Just got off the phone with Ingolf and he agree that getting something like this would be best to start off with:
[Blocked Image: http://reel2reeltexas.com/AmplicorpMagnemite06.jpg]
Hey, where'd you get a picture of my lunchbox?
If I wanted to start recording at home as a hobbyist, what would you personally recommend?
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I should mention that I made the switch to a Mac about a year ago. The new Macs don't have a firewire interface and I had to get a Thunderbolt to firewire cable to hook up to my RME. The kicker was that when I tried a regular firewire 800 cable to make the connection, I was SOL and spent many an anxious moment wondering whether my expensive interface was redundant.
I then used a FW800 to 400 cable and it worked like a charm. So do be prepared for all kinds of odd situations.
I've read about a lot of problems people had with their firewire interfaces and their Macs, because Apple apparently changed the chips in them. You need a Texas Instruments firewire chip in a best possible situation for firewire connectivity, those are usually more stable than stuff like Via or whatnot. Other chips may function, but you'll notice things like higher latency, etc.
In the end, firewire is on the way out: I think Apple even stated that they would no longer be developing their firewire code. There are lots of people who have also stated that their firewire interface stopped working after some Apple update or the other.
Trust me, firewire is more of a liability at this juncture. USB is likely to be a standard that will survive, so I would suggest a USB interface in the interest of longevity and future compatibility.
Again, I use a firewire interface just fine. But if it ever dies on me (please God, don't let it die on me), I would go with a USB solution, just to avoid some of the situations I've run into. Even RME nowadays makes their interfaces with both USB and firewire.
Well, it might be the case, but I was really looking forward to a Saffire 26 pro as opposed to the Scarlet of the Focusrite ilk. I guess I only begrudgingly use USB when I am forced to. I don´t like Microswerve based products, having to use the Windows OS at work. Perhaps one has to move with the times...
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Funny. When I got my Saffire 24 Pro back it was messed up more than when I sent it, so they had me send it back and sent me a new Saffire 26
Thing is, I have an Apollo Twin, so I don't know what to do with the Saffire 26
Any suggestions?
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Funny. When I got my Saffire 24 Pro back it was messed up more than when I sent it, so they had me send it back and sent me a new Saffire 26
Thing is, I have an Apollo Twin, so I don't know what to do with the Saffire 26
Any suggestions?
eBAY?
- I personally am having a rethink about USB &Co. vs. Firewire. I also realise that my old iMac won't be able to supply the processing power. It's late 2009, so a real dinosaur. I shall probably have to purchase a Workbook Pro, but early days yet before making any sort of decisions... -
Thank you, Jim! -
Before dropping tons of $, I'd buy some used gear to see if this is something you actually "want" to use.
My rig is crazy simple and serves the purpose just fine for me at home for scratch recordings that are only heard by me and maybe a very good friend or two who isn't an audiophile. Simple Audio Interface (PreSonus AudioBox) and was using Ableton Live, but will likely head the GarageBand or Logic Route on a MacBook Pro. This stuff and a mic or two and you are in business.
See if you really want to use it.
After a year, you'll know if you want to invest more $, and you'd then have a much better idea of what that rig is missing and what your needs are.
I, for instance, felt Ableton Live was overkill for what I personally needed, so I cut bait and sold it off. Before selling, just knowing I had it but wasn't using it was in a weird way a de-motivator to me...
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Before dropping tons of $, I'd buy some used gear to see if this is something you actually "want" to use.
My rig is crazy simple and serves the purpose just fine for me at home for scratch recordings that are only heard by me and maybe a very good friend or two who isn't an audiophile. Simple Audio Interface (PreSonus AudioBox) and was using Ableton Live, but will likely head the GarageBand or Logic Route on a MacBook Pro. This stuff and a mic or two and you are in business.
See if you really want to use it.
After a year, you'll know if you want to invest more $, and you'd then have a much better idea of what that rig is missing and what your needs are.
I, for instance, felt Ableton Live was overkill for what I personally needed, so I cut bait and sold it off. Before selling, just knowing I had it but wasn't using it was in a weird way a de-motivator to me...
Words of wisdom right there
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Words of wisdom right there
@Michael_dk I agree. Entirely.
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Before dropping tons of $, ...
and was using Ableton Live, ...Just for clarification: Ableton Live actually is one of the most expensive DAWs out there.
Agreed on everything else.
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Just for clarification: Ableton Live actually is one of the most expensive DAWs out there.
Agreed on everything else.Not really, Ingolf... Pro Tools, studio one and cubase are all more expensive - depending on which versions of each, of course, which is not completely apples to apples.
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@Michael_dk: OK let's compare the Premium versions.
Cubase Pro: 549.- Euro
Ableton Live Suite: 599.- Euro
PT with its hiring model is difficult to compare. -
I, for instance, felt Ableton Live was overkill for what I personally needed, so I cut bait and sold it off. Before selling, just knowing I had it but wasn't using it was in a weird way a de-motivator to me...Logic 9 was overkill for me as well, but the more time I spent with it, the more I learned about the more advanced functions, and as a result the quality of the stuff I'm doing now is WAAAAYYYY better than the stuff I did in the first year with the software (I'm using Logic X now, but the advanced stuff is about the same between the two as far as function, it's mostly the workflow that changed).
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For a full featured DAW I totally love Reaper. Cheap, easy to use, stable and fully supported. Plugins are basic but totally usable. Best $69 bucks I ever spent on software. Its even free to download and use without limitation forever if you are happy to click the simple "trial version" pop up window. I used it to record all the tracks for our EP and it never let me down.
Tiny download (less than 10mb!) and it just rocks.
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For a full featured DAW I totally love Reaper. Cheap, easy to use, stable and fully supported. Plugins are basic but totally usable. Best $69 bucks I ever spent on software. Its even free to download and use without limitation forever if you are happy to click the simple "trial version" pop up window. I used it to record all the tracks for our EP and it never let me down.
Tiny download (less than 10mb!) and it just rocks.
Just to clarify; while you CAN use reaper without limitation other than the nag screen, you are only allowed to do so for a month (I think it's a month) - after that you have to purchase a license (which IS cheap).
One "downside" to reaper compared to many other DAWs (which may or not be a downside to you or anybody else) is that there are no virtual instruments included.
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Just to clarify; while you CAN use reaper without limitation other than the nag screen, you are only allowed to do so for a month (I think it's a month) - after that you have to purchase a license (which IS cheap). You are correct though. The plugins are basic, and there are no VST's. Still, it's a pretty epic DAW for recording imo (and I paid for Nuendo years ago)
One "downside" to reaper compared to many other DAWs (which may or not be a downside to you or anybody else) is that there are no virtual instruments included.
It says that in the nag screen but works flawlessly forever as a trial. I bought it as I just totally loved it after several months use an wanted to support the makers. But yeah, it does lack virtual instruments and again, the plugins are basic, but it's well worth a look imo.
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Ok, here is an example of today's beautiful Mac solution for recording.
I recorded a demo onto an LS10 (handheld device makes MP3 or WAV) easy peasy. I wanted to try and figure out the beat of a song I do naturally but may be changing tempos from Intro to verse to bridge or else the drum loops I've tried are the wrong vibe. But at least I'll have a demo track to try things to AFTER I find out the beat.
Ported it to Mac. Easy peasy via USB.
Then I started Studio One 3. It wanted to know why I didn't have my Waves licenses. Well, I'm not using them right now, click on modal window "Cancel". It asked me same thing. Ditto. Then up does the same thing for an external controller. Hit "Cancel". I'm just trying to figure out bpm and find some loops here. Studio comes up, I create a new song, drag and drop MP3 to track. Easy peasy. Grab Melodyne 4.
Uh Oh, it thinks my computer isn't registered. I have the Login/Password on my Macbook, but not my iMac. so I gotta open up a password protected XLS to find it. Problem is, when I instantiated a backup on the iMac, Microsoft said "FU" and wouldn't allow my license. So I'm using Open Office. Hey Microsoft: FU Back. Then I open up my file, but apparently forgot to put the updated login/pw. Well, I have some ideas, spend a few minutes trying logins until I hit the right one. Then I update my PW file. Save it. My browser wants to know if I want to save the PW. I do. Ok, that won't happen again (unless I change the PW)
Onto Studio one and Melodyne. Wait, I don't register the computer, I register the iLok for this computer (it's registered to my Macbook, but the iMac must use the iLok. Once you register an iLok, it's ALWAYS an iLok for Ceremony Melodyne in that 2nd slot) Ok, why isn't my iLok registration for Melodyne being seen by Studio One 3?
So I got to my iLok software to see what's up. It wants to update. I download and update that software, replace the old one, put the new icon up. Open it, everything is fine. I close Studio One 3, and re-open it, and find and drag Ceremony to the track. It wants to go to the Browser to show me all the goodies Melodyne has to offer, I need to check that option box so this doesn't happen again.
Ok, NOW I'm ready to use Melodyne on that track. Mind you, all this takes like 1/2 hour. I came into the room to record and find the beat and 1/2 later finally able to start beat detection.
That's the PIA that software is on a GOOD day. So I still insist, that regardless of the decade, the all-in-one solutions are the most fun, most productive for a home hobbies, unless you only use your DAW plugins, never update your OS, don't use your PC for browsing (no virus checkers to keep up with) etc.
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Man, I NEVER have that kind of problems with my studio computer, which is also my home computer.
I'm wondering why you didn't use an "all in one" solution?
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Ok, here is an example of today's beautiful Mac solution for recording.
I recorded a demo onto an LS10 (handheld device makes MP3 or WAV) easy peasy. I wanted to try and figure out the beat of a song I do naturally but may be changing tempos from Intro to verse to bridge or else the drum loops I've tried are the wrong vibe. But at least I'll have a demo track to try things to AFTER I find out the beat.
Ported it to Mac. Easy peasy via USB.
Then I started Studio One 3. It wanted to know why I didn't have my Waves licenses. Well, I'm not using them right now, click on modal window "Cancel". It asked me same thing. Ditto. Then up does the same thing for an external controller. Hit "Cancel". I'm just trying to figure out bpm and find some loops here. Studio comes up, I create a new song, drag and drop MP3 to track. Easy peasy. Grab Melodyne 4.
Uh Oh, it thinks my computer isn't registered. I have the Login/Password on my Macbook, but not my iMac. so I gotta open up a password protected XLS to find it. Problem is, when I instantiated a backup on the iMac, Microsoft said "FU" and wouldn't allow my license. So I'm using Open Office. Hey Microsoft: FU Back. Then I open up my file, but apparently forgot to put the updated login/pw. Well, I have some ideas, spend a few minutes trying logins until I hit the right one. Then I update my PW file. Save it. My browser wants to know if I want to save the PW. I do. Ok, that won't happen again (unless I change the PW)
Onto Studio one and Melodyne. Wait, I don't register the computer, I register the iLok for this computer (it's registered to my Macbook, but the iMac must use the iLok. Once you register an iLok, it's ALWAYS an iLok for Ceremony Melodyne in that 2nd slot) Ok, why isn't my iLok registration for Melodyne being seen by Studio One 3?
So I got to my iLok software to see what's up. It wants to update. I download and update that software, replace the old one, put the new icon up. Open it, everything is fine. I close Studio One 3, and re-open it, and find and drag Ceremony to the track. It wants to go to the Browser to show me all the goodies Melodyne has to offer, I need to check that option box so this doesn't happen again.
Ok, NOW I'm ready to use Melodyne on that track. Mind you, all this takes like 1/2 hour. I came into the room to record and find the beat and 1/2 later finally able to start beat detection.
That's the PIA that software is on a GOOD day. So I still insist, that regardless of the decade, the all-in-one solutions are the most fun, most productive for a home hobbies, unless you only use your DAW plugins, never update your OS, don't use your PC for browsing (no virus checkers to keep up with) etc.
Here's an example of MY typical Mac recording experience:
I turn on my computer, fire up Logic X, and get to it.
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Wow, what a race.
I am on win 7, use my steinberg interface and cubase 8. It takes seconds and i am ready to record.
Implement a wave file from a second device: Plug the device in via usb and upload the wave or mp3. Thats it.
Live could be so easy -
Here's an example of MY typical Mac recording experience:I turn on my computer, fire up Logic X, and get to it.
Same here, it takes a few seconds to get started.
