Re: [Harp-L] Home Recording Systems

[Ken Deifik <kenneth.d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 01:17 AM 1/20/2008, Hurricane wrote:
> The Mackie has motorized fades and stuff , really a wild and state of the 
> art system that rivals in quality of recording that of any big time studio .

I'm sure it's really good, but you should have no illusions about it 
rivaling the quality of big time studios, except of course that big time 
studios these days do use excellent macs for multi-track recording.  If you 
were to A-B the results of a big time studio and a pure computer recording 
setup you would be disappointed in the computer.

Between the outboard gear, plates, sends and returns, a professional board, 
a wonderful selection of expensive mics (those great new $500 mics simply 
don't compare to the serious mics in a big time facility, and you need to 
have several different mics, as recording eveyrthing on the same mic 
flattens out your sound picture), carefully designed recording and control 
rooms, a computer alone makes sounds that do not have the juice.

That being said, even computer-based multitrackers from years ago sound 
better than home systems such as four-track casette and analog "project 
studios."

The best thing about DAWs and computer-based home studios is that they 
teach you alot about how to record so that when the clock is ticking in the 
big time studio, you have a sense of how to work with speed and grace, and 
are much more able to go for tracks that knock you out.

I realize that some artistes have recorded hits in their project studios, 
and that if you expect to sell low numbers it's probably best to own the 
equipment yourself, budget wise. Sometimes you just want to work for a 
zillion hours developing tracks - but that should be considered Making The 
Demo.  THAT'S where home studios shine.  Other people's Demo studios have 
hourly costs, too, and you don't have to think about those hours when you 
are working in your own facility, and can REALLY try out ideas.  But once 
you have a good picture of what you want to record, you'll be thrilled at 
the difference you'll get from a professional facility and a professional 
engineer.  (Also, don't cheap out and use anything less than a professional 
mastering studio for the final step.)

I always check to see what Macs are being used when I work in a 
professional facility, and they're almost never the latest models.  Heck, I 
worked in one last year that was still running system 9.  I came back a few 
months later and learned that he had upgraded the computer to System X and 
spent serious money on the hardware that you need to run ProTools 
professionally.

In other words, if you want to buy a big new Mac, they're fabulous devices, 
and funner than heck.  But they will not directly affect the quality or 
sound of your music.

K