Lost in Space

  • Thread starter Thread starter TheRockDoc
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TheRockDoc

TheRockDoc

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Hello all- new to this forum here.

I retired from the 80's in about 1996 :), and although I am familiar with digital gear, and actually sold it at one time (my knowledge was in sync with what was available), I am now doing my best Austin Powers moves as I burrow in the 2000's.

My most embarrasing moment was, after having purchased a Tascam 488 a few years ago so I could remix some old tapes for myself and some friends who wanted their lost treasures, the little zit faced fucker at the register saw my 6 pack of cassettes and snickered "we use CD's now, man"

I would have never taken that shit back in the day :)

In any event, I have just decided to dive back in, and purchased a Mac and HD 23 and set up a studio in my house. The quandry is...rack or plug in.

I have a Rev7, SRV 2000, MidiVerb+, several Alesis Drum machines, etc. etc. and am getting laughed at by the digi guys. SO who can shed some light to a reasonably astute guy? Do I go ProTools or Logic7? Which one has better plug ins? which ones interface with the other (can I send Garage Band files to proTools studio for mixing, etc. Can you use plug ins AND outboard simultaneously? Is going pro-tools put me at the mercy of proprietary stuff? What about Logic?

I have lots of questions, and not too many good answers yet- so I'm turning here.............
 
I too am a hardware buff, but if you are looking towards a software package, you can't go wrong with Logic (Although Emagic sold out and left us PC guys hanging, Logic is still a great package). Logic can work with GarageBand files and instruments. Both programs have many proprietary features, but also can work very universally as well. You definitely won't be locked into proprietary features unless you choose too. But what ever you do, keep the old gear around. You'll probably find your software and hardware can peacefully co-exist (however I hear Logic still has not implemented advanced latency-compensation yet, but that is a minor inconvenience if you monitor your live playing through an external mixer).
 
Logic Man

I'd second the Logic 7...
I've been using it since Logic 3 and love the updates that have been implemented over the years... You'll find varying opinions on the forum... Both are excellent packages...

As for older gear - Yes, there is peaceful coexistence with outboard and inboard gear - Choose what you like - there's never been a better time to experiment and compose...

I'm using an Alesis DM5 with several external synths including ones as vintage as the old Kawai K1r, and a Peavey DPMv3... (and more)... It's kind of become a thing with me to collect some older gear - Some still sounds wonderful and can provide a place and touch that you can't get with softsynths... However, Logic comes with roughly 10 softsynths of varying degrees of sonic quality... And they coexist wonderfully...

Most of it depends on your own tastes and what kind of horse power you have to run soft synths and plug-ins...

Hope this answers a few questions...
 
A good start

This is a good start...thanks for the quick posts

Basically, I am not planning on selling my rack gear- I'll just use most of it for a live rig or in the PA. Right now it's Rev 7, SRV 2000, DigiTech DSP 256 (convicted Tone Killer), MidiVerb+, DBX 1066, Hush IIC, Aphex Type C, PeeWee (Peavey) Autograph EQ and Ultraverb (convicted Tone Killers). I'll be looking for more advice on midi floor boards later. It is going to be either a Line 6 (I have a DuoVerb head) Short board and/or a Behri 1010- or a VooDoo Labs Ground Control (most often recommedned to me).

The quandry is that a good friend of mine is a pro engineer, and I'd like to be able to send files for him to mix for/with me. Of course, that puts me into ProTools. My 'needs' tell me that since I record mostly drum machine/electronic drums, some light keyboards, and mostly live guitar and bass, that all of the Fruity Loops stuff is really just not the direction I plan on taking with my music.

On the other hand, Logic and Garage Band seem to give me all the editing capabilities I need (since they already do, by their very nature, more as a digital rig than I ever needed doing analog). BUT (for example)- will Pro Tools read files that are from Logic and vice versa. More so, how many plug ins will I really need for either one of them. My inclination is to go with the drum and keyboard plug ins, hands on with guitar/bass/vox, and start with outboard gear and I think there are some basic effects built in with either 3 of the programs. Either way, do some systems tend to have more expensive plug ins? :)

But then I get confused about what I might need as an interface. I thought about a 61 key controller, a D4 (although I can use my existing drum machines) and a Digi 002. but what is comparable or what would I need if I go Logic?

Too much for one post probably, but I'm not out of the weeds yet :)
 
I'll take a stab at a couple here:
Behringer FCB1010=Excellent (The only time you'll ever hear Behringer and Excellent together).

Files that are created in Logic can be ported to Pro Tools with minimal fuss (And Vica Versa).

As far as Logic goes, it is pretty much a complete package, but can be expanded (With many of the same plugins available to Pro Tools). Pro Tools by far is the more expensive route.

There are plenty of audio interfaces available, and vary in configuration and price considerably (You might check out the MOTU pieces for example). A dedicated keyboard controller is a good idea (a M-Audio Radium61 is about $200 new, with 8 sliders, 8 knobs). If you will be mixing on another system, a dedicated control surface for the software mixer isn't essential.
 
Keep it Comin'

OK- so basically my setup is...

PowerBook/monitor- sizeable outboard gear. If I were to go Logic 7 (financially my best move) and let's say 61 key controller, what else would I need? A friend suggested using just the sequencer/controller and the soundcard/ I have an outboard mixer I can use (not digital) but do I need an extensive i/o setup? Does the Logic come with quality plug ins with the factory package?

What about firewires, etc. Don't know much about it- but I'm :) definitely further along than i was...

Any thoughts on KRK V8's vs. DuynAudio BM5's? I can get them both for under 1K
 
That setup should be fine, and yes Logic's plugins are very good, and the included plugins will probably keep inspired for quite some time. As far as interface goes, it really depends on how many tracks you wan't to simultaneously record. My rule of thumb is at least enough inputs as you have physical mixer busses (usually 4 or 8), obviously the more you have, the more flexibility in being able to do things (Like using hardware FX as inserts in your software mixer, while simultaneously recording a bunch of tracks). As far as outputs, I'd go at least with 4 (Obviously more if you plan on using a lot of external FX inserts, or plan on doing surround work in the future.

Check this bad baby out: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Firepod/
It even comes with Cubase LE (something to work with until you get Logic)...Lot's of bang for the buck!!! Or this one: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FW1804/ LOTS of Audio/MIDI I/O, Cubase LE, and GigaStudio3 :)

V8's are alright, haven't tried the others (and I'm an Event fan).
 
Made the move...

Well- I jumped...

I decided to go with the DynAudio BM5A's, Digi 002 Rack and M-Audio 88 key controller (not the ones with the all the buttons). Now I just have to figure out how to use it :)

I moved all my rack gear (Rev 7, SRV 2000, MidiVerb +, Dbx 1066, Hush IIc, PV Autograph EQ) to go with DuoVerb head and Behri 1010.The Ground control is cool, but worth more than the rack...now I just have to figure out how to use it :)

I used to think it was tough with tape, but looking at all those waveforms is like a cheap high...psychedelic, man.

My biggest challenge is going from getting one good sound to channeling all the MIDI stuff. My determining factor in the whole process was that I still needed an interface with Logic, and I felt that Logic was more suited to sequencing and contemporary digital type recording where the Digi seemed to interface better with analog guys like me. By the time I got into sequencing software for the Logic,it was all included with the 002 rack.

and the difference between a USB and a firewire is? :(
 
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