The first question is always… what kind of music do you record?
Synchronization was the core of the early hybrid analog/MIDI/digital studio. Because of the personal computer the concept has largely been lost in the home/project studio, particularly among the 35 and younger crowd or newcomers to recording of any age. In the 80’s and early 90’s the hybrid studio was analog/MIDI. Affordable digital recording was added to the mix in the 90’s. Some recordists never did dabble in MIDI, but went straight from analog tape to digital tape and later ADAT, MDHR and DAW.
The most effective arraignment for an analog purist (like me) is to simply sync everything together as a system for tracking and mixdown. The system revolves around the analog multi-track. Digital recording has a support role and is used sparingly when used at all. In my system I can use digital to double vocals, guitars and other instruments. The digital tracks stay in the background. I don’t normally transfer from analog multi-track to digital multi-track, but rather run everything in sync. One reason is that I don’t do any digital editing (for serious work). I treat the digital medium like I do tape, using it only as a recording device… choosing sonics over sorcery.
I have a lot of outboard gear, including MIDI capable synths and sound modules (analog and digital). I still use the same hardware MIDI sequencer that I did in 1987, which is a testament to the build quality and reliability of the era. Even without using Pro Tools I have up to 16 virtual MIDI tracks plus drum machine with separate outputs for individual treatment of each drum. My mixers give me 34 simultaneous channels… 24 with EQ and 10 more with just level and panning control.
My multi-track is ½” 8-track. Since one track is used for sync code that leaves me 7 analog tracks, but I will bounce tracks (no more than one generation), which gives me more like 12 to 16 tracks for acoustic instruments and vocals, depending on how I bounce. If I need a Mormon Tabernacle choir or something in the background I will use Pro tools for extra voices in addition to what I already have on tape. Everything is mixed down to 2-track (half-track) ¼” reel-to-reel or Super Beta Hi-Fi. That mix enters the digital realm for the first time at the last step through a stand-alone CD recorder. You could use a good soundcard as well, but I just happen to think this CD recorder (Fostex CR300) is the cats meow, sonically speaking.
Adding analog to an existing digital studio has some benefit, Whether you track to analog first before transferring to DAW, or start with digital and mix to analog 2-track… or both. However, if you really want to set your recording paradigm on its ear and reap the greatest benefit you can start over… build your system around analog and add everything else to it as needed.
Many younger/newer recordists struggle with integrating analog into their digital systems because they approach it with a view to using analog as an effect. Of course its hard not to have a digital perspective if that’s what you started with. But even worse these days… it’s not as much a digital vs. analog issue as an amateur vs. professional issue. The DAW has allowed amateurism to flourish and even become the new (lower) standard by which we measure quality in the music industry.
It doesn’t take that much these days to have a good analog system:
- A decent ½” 8-track or 16-track reel-to-reel (cassette 4 or 8-track may work as well)
- A good mixer with enough channels to handle the multi-track, outboard effects and MIDI devices.
- Hardware effects processor/reverb or two
- Hardware compressor or two
- Lots of cables of various kinds
- A couple noise gates
Most of all knowledge and talent.
