A Recording for My Jazz Band Class

[annagrl007]

Hi,

I have to make a recording for my jazz band class and for this I have to burn my recording to a CD. How could I do this with just normal software that comes with a computer, or do I need some special software (something affordable!) to do this?

Thanks.

[Tenorman]

Is a computer the only burner you have?

Personally, I would use a minidisc to do the actual recording - it is easier to edit and to lose the, shall we say, less than excellent bits. I would then do a digital link to a Hi-Fi CD burner.

Word of warning - what sounds great live may sound very so/so when recorded on a single stereo mike without the benefit of multi-tracking. You will find that you have to place the instruments in "funny" locations to get the best onto disc. You also have to remember that many home/amateur recording systems have automatic volume equalisers, so that when you play a quiet passage, it ramps the signal up, and a loud passage is toned down.

[Coolrun]

I have made recordings that were quite acceptable with a single point stereo microphone. The acoustics of the room and your mike placement have a lot to do with sound quality. If you're not careful, the drums can dominate the sound. This setup is not good for vocals.

I use equipment that is considered ancient, but results are excellent. When time and space allow, I use two to four mikes into a battery-powered mixer, and feed that into a reel to reel tape recorder. (Frequency response 40hz - 24,000hz). If battery-power is the only way to go, I use metal tape in a portable Sony TC5DM cassette recorder (17,000hz). Both setups far exceed the frequency response of most microphones. Tapes are burned to a CD using a Philips CD recorder.

I make recordings for my daughter, who is a pianist, and for friends playing at clubs in Manhattan. It is only a hobby. I realize digital recording equipment is available. Musicians have been impressed by the sound quality of my analog equipment. They have not hesitated to use my work as demos.