hardware & software
hi jase
it's always bothered me how much i relied on software and especially as i'd never bought any dedicated plug-ins (i use Digital Performer - and love it - 7 years and no complaints!) and ifelt the plugs you got free just couldn't be as good as dedicated ones - so i started to experiment integrating my hardware and software - such as leaving things like my tc reverbs permanently plumbed into the system. DP has a great pull down menu system where you can rename all your 'hard' inputs/outputs and so it becomes a breeze.
it's also a great way of overcoming processor demand/latency on tracking to have reverbs for singers to 'lean into' as hardware auxes rather than as plugs.
i was sceptical about my own abilities to make this work, but then i started reading more and more in the recording press about it so persevered.
i now even have things like my finalizers and mastering eqs plumbed into DP, selectable from a simple input/output pull-down menu. it's pretty seamless really.
my soft synths, sit side by side with
my JV1080 source and my Handsonic and Battery and Reason all coexist happily. i like working this way now and can't imagine going back to a disparate system. hardware synth patches are selectable from within DP and in DP4 you can even tell the system which expansion cards you have installed on your hard synths and patches from these are all selectable from within your sequencer too.
i'm not quite at the stage of never having to touch anything in my hardware racks yet, but with programmable consoles and control panels in DP, the day is getting closer! there are also some great little small footprint midi hardware controllers now that sit on your desktop next to your keyboard and control surface (get a Mackie Universal Control - don't know how i ever survived long and taxing sessions without one!!!).
hope this helps a bit - but feel free to get back to me with any questions about the system i use.
best regards and good luck
paul d
tollboothmusic
