Equipment And Recording Question Options

[Gary]

Fully realize that I am asking a question that has been asked on the forum countless times.. but since everyone’s case is different I’m seeking advice anyway. I am looking to change my playing setup and also purchase software to do some basic recording.

Below is a list of what I currently have.
•Decent Dell Gaming PC w/Creative SB Audigy C8C0 sound card
•Low end JBL computer speakers
•Pandora PX5D (has USB interface)

Currently I plug my guitar into the Pandora and then into a small practice amp. For my situation I am thinking it makes more sense to nix the amp and just play through the computer using guitar effect emulation software and a decent pair of monitors. I am therefore thinking of purchasing Rokit RP6G2 or RP8G2’s monitors, then running Pandora directly to computer and then to monitors. Would I need to purchase a new audio card or a toneport for my computer in order to do this or am I okay with Pandora since it has USB interface? If I did need a sound card would it make more sense to swap Pandora for Guitar Rig 3 which has it own on built in sound card?

As far as recording - it’s straight forward, record my guitar over GMC lesson backing tracks. It sounds like many here prefer either Reaper or Sony Acid. Note that I am a noob and therefore do not require anything approaching pro level features. I am open to other suggestions or comments in this area!

My budget is pretty much open, however seems I should be able to do this for well under $1000 US.

Thanks much in advance,
Gary

Edit: added sound card information

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This post has been edited by Gary: Sep 5 2009, 03:59 AM

[Ivan Milenkovic]

Lots of options for 1000$. Could you tell us what you will use the interface for, what modelers are you planning to use (if you have some already), should it be USB or PCI?

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[Fran]

Pandora can be used to record without need of anything else. It provides lag free USB recording with ASIO driver, amp modelling & effects. Guitar > Pandora > Computer, and you are set.

Getting a Toneport/POD would pretty much erase Pandora out of the equation, as they do the same thing, but based on Line 6 Models.

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[Gary]

HI Ivan,
Thanks for the reply. My ultimate goal is to create a Mp3 file by adding a GMC backing track in Mp3 format as one track and then my playing (guitar only) on another track. Pandora has a whole list of effects so I do not really think I need anything else in that area (I think this addresses the modeler question but I am not sure . As far as USB vs. PCI I am assuming USB since the Pandora is USB...
I hope I have addressed your questions~
Gary



Fran,
I had not installed the Pandora software since I was just using it for effects and then going to my amp. Yesterday I went ahead and loaded the software (contained some Korg USB midi driver tools and the Abelton Live software). After reading a bit I found that I also needed to visit the Korg website and download the PX5D sound editor...so now I have that loaded as well.

When I launch the sound editor the Pandora interface comes up but I also get a dialog box that states "Dump Receive is not available".. I have no idea that this is referring to.. have you seen this message before?

UPDATE.. I got passed the dump message by going to device mgr and setting the midi to Pandora and then going into the Pandora Sound Editor MIDI > MIDI SETUP and the selecting Pandora for both the in and out. However I am unable to get the Pandora to play out of my computer speakers. If I plug my amp into the output everything seems to work fine as I can control the Pandora from the interface on my computer. I would assume that the USB from Pandora to computer would allow me to play the Pandora through my computer speakers though?

Also I am assuming that when you say I can use the Pandora to record you are talking about using the software called "Live" which comes on the Pandora disk? If this is the case would you recommend that I use this as opposed to using something like Reaper?

Total noob here so appreciate your advice
Gary

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This post has been edited by Gary: Sep 5 2009, 06:51 AM

[Fran]

Hello,

Glad to hear you installed pandora's software to start recording with it

To hear the sound while you play/record, connect your computer speakers to pandora (Instead of the amp).
USB connection allows for the sound to be recorded with no latency, but to atually hear it you still need to connect your speakers to the unit

I wouldn't connect pandora to the amp, as it colors the sound of the actual amp-modelling in Pandora.

I never used that "live" software to record (don't really know what it is), I used Reaper. If you use Reaper be sure to select the PX5D Asio driver as input source.


Edit: Oh! I see you meant Ableton live software!, yeah, I know that one, but never used it. I prefer Reaper . One more thing, which you probably already know, px5d sound editor is very useful to control the unit from your computer, much easier to change amp modelling & effects that way

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This post has been edited by Fran: Sep 5 2009, 11:06 AM

[Ivan Milenkovic]

Gary, if you will use the Pandora, you don't have to invest in any interface/modelers at this time. I suggest that you get those monitors and read some articles about music production since this is the primary thing.

For DAW software I recommend that you use Reaper. It's free, and very useful, lot better than the Live DAW software.
For monitors, they have to be powered and connected straight into Pandora's OUTPUT jack. OUT jack on the Pandora is stereo phone jack, so you may need some adapter once you get the monitor speakers.

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[Gary]

Thanks much for the advice on both recording and the pandora! Fran the first thing I did notice when I called up the Pandora interface was how much easier it was to change settings from the computer.. much better!

Regarding monitors.. I have what may be the ultimate silly question but I am a bit perplexed..

What if I have the pandora routed to the monitors (the output cable that came with the unit goes from one output to two, thus enabling one to plug into two monitors) but want to jam along to a MP3 on the computer? Would I route the computer audio to one monitor and the Pandora to the other? Or is there multiple connections in the back of monitors such that they can receive multiple input signals simultaneously?..
Thanks again!
Gary

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[jafomatic]

If the pandora is a valid audio device (it sounds like it is) then you can tell your entire computer to use it. If you prefer, you can tell only certain applications to use it. Your audio workstation (reaper, audacity, cubase, sonar, whatever), and perhaps your music player app if you like to jam outside of the DAW. Winamp, for example, will let you configure its output plugin to use whatever sound devices are available to the operating system.

Stuff that makes noise you might not want monitored (email alert, IM, general system sounds) could be left to another device so that they're not recorded AND not blaring through your monitors.

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[Fran]

Would I route the computer audio to one monitor and the Pandora to the other? Or is there multiple connections in the back of monitors such that they can receive multiple input signals simultaneously?..

No, just set your Pandora as your sound card, windows > control panel > sound, make sure you select pandora as your audio interface instead of your current soundcard, and you are set.

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[Ivan Milenkovic]

As Fran suggested, go to Control Panel, choose Pandora as your windows sound card, and all the PC sounds will come through Pandora to monitors.

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[Gary]

Thanks much to all for the information.. it has helped me a great deal to get an understanding of what I need to do.. the info will be put to good use!

I have pretty much decided to get a set of KRK Rockit monitors. I work right down the street from KRK so they are local, plus I have read many positive reviews of their stuff while doing research.

Cheers!
Gary

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[Ivan Milenkovic]

yeah, Rockits series are very good as monitors, I recommend them as well. Let us know what you did mate.

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[Fran]

Thanks much to all for the information.. it has helped me a great deal to get an understanding of what I need to do.. the info will be put to good use!

I have pretty much decided to get a set of KRK Rockit monitors. I work right down the street from KRK so they are local, plus I have read many positive reviews of their stuff while doing research.

Cheers!
Gary

Glad to be of help mate

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