RecordingMaster
A Sarcastic Statement
Hey hey e'rybahday
I have a few different outboard tube rack units I like to use while mixing in real time (and tracking). On my interface/patchbay system, I just patch it in during a mix (like a plugin insert on a track or bus) and mix in real time with them. I've always heard that tube gear really starts to get it's "character" (even if not a heavy character piece like my Pro VLA II), after it's been on for about an hour or so. So what I have been doing is if I know I am going to be mixing later on, I will go into the control room and flick on my tube gear and let it warm up for at least a half hour or so.
Problem is, especially with having a new kid now, life is a lot of times unpredictable. Tracking is a different story, but i can't always plan ahead and know exactly when I might have a few minutes to fire open a mix I'm working on and spend a little (or a lot) of time on it. I might have 20 mins here or there which is better than using the excuse of "I'm too busy to work on music"...which is complete BS even for the busiest fellow.
I want to be able to crack open a mix and flick on all my gear and just start going. But what i worry about is, if I have a tube outboard comp as an active insert on a track/bus and I start mixing seconds after turning it on, won't the character/tonality change slightly as I mix? So let's say I turn on the mix and continue where i left off, compressors "cold" and I am making decisions to that track (and tracks surrounding it) based on how it sounds at that very moment. An hour passes by and the comp has gradually warmed up and now maybe the decisions i have made will sound slightly different? Maybe I am being overly paranoid and the change would be barely noticeable.
Any thoughts?
(Sorry about my usual novel)
I have a few different outboard tube rack units I like to use while mixing in real time (and tracking). On my interface/patchbay system, I just patch it in during a mix (like a plugin insert on a track or bus) and mix in real time with them. I've always heard that tube gear really starts to get it's "character" (even if not a heavy character piece like my Pro VLA II), after it's been on for about an hour or so. So what I have been doing is if I know I am going to be mixing later on, I will go into the control room and flick on my tube gear and let it warm up for at least a half hour or so.
Problem is, especially with having a new kid now, life is a lot of times unpredictable. Tracking is a different story, but i can't always plan ahead and know exactly when I might have a few minutes to fire open a mix I'm working on and spend a little (or a lot) of time on it. I might have 20 mins here or there which is better than using the excuse of "I'm too busy to work on music"...which is complete BS even for the busiest fellow.
I want to be able to crack open a mix and flick on all my gear and just start going. But what i worry about is, if I have a tube outboard comp as an active insert on a track/bus and I start mixing seconds after turning it on, won't the character/tonality change slightly as I mix? So let's say I turn on the mix and continue where i left off, compressors "cold" and I am making decisions to that track (and tracks surrounding it) based on how it sounds at that very moment. An hour passes by and the comp has gradually warmed up and now maybe the decisions i have made will sound slightly different? Maybe I am being overly paranoid and the change would be barely noticeable.
Any thoughts?
(Sorry about my usual novel)