,

Barry Rudolph reviews Ohm Force’s “Ohmicide”

 

Barry Rudolph has teamed up with For The Record to share his reviews with the latest in recording products. Barry is a recording engineer/producer and contributing editor for MIX Magazine, ‘New Toys’ columnist for L.A.’s Music Connection Magazine, and writer for www.prosoundweb.com. He also is editor/writer of Gear Lust, his online special review section at www.barryrudolph.com. 

Ohm Force Ohmicide

 

Ohmicide is from the French company Ohm Force’s Melohman family of plug-ins. Ohmicide is a distortion plug-in that is completely malleable in nearly every way possible. It starts by splitting audio into four frequency bands each with six different processing modules. The modules are: M/S matrix, noise gate, dynamics, distortion, make-up gain, pan, and it finishes with an acoustic feedback path. I liked the dynamics processor with its Shape control (a low-level compressor) and Body (basically it acts like an expander or limiter of sorts).

The Distortion processor module has three variants, Standard, Xxx, and Odd of 37 distortion algorithms making a total of 111 Types of distortion. A distortion Type is further adjustable using a Gain control, a DC offset control called Bias that simulates the erratic behavior of broken audio gear, and the Alt knob changes the underlying algorithm of the Type. The main graphic at the top of the plug’s GUI is an audio oscilloscope that shows: input, output, or both together superimposed and a second bar chart below shows where the filters of each frequency band begin and end. Somewhat useful and cool looking, you get an idea of what is going on but, as always, my ears tell me what’s really going on–complete audio mayhem!

My main use for Ohmicide is in mixing where I want to “rough” up certain tracks so they cut better or they take on a particular character and prominence. With a plug-in this deep and rich, I start with a preset to get close to what I’m looking for. For sound designers Ohmicide represents a major new tool for endless experimentation–you’ll never leave your studio!

The factory presets come in folders of twelve called MegaPatches and are selected via a MIDI keyboard or by clicking on the GUI. They are designed, tested and named for specific applications. Cool! They are: BassXxxxx for electric bass; DrumBassXxxxx is for Bass+Drum mixes; DrumXxxxx (my favorite!) is super for drum kits or loops; GuitAmpXxxxx sounds like the worst guitar amps ever made on fire; MiscXxxx are for general purpose grunge; and PercXxxx presets are for singular drum kit pieces like snares and kicks.Ohm Force

Available in RTAS, AU and VST formats for PC and Macs, Ohm Force Ohmicide:Melohman sells for about $125US and is now my “go to” filth box. I have many guitar amp simulators and other garbage makers but none as totally variable at Ohmicide or comes with as many great starting presets. Order up some dirt at: www.ohmforce.com


/0 Comments/by

Summer NAMM show 2010: Five new products that every artist should know about

The annual summer NAMM show was in Nashville last weekend, so we decided to close up The Record Shop and head downtown to check it out. As you probably know, the city of Nashville has been dealt some pretty rough hands over the past few years. The music retail industry is no exception. Sales have dropped more than 20% over the last year, from $7.1 billion in 2008 to 5.8 billion in 2009. Everything considered, we weren’t sure what to expect as we walked into the downtown convention center. We quickly found that many of the major, “corporate” vendors appeared to be (how to put this politely), lets say, “not that excited about being there.” Luckily we ran into some friends and stuck around long enough to find that there were a number of new companies who still had an optimistic outlook. Companies who weren’t jaded by an economy they can’t control, but excited to talk about how they planned to find their niche in the new market. Here at The Record Shop, we always love hearing about unique products that can help artists reach their full potential. This week, we highlight five companies that have embraced the trends of the modern music industry and developed unique products that are sure to be a hit!

Sonoma Wireworks- Mobile Recording for I Phone

If you’ve ever wished that you could keep a recording studio in your pocket, then you’ll love Guitar Jack! Guitar Jack is an iPhone audio interface developed by Sonoma Wireworks. You never know when inspiration is going to strike. With Guitar Jack you’ll always be prepared to lay it down. Wow, after reading that, I kind of feel like the sham-wow guy! Screw it. I really dig this product. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had an artist bring in a noisy, mobile recording of a new song, and struggle to figure out exactly how they were playing it. We’ve all heard somebody say, “man I had this killer tune yesterday, but I just can’t remember how it went.” Guitar Jack makes mobile recording quick and simple. The device just plugs into the bottom of your iPhone and integrates with apps such as Recorder, Taylor EQ, and Sonoma’s Four Track. Guitar Jack features a 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch input, as well as a 1/8 inch headphone output. 

I had the pleasure of chatting with the Sonoma team during NAMM. When asked how Guitar Jack compares to other devices on the market Sonoma says, “GuitarJack features both a 1/4″ mono jack and an 1/8” stereo jack that can be used simultaneously within FourTrack. Adjusting the analog input level before it is digitized and clipped was one of the most requested features, and with GuitarJack, this is possible with 60dB of input gain and a selectable pad for a total of 72dB of input level control. Additionally, the GuitarJack  has selectable hi-z and lo-z impedance on the 1/4″ input allowing for instruments, line level and microphones. Lastly, the GuitarJack is made of hard-anodized aluminum and made in the USA. The quality of craftsmanship and the range of features really make GuitarJack stand out from other interfaces.”

Sonoma also has a comprehensive product line that offers excellent additions to Guitar Jack. Four Track, is a multitrack recording application that allows artists to record on their iPhone. Four Track allows the user to bounce down tracks while building the arrangement. It easily connects to a nearby computer, using its Wi-Fi sync option, to allow users to quickly export their audio. They also offer an eight track version, called Studio Track, that is compatible with the iPad. Users can also utilize their drum loop application, Instant Drummer, to arrange a groove and import into their Four Track session.  Overall, Sonoma provides a unique line of products that allows everyone, from the novice musician to a seasoned pro, to easily record their tunes.

If you are interested in learning more about the wide-variety of Sonoma’s products, you can visit their website at sonomawireworks.com

Vie Drive- Content delivery system

As the music industry continues to shift its focus to online content, countless digital media outlets have been developed to offer new ways for artists to interact in the viral realm. A Nashville based company called Vie Drive has recently launched a unique product that provides a wide variety of promotional options for artists and businesses. 

Vie Drive is a USB device that incorporates a custom interface which provides a wide variety of interactive content. When the drive is plugged into  a computer, the interactive interface immeditley loads, providing fans with instant access to your media. The interface is automatically updated as new content is posted. Some common features include music, video, photos, web links and a calendar. The program also allows the client to sell banner ads to sponsors.

Vie Drive can be used to share any type of media content. From press kits and promotional material, to concert tickets and fan club membership. It is a great way to gain traffic to your sites as well. The device automatically tracks user activity so artists can easily gauge what there fans are most interested in. Another great thing about Vie Drive is its flexibility. Every artist has different needs, so the Vie Drive team works closely with their clients to develop a unique concept that with help them reach their goals.

To hear more about this exciting new product, drop by the website at viedrive.com

Wheat Ware- Eco-friendly accessories

We are all trying to find new ways to be eco-freindly these days. However, when it comes to musicians, going green is easier said than done. We can’t exactly pack the band’s gear in a Prius and hit the road. Fortunately, an eco-friendly company called Wheat Ware has developed a unique way for musicians to do their part in protecting our natural resources. 

Wheat Ware produces wheat based products in an effort to reduce the use of our world’s forests and natural resources. They offer an impressive line of accessories for musicians., including guitar picks, drum sticks, reeds, and maracas. They feel and play just like their wood and plastic counter parts, but they are 100% biodegradable and non-toxic. Unlike some other crop-based products, Wheat Ware does not use any plastic. Their products are 100% wheat-based and bio-degradable.

You can check out all that Wheat Ware has to offer at wheatware.com   

Zip Box- Unique take on digital distribution

The market trends of record sales continues to be a major topic when discussing the state of the modern music industry. Illegal downloads, combined with the growing trend of free content, has left many artists struggling to find an effective way to sell their music. Digital sales are quickly nearing the number of physical sales, as I Tunes continues to lead as the #1 music retailer. In Q1 of 2010, I Tunes sold 28% of all music purchased in the US. Walmart (17%), Best Buy (14%), and Amazon (11%), round out the top 4. With 70% of music sales held by the top four companies, along with rumors of Google launching its own store, it is surprising that anyone else would join the race. However, a Nashville based company called Zip Box Media has recently launched, and they are up for the challenge!

Zip Box is a digital distribution company that has taken a unique approach to digital content distribution.

Initially, there didn’t seem to be much of an advantage when compared to competitors such as Tune Core, CD Baby, and Snocap. A Zip Box membership currently starts at $18/month ( normally $38), and includes an additional 25% commission on sales.  I asked Paul Wright III (Zip Box Media) how their service was worth the cost. He explained, “It’s all in the content and the data.” As opposed to the I Tunes store, where artists are listed within an endless database of media, Zip Box offers their users a unique, personal website that serves as their store. When a potential buyer clicks on a link to an artists store, they are not distracted by other options, but are provided with a variety of content to browse while previewing the artists material. The Zip Box artist site includes customizable templates, a digital catalog, secure shopping, and secure downloads. Zip Box can also be utilized to distribute text files, software file, images, videos, ringtones, ebooks, midi files, and sample libraries. 

In addition to their own unique store, artists are provided with updated data on sales. They can view a detailed breakdown of sales as well a data on specific buyers, demographics, markets, etc. With this information, users can gauge the effectiveness of their promotional strategies and adjust their campaigns accordingly. The site also allows artists to create an automated thank you message that is sent every time someone makes a purchase. This allows artists to maintain relationships with fans, and offer additional content as well. Zip Box’s data feature is a great advantage for independent artists who want to maximize their marketing strategies. 

Further information is available at zipboxmedia.com

Mobinek0- Short Run Vinyl Pressing 

Over the past few years there has been an almost cult-like resurgence of music lovers who prefer listening on vinyl records. This growing demand has led to several major artists offering vinyl versions of their new releases. As a result, vinyl sales have continued to rise steadily, reaching 1.9 million units in 2009, a 33% increase from the previous year. Many independent artists have taken note of this trend, but there are only  a handful of companies that offer affordable, short run vinyl production.  I ran into Richard Dron of Mobineko, who shared how his company was taking a unique, personal approach to an industry based on mass production.

Mobineko is a British owned CD, DVD, and Vinyl manufacturing company with a factory based in Taiwan. Mobineko offers short run vinyl pressing starting at as few as 50 units. They have a great variety of colors and designs to choose from. Mobineko is a tight-knit group, with about 20 employees that oversee the operation. This gives them the opportunity to interact directly with their clients, so when you call their office you’ll actually be talking with a real person who will be available to assist the client throughout the manufacturing process. Imagine that! They also have an extensive quality and price garauntee on their services. This level of dedication to the genuine support of their clients is hard to come by these days, and makes Mobineko an excellent choice for Independent artists who are looking to take their first run at vinyl releases.    

You can learn more at mobineko.com

Have you used any of these products? Have on opinion on how these products will fair in the market?

We would love to hear your questions, comments, and feedback! If we can be of any assistance, feel free to drop us a line!

Giovanni-

therecordshop1 (@) gmail.com

/0 Comments/by
,

Barry Rudolph Reviews Stuffit Deluxe for Mac

Barry has teamed up with For The Record to share his reviews with the latest in recording products. Barry is a recording engineer/producer and contributing editor for MIX Magazine, ‘New Toys’ columnist for L.A.’s Music Connection Magazine, and writer for www.prosoundweb.com. He also is editor/writer of Gear Lust, his online special review section at www.barryrudolph.com. 

I installed the 2009 version of Smith Micro’s Stuffit Utility into my G5 MAC and discovered Drop Stuff, the whole compression side of the seemingly lowly free utility we all used called Stuffit Expander. Drop Stuff is better than ever with a new interface and built-in AES 256-bit encryption.

First of all with Drop Stuff, with its patented 24-bit image compression, has TIFF, PNG, GIF, and BMP compressors and you can compress files by to 98% of their original size (depending what they are). Squash and optimize MP3s, PDFs and images to save hard drive space and time when sending them over the Internet. Even JPEG photo files (an already compressed format) can be reduced up to a further 30%. Drop Stuff creates Stuffit, Zip and TAR archives–you just drop your files and folders on the appropriate icon on the super simple GUI. I liked the Stuff & Burn mode where it stuffs and sends the file to the MAC’s CD/DVD burner in one operation. Sweet!Smith Micro Stuffit Deluxe 2009

Expander now expands 7-Zip archives and segmented Zip archives along with files using any of 30 different compression formats–even encrypted Zip archives. I like browsing my archive of files without waiting for expansion using the Stuffit Archive Manager. You can preview thumbnails, add, delete and change files and save searches with Stuffit Collections.

Other cool features you get are: upload directly to FTP, MobileMe, iDisk or multiple CDs or DVD-ROMS, and restore files to original locations Stuffit is Finder-aware so you can preview compressed archives inside MAC’s TimeMachine.Smith Micro Stuffit Deluxe 2009

Using Stuffit Deluxe 2009 for MACs is like doubling the size of your hard drive for storing pictures and music. You can put off buying another drive and the work transferring files by buying it for $79.99 as a download from: my.smithmicro.com/mac/stuffit/index.html

/0 Comments/by
,

Barry Rudolph Reviews Crane Song Summing Mixer

Barry has teamed up with For The Record to share his reviews with the latest in recording products. Barry is a recording engineer/producer and contributing editor for MIX Magazine, ‘New Toys’ columnist for L.A.’s Music Connection Magazine, and writer for www.prosoundweb.com. He also is editor/writer of Gear Lust, his online special review section at www.barryrudolph.com. 

The two-rack space Crane Song Egret is an eight-channel summing/mixer specifically designed for both straight ahead DAW mixing and composite mixing where both virtual instrument or other audio sources are mixed together with DAW audio tracks. To accomplish this, there is a lot of impeccably built technology packed behind the beak of this bird!

The ultimate aim for an audio equipment designer is purity of sound and to that end Egret works transparently–a pure system that adds no gain or ‘coloration’ to the overall sound. However to satisfy music producers/mixers who depend on their equipment for a certain “je ne sais quoi” quality, Egret also has a Color control knob for each of the eight inputs. It adds (or subtracts–depending on your perception) a certain analog softness to edgy audio sources.

Read Barry’s Mix Magazine Feature Article Called “Strictly Summing.”

Egret uses eight D/A converters just like those used in Crane Song’s Avocet mastering monitor controller. Supporting rates up to 192kHz, a Cirrus Logic 4398 D/A chip is used along with an 8421 SRC chip (sample rate converter used for input jitter reduction) surrounded by Analog Devices OP275 amplifiers for interfacing to the unit’s discrete Class-A summing and mixing bus circuitry.

There is a front panel switch to disable the SRC for cases where lower latency is required and the Source switch chooses the unit’s digital source between three inputs: AES/EBU (4) XLRS, ADAT Lightpipe, and a third ‘yet to be determined’. Currently the converters and the interface supports AES single wire to 192KHz, ADAT, and S/MUX to 96kHz and can be upgraded as the technology changes. The converters will also independently operate even at different sample rates if required.

Features And Front Panel

Each channel of Egret has a level control, a cue send, and pan control. Each channel also has an analog/digital source button where either the output of the eight-channel analog-to-digital converter or an alternate (eight rear panel TRS jacks) analog balanced line input can be selected. The alternate Analog Inputs could be used for virtual instruments running along with the mix or live sound sources such as in a DJ or FOH mixing application. You could also use them as returns from external processing gear.

To add external processing to any channel in Egret you would send to outboard gear from the direct out (eight rear panel XLRs) and return its output to the analog input. By switching between the digital (actually the output of the D/A converter) and Analog In you could A/B the inserted processing.

There are both solo-in-place and mute buttons on each channel’s line up and a built in Aux send bus with Master level control that works for either a cue system or as an effect send. The headphone monitor jack’s output follows the stereo bus output for a monitor mix when Egret is being used in multi-channel location recording.

Also borrowed from the Avocet’s design is the master bus level control. It’s a Grayhill rotary shaft encoder that drives a microprocessor-controlled bank of relays for super-accurate and repeatable 1dB stepped attenuation. An absolute necessity for recalling mixes, the stereo gain matching is better than 0.05dB.

Egret is built so that the stereo, and cue buses can be chained together to create a many input system. With a special cable, Egret’Äôs bus can be tied to a Crane Song Spider to sum additional analog inputs for complete DAW recording and mixing/interface system.

The Egret Flies

My first test was to reassign the outputs of an “in the box” Pro Tools mix I had already done. I reassigned it into four stereo stems. I wanted to keep my mix the same and compare my stereo mix with the Egret’s analog sum of the stems. I configured Pro Tools’ I/O to send ADAT Lightpipe digital audio out the 9 through 16 ADAT spigot of my Digidesign HD192 interface unit. I set up drums and bass to outputs 9-10, guitars to 11-12, keyboards to 13-14, and vocals plus all effect returns on 15-16. All four Pro Tools stereo master output faders were at 0dB positions (unity).

I ran all eight Egret channel level controls at full CW, appropriately pan odd/even channels let and right, and the Master level at one LED dot below 10. Again like my Avocet volume control knob there are green LEDs ringing the stereo level control to show levels in 1dB steps.

The stereo LED meter on the Egret shows peaks levels at about 2/3 of full scale–obviously Egret has tremendous dynamic range with substantial headroom to spare. I connected my Benchmark Media ADC-1 to convert the Egret mix to digital and sent an AES/EBU signal back to a new stereo mix track in Pro Tools via the AES Enclosure input. Also everything was clocked from the ADC-1.

Since I wanted to check for any differences between my ITB mix summed inside of PT with the Egret’s analog summing, I had to place the same stereo plug-in processing chain on the Egret summed mix back in PT.

The result was both mixes matched closer than I would ever imagine. So does this prove anything? Considering I’m doing two extra conversions: the D/A in the Egret and then the A/D in the Benchmark and applying the same stereo processing, I was surprise that the Egret was this transparent and that the eight channel inputs tracked each stem’s level so exactly. It is a testament to the quality and design of Egret, the quality of the converters used and lastly the accuracy of Pro Tools HD Accel.

So why go through this setup if it ends up sounding about the same? The answer is that you gain more mix control valuable when mastering or supplying stemmed mixes in post-production jobs.

Separate processing of mix stems goes back to George Martin and the Beatles when he would mix their mono singles to a ‘twin track’ (2-track) tape deck with vocals on one channel and the track on the other. In mastering he would compress and EQ the vocals and track differently and recombine them for maximum punch and loudness.

I Go Deeper

So my next test was to apply the same stereo bus processing I put on the entire stereo mix separately to each of the four stems. For this song I had: WAVES’ SSL Stereo Bus compressor followed by the Sonnox Stereo Limiter and followed that with Sonalksis’ SV-517 Stereo EQ. Of course in a big and powerful Pro Tools rig (like mine) this is all easy to do–no need to buy three more hardware stereo EQs, limiters, and compressors you’d need if we were working in Abbey Road studios circa 1965!

I put those plugs all set the same across each of the four stereo stem masters. Immediately the Egret’s stereo master had to come down 5dB with the increased average level jump of each of the stems. The mix was all wrong necessitating new vocal rides, drum sound changes and everything else.

For this to work I would have to start a new mix using this stem configuration. After a little work starting a new mix, I could hear that the vocals took on more clarity especially after readjusting EQ and compression and doing new gain rides. I tried compressing the drums and bass more without affecting the rest of the song’s instruments and vocals. Since my stem masters in PT are automatable, there are loads of creative opportunities with regard to remixing tricks and general mayhem.

I also had a chance to see what the Egret’s Color controls did. It is a very subtle effect most noticeable on electric guitars. It mellows out any abrasiveness in the sound without a big shift in loudness. Applied to all the stems, it is another sonic choice you cannot get in any other way I know of.

I’ll Take Four Please!

So my only wish is for at least four Egrets interconnected for 32 mix channels. I’d set them all the same at unity and all odd/even, left right for standardized recall. Like my Crane Song Avocet and Phoenix TDM plug-ins, the Egret is a big winner for me. All pro all the way, it is one of the most flexible, great-sounding summing/mixing systems I’ve used so far’Äîand I’ve tried a lot of them! It sells for $5,600 and for much more go to: www.cranesong.com/downloads/egret%20data.pdf

/0 Comments/by
,

Barry Rudolph Reviews SPL DrumXchanger

Recording engineer/producer Barry Rudolph is a contributing editor for MIX Magazine, ‘New Toys’ columnist for L.A.’s Music Connection Magazine, writer for www.prosoundweb.com. He also is editor/writer of Gear Lust, his online special review section at www.barryrudolph.com. Barry has teamed up with For The Record to share his reviews with the latest in recording products.

You can check out Barry’s past articles, reviews and commentaries printed in these journals as well as many other magazines at:

https://www.barryrudolph.com/pages/magazinesdirectory.html
SPL aka Sound Performance Labs is an old hand at level-independent dynamic processing with the invention of the Transient Designer and the Transient Designer plug-in, two of their best products. But the new DrumXchanger drum replacement plug-in might eclipse that triumph. DrumXchanger will replace drum sounds in multi- track sessions no matter the level changes and track dynamics. All drum hits are tracked and replaced including ghost notes, fast fills and rolls. It will do this in real time and in sample phase-accuracy with the original signal.

DrumXchanger comes with a collection of SPL’s high quality 24-bit/96 kHz multi-samples. The library was recorded using SPL preamps and processors and includes three drum kits with one snare, one bass drum and four toms each. Every multi-sample is made up of up to 80 sounds in sixteen dynamic levels and five variations. DrumXchanger will also use .wav sample files as well.

DrumXchanger comes as Native only in RTAS, VST and AU versions for Macs and PCs and features two Transient Designers to process both the original sound as well as the replacement drum sample.

I installed DrumXchanger in my Pro Tools HD 3 Accel rig and was presented with a large GUI that allows for the very precise programming, processing and detection of the original sound for the generation of a triggering signal. Besides the capability of tuning the sample file +/-1 octave in real-time, you can change the phase of the drum sample in relation to the original sound; and externally trigger the sample from an external source via the sidechain input. (DAW program permitting).
SPL DrumXchanger
To Explain The Processes And Features Of DrumXchanger Completely, 
Here Are Descriptions Of The Plug-In’s Five Sections As Controlled By Its Excellent GUI.


 

Section 1–Input

There are four automatable and switchable plug-in setups: A, B, C, and D. These are convenient ways to store complete sets of plug-ins settings and switch between them on the fly. Great for tracking drum performances with very wide dynamics or changes in stick techniques, you can copy and paste your best working setup from one to another and tweak the copy for a special triggering or changing samples as required for certain song sections.

This section has an Input Gain range of +/-15dB for the original drum sound that does not change the triggering level setting. You can tailor the original sound using the high (20Hz to 11kHz) and low pass (20Hz to 20kHz) 12dB/octave filters. The Solo button quickly checks the sound quality of the original.

Section 2–Transient Designer And Ducker

Next comes Transient Designer #1 (of 2) to modify the original drum sound. Just like SPL’s original TD hardware unit and their plug-in, you can alter the attack portion of a percussive sound by +/- 15dB and sustain or ring out portion by +/- 24dB.

A Ducking feature with a range of 0db to -40dB is added here that adjusts the level drop of the original drum sound during the time the sample plays. Ducking sounds like a big compressor squashing down the original sound only momentarily. Pushing the Trigg button “copies” the TD processing to the trigger signal sidechain as well as the original. Reducing the sustain portion (that contains leakage etc.) of the original sound with TD will make for a better triggering action of the sample.

Section 3–Trigger

The Trigger section uses a bandpass filter to precondition the trigger signal. This is a full-range filter starting at 20Hz and going to 20kHz. It has an extreme range of Q values– 0.05 to 50! A Solo button lets you hear the effect of the filter and tuned it to (typically) the basic center and predominate frequencies of most of the energy of the original drum’s sound. Adjusting the Q will refine immensely the trigger performance both in accuracy and speed!

After filtering you may need to readjust the Trigger Gain from 0 to +48dB for proper detection. It is recommended to set the Trigger Gain high enough so the loudest drum hits make the Level meters hit the max peak LED (red light flashing). This guarantees that the loudest sample (of multi-samples) is being played.

The Rim control red arrow ranges from 0-100% and adjusts the level for the individual rim sounds for the included SPL multi-samples of snare and tom sounds. This is to set the desired difference of the rim sounds in relation to the regular drum hits. There is also a Rim knob control to set the input level of all rim samples available in the SPL drum kits.

There are two threshold adjustments in DrumXchanger with two LED peak reading meters. There are two green arrows to adjust triggering threshold–they slide up and down adjacent to these meters. In the default advanced triggering mode, both green arrows’ threshold settings have to be reached for DrumXchanger to play a sample. The green arrows (handles) should be set low enough to ensure triggering but not too low to produce false hits on leakage or crosstalk.

The Ext. SC button activates the side-chain for external trigger such as a recorded drumhead trigger microphone track.

Section 4–Sample

The Sample Section has two parts: sample selection and sample processing. Living up to its name, DrumXchanger’s method of sample selection is one of its best features. The loading, auditioning and playing of any sample from any drive in your system is elegantly handled in this plug-in.

Clicking the Load button allows navigation to the folder where your drum sample .wav files or the .splx files in the SPL Kit folder exists. You virtually load the entire contents of the folder once you navigate to it. For easiest access, I’ve gotten into the habit of copy all my possible drum replacement sample candidates into a “samples” folder and placing it inside each song session folder on my Pro Tools work drive.

I say ‘virtually’ because you are able to step through the list of samples in your folder, using the Next and/or Prev(ious) buttons, and audition each sample using the Play button for when the song is stopped or hear them automatically triggered when the song is playing. This is an incredible feature!

If you select a SPL Kit by clicking on the drumkit icon in the GUI, you get an entire kit of kicks, snares, and toms ready to go–just select the individual drum on the icon and get it now. At some point it would be good if SPL releases a software utility to build your own SPL kits using any samples you like.

All the SPL drum kits offer individual rim sounds for snare drums and toms to be mixed with the sample sounds, and the SPL kit sounds offer 16 velocity levels recorded in 5 variations, summing up to 80 individual hits per drum sound!

The Sample selection section also has a Phase reverse button for flipping the sample’s polarity 180 degrees if you hear cancellation problems. A Delay control adjusts the samples time up to +/- 3.5ms if you perceive double hits on fast rolls and fills.

Lastly, the Dynamics control lets you determine whether DrumXchanger follows the original drum’s dynamics or not–or any amount between these two extremes. You can go from exactly following dynamically and triggering on every ghost note precisely or have the new sample fire the same loudness every time.

Sample Section Processing

The other half of the Sample section processes only the sample(s) you are firing. There are the same high and low pass filters and a Solo button to listen only to the sample. Transient Designer #2 processes the sample and there is +/- 1-octave sample pitch adjustment knob located here.

Section 5–Output

For processing the finished sound–the mix of original drum sound and added sample is the job of the Output section. Again there are the high and low pass filters and the section finishes with a Dry/Wet knob, Output level control and Overload LED.

In the Studio

When mixing Pop Rock and R&B songs here at my Tones 4 $ Studios, I’m often asked to replace or augment the recorded kick and snare sounds. I usually use Digidesign’s DrumReplacer or Drumagog. But not any more!

Invariably when the producer and/or artist come in to take a listen to my mix, they like what I’ve done but want to explore and add some other kick and snare sounds to what I’ve done. I’ve had as many as six different snare samples mixed with the original live kit–don’t ask me why.

With DrumReplacer or Drumagog, I would always record the sample and tweak individual hits here and there because they are late or flam or just be missing in action–not triggered at all. I still like to record my new samples with DrumXchanger but it is a luxury knowing I can recall it and fire a different or an additional sample.

The producers I work with love the auditioning ability of DrumXchanger. Being able to hear any sample fire while the rest of the track plays is awesome. We also like having the Transient Designer and the tuner for exactly dialing in the sample–sometimes that is all that is needed to “marry” a new kick drum sample to the rest of the kit.

On a Rock song with a very ambient drum kit sound–lots of leakage on all the close mics–I wanted to add another snare sample to the piccolo snare. The close snare mic track was full of hi-hat spill and kick drum leakage plus the drummer played a lot of ghost notes and a few fast rolls.

First thing was to slightly filter the snare track using the high/low pass filter in the Input section and then adding a little more attack using the Transient Designer. Reducing the sustain with TD helps tremendously with the hi-hat spill and kick drum leakage but I wish there was a way to use the TD only for the trigger signal.

I used the Trigger section’s bandpass filter to “tuned” to the snare drum’s “box” sound at 874Hz with a Q of 7.74. This killed most of the high and low frequencies so now the kick and hi-hat leakage was nearly gone from the trigger signal.

I chose a Ludwig Black Beauty sample from a folder of snare samples and getting DrumXchanger to follow the original snare drum track on two and four was no problem. By looping song sections, where the drummer played a couple of fills and ghosts, I adjusted the green arrow threshold handles and the threshold controls themselves until DrumXchanger followed all hits perfectly. Since I was going to mix the original with the new sample, if the very first attack of a fast roll doesn’t trigger, it was not the end of the world. I did manage to tweak until even the quieter first strikes fired the sample.

Once I was satisfied with the general operation of the triggering, I copied this setup from A over to B and readjusted B for the touchy areas where I needed more trigger sensitive and/or a lower threshold. These lower settings wouldn’t fly for most of the song without occasional false triggering.

Since you can automate changing from Setup A to B, I went down the song and changed to Setup B for those touchy moments. I was now finished.

When the producer arrived, he didn’t like the sample I used but, since I had already done the work of programming the triggering etc., I just stepped through my snare drum collection until he heard one that worked for him. I adjusted the mix with the Wet/Dry control and moved on with the rest of the mix.

DrumXchanger is now a mainstay in all my mixes! For the first time I am satisfied with the whole drum replacement process! Something I’ve always thought to be extra-tweaky work for usually dubious results and sometimes, uncertain worth. I big, big thumbs up for DrumXchanger! It sells for $449 USD (299 EUR) and for more information visit www.spl.info.

/0 Comments/by

Choosing a Pro Tools system for your studio

Pro Tools, AVID/Digidesign’s benchmark digital recording software, is synonymous with the production of hit records. Since its introduction into the professional recording industry in the mid 90’s, Pro Tools has remained a frontrunner for audio production. When Pro Tools was introduced in 1991, four channels of audio were available at a price tag of $6000. Thankfully for us, Pro Tools’ capabilities continued to grow alongside the steady advancements of computer technology. As the audio industry began to stray away from major recording facilities, into home studios and bedrooms, Digidesign began developing Pro Tools systems that catered to all levels of audio production. Today, Digidesign offers Pro Tools systems affordable on nearly any budget. In this article, we take an in depth look at three levels of Pro Tools studio systems: The M-Box studio ($250-$1000), The 003 studio ($1200-$2,500), and the HD studio ($10,000+). We will also discuss some important add -on’s that can be a great addition to any Pro Tools System. These include, system upgrades, a master clock source, converters, and control surfaces. First, let’s check out the hype behind the Pro Tools software and the advancements in Digidesign’s latest version, Pro Tools 8.

Introduction To Pro Tools

Pro Tools is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). A DAW is comprised of two elements, audio recording software and audio conversion hardware. The software allows for recording, editing, mixing, and midi arrangement. The hardware provides analog to digital and digital to analog conversion of the audio. Pro Tools LE software requires a Digidesign hardware interface in order to operate. Pro Tools HD utilizes Digidesign PCI cards for processing and uses a separate hardware device for conversion.

The Pro Tools workspace is comprised of two main windows. Mix and edit. The mix window contains a vertical channel strip for each track in the session. It is set up much like a typical mixing console. Each channel has inserts, busses, input/output selections, a pan pot, record enable, solo, mute, and a fader. The edit window contains the same options as well as waveforms for each track in the session. The edit window allows you to view the waveforms for each track, edit and arrange the audio, as well as set up markers, and control the transport (play, stop, rec, etc). The editing workflow is one of the most impressive aspects of the software. There are several tools and editing modes that make editing and arranging a breeze. Pro Tools offers a number of playback and record options as well. These include: loop playback, punch record, and loop record. The software also provides comprehensive midi and video capabilities.

In the latest version of the software, Pro Tools 8, Digidesign maintained their user-friendly workflow that helped to make the software an industry standard. There are several new features such as elastic audio, the off spring of the popular audio quantization application, Beat Detective. They have also added more tracks for LE systems (48 mono or stereo), several virtual instruments and plug-ins, and a hip, new design for the workspace. Now, lets take a look at the options for Pro Tools studio set-ups.

Mbox Series ($250-$700)

The Pro Tools Mbox series hardware is a great option for those who are looking for a simple, portable device for recording. The price for these interfaces range from $250 to $700 and includes the latest Pro Tools Software. The latest Mbox hardware consists of the Mbox 2 micro, Mbox 2 Mini, Mbox 2, and Mbox 2 Pro.

The Mbox 2 Micro is a 24bit/48k, output only USB device that is about the size of a jump drive. It was designed for engineers who want the ability to work on sessions anywhere. There are no inputs on the device. It is equipped with a 1/8″ jack for monitoring.

The Mbox 2 Mini is 24bit/48k, 2 channel USB interface. It is a great option for new Pro Tools users or songwriters who want a simple device for basic recording applications. The Mbox 2 Mini is equipped with one XLR input with 48v phantom power, two 1/4″ inputs, two 1/4″ outputs, a headphone output, and combined volume control. There are a few downsides of the Mini. It does not include a midi I/O or separate volume controls for monitor and headphone outputs.

The Mbox 2 is a 24bit/48k, 4in/2out USB interface. It offers a few more features than the mini. It is a good choice for someone looking for a basic interface that includes midi capability and more extensive input options. The Mbox 2 features two preamps with 48v phantom power, two analog inputs (XLR or 1/4″), two digital SPIDIF inputs, two 1/4″ outputs, midi I/O, a headphone output and separate volume controls for monitors and headphones.

The final piece in the Mbox series is the Mbox 2 Pro. It is a 24bit/96k, 6in/8out fire wire interface. The Mbox 2 Pro is a great buy for beginners looking to get into more advanced sessions and professionals who need a reliable device for remote recording. It offers two preamps with 48v phantom power, four analog inputs (XLR or 1/4″), two digital SPDIF inputs, six 1/4″ outputs, midi I/O, two headphone outputs, and separate volume controls for monitors and headphones.

The M Box series hardware is a solid option for mixing on the run, portable recording, and basic demo sessions. However, if you are looking for a more advanced device with the ability to handle larger sessions, the Digidesign 003 could be what you are you are looking for.

Digidesign 003 Series ($1200-$2500)

The Digidesign 003 is 24bit/96k, 16 channel Pro Tools interface. It can be found in countless project studios, as well as the B rooms of several major facilities. It is an effective workhorse, offering a wide range of amenities for those not ready to take the leap to HD. The 003 interfaces range from $1200-$2500.

The 003 provides four pre amps with 48v phantom power, 4 XLR inputs, 4 1/4″ inputs, 8 1/4″ outputs, 2 1/4 monitor outputs, 8 channels of adat I/O, word Clock I/O, midi I/O, two headphone outputs, and separate volume controls for headphones and monitors. The 003 also includes 8 motorized faders, led/lcd displays, solo, mute, record enable, and pan knobs for each channel. It offers a transport, a jog wheel, and insert/send assignment as well. The 003 is also available in a rack mount version. The 003 rack has the same capabilities as the 003, but the control surface is excluded. Before we get into Pro Tools HD, there a few add-ons for Pro Tools LE systems that are worth considering.

Pro Tools LE Upgrades

Digidesign’s Pro Tools LE software is stocked with many great plug-ins. But, as we all know, you can never have enough options. So Digidesign developed a couple upgrades that offer a comprehensive bundle of additional options for Pro Tools LE users.

The Music Production Tool Kit offers an upgrade to 64 tracks of audio, multichannel beat detective, and a killer plug in selection. The plug-ins include TL Space (convolution reverb), Smack (compressor/limiter), Eleven (guitar amp emulator), and a few more great tools.

Digidesign also offers an upgrade package for Pro Tools users who utilize the software for video production. The DV Toolkit offers an upgrade to 64 tracks of audio, Digibase (file management tool), Digitranslator (OMF, AAF, and MXF conversion), and Time Code/ Feet and Frames capability. The upgrade also includes a number of plug-ins, including: DINR (noise reduction), TL Space, and X-Form (TCE and pitch shifter).

Adding a set of high-end audio converters is one of the most effective ways to instantly improve the sonic clarity of your Pro Tools LE Studio, if you utilize outboard recording gear or digital audio devices. The sonic clarity of an external clock source and high-end audio conversion can drastically help take your Pro Tools LE studio to the next level. If this is something you are considering, I suggest trying out a few options to see what sound appeals to you. Some high-end clocks and converters include Apogee, Antelope, Lynx, and Prism.

Pro Tools HD Studio ($10,000 +)

The final option for a Pro Tools studio is Pro Tools HD. Pro Tools HD systems are catered toward the professional audio and video industry. It has become a near necessity for every commercial recording studio to house a Pro Tools HD system. HD set-ups start at around $10,000.

As we outlined earlier, Pro Tools HD hardware operates a bit differently than LE. The processing and audio conversion is integrated into a single interface for LE systems. HD systems utilize Digital Signal Processing cards (DSP) and digital converters. The DSP cards are installed in the PCI slots of the computer. These cards are connected to audio converters via a Digilink cable. There are two steps to purchasing a Pro Tools HD system: Selecting a core system and choosing your interface/s

There are three Pro Tools HD Core systems: Pro Tools HD 1, Pro Tools HD 2 Accel, and Pro Tools HD 3 Accel. The Pro Tools HD 1 system includes one HD Core card. The HD 1 system will support 32 channels of A/D and D/A conversion and up to 96 digital audio tracks.

The Pro Tools HD 2 system offers one HD Core card and one HD Accel card. A HD 2 system is capable of handling 64 channels of conversion and up to 192 digital audio tracks.

The Pro Tools HD 3 system is comprised of one HD Core card and two HD Accel cards. HD 3 systems support 96 channels of conversion and 192 digital audio tracks.

Each of these systems can be upgraded by adding additional cards. If you run out of PCI slots you can connect and expansion chassis to house the extra cards. Once you have your HD Core System, you will need to add a Pro Tools HD I/O interface or third party converter in order to route audio to and from the HD DSP cards.

Digidesign has a number of options for Pro Tools HD interfaces. Lets take a look at the two of their more favored interfaces. The Digidesign 96 I/O is a 16 channel, 24bit/96k audio interface. The 96 I/O offers 8 channels of analog I/O (TRS) and 8 channels of optical I/O (ADAT). It also includes an expansion feature, which allows you to connect multiple interfaces together. The 96 I/O is a good option for HD users who are looking for a basic, overdub/mix set up. If you need more than 8 channels of analog I/O or plan to expand your system in the future, you may want to consider the 192 I/O.

The Digidesign 192 I/O is 16 channel, 24bit/192k audio interface. The 192 I/O has 8 channels of AES/EBU I/O, 8 channels of TDIF I/O, and 16 channels of ADAT I/O. There are a number of expansion card options for the 192 I/O. The AD and DA expansion cards give the 192 I/O the ability to support up to 16 channels of analog I/O. The digital expansion card adds an additional 8 channels of AES/EBU, TDIF and ADAT I/O. The 192 I/O also includes an expansion feature, which allows you to connect multiple interfaces together.

Pro Tools HD systems also support third party I/O interfaces. As we discussed earlier, there are many high-end options for third party converters. Each brand offers its own unique “color” to the audio. I would recommend listening to the different options in order to decide which converters are right for you.

Pro Tools HD Upgrades

A control surface is a great addition to a Pro Tools HD System. Control surfaces are digital mixing boards that provide hands on control of your session. They are set up like an analog mixing board and allow for recording, mixing, and editing functions. Digidesign offers a number of excellent control surfaces, including: C24, D Command, and Icon.

Whether you are just delving into the world of recording or are a seasoned professional, there are many great options for putting together an exceptional Pro Tools recording studio. If you are interested in learning more about Pro Tools, visit www.avid.com. They have documentation, reviews, and videos that offer excellent advice on choosing the right system for your needs and budget.

I hope this article provided you with the information you need to choose the right Pro Tools system for your application . We would love to hear your questions, comments, and feedback! If we can be of any assistance, feel free to drop us a line!

Giovanni-

therecordshop1 (@) gmail.com

/0 Comments/by