Rail in EM article

[MikeDee]

Hey, Rail -

It was great to see you included in Electronic Musician's "Vocal Magic" article (July, 2006; pp. 42-57).

My only caveat was that your examples were performed with Pro Tools instead of SAWStudio. But I figure that since EM has a large circulation and PT is the "industry standard," you were most likely compelled to go with PT.

Fortunately, it is not a difficult matter applying your contributions to the SS environment; for example, PT's Playlists ==> SS' Layers. However, it would have been nice to show the modern world how much more efficient the workflow and better sounding the vocals would be in SS. :)

Bottom line: The article transcends the DAWs/tools implemented...great work, Rail (as well as Steve, Bob, "Juice," Rick, and Ed)! :cool:

Best personal regards,

[Mark Stebbeds]

However, it would have been nice to show the modern world how much more efficient the workflow and better sounding the vocals would be in SS. :)



But it wouldn't have been true.

Mark

[Bob L]

For many of us it's true. :)

Bob L

[studio-c]

Mine's bigger. Let's measure...

Before this gets nasty, there are many great tools out there. If I had Macs instead of PCs I'd be using ProTools too.
But I don't see how anything could be faster to work with than SS for me. In the razorblade and greasepencil days I was like Benihana of audio, a blur. That 5 cent razorblade bought me cars, fed my family and gave me the money to buy out my boss in the studio i worked at. Now I'm damn fast with SS. And I like the freedom from hardware slavery.

Just gotta practice your chops with your axe of choice.

Choose your weapon and get to work everybody. :)

Be brilliant and make us proud.

Scott

[Mark Stebbeds]

For many of us it's true. :)

Bob L

I don't doubt that at all. But the aritcle was about others.:)

mark

[SoundSuite]

WTG Rail!

[mghtx]

you were most likely compelled to go with PT.

I doubt that very much. Rail is a PT user, simple as that. Nothing wrong with that. It doesn't matter what DAW someone uses, just learn from the articles and apply it to SAW. Rail is very helpful here and on the DUC. It's all good. :)

[Perry]

Before this gets nasty, there are many great tools out there.

Scott

But, it already is. :rolleyes:

However, on a more fun and cheerful note, big congratulations to Rail on his appearance in the magazine! :)

Perry

[MikeDee]

I only mentioned SAWStudio with regard to Rail because, some time ago, he mentioned (perhaps not in the *exact* words printed here) that he preferred SS to Pro Tools, but that he will use PT on those gigs requiring the "industry standard."

Should Grandmaster Rogut, himself, wish to set this matter (and, quite possibly, me) straight, I'm all ears and eyes. Er, sorry, Rail...perhaps I shoulda just offered you your well-deserved Kudos and left it at that...? :D

Regards to all...and stay happy,

[studio-c]

Good call.

Congrats Rail, and thanks for your great software and caring support.

We appreciate you man!

Scott

[Tim Miskimon]

I 'm wondering why - if Rail really prefers using Pro Tools - that he even bothers wasting his time writing plug ins for SAW?
Why isn't he writing plug ins for Pro Tools?
With Pro Tools being the so called industry standard it seems to me he'd make lots more money.

[Carl G.]

I doubt that very much. Rail is a PT user, simple as that. Nothing wrong with that. It doesn't matter what DAW someone uses, just learn from the articles and apply it to SAW. Rail is very helpful here and on the DUC. It's all good. :)
Yeah, he uses PT and has given great cross reference help here.
I would say "To each his own" (but software companies tend not to give away 'ownership' to the purchasers!)

Rail has made tremendous contributions here.

[Rail Jon Rogut]

Thanks guys

You're right - I do like and use both. These days I mainly use Pro Tools because that's what's at the multiple locations I work at. The article mentions Pro Tools because the interviewer asked about my Pro Tools methodology. You're right though -- it was an oversight not to have mentioned SAWStudio.. but perhaps I did and that part of the interview wasn't included (I can't remember). When I'm at home and need to do something fast -- I'll usually do it in SAWStudio.. especially if it's something which I can process offline (faster than real time).

There's nothing wrong with having more than one tool available.

Thanks again.

Rail

[Perry]

Thanks guys

You're right - I do like and use both. These days I mainly use Pro Tools because that's what's at the multiple locations I work at. The article mentions Pro Tools because the interviewer asked about my Pro Tools methodology. You're right though -- it was an oversight not to have mentioned SAWStudio.. but perhaps I did and that part of the interview wasn't included (I can't remember). When I'm at home and need to do something fast -- I'll usually do it in SAWStudio.. especially if it's something which I can process offline (faster than real time).

There's nothing wrong with having more than one tool available.

Thanks again.

Rail

Thanks for your post Rail! :) And for clarifying your position on SAWStudio. Very cool! And nice of you too!

all the best,

perry

[Pedro Itriago]

Sorry guys, but I have to say something like I said in the shade thread: I don't get it.

What was the issue Rail needed to clarify? I though you could use both philips & blade screwdrivers, oscilloscopes & net analyzers, regular or super gas.

Pedro

P.S. That being said, I still don't like PT

P.P.S.: Wildly thinking about other things, do you get the same differences between analog & digital audio when using analog or digital VOM's or oscilloscopes? food for thought...

[Mark Stebbeds]

P.S. That being said, I still don't like PT

P.P.S.: Wildly thinking about other things, do you get the same differences between analog & digital audio when using analog or digital VOM's or oscilloscopes? food for thought...

I don't like digital VOMs at all. Maybe it's just my old school way of thinking, but those numbers constantly changing drive me crazy.

PT is an acquired taste.:) Especially when the checks come.:) And last I checked, sound comes out the other end.

Mark

[studio-c]

I don't like digital VOMs at all. Maybe it's just my old school way of thinking, but those numbers constantly changing drive me crazy.
Mark

I was going to make some wiseass remark about analog ohmmeters sounding better and really derail this thing. But then I was thinking that I really am fighting getting rid of my old analog board because it has two huge analog VU meters that I really love looking at, because I'm used to the ballistics and what everything means. I'm wondering if I can be happy with a strip of LEDs. I do use the Sonoris meter as well. But I think I'd really be sad to let the old board go, if only for the meters.

Plus they sound better than LEDs.


;)

Scott

[Dave Labrecque]

Yesterday I had to take apart my wife's PDA. I broke my tiniest phillips and was able to use my tiniest flat-blade screwdriver in its place. Maybe we don't need both. :p

[MikeDee]

Thanks guys

You're right - I do like and use both. These days I mainly use Pro Tools because that's what's at the multiple locations I work at. The article mentions Pro Tools because the interviewer asked about my Pro Tools methodology. You're right though -- it was an oversight not to have mentioned SAWStudio.. but perhaps I did and that part of the interview wasn't included (I can't remember). When I'm at home and need to do something fast -- I'll usually do it in SAWStudio.. especially if it's something which I can process offline (faster than real time).

There's nothing wrong with having more than one tool available.

Thanks again.

Rail

Thank you for writing Rail. Nice to know I wasn't hallucinating. :eek:

Again, great work! :)

Best personal regards,

[Perry]

Sorry guys, but I have to say something like I said in the shade thread: I don't get it.

What was the issue Rail needed to clarify? I though you could use both philips & blade screwdrivers, oscilloscopes & net analyzers, regular or super gas.

Pedro

P.S. That being said, I still don't like PT

P.P.S.: Wildly thinking about other things, do you get the same differences between analog & digital audio when using analog or digital VOM's or oscilloscopes? food for thought...

But Pedro... since when do you ever "git it"? :D

Hey... I'm just kidding of course! :)

It isn't (IMO) that rail "needed" to clarify anything... just that I thought it was nice of him to drop in and offer an explanation to the queston that was posed to him.. when he certainly didn't have to. It was nice of him to let people here know that he does respect (and use) SAWStudio still. :)

Uhhh... get it now? :D

Cheers!

Perry

[Carl G.]

I don't like digital VOMs at all. Maybe it's just my old school way of thinking, but those numbers constantly changing drive me crazy.

PT is an acquired taste.:) Especially when the checks come.:) And last I checked, sound comes out the other end.

Mark
But using SawStudio - Sounds come out the right end :)

[studio-c]

Yesterday I had to take apart my wife's PDA. I broke my tiniest phillips and was able to use my tiniest flat-blade screwdriver in its place. Maybe we don't need both. :p
All you need is a big hammer...
We all got over that 'results' thing, didn't we? ;)

[Cary B. Cornett]

... I was thinking that I really am fighting getting rid of my old analog board because it has two huge analog VU meters that I really love looking at, because I'm used to the ballistics and what everything means.
You could always junk the board, keeping only the stuff you REALLY still need to use, in this case the meters. I have toyed with the idea of having one or two proper VU meters in a special small box. Do you know whether the meters in your old board actually meet the ANSI spec for ballistics? Most so-called "VU" meters are NOT, in fact, true Volume Unit meters in the official sense. REAL VU meters were never cheap (precision costs money). Even some top grade analog recorders eventually were using meters that did not necessarily meet the spec.

Anyway, if you are used to the meters, keep them and junk the rest of the board. Getting rid of that great big reflective surface can actually improve the accuracy of your monitoring (one of the reasons I dumped my analog board).

[studio-c]

It's an ancient Auditronics board, which was so out of date that now people come in and say, "wow, what a really cool vintage board!!" And it really is pretty sweet. Funny thing it has the same black-face look as the API console down the hall :)

I do a fair deal of live mixing 2- and 3- person interviews to a mono file so when I edit I'm not having to deal with everyone on separate tracks. Just do the work going in... so I do like having separate faders that I can react to quickly.

But I gotta say that there's a thread going on now talking about Live mode, that has really piqued my interest. I think it does more than I was giving it credit for. I really should spend a month or two on my off time, doing everything in Live mode, so that I'll be up to speed on it. Then I can unveil it and use it in front of clients. That's how I did the analog-to-SAW1.0 transition.

I just love the feel of a handful of faders under my fingers. It's in the same category as the meters. Of course I thought I was going to miss the razorblade and greasepencil too.

HAAAAAAAA!!! :)

Scott

[Perry]

It's an ancient Auditronics board, which was so out of date that now people come in and say, "wow, what a really cool vintage board!!" And it really is pretty sweet. Funny thing it has the same black-face look as the API console down the hall :)

I do a fair deal of live mixing 2- and 3- person interviews to a mono file so when I edit I'm not having to deal with everyone on separate tracks. Just do the work going in... so I do like having separate faders that I can react to quickly.

But I gotta say that there's a thread going on now talking about Live mode, that has really piqued my interest. I think it does more than I was giving it credit for. I really should spend a month or two on my off time, doing everything in Live mode, so that I'll be up to speed on it. Then I can unveil it and use it in front of clients. That's how I did the analog-to-SAW1.0 transition.

I just love the feel of a handful of faders under my fingers. It's in the same category as the meters. Of course I thought I was going to miss the razorblade and greasepencil too.

HAAAAAAAA!!! :)

Scott

Hi Scott,

At the risk of sounding like a stuck record here (or whatever!) if you want to get rid of the console AND still have faders at your fingertips... you should look into replacing the console with the Sydec Mixpander soundcard bundle and add a control surface to control the soundcard's mixer (I use the Tascam US-2400 with 24 faders). It's amazing. You'll have the "live" feel of the faders like you want and still have all the advantages of SAWStudio at hand as well. It's really an incredible package.

With all the I/O of something like the Mixpander 48-TA you can set up talkback, multiple monitor mixes and cue mixes... whatever you need. There's 24 analog I/O and 24 digital I/O in one box.

I replaced my digital mixer (Mackie d8b) with this and never looked back. I used the big analog desks too for many years... and with this you can replace it all (except the mic pres of course... you'll still need to have hardware for those). And, you'll still have the "harware" feel and interface that you're used to.

http://www.sydec.be/Products/Details/ID/a97e9af3-cc4f-46f0-a24e-f6b7f97d2933/Mixpander+bundles/

http://www.sydec.be/Products/Details/ID/008d5d3d-c9bd-404e-8002-216ca3d0045d/Mixpander+48-TA/

http://www.sydec.be/Products/Details/ID/66f3fb50-6bd3-4969-ab33-e9e8211114a4/Mixpander+bundles/

http://www.sydec.be/Products/Details/?ID=db623fe6-ce33-410f-aba3-4655b1baddbb

For me at least.. this is the best of both worlds and gives you the option to work however you want.

The soundcard mixer is completely flexible and you can build mixers how ever you want them from a blank slate and save as many different configurations as you like.

There's an exciting new surprise in store very soon too... but I can't talk about that right now. :D

All the best,

Perry

PS: About that Audiotronics... if I remember correctly weren't those manufactured in Memphis? Seems I was in the place where they were assembling those once way back once upon a time. And yeah... they were sweet! :)

[Bob L]

You can also just use the Mackie Universal Control with SS and any soundcard... you will then have 8 faders and a master... these of course will work the whole 72 channels easily with bank swotching or hardware chasing in SS... but it sounds like you only 2 or 3 at a time anyway.

Bob L

[Carey Langille]

(I use the Tascam US-2400 with 24 faders). It's amazing. You'll have the "live" feel of the faders like you want and still have all the advantages of SAWStudio at hand as well. It's really an incredible package.

Hey Perry, Are you controlling SAWSTUDIO Directly with the surface or your hardware? Can you use all the faders, switchs , encoders that are on the us2400? Does the Play stop buttons work? Shuttle control? Sorry for all the questions Thanks for any info....

[Perry]

Hey Perry, Are you controlling SAWSTUDIO Directly with the surface or your hardware? Can you use all the faders, switchs , encoders that are on the us2400? Does the Play stop buttons work? Shuttle control? Sorry for all the questions Thanks for any info....

Hi Carey,

I use the controller to control my Soundscape hardware... or rather the software mixer for the hardware. With that I can use all 24 faders at once... and bank for more if needed. The mute and solo switches work as well as the aux sends (for aux 1-5, in banks of 24). I use it in HUI mode to get the function as I want them.

It will work with SAWStudio (but in a different mode.. like regular Mackie mode) but only 8 channels at a time. I never really pursued that very much really and I don't know what other functions actually work except the transport does work if I recall correctly.

For me I don't feel SAWStudio is in much need of a controller really... for my purposes anyway. I had also a Mackie Controller that was hooked up to SAWStudio and on a rolling stand next to me... like an old fashioned "Auto locator". But recently I sold it because it mostly just sat there and got very little use.

Hope this helps! :)

Perry

[bcorkery]

I think I'd really be sad to let the old board go, if only for the meters.

Plus they sound better than LEDs.
No, no, I've heard 'em ... They really do! :)

[studio-c]

Hey Bill!

I thought you were on vacation. Do you take your holidays at cybercafes? :)

Actually, I shouldn't talk. My wife insists on taking the laptop every time we take a trip.

Lunch soon!

Scott

P.S. Oh sorry guys, I didn't know you were here...