Getting Started with Home Recording
By: Eric Hill
Part 3: Cables and Interfaces
In the previous article we discussed Hardware versus Software recorders. Hopefully you have made a choice that is beneficial to what you are trying to do with your music. Based on those choices, we will now discuss a rather obvious subject. But as you are beginning your journey into home recording, nothing is quite obvious. Let’s say you have your recorder ready to go, you’ve got your guitar or keyboard set up, you’ve got this killer tune in your head, let’s get to work. Oh wait, I can’t record anything yet, I don’t have any cables. Don’t laugh, because if you laughed that means you laughed at me, because I did that. It’s such a simple thing and a necessary thing obviously.
If you chose a stand-alone recorder, this article isn’t going to really help you. All you have to do is go purchase an instrument cable and you’re good to go. One quick side note on that, when you buy cables, don’t skimp on quality. You certainly don’t have to get the most expensive cables the store has, but somewhere in the middle price-wise will do for what you need, the shorter the better. What I mean is, you don’t have to get a 20ft cable. For a home recording set-up, even a 6ft. cable will do. You won’t be too far from the recorder when you record so instead of paying for length, pay for quality. As usual, don’t be afraid to ask questions before you buy.
Now if you went the software route, you’ll need to get something called an Interface. Simply stated, it is the link between your musical instrument and your computer. You need this in order to do any computer-based recording. Even better, there are Audio Interfaces available that would fit into any budget. You can get interfaces that are USB as well as Fire wire. Some of the high-end interfaces are only available in Fire wire configurations. It’s been my experience, however, that there are some very capable USB interfaces available. As a beginner, you should go this route, not only for ease of use, but the price will be right.
For you guitarists out there, there is this wonderful audio interface called a stealth plug. It plugs directly into your guitar and a USB port in your computer. It even comes with a version of a software program that allows you to create your own amplifier set-up complete with effects right in your computer, very cool. Having said that though, there are a multitude of brands that offer audio interfaces with guitarists in mind, with Line 6 and M-Audio being better than most. As with everything else, it all depends on your preferences and budget. I’ll tell you more about that stuff when I discuss plug-ins, which are basically effects that work with your recording software, but also includes software versions of hardware instruments.
For the keyboard players out there, it’s just as simple. You can use the same interfaces that you use for guitars if you want. But there’s no reason to. There are keyboards called ‘Midi Controllers’, that work the same as the guitar interfaces. The difference is the keyboard IS the interface. All you need is a USB cable and one of these keyboards. It’s as simple as plugging it in and playing. Suddenly, all the sounds that came with your recording software are available to you in this keyboard. Now I know what you’re thinking, ‘They must be expensive.” Well I say to you they are NOT! I have a full-sized 88 key controller that I got for just under $250 bucks. But you can get a smaller version of the same keyboard for under $100. If you plan to use a lot of keyboards, it really is a good thing to have. Go out and try some because there are also a lot of midi controllers on the market.
Lastly, if you want to go this route, there are several audio Interfaces that allow you to plug in different types of instruments (guitars, keyboards, microphones, etc.). If you already have a bunch of instruments and you don’t want to purchase more, this is a great option for you. Once you figure out what works best for you, the computer based recording world will be at your fingertips and it is a large world indeed. Next up we’re going to record that killer riff you’ve got in your head. So stay tuned for, ‘This is the best riff ever recorded!’, or ‘I’ll never leave the house again.’
Eric Hill BIOGRAPHY
Eric Hill is a musician that has been part of the musical community in Chicago for over 25 years. He plays drums, guitar, bass guitar and keyboards. He’s been in several bands here in Chicago, primarily as a drummer.
He is well versed in many styles of music including Rock, Punk, Metal, Funk and Jazz. He records under the name LIFEAFTERSIX, which has released 9 CDs since 2001. His music has been played on the radio locally and streamed on the internet. Eric Majored in Theater/Music at Columbia College and has Received an Excellence in Journalism from The University of Illinois.
Most recently, Eric has focused more on helping younger artists realize their potential in music. “There is nothing like watching a young musician start to figure out what they can do. After a class or two, you can sense their excitement and it’s very cool to be around and ultimately very rewarding for me as well.”
Eric works from his modest home studio and also records bands live for CDs and DVDs. “This is a very exciting time. With all that is possible with the new technology, you’re only limited by your imagination. How cool is that?”
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