Archive for 'Gear'

I love this recording revolution we are living in. Today’s post is another example of why. Focusrite did a recent promo video featuring singer/songwriter Olivia Broadfield. She has a home studio. She uses minimal gear. Her songs are featured on mainstream television shows and commercials. Take a minute to watch the promo and then read on for my brief thoughts.

You Have Much In Common

The average home studio user (and reader of this website) likely has much in common with Olivia in regards to her setup. Let’s count the ways, shall we?

• She produces music in a home studio (an old garage actually). In fact it doesn’t have acoustic treatment on the walls. (Oh no!)
• She uses a simple DAW to record and mix her music. If you look closely she’s using Propellerheads’ affordable DAW, Record. (Not Pro Tools!?)
• She uses the built in mic pres in her affordable audio interface from Focusrite. (No outboard gear or converters??)
• She uses one quality large diaphragm condenser microphone, that she likely uses for everything.
• She has affordable studio monitors and headphones for tracking and mixing. Yep, budget gear getting it done people.

Are you starting to see some similarities? If you’ve read my free eBook then you know that her setup isn’t much different than the ones I recommend all the time. In her own words, she has “a good computer, a good interface, a good mic” and that’s about it. Don’t you have all those things? A computer, interface, and mic? So what’s holding you back?

Stop Waiting For Your Gear To “Improve”

If Olivia waited around until she had “treated” her studio walls, or gotten more expensive monitors and headphones for mixing, or picked up a nice outboard mic pre, then she wouldn’t have her music on TV right now. Don’t wait to make great music. Do it now! Use your existing setup as tools to capture and distribute your talent and creativity. There really is no more excuse these days.O

Last week I spent some time on the show floor of InfoComm 2011 in Orlando. Specifically I got to check out some new products at the Behringer, Avid, and PreSonus booths and see what was happening in the audio world.

New Products, New Concepts

Behringer was promoting their new personal monitoring system, the Powerplay at their booth and it is awesome. It’s a super elegant and affordable way for bands to create their own custom monitor mixes for the stage or studio. Avid was showing off the new line of Mbox audio interfaces running on Pro Tools 9. And the guys at PreSonus were schooling me on some live integration of Studio One with their awesome line of live mixers, the StudioLive.

I want to personally thank John Dinicola (Behringer), Michael Pearson-Adams (Avid), Rick Naqvi (PreSonus) and Jonathan Hillman (PreSonus) for taking time out of their busy days to chat with me and show me around. I had a blast. Check out the video and see for yourself!

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down (over skype) with pro mixer and producer Mark Endert of Madonna, Maroon 5, and Fiona Apple fame. Originally from California, the now Floridian has worked with so many top artists and continues to mix major projects in his own studio. His discography spans even more people like Gavin DeGraw, Train, Five For Fighting, The Fray, Adam Lambert, and the list goes on. For a more complete list of his credits please visit his site.

This Guy Knows Mixing

If you want to make great recordings and mixes then go to the source, someone who does phenomenal work. Mark is one of those guys and his work speaks for itself. In this interview Mark was gracious enough to answer a lot of my questions and shed some light on the world of making hit records, including:

• How breaking the “rules” is crucial to being creative
• Capturing the right vibe is more important than sound quality
• Mark’s mixing workflow, finding what makes a song tick
• How to know when your mix is done
• How keeping separate mixing sessions is a life saver
• Your levels are like your first “EQ” in the mix
• How committing to sounds in the recording phase is crucial

It’s official. The Recording Revolution has a new logo! I want to give a major shout out to David Keltonic Design for helping me give the branding a makeover. I also want to take today as an opportunity to re-cast the vision of The Recording Revolution to all of you new (and old) readers.

Times Have Changed

I started The Recording Revolution because I saw a void in the “home studio” and “pro audio” world: no one was preaching the message of do a lot of great music with minimal gear. Instead I saw the opposite message plastered every where: “Get all the latest (and vintage) stuff, don’t skimp, and THEN you just might be able to make a great recording.” But that’s ridiculous!

Times have changed people. You no longer need a mixing console, DAT machines, outboard gear, and lots of space to have a professional studio. Thanks to computers and the ever improving DAW, people like you and me can record, edit, mix, master, and release quality music from a bedroom! Notice I said “can”. Just because you have Pro Tools doesn’t mean you’ll make a hit record. You still need talent and vision. But lack of a big budget is no longer the deciding factor, you are.

Give Up The Quest For Gear

If you truly want to make better music now, then you have to get this into your head: your quest for more gear has to end. Gear is not your answer. It’s not what separates you from the pros. Ironically, your non-stop pursuit of more gear (the latest and greatest tool) will actually hinder you from making great music. You would be far better off spending $300 on a basic setup and then making a hit record with only that.

Don’t even think about buying more stuff until you’ve made great music with that basic setup. It simply is a waste of your time and money. And more importantly it will handicap you from real growth in your craft. Every time you turn to another piece of gear to help realize your musical dreams you’re likely trading it for a chance to improve your skill. Don’t make that mistake.

You Can Make Better Music Now!

Did you know that you could start making better music right now? It’s true. That’s exactly what this website is all about. Information is powerful and if you use it, you can improve your recordings and mixes this week. I try and post articles, tips, videos, tutorials, and interviews that give you insight into the art of recording music. Take advantage of it all and I promise you your music will improve, now! And in time, your music will get even better.

If you’re new, start by reading my ebook The #1 Rule Of Home Recording. It’s totally free and will help you get the proper philosophy of creating music. Then go watch all 31 videos of my latest free series 5 Minutes To A Better Mix. Then click through the categories or search in the search bar for things you are interested in. With over 250 posts at The Recording Revolution, I’m sure you’ll find something that will help YOU make better music now!

Right off the bat, I want you to know that I’m a big fan of PreSonus. They are a cool company that makes quality, affordable, and much needed products for the studio owner. In recent years they have created a much needed solution, the digital mixer with audio interface built in. Enter the StudioLive!

An All In One Stage To Studio Solution

I’ve been using the StudioLive for almost two years now week in and week out to run live sound, monitors, and record full bands. It sounds great, takes up almost no space, and is easy to use. Check out the video below for my full review, but first here are my brief thoughts:

The Good Stuff

• Excellent mic pres and converters, giving you great sound quality live and to “tape.”
• Easy to use “hands on” interface. No fumbling through silly menus on tiny screens.
• Tons of built in effects. EQ, compression, gates, limiters, on every channel!
• Great all in one Front Of House and Monitor World solution.
• Instant audio interface connects to any mac or PC with one single firewire cable.
• Ships with Studio One Artist, a full featured DAW.
• Total recall of all settings.

The Not So Good Stuff

• Only 16 channels. Granted there is a bigger brother with 24 channels, but in the price range some competitors have more channels.
• Faders aren’t automated. Not too much of a biggie since you can still recall their location.

I’m a big advocate of using the built in mic pres in your audio interface for two reasons: they sound good, and you’ve already paid for them! But if and when you decide to venture out in search of an external mic pre for coloration or a different sound then you may become fond of the Pre-73 from Golden Age Project.

This tabletop pre is a well made, vintage style mic pre that can add some character and warmth to your signal. In using it on a few projects recently, here are my top Pros and Cons as well as my full review with an audio sample:

Pros – Great sound, built tough, impedance switch, excellent DI, realistic price.

Cons – Mic/Line gain knob takes some getting used to, no low cut filter

If you have started out recording with a simple home studio setup (like these ones under $300) then you may likely be using a pair of studio headphones for all of your tracking and monitoring needs. There is no shame or handicap in this, let me be clear.

In fact this is how I started out my recording career and it served me well! When you decide to incorporate a pair of studio monitors, however, let me give you 3 simple tips to help steer you clear of hype, myth, and money wasters!

1. Choose Monitors That “Fit” Your Room

Studio monitors come in many different sizes. Most of us will want a pair of “near-fields”, meaning they will be in close proximity to our listening position. Most near-field monitors are measured by the largest speaker cone size and come in a few different flavors. Most typically you see 5 to 8 inch speakers. What you need to figure out is which size of course.

Despite the obvious suggestion by some to get the biggest speaker you can afford for the purposes of better bass response, I say forget all that. Choose a speaker size that better matches the size of your control room. If you have a typical spare bedroom in a house or apartment then you likely don’t need anything bigger than a pair of 5 inch monitors. In fact, I mix on 5 inches in my own studio.

If however you are in a bigger control room of sorts (or a bigger basement studio let’s say) you might be better off pushing more air with 8 inch speakers. Of course there isn’t a rule on this, but you get the idea. Most of us will lean towards the 5 to 6 inch speakers in our home studios and be better off for it.

2. Choose Monitors That “Fit Your Budget

Now that you know what size speaker you need based on your room size, it’s time to consider the other non negotiable, budget. Unless you are foolish, you really shouldn’t spend more money than you can afford on any given piece of gear and that includes monitors.

If you have $700 to spend on speakers great. If you only have $300, fine. Just determine your budget (Hint: take a look at how much expendable money you have sitting around in your bank account, not your credit card limit), then get online and price out a pair of monitors in your needed size that falls in at that price. With so many great manufacturers producing great speakers at every price point, you don’t need to spend much time looking these days.

3. Choose Monitors And Then Don’t Look Back

My third tip may seem lame, but it’s vital. Once you’ve determined your size, budget, and have done some research, you should simply make your purchase and move on. Studio monitors, despite what people might claim, are not the end all be all of your recordings. YES, proper monitoring is key. Obviously we are discussing an auditory art form, so hearing your tracks well is key. But studio monitors are only one part of the equation.

Your room will color and change the sound coming out of your speakers. Your D/A converters will color and shape the sound coming out of your DAW and into your speakers. Your listening position in your room will color and shape how you hear what is coming out of your speakers. And add to all of that, each monitor speaker sounds different and is coloring and shaping your sound anyways. You get the idea.

You are not limited by your studio monitors. They are a tool and a means to an end. Grab a pair you can afford and just get to work.

Last week at the Musikmesse 2011 show in Frankfurt, Avid/M-Audio unveiled an update to their Pro Tools M-Powered line, simply called Pro Tools MP 9. In essence, as Pro Tools LE was dropped for the more robust Pro Tools 9, standalone DAW, M-Audio is carrying a still more affordable alternative that boasts many of the same great new features of Pro Tools 9, but at a price that’s hard to pass up.

Pro Tools 9 For Half The Cost

Pro Tools 9 costs $599 US straight up. You can run it on any hardware (or no hardware) and it finally has all the updates people wanted. At only $299, Pro Tools MP 9 will give you almost all the same functionality but at a cost…you have to still be tethered to M-Audio hardware. This really is a great option though as M-Audio makes some fantastic interfaces.

Here’s some of the highlights:

• Up to 48 stereo audio tracks
• Up to 96khz sample rates
• Bounce To MP3 included
• ADC (Automatic Delay Compensation) included
• Must run with M-Audio hardware

This is huge, because you get the ADC and Bounce to MP3 options that people wanted in Pro Tools LE and M-Powered before, but now you don’t necessarily have to jump to Pro Tools 9 to get them. Of course if you want twice the tracks, higher sample rates, and no hardware requirement, you can always upgrade later.

Hardware + Software = Great Deals

Where M-Audio is really selling you is the bundle deals. If you purchase their hardware with Pro Tools MP 9 you save a TON of cash.

Right now they seem to be highlighting three interfaces in particular. The Mobile Pre interface (2 mic pres, USB connectivity) with PT MP 9 runs only $329 US. That’s only $30 more than Pro Tools MP 9 by itself! For $549 you can get the Fast Track Ultra with 4 mic pres built in bundled with Pro Tools as well. Awesome starter packages for new studios!

An Interesting Alternative

Last month when the Avid “Hear What You’ve Been Missing” tour was in my area, I specifically asked the reps what was to become of Pro Tools M-Powered and the M-Audio line of interfaces as they relate to Pro Tools. I got a vague response at best that seemed to esteem M-Audio and it’s place in the Avid line, without a specific plan for the future. Now we know!

M-Audio brings you an almost identical version of Pro Tools 9, at half the cost or even less if you purchase it with M-Audio hardware. It allows people to get into Pro Tools at Pro Tools LE 8 prices from a while ago, but with more features and hardware options! I think it’s a smart move on Avid’s part and a great option for someone just getting into serious audio production!

If you ever venture into the world of external mic preamps to compliment the ones built into your audio interface then you may be wondering what is the best way to hook it up. It is a common issue, but an important one to address. One of my readers on Twitter recently purchased an ART Tube MP on my blog’s recommendation for bass recording and had this question:

“I picked [the ART] up last night. Subtle but much more rich. For guitar I’ve been cranking the input into the red for a cool driven sound. One question…If you need more level into ProTools, do you increase the ART preamp output or the audio interface input?”

This is a great question. Let’s start at the beginning…

Mic Level To Line Level

When you plug a microphone into your audio interface’s input, you never have to really think much about whether it is a mic level or line level source. But in reality, microphone audio levels are very quiet, and the built in preamp in your interface is turning that signal up to what’s called a line level source, which is much more useable. If using an audio interface, that’s all you need to know. It turns your signal into a digital one and you’re golden.

However, if you start to use an external preamp, like the ART Tube MP mentioned above, then you need one extra step. You plug your microphone (using an XLR cable) into the external preamp’s mic input. Then using a balanced 1/4 inch cable (called a TRS cable) you run the output of that preamp into an available line input on your interface.

This is important. Your interface may have some microphone XLR inputs as well as some 1/4 inch TRS inputs for line level sources. Plug your preamp’s output into a line level input. Some interfaces have a combo connection that allows you to plug in XLR cables and TRS cables in the same input. If this is the case, you’ll likely have a switch that tells the interface that you want to use Mic or Line level on that input. Set this to Line. Keep in mind that Line inputs are different than Instrument inputs although both use a 1/4 connection.

Proper Gain Staging

Now that you have your preamp hooked up to your interface, the last thing we need to look at is your gain staging and signal flow. The gain knob on your interface controls the preamp on that interface. Since we are using an external preamp to bring the microphone signal up to line level we don’t need the gain on the interface.

If you have a line input with no gain knob associated with it, use that one. If not, follow this advice. Start by turning the interface gain knob all the way down. Then use the input (and sometimes output) knob(s) on your external mic pre to get the desired audio level into your DAW. If you need more gain into your software, adjust it on the preamp, not the interface as this would mean your signal is being boosted twice by two different preamps.

Remember, you don’t need really hot levels going into your DAW and you definitely don’t want unneeded noise. Avoid all of this by using conservative gain staging in your external preamp, and avoiding the extra gain from your interface’s pre when running a line in from an external.

As a Pro Tools user since version 6, I’ve seen this powerful DAW change each year and add more and more incredible features. Version 9 is no exception, and I finally upgraded to it in my studio. I wanted to highlight a handful of the big reasons why I made the leap and how I think it is a great step forward for Avid.

As I mentioned in my Pro Tools 9 first look, there is no longer an LE line of this software. Just a native version and the HD versions. You can purchase Pro Tools standalone for $599 US, or crossgrade from LE for $249 and from M-Powered for $349. For details on the product, check out Avid’s page.