Low cost music recording gear for a PC
A friend asked me for suggestions on buying a sub $1000 PC music recording system. What I suggested certainly is not the cheapest option, but it should deliver very good results.
- Steinberg Cubase SL3 — recording software
Musician’s Friend has Cubase SL3 for $300. The main reason I like it over Sonar is that it has this nifty feature called Cycle Recording. Cycle Recording allows you to record several takes of a performance and then select the bits out of each take that you like. In the end, you get a single take that’s made of the best parts of the actual takes. That is a great feature for a hack like me. 8) Otherwise, most of the other features are comparable. Cubase requires at least an 800MHz processor. It comes with both a PC and a Mac CD, in case you move to Mac in the future.
- Echo Layla3G — recording hardware
I looked through the last 6 or 7 Keyboard magazines, but they didn’t focus much on recording gear. I currently have an ancient Layla by Echo that has served me very well, so if the updated version is near the quality of the old one, I recommend it. It has 8 analog ins (2 that auto-sense mic, guitar, or line level), 8 analog outs, a stereo headphone out, and a variety of digital I/O. You need an available PCI slot. Musician’s Friend has the Layla3G for $500.
Does anyone have music recording gear suggestions?
April 27th, 2005 at 12:21 pm
I guess it depends on how sophisticated he wants to get. Does he already have the PC (your post implies that he does)? If not, I’d say Apple’s Garageband ($79 as part of the iLife suite — http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband) is a reasonably decent entry-level program. Logic Express at $299 (http://www.apple.com/logicexpress) is the next step up in the Apple recording food chain — that looks like it would satisfy most home recording needs.
April 27th, 2005 at 10:28 pm
Yep, you’re right. He already has a PC and is not currently interested in investing in a Mac.
April 29th, 2005 at 6:14 am
Last time I was in Seattle, Jek and I checked out various PC direct recording systems… I ended up with the Cubase SL 2.0 on the software end (I guess there is a 3 version now) and the Tascam US-122 on the hardware A/D end… I think the US-122 was in the $199 range…..
I found the combination of the two works great and installation and integation of them was a fairly painless affair…. The resulting recordings are studio quality (to these old ears anyway) and the combo is easy to use….
Of course, Jek would probably question me on that with the quote of, “Yeah, like you’ve used it enough to give an insightful review”…. My answer is, “I’m workin’ on it” and “You know, things come up” (excuses 121 and 242)….. Recording that “Number One with a Bullet” takes time (excuse 426)……
April 29th, 2005 at 2:06 pm
MR, how many analog ins and outs does the US-122 have? Does it have any digital I/O?
Curious Jeks want to know. Consider it a pop quiz. 😀
April 29th, 2005 at 3:24 pm
Let’s see….. Just off the top of my head….. It has two phantom-powered inputs with inserts, two line level inputs (switchable to Guitar level), Two line outputs with level control, 16 channels of MIDI I/O, Adjustable zero-latency direct monitoring, Headphone output with level control, Self-powered via USB: perfect for both studio and location recording, includes ASIO, WDM, GSIF, and Apple audio unit (OSX) drivers, includes audio recording/MIDI sequencing software (Steinburg Cubasis and Tascam Gigastudio 24 – special bundle versions, and is compact with rugged steel construction….. Just off the top of my head (with a little help from the box… you always gotta save the box just for quick answers to questions from inquiring Do-Heads that talked me into buying it in the first place!….)….
Did I pass your Pop-O Quiz-O?…….
April 30th, 2005 at 7:19 pm
I have noticed one software missing, Cool Edit Pro, or as it is called now Adobe Amplifer [sic] We have had good luck with this one both with spoken word and Music. as well as cleaning up old analog recordings.
I have only had little hands on experence with it but my wifey uses it daily re mastering old programs, and our bands producer is mixing our album with it, both give it rave reviews.
That’s just my opinion, I could be recorded over.
June 27th, 2005 at 1:39 pm
For ultracheap recording software you just can’t beat Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)which is a wonderful little piece of freeware. It supports multitracking and accepts VST plugins so you can use your favorite effects. I often do voice editing with Audacity instead of Sonar or Cubase simply because it’s a breeze with this software. We also keep a copy of it on a laptop to do remote location recording too…..slick item….don’t fail to take a look at it.