iPhone Recording

[pdjudd]

I do recording for my friends group - nothing too serious right now but I am trying to learn as much as I can. Usually I have been recording everything using a Yeti mic via USB into Garageband on my Mac and that works nice, but lately I have been tempted to run the audio via the board wherever the band plays (they want to teach me how it works) to get better audio. The trouble is, getting my laptop set up isn't always easy since I have to lug my gear and space is at a premium sometimes. One of the guys said I should just record from the board on my iPhone which I can do but I would like something other than the basic recording app and I was hoping to get some suggestions.

My needs aren't too demanding - I just need something that is easy to use and can record decent audio - any editing will be done on my Mac afterward so I need to be able to get it off my iPhone easily. I just need to be able to make sure levels are good so I can avoid clipping and that's it.

This is a basic live show and it's stuff that we would give away. I am on a budget here so nothing expensive. I have an iPhone 4s and want to record via line in. Any suggestions would be awesome. Thanks.

One more bonus question, what is a recommended setup for running Logic on a MacBook Pro 13" (2011). My buddies suggested I look into that (never mind I don't know how to use it but they would buy it for me) but I want to know if it is feasible or recommended on my current setup.

Thanks all!

 

[Boilermaker_coday]

If you want to be able to record the different parts of the band on separate tracks to be mixed down and edited later on a computer, then you will need an external soundcard with multiple inputs. So if you have a channel on your soundboard for drums (although realistically you would have several for the drums alone), one for guitar, one for vocals, etc... then you would be able to run all those different channels' outputs into your different inputs on the soundcard separately and then record them as separate audio files. So you could then use logic, for example, to turn the drums down or edit the EQ on the guitar. The soundcard would have to be used with a laptop, though, because it would run off of firewire or USB.

Line in recording (on iphone and also with any other laptop using the 1/8" "headphone" jack) only has two channels (wich are the left and right channels, giving you stereo). So in theory the only way you would be able to use this method would to record the "final product," or the output of the master channel on your soundboard because you can only have one sound being put into the iphone at a time. That's ok but you will need to be an expert on the soundboard because you will want all your levels set the way you want them BEFORE you start recording because you can't go back and change them individually. I've never downloaded a recording app for my phone, but it wouldn't really matter what kind of app you have because no matter what app you will only have that one file to work with. In other words it would be like trying to work with an mp3 you got off of itunes. You can have an app that can have 20 different tracks in it but you will stil just have that one mp3 to play with.

So when you do get the song recorded, you can still take it into logic and edit it some, but your options will be limited. Usually just throwing a limiter and EQ on it.

So in a nutshell, any app that you can use to record the song as a single .wav (or other high quality audio) onto your iphone and then transfer it to your computer will work.

 

[pdjudd]

Line in recording (on iphone and also with any other laptop using the 1/8" "headphone" jack) only has two channels (wich are the left and right channels, giving you stereo). So in theory the only way you would be able to use this method would to record the "final product," or the output of the master channel on your soundboard because you can only have one sound being put into the iphone at a time. That's ok but you will need to be an expert on the soundboard because you will want all your levels set the way you want them BEFORE you start recording because you can't go back and change them individually.

I won't be running the board bit there will be a person doing that at the place I'll be recording. As it is, I am just interested in what comes out in the mix and cutting that down for my friends.

If you want to be able to record the different parts of the band on separate tracks to be mixed down and edited later on a computer, then you will need an external soundcard with multiple inputs.

I am not doing anything mutl-track at all right now when I record - but that might be an option later. We have about 6 musicians so I don't even know what hardware I would need. I am not a real big professional at this so I don't even know if I can "get" Logic (Which I do not own at all since I don't know the ideal setup). I can tell you that they all plug in via 1/4" for the instruments and I think XLR for their Mics.

I was't kidding about that what I do is basic - right now I just use a single mic for everything - even live shows. I have never done anything multi-track before.

ETA:

So in a nutshell, any app that you can use to record the song as a single .wav (or other high quality audio) onto your iphone and then transfer it to your computer will work.

What I was hoping for was some flexibility and something beyond just the basics. I was initially looking at this: http://www.audiofile-engineering.com/fire/ since that was what Blue had for their iOS product but I honestly don't know if there is a better option. That app that I mentioned looks nice, but I was hoping for some other options that people would recommend.