I'm wanting to start recording my own songs...what equipment do I need?

Question

I often hear that it's now possible to easily record your own songs and edit them etc on a laptop...I want to try this but I have no idea what equipment I'd need or what software I'd need. I have a laptop at least, but what microphones are best (and best value), what software should I use, what other equipment would I need (like those things they put in front of the microphone etc).....help please!!

Answer 1

one question dude - does your laptop have an asio soundcard?



if not, it makes the process a bit harder, because without one direct line recording isn't possible on a laptop.



my laptop hasn't got one, but i've found ways round it with fairly good results.



first of all i guess it also depends on what you mean by recording your own songs...do you play an instrument, do you want backing tracks that you can fully create yourself, or did you just want to record you singing over someone else's work?



i use a program called fruity loops...it is primarily meant for creating dance music, but i play acoustic guitar and i write backing tracks on this program, record my guitar (its electro-acoustic so i just plug it in to laptop) with some audio recording software, and then paste it into the song and position it in the right place....its fairly easy and fruity loops gives you loads of effects tweak the sound to how you want from a simple eq to chorus emulation, reverb, and delay banks etc etc



you can get fruity loops for free if you know where to go, and in terms of microphone you want a good dynamic mic, i use a SHURE SM58 cost arounf £60 but defo worth it



hope this helps mate

Answer 2

you should purchase an entire unit that costs around 250(USD) there are a number of which will multi-music and used a valid card for memory, you're able to likely want a mic too, i choose to advise a Shure fifty seven and which will conceal vocal and stay room stuff too,, i can inform you this is a stable place to commence,, from there that is going to fee 1000's to make extra effective and extra effective recordings,, yet the variety of unit will set you back some hundred and get you nostril moist because it is going :) and you're able to see plenty from that window

Answer 3

On your computer download audia city and some background tracks

then get a singstar microphone and add the backgroundnd track and edit it in lots of differentnt ways. Hope this helps

Answer 4

I would recommend using a USB mic. This way, you can plug it straight into your laptop and not worry about any extra equipment.



Most USB mics come with free software, but you can still use your Audacity software.

Answer 5

tommy96 is right exept you can use any microphone