I come from an analog background. I am a DIY artist /producer/ engineer. Some of my busy mixes are difficult in the digital domain these days. Anyone have any ironclad advise on do's and don'ts? I'm mixing in the box with Ableton Live and Cubase SX3 and an RME Multiface. I don't track much more than real bass and some guitar. I have bass trapped my room with Real Traps(I still need to add one or two) and added auralex to cut down on the reflections.

I feel like I've suddenly become a mediocre engineer.

What are you finding difficult about it? Is it the sound you're bothered with, or just workflow? Do you have a control surface? What other equipment do you have (pres, comps, other outboard)? What style of music are you working with? You mention busy mixes, but say you tend to only track bass/guitar. What is it that's making your mixes busy? Do you have space/money to add a console for mixing OTB?

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Originally posted by Contrast Recording:
What are you finding difficult about it? Is it the sound you're bothered with, or just workflow? Do you have a control surface? What other equipment do you have (pres, comps, other outboard)? What style of music are you working with? You mention busy mixes, but say you tend to only track bass/guitar. What is it that's making your mixes busy? Do you have space/money to add a console for mixing OTB?

Experimental electronica with hybid influence(hence the real bass and guitar) is what I'm doing. I use samples that I've done of myself that sound great. Also vst synths and drum machines with the occasional old school loops. Also Stylus RMX. Ableton Live, Cubase SX3. Mackie HR824S. I've looked at and asked about analog summing- kind of seems to be a can of worms but I may have the budget. I just have tobe sure. The sound is a bit harsh in places. I plan on getting a couple of UAD-1 cards soon and also upgrading the sample rate I'm recording at. I've been doing things at 24/44.1. Do you think I'd be better off with 24/88.2 for what I'm doing? I understand that I could take a big processing hit if I do that so I may need to up grade my P4 2.8ghz machine to dual core/dual processor, correct?

Here's what I have:

P4 2.8ghz
2 gig RAM
2- 120 Drives
1- 80 Drive
Dual Screens
Pioneer CDR/DVDR
RME Multiface linked to Tango 24 via ADAT(I’m going to lose the Tango completely)
DBX 386
Mackie 1604 VLZ
Mackie HR824s
Tascam DA30-MKII DAT
Tascam 750 CDR

Cubase SX 3.1.1
Ableton Live 5.2
Stylus RMX
Waves Gold Bundle

Lots of VST synths and various plugs

Some of Ethan Winer’s bass traps(Real Traps)

WHAT I KNOW

The RME stays- the Tango goes.

What I already intend to do is get 2 UAD-1 cards and Wavelab software. That seems to be some missing links that are common to everybody’s arsenal of goodies.

I’ve seen tons of threads on analog summing. A giant can of worms. I don’t really know where I stand on that.

I’ve been told by Bob Katz that a Big Ben would not improve jitter or sound in my system- even though lots of people believe it improves image and sound.

Also, I plan to score the soundtrack for a documentary film I’m working on. I would like to do this on other films as well so I have to consider making the move to Nuendo, correct?

I know I need a few more bass traps.



There's always the chance that I kinda suck at digital mixing. If you know of any reading(besides the mixing engineer's handbook- I have it) that would help I'm into that.

I have a feeling that some better EQs and better sample rate would improve my sound/headroom.Everyone and their dog has UAD-1 stuff for a reason. This is a planned investment.

Sidebar question: why lose the Tango? I've got one that I use to get morer IO from a Fireface, and gotta say, the ADDA conversion in the Tango is not far from the top of the line of most 'name brand" 48K convertors...

Otherwise, if you are planning on doing any film work, you need to coordinate with whoever the video folks are, and make sure you can sync up their video with your audio...normally done with SMPTE, but y'all need to decide now if who's gonna provide the master and who's gonna provide the chase...and what format (DVi, machine based, whatever...)

For film work, the standard is 48K...

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Sidebar question: why lose the Tango? I've got one that I use to get morer IO from a Fireface, and gotta say, the ADDA conversion in the Tango is not far from the top of the line of most 'name brand" 48K convertors...

I don't need that many inputs and do not want to be limited to 48k.

How much you want for it?...PM or email me...

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Originally posted by Wireline:
How much you want for it?...PM or email me...

Don't know yet. You'll be considered first though. I need to still solve the issuse at hand which is make some appropriate changes first.

Brock,

I'm using SX3 and Wavelab...get the UAD-1!

If your using the stock verbs and comps in Cubase you'll notice a big difference. As far as EQ choices GET the Neve 1073, it's the best digital eq i've heard.