message board

[Ponchos Sweater]

What do you guys use to record music with?

Me and my friends use a Rockband + Guitar hero microphone and some 'free' software called Krystal.

(I don't know how 'free' it actually was.. But he had it on his computer. : P)

[kris]

Audacity and a cheap mic from best buy. Haven't really used either, but it's nice to know they're around just in case god finally decides to grace me with an ounce of talent. I also have a little tape recorder and at least 30 tapes filled with really awful stuff that feels so great to play, but always ends up being a slight variation of the first song I wrote when I was 19. (really, really terrible) Such a drag. What is your song writing process like? Do you write music first and then write lyrics to fit it after? When I write lyrics first I have a tough time playing anything more than two chords over and over again.

[AFB]

But I hear it's hard to get too bored when you pick the right two chords?

[jack fe]

I used a cheap computer mic and Audacity for many years. It's a perfect way to start (and a great way to continue!).
As I've gone along I keep amassing more and more equipment.
Now, I mainly use an SE electronics mic, along with a Rode something (I forget), going into a Tascam Portastudio 4track. That goes out into my computer through a DI box (turned low, with the 4track high, so I can get a nice analogue sound, but the versatility of digital), running into Cubase, which I bought a few years ago and have never felt like changing.

Sometimes I record directly onto cassettes, and I still use Audacity sometimes too.
I sound like a massive nerd...
_________________
myspace.com/frozymusic

[Glowworm]

Surprisingly, if you're doing acoustic / folk stuff, try an ipod touch. I know it seems ridiculous, but what we used to do is use my friend's recorder (i'm not sure what specifically it was called), he found it at his house and it had a mic on it, but it just sat on a little tripod and it plugged into the wall - it would record everything onto a little harddrive and that gets plugged into the computer. He said it was about 10 years old or so and it gave really nice recordings, but we were looking for more of a lo-fi / tape recorder approach so we tried it out on my ipod and it gives real real neat recordings. It doesn't sound like a cell phone, which is sweet because that's what i expected it to sound like, and it works really well for what we're doing. but if you do buy something more serious like that recorder, then you can also hook it up to a mixer.

It depends on what you're doing though. You can find a relatively cheap 4 track or 2 track mini mixer (2 / 4 inputs, 1 output) for around 30 - 40 bucks on ebay. That way you can have a line in from your guitar through a pickup, another line in for your mic (might need to buy an adapter or two depending on your mixer, i wouldn't imagine mini mixers having an XLR input on them). Then the output going into the recorder or your computer through the red input.

Or if you wanted to do it a little cheaper, buy a 1/4" splitter at radioshack, connect your mic (XLR f to 1/4" m needed, although an XLR cable's input is usually 1/4" anyways) into the one input, guitar into the other, then take the one 1/4" m convert it to 1/8" m, then plug that right into the pc, record with audacity.

Or just one mic into pc. Or tape recorder. It's really up to you, i used the splitter technique for a while but i really perfer using an ipod, sometimes sticking a mic into it, sometimes not. What it really comes down to is how you want it to sound.

[scott]

I have a lexicon omega that i record with plugged into my mac and i use garageband. all my mics are cheap mics & i don't know the brands. the lexicon was my last purchase and it is great to use in garageband since i am able to record up to 4 different tracks at once, very useful when jamming in a full room. but i usually use it just to plug in guitar and sing at the same time.

i've never upgraded from garageband, it's been great to me throughout the years and i love the midi plugin so i can play weird 8bit noises with a keyboard.

I bought a 4track cassette tape recorder but haven't mastered it yet. everything seems to get fuzzy once i move onto track 3 and 4.
_________________
http://scottcherties.com

[kris]

AFB- It's true! (But in my case, it's completely self-serving. Whoever finds the tapes after I'm dead will be less than amused.)

I've been google stalking everyone's bands. You're all so great that I'm content to just sit around and listen to your stuff instead of bothering to try to make my own. (Thanks for making my life easier!)

[AFB]

Kris - you've just reminded me I forgot to reply to your PM! I'll do that when I've worked out what I've got lying around the house. I'm so disorganised.

[Dav]

I use Magix music maker mostly, a 8 track software to record, i got a 10 euros crappy microphone, a 40 euros guitar and a 30 euros bass guitar, i also use my gameboy and the software lsdj, and basically anything that can make noise. I always loved badly produced music and i couldn't care less about expensive instruments and/or recording equipment. The iphone also got some really great stuff to help make songs, like drums boxes and cool synths.
_________________
http://uberaffe.bandcamp.com

[kris]

Dav- I downloaded all of your songs off lastfm a few days ago and have been listening to them a lot since. I'm a big fan of your lo-fi sound.

AFB- I was kind of wondering what happened with that. I had to assume that you were either eaten by bears or that I had said something too stupid to merit a response. I chose to believe the former until you posted something on the MB and then realized it was probably the latter.

[AFB]

Haha, maybe somewhere in between

No it's more that I've got various things in various different places in various formats and I just need to get around to sorting it all out - I shall be in touch

[Ponchos Sweater]

You guys got some links for me so I can hear your stuff?

[Glowworm]

I think a good amount of music by us can be found here. Also check out the covers forum.

http://jeffreylewisboard.free.fr/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=18

I got some stuff posted on there if you're interested. Check it out!

[AFB]

This is an album I wrote and recorded in one day a few years ago - http://www.last.fm/music/Andy+Price/Clothing%2B%2526%2BFailure

It got picked up by a blog in China because of how quickly it was recorded and put online. There's still people on Last.FM from China that listen to it - you look at their other listened to artists and it's stuff like Britney Spears. Weird.

This is a nonsense album me and a friend of mine recorded when we were bored, over two days. It doesn't make sense at all - http://www.last.fm/music/Joshua+Banks/Super.+Army.+Soldiers

2008 was a productive year...

This is my old band, there's some songs on there: http://www.myspace.com/digforfiremusic

And this is me covering Adam Green's Mozzarella Swastikas at a show a few months ago, just for kicks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udT3fllaPfY

That'll give you plenty to be getting on with

[scott]

numerous cd's from myself and my friends can be listened on our bandcamp site:

http://topenshurst.bandcamp.com

or check out the blog/shop i am in the process of putting together

http://topenshurst.wordpress.com

i recommend death walrus & le monstieur
oh and, "the zak fines" (instrumental mastermind)

i'm enjoying this thread and that we can all listen to each others music. i find myself constantly listening to you guys from the jeff lewis messageboard
_________________
http://scottcherties.com