Anyone done any home studio work?
 

Anyone here ever done any work in a home studio/recording program? Or had any experience with midi?

I'm currently learning & working with (mainly learning) CakeWalk Home Studio XL. I'm using a Sound Blaster MP3 Live. I've been unable to get any guitar with texture-or that sounds like it is actually being played........(for lack of a better description). I've got several type voices to chose from-and can get some 'effects' using slide controls on modulation--etc. There's some other built in effects available. Drums sound awesome and so does bass-and I'm amazed at how much you can do with vocals-but I seem to be totally inept or something with guitar. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on places to get better voices, etc.....It may even be possible to create ur own midi voices in there somewhere--but there's so much depth to learning this stuff.....I haven't even went there yet. Just fishing for some suggestions....

Thanks a bunch
Charmin

ProTools seems to be what alot of musicians use. Sammy Hagar said that he records albums with it as well as Tommy Walter of Abandoned pools. You can install it in your PC, hook up your guitar, mic, whatever... then go to town.

i use Pro Tools Pro, Cool Edit Pro, and SoundForge 5.0

i record raw then mix the bass/guitar/drums/keys/vocals/etc... together. i use the same rig i use when i play live, only difference is that i take the amps out of the equation. instead of connected to a head i just run that cable straight into my sound card's (SoundBlaster Audigy 2) "Line-In" slot. you can find some adaptors for the amp cables for under 5$. i get the sound i want from my guitar and pedal configuration. all i do with the software is make it into a digital format and make a few small tweaks, overdrives, stereo/surround and other stuff like that.

if you're not soo computer savvy, you might need to get some sort of mixer or digiital multitrack recorder, Line-6 makes some good, cheap ones.