bipolardiscs said:
ok is an ibook with 1.25 processor fast enough?
i have used it before for a couple of days on a friends desktop. he moved away, so now my singer is going to buy a laptop, so we can track and mix on the go. already recorded 6 songs, but they're not quite mastered yet. i am very serious about recording, and i'm a talented song writer. i know music, but not computers. gb is very easy, but as i said, i'm new to this, so any tips would be appreciated.
we used the 1/8" jack before, but it was very annoying. does the external box have 1/4" and xlr inputs? to firewire out to computer?
does gb have mastering tools?
can i put my tracks on disc and send them out to get mastered?
our plan is to make a full length cd, master and duplicate, sell and become famous
have some mp3 of what we've done, but don't know how or where to post.
is there a video output so i can see everything on my tv?
how fast of a processor is needed? ibook isn't fast enough? can't have the thing dragging...
thanks for any help
Wintermute's advice is spot-on, and i would listen to him seriously. He has been in the business much longer than I and therefore has seen a lot more than I.
Now i will get to your previous questions;
we used the 1/8" jack before, but it was very annoying. does the external box have 1/4" and xlr inputs? to firewire out to computer?
1/8' inputs will NEVER really give you top-notch quality. It may sound ok on your speakers, but once you hear them on some nice studio monitors (lets say some Genlec's) you will very much be able to tell the diff b/t a 1/8" recording and a xlr/1/4 recording. Partially it is the connection and partially it is b/c most high quality mics use xlr to xlr or xlr to 1/4 cables. The external hardware interfaces can accept a variety of inputs, from rca, to xlr, to 1/4, to SPDIF, to lightpipe. You would want one that has either xlr or 1/4 inputs. The firewire cable will power the external unit (some also have phantom power avaiable on the external units to power mics that require phantom power) and will also transfer the audio information into the computer and to the software program of your choice. Your computer then can send audio out of the computer, to the external device via firewire, and then the external box can send it to your amplifier or powered speakers/monitors via a variety of connections (typically either rca, 1/4" outputs or lightpipe out).
does gb have mastering tools?
Ehhhh, not really. If you want something quick and dirty it may pass. I have heard some really good recordings done with free recording programs, but it typically takes a lot of time, a lot of work-arounds, and still produces what i would call a lackluster result compared to what could be achieved with a better software program. Look at Logic Exp, Cubase or Pro Tools. DP (Digital Performer) is also a choice, but i can not reccomend it as i have not used it since the OS 9 days. hehe
can i put my tracks on disc and send them out to get mastered?
Maybe. Talk to some studios in your area. If they would be willing to do it they may have a specific format they want the audio in. This can also be expensive. However if you have little or no experience with mastering audio i would reccomend getting a audio engineer to either do the mastering or work with you on it. It really is not as easy as it seems. (I know from experience, lol)
our plan is to make a full length cd, master and duplicate, sell and become famous
have some mp3 of what we've done, but don't know how or where to post.
Kudos! Good luck. A good way to start out is to get some webspace and post some clips, a band bio, some pictures, etc. Gig a lot, make connections with other bands, etc. Talking to older musicians or musicians in your area that have been in the field longer than you can give you valuable info. Be warned though, not all musicans are as free with their advice (well, you may get some free advice, but it may not be very poilite
)
is there a video output so i can see everything on my tv?
Yeah, as Wintermute said, the PB has s-video out. If you are thinking of using the tv as an extra or bigger monitor you may have some problems. Unless it is a HD tv it is probably going to be VERY hard to see details when your are doing editing. And dont even think about reading text! However if you are intrested in doing video, such as making a low-budget music video then Logic Pro (i dont think Logic exp has this ability) can handle video. I have played with this a little bit and it seems to be "ok" although i am by NO means a video person.
how fast of a processor is needed? ibook isn't fast enough? can't have the thing dragging...
The 1.33Ghz iBook should be fine, although if i was spending the money i would go for the 15" or 17" PB. Why? Well the 15" PB gives you a faster processor, a larger HD, bigger screen, firewire 800, etc. It will also last you longer in my opinion. Also the PB can support more ram (up to 2 gigs).
As far as interfaces go if a small device is more attractive look at:
M-Audio firewire 410, the edirol FA-66 or the PreSonus Firebox.
I have used the Firewire 410 and really like it (it has 8 1/4 outputs, nice for 8-channel surround work). The PreSonus Firebox comes with a copy of Cubase LE, which i believe supports up to 48 tracks. Also the Mbox by Digidesign is a option (i think it still comes with Pro Tools LE...)
If a larger device (rack mountable) is acceptable look at:
the PreSonus FirePod (also comes with Cubase LE), the MOTU 828 mkII, or a Digidesign Digi 002 (includes Pro Tools LE). I have a older MOTU 828 mkI and it works well, and i also own a Mbox but havent used it much in a while since i refuse to buy Pro Tools for OS X (i will be downloading the coreaudio drivers for Tiger when they are released though).
Wow, thats a lot of information! I hope it all makes sense. Good luck with your recording and your dreams of releasing the CD. If ya have any more questions, just shoot.
oh yeah, a lot of recording is trial and error. You can plan many things, but sometimes, things just wont "work" or wont "have the right sound". This is part of the business, and part of the coolness of music. Play around with GB, and see what happens. That experience will help you learn other software, which has a fairly steep learning curve (although it is not that bad, reading the manual, doing the tutorials and just using the software will help you greatly). Of course you can ask us questions but sometimes if you try to work things out on your own, you can come up with some creative and great solutions. Thats why music and recording are art!
-cameron
