What are you guy's using to record

[Marc]

I was woundering what you guys were using to record?  analog vs. digital vs. Multi-track device vs. PC vs. Mac? any software you like?

I'll start...

When I just need to move a way from the computer I'll setup my little tascam 4 track and record some ideas, maybe even a song.  I use it more as a rough draft

I'll use my PC with an EMU 0404 PCI card to record.  I've got ever thing going through a little mixer.  I aslo use a johnson-J station and Vox valvetronix to emulate different amps.

[Carl Snow]

**bear w/ me pls

this thread exploded just as i got buried in Mersh, Teach, Gig(s) LOL
AKA
been wanting to address this but i got buried in Mersh, Teach, Gig(s)
**the "bear w/ me pls" refers to my only being able to type, um, say, er, 1word a minute
soooo..anyways:

right now i'm having my cake and almost eating it too!

here at my studio i use too much crap to (see **)type , but i'll try and hit a few major points.
1- i can't stand, having grown up recording to tape, digital stuff. but the times they are a' changing and ya gotta go with it (or go hungry lol)
so
against all advive i purchased one of those fairly new Alesis IO/26 Firewire Interfaces. I like it. i can go eight-in + evey channel has a (i freaked) insert-jack! + it bypasses yer soundcard while recording (and if you like, whn playing back) this does wonders in the ongoing war against latency. I push these tracks "into the box" (DAW) with no compression(any effect) unless i require an 'outboard' analog rack or other outer. usually run these outs: Lexicon JamMan(old) Yamaha Rev 500, Avalon Comp (Bass / Kick mainly), Roland TUBE pre-amp, etc etc   
this makes the transfer(s) easy to deal with IN the box.
i use CBase4 (sometimes AcidPro) as my main tracking device as it is so very easy and well thought out. (for Mersh stuff its a great host to slaved Reason, Acid, FL, etc) it also utilizes non-destructive tracking , IE: there is NO change to the original sound until you Mix to Master(more on Mastering later) ... depending on the Box yer using, you can run way too many plugs for yer own good lol. If i'm sent a horrid sound i can address it while mixing, Via Guitar Rig, Amplitude (etc etc); this is a huge plus! CBase4 also has some nice plugs of its own. nice eq, and all, but i still mainly use Waves Ltd plugs
i mix this down to 2 track and then... Master

THE OTHER STUDIO

I'm recording the newest record in a way that is horrifying and fun.
using good Mic techniques and NO compression/Rev/noFX run to a tube Toft-Audio 16 Chanel desk at my 'other guitarist's' new-born studio
we dump straight to a (damn! cant remember manufacturer) "Alesis" (i think) HD-24 Hard Disc Recorder Tape = too expensive now,,argh!)..no brain just an HD.
we power this + Monitors (hand-made in Chattanooga) with a dual-mono Crown Tube Reference Amp.
the payoff is big.

we then simply take the 24/48 (96 is overkill) mix over here and i Master the thang.

two separate 'approaches' one Constant.

ya gotta know how to Mic.
ikes! a student ...more later...

Cs
(grabbing guitar)

[Marc]

Wow Carl,

Sounds like quite a nice setup.  How was your learning curve on how to use everything?

My setup is more like a portastudio in comparison, (and i do have a portastudio).    My setup is pretty simple and easy to use no complicated things to get the way of me just doing my thing.  not the best as far quility goes but does engouh for me to express myself.

[Carl Snow]

my 'learning curves' have varied so much that i cant think up an average.
i put 15(of 34)years staring over the shoulders of some really great recordist-engineers .. i was a runner, a tape op, finely 2nd chair (engineering) before that particular aspect (biggest one = using Mics wisely ... that was 15 years pre-pro and, lol, i continue to seek new opportunities to learn(may call old semi-friend Nick to see if i can hang during a session next time i'm playing the west coast.. he has acquired a ton of knowledge (just did the new Alice and chains, worked on some Tom Petty stuff etc etc etc so i suppose the curve is LooooNG , lol.
some tasks (computer/daw) or programs are easy as hell to learn yer way around in, Logic, P-Tools , and my fav CBase4, are all (Logic takes twice as long , lol) all take /took only a few years each.
+
Mastering , (real Mastering, not just using comps and *ikes*-Limiters and the like) on the other hand, has a 1,000 year curve LOL! and i'm still on it. I was trained to master by two amazing guys one guy, Seva , "invented" and/or "co-invented' legendary M-Plugs (Waves Ltd) like the L2, LinMB , and such, so that knowledge was kinda like Manna..lol. he also , like learning to Mic/etc, would teach me fundamentals i use on 90% of my Mastering gigs.
other dude (name withheld) allowed even more access (and my "in" to the world of Mersh, lol) by filling in many a midi and timecoding question.
Burt MOST of the learning curve was, hate to sound cliche' ...but, was simply being at sessions, helping out, moving "up" and all. there is no substiute for being behind a rec-desk for decades and by my basically growing up as a professional musician (since 15, lol, no bs) and having to do live sound when someone passed out (hey! it was 82 or so .. we didn't know! lol)

More on this (and that)  en-route , buuut, Cin calls her sick ole man to Din-Din "NOW!" .

RAWK!
Cs

[Skold]

I use my trusty Roland VS-880 and run it through this crappy 15 watt amp because I found it gave it a softer tone, and then I run that into my PC. I record with Audacity.

Simple setup, but it produced this:

FGH Hacks - hackersaway.info	DQ

So, can't no one tell me that a cheap setup can't sound epic. It's all in the mixing.

[Carl Snow]

I use my trusty Roland VS-880

WILD!
I still have mine sitting in the Iso-Room here! ...I LOVE it!

and i have had guys with 24's etc (up their line) wish they had theirs back, lol, and yiou are soooo right about the warmth
Mine differs only slightly from yours (dunno how, as i can't hear it) as it is a Roland VS-880EX.

the 'line-in' crap sucks , but, with 8 adapters that can be fixed (to an extent)

i like busing(midi chain) it to Cubase and running a few extra Mics on "______" you never know what that gray little monster will cook up!

nice to find another fan!

(also nice to find someone else who does 'Mesh-work' !)

RAWK!
Cs

[Skold]

Actually, I've been wanting to do more professional meshing, but I'm not sure how to get started.

And, actually, now that I think about it, I'm using the VS-880 Xpanded.