# Easiest and most cost effective way to start recording?



## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

After my session at Phase One on LOR, Im eager to start doing some basic home recordings...something I can put on Youtube/FB.
My brain is already full of lots of junk, so without having to learn a ton of stuff about how to record (read: use up time I could be spending actually playing), whats the easiest and most cost effective way to produce some half decent recordings....a cd-based multi-track recorder, software loaded onto a windows based laptop?
I should mention, Im interest in recording guitar through my rig and amp, not a modeler, vocals Im impartial to, and would likely need a drum loop or something as well.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

well, since you have a computer, all you need is an interface and a DAW. Audacity is a free DAW, Reaper is an inexpensive DAW that has some better features and is a little easier to use. I bought an ART 2 channel interface for 100 bucks. More channels is more money, but I'm only one guy so 2 channels is all I can use at a time. It's all my system can handle without latency too... USB 2.0 is fine as is firewire - it depends on what inputs your system has. As long as you have mics and/or a modeler you can record tracks for under 200 bucks easy


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

Buy a used Boss BR-600 for $150 or so. 

Good quality onboard mics, built in drum programming, buil-in guitar processor (or you can use mics on amps)

Built in effects, and you can mix & master on the unit, or just dump the wav files to your computer. 

It's very portable, so if you want to take it somewhere, no problem. It's even battery powered if need be. 

All the guitar tracks from my myspace were recorded on BR-600 with an SM-57, some acoustics just used onboard mics. 

http://www.myspace.com/terrymoxness


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Zoom H4 is a great unit. Stereo mics that are good quality, built right into a handheld unit.

I have a several year old Boss BR864 I'd sell for very little - I think I had it up for $75 a while back, and would be flexible off that even. Produces great quality stuff, up to 64 tracks...the only downside is that the mic input is very sensitive and can't handle high volume without a preamp of some sort in front of it. Go look it up online and send me a PM if interested. But most of what it does can be done on computer with cheap or free software these days - not necessarily the case back when I got it.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Thanks for the tips, guys!


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I use an M-Audio 410, which can be found used for very little money now (like $100-150) and I'm super-happy with mine! Been using it for 3 or 4 years now to record at home. All you really need is a simple interface like that, or any of the others mentioned, a decent DAW (Reaper and Audacity already mentioned) and a mic. I'd go with a SM57 since it's good for guitars but can also do as a vocal mic. They can be had used for around $50. You don't really need anything beyond that.

The handheld guys are the other way to go, but the problem with that is that it's a little more time consuming if you're putting together a song with multiple tracks as you can't actually play all the material at once. You'd have to record a part, export it into your DAW, then playback on headphones and record your next part to it, bounce to your DAW again etc. If you're just going to vox and 1 guitar, then it might be a better solution, though. As mentioned the Zoom H4n is an amazing little product. I've rented one a couple times to record audio from our shows to sync up with video we've recorded and been very happy with the results.


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