Software

Philip Bender · Post by **Philip Bender** » 28 Apr 2007 3:41 am

I need some help to choose a software package that will allow me to record through my computer and on to a cd. Any suggestions?
Phil Bender

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 28 Apr 2007 4:14 am

Phil, If you just want to record from vinyl, tape, etc the free "Audacity" program will record from the line in or mic on the PC. Do a google search for Audacity.

By the way, you don't want to record directly to the CD. "Record" to the hard drive first as wav files then make the CD from what you have on the hard drive. If you go directly to the CD, if anything happens to the recording or an interruption, whatever you have done is lost and you will have to start over.

Robert Jones · Post by **Robert Jones** » 28 Apr 2007 4:42 am

Hi Phillip. I do a lot of recording through my computer and I use Power Tracks. It's a small version of Pro Tools that all the big studios in Nashville use. You can find it online and it's very reasonable. My suggestion is this. If you have tracks that you are going to be playing along with load them up in your Power Tracks and use another channel to cut your steel through. You get the seperation and can mix you steel better. Power Tracks has a lot of nice onboard stuff with it as well like reverb, chorus, etc.... I hope this helps you.

Robby Springfield · Post by **Robby Springfield** » 28 Apr 2007 10:26 pm

If you want something with normal console type features and with multi-track capabilities, a good starting place on a PC would be Cubase LE in the lower price range. Cubase LE is still pretty feature packed for the money. The upper price range for a PC platform would be Nuendo. Nuendo is considered by most to be the PC equivalent of Pro-Tools…some, like myself, even like it better and that is what I use.

If your looking for software for Mac…it’s Pro-Tools all the way.

Robert Jones · Post by **Robert Jones** » 29 Apr 2007 4:44 am

Good point Robby. Those are two really good programs to use. Thanks for adding those programs to the list of possibilities.

Robby Springfield · Post by **Robby Springfield** » 29 Apr 2007 10:13 am

I forgot to add that if you don't already have it, you will need an interface to get audio into your system. Focusrite Saffire is really good and gives you a 24 bit soundcard, plug-ins, on-board signal processing so as not to tax your computer, great monitoring capabilities complete with foldback of reverb without latency issues, and 2 channels of imput with Focusrite pre's. It also comes with a FREE copy of Cubase LE...about a $200.00 value. I think you can get the Saffire for around $400 - $450.00.