Hmmm... there are things in there that have merit. I got frustrated with Audacity a while back, but Ardour looks promising.
For me, the biggest question would be drivers for the firewire digital interface unless I get a multi-channel soundcard (external; currently recording on a laptop).
I've tried only a couple of times to work with Audacity for more than basic trimming, db boost, etc., never multitrack.
I use Sonar, but it's not aging well: I absolutely cannot use it for final mix down of MP3. The sound goes to hell, like you're listening across a washboard.
Ardour got my attention, though I've not investigated it yet.
I actually had that sound problem with audacity mixing down to MP3 or editing MP3s, which led me to other things.
I'm multitracking in CuBase right now, mixing down to WAVs and converting to MP3s with CDEX. It'd be nice if all of that would be handled by the DAW, but it works for now.
The two solo CDs were recorded at a project studio that runs on ProTools HD, so I have all my master tracks on the external HD I shuttle back and forth. For $200 I could get a small external interface with ProTools LE and have it all be consistent, which I may do so I can slice and dice / remix those tracks if I want to.
I'm still with my first (and strangely, Windows-based) DAW software, Multitrack Studio. It is cheap, it works well, is flexible and pretty well soundcard-agnostic, and the guy that writes the code answers the support email. Promptly. I currently use the recommended M-Audio Audiophile 2496, but will upgrade this year to an 8-channel firewire interface, the M-Audio ProFire 2626. I hope.
Phantom-powered condenser mikes are the way to go for the studio; I picked up an AKG Perception 100 at a local music store with a gift certificate from Christmas before last, and it made me into a believer. Been gushing about it ever since.
I would love to run with a Linux-based system, but being the geek that I am, I would have to strip any distribution to bare bones, so that all I would have running on it would be the studio and audio-related apps, and the gui. The only real issue I see is the issue of Antares Auto-Tune, which is, IMHO, a must for any serious undertaking. I haven't found (haven't really looked) a piece of software that runs on Linux that would take its place.
ETA: I convert from WAV to MP3 with WavePad. Free, and works well.
I looked at the M-Audio 2496, but it'd still have to be an external enclosure for me. I run through an Alesis MultiMix 8 firewire.
When I'm recording at home I run mics through a PreSonus tube pre-amp (I don't trust the pres in the the board). I'll run 2-3 channels for instruments - usually a direct in from the pickup, a small condenser for 12th fret and a medium condenser for room. Currently I'm using AudioTechnica mics (cheap and don't do badly too badly for my purposes) 2020 and 2021 although I've also had good luck switching out the 2021 for my old workhorse Shure 57 beta.
Here I run the mikes through a Behringer Eurorack 802A (when I don't forget the external power supply at home) on their way to the soundcard. One reason I want the external interface is for those times I need to take the studio on the road, as we did back at New Year's. The other reason is because I want to have the option of editing individual tracks for a the band after a "live" recording. We recently had a huge disaster with that, and I've spent prolly 15 hours on that one song alone since.
I really need to spend the money and get a Fishman or something put in my guitar for live gigs. Miking it is a pain. I bought strap-ons for the fiddles :)
Yeah, the multimix sends 8 channels with separation over firewire although I never push more than 3 at a time. The room in which I record (re: my office) isn't great acoustically for separation so I get a lot more bleed than I should which can make editing tracks a pain... but really, I'm just looking for demo quality on this rig anyway so I don't worry too much about it. I multi-mic the instruments just to fill out the sound profile. I also tend to clone however many tracks I have on the guitar and pan one set slightly left and one side slightly right and EQ them slightly differently for effect. Bouzouki (or high range instruments) I tend to pan more right... I like them in my right ear better, but I suspect that's a personal foible.
I typically use very little of the direct pickup in an instrumental mix, but its nice for flavor.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 18:10 (UTC)For me, the biggest question would be drivers for the firewire digital interface unless I get a multi-channel soundcard (external; currently recording on a laptop).
- Jeho
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 18:20 (UTC)I use Sonar, but it's not aging well: I absolutely cannot use it for final mix down of MP3. The sound goes to hell, like you're listening across a washboard.
Ardour got my attention, though I've not investigated it yet.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 18:32 (UTC)I'm multitracking in CuBase right now, mixing down to WAVs and converting to MP3s with CDEX. It'd be nice if all of that would be handled by the DAW, but it works for now.
The two solo CDs were recorded at a project studio that runs on ProTools HD, so I have all my master tracks on the external HD I shuttle back and forth. For $200 I could get a small external interface with ProTools LE and have it all be consistent, which I may do so I can slice and dice / remix those tracks if I want to.
- Jeho
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 19:50 (UTC)Phantom-powered condenser mikes are the way to go for the studio; I picked up an AKG Perception 100 at a local music store with a gift certificate from Christmas before last, and it made me into a believer. Been gushing about it ever since.
I would love to run with a Linux-based system, but being the geek that I am, I would have to strip any distribution to bare bones, so that all I would have running on it would be the studio and audio-related apps, and the gui. The only real issue I see is the issue of Antares Auto-Tune, which is, IMHO, a must for any serious undertaking. I haven't found (haven't really looked) a piece of software that runs on Linux that would take its place.
ETA: I convert from WAV to MP3 with WavePad. Free, and works well.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 20:03 (UTC)When I'm recording at home I run mics through a PreSonus tube pre-amp (I don't trust the pres in the the board). I'll run 2-3 channels for instruments - usually a direct in from the pickup, a small condenser for 12th fret and a medium condenser for room. Currently I'm using AudioTechnica mics (cheap and don't do badly too badly for my purposes) 2020 and 2021 although I've also had good luck switching out the 2021 for my old workhorse Shure 57 beta.
- Jeho
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 20:31 (UTC)I really need to spend the money and get a Fishman or something put in my guitar for live gigs. Miking it is a pain. I bought strap-ons for the fiddles :)
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 20:43 (UTC)I typically use very little of the direct pickup in an instrumental mix, but its nice for flavor.
- Jeho
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 20:49 (UTC)