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So, I have a beautiful analog mixer and a wonderful analog tube preamp. I don't want to change the sound at all. I just want something to convert from analog to digital. What's the best way to do that? A PCI card? Some sort of stand-alone a/d converter? Any recommendations? I am so sick of the sound of my Mbox and its crappy preamps freakin around with my tone. Edit: In other words, I DO NOT WANT my a/d interface to have ANY preamps of its own. At all. Let the preamp pros handle the signal amplification. You just get it into my gosh darn computer without freakin around with the sound. IzzyFnStradlin fucked around with this message at 16:05 on Jun 22, 2013 |
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Jun 22, 2013 16:02
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| # ? May 16, 2024 01:42 |
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So it looks like Pro Tools 11 dropped today. Who's going to be the first to install it and tell me all about it?
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Jun 22, 2013 16:12
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IzzyFnStradlin posted:So, I have a beautiful analog mixer and a wonderful analog tube preamp. I don't want to change the sound at all. I just want something to convert from analog to digital. What's the best way to do that? A PCI card? Some sort of stand-alone a/d converter? Any recommendations? I am so sick of the sound of my Mbox and its crappy preamps freakin around with my tone. How many channels of conversion do you need? Because one of these. Also: you don't need to use the pres on your MBox! The line inputs have no "tone" and won't screw with anything. Just go into your pre that you like (or into your mixer) and take the line out of the pre or mixer into your MBox line ins for a basically 100% transparent signal path (unless you're worried about the quality of Mbox conversion, which is another story.) strangemusic fucked around with this message at 18:25 on Jun 22, 2013 |
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Jun 22, 2013 16:27
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EDIT: NM, had the wrong thread up. 
Sockington fucked around with this message at 17:36 on Jun 22, 2013 |
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Jun 22, 2013 17:30
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My mixer doesn't have XLR line inputs, only balanced(TRS)/unbalanced(TR) line inputs. (Do any mixers have XLR line inputs? I don't remember ever seeing them on a Mackie.) Would it be cool to run line-level XLR from a preamp into line-level TRS on the mixer, using one of those XLR>TRS cables? Or is that like a jerry-rig maneuver that mucks with the sound?
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Jun 26, 2013 05:22
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IzzyFnStradlin posted:My mixer doesn't have XLR line inputs, only balanced(TRS)/unbalanced(TR) line inputs. (Do any mixers have XLR line inputs? I don't remember ever seeing them on a Mackie.) Nope, that's totally fine. XLR and TRS are functionally the same cable, just with different connectors. It might be worthwhile to find out, if you can, what the mixer is expecting to receive on the different TRS conductors (as in hot/cold/ground) but for the most part if it's commercial gear, they're all standard wiring. Alternately some mixers do just fine receiving a line level signal through the XLR mic input. You may have to pad the signal (if you have the option) or just not gain it up at all. It's possible you'll get less noise with the TRS line in though.
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Jun 26, 2013 19:02
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Do be aware there are two standards for line level, consumer (-10dBu) and pro (+4dBV). The Mackie line in probably expects -10dBu -- the TRS inputs on the Mackie should have a pad to deal with a hotter +4dBV signal, but it's still best to match the same line level if you can.
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Jun 27, 2013 01:02
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So I'd like to upgrade my recording set-up from , uh, basically a non-existent one. Currently, when my friends and I record anything, we generally run output cables from the amp we're using directly into my friend's old and slow MacBook via the headphone jack (this is for bass/guitar and a cheap electronic drumkit). Everything is recorded on Garageband. Vocals are done with a USB Snowball mic. Now, yeah, this is super easy to manage and it's really just for fun recordings for us, but I've got a feeling it could be improved. My question being: Out of this current simple set-up, what things should we upgrade to get the most bang for our buck? Is there anything that jumps out at you all along the lines of "Why on earth is he recording X or Y like *that*?" At the very least I'd like to start getting some more real equipment just because I'd like to learn about it all. I'm super open to suggestions because I really don't know much about this subject, but I love playing and recording music. On a related note, does anyone have any experience with cassette 4-tracks and the like? Are they a pain to use/worth using at all? I like the idea of using the limitations of it to keep myself from using the myriad of digital shortcuts/cheats/boring old Garageband filters, but it might be way out of my league for someone who has basically no analog recording knowledge. I am a huge fan of the Bee Thousand/Alien Lanes sound, and I know that Guided By Voices recorded most of that on a 4-track. I love lo-fi stuff. Any ideas of entry-level 4-track setups?
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Jun 27, 2013 02:34
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PopZeus posted:
If your a band who have their stuff pretty much down and just use recording to capture your live'ish sound they are an OK way to churn stuff out, they are kinda limiting in one sense, but in another its a good way of getting to grips with the basics and you dont get sucked into a cycle of thinking you need the latest VST synth or whatever.
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Jun 27, 2013 11:32
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PopZeus posted:I am a huge fan of the Bee Thousand/Alien Lanes sound, and I know that Guided By Voices recorded most of that on a 4-track. They also recorded those nearly a decade before DAWs and quality prosumer audio interfaces became affordable and common; back in the mid 90's, a 4-track was the cheapest way to record. I'm sure if those albums had been recorded in 2006, they would have been recorded on a macbook with a $200 audio interface, since it's cheaper to do it that way than using a 4 track.
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Jun 27, 2013 15:21
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I've been using Amplitube to get guitar sounds, but it seems to consume a lot of CPU resources. Is there maybe something similar out there that isn't as resource hungry? It doesn't have to have a zillion effects, just a good distortion tone so I can get gritty power chords or riffs when I need to. It doesn't need to be free, either, but I don't think I would spend more than $100 on it. I'm mainly a bassist who just knows enough guitar to throw some chords on my songs, so I don't have a dedicated guitar rig where I can just toss a microphone in front of an amp.
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Jun 28, 2013 14:22
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Acmebargig makes some pretty cool amp modelers: http://www.acmebargig.com/ A bunch of them are totally free, and they should run a little leaner for you
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Jun 28, 2013 14:58
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I'll give it a shot, thanks!
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Jun 28, 2013 15:20
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Kind of a simple question, but does anyone here use Cubase? I was doing some work experience in a studio and had to use it a bunch and I'm not sure I like it. The UI doesn't seem super intuitive and the way it's controlled seems strange and non-obvious, but perhaps I'm an idiot and I overlooked some important usability features. I can definitely use it, and I learned my way around it pretty quickly, but I just feel like I'm a lot slower and it's not quite fun and easy to use as Reaper, which just sounds crazy because I've always considered Reaper pretty bottom of the barrel but I use it because I'm a poor motherfucker. I can hardly say definitely though since my experience is limited. I just want some general opinions, really.
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Jul 7, 2013 12:00
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I use the latest Cubase and I find it super easy to use. Then again, I've been using Cubase in its various iterations for years. Still, I don't think there's anything complex about the stuff you'll be using most. Create a part, record what you want on it and move on to the next part. Things like time signature or tempo changes are a bit less intuitive, but I don't make use of a lot of that anyways.
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Jul 7, 2013 13:12
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That's how everyone feels when they compare any other DAW to their DAW of choice. You've adapted your workflow and how you think about things to Reaper's UI. I've had Logic installed for years. I still bitch about it under my breath almost every time I start it because I'd rather be using Pro Tools, I just can't justify spending the money for the amount I use it.
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Jul 7, 2013 13:13
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cat doter posted:Kind of a simple question, but does anyone here use Cubase? I was doing some work experience in a studio and had to use it a bunch and I'm not sure I like it. The UI doesn't seem super intuitive and the way it's controlled seems strange and non-obvious, but perhaps I'm an idiot and I overlooked some important usability features. I can definitely use it, and I learned my way around it pretty quickly, but I just feel like I'm a lot slower and it's not quite fun and easy to use as Reaper, which just sounds crazy because I've always considered Reaper pretty bottom of the barrel but I use it because I'm a poor motherfucker. I can hardly say definitely though since my experience is limited. I've never spent a significant amount of time with Cubase but I agree with you wholeheartedly. The UI is clunky and unintuitive and honestly I just think it's ugly.
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Jul 7, 2013 13:15
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wixard posted:I've had Logic installed for years. I still bitch about it under my breath almost every time I start it because I'd rather be using [Edit: Cubase].
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Jul 8, 2013 04:59
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I used Cubase for about ten years, and switched to Reaper two years ago. Took a while to adapt and get fast at it, but I've found it to be much more capable at everything I care about than Cubase is/was.
snappo fucked around with this message at 03:41 on Jul 10, 2013 |
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Jul 9, 2013 23:40
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This is probably a question that gets asked over and over, so apologies in advance for that. Can anyone give me some guidance on selecting a live drum plug-in? I have been getting more serious about my home recording, which I would classify as relatively straightforward pop/rock/funk with the occasional electronic element. If I had to pick a few artists whose drum sounds I'd say I try to aim for, it's some mix of LCD Soundsystem, Modest Mouse, Talking Heads and Whitest Boy Alive (like I said, pop/rock/funk). Nine times out of ten, I go for one of the stock drum kits on Ableton Live 9 Standard, which sound OK after some futzing with EQ and other effects, but I've never been able to get the kits to sound quite like how I'd imagine. I guess my first question is, is it likely that the problem lies more in how I am mixing the stock drum kits from Ableton (I am still a mixing newb) rather than in the kits themselves? As in, do I even need to worry about finding a "better" plug-in for a live drum sound, or will that just be a waste of money? Second question is, if I should consider getting a live drum plug-in, what do people recommend? EZ Drummer seems like the standard when taking ease of use, price and quality of sound into consideration. But Superior Drummer is only marginally more expensive, and seems like it might be a better use of funds? Are there any other plug-ins that people recommend? If it helps, I could post an example of a track I'm working on to give an idea of the general style I'm trying for, and the way I've got the Ableton drum kit to sound so far. Thanks in advance for any help!
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Jul 24, 2013 00:57
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Sharks Eat Bear posted:This is probably a question that gets asked over and over, so apologies in advance for that. Addictive Drums is pretty good and intuitive - I used it the first time I ever had to do plugin drums on a song and learned it very quickly. It gives you a lot of flexibility to do things an actual engineer would do with drums in a room - you can simulate moving your overhead mics around the kit, moving close mics, balance between snare top and bottom mics, how far away your room mics are, lots of different interesting bussing and routing options, and so forth. it doesn't come with a lot of kits but you can buy a lot of add-on material as far as I remember. Some guys I know really like Battery, but I have never used it. Steven Slate Drums would get my vote overall, mostly on quality of samples: as somebody who mixes almost 100% ITB I would say that every single Slate plugin is absolutely worth owning (that being said I can't afford all of them...  )Post your sample! Frankly, plugin drums are plugin drums - different software allows for a different GUI and specific sample libraries or tweakability thereof, but in the end, as you said, it comes down to how you mix the darn thing. I like the sound of your references... there's a lot to get into between LCD Soundsystem and Whitest Boy! strangemusic fucked around with this message at 06:26 on Jul 24, 2013 |
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Jul 24, 2013 06:08
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The Abbey Road Komplete pack is pretty good although a bit pricey. It will give you a really good starting point for a decent drum sound that you can mess around with to get the sound you want, but as strangemusic said, plugin drums are plugin drums, you just need to squeeze as much out of them as you can. Its really easy to fall in to gearcreep and start to think, if i just had....that...then my drums would sound amazing. Its a waste of time, just use what you have and push it as far as you can. One time i recorded a drum track using a generic synth kit, then mixed it down roughly to a CD, then took it to my friends house who has a mini studio with a nice resonant room and then outed the CD to a couple of amps and speakers and recorded the sound of that. Another time i mixed the drums and then recorded the sound from my studio monitors onto a small tascam dictaphone with a really worn out tape, and then played that back into cubase. Another good example is when Os Mutantes were recording their first album, they didn't have a drum kit, and the studio kit didn't have a high hat, so they miked up a can of insect repellent and used that as the high hat sound. hitchensgoespop fucked around with this message at 10:33 on Jul 24, 2013 |
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Jul 24, 2013 10:31
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I've been mixing on some hi-fi speakers for ages, looking to grab some really cheap 'monitors' to make my mixes better. I want flat/not boosted speakers that will translate well. A lot of cheap monitors (my room is funny shaped and not treated so I cant see the point in spending a lot) seem to have a bass knob on the back - would you leave this at 12 or turn it all the way down for accurate bass? Ideally i would get passives with no knobs/settings etc but can't find any in my price range. field balm fucked around with this message at 01:53 on Jul 30, 2013 |
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Jul 30, 2013 01:49
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field balm posted:I've been mixing on some hi-fi speakers for ages, looking to grab some really cheap 'monitors' to make my mixes better. I want flat/not boosted speakers that will translate well. A lot of cheap monitors (my room is funny shaped and not treated so I cant see the point in spending a lot) seem to have a bass knob on the back - would you leave this at 12 or turn it all the way down for accurate bass? Do you have an external amp to power passive monitors? RE: Bass control. It really depends on what your situation in your room is like. Your particular room shape can either boost or attenuate bass frequencies. Put on a CD you know really well and tweak the tone controls until it sounds "right".
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Jul 30, 2013 01:55
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HollisBrown posted:Do you have an external amp to power passive monitors? I have an external amp - currently it goes usb audio interface, rca outs to amp, banana plugs from amp to speakers. I like being able to use the amp to control volume, as it is in easy reach. Thanks for the input though, I didn't really think about it like that - it makes sense to have those levels on cheap speakers to try and makeup for a lovely room. e: this is the amp 
field balm fucked around with this message at 02:24 on Jul 30, 2013 |
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Jul 30, 2013 02:21
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There are often bass attenuation switches on really expensive monitors too. You adjust them based on how close they are to the walls even in a treated room.
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Jul 30, 2013 03:10
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I've been thinking about getting some sort of interface/mixer or whatever with 16 or more mic preamps, but I'm not sure what I should be looking for if I go with something with that many preamps. Anyone know a lot about this sort of equipment? I don't mind getting something older or second hand, just as long as it can handle a lot of mics at once.
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Jul 30, 2013 10:14
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I'm looking for some advice here about internet streaming guitar practice using VOIP and video conferencing. Yeah the quality is going to be low no matter what but when I use my regular mic the sound coming out of my amp is muffled and the pick attack drowns out everything else. I'm not worried about crystal clarity, just something good enough so I can practice with friends who live a few hundred kilometres away on a connection with <100ms lag combined from ping time and processing. I have a Zoom G5 effects unit with 16bit USB that cuts off the analogue tube boost circuit and a 24bit balanced XLR output that includes the analogue boost. I've tried USB and it works but it's lacking the tube and I can't actually use my voice to communicate over VOIP. Would a dual XLR audio interface work for this with the Zoom going to one and a decent mic in the other or is there any way to take multiple recording sources and tie them together on a windows PC? Stereo mix shown below doesn't work as it tends to include what's playing over my headset, 5.1 speakers and the USB out to the Zoom which plays back over my amp, often garbling everything together in unpleasant ways. 
Verizian fucked around with this message at 12:28 on Jul 31, 2013 |
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Jul 31, 2013 12:25
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Verizian posted:I'm looking for some advice here about internet streaming guitar practice using VOIP and video conferencing. Yeah the quality is going to be low no matter what but when I use my regular mic the sound coming out of my amp is muffled and the pick attack drowns out everything else. I'm not worried about crystal clarity, just something good enough so I can practice with friends who live a few hundred kilometres away on a connection with <100ms lag combined from ping time and processing. The best/easiest thing would be to get an interface with dual XLR inputs, plug the Zoom into one channel and plug an XLR mic into the other. The bad news is that you probably won't be able to play in sync with your friends over VOIP. Anything more than 10ms latency is very very noticable and would quickly become unmanagable. One thing you might look into is the Ninjam plugin included with Reaper -- it's designed for internet jamming, and works by delaying the audio by several bars (usually 2/4/8), so that you're actually playing against what the other person played 4 (or whatever) bars ago, but since music is already divided into groupings like that, it ends up working out (after a little practice to get used to the feel of it).
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Jul 31, 2013 17:20
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Thanks. I'm looking at something like this USB Audio Interface With a single XLR in and L/R TRS, I assume that would be compatible with TS instrument cables from the L/R connection on the G5? Both the XLR and L/R outputs include the full signal I'm after so the only question there would be can those TRS jacks cope with unbalanced signals? That Ninjam plugin looks interesting if it's the same one as in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni5Q2qnB_HM Probably won't need something that advanced though as we mostly take turns showing what we've learned from different tutors and exchanging ideas using Skype or Google Hangouts. One other thing that's related. When I record using the usb connection on the zoom it sounds clear but if my main PC (display) monitor is switched on at the same time as my practice amp and the USB cable is connected there's an annoying 60hz hum. Would the fix be as simple as rearranging the room and plugging both into the same outlet or will I need some form of power conditioner?
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Jul 31, 2013 18:21
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Verizian posted:Thanks. I'm looking at something like this USB Audio Interface With a single XLR in and L/R TRS, I assume that would be compatible with TS instrument cables from the L/R connection on the G5? Both the XLR and L/R outputs include the full signal I'm after so the only question there would be can those TRS jacks cope with unbalanced signals? Yeah, plugging unbalanced gear into TRS jacks shouldn't be a problem. There might be a option in the interface control panel thing to tell the interface whether the input is using unbalanced (-10dBV) or balanced (+4dBu) line level, to make sure you get the optimal level signal. Verizian posted:That Ninjam plugin looks interesting if it's the same one as in this video. Oh okay, I misunderstood you and was thinking you wanted to get different people playing in realtime sync with one another. If you are just taking turns showing stuff off, that's no problem.
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Aug 1, 2013 04:15
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I'm looking for hopefully, a two channel mic pre for around $600. I'm looking for something better than the ART MPA. Something rackmountable would also be awesome.
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Aug 2, 2013 13:20
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DAV BG1U is a supremely good sounding 2ch rackable pre, right around your price point (used, anyway). Also available in a brick format.
snappo fucked around with this message at 17:44 on Aug 2, 2013 |
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Aug 2, 2013 17:40
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snappo posted:DAV BG1U is a supremely good sounding 2ch rackable pre, right around your price point (used, anyway). Also available in a brick format. I researched them and honestly they look like they would exactly what I'm looking for except I can't find any used. They seem to be a pretty rare thing.
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Aug 2, 2013 20:37
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My Audiobox USB interface has a dead monitor channel, and it's time to update anyway. I'm looking at getting something with more inputs (and better mic pres) as well as more outputs-- I'd love to have the capability to mix in 5.1 down the line, though I know that can be a huge chunk of change. Any recommendations for a step up from Baby's First Audio Interface? Edit: I also don't have Firewire capability right now. MockingQuantum fucked around with this message at 06:45 on Aug 3, 2013 |
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Aug 3, 2013 06:35
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cat doter posted:I've been thinking about getting some sort of interface/mixer or whatever with 16 or more mic preamps, but I'm not sure what I should be looking for if I go with something with that many preamps. Anyone know a lot about this sort of equipment? I don't mind getting something older or second hand, just as long as it can handle a lot of mics at once. This brings up a few questions that would be crucial to recommending something. What do you intend to use that many simultaneous channels for? Do you need individual channel faders? This is really only important if you'll be using this setup to mix out of the box, or to mix live stuff as well as record. What's your budget? If you don't need it to mix live stuff and are comfortable mixing in the box, I'd suggest getting two 8-channel interfaces that have mic-preamps or an 8-channel interface w/pres and an 8-channel pre with ADAT out and link them together. It's what I'm currently running and as I'm mixerless my setup takes up very little space. I just mix with my iPad and it's pretty great. If you DO want to mix Out of the box or mix live stuff as well as recording, Mackie and some other companies make mixers that have USB or Firewire outputs so you can record from them. 16 mic pres on one mixer is pretty hefty and would take up quite a bit of room, so you could probably buy a 16 channel mixer with 8 onboard pres and an 8-channel mic preamp and patch those channels into channels 9-16 on the mixer for a more compact setup. himajinga fucked around with this message at 18:37 on Aug 5, 2013 |
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Aug 5, 2013 18:18
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Can anyone help me with Cubase Artist 7? I'm curious if there is a way I can load a VST instrument but then have it switch to a different soundfont from the same VST mid-track instead of creating a separate track and loading another instance of the VST? For example a violin section changing from legato to pizzicato.
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Aug 10, 2013 19:16
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If there's a way to do that in Cubase, I've yet to see it. With VST instruments, I usually just create a separate track for different instruments.
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Aug 10, 2013 20:01
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Seventh Arrow posted:If there's a way to do that in Cubase, I've yet to see it. It seems like when I make too many VSTs that Cubase just crashes on me. I've got 8 gigs of ram and a good CPU so I don't know what the deal is.
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Aug 10, 2013 20:17
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| # ? May 16, 2024 01:42 |
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VSTs, whether instruments or effects, can take up a load of overhead. Fortunately, with VST effects (like Amplitube), you can bake the effect into the track and turn off the insert. With VST instruments, I don't think you can do that. You might be able to bounce it to an audio track but I can't recall for certain. Also, I think some VST programs like SampleTank will let you have only one instance of the program open while the different instruments occupy separate midi tracks. So there's less overhead, if that's actually correct. If you're using Windows, you can also try going into Task Manager and raising the priority for the VSTBridge process.
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Aug 10, 2013 20:34
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