Starting Over

I work in two studios, one with a mixer front end and one with a stack of preamps. In the one with the mixer we also do rehearsals and studio performances, so it's really helpful to have faders and aux send knobs etc. In the one with the stack of preamps (connected to an Apollo 16) I do somewhat miss the faders. Having to do it all through the Console and in Pro Tools is definitely not as straightforward as having a physical mixer, but it's doable, and it's much more compact.
I just retired my Mackie 24-8 for the QU16. 25+? years of service. Since way back I've been doing splits on the out board pres -mixer and A/D's. It was odd for a bit missing the 'knob per function aspect. But now I can do three or four stereo phones mixes instead of one.
 
Really, all you need looking at the Eleven rack is a decent computer to assess what else you might need down the line. The world is full of very cheap desktops with i5 processor and 4 gigs of RAM, which will run Reaper very nicely. Why Reaper? Well, you can try it for free, and that is the full-blown version. It will recognize the Eleven rack right off, as well as all its various outputs. It is logical, intuitive and has great native VST, and will host all the great freeware VSTi instruments, as well as free and licensed VST2 and VST3s without a hassle of any sort. I has a great built in sample player that is very easy to use, and you can really build some convincing drum tracks with just a little searching around the internet for free drum samples, or PM me and I will send you folders full that I no longer use as I now use real drums. It has a convolution reverb, so that you can download, say, the stock presets from the Lexicon 480 (probably the world's greatest digital reverb) for free. They sound amazing, at any price. Download the 32 bit version, as so much of the really great freeware plugins are 32 bit, and of course you want to use Windows, as all those same designers only wrote for PC. Get Windows 7 Professional, it is rock solid and will save you hassles down the road. Look around for a Proteus 2000 sound module from Emu, it will plug right into the S/PDIF input on the Eleven with an RCA cable and for peanuts and a midi cable you will have lots of very usable keys, strings, brass, drums, etc.
I use a 42in Sony TV, I like to see things large, and a really comfortable chair, and hook up to whatever speakers you like to listen to and you are good to go. When you decide you need to record real drums, then you can think about more interface, but with a mic input, an instrument input, two additional line inputs that can become mic ins with either external mic preamps or a board you probably already have, you have all you need to cut quality tracks......
 
Tascam Porta 03 Manual

Here is a pdf of my Tascam Porta 03 users manual I save all my stuff and people have been asking for the anolaog
 

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"I use a 42in Sony TV, I like to see things large" So did we Jjinvegas!

Well, to be precise a 22" widescreen for son on the 'big' music computer and I now have my living room PC running via VGA into a JVC 42" FST. Great, but there are issues.
Firstly the 'aspect ratio' is often a bit wrong/different from monitor but so long as you can see what you are doing you can live with it.

The other problem is slightly more of a potential problem. TVs only have limited scan rates and PCs can, in certain fault modes, generate pictures you can't see! Thus it can be impossible to diagnose a PC problem on a telly.
The solution is of course obvious and simple! Make sure you have a bog standard 15" or sommat VGA monitor tucked away somewhere for testing.

Dave.
 
jelazar, i can relate. It's inspiring to see you get back into it. I'm way behind with it too. Consider tracking on a good portable unit, and transferring files to mix on the computer. Doing it all at once might be overwhelming. I agree that Reaper is good.
 
A friend of mine, who was used to recording to tape back in the 70's and 80's found that he did better on a digital multi track recorder than a computer. The set up was more familiar. Just a thought. Plus with one of those, alot of times, your preamp, effects, knobs, faders etc are all right there. I say use what u know best, computers are great, I use them, but a lot of people make good music with what they know. You could always record and mix on tape and then use a computer to transfer your final product just my two cents
 
A friend of mine, who was used to recording to tape back in the 70's and 80's found that he did better on a digital multi track recorder than a computer. The set up was more familiar. Just a thought. Plus with one of those, alot of times, your preamp, effects, knobs, faders etc are all right there. I say use what u know best, computers are great, I use them, but a lot of people make good music with what they know. You could always record and mix on tape and then use a computer to transfer your final product just my two cents

WRT the above, this, Zoom LiveTrak L-12 | Zoom looks as though it will sweep all before it!

Dave. (but no MIDI..GHAAR!)
 
Holy Moly!-Could not not find my link to this site for a long time and couldn't remember the exact name either!. Thanks for all the past responses. So just started getting some gear. Waited and waited and saved up to splurge a little. Only have a few things so far, but loving it. Went with a Macbook Pro with a ridiculous amount of ram (I write a lot and also my son writes/records a lot). Catalina.---- Chose Cubase 10 pro, which is probably way over my head, but as I learn more and more I will use more and more on it. Loving that as well. Ended up getting a Scarlett i818 (4 inputs), because my teenage son also plays now and uses it as well for his band. Probably didn't need to go that expensive, but... Went with Superior Drummer 3 for the drum plugins. Loving that so far and worth every penny to me at least. And finally Adam Audio near field monitors AX7.
 
But you had $10,000 .

He spent it all on the Mac. :D

Welcome back Jelazar

With the i818, you get those 4 line inputs on the back, they will work with a standalone mic pre if you choose to go that way. Or plugging in a keyboard. You got options.
 
End result

He spent it all on the Mac. :D

Ha!-yes I did spend a hefty amount of it on the Mac($3500 new)--ended up with a Macbook Pro (right as Catalina was coming out). Went with the i5 1.1g Quad-Core--wanted a ridiculous amount of ram since I do a lot of songwriting and the wave files...oof.---Went with Cubase 10 pro(soon to be 11)--Scarlet 8i8(needed 4 inputs mainly for my son and his band, may have been overkill but happy so far--using Superior Drummer3 for drums(love it so far)--Finally, went with Adam Audio AX7s for near field monitors(love those as well)---The Mac just sat and sat while we waited for the the programs to catch up to Catalina. Anyway got about 10-13 songs done since March or so. Huge learning curve, but like the ease of use for a lot of things compared to the old Portastudios. Appreciate all the info/help. Thanks again
 
He spent it all on the Mac. :D

Ha!-yes I did spend a hefty amount of it on the Mac($3500 new)--ended up with a Macbook Pro (right as Catalina was coming out). Went with the i5 1.1g Quad-Core--wanted a ridiculous amount of ram since I do a lot of songwriting and the wave files...oof.---Went with Cubase 10 pro(soon to be 11)--Scarlet 8i8(needed 4 inputs mainly for my son and his band, may have been overkill but happy so far--using Superior Drummer3 for drums(love it so far)--Finally, went with Adam Audio AX7s for near field monitors(love those as well)---The Mac just sat and sat while we waited for the the programs to catch up to Catalina. Anyway got about 10-13 songs done since March or so. Huge learning curve, but like the ease of use for a lot of things compared to the old Portastudios. Appreciate all the info/help. Thanks again

Glad you’ve gotten some meaningful equipment and recordings.
 
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