What do you think of this idea?

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Brother_N_t_

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Hi, just signed up for the forums here. It's been some interesting reading. Anyway, I'm new and thinking about recording like this and would like to know what you people think.

I have a Tascam 424mkIII and some decent mics I hope (a MXL 990 condensor and a shure sm 57). I plan on recording dry onto the tascam 424mkIII and then using the line out, hooking up to my PC (which is getting worked on - controller, another drive, more ram), and mixing to the PC. I'm getting a version of ProTools, not exactly sure which one.

So what do you think? Any problems, concerns here? Thanks.

Joe
 
Hybrid systems seem to be all the rage these days but, it does seem like double the work to be starting in one format and then transferring to another midway in the production. :confused:

Myself, I use a one inch, 16 track, TASCAM MS-16 open reel recorder with dbx type I professional noise reduction and from there, burn to a stand alone CD recorder deck and do simpler two track edits on the computer for normalizing, trimming and fading.

I find working solely in the analog domain while doing the tracking session, makes for a more straight forward approach.

This may not be fashionable or hip but it works for me and I get amazing sound quality from doing it that way.

Your mileage may vary.

Cheers! :)
 
I use a 424 mkIII and a 464, both four track cassette recorders, bouncing signals back and forth to get more than 4 tracks. I mix down to computers sometimes for sending files and posting mp3s.

I have also looked into a "hybrid" studio set-up, ProTools or other. I am wondering how to best utilize ProTools using an analog input; after you essentially mixdown your four tracks to ProTools' two chanells, then what? Record the rest of the project to disc, using your 424 as a console to send to the computer your next tracks?

How would this set-up be better than just going direct into the computer? You would not benefit from tape at all in this scenario.

The Ghost does get an awesome sound on his 1 inch open reel, but that kind of upgrade is not in the cards. I think I'm stuck bouncing signals for now.
 
A friend of mine did somethign similar with his Tascam 38. He had an 8 input soundcard and would transfer all 8 tracks into Cubase then mix them in there.

That until he decided mixing all on analog is easier and keeps the tape sound. He sold the soundcard :)

Ive found mixing on analog to be easier, as everything is at your fingertips and you dont have to wait for anything to "load" or anything
 
you still get benefits from tape

I guess you could say my system is hybrid and I like it ok.

I have an old Tascam M35 mixer, a portastudio, and an MBox Protools setup.
Often I'll record to tape and then dump the tracks separately to protools. As long as you've got some clicks you can line up then there is no real problems doing this manually (a bit tedious though, a better system would have a reel to reel sync'ed up to the PC properly)

If you're from the school of thought that says tape simply IS a better recording medium because of natural compression and 'analogue warmth' then you can capture this by recording to tape first and transfering.

What I'm saying is I differ from what others have said about there being no benefits by going to tape then computer - If your source has been recorded to tape then something of that 'tape feel' will be imparted on eack track, same as your mixer and eq may have imparted their character. Whether you then go direct to a burner or go into a computer for editing these aspects of the source and signal chain have been captured & will still be there.

However the real question comes down to how you are transfering (the interface and converter quality), and whether you and your music will actually benefit from the editing capabilites of protools(or whatever).
 
Thanks

I think the version of ProTools I'm getting is "ProTools Free." Am I right with that? Do they make a version like that or called that? I'm wondering if that's going to be sufficient for what I need. I just plan or recording maybe 4 tracks at the most right now so hopefully this will be ok. I've really just been working on micing things and tracking. Eventually this is going to be a thing to tackle so I wanted to get a head start. Thanks for all the replys!

God Bless,

Joe
 
ProTools Free version

Has eight tracks, is an excellent tool for the beginner. You can download it for free at digidesign.com or order a cd for $10 to install it on your 'puter.

I would recommend the cd because you get a tutorial that really gets you started, with real time plug-ins, if I was digitally inclined, which I am not, so I won't, even if I did, which I didn't.
 
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