Newbie here - just found this forum when 64 went trolling on the yahoo mailing list. ;D
I bought my BR600 a little over a year ago. I record mostly covers and my first two songs were recorded and mixed entirely on the BR - I converted them to MP3 using Audacity.
However, I bought Guitar Tracks Pro 3 shortly after that and now I record all my tracks on the BR, use some of the effects (I tend to like to record wet - especially guitar parts and vocals), but I apply reverb and (especially) eq and mix va GTP3. I then export to Audacity (I"m too cheap to buy the GTP3 MP3 converter) to convert to MP3. To date I have left my tracks (mostly) unmastered.
Anybody else do something similar or have similar experiences to share?
i use sonar and project 5-audacity too
I do that exactly....record mostly covers that is lol!! No seriously, I use Audacity alot. Especially for converting WAV files to MP3s. It works real handy to cut off the beginning and end of tracks recorded on the BR. I also use Mackie Tracktion 3...gotta love the GUI plugins!! Welcome to the forum!! Feel free to upload some of your work~ Everyone's very supportive here!!
I seem to have fallen into a pattern of using the BR Rythym Editor to build the drum track, Micro BR for the guitar and bass and Garageband for keys and anything I can squeeze out of the synth instruments on the Mac. Garageband for all the end stuff like normalising. And then I start again because I never seem to finish anything.
At the moment, I'm forcing myself to do it all on the MBR, because I feel that working to its technical restrictions helps keep me focussed and seems to make me concentrate on the music/creativity...
However, I am starting to consider exporting WAVs for final mixing in Cakewalk. I used the WAV Exporter to get all the separate tracks out of my "If we should sing together" projects (two MBR song projects) last weekend, with a view to a remix - it came to 1.5Gb of WAVs!!
I had to delete it all again - the remix can wait - I'm going to have to do something about my laptop's hard-drive if I'm going down this route :D
I'm really becoming reliant on Audacity to mix individual tracks and make little edits to songs. I've just mixed and mastered a new version of 'Heart of Gold', with three separate contributions, and used Audacity to change reverb, echo, volume / balance and do a final mix. It's a pretty wicked tool when you use it as an extension to the BR (where I create ALL my music).
Pretty much all mixing and "mastering" is done on my '900. I do use Audacity for little things like trimming lead-ins, adding fade-outs, adding a little gain if necessary, etc. I occasionally use Har-bal for spectral analysis and EQ tweaking, if something sounds strange. That's about it. Nuthin' fancy. ;D
I used to do everytning on my microBR. I now own a BR-1200 also and between the two of these devices, I use these for everything. The only thing I go on my computer for is to download a MP3 to this site and listen to all the other music. I really like the idea of keeping everything in the one machine right to the end.
I also have a BR600. When it's hooked up in "studio 1" (the study) it receives it's line-in signal from a 12-channel mixer. I've hooked up my various mic's and guitar boxes and synths to that, so I don't have to mess about with cables during a recording session.
It just takes a second to unplug the BR and take it into Studio 2 (living room) or whereever, and I plug in a guitar directly (I often start writing a song this way then take it to Studio 1 to finish the rest)
I do all mixdowns and mastering on the BR itself (so far)
Quote from: AndyR on June 02, 2009, 02:05:19 AMI had to delete it all again - the remix can wait - I'm going to have to do something about my laptop's hard-drive if I'm going down this route
Consider getting an external USB hard drive just for your music. They're fairly inexpensive and it's safer to store your music on an external drive. Your computer's main drive is constantly being accessed by the operating system and is more likely to eventually fail than a secondary drive that is used much less frequently. Also, if you ever have a serious virus infection or system crash and have to reformat your computer's hard drive and reinstall the operating system and programs, your music files on the external drive will most likely be unaffected. And you can easily move your music files from one computer to another by simply unplugging the USB cable from one computer and plugging it into another. It's also great if you upgrade your computer. No files to copy!
You can buy complete external hard drives, ready to plug into your computer's USB port:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hard-Drives-Storage-Computer-Peripherals/b?ie=UTF8&node=10391531 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hard-Drives-Storage-Computer-Peripherals/b?ie=UTF8&node=10391531)
Or you can buy the hard drive and the external case separately and put it together yourself. This is what I always do (I currently have 7 external drives). I like Vantec (http://www.vantecusa.com/front/product/index/21) cases because they don't have a noisy fan in them. Instead, they have an aluminum case which acts as a heat sink to dissipate the heat generated by the hard drive. Cases are available for 3.5" and 2.5" hard drives. The 2.5" drives and cases are nice for laptops because of the smaller size. But 3.5" drives are less expensive and still very portable.
i made one for about $70-easy
Quote from: SdC on June 02, 2009, 06:08:37 AMI also have a BR600. When it's hooked up in "studio 1" (the study) it receives it's line-in signal from a 12-channel mixer. I've hooked up my various mic's and guitar boxes and synths to that, so I don't have to mess about with cables during a recording session.
It just takes a second to unplug the BR and take it into Studio 2 (living room) or whereever, and I plug in a guitar directly (I often start writing a song this way then take it to Studio 1 to finish the rest)
I do all mixdowns and mastering on the BR itself (so far)
What kind of mixer are you using, if you don't mind me asking. I'm thinking about picking one up and I am unsure which one to get.
Thanks
Quote from: Saijinn Maas on June 02, 2009, 02:25:29 PMWhat kind of mixer are you using, if you don't mind me asking. I'm thinking about picking one up and I am unsure which one to get.
Thanks
It's an Alesis 12R. No specific technical reason; just needed a 19' rack unit with 2 aux sends, and the shop had it in surplus stock so i got a good deal. Fortunately it's very low noise and has decent mic preamps. Only 2 band EQ though, so in live situations a bit limited, but fine for recording. Before, I had a Soundcraft Spirit Folio that I was extremely happy with but it was killed in action. It's difficult to give advice; there's so much choice. Personally, I stay clear of Behringer and Mackie.
Quote from: SdC on June 02, 2009, 02:37:34 PMQuote from: Saijinn Maas on June 02, 2009, 02:25:29 PMWhat kind of mixer are you using, if you don't mind me asking. I'm thinking about picking one up and I am unsure which one to get.
Thanks
It's an Alesis 12R. No specific technical reason; just needed a 19' rack unit with 2 aux sends, and the shop had it in surplus stock so i got a good deal. Fortunately it's very low noise and has decent mic preamps. Only 2 band EQ though, so in live situations a bit limited, but fine for recording. Before, I had a Soundcraft Spirit Folio that I was extremely happy with but it was killed in action. It's difficult to give advice; there's so much choice. Personally, I stay clear of Behringer and Mackie.
Funny you mention those makes. I WAS looking at a Behringer. But it is rather difficult to gauge how good it is when all the "reviews" are so high. Too many "This is the best mixer ever!" from people who never tried anything else I guess.
Thanks ;)
On the cheap, you really cant go wrong with Yamahas MG mixers. Not that they are the best, but at their price points, its tough finding a comparable mixer with useable, transparent and quiet pre's. It just really depends on your budget and what you want out of the mixer.
$100 well spent on this: http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMMG102C
I happen to think Mackies are nice (the VLZ Pros and the Onyx anyway...) but I love Soundcraft mixers as they have super nice EQs and great sounding pre's.
Quote from: hewhoiscalledj on June 02, 2009, 02:42:39 PM.... but I love Soundcraft mixers as they have super nice EQs and great sounding pre's.
funny you mention that as well. They're used a LOT in pro PA setups too. I think I'll start looking around for a second hander again....
Soundcraft's compact series of mixers are handly little utilitarian mixers. Be careful shopping though... mixers come in many forms for different purposes (digital vs analog, live vs recording, 2bus, 4bus, 8bus etc...)
check this out before shopping: http://tweakheadz.com/choosing_a_mixer_for_your_studio.html
I have an Alesis Multimix12 firewire....I have it racked up in my "studio"...It's perfect for my needs, enough inputs to mic a drumset, useable effects, and it has firewire. It's nice to have that option if you want to do some recording on PC software....
(http://www.alesis.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/0/b450b3b99ffa93fca2c85a1a2dc3f11b/medium/multimix12fw_angle_med.jpg)
(http://www.alesis.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/0/ebe39b2ef28b4b72e82ee3d47d2da92e/medium/multimix12fw_top_med.jpg)
Quote from: Saijinn Maas on June 02, 2009, 02:40:58 PMQuote from: SdC on June 02, 2009, 02:37:34 PM... Personally, I stay clear of Behringer and Mackie.
Funny you mention those makes. I WAS looking at a Behringer. But it is rather difficult to gauge how good it is when all the "reviews" are so high. Too many "This is the best mixer ever!" from people who never tried anything else I guess.
Thanks ;)
I don't go by reviews (well, some) but mostly of seeing/hearing the stuff in the real world. With mackie, i might be a bit prejudiced but I remember a recording session with friends on mostly behringer equipment and it took several days for the hiss to leave my ears
Great conversation! Its always good to see what other people are doing - seems pretty common practice to use the BR as a recorder/effects/drum machine but do all the mixing on a PC.
Two MBR's Work Great (Mine and Kai's).......
You can even get rid of "Hum's" (When you leave power cables too close to the Guitar) using them........
Software gets confusing for us........ and my lap top is to Poo to see a project through without crashing!
Audcity leaves Clicks and we stray away from it other than to Normalize!
But is great for Fading in a track (Still leaves a click).........
Interesting you saying that about Normalize osckilo - I used it a hell of a lot in Cakewalk and Audacity (only the latter for digitising vinyl so far...).
I really thought I was going to miss Normalising on the MBR - but strangely enough, I haven't at all - I'd almost forgotten it :o. With the MBR, I seem to be able to get decent levels to disk without distortion... mebbe I've just been lucky so far!
And 64G - thanks for that about an external drive. We already use one on the missus's PC for pictures and our general media library (and back-ups of my recording projects when I get round to it... no MBR stuff has made it on there yet). I was wondering about getting another a while back for my laptop - you've reminded me how much easier life might become if I did :D
MBR only and proud of it. Nothing else is needed, apart from strong pointy fingers to keep pressing all those tiny buttons.
The whole point for me is the immediacy of the MBR. I don't have room for a studio, nor do I have the time to faff around with mixers and DAW. I just plug my instruments into the MBR and go. I love it!
Cheers,
Nigel
cheers Nigel, way to go !! and the best way to keep the creativity .. computers seem to have a fan that blows it away .. tho' I must admit I've used it a couple of times ... but less and less ....
i use my pc less and less since getting a br600-mostly use pc for drums
computers suck the the life out of creativity it seems
Quote from: guitarron on June 04, 2009, 06:57:19 AMi use my pc less and less since getting a br600-mostly use pc for drums
computers suck the the life out of creativity it seems
that could've been me saying that, except for the drums bit. I only use the PC now for uploading the mixdown to bossbr.net and an mp3 player :D
if it werent for the virtual intruments and audacity-my pc would be relegated to just internet
i havent bothered upgrading sonar(i used to upgrade regularly)