HomeStudioGuide.com - Guide to Home Studio Recording

Crossgrading to SONAR 6

If you've considered switching to SONAR 6 from another DAW platform, you're in good company. With unique features, amazing sound quality and top shelf plug-ins, SONAR 6 is hard to ignore, and we hear from customers daily who are interested in finding out how SONAR 6 can make a difference in their studios.

Cakewalk is now making it easier than ever to switch by offering special "crossgrade" pricing on SONAR 6. So if you're ready to step up to SONAR 6, visit these retailers today to recieve special competitive upgrade pricing. Eligible customers can buy SONAR 6 Producer Edition for only $399*, or SONAR 6 Studio Edition for just $199*.

Cakewalk will honor crossgrade pricing for all Cubase and Nuendo customers from all versions of the Steinberg programs, including Cubase LE, SL, SX and older Cubase titles on all platforms. In addition, owners of Ableton Live; Apple Logic; Magix Samplitude; MOTU Digital Performer; Pro Tools LE, M-Powered, and |HD; SONY ACID Pro and Vegas will be also able to take advantage of this special deal.

With its exciting new music creation tools, powerful customization and speed-enhancing features, and streamlined post production workflows, Pro Tools® HD 7.3 software is a creativity-charged upgrade that’s built for speed, empowering you to work smarter and faster than ever. Whether you’re composing music or mixing audio for post production, this essential upgrade is packed with a wide range of new features and enhancements to help you make the most of your creativity.

For more information about Pro Tools HD 7.3 software, please visit the Pro Tools HD 7.3 product page.

This upgrade is a full, downloadable installation of Pro Tools HD 7.3 software for qualified computers running Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.4 (PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs). For detailed compatibility information, please visit http://www.digidesign.com/compato. This upgrade does not require a previous installation of Pro Tools software.

If you purchased a Pro Tools|HD or ICON system or Pro Tools HD 7.2 software upgrade on or after November 1, 2006, you may be eligible for a free upgrade to Pro Tools HD 7.3 software. To find out if you qualify, please check the email account you used when registering your product. Email notification will be sent to qualified purchasers with information on how to receive a free upgrade to Pro Tools HD 7.3 software.

Pro Tools HD 7.3 software is not compatible with Pro Tools LE™ systems (such as Digi 002®, Digi 002 Rack™, Mbox® 2, and Mbox 2 Pro) or Pro Tools M-Powered™ systems (hardware peripherals from M-Audio).

There is a known sync issue with simultaneous audio scrubbing in Pro Tools HD 7.3 software and MachineControl. Learn more.

Secrets of the Pros - DVD Pro Tools Vol. 1

And while we're at the subject of ProTools, you may want to get your hands on this as a Christmas gift for yourself  (or your studio). With over 4 hours of information this 2-DVD set will not only show you the basics, but also take you much further into advanced techniques for recording, editing, MIDI, and more. You will see how the software and hardware work, and be shown in detail exactly how to use Pro Tools like a professional.

It also goes step by step through Beat Detective which is a powerful part of Pro Tools that allows you to tighten, fix, and even change the groove of drum and percussion parts.

Your host, Ken Walden, is a former 9 year veteran Digidesign/Pro Tools Product Specialist and Tech, and a seasoned engineer with credits on recordings by several top name artists. Ken delivers all the essentials you need to set up your system and begin recording your music without compromise. Learn the ins and outs of creating and honing Pro Tools sessions, and discover techniques that will give you a huge head start.

Topics
Recording (well refined techniques to make recording easy, and keep the creativity flowing)

Editing (methods used by the best in the industry)

Mixing (signal routing, plug-in info, and more...)

Beat Detective

System set-up (how to get the most power and stability from your system)

MIDI -- featuring Reason (set up, signal flow, and detailed editing info)

Software overview (This will take your through the important parts of the Pro Tools software, and show you how to use thes...

Secrets of the Pros - DVD Pro Tools Vol. 2

And when you're done viewing Volume 1, check out Volume II. This DVD picks up where its highly successful prequel left off. It not only dives deep into advanced mixing and editing techniques, but also includes an overview of exciting new 7.x software features, and provides clear instruction pertaining to file management, latency, buffer settings, and more.

Contents
Advanced Pro Tools DVD Volume II is geared toward those who have some previous Pro Tools experience. Explained with the same clarity as the other Secrets of the Pros DVDs, this volume addresses a variety of the more powerful and esoteric Pro Tools features and recording techniques.

With over two hours of information, this DVD will take you to the next level in terms of your Pro Tools-based audio engineering capabilities and understanding.

Hosted by Secrets of the Pros founder Ken Walden, Advanced Pro Tools DVD Volume II provides a wealth of knowledge and technical prowess from a power user's standpoint. These insights will not only help you to get your head around the whole of Pro Tools, but you'll find yourself moving through projects more effectively and efficiently, making the most of your creativity.

Topics
Advanced Mixing -- More techniques to take you deeper into the Pro Tools mixer

Advanced Editing -- Expert level features that will help release your creativity

Pro Tools 7.x Overview -- An overview of what is new and cool, and how to best use these features...

Okay, here's the second batch of Cubase video tutorials. Grab some cola/coffee/jolt, sit back and relax.

#7 Cubase Tools

#8 Cubase VST Connections

Designed to bring the legendary sound of SSL within your audio workstation, the award-winning Duende audio processor is now available for PC. Click here!

With a simple FireWire connection, Duende delivers up to 32 channels of processing at sample rates up to 96khz. The EQ and Dynamics Channel provides a single plug-in slot EQ & Dynamics processing solution with all the power and processing flexibility of an SSL console channel.

Key features include:

EQ & Dynamics Channel

4-band EQ, two shelving sections and two parametric
Variable low-pass and high-pass filter
Switchable EQ characteristics between E Series and G Series EQ
“Over-Easy” soft ratio compression characteristic for smooth transitions
Variable process order routing
Dynamics side-chain processing with independent side chains for compressor and expander/gate
Bus Compressor

The Duende Bus Compressor delivers the punch and drive of the classic SSL Master Bus Compressor, a key element of many legendary recordings. Widely regarded as ‘audio glue’ for a mix, its sound is an essential component in creating a great mix.

More information and the v1.5 software is available at: www.solid-state-logic.com/duende

Wouldn't it be cool if you can setup a MIDI network without all the cables and instead just use your local area network? And woudn't it be twice as cool if it's a wireless network??? Here are the step-by-step procedure for setting up MIDI over LAN using Apple's built-in MIDI over Lan feature. Yes! Apple has built-in MIDI networking and I bet most of you didn't know that.

A few years ago, the common wisdom was to "record as hot as you can." By HOT, I don't mean temperature wise. The wisdom at that time was to record your signal (from your guitar, keyboard, mic, etc.) so that the on-screen digital VU meters on your ProTools, Logic, DP, or Sonar is just hitting 0 dB, but not going over. Everybody knows that as soon as the red light turns on, you'll get clipping and digital clipping sounds nasty... like a fingernail scratching on a blackboard. ... The above argument sounds LOGICAL. There was even talk "you must use all of the bits as much as possible, so 0dB must be 1111111111111111 and that's good since we used up all the bits, nothing got wasted."

But something got forgotten along the way by the people who advised you to record close to 0dB in your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation... just a fancy name for a fast computer optimized for audio recording).

Read more ...

Digital Performer 5.11 is now shipping. If you own Version 5.0, 5.01 or 5.1, you can download the free Version 5.11 updater here. This maintenance release includes numerous program enhancements and optimizations. The 5.11 update also includes hundreds of new presets for DP5's six included virtual instrument plug-ins.

If you have Kontakt v1.x (Kontakt.component) in your /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components folder... take it out. Move it somewhere else, out of the Components folder...

Otherwise, DP 5.11 hangs/stops/dies on startup.

Anyways, Kontakt 2.2 is out (now a Universal Binary) so no need to keep v1.x

One thing I noticed is DP 5.11 startup and loading of instruments seems faster to me.

Kontakt 2.2 Update is now available on the NI website. And it's FREE... well, that depends. At first, I've read reports that the 2.2 Update will cost $29. But according to the email NI sent, if you're a PowerPC or Windows user, the update is free. You only need to pay the $29 or 29 Euro update fee if you'll be running it on an Intel Mac (Universal Binary). So I downloaded K2.2 and it seems they also changed the registration and activation procedure. I had to re-activate my copy of Kontakt using their new "Service Center" program. This is a Flash program that runs on your desktop but communicates with the NI server. You can update your personal information, download updates and get technical support using this program.

One of the biggest problems facing home studio owners is money, mulah, $$$$.... more specifically, the lack of money.

Does that mean you can't enjoy this hobby? No, not at all. On this page, I'll list some freebie software (or reasonably cheap software) you can use in your home studio setup.

Now, I understand some of you may be PC users, and some may be Mac users. Don't worry. I'll pick software you can use for both platforms... or if the software is available as cross platform, I'll let you know too.

Audacity

• Record live audio.
• Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs.
• Edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, and WAV sound files.
• Cut, copy, splice, and mix sounds together.
• Change the speed or pitch of a recording.
• And more! See the complete list of features.

** This software even has features like Noise Removal and Change Pitch. Awesome!  And yes, not only you can edit waveforms, but you can also record using Audacity. Current version is 1.2.6 (for OSX) but 1.3.2 is in beta.

More information can be found here. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

CPS

This software is also FREE and cross platform, available for both PCs and Macs. But note, it does not run on Intel hyperthreading and Intel Macs.

According to their website...CPS is a realtime interactive programming environment for audio, MIDI and other media & I/O. Patches are build by placing objects and making wires between them. Areas of interest are sound design, algorithmic composition, DSP, electronic/computer music and education. CPS can be used in any realtime situation where sound plays a role.


More information can be found here. http://cps.bonneville.nl/


Computer Music Magazine Freebies (UK Mag)

If you visit your favorite bookstore and head to the magazine rack section, look for Computer Music magazine. This is a nice magazine published in the UK full of useful and informative stuff. (Why do US music magazine companies suck? In my observation, US magazines seems like 80% advertisements and 20% content...)

Anyways, back to CM mag. They include a CD with their magazine and sometimes you'd find freebie software in it. Like what? Like the VST CM-101 and CM-303 synth (analog subtractive synth), CM-505 Drum synth, DS-404 sample player, or a step-sequencer called the EnergyCM. They also have the cool looking SR-202 Drum Sampler.

The software are mostly VST based and for PCs only... sorry Mac users. So check the latest issue of CM, and see what software they included in each issue.









ORCA

This new software synth is from Fxpansion, the makers of BFD drums series and the geniuses behind VST-to-RTAS and VST-to-AU converters. BTW, If you're a Mac user, you need to have their converters as these allow you to use VST plugins and instruments in your MAS/AU/RTAS host sequencer like DP, Logic, etc.

Orca is free, all you need to do is register on their site. http://www.fxpansion.com/index.php?page=12&tab=60

They say ORCA is an experimental monosynth based on modeling of analog synthesizer circuits and components. Whoa!

It's available as cross platform for both Windows and Mac (both PPC and IntelMacs). Check it out. It's FREE.




CRYSTAL

Crystal by Green Oak software has been around long and they just keep on getting better and better.  Current version is 2.4.8 and it available for both Macs and PCs.  Crystal is fully tweakable with lots of parameters, has MIDI learn (very useful if you have a control surface). It has both FM synthesis (like the ones used in Yamaha DX7) and subtractive synthesis. Again, this is a VST so Mac users will need a VST converter like Fxpansion's VST-to-AU or VST-to-MAS converter. The nice thing is it's avaialable as Universal Binary so it will work for both PPC and Intel Macs.

If you go to the Green Oak's website, you can also download sound bank patches for free and they have a tutorials section too.

http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/about.html




SampleTank 2 Free

Yes, it's that SampleTank made by IK Multimedia.  It is a fully working version of their SampleTank 2 software with some limitations (of course, so you'll buy the full version) but it's still useable. You just can't import, and you can only use one instance of the plugin.

Now, just because it's FREE doesn't mean it doesn't need to be authorized. But authorization is easy and you just need to fill up a form asking for your Serial #, Name, Digital ID (created by the software), and a real email address where IK will send your authorization code.

And yes, SampleTank 2 FREE is available for both OSX and Windows! So both camps can stay happy and no jealousy. :)

There are some free patches/samples also available on the IK website that you can load into your SampleTank 2 FREE software.

http://www.sampletank.com/Main.html?prod_ST_XL

LinPlug FreeAlpha

Here's another great, and of course FREE VST synth plugin. Sorry, this one is available only for PC users, LinPlug is now up to version 2.03. Per their website, FreeAlpha features a subtractive design to recreate the warmth and feel typically found in early 1980s analog synths.... and yes, it sounds BIG and PHAT. Check it out. 

FreeAlpha is meant to whet your appetite so you can check out the other great software LinPlug makes like the Rob Papen Albino 3, CronoX3, Sophistry Ambient, and others...