OT: How to turn laptop into a multitrack audio recorder?

riredale wrote on 2/20/2003, 3:24 PM

I know, this is the wrong forum for such a question, but I have learned so much from everyone here, I figure this is the place to start.

I have a friend who wants to get into live audio recording using a laptop. I recall seeing some comments about PC cards that can plug into a laptop and which are connected to some sort of breakout box, allowing for multiple audio inputs. I assume there is some sort of software that runs on the laptop that allows the user to simultaneously capture a dozen or so channels onto the hard drive. How much do such setups cost?

Comments

FuTz wrote on 2/20/2003, 4:12 PM

Main thing I could see right now is going to a FireWire operating sound card (rackmount) or something like the Layla system with laptop adaptor from Echo and get outputs from the sound board to plug into this rackmount (preferably with submixes for the tracks that are going to the laptop. For example: tracks 1 & 2 = stereo drumkit, track 3=bass, track 4=gtr, etc...).
Of course, a reliable BIG hard drive. FireWire too? Depends...a 40Gb crammed into the laptop is a good start.

Echo: www.echo.com