[Smurf42]

OK, here I am going to list a compleat studio setup that is totally FREE, and that anyone can set up and use with relative ease. I have had this setup running on a P3 700 with 640mb memory and it did fine. I made my first CD, Middle Of The Storm, and half of my 2nd one, Scattered Showers, with this setup. (you can check them out by following the link in my sig)

And sorry all you Apple folks, the software is PC only. So here we go.....

The Kristal Audio Engine. A free and easy to use piece of software. Will record up to 16track's, has ASIO support, and you can use VST effects along with the good ones that are built in. And it has great support thru the forum, just like this site!

These 3 VST effects are the ones I use 99% of the time with Kristal, and I think they are must haves!

Kjaerhus Audio Classic Series

Digital Fish Phones (look to the left, the Fish Fillets rock!)

GlaceVerb, the best reverb I have found.

The following are a couple Audio Editors that I have used....

Tiny Wave Editor and Sound Engine Free

These don't have all the bells and whistles that Audacity has, but they import the files right back into Kristal, which means you don't have to line the tracks back up!

And this is a way cool plugin called VB Strip Tool. Striptool is a virtual channel strip offering various types of digital audio processing. This is a compleat channel that has a parametric EQ, compressor, and it sounds great.

Next is mine, and a few others, number one choice for a drum machine, and it is called Leaf Drums 2.33. When you add the ns_kit7free sounds to it you have the most realistic sounding free drum machine that you will find anywhere, and better than some you would pay for!

I have also used Hotstepper and HammerHead with great results. Don't think that these are "rap-dance" drum machines. Even tho they come with those sounds you can swap them out. All 3 work fine, and are free.

By using all of the software listed above with the Kristal Audio Engine you can have a compleat 16 track home recording setup, with some nice sounding drums, for FREE!

The rest are some links to other VST effects that work well with Kristal. The links might be outdated, I didn't check them all. But the 3 listed above will give you most everything you need to make some good recordings!

A list of VST's....
http://www2.kvr-vst.com

Freeverb2, and others.
http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~thman/VST/vst-eff2.htm

MDA VST Plugins. The Combo one is nice.
http://www.maxim.abel.co.uk/vst/

Check out r8Brain. It does a good job of converting 48bit files to 44.1.
http://www.voxengo.com/downloads/

Some Wave Editors and Sample Tools
http://www.soundalot.com/freeware/wave/wave-b.html

Luxonix, a free multi effect (sounds good on guitar).
http://www.luxonix.com

A nice reverb that works well for back up vocals.
http://www.anwida.com/dxrevlight.asp

A BIG list of plugins.
http://www.kvraudio.com/allpluginsononepage.php

Another cool site
http://www.vstcentral.com/

And here is a multi track that is free at the moment, but it will be a pay for when it gets out of Beta, called Reaper. It is a big step up from Kristal, has unlimited inserts, can use VST and DX effects along with VSTi's instruments. The development on this is unbelievingly quick, and even tho it is a Beta it is quite useable. And here is a link to a thread over at the Reaper site that has a ton of VST's listed....

Reaper VST Link Thread

For hardware I use 2 soundcards, a Soundblaster PCI512 running the kX Project 3537 drivers, and a Echo Darla20. I use a Behringer UB802 mixer. For mics I own a MXL990, DAK 2001, and a Audio Spectrum plastic 58 copy. I also have a Duncan Performer soundhole pickup for the Rogue acoustic. And that's it for hardware.

I am posting all of this in the hope that some people may find it helpful. I own Cool Edit Pro 2.1, Acid, Tracktion2, and Cakewalk8, but I still find myself using the setup listed at the top 90% of the time, it is just quicker loading and easier to use IMHO! 8) Hope ya have fun!

[737blues]

Good one Smurf. Thx.

[Smurf42]

You folks are very welcome, I am glad you are gleaning something from it!

[namiguShin]

hey, smurf, leaf drums isn't free! I've downloaded it 5 minutes ago...

[Smurf42]

I have tried to contact the creator 3 times with questions & to make payments. The intro states that you can use it if you can not afford it. If you can not make a payment, and the owner is no where to be found, when does it become "abandon ware"?

I have also been on the forums for Leaf with no results, so as far as myself, and a few others, can see, it is free to use. If he ever comes out of hiding then I will remove it from my list and recommend Hotstepper. I am sorry if it seems like I am saying it is all right to use software illegally, it is not that way at all!

[namiguShin]

Originally Posted by Smurf42

I am sorry if it seems like I am saying it is all right to use software illegally, it is not that way at all!

No, not at all... And I like that abandonware word! It's just that the version I've downloaded yesterday says "You may only use the program for an evaluation period of up to 30 days; at the end of that time, you must either pay for the program or remove it from your computer." Says nothing about "free to use if not affordable" Nevermind, I'll just try these others you've recommended...

All best!

[WernHalen]

Thanks, Very usefull information...

[namiguShin]

Hey, Smurf, I don't know much about effects, processing... etc. Actually, I'm using this thread as starting point. RockerBob gave me some advices also. My question is: I've dowloaded this Kristal and I want to know is there a way to use more than two VSTs on a single track? I mean per track exclusivelly, not to put them as master. Is there two spots for a reason? Is it "bad practice" to have more than two?

Btw, those "yellow pages" of yours sound great!

[Tekker]

Originally Posted by namiguShin

Is there two spots for a reason? Is it "bad practice" to have more than two?

It's just a limitation of the program.... It is "free" after all. There are other recording programs don't have a limit on the number of plugins you can use per track, so the only limitation is how much your PC can handle.... And even then there's track freeze.

-tkr

[Smurf42]

Under the help file, under "Ordering a registered copy" at the bottom of the page it says.....

"Exemptions
If you really, truly cannot afford to register leafDrums (and I mean genuinely cannot afford; if you go out and buy music CDs or other similar luxuries, then you can afford this software) then please feel free to use it without paying.

This doesn't apply if you are a child unless your parents are similarly poor; you probably bug them to buy you other things, please bug them to buy you leafDrums as well. It certainly doesn't apply to institutions or companies.

I won't send anyone a free registration code, so don't bother to contact me, but if you are genuinely short of money, don't feel that you are obligated to register."

Now this does NOT mean free to keep, but it does allow you to use it for free. Either way, I have not posted this on my list to say "rip it off", because at the time my list was made I really did not have the cash. Now that I do, and since I could not get a response, I have bought Acoustica Beatcraft (and love it!). But my post was meant for....

1. cash strapped people who needs a recording setup for what ever reason, and

2. A way to have a recording studio for zip to get started on.

If this will cause problems for this forum, then please remove this post.

And Tekker is right, it is a limitation of the program, but it is still very usable. When I needed more effects on a what I do is make a copy of the dry track onto another waver and effect both of them with whatever I want. If I had all 16 tracks filled I would listen to the track within the mix, and add 2 of the effects that I want to use, usually the heavy ones like Distortion, Flanger, etc. Then save it under a name I will remember, then import it back into the waver and add Rev, Chorus, etc.

And namiguShin, thanks for the positive words on my first attempt at a fingerstyle tune, it means a lot!

[namiguShin]

Originally Posted by Smurf42

And Tekker is right, it is a limitation of the program, but it is still very usable. When I needed more effects on a what I do is make a copy of the dry track onto another waver and effect both of them with whatever I want. If I had all 16 tracks filled I would listen to the track within the mix, and add 2 of the effects that I want to use, usually the heavy ones like Distortion, Flanger, etc. Then save it under a name I will remember, then import it back into the waver and add Rev, Chorus, etc.

I had the first idea, but it's not practical. For example, new waver track won't be compressed, de-essed... or something like that...

The second way is much better... Make a mixdown of that track, and then import it back... Good way around. Great one, I like it!

And namiguShin, thanks for the positive words on my first attempt at a fingerstyle tune, it means a lot!

Hey, when there's the truty, I have to say it...

[brandondrury]

I'm anxious to see how the free stuff stacks up to my Waves plugins. I'm not exactly thrilled with the way the Waves stuff sounds although it was a good start. I'm looking at the UAD-1 card, which is certainly not free.

Brandon

[Tekker]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

I'm anxious to see how the free stuff stacks up to my Waves plugins. I'm not exactly thrilled with the way the Waves stuff sounds although it was a good start. I'm looking at the UAD-1 card, which is certainly not free.

Voxengo! Voxengo! Voxengo!

Blows Waves out of the water at a fraction of the cost. There are demo versions for all of the plugins so you can test them out completely before buying.
www.voxengo.com

There is some very good freebie stuff though. Kjaehrus audio for chorus and Flange effects (beats waves), their limiter is every bit as good as the Waves L1 limiter (haven't tried the other Waves limiters). Several of the freebie verbs I have used I much prefer over the RenVerb. I never have cared for Waves comps that I have used. The other stuff that waves actually does pretty well (I haven't tried their newer stuff yet), from what I have heard is topped by Voxengo. The Voxengo Elephant limiter from what I hear tops all of the L1, L2, and L3 limiters by a long shot.

Then of course there's Tritone Digital for their phenominal Hydratone EQ and ColorTone Pro.... Not free but very inexpensive for their quality.

-tkr

[brandondrury]

Awesome dude, I'll check it out.

I've not kept up with the plugin world in the past few years. All my money has went to mics pretty much. It seams like Waves has lost a lot of ground in 3 years. Good!

Brandon

[Tekker]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

It seams like Waves has lost a lot of ground in 3 years. Good!

Yes, it's very good. I always thought the Waves stuff was outrageously priced. Luckily, I never wasted any money on them as I tried them out first when I was considering the idea of saving up for them. When I found out that even a lot of the freebie stuff available was better that idea fell through rather quickly.

I have a pretty long list of a lot of really good freebie plugins here:
The 'FREEBIE' List

Tritone Digital, Voxengo, Digital Fish Phones, Kjaerhus Audio, and the three reverbs (Ambience, SIR, and Glaceverb) are all excellent.

Do you use a lot of outboard gear/effects or are you mostly a software ITB guy?

-tkr

[coldethyl]

Thanks smurf!

I'm gonna check 'em out!