Help with Mixdown solution please.......

[jouannyr]

Hello all, I'd appreciate some help/advice with where to go on my "mixing-down" solution (that isn't implemented yet....)

I recently assmbled my own "home studio" in a building at the bottom of my parents garden about 6 months ago and have been working hard on learning to use all of the equipment I've got and have got to the point where I've done a few recordings I'm happy with, and are ready to start learning to mix-down.

I record using a TASCAM 388 reel-to-reel, a Soundcraft Spirit Studio desk (8 bus, 24 channel I believe....) have all the usual compression, multi-effects, all mics etc..

I'm still a rookie, and I don't know where to start with what equipment to get for my mixing down.... I know someone who is a friend said seeing as I'm using analogue so far, I should get a 2-track tape machine and mixdown to that......

But I'd like any suggestions, alternatives, advice on what's best to get really.... If there's anything I haven't told you that you need to know, then let me know!!

Cheers,

Rich

[Ronan]

You must be from the UK. In America we call the Garden the yard. The garden is where you grow vegtables etc.

Sounds like you have a cool set up so far. It depends what you want to do with your mixes when you are done, but unless you have a bunch of money right now, you could just find yourself a decent cassette deck and mix to that. It can actually sound really good and its cheap or even free. You can practice. Eventually you will want to work up to a good reel to reel two track or may even get involved with computers or a DAT machine, but I would start with a cassette.

[ocnor]

Your best bet would be to get a decent souncard and mix down to your computer. Once on the computer you will be able to burn CDs and MP3s and try out your mixes on a variety of different players such as car stereo, home stereo, and portable players.

[masteringhouse]

Nix the cassette unless you have one already and just want to play around.

If you want to get your material mastered later a DAT, or better still a 24 bit medium like a DAW is a better investment.

[jouannyr]

Excellent, thanks for the replies everyone!

Yes I'm from the UK, Ronan.... In England we call the place for growing vegetables the "Vegetable patch"! (usually at the bottom of our "Garden") Still, let's not get into a discussion about that!

I don't have a HUGE stack of money, but I'm not too bothered about spending a bit on a good mix-down solution seeing as I've got some OK equipment so far.

I think the route I'll go down is either getting them onto my PC (via a decent sound card), or onto a DAT. I'd like to get them mastered when they're all done, so using a DAT (maybe even the DAW if I can afford one! sounds like the better option.

As a final point (well, 2 points) How much would I be looking at spending (I don't mind the amount in US Dollars) for a "decent" sound card, just a rough amount will be helpful.....

And, if I've mixed them down to a DAT (or DAW), would I be able to import them onto my PC to make copies (and would you need the previously mentioned "decent sound card" to do this or is the sound-card irrelevant?)

Thanks for your help guys,

Rich

[MadAudio]

DAT, while it once had its place and greatly helped further digital audio, is simply not being used as much as it once was. The problem is compatibilty between different machines. A DAT may record and play fine on one machine only to be unreadable on another. I'd say go the DAW route. You'll have no problem exporting to other devices.

[fivestar]

Originally Posted by jouannyr

Yes I'm from the UK, Ronan.... In England we call the place for growing vegetables the "Vegetable patch"! (usually at the bottom of our "Garden") Still, let's not get into a discussion about that!

hahaha. when i read your original post, i didn't notice you being from england and i thought to myself "wow, what a dirty place to put all that nice equiptment." haha. i understand now. don't really have any advice to offer for ya, just thought i'd comment on that cuz it made me chuckle.

[TexRoadkill]

Going to DAT would only get you half way to a CD. You still have to dump the tape into a CD burner or DAW to burn it. Something like the Alesis Masterlink would be perfect for you. It has a built in harddrive so you can record as many mixdowns as you like then burn to CD when you are ready. It also has a decent limiter for quick and dirty mastering.

[ocnor]

If you go the computer route a "decent" soundcard would be the M-Audio Audiophile 2496. I have one of these myself and the sound quality is very good.
http://www.soundslive.co.uk/moreinfo.asp?ID=1437

[jouannyr]

Excellent,

Thanks guys....

That should be me sorted for now.

I'm gonna start looking at getting a DAW (The Alesis Masterlink would seem a good starting point )

Thanks again,

Rich

[Ronan]

Originally Posted by jouannyr

Yes I'm from the UK, Ronan.... In England we call the place for growing vegetables the "Vegetable patch"! (usually at the bottom of our "Garden") Still, let's not get into a discussion about that!

I figured as much. I do a lot of records over in the UK so I am used to the funny differences in the way we colonist speak!

Originally Posted by jouannyr

I'm gonna start looking at getting a DAW (The Alesis Masterlink would seem a good starting point )

I am not going to talk you out of the Masterlink, but do some serious research on the web for opinions. I have heard very mixed things about reliability etc. Also keep in mind that they can record 24 bit files but do not seem to have a way to export them as 24 bit. My mastering guy told me about this. So if you record at 24 bit and wanted to send a mastering guy 24 bit files (a very good idea) you would have to send the whole masterlink unitunless he had one at the mastering studio

[TexRoadkill]

Originally Posted by Ronan

I am not going to talk you out of the Masterlink, but do some serious research on the web for opinions. I have heard very mixed things about reliability etc. Also keep in mind that they can record 24 bit files but do not seem to have a way to export them as 24 bit. My mastering guy told me about this. So if you record at 24 bit and wanted to send a mastering guy 24 bit files (a very good idea) you would have to send the whole masterlink unitunless he had one at the mastering studio

I haven't had any reliablity problems with mine. You can easily burn a 24bit CDR that can be opened by any DAW.

[masteringhouse]

Originally Posted by Ronan

I figured as much. I do a lot of records over in the UK so I am used to the funny differences in the way we colonist speak!



I am not going to talk you out of the Masterlink, but do some serious research on the web for opinions. I have heard very mixed things about reliability etc. Also keep in mind that they can record 24 bit files but do not seem to have a way to export them as 24 bit. My mastering guy told me about this. So if you record at 24 bit and wanted to send a mastering guy 24 bit files (a very good idea) you would have to send the whole masterlink unitunless he had one at the mastering studio

Ronan -

Not true. The masterlink can burn iso 9660 CDs for 24 bit files and they can then be imported as a 24 bit wav file by the DAW.

Don't know who your mastering guy is, but you may want to tell 'em.

[Ronan]

Originally Posted by masteringhouse

The masterlink can burn iso 9660 CDs for 24 bit files and they can then be imported as a 24 bit wav file by the DAW.

Cool, thanks for the correction.