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Topic: Your Digital Home Studio |
Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 12:07 pm |
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On the topic of home studios, I'm curious as to what people are using in the way of mics, digital interface, software.
I used a 1/4 inch tape machine for years thru a Mackie 8-bus board, then went to dumping mixes from tape to Cakewalk, and now I'd like to go 100% digital. The bulk of my recording will be acoustic instruments, and I need to save space, so I'm ditching the board.
I got the inspiration to update my gear after working in a friend's NYC studio. He uses a couple of mic pre's into a Digi001 interface into the soundcard (I forget which). The mixes were done on a Mac with a cheap version of ProTools. I'll be using a PC.
Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.
Drew
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www.newslinkassociates.com
www.drewhoward.com
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 12:55 pm
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I use a Roland VS-880. It's pretty much self-contained.
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 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax |
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Ben Slaughter
From:
Madera, California
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 1:49 pm
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I've got a Roland VS1880, but don't use it much. I'm going to list it on the Forum for sale.
I primarily use Logic (software), I love the editing capability and MIDI programing, and I'm very upset that they've discontinued the PC version. Might move to Cubase. Interface, I'm currently using an old, outdated, SeaSound Solo (only 2 inputs). But I've got my eye on the Roland interface.
I'm a little light on mics and preamps, mainly inexpensive stuff. There isn't much excuse for at least a decent mic pre amp and compressor.
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Ben
Zum D10, NV400, POD, G&L Guitars, etc, etc.[This message was edited by Ben Slaughter on 06 January 2004 at 01:50 PM.] [This message was edited by Ben Slaughter on 06 January 2004 at 01:58 PM.] |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 1:55 pm
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| I've been using a Pod xt with a USB interface, into Cakewalk, Cool Edit 2.2 and Sound Forge. It's about as easy as it gets after getting a 24bit sound card. I can't say I've tried a mike into the input of the pod, and don't know if it would work. I'll have to check. |
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John McGann
From:
Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 5:31 pm
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| Tracking to DA78HR (due to well founded hard drive crash paranoia, ) via Mackie 1604VLZ, into G4 tower via MOTU2408, mixing in Cubase SX (Mac OSX) w/ TC Electronics plugins. I've done CDs with this home studio, small acoustic projects, mastered in a great mastering room, and it all sounds quite good... |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 5:37 pm
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Mac G4
MOTU 2408
JoeMeek VC6
LexiconMPX500
AKG 414
Digital Performer 4
Peak 4
Sibelius 3
I've had some very good results with my little set up.
It paid for itself a while ago.
Bob
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 6:11 pm
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The main stuff that gets use the most is:
G4 with lots of RAM and hard drives
Digital Performer
Peak with the WAVES Gold Bundle as plug ins
MOTU 896
G3 with the Sonic Solutions Sonic Studio and Apogee converters
Earthworks QTC1 and Audio Technica 4050 mics
TC Electronics Gold Channel pre-amp and converters. These are typically the I/O for DAT's, the HHB disc burner, DA-88's with a Prism bit-splitter and the G4.
I also use an EMU E4XT Ultra sampler and sometimes, a Giga studio, in a P4.
For guitar, the digital boxes are Eventide Orville and TC Electronics M-5000 plus I have a bunch of Lexicon and Eventide stuff left over from the previous decades. |
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Chris Lasher
From:
Blacksburg, VA
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 6:44 pm
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It looks like this is already dominated by Macs. I'm a PC user using an old dilapidated SoundBlaster PCI128 soundcard that is really subpar, but it's worked. I really need a soundcard that is more suited to recording, though I don't know what to get.
I use Quartz AudioMaster for my "studio" software, and I've been very satisfied with it for as little as I paid. Drew, you might be interested in at least looking at it. It's by Digital Sound Planet.
I hope more PC users out there chime in. Personally, I wouldn't like having to save up to buy a Mac just for recording--that's good money that I'd rather go to musical instruments.  |
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Ken Lang
From:
Simi Valley, Ca
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 8:33 pm
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I use a Pc, Creative labs Audigy 2x with a breakout box with 1/4" jack input, Roland JV-1010 sound module and Cakewalk 10, which is a behind the times midi program, but it works for now.
Now, to do a song, we can midi in any instrument with a keyboard if you have one, or midi guitar if you have one and so on. Then we can input live instruments into the mix, buy an expensive mic and preamp for vocals and input those.
After all that is completed we can then sit down at the computer and spend days or weeks cleaning up tracks, doubling tracks and mixing for volume, placement of instruments in the stereo field, echo, reverb and a dozen other things.
When that's done, it should be mastered to get the proper balance, max volume and such.
Then it can be turned into an MP3 for web distrubition or a normal CD to send to a publishing company who never asked for it and wouldn't listen to it if you paid them.
Or--You play it or give it to friends who are barely interested but might play it once so they can say they've actually listened to it and can say, "Nice job" or some such drivel.
Or--You stick it in your player at home or in the car and are actually pleased at all the work you've done. Or not.
The equipment and software available to us plain old folks is amazing and what we can do is way beyond the old two track 1/4" reel to reel stuff.
Yet in most cases, the results are the same. We're going nowhere; just having fun doing it; but spending a lot more time getting it done.
(disclaimer)
This rant does not include the psg per se.
We would all listen to it in a tin can at the end of a string if we had to. |
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Les Pierce
From:
Shreveport, LA
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 9:38 pm
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Regular old Walmart computer
n-Tracks Studio multi track software (www.fasoft.com)
Behringer Eurorack UB1204FX-PRO
Octava MK319 Mic
Roland TR-707 Rhythm Composer, or LeafDrums2
Take care,
Les |
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erik
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 11:15 pm
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My home/car studio consists of a ZOOM PS-02. I did the vocals to my last song in my car. 
-Johnson[This message was edited by erik on 06 January 2004 at 11:15 PM.] |
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Chris Schlotzhauer
From:
Colleyville, Tx. USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2004 6:40 am
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| Roland 2480HD w/flat screen monitor, Mackie 825's |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 7 Jan 2004 7:12 am
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Yamaha AW2816
Various dynamic mics ( Ev's,Sony etc..)
MXL 2001 Large Diaphragm condenser
ART dual channel 12AX7 Tube Preamp
Bheringer Power Play Headphone amp
Marshall(not MXL) 9000 Solid State Preamp
Cool Edit Pro
limited patience[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 10 January 2004 at 02:30 AM.] |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 7 Jan 2004 7:19 am
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I have an Ensoniq Paris system (available for PC or Mac). This is a discontinued product, but it has highly regarded audio quality. A bit MIDI challenged, but I personally don't need that, and there is a very active user community where you can get any help you need. VERY cost effective and a ton of bang for the buck since it's 'trailing edge' technology. My system cost barely more than a high end audio card for a PC. You can find used systems on ebay from time to time and here:
http://www.greatidea.com/webnews/
Unlike the self-contained Roland, Yamaha, Korg etc. machines, this system does require external preamps (and/or a mixer).
Check out anything from Tommy Detamore's Cherry Ridge Studio, that is a Paris System (along with Tommy's great engineering chops and huge ears)[This message was edited by Bill Terry on 07 January 2004 at 07:33 AM.] |
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Bill Llewellyn
From:
San Jose, CA
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Posted 7 Jan 2004 8:49 am
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This link shows it, though some of the info is out of date: http://www.rahul.net/thinker/studio.html
Updates:
Computer is now a Mac G4 (QuickSilver) @ 1.25GHz
Software is now MOTU Digital Performer 4
Monitors are now Boston CR-9's
Added a mic: Rode NT1000 condenser
Audio interface: M-Audio Firewire 410
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Bill, steelin' since '99 | Steel page | My music | Steelers' birthdays | Over 50?
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John Macy
From:
Rockport TX/Denver CO
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Posted 7 Jan 2004 9:22 am
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| Add me and Mike Smith to the Paris user list. By far, the most outstanding sonically of all the current systems. Though it is an orphan system, there is still third party development going on, which is great. When we load a ProTools project into Paris, even my most hardcore PT user here is astounded on how much better it sounds, even before we do anything to it... |
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Rich Weiss
From:
Woodland Hills, CA, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2004 4:13 pm
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Ihave a similar setup as your friend, Drew. I use a Digi 001 and 2 Neve preamps. I've got a Powermac G4 800. I'm still using OS9 and Pt 5.2.1. (32 track beta)
I use it about 12 hours a day, six or seven days a week. I can't remember the last crash I had. It is the most stable combination to date, even more so than OSX and PT6.
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