welcome

. I do need a new audio card because I am running 1/8".

and this is a problem why ?
because it shows it is a low quality card or because it is difficult to wire and connect to ?

I have heard that better cards give a higher quality sound.

even tho it does process well, It seems like a higher quality card would be worth it....

yes
a quality card will make a difference
or
USB / FW interface

many people will have opinions and I'm going to try to not influence you as I feel the choice goes beyond just the sound card or software

my advice will be to keep things cheap and perhaps look to a S/H card or interface
the computer stuff will continue to change

get a mic-pre and a stunning set of headphones and headphone amp ... you can't afford excellent speakers yet ... but you should start looking as they can be found in the most unlikely places

look into making a switcher monitoring device or get someone to help you make it (my site has some ideas)

when you do put down your hard earned cash on any product ... make sure it is an industry standard unit as it will last you for many years

AND as you are only 17 years it would be a victory for us if we could get you buying things that you will still be using when you are 27 and 37 and 47

get where I am coming from
I took advice from an old-timer and that gear is still in use today
when I didn't take his advice ... :( ... well that gear is out in the garage and has no life at all

I looked into a USB/ or Firewire interface. But everything I tried, was all done digitaly on the computer, the EQ's especially, and I HATED not beeing able to "feel" my EQ on a manual board.. I guess thats just the type of person I am, I like to be able to adjust them in "real life" not on the computer. But as things are going right now, if I can get a better quality sound, and differnt tracks per channel, it would really help me out in the long run...

"But everything I tried, was all done digitaly on the computer, the EQ's especially ... "

:)

of course
if you had enough money you could think about analog gear and or analog control

some guys here make music and never touch the EQ.
Mics and mic placement.

I agree with Kev 110%!!! Buy gear that you will never replace!!! I've bought too many things that went to a pawn shop 6 months down the road only to buy something better. Save money and buy the good stuff once...

I still have a few things that will be replaced eventually, but they serve their purpose.

Also, Kev stated that a lot of guys record so they don't have to EQ....I'm slowly getting to that point, but I still use EQ to give instruments separation (EQ a kick to give the bass guitar some space) and do a little sculpting. It's not nearly as extreme as I used to be with it. With a good mic placed well, running into a good preamp.....it's hard to get a bad sound! I now have one good preamp that I use with my good mics, and those are always the tracks I rarely touch.

AMEN Brother Art! Preach on!!

Don't waste your money on the little stuff.

Here's the dark path that I started on:

Money would burn a hole in my pocket, so when I made $300 here and there, I would blow it on crappy cables or even worse - crappy mic's!! Then, 2 years down the line, I would sell off those crappy mics at 20% of what I paid for them. Same goes for some initial attempts at Hard Disk style PortaStudios.

Now, if I can't see myself using it for years to come or possibly forever, I don't buy it.

You would be better blowing a little on some Auralex stuff and tuning your room so that you can hear everything correctly. Then, after you've saved up a bit more, get one of the FW or USB interfaces.

Agreed, there is something cool about analog EQ, but a good digital linear phase EQ mops the floor with all analog EQs short of GML or CraneSong (etc.).

Spend wisely - you'll hate it for the short term, but in the long term, you'll thank us for the advice!

J.

Kev as young as you are I will give you some advice that I took to heart from a really good engineer. Get used to never turning a knob ever again in your life. The only knobs I have are on my preamps and headphone amp.

Thanks Dave
... oh to be young again eventhough I don't think I can remember back that far !

I'm afraid that knob turning is necessary in an environment where multiple changes are needed in real time and deadline are getting closer.

In a full post edit world with open deadlines the mouse is fine.

The producer wants the current project bounced to digibeta .. 30 min show and he leaves in 40mins.
You do a real time bounce with fingers on the faders and watch his reaction as you mix.
yep seat of the pants stuff and the mouse just won't get you there.