SAC/SAW Success!

[Donnie Frank]

SAW/SAC-heads;

A little background...

I've been mixing on SAC for about 5 years. 2 Christmases ago I purchased SAWLite 5.1 and have literally never used it. Up to now I have been using the TapeIt plugin on the Output channel. Because the TapeIt recordings don't take into account stage volume, and my clients are less than perfect regarding their stage volume, more than once I have wished I could a little "post-production" and boost a specific instrument for a given mix or given passage. My objective is to maintain the "live feel" of a live recording with the ability to allow me to "repair" shortcomings. I wish to do this repair in my video editing software, which allows me to drag individual .wav files into the work environment. I don't wish to get into a full-on post-production situation. I would like to be able to drag the 2-channel mix into the videos (as I always have) with the addition of being able to "enhance" certain instruments if need be.



Finding an experiment environment....

I was perusing FB a few days ago and some musician friends of mine were showing off pictures of their new warehouse rehearsal space, which donned microphones for all instruments into a full P.A. system, their own analog console AND a splitter snake! Wow!! I thought that if I could get in on their rehearsals, I could experiment with SAC/SAW in a non-mission-critical environment. In return I could provide the band with quality recordings. I pitched the idea and they loved it. I showed up with my SAC rig, plugged it into the monitor end of the splitter snake, established signal and was ready to go!

Before moving forward I gave the band the caveats. I told them I was new at this so they needed to keep their expectations low for the first few rehearsals. They have been completely understanding. It has been a good relationship.



The learning curve...

Last Tuesday I moved my SAC rig into their warehouse and recorded them with some success. I could see that I had created .wav files and could see the recordings in SAW, but I could not play them back to the band. So that was my next "mission."

I consulted the SAW/SAC forums and figured out how to do this. Thursday night was their next rehearsal. I was fairly confident that I would able to record AND playback the tracks to the band.

So far my experiments linking the 2 software packages are going well. I have learned that in order to mix/record a band and play it back to them, it all boils down to changing the input sources in SAC. As Bob suggested, this is done quite nicely with Scenes. Because of its great power "Scenes" have always scared me. But I am fortunate enough to be working in a forgiving environment that allows me to "screw up."

Because they are using the mains as monitors (facing the mains towards the band on the opposite wall), "mixing" would be more like mixing one, large monitor mix. I didn't want to get into that, so to make the experience more real, I have been doing the "live mix" in my headphones. This is really good because the playback is essentially my live mix. I can also mix on the fly (boosting guitar solos, for instance) while they listen. I have to say it's pretty freakin' kewl.

The next thing I want to learn to is how to "punch in" overdub tracks. I'm thinking that it's just a matter of changing the input source on a SAC channel strip while allowing the rest of the channels to remain "SS" sourced...but I'm not sure. And I'm sure there are other considerations. Any advice on the best way to do this?

Thanx for any input you can give.

[Angie]

Donnie,

You may find this thread helpful.
http://www.sawstudiouser.com/forums/showpost.php?p=134677&postcount=1

There are a couple more that may answer your questions. Just do a search.

[cgrafx]

Donnie,


So far my experiments linking the 2 software packages are going well. I have learned that in order to mix/record a band and play it back to them, it all boils down to changing the input sources in SAC. As Bob suggested, this is done quite nicely with Scenes. Because of its great power "Scenes" have always scared me. But I am fortunate enough to be working in a forgiving environment that allows me to "screw up."
You don't have to change inputs from SAC to SAW.

Just add your SAW output bus to a single SAC input channel and route as needed to what ever mixes, FOH, Monitor, etc that you need.

Do your actually recording mix in SAW. You have all the same controls as you do in SAC and you don't have to switch anything, its all live all at once.

Record, playback, punch-ins etc.

Much easier than constantly swapping inputs with scenes which in this case is completely unnecessary.

[Donnie Frank]

Donnie,

Just add your SAW output bus to a single SAC input channel and route as needed to what ever mixes, FOH, Monitor, etc that you need.



I didn't know I could assign SAW Output channels to a SAC input channel. This seems ideal, as I still need the mixing capabilities of SAC, as the band is looking to increase the quality of the recordings but taking everything out of their 110dB mains. They're thinking of bagging those mains and going with 5 monitor mixes. So I will still need SAC to manage monitor mixes (possibly stereo headphone mixes).

I assume I would have to mute the SAW channel in SAC or it would create a loop or unwanted gain boost during recording sessions.





Do your actually recording mix in SAW.



Mix? I assume SAW inputs are tapped post gain. So gain is set at the AD/DA converters, right? I'm recording clean, dry tracks. Do you mean mix for playback?





You have all the same controls as you do in SAC and you don't have to switch anything, its all live all at once.



Okay...I assume you mean mixing playback. Yeah...I've been doing this through SAC. But hell...if I can have all the same bells-n-whistles in SAW, I'll use SAW. Damn...I wish I had my SAC/SAW machine in front of me. Do the SAW channel strips look like SAC channel strips? Mutes, solos, etc?






Record, playback, punch-ins etc.

Much easier than constantly swapping inputs with scenes which in this case is completely unnecessary.

This sounds like what I need to do.

[cgrafx]

I assume I would have to mute the SAW channel in SAC or it would create a loop or unwanted gain boost during recording sessions.
No you don't have to mute the SAW channel. It will only produce audio when you are in playback mode.


Mix? I assume SAW inputs are tapped post gain. So gain is set at the AD/DA converters, right? I'm recording clean, dry tracks. Do you mean mix for playback?
By default, yes the SAW inputs are tapped at the input source from the AD converter. The tap point can be moved depending on what you want to do, but generally I'd leave them at the defaults and record dry tracks.


Okay...I assume you mean mixing playback. Yeah...I've been doing this through SAC. But hell...if I can have all the same bells-n-whistles in SAW, I'll use SAW. Damn...I wish I had my SAC/SAW machine in front of me. Do the SAW channel strips look like SAC channel strips? Mutes, solos, etc?


Yes, I'm talking about mixing the playback. You do that in SAW. SAC is essentially SAW with a modified playback engine. The same channel strips, returns and output structure except only a single mixing console (not 25), and the engine is designed to be start/stop.

You switch to the SAW mixing console and create your mix there, sending and output feed to SAC for playback/monitoring.



This sounds like what I need to do.
Yes, this is what you should do.

[Donnie Frank]

Hey SAW-heads;

I posted my success in the SAC forum.

http://www.sawstudiouser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17213