Record beats and vocals on your computer.
If you are a musician, producer, singer or a songwriter, you probably have written your own material, such as songs, riffs and beats. Unfortunately, recording in a professional studio can cost thousands of dollars and requires a variety of technical skills. Luckily, if you have your own computer and some audio hardware, you can easily record your own professional-sounding audio tracks. Audio software that you can install on your computer will allow you to both create drum beats and record vocals.
Instructions
1. Open your computer and plug in both the audio interface and the MIDI keyboard. Plug the flat, thinner end of each USB cable into your computer's USB ports and the thicker ends into the inputs in the audio interface and MIDI keyboard. Popular audio interfaces include the Edirol UA series and the Tascam US series, while popular MIDI keyboards are produced by M-Audio and Korg.
2. Install any necessary drivers for your audio interface and MIDI keyboard. Turn each of these devices on. Plug the male end of the XLR cable into your microphone and the female end into your audio interface. Popular microphones include the Shure SM 57 and the MXL 990.
3. Open a music studio program. The program that you should choose should allow you to record software MIDI instruments such as drums as well as record real audio through your audio interface. If you do not already have an audio program installed, you can purchase or download one online. Popular programs that will allow you make beats and record vocals include Apple Garage Band, Digidesign ProTools and Steinberg Cubase.
4. Create a new track within your audio software program. Make sure that this track is set to record MIDI signals from your keyboard. Select the drum kit or software instrument that you wish to record, press the record button, and begin striking the keys on your MIDI keyboard to create a beat. You can record multiple tracks of software beats and layer them on top of each other. For specific instructions for the audio program you are using, consult the user manual for the application that you have chosen.
5. Create a new track that accepts audio from your audio interface. You should select your audio device and recording channel from the "Preferences" menu of your recording application. Test the level of the mic before you record to prevent "clipping" or pushing the volume over the recordable limit. Press record, sing or speak your vocal performance, and press stop to finish recording your beats and vocals on your computer.
Tags: audio interface, your audio, MIDI keyboard, your audio interface, your computer, audio interface MIDI, interface MIDI