Re: [Harp-L] Recording

[Ken Deifik <kenneth.d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I am interested in doing some self recording and I thought I might ask the
> list. What program do people like for recording themselves, any suggestions
> on how to associate backing tracks, what is the best source  for backing
> tracks that are usable right away. Thanks for your help gentleman and ladies

You have a very specific question, which others have answered very 
usefully.  Here's a further thought, once you have some of that software up 
and running.

Lots of the tools that are out there give you incredible capabilities for 
shaping and blending the sounds you record.  Until fifteen or so years ago 
those tools were mainly based in hardware, and you learned how to use them 
either by apprenticeship or a great deal of trial and error.

Nowadays those sound-shaping tools (such as eq, compression, side-chaining, 
etc.) are available to everybody via software, and yet most of us won't be 
apprenticing at a studio any time soon.

Therefore, I highly recommend the book SoundFX by Alexander U. Case, from 
Focal Press.  Easily available at Amazon.  This book explains every 
standard sound shaping tool in the studio, and in the software 
multi-tracker.  I've recommended it here before, but there are a bunch of 
new names in the community since then, so it's worth re-recommending 
it.  The chapter on compression alone is worth the price of admission, but 
anyone who really wants to learn how to present their music in a 
professional manner should read this book. -K