I've done both Pro Tools / digital sessions and complete analog. I know that, from a musician's standpoint, you're under way more stress to complete an analog session, because recording to analog is more time consuming when it comes to working with the tape, especially if you need to edit or "punch in". I'm sure most working in the field know the tedious nature of cutting edits in tape, and the skill it takes to do it seamlessly. In my experience with analog sessions, everyone is just more together and to really cut an analog session everyone really needs to be on their toes. I've also seen competent musicians break down under stress in analog sessions.
You can't say "oh, it doesn't matter if I speed up or I can't get this part right, I'll just go back and fix it in Pro Tools." Do you know how many times I've heard that excuse for people to just not really put in 100% effort? A damn lot. No, you don't have the engineer fix it in Pro Tools. You go back in there and you play your damn part right. Or trying to doctor a less than perfect take after the data is down? I've seen it result in lazy ass musicians. Of course most professional musicians will be playing at 100% regardless of the situation.
I've heard it from engineers plenty of times too. "Hey guys... If it's not coming together, let's just move on and we can fix it later, IN PRO TOOLS!!"
But I do see the obvious benefits of recording and editing software. I mean, I've enjoyed the benefits many times, firsthand. Certain projects I wouldn't even consider going analog.
Formby's just happy he's finally got a way to release the two songs he's been working on for the last 15 years. One is just a washboard solo with him moaning the ABCs over it, and the other is a close mic recording of marbles falling onto wet burlap, with a large dose of digital delay.
^ isn't that second track a cover version ?
^
Flanged moans? Damn. Good call there. I'm guessing you used a windscreen in front of the mic?
^ it's condemnation of the expectations of what can be achieved 'in-the box' and not condemning the use of DAWs.
Regardless of what tools you give people very few will produce something listenable ( there are over 2.5 million registered users of the latest version of Pro-Tools worldwide, only a tiny proportion use it produce stuff to be heard outside of their home studios).
The DAW has replaced the multi-track tape machine, giant multi input desks and a huge amount of outboard gear in every professional studio on the planet ( ToeRag, Sun studios and a few others being the obvious exceptions) , so to condemn it's use was never my intention.
I work with a number of electronic acts and they all have a DAW system at the heart of their studios and some use them as the basis of live performances (my area of specialty for the last few years).
'Many audio engineers started off fooling around with tape recorders and the like.'
Thats how I got started.
'Don't AMS/Neve and SSL still make mixing consoles?'
They do, but the majority of their buisness is now for 'small form factor' desks (sometimes doubling as a DAW controller), individual channel strips for recording directly into a computer and very high end boutique outboard.
I don't feel in any way threatened as I make more money remixing and remastering other peoples home recorded work for release than I ever made as a full time studio engineer.
<sigh>
Fine, carry on. Only on the internet can you be exchanging basic views on a particular subject (the pros and cons of various sound engineering methods) and have someone come in at 90 degrees away from the conversation with some completely different (that aspiring musicians aren't beholden to a given set of parameters) and then proceed to call the guy who says we weren't talking about that a strawman.
Last edited by doghouse (2014-01-24 15:59:42)
I just wanna buy some strings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KY-4EJcNIM