building up larger multitrack mix w/DP008ex

smg

Member
I've been getting some good feedback/info over here in different forums about various aspects of the overall recording process but really could use some ideas on the approach I'm using from other DP008ex users in terms of its specific functions-

As far as using the mixdown/mastering processes to make a stereo master track -has anyone used the SMT clone process to continue building up the mix?In other words copying the SMT back to 2 tracks in multitrack mode then using these 2 as part of the next mixdown/mastering/SMT....

The way I'm putting things together is-

-first recording the individual drum kit components to 8 tracks,setting up the pan/levels

- mixing down to the SMT and using the multiband compressor settings to rerecord the SMT

-copying it back to the mulitrack mode,then recording the instrumental parts to the rest of the 6, tracks(i.e.replacing them w/new material)

- repeating the same process

-doing it again to make the final SMT which gets normalized as well.


So basically I'm using three SMT creation processes to finalize a larger mix of this type...

The first made up of the drum tracks;then the SMT made from these w/new instrumental parts,then the third SMT (using the drum- mix- SMT-plus- new- tracks SMT copied back to mulitrack mode to add more tracks to....)

What I'd appreciate feedback about is-

What kind of panning do you use for the SMT-to-2-tracks mix?....I'm wondering what produces the best end result in terms of the stereo field....as well as retaining the panning used to make the SMT each time?I've been leaving both tracks dead center but wonder if a wider pan would be better....

As far as using recording an instrumental part to 2 tracks to set up a wide mix and using techniques like EQ'ng each differently ...when you do this how wide a pan do you use?How many instrumental parts do you record to one track along w/using the 2 track approach re- simulating the kind of things you can do w/the DP24SD which has both mono and stereo tracks?

Also In terms of using MBC on the SMT each time,would you recommend using a low level of processing I.e.low threshold/ratio/levels so that the end result SMT will have a good dynamic range and can be processed a liitle more along w/normalization?

Although feedback from other DP008ex users is what I'm hoping to find,any tips from people using similar types of approaches to setting up a larger mix would be of equal interest....
 
I wish I could help. I have a dp008ex. One thing i will say Is that I don't believe the internal mics will record vocals well enough. I'm getting a decent external mic for acoustic guitar and vocals .beyond that i will likely get a mid range workstation to prearrange a song then record say drum patterns and strings into a stereo pair into dp008ex . Then overdub acoustic type material . I'm sorry this doesn't particularly help but i believe that recorder should get good results if patient
 
Hey maxman...when you talk about "recording drum patterns/strings to a stereo pair" what do you mean-2 mono tracks each?
 
Not sure yet .I figured I'd premix the levels on the workstation sequencer then come out from the left and right jack outputs and into track one and 2 of dp008ex?
 
In others words you're just going to use the DAW as a kind of pre-amp?Why not record everything in it?Seems like you don't need to use the DP008ex...???
 
I don't have daw it's all going to be workstation arrangement and acoustic overdubs in the dp008ex for vocals and guitar
 
Not clear on this yet- what type of workstation is it ? i.e. what does it do?...assuming you can't record with it, just run things into it to mix if I'm right...??
 
The one I'm looking at is a keyboard workstation with a built in 16 track sequencer . I figure I'd maybe get a drum pattern in the shape of the song and overlay string arrangement parts .then record that into the dp008ex. I'd then add acoustic guitar and vocals via an external mic into the dp008ex. Something along those lines anyway
 
NOW I understand what you're talking about...this is exactly what I do w/the WK6600 I have....which one are you looking at?
 
Yamaha psr s775. I still need to figure out how I'm going to arrange around the main guitar chord progression .there's an audio input on it but nobody seems to know if I can get it alongside midi sequenced tracks if only as a scratch track for arranging
 
I downloaded the manual to see what.it does...similar to mine...not sure what you're talking about re-"using audio input alongside midi sequenced tracks.."are you talking about trying to record the guitar on the keyboard using the audio in and having it be on there w/the other tracks recorded internally(which you're calling midi -sequenced"?)using the sequencer?
If yours is like mine the audio in is only for playing something through the speakers ..doesn't connect to the sequencer internally....

If I'm understanding what you want to do correctly here, you could use the opposite approach + record the guitar part on the DP008ex then run the keyboard into it and set up the in-out points so the guitar part would loop,then figure out what you want to use for an arrangement on the keyboard,...set up the sequencer to record what you figure out while the Tascam loops,then listen to the sequencer track and see what you played + if its what you were looking for..if not keep trying things until you find a combination that works.....this is the approach I use...you'll need to balance the levels of the keyboard into the Tascam as well as the mix of the two(guitar track on Tascam and what you're playing on keyboard)....I use headphones out of the Tascam to do this...
Are you going to set the drum track up on the workstation?
 
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Yes maybe ill have to try it that way. Either way I need those guitar chord progressions sitting there while I'm figuring out any other parts such as strings. The drums in there aren't (too) bad and have variation patterns and fills .im not sure yet whether all my stuff will suit a drum track but I'd likely need to keep time with it even if I end up dropping it out altogether especially if they end sounding a bit fakey. One way or another I'm going to try make things as simple as possible . The main critical complexity in the end resides in getting good material and suitable arrangement . My emphasis tries to stay with that I guess
 
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I have the 008 and love it. I personally think the internal mics are good. But use it to record remotely then dump my files into my daw. I cant imagine mix/mastering with it. But I'm sure the effort is a good learning process.
 
What type of DAW do you use?..How big a mix do you usually make i.e.within 8 tracks or do you make larger mixes like I'm describing with it?
 
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