vs vs. pro tools editing

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michael.butler

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I've been recording w/ 2480 for several months. As far as tracking, mixing and using effects, I couldn't be happier. Though I haven't spent quite as much time using its edit features, I would've hoped they'd been a little more user friendly. Especially editing with a mouse. A friend who uses pro tools 001 says editing w/ it is a breeze compared to that of the roland.

Am I the only one thinking it's a little more complicated than has to be? Anybody used both roland AND pro tools who can compare? Also, anyone know of an upgrade that allows you to see your mouse cursor on the roland's vga?

Michael
 
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I have never used the Roland.., but I feel my reply could be beneficial to your dilema.

When I bought my Pro Tools (Digi 001), I had previously only used tape and ADAT... I had never edited on anything...

I was editing, and using all the features of PT pretty much that first night of opening the box....

I had never laid my hands on a DAW before then....


So, It must be pretty simple, if a dumb ass ADAT-guy like me figured it out that fast:D


In my opinion, you can't go wrong with Digi 001 (Pro Tools)

Good Luck...
 
The latest version of the 2480 operating system allows you to use the mouse on the VGA screen. Download it from here:
http://www.rolandus.com/support/upd...ducts.asp?CatID=12&SubCatID=48&ProdID=VS-2480

You can use the ZIP version if you have a zip drive. If you use the MIDI version, you'll probably want to use the SMF Updater, which can be found here:
http://www.rolandus.com/support/genappstools/index.asp?Page=2&CatID=0&SubCatID=&ProdID=

For best results: Before installing, back up all your projects. After installing, reformat your drive, then restore all your projects.

Once the new OS is installed, you can press SHIFT+UTILITY to activate the mouse on the VGA screen. You'll find that the improved interface is significantly easier to use than in 1.xx versions of the OS, including editing.

However, editing on the 2480 will never be as easy and flexible as in ProTools or similar computer-based audio software.
 
Good post Mel... Glad to see you back from the dead... Will there be anymore cameo appearances on "Night Court"?
 
Getting me resurrected was the easy part. Getting Night Court resurrected, well, that'll take a lot more black magic than any God-fearing man would dare to risk.
 
Thanks guys.

Mel, I'm really anxious get that upgrade you linked me to. I'm NOT altogether computer savvy, so bear w/ me here. Am I to understand the only way to acess and load it on to my machine is via zip? All I have currently connected to my 2480 is a cd drive which I use for burning and backing up. Do I need a special "stand alone" zip drive to load the upgrade? Or can I can I download it from the net onto my pc, then hook my pc up to the roland?

thanks
michael
 
There are three options:
1. Using a Zip drive. You'll need a SCSI zip drive to hook up to your VS. (Don't hook up the parallel version, cuz that can burn out the SCSI interface on the VS.) They're pretty cheap on ebay. Hopefully you have a SCSI port on your computer, so you can hook the Zip drive up there. Otherwise, you'll need to have a pal with a Zip drive copy the files onto the Zip disk.

2. Using MIDI. If you computer has a MIDI out port, just use a midi cable to connect that to the MIDI In on the VS. Then use the SMF Updater utility (also on that roland site) to update the VS. The MIDI version of the OS comes with instructions. This by FAAAAAR the slowest method of updating the OS. Takes over half an hour.

3. Call Roland and have them send you a CD. Takes a few days to arrive, but then you just boot up with the CD in the drive, and 5 seconds later your OS is updated.
 
Hi Michael:

Perhaps I have some experience that can be helpful to you.

I own a VS880... yes, it's older than your machine and lacks some of the features.

I've used Pro Tools as PT Free, PT LE (that comes with Digi 001 and MBox), and I even have a smattering of experience on Pro Tools TDM (the grown-up's Pro Tools).

I think Pro Tools is much easier to get around in and work with. The graphical nature onscreen is much better than my 880's little LCD. Your machine has a bigger display and I'm not sure what the VGA/mouse thing is, and I'm sure it's much better than what I have .. but probably not as easy to navigate as PT.

Sometimes PT is more complicated because you have more options. This also means you have more capbilities.

For example, with the Roland you can have, what, 4 effects running at once? So let's say you wanted reverb on 4 tracks, and they were all either different types or user-modified settings and thus 4 separate "user" patches ...

with PT, you can use the same reverb with different settings virtually an unlimited number of times. You can save user-defined settings ad infinitum and each channel has 5 inserts and 4 busses. You can do a lot with that.

Drawing pan and level changes is easy in PT, too. And the ability to zoom way in on waveforms and edit at "zero crossing" points means NO little clicks like I sometimes get with the VS.

But it's all what you think you'll be comfortable with ... I love Pro Tools, but I'm keeping my little VS for live/portable work. And unlike the PC, my VS never crashes. Ever. Not in the 3+ years I've owned it.

You can download PT Free and see if you like that (assuming you have a decent sound card ... the PT LE products come with sound card).
 
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