How do YOU record?

rickster1 · Post by **rickster1** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 2:11 pm

Thanks to Jim Knopf and SanderXpander for your input - discussing features of Sonar and Cubase is very helpful. Sander, are you saying that if you record vocals, Sonar is more effective?

Also sounds like drum capabilities are great on both.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 2:18 pm

Well Sonar comes with Melodyne Essential and Melodyne offers an upgrade deal to their full fledged "editor" version when you first purchase it. It's another expense, but the ARA integration makes working with Melodyne inside Sonar a breeze. You just select any stretch of audio, hit CTRL+M and Melodyne opens with the audio analyzed and ready to go. Bouncing after editing is also a two click operation. Melodyne also handles audio to midi conversion and the Editor version handles polyphonic material too.

In addition, the new speed comping introduced in X3 makes it really fast and easy to comp a final version out of a bunch of different takes. You could YouTube a "Sonar X3 speed comping" video to get an idea.

Without having used the latest Cubase versions I have to say both of these features have immensely enhanced my workflow. I have a small home studio based around keys and a vocal booth. For my purposes it's great, your needs may differ.

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 3:10 pm

Just as info:
Comping works just as well in Cubase, at least since 7.5 (introduced in 6.5, if i remember right), as it does in Sonar.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 3:16 pm

Are you comparing to X3 or X2? Just asking, I'm not familiar with comping in the latest Cubase versions at all. Only a slightly older version of Nuendo and it doesn't look nearly as ergonomic as X3 there.

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 3:38 pm

Just have a look at this basic video to compare yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxVq4Zqt27o

runningman67 · Post by **runningman67** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 4:00 pm

I record onto a Tascam DP 02. I can then add more tracks and burn a CD.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 4:13 pm

jimknopf wrote:Just have a look at this basic video to compare yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxVq4Zqt27o

Yup, that looks almost identical to Sonar! Now imagine being able to take one section of that comp, hit CTRL+M and Melodyne opens with just that bit of audio, ready to edit!

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 5:24 pm

Again, you do essentially the same with Vari-Audio in Cubase:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-I1FkUY2Cg

So even if Melodyne might be slightly more advanced, the results in Cubase are completely satisfying for most cases, and the workflow doesn't differ much either. Mind that in Cubase Vari Audio is an integral part of the Audio editor, not connected via a secondary interface like ARA.

All in all I don't know of anything essential Sonar offers which would be completely missing in the actual Cubase. On the other hand, I really enjoy some Cubase features which Sonar does not have, like chord arranging (with intelligent harmony substitution), note expression etc. Other things, like the actual Cubase 8 Mixer views, which offer a lot of info in direct access, are a matter of taste. To me they look great, allowing me to see a lot of inserts etc., basically the whole structure I use, at one glance while mixing.

Concerning all basic recording and editing functions, both do a pretty good job.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 5:37 pm

In the past 5 or so years I've gone through a few changes recording wise. I starter with a hardware digiatl recorder that allowed me to also burn cd's.
A Yamaha AW16G. It took a while but once I got the hang of it I could do marvelous things with it. I did my midi sequncing with my very old hardware Yamaha QX-3.
Next came my Kronos and because of the midi sequencer and the 16 track audio, I could do everything on one machine. My onwly beef with it is that if I save everything, turn off the Kronos adn come back to it later on, I can't re-record over audio tracks even if I delete them and of course sometimes the next day, you have a different idea of what you want to put on audio tracks.
Now I'm using Cubase 7.5.2 with a whackingly powerful computer and a Presonus Studiolive 16-4-2 digital mixer. I love it!

I've had a few problems but that's just because I have to learn a new system. The Steinberg Forum has been very helpful.
I have a few Behringer Tube pre-amps that I like to use pretty much whenever I'm using microphones.
Today I learned how to speed up a song without changing the pitch. This is all audio recording so it took a bit of time and questions but now that I can, my song doesn't drag like it used to and the sound is great.
I chose Cubase because most of my friends that have studios are using it and to me it just made sense.
The thing is, you need the best computer that you can afford. One friend has found that because his is an older computer, it really bogs down when he starts to use more than 3 plug ins.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:00 pm

jimknopf wrote:Again, you do essentially the same with Vari-Audio in Cubase:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-I1FkUY2Cg

So even if Melodyne might be slightly more advanced, the results in Cubase are completely satisfying for most cases, and the workflow doesn't differ much either.

That looks pretty nice! But yeah I'm partial to Melodyne. I think it was a great move to include it and the license is separate from Sonar entirely. I'm very interested in Note Expression though.

kronoSphere · Post by **kronoSphere** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 11:49 pm

I use mostly the sequencer of the Kronos, with both midi and audio input. I insert directly the vst instruments into the inputs of the 16 audio tracks. And I think that if you cannot make a good song or a good instrumental piece of music with 16 midi tracks + 16 audio tracks, then you'll never succeed in music at all !

Sometimes, but rarely, I use Samplitude Pro X and Soundforge with its plugins is very precise for mastering the final mix.

danmusician · Post by **danmusician** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 12:54 am

Digital Performer user here. It's now available on Mac and Windows after being Mac only for decaded. It's very powerful and comes with excellent plugins.

What I've found over the years is that people with a strong computer background tend to like ProTools and other DAWS better. People coming from a music background without as much tech experience tend to like DP better. It's layout and approach seems to be more "music" based than "tech" based.

Purusha · Post by **Purusha** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 10:38 am

I do record in Cubase or Ableton, but sequencing etc. I do on various machines as well as on the DAWs.

I have a Cirklon which I sometimes work with, and a comprehensive set of Elektron units - all with their own internal sequencers. Then various modules and keyboards I've collected over the years as sound-sources, plus guitars / drums etc.

I tend to use Cubase as a 24 analogue channel recording / mixing hub. 3 RME Hammerfall units giving me those 24 channels.

holdsg · Post by **holdsg** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 5:44 pm

I don't do much recording, but when I do, i usually use simple daws like GarageBand or multi-track DAW. I have a Roland duo capture interface that can switch between Mac and iPad. I don't have time to learn something more complicated.

The following was recorded entirely on my iPad thru multi-track DAW:

https://soundcloud.com/gary-holdsworth/ ... ot-too-wav

rickster1 · Post by **rickster1** » Tue Feb 10, 2015 3:12 pm

Nice work Gary, I enjoyed it.
Makes me want to get the studio done so I can start having some fun!