To record a melody you need. Five programs for recording songs on your computer

Let's talk about recording music on a computer from the comfort of your own home.

For example, you want to record a song for your mom on her birthday or for your girlfriend. Don't think you need a cool sound producer. Instead, you can do everything yourself at home or in your garage.

This article will help you choose hardware and software, necessary for recording your music at home.

Over the past few years, recording on a PC or Mac has become more and more accessible. Quality home recording came quite close to the studio one. Music recording software and equipment have become more affordable.

Equipment for recording music on a computer.

What do we need?

1. Sound card
2. Microphone
3. Software

Sound card

Microphone.

Now we have the equipment, let's decide on the software to record our music on the computer.

Software for recording music on a computer.

There are probably hundreds and thousands of programs that can be used to record music on a computer, but we must choose the one that allows us to do multi-track recording. This will allow you to record all the parts of your track separately (for example acoustic guitar on one track, and the voice on the other). It is also better if the program is free. Below are programs for recording music that satisfy all the above conditions.

These are just a few options, but there are hundreds various programs which can be used to record music on a computer. You can also read the article “” and learn about some more programs.

And here’s how Alexander Pushnoy records sound on his computer:

Does everyone love to sing? Have you ever dreamed of recording your creation? No, no, voice recorders, LIVE versions are, of course, one thing, but what if you take a professional approach to recording a song?
I won’t bore MirSovetov readers with expectations. Let's get started.

Required equipment

Computer(let’s assume that the point has been completed. You somehow read the article, right?).
Since modern software will be used, the computer requirements are also modern. This: Intel processor® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 (recommended Intel Core™ 2 Duo or AMD Phenom® II), 1 GB RAM, 2 GB free space on your hard drive for installation, sound card with support for ASIO or Microsoft WDM/MME protocol, headphones/speakers, microphone.
Microphone.Despite the fact that it is in the list of items above, the microphone deserves special attention. Fans of Skype and karaoke! Both of your options will be suitable (both a microphone with a 3.5 mm connector for a computer, and a microphone for DVD or music center, with a 3.5 mm adapter)! If there are several microphones, you need to choose the one whose quality is superior. Often the price-quality ratio can help you: a more expensive microphone will be of better quality, but there are exceptions. Your ears - best helper. Connect, try, listen!

Note! Recording with studio microphone And further actions When recording songs, they are no different from recording from a headphone microphone. If you are the owner of a studio microphone and don’t know where to start, this article will also be useful to you. The only difference is the most important thing in the musical field - quality. It will prevail in your entry.

Headphones.This point may seem strange to you. After all, speakers can also serve as a source of sound output. Yes, and it’s more common through them... This is true, but we will be able to play our song through the speakers after recording. And during it it is advisable to use headphones. Otherwise, the microphone will pick up sound from the speakers, which is difficult to get rid of. The music itself should play on a separate track.

I draw the attention of MirSovetov readers!
Our task is to achieve maximum silence in the room where the recording will take place. Close all windows and doors, turn off the TV in the next room and ask your roommates to be silent while you sing. A clean record comes first. There will be less hassle during processing, higher sound quality.

Necessary drivers, programs

“Why are they needed,” you say, “if the microphone already works and records sound!? In the operating room Windows system everything is taken into account!
This statement is true. But, as you know, there is no limit to perfection. Modern computer audio editors have reached such a level that only an audio gourmet can distinguish a studio recording from a home one: edited, processed, i.e. brought to mind.
For this we need:
Audio editor(at the time of writing, Adobe_Audition_CS5.5_v4.0.1815 is used). Very powerful, stable. You can get acquainted with the interface and subsequently master it after half an hour of work.
We install.
Driver Asio4All.It will monitor both our microphone and output sound through headphones/speakers. It turns on only during audio recording/editing using an editor program. A driver is required for an immediate, smooth playback process. In short, this driver will save us from all possible bugs and will only improve performance.
We install.

Note! Adobe work Audition is also possible through the built-in Microsoft WDM/MME driver (without pre-installing Asio4All). In this case, on computers with average performance, there may be delays, jerks, and interference during playback.

iZotope Nectar VST plugin.This plugin will be used by the program Adobe Audition and will give your voice the proper color. It can make it softer/rougher, make your voice clear or blurry, can make it look like you're talking through a radio speaker or even screaming in space! The iZotope Nectar plugin comes with many ready-made add-ons. It is also possible to go outside the box and work on creating your own unique style.
We install.

Note! The programs below can be easily found and downloaded on the Internet. But they are paid (Except for the ASIO driver, it is free).

Have all the necessary software been installed? Can't wait to get started? Okay, now let's set it up and record!

Settings

Open the Adobe Audition program. Let's get acquainted. We see many unfilled forms and, in general, emptiness. To get started, you need to open a new session. (File → New → Multitrack Session… or press Ctrl+N).
Fill out the form (from the screenshot below, screenshotwas done after starting the program and trying to start a new session).

Session Name: session name, the name of your project.
Folder Location: Save folder for this project and subsequent ones. Another one will be created in the specified directory, with a name identical to the Session Name.
Sample Rate (Frequency), Bit Depth (Sampling Rate), Master (Audio Output (Stereo/Mono/5.1)): technical parameters audio recording quality. It is advisable, in order to avoid problems with recording from a microphone, to set the same numbers as for outputting sound to general mode.
If you don’t know what the default frequency and sampling rate is (in general mode), it doesn’t matter. Go to “Start” → “Control Panel” → “Management” sound devices» → “Speakers”, click “Properties” and in the “Advanced” tab we see the default format. Below I will provide a screenshot for MirSovetov readers so that it is clear what to look for.
I will also give possible options combinations:

• 16 Bit, 44100 Hz - CD quality;
• 16 Bit, 44800 Hz - DVD quality;
• 24 Bits and the same number of Hz, by definition, is a studio recording.

Let's limit ourselves to these settings. For example, in this capacity you listen to most mp3 songs on your computer, player, etc. Recording is a slightly different thing, but for a beginner the quality is not necessary. And the equipment won’t allow it.
Promised screenshot:


After we have correctly filled in all the parameters for the new Adobe Audition session, you can click OK. The parameters will be fixed and the issue of bit depth and descritisation will not bother us anymore.

Recording a song

The next step is the most important and interesting.
Workspace.After opening a new session, Adobe Audition appeared before our eyes in all its glory. From the screenshot below:

1. Switch between Adobe modes Audition: Waweform and Multitrack. Waweform mode is a mode for solo editing of one audio file, Multitrack mode is a mode with several active audio tracks (the default is 5, you can add another audio track by pressing the Alt+A hotkeys).
   We will use Multitrack mode (active in the screenshot) for recording. It is convenient in that you can apply a separate sound effect to both each track and each file separately.
2. Effects window. Later, here, we will add the effects of the iZotope Nectar plugin.
3. The same Waweform mode and several audio tracks, which are mentioned in paragraph 1.

Let's get straight to recording!

1. Minus found on the Internet, i.e. add music (without words) to audio track 1 (Track 1). This can be done by dragging an audio file (of any format) onto the Track 1 strip or from the context menu of the audio track (Insert → Audio File).
   If, when adding, the audio file format does not match the recording format you have chosen, the file will be converted.
2. Turn on the microphone for recording. Check that the microphone is connected and click Default Stereo Input in audio track 2 (Track 2), as in step 4 of the screenshot above. Then select your microphone from the list. If you have a stereo microphone, then it will be in the Default Stereo Input → Stereo list, if you have a mono microphone, then Default Stereo Input → Mono.

Pay attention! To record, you need to turn on the recording mode by pressing the R button (it is underlined in screenshot 4). That, in turn, will light up red. By turning on the I button (it's next to R), we will turn on the preview mode and will be able to hear ourselves in real time.

Don't be alarmed if there is a noticeable delay in the sound. It can be overcome using the ASIO driver (currently the default driver is MME).
Setting up the ASIO driver is described below in a separate paragraph of the article.
If you don’t feel any delay while listening or for some reason you cannot/will not install the ASIO driver, you can start recording.
We start recording with the Shift+Space hotkeys or by clicking the mouse on the record button in the program (located at the bottom, in the center, point 5 in the screenshot above).
You can monitor the recording in real time. It is displayed as sound waves on the monitor (in the audio track window). If the wave level is maximum, move away from the microphone. So much so that the level of the recording waves coincides with the level of the minus waves (music located on audio track 1).
It is very important when recording to use a POP filter or a windshield (which is usually already installed on headphone microphones). Otherwise, the explosive letters “B” and “P” in Russian may ruin your recording.
You can stop the recording process with the “stop” button or hotkey"space".
Recording the second and subsequent tracks.To ensure your song sounds good, you will need to record a second track: record your second voice, your backing vocals. Use it to decorate places where intonation enhancements are needed or where the voice is not clearly heard from the first part.
On the second track, it is advisable to sing along in a voice different from the main vocal. It is advisable to use effects other than the main vocal.
This makes the recording more expressive and vibrant.

Setting up the ASIO driver

Let me remind you that the ASIO driver is used to get rid of latency.
It's free latest version can be downloaded from the official website (asio4all.com).
You can enable the ASIO driver (after installation) by clicking Default Stereo Input → Audio Hardware. In the Device Class item, select ASIO (item 1 of the screenshot below). The Setting button is visible next to it. Clicking it will open the ASIO settings (point 2 in the screenshot). Using the mouse slider we can change the ASIO Buffer Size (number of samples). The number of samples changes the load on the processor. The recommended value is 512. If jerks and problems in operation are noticeable, it is necessary to increase the number of samples to the required level (workable). If you have powerful processor, the number of samples can be reduced.

Editing audio

The most labor-intensive job. True, necessary. After all, during recording, problems of a domestic nature may arise. For example, out of emotion you can shout into the microphone so loudly that you exceed the limits of what is permissible. In this case, it is not necessary to rewrite the entire record.
Sound level.Depending on the problem, it can be fixed.
Click on the track and go to Waweform mode (point 1 in the screenshot below).
If at a certain moment in the recording you came close to the microphone or moved away too far, or some kind of noise was heard extraneous sound and you want to remove it, reduce the sound level in the selected area.
Select the problem area, as in the screenshot, step 2, and adjust the decibel level by moving the slider left/right. In real time you can control the desired level of sound waves.
If you want to completely get rid of sound in the selected area, reduce the decibel level to minus infinity or use the context menu → Silence.

We remove the noise.Initially, it is impossible to record material without noise. Even if you are in a soundproof studio or isolated from external sources indoors. Noise comes from electrical wires, and, ultimately, from the device itself.
Expensive microphones (professional, studio) produce little noise, cheap ones - more.
Fortunately, this noise is monotonous, and removing it in semi-automatic mode will not be difficult.
We will need the audio material itself and a recording of only one noise (possibly in one file). Getting a recording of the noise is not a problem. Just be quiet into the microphone and don't make any movements.
How to remove noise:

Advice! Working with sound is a very complex procedure. This is technique, not magic. And if the noise level is too high, it is almost impossible to remove it without loss of quality. It is also possible for artifacts to appear, i.e. distortion caused by excessive audio processing. To avoid this unpleasant moment, I advise readers of MirSovetov to use a clean recording of an example of noise. Without any other sounds. You can record the noise at a lower microphone volume and use this option as a source.
With good processing, you can achieve crystal clear voice recordings (with the appropriate equipment). But the most important thing is to simply achieve a result that is acceptable to the ear.

Effects. We connect and use VST plugins.So, the words are recorded, cleared of noise, the volume is edited and is the same throughout the entire track. But something is missing, right?
For example, in the songs of our favorite performers we can hear a little echo in a certain place, but in another place the voice is somehow unnatural. This is normal for the audio industry! This makes the audio recording more beautiful and interesting to listen to!
Fortunately, computers have come a long way in this area and can afford a lot. IN Adobe program Audition has a large number of built-in effects and features. But I would still recommend that MirSovetov readers use third-party programs for some purposes. For example, the company iZotope has established itself well in the world of computer music. Makes excellent equalizers.
To process vocals, you can use the iZotope Nectar VST plugin.

VST plugins − special programs from third party manufacturers. They seamlessly join the Adobe Audition editor. When installed, VST plugins ask for a separate folder to store their “.dll” files. Thus, with one click, all VST plugins stored on a given computer can be installed.

To connect installed plugin iZotope Nectar or any other, in Adobe Audition click Effects → Audio Plug-In Manager (in context menu programs).
A window will open. Point 1 in the screenshot below.
VST Plug-In Folder is the folder that you specified as VST storage during installation.
The required plugin is highlighted in red in the screenshot. Enable it with a checkmark and click OK.
Now, you need to connect the plugin directly to the track or file. Click on the required track and select the one you need from all the plugins (point 2 in the screenshot).
Usually, plugins have their own menu and, after clicking on them, in the effects window (in our case, after clicking on iZotope Nectar, underlined in point 2 of the screenshot), a separate window will open (point 4 of the screenshot).
For our case, for voice processing, iZotope Nectar has many built-in presets. With microphone pre-listening turned on (button I must be active, point 3 of the screenshot), we can evaluate the advantage of the effect in real time.

Note! Large quantity simultaneously enabled VST plugins/highly powerful effects are sometimes not available in real time. The computer cannot withstand such a load, slowdown may be noticeable, or the work may not work at all. In this case, in Waveform mode in the effects window, click Apply. The sound will be processed by the VST effect and re-recorded, this file will no longer create a load on the processor.

Remember, undoing any actions one step is Ctrl + Z. One step forward is Ctrl+Shift+Z.

Saving a song

The final stage.
Make sure you are satisfied with everything. Listen to the recording as a whole again, from beginning to end, and you can safely save your creation.
First, save the session with all the files, so that after saving and turning off the program, you are not left with one mp3 file, but can reopen the project in editing mode. The session is saved by pressing File → Save As (program menu) or using the hot keys Ctrl+Shift+S.
Now you can save the session in audio format. Wave/mp3 formats are preferred. You are already familiar with the concepts of frequency and sampling rate. In mp3 format, it is best to set the maximum quality - 320 Kbps. You can save the session in audio format from the program menu (File → Export → Multitrack Mixdown → Entire Session…).

Final note! This article describes the basic plan for recording a song. To receive good result it will take some effort. And each conflict must be resolved using the built-in capabilities of the audio editor or using the appropriate plugins (additional). There are many of them, I’m sure you can easily find a plugin that will solve exactly your problem or make the sound exactly the way you want to hear it.

It is your ears that are the determining test of the quality of the work done.

Rap has taken root in the musical society like honey sticks to a cup - it is already a serious alternative to Western performers in terms of text, music tracks, atmosphere, track summary, and originality. The simplicity of hip-hop, honesty and accessibility of the lyrics (in the texts) played an important role in its popularity and rapid spread. Today, this is not just a simple proofreading of the text, but the original work of the author to create a unique piece of music, where traditions are respected and boredom is dispelled.

Music software is a serious vicissitudes to choose from. There are many programs available online and each has its own pros and cons. Depending on the style of music, it is worth paying attention to certain options on this topic, for example, the well-known Adobe Audition.

The main goal of creating a track is to reduce the minus, on which the audio track will be directly superimposed. From here we unlock when choosing a program.

Now it will be much easier to download a program for recording rap; all that remains is to determine what qualities and functions it should have in order to be able to work and create in it.

Necessary parameters for recording rap

What parameters must be present in the program to record a rap?

1. Availability of beat templates - ready-made compositions and musical phrases that can be used. The collection should contain as complete a set of beats as possible, from R`n`B to Street Hardcore - this will create ample opportunities for mixing unique and practical minus.
2. Microphone recording function. Did you select the beat and mix the audio tracks? You can overdub your voice by recording live with minus.
3. Filters for creating different effects: it’s no secret that rap is street music, the purity of the sound here is rather a minus. This is what makes trip-hop interesting: combination and overlay different styles, non-standard beat and alternating effects, shoegaze (noise effects) - with such a minus, any text will sound deeper and more interesting.
4. Wide range of options for customizing and mixing multiple audio tracks. This is both practical and essential to creating rap for the new millennium.

Optimal program

Conclusion: regardless of your skill level when working with programs, download the version with the most extensive capabilities for recording rap. For example, it is very convenient to create a minus in the Adobe Audition program. Why?

1. Huge set functions for mixing audio tracks.
2. Professional orientation towards creating minus: easy removal from an audio recording of a vocal track or text. This is an ideal way to select and process your favorite tracks.
3. The ability to immediately burn your own music CD.
4. Ability to edit and work with vocals after recording.
5. A wide range of gadgets for creating various musical effects.
6. Wide field for experiments: working with sound frequency.

This program can be installed in both Russian and English versions. It is designed for the Windows operating system. You can download the torrent.

LIVE versions are, of course, one thing, but what if you take a professional approach to recording the song?
I won’t bore MirSovetov readers with expectations. Let's get started.

Required equipment

Note! Recording from a studio microphone and subsequent steps when recording a song are no different from recording from a headphone microphone. If you are the owner of a studio microphone and don’t know where to start, this article will also be useful to you. The only difference is the most important thing in the musical field - quality. It will prevail in your entry.

I draw the attention of MirSovetov readers!
Our task is to achieve maximum silence in the room where the recording will take place. Close all windows and doors, turn off the TV in the next room and ask your roommates to be silent while you sing. A clean record comes first. There will be less hassle during processing, higher sound quality.

Necessary drivers, programs

Note! Adobe Audition can also work through the built-in Microsoft WDM/MME driver (without pre-installing Asio4All). In this case, on computers with average performance, there may be delays, jerks, and interference during playback.

Note! The programs below can be easily found and downloaded on the Internet. But they are paid (Except for the ASIO driver, it is free).

Settings

• 16 Bit, 44100 Hz – CD quality;
• 16 Bit, 44800 Hz – DVD quality;
• 24 Bits and the same number of Hz, by definition, is a studio recording.

Recording a song

1. Switch between Adobe Audition modes: Waweform and Multitrack. Waweform mode is a mode for solo editing of one audio file, Multitrack mode is a mode with several active audio tracks (the default is 5, you can add another audio track by pressing the Alt+A hotkeys).
   We will use Multitrack mode (active in the screenshot) for recording. It is convenient in that you can apply a separate sound effect to both each track and each file separately.
2. Effects window. Later, here, we will add the effects of the iZotope Nectar plugin.
3. The same Waweform mode and several audio tracks mentioned in paragraph 1.

1. Minus found on the Internet, i.e. add music (without words) to audio track 1 (Track 1). This can be done by dragging an audio file (of any format) onto the Track 1 strip or from the context menu of the audio track (Insert → Audio File).
   If, when adding, the audio file format does not match the recording format you have chosen, the file will be converted.
2. Turn on the microphone for recording. Check that the microphone is connected and click Default Stereo Input in audio track 2 (Track 2), as in step 4 of the screenshot above. Then select your microphone from the list. If you have a stereo microphone, then it will be in the Default Stereo Input → Stereo list, if you have a mono microphone, then Default Stereo Input → Mono.

Pay attention! To record, you need to turn on the recording mode by pressing the R button (it is underlined in screenshot 4). That, in turn, will light up red. By turning on the I button (it's next to R), we will turn on the preview mode and will be able to hear ourselves in real time.

Setting up the ASIO driver

Editing audio

Advice! Working with sound is a very complex procedure. This is technique, not magic. And if the noise level is too high, it is almost impossible to remove it without loss of quality. It is also possible for artifacts to appear, i.e. distortion caused by excessive audio processing. To avoid this unpleasant moment, I advise readers of MirSovetov to use a clean recording of an example of noise. Without any other sounds. You can record the noise at a lower microphone volume and use this option as a source.
With good processing, you can achieve crystal clear voice recordings (with the appropriate equipment). But the most important thing is to simply achieve a result that is acceptable to the ear.

VST plugins are special programs from third-party manufacturers. They seamlessly join the Adobe Audition editor. When installed, VST plugins ask for a separate folder to store their “.dll” files. Thus, with one click, all VST plugins stored on a given computer can be installed.

Note! A large number of simultaneously enabled VST plugins/highly powerful effects are sometimes not available in real time. The computer cannot withstand such a load, slowdown may be noticeable, or the work may not work at all. In this case, in Waveform mode in the effects window, click Apply. The sound will be processed by the VST effect and re-recorded, this file will no longer create a load on the processor.

Saving a song

Final note! This article describes the basic plan for recording a song. To get a good result you will need to work hard. And each conflict must be resolved using the built-in capabilities of the audio editor or using the appropriate plugins (additional). There are many of them, I’m sure you can easily find a plugin that will solve exactly your problem or make the sound exactly the way you want to hear it.

Good afternoon, friends!

Last time I told you. But what if you have neither the time nor the desire to install and learn additional software? Is it possible to record and edit audio directly from the browser window? Oh yes, now it's possible! Just a few years ago, online sound recording was something out of science fiction. And now this is not just a reality, there are a lot of services thanks to which you can create, edit and combine audio files. We will talk about them today. So, let's go.

If an idea comes to mind new article and you are afraid to forget it, you can quickly open Vocaroo, record your thoughts in an audio file, and then translate it into text or send a link to the file to a freelancer who will transcribe it for you.

2. Online Audio Joiner - the most multifunctional service

I warn you right away, without knowing the basics of sound recording and music creation, you won’t be able to figure it out. But there is documentation (though only in English), and I think sound engineers and music makers will definitely appreciate this service.

Professional audio editors can be expensive and complex. Using them simply to rap a couple of phrases into a microphone or cut out the chorus of your favorite song for a ringtone is like shooting sparrows from a cannon.

In order not to score your hard drive unnecessary programs, you just need to open an online sound recording service. All you have to do is choose the one that suits you. I hope I was able to help you with this today.