Help - A recording setup for my son

oxfordyankee

Hi

I want to get my son setup with a recording setup. He’s a guitarist (mainly electric) and currently uses Garage Band on his iPad to record stuff for his GCSE Music. He’s recorded tracks for guitar, bass, drums and keyboard (the latter two using Garage Band itself, rather than instruments).

He’s getting very keen and I want to get him some equipment to go to the next level. At his disposal is an i5 iMac, some powered speakers and a midi keyboard. I’m completely out of my depth in this, though. Can any recommend the parts he’s missing? I suspect he’ll want to do things digitally at the moment, rather than mics to record analogue. I’d like it to be pretty plug’n’play so that he can just sit down and get in with it.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks

nero0410

I'm not a mac user, but I believe Garage Band is on both iPad and Mac?

Therefore, he'd just need an audio interface. I'd highly recommend the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 2nd gen, currently on special offer at GuitarGuitar, just plug and play on a Mac:
Buy the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 (2nd Gen)
I have two of these myself. There's loads of videos on YouTube of the scarlett 2i4 2nd gens, he can plug mics, guitars, midi keyboards, etc.. into it

Not sure what you mean by 'powered speakers', but ideally he'd need a pair of Studio Monitors or a pair of Studio Headphones like the Audio Technica ATH-M50X:
Buy the Audio Technica ATH-M50X Headphones

As for Studio Monitors, I use KrK Rokit RP5 G3's:
Buy the KrK Rokit RP5 G3 Active Studio Monitor (Pair)

You'd connect the headphones to the Focusrite, or/and connect the Focusrite to the Rokit G3's via the 'balanced output'. The guys at GuitarGuitar will let you know the cables you need, and it's all knocked down there at the moment with free next day delivery

As for software, you can start with Garage Band, or move to Logic X Pro, since your on a mac.. Other than that there's a load of other software out there. Studios use Logic X Pro, Avid Pro Tools (what I use, but expensive), Alberton Live, etc.. Then use either the in built tools for drums etc.. or get plugins like EZ Drummer 2, Steve Slate, etc.. When it comes to plugins, you could spend hundreds/thousands getting just what you want, but it all depends on if he's just looking at it as a hobby or if he's going to be wanting a career or college/uni course. If he go's on a course, find out what software they use and get the student editions when he's still in school or enrolled in college/uni for huge discounts, often half price or less for the same fully functional programs.

tris

oxfordyankee

Thank you, Tris.

I assume the keyboard would attach to the midi port at the rear of the Focusrite?

nero0410

I'd imagine so, page 14 of the manual shows the midi input and states keyboards, sound modules etc..
https://d2zjg0qo565n2.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/focusrite/downloads/31528/scarlett2i42ndgenugenv1.pdf

The Mac should automatically set the Focusrite 2i4 as default audio input and output device according to the manual, if it doesn't:
open .Applications >Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup.
Then setup from there.

Just make sure you get a 2nd gen version, the latency was a little high in the past on the 1st gens (for the 2i2 on a pc anyway), this has been addressed in the 2nd gens.

tris