Looking Fwd. into gaining new insights.
Hi n-Track members!
After a failed attempt to establish a home recording system last year, I am once again starting a journey into the great unkown. I am dertermined to master these concepts if I have to die trying.
I recently found n-Track while rearching some for information on seqencing and thought it sounded unique, so hear I am.
Last year was one of those where just tossing cash into a jet engine would have yielded the same results but as they say live and learn!
With a new HP media center and Techinques WSA1 workstation. I am hoping for even a small success, although I have recently learned that the 1 gig that I thought would be the Golden ticket, so I have added an additional 100 external gigs and will more than likely be adding more.
From the posts I have read so far n-Track seems much simpler to navigate then Cubase but has retained the high quality MIDI conversion that Cubase has. Even with private insructions and reading the companion 300 page Cubase book I managed to about a a half mile of frustrating travel.
My musical backround is on the Tenor Sax and my partner is also a suberb Sax player and the goal is to take the originals I have written to date and give them the home they lack. I have lined up another sequencing instructor and from the mistakes learned in the past, hopefully this year will yield what has elluded me.
I am so impressed with the examples of the work produced by n-Track members, what great artists!!!
Any words of wisdom for the green would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely
Jim
n-Track really works as an introduction to the world of computer recording. Such a good introduction to it that a bunch of us have never left after years of using it. The logic of it is pretty much like a cassette 4-track like the ones a bunch of us used years ago, that getting started is easy. But there is a lot of power in the darn thing too. One comment from someone who is doing what you are: after years of recording I am still no good at it. The tool helps, but I sometimes think that I cannot avoid the jet engine you mentioned…
Whatcha got for microphones and such?
Eyup!
Hi Jim, welcome to the forum. You are obviously a Gentleman of extremely good taste in choosing NTrack
I had been looking round for a home recording application for years, tried several and gave up!
Then I came across NTrack and had a tune recorded within the hour! (it was a load of crap, but hey, we all have to learn )
Never looked back.
Good on yer.
Steve
Welcome voxidimention!! Mind if we call you “VD” for short? Just kiddin’…
I have fooled around with a bunch of different packages, Sonar, Cubase VST5.1, Cubase LE, Magix Audio Studio 10 and numerous “shareware” types. I use n-Track 80% of the time. Why?
1. It works. I have a good PC with a stable, clean install. n just plain WORKS!
2. It’s got everything I need and not a lot that I don’t.
3. SUPER easy to use, everything is a mouseclick or hot-key away. (Are you reading this Steinberg? )
4. To my ears, n-Track sounds great. The audio rendering quality is on a par (or exceeds) MUCH more expensive packages. This is probably a very subjective thing… I dunno.
5. For the price of dinner out, I have a great, reliable package.
6. The support is phenominal. You report a bug and most times Flavio squashes it at lightning speed. Especially if it is easily replicated.
7. THIS FORUM is worth it’s cyber-weight in platinum. A bunch of very, very, talented and knowledgable people hang out here religiously.
My other go to package is Magix Audio/Midi Studio Deluxe V10. Now that it has been upgraded to record at 24 bits I use it a lot for certain things. The caveat is only 8 physical inputs can be active at one time for multi-tracking.
For score printing/editing I use Finale PrintMusic! ($69). Along with n-Track, they make a formidable team for MIDI composing/editing. PrintMusic! is kind of like n-Track in that it has all you need and not a lot of crap you don’t.
There. That’s my synopsis of the sitchee-ation!
TG
Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! I am looking forward to getting to know the group and learning from your experiences. VD!!! LOL Voxdimention is so far over the top, what was I thinkging? Must change it before it sticks. Just call me Jim. For real audio, vocals and sax, at this time I am using a Sure SM158.
What mikes have you found work best for n-Track.
thanks
Jim
Now, don’t admit here that you use an sm58 for anything. Just a word of advice. The 58 police will be after you before you can say “frequency response.”
I had a feeling a performance mike was not the ticket. So far I have been borrowing equipment from my partners gig bag until I learn more. Can’t afford to guess or I will be back to the jet engine syndrome before I get started.
Jim
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Can’t afford to guess or I will be back to the jet engine syndrome before I get started. |
TomS could lone you a couple dozen mics to try out… he’d NEVER miss a few out if his collection.
TG – case of mic envy
Welcome to the world of lunacy Jim. You will get some great advice here (you just have to sift thru the crap at times). Yes TomS could loan ya a couple mics out of his 10,000 or so collection, but don’t borrow any of his strats!
Jeromee and TG have recently purchased some rather great mics for little bucks. Most everyone will tell ya condenser’s are the best over dynamics. I’m primarily using a Marshall 2001 condenser. But really liked the sound of Jeromee’s Joe meek condensers. Haven’t got to “HEAR TG’S” new condensers “YET!” (C’mon Bama post a clip)
Yaz
P.S. Phoo and the Phartones Rock!
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Haven’t got to “HEAR TG’S” new condensers “YET!” (C’mon Bama post a clip) |
Well if nothing changes, I’ll be tracking my sons band this weekend. I’ll have the AT2021’s on drum overheads and the AT2020’s on guitar amps. We’ll see how they do… I’ll post something when I can Yaz. All my recording lately has been at church. Not using my mics there. (Yet.)
TG
I buy every mic under 10 dollars I can find, yep.
Nope, can’t have my strat, nor my ric, nor my NKT or my audix D-6, Yummy.
But if anyone wants a berry autocom compressor, I’d be willing to trade it for almost anything.
Eyup!
I’ve just been reading George Martin’s autobiography, HE seems to like SM58’s
Steve
I have some home made pickles. I can always use a knock around compressor for PA use. Can I mail you the pickels in installments?
As for mics, I am kinda goofy I guess. I have a few mics I use on dern near everything. I find a sound I like and stick with it. SM7 for vox, Audix i5 for guitar cabs and drums, an SM94 for over heads and wood winds/strings, an ADK Generis for acoustic, and an Audix D6 for bass and kick. Too many mics just gets confusing. Now samples, well, io won’t even talk about how much money I have spent on samples… and PA gear… and drums… oh, and guitars… But mics, well you only need 5 or six or 20.
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Eyup! I've just been reading George Martin's autobiography, HE seems to like SM58's Steve |
Huh, what did he ever do that was of any worth?
Kidding!
bubba, if the Pickles are sublime, if they are the Platonic form of all Pickles, if they are the sine qua non of Pickles, I say, then you just might have a deal.
George Martin is like an era gone by ten fold.
Eyup!
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I agree, I only wish I had the talent to record the stuff he did.
You know, 4 track open reel analogue, Sgt Pepper?
Steve
To get better insight into George Martin’s abilities you need to listen to the stuff he did after The Beatles and after he had good/new equipment to work with…not work around. A lot of credit goes to his long time engineer Geoff Emerick.
http://mixonline.com/recordi…ex.html
http://www.mixfoundation.org/tec/pastwinners/hall_of_fame02.html
Sonics don’t get no better than what those two guys have done, both together and separately.
Hey, voxdimention, I’m also new to n-Track- I’m waiting for my registration to arrive as we speak. Write. Anyway, I’m not an expert in this field, but I’m getting some working results with my low-rent stash of few mics…
You can get some pretty good and inexpensive condensers, nowadays. Yep, borrow some to learn more!
I got an MXL V63M (a cheep mic) on a trade, that sounds real nice for low-vol acoustic percussion, vox, and other not-too-loud sources. Fact, I played the plastic top of an emptied mixed-nuts can and got a huge hand-drum/kick sound. Pretty darn good mic.
I also found an AT871-R unidirectional boundary mic on ebay for $20! A steal, and a good (so far, for my lowly self) mic for room, or drum OH. I built a shock-mount for it out of a Masonite ring I got from a manufacturing plant (I’d been doing a carpentry gig there) a circle of lexan plastic, and some shock-cord.
Some dynamics are great, too, esp for guitar cabs, etc. I found a Sennheiser 453, very responsive according to your orientation to it. And you’ll end up with a couple 57’s, probably. Dont underestimate the 57!
There’s a lot of stuff out there… including your 58, though right, it’s not going to end up as your “go-to” mic for all seasons. Even, I bet, if you’re George Martin…
Just my small, unworthy .02.