EQ Magazine - October 2008 - (Page 52)

NEW GEAR FOR PRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCE by Craig Anderton We’re talking major convergence here: Those who’ve been squirreled away in studios are re-discovering the joys of live performance and wanting to incorporate some elements of the studio on stage. Conversely, those coming off the road would like to bring some of that “live vibe” into their studio productions. And when it comes to gear, there are certain economic realities because if something can serve double-duty in the studio and on stage, you’re ahead financially. This article covers several types of gear where the line blurs between studio and stage; we’ll also have minireviews of some pieces of gear that are unusually well-suited to having a split personality. Of course, pretty much anything used in the studio can be taken out live, and vice-versa; so our gear coverage isn’t intended to cover everything. Instead, we’ll hit some highlights—and you can hit Google to take it further. LIVE IN THE STUDIO For many musicians, the trend is away from isolated overdubs in favor of doing more live playing in the studio; there’s something about a band interacting that gives a feel you can’t get any other way. Sure, there’s more leakage—so what? A little leakage can be an okay tradeoff for making music that’s more vital. Some musicians are even ditching the headphones, setting up so they can see each other, and essentially using the studio to capture a live performance— with the added luxury of being able to edit, do overdubs, and mix. The parallel issue is musicians who rely on particular studio-centric devices (like virtual instruments) and want to use them onstage. This may not be just an aesthetic choice, but a practical one: Consider taking a boatload of keyboards on stage versus loading virtual instruments into a software host (e.g., Native Instruments’ Kore 2) or hardware host (like Muse Research’s Receptor) and just setting up a master keyboard. EQ has covered this phenomenon before, in articles like “Mixers Are Musical Instruments” (04/07) and features on “performing engineers.” But current technology is making it easier than ever to live in both worlds . . . as we’re about to find out. FIREWIRE/USB 2.0 MIXERS/INTERFACES The concept of the FireWire or USB 2.0 mixer is simple: Build in a computer interface so that on stage, the mixer works like a traditional mixer but in the studio, it can serve as an audio interface with hands-on panning, fader levels, EQ, and the like. However, not all computer-ready mixers are created equal. Some send only two channels to the computer (particularly if they use a USB 1.1 interface), while others allow each input, as well as the main stereo output, to appear as an input in a DAW or other application. For example, the Alesis MultiMix 16 USB sends all 16 ins (“downstream” of the preamp, high-pass filter, EQ, and fader) along with a master stereo out. Thus, if you “play” the mixer as part of your performance, those moves will be reflected in the audio that goes to the computer. As another example, Phonic’s Helix Board 12 uses a USB 1.1 interface to deliver a stereo out to the computer, while the Helix Board 24 FireWire MKII streams 18 independent channels to your computer and accepts a stereo return for monitoring. Some mixers lean more toward stage or studio. Yamaha’s N-series FireWire mixers are designed for tight integration with Steinberg’s Cubase AI in the studio, but also feature “livefriendly” features like their one-knob morphing compressor. On the other hand TC Electronics’ Konnekt Live is a computer interface with limited hands-on control (e.g., no long-throw faders) but includes several features tailored for live performance, such as built-in DSP (3-band master compressor, reverb, and filters) so you don’t have to load these effects into your laptop. It also includes an RIAA phono preamp for any turntables in your act, as well as MIDI I/O if you want additional hands-on control (e.g., a fader box like the Mackie Control). Hot Tips for FireWire/USB Mixers • Check the mixer manufacturer’s website for any info on which FireWire chip sets work best with the mixer; some combinations refuse to play nice. • Dedicate a FireWire or USB port to your mixer—don’t daisy-chain hard drives and other devices on a port. • With desktop computers, installing a FireWire or USB card may give better performance than using the motherboard’s built-in ports. 52 EQ OCTOBER 2008 www.eqmag.com http://www.eqmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EQ Magazine - October 2008

EQ Magazine - October 2008 Contents Talk Box Sounding Board Punch In Smashing Pumpkins Guitar Trax Bass Management Key Issues Drum Heads Vocal Cords Mix Bus Cheat Sheet Cakewalk Sonar 7 Steinberg Cubase 4 Studio Meets Stage Gear for the Studio and Stage Sounds Room with a Vu

EQ Magazine - October 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.