This is mine...from Italy!!!

[Naci Surino]

Hi guys,

this is my new home studio located in the deep South of Italy, up and running since one month ago!

It's very nice to understand that all around the world there are a lot of friends sharing my same passion!

Cheers

Naci

 

[DDev]

Welcome to the board.

 

[frederic]

Welcome to the BBS!

What keyboards, synths, and modules do we see there?

 

[fespinal4444]

Benvenuto, Naci

What type of music do you play?

Have you heard of NEK?
I love his work

 

[Naci Surino]

thanks to all!!!

To Fespinal4444: I love Jazz and Fusion but I play Pop too, Yes Nek is a big Rock singer in Italy/Europe - great band!

To frederic: no hw synths, just an old Roland JX1 61 keys tt I use as a master keyboard - a lot of sw synths/instruments..I'm working under VST environment (Nuendo 2.01) - M-audio delta 66 + delta 44 - Outboards: see attached .pdf file

DDev: thanks

Ciao to all

 

[frederic]

Re: thanks to all!!!

[QUOTETo frederic: no hw synths, just an old Roland JX1 61 keys tt I use as a master keyboard - a lot of sw synths/instruments..I'm working under VST environment (Nuendo 2.01) - M-audio delta 66 + delta 44 - Outboards: see attached .pdf file
[/QUOTE]

No knobs!!! The Blasphemy!!!

Seriously, looks like you have a nice setup there... Don't mind me, I hate computers and things that don't have knobs.

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Welcome to the board Naci. Very nice setup. Bet you have a ball with that.

Hey frederic! I have a box of KNOBS I'll send ya! Paste em on phony racks. As if you need more of them huh!! I'd say you haven't got enough fingers as it is.
fitZ

 

[frederic]

Hey frederic! I have a box of KNOBS I'll send ya! Paste em on phony racks. As if you need more of them huh!! I'd say you haven't got enough fingers as it is.
fitZ [/B]

heh-heh, well, I'm an analog guy thats suffering with digital.

I actually designed, and built, a "single channel" controller, which had everything an analog console would have, except it transmits midi information instead of adjusting audio directly. The idea, was to make 96 of these, slap them all together, and have them control something like DP, protools, sonar, whatever.

Unfortunately, the single channel cost me about $127 to make. times 96.... well.... that killed that idea. Though I used top quality encoders and such, so if I went with the $1.57 encoder the cost would have been much less.

But i wanted digital controller knobs for EQ, pan, aux sends, switches for buss selection, motorized faders, etc. was a fun experiment.

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Hi frederic. Yea, I remember you talkin about it on the Tascam bbs. Sounds like it would have been way cool. Isn't that something like the units that a couple of manufacturers like JL Cooper make? I thought I saw something like that if I understand correctly. Maybe my thinking is off, which is par. Anyway, sounded like a great idea, if you could mass produce the units. Did you EVER get Tascam to listen to you 'bout
that programming issue. Since their bbs is gone? haven't been able to find the outcome. From what I read though, looked like corporate was getting their digital ass kicked on the DM-24 thing, but I'm no digital guy. I just know there were some pissed people posting their "digital woe is me" stuff and giving Tascam corporate a rash of shit. Saw a LOT of them come up on ebay about that time. Think thats why they pulled the bbs?

fitZ

 

[frederic]

bbs. Sounds like it would have been way cool. Isn't that something like the units that a couple of manufacturers like JL Cooper make? I thought I saw something like that if I understand

Yes, except I had a knob, fader, switch as if it was a neve input channel. This way analog guys like myself can enjoy digital, without having to use a mouse, keyboard, etc. was a neat idea, didn't pan out as well as I'd have liked.

Did you EVER get Tascam to listen to you 'bout
that programming issue. Since their bbs is gone? haven't been

Tascam promised me the "Moxa" protocol - the data stream that the TM-D4000 series mixers communicate with a PC, for full system automation. They had software, but it didnt support surround mode where as the mixers did, so it was useless in that regard. Also, for every mixer you have (you can cascade up to four, to operate as one unit), you need a seperate PC and another copy of the software. Thats about as counter-intuitive as it gets, and surely a waste of PC's.

Also, their software didn't like to coexist with other software, like sonar XL for example... strange lockups and other odd problems.

They made a good attempt, what I wanted to do was take their idea, and expand it to what it should be, then give it away to whoever wants it. The mixers were discontinued, the software is no longer updated by tascam, I saw no harm in taking what should have been an awesome product, and making it awesomer if thats a word.

The DM24 came out so Tascam *I think* didn't want the old hardware to be deemed useful. However, after investing a lot of time, research effort, and paying a programmer friend of mine to shell out the entire application, they never gave me the Moxa protocol and by that time I was so frustrated I dumped the project, and decided I will not be purchasing any new Tascam products in the future. Used stuff yes, but I won't be giving their corporate entity any of my money. After putting my money ($11K)where my mouth was and to end up with nothing, I'm through with them.

Had they given me the protocol specs, I could have had 4 mixers cascaded together, running on one PC, full automation, in surround mode, as if it was one, giant 128 channel console. whats not to love about that? I also had it developed for Mac, PC and Linux, so no one is shut out. Oh well, another lesson learned. There was one cool guy there (Jace) who eventually left and went to Line6, he was really trying to help me out, however corporate didn't really do what they said they'd have done.

So instead, I spent a tremendous amount of time working through midi-automation of the TM-D1000's that I have (eight in all), which works fine. I have all eight mixers independantly controlled and I've sold all but one 4000. I only needed stereo buss anyway, so the smaller units give me more channel space per foot than the bigger mixers. Plus, the smaller units are available on skank-bay, one dies, buy another for $300 and call it a day. The TMD4000, while built very well, has some quirks because they dumped the product before it could be finished.

corporate was getting their digital ass kicked on the DM-24 thing, but I'm no digital guy. I just know there were some pissed people posting their "digital woe is me" stuff and giving

Sonically, the DM24 is awesome. I was very impressed with it and seriously considered purchasing four to replace the TM-D4000's, then I decided 'what the hell am I thinking?' No thank you. If I ever purchase "real" consoles the DM24 is not on the list... I'd spend the money to acquire the new O2R's or two DMX's. Someday when I have more money. Right now a row of TM-D1000's do the job just dandy.

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

the TM-D1000's that I have (eight in all),

You absolutely slay me frederic. $11k for the other mixer huh? Damn, what a waste.

 

[frederic]

You absolutely slay me frederic. $11k for the other mixer huh? Damn, what a waste.

Remember I run a midi studio, therefore my needs are slightly different. I haven't attempted surround in a long time, so having an 8, 12 or 16 buss console isn't too useful in the home studio. What I do need is 9 billion channels for all the gear. A lot of my stuff has individual outs, particularly the drum machines. Anyway, the first TMD-1000 was purchased along with the first TMD4000, just to give me extra inputs. Eventually I ended up with four 4000's, three of which I sold, then I purchased used on ebay 7 more 1000's, for a total of 64 analog ins, and 128 digital recorder returns. Not idea, but acceptable.

The trick is to feed all the mixers the same wordclock signal, to minimize the in/out in/out signal delay as much as possible. Daisychaining wordclocks was a pain, if one mixer booted up slower than the others because it felt like, all the mixers to the right of that one got hosed and has to be reset. With a master wordclock, that goes on with the PC, the wordclock is always there, ready to go. Keeps things nice.

1 mixer at $1399 and 7 mixers at $300-$400 depending on the auction isn't bad for a 128 digital console. Wouldn't work for everyone, but it works for me for 98% of what I do in my home studio. This is why I need so many Motu 2408 MKI's - convert lightpipe from the akai recorders to TDIF for the mixers.

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

frederic, don't the TMD-1000's have 4 buss's too. I have one, but NEVER have even turned it on. Never got that far in Sac, but I read the manuals, and I thought it had 4 analog buss's. But my memory is less than good anymore, soooo....!. You said you only need stereo outs. You mean from each mixer? In digital? Could you elaborate.

I have the block diagram you sent me but its on the other computer which ain't hooked up yet. I guess you don't actually multitrack in the normal sense? Just 2 trks at a time? What do you do when you record a vocal in the booth? Do you use a mic input on one of the TMD's? Or do you use a seperate Mic Pre? Just curious how YOU do things in your studio. I always learn something from you everytime you 'splain stuff.
Thanks frederic. Midi is not easy for me cause I'm not a keyboard player.
Although my son is so I want to turn him on to this stuff. He IS one hell of a computer person. AND keyboard player. AND website designer.
He even set up an ftp site for us, and has a game webpage for his friends and him to play from in real time. Shit, you should see his site. Fucking cool But he has a partition for me, which I am setting up for a business web page. AND I want to do some kind of music dump, or something to that effect. He said he could even set up a forum for me, although I don't know what the hell I'd do with it. But I figured for colaboration stuff, having an FTP site would be handy, and maybe for the studio? Tt has a gazillion meg space for me. Some friend of his whose dad is some kind of computer whiz, has like 20 giant servers hooked to the net. Say, you need anything like this? Its FREE! The guy is real generous with the servers space. I don't know much about it, but my son is trying to teach this old dog new tricks Ha! I'm a dunce with Windows, let alone ftp stuff.
Anyway, thanks for the info frederic. Hey, I smell turkey. OH BOY! Time to sneak some deviled eggs and pickles. Ha!
fitZ

 

[frederic]

frederic, don't the TMD-1000's have 4 buss's too. I have one, but NEVER have even turned it on. Never got that far in Sac,

Yes, they are four busses. Actually, six busses, if you include the stereo l/r buss. However to cascade them digitally, you only have one digital output. Well two, AES/EBU and S/PDIF, but they provide the same digital audio, just in different formats, so they are essentially the same outputs.

So, I use buss 1-4 for analog aux sends to outboards, and stereo l/r to digitally pass that mixers audio to the next mixer's digital l/r in, which I route to the aux knob, so there is nothing other than level setting. This leaves 1-8 analog for synths, and 9-16 TDIF for digital recorder returns (tape returns).

multitrack in the normal sense? Just 2 trks at a time? What do you do when you record a vocal in the booth? Do you use a mic input on one of the TMD's?

what I do is record via midi all the music the synths are to play. I spent and ENORMOUS amount of time here adding feel and timing information. Then, I push play on cakewalk/sonar, and record everything dry to the recorders, in a direct 1-1 relationship between synth channel and recorder channel. Then, I play back, and tweak the EQ, pan, etc, until I'm satisfied with the outcome as a stereo mix.

Rewind, then lay down vocal, lead guitar, that kinda stuff through a homemade tube preamp that uses three 12AX7 tubes, which provides balanced XLR out which I feed into the center TMD1000 mixer, simply because its in front of the where I would be sitting, in the center of the console. I've been meaning to purchase a real preamp, but to be honest, this one sounds very nice. THe TMD1000 preamps are garbage as far as I'm concerned for microphones, whether 48V is enabled or not. They are really nice for synths, direct boxes and the like, never had a problem there, but I've found the better quality microphone I use, the lousier the mic pre in the TMD1000's sound. Maybe its just me, other people seem very satisfied based on what I've seen on the tascam BBS before they took it down.

Thanks frederic. Midi is not easy for me cause I'm not a keyboard player.

Me either, I can play anything poorly, but not a master of anything. But i can read/write midi almost as well as english, and in fact, Cakewalk notation (tabs and stuff) is really easy for me. I've used cakewalk on the PC since it came out, version 1.00

site would be handy, and maybe for the studio? Tt has a gazillion meg space for me. Some friend of his whose dad is some kind of computer whiz, has like 20 giant servers hooked to the net. Say, you need anything like this? Its FREE! The guy is

Well, thats one of the reasons why I have my own webserver, with a terabyte of open storage. http://midimonkey.dyndns.org/ is the server in the basement. I hvae that much storage because I intend to eventually back up the akai recorders, through ethernet, to this server so i can archive audio tracks without having to spin 4mm tapes or something like that. Hard disk space is cheaper than tapes these days, on a per gig basis. At least when you buy them on e-bay

My problem is figuring out the linux security, I'm so linux stupid. But I can provide the same services as you are describing, and intended to offer an FTP section for colaboration should the need ever arise. I just haven't figured out the FTP security as of yet, so it just sits and idles a lot

 

[MaxB]

Oh finalmente un'italiano... Mi sa che ci siamo solo tu e io qui in questa BBS. Finalmente, mi sentivo solo...

Ciao, Max

 

[Naci Surino]

Hi MaxB

Hi MaxB,

writing in English so that other members can understand what we're talkin' about.

It's a long time I'm browsing this forum but registered just few months ago.

Glad to meet an Italian, I'm from South, where do you live?

Did you post any photo of your studio yet?

Ciao

Naci