Starting over...

[Arbee]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum (obviously!) and plan to start a home studio from scratch this year. I had a 15 year professional music career as a studio musician (piano, keyboards, guitars), arranger/orchestrator and composer but have been away from it for nearly 20 years (in IT/business systems development/management these days).

I've started some fairly intense research and very aware that I could end up with some great gear, but choosing the right equipment and software that will work together easily is perhaps the greatest challenge. I don't want to spend unnecessary time switching screens or overcoming compatibility issues.

I plan to use the studio for 3 main activities - creating film/TV music libraries, recording and mastering my own CD's for retail sale, and creating string quartet arrangements and sim. for online retail sale (including pdf parts/scores and high quality audio demos).

My prerequisites:

1 Compact, I don't have a huge space.
2 Full recording, mixing (say up to 48 tracks) and mastering software suite that will produce professional level results that I could release myself as an indie or take to an external studio for adding live instruments or further enhancements/mastering if necessary. Pro tools 9? Cubase? Which size monitor? Computer specs? (prefer PC but could work with Mac). Speakers?
3 Notation software that I can play into via midi controller and score onto screen and have it play back and record via midi. Sibelius? Finale?
4 Ability to record live acoustic guitar, cello, violin etc, probably just one or two tracks at a time. Mic choice?
5 88 key high quality weighted piano controller keyboard (with headphones at least so I don't have to fire up the whole system just to play with a few ideas) and 49 key touch sensitive controller for orchestral sounds. M-audio? Kurweil? Roland? Yamaha? Kawai?
6 High quality piano sounds (Synthology Ivory?), orchestral library with excellent solo string sounds, percussion and some choral/voice samples (Eastwest? VSL?).
7 Good analog synth library (or separate small synth), especially for keyboard bass.

Any assistance at all from your collective experience would be much appreciated. While I'm more interested in quality than price I'm also keen not to throw money away needlessly. The main outcome I would like is the ability to spend more time on the music and less time on the technology, so it needs to work well together. For example, my research so far gives me the idea that Sibelius works better with Pro Tools than Finale (?), Cubase is more midi-friendly, and that some controllers work better with different software.

Thanks!

Robert (Melbourne)

 

[wheelema]

I'm new to the forum...

...Thanks!

Robert (Melbourne)

Robert,

Were I in your shoes I would contact sweetwater.com to discuss your aspirations and needs or... if you can afford the time... fly to Los Angeles. I believe that sweetwater's marketing model would accommodate your needs but nothing beats seeing the gear in actual use. It's been years since I was last at Guitar Center in Hollywood but as I recall it was pretty awesome.

Luck.

 

[Arbee]

Thanks, will contact sweetwater (and it sounds like a good excuse for a trip to LA too!). Another requirement in the back of my mind for later is to ensure it can be expanded for video synching. I've thought about contacting some of the film schools to do a few freebies for students and get some practice.

Robert

 

[Arbee]

Further research (and thanks for the incredible and vast knowledge on this site that I've trawled for the past few days!) and I get the sense I'd be better off with Sibelius + Pro Tools as two of the early decisions. I suspect it should also be on a PC since I have a lot of experience on that platform in general.

Next is the keyboard - Kurzweil PC3X or Yamaha S90 XS (complemented with some virtual piano, orchestral and other libraries). Although I like the Yamaha feel and piano sound, the Kurzweil could add some analog functionality. I do wonder though if a single 88 keyboard is enough for this kind of set up? Or should I just forget about on board sounds completely and rely on the virtual instrument libraries with a basic 88 controller? Are there any gotchas or pluses with any particular controller brands working with Sibelius/Pro Tools?

Then comes a decision about EastWest, VSL and/or LA scoring strings?

Thanks, I'm sure it will all start to make sense eventually

Robert

 

[c7sus]

If you fly to LA to go to Sweetwater you are gonna be mucho disappointed.

They are located in Indiana.

Check out Reaper. Way cheaper than PT. Don't know if it supports recording from scores like Sibelius but if it doesn't now I'm sure it will soon.

 

[Arbee]

I've discovered there are some issues shipping gear to Australia from the US for at least some products (protection for local dealers etc).

I get the buzz that I may still have some 32/64 bit interfacing issues between Pro Tools, Sibelius and other software drivers etc if I go the 64 bit route (particularly with Sibelius). True?

I have been reading about Reaper and must say it looks very tempting. Do you see any disadvantages based on the requirements of my original post?

Thanks,

Robert