This channel is designed as a forum to help project recording studios get started and improve the services they offer. In addition to discussing equipment usage and history, we will also provide clear and experienced advice to help navigate the day to day challenges involved in studio management and engineering. Also some great tips and tricks for making your studio stand out amongst others. Please contact us if you'd like to see any other types of related content.
amek is super underrated. only downside is the virtual dynamics needing the old automation computer system and needing to change the batteries on the vca boards
I had the SuperTrue automation working at one point with the old PC. It's amazing how far automation has come along. I do not know about changing the batteries, though. Can you please tell me or does it even matter without the virtual dynamics? Mahalo
ima young bull that grew up with my dad in the studio, constantly at tracking or mixing sessions. its WILD to me that you have to teach this kind of stuff now, what used to be a given like "invest in a console" is now almost a forgotten rule . the main rule is almost the last rule now. I will always keep the RIGHT WAY incorporated in my setup and process . I record rap and pop mainly . rock maybe5% of the time. but I will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS track through some sort of console , especially because most new analog consoles double as usb interfaces/controllers now, my Allen and Heath zed 24 is amazing for tracking , also has plenty of inserts for my outboard processing (preamps and compressors ) and once its in the box I always Get a solid and clean product to work with. just running vocals through a console and to the daw will take your quality to a whole new level
You got that right. Console will always get you better tone and control, especially with a nice outboard compressor like a dbx160 or a UA1176. Mahalo for watching.
Absolutely, J Dawg. You'll get great fidelity and not have to worry about clipping. Just make sure to plug it into the wall or get a USB battery for longer record times. If you have time, check out this other video on using some different types of mics with the Tascam. Mahalo for watching. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X4eASUAzKTE.html
Nice Console! So how do you like the Preamps are on the Angela? How would you describe them? Also, how about the EQ's? Have you ever used the MPX-1? I also have the MPX 500 also, and theres definitely some rad sounds. The way I see it, for the money I paid, if I can even get 3 or 4 awesome go to sounds out of it, it's worth it! Something about outboard Reverbs, whether analog, or digital, they just seem to work better than plugins for me. I don't fully get it, but with plugins, no matter how awesome they might sound, in the mix I always feel like it's an uphill battle, and it just doesn't sit quite right, but with outboard stuff, it's usually just like, oh okay, thats sitting right a lot easier/quicker. I dunno if it's an aliasing, or a phase thing or what, or it's the converters adding something in I dunno, but all I know is with plugins it feels like Im always just a hair away from it sitting right hah.
Aloha James. I do love the preamps on the Angela and have been using them for years without any real problems, especially on my drum kits. Never tried the MPX 1 but generally I really love the Lexicon outboard verbs a lot. The advantage of course is being able to recall plug-ins once you've taken the time to dial them in. So that's why I've adapted to using them over my outboard devices. I still use them daily for my headphone mixes as well as quick temp mixes for clients. Mahalo, for watching Part One as well.
I have an AMEK Einstein, the channel strip is identical (almost) for the most part, I always wondered what the difference between these two consoles actually is.. thanks for the video.
suuuper great video, thank you! I started in the DAW world and I am still there (albeit with some analog outboard) but consoles have such an allure.. to see a digestible breakdown of how the routing and workflow works (i really like the functionality of this AMEK!) is very enlightening for me, thank you!
I'm glad you liked it, Daniel. I've had a lot of requests to talk about this old console. Thanks for watching. I've got another video I'll release on Friday.
Great review, thanks for making it. This recorder is so much more than a recorder so it is worth a whole video series. And Tascam has already announced the advent of a new firmware that will turn this device into a Portastudio for musicians. I love my X8, even if I have a few other recorders, including the Zoom F8nPro that you mentioned.
I've been watching the whole series you just dropped while taking breaks. I was going to comment later, but I know I'll forget. I'm mixing a song I was hired to produce. Unfortunately, the band's drummer played the drums, and the band leader recorded them at his studio. The way they sound is... well, depressing, to say the least. I didn't have room mics, but I had two overheads for the cymbals and overall image. I noticed that if panned left and right, the kick drum sounds mostly from the right speaker, and it took a lot of imagination to solve that. Changing the drums now isn't an option because the drummer lives in America and it was meant to be the real take. Do you try to keep the kick drum in the center of the overheads, as I do when I record drums? I always picture an imaginary line that crosses the center of the snare and the kick drum. That line would be, for me, the division of the drums from the right side to the left side, and the overheads would give me the snare and kick in the center, which makes sense since it is usually the panning we would use for the individual mics in the mix. What is your approach? (not on how to hire the mafia to take care of the guy who recorded them, but on micing the OHs)
Sounds like a doozie! Don't envy you that task. I agree with your approach and yes, I keep the kick and snare dead center individually and then try to get the overhead image to reflect that as well. I've started measuring the exact distance from the center of the snare to each overhead to keep them equal. It looks a bit weird but the mic over the ride is significantly lower as a result. A more radical approach might be to go for a mono drum kit without a stereo spread at all. Then put some guitars, percussion and FX out in the stereo spectrum to make up for the mono drum kit. A great example is 'Amber' by 311. Good luck, brother.
It's a little beast for sure. Please watch all four of my videos covering the unit. I did my best to cover all of it's features. Let me know if I can answer any questions and Mahalo for watching. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-b6UCQ_njv_g.html
Im still a newbie to mics so this might seem kind of silly to u but What are the Benefits of having a Large Mic or Large Diaphram microphone compared to smaller mics?
It really depends on what you are recording. I usually use large diaphragm mics on vocals, acoustic string instruments and then smaller dynamic mics on drums, horns, guitar cabs. No rules though. Whatever sounds best to you. Here's a video going over my mic collection. Mahalo for you interest and support. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zLCgu3gCQIk.html
@@the_luminary It's a good question. The main reason is that a large diaphragm mic is typically a powered mic. It will pick up better transients and detail that a smaller mic will not. It is also more sensitive to softer sounds like breath, whispers, sibilance and string tone. Hope this answers your question.
Ypu mentioned how the Lav mics are better than using the Rode Transmitter but i found Speaking directly into the Rode Transmitter mics to sound much better. (Although, I know its unsightly). What high quality Lavs do u recommend thats actually better than the Built-in Stereo mics up in the front?
While you certainly can plug lavs right into the front but that's not typically how I set up the unit for film and concert work. Please check out this video to see what I recommend. Mahalo for watching. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X4eASUAzKTE.html
I've never tried that. You can certainly select USB as an input device to play audio into your Tascam from a phone or tablet. (Input Select) Not sure about using the mic on your phone, though. Best just to purchase the best mic you can afford instead. Here's a video on the mics I use in the studio. Mahalo for your support. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zLCgu3gCQIk.html
I just used the tascam x8 to record my acoustic guitar and its gorgeous with the onboard reverb. I used the cheap mics that came with it. I have a question about how you would record guitar amps with your X8 and an SM57. So far using the music app with the acoustic guitar eq is winning. Will I get the good results using the "live band" eq thats a preset as well for my electric guitar?
I would record your acoustic using multiple mics. One (or both) of the built in mics placed a few feet away and then your SM57 close in on the guitar body. Blend to taste for a nice stereo acoustic sound. As far as EQ, there is no one correct way or preset. Ignore the preset names and try them all until you find the best tone that feels right to you. You can also try using one of the hi-pass filters to roll off boomy low frequencies. Mahalo for watching!
As far as guitar amps, place the mic right on the speaker dead center and as close as you can get it. Add a little compression and try different EQ presets. The bottom manual or custom preset is the one I usually use.
Not really. The older Rode lavs are not 32 bit so I typically set them about minus 15 db or so. If they distort, you can’t fix it. Better to have a low signal than too hot. Mahalo for watching.
Mahalo! I use an Anker USB battery in the bottom of my gig bag. I also built a charging case for long location shoots. Check it out! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3uloUa6IPBY.htmlsi=jUfSnIOm-z_Prlel
I'm really not sure. That Tascam home screen is kind of a waste. Let's see if they improve on it or if Zoom will take the lead with their new recorders. Mahalo!
Just a waste of a nice, big knob, right? I wish they would re-invent this unit with a Mk II version. Looks like Zoom is gonna outdo Tascam on this one. Mahalo!
@@Flitzefeuersocke You actually don't have to wait. This new H6e device from Zoom seems to check all the boxes. Check it out here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-O02k6r13LkE.html
I have not had any problems with the screen so far or any other issues. I don't use the unit too heavily and it's only about two years old. So, we will see how it holds up over time. (Please do make a good case for it) Mahalo! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VI0o_t3gcyo.html
The new zoom H6e will allow phantom for where the capsule mics are. So you can have 6 XLR channels with phantom. The old zooms couldn't provide phantom to the capsule xlr ports.
No I can't say that I have. Just the Zoom F8-N Pro which I really enjoyed on a film shoot. Last night I tried a little Zoom Q2n on a live video shoot. Seemed to do a pretty good job capturing 24/48 audio as well as decent 4K video. Mahalo for watching, Stevio
I had to fly to Osaka for an almost 12 hour session narration recording just a week ago. In this session I was actually the one being recorded for an audio narration and a video narration voiceover. The owner of the place was the main engineer there, but the assistant engineer, right out of audio school was a female, probably with a year or so of experience on the real job. She really brought a whole new perspective to the session and after the session was over she stayed the whole night at the studio cleaning audio clips, writing fades and all the other stuff. The atmosphere was quite different. There's a whole new generation of female engineers and producers coming with lots of fresh ideas, and I'm looking forwards to see what's to come.
Me too. Sounds like finally a really good experience you had with her in session. I wish that I could find someone like that here in Hawaii! Tell her if she's ever here on vacay to drop by the studio. Thanks for watching this latest video. Not too many have yet.
I always try to get paid upfront, but this time I was hired through a third party and today is the payment deadline. What people might not know is that I have a paralegal degree in Japan. If I don't see that deposit today, I will start charging the applicable daily interest for late payments. Back to the topic, I have a female friend who is now probably one of the top producers in Japan and is making her way through many other countries. She has even scored Billboard number ones by writing for artists like BTS. When I first met her, a friend told me to think of her as a lyricist. Ten years later, she's making six figures a month. This reminds me that back when I first met her, there was still a lot of discrimination, at least here.
after making full time living of 35yrs in the music industry and 27yrs of those doing full time music production i took my first non music related job a few months back and i'm glad i did. The music/recording industry has become a race to the bottom. I now treat myself to making my own music with ppl i enjoy.
Right on! That's why we all got in to it in the first place. I had so much fun in my first basement studio. Do you still make yourself available if you get a call to record?
Depends who it is. If it was a good client, as in a good hang and pays without chasing money then i will. I no longer have to say yes to everyone anymore even though the calls are far less. This new economy we live in have ppl choosing between eating and art...and art is not winning. @@HiPunch
Depends who it is, If its a client who's a good hang and pays without me having to chase my money then i do. Otherwise i'm good with saying "no" these days. @@HiPunch
Yes, I highly recommend using some better mics than the cheap ones that come with the Tascam. Check this video out if interested. Mahalo ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X4eASUAzKTE.html
Excellent overview for those of us with advanced use case scenarios. Thanks much for the time spent laying it all out and walking through it. Cheers. I like the idea of putting the receiver in the top two and using that for a pair of remote plant mics, say for crowd mics for a matrix recording of a dj from a mixer.
30 seconds in it’s clear this dude is delusional. It’s not that bands aren’t recording in studios because they don’t give a fuck. It’s because it’s cheaper to just buy your own studio gear at this point in history than it is to pay for studio time. With similar or better results.
You're right. That is the other side of it. Many bands are spending their money on home recording gear in hopes of producing the next big hit. Now that's delusional. To be clear, It's the public that doesn't GAF, not the artists. Thanks for your input.
You're right. I should go into more suggestions and detail about possible alternative income streams that I am pursuing with my studio. This is just a quick video to get things started. Mahalo for your input.
I've owned a Pro Studio for 14 years now and let me tell you....he ain't entirely wrong. I started too late in this industry (at a pro level) but I've discovered that the only true music business you can still hold on to is the "wanna be" market. The only reason musicians buy their instruments, amps, FX pedals, etc is because they wanna be like some other famous musician out there so THAT'S your market if you want to put food on the table for you and your family. If you have a home studio at your parent's house and do this for free or pennies don't bother. So, as I was sayin'g THAT IS YOUR MARKET, so go and get them and make sure they're all under 20, 'cause those are the ones who really WANNA BE still. Their dreams are fresh new. In time you come to realize that not everything is sunshines and rainbows and that recording music is almost pointless nowadays. Also, you better make sure your clients LOOK AND SOUND COOL enough to attract more customers who WANNA BE like them too. And last but not least: Be sharp and stay tunned to NEW SCENES, don't reject them. Don't be a boomer. Even if you don't like it or even hate it, don't worry and just go along with it. You can give free studio hours to the coolest new band in town and wait for their friends to BITE. Now go catch some fish for time's running out fast. We are one step away from downloading an AI that can map your profile as a musician and consumer (which is what we all are at the end of the day) and just ask or command it to "make" music for you following a series of prompts. You won't even have to explain anyone if it is you playin' or singing. It's been a long time since that gave a f_ck to any one.
A lot of good info you bring up here. Unfortunately, the young and eager bands usually have the least amount of money to spend on production. At least as long term clients. The more mature artists usually get into home production themselves so that leaves...? A very small pool of musicians to build a business off of, right? If you're interested please also check out this vid on AI and the future of music production and let me know what you think. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2jdRCeyz1yI.html Mahalo for checking in.
