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[trock]

When I started I had an M-Audio 410 fw interface. i think they are still out and go for 300 bucks?

it was really solid for me

has 2 pre's on the front, and ins and outs on the back, anda nice software interface to control it on your pc

so my setup was

Mic(s) ->410 fw->PC/Sonar back out the same fw ->410 ->monitors

very simple and easy to use, ASIO, 44.1/24.

after that initial 300 dollars i have spent well over 20K over the years on various and sundry things that have shiny lights, knobs and meter things

beware

[Jesse M]

I don't think the mbox can be beat for the price, especially with an education discount.  You get the recording interface AND the software, not to mention endless tutorial videos and expert advice.  Sonor is much less common and still requires a good sound card.

btw if your sound card doesn't support ASIO, many people have luck with the free ASIO4ALL drivers.

[JDNelson]

Jesse M wrote on Tue, 24 February 2009 23:46

I don't think the mbox can be beat for the price, especially with an education discount.  You get the recording interface AND the software, not to mention endless tutorial videos and expert advice.  Sonor is much less common and still requires a good sound card. btw if your sound card doesn't support ASIO, many people have luck with the free ASIO4ALL drivers.

But PT LE is cripple-ware, isn't it?  Limitations on how many tracks and no PDC, etc. Seems like a poor relation to PT HD.  

[garret]

Sonar has a $100 "home studio" version which shares the same audio engine as the $500 Sonar Producer Edition.

You don't get many bundled plugins, and you are "limited" to 64 tracks.

That plus a nice interface and you're set.

Or get an Mbox if you can live with PT LE's limitations.

[hrasco]

I believe he stated he already owns Sonar. Software is not the isssue. Dollars are.

Rock bottom, low dollar; if you are running XP 32bit buy a used M-Audio MobilPre USB. Although there have been problems with Vista and XP 64bit and it is only 16 bit/48 capable, you can pick one up on eBay for $40 to$90 and it will work fine on the right OS and sound pretty darn good (16 bit is CD quality). Buy two genuine Shure SM-57's and you are at your starting point. You will get the best education you could hope for on your own by learning to mic a drumset (or a guitar amp) with only one or two mics.

Save your money and buy more mics and and small mixer as you are able to afford it.

Getting genuine 57's on the used market is getting iffy because there are reportedly counterfeit mics being sold on the internet. They don't cost that much brand new, however. Buy used ones if you trust the seller.

Patch the output of the soundcard into a decent stereo system. Don't use your dinky computer speakers. Of course you will want to improve your playback system as soon as you can afford it.

Enjoy.

[Halfway Competent]

Early on, I invested a bit of money in a pair of Audio Technica AT-4033.  They're $350-400 each, street.  I was recording everything as stereo spaced pair, through a Mackie 1402, to DAT.  

Now I record to Pro Tools, and my mic and preamp closet have grown a bit...  And I'm still using the 4033s on a lot of stuff.  If you can't afford them right now, try the 4040 which is a little cheaper (and a newer design).  

Use a stereo pair of 4033s as overheads, and add a kick mic.  I've been using the EV Raven for miking kick...  It's $150, and also works great on guitar amps!  (Note, it does NOT have the hyped low-end of a Beta 52 or other kick-specific mics.  Very neutral sound.)  An SM-57, SM-58, or Beta 57 are pretty much the definitive snare mics, you can use 'em on just about anything, and they're relatively cheap ($100-150).

The studio is a bottomless pit into which you will perpetually throw money.    

[hargerst]

The real question is what do you wanna do with these recordings?  If it's just for listening to practices, that can be done pretty cheaply.  But if you want to do decent demos or CD sales in clubs, you'll need about 4 mics for drums, guitar, bass, and vocals, and the ability to record at least four tracks simultaneously.  

A couple of Niaint overheads (about 30 bucks each), a used Shure SM57 for snare (about 50 bucks), and a used AT Pro25 for kick (about $75) will get you off and running.  You can then use the Shure to record guitars and vocals, and the AT Pro25 to record bass,

[Bodoc]

Get yourself:

1.  Acoustic treatment -- if it sounds lousy, it will record lousy.  Lots of sources for DIY material

2. A Zoom H4n -- it can serve as a front end for your DAW.  As well, it can accommodate 2 other mikes giving you true 4 channel recording (including its own good mikes).  Just feed the 4 channels into your DAW.

[Bill_Urick]

Khaoz's only posts here are the four in this thread, ending on  January 20th.

I don't think he's interested in our advice anymore, but who knows.

[Steve A]

I'm new here but I have been reading intently... I have another thread on here but have been reading the suggestions here as well.

Thanks for everyones input.

Steve