I'm contemplating dropping the 8 track reel deck and mixer and going w/ computer, interface, and outboard. Downsizing is part of it, another part being that I think I'm going backassward considering I'm the only person I've recorded in forever.
So, I'm wondering how those of you who track 1-4 tracks into the computer at a time do it. Do you try to do all the processing on the way in? (w/ a non-"solo" mentality learned over time I assume is the best way to do this.) Reprocess anything through your outboard? Essential tools in the kit, like monitor controllers or limiters? Are plugs essential?
Bear
Full Version: Paradigm shift?
this is pretty much exactly what i did about 2 years ago.
it really is a big shift, and it takes a while to get sounds that you like, because suddenly you have to work very differently in terms of.. well almost everything.
but just addressing your question:
i try to get things to sound pretty decent going in, computers dont really change or help much as you move from pre to disk. with tape, i was used to a snare or a voice sounding one way off of the pre, and sounding a different and better way off of the tape.
the principal way i have learned to deal with this is by changing my mic choice. i use more "colored" mics now.
i end up doing very little processing on the way in. maybe a little light stuff here and there. some compression on vocals (or instead just use my bellari mp105 which uhh.. is pretty much more of an effects unit than a mic pre).
after its on disk- i'll also d/a a/d through my rack, bounce to another track. i do this a fair amount if i have time. mainly for the things that analog does well, which for me is: "obvious" compression, any distortion task (from light overdrive to destruction), serious filtering for effect, serious eq changes, phasing/flanging, spring reverb, delay with knob twiddles. jeez there are probably more...
what i find the computer does well for stuff like this is "invisible compression", shelf eq, light eq boosts/cuts (like just make this track a little brighter, or scoop a little at 400), automated moves (automated panning/ volume changes), or anything that requires lots of precision but without drastically changing the sound. as soon as you heavily change the sound on the computer it starts turning "computery".
for any kind of music that relies a lot on acoustic or real world electronics (like amps and pedals), "computery" can spell trouble.
IN GENERAL: i have been happy with the move to computer.
it really is a big shift, and it takes a while to get sounds that you like, because suddenly you have to work very differently in terms of.. well almost everything.
but just addressing your question:
i try to get things to sound pretty decent going in, computers dont really change or help much as you move from pre to disk. with tape, i was used to a snare or a voice sounding one way off of the pre, and sounding a different and better way off of the tape.
the principal way i have learned to deal with this is by changing my mic choice. i use more "colored" mics now.
i end up doing very little processing on the way in. maybe a little light stuff here and there. some compression on vocals (or instead just use my bellari mp105 which uhh.. is pretty much more of an effects unit than a mic pre).
after its on disk- i'll also d/a a/d through my rack, bounce to another track. i do this a fair amount if i have time. mainly for the things that analog does well, which for me is: "obvious" compression, any distortion task (from light overdrive to destruction), serious filtering for effect, serious eq changes, phasing/flanging, spring reverb, delay with knob twiddles. jeez there are probably more...
what i find the computer does well for stuff like this is "invisible compression", shelf eq, light eq boosts/cuts (like just make this track a little brighter, or scoop a little at 400), automated moves (automated panning/ volume changes), or anything that requires lots of precision but without drastically changing the sound. as soon as you heavily change the sound on the computer it starts turning "computery".
for any kind of music that relies a lot on acoustic or real world electronics (like amps and pedals), "computery" can spell trouble.
IN GENERAL: i have been happy with the move to computer.
umm. some things i missed:
monitoring controls are essential. you will still need a mixer of some sort for that. my sound interface thingy (the presonus firestation which i dont recomend to anyone) has a built in mixer. so it has real 0 latency monitoring. and some returns and monitor outs and such.
nothing a cheapie 1202 cant do. but some audio interfaces assume you have a mixer of some sort. so you'll need that.
as for limiters going in.. i dont think you need them. although it really seems like you do at first.
you just have to really get it in your head that the VU reading you want on computer is NOTHING like what you want on tape. you really dont need to record hot at all... just keep the peaks below -10db or so. maybe even quiter. you lose however much db of noise floor. but you are looking at 130db range in most converters.... really great speakers have 90db or so. so really, you have some serious wiggle room.
monitoring controls are essential. you will still need a mixer of some sort for that. my sound interface thingy (the presonus firestation which i dont recomend to anyone) has a built in mixer. so it has real 0 latency monitoring. and some returns and monitor outs and such.
nothing a cheapie 1202 cant do. but some audio interfaces assume you have a mixer of some sort. so you'll need that.
as for limiters going in.. i dont think you need them. although it really seems like you do at first.
you just have to really get it in your head that the VU reading you want on computer is NOTHING like what you want on tape. you really dont need to record hot at all... just keep the peaks below -10db or so. maybe even quiter. you lose however much db of noise floor. but you are looking at 130db range in most converters.... really great speakers have 90db or so. so really, you have some serious wiggle room.
for a minute there i thought you were talkin about Dream Theater's side project Liquid Tension Experiment and their hit song "Paradigm Shift" 
QUOTE(CAMBA @ Feb 22, 2005, 9:29 am)
for a minute there i thought you were talkin about Dream Theater's side project Liquid Tension Experiment and their hit song "Paradigm Shift"
Dream Theater has a hit song? That's not very prog, having a hit song.
Bear
hey...
Yes had "owner of a lonely heart"
Yes had "owner of a lonely heart"
I mostly record guitars & vocals live with the mic or line. The other instruments are typically midi played back through a synth. For acoustic guitars & vocals I record them dry and process later. Electric guitars I'll save delay & verb for later but other efx are recorded live. Midi stuff I can play with so I'll do midi & analog efx as I record. If I don't like it in the mix I can do it again.
Make sure you optimize your computer and don't do other stuff with it, especially connecting to the Internet!
Make sure you optimize your computer and don't do other stuff with it, especially connecting to the Internet!
Hmm - is it practical to setup an XP Pro login that's optimized? My best computer to use is my laptop, which I need for school and internet. (I'm functionally computer illiterate - I only know what I've had to figure out how to do before.)
Bear
Bear
If things work right and you have enough horsepower then optimization and single purpose machine may be unnecessary. But... if you get a virus or your recordings start to experience gliches or your program crashes you'll get frustrated and wish you still had the tape. I went through some problems before that made me keep a separate, carefully controlled, optimized PC for recording. It's stable and reliable. We got DSL on the second PC and we are now finding adware and stuff all over it. I'd be really upset if that happened to my recording machine.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.