the manufacturer to make sure). You may find an easy and great-sounding solution by choosing a software and hardware setup from a single manufacturer. If you do, you’re likely to have fewer compatibility problems.
Studio-in-a-Box Systems
Integrated mixers/recorders/effects processors were once quite common (computer-based systems have overtaken them in the last few years). Cassette porta-studios, first introduced in the 1970s, enabled the home recordist to compose music at home without spending a fortune on equipment. But it wasn’t until the Roland VS-880 came out in 1997 that great-quality recordings could be made at home using a single piece of equipment. Okay, you still needed an instrument and microphone to plug into it, but everything else fit into this one little box, which is now referred to as a studio-in-a-box system.
Taking a look at the benefits
One of the biggest advantages of using a SIAB system is that you don’t need to be computer literate — just turn it on and start to record. SIAB systems are also portable — you can take them almost anywhere to record, so you’re not limited to your studio room. (You can get a view of an SIAB system in Figure 2-5.) Think about this for a second: If you want a big drum sound and all you have is a small converted bedroom for a studio, you can load up your SIAB system, a few microphones, and your drummer’s drum set (don’t forget the drummer) and go to an empty warehouse, gymnasium, or church, for example. (Of course, you can do this with a laptop computer system, too, but it’ll cost you more.) In fact, with many of these recorders you don’t even need to have electricity to do this. Some of these recorders draw very little power and can operate on batteries.
Early versions of SIAB systems were somewhat limited in what they offered and weren’t very user-friendly when it came to sharing files between systems. The newer generation of SIAB systems is being designed to import and export audio files in formats that you can open on other manufacturers’ recorders, freeing you to transfer files between different systems.
Examining some popular SIAB systems
Many of the major recording manufacturers make SIAB systems. Check out these companies and compare the specifications of each unit:
TASCAM: TASCAM has been in the home recording market for a long time, first with cassette porta-studios in the 1970s and now with digital systems. You can find several units, including the DP-005 six-track recorder, which records at 16 bits, and the DP-32SD 32-track recorder, which records in 24 bits.
Zoom: Zoom is a relative newcomer to the SIAB market and offers innovative solutions that can be used as a stand-alone studio, computer audio interface, and computer software controller. Zoom’s two recording systems include the R16 and R24, 16- and 24-track units, respectively. They both record in both 16 and 24 bits and integrate seamlessly with a computer. This means you can record on location and connect to a computer to overdub and/or mix.
FIGURE 2-5: A studio-in-a-box system contains everything you need to make great recordings.
Mobile-Device Recording
Smartphones and tablet computers are gaining ground, both in the number of people using them and in their ability to be used for creating music. As recently as a couple years ago, when I last updated this book, you couldn’t do much with your phone or tablet. Perhaps you could record a couple tracks at 16 bits or maybe mix tracks in other software within your computer with a mixer app, but that was about it. Nowadays, you have quite a few ways you can use a smartphone or tablet to record and mix music, though your options are still mainly limited to Apple devices.
This section outlines the basics for the two most popular mobile system types: Android and Apple iOS.
Android
Apple iOS
Android
Android is, by far, the most popular mobile platform. However, it’s pretty slim on apps and hardware that can be used for music composing, recording, editing, or mixing. That said, this section offers some hardware and app options to get you recording on your Android device.
Hardware
Dedicated hardware options for Android are currently limited. The basic voice-recorder apps all use the internal microphone, while some other apps, such as the USB Audio Recorder, are able to use certain USB audio interfaces.
Here is the first of what I expect will be many USB-based hardware manufacturers that will offer Android-supported devices:
IK Multimedia: IK Multimedia offers a handful of hardware options for your Android device. These include mics, a mic preamp, a guitar input, and a mixer, all at pretty low prices.
Apps
Here are some audio recording apps for Android phones and tablets:
iRig Recorder: This is an enhanced version of a voice recorder that allows you to record up to 16-bit/44.1-kHz audio and edit and enhance it with various tools and effects. You can also share your recordings in a variety of ways.
J4T Multitrack Recorder: A four-track recorder with effects and mixing abilities. Works with the internal mic and a variety of USB audio interfaces (though it doesn’t list which interfaces are compatible).
USB Audio Recorder Pro: This app opens your Android device to a variety of USB audio interfaces. Be sure to check the device compatibility list before trying to use a USB interface.
Apple iOS
Apple was the first company to make apps available for mobile users, and with its head start, it has managed to provide a fairly broad selection of mobile apps and hardware that can allow you to use an iPhone or iPad to record your music. As of this writing, here are some hardware and software options that can get you creating music on your Apple device.
Hardware
Because the Apple devices have been around a while, there has been support for USB audio with the iOS software — just about any USB interface will work with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. However, I strongly recommend that you choose an app first and then see what hardware is supported.
That said, here are hardware options that have proven to be reliable for iOS devices:
Apogee: Apogee makes high-quality audio interfaces that are used in the better studios. It has several studio-quality interfaces for iOS devices, including One, Duet, and Quartet. These devices are more expensive than others, but they’re worth it if you want to record at the highest possible level.
Blue Microphones: Blue makes some nice mics, and it has two dedicated to iOS devices: Spark Digital and Mikey. Both plug right in and work flawlessly.
IK Multimedia: IK Multimedia