Q: How to record sets?

[razy]

Hey guys, just started DJing beginning of this year..thinking of recording/making a set, can anybody run me through the basics? like what program i should use, how to hook up my laptop to my mixer and what not? :cheesy:

thanks for all the input

[NinjaBoy]

We should really make a sticky for this.

Basically the best way is to pick up an USB audio interface. Just plug it into your computer, the output from your mixer into it and boom, done.

Tom Lee Music - M-AUDIO - USB MOBILEPRE AUDIO INTERFACE WITH PRE-AMP

Something like this should work for you. It'll have RCA inputs.

You'll also need a recording program. If this is your first time I would recommend something like adobe audition, or sound forge.

Not the greatest programs ever, but you'll get a great recording and they are easy as hell to use.

[Phrenetic]

line out, line in, audacity, levels and GO!

[matéo]

If you're using serato you may want to pick up a firewire device rather than usb.


Phrenetic I can only record in mono when using this option (line in/line out) Does that make sense?

[just.b.cous*]

Razy you're lucky you only got the messages you got on here, I asked pretty much the same question a while back and I learned more than I was ready for.. I was told shit about a lingerie wearing dude :| , I was nearly enticed into going to a certain "ppcock's" pad to get 'date-raped' :suspicious: and most importantly .. Ricky Onion!! ... .. .. I'm still a little traumatized from that ..

:worried:

and come to think of it, I don't think I've really been on since then..

[ebbomega]

I've heard a lot of the M-audio usb cards are rather cheap and inconsistent. I've heard MOTUs are generally good.

[Mr Ektion]

Chris pretty much covered it all. i went through the learning process a couple of months ago. i'll go into a little more detail in lamens terms.

i went to tom lee and spent $200 on an external sound card. I went with M-Audio because it's a reputable brand. You'll need a 2 line sound card so that you can establish a stereo input. What I mean by that is, if the sound card can handle 2 mono lines, plug the left channel into input 1 and the right into input 2. When you record have them running at the same volume.

So yeah, turn tables into mixer. Then mixer into sound card. Sound card into computer (obviously).

Sound Forge is a good program, but I've been gravitating towards Acid Pro for recording. The beauty is, it works hand in hand with sound forge (which you'll use after recording for post-production- like adjusting levels and volume after the fact).

It's as easy as that! you'll need to "arm" the recording so the program knows you're ready to record. Hit record. Do your thang. Then hit stop. Take that from Acid Pro and import it into Sound Forge to do that level adjusting. And voila! Mix Set.

Good luck.

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by Mr Ektion

i went to tom lee and spent $200 on an external sound card. I went with M-Audio because it's a reputable brand. You'll need a 2 line sound card so that you can establish a stereo input. What I mean by that is, if the sound card can handle 2 mono lines, plug the left channel into input 1 and the right into input 2. When you record have them running at the same volume.

So yeah, turn tables into mixer. Then mixer into sound card. Sound card into computer (obviously).

For Djing M-audio is a great brand, but pretty much any USB audio interface works.

If you plan on using it for real instruments, or vocals I would invest a little more in the box. I think I've said this before, but I have a Edirol UA-25, and although I don't do much recording, it handled everything amazingly. From recording my band, and setting up mics at the Yale to record sets to commercials I voiced at home.

Sound Forge is a good program, but I've been gravitating towards Acid Pro for recording. The beauty is, it works hand in hand with sound forge (which you'll use after recording for post-production- like adjusting levels and volume after the fact).

Also consider using a Multi track recording program. This way you can add stuff in later.

[ppcock]

I made music with my bum!

[ebbomega]

Originally Posted by ppcock

I made music with my bum!

No really, he's got a Jug band he started up with some random beggar...

[GSG9]

im about to be doing this as well. but one thing... i send my dj mixer signal to a master mixer, its no problem if i go into master mixer and back out then to the card right? will i lose any quality if i do?

[ebbomega]

^ The more hops you've gotta make the more quality you're going to lose.

Directly from the DJ mixer would work better.

edit: addendum: the difference in quality is likely negligible (depending on the quality of your mixer), but yeah.

[P.A.R.T.Y]

Originally Posted by NinjaBoy

We should really make a sticky for this.

Basically the best way is to pick up an USB audio interface. Just plug it into your computer, the output from your mixer into it and boom, done.

Tom Lee Music - M-AUDIO - USB MOBILEPRE AUDIO INTERFACE WITH PRE-AMP

Something like this should work for you. It'll have RCA inputs.

You'll also need a recording program. If this is your first time I would recommend something like adobe audition, or sound forge.

Not the greatest programs ever, but you'll get a great recording and they are easy as hell to use.

For nearly the same money-->Tom Lee Music - M-AUDIO - FASTTRACKPRO USB AUDIO INTERFACE

It`s better! (24/96)

[Revolver]

lol...muadio is fantastic but they are lightweight and there pres are the most god awful things.

a good nod to motu, but im a pt/focusrite guy myself.

razy, what sort of gear do you have now? do you ever want to record real audio?

do you use a pc or a mac?

lets qualify you down to specifics to find your solution...

[razy]

Originally Posted by Revolver

lol...muadio is fantastic but they are lightweight and there pres are the most god awful things.

a good nod to motu, but im a pt/focusrite guy myself.

razy, what sort of gear do you have now? do you ever want to record real audio?

do you use a pc or a mac?

lets qualify you down to specifics to find your solution...

hey guys thanks for all the great help and info

currently im running 2 CDJ-1000 MK3's and a DJM 600 and im using a PC

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by P.A.R.T.Y

For nearly the same money-->Tom Lee Music - M-AUDIO - FASTTRACKPRO USB AUDIO INTERFACE

It`s better! (24/96)

Yeah, but then you might as well upgrade to:

Tom Lee Music - EDIROL - UA-25EX USB AUDIO INTERFACE (MAC/WIN)

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by razy

hey guys thanks for all the great help and info

currently im running 2 CDJ-1000 MK3's and a DJM 600 and im using a PC

How much are you looking to spend to set this up?

[razy]

Originally Posted by NinjaBoy

How much are you looking to spend to set this up?

what do you mean? i already have this setup
unless you mean how much do i want to spend to setup recording

basically i just want to be able to record my sets with good quality and send them out as demos or to friends or what not

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by razy

what do you mean? i already have this setup
unless you mean how much do i want to spend to setup recording

basically i just want to be able to record my sets with good quality and send them out as demos or to friends or what not

Exactly, so how much do you want to set up recording (pretty much how much do you want to spend on the audio interface).

You could technically hook up your mixer directly to your computer, but for the audio quality you are getting you might as well hold a microphone to the speaker.

[ppcock]

not true.

I record straight from mixer to pc and I get great quality.

just make sure your normalize the set.

[Revolver]

ok razy, keeping things simple get yourself a maudio box and be done with it...

from what i can tell something like a fastrackpro.

learn with that and then if you want something with a little bit more juice you can upgrade.

software? MAFRUCKIN SOUNDFROGE MAN!!!....soundforge is pretty much the only reason i keep a PC around and its my primary sampling/recording program and what i used most when i went through audio/post school.

simple simple simple...chain was layed out by phrennetic and equip link by ninjaboy

select your record input in the soundforge preferences tab, GAIN STAGE YOUR LEVELS and your off..

[razy]

Originally Posted by Revolver

ok razy, keeping things simple get yourself a maudio box and be done with it...

from what i can tell something like a fastrackpro.

learn with that and then if you want something with a little bit more juice you can upgrade.

software? MAFRUCKIN SOUNDFROGE MAN!!!....soundforge is pretty much the only reason i keep a PC around and its my primary sampling/recording program and what i used most when i went through audio/post school.

simple simple simple...chain was layed out by phrennetic and equip link by ninjaboy

select your record input in the soundforge preferences tab, GAIN STAGE YOUR LEVELS and your off..

yeah im a complete noob at this so i dont understand anything you said after your paragraph that started with "software? MAFRUCKING SOUNDFORCE..." LOL but im sure i can figure it out..hopefully?