Getting the most out of my gear

[Wireneck]

I am currently recording on a single alesis adat with an alesis studio 24 board. Since i only have 8 tracks I am having to do alot of bouncing which I would rather not do. (Mainly My drum tracks) I dont know much about the software side of recording but I was wondering if there is a program that I can use to sync with my adat to obtain more tracks without having to move up to a larger mixing board.
I have been considering purchasing another adat but I will have to also buy another mixer with more channels. I really dont have the cash for this much new gear right now. Any suggestions?

[Fangar]

Originally posted by Wireneck
I am currently recording on a single alesis adat with an alesis studio 24 board. Since i only have 8 tracks I am having to do alot of bouncing which I would rather not do. (Mainly My drum tracks) I dont know much about the software side of recording but I was wondering if there is a program that I can use to sync with my adat to obtain more tracks without having to move up to a larger mixing board.
I have been considering purchasing another adat but I will have to also buy another mixer with more channels. I really dont have the cash for this much new gear right now. Any suggestions?

Hey wireneck.

I have the same setup as you with the addition of a PC and alesis ADAT PCR card, which works great for me, but sucks for almost everyone else who has ever used it in this world. There are others ont he market though that work great. I use the PCR card to dump my 8 tracks via optical cable to PC. The I can record over the other stuff on the adat and dump that down too. You can also sync with it, but there always seems to be some issues with this.

If you are recording live drums, you can mic up the kit with the 8 tracks if you like, then DUMP it all to PC. Then back to a clean ADAT tape as a stereo Wav File once you have the drums mixed. then you would have 6 free tracks for your instruments. This can be done over and over again without problem, as long as you can sync the tracks uo in the PC in your Software. Take a look at some of the MOTU cards. They are not cheap, but I am sure will be far better than the EDIT card. Again I have never had any problems, though just about everyone else I know has. Please ask more questions of me if you like, I am sleepy and not thinking straight so may have missed the point all together.

Fangar

[Wireneck]

Fangar, thanks for the info. SO the main problem with the edit card is getting it to sync with the adat? I was hoping that i could find something that would allow me to use all my 8 tracks in sync with however many tracks the program provides.

[Fangar]

Originally posted by Wireneck
Fangar, thanks for the info. SO the main problem with the edit card is getting it to sync with the adat? I was hoping that i could find something that would allow me to use all my 8 tracks in sync with however many tracks the program provides.

You betcha. Mine syncs fine, though the program that i use (VEGAS) does not lock up with the ADAT for some reason. I am able to sync to my PC however, and work the controls on the ADAT from the PC (For transfer and stuff). Anyway, look for a card like the MOTU (Mark of the Unicorn) that allows you to sync. It will need to have optical ins/outs as well as sync. Ask Track rat about his Motu. I think he has one. The best thing to do is record to adat, then dump it all down to PC. I have found the PC mixing and FX to be very easy to use and far cheaper that buying outboard gear. Good luck,

Fangar

[MiXit-G]

I agree with Fangar, just use up the 8 tracks then transfer them to PC.

Then record over them or record on to a new tape or further down. (if you wanna keep what you recorded before)

[Wireneck]

I checked out the MOTU cards but they were way out of my budget. (700-800 bucks doesn't appear very fast when your in college and working for 5.15 an hour lol) Is there any other cards that will do the same type thing for a lower price? Im not real famillar with any of the other brands that came up when i searched www.musiciansfriend.com

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/.../base_id/52846

Is this basically the type of thing i should be looking for? Im not doing pro recording by any means but I dont want to be working with Krap. Any thoughts?

[Fangar]

Wireneck,

What operating System are you running and what type machine do you have? I would look and ask around. I know the MOTU stuff is pricey. I am happy with my setup for now. I got the ADAT EDIT PCR card on ebay for 150.00. It works perfect for me, but I know that MiX-it G had some major problems with it as have many others. If you are using anything above Windows ME forget it. But if you are running 98 or ME it may be a reasonable choice for you. It is made for the ADAT, so the connections are set up to work together. Keep looking.

Fangar

[Kendog]

You'll find many options for this at www.frontierdesign.com. I used the WaveCenter for years before outgrowing it. I currently use the Dakota/Montana bundle for 32 tracks of simultaneous dumping to the PC, but for your purposes the WaveCenter should be fine, as long as you have a way to sync it. When I had it I used the JLCooper DataSync 2; now the bundle has on-board sync.

Incidentally, if you go that route, I can let my DataSync 2 go cheap if you need it.

Ken Rutkowski
Outer Limit Recording Studio

[Fangar]

That looks like a good reference.

Fangar

[mixsit]

Not to open a can of worms here, but you can also have the option of not using the tape at all- just use the converters in the adat to feed the pc directly. If the configuration works out for you, it saves ware and tear on the machine.
wayne

[mastahnke]

That is probably something you could do quite easily...record by bypassing the adat. YOu could get a card with many analog inputs and just plug them in, or get a card with a lightpipe in and analog inputs and get more channels simultaniously.

And at 5.15 an hour...how did you afford an ADAT???

[Wireneck]

I worked most of my last 2 years of highschool. I lived at home and didn't have to pay any rent, so I just saved my money for gear. Graduation proved to be a pretty big payoff also. I used that cash to finish paying off my adat.