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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
 Posted - 02/17/2005 : 5:05:21 PM
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Since we have this new area of discussion and it has been asked in many posts about equipment that people use, I thought I’d throw out my equipment list. This is what I use for acoustic projects.
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation):
ProTools Mix System (6.4.1) – Mac G4 dual 1.25 DMD (OS 10.3.7) Digidesign 888/24, JL Cooper CS-10 control surface, Mackie 1402 VLZ for playback and monitoring. Yamaha NS-10 Monitors.
Plug-ins:
McDSP – CompressorBank
McDSP – FilterBank
Many more, but these are the majors for acoustic music. I try to spend a lot of time on the front end so I don't need to process on the back end.
Outboard:
Distressor – 2 - Stereo linked
MPX-1 – digital effects processor
Both are used across the stereo buss at final pre-master if necessary.
Preamps:
Grace 201 (straight wire with gain. Adds very little self-color) – 2 channels
Vintech – Neve 1172 – two channels
Yamaha 01v – digital mixer, but I like it for the pres – 8 channels lightpipe digital
Joe Meek VC-1 – 2 channels – great for percussion or percussive players (think Mike Ka`awa)
Mics:
Earthworks QTC-1 – matched stereo pair – outstanding for acoustic guitar, especially thru the Grace
Neumann KM-184 – stereo pair of consecutive serial numbers.
AKG C-3000 – 3 - these are the pre “B” mics. Great for room and vocals
I also have access to old Neumanns and Sound Delux
Cable:
I make my own using Canares Star Quad and Neutrix connectors or Switchcraft. My patchbays were personally wired and soldered with the same cable and connectors (XLR and TRS)
Those are the basics. My home is my studio. On any given project a musician will be recording in my living room, dining room or 8X10 control room. This means I have to turn off the furnace, unplug the frig and put the dog in his kennel. It can get very cozy.
I encourage questions about CD quality recording, but if it’s about what to buy, the very minimum is a DIGI 002 Rack (Mac or PC) or the equivalent price wise. Do your homework. When Guitar Center has that BLUE Dragonfly mic on sale at a ridiculously low price, buy it. I can help you with those kinds of decisions.
All the best,
Dave
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Edited by - `Ilio Nui on 02/18/2005 05:34:47 AM |
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Bwop
Lokahi
USA
244 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2005 : 5:43:59 PM
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Aloha e Dave,
This is what I use:
Some funky old mike I got at radio shack when my kids were little and we didn't need to know any better, a bunch cables that my kids have stomped all over in every practice and show they have ever had, some stuff that got left at my kids' gigs when other stuffs disapeared, and an 8-track.
I'm waiting til I can get me one DHLMZS89-4937429Xo with the RSVPHQD9 mokulating homadifier, with a twist.
If you cant tell, this is a plea from the techno-challanged.... What is all that stuff you're talking about, and more importantly, WHAT DO I NEED TO HAVE?????
(Jus' kidding about the 8-track) |
Bwop |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2005 : 8:55:20 PM
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Yeah, I got lost at "DAW"
Doesn't matter, until another forty years of practice go by , I will have nothing worth committing to any form of lasting musical archiving technology. Maybe by then you can just think aobut playing without mistakes, sounding like Keawe or Beamer or Kahumoku and, BIngo, there it is on a CD to give to your kids.
I bought this new G4 Powerbook a year ago to use gargeband, and still haven't been able to outsmart the sucker.
More power to you, Dave.
And, you, dear bwop, you sound like my kinda man. Dinosaur/RedGreen/Rube Goldberg/Alfred E. Neuman all rolled into one. |
Karl
Frozen North |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 02/18/2005 : 05:22:26 AM
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After my recording techniques thread and in subsequent threads written by others I received numerous emails about what equipment I use. I've been a recording junky since highschool and over time collected equipment I thought would work in a minimalist environment. I'm not looking for bragging rights, just trying to be helpful.
Karl, DAW is Digital Audio Workstation. As for GarageBand, it's a decent DAW. If you use something like a Presonus FireBox http://www.presonus.com/firebox.html as your interface, you can make very nice recordings. It's a great way to check your progress and very soothing for the sled dogs while you're away.
BWOP, it's mokulating homastifier not mokulating homadifier. The twist is not really necessary. The twist is for surround sound
All the best,
Dave |
Edited by - `Ilio Nui on 02/18/2005 05:23:00 AM |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2005 : 5:52:23 PM
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John,
It depends on who I'm recording and at my age it might be Depends.
dave |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2005 : 3:54:36 PM
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Dr. Dave's environment is much the same as mine. I even have to unplug the refridgerator too, and also move the little battery powered wall clock out of the Kitchen. My heating system is radiant and is deadly quiet, but the hot water heater makes a low rumble in the distance (so no shower before recording - got it?). Got to check the SFO arrivals schedule on rainy days as they tend to come in low in wet weather. As far as putting the dog out, I could get in a lot of trouble even mentioning such a thing!
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 02/21/2005 3:58:14 PM |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2005 : 4:40:37 PM
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Lawrence,
Thanks. Yesterday while doing a TP (can't disclose the names) project I also discovered the Cukoo clock. And since it s big storm right now, the flights from SJO are taking off over the house. Maybe I should downgrade so I don't pick up so much sound. Naaaaah!
Dave
PS: the other day I was editing and heard what I thought was a little digital scratch going on. After listening for a while I realized it was the cat in her cat-box three rooms away with all the doors closed. So much for ambience. |
Edited by - `Ilio Nui on 02/21/2005 4:41:50 PM |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2005 : 4:44:01 PM
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Just for laughs...
Public Radio interviewed a musician yesterday who does his own recording in his own studio: in a tiny apartment in noisy NYC, with two dogs as well. He said sometimes the dogs just fit in, and he doesn't edit them out (how do you edit out dogs barking, anyway?). The segment he played to demonstrate that was, in fact, okay to listen to (being sort of jazzy rock). And, this guy's CD is now "famous" (...not to me, obviously, since I don't remember his name).
Takes all kinds! 
aloha,
Sarah |
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MahinaM
Lokahi
USA
389 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 05:23:28 AM
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Wow...I am just in awe of all you " TP Technoids" out there. It's soooo left- brained for me, but fascinating as well. What a talented bunch of folks we have here in the TP ohana. It just blows me away. I'll know who and where to go to now, if I ever want to set up a home studio (probably in another lifetime for me, with a winning lottery ticket in hand!). Perhaps one of these days, we can create our own TP compilation album and maybe be eligible for a Grammy! Now, wouldn't that be something?
However, I do have a question for those of you who use a G4 laptop. Do you prefer Mac's to PC's for simple audio projects? What do you suggest for someone just starting out for a basic setup? I realize that this is a whole new avenue and the choices are many. Basically, this would be for home/personal use and self-instruction. Any comments are appreciated.
Also, this is directed to Craig (Cpatch), if you still have time to peek in now and again: Your "Podasting" article was very intriguing. Where does one go to find out more on how to do this? I am thinking of doing something in the future for my non-profit organization with this technology in mind. The wheels were churning in my head, BIGTIME! Any info on this would also be appreciated.
Mahalo, Y'all!
Maggie |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 05:54:57 AM
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Maggie,
I don't think it's so much a question of Mac versus PC anymore, but it does sound like you already have a Mac G4 laptop. If so, then your largest major expense is out of the way. Your G4 already has two types of connectability, USB and Firewire. There are some pretty cool entry level, semi-professional systems you might consider. The Digidesign MBox (USB) works quite well. The next step up would be a DigiRack 002 (DigiDesign, Firewire). Both come with a program called ProTools LE and the learning curve is straight forward. You might also look at the PreSonus FireBox (Firewire). Reasonably priced and comes with a program called Cubase LE
The nice thing about all three is that they come with built-in microphone pre-amplifiers of decent to excellent quality. Just plug in the mics and go.
Yeah, the PodCast stuff is way cool. Tell us more Craig.
Dave |
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MahinaM
Lokahi
USA
389 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 06:55:42 AM
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Mahalo Dave for your input. Actually, I am thinking of getting a laptop and don't own one just yet. My new desktop I recently purchased is a PC (still not out of the box yet), but I've been contemplating on Mac's for quite a while. It'll probably make sense to get a laptop that's compatible w/the desktop, so maybe even considering a G4 is a mute point. If PC compatible laptops have the same or similar connectability options, then I'll stick to those (unless G4's can pinch hit). Otherwise, I may do a complete crossover to Mac's. However, that might be difficult because some of my old software I still use isn't Mac-friendly, plus I am Mac-stupid.
Again, thanks for all the info and guidance!
Maggie |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 08:11:48 AM
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Aloha e Maggie!
I use a PC desktop and a Mac laptop. Both have their virtues and both will work, provided they have enough RAM and adequate processors. Remember that if you buy a computer for recording, you need to keep it free of utilities/adware/spyware and other things that slow it down. Many people dedicate a computer solely to recording, or put as little software on it as possible.
My Mac was issued to me by my company, so it was cheap for me. I like PCs for everyday work and connectivity. When I get a song recorded on my Mac and want to move it to my PC, though, I have to export it from Garageband to I-Tunes and then burn it to a CD and carry it to my PC. Both Garageband and I-Tunes store non-compatible files (although I-Tunes will produce an MP3).
All this talk about bit depth/sample rate/db/khz/preamps is really about the difference between a serviceable hobby recording and going for the current state of the art. A microphone and a MiniDisc recorder can make an okay recording. A mic, small mixer and a PC laptop with $100 recording software will make a good recording, add effects and allow you to multi-track, one track at a time. To reach the peak of quality, you'll need, on top of the computer, a couple thousand dollars in software, plug-ins, digitizers, preamps and quality mics.
If you're doing it as a hobby, go simple. If you compare a $1000 PC laptop and a $2500 Mac laptop, I would go for the PC laptop. Others may have different views on this assessment, but I think it's accurate in terms of investment.
Jesse Tinsley
P.S.- You could also go for a simple digital recorder, starting around $300, but going quickly to $1000 or more. |
Edited by - hapakid on 02/22/2005 09:24:23 AM |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 08:57:40 AM
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Just a sidenote on computers as DAWs.
Processor and bus speed are not the most important concerns. 4 year old P4s at 1.3 Ghz with a standard PCI bus work well. Newer Wintels are even better. It is also true that very large disks are now very cheap. (I prefer a couple of disks to one really large one - you can multitask some operations and you have backup if one croaks.}
The first thing to be concerned with is disk *speed* because that is the bottleneck. Data Transfer rates and seek times are key issues and one tip-off (but not the whole story) is disk RPM. Just check out all the specs on the disk options (laptops usually have slower disks than desktops/towers).
The next most important thing is amount of memory.
WinXP is a memory hog and preloads lots of stuff just on the off chance it may be needed. Look at Task Manager: I'll bet you have only 60% of the free physical memory that you think you do. You can get away with .5 gig, but a better bet would be 1 gig or more. That is because music files are humongous, especially with the newer 24/96 digitizers, and your software wants all those tracks in memory, in order to do the work you ask it to do, as fast as you would like.
...Reid |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 09:25:51 AM
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Maggie, you're welcome. If you already have the desk top PC, why not use that? Are you looking for portability in you recording? Reid is correct with all the stuff he says, but for the most part, the TPers I talk to just want one or two track recording. A reasonably new computer with a couple 7200 rpm drives will work just fine. Where we get into trouble is trying to deal with lots of tracks at the same time, with multiple edits and crossfades, then on top of that we add plug-ins (reverb, EQ, delay, noise reduction, etc) This is tech talk for you need a lot of computer. Really, the easiest way to keep the speed up is to not put your music files (projects) on the same disc as the main applications harddrive. That way it keeps the main harddrive utilizing the application while the music drive is free to access files.
John- I changed my pic too, but mine's more obvious. I think I saw that boat in Florida, but I'm sure I'm thousands of miles off.
Dave |
Edited by - `Ilio Nui on 02/22/2005 09:37:14 AM |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 09:27:14 AM
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Those are good points, Reid. But for just a couple of tracks, it usually doesn't become an issue, especially if you have a newer computer with 7200 rpm disks.
Jesse Tinsley |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 11:09:17 AM
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Just a few things to remember about Hard Drives:
1) In some cases the interface transfer rate is slower than the
hard drive transfer rate (how fast you get the data) like for
the older IDE interface), so a faster drive will not gain
anything in this case.
2) The disc rotates at a contstant speed but the bit density
(bits per inch) is relatively constant across the surface.
This means that the transfer rate varies by a factor or 2:1
across the surface (twice as slow in the inside). Also the
data files get scattered around the surface (fragmented) after
a while such that it takes more time to find them. Regular use
of de-fragging tools is a good idea for whatever drive contains
the audio data.
3) 10,000 RPM (and yes, 15,000 RPM) drives are now available for
folks who have lots of channels to process and lots of money.
4) Occasionally these suckers fail (and don't believe the quoted
MBTF of 500,000 hours!), so make a backup of anything valuable.
I prefer to use another hard drive from a different maker as
the backup and I use "Ghost" to create an identical copy on the
second drive.
For near-maximum performance, buy five 15,000 RPM Cheetah drives &
configure them as a RAID-5 system (Redundant Array of Independent
Discs - buy a RAID controller too). This way you will gain lots
of speed and reliabilty too, because with this RAID system when a
drive fails, you just plug in a new one and keep going (the data
is automatically refreshed to the new drive). Plus with this
version of RAID you also get a 4X speed improvement. This would be
the ultimate geek thing to do, and kind of at the other extreme
from the LapTop with a USB audio box.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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