Multi-tracking drums?

A

Anderew

New member
Another nOObie here,

I'm looking for a FireWire Audio Interface that is compatible with my MacBook. I'm sick of having all my drum mics recorded onto one track in GarageBand. I've read that either the MOTU 8 Pre or Presonus FireStudio Project would do the job but I don't seem to understand how it all works? Does the interface send the tracks individually to GarageBand? How?

Also, I'm looking to upgrade GB to Logic Pro 8. Are either interfaces compatible with Logic?

Thanks a ton,
Andrew
 
Yes, the interface sends each channel separately. Those interfaces you are looking at would both be very suitable for the job, and would get you a good number (8) of inputs (and they're expandable via ADAT).

I think with Macs (Coreaudio) most of the firewire interfaces are plug-and-play, so you just hook it up and you're ready to go. You can chose which input you want to record from on each track. Those interfaces have preamps built-in so you plug the mic straight in.

And yes, they would work with Logic.

Hope that helps!
 
mattr said:
Yes, the interface sends each channel separately. Those interfaces you are looking at would both be very suitable for the job, and would get you a good number (8) of inputs (and they're expandable via ADAT).

I think with Macs (Coreaudio) most of the firewire interfaces are plug-and-play, so you just hook it up and you're ready to go. You can chose which input you want to record from on each track. Those interfaces have preamps built-in so you plug the mic straight in.

And yes, they would work with Logic.

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...

Thanks man!

So I have to assign each input to its own track?
 
Anderew said:
^ Thanks!

So would my MacBook run smoothly with Logic and the MOTU 8pre?
Click to expand...

Hey man

yes it will work fine/great.

I use the first gen black macbook (2GHz, upgraded to 2GB RAM) and run the MOTU 8pre through Logic Pro 8.

I've had absolutley NO problems with it whatsoever. In fact, i didnt have any probs when i had 1GB RAM in my macbook, but i've recently upgraded to 2GB just so i dont encounter any future problems when mixing bigger tracks.

I've also got a USB external HD which i transfer tracks onto when done to free up the internal one.
 
Elementmetal said:
Hey man

yes it will work fine/great.

I use the first gen black macbook (2GHz, upgraded to 2GB RAM) and run the MOTU 8pre through Logic Pro 8.

I've had absolutley NO problems with it whatsoever. In fact, i didnt have any probs when i had 1GB RAM in my macbook, but i've recently upgraded to 2GB just so i dont encounter any future problems when mixing bigger tracks.

I've also got a USB external HD which i transfer tracks onto when done to free up the internal one.
Click to expand...

Cool man. Thanks.

Thankfully I got a 250 GB external HD for like $50 at BestBuy.

I've got another question. mattr says I can expand my MOTU via ADAT with other interfaces. Is that right? So I could get a another MOTU interface and somehow hook it up to ( or "daisy chain" what is that?) the MOTU 8pre to record, let's say, guitars and bass?
 
Daisy chaining is possible . . . but I'm inclined to walk before running.

Get your setup working with your Macbook and whatever interface you are using. You've been using GarageBand . . . it will take you a while to come to terms with the facilities within Logic.

How many mikes are you expecting to use on the drums?

You should be able to get reasonable results with four, leaving four free channels for the simultaneous recording of the kit with other instruments.
 
Anderew said:
Cool man. Thanks.

Thankfully I got a 250 GB external HD for like $50 at BestBuy.

I've got another question. mattr says I can expand my MOTU via ADAT with other interfaces. Is that right? So I could get a another MOTU interface and somehow hook it up to ( or "daisy chain" what is that?) the MOTU 8pre to record, let's say, guitars and bass?
Click to expand...

Hey man, simple answer to daisy chain is that the MOTU 8 pre has 2 firewire sockets on the back. One goes to your macbook, the other could go to another motu interface or other firewire interface. Thats the chain, with your macbook being at the end of the chain.
 
gecko zzed said:
Daisy chaining is possible . . . but I'm inclined to walk before running.

Get your setup working with your Macbook and whatever interface you are using. You've been using GarageBand . . . it will take you a while to come to terms with the facilities within Logic.

How many mikes are you expecting to use on the drums?

You should be able to get reasonable results with four, leaving four free channels for the simultaneous recording of the kit with other instruments.
Click to expand...

Thanks gecko zzed!

I'm planning to use 6 or 7 mics, but I'm not sure yet. Would it be easier or better to mic the amps or get another interface that have line in inputs?

Elementmetal said:
Hey man, simple answer to daisy chain is that the MOTU 8 pre has 2 firewire sockets on the back. One goes to your macbook, the other could go to another motu interface or other firewire interface. Thats the chain, with your macbook being at the end of the chain.
Click to expand...

Thanks Elementmetal!

What other firewire audio interfaces work with the MOTU 8pre? Do other MOTU products perform better with other MOTU products? or would any other firewire interface work with the 8pre?

Thanks again for all the help, dudes!
 
Anderew said:
What other firewire audio interfaces work with the MOTU 8pre? Do other MOTU products perform better with other MOTU products? or would any other firewire interface work with the 8pre?

Thanks again for all the help, dudes!
Click to expand...

I'd never daisy-chain through firewire - heard too much stuff about it not working as it should / performing badly / glitching. Some people can get away with it fine, but I wouldn't just buy stuff with the assumption your computer will play nice with it.

This is why I would always consider expanding through ADAT.
The 8pre has 8 channels of ADAT i/o, and also supports that multiplexing thing so you can use it at 96k (ADAT normally tops out at 48khz). So if you had two 8pres then you could link them in this way.

But the advantage of using ADAT is that you can connect it with pretty much anything else with ADAT. If you bought an 8pre now, you could expand it later with anything from a Behringer ADA8000 (£150) to a RME Micstasy (£2500).

You could also think about it the other way. If a year down the line you decide to upgrade your interface, you could still use the 8pre to add some extra inputs to that interface via ADAT.

As you can tell I quite like ADAT :)
Very useful
 
You use an ADAT (optical cable) from the output of the other device into the 8pre, then you have to achieve sync in some way. In some cases you can just run another ADAT cable the other way and the unit will sync to that, but sometimes you'll have to use the BNC wordclock connectors.

Since my ADA8000 fried itself (now looking at the Octopre) I haven't used ADAT a lot, but I have a few of these cables from this seller lying around anyway...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200299305208&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:GB:1123
They're really cheap but well-made, thick and flexible. Don't pay over-the-odds for them - its digital. As long as the light gets from one end to the other, using a cheap cable won't affect quality.
 
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