|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123
Apprentice
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123 |
Hi There folks, Greetings, I would appreciate some feed back and advice here. I am considering whether to buy a hard disk recorder (either The Korg D888 or The Zoom HD16CD both of which are 16 track recorders and cost $699 each) or whether I should purchase another PC. My Budget is just about $800, My home set up includes a Yamaha Motif Es 7, a lexicon Omega interface, Cakewalk Sonar 4 (studio edition) running on a Compaq Presario Pc (Windows XP Pro, 1.8 Ghz Athlon processor, 1 gig of Ram, and hard drive space capacity of 37 giggs). I bought this Pc at Walmart back in 2003.. My question is, should I just buy me an external hard drive (250 Giggs) to hook up to my Pc and then purchase one of the above hard disk recorders to integrate into my system or should I buy me a new computer like a Dell or..umm I dunno? By the way, the zoom HD16CD really caught my eye with all those features and a whopping 80 Gigg internal hard drive plus a CD burner onboard, control surface capabilities http://www.zzounds.com/item--ZOMHD16CD. Again, just my thoughts huh !!! I know that scenarios differ; however, I would appreciate some feed back here from y’all on some advice etc as to what decision to make here. ReeeeesPEKK !!!!
Jacobins
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,653
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,653 |
You going to want to be doing any recording in other locations?? That's the big advantage..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123 |
Well yes, maybe I will want to do recordings at my church. I have a choir of 7 singers and myself on keys so, maybe I will want to record our Tuesday evening rehearsals and burn to CD to give all the singers so that they can further review and prepare for the Sunday service. Any thoughts on my previous posting in light of that?
Jacobins
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
I'm PC.
For onlocation I use my laptop and the EMU1616M. Took a lot of learning, tweaking, installation of an aftermarket internal 7200rpm/16mb cache hard drive, 1g ram, plus an external FireWire drive, again, 7200rpm/16mb cache and the knowledge of knowing how to set PT's Temp Stream to that external drive to pull this off, but with the addition of an inexpensive Berry A-D box, I can record all 16 channels into the laptop at 24/48 without probs.
I think the biggest difference lies in the type of person you are.
If you are a techno type, or are willing to become one, the PC offers sheer flexibility and ability to upgrade and try new things as they come out.
But I have a neighbor who records his band using a dedicated hard disk recorder, they sell the CDs at the gig, nobody can listen to them and tell you what they were recorded on or how they were recorded, his sound is pro -- and he is not a techno, "tweak the pc" type, you see. He had enough of a time learning how to use the dedicated hard disk recorder and now that he knows enough about it to get tracks in the can, that's all he wants and that's all he does.
Ya gotta know yourself, then.
Either platform can be great, or could be a disaster. If a disaster, look inward first. Because others are obviously successful.
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123 |
Hi Mac,
Thanks. I know you have been in the business for a while and you are very experienced. Some of what you said are like Grreeeek to me, a musician, acustomed to "live" jazz giggs and now getting into the home studio vibe..so ummmmmm but thanls anyways. I did some research on a few of the things you mentioned and now understand a bit what you said. I guess, it's a continual learning process huh. Mac, have you checked out the Zoom HD16CD? take a look at it and tell me what you think, in terms of integrating it with my home studio set up as a control surface and more and also in terms of doing a quick rehearsal at my choir practices and burning CD copies of the rehearsal on the spot.
Hit me back again, mac !!1
!
Jacobins
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
I don't see why anyone couldn't do production from scratch to pro quality CD with the Zoom stuff, my aforementioned neighbor is still using an older Zoom product, I forget the model. Or maybe its a Roland. I forget that kinda stuff.
Any way you choose there is going to be a learning curve, but at least with the dedicated recorder things don't change literally from day to day, so what you learn only has to be learned once. The dedicated recorder has that advantage and for many it can be a big advantage. The tradeoff is that once you buy it, it will be stuck in time, as it were. That's not necessarily a kill, either. You have to weigh those things and decide which tradeoffs are for you, man.
Yeah, I didn't start out to become an ubertechnogeek, all I wanted to do was replace my old large and expensive 16 track analog studio. I actually thought it would be a simple task, silly me.
Bam.
You been hit.
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
You already have an external soundcard with the Lexicon Omega - a Laptop would be ideal to use with it. That way you can do remote location recording, and also do stuff at home, and have the familiarity of the PC recording environment. You should be able to find a new or used laptop with better performance than your desktop PC for the budget you are looking at.
I do this with my PreSonus Firebox - use it at home most of the time, but I've used it also with my laptop for field and remote recording - I even used it with Freq-a-scope for a spectrum analyzer for a live sound setup at our local Jr. High to help tune the system.
Quite handy.
-Scott
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
Quote:
I'm PC.
For onlocation I use my laptop and the EMU1616M. Took a lot of learning, tweaking, installation of an aftermarket internal 7200rpm/16mb cache hard drive, 1g ram, plus an external FireWire drive, again, 7200rpm/16mb cache and the knowledge of knowing how to set PT's Temp Stream to that external drive to pull this off, but with the addition of an inexpensive Berry A-D box, I can record all 16 channels into the laptop at 24/48 without probs.
--Mac
Mac, what A/D converter is that? I'm looking to get just a stereo A/D so that I can also use the SPDIF input on my FireBox. I'd like to use something that works for sure.
-Scott
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
That Berry is 8 channels for ADAT, Scott. No Spudiff.
The EMU1616M, like so many cards, has 16 digital inputs, but only 8 are analog, you have to go into the ADAT to get those other 8.
The Berry's converters don't match the fine converters in the EMU, but used judiciously, like on the drums and stuff, they get the job done without breaking the bank.
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123 |
Hi Scott,
Got your message re using the laptop with the Lexicon Omega, however, here is what I am thinking re the Hard Disk Recorder, notably the ZOOM HD16CD. How about recording my Praise Team (7 singers and myself on keys) directly on the zoom, and I don't have to worry about interface, just hook up the mics directly thru 7 XLR inputs and my keys on one. Just have to check the levels, and then.....hey, let's RECORD TO A WHOPPING 80 Gigg hard drive......then do a some quick mixing...and then burn to CD's.....AND GIVE ALL MY SINGERS A DEMO CD copy for them to go home, listen and fine tune their act. Don't ya think that this would be more convenient instead of a laptop plus loaded on software and plus an interface?
Any thoughts on that?
Jacobins
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
See the other thread to see what Mac has to say about that.
Then follow your star, man.
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,488
Posts805,655
Members40,131
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean