setup qustion for the prof..

im tryin to up date my setup on some more professinal shhit ..im not sure what to cop though.ive got an idea though...first ill tell yall what im workin with...i got alright sound card{santa cruz} im runnin digital orchestrator pro{i know the program is weak}but i been usin it for 2 years now i learnd to master the program so my shhit soundz hott.matter of fact me and one of my artist did a track on this shhit and actually got it played on the radio w/o bein masterd!!! i got a mpc2kxl maxx out.8 outs eb16 32 all that...so now i wanna start recording shit at 24 bits...the setup i want is a software for the purpose of editing and fx{i coppin logic 5} second i need a{i think} a digital mixer so i can control the volume and other shit like mixing.....i dont what mixer i should get though??????so basicaly i need a setup where i can use my 8 outs for my mpc burns beats to the software record vocals on the software and mix right???i know this be confusin but try to put yall 2 cents in thanks

Protools LE with the Digi 002 (rack), or Logic with a decent soundcard with enough inputs (I can recommend the Motu 828mkII based on personal experience). With this you can track everything 8 tracks at a time, and then mix in software. If the beats are already decent-sounding coming out of the MPC, this would be all you need to mix them. For vocals, you can plug a condenser mic straight into the audio interface if it has a mic preamp and phantom power, but a dedicated channel strip will almost certainly give better results, and will definitely be more flexible.

You don't need an external mixer, because the DAW has all the mixing facilties you need. You can get a controller if you want a more hands-on approach - logic control is very good and works with any software, and there are some dedicated controllers for Protools (most are expensive though). Behringer's got some moving-fader controllers out that are very affordable and work well enough if you can't afford logic control.

Some people prefer to mix with an external desk and FX/compressors, for the sound and the hands-on feeling. If you prefer the sound (or feel) of an analog desk and analog compressors over the DAW stuff, this is the way to go, but it's not going to be cheap; you need the desk, AND all the processors.
The main reason a lot of pros don't mix in ProTools is because they have SSL desks and Neve/Fairchild/Urei compressors, TC system 6000 reverbs, etc, etc.

Final word of advice: if you're going to be mixing your own tracks, invest in a decent pair of monitors. You can't get a good mix if you can't hear what you're doing.

o ok.damn but a moto is madd expensive 749!!..im tryin to have setup to have the hands on feel...the only reason that i wanna incorperate a software like logic in my setup is for the editin and fx and thats it..so i was wunderin if i can cop a tascam 2488 24 track digi multitrack studio to record vocals and do songs on them and at the same time its record into logic so i can edit shit on logic and all types of effect and what not...but now im not sure if i need digitsl mixer for mixing the record for the final mix???basicaly i want a more hands on feel when do songs and album type shit

I have used the Roland VS series, and they are pretty dope, especially the higher end models. You got a computer already? To run a professional rig that won;t glitch out on you, you need a Mac G4 or G5 for current interface/software, or, if you like PCs, one that's built around an AMD 64 processor. If you have a computer, or want one, and the ProTools 002 is not hands on enough, then maybe that Roland VS that works specifically with the computer. It has a breakout box with a proprietary cable that goes to a nice hardware mixer, and they have plenty of 3rd party professional sounding plugins. How much are you tryin ta spend? In my opinion, if you have the dough, you can;t go wrong with the 002. It has throughput option, so that you can mix 8 tracks digitally when you just making beats with your computer turned off. That Yamaha joint

DM0NEY wrote:o ok.damn but a moto is madd expensive 749!!

I just mentioned the Motu because I have it, and it works very well for me. Good sound, reliable, and very flexible in the monitoring department.
You can get decent FW interfaces for less. Have a look at the Edirol FA-101 and check out the M-audio range.

You're not trying to do rocket science, so you don't need anything like a G5 running Logic Pro 7 with an 828mkII (although it IS a sweet setup). As I understand it, you make the beats on the MPC, and you just need the computer to track them and add vocals, and some FX. Man, you can do that on an eMac with Garageband and a bunch of freeware plugins. Seriously.

You can always upgrade the software later. Logic pro is sweet because it's flexible and includes a VERY serious collection of plug-ins and instruments. Oh, and don't forget Ableton Live; it's a different way of working, but if you like the MPC and a hands-on approach, you need to check it out.

Lo, you know if you can use garageband w/ a protools interface, or anything other than the standard computer input?

lo-fi wrote:You don't need an external mixer, because the DAW has all the mixing facilties you need.

But dont even have a EQ channel strip on PT. Those Digi Plugs are wack.

Of course. Free bundled plugs are always trash. Third patrty plugz for PT are an industry standard, tho, cus they work beautifully. There aren't really any other hardware interfaces with comparable converters and software that have a hardware surface included. Except for the Yamaha 01VX. That looks really hot. Its a computer DAW interface w/ preamps, etc, but also a standalone digital mixer w/ efects, dynamics on every channel, etc, whether the computers on or not. Only thing is, I don't know how easy it would be to use with the software you want, and I don't know how good thieir bundled audio program is. Worth a look tho. It cost less than the Digi002, and Yamaha makes really solid ish.

Yeah, and you can only load so many 3rd party EQs per channel till a buffer underrun error. I do all my eqing outboard. I had a 01V for a month but sold it.

@DOVESKI & trupro:

Hey, I'm a hardware man myself, but I've got Logic Pro, and it includes some serious plug-ins. I like my Lexicons, but there is nothing wrong with Space Designer.

Sure, we'd all prefer Pultec and Manley EQs over plug-ins. But for someone who's just starting to expand his studio beyond his MPC, that's hardly an option, is it? The EQs in affordable analog mixers are OK, but nothing to get exited about. A good DAW gives you a convenient way to track your MPC, and has some usable mixing facilities to boot.

I'm just saying. If you know how to mix, set up compressors, reverbs and everyghing else, you can do a VERY serious sounding mix on a VERY basic DAW. It won't sound like an SSL with 1,5 million dollars worth of outboard, but it won't sound like trash either.

man i think the eq on my little soundcraft sound better than my waves RTAS eq.

i dont need a crazy eq to make my stuff sound good (only top nothc gear here baby), just a three band eq wit sweepable mids on PT would be cool.

You both got a good point. Less is definately more DOVE, but your man is right. I mean, sometimes I like to play with alot of options, that's how I work best. Soundcraft makes great ish tho...Yo, I don't really want a DAW with the same EQ on everyt channel. It's different from an analog console, like if you got sonar w/ eq on every strip out the box, all your eq-ing sound the same. Whereas, you loading up different eq plugs for different type of tracks in the one session w/ PT. Plus, don't get it twist mang, that eq strip in other programs takes up processor power when you start to tweak it, so you have less power for compressors and ish, and they color the sound in an unpleasing manner. Waves Qs are totally see-thru. SOmetimes, I don't even really eq shit, I just do alot of rolloffs, tho, so f it. I really would love analog, but I like hooks with like 8 vocal tracks and ish, so, I can't really provide for a 32 track session w/ quality outboard ish. Cats go out and cop Mackies, which sound like ass to me, just to be able to afford a 24track 'analog' session, and they still payin too much just for that, in my opinion. Although for that price, that's the best you gonna get. I am a contol freak, mang, I can't have no mixing board w/ no automation. **** writing down eq settings on a xerox sheet, man. When it pops off, you will catch me building a separate space with a neve board or an SSL, tho.

trupro wrote: When it pops off, you will catch me building a separate space with a neve board or an SSL, tho.

Everybody here has good points about all this ish, I disagree with some things said but to each his own. My advice to you if you go the software route is to know the limits of your pc. A lot of cats who go the software route tend to blame the software for the shortcomings of their computer.