Easiest way to control transport?

G

Geoff_L

New member
I recently set up a home studio, mainly for rehearsal. I was a multi-instrumentalist who, until a month or so ago hadn't picked up an instrument in two decades :( I'm hoping I can get my hand back in quicker by recording the various parts as that'll give me the practice of playing in a band, better timekeeping, etc.

I have a 2x2 usb interface, Tracktion 4 (with Cubase AI if needed - I got a licence with the interface) and a studio condenser mic. My problem is that I have to either press "R" or click the record button in the DAW to start recording -- and that's not easy with a mic and whatever instrument I'm playing physically in the way!

So, I thought of a foot switch. However, the one that I've found doesn't have very good reviews and so I'm posting here to ask how other 'self recordists' manage?
 
I just allow a few bars of blank space/drum loop before the actual song start time. Click record, get in position, wait for the cue ...
 
Thanks guys, I'll need 8 bars or so of nothing ahead of actual recording, but it's workable. I had tried and had resigned myself to 'fading out' or deleting all the creaks and scratches of me picking up an instrument etc., but miroslav seems to have that covered. I've found the "punch" record option in Tracktion, which I can use to set up pre and post rolls so that I don't need to worry about rushing to put the instrument down after recording. Thanks again.
 
I just start the song on bar 3. When I mix, I set the start marker at 1 beat before bar 3.
 
There's an app for that...TouchDAW Free can be downloaded from googleplay. It gives you transport controls, couple faders you can run, plenty of other things. I use it when I record drums clear across the room. Just sit your tablet/phone on a music stand near where you're going to be. If your computer/laptop supports bluetooth, it just hooks in and you can set the settings to work with many a DAW.
I usually leave two blank measures, but hitting the button, getting across the room, situated with sticks on the throne, etc. I usually have to have three tries to get the beginning started right, so I found the app.
 
You can also just get a wireless keyboard and mouse, instead of messing with an app and bluetooth...
 
Very true. The app was free and the tablet was in hand. I use a trackball (I know, what a freak, right?)...:D
 
Thanks for the continued input.

To me, TouchDAW seems a bit like overkill. Tracktion's appeal to me is the relatively simple interface with pretty much everything on one screen. I suspect that TouchDAW will look different when controlling Tracktion, but all I really need is to emulate a single keystroke ("r"). A wireless keyboard and mouse wouldn't give me a much easier way to start/stop recording.

If I can find an affordable, reliable USB footswitch, I'll probably go that way. In the meantime, I now know how to confine recording to a 'punched' window; which is several degrees better than I had before starting this thread. Thanks again.
 
+1 for just letting it roll. I usually sit directly in front of my computer when I am playing guitar/bass, so the mouse is right there. When I sing (let's assume the song has vocals in the first measure), i'll just move the start of the song back a few bars so I can hit record and move to the mic. Not a big pain - just delete that empty space afterward.
 
When I punch in, I just hit record, play the part and edit the in-out points and cross fade manually.

I always put two measures of nothing at the the beginning as a count in.
 
Yep. What's the big deal with recording a little extra at the heads and tails? It's so easy to edit that out nowadays, but it wasn't that hard even back in the day to just mute that channel at mix time. Record everything, because you never know when something unexpectedly interesting could happen. How else are you suppposed to catch those weird little snippets of noise and conversation and stuff to go in between songs and add interest to the album?
 
ashcat_lt said:
Yep. What's the big deal with recording a little extra at the heads and tails? It's so easy to edit that out nowadays, but it wasn't that hard even back in the day to just mute that channel at mix time. Record everything, because you never know when something unexpectedly interesting could happen. How else are you suppposed to catch those weird little snippets of noise and conversation and stuff to go in between songs and add interest to the album?
Click to expand...

Yeah...I'm not sure why the need for precise starts and all the critical punch stuff.
I mean, back in tape days (WTF am I talking about, I'm still tracking to tape :D) ...there was more attention to that precision because edits were a PITA...but with the DAW, who cares where you start recording. If you want it to then end up at 00:00:00 or wherever...just edit and move everything to that spot.

I tend to do about a 10 sec pre-roll because I'm often locking the DAW and my tape deck...and the tape deck is a mechanical device that takes a couple of seconds to come up to speed and to then get that green "lock" light on the synchronizer, while the DAW is on time and in sync as soon as you hit REC...so the pre-roll gives the deck a few seconds to settle in before any critical recording takes place.
You don't have those concerns with just the DAW...plus, it's easy to change/manipulate your start time reading after the fact...so again, if you need stuff to begin at a prices time on the timeline...you can move things to that position after you've done your tracking.
 
Wireless keyboard and mouse are one good option. You can leave them still active by the kit and use the wired KBD&M when at the computer.

If you get into MIDI you can get a controller with a foot switch that can be assigned to start and stop the DAW I would think?

A very useful device was the Frontiiers Tranzport. A wireless controller. Sadly discontinued (I have one!) but drivers up to W7 are available and it works a treat with Cubase.

Dave.
 
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Thanks again for the input. FWIW, I laid down a couple of mandolin tracks last night. The mandolin probably gets in the way of reaching the DAW controls the least of my instruments, with fiddle probably being the worst. However, I found it easiest to set a couple of bars of pre-roll and one bar of post-roll and then loop between the markers. I fluffed the first bar the first time in but recorded four loops/takes before stopping recording. At least one of the takes was acceptable for both tracks, but I had the option to 'cut and stitch' from the four takes if necessary (or start again!)

Thanks for pointing out that silence, pre-take background noise, bad takes, etc. don't matter as they can all be edited out or abandoned. I've got over the OCD re starting to record at the beginning of the tune and end at the ending. That said, at about $12US for a footswitch, I'll probably still get one!
 
I'm just plain lazy and once I plant my butt, get my guitar and recording mics situated, I don't want to be getting up and down. I had an iPad, so its now mounted on an old light stand to my right. Not only can I start and stop recording without adjusting all the gear, but can also quickly and easily modify settings. Saves time and fuss. Can't recommend anything for Cubase, but use Touchable3 for Ableton Live. Just a thought...
 
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