Best Free Music Recording Software?

rancor19
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rancor19
Hey whom it may concern,

Picking up the guitar again and would like to record all of my old songs once and for all. I haven't recorded anything since dropping the ghetto blaster in front of the amp and pressing record on the cassette...

Just wondering if any of you guys use any of the free-online variety software and which might be the best/easiest to use. Something with a drum machine included would be great, too.

Thanks
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borg
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borg 12/6/2016 12:43pm
12/6/2016 12:43pm
Reaper.
borg
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borg 12/6/2016 1:07pm
12/6/2016 1:07pm Edited Date/Time 12/6/2016 1:09pm
The guy in the video was pretty much right on. I use Reaper because my son uses it. He was a goldmine of help when I first started. My audio interface is an M-Audio M-Track. I also downloaded Asio4all as the soundcard driver. Got rid of my latency issues. I also use an SM 57 mic. I record guitar, bass, keyboard and vocals. No complaints so far. For drums there are also many choices. I use Superior Drummer by Toontrack. It's expensive but it is also what my son uses and I just piggy backed.No cost. You are allowed to have two setups with it.
rancor19
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rancor19 12/6/2016 1:57pm
12/6/2016 1:57pm
Thanks guys. Good video. I've been out of it so long I didn't even know what 'DAW' meant lol. Already answered my next question which was "What do I need to go from amp to computer?"
I was surfing last night and came across the ProTools subscription service for $28 a month/pay as you go deal. Looks tempting but I imagine I'll spend a few hundred worth of $28 payments just learning how to use it in my spare time.
I'll look into Reaper and Cubase tonight Smile

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borg
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borg 12/6/2016 2:08pm
12/6/2016 2:08pm
rancor19 wrote:
Thanks guys. Good video. I've been out of it so long I didn't even know what 'DAW' meant lol. Already answered my next question which was...
Thanks guys. Good video. I've been out of it so long I didn't even know what 'DAW' meant lol. Already answered my next question which was "What do I need to go from amp to computer?"
I was surfing last night and came across the ProTools subscription service for $28 a month/pay as you go deal. Looks tempting but I imagine I'll spend a few hundred worth of $28 payments just learning how to use it in my spare time.
I'll look into Reaper and Cubase tonight Smile
"What do I need to go from amp to computer?" You need an audio interface for just about anything you do. That's where all input devices plug in. You can either play a bass or guitar straight in or mic the amp. I usually mic the amp on guitar and plug straight in for bass, keyboards and vocals.

I was out of it for 25 years until my son set me up with Reaper. There is a learning curve for sure but I have been back playing now for almost 2 years. Best thing I've done for myself lately. The people I force to listen to my music may not agree.
Falcon
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Falcon 12/6/2016 3:49pm
12/6/2016 3:49pm
steed 2.0 wrote:
+One https://youtu.be/imfjSHo0nIA Pro Tool First or Cubase
Love this guy. My tunes have really started to come around in sound quality thanks to Graham.

Reaper, I have an Mbox mini from Avid, the same people who make ProTools. It was a little pricey.. I think around $250/$300, but it came with a free copy of Pro Tools Express, which is more than enough for my purposes - and probably yours, from what it sounds like. (PT Express is exactly like the full version except for some very advanced functions, and you are limited to 16 stereo tracks.)

I'm not sure what Avid is offering these days, but I really like the idea of having the same software that a big chunk of the industry uses. Really, they are almost all interchangeable from what I understand but still...

Having a DAW and enough patience to use it are a great combination. It's like Photoshop for sound.
borg
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borg 12/6/2016 6:28pm
12/6/2016 6:28pm
Falcon wrote:
Love this guy. My tunes have really started to come around in sound quality thanks to Graham. Reaper, I have an Mbox mini from Avid, the...
Love this guy. My tunes have really started to come around in sound quality thanks to Graham.

Reaper, I have an Mbox mini from Avid, the same people who make ProTools. It was a little pricey.. I think around $250/$300, but it came with a free copy of Pro Tools Express, which is more than enough for my purposes - and probably yours, from what it sounds like. (PT Express is exactly like the full version except for some very advanced functions, and you are limited to 16 stereo tracks.)

I'm not sure what Avid is offering these days, but I really like the idea of having the same software that a big chunk of the industry uses. Really, they are almost all interchangeable from what I understand but still...

Having a DAW and enough patience to use it are a great combination. It's like Photoshop for sound.
Good advice. He has to have an audio interface anyway so get one that comes with a DAW.
And yes Graham seems to give good unbiased advice. Rare.
rancor19
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rancor19 12/8/2016 1:14pm
12/8/2016 1:14pm
Falcon wrote:
Love this guy. My tunes have really started to come around in sound quality thanks to Graham. Reaper, I have an Mbox mini from Avid, the...
Love this guy. My tunes have really started to come around in sound quality thanks to Graham.

Reaper, I have an Mbox mini from Avid, the same people who make ProTools. It was a little pricey.. I think around $250/$300, but it came with a free copy of Pro Tools Express, which is more than enough for my purposes - and probably yours, from what it sounds like. (PT Express is exactly like the full version except for some very advanced functions, and you are limited to 16 stereo tracks.)

I'm not sure what Avid is offering these days, but I really like the idea of having the same software that a big chunk of the industry uses. Really, they are almost all interchangeable from what I understand but still...

Having a DAW and enough patience to use it are a great combination. It's like Photoshop for sound.
borg wrote:
Good advice. He has to have an audio interface anyway so get one that comes with a DAW. And yes Graham seems to give good unbiased...
Good advice. He has to have an audio interface anyway so get one that comes with a DAW.
And yes Graham seems to give good unbiased advice. Rare.
Looks like the way to go. $299 and up.

Thanks, guys Smile
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Falcon 12/8/2016 3:11pm
12/8/2016 3:11pm
Definitely watch some how-to videos, though. It's pretty sophisticated, so it's like that scene in the movie Airplane where the dashboard of the plane goes on for a mile and a half....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyUN40weqIk
rancor19
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rancor19 12/9/2016 1:10am
12/9/2016 1:10am
Falcon wrote:
Definitely watch some how-to videos, though. It's pretty sophisticated, so it's like that scene in the movie Airplane where the dashboard of the plane goes on...
Definitely watch some how-to videos, though. It's pretty sophisticated, so it's like that scene in the movie Airplane where the dashboard of the plane goes on for a mile and a half....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyUN40weqIk
Will watch the vid, for sure.
Also, now that I know you use pro tools, I will hound you for technical assistance Woohoo

Wink
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Falcon 12/9/2016 2:48pm
12/9/2016 2:48pm
I'll be happy to help, although my assistance will be akin to clamping a playing card in your spokes so it sounds like a motorcycle.....
rancor19
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rancor19 12/9/2016 4:23pm
12/9/2016 4:23pm
Haha Cool

You have a couple-month breather cuz I don't plan on picking it up til after the first of the year. And I guess I'll give it an honest effort before I come running for help lol.
I think I read somewhere that it goes something like:

1) Press 'Record' button
2) Lay down track
3) Press 'Stop Recording' button
4) Press the 'This Button Will Make It Sound Just Like You Want It To' button.
5) Press the 'Sell This Track For 1 Million Dollars' button

Technology is frikkin' awesome! Laughing

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