Cakewalk Rapture offers very clean, powerful and exotic virtual audio presentation. The software sound generator is really good, unlike the most free simple synths enables. Rapture sounds like no other synth which I have touched, including Sequences, Basses, Leads, Pads, Drums, Bells, Simulations, etc.

If you need a good virtual sound generator for real instrument’s simulation, then Rapture not proposes it. Maybe it can screw out, but it does not include pre-saved examples for real instrument sounds.

In addition to Rapture synth player pretty design, this virtual synth is made easy to use.
Here I made a quick Rapture sounds review.

My first multitrack recording software was Audacity, this program allows to record audio sound and available for totally free. However, it offers limited opportunities, while is easy to learn. If you want to use & record a MIDI tracks, you need something else.
My second software recorder was Mixcraft 3 from Acoustica. This is really easy recording software. There are clear look, simple usability, it can learn to use during a day. Since in the 2009 Mixcraft was upgraded to version 4 (it was free for version 3 users).
Essential complement were embedded MIDI tracks. Additionally now this software includes major MIDI instruments. A few of these sounds pretty well.

In my opinion, Mixcraft 4 is a good choice by Startup Recording Sounds. For dabblers this is good enough for recording and mixing sounds, audio or midi. Mixcraft also allows to edit music without playing sounds yourself. Acoustica Mixcraft looks different by comparison with most multitrack recording softwares, also usability is dissimilar but simpler.
You can start right now, just download a trial version of Mixcraft4 or full version for only 65 $.

Today I have in use Cakewalk Sonar Home Studio XL – fully functional multitrack recording softwere. Cakewalk Home Studio is similar to major DAW softwares in the marketplace. Here are a longer learning curve, but more possibilities to record, edit audio- & miditracks, add on effects, etc. XL means, the software includes additional midi and audio instruments and effects. I have feel, this software recorder has better sound engine in contrast to Mixcraft.
Cakewalk had as well great community. If it purchased some Sonar lighter version, Cakewalk allows it upgrade to a new or better software version, without paying full price. In short I`d like Cakewalk software, besides I can upgrade to a fully professional Sonar software when I will need it.
Now you may get Sonar Home Studio for 139$; XL Version for 209$.

I wish you good luck to choosing just fitting recording software

By recording live sound source with microphone , we have one inconsistency. This is around hum and unnecessary room ambient sounds. When we edit the sound, it`s easy to add effects, but eliminate these from original recordings is impossible without removing neseccary frequencies.

How to find solution to the problem?
Professional Sound Recording Studios used special panels to covering walls and roof. Also there are built in isolation booths which provide excellent sound control. For home usage these not a most handy solutions. However, if you have a fully separate room at home, you can design it like recording studio. But it`s very expensive settlement.

I was find a pretty good solution, works well for recording individual sound source.
Mic-Booth – a little booth, are installed around the microphone. This “tube“ are fixed with microphone to stand and are opened only in the direction of sound source. The mic-booth can eliminate room hum and unnecessary ambient sounds during recording process. Moreover, recording quality will be similar to professional studio.
And the best thing are: It can make without expensive spending.

I got the idea from Horlan Hagan, who made a “Porta-Booth“
– a portable recording booth, which is nice by mobile recording.
My general fiction was making a local recording booth, which have a possibility to install to usual mic stand. I needn`t it for portable usage not at all.

I decided to make it a round shape, because it`s more sightly for hang up. By rounded shape, it needs fewer makings and will be anymore lightweight for microphone stand.

Stuff needed for building a booth

• 1 sheet 50×600x600mm acoustic foam
• piece a fabric for casingl
• construction for fixing to stand

How to make a Mic-Booth

To get the best result, use two-inch thick ”Pyramid” style acoustic foam. It`s not good idea to replace it with mattress foam, which made for butt bump.
Optimal casing size: diameter 320mm & depth 320mm. I made it first unnecessarily depth, like can see on the upper picture.

First you need to do a little needle work, afterwards cut the foam fit to measure. You can get 4 suitable pieces from a foam list (2 for tube & 2 for rump). These pieces may hook up with carpet tape, here’s how you have again 2 pieces. Now can put foam into the tube and that’s done. Lastly, think how fix it to microphone stand. Probably, you find a best fitting solution for you. I was welding a construction by steel tube and wire.

My new Mic-Booth is done, and it works pretty well. Below can hear a difference by recordings with- and without a booth, used Samson C03 Condenser Microphone (switched to cardioid pattern).

I got just a new widget – Samson C03 Condenser Microphone. This is a dual 19mm capsule, large diaphragm condenser microphone, what should capacitate a good quality recording for affordable price. I made an exploration about different condenser microphones, before I was chosen in favor of Samson C03. My destination was finding out possibly good condenser microphone on tight budget. I be in need of mike for recording acoustic guitar and vocal and my first experiments proved, it`s really fit for these actions.

So, which properties this mike had?

Supposedly, this mike enables recording quality, which are similar to expensive condenser microphones. Yes, it feels good. Samson C03 is unidirectional condenser microphone, switchable to different pickup patterns: SuperCardioid, Omni and Figure 8. This appendage makes it universal, microphone is usable for different miking techniques, without having many apart microphones. Also, it has additionally 2 switches, one for limiting signal flow (-10dB pad switch) and a second is low-cut filter, which you can use to eliminate any unwanted low frequency reproduction. For one, this is useful by recording acoustic guitar, while setting a mike near the sound hole, will amplify low frequencies too much. A function helps to reduce this interference.

Likewise, Optional SP01 Spider Mount is tidy for additional isolation. It looks pretty and had a metal construction sure as hell. This one eliminates noises, which can carry over mike stand to mike diaphragm and may disturb a recording quality. Mike comes with a carry case & swivel mount included. If you will buy in a condenser microphone for vocal recording, then purchase immediately additional Pop Shield too. Also, it can make yourself, but believe me, you need it!

Forsooth, all promised properties are working correctly! Though I haven’t experienced with expensive condenser microphones, I can aver this Samson C03 is a good & sensitive condenser microphone. It can make all what I was expected, and I believe this mike be able to more.
Now, I can suggest Samson C03 for everyone, who need a good large diaphragm condenser microphone for affordable price.

Below you can see recording to test mike properties & sensitivity. Probably, it´s more credible, if only blablablaa. I was made this test in usual room, from distance about 1 foot to the microphone.

Bit Depth means to the number of bits you have to capture audio.
Sample Rate is the number of times audio is sampled per second.
CD audio bit-depth is 16 bits, sample rate is 44.1 kHz (44,100 slices per second). So, the great majority of quality sound cards and multitrack recording software enable to edit 24 bit / 96 kHz sound quality. As you have absolutely top quality recording gear, then it`s useful, to get maximum quality recordings. Though, even one humming cable connection may disturb your project. Yes, 24 bit recording provides better sound inside sequencer software, sound is more colorful and deeper, while you convert recorded tracks for broadcasting.

Even so, 24 bit recording required over 3 times more hard disk space. It, moreover is more weighing on computer processor, it may wreak on clipping and whatever interferences in recording flow. After converting your finished project to stereo file, it can lose those advantages. Most people can’t hear the difference between an MP3 and a CD (wave) file. That is 20 Hz to 20 kHz than the common human with excellent hearing. When you are recording at 16 / 44.1, the highest frequencies generated will be around 22kHz.

So, if you are recording music to listening for cats & dogs, then certainly use best quality, they can listen to higher frequencies. For utilize in Home Recording 16 bit depth and 44,1 sample rate is good enough, at any rate in the beginning. Afterwards, while your skills are improved, maybe it`s expected to changeover to 24 bit recording.