and Nuendo.

Also what's needed to get the audio actually into the computer?

Just an audio interface, either a PCI card, USB or Firewire attached.

You'll also need mics, and mic preamps as PC audio interfaces are almost all
line-level oriented. A small mixing console can be a useful tool and a
economical way to get a small fleet of mic preamps for an attactive price.

Ringo Langly wrote:

Hi all,

I'm trying to help a friend setup a PC so she can record her songs to
save as MP3 and as demo CD's. It's mainly guitar, vocals, some
keyboard, and maybe a bass. She only has a PC (newer Dell with Windows
XP Pro) but me being a Mac guy and having toyed with Garage Band I'm
looking at that avenue.

Either method she'll need to invest in some software and hardware for
inputing the audio into the computer. If we go with Garage Band she
can use my PowerMac G4 (dual 867/768 Megs Ram) but she'll need to
invest in the input components. If we go with PC, what suggestions do
you guys have and what components are needed to get the audio into the
computer?

On the PC side I've heard of such applications like Cakewalk and
others, but I'm not sure what my options are. Also what's needed to
get the audio actually into the computer? Can someone make some
suggestions?

Sorry for the basic questions, but even though I know computers I know
next to nothing about doing audio work with computers
Thanks and take care,


You'll need a mic preamp no matter what, so how about one of those
Tascam US-thingies (like 122, 422 I think) or other USB-input
mini-mixers-with-preamps-and-phantom-power. You already have
GarageBand, so there you go. If she wants to go back to her own
machine, that'll still be just fine.

S O'Neill wrote:
Ringo Langly wrote:

Hi all,

I'm trying to help a friend setup a PC so she can record her songs
to
save as MP3 and as demo CD's. It's mainly guitar, vocals, some
keyboard, and maybe a bass. She only has a PC (newer Dell with
Windows
XP Pro) but me being a Mac guy and having toyed with Garage Band
I'm
looking at that avenue.

-- SNIP --

You'll need a mic preamp no matter what, so how about one of those
Tascam US-thingies (like 122, 422 I think) or other USB-input
mini-mixers-with-preamps-and-phantom-power. You already have
GarageBand, so there you go. If she wants to go back to her own
machine, that'll still be just fine.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the awesome replies! I guess an interface is what I was
hunting for I wasn't sure what it was called. Okay along those
lines some more questions. Will any audio interface, given it has
drivers for Mac or Windows, work with any audio application? Will only
certain interfaces work with certain apps?

I'm looking at possibly the tascam us-122 or one of the M-Audio
devices, but without knowing exactly what application I'll use should I
hold off? Or if I get like the tascam us-122 (which works on both Mac
and Windows) will it pretty much work with any software I decide to
use?

Thanks again for all the assistance...

Ringo

On 12 Jan 2005 08:41:57 -0800, "Ringo Langly"
wrote:

I'm trying to help a friend setup a PC so she can record her songs to
save as MP3 and as demo CD's. It's mainly guitar, vocals, some
keyboard, and maybe a bass. She only has a PC (newer Dell with Windows
XP Pro) but me being a Mac guy and having toyed with Garage Band I'm
looking at that avenue.

Either method she'll need to invest in some software and hardware for
inputing the audio into the computer. If we go with Garage Band she
can use my PowerMac G4 (dual 867/768 Megs Ram) but she'll need to
invest in the input components. If we go with PC, what suggestions do
you guys have and what components are needed to get the audio into the
computer?

On the PC side I've heard of such applications like Cakewalk and
others, but I'm not sure what my options are. Also what's needed to
get the audio actually into the computer? Can someone make some
suggestions?

Sorry for the basic questions, but even though I know computers I know
next to nothing about doing audio work with computers
Thanks and take care,


There's no possible reason for either of you to buy a new computer.
Do you want to work at her house on the PC or your house on the Mac?

Maybe you don't need much hardware. Both computers doubtless have
Line In and Line Out audio connections. (Well, I HOPE a Mac does? :-)
They'll do for now. You'll want a small mixer to interface
microphones and other instruments. If this is a vocals-based project
you'll need a half-way decent microphone. But this doesn't mean a lot
of money these days. So far, this is all portable between the Mac
and the PC.

Garage Band is the hobbyist offering from Mac. Despite the included
toys, I'm sure it does a simple multitrack recording perfectly well.
There's possibly more choice for PC than Mac now. You could play
with Audacity, which is freeware for PC. It's a bit clunky, but it
does the job. I think one of the computer music comics regularly has
free sequencers on the cover disk? Anyone? I'm not too
well-informed on that end of the market.

If you get into this more seriously, you may want to invest in a
better sound card. If you choose an external USB or Firewire model,
it will again be portable between PC and Mac.

CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect

In article .com,
Ringo Langly wrote:

Either method she'll need to invest in some software and hardware for
inputing the audio into the computer. If we go with Garage Band she
can use my PowerMac G4 (dual 867/768 Megs Ram) but she'll need to
invest in the input components.



Spend $425 on a Digidesign Mbox if she doesn't need to record more than
2 live tracks at a time. Protools LE comes with it.

Another interesting thing, Apple just came out with a $500 Mac mini.
It's likely similiar in power to your once rather expensive dual G4.
Add any keyboard, mouse & monitor and eventually an external Firewire
drive if she really is gonna record stuff, and go at it with the mbox.

Apple's gonna sell a ton of these Mac mini's. The damn thing is 6.5" by
6.5" by 2"!

Also, Apple just announced a new rev of Garageband that can record 8
tracks at a time along with instant note transcription and more new
stuff.

It ships as a component of a software package called iLife 05, which
includes iPhoto5, iMoveHD, iDVD5, Garageband 2 and iTunes 4.71. The
whole package costs $79. Jeez.

I can tell you that iDVD, iTunes, and iMovie are wonderful apps.
Haven't spent much time with the other 2.

And iLife comes free with the Mac mini. So you can tell her to buy a
mini cuz comes with Garageband and leave your G4 alone ; And save her
money, don't buy the mbox unless she has to. Course the mini doesn't
come with a mic pre.





David Correia
Celebration Sound
Warren, Rhode Island


www.CelebrationSound.com

david wrote:
In article .com,
Ringo Langly wrote:

Either method she'll need to invest in some software and hardware
for
inputing the audio into the computer. If we go with Garage Band
she
can use my PowerMac G4 (dual 867/768 Megs Ram) but she'll need to
invest in the input components.



Spend $425 on a Digidesign Mbox if she doesn't need to record more
than
2 live tracks at a time. Protools LE comes with it.

Another interesting thing, Apple just came out with a $500 Mac mini.
It's likely similiar in power to your once rather expensive dual G4.
Add any keyboard, mouse & monitor and eventually an external Firewire
drive if she really is gonna record stuff, and go at it with the
mbox.

Apple's gonna sell a ton of these Mac mini's. The damn thing is 6.5"
by
6.5" by 2"!

Also, Apple just announced a new rev of Garageband that can record 8
tracks at a time along with instant note transcription and more new
stuff.

It ships as a component of a software package called iLife 05, which
includes iPhoto5, iMoveHD, iDVD5, Garageband 2 and iTunes 4.71. The
whole package costs $79. Jeez.

I can tell you that iDVD, iTunes, and iMovie are wonderful apps.
Haven't spent much time with the other 2.

And iLife comes free with the Mac mini. So you can tell her to buy a
mini cuz comes with Garageband and leave your G4 alone ; And save
her
money, don't buy the mbox unless she has to. Course the mini doesn't
come with a mic pre.


Hi David,

Actually I'm trying to talk her into buying a Mini Mac, but she doesn't
have but a couple of hundred bucks for everything -- so she's looking
at the Tascam US-122 for now.

I'm an avid Mac user, and I watched Jobs' keynote speech for Macworld
last night -- AWESOME! I personally want to get a Mini Mac myself, but
my PowerMac G4 still does the job good enough for me. I also already
have iLive now, but I might invest in the next vesion to get the latest
vesion of Garage Band plus newer versions of other apps I use daily. I
live in iDVD, iTunes, and iPhoto.
Thanks for the info and take care,

Ringo

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 11:41:57 -0500, Ringo Langly wrote
(in article .com):

Hi all,

I'm trying to help a friend setup a PC so she can record her songs to
save as MP3 and as demo CD's. It's mainly guitar, vocals, some
keyboard, and maybe a bass. She only has a PC (newer Dell with Windows
XP Pro) but me being a Mac guy and having toyed with Garage Band I'm
looking at that avenue.

Either method she'll need to invest in some software and hardware for
inputing the audio into the computer. If we go with Garage Band she
can use my PowerMac G4 (dual 867/768 Megs Ram) but she'll need to
invest in the input components. If we go with PC, what suggestions do
you guys have and what components are needed to get the audio into the
computer?

On the PC side I've heard of such applications like Cakewalk and
others, but I'm not sure what my options are. Also what's needed to
get the audio actually into the computer? Can someone make some
suggestions?

Sorry for the basic questions, but even though I know computers I know
next to nothing about doing audio work with computers
Thanks and take care,

Ringo


Garage Band 2.0 (due out soon) is supposed to support up to 8 analog inputs
(record 8 tracks simultaneously) for $75. Don't know what sort of interface
they suggest, but that with loops sound pretty interesting.

Regards,

Ty Ford



-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com

Ringo Langly wrote:


Actually I'm trying to talk her into buying a Mini Mac


I was gonna suggest that, she'll have a good upgrade path there.

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 17:54:29 +0000, Ty Ford wrote
(in article ):


Garage Band 2.0 (due out soon) is supposed to support up to 8 analog inputs
(record 8 tracks simultaneously) for $75. Don't know what sort of interface
they suggest, but that with loops sound pretty interesting.


If the rumour mill is to be believed, one with a big Apple logo on it which
will supposedly be announced at NAMM. (Along with a Logic update and the cure
to the common cold.)


John

--

yorkio65 at yahoo dot co dot uk

Go the USB or Firewire route.

If she needs to get a keyboard, M-Audio, Edirol and Alesis make keyboards
with audio interfaces, some with (basic) mic pres and DIs.

Each of these will include recording software, usually a stripped-down
version of Cakewalk or Cubase, that will provide more than enough features
and performance for her to get started.

--
Doug Osborne

my day job: http://www.martinsound.com/

"Ringo Langly" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

I'm trying to help a friend setup a PC so she can record her songs to
save as MP3 and as demo CD's. It's mainly guitar, vocals, some
keyboard, and maybe a bass. She only has a PC (newer Dell with Windows
XP Pro) but me being a Mac guy and having toyed with Garage Band I'm
looking at that avenue.

Either method she'll need to invest in some software and hardware for
inputing the audio into the computer. If we go with Garage Band she
can use my PowerMac G4 (dual 867/768 Megs Ram) but she'll need to
invest in the input components. If we go with PC, what suggestions do
you guys have and what components are needed to get the audio into the
computer?

On the PC side I've heard of such applications like Cakewalk and
others, but I'm not sure what my options are. Also what's needed to
get the audio actually into the computer? Can someone make some
suggestions?

Sorry for the basic questions, but even though I know computers I know
next to nothing about doing audio work with computers
Thanks and take care,

Ringo