Demo Recording

If you are looking for info on demo hosting, look here: demo hosting.

Online References/Tutorials

• A simple recording tutorial using Audacity: http://www.distad.net/simple-recording
• An interesting set of articles on getting good sound quality when recording: http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=29283
• Very large reference from the SAE Institutehttp://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/audio/pages/fullindex.htm
• An interactive chart showing frequency ranges for various instruments (as an EQ reference): http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/resources/freqchart/main_display.htm

Free Audio Recording/Editing Software

• Acid xPress (Windows Only) - Free loop-based multitracker
• Ardour (Linux/Mac) - Freeware multitrack audio workstation
• Audacity (Windows/Mac/Linux) - Free multitrack audio editor
• GarageBand (Mac Only) - Part of iLife
• Kristal (Windows Only) - Free basic multi-tracker
• LMMS (Linux) - Free Acid-like loop application for Linux
• Sound Studio (Mac Only) - Editing / podcasting tool
• Zynewave Podium Free (Windows) - Free version with some advanced functions disabled, but still very good.

Other Audio Software

• Ableton Live (Windows/Mac) - 30 day demo available
• EnergyXT (Windows/Mac) - Shareware / demo version
• Reaper (Windows/Mac) - Audio multitrack editor (demo version)
• Zynewave Podium (Windows) - Cheap and seriously good DAW

Shareware Music Machine maintains a large list of music software, including soft-synths, VST effects, VSTi and other software instruments, sound recorders, and so on. Visit their site at http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/.

If you're in the UK (or somewhere within reach of its publishing industry), pick up a copy of Computer Music magazine. The regular monthly issues (i.e. not the specials) have a DVD with all the software you need to get started in recording, including an unlimited version of EnergyXT, and a whole bunch of VST effects and instruments.

Getting Sound Into Your Computer

If you're posting music here, you need to find some way of getting sound into your PC. And there are LOTS of ways to do it.

• Line In / Mic In There's a good chance your PC has a Line In / Mic In. Plug your mic into that. Wallah! You're done. (You may need some sort of adapter, like an XLR to 1/8", in order to get the mic to fit into the PC.)
• Recording Interfaces The next step up is some sort of audio interface into your PC, usually via USB or Firewire. These range from budget units with one mic or line input to units that allow simultaneous recording on 16+ channels. Look into the Lexicon Alpha, Lambda or Omega products as a starter.

And, of course, you probably need a microphone. You don't need to spend a lot of money on a mic. And if you're JUST going to use a mic, you can look into a USB mic, which can negate the need for any other recording interface. You can buy a USB mic for as low as $25. An excellent traditional mic can be had for under $100 (and a decent one for under $30). You'll probably need an XLR cable, and it's not a bad idea to think about a pre-amp. The two types of mics you'll want to look at are Dynamic Mic and Condenser mics. Dynamic mics are more versatile and better for live performances, while condensers can be much better for recording.

If you don't mind spending a little bit more, the Shure SM57 is a good microphone to start with. This is an industry standard dynamic microphone, so unlike the cheaper beginner microphones, it won't become redundant as you upgrade your studio. Whole commercially released albums have been recorded with SM57s. The other ubiquitous industry standard microphone is the Neumann U87, but this costs serious money so it's probably beyond us home-studio types.

Once you can get sound into your computer, you'll probably have to spend a little bit of time trying to set up whatever software you're using, and you'll be best served by hitting google for details there.

As you start getting a little more advanced, here are some more terms to learn:

• ASIO - Audio Stream Input/Output. If you use Windows, this is probably how your software will communicate with your hardware.
• Latency - The audible delay one encounters when monitoring the output from any software based recording package against input
• Bit Rate / Sample Rate / Bit Depth
• Phantom Power
• Microphone Preamp

I Recorded a Song! Now What?

Well, you need to publish it somewhere, preferably in a format people can listen to.
Chances are that you've recorded your song in one of the programs listed above. There should be an "Export" feature there. That'll probably give you a WAV file (if you have a PC) or an AIFF file (if you have a Mac). Convert that to an MP3. (There are lots of ways to do this, but the easiest is probably just using iTunes to convert it.)

Now you need to put your file somewhere where other people can get it. Fortunately, there's a great section about that in the File Hosting section of the FAQ. Enjoy!

Remote Collaboration Tips !!

Key to ANY remote recording collaboration is setting the parameters ahead of time. There are any number of methods and techniques that will get the job done, and long as you and your partner(s) communicate.

There is a whole big Collaborating section set up with lots of good tips. Check it out.