Got a Shure sm57, cable, and adaptor to plug into laptop

[Anomaly]

And it seems to be picking up sound! yay!

Now what? A long time ago ('03-'04) I used a program called cakewalk. It was very simple. I need to get something equally simple to use with multiple traclks... plus do I need some kinda mic pre or something that I hear people talk tbouy? I never needed to use one with my primitive 2003 setup. I'm lost with recording these days??!!

[Ostinato Rubato]

You'll want an interface vs using the sound card unless you have a solid sound card for recording.

You need something like Reaper or other DAW software.

[Tortuga]

+1 on Reaper

[BroSlinger]

A focusrite interface and reaper software will get you pretty far.

[Anomaly]

I have no idea what these things are?? reaper or focusrite?? anyone have a link?

What multitrack recording program would be the easiest to use? Is Cakewalk still a good option? cause I am aware of how to use it, at least the ancient Cakewalk Pro Audio 9.

I'm really excited about getting this going. I got a lot of ideas just overflowing in my mind, and I need to get them recorded. Another problem is drums?? I will need a drum program. I will have to buy a bass to record cass tracks too.

[exafro]

Reaper is a DAW program(as is Cakewalk). Focusrite makes audio interfaces that you can plug your guitar or mic's into. They're like a more modern, external version of those old PCI cards back in the day. As far as software goes, Reaper is cheap and has basically the same capabilities as most other software out there. If you are familiar with Cakewalk, you may be better off purchasing a license for that, but I'm sure there have been some gigantic revisions since the last time you used it.

[bdubbs]

For simple I recommend Mixcraft 7.

For interface focusrite 2i2 is great for the price and has good options like switchable monitoring.

[Anomaly]

Thanks guys. I'm gonna have to do some shopping now. Can't wait to get recording again. Only problem is gonna be finding a drum program and then i'm gonna have to buy a bass... I hate playing bass. But music needs it.

[Anomaly]

So the cable I have has a regular mono plug, no three prong. It seems these mic pre's have the three prong in and outs on them??

Maybe I should get the latest version of cakewalk as well?? I would like to use something I'm at least somewhat familiar with??

[Anomaly]

What about programming drums??what do you guys use?

[Tortuga]

SM57 has an XLR (3 pin) connector. How are you getting a 2 conductor mono plug from that? Is there an adapter at the end or is the cable wired as 3 pin to 1/4" jack? In any event, having a correct XLR cable will take care of what you need to connect to the audio adapter. I've been getting great deals on XLR cables from Monoprice (http://www.monoprice.com) - excellent quality, heavy duty cable & connectors, and awesome pricing.

Reaper (http://www.reaper.fm) is Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software. It's only $60, and has a massive (always growing) feature set. As stated earlier, if you haven't used Cakewalk in a long time, the software will probably be changed so much that you'll be starting over. Why not start with something (Reaper) that many of us are already using and can easily help you with?

I'm pretty sure that the two must commonly used drum software packages here are EZ Drummer (http://www.toontrack.com) and Slate Drums (google). Again - if you're new / learning, best to use something that others are, so you can get help.

[Steinmetzify]

Either Superior or EZDrummer 2. If you're a noob to drums EZD2 is awesome....Tap 2 Find feature rules, as does the Song Creator. You can tap in a beat and then hit that Song Creator, and it'll go thru your files to find stuff that matches it. Great for scratch tracks to get going on a tune.

[Anomaly]

OK I downloaded a demo version of Cakewalk sonar. Got it recording, sm57 just straight to the soundcard. Sounds pretty good, but because it's recording in mono it's panned far left for every track I'm doing which is just improv noodling till I figure it out??... I cant for the life of me figure out how to pan left and right... I see no button anywhere!! God i'm retarded! If I can get this damn thing figured out I will buy the full version, get a mic pre and i'll be set. But If I can't even figure out how to pan the fucking track then what good is this piece of shit, and my stupid brain?? grrr!!! I need a drink.

[Anomaly]

OK I downloaded a demo version of Cakewalk sonar. Got it recording, sm57 just straight to the soundcard. Sounds pretty good, but because it's recording in mono it's panned far left for every track I'm doing which is just improv noodling till I figure it out??... I cant for the life of me figure out how to pan left and right... I see no button anywhere!! God i'm retarded! If I can get this damn thing figured out I will buy the full version, get a mic pre and i'll be set. But If I can't even figure out how to pan the fucking track then what good is this piece of shit, and my stupid brain?? grrr!!! I need a drink.

The original Cakewalk pro audio 9 was so damn easy to use. It was great... this thing is like trying to figure out the controls on a stealth fighter or something??

[Tortuga]

I guess I'll try this again, reordered for clarity

Reaper (http://www.reaper.fm) is Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software. It's only $60, and has a massive (always growing) feature set. As stated earlier, if you haven't used Cakewalk in a long time, the software will probably be changed so much that you'll be starting over. Why not start with something (Reaper) that many of us are already using and can easily help you with?

SM57 has an XLR (3 pin) connector. How are you getting a 2 conductor mono plug from that? Is there an adapter at the end or is the cable wired as 3 pin to 1/4" jack? In any event, having a correct XLR cable will take care of what you need to connect to the audio adapter. I've been getting great deals on XLR cables from Monoprice (http://www.monoprice.com) - excellent quality, heavy duty cable & connectors, and awesome pricing.

I'm pretty sure that the two must commonly used drum software packages here are EZ Drummer (http://www.toontrack.com) and Slate Drums (google). Again - if you're new / learning, best to use something that others are, so you can get help.

[Anomaly]

I guess I'll try this again, reordered for clarity

Reaper (http://www.reaper.fm) is Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software. It's only $60, and has a massive (always growing) feature set. As stated earlier, if you haven't used Cakewalk in a long time, the software will probably be changed so much that you'll be starting over. Why not start with something (Reaper) that many of us are already using and can easily help you with?

SM57 has an XLR (3 pin) connector. How are you getting a 2 conductor mono plug from that? Is there an adapter at the end or is the cable wired as 3 pin to 1/4" jack? In any event, having a correct XLR cable will take care of what you need to connect to the audio adapter. I've been getting great deals on XLR cables from Monoprice (http://www.monoprice.com) - excellent quality, heavy duty cable & connectors, and awesome pricing.

I'm pretty sure that the two must commonly used drum software packages here are EZ Drummer (http://www.toontrack.com) and Slate Drums (google). Again - if you're new / learning, best to use something that others are, so you can get help.

OK, I will try Reaper, cause this Cakewalk program is just pissing me off big time, and I just don't have the patience to spend all day figuring out such simple things.

What I have to record with, is a standard shure sm57 which has always worked best for me, and a mic cable with the usual 3 pin female plug that connects into the mic (obviously) but it just has a regular mono 1/4 plug (guitar cable style plug) on the other end, so I bought a little 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch mono adaptor and used that plugged right into the recording input on my shitty old laptop. I got it recording and it was sounding pretty damn good actually (even without a mic-pre), but like I said it was just very technical with too many features, and I couldn't find the panning feature???... It's nothing like the simple layout of pro-audio 9.

I want something streamlined and easy to navigate, I don't need effects and all that other bullshit. I just need the ablity to record maybe 10 - 12 tracks at most, I will probably only need 3 or 4 for guitar (one rhythm far left, one far right, and any leads I will have down the center, and maybe the occasional harmony with it. And a single bass line down the middle too. I need the ability to import drum tracks... that one's very important. I could do all that with pro-audio9.

I was thinking of maybe finding and downloading pro-audio 9 again?? but it's so outdated by todays standards. It's a program made in the early 00's maybe late 90's??

Anyways, I will take your advice and get Reaper, a proper XLR mic cable, and one of those focusrite mic pre'. Thanks dude!

I should of been a little more attentive when buying that mic, I just said I wanted a shure sm57 with a cable, and that's what he gave me and I didn't even really look at it till I got it home.

If I ever get anything worthwhile recorded I will make sure to post them on this board. I will be recording with my ltd viper 1000 with the EMG 57/66 with my Mark IV, that guitar sounds and plays awesome BTW (don't give a shit that it's LTD), and I'm gonna use my Dean ML for use with the Randall's, for the more aggressive stuff...

I've got some material written and it's all in my head right now. It's just a matter of getting it recorded. I also have a riff tape with dozens of riff recorded very badly that I will have to sift through.

[Tortuga]

Good luck, dude - Reaper is really intuitive, has excellent help via online / manual, and a hell of a lot of GAB bros can help you out.

The Focusrite looks great - I have a Prosonus, but at the end of the day, what you're doing is converting the mic output to digital audio via the interface box. Once it's in your computer and recognized as an input in Reaper, it's super easy to record, do panning, add effects, etc.

[VTM]

If you're going with focusrite I would get the 2i4 over the 2i2. Some guys have had trouble with the 2i2 clipping and have ended up selling it off and getting the 2i4.

I have the 2i4 and have been using it with the included Ableton Live DAW for about 8 months now. It's the only DAW I've ever used so I can't say it's easier to work with than Reaper or whatever, but If you end up going with Ableton I might be of some help.

[Anomaly]

Ya, I think i'm gonna get the Focusrite 2i4. Gotta wait till the beginning of March though. Waiting sucks.

I looked at the Presonus stuff too, and some of it is very cheap, like $60, are there any quality concerns with them? I may even go that route if they sound good, as I don't need anything fancy.

[BroSlinger]

Ya, I think i'm gonna get the Focusrite 2i4. Gotta wait till the beginning of March though. Waiting sucks.

I looked at the Presonus stuff too, an some of it looks very cheap, like $60, are there any quality concerns with them? I may even go that route, as I don't need anything fancy.

FWIW, I started with the Focusrite 2i2. LOVED it......but..........I needed more ins and outs.

Ended up getting a Scarlett 18i20.

I love it just as much as the little one, but now, it's in a rack, and I can record a lot more channels at once.

IMO, it's worth it to go bigger.

[Anomaly]

Hmmm... well I've gotta couple weeks to make up my mind. But it looks like the Focusrite 2i4 and Reaper is what I am gonna get. If you guys keep throwing new ideas/brands at me i'm gonna get all confused and not know what to do??? then it's a bullet to the brain cause my mind will just be overloaded... just kidding.

[BroSlinger]

Hmmm... well I've gotta couple weeks to make up my mind. But it looks like the Focusrite 2i4 and Reaper is what I am gonna get. If you guys keep throwing new ideas/brands at me i'm gonna get all confused and not know what to do??? then it's a bullet to the brain cause my mind will just be overloaded... just kidding.

I'm not throwing new brands.

2i4 ---->18i20 = same series from Focusrite, just bigger.

[colejustesen]

Reaper is a great DAW! I use Tracktion and Harrison Mixbus as well. They all record, but the user interfaces are different. I personally like working in Mixbus the most, as it the most intuitive to me. Tracktion was designed to be ran within one monitor screen, so its user interface can work well for limited screen sizes.

The Focusrite interfaces are great. I had a Scarlett 18i8 that did a great job. I have been using two different Steinberg interfaces as of late, an MR816csx FireWire interface (at my primary residence) and a UR242 (at my secondary residence). They have great drivers and provide low latency with my setup. I highly recommend the UR line - easy, stable, and clean preamps.

There are so many options out there, you will have plenty to research

Cole

[VTM]

Bigger isn't necessarily better when it comes to the focusrite stuff if you want to keep things simple. If you go bigger than 2i4 you have to navigate an additional rat's nest of confusion between the interface and DAW.

[video]https://youtu.be/M1avPHhiGw8[/video]

[Noah]

I like Audacity. It's free. I haven't tried Reaper yet.