cakewalkhomestudio2002/acidpro5???? recording? ack!

[stuble]

if you had to choose between cakewalk home studio 2002 and acid pro 5 to record a 5 piece rock band (2 guitars, 1 bass, drums, vocals) and wanted to include some piano and synthesizers which would be the better program?

also how would you go about recording?
i really need help with mic'ing the drum set because we're limited to two mics and no interface....

as of now all i have been doing is recording guitars with a puny computer mic straight into the computer using krystal as my software program. but i'm definitely ready to do more then that because i'm ready to record a demo tape with my band and we're not really sure what to do.

please help!!!!


thanks x infinity!

[dearly missed]

I use Acid 4.0 for my recordings and if works out fine. I like the interface and I find it easy to do arrangements with. Since it seems like you will only be recording one track at a time I would recommend it. I haven't used Cakewalk though so I can't comment on it.

If you only have 2 mics I would recommend using one to mic the bass drum and then 1 as sort of an overhead placed high up above the snare. This will hopefully allow everything to be heard. I usually mic drums with either 3 or 4 mics.

You should probably record the drums first (make sure the drummer plays to a click track. Making sure the drums are in time makes recording the other instruments a heck of a lot easier.) Then after you record the drums record the bass guitar, then the guitars, then the vocals (if any).

[stuble]

i don't have an interface so i'm not sure how we'll be using two mics...any interface around 50 bucks?

[dearly missed]

you need to buy a mixer, and probably a new sound card. Behringer makes some pretty cheap mixers that are pretty nice. You can get a 4 channel (2 XLR, 2 Stereo 1/4") for around $60.

[stuble]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/631236/


is that what you were talking about? how's that work? does it go into the computer through a usb or something? i'm such a newbie to recording lol (thanks for your help so far though)

[dearly missed]

yeah, that will work. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=live/search/detail/base_pid/631238/, this is the one that I use for my recordings. You go into the computer either through the 1/4" outs or the RCA outs into your sound card.

[stuble]

you keep mentioning sound cards...how much do those go for? i'm assuming that these are special sound cards and not the sound card in my lap top

[dearly missed]

If you are using a laptop you will probably need an external soundcard, either a USB one or a Firewire card. You will have to talk to someone else about good sound cards, I just use a USB Soundblaster card. It works great for me, I think it sounds fine, but it may not be for everybody.

[stuble]

awsome thanks! i'll be looking into a sound card and a mixer then.

thanks!