29-01-2012, 19:54
With regard to software. ProTools is pretty much the industry standard but there are many others to choose from. As I said, I use Samplitude (mainly because of it's ability to handle large projects very well and very quickly - some of my own projects have a track count exceeding 50 so fast loading times are essential), but Sonar X1 is quite good (I use this for MIDI input and export to SAM once done) and Studio One - a relative newcomer to the market (by Focusrite - I think) looks quite good as well. Then there's Cubase, Reason and many, many others. The choice is yours. But try to get the sound right BEFORE you record. It will save you years of time. The old saying of 'we can fix it in the mix' is not the way to go. If you can visualize the final product in your head and then strive to get those sounds down before the mix will save you plenty heartaches later. Beileve me I have burnt my fingers many times. Also avoid quantisation (the process of lining up performance so that the timing matches perfectly - it will make your material sound 'clinical' as opposed to having an organic feel to it. Get the performance right and it will flow. Some of the best and most successful recordings have timing and tuning issues - Tubular Bells is a good example and yet it is a major success. There was once a blues guitarist (can't remember who) who said - 'perfection will kill you' - he's right. A spontaneous performance is better than a contrived one.
'The purpose of life is a life of purpose' - Athena Orchard.