You have your instruments, microphones, and a laptop with a newly installed Digital Audio Workstation program (DAW). You’re ready to start recording that brilliant new solo project, right? Not quite, because you still need an audio interface.
All audio interfaces do the same thing: they convert analog electrical signals of soundwaves into a digital format that your computer can process. From simple to elaborate, Adorama has the right audio interface for you, from brands like Behringer, Focusrite, Presonus, and more.
Do I really need an audio interface?
Yes, unless you want all your recorded music to sound like a Zoom meeting. A good audio interface with a USB connection allows you to integrate all of your best studio microphones and amps into your home recording setup.
Built-in mics versus preamp-style units
We’ve got two broad types of audio interfaces. Those called “portable” units, or even just “audio recorders,” usually have their own built-in mics. These mics are much better than anything in your computer or smartphone. The Tascam DR-22WL actually uses high quality condenser mics. Many portable units are even equipped with WiFi, so they don’t need a USB cable to connect to a laptop or phone. If you’re a reporter or recording live music (legally, of course), a portable audio interface is excellent.
For home music production, you’ll want a “preamp” style audio interface, like the Sound Devices MixPre-3 II. These require external microphones and are usually not outfitted with WiFi. However, they’re much better at dealing with the multiple tracks and a high volume of non-live recording data.
How many tracks do I need?
Roughly speaking, you’ll need at least one track for each instrument you’re recording. That’s why 4-track recorders have been the standard for home music recording for decades: guitar, bass, drums, and voice. It’s possible to use a 1-track audio interface, recording dozens or even hundreds of tracks on top of each other as long as your computer has the RAM. But if you’re recording many players at the same time, you’ll need more tracks.
A basic 4-5 track audio interface will be sufficient for solo musicians who may occasionally want to record a demo with their band. But if you want better quality, for example by using multiple mics and tracks for a drum set, you’ll need either a nice separate audio mixer, or an audio interface like the Tascam DP-24SD, which gives you a whopping 24 tracks to work with.
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