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Thread: Affordable setup for recording songs

  1. #1

    Affordable setup for recording songs

    Hello all,

    My 12 year old niece just got in touch with me, she plays the guitar, bass, and sings and makes her own songs etc. - she was asking about trying to get software etc for mixing her own songs together, so I assume she wants to record the instruments separately and sing, then use the software to mix the individual tracks together into a song. Cute, eh?

    I'm thinking Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (I have one of those) which is pretty cheap now, but I know nothing about microphones, and the only software I'm familiar with is Reason and Logic (of old) which I think may be too complicated for her purposes.

    Recommendations? I guess especially microphone recommendations, perhaps there's some free software out there, not sure, bit out of touch with this stuff. Mainly software to lay out tracks separately and mix them together, not sure whether she wants any effects. Perhaps Ableton? Although maybe a bit pricey for her needs, maybe a bit complicated too. Has to be quite easy to use, although she is fairly computer savvy.

    Am I thinking along the right lines with the Scarlett 2i2? I think it dropped in price. A cheap but competent microphone for vocals, and some fairly simple, but competent software for mixdown of the tracks. Suitable for an intelligent and enthusiastic 12 year old.

    Cheers.

  2. #2
    That mixer would probably be okay, I would personally recommend something with individual channel equalizing though. The best "budget" microphone I've ever used is the Shure SM58. They rock and are used all over the place and are dead reliable and durable. I have six of them and have never had one break down on me or even have as much as a hiccup. Basic software you can mix multiple tracks with Audacity, it's free to use.

  3. #3
    Deez Beats! KLH's Avatar
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    What you're talking about is called a digital audio workstation (aka DAW). As you mentioned Logic, I assume that you have a Mac. If so, most use GarageBand - which is a decent entry-level

    If you're on a PC, it gets more complicated as I'm not aware of any "entry-level" DAWs. While you can conceptually use a digital audio editer (like Audacity), it's significantly more complicated as DAEs aren't aware of tempo where DAWs are.
    -KLH
    Visit DJF's Beginner's MEGA thread and drop by my Facebook Fan Page.
    I've read the books like How to DJ right... to learn about... beatmatching, phrasing w/e , Speed Test Scrabble Word Finder Solitaire but when I go to mix...

  4. #4
    Ah ok, that gets me partly further -

    I notice they have the Scarlett with pro tools, also, the "solo" may be suitable for her (I forgot that existed) -

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01E6T56CM?ref=emc_b_5_t

    although I think that the Pro Tools pack, would it be too complicated for her, I wonder?

    Then the Sure SM58 microphone.

    As far as the mixer with eq's thing goes - I'm not sure it's that important for her to do it hardware-wise, I think the main thing she's looking at is just recording the tracks separately, then merging them together into a complete song. I guess it would be important for the software to be able to play back the current tracks as she records the next track, for her to listen to as she plays along to. I wonder whether indeed she can get away with using Audacity for this.

    So - Focusrite with Shure mic, that's a good start, just a question mark over the software, I guess.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by KLH View Post
    What you're talking about is called a digital audio workstation (aka DAW). As you mentioned Logic, I assume that you have a Mac. If so, most use GarageBand - which is a decent entry-level
    I used Logic on a PC many years ago, so it's PC. I think she has a laptop with windows 10 on it.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Puregroove View Post
    Ah ok, that gets me partly further -

    I notice they have the Scarlett with pro tools, also, the "solo" may be suitable for her (I forgot that existed) -

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01E6T56CM?ref=emc_b_5_t

    although I think that the Pro Tools pack, would it be too complicated for her, I wonder?

    Then the Sure SM58 microphone.

    As far as the mixer with eq's thing goes - I'm not sure it's that important for her to do it hardware-wise, I think the main thing she's looking at is just recording the tracks separately, then merging them together into a complete song. I guess it would be important for the software to be able to play back the current tracks as she records the next track, for her to listen to as she plays along to. I wonder whether indeed she can get away with using Audacity for this.

    So - Focusrite with Shure mic, that's a good start, just a question mark over the software, I guess.
    A mixer with an equalizer is important because whatever room youre in may not have great acoustics or the instruments may not sound good when initially hooked up to the mixer so it's almost imperative to have the ability to manipulate the treble and bass levels coming into the computer. At a bare minimum I would want to at least have those two controls over the input, especially as an amateur recorder.

  7. #7
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    For software checkout Reaper. There's a free demo, not too pricy to buy once the demo expires.

  8. #8
    Deez Beats! KLH's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Puregroove View Post
    I used Logic on a PC many years ago, so it's PC. I think she has a laptop with windows 10 on it.
    Many MANY years ago. I know because I last used Logic on a PC... and cried when Apple bought eMagic... then I got mad. No, I'm not bitter. It's been fine.

    I guess that most would say to pull down a demo of FL Studio, Reaper, Cubase, or Reason. None are beginner type packages, so I'm not sure what to recommend.
    -KLH
    Visit DJF's Beginner's MEGA thread and drop by my Facebook Fan Page.
    I've read the books like How to DJ right... to learn about... beatmatching, phrasing w/e , Speed Test Scrabble Word Finder Solitaire but when I go to mix...

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by JackStalk View Post
    A mixer with an equalizer is important because whatever room youre in may not have great acoustics or the instruments may not sound good when initially hooked up to the mixer so it's almost imperative to have the ability to manipulate the treble and bass levels coming into the computer. At a bare minimum I would want to at least have those two controls over the input, especially as an amateur recorder.
    Hmm... well this is a conundrum. I personally like the Scarlett but I only use it for DJ mixes, so no eq'ing etc.

    Is there something else you can recommend? We need to stay in the price bracket though.

    I thin the recommendation of the Shure microphone is great. She can cherish that, it's a proper bit of kit.

    Quote Originally Posted by KLH View Post
    Many MANY years ago. I know because I last used Logic on a PC... and cried when Apple bought eMagic... then I got mad. No, I'm not bitter. It's been fine.
    I know, right? I think that's when I bought Reason 2 and switched to that. To be honest, I prefer Reason nowadays, but I just make (or attempt to make) four to the floor stuff so it does quite nicely. I do miss Logic though. And yeah I was furious. Truth is, I've never done anything of note anyway. I usually prefer playing other people's records.

  10. #10
    There are plenty of mixers with EQ available under $100, you can probably get away with 2-4 channelsif she is only using one instrument. I use this currently which also doubles as my pc sound card, meaning I can run 1/4 cables to my studio monitors for premium listening. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IP...y0L&ref=plSrch

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