Lets talk shop-!!

Ok I'm in !!!! I'll talk shop day and night lol. So what is the main focus, Equipment, Hosts, Recording Software, Techniques?

Alrighty I'll start with the studio. 10 X 12 Auralex treated room. Set of Dynaudio monitors, Mackie Monitors, Wharfedale Monitors and a cheap set of Behringer monitors to emulate Multi-media and stereo/car sounds. Mackie Universal mixing board, 3 20" Acer monitors, the specs on my workstation are

Phenom™ II X4 3.2 Ghz with Arctic Ice | Seagate 500 gig (OS) and 1.5 Tb (Audio) HDs, 32 mb cache each | Gigabyte MOBO | XP Pro 64 SP2 | 4 gigs Kingston DDR2 1200 Hyperextension Ram | 850 watt power supply | padded and insulated Antec Sonota 111 case |

Floor noise is 20% quieter than the the top of the line Mac.

Recording software, Cubase 5, Live 8, Traction 3 (don't use anymore), Reason 4 (can't stand it ... what a waste of 400 bucks lol), Cakewalk, Acid 7 on my laptop just because it is so easy on the cpu and ram usage, Reaper (hate the GUI), and a few more I can't think of at the moment lol. My main go to host is Cubase though!!!!!

As for my I/O, sheesh must have gone through at least 10 brands, Motu, Presonus, Tascam, RME, TC Electronics, Kontakt, M-audio. Believe it or not, the most stable I/O I've ever used and is my main go to is the Line 6 Toneport UX2. Solid as a rock and just works with EVERYTHING !!! I know quite a household names that own 5 or 6 Toneports actually. They just work !

I'll leave my plugs, outboard gear, instruments, effects racks and techniques for further discussion if we get that far (which I hope we will ;)

Gabriel

Oh yeah, forgot about my overpriced, overhyped pair Tannoys I conveniently parked in the back corner of the closet lol

I have a PC, small Behrenger mixer, ART reverb unit, Shure mic, Cakewalk Sonar Lite, EMU 04040 soundcard, some plugins and Soundforge (cannot get my head around ASIO). I use a Yamaha 4 track cassette as a mixer to monitor my mixer and sound card for the final mix because I have never worked out how to do it with the mixer alone. Any tips about ASIO, buses and how to get the best out of this modest set up? Is 'talking shop' talking about what we have or what we have and how to use it? Thanks in anticipation of some tips. ftlpope

thanks for reminding me Andrew! Yeah I have Soundforge, CD Architect and Wavelab as well. Use them mostly for audio editing than anything else. Most of my time is concentrated on getting a good mix (which is essential before the final master). There is a difference between Mastering individual songs and a complete CD. As the ole saying goes, crap in crap out ;)

Folders, Busses and Sends are you friend. Learning to use them correctly is essential. I'll wait till Jim chimes in before I get into any further detail. Want to see where we are heading 1st ;)

If this discussion is not in the forum perhaps we should move it there. Yeah I just need some simple solution to one or 2 major problems with my software set up. Thanks for your interest. ftlpope

I use an old POD 2.0 into a laptop running OLD Sony ACID 2..:) Its simple, and thats what i like..I Do have sound forge, Wavelad, Wavestudio, Cuebase-never use it, dont get on with it, have it tho... Need to get a PC out in the studio, but i must say my old laptop is doing fine by me..:) I hate getting DEEP into recording gear..DO like getting DEEP into GUITAR GEAR..:) Amps, guitars, ext.
DACE>

My recording set-up is quite simple:
Behringer XENYX2222FX mixer
DOD 830 graphic equalizer
For guitar I use a Behringer V-Amp and a Peavey Vypyr
30-watt amp.
For bass I use a Line 6 Bass Pod, or just plug directly
to the mixer.
BOSS DR-670 drum machine.
Tascam DP-02CF Portastudio
Yamaha SM8 Studio monitors, powered by A output of
200-watt power amp.
Kenwood 12" 3-way monitors, powered by B output of the same
200-watt power amp.
Furman PB-40 patch bay.
Sony MDR-XD100 headphones.
Acoustic foam sound-proofing.
MXL 990 condenser mic.
Also have a Shure 58 and a couple of Shure Brothers
PE54 Series 2 mics that have a really good sound for
acoustic instruments.
I don't use a pc for recording. Never have found any software that I like as much as doing it hands on on an actual mixer. My Tascam records digitally, and I just export the final mix from it to my pc via a USB port.

Yeah, I've been meaning to pick up a set of those Yamahas for a while now. Can't think of very many major studio houses that own at least one pair. also forgot to mention my Sony headphones, probably because I never mix with them and I'm not a singer ... lol. I had a about 800 bucks I needed to spend at the music store for a return/exchange, ran out of things I needed so grabbed the best set of headphones they had in stock just for the hell of it. Yep, got me a few Shures Akais as well that I forgot about. Pretty sure you guys will remind me of a few other stuff I have lying around ...lol.

I love my Yamaha monitors Gabe. They are an older, discontinued model, three-way with 8" woofers.
I only use headphones for recording tracks, never for mixing.

NO WAY i would EVEN tell you guys what im monitoring with.....:( shame shame..Its BAD...But i know my sound, so i get by..I bring it in the house and check everything tho..(befor-upload)...Did have some good phones, but a stupid puppy got them and , well, dont have those now.lololol..been wanting something to momitor with for 10 years!
What would be something good, but CHEAP???? HELL some PC speakers would better than what im useing..might look at walmart for a set,,That would be a big jump up for me..lolol...
Got my guitars back...got two nice Amps..A Fender, and Kustom head...Tax-money, what was left went to gear..
DACE>

A set of cheapy Behringers would be less than $100.00 Dace. I use a pair for emulating stereo/car speakers. You could also get a set of Samsons for about $200.00.

Thanks..ill look at them..:) Powered, those be?
DACE>

Behringer does make powered monitors.

Yes Dace, they are both Active monitors. A lot of folks really like the Samsons and you can't beat that price. Another REALLY good brand (just noticed a huge price drop on these) about the $145.00 range, are the Wharfedale DP8.2A Diamond Pro Active Monitors (6.5 in.). Easily my favorite out of the bunch. I Believe Abbey Road Studios has been using Wharfedales since they opened way back when. Definitely worth a look :)

I run a laptop with Sonar 8.5 PE. Tascam US-144 (but working in an old MOTU 828 firewire) Use either Session Drummer 3 in Sonar or audio drum loops. Event LP-5 active monitors. Sony MDR-V600 headphones for tracking. I usually track electric guitars and bass (neighbors are close and I usually record late night) and have an old POD 2.0, but also use Guitar Rig 3 for guitar and bass. Use an AT 3035 for vocals and an AT small condensor podium mic (it's meant for public speaking but sounds great for music)for acoustic instruments. Now if I could just buy some talent, knowlege and skill!