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[Thrillho]

Global Moderator Comment

As my original query was answered, I thought I would re-purpose this thread to be a generalised home recording thread for questions, help, experiences, discussion etc. Enjoy! (Or, indeed, BAND)

Hello all,

I am working on home recording at the moment and unfortunately my laptop does not have a microphone in slot, just an out.

This isn't a problem with everything by any means - I can record into the mic I had and vocals, etc.

However I also have some instruments I wanted to record with a line in, including my guitar, a synth and a drum machine.

I bought this and it has picked up no audio whatsoever. After combing through their product page quite extensively, I think I have slowly come to the conclusion that... this doesn't work.

Does anybody know of anything attached to a USB that I can get that I will be able to plug a mic or non-powered instrument into so I can record with it?

[pwhodges]

Most audio interfaces at all price levels are USB these days, so it's just a matter of finding the one that suits.

I'm not surprised that the one you tried failed, not least because of the unconventional plug required (the kind used on old iPhones, in fact), and it's input is not a line input anyway.

Something like this or this or this may be what you need, depending on the exact range of in/outs you want; they're by a cheap but widely used make, basically OK.

[Thrillho]

Thanks so much, hodgy. It's the Behringer U-Phoria I'm going to for.

I'm going to record this goddamn drum machine if it kills me

[Theta9]

 I'm pretty happy with my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.

[Castlerook]

I use a Samson G-Track Pro, top quality equipment.

[pwhodges]

To be clear, I was suggesting the lowest cost equipment that would serve satisfactorily in this instance, rather than kit costing near or well over £100 which would be overkill at this stage.

[Theta9]

To be clear, I was suggesting the lowest cost equipment that would serve satisfactorily in this instance, rather than kit costing near or well over £100 which would be overkill at this stage.

Entry-level gear can be nice if it's all you need, but it's also nice to have room to grow into. And I consider my 2i2 to still be "entry-level" as its two inputs are just enough to accommodate my stereo-output Stick.

[Castlerook]

To be clear, I was suggesting the lowest cost equipment that would serve satisfactorily in this instance, rather than kit costing near or well over £100 which would be overkill at this stage.

You also get what you pay for. Yes, I've paid more for my current microphone, but I've also ended up paying more than for cheap headsets and microphones that have quickly broken. But the one I'm using now has paid for itself just in terms of how much I've used it. Simply put, I'd rather pay €150 for a microphone that will last me a few years, than pay €200 for several replacements in the same time period.

[Thrillho]

Starter kit is all I need for now.

I plan to do my real recording in studios from now on but this costs a pretty penny and you are just burning daylight if you go in without an arrangement.

This is basically for demos, and if I get anything remotely usable I will stick it online.

[IDMG]

what's your budget

[Thrillho]

Global Moderator Comment

Please note updated OP.

[Thrillho]

Something I am going to post about in another thread is that I never really learned to 'try' at anything, and this has been particularly true of music.

I grew up reading the music press, the mythologising of the musical genius as someone who could just 'do' the things they did and rarely had to work at them unless they were going through a rough patch.

This has meant that my songwriting habits have been profoundly ridiculous for pretty much my entire creative life.

I've also always had a natural affinity for music, so once I got to the level I reached at age 15 or so I just settled there as far as effort is concerned. I did still find things to improve on, but none of them took actual effort (I want to learn more chords, so I joined the church band, which already had a guitarist, so I only ever played inversions or bass; just learned how to play differently through habit rather than dedicated practice).

I could be a better musician, I could be a better artist, and I could actually start producing half-decent quality recordings. I heard the audio quality of some stuff available to listen to on Spotify and thought, I'm sure I could achieve that.

Now that I am waiting for my line in adapter, I don't want to start on any 'proper' recording yet, so I've mostly been experimenting. I've recorded to a click before, but never at home, and I attempted it once recently and it was fucking disastrous.

But I finally actually fucking bothered to try it properly, using a click, and recording one of my old songs - I tried to do a better job at recording the vocals and such, actually planning what I was going to play (I have historically gone in with just basic chords and improvised in the recordings hoping it'll work out well, then just not shown anyone else if I thought it sucked), thinking about what it would sound like.

I made an awful compressed-to-fuck mix of it to listen to over and over just so I could have something 'complete,' and I'm going to remix it again, possibly even go back for retakes(!), and just wait with bated breath for whenever my part arrives and I can get on this properly, because I have so many ideas right now.