M
MeestaMark
New member
Hey all.
Been a lurker here for a long time, but finally signed up - with a question. Actually, a long series of questions.
I'm a writer / singer / multi-instrumentalist, who has been composing/sequencing/recording for a LONGGGGGG time. As a result, I got to the point where I was using a tried and true system that worked for me. But it's beginning to present its' shortfalls, so I thought I'd ask you folks which way I should consider going.
What I'm looking to do is consolidate and modernize my entire setup... which includes an aging DAW. Hence my posting this in the digital recording thread.
SO....
First off - sequencing. Sequencing is my main songwriting tool - and has been forever. My tool of choice has been, and continues to be Sequencer Plus - which runs in DOS. I'm sure there are those who will laugh at this - and I get it - but SP is actually an awesome sequencing environment. Rock stable, no mouse necessary, a whole bunch of great MIDI utilities built in (like splitting a specific note range out of a midi track and moving it to another) and incredibly fast to work in.
However... it IS DOS, and as such, requires a dedicated machine for that - which is a pain in the butt to try to network. There's no undo. 8.3 file naming convention, and on and on.
I went to AES like 8 years ago, and talked to Cubase / ProTools /Etc. folks - and said "Look - I want to move into the twenty-first century here... but my sequencing software does A and B and C..." They said "Oh, sure, ours does that...." 15 minutes later, they're trying to figure out how to write a macro... lol.
The sequencer is connected to an ASR-X, a Wavestation EX, a yamaha AN1x, a Roland Juno-di, a novation bass station, an MT-32 and an FB-01 - using 3 separate midi channels - my fourth is used to sync with my DAW.
Then there's the DAW side. I should say up front that I use a console - a Yamaha RM-800, which is quiet as all get-out - and I'd really like to keep using one. (I also love using outboard stuff at mix-time.) I am currently running an MOTU 1224, and Digital Performer in OS9. I'm stuck there, because A. the 1224 is connected to a PCI324 card, which is not supported in OSX, and B. My version of DP doesn't work in OSX. My audio i/o needs are essentially 8 channels.
I'm actually chiefly a PC person, but am doing the DAW thing on a Mac because I got the 1224's and DP cheap, from someone who was getting out of the business. I'd actually much prefer to be working on a PC.
The DAW and the DOS sequencing PC are synced via MIDI - which works well.
But here's the thing.... if you haven't already noticed, this system is way bigger than it needs to be - I have to maintain 2 file systems - one for the sequencer and one for the audio. There are obvious limitations on both the DAW and the MIDI side now.
And last, but certainly not least... I'm not made of money. I've acquired this stuff over the course of well over a decade, and am not in a position to go spending thousands on a whole new setup.
I do have a couple of laptops that are fast enough to do the processing if I choose to go that way, or I could get ahold of a dedicated desktop machine... but I'd really like to pare this system down into something more up-to-date and manageable. I'd also love to start using plug-ins and VSTs - which I have not 'til now.
Which leads to my question(s):
1. I'd like recommendations on which way to go, software-wise. I've heard good things about Reaper, but many of you know way more than me... hopefully, I've given a pretty good overview of how I'm working now. Bear in mind that...
2.If at all possible, I'd love to keep using the 1224 as audio interface - it sounds pretty damned decent. I'm not adverse to going another way, and know that there are some fairly inexpensive 8-channel interfaces out there, but again... you probably know more than me.
I don't care about used vs. new - and if that saves me money in the transition, great. I won't pirate, period.
Lastly - I really appreciate you folks taking the time to read and advise.
Best,
Mark
Been a lurker here for a long time, but finally signed up - with a question. Actually, a long series of questions.
I'm a writer / singer / multi-instrumentalist, who has been composing/sequencing/recording for a LONGGGGGG time. As a result, I got to the point where I was using a tried and true system that worked for me. But it's beginning to present its' shortfalls, so I thought I'd ask you folks which way I should consider going.
What I'm looking to do is consolidate and modernize my entire setup... which includes an aging DAW. Hence my posting this in the digital recording thread.
SO....
First off - sequencing. Sequencing is my main songwriting tool - and has been forever. My tool of choice has been, and continues to be Sequencer Plus - which runs in DOS. I'm sure there are those who will laugh at this - and I get it - but SP is actually an awesome sequencing environment. Rock stable, no mouse necessary, a whole bunch of great MIDI utilities built in (like splitting a specific note range out of a midi track and moving it to another) and incredibly fast to work in.
However... it IS DOS, and as such, requires a dedicated machine for that - which is a pain in the butt to try to network. There's no undo. 8.3 file naming convention, and on and on.
I went to AES like 8 years ago, and talked to Cubase / ProTools /Etc. folks - and said "Look - I want to move into the twenty-first century here... but my sequencing software does A and B and C..." They said "Oh, sure, ours does that...." 15 minutes later, they're trying to figure out how to write a macro... lol.
The sequencer is connected to an ASR-X, a Wavestation EX, a yamaha AN1x, a Roland Juno-di, a novation bass station, an MT-32 and an FB-01 - using 3 separate midi channels - my fourth is used to sync with my DAW.
Then there's the DAW side. I should say up front that I use a console - a Yamaha RM-800, which is quiet as all get-out - and I'd really like to keep using one. (I also love using outboard stuff at mix-time.) I am currently running an MOTU 1224, and Digital Performer in OS9. I'm stuck there, because A. the 1224 is connected to a PCI324 card, which is not supported in OSX, and B. My version of DP doesn't work in OSX. My audio i/o needs are essentially 8 channels.
I'm actually chiefly a PC person, but am doing the DAW thing on a Mac because I got the 1224's and DP cheap, from someone who was getting out of the business. I'd actually much prefer to be working on a PC.
The DAW and the DOS sequencing PC are synced via MIDI - which works well.
But here's the thing.... if you haven't already noticed, this system is way bigger than it needs to be - I have to maintain 2 file systems - one for the sequencer and one for the audio. There are obvious limitations on both the DAW and the MIDI side now.
And last, but certainly not least... I'm not made of money. I've acquired this stuff over the course of well over a decade, and am not in a position to go spending thousands on a whole new setup.
I do have a couple of laptops that are fast enough to do the processing if I choose to go that way, or I could get ahold of a dedicated desktop machine... but I'd really like to pare this system down into something more up-to-date and manageable. I'd also love to start using plug-ins and VSTs - which I have not 'til now.
Which leads to my question(s):
1. I'd like recommendations on which way to go, software-wise. I've heard good things about Reaper, but many of you know way more than me... hopefully, I've given a pretty good overview of how I'm working now. Bear in mind that...
2.If at all possible, I'd love to keep using the 1224 as audio interface - it sounds pretty damned decent. I'm not adverse to going another way, and know that there are some fairly inexpensive 8-channel interfaces out there, but again... you probably know more than me.
I don't care about used vs. new - and if that saves me money in the transition, great. I won't pirate, period.
Lastly - I really appreciate you folks taking the time to read and advise.
Best,
Mark