Roland Vs-2480

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Does anyone out there use this machine that can maybe give me a few recording tips for getting the best steel and fiddle sound. I've had it maybe a year and it does a great job but just wanted to see if anyone had some new ideas on recording. My board is loaded with 1 Vs-8f3 card and 3 vs-2's. Thanks---Henry
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

Henry,

That's exactly the setup I use. I record steel straight to the board via my RV-3. For fiddle, I use an Audio Technica 4033 and Universal Audio LA-610 mic pre. Sometimes I use my electric fiddle straight in if the song favors the electric sound.

I know eventually I'll have to go to computer based recording, but I like my 2480 so much and I don't want to learn someting new until I have to.

I'm pretty proud of the "do it all yourself" recordings I'm made with my setup. You can hear samples on my website, and at these YouTube links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acnd0skugho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb_5lUaDEco

Leroy Golden · From: Muskegon, Michigan, USA

I use the VS-2400, and go direct to the guitar input with steel adding effects and eq after. All my steel guitar playing buddies around here are amazed at the tone and sound I get! These machines are grossly underrated, I agree that I don't want to switch until forced to do so. Very Happy

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Hey Rick, thanks very much. I've seen your you tubes and they are great. You have such a nice full sound also and your a great picker. Which one of the effects did you use on steel and or fiddle and how did you record the master and did you use any compression on the master? I've been going into audacity on my computer but hear that some is loss going from digital to analog and then back to digital.

Leroy, thanks for your info. Yes the vs-2480 is an underated board and I can't see me ever going to computer based recording because of the simplicity of the 2480 and also the quality of the recordings. I've tried going straight into board but seems I get a better tone by going out of the pre-amp of my Nashville 112 then into a channel. Are you using any kind of preamp and what effects do you use on the steel. Thanks-Henry
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

Henry,

I used the Reverb #001 on everything. Sometimes, I uses some of the delay too. I used the Mastering Toolkit "Mixdown" best I remember. I used enough compression to keep things smoothed out, but still maintain enough dyanamics.

A trick I learned is to not get too heavy on the reverb on the individual tracks, and then add a touch to the entire two track mix when you're mastering. That seems to add some "sparkle" to it.

I also pan the steel hard (about 80/20) to one side and the fiddles hard to the other side. Even on twin or triple fiddles, I put them all together hard to one side. Some people like to mix twins parts left and right, but I find that don't work so well for me. Drums, bass and lead vocals all in the center. Other things, just find a place for them.

As for recording effects, I record dry, but I have the effects in the headphones. I just can't play fiddle or steel, or much of anything else, when all I hear is dry tracks. I've been in studios where that wanted me to play dry and they would add the effects later......... this sucks.

Another trick. For mixing vocals (or an instrumental I suppose). When you think you've got it right, listen and pull the master fader down slowly. The vocal should be the last thing you hear as the music fades away. Then you know it's loud enough in the mix.

Anyway, that's how I do it. It's a hobby. Good luck and have fun!

Smile

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Thanks Rick, I haven't quite mastered the (MASTER ROOM) mixdown yet but working on it. I found it to be so much simpler and quicker to use Audacity on the computer and cut and trim out start in clicks and other stuff. I realize I may be losing a little going to analog and them back to digital.

Don't know if you have the VS8f-3 card and the other plugs-ins offered but it well worth the money. After about 2 months trying to get Antares Autotune loaded, it works great. I wound up having to buy a new external CD/DVD writer to get it loaded. Works great on the vocals that may be just a little off key and even single note fiddle stuff.

I'm striving for a good full type sound like you have on your stuff that I've seen on YouTube.

There is really good forum on the Vs-2480. Just Google VS-2480 planet forum. Most of it is above my head but some really good stuff on there and all the guys are more than willing to help. Thanks again Rick---Henry
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

Henry,

If you're using a VGA monitor with the 2480 (highly recommended) just mouse over the parts you want to delete to highlight and then right click to delete. I usually do it on the individual tracks to get rid of chairs sqeaking, guitars bumping mics, etc... then mix to two tracks and cut the count ins, and endings there. Then when you master, it's all easy. Plus it has 99 levels of undo if you screw it up.....like I never do. Ha Ha.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

I've got the VGA, wouldn't do without that and it does make everything else so much easier. Thanks Rick for all your help---Henry
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Rick I listened to your songs on Youtube. Man what great singing and playing..and to think you did every instrument and voice yourself! Wow..what a huge effort.
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BenRom Pedal Steel Guitars
https://www.facebook.com/groups/212050572323614/

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

Thanks Bent! Very Happy

I appreciate it very much. There's a lot of satisfaction in doing the whole thing by yourself. I'm sure there's many here on the forum that do, or could do it. I couldn't have done it without BIAB for the drums parts. Not being a drummer kept me from doing this for years. I had BIAB, but I thought it was too complicated, until I sit down one day and figured it out. It was so simple. Now, that's the easiest part of doing a song. It's amazing how much you learn about a song when you have to think like several musicians all at the same time.

I hope to do some more this winter, and I've got a secret project in mind too.

Smile

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

Henry,

I might add, I wouldn't worry too much about the analog to digital thing. It all starts in analog anyway with the mic or line input. Digital can't really lose anything because it's just a series of "0's" and "1's", or on and offs. That's what makes digital good is that you can go many generations of recording and not lose anything. On the other hand, the music I hold dear to my heart was recorded on analog. So, I don't think a mixture of the two would create anything bad.

There's always talk about what's better, but I don't think the average listener could tell the difference. I've come to believe that being a "recording engineer" is an art just like playing an instrument, and the more experience and practice you get, the better you become at it. I've also found that most studios, especially mom and pops, have more equipment than they know how to use.

I go by a motto when it comes to recording procedures, equipment, playing technique, etc.... "If it sounds good, it is good". The ear is the best judge.

I'm no expert at this, but I do learn a little something everytime I work with this stuff. It's just a hobby for me, and I'm happy if I can get something pretty good every now and then.

Robert Tripp · From: Mesa, Arizona, USA

Dang Rick........Thats one impressive hobby you got going there. Most of us would be proud to call that a career.

Sounding good my friend. I wish my stuff sounded half as good.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/roberttrippmusic

http://www.reverbnation.com/roberttrippgospel

I might be a beginner now, but someday I'm gonna steel the show.

Scott Henderson · From: Camdenton, Missouri, USA

I just finished my gospel Cd on my 2480. Love the board. I did PC recording for so long but found it limiting. ( I couldn't afford a high dollar MAC)
I usually run my steel direct. I use drum loops and put the master room on the input channel which gives them a nice rich sound. So far I have done two projects on this system and love it. On a project I did for our bass player Dave Owens we used a small $100.00 tube pre amp that did wonders for upright bass, vocals, and other acousticv instruments. I love the 2480. I don't know how to upload audio or I would post some samples.
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D-10 JCH Dekley U-12 D-8 Magnatone Mullen RP Evans RE 200 profex 2 BJS bars
Dentyne gum (peppermint)

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