Recording steel at home

[Colin Goss]

I use BIAB to provide me with backing for practice and working out new numbers. It would be nice to record what I am playing, so that if I come back to a number months or years later I can work out what I did.

Is there any easy way to record steel onto a computer track to sit alongside the BIAB track?

What program do I need, and how easy is it?

[Jack Stoner]

BIAB has a function (in later versions) to play along with a BIAB file, but I don't know about recording it at the same time. You may have to record it on an external cassette recorder.

There was a thread similar to this in the computer section and I don't think there was ever a solution, other than to use an external recorder.

I'm moving this to the Computer section.

[Mylos Sonka]

You can do it. Just click FILE and then click SAVE AS MIDI (or maybe it's EXPORT AS MIDI, give your file a name and remember its location.

Then open your program (Cakewalk, Power Tracks Pro or any of a number of others) that handles both wave files and midi files. Click FILE then NEW and import the midi file from the above-mentioned location. Then record the steel onto a wave file track next to the midi tracks and you're done.

If you have midi steel capability you can record directly into the BIAB file and not have to go through all the file conversion rigamarole.

Hope this helps.

Mylos
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mylos Sonka on 20 May 2001 at 06:49 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mylos Sonka on 20 May 2001 at 06:50 AM.]</p></FONT>

[Larry Beck]

BIAB has a one track sequencer built in. I have version 9 but some earlier verions don't have it. As to recording while playing, your sound card has to have duplex capability. This is the ability to record and play back at the same time. Most cards these days can do this. All soundblasters made now can, etc. I export to Power Tracks which is made by BIAB and "plays nice" with it. Cakewalk, etc probably have more features, but PT works well with BIAB.
One Caveat: once you record an analog rather than midi signal, tempo is locked down.

[Everett Cox]

Colin-- BIAB version 9 and later DOES allow you to record an audio track along with a BIAB file. There are also options that provide for 'plugin' effects such as reverb for that audio(wave) track. You may have to increase the DB (volume) for the audio in order to match the BIAB file.

After creating the audio track (which gets 'associated' with the BIAB file), you can elect to save it with the BIAB data. As mentioned above, once the audio is created, you cannot change the tempo of the song as that affects the BIAB data, only.

I have often had better luck using an inexpensive ($12) utility called TotalRecorder. Do a search for that within the 'Computer' section of the forum for more details. --Everett

[compuserve]

COLLIN you can record audio tracks in cakewalk #8 with midi files off of a floppy disk or from any program that you have saved music files .even biab saved to midi file can be loaded into cakewalk and played while you record steel and then you can record other tracks together and make a multitrack recording hope this helps .jim

[Tony Prior]

http://www.recordlab.com/downloads/td/tapedeck_.html

Here is the link to recordlab 8 track recorder for your PC, you can record your BIAB tracks then add Steel , actually several steel tracks if you like. You can master to a two track wave file as well with reverb effects. Very easy to use and free !

tp

[Colin Goss]

The above replies have occurred many months since I originally posted the question.

Since then I have not only recorded my steel, I have produced a CD (which has been well received) and have produced backing tracks for me to play at the British Steel Guitar Festival.

I shall be happy to discuss my experiences with anyone else who wishes to explore such possibilities