Midi recording and blowing my brains out

[wages]

OK, just got Reaper and Cubase both installed. Gunna compare and make a choice I suppose. Anyway, how do I get started? I tried recording in both. I got some midi recorded and heard in Cubase, but there was a latency. In Reaper, I got what LOOKS like a recording, but no actual sound. I have no idea how to set these up. Any good step-by-step guides for getting it set up for novices?

[Billy's Little Trip]

I can't speak for Reaper, but Cubase, you need to go to the device set up and tell it which sound card to use. Cubase generally picks the best one automatically. In Cubase, if you click the monitor button next to the record button on each track, you should lose the latency. Also, when I open my FireBox mixer, (the interface in/out device) my latency goes away even without the monitor button clicked.

What is your interface between your mic/guitar and the computer? Is that interface what you are using for monitoring sound? If so, find the device setup in Reaper and tell it to use it for in/out.

[wages]

I can't speak for Reaper, but Cubase, you need to go to the device set up and tell it which sound card to use. Cubase generally picks the best one automatically. In Cubase, if you click the monitor button next to the record button on each track, you should lose the latency. Also, when I open my FireBox mixer, (the interface in/out device) my latency goes away even without the monitor button clicked.

What is your interface between your mic/guitar and the computer? Is that interface what you are using for monitoring sound? If so, find the device setup in Reaper and tell it to use it for in/out.

I spent another 10 to 20 minutes messing with Cubase. It really seems overwhelming! I couldn't find the sound card in device setup. It seems I can record audio but I can't hear it.

I haven't spent any more time with Reaper yet... I got too frustrated with Cubase.

I did work some with Mixcraft 4 which works beautifully with the midi controller and records guitar/vocals well. However, have to register it to export the audio, and I'm not ready to fork out $50 yet.

I still prefer the interface to Sony Acid Pro, but I'm getting this weird latency thing with the midi on it, plus I get weird static interference on the analog tracks. This leads me to believe that it is definitely a combination of an old soundcard (SB Audigy) and Vista that are at fault. In theory, if I upgrade to Windows 7 and get a no-latency soundcard, I would be golden with Sony Acid Pro again.

Of course, I don't have $350 to fork out to accomplish this task right now, but there are some discussion points here: if I do buy some hardware for recording, what are the absolute EASIEST options?

I've looked at the M-Audio (is that right?) soundcard with the 10+ audio connections. It seems like the best bet, but of course, that has to be installed in the computer limiting my ability to take it with me, but I would still like to hear opinions of it.

Otherwise, I know there are a plethora of external devices that attach to the computer via USB, Firewire, 1/8" jack, etc. I am open to a completely external recording device IF IF IF it is ultra-simple to use (less than 30 seconds from turning it on to starting to record) AND if it is equally easy to transfer a mix to the PC.

[jeff robertson]

You know, it seems to me that somebody who knows this stuff (as in, knows a lot more than I do) could make money picking out home recording equipment and installing it into people's houses. I bet one of ya'll is going to say that Guitar Center or someplace will do it (the same way stores will install appliances and home-entertainment stuff), but I bet they charge more for a worse job than some people here could do.

[ken]

You know, it seems to me that somebody who knows this stuff (as in, knows a lot more than I do) could make money picking out home recording equipment and installing it into people's houses. I bet one of ya'll is going to say that Guitar Center or someplace will do it (the same way stores will install appliances and home-entertainment stuff), but I bet they charge more for a worse job than some people here could do.

How much would you pay for that kind of service?

[jeff robertson]

You know, it seems to me that somebody who knows this stuff (as in, knows a lot more than I do) could make money picking out home recording equipment and installing it into people's houses. I bet one of ya'll is going to say that Guitar Center or someplace will do it (the same way stores will install appliances and home-entertainment stuff), but I bet they charge more for a worse job than some people here could do.

How much would you pay for that kind of service?

Me, personally, I probably wouldn't hire such a service even if it was free, because I like figuring shit out. But I'd be curious to know if other people would.

[wages]

You know, it seems to me that somebody who knows this stuff (as in, knows a lot more than I do) could make money picking out home recording equipment and installing it into people's houses. I bet one of ya'll is going to say that Guitar Center or someplace will do it (the same way stores will install appliances and home-entertainment stuff), but I bet they charge more for a worse job than some people here could do.

How much would you pay for that kind of service?

Me, personally, I probably wouldn't hire such a service even if it was free, because I like figuring shit out. But I'd be curious to know if other people would.

I would be interested in such a service, but there is a limit to what I could spend. I'd be willing to pay $20 or $30 an hour with it hopefully being under $200 total. That is mostly for labor/instruction I would assume. From such as service, I would expect:
*an evaluation of the equipment I already own
*recommendations for new equipment
*best installation of the studio
*a personal walk through recording a song from inputting instrument tracks to creating an MP3 and/or CD and, if necessary, FTP to a site or put it on MySpace.
*Q&A session
*the ability to follow-up once I add more equipment that I don't understand

I actually asked the local guitar store if they had someone that could give RECORDING lessons. I'd pay $10 or $20 for 30min to 1hr lessons, but only in person. I find that I'm having trouble understanding from online research (I'm more of a visual/doing learning; poor reading comprehension). They did not have such a person, so my goal is to get friends to help eventually.

[ken]

I'd pay $10 or $20 for 30min to 1hr lessons, but only in person. I find that I'm having trouble understanding from online research (I'm more of a visual/doing learning; poor reading comprehension). They did not have such a person, so my goal is to get friends to help eventually.

I hear that. I didn't really understand Reason until a friend gave a short tutorial on it at a local art co-op. I taught a similar class soon after that about recording on a 4 track. It was fun.

Maybe I should work something up and post it to Craigslist...

Ken

[wages]

I'd pay $10 or $20 for 30min to 1hr lessons, but only in person. I find that I'm having trouble understanding from online research (I'm more of a visual/doing learning; poor reading comprehension). They did not have such a person, so my goal is to get friends to help eventually.

I hear that. I didn't really understand Reason until a friend gave a short tutorial on it at a local art co-op. I taught a similar class soon after that about recording on a 4 track. It was fun.

Maybe I should work something up and post it to Craigslist...

Ken

You want to come to West Plains Missouri and help me out? I'll throw in a good home cooked meal on top of the pay.

[AJOwens]

Hey, Wages. I gave up on Cubase LE 4 because it wouldn't play nice with Reason. I'm going to learn Reaper.

I have it basically working -- audio inputs, MIDI, Reason Rewire -- and I've ordered a book. (Not the free manual -- I'll print that at the office.) If you want to switch your efforts to Reaper, maybe we can work this out together.

The jeezly thing records multiple takes on each track. I'm just testing and poking around -- I don't need to keep multiple takes of that! The garbage builds up and I have to delete the extra takes manually. Anyone know how to turn that off?

[signboy]

Cubase wouldn't play nice with Reason, but you got Reaper to rewire?!! wow. alternate dimensions.

[AJOwens]

Cubase wouldn't play nice with Reason, but you got Reaper to rewire?!! wow. alternate dimensions.

Yeah, we talked about this on page 1 of this thread. Cubase LE 4, the "lite" version that comes with sound cards and whatnot, does not support Reason Rewire. When people learn this, they are gobsmacked. I keep thinking it can't be true.

Reaper does support Reason Rewire (as well as something called Reaper Rewire). You apply Reason Rewire as a VST plugin to a track. When you do this, Reaper starts up Reason automatically. Then you set Arm Recording on the track, select your MIDI keyboard or whatever as the input, click the Record Monitor button for the track (a little speaker icon), and bob's your uncle; you can record in real time. At this point you can also switch to Reason, open up a Reason project with stored MIDI events,switch back to Reaper, and play the stored Reason project as part of your recording. I gather that by using track I/O controls, you can even distribute the different instruments in your Reason project to different tracks in Reaper; this is something I haven't tried yet.

By the way, I'm using Reason Adapted, the "lite" version that comes with MIDI controllers and whatnot, and it works fine with Reaper and Rewire. Steinberg: Take a hint!

[jast]

(as well as something called Reaper Rewire)

Nah, it's actually called ReaWire. Makes it a lot less confusing, don't you think?