Yes, I'll chime in. You can write off all gear purchases for about a year, so you'd better be happy with what you've got. So run away. You think this is just about recording your Randall right now but it isn't. It grows into a monster.
First: Figure out what DAW software you're going to use. Sweetwater is probably the best place to buy software. They have lifetime support on the software you buy from them.
Second: Budget for the software. You're also going to need an interface, cables, and monitors.
Third: Go to the web site of the software company (
DUC,
Propellerhead, Steinberg, Presonus, Abelton, Sony Creative, etc.) and find out what you are going to need to run your rig.
If you're just starting out and need the biggest bang for the buck, and need more than one or two inputs (you'll use four, trust me), the best buy is the Avid Eleven Rack. Eleven Rack comes with Pro Tools LE 8 ($900), and you get the update to Pro Tools 9 for $249 at any time. Eleven Rack is a non-returnable item, however because it requires Pro Tools LE 8 just to run unless you update to Pro Tools 9. PT 9 has a lot of great features added like delay compensation -- this is caused by using plugs that have "look ahead" stuff on your tracks. Eleven Rack is also an amp modeler and has some great models on it, along with some great cabinet models. It's a little shy on effects so if you're an effects ***** you'll need some add ons like a MFX unit, which you probably already have -- like a Lexicon MX200 or MX300 or like a G-Major or even a L6 M9 to run in its effects loop.
As much as you say "I'm going to record my Randall" it is so much easier to use a modeler and no one is going to be able to tell the difference on a recording anyway. In fact you can even gig with this thing. In fact you could do 99% of gigs with a Peavey Bandit and no one would know the difference.
But you don't need to update to PT 9 right away. I'm still using M-Powered PT 8.0.4 cs2. You could just do your update to PT LE 8.0.4 cs2 and probably be fine for a few years. Oh, and PT 9 is compatible with external USB drives that run at 7200 RPM, whereas PT 8 runs only with SATA drives and Firewire (but I'd really avoid Firewire if you can -- there have been issues)
Here's what you are going to need though:
1) A motherboard with an INTEL chipset that will work with an Intel i7 processor (or you could probably get by with an i5). Go Intel, not AMD. There can be compatibility issues with AMD. Most of my recordings have between 12 and 24 tracks. I did one with 32 and it brought my CPU (Intel Q6600 Quad Core) to its knees.
2) A dedicated graphics card. It doesn't have to be the latest and greatest. Just one that's not more than two years out of date.
3) Two 1 TB SATA drives. I'd really advise this instead of anything smaller or external. DO NOT configure these in RAID no matter what they tell you. You will use one for all your applications and one for your data storage.
The reason I'm saying TWO 1 TB is that there are now plugins like East-West's piano plugin that use 260 GB of disk space. That's right 260 GB for four pianos alone. But **** these things really do sound like an acoustic Steinway, Boesendorfer, or Bechstein, and Yamaha. And you will be buying plugins. Plug-ins will replace GAS.
You will buy virtual instrument packs. One of the first will be a drum kit pack like Addictive Drums. Then you'll want something for bass, and once that starts the next thing is other virtual instruments like synths and stuff -- I'd recommend Reason 5 because its easy to use and they have better support than Native Instruments. Then you'll want something to help you with vocals. Then you'll want a better Convolution Reverb/IR pack (something that isn't just for guitar cabs). Then you'll want to learn how to do some craptastic mastering so Sony Soundforge (that comes with the Izotope Mastering Bundle) comes into play because it's a bargain, or you'll just bite the bullet and go with Ozone and try to pretend you're Bob Ludwig even though you'll never get there without years of experience and a few $million.
Another option for DAW software and VI pack is Propellerhead Reason 5/Record 1.5 bundle. It's $400. Record comes with POD Farm. The downside is that Record doesn't support third party plugins. You'll have to buy Reason refills instead.
A lot of people use Reaper for a DAW because it's cheap. It'll get you by, but you know? there are better out there. And there are far worse out there. Reaper supports VST stuff, and Pro Tools only supports RTAS, and if you went Mac (you think Windows has a lot of updates and stuff? ha ha ha) Logic is the way to go, but Macs get you into everything being proprietary and they're expensive. Good but expensive.
4) A DVD-R Burner
5) RAM -- 6 to 12 GB Ram should be sufficient.
Then you'll need your OS. Windows 7. Then for when you do connect to the internet (you'll need to just to grab updates), you'll need an anti-virus/anti-spyware program and I'd recommend Sunbelt Software's Vipre. Stay away from anything that says Symantec or McAfee. You'll also want to make sure you have automatic updates turned off on your PC
NEVER DO ANY OPERATING SYSTEM UPDATE, OR QUICKTIME UPDATE, THAT IS NOT APPROVED BY THE PLACE THAT MADE YOUR DAW SOFTWARE.
6) Monitors: you'll need a good LCD monitor and I'd go nothing smaller than 27". 30" if you can swing it. Or you can go with two 22" monitors so you can have your transport window on one, and mix window on the other.
7) Speaker monitors -- don't skimp. I'm reading good things about these:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MSP5stu/
8) Cables: Buy a spool of shielded balanced cable, and a bunch of solderless connectors and make your own. Canare makes a good cable.
http://www.redco.com/shopexd.asp?id=540. You'll also need Neutrik connectors in 1/4" TRS and XLR male and female. It's probably cheaper to get about 250' of cable and a ton of connectors and make your own. This will run you about the price of about 8 Mogami Gold cables or Monster cables. Buy a Behringer cable tester while you're at it. Call Redco for details. It's a lot cheaper this way because you're always going to need one more cable of a particular length, and they don't sell the short jumper cables that make the back of the rack easy to work with.
9) Microphones..... yes this does come up. For vocals you'll need a large diaphragm condenser mic. Audio Technica makes some real good ones for not too much green stuff. You'll need a shock mount and a pop screen. I like Shure myself. Rode seems to be popular with the guys. Your interface usually has a preamp which will be good enough to start with, but you might want to add something like a Presonus Studio Channel or two later.
If you do decide to mic your cabs, know that this isn't the easiest thing to do. The Shure SM57 is the standard for live use and for recording most crap you hear on the internet, but most pros use three mics on a guitar cab: one dynamic on the edge of the dust cap, a ribbon (Royer 121) on the cone, and a LDC in the room about 3' off the cab. Moving a mic 1" can make a huge difference in sound. So you spend all day getting eveything set up, and now you're ready to record and your cat knocks over one of the mics and you've got to start over again. See why I say recording with a model is easier?
So now that I've completely discouraged you, I'll tell you it's fun. It's rewarding.
Just forget about another guitar or more modules for a year or so. For guitar recording I use a POD HD500. It does everything I can think of.
