Recording with Audacity

[timmyb]

I would like to record both my guitar and voice using the free download Audacity, but have a few questions.  I have K&K mini pick up in the L09.  How do you make the connection to computer (laptop) from the Guitar.  Also, what type microphone and connection (how to) for voice?  I would like to keep it simple.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[tadol]

I'm no expert, but I've done some tiny bit research into this, and I can give you some basics.

You'll need to buy an interface of some kind to go between the guitar/mic and your computer. They are usually firewire or USB. If you are using a laptop, you'll have to choose the one that is probably already installed on your machine.

The interface can be anywhere from really simple - just an analog/digital converter, so that you do everything on the computer, or it can be more like a mixing board, with meters and sliders for adjusting levels, and even headphone output to monitor while you are recording. Prices are all over the place, from under a hundred to many, many thousands.

The microphones are also expensive, with the same price range. I saw microphones for $5000 ea, and the catalog indicated it was worth have a few of them around - No wonder recording time is so expensive.

You may also want to look at the Zoom portable recorders - they can record to MP3 stand alone, then you can download the file to Audacity to play with, and they also act like a microphone when plugged directly into a USB port. They are nice to take to jams and get easy recordings with other players -  so far thats all I've done.

You can get catalogs of this stuff to read through and get an idea of the budget you'll need - the one I just saw was "ProGear" from Sweetwater Music - I am in no way recommending them, but they are happy to send out free catalogs if you call -

Tad

[jeremy3220]

mic>mic pre-amp>audio interface>computer

Sometimes the preamp is built into the interface but it may not sound the best because that's a lot of things to power (mic/amp/interface).

The soundcard in your laptop is an audio interface (albeit a crappy one) and if you can get a cable to plug in to the mic in on your soundcard you should be able to record the plugged in guitar.

[lw216316]

timmy,
There's a guy named GOLDHAT on youtube that plays and teaches in a basic down-to-earth style.
In one of his videos he explains how he does his recordings - what equipment and software -
he uses audacity and a little mixer -  you may want to check him out-
...just search for GOLDHAT on youtube and scan through his list of stuff -
If you need help to find it - let me know.

- Larry

[timmyb]

Thanks for the feedback.

[Will Fly]

I use several bits of equipment to do this, depending on my mood:

(a). analogue/digital converter: takes input from a conventional mic/jack socket and outputs it via USB to my laptop & Audacity.

(b) Sony Minidisc and Sony stero mic: output to the laptop is via a mini-jack-to-mini-jack stereo lead.

(c) Zoom H2: output to the laptop is either by mini-jack or by USB

All work fine. You can control input levels with Audacity.

[lw216316]

Will, can you tell me more about the Zoom h2 ?    price range in usd, what it can do, your evaluation of it  pros/cons....

- Larry

[BenF]

Will, can you tell me more about the Zoom h2 ?    price range in usd, what it can do, your evaluation of it  pros/cons....

- Larry

Larry, it looks like a kids toy, but does the business.  Very simple to use as a straight recorder, which is all I have done with mine.   I record to mp3 and then just put the SD card in my computer's reader and that's it.  I only just found out about Audacity, so can't comment on that linkup yet - I will try it though.

I got a package with the recorder, a tripod stand, a mic stand attachment, a wind cover, a silicone case, a 4GB and a 1GB SD card and a mains adaptor (essential - batteries last a few minutes!!!) for £150, which is about $250 just now I suppose.  eBays finest deal.  All the kit you need to get recording basic mp3s anyway.

Mine has a broken SD card cover (after 2 minutes) and one of the mics sometimes creates a nasty hum until you give it a slight dunt on the side.  NOT well made at all, but the results defy the looks and feel of it.  The silicone case is highly recomended due to the flimsy nature of the recorder.

I used to have a boss micro BR, which was superbly made and finished, but complex to use and the results were not in the same league.  It would be better suited to electric guitar I think, due to all the onboard effects etc.

I think the zoom is a steal, provided you can be careful with it and not bother about what it looks and feels like.



BTW, thanks for this thread - very useful info.

[lw216316]

thanks Ben...I'm looking at my options....this helps

[tuffythepug]

Larry
Like Ben, I am using the Zoom H2.  It works very, very well and is almost idiot-proof.  Also. like Ben, my SD card slot cover broke the first time I opened it.   It is a real cheesy piece of engineering but the rest of the H2 is very solid and dependable.
I just taped the slot cover closed and I don't remove the card.   I use the usb cable for downloading to my pc.  It only takes a few seconds to download a typical 3 or 4 minute song.   Usually the kit comes with an in-adequate sized sd card.   By the time you upgrade to a decent sized one your total bill will be around $250 like Ben said.   It also has a nifty little device that you can screw into the threaded mount on the bottom so that it fits right onto a microphone stand.

[lw216316]

thanks Tuff

....silly plastic cover....
I don't like plastic...
don't like plastic nuts, saddles, binding, pins, pick guards, or plastic guitars.... 

I do like the plastic card I was able to use to buy my solid wood guitars 

- Larry

[Will Fly]

Will, can you tell me more about the Zoom h2 ?    price range in usd, what it can do, your evaluation of it  pros/cons....

- Larry

Larry - apologies for being late in replying - I'm back on the Forum aftr a day or two doing other things. The price of the Zoom H2 over here n the UK is around £150 sterling. Difficult to say what the US price is because, whatever the current conversion rate, I believe it's manufactured in the US, so should be cheaper where you are anyway (no import duty, etc.).

Here's the beast: Zoom H2 Handy Recorder, and this site tells you all about it. There are 2 opposed mics in the head which means that you can record using 1 side or both sides - great for duetting. The stereo split can widen from 90 deg to 120 deg. There are 3 basic recording levels. I use the middle level and set my guitar about 2 feet from it. There's a bit of hiss and ambient noise on the two higher levels, but I can live with that. It comes with USB leads, etc.. Some bundles include a screw-in handle which can fit into a mic stand head - and some come with a mini-tripod. Stereo recording gives you 40 minutes of sound - mono doubles it. I always use the stereo setting.

It's pretty good - it's main advantage is its ease of use. The quality is slightly better with my Sony stereo condenser mic and the Minidisc recorder, but it's a little more fiddly to set up.

Hope that helps,

Will

[lw216316]

thanks Will, I printed out your response for reference as I do my research.
You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.   

- Larry

[rockhound]

I'd like to stick up for the Boss Micro BR - I have one of these and it is a really excellent piece of kit, and extremely well made.  As Ben said, it is a little complicated to use, but once you figure out the basics it is OK, and it is phenomenally powerful.  Multitrack recording/mixing, effects, drum machine, etc.  Making simple recordings of guitar and voice with the built in mic is easy, and the results are very good - if you record to the native format and then let the Boss do the conversion to MP3 at the highest resolution.  That takes a bit of time, but the sound quality is better than recording direct to MP3 (which you can also do) for some reason.  It is excellent for electric guitar too.

There's a good review of it here:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb07/articles/bossmicrobr.htm

It retails in the UK for about £170 - not bad for a fully featured recording studio.

[BenF]

The kids got a new computer this week, so I pinched their old one. An old computer desk was also handy, so it is now set up with the audio out going straight into my hifi. My zoom h2 is connected via USB st the front, and there is also a headphone out on the front. That's it, everything needed.

First impressions of audacity is that it is simple, fun, and results are great. I am looking forward to the next few weeks playing with my new super simple home studio.

Total cost to set this up was zero. Just joining together what I already had.

Thanks for all the advice on here that got me started. Much appreciated.

In case anyone else tries this, the beta version of audacity wouldn't work for me. I could either get the zoom h2 to work as an input, and the hifi to work as an output, but not both together. Dunno why. The secure version of audacity had no such bug.

[The Hickman]

lw216316, I'm going to be buying a H2 soon too. I found it for under $200 at bestbuy.com. it's on sale right now. List is under $200 as well. Hope this helps.

[killerkelly]

I recently purchased an Alesis USB Multimix 4 interface for 79$ US. Its a 4 channel mixer with 2 xlr inputs and 2 line inputs, with individual gain and pre for each channel. I use a Sure SM58 for vocals and a Sure 849 (discontinued) for guitar, or sometimes I plug my guitar direct. I have a L.R. Baggs M1 in my D-03R. I record straight to Audacity and have great success. You might research the Alesis Multimix 4. Its pretty much plug and play, after a few tweaks to my computer settings I was recording in 15 minutes after taking the thing out of the box.

Killer

[Michael T]

If you intend to do just a bit of solo recording I have used just a Pro grade USB comdenser mic.

http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1810

For under $100 (US) new you just plug it into a USB port and record directly to Audacity. It is only a single track, if you want multi-trac then a interface with standard condenser mics would be required, or, a pocket/field recorder like the Zoom or Edirol HR-09 etc. I used the Samson COU1 for recording for a good year before buying a interface and mic set up for multi-track and had that for a bit before buying my pocket/field recorder. In all honesty, the pocket/field recorder only sees use as a away from home recorder (open mics, jams etc.), since I have a couple condenser mics and a good interface I don't use it at home. I gave the USB mic to one of my sons and he is very happy with it from a plug and record standpoint. It is that easy too, plug it in call up Audacity hit record and away you go. Just an alternative to the other options out there.