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Critique My Reply from SOS "Readers Advice Column"
I sent and received an answer to a question posted to the "Readers
Advice Column" from the magazine Sound on Sound. I gratefully request anyone's additional recommendations!! Question: I am a composer (electronic) using samplers, analog and digital synths *only*. When a client(s) requests my services, I haul my gear to a local studio that I've had a working relationship for many years. My last trip, the engineer commented "You could save yourself alot of hassle by just bringing in audio files and only bring in the gear you really feel necessary". My Dilemna: I use a 10 yr old Mackie CR1604 at home, mainly because I only record to an Audiowerk card in my Mac to drop tunes into my iPod to help in the arrangement, composition process. Obviously my signal chain is ill-suited for the quality I need. Should I invest in say a Crest XR-24 or a Speck Ultramix along with a decent outboard converter - or maybe a preamp/EQ/AD converter recording 1 track at a time? Answer From SOS: Go with a multi-port interface such as a MOTU 828MKII with the 24I/O option. Use your existing Mackie for monitoring and if needed, mixdown. I guess my question is... are analog mixers irrelevant? I run a large MIDI rig with a lot of line-level inputs and the thought of using a computer to replace an analog mixer just seems like alot of work. I do need high quality sound - but colleagues of mine buy a *good* mixer, like a Ghost, and it is a relevant piece of gear for a number of years, while the original 828's they owned, they're dumping on eBay 3-4 years later. The multi-port interfaces seem to have a shelf-life of 2-3 years before they are obsolete! Am I missing something? Could some studio owner/ engineer chime in on this? Greatly appreciated!!! |
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Critique My Reply from SOS "Readers Advice Column"
I guess my question is... are analog mixers irrelevant? I run a large
MIDI rig with a lot of line-level inputs and the thought of using a computer to replace an analog mixer just seems like alot of work. Your friend is saying basically this..render your MIDI files to audio tracks and bring them to him to mix and process. I do a lot of mixing of outside recorded material and the easiest way for me is if the tracks come in on a CD as wav. files. This saves studio setup time, possible mishaps with the MIDI gear/hookup and hassle for the studio engineer. Mixing outside stuff is fun but the please level goes down quick the more I have to putz around getting audio recorded into the computer, lined up..etc. John A. Chiara SOS Recording Studio Live Sound Inc. Albany, NY www.sosrecording.net 518-449-1637 |