Recording Software

[Deftone]

I'm looking for some good, user friendly guitar recording software. I'd like to record some of my own guitar riffs, and mix in drums and bass. I have zero experience with any software of this type so I need something that's really user friendly. Amp modeling and effects would be a plus.

Any reccomendations would greatly appreciated. Let me know what you have used/use and what you thought of it!

Thanks!

[needlespauls]

I'm going to be trying the Native Instruments Guitar Rig Sessions pack. Unbelievable specs, and super quality. only $199.
The Line 6 Toneport KB37 is pretty sweet too. I'm not sure if it comes with a drum package, but it does have the keyboard built into the interface for sampling/keys and controlling at a pretty good price.

[rodneyk915]

I use Cubase which came with the Lexicon Omega interface. It seems pretty easy to me but has a lot of advanced features that you can delve into as you feel more comfortable. I use a midi connection or line out from my keyboards for drum tracks and play my own bass tracks. I will often record clean and use Amplitube 2 for my amp modeling which also has a pretty good pedal board to choose your effects from.

[Deftone]

Cool, thanks for the tips. I have a Digitech GNX3, way complicated but i think I can record directly from that as well.

How about the Cakewalk Guitar Rig?

[Kipp73]

'reason' with drums is also good.

[Wuchak]

Hydrogen is an incredible open source drum machine program. It comes with a bunch of kits and you can download more. I used the windows installer to run it on XP and it works great.
Hydrogen - advanced drum machine for GNU/Linux

Once you have your drum track you can save it as an MP3 and then bring it into Reaper. Reaper is not really open source or free but it is a professional level recording studio that is fully functional without registering it. If you don't register it you just get a notice each time you start it. If you are registering it for home use it's only $50. It's $225 for commercial users. http://www.cockos.com/reaper/

[lp_junkie]

I personally like Pro Tools, but I have used Cubase, Cakewalk and others in the past.

My favorite drum program when I can't get a live track is BFD2, expensive but absolute coolest drums.

[Geetarguy]

If not Pro Tools.....the only other thing that REALLY works is GarageBand and Logic.

[WhippingPost]

I know a lot of you like Pro Tools, and I know it's well recieved in the music industry, so what's a good bundle to get started with it? Or would it be better to buy PT seperately and pick up other components?

[Dino]

Originally Posted by WhippingPost

I know a lot of you like Pro Tools, and I know it's well recieved in the music industry, so what's a good bundle to get started with it? Or would it be better to buy PT seperately and pick up other components?

I've done plenty of recording with Tascams, drum machines, and other stand-alone systems, so I have a little bit of experience with recording. But when it comes to computers, interfaces, and software, I guess I must be some sorta schmuck.

I bought Pro Tools and some sort of "digi" interface ....
I read manuals as thick as the book "War and Peace", joined Pro Tools internet forums, and still after a few weeks of fussing with it ... I still couldn't even get a sound out of the damn thing.

It's anything but "user friendly" IMO.
I finally got so frustrated, I sold it.

[st.bede]

Originally Posted by WhippingPost

I know a lot of you like Pro Tools, and I know it's well recieved in the music industry, so what's a good bundle to get started with it? Or would it be better to buy PT seperately and pick up other components?

IMHO pro tools is over rated...I think that it is better now but (in the past) you had to have have really great converters or PT would sound fatiguing....

my fav software for audio is samplitude but, it has some drawbacks, lack of good suport for controll surfaces is one...

also if you are running a mac....logic is a great program but, I still think if it as the best midi program with a weaker audio side (even though now it has gotton to the point where it will work with audio super good)

[st.bede]

here are my thoughts...the more powerfull a program the more time and effort it takes to learn it but, the rewards are greater....

so, I say jump in a get one of the pro DAW...

at this point all of them are very good and that includes reaper a shareware program that is free untill you decide to give them 20$... http://www.reaper.fm/

but, having gone through many of these programs...I always experence a learning curve...for example, in program x it take me one second to do y...when I first start using program z I can't even do y with out getting out the manual...drives me crazy

take it one step at a time the answere is always somewhere

if you have to learn it all alone then that is harder but, if you can get some support from someone that will help a whole bunch...so if you have a good relationship with another musician you might just want to use what they are....

[lp_junkie]

for a project studio I would consider some of the Digidesign or M-Audio interfaces that come bundled with Pro Tools LE, it's a great program for those that are just starting out with PT and it will do almost everything that a dedicated PT system will provide.

[WhippingPost]

Well, I know the basics of working with multitracking software. I've used two of the freebies: Audacity and Kristal. I know they're not professional grade softwares, but I've been using them mainly to get my feet wet, and to improve my playing. I've run a simple line-out to line-in in the past, but...

Idealy, I'd like a small project-studio style set-up to record mic'd guitar cab's as well as vocals.

Thanks for your input. It's much appreciated.

[coldsteal2]

Originally Posted by Deftone

I'm looking for some good, user friendly guitar recording software. I'd like to record some of my own guitar riffs, and mix in drums and bass. I have zero experience with any software of this type so I need something that's really user friendly. Amp modeling and effects would be a plus.

Any reccomendations would greatly appreciated. Let me know what you have used/use and what you thought of it!

Thanks!

You want "Riffworks Standard" by Sonoma Wireworks

[coldsteal2]

Originally Posted by Geetarguy

If not Pro Tools.....the only other thing that REALLY works is GarageBand and Logic.

Sonar 8 Producer