I cant reach record!

B

Brent Bobbitt

New member
Not sure where to post this, but it's an equipment question related to digital recording.

In my home studio, I have the drums positioned where I can't reach the record button. When I'm recording alone, I have to just set a preclick to give me a few measures to get to the drums and put on the headphones. This works fine, except that I just really hate the feeling of having to rush before I try to record a quality take.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could rig up a wireless record button? Any kind of wireless MIDI controllers or maybe something Bluetooth that would work?
 
You can find an app for your phone that will act as a remote control for your software... if you're using software.

I use cubase and there is an app, but I don't really need it. My studio is so small, everything is within arm's reach. :o
 
Chili said:
You can find an app for your phone that will act as a remote control for your software... if you're using software.

I use cubase and there is an app, but I don't really need it. My studio is so small, everything is within arm's reach. :o
Click to expand...

How, does the phone app talk to Cubase?

Dave.
 
It connects through wi-fi to the local network. The commands are usually using the OSC protocol (Open Sound Control), and there's a little configuration to be done on the client side. In Reaper, it was a matter of configuring the input and output OSC IP address, which involved figuring out the IP address of my phone/tablet.

It's pretty nifty, although I've only barely tried it myself. It's a tiny bit laggy, but not bad. Not much of an issue if you're just using transport controls to start/stop/record.
 
Tadpui said:
It connects through wi-fi to the local network. The commands are usually using the OSC protocol (Open Sound Control), and there's a little configuration to be done on the client side. In Reaper, it was a matter of configuring the input and output OSC IP address, which involved figuring out the IP address of my phone/tablet.

It's pretty nifty, although I've only barely tried it myself. It's a tiny bit laggy, but not bad. Not much of an issue if you're just using transport controls to start/stop/record.
Click to expand...

Oo! Oo! Wi-Fi and a DAW. COULD be tricky? (yes, I know the keyboards are RF but through a dedicated dongle and short range. Used one with a music PC for years without issue)

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
How, does the phone app talk to Cubase?

Dave.
Click to expand...

I have an apple phone and so it uses the apple bonjour service on your PC (ie, don't disable the service). Plus, you have to download a free patch from Cubase to put on the PC to act as the server. Then it works great. No lag on my end. The phone app is called Cubase IC.
 
I have a wireless Logitech keyboard and mouse...move them where I want/need them.
It was like....$50 for the set.

I also have one of those roll-around couch/bedside tables for laptops...it's small/light, so I can move that where I want it and put the keyboard and mouse on that.
 
Cool. Thanks for all the great ideas. I'm running Cubase 7.5, so I'm gonna try to explore the app idea. I forgot about that being a feature. I didn't want to try the wireless mouse because I won't always be able to see the screen, but I use my control mixer so much that I didn't think about the fact that keyboard shortcuts are a thing too. A wireless keyboard would definitely be the easiest way to accomplish this. Great feedback though. Thanks again.
 
Brent Bobbitt said:
keyboard shortcuts are a thing too.
Click to expand...

I've programmed just about every shortcut I need into my keyboard.
I rarely need to use a drop-down menu for anything. The mouse ends up being mostly there to place the cursor, and provide the basic left/right click stuff...though I also use a wireless Logitech trackball (I bought that separate from the keyboard/mouse combo), which is running on the same receiver as the keyboard and mouse, and the trackball has a couple of extra buttons, so I programmed them to with some shortcuts too. I can use the smaller mouse for distant needs, and keep the trackball at the DAW.

Anyway...basic start/stop/record/play is all done with the keyboard, so I don't need to look at the screen once things are set up.

Even if you don't need to be far away from the computer, the wireless keyboard/mouse just make it easy to move things around and no cables in the way...etc...so you also free up a couple USB ports if you need them.
There's no downside.
 
But there is a downside. At 1080 lines of resolution, you just can't get very far away from the screen and still make out what the heck you're trying to click on. Maybe you can if you're using a jumbotron as a monitor, but I know that I can't make out shit if I'm more than a few feet away from the screen. At least with a remote app, you have a screen right in front of your face, no matter where you are in the room.

That said, I do still use a wireless mouse and keyboard. I'm on my 2nd set (both Logitech) and the range sucks on them if they're obstructed at all (perhaps by a drum kit...). Less than 6' away and I can barely get the damned mouse to register movement unless I have it up high and with direct line of sight to the receiver. Could be a peculiarity of my room and what's in it, or a fault of the particular mouse/keyboard that I have. But it's been a problem with 2 different sets in a row. They've both sucked.
 
Tadpui said:
But there is a downside. At 1080 lines of resolution, you just can't get very far away from the screen and still make out what the heck you're trying to click on.
Click to expand...

Sure...you are 100% correct.
I'm not talking about doing a lot of work with the DAW without being able to see it.
He was asking about how to press REC...and for that, I would set up the track(s), get everything ready...then get behind the drum kit, and hit the REC shortcut on my wireless keyboard.

There are a number of basic DAW actions that you can learn to do without looking...but yeah, for rest you have to see the screen.

For me...it's no different that the remote for my tape deck...it covers the basic functions so you can do things from a distance.
You can program the keyboard shortcuts to also do similar basic remote duties.

For $20...he'll be happy with it no matter what.:)
 
Tadpui said:
But there is a downside. At 1080 lines of resolution, you just can't get very far away from the screen and still make out what the heck you're trying to click on. Maybe you can if you're using a jumbotron as a monitor, but I know that I can't make out shit if I'm more than a few feet away from the screen. At least with a remote app, you have a screen right in front of your face, no matter where you are in the room.

That said, I do still use a wireless mouse and keyboard. I'm on my 2nd set (both Logitech) and the range sucks on them if they're obstructed at all (perhaps by a drum kit...). Less than 6' away and I can barely get the damned mouse to register movement unless I have it up high and with direct line of sight to the receiver. Could be a peculiarity of my room and what's in it, or a fault of the particular mouse/keyboard that I have. But it's been a problem with 2 different sets in a row. They've both sucked.
Click to expand...

My older wireless and mouse had adequate range but there is a trick you can use to improve it.
Put the dongle on the end of a 3mtr USB extension and skyhook it 6-8ft in the air closer to your drum kit etc.

I did this for the very useful but now discontinued AFAIK Tranzport device. Oh! And failure of the minces? Opera glasses.

Dave.
 
I've used mine at 10'-12' away. works fine. Not sure about obstruction from a drum kit.

Maybe there's a difference or improvement in the receivers...?
 
miroslav said:
Anyway...basic start/stop/record/play is all done with the keyboard, so I don't need to look at the screen once things are set up.
Click to expand...

miroslav said:
I'm not talking about doing a lot of work with the DAW without being able to see it.
He was asking about how to press REC...and for that, I would set up the track(s), get everything ready...then get behind the drum kit, and hit the REC shortcut on my wireless keyboard.

There are a number of basic DAW actions that you can learn to do without looking...but yeah, for rest you have to see the screen.

For me...it's no different that the remote for my tape deck...it covers the basic functions so you can do things from a distance.
You can program the keyboard shortcuts to also do similar basic remote duties.

For $20...he'll be happy with it no matter what.:)
Click to expand...

Exactly, and maybe make the time display absolutely huge so that it can be seen from a distance, depending on existing markers and the software's keystroke setup it may take several taps of the rewind key to get back to zero for another take.
 
On the visibility issue. Most FSTvs will accept VGA (and many computers have HDMI as well) and you can buy a cheap TV, even second hand of 32" or bigger quite cheaply. Resolution is of course not quite as good as a monitor but good enough for "jazz"!

Or! buy a 15quid, 15" monitor from a charity shop (have two) and a V long VGA cable. Should not be beyond the wit of man to fit a small monitor to a mic stand?

Or! is there such a thing as a wireless USB remote monitor? Be bloody handy for lots of things like setting up my wildlife camera.

Dave.
 
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