Audio Interface question

[Ravenous]

Hey all,

I have been dwindling on the idea of buying an audio interface so I can start recording some of my music with some "legit" quality. Problem is, I don't know the first thing about audio interfaces and what I should even go for. I'm planning to connect the audio interface into my mic input of my laptop in order to record, so I don't know if I should get a specific type of audio interface for that, or if all of them will serve that purpose. Anyone have any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

[RecklessXRandy]

First off, you don't connect the interface in the mic input of your laptop. How many tracks are you recording at once?

[Tristan Needler]

What's your budget? What instruments do you want to record? What other equipment will you need? PC or Mac?

Read this, come up with better questions, give us more information, come back.

http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm

[Yontsey]

Also do you plan going USB or Firewire? I recommend FW if at all possible.

[Ravenous]

RecklessXRandy: My mistake. Anyway, I'm just going to be recording one by one.

Tristan: Thanks! I'll definitely look that over. I'm not very informed when it comes to hardware talk, so hence the vague questions haha. My budget's going to be pretty cheap, $150 max. I'm planning on recording guitar and vocals, and it'll be on a Toshiba laptop.

Yontsey: I was planning on going with a USB audio interface just because that's the only one I have experience with (my friend has one). Not to mention, I have a ToShitba laptop, so it'd probably work better through USB anyway.

And I dunno if this is important (probably is), but here's my laptop's specs:

Memory: 3062 RAM
Processor: Intel Pentium Dual Processor T2390 1.86GHz, 1.87 GHz

Sound Driver: RTKVHDA.sys
version: 6.00.0001.5559
provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

[Tristan Needler]

You interface replaces your original soundcard when you're recording, so that part doesn't really matter.

Are you going to be recording electric or acoustic guitar?

Does that $150 include a microphone and cables and stuff or would you spend more on that stuff?

[Yontsey]

USB and FW are no different when you're using them, FW just gives you a better connection when it comes to latency. If you have a FW and your limit is $150, I would look into a Presonus Firebox or try and find a Presonus Firepod on ebay. The firebox gives you 2 inputs and the firepod gives you 8.

I've owned both and highly recommend both. I currently own the firepod and use it for recording all the time.

Also, what software are you using?

[Ravenous]

Tristan: My bad, I forgot to specify. I'm using an electric guitar, and that $150 can be used just on the audio interface. I already have the necessary cables and microphone.

Yontsey: Thanks dude! I'll look into that. I'm not sure what you mean by software, but if you're referring to studio programs, I use a couple (Nuendo, Cool Edit Pro, Adobe Audition).

[Yontsey]

I've heard good things about Adobe Audition but I've never actually used it.

[Ravenous]

Haha I see. If you know how to use Cool Edit Pro, you'll know how to use Adobe Audition for the most part. The reason I have a couple different studio programs is because my Adobe Audition crashes a lot, so I end up having to finish up some projects on other studio programs.

[xmicxcorex]

I've heard good things about Adobe Audition but I've never actually used it.

I love Adobe Audition. It's by far the most user-friendly, straight to the point program I've used. I am currently working on figuring out Cubase, not having a lot of luck; there's just too much random crap and hidden crap. I just like knowing how to use any of them so when my band records in a digital studio I can really get involved no matter what's being used. Unfortunately, I haven't really been able to learn much about ProTools or Garageband, and really don't ever plan to unless it becomes necessary.

Haha I see. If you know how to use Cool Edit Pro, you'll know how to use Adobe Audition for the most part. The reason I have a couple different studio programs is because my Adobe Audition crashes a lot, so I end up having to finish up some projects on other studio programs.

The crash issue is the only thing I hate about Adobe Audition...mine does it about half of the time I'm using it.

[Yontsey]

I use Logic Studio 9 and Reason 4 but I've been using Reason less and less lately. I use Reason mainly for making drum tracks, but I prefer Ultrabeat in Logic nowadays.

If you have an Apple, I highly recommend Garageband. If you're not doing anything big and just doing a simple project, it's a great program. Hell, you can even do some advanced stuff in it too if you have an idea of what you're doing. I know people in bigger bands that use Garageband regularly to demo songs.

[Ravenous]

I love Adobe Audition. It's by far the most user-friendly, straight to the point program I've used. I am currently working on figuring out Cubase, not having a lot of luck; there's just too much random crap and hidden crap. I just like knowing how to use any of them so when my band records in a digital studio I can really get involved no matter what's being used. Unfortunately, I haven't really been able to learn much about ProTools or Garageband, and really don't ever plan to unless it becomes necessary.



The crash issue is the only thing I hate about Adobe Audition...mine does it about half of the time I'm using it.

Oh no way! I thought I was the only person that had that problem.

[Ravenous]

I use Logic Studio 9 and Reason 4 but I've been using Reason less and less lately. I use Reason mainly for making drum tracks, but I prefer Ultrabeat in Logic nowadays.

If you have an Apple, I highly recommend Garageband. If you're not doing anything big and just doing a simple project, it's a great program. Hell, you can even do some advanced stuff in it too if you have an idea of what you're doing. I know people in bigger bands that use Garageband regularly to demo songs.

Reason is sick man. I don't know how to use it that well haha, but my friend made his "electronica" album using Reason and it turned out really good.

[xmicxcorex]

Oh no way! I thought I was the only person that had that problem.

haha, definitely not. the guy that produced my bands first EP used it while recording our first 3 tracks and when it crashed and we lost all of the data (saved and unsaved), he got so pissed he did a system restore on his whole computer. it was funny to watch, but not so much to redo everything. Audition has bad crash-out problems.

[Ravenous]

haha, definitely not. the guy that produced my bands first EP used it while recording our first 3 tracks and when it crashed and we lost all of the data (saved and unsaved), he got so pissed he did a system restore on his whole computer. it was funny to watch, but not so much to redo everything. Audition has bad crash-out problems.

Haha shit, that sucks. My friend and I were using Ableton to record some guitar tracks once and it was our first time using it. I swear, that program crashed at least like 20 times before it finally starting working right.

[miketrondson]

My old band recorded a demo on Audtion and it wasn't too bad. I don't remember it crashing. We've also recorded on Protools at Nada Recording and at a local studio and that was the absolute smoothest process we've ever had in the studio. We've also been through a Logic rig.

I'm currently recording an acoustic EP and I'm using Ableton Live 7.0. I love how versatile it is and I've barely scratched the surface of what its truly capable of.

Anyways, I recently purchased the M-Audio Fast Track USB. This is my first attempt at recording myself, so I bought the entry level to learn what I'm doing. It runs flawless for me. I paid $69.99 for it at Guitar Center. The only 2 issues I've had is that it doesn't supply phantom power. The other is that you need to always use the USB port you installed it on, otherwise you need to reinstall the drivers.

[Ravenous]

Nice. I actually ended up buying the same thing (M-Audio Fast Track USB). It's serving my purposes so I don't really have any complaints.