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What do I need to record an acoustic guitar and vocals ?

I have to admit I really have issues with Behringer as they so blatantly rip-off other people’s ideas. The are the Napster or EU loophole-pirates of the pro-audio world.
 
I have to admit I really have issues with Behringer as they so blatantly rip-off other people’s ideas. The are the Napster or EU loophole-pirates of the pro-audio world.

Pretty much everyone who makes boutique guitar pedals now sources their various bits and bobs from Behringer's factory in China.I say factory, it's actually a small community rather than simply a factory. For all their faults, Behringer now produce a range of components other manufacturers have no interest in making. Let's not forget, Marshall started off making British knockoffs of Fender Bassman amps and the very first Pultec EQ that came into the UK was on the test bench of EMI within 24 hours, stripped down and copied.
 
OK, I've taken a look and........
Many thanks for the replies, but, it'll be me who's paying for this, and I'd hoped to spend way less, maybe £100 max. Hey, I don't like him that much !
I think Dave***t is closest with his reply, and just in case I've got it wrong and he doesn't have a mac laptop what is the Windows equivalent of garage band ?
I know quality will suffer, but at this stage it's meant as a gesture to encourage him. I've done a little searching and maybe I can get away with just one mic
So, any thoughts ?
48679222551_ee25fe4170.jpg

https://www.woodbrass.com/micros-usb-et-ipad- -iphone-zoom-iq6-mic.xy-x-iphone-p186770.html?af=2401&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwb3rBRDrARIsALR3XeYRmkEt12OuA-z3reipcUZWwZWM7XhkjnjyAOaBlDIkJz_d9RtWBpoaAkcJEALw_wcB

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=113870860405

the digital conversion is done in the mic not the pone, so quality is cool. And it will do stereo or mono.

There are quite a few doing this now so no doubt android ones will be covered.

This is the ideal beginner setup for me. No gear, no cables. Just plug it into your phone.You can practice anywhere getting levels and placement right.

Get a basic recording app too from itunes or playstore. Some are quite involving, some really basic, I had a cool one that mimicked an old 4 track tascam recorder once, hardly any knobs to worry about, other than the one holding the phone.

This recorder looks dead easy. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/fourtrack/id294768646

I wouldn't be able to resist splashing out on a Rode, though. About 120 quid.

Tested against a Neumann U87 (about 2 grand) and an AKG 414 (About 700 quid), he says he can't tell the difference!

 
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Hey Tony? I'm just answering the original posters question. Cheap USB audio interface for recording? No need to get into a moralistic hyperstance over it. That thing works.

And it's £17?
 
PS. I bought one recently to use with a Mac mini (2018) Needed something to go USB to Optical for audio out and stumbled across this. It's a very well made piece of kit for the price. Really impressed actually.

Others would charge 10 times or maybe a 100 times more.

Bit of an audio bargain really. Don't knock it 'till you tried it.
 
Others would charge 10 times more.

Bit of an audio bargain really.

I’m sure it is a bargain, and probably pretty decent truth be told.

My criticism, which to be honest I kind of regret making as this just isn’t the thread for it, is the rip-off aspect. They are ultra-cheap as they take designs from other companies and make them using really cheap labour in China. As an example they make a “Minimoog”, a “Arp Odyssey”, a “Roland SH-101” etc, all modules rather than full keyboards, all made down to a price, and all effectively taking profit from the companies that put the R&D work in and pay their workers properly. The difference in price is huge, e.g. their “Minimoog” clone is about £300, I have a real one made by Moog in America (a Voyager actually, but very similar thing), and that’s £3.5k! Ok, the build quality of the real Moog is in a whole different ballpark (beautiful wood and metal construction etc), but sound wise they are likely pretty similar. The end result of this plagiarism may be the likes of Moog will be driven out of business, and I don’t think that is a good thing as we lose the real innovation, proper craftsmen lose work etc. Personally I try not to buy this sort of product, but I do realise this isn’t the place to argue this point. I’ll happily pay the extra £90 or whatever for a Focusrite as they have really good product designers and innovation etc. In fact I did! I have the same attitude to guitars, hi-fi, cycling etc.
 
Hey Tony. If you think that I know what I'm talking about? You would be wrong.

Fact is. I like a bargain. And that Behringer thing, for what it is, and what it can do , is a stonewall bargain.

It's a really nice piece of kit.

Now . If I was starting out and needed to record myself? Well a TEAC Portastudio would be my go to.

But that was 40 years ago.

Oops.
 
Hey. Apparently cassettes are making a comeback.

Man. Wished I'd kept all that bollocks from years ago.

Could be making it big now.

(I wish)
 
Reminds me of an old joke....

I used to play in a duo a few years back . The Symbolics.

My mate Sim was the singer and I was ....
 
I’m sure it is a bargain, and probably pretty decent truth be told.

My criticism, which to be honest I kind of regret making as this just isn’t the thread for it, is the rip-off aspect. They are ultra-cheap as they take designs from other companies and make them using really cheap labour in China. As an example they make a “Minimoog”, a “Arp Odyssey”, a “Roland SH-101” etc, all modules rather than full keyboards, all made down to a price, and all effectively taking profit from the companies that put the R&D work in and pay their workers properly. The difference in price is huge, e.g. their “Minimoog” clone is about £300, I have a real one made by Moog in America (a Voyager actually, but very similar thing), and that’s £3.5k! Ok, the build quality of the real Moog is in a whole different ballpark (beautiful wood and metal construction etc), but sound wise they are likely pretty similar. The end result of this plagiarism may be the likes of Moog will be driven out of business, and I don’t think that is a good thing as we lose the real innovation, proper craftsmen lose work etc. Personally I try not to buy this sort of product, but I do realise this isn’t the place to argue this point. I’ll happily pay the extra £90 or whatever for a Focusrite as they have really good product designers and innovation etc. In fact I did! I have the same attitude to guitars, hi-fi, cycling etc.

The thing about their copies of out of production analog synths is that they are to some extent keeping the dream alive of owning one of these original instruments to people who otherwise can't afford one - i'd imagine a behringer minimoog clone owner one day when they have some cash deciding to get a real one.

When they totally rip off a currently available model, down to basically using the same name, I get really annoyed. If their product turns out to be a bit cheap, or not sound good, or fails, they can damage the reputation of the company and product they are copying.

For example, compare these two:

https://www.behringer.com/Categories/Behringer/Headphones/Studio/BH-770/p/P0E3P#googtrans(en|en)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0016MNAAI/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
 
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Back to the original question.

I'd avoid the idea of having two microphones to record the two voices if they are playing together - you aren't going to isolate the two parts this way (you'll get bleed from the guitar in both mics) and you'll have all sorts of comb filtering stuff to think about and deal with.

Much better is to use a single mic to record both the guitar and the voice as a starting point. If you want to get all fancy, then you can still record the guitar first, then layer the voice on top as a second track and that way get good isolation.

So, taking this approach a really sensible choice with be something like a Zoom H1n recorder (come in around £80). It's a stereo mic pair, but basically it'll give you a stereo recording of what is being played and sung, so you can alter the mix by changing the mic position relative to the singer and guitar. Much easier to get a decent recording!

The zoom recorders work as field recorders, so he can take it out and about and record stuff wherever he wants without having to lug a laptop with him. In addition, if you plug it into your computer it acts as a USB audio input, so you can use it directly, rather than record to a sdcard and transfer recordings. I believe it comes with a light version of Cubase and Wavelab, so there's a software bundle that'll get him going on the path to a proper DAW, and audio editing options with Wavelab.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B078XXGGJ8/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

You might also want to investigate a mic stand, but that's probably a follow up if he starts taking it seriously!

Even if he gets serious about recording, something small that you can stick in your bag is always useful to have around with you. It's like photography, the best camera in the world that's sat at home doesn't help - it's the one you always have with you that gets the shots.
 
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Again, many thanks for all the input and links - I'll be doing some looking shortly.
The lad has just sent me another first demo which is also so hard to hear, but the emotion is very much in evidence that I'm sure he deserves whatever I get.
Cesere, your comment about cameras is so right..
 
Let's not forget, Marshall started off making British knockoffs of Fender Bassman amps and the very first Pultec EQ that came into the UK was on the test bench of EMI within 24 hours, stripped down and copied.

The Marshall had a different front and back end. The gain structure and the tone stack, i.e. the important bits, were pretty much the same. So while it borrowed heavily from the Fender amp it was not a straight clone, which is what Behringer does.
 
It's not simple is it...
The more I read the less I know.
I think it has to be portable (thanks Cesare) but I'm not sure it should be linked to his phone (iphone 6)
So, the Zoom Cesare linked to is on the list - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zoom-H1n-U...words=zoom+h1&qid=1567636059&s=gateway&sr=8-5
I've also seen this Tascam DR-05 which appeals, in part as the name is so well known. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004OU2IQG/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

Just before I order is it worth paying the extra for the DR-40x - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N1KLVNG/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
 
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How about one of the Zoom H series recorders? They’re pretty good on their own and about as simple as it gets, just stick it on a stand a couple of feet away from you. H4n and H6 models I know for sure have phantom power too so you can plug in your external condenser mic of choice if you like too... and you can carry it anywhere with you.
 
OK, enough reading reviews, I'm going to order a Zoom H1 bundle, so he has a tiny tripod to mount it on
We are going to visit the family in a week - I'm sure all your help will be much appreciated by him as well as it is by me !
 


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