Hiphop: analog recording

When producing hiphop I've always found it easier to record digital (protools). I can record something and then sample it straight into my mpc, or just loop it in protools, or whatever...

However, I've heard that producers like Dr. Dre produce analog. I'm just wondering how they do this?
Do they record to tape, then sample into their mpc, and then track again on an analog board?
When sampling into an mpc or a sampler you're lowering the audio resolution. So if you record a bassline analog and you want to loop it, at some point you have to convert it to digital, right?
Is there a way to stay analog untill the very end, without converting to digital? The only way I see it, is to play the whole song live...

Feedback, opinions, comments, answers appreciated.

they could be saying that he Records Analog.....some older cats also call "producing" what a Studio Engineer may do in final with the song... or so forth... which would be true, cause back in da day you mainly had just a music composer/arranger along with a band.... so just maybe they may have meant "Record Analog".... maybe im wrong or right, im just asking to make sure

the minute you sample...you are digital......



PROVE ME WRONG!!!!!!

u are right.... thats why i am asking, was whatever you were reading saying he records analog or produces analog..... if they said producing, again, some peeps call part of the production process, recording......so in this case, u can still record analog via tape or whatever

its a buzz word, marketing, hype, etc.

I use only analog, blah blah blah....

I hear this crap all the time from older engineers......

"in my day we had to cut tape and blah blah blah........."

They always fail to mention that studios had start up costs well above 6 figures.........

Then I start joking how all their favorite studios are out of business cause cats are renting a loft with a 002 or a control 24 and some 824s selling studio time for like $30 an hour.


the only reason to use analog processing and recording methods is if it will make the performance and engineering better. I personally work better on analog boards and outboard gear than I do all digi. but when its all said and done I book more time at digi only studios cause cats dont want to fork over the $$$$.


and even when i do book time at analog studios (neve boards, good analog outboard gear, ATCs.) Cats still track to PT, cuz the cost of tape and the fact that they need to comp voc tracks from like 5 takes and want to punch in every line.


Bottom line

If your are getting radio play the radio station is putting a limiter on your mix giving it no room to breathe.......

If your selling your album its on CD........

Not to mention all these kids listening to music via some ipod ear buds from a compressed file format....


the final product is being played back via bad DIGITAL reproduction systems, so it really doesnt matter its just a way of being on some "I keep it real" bull$hit

nice way to put it JAEM

I use Protools myself, and I like the flexibility of DAW software, but hip-hop records don't sound the same as they used to when cats was pretty much all 2" tape and fat consoles. Recordings these days sound pretty much the same in all systems now, except bigger systems amplify the bass and drums heavier(there are exceptions of course).

That old 90's sh** like some Tribe Called Quest bangers would sound cool in smaller systems, but when you put that sh** in a car or heard it in a club system....oooooohweeeee.....all kinds of mystery low end would come out the wordwork and shock it. I just don't hear that in most of today's hip-hop recordings. Even Premo and Alchemist sh** has pretty controlled dynamics. I like the consistency provided by modern recording technology, but I miss that serious low-end coloration cats used to get from analog based recording.

Haterific as usual.

Here yall go:
http://www.grsites.com/modperl/soundvie ... ket%20song

4dahaterz: "they could be saying that he Records Analog"
- Yeah, this might be the case. So analog recording is part of his production technique.

Jaem, I agree with a lot of what you're saying. But I also believe that your recording will sound more natural and pleasant, the longer you can keep it in analog form.
This recording: analog---------->digital---------->product
will sound better than
This recording: digital----------------------------->product


I just don't get how Dr. Dre does this: analog----->digital----->product
If he actually records everything to tape first, and then samples the recordings into his mpc/sampler, it must take a very long time for him to arrange and complete a track.

the product is on a DIGITAL MEDIUM

product is DIGITAL!!!!!!!!!!




why do i suddenly feel like a teacher trying to explain the concept of color to a room of blind children

i feel ya pain Jaem.... its been a hectic week on here wit some peeps.... but anyway... back to the subject....

when its all said and done, and it hits the CD its DIGITAL

jaem wrote:the product is on a DIGITAL MEDIUM

product is DIGITAL!!!!!!!!!!




why do i suddenly feel like a techer trying to explain the concept of color to a room of blind children

hahahaha

why u on dre's arse anyway? he dont really want you to know how he makes his beats. Like Slum Village says man "DO YOU, Cuz ***** I'm ah DO ME"
When I make beats its all over the place, DIG-> ANO->DIG<-ANO->DIG who cares as long as you get your desired result.

record on Pro Tools
Bounce the entire mix to a stereo track
Go out Pro Tools to a analog tape machine
Back from tape into Pro Tools to 1 new stereo track

^^^^^^

great idea, now we can all hear those "transparent" digidesign convertors not once but 2x