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Home Recording Options
In the last few years, there has been a boom in inexpensive, studio quality recording equipment. It is now possible for almost anyone to create professional quality recordings at home for an amazingly low price. Even if you’re not ready to cut your own CD, this wealth of recording technology is an exciting opportunity for every guitar player, from beginner to pro.
Why Record?
I believe every guitar player should be active in some type of home recording. For the beginner, it is a great way to gauge your progress, and an excellent practice tool. Laying down some rhythm tracks and playing along with them is a great way to work on second guitar parts, solos, and harmonized leads. It is also a great way to work on your songwriting — another valuable skill for guitarists to learn. More advanced players can make demo tapes to give to their band, or to secure gigs. And most importantly, it allows you to share your music with others. Isn’t that what playing is all about?
The Cost
Sure, recording your own professional quality CD at home can cost thousands of dollars in recording gear, but you can get into recording for much less money. In fact, there are 4-track cassette recorders for as little as $99.00. You’re not going to get CD quality sound, but these easy-to-use tools are a good way to get started in home recording. If you already own a computer, there are many software and hardware options in a wide range of prices. Those looking for an all in one packages will find many “potable studio” options from $200 to $4000. No matter what your budget, there are tools available to get you started.
Types Of Recording Gear
Multi-track recording was first put into popular use by guitar wizard Les Paul who, in the 1950s, stacked recording heads to create the first working multi-track recorder. This analog tape machine allowed his wife, Mary Ford, to record three part vocal harmonies, and let Les create some amazing overdubbed guitar parts. Multi-track analog tape became the standard for studio recording, and little changed in recording technology (with the exception of adding more tracks) over the next three decades. Analog tape is still used in many professional recording studios and is still preferred by some for its rich, warm sound. Home recording also got its start with analog tape technology in the form of reel to reel tape machines. Later, inexpensive cassette “portable studios” brought multi-track recording within the reach of many, the trade-off being poorer sound quality.
Then came the computer. Digital technology continues to get more powerful and less expensive with each passing year. In the 80s, the world got digital fever when the first ADAT (digital tape) machines brought 16-bit digital 8 track recording to the masses and within the reach of many home studios. Now, with the low cost of computers and hard drives, digital recording reigns as king.
Options
With so many options, how can you decide which type of gear is best for you? Let’s take a closer look at what is available and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
While there are many variations and some rack-mount options, for the home recordist it basically comes down to two types of systems: Stand-Alone Systems and Computer-Based Systems.
Stand-Alone Systems
Portable studios combine recording, mixing, and input/output hardware into one package, giving you everything you need - except microphones and monitors -- to make multi-track recordings. There are basically two types of portable studios: Analog (usually Cassette) and Digital (Hard Drive) based machines.
Analog Portable Studios
Cassette portable studios typically have four tracks, although there are eight track models. Depending on the price, they may allow anywhere from 2 to 8 tracks of simulateous recording. Most have 1/4” input jacks and some also include XLR microphone jacks. They may also record at double speed for improved sound quality. They are often less expensive than other types of portable studios.
Strengths: Inexpensive, inexpensive recording media, all-in-one package, portable, great songwriting and practice tools.
Weakness: Poor sound quality (tape hiss), linear design (lots of rewinding and fast forwarding), limited tracks, not expandable or upgradable.
Digital Portable Studios
Digital portable studios typically use hard drives for recording. There are a wide variety of portable studios in this category, from 4-track machines all the way up to 24 track machines with huge hard drives, 24-bit resolution, and digital effects. Most use uncompressed digital data, but some provide compression options also. These machine often feature LCD displays (some with external monitor options) for editing, and digital input/output to allow your music to stay in the digital domain. Those looking for a one-stop professional sounding setup will want to check these units out.
Strengths: Non-linear editing, studio-quality audio, up to 32 tracks, digital and analog input/outputs, portable, all-in-one package.
Weakness: Expensive, requires frequent data back-ups, some models have limited inputs, some models limited to 16-bit sound, difficult or impossible to upgrade.
Computer-Based Systems
Computers have changed the face of recording. It is now possible to house a professional recording studio in a laptop. With the combination of computer, software, and input/output hardware, you can gvie the pros a run for their money.
The advantage to a computer-based recording setup is its ability to be expanded and upgraded. You are limited only by your computer hardware and budget.
Computer based recording requires some kind of input/output hardware to get sound into your computer. There are currently thre options: USB, FireWire, and PCI cards. USB units are less expensive but usually limited to two tracks of input at a time. FireWire units are very easy to use and great for laptops. They typically offer 8 tracks of analog and 8 or more tracks of digital input. These units can be expanded by adding more units for additional tracks. PCI cards have similar features as FireWire units but require a free PCI slot in your computer.
Next, is the software. There are many digital multi-track audio software packages currently available and they are continually improving. In addition, there are scores of “plug-ins” which let you add digital effects such as reverb, compression/limiting, noise reduction, or just about anything available in a hardware unit. They also allow you to use virtual instruments such as synthesizers and sequencers.
Of course, you will also need a fast computer,and lots of RAM do anything more than basic recordings. If you bought a computer sometime in the last year, your only computer expense may be additional RAM. However, you will need to check software requirements before you decide to take the plunge. Having a large monitor to do your editing and mixing is definitely a luxury compared to the tiny LCDs on most Digital Portable Studios.
Computers are the ultimate in flexibility, expandability, and upgradability. But as anyone who has owned a computer knows, computers can be very frustrating. They crash, software applications have bugs, hard drives go bad, etc. Keep this in mind when making your choice.
Strengths: Expandable, upgradable, professional sound quality, totally digital environment, flexible user interface.
Weakness: Can be very expensive to set up, subject to computer glitches, desktop computers are not very portable.
Final Thoughts
There are far too many models and options for me to list every possibility setup, but you should be beginning to get a good idea of what you can expect. Start visiting some manufacturer websites and your local music store, and begin doing some research. Once you have done your homework, you'll be ready to dive in and start experiencing the joy of home recording.