MiniDisc In The Studio

  • Thread starter Thread starter Devilfire
  • Start date Start date
I agree, but again, like I said, it turned out realy well and it was the ONLY thing we had to work with....and hey, on a budget you gotta do what you gotta do....same as the fact that their were no condencer mics used just cheapies, but it's all about working with what you've got...
 
Uh - oh! Somebody roused the BEAR! RUN!!!!
Nothing rouses the Bear more than the quality claims of minidisc users! I have the original 4-track, the MD4 (with 1st Gen. ATRAC), and yes, it is better than cassette. But anyone who can't hear the difference between MD and CD or 2" tape needs an appointment for a hearing test. When I bought the MD4, it was the only choice available for a digital 4-track. The next step up was an ADAT, but they were rather expensive back then and needed a mixer.
Now, with a plethora of 16 bit hard disk recorders full of effects and routing, there is absolutely no good reason to buy a MD Multitrack. The 2- channel versions will enjoy a niche (as mentioned - field recording, backing tracks, etc.); but my little MD4 has quickly gone the way of my old Tascam Portastudio Model 144!

Bob
 
Look on the bright side.
If we learn to improve our recording skills on any decent (or better) multi-track that's probably the best thing we can
realistically accomplish. Only about 10% of professional
commercial releases make any significant money anyway.
Of course the other benefit is that we hopefully improve as
musicians!

Chris

P.S. "we" means people like me NOT a pro like Bruce.
 
I recorded my first independent CD with the Yamaha MD8. I thought the recording sounded good enough to release. Take a listen if you'd like.
http:/www.cdbaby.com/setthecontrols
I recorded the CD in my 3rd bedroom using Radio Shack mic's. 3 mic's on the drums, one or 2 on the guitar, and direct for Bass.
 
mojorisen said:
I recorded my first independent CD with the Yamaha MD8. I thought the recording sounded good enough to release. Take a listen if you'd like.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry friend... I don't mean to sound harsh, but if you're trying to prove that MD is good enough for release, then you've used the wrong example....

I listened to the first song.... from a musical and performance perspective you're on the right track but from a recording perspective you're definitely in the demo arena of sonic quality.
 
MD-ATRAC was never intendent to be used as a format to record hi quality tracks on. It is a bitreduced system keeping only appr 20% of the origional 16 bit 44.1 khz data.
It uses bitreduction based on psychoacoustic knowledge = everything that cant be heard by normal hearing can be removed, in a dynamic process.

Now this is ok if you record a mix to listen back to, but as soon as you need to process your MD-mix, you will run into problem.
As a lot of the energy (not detected by ear) has been removed any processing will change what "could be heard".
Your limiter will try to work on a program where 20% of the information is missing, where a lot of new transients and freq shifts has ben introduced....

If you plan to master on MD you don't have to be too concerned about brands of pre's, cables, mikes and other stuff that are discussed in other forums.....

rgds
 
Which did you listen to, The hi fi or lo fi? I wasn't looking for sonic perfection, I've always liked the Led Zep/J Mascis type of sound. It's good enough that it's being played on the radio.
 
ha!

Do you seriously think I'd listen to a lo-fi version and then make a comment on how lo-fi it sounds?!?!? ;)

And radio air-play doesn't mean anything with regard to overall sound quality... and it sounds like demo.

Led Zep didn't sound hi-end (in the way a well-recorded jazz band might sound), but the mixes had the appropriate professional sheen....

The problems I heard in your mix were lack of depth and space, muddy drums, and lack of definition to all the tracks. Everything that typifies a demo recording!

Again, I'm not trying to insult you -- you offered your songs as proof of the quality of the MD format, and a reality check is in order... mind you - the mix problems I noticed have nothing specifically to do with the MD recording format...
 
rambo, with all due respect, the farther one goes down in the quality of the
recording medium, the MORE that superior equipment will help them as the
net result is a sum of the parts, rather than soley the weakest link IMHO.

Chris
 
You're absolutly right chess.... It was not a good statement...sometimes it looks different when reading back what you just typed....
 
That's cool rambo.

I've even recorded different microphones with a budget mixer going into a
consumer Sony cassette recorder that "tops out" between 13KHz and
16Khz depending the type of cassette used and/or the Dolby setting.
Using even the cheapie pre's in the mixer the different "personalities"
of each microphone were still heard.

The minidisc format for either multi-track or stereo recording is excellent for
the learning musician and/or the musician who wants to put out very good
sounding demos. For the pro, however, 16 bit without any data compression
(more accurately data REDUCTION) is the minimum standard.

Chris
 
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