Equipment

[BugAxe]

Hi

 

I havent been in a band now for some 20 years and awfully rusty however, the world and tech has thundered on in my absence!

 

I see lots of home studio videos where people are dubbing themselves, practicing and recording themselves digitally and using headphones and all sorts of clever tech.  So much so that it is quite bewildering to be honest and i dont know where to start and simply 'shut down' rather than try to crack on.

 

What do i need beyond my guitar?

 

I would like to practise with effects, practise with headphones, record myself and add to it (I have a copy of Reaper but not thrown myself at it) with guitar overlays, drums and anything else really.

 

A list of all the items would be great as it would enable me to start aquiring them and work towards this.

 

Thank you very much

 

Nat

[darkandrew]

A lot depends on whether you're intending to use the gear at home or for gigging. If you're not intending to take the gear out then it's amazing what can be done "in the box" on a computer these days. There are many guitar effects and amp / speaker simulations which are perfectly OK (Amplitube, Guitar Rig, etc) and a plethora of recording packages which include libraries of drum and other loops ready for you to arrange and edit as you see fit (FL Studio, Garage Band) or if you want to go a bit more "pro" you can get something like Protools or Cubase and a dedicated Drum VST such as BFD. You will also need a low latency audio interface for your computer which will allow you to plug your guirar into it. If you don't want to go down the all-in-one-box approach of using a computer with various items of software, then you can get some pretty decent hardware for not too much on eBay and the like - something like a Line 6 Pod or Boss GT with a digital multi-track recorder. 

Edited June 16, 2019 by darkandrew

[ezbass]

There are plenty of multi fx that have amp sims, headphones and line outs. However, if you’re feeling flush Line6 Helix products seems to be very de rigueur at the moment.

[BugAxe]

Hi DarkAndrew

 

Apologies, i could have been clearer.  It is principally for me at home to play around, practice etc.  I am not in a band or anywhere near any scene now so home use only.

I have Amplitude on my mobile but thought there would be something more complete rather than lots of tiny apps and messing about but if thats what you all use then perhaps im over expecting.  I find myself troubleshooting rather than playing and creating so thought i was doing things wrong. 

A one stop shop might be useful actually so i will look at those devices you just mentioned.

Ta

[Skinnyman]

On 16/06/2019 at 19:32, BugAxe said:

Hi DarkAndrew

 

Apologies, i could have been clearer.  It is principally for me at home to play around, practice etc.  I am not in a band or anywhere near any scene now so home use only.

I have Amplitude on my mobile but thought there would be something more complete rather than lots of tiny apps and messing about but if thats what you all use then perhaps im over expecting.  I find myself troubleshooting rather than playing and creating so thought i was doing things wrong. 

A one stop shop might be useful actually so i will look at those devices you just mentioned.

Ta

I started with a Zoom 16-track recorder and loved it. Built in drum machine, sequencer, effects and the ability to use it as an audio interface to the computer later on when i started to use Sonar (and then Logic Pro).

They're not massively expensive and i found it really easy to use.

I previously had a Boss BR something (not the latest one) but i didn't like the way you had to work with it and it didn't have the features of the Zoom. Others may have the opposite experience, of course

For someone starting out, i wholeheartedly recommend the Zoom (i also sold it on when I'd stopped using it and got a decent price for it)

[Tubster]

You didn’t say much about your computer. If it’s a Mac, then GarageBand would be all you need to get started. It has drums, built in amps, keyboard sounds, reverb, delay and will allow you to multitrack very easily. I don’t believe there is a direct PC equivalent but someone will chime in.

your first hardware acquisition should be an audio interface. A basic 2 input model from focusrite or Behringer under 100£ will get you going. It will plug into your USB port and you plug your guitar, mic, keys etc into it.  You monitor through it using headphones or separate studio monitors. That’s all you need to get started. Good luck

[BugAxe]

Thanks both

I have played with GarageBand  on my iPhone and iPad but they are small and fiddly and i find distracting from just being able to play and create.

 

Audio interface is definately the way to go, have read a bit about them now.

 

Looking into the Audient iD4 (Keeping it simple), they have a great website and lots of articles and videos.  This is a useful, simple link for anyone stumbling across this post one day;

 

https://audient.com/tutorial/budget-home-studio/

 

The Interfaces can be bonkers prices but i can see its about the number of channels, frequencies and bit rates but this has given me a useful start!

 

£724 for a Home Studio is not a lot these days and over a course of time.

 

Thank you all

[Harryburke14]

Sounds to me like you could be after a Boss Katana. Loads of amp models, built in effects, can take a USB direct from the amp into the PC to change amp models, FX and record with. Headphone out for when the kids are asleep (or neighbours kids in my case).

On top of which, the built-in attenuator takes it from a home-approved 0.5w all the way up to a more than giggable 100w.

I don't want to be that guy that plugs things just because I have them for sale, but a Boss Katana could be a very convenient and inexpensive way to record, practice and gig with.

[Cato]

Might be worth looking at looper pedals.

I've got a Boss RC30 which I use for building up tracks (bass, rhythm, lead) it also has a few drum patterns built in which are basic but functional and 99 storage slots so that you can preserve the loops you like.

It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of starting and ending the loops in exactly the desired points but it's a lot quicker for roughing out and recording ideas than any home recording software I've ever used.

[Pseudonym]

I'm a little late to this conversation but, if the OP (or anyone else) is still looking for suggestions, I heartily recommend the Avid Eleven rack. It has a good range of modelled amplifiers, cabinets, effects and microphones. I bought one six years ago and it is the only piece of kit I have needed apart from my guitar.

It costs less than £600 new, including a Pro Tools licence. Pro Tools is fussy about what computers it will play with but it's a powerful system. The Eleven rack works very nicely as an interface without Pro Tools, and you don't even need to connect it to a computer if you don't want to. Used Eleven racks are a bargain if they come without Pro Tools authorisation.

At the time, I considered buying the much more expensive Axe-FX II. The deciding factor was the controls, which on the Eleven rack are much more like the knobs and switches of an amp or effects pedal.

Something like the Eleven rack will do everything the OP wants except for the drums (although my version of Pro Tools came with loads of drum loops that I used for years).

BugAxe, I was also getting back into music after a twenty-year hiatus, so I applaud you and wish you great joy.