It must be nearly a year..... feels like it anyway.
I was using a MOTU16A, Modded Soundcraft Delta, and mucho hardware.
I was recording Live drums, miking guitar amps, etc.
It had taken me years to build up the hardware collection, and microphone collection.
I would have to track to a click, as I play all the instruments.
It was quite an involved and time consuming process.
I never really liked the end result of tracking to a click, but what you gonna do? (remember one man show).
Logic, brought out a feature called SMART TEMPO. This means I can record my acoustic guitar and main vocal in one take, onto seperate tracks (using a U87 in fig 8 vocals, and Rode NTR ribbon, Fig 8, on acoustic). Then I can analyse the acoustic guitar part, and easily and quickly create a tempo map for the song.
Then I can play drums in, via my Roland TKD17KV, using Superior Drummer 3 against that tempo map. I can quickly edit, quantise etc the drums, and now I have a drum part locked as tight or loose as I wish, to the acoustic guitar part.
This is important... I have a gazillion hours playing and singing and playing acoustic guitar at the same time live. Its how I work best.
I then over dub bass guitar. Then other guitars etc.
So, this means, I leave my two mics set up all the time... walk in. .... turn on the gear.... open a logic project.... hit record..... do a take(s) till I get the right pass I want.. usually within 1-3 passes.
Map out the tempo
Play the drums
Play the bass
then I have gone to LINE 6 HELIX LT for my electric guitar sounds. I record this live into LOGIC, using HX EDIT to edit the sounds. So this is committed.
Its super quick, and has the vibe I really like.
What has made this possible is the Apollo X8P in a large degree, and without SMART TEMPO in Logic none of this would be possible.
APOLLO 8XP
I bought it, but honestly could do with the X6. I bought a second hand OCTO satellite to go with it, giving me more than enough DSP Memory for what I do.
I kept my two special outboard preamps, a Seimens V72 and a BAE 1073DMP.
The DMP is used on vocals and harmonica, the V72 is used on acoustic instruments.
I use no external compression.
When I record the acoustic and vocal together, I monitor through the APOLLO CONSOLE APP. I have no other effects going other than CAPITOL CHAMBERS reverb on the vocal.
I do not commit the reverb. Its comfort verb. I use an external headphone monitor amp, and EXTREME ISOLATION cans. The sound in my cans is nothing short of GLORIUS.
It is the best cans mix I have ever sung through and Is completely inspiring. The guitar sound is incredible, Taylor acoustic, and its just so wonderful to perform like that. Magic.
Everything is set up as presets in console, vocal and acoustic tracking, bass tracking, where I plug directly into the APOLLO line insert on the front and have the UA610A plug inserted and I commit to that sound at the time of tracking... over dubbing drums and guitars, all is a preset set up with a inspiring sound to play through and monitor.
I insert the UA plugs I am mixing with in LOGIC as each instrument gets tracked, so when overdubbing I am essentially recording into a finished mix. Very very nice.
I use few plugs...
Capitol Chambers for reverb, a little on the vocal and maybe solo guitar just about does it.
Each track gets OXIDE tape plug in
Neve 1084 and UA610A and B. These three EQs are the only ones I really need.. should I need to notch something, PROQ3 by fabfilter would be the go, though I can recall using it lately.
UA LA2 plug in, and LA2 Grey are getting used on a lot of things....I bought the UA176 but not finding the need to use...wish you could sell or transfer UA plugs to someone else... eventually might be some cheap UA thing, load it up with the plugs I don't use and sell/transfer to someone who wants them. Maybe that would work?
I use RX7 to de noise the acoustic tracks. Gives that clean seperated sound I love to tracks in a mix.
The stereo buss gets the SSL G buss comp and the ATR102 tape plug in.
and at end mix time, the PRO L limiter and OZONE 9 get a look in, OZONE used to tighten the bottom end.
The "room" sound is my BRICASTI M7M being controlled by the M7 Plug in.
The drums are Superior Drummer, with a preset I have made up from the default kit. I bought DECADES but just don't use it.. must sell that on.
I am producing nice sounding mixes, I used to do that with all the hardware too, this is faster and my output has exponentially increased. Its wonderful.
I am enjoying making music more than I ever have in my life...I think time of life has a lot to do with that...and this set up works great for me, I no longer have clients so a lot of what I used to have is no longer important...wow factor of console and hardware... .real acoustic kit ..... all the mics and preamps that go with that.
I sold nearly 25K in gear after going this way..........twenty.....five....thousand....dollars. I made money on all but one of the pieces of hardware I sold.
I still have a LA2A here and some transformers etc to off load.
I did my last album, Guitar Strings Pen Paper, with this setup. It turned out great, and was the quickest album to make to date.
I have been working on Album number 9, and its better than the last, and fast and inspired.
I loved my time with hardware, loved working on it, fixing it, using knobs. Would never have become what I am with using it. Its a wonderful training ground.
But at nearly 56 years old.. semi retired... this is the way forward for me.
The Apollo is the best sounding interface I have ever used.
The plugs sound better than I remember, and I don't feel worse off from not having hardware.
My 2012 iMac is not using much CPU due to the DSP available.
Thought you guys might like an update.
Cheers
Wiz
