Project Studios and Home Recording

[wst3]

Just out of curiosity, anyone out there have a home studio or project studio?

I find the whole phenomenon very interesting. The technology that is available to folks today is really amazing, especially when viewed in context with what was available just a few years ago.

I started in the recording industry back in the mid 1970s as an apprentice at an 8 track studio in my home town. What you have to realize is that these guys had just about as many tracks as some of the major labels! I don't remember the specifics any more (too bad) but the gear was "pro" level stuff. Home recording gear had not yet been "invented".

Sometime later, while I was in college, Tascam/Teac introduced the concept (least that's how I remember it<G>), with the 3340s, a 4 track deck. Their 8 track decks were still meant for pros, but sometime while I was away they introduced the 80-8 and the Model 15 console, and all of the sudden a private individual could have an 8 track studio, and the tape costs wouldn't preclude actually using it.

Today, 2" tape, which is still, by and large the industry standard, costs around $200 per reel, and a reel lasts 17 or 34 minutes, depending on the speed at which you record. Studer is selling the last of their 2 inch machines, and Otari is making noises about discontinuing thier line as well. You can, however, buy a decent 2 inch tape machine on the used market for under $5000.

In contrast, Tascam, Alesis, Fostex, Mackie, and IZ have all introduced 24 track, hard disk based systems that replace the modular digital multitracks that were recently the fad. Latest word is that Alesis will start shipping their 24 channel box in February. It will include 24 channels of analog ins and outs, plus 24 channels of digital ins and outs, and a 10BT network connection, all for an estimated street price of $2000.

And that doesn't even scratch the surface of what one can do with a computer!!! My pitiful 900MHz Athlon can play back 24 tracks without breaking a sweat. I haven't done a lot of experiments with plug-ins in that setting yet, but it doesn't appear to be too worried. I can also transfer 16 tracks from my analog tape machine all at once without a hitch.

I can't remember the last time I picked up a razorblade to edit.

And therein lies part of the problem me thinks... editing has become so darned simple that the temptation is there to edit everything till it is perfect. There are even tools that will correct intonation, you don't have to edit, or even gamble on a second take.

The upside is that, if you want to be clever you can try hundreds of edits, and hundreds of mixes, because undoing the damage is only a mouse click away! (Bonus points for anyone who remembers putting little slivers of tape all over the place so you could "undo" an edit!)

So... who is taking advantage of this "revolution". I'm curious!!!

I am, to a degree. My friends mostly think I am nuts because my primary tape deck is a 1973 MCI 2 inch 16 track, and my console is a little more modern, a Tangent from the late 70s. Both need lots of maintenance (the tape deck is currently in pieces because one of the power supplies went south and it took a whole lot of stuff with it!)

I also use the aforementioned computer, and I have the requisite stack of MIDI synthesizers... though they may be going away in the near future too. I recently picked up a copy of GigaSampler, and it certainly could replace my older MIDI samplers.

Then there are audio plug-ins that supposedly can replace all of my outboard gear... even the gear I can't afford!

What a great time to have this hobby!!!!