Why would you use a "channel strip" while tracking?

[Chris F]

I keep seeing all kinds of gear ads for expensive "Channel strips" which usually include EQ and compression as well as a pre. While I'm no expert on recording matters (to say the least), I have done a fair amount of studio work, and in my experience in that capacity the engineer who gets the best results almost never uses compression or EQ while tracking. He says that it would be a shame to process a signal on the way in, since you're stuck with the changes once it's recorded, and adds that it's almost always better to just keep working at mic placement and tone production before recording to get what you're looking for naturally, then tweak as needed to make the sound sit in the mix the way you want.

This makes perfect sense to me, and after working with this guy over the past couple of years I can't see why I'd want to do it any other way. If this is the case (and I'm sure there's room for argument, but...), wouldn't the compression and EQ on most channel strips be kind of superfluous? Enlighten me, oh wise ones!

 

[tdukex]

You use the eq and compression during mixdown.

 

[CoolCat]

dry tracking

This is interesting, i recently slapped on a Channel strip and it helped me (i think) get the "tone production" as you mentioned.

my input is that the channel strip may help overcome some other deficiencys in the chain tho (microphone)?
but the point you make, as I understand it,
is a pre-amp+mic only?
then leave the EQ and compression (of course the reverbs etc..)
is better added later.

I agree with the theory, you can't remove it later.
This seems to make sense as I've had this issue with effets&guitars where they sound good with all the effects goin in Tracking,
but then don't sit in the mix well.

my mixing skills sucks, i'd love to go be a "trainie" and learn more of the
"behind the glass" procedures.
damn...i like the sound of all the stuff in the cans tho while tracking.

 

[boingoman]

The biggest reason I see to do it is if your channel strip sounds better than your other options for mic pres.

A Focusrite Vocalmaster might be an improvement over the pres in a behringer board, but not necessarily over some nicer mixers.

 

[xstatic]

As more and more people start to mix in the box, comping and EQ'ing on the way in will become more and more important if you want the sound that the outboard gear offers. I agree that if you are in any doubt, play it safe and track flat. However, I don't hesitate at all to add EQ and/or compression at the tracking stage. I never add a lot of EQ though. Before reaching for any processing though I always double chaeck mic selection and placement. I know many more engineers that do process on the way in than I know that don't. If the first steps have been taken properly and you know your room and have a good vision of the desired results than in my opinion it is completely OK. If you have to do something extreme though, that is a sign that something else isn;t right and you are just treating the symptom and not the actual problem.

In the days of analog tape this was not as big an issue unless you had very minimal amounts of outboard gear. When going to tape you knew that you were also going right back out to the console where you could just insert the processing there. If you own a distressor though and you are mixing in the box, you would pretty much have to use it for tracking if you wanted to get the effects of what a Distressor offers

 

[kats]

Using a channel strip while tracking is used to warm up recordings that are digital. The mantra (as told by me by a grammy winning producer) is : record flat when working in analog, and vice versa when going digital.

Personally I know squat, I'm just parroting what I've been told.

 

[dr.colossus]

reasons to commpress on the way in:

* 16 bit or (cheaper) analog recording, much less dynamic headroom.

* saves on D/A conversions when mixing on a SIAB

* mixing is a lot easier when you get the sound right while tracking

* you are recording with four mics and only have two comps, so you record two mics with compressoin and get the other two during mix down.

If like me you only have one excellent channel of compression and your mixing down eight tracks, its kinda hard to pick which tracks gets the TLA and which gets the behri, so i am always compressing something on the way in.

As far as channel strip versus a seperate mix and match pres and comps are comcerned; I THINK its because a) manufactures believe they can match the right comp to their pre and vice versa. b) enconomically more viable, the two units share one power supply, one casing, one production line etc.