Computer advice for a music recording beginner

[harrycallum]

I haven't owned a desktop computer in nearly 10 years, and haven't had a laptop for about 5. I've been demoing things with my iPhone for years now but I feel like I'm finally ready to begin learning to record myself. I'm behind on the technology and am not sure of some things... Like if I will need an ssd or quad core processors and things like that. I want to buy a desktop on Black Friday and have done a bunch of research, but I still don't know if I should go mac or pc (money is an issue as I have to buy the software and hardware involved with recording still). My main question is, is there a pc desktop that is better for music production than the iMac all in ones?

[livesforrap]

Black Friday? You are waiting until after Thanksgiving?

As far as desktops go, you'll want to build one. Not too hard, usually tons of youtube content on how to. You'll need a good audio interface, good internet connection, SSD (you mentioned) is STRONGLY recommended (it's fantastic) I like Intel, a couple of chaps had issues that had Ryzen but I don't know if that was the problem.

And you'll be demoing hosts forever so many, SO many. Most of them are really good, just different.

You'll want a keyboard controller so you'll want as many USB ports as you can get (but chances are you'll need hubs. )

This is in the amplitube thread, are you going to record guitars/bass?

[Sonalford3]

I haven't owned a desktop computer in nearly 10 years, and haven't had a laptop for about 5. I've been demoing things with my iPhone for years now but I feel like I'm finally ready to begin learning to record myself. I'm behind on the technology and am not sure of some things... Like if I will need an ssd or quad core processors and things like that. I want to buy a desktop on Black Friday and have done a bunch of research, but I still don't know if I should go mac or pc (money is an issue as I have to buy the software and hardware involved with recording still). My main question is, is there a pc desktop that is better for music production than the iMac all in ones?

MacBooks are fast and reliable, but there are equally capable Windows laptops, especially at more reasonable prices. This choice depends mainly on two factors: your budget and the software you want to use. Please note that professional recording studios tend to use Macs, so if you are planning to work with professional studios to do some recordings in a large room or hire a professional to mix or edit your recording device, a Mac may be a safer choice, although audio files from a Windows-based computer can be transferred through Mac's operating system and vice versa.

[e.holland]

Image-Line provides excellent advice here:

https://support.image-line.com/action/knowledgebase?ans=214

Although they refer to their own DAW (FL Studio) it equally applies to other music creation software.

[vac713]

get yourself a mac mini used for a few hundred bucks... 8 G RAM 256 G HD or more. Works like a champ with Amplitube

[Cubasis1]

The 2020 Mac mini with the M1 processor is incredibly powerful and inexpensive for what it's capable of. It can handle so many tracks, with virtual instruments and FX plugins. I've stopped having issues with the CPU getting overloaded and having to freeze tracks ever since I got one.

[e.holland]

This is all falling on deaf ears for the OP. He hasn't logged on since January 23rd 2021!

Everyone's right about the M1 Mac Mini FWIW.

[Cubasis1]

Thanks for pointing that out - I hadn't checked when the first post was made. Long time to wait till Black Friday from January 21st!

[BigBoyBeats56]

I’ll turn 65 this month and I’ve been using Macintosh/Apple computers since they first came out. Too bad I didn’t buy stock in Apple!

I have no idea what the resources are for window space technology. All I can say is it everybody in the music business and I’ve worked with Use This Apple computers.

For 20 years I thought of the well-known music school and the entire organization uses Apple computers, even the administrators and the staff use Apple computers.

My suggestion to the gentleman who posted this question back in January is that he should call Apple and talk to somebody at the company who knows about logic software or at the very least garage band.

Since the upgrade of garage band over the past 18 months or so it’s become a respectable tool especially for beginners! And this is important, Apple has formulated GarageBand so that everything you do a GarageBand can be opened up in logic if you decided by logic .

But here’s the bottom line. Don’t be like me. Even though I used Apple from Wayback in the day I spent at least a dozen years wondering should I do this or should I do that and all I did was waste time. Plunge in and pull the trigger. By the biggest baddest most robust Apple computer that you can stand . You’re buying a tool and if you were a Carpenter you wouldn’t buy a **** hammer from Harbor freight, would you? No, I would think that you would want to buy the best hammer that you could afford and if you needed to go into debt so what? We work because we need to work, and we write music and perform music because we have to piss in our souls. So get the best gear that you possibly can afford and go from there.

Cheers to everybody and happy Thanksgiving!

Big Boy

[carlaz]

I tend to agree with Big Boy: I haven't used Macs since the first one came out, but I have used them for over 30 years at home. (I've also used Windows computers for work, and ... nothing about that convinced me to start using them at home! ) I likewise recommend getting the biggest, baddest computer that you can, and running it for as long as you can. I very consciously and deliberately got a new Intel iMac last year, figuring it would last me while the whole M1 etc. transition saga played out; however, if I was buying now .... I'd either get an M1 or whatever Mac Mini, or hold out for an M1 iMac. I'm not really a road warrior, so laptops don't do much for me (though I'm sure they're fine, if that's what you like). I do think that big screen's are a plus for music production (and, actually, pretty much everything else!), so if I got a laptop or a Mac Mini, I would also invest in a whacking big screen to hang off it.

That said, if you are comfortable with the ins and outs of Windows computers, then just get the biggest, baddest one of those that you can. I think being comfortable and familiar with your tools is probably at least as important than most other things.

[kolpop909]

Thanks sir for kindness..Cheers sir..!

[eleven88]

I tend to agree with Big Boy: I haven't used Macs since the first one came out, but I have used them for over 30 years at home. (I've also used Windows computers for work, and ... nothing about that convinced me to start using them at home! ) I likewise recommend getting the biggest, baddest computer that you can, and running it for as long as you can. I very consciously and deliberately got a new Intel iMac last year, figuring it would last me while the whole M1 etc. transition saga played out; however, if I was buying now .... I'd either get an M1 or whatever Mac Mini, or hold out for an M1 iMac. I'm not really a road warrior, so laptops don't do much for me (though I'm sure they're fine, if that's what you like). I do think that big screen's are a plus for music production (and, actually, pretty much everything else!), so if I got a laptop or a Mac Mini, I would also invest in a whacking big screen to hang off it.
That said, if you are comfortable with the ins and outs of Windows computers, then just get the biggest, baddest one of those that you can. I think being comfortable and familiar with your tools is probably at least as important than most other things.

Thank you so much... for this useful info keep share with us.

[RogerEye1253]

:lol: Thanks for pointing that out - I hadn't checked when the first post was made. Long time to wait till Black Friday from January 21st!

Same here lol, I am also waiting for it. Also, the advice was applicable still today.

[Factom123]

Just ordered the new mac studio maxed out. Now I am reading all these forums just to justify my purchase l

[Factom123]

Would like an update on this. Have your purchased the computer or did you go with mac ?