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Electronic music production

  • 30-05-2004 1:48pm
    #1
    Gardor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭


    i have just bought a 40gig, 512ram, 2.8ghrtz p4 laptop with windows xp. i have cubase and reason on it at the mo and am considering getting the motu 828 mk2 for music production. my plan is to hook it all up with my korg synth/guitar/1210s/whatever and have my own little recording studio to fu@k around with. i have heard that it'll all work better with a mac from some ppl, and it'll work fine on both if done right from others. wondering if there's any ppl with more experience than me(i've next to none) in electronic music production that have a similar set up and know the best ways to get great recordings on the DIY spectrum.
    any advice on any other sofware/hardware that'll help?

    also, im gona need to have some better friggin speakers to hear it though than the laptop ones. any one know a cost friendly solution? (info on cables/connections would be great too.)

    -G-


Comments

  • #2
    Seanie M
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,795 ✭✭✭Seanie M


    you didn't mention a digital soundcard - this is crucial! If your laptop has an onboard digital sound card, get to know it. If it doesn't have one, then you will be in a spot of bother. Laptops don't allow for hot-swapping or add-ons of many devices. IMO, a opc/MAC is the best avenue - if its not portability you're looking for.

    I have a P4 2.4GHz, 1GB RAM, 2 X 40 GB hard drives on a RAID 0 setup for double the speed of read/write/seek time then a single 80GB drive. Then, I have Creative Labs Audigy 2 Platinum digital soundcard (with THX and Dolby 5.1) with all sorts of phono/optical/digital/MIDI in/out connections. I have never had a problem with it, keep it defragged weekly, and keep a virus scanner on all the time. Its a nifty pc! And its on W98!

    So, your laptop has the speed and performance to do what you want, but peripherals and add-ons are the problem. For real "as you hear it" sound reproduction you need a sample rate of 24 bits and 44KHz and above to reproduce it almost 100% from the source.

    Have you got the soundcard to match?

    Programmes I use: Audiocatalyst, Soundforge versions 4 & 7, Traktor DJ, Cubase VST, Ejays, ProDJ, Rebirth v2, and WaveLab.

    Cables are not an issue with Audigy 2 because it has all the ports to connect to any instrument/source.

    External Speakers? I just have one of the outputs connected to a household amp e.g. Pioneer MOSFet with 2 X 100Wts and suitable 2 X 120 Wt speakers. Make sure the room is pretty soundproof!

    Seanie.


  • #3
    _CreeD_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,162 ✭✭✭_CreeD_


    The Motu interface he listed is a major step up from an Audigy for audio work, monster of thing (yes I'm jealous, I use a Delta 44/Omni IO).

    A well configured MAC is no better or worse in general than a well configured PC for Audio, it just depends if the app.s you want are on one or the other. The majority of plugins and hosts are PC based, but there are some good exclusive MAC hosts like Logic and ProTools MAC is apparently much more stable than the PC version (just because they fkd up the PC one, no technical reason).
    You haven't mentioned what style of music you plan on making? Reason's a great piece of software for more dance/loop oriented styles but you might want to try Sonar or Cubase for more versatility (aswell as the fact Reason lacks support for DXi and VST instruments, Sonar does the best there with compatibility with both types, Cubase can run VSTs but only DX effects not instruments - of which there aren't many).
    If you get a VST compatible host you will open up a whole selection of free or cheap virtual instruments to have fun with.

    Soundforge is a great audio editor but it only works on single stereo files, Vegas or Wavelab are multitrack and are better for actual mixing (though I like to use Sonar for mixing myself, and then Soundforge for pre-mastering and any repair work).

    Ideally you'll want a set of Studio Monitors, ie. speakers aimed at being as neutral as possible. There are multitudes to choose from but the single most important thing is to familiarise yourself with how the ones you finally pick sound in relationship to other playback systems (Car, Hifi, boombox etc.). Good monitors will provide you with accurate audio information but you still need good ears to know how to alter your mix to make sure it will sound it's best in the real world. Personally I went with M-Audio SB-8bs a few years ago, Adams, Behringer, Eventide, Truth etc. are all reputable makes usually with a range to suit your budget. Oh and make sure you get Nearfield self-powered monitors for a home studio setup, unless you'll be sitting miles away...

    Cables do make a difference but again it's just a matter of how much you're willing to spend. Personally I like carbon fibre but afaik Van Den Hul are the only ones that do them. Oxygen free copper and gold interconnects are a minimum, as short as you can get away with, TRS or better XLR if your equipment will support.


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