What gear do I buy to get home studio up and running.

[clubsprint]

G'day all
I have been a muso on an off for 20+ years. I'm promarily a guitarist
but know my way around quite a few other instruments as well as
traditional studio gear (consoles, multitracks etc).
My home studio was packed up a few years ago due to a lack of time
with the arrival of a new baby. As I have a little more spare time recently
I'm looking at getting it up and running again.
Things have changed a lot since I've been gone.
I was running Cakewalk 6 and using an old ESQ-1 as a controller
keyboard with a JV-880, MU-80 and D4. I've still got the
gear plus some effects but was thinking of selling it.
I never got into hard drive multitrack.
I'm wanting to create decent demos and was thinking about
some hard drive recording/multitrack software.
Being as I'm on a tight budget I'm looking for
maximum bang for buck recommendations.
I'm looking for recommendations on Multi in/out sound card, Multitrack
recording/midi sequencing software, soft synth packages (I really like
old key sounds) and sampling packages. The brief look around that I've
had makes me think that I should be able to do just about everything
on the PC. Either some suggestions of equipment to check out
or web sites with more info would be cool as I'm suffering from info
overload trying to figure this out myself.
Thanks
Regards
Mark

[Mark Grandson]

hey mark.

IMO, best bang for your buck is a good computer dedicated to music. get a decent I/O, im using a presonus firepod, some software, and your away.

cuebase or ableton live are good.

forget about digital 8 tracks hd reorders and the like. computers are so much more powerful. if your not the computer type, now's the time to learn.

[square_bubblegum]

yes, Ableton Live is a fantastic flexible tool to do your recordings.

[clubsprint]

hey mark.

IMO, best bang for your buck is a good computer dedicated to music. get a decent I/O, im using a presonus firepod, some software, and your away.

cuebase or ableton live are good.

forget about digital 8 tracks hd reorders and the like. computers are so much more powerful. if your not the computer type, now's the time to learn.

Thanks for the info Mark.
I probably should have made myself clearer, I was only ever thinking about a PC based system. I've been working in IT for
18 years so I'm pretty PC savvy. I firepod looks to be a good product and it's good to have your positive feedback as it's always hard to believe what's hype or not from the salesmen. With a limited budget I like to be caeful with my spend that I end up with useable product. ALthough I swore I'd never buy a M-Audio product after they refused to release updated
XP drivers for my quite old but expensive midi interface, the Trigger Finger is attracting my attention to give me a percussion instrument to record drum tracks and some controls to assign to the multitrack software as I also found it difficult to mix etc. just using a mouse. It's wonderful to see a lot of these controls etc have become very affordable.
Again, thanks for your input.
Regards
Mark J.

[Tofuik]

hey mark.

IMO, best bang for your buck is a good computer dedicated to music. get a decent I/O, im using a presonus firepod, some software, and your away.

cuebase or ableton live are good.

forget about digital 8 tracks hd reorders and the like. computers are so much more powerful. if your not the computer type, now's the time to learn.

Thanks for the info Mark.
I probably should have made myself clearer, I was only ever thinking about a PC based system. I've been working in IT for
18 years so I'm pretty PC savvy. I firepod looks to be a good product and it's good to have your positive feedback as it's always hard to believe what's hype or not from the salesmen. With a limited budget I like to be caeful with my spend that I end up with useable product. ALthough I swore I'd never buy a M-Audio product after they refused to release updated
XP drivers for my quite old but expensive midi interface, the Trigger Finger is attracting my attention to give me a percussion instrument to record drum tracks and some controls to assign to the multitrack software as I also found it difficult to mix etc. just using a mouse. It's wonderful to see a lot of these controls etc have become very affordable.
Again, thanks for your input.
Regards
Mark J.

I got the M-Audio Trigger finger bundled with Ableton Live 5 for $300 (if i remember correctly), and I couldn't be happier.

[crystalmsc]

Being as I'm on a tight budget I'm looking for
maximum bang for buck recommendations.

I'm looking for recommendations on Multi in/out sound card, Multitrack
recording/midi sequencing software, soft synth packages (I really like
old key sounds) and sampling packages.

try E-mu 0404 USB 2.0, cheap, got lot's of lite sequencers for you to try, specially SONAR since you are familiar with cakewalk, a nice soft synth/sampler that you can even get the Vintage Pro library for your old key love: http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp ... duct=11080
also got audio editor and guitar oriented fxs. Also if you want to go PCI, their line even have a built in DSP with some nice fxs. anyway your set up is still cool after many years..the esq-1 is back to trend again with it's distinct sounds, analog filter and poly aftertouch keys. the JV-880 with the vintage board is also still a look after synth, specially since some consider the older jv such (880/80/90/1000) are the fatter sounding jv. also got XG and audio in with the MU and punchy drums with the D4 (as older puncy rompler sounds is also becoming sweet again these days)..still neat after all, nice..and welcome back to the wonderful world of sequencing.

[kyodai]

I am very partial to my EMU 1820 but they don't make them anymore. the 1616 is a good card but has less I/O.

I've been eyeing up the FOCUSRITE SAFFIRE PRO 26 I/O for the fact that you can add 16 additional ins and outs via ADAT. (Behringer ADA800) plus the 8 in and out that are standard on the interface. (I think that the 8 line ins and 8 XLR ins are one ore the other but I could be wrong) I haven't done to much research on interfaces cause I don't see myself getting rid of my 1820 anytime soon.