Please Help Me Choose/Advice (Home Recording)

[A Charlatan I]

hi Guys,

I really want to lay down some tracks - acoustic/electric/vocals. I've been looking at a digital 8-track a lot of them seem to be quite idiot proof. Would anybody recommend how to get started on home recording. Eg. tips/advice...what should i buy - an 8 track or a preamp and mixer etc... How good is for example, the Boss BR600 - Heard a lot of good things/reviews, but just checked out the Roland website and the hndbook is quite meaty - i know recording takes effort, but surely it doesn't have to be unnecessarily complicated....

thanks in advance...

Cheers,

Ryan

[timgreene]

download audacity, for free, and use your PC. Its easy, and free.

[StuH]

A digital 8 track is a great way to start.
I'm not familiar with these Boss/Roland units but started off with a Zoom(Samsung) unit. These units are capable of a variety of tasks. Not only multitrack recording but also track editting, effects processing, and in some cases rhythm programming of sampled drums and bass. That's why the manuals are so extensive. I would think that you could probably be up and recording in a couple of hours as this is usaully covered in the initial sections. You can learn the other functions as you see fit.

WARNING: Highly addictive hobby!!!!

EDIT) Won't recomend what to buy but you wouldn't go wrong with a Boss unit.

[A Charlatan I]

thanks guys :-)

[woodman]

you didn't specify your computer platform, but if you're on Mac, Garageband gets you going quickly. not the ultimate answer, but a good way to ease into the digital environment.

on the other hand, an old friend recently gave me a Roland, and there's an attraction there ... so i might face the same learning curve you do if you go for the Boss.

just do your homework -- read reviews, etc around the web and home in on what trips your trigger.

[f69tele]

I have a Yamaha AW-4416 16 track digital recorder. But if I was just getting started and wasn't computer literate, etc... I'd look into this. Set up like a mixer, but with USB so you could eventually export tracks to something free like Audacity for fine editing, etc..

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...dio?sku=702914

not sure how good it is, but looks pretty darn simple.

[StuH]

Something to mention to you about these digital 8 tracks especially if you have a specific need for 8 seperate tracks .
Stereo tracks are usually counted as 2 tracks. For instance a Zoom MRS 8 or Zoom MRS 802 has 4 mono tracks and 2 stereo tracks for a 6 track total, I believe Boss units are similar.

[charlie cash]

You can go to the Roland website and download the owners manual as a PDF and look it over before you commit to buying the recorder. It appears that the unit does alot, but it is not too complicated to use most of the functions. I don't have one, myself, but I do this for alot of gear I consider buying.