What do you record with?

[Bighouse]

It's been years since I've looked into any kind of recording ability for songwriting. Last time I did it was all about Tascam and a cassette tape. What do YOU use to take a snapshot of that bass or guitar riff you want to capture so you can repeat it again and build on it?

[rikk]

For quick and dirty I use the webcam on my laptop. I also get the visual this way.Otherwise Pro Tools (any version) is great for laying down a scratch track or the real deal.

[jps]

These day I use GarageBand, in the past I used (and still have) a Tascam 234 Syncaset.

[N.F.A.]

Still old school Tascam 244 for just a quick idea or take. It takes 5 seconds to turn on. I can do something faster than my computer turns on and boots up Logic. I use ADAT to really record, then throw it over to Logic for further processing. (I rarely get that far...)
G.

[jimk]

Yup, Tascam 244 here, too. I've been thinking about a Tascam US-144 lately.

JimK

[N.F.A.]

Hi Jim,
Got a line on any cassettes? I am down to 3 or 4 more before I run out of new ones anyway...
G.
The 144 looks like a handy little unit...

[jdogric12]

I still use good old paper and pencil for immediate lick transcription. Aside from that, I use ProTools. I still have my Tascam Porta02MkII and cassettes, but only use it to playback old regular cassette tapes.*


*Fun trick - place a regular cassette tape in and play tracks 3 & 4, to hear Side 2 of the cassette in reverse! To hear side 1 in reverse, just flip it over and continue listening to only tracks 3 & 4. Revolution 9, anyone?

[captsandwich]

These day I use GarageBand.

x2.

In the past, I would just play it ad nauseum until I could remember it.

[kiramdear]

While songwriting I use my iSight web cam and QuickTime to make audio/visual notes (movies) for myself later. I get my hands in the video so I can remember what chords and positions I used very quickly.
Not that I'll forget anyway, if I got to that point, but the movies are good to have.
When I'm backlogged with a number of ideas I need to record a movie of each song so I can put it out of my mind and move on to the next one. Otherwise they all get stuck clanking around in there at once

[jdogric12]

Excellent idea on the webcam, Kira!!!

That reminds me, on an unrelated note, I keep meaning to shoot video of myself playing one of the new 5002v58's. The lessons are really st... ok new thread.

[captsandwich]

Otherwise they all get stuck clanking around in there at once

And then you end up with Bohemian Rhapsody or some prog-rock behemoth, and nobody wants that.

[bitzerguy]

I use the Zoom H2. Great little inex[ensive unit, portable, lots of recording time with the 8Gb chip, several mike patterns to use, yet easy to set up and go. Works great for me.

[Bighouse]

Otherwise they all get stuck clanking around in there at once

And then you end up with Bohemian Rhapsody or some prog-rock behemoth, and nobody wants that.

Hey, I love BR! Which, of course, begs the question- how does a band with a front vocalist like Freddy Mercury was, ever survive after he departs the band? (And, please, don't tell me the answer is Adam Lambert.)

I sometimes wonder if there should be some kind of percentage value placed on each member of a band...and if the percentage ever dips below, I dunno, 50%...the band should be officially over and can't continue with the same name. A lead singer would be worth a high percent value, even more if he/she plays an instrument...and even more if they actually write the material the band performs...So, a Paul McCartney and a John Lennon would have a lot of percentage value in a band. A Ringo Starr, not so much.

Sadly, most bassists would be limited to say a 15% value, even less if they play like me.

[kiramdear]

I love Bohemian Rhapsody too! I'd throw out all my gear if I could write something like that Do you suppose that song was the result of Composer's Constipation Syndrome (CCS)?

[Len]

I tried recording today. I have a mac G5 desktop with garageband and an external isight camera for the microphone. I had the isight about 5 feet from my amp, which was set to clean jangle. I could not get set the recording level low enough to have anything other than total distortion. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks!