Man Cave Video.

paulmapp8306

paulmapp8306

Dont nkow why -0 I cant add text to that post without removing the video - so Ill post the blurb here.


A very wobbly video of my very small man cave. It is not just my music room, its my "working from home" space, and my "games playing hide away" as well. Any comments on how to further utilise the space, or what I can add functionally to my set up (drum machines, synth modules ad the like) feel free.

PolarityMan

I quite liked that, posisbly because Ive jsut finished a garage conversion myself. I did think you might have been a midget for the first 2 minutes though.

paulmapp8306

SO - there is a slight change in the cave.

(https://i.imgur.com/84f8nhl.jpg)


1.   After deciding on Studio One as my Daw, I got hold of a PaderPort v 2 control.   Its much better fader and transport control, as well as automation being much easier.  Control of faders with a mouse is stupidly hard.  The deciding factor was the inclusion of S1 Artist - meaning the upgrade from my Demo version to Pro was the cheapest possible.

2.  The Yamaha mixer wasnt working for me.  As a mixer its great, but as an interface.... there is a 16db difference between the mixers "0dbm" and the DAW/PCs "0dbm".   It meant 0db on the mixer pushed audio to the DAW at -16dbm making it hard to get a decent signal.  Conversely, when playing back /monitoring  a decent signal, it was peaking (or close to) the mixers USB input.  0db in the DAW was +16db at the mixer input.  Its not the usb port, cable at fault - my AFX shows 0db to 0db at the end of the same connection.  Its not the mixer as I got a replacement which is exactly the same.

So - I went for a Soundcraft Signature 12MTK.  This has the levels spot on.  I loose one stereo channel which is a bit of a pain, and its about 10cm wider than the Yamaha (and those were the reasons I went for the Yam in the first place) - Im now using twin sliders for my AFX input on 2 mono channels.  On the plus side, the mid EQ is parametric - and its a 14 in 12 out USB interface.  It means I can separately record each channel on the mixer directly into separate channels on the DAW.  I wont use that very often - HOWEVER, I can use the channels to "sub mix" DAW tracks with real sliders.  Its not DAW control - as in movements dont replicate in the DAW - however I can sub mix say the drums, pushing each drum track to a different output to the mixer, then have hands on control of the Mix including EQ - which then records back into a stereo channel in the DAW by the master outs. Thats VERY handy - and I can also sub mix anything else.

The plan - when mixing - will be to "sub mix" drums, BVs, Main vocals, Guitars (to 2 separate sub mixes if there are 2 guitar players/tracks), bass (if multiple tracks) and keys onto stereo mixes via the Soundcraft then mix those for the final mix in the DAW using the fader port.  Any "odd" track (something that needs automation, or if I specifically want a lone guitar/vocal/keys track) can be left to mix at that point.[Imgur]

wave100

So do you find a sonic difference between an "in the box mix" and a "through the mixer" one?

paulmapp8306

A little.  Levels are lower through the mixer rather than to a bus so need more makeup gain later.  Not ideal.

I might sub mix drums etc through the mixer just to monitors/phones then copy the faded levels to the traks in the daw.  Should be the same kind of mix, and still quicker than totally mixing the daw.

Ultimately though, the rest of the mixer is very close to the yam, at at the same price.  The 14 v 2 ins and the db levels make it the better choice for me.