Recording - June 2019 - 64
STUDIO
U
101
PART 17
Getting
Hands-On
ntil now, we've been talking about the soft side of a studio: most of the processors and tools we've
talked about are typically implemented in software. However, there is also something to be said
for the physical studio. Even in our 'virtual' times, hands-on control of a DAW can be used to
create better mixes and to work with them more efficiently. The tool that we use to get hands-on is the
control surface, and we're going to investigate the options and how they connect to your workflow.
BY DARWIN GROSSE
Why get hands-on?
Why would we want to spend our
hard-earned money on something that
doesn't make, capture, or process
sound? Because physically controlling
our mixes can change how we connect
to our work. While a classic largeformat mixing console won't fit in a
home recording environment, there is
still a lot of efficiency in working with
hands on faders and knobs.
Part of this is based on the reality of
the computer mouse/trackpad: you only
get to use a single control at a time. This
is acceptable if you're managing a few
channels or a single effect send, but
once your mixes get large, it becomes
stifling. Being able to grab sliders by the
handful, or quickly spin through a series
of pan settings to snap everything into
place, can speed things up in a big way.
The difference in curves
There is more to working with a mix
controller than efficiency; there is also
a considerable difference in the results
as well. If you depend on mouse-drawn
automation in your DAW, you will generally find yourself using line-based
fades or preset curves; everything ends
up very smooth.
On the other hand, if you use a
controller, you seldom find completely
smooth curves; rather, the results will be
lumpy, jerky-and more 'human' and
organic. Your movements will tend to be
timed to the music that you are mixing,
and all of those jerky, lumpy moves can
actually lead to a better-sounding mix!
64 RECORDING June 2019
Drawn (straight-line) Automation
Controller-Driven Automation
Both approaches have their uses. In
some cases, like pumping the volume
a little bit along with a banging drum
track, the messiness of a hand-driven
curve sounds best. In other cases, like
a super-long fade, the smoothness and
precision of a drawn-in curve works fantastically. Having both available is great,
but hands-on automations can provide an
interesting boost in production quality.
Mechanical controllers
Basic MIDI: The most basic of mix controllers uses a combination of your DAW
software and MIDI-based hardware: simple control sets that talk to your DAW via
one-way MIDI (the DAW doesn't talk back).
These are normally inexpensive (often under
$100) and very portable, and are often a
great way to try out the value of a controller.
However, since they often don't get feedback from the software, you have to use the
screen to figure out where things are.
This isn't insignificant. While you have
hands-on access to the mix, you'll still
spend a lot of time watching the screen.
You also have to deal with situations where
a slider doesn't match its on-screen representation (which can happen when you
change channels). Most of the DAW packages implement a feature called 'catch
up' or 'pickup' mode. With this function,
when you switch a control from one channel to another, the software won't listen to
the control's movement until you cross over
its current setting. Once your control and
the software are in the same place, it will
start tracking your movements from there.
In practice this works pretty smoothly.
You tend to leave things alone until you
are ready to work, then grab the control
and zip it into place. In most cases it feels
natural, and the result is as you would expect. If you really want your physical controls to match the software at all times,
you'll need a motorized controller.
Recording - June 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - June 2019
Fade In
Fast Forward
Focal Trio11 Be
Eric Loomis—From live sound to Ivy Hall
Test Tones & Metering
Handy Hardware
Cool Controllers
Stellar Soundware
First Look: KRK Systems ROKIT 5 G4
Vance Powell on mixing The Raconteurs' Help Us Stranger
Steinberg Cubase 10
Plug-In Outlet: Puremagnetik Plug-ins
Lynx Studio Technology Aurora(n)
Studio 101. Part 17: Studio controllers
Readers’ Tracks
Fade Out
Recording - June 2019 - Intro
Recording - June 2019 - Cover1
Recording - June 2019 - Cover2
Recording - June 2019 - 1
Recording - June 2019 - 2
Recording - June 2019 - 3
Recording - June 2019 - Fade In
Recording - June 2019 - 5
Recording - June 2019 - 6
Recording - June 2019 - 7
Recording - June 2019 - Fast Forward
Recording - June 2019 - 9
Recording - June 2019 - 10
Recording - June 2019 - 11
Recording - June 2019 - Focal Trio11 Be
Recording - June 2019 - 13
Recording - June 2019 - 14
Recording - June 2019 - 15
Recording - June 2019 - Eric Loomis—From live sound to Ivy Hall
Recording - June 2019 - 17
Recording - June 2019 - 18
Recording - June 2019 - 19
Recording - June 2019 - 20
Recording - June 2019 - 21
Recording - June 2019 - 22
Recording - June 2019 - 23
Recording - June 2019 - Test Tones & Metering
Recording - June 2019 - 25
Recording - June 2019 - 26
Recording - June 2019 - 27
Recording - June 2019 - Handy Hardware
Recording - June 2019 - 29
Recording - June 2019 - 30
Recording - June 2019 - 31
Recording - June 2019 - 32
Recording - June 2019 - 33
Recording - June 2019 - Cool Controllers
Recording - June 2019 - 35
Recording - June 2019 - 36
Recording - June 2019 - 37
Recording - June 2019 - 38
Recording - June 2019 - 39
Recording - June 2019 - Stellar Soundware
Recording - June 2019 - 41
Recording - June 2019 - 42
Recording - June 2019 - 43
Recording - June 2019 - 44
Recording - June 2019 - 45
Recording - June 2019 - First Look: KRK Systems ROKIT 5 G4
Recording - June 2019 - 47
Recording - June 2019 - Vance Powell on mixing The Raconteurs' Help Us Stranger
Recording - June 2019 - 49
Recording - June 2019 - 50
Recording - June 2019 - 51
Recording - June 2019 - 52
Recording - June 2019 - 53
Recording - June 2019 - 54
Recording - June 2019 - 55
Recording - June 2019 - 56
Recording - June 2019 - 57
Recording - June 2019 - Steinberg Cubase 10
Recording - June 2019 - 59
Recording - June 2019 - Plug-In Outlet: Puremagnetik Plug-ins
Recording - June 2019 - 61
Recording - June 2019 - Lynx Studio Technology Aurora(n)
Recording - June 2019 - 63
Recording - June 2019 - Studio 101. Part 17: Studio controllers
Recording - June 2019 - 65
Recording - June 2019 - Readers’ Tracks
Recording - June 2019 - 67
Recording - June 2019 - 68
Recording - June 2019 - 69
Recording - June 2019 - 70
Recording - June 2019 - 71
Recording - June 2019 - Fade Out
Recording - June 2019 - Cover3
Recording - June 2019 - Cover4
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