The Recording Studio Dream Being Realized

The Recording Studio Dream Being Realized

 

Haven’t named the studio yet, but it will be representative of the location or the people behind it.  I have so many ideas running through my head as to how to finance the finishing touches of the recording studio.  It should be fun.  Maybe we might make a compilation CD of the neighborhood talent; I have some new musicians and producers lined up to assist me, being I admittedly find myself ole school, which is not a bad thing as ole school is new school in today’s market.

 

But this project really is not about the next series of hits or about me, as I will not accept a salary as President and CEO, until the organization develops into something extraordinary.  Sure people will get paid for their services if they are earners, but I am not in this one for the money or should I say immediate gratification.

 

The idea of a non profit organization with a recording studio located at the headquarters, making it a non profit recording studio, does not mean it cannot turn a buck, it only means people will not get rich off of the labor of others unless they actually participate, there will be no stock holders.  All the money goes to neighborhood related causes and the staff and labor, therefore the artist should make a higher percentage of the money made due to their talents and pay less to record, because at the end of the fiscal years all the money has to be spent. 

 

If it was about money the saying would be true that we are as good as our last hit record, because every year we will start from scratch so to speak but not absolutely, because this thing of ours will build through reinvestments until we have a top quality studio.  They say a true religion starts in a storefront; it looks like we will be much more fortunate than that as we will start in a commercial building, as the Community Network and Coalition brings the community together.

 

People who I never thought would care are showing interest, I guess a good idea is a good thing.  I think this is a winner!  The DAW makes this all possible in the new millennium.

Using VST in Record/Reason Duo

Using VST in Record/Reason Duo

 

Hyperlink above Read Expert Separate Channels

 

You can save Record as an audio file.  If I am correct, that mean’s you get each track as a wav file to place into another program like Cubase or Audition.  Once that is done, you can apply the VST to the individual tracks.  Meaning I can use Antares on my vocals and SoundSoap Pro 2 and so on.  Forget about ReWire, the game plan is to place the final product into another program for VST effects.

 

The under $40G Home Studio DAW – Room not included

The under $40G Home Studio DAW

Room not included

 

Soundproof Booth

 

 

ISOPAC E

6′ wide x 6′ deep x 6.5′ high

$1,730.00

IsoPacs E, F, and G are fully enclosed voice over booths that can also function as an instrument isolation booth. They are offered in a 4’, 5’ and 6’ diameter size.

The IsoPac H is a portable, small sized vocal / voice-over booth that is best suited for interpretation functions or as a voice over booth. The booth has a 5.5′ height, is 5.5′ across and 4.5′ deep.

These voice over and vocal booths are lightweight and portable. The acrylic wraps around the front of the booth, while the Sorber panels wrap around the rear. Since Sorber panels don’t actually connect to the ClearSonic Panels, you can simply use one side of an S5-2 (two sections hinged together) as a “door” for easy entry.

 

 

Hardware:

 

PC Audio Labs Rok Box Pro Desktop Computer  $1,999.00

 

Steinberg FireWire Interface, Cubase 5, and Cubase Controller Recording Package 3  $1,999.99

 

JBL 5.1 Surround Sound System $2,599.00

 

Novation X-Station 61 MIDI Controller $739.99

DoubleSight DS-1900S 19 Inch Dual Monitor  $729.99

AKG C 4000 B Stage and Studio Condenser Microphone  $649.00

SE Electronics SERF Reflexion Filter 3.5  $299.99

Two Sets Grado RS1i Reference Series Headphones  $695.00 each.

Primera 62743 Bravo II DVD & CD Duplicator  $1,999.99

 

 

The Foundation applications I think are best

 

Steinberg Cubase 5 – included in above package

 

Propellerhead Reason 4.0.1

 

Ableton Live 8

 

Sony Acid Pro 7c

 

Adobe Audition

 

Steinberg Wave lab 6

 

Bias Master Perfection Suite

 

Bias SoundSoap 2.2

 

VSTi

 

Native Instruments Komplete 5

Cakewalk the Ultimate Synth Rack

Native Instruments Kore 2 Collection and Software

 

VST

 

Antares Vocal Collections

Bias SoundSoap Pro 1.2.1

 

 

Loops

 

Acid

REX2

Some Wave Construction Kits

 

Reason Refills

 

Reason Refills

Sonic Refills

Other brands

 

 

Cubase 4.5.2 & Reason 4.0.1 are Vista 64 Compatible

Cubase 4.5.2 & Reason 4.0.1 are Vista 64 Compatible

 

I tried a lot of combinations with software recording applications, because I built my home studio based on trial and error.  There is a lot of stuff out there and based on your OS, there is no one shoe fits all.  My best bet turned out to be Cubase 4.5.2 and Reason 4.0.1 as a music creation and studio software and Adobe Audition 3.0.1 does a fine job for editing, I am sure there are better applications to edit but this is what I have along with SoundSoap Pro 1.2.1.  The Cubase DAW (Pronounced DAA) has an excellent none destructive editing environment.  I think it defeats the purpose to use its destructive editors, let the others do the dirty work in the mastering phase.

 

Sony says Acid Pro 7 is Vista 64 Compatible, but does not guarantee stability and my experience with Acid Pro 7c with Vista 64 bit is it is not stable it crashes too often.  My computer is about as good as a PC gets, the nomenclature need not be mentioned but trust me on this, I have a powerful processor.  Acid Pro 7c needs to be updated to 7d with a Vista 64 specific bit driver.

 

In any case you can ReWire Reason 4.0.1 as a slave with Cubase Studio 4.5.2 as the Host as well as loop Acid and REX2 files using the new loop browser with the ability of tempo change.  Cubase 4.5.2 is the writer composer version of Cubase you might want Cubase 4 to produce other people, I understand there is a Cubase v4.1 SP1 put on the market recently.  I use Cubase Studio 4.5.2 which is proven to work in the Vista 64 bit environment.

 

I have several VSTi and VST effects that I managed to find drivers or upgrades for most of them to operate in the Vista 64 bit environment.  A company named Big Fish Audio is a popular dealer of Acid /Wave, Wave & REX loops.  Also I believe Sony is the pioneer of Acid loop files.  With Cubase you can use the Acid and REX2 files with tempo change, but you cannot change the tempo of a Wave file in Cubase, whereby you can in Acid Pro 7 but it is not stable in Vista 64 bit environment.  The good thing however is that most of Big Fish Audio Loops are in Wave, REX2 and Apple Loops on the same DVD and Sony is pure Acidized loops.  So in most cases you can run Big Fish Audio in REX2 opposed to Wave on Cubase or Reason and run Acid on Cubase.  This is the option I chose to run loops.

 

Reason 4.0.1 has excellent devices such as the ReDrum, Thor, NN-XT, NN-19, Malstrom, and Subtractor and of course the Dr. Rex Player to run REX2 files, there are too many VSTi and VST to mention that run on Cubase and Vista 64 bit.  The bottom-line is that the only limitation, with a good microphone, Audio Interface and MIDI controller and I use a reflection filter and SoundSoap one opposed to a soundproof booth, is the imagination and ability, because the capability is there.

Acid Pro 7c not compatible with Vista 64

Acid Pro 7c not compatible with Vista 64

 

I am on the verge of going with a new home studio arrangement, because Acid Pro 7c does not support Vista 64; it crashes constantly, I decided to replace Acid with Adobe Audition 3.0.1.  There are pros and cons to this decision.  The main plus is I get to use my Acid files seamlessly and get to use more VSTi and VST in the setup.  Audition is superior to Acid.  As with Acid I can Rewire Reason 4.0.1, the con is I cannot Rewire Audition with Cubase Studio 4.5.2 which is my program of choice to use as a recording studio.  Hopefully in the near future Sony will come up with a Pro 7d that is compatible with Vista 64 bits OS.

 

Another dimension tot the pro is that though Cubase supports Acid Loops it is not seamless, you have to copy and paste or copy and paste repeat and it does not always align the way you want it to.  Audition will draw the loops like Acid Pro as the FX is more readily available on the Audition tracks.  In my opinion Audition is like having Acid and Sound Forge in one.  The transition will be a learning experience but I think it will be well worth the training.  I guess my configuration simply outgrew Sony.