Home recording packages

I haven't even gotten to downloading the software yet, I think I finally was able to register my product though. I think I messed up a "one time" password change to access the software page so I'm going to have to wait on that getting fixed so I can try again.

I use one of the larger Focusrite's weekly. As PureQuill says it is so much more than just an adapter and also does a great job if you want to transfer vinyl to your computer to make digital copies / backups. This is a quality piece of gear and once you get a handle on what it can do and how to best use it and your software you'll be very pleased. That said, I can understand the desire for simplicity and "one-button" recording.

I could open Audacity when plugged into the back of my computer and that had a simple, "just go" feel to it but I can tell the quality of sound using the Focusrite interface is much better. What model do you have? I just need to get to the point where I have the software loaded, then I can take my time with learning the software. I'm not in a big hurry, I need new frets on my Gibson anyway, they are fried. To do a good job, which I want to do, I should go ahead and get new frets. Somebody flattened them before I bought it back in the 80s, for speed I suppose, but there wasn't much left to wear down.
 
Who else here uses Pro Tools First? It's been a lemon road I've gone down so far and I'm not talking about learning how to use the software, I'm talking about simply being able to download, unlock and open the software, several new accounts to create, passwords, seems a little much to me. I bet they work out some of those bugs eventually, going from no software disk in the box to just "doing it online". ime, it's been a mess so far. I was able to load Ableton though, already got it going but I want to work with Pro Tools, I feel I'm halfway there to being able to open the program, I'm getting error message after error message, I've sent them to the co. I registered at the Avid forum a few days ago, the account is still not activated, I've tried to contact them, nothing in the Spam folder. I'll find out sooner or later. Anybody here that has worked with Ableton and Pro Tools, which one do you like the most for recording a song?
 
I use ProTools daily, it is to audio what Adobe Photoshop is to graphics & photography ( the industry standard)
Once you get your accounts activated and set up there is tons of toutorial videos and online help.

Have you made sure that your computer is compatible and that do you have a supported OS and enough CPU and RAM?
Have you set up & optimized your computers preference setting to AVIDS recomendations?
If not you will have multiple error problems.

System requirements

http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/...FPro-Tools-First-12-8-2&popup=true&popup=true

I know it is frustrating when just starting out, you are learning a skill set and it takes time and patience.
Hang in there you will get it sorted out.
PQ
 
Big fan of Reaper here. I haven't done much recording since I started my new job and spend all my time working or commuting (moving closer in June-Julyish thank goodness) but I have a decent large diaphram mic (nothing to write home about but it gets the job done) and an Audient id14 interface. I LOVE the Audient. I think it'd take an RME or better to get be to leave Audient. Great preamp section. I upgraded to it from an old m-audio FireWire interface and the improvement in sound with mics as the source was NOT subtle.
 
I should have what it takes to run and load the software, Windows 8.1, 10GB of Ram, 845 gigs of free space. My issue is not learning how to operate the software, I honestly think getting over humps learning how to operate the software will be easier than this problem of not being able to open the Pro Tools software. I've seen a lot of info about how to operate the software so I know that is there, much more "cut and dry". In the mean time, I've been messing around with Ableton, I'm impressed with the sound effects, some of the distortion effects are full and beefy. When I played around with Audacity a few years ago, some of the effects were terrible, I mean it sucked! Others were pretty good, don't know that status of that now. Avid still hasn't activated my account so that I can ask questions, I've been sending messages to their support, aka, "cantact us" link, I get nothing. It's pretty obvious it's been an unusual case for me, it went more smoothly for the majority, just one of those things. Others have had the problems I've had, I'm having to open the software by clicking "Run as Adminstrator" but it still doesn't fully open the software, I get a gray screen with a few activated options in the toolbar and that's it. This is what my Pro Tools First screen looks like and there are no error messages now(attached pic). I couldn't get this far earlier but I loaded something suggested that had to do with "ASIO4ALL 2.14 - English" , that got me a little further. imo that has to do with worldwide exposure that would not have been an issue if an English software cd was included in my box. I sent an error message to Avid and the suggestion there was "Please try uninstalling Xpand!2 from your Control Panel, restart your PC then launch Pro Tools first. If it launches, download the Xpand!2 from the Market Place > Plugins inside Pro Tools | First." There is too much assuming there that a new customer knows what "Marketplace" is, I know what it is now but.... I had to go to an "ilock" page to unlock the software, it's a page that looks like it may not be owned by Avid, looking like it's possibly a third party to a customer and asks for your username and password, or the option to create an account. The Avid username and password applies but many people won't see it that way, they may think they need to create another account for a company called "ilock". No, this is a mess, a software CD should have been included in the box imo. I understand that this is a point where there may be a transitioning period for there not being software in the box and going all "online" but unless it's just me, there are bugs to be worked out. Ahhh, whatever, I'll get there sooner or later, I'm looking forward to recording this thing in my head. It might be a dud but if one person like it, I'll be happy about that. OK I'm going to check out Reaper, sounds like my style anyway haha. No singing for me!, this is only guitar and I may finally buy a bass guitar. I have a bro that plays drums, he may do that.
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I'm moving into a house instead of an apartment soon and it's my hope that along with an actual workshop I'll be able to setup a dedicated music room. :)

When I was out in Cali I had a bunch of moving blankets I'd hang in an extra bedroom when I did recordings. Worked pretty well.
 
I'm moving into a house instead of an apartment soon and it's my hope that along with an actual workshop I'll be able to setup a dedicated music room. :)

When I was out in Cali I had a bunch of moving blankets I'd hang in an extra bedroom when I did recordings. Worked pretty well.

That makes me think you will be using mics. You can be quiet as a mouse with this stuff using headphones.
 
I see Reaper involves cost also. A recent post of mine had to do with the cost of software and dealing with difficulties in acquiring what I supposedly purchased. Idealistically, there should be no excuses but these things get worked out eventually.
 
With reaper they let you download the software for free and the trial is 100% functional for a month or so. When you purchase they email you an activation code that you enter into the software you already installed. Really simple. :)
 
license manger is a 3rd party Pace is the company.
You download the PACE hard disk authorization application then set up your account and enter passwords there.
Hope this helps.

https://www.paceap.com/pace-management.html

PQ


Thanks, I had downloaded Ilock and entered my Avid username and password and that's when I was able to get to the gray screen you see above. I think I'm going start over. Ableton downloaded and opened much more easily or I may try Reaper. Well, with Ableton, I did have to scan my receipt to prove I bought the Focusrite hardware and emailed it to the co. Then they emailed me the download.
 
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Thanks, I had downloaded Ilock and entered my Avid username and password and that's when I was able to get to the gray screen you see above. I think I'm going start over. Ableton downloaded and opened much more easily or I may try Reaper. Well, with Ableton, I did have to scan my receipt to prove I bought the Focusrite hardware and emailed it to the co. Then they emailed me the download.

Protools is a pretty big download so uninstalling it and reinstall sometimes will fix things if the install encountered a error or a corrupt file.
Keep on keeping on!
PQ
 
I thought about something "kind of" related, just something that crossed my mind. I have no plans to mess with the idea either way, just curious. I was wondering if there are audio businesses out that people email or mail their tracks to. No studio recording, just record at home, send it all to a recording co. with a description of the sound they are shooting for and pay them to do it. Do people do that? I can see how mixing a song or two can take a really long time for people that are committed and account for every note. I can imagine what I want to do could sound pretty good or really ridiculous, all depending on the mixing. Some purists say things like, "I don't like sound effects, I like it all natural." Not me, my angle is to use anything and everything to make it sound better. Playing live could be a prob there but I have no plans for that.
 
Yep they are called mixing engineers they take all of your tracks edit and mix them down to 2 tracks.....and then mastering engineers take the mixed tracks and optimize them for final listening and duplication across all formats.
Tons of them online!
PQ
 
So not walking into a recording studio is a trend, or maybe the norm today, just record, send, often without ever meeting the mixing engineers in person?
 
So not walking into a recording studio is a trend, or maybe the norm today, just record, send, often without ever meeting the mixing engineers in person?

It is especially amongst solo or independent artist that's why so many folks use ProTools you can email the sessions to mixing engineers and other artist anywhere in the world.

Cloud collaboration is another "thing" guitars and vocals tracked at home anywhere sends files to producer in Miami he brings in a Bass player in Austin, drummer in Nashville, sax player in LA, keyboardist in New Orleans...sends final mix to be mastered in Chicago .


PQ
 
Wow, I'm late on this. This is where it's been going for a while but I'd never heard of it. btw and imo, Sweetwater is a good co., I bought one small thing from them a couple of years ago and a real person from Sweetwater called my house(twice) just to see how it was going.
 
I'm moving into a house instead of an apartment soon and it's my hope that along with an actual workshop I'll be able to setup a dedicated music room. :)

When I was out in Cali I had a bunch of moving blankets I'd hang in an extra bedroom when I did recordings. Worked pretty well.
That was my dream when we bought a house. Well I got the workshop but the music room never happened.
Actually even the workshop got cluttered with non-workshop crap. Best of luck. You might have to opt for one or the other.
If you get both I'll be glad for you......:beerchug:..................:banana:...................................................but also very jealous :mad:
 
Interesting thread. I had a friend that used Mixcraft and got good results from it. Still, there was always a latency problem in the headphones when recording...drove me nuts.
I've messed a bit with Reaper, and i know there's a learning curve...but when i'm in the mood to create and record i don't have patience for software and drivers and whatnot.
I'm still using a Tascam DP01 , digital portastudio. I'm limited to 8 tracks and only 2 inputs at a time, and i have to mix in real-time. However, it's as close to 1 button recording as i can get.
To me the quality of the performance is more important than the versatility of the program.

I think this dog is too old to learn new tricks.
 
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