The Gunrunner Rimbaud
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Okay, so quick rundown:

I'm starting to get serious about making music, of which chiptune is an element I'd like to use extensively (but not in every piece). I'd eventually like to perform live, but looking at my skill level, and more importantly my extreme stage fright/social anxiety, it really isn't feasible at this point, still I'd like to keep it open as an option. So really, this is going to be a bit of a bedroom musician project.

What I want to do is combine and record various tracks and instruments, sometimes feeding them through effects processors like pedals or the KP3, sometimes trying to record straight acoustic sounds. I want to play my ukuleles and harmonicas with a NES or Monotron backing and vocals.

What am I starting with? Other than the basic instruments, nada. My laptop is from 2003, with 250 megabytes of RAM and one mic in. Even Famitracker causes it to choke. Hence, to start with, I need a new computer. I've tried reading the SOS guide to getting an audio workstation set-up, but it seems the advice more geared to the financially able perfectionist amateur and professional set and not the shit-poor amateur musician who made a bad choice of college major set.

I've got about $1,000-$1,500 dollars to spend on getting a set up. Is that enough? Will an off-the-shelf Best Buy Dell suffice for the task I want to put it through, or do I need one of those special DAW setups with fancy audio cards?

Will a plain 8-track USB mixer/audio interface do, or should I get a USB 2.0 or Firewire capable one? I want to avoid latency and constant cable swapping, but I don't really need super-high fidelity recording, in fact I'd rather try to sound a bit cheap and lofi because my instruments as cheap. :-)

What's better, Chipmaestro or NESK-1 for jamming? I realize one of these hasn't been released yet, so it's a bit of a theoretical question. Right now I use Famitracker, but it's a bit of a pain in the ass to compose with alongside traditional instruments, at least for me. Granted, I'm going to get a powerpak somewhere down the line, but not right away. As for Midines, I'm not a gambler, nor the sort who is willing to sell my '95 Geo in order to win an ebay auction, so out of the question.

What software should I use? I've been fooling around with Audacity, and I'm not too impressed with it, though it could be an artifact of the sublime antiquity that is my current computer. Also I hear it can't do MIDI. I haven't really done any MIDI, but I don't want to rule it out. Still, I'd like something that could possibly merge loop based composing with traditional ones (mainly so I don't have to futz around with trying to get the same notes over and over again on the Monotron)

For the acoustic instruments, pickups, or direct mic? For that matter, what should I be looking for in a mic? They really range in price. I'd like to do some vocoder sort of stuff with the KP3, though.

Anyways, I know this is a doozy of a post, and I thank anyone who gives their two cents on even part of it.

Jellica
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England

You dont need a fancy computer or audio card if you are just starting out. I would probably get a new computer if you want to run lots of complicated modern VSTi and FX. A standard Dell from the store should be fine.

There is probably tons of old software both free and commercial  that will run fine on your old PC if you can't be bothered to upgrade yet. (http://www.kvraudio.com/get.php and http://www.vstplanet.com/ have lots of lists of things). It really is just a case of trying software out and seeing what you like best really, you should be able to get demos and find some tutorial for most things. Some people really like the simplicity of Fruityloops. Some don't. I like trackers.

If you are recording real instruments, a small mixer is essential (http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/b … xer--31557), as is a mic - the Shure SM57 (http://www.dv247.com/microphones/shure- … one--13247) is a fairly good all rounder for around £100 but have a look round some stores and get some advise from them if you want a cheaper equivalent

pixls
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Philly, PA, USA

just real quick any USB audio interface you get will be at least usb 2.0, Firewire is good but only if you have a computer with firewire, and not many do these days. that's something to keep in mind though when looking at computers because a lot of audio things do use firewire, but for the most part USB should be fine

an0va
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pixls wrote:

just real quick any USB audio interface you get will be at least usb 2.0, Firewire is good but only if you have a computer with firewire, and not many do these days. that's something to keep in mind though when looking at computers because a lot of audio things do use firewire, but for the most part USB should be fine

^

Interface over mixer for recording/studio work, IMO.

Theta_Frost
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Milwaukee, WI

Toshiba Satellite's are a very good laptop at an okay price.

boomlinde
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Sweden

My advice is to start out small and slowly and use what you have to the greatest possible degree: Your exact needs will be naturally apparent after a while and that way you don't have to waste a ton of money on a bulk of gear that in the worst case will just be collecting dust.

As for computers, I recommend getting a quiet stationary one in any price class and getting a sound blaster audigy. The noise floor might not be professional quality, but I remember doing 4 track recording with an audigy 2 using the unofficial kX driver. The DSP is made entirely modular, and you can patch inputs to outputs however you want, load external effect plugins, mix and equalize without throwing anything at the processor. There's also soundfont support, modular synth DSP plugins etc... In many cases you'll find that it's more than enough.

Zef
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^ while that's great, I'd also say getting a stock laptop should be fine. A better soundcard is really nice, but running famitracker there'd be no point. Also if you're going to be running inputs, I'll echo An0va and say go with an interface (then you get your soundcard and mixer together, kind of). Any modern laptop has the power to do whatever really. As far as a DAW goes, if you want to branch out from chip stuff eventually, I highly recommend FL Studio. It's very powerful and is easy to pick up. Despite it's stereotype, it is now on par with almost any other DAW out there and can do a heck of a lot more than just techno. It also does MIDI very well. If you're interested, PM me and I can get you a discount on it.

The Gunrunner Rimbaud
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Thanks for the help everyone; would have replied sooner, but this week has been hectic.

So just for further clarification:

What do you mean by interface? Is that the software mixer kinda stuff, or is it a hardware device that works in tandem with the software?

While I want to use some software VSTs and FX, especially certain softsynths, I don't want to use them for more than one track at once. Ideally I'd like everything I record to possibly be performed live in the distant future, with the aid of other people, or a looper. Correct me if I'm wrong (and most likely I am), but the number of things you can do while live is capped pretty low, and switching from say an effects filter to a soft-synth and back again isn't very quick. Hence I want to make more use of the external effect processors and pedals and the like for that reason (or hit the jackpot and go on stage with a flock of laptops ("Flock of Laptops", now there's a possible band name!)).

Can FL Studio handle recording of live instruments well? It's rather frustrating to see how DAW software is catagorized either "Dance/Electronic loops and samples" or "Traditional recording". Sure, I expect FL and Cubase to be different have different strengths, but there's not much talk of the crossover, and what there is really isn't low level enough for me to understand. Try all the test versions before you buy, I suppose, but in my rawness, I'm rather afraid I'd overlook features I'd later find useful.

Again, thank you everyone for the advice. It's been more helpful than a couple weeks of intensive net and magazine reading, since most recording people aren't really geared towards the chiptune mentality (necessary essay, "Why 8 bit?").

HeavyW8bit
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Parts Unkown

In regards to your question about what is better for jamming, here is a video clip of Kreese playing the NESK-1 along with famitracker. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2skhVghhuE


Hope that helps.  If you have any questions feel free to hit me up.

ant1
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uhajdafdfdfa

since version 7 or so they have really been changing the FL studio paradigm to something closer to the other DAWs.... yes it can do midi, yes it can record audio, yes it can use vsts, no it isn't crap. mike oldfield uses it so it's not just for really amateur hip hop instrumentals any more. it would be a fine choice for mixing recorded instruments with chiptunes and etc and at your budget the low price would probably also be appealing.

i am running FL studio and famitracker and renoise and schism tracker and vortex tracker all just fine on this laptop which i got for £400 in 2008 (with no external soundcard). with $1000 of money to spend on a 2011 computer you will get more than enough.

the way i would split up the money $600 pc, $200 audio interface or soundcard with midi on it, $200 microphone (for recording your instruments). of course that is not a PRO SETUP but it is certainly good enough

Zef
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FL Studio is a very good adaptable modern DAW, unfortunately people keep calling it fruityloops and forcing it to keep its old reputation.

Unfortunately, I'll be honest with you that it's very difficult to live-loop-record anything. It's pretty good for triggering pre-made songs on the fly, but not so much for writing them live. It's great with midi and you can link things up really well for live effects and stuff.

Also take a look at Ableton Live for live loop recording, I think it works quite well for that sort of thing.

The Gunrunner Rimbaud
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HeavyW8bit wrote:

In regards to your question about what is better for jamming, here is a video clip of Kreese playing the NESK-1 along with famitracker. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2skhVghhuE


Hope that helps.  If you have any questions feel free to hit me up.


Woah, that was pretty wicked awesome. Do you have many left in stock or should I just grab it up before I even have the 4-player? I only have the standard set-up right now. Speaking of, if I did get it, which of the two devices for controllers would you recommend to go with it?

The Gunrunner Rimbaud
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ant1 wrote:

since version 7 or so they have really been changing the FL studio paradigm to something closer to the other DAWs.... yes it can do midi, yes it can record audio, yes it can use vsts, no it isn't crap. mike oldfield uses it so it's not just for really amateur hip hop instrumentals any more. it would be a fine choice for mixing recorded instruments with chiptunes and etc and at your budget the low price would probably also be appealing.

i am running FL studio and famitracker and renoise and schism tracker and vortex tracker all just fine on this laptop which i got for £400 in 2008 (with no external soundcard). with $1000 of money to spend on a 2011 computer you will get more than enough.

the way i would split up the money $600 pc, $200 audio interface or soundcard with midi on it, $200 microphone (for recording your instruments). of course that is not a PRO SETUP but it is certainly good enough

Right now I'm leaning to Studio One Artist, mainly because it comes bundled with the Presonus Interface starter pack that Sweetwater sells. I'm slightly cautious though, as the software didn't have much in the way of reviews at all that I could find. It doesn't seem that popular, but the price can't be beat. However, if any of you think I'm walking into a trap, then  I'd believe it.

I have a copy of Ableton something or other around my room somewhere, it came bundled with my Alesis. Lost it, like the 'tard I am. Probably sitting under a pile of sheet music.

The Gunrunner Rimbaud
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Zef wrote:

FL Studio is a very good adaptable modern DAW, unfortunately people keep calling it fruityloops and forcing it to keep its old reputation.

Unfortunately, I'll be honest with you that it's very difficult to live-loop-record anything. It's pretty good for triggering pre-made songs on the fly, but not so much for writing them live. It's great with midi and you can link things up really well for live effects and stuff.

Also take a look at Ableton Live for live loop recording, I think it works quite well for that sort of thing.

How about one of those gigantic loop pedals that Boss makes comboed with a KP3 and a decent mixer? Granted, I have zero idea of what I'm talking about here, having zero experience, but is that a possibility?

HeavyW8bit
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Parts Unkown
The Gunrunner Rimbaud wrote:
HeavyW8bit wrote:

In regards to your question about what is better for jamming, here is a video clip of Kreese playing the NESK-1 along with famitracker. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2skhVghhuE


Hope that helps.  If you have any questions feel free to hit me up.


Woah, that was pretty wicked awesome. Do you have many left in stock or should I just grab it up before I even have the 4-player? I only have the standard set-up right now. Speaking of, if I did get it, which of the two devices for controllers would you recommend to go with it?

For the adapter  I recommend the four score because it does not need batteries like the satelite does.  For the controllers I would go with the original nes controllers.  There are less than 10 carts left at this time.  I am currently working on another project so it may be a while before another batch is made.

optimuschad
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I will just tell you what I do. I also use Studio One for all my recording a mixing. I got the Audiobox USB mixer that I use to record and I love it. It's easy and quick to learn. In LSDJ I use the live feature and play each channel one at a time and record them in 4 different channels. If one channel is the bass line or heavy on the drums I add the fliters that might bring that out a little more but I do not like to embellish the recording too much because one day I will be preforming and I don't want some one to say "damn he sucks live". Then I mix it down to a WAV. Then use Itunes to mix it into a 320 kps MP3 and the ID3 tagging works pretty well.