How many HIGH END studios are running Digital Performer?

[henryrobinett]

Kirt! I'll have to try that tempo thing. I should've tried it earlier, last month. One of the things that DP has over a lot of other applications is the use of multiple I/O devices without having to resort to aggregate devices, which is just kind of a dog.

[kbshearer]

Not to partially hijack, but Henry, I've got to play you the Maria mixes. It's the first totally DP/Metric Halo project for me and it's working GREAT!

Kirt Shearer
ww.paradisestudios.net

[Louiseven]

I can say in my travels a lot of TV composers tend to use DP. From small guys to some pretty big guys and gals. However, I am not sure thats what the OP was asking. If by "High End" the OP only means Top of the range gear and facility project to professional. I am sure there are a lot of DP rooms. If by "High End" the OP means Professional commercial I would say no. Every professional studio I have been in or ever heard about are Pro Tools at least in California! So far most New York studios I have worked in or with have been Pro Tools. Every Production company, every private project studio doing real commercial work, Pro Tools. I just switched from Logic last year October to Pro Tools for that very reason.

[UpNSmoke]

Originally Posted by kbshearer

I can use whatever I/O I want with DP. For me, DP7 and Snow Leopard offers rock solid performance. I have not had a crash. There will always be a program that does one thing better than another, or have a "must have" feature or work flow. But as others have said, I have never run into a situation where I couldn't quickly do what I wanted to in DP. I use PT, Sonar, Vegas and sometimes Logic. Every program has it's strength. I prefer DP.

Kirt Shearer
Paradise Studios

Excellent evaluation I wholeheartedly agree. I do massive amounts of post-production and I'm also doing mastering, and DP7 has been great to work with. Also the fact that they included a new audio conversion algorithm, I can now up sample projects I get for mastering without worrying about sonic compromises. FWIW, my audio interface includes a Lynx PCI-e card in conjunction with a Weiss ADC2/DAC2 combination via FireWire And I have yet to have a crash. If you are going to use DP I would highly recommend investing in a PCI-based system such as the Lynx card.

Michael

[newrigel]

Originally Posted by Louiseven

I can say in my travels a lot of TV composers tend to use DP. From small guys to some pretty big guys and gals. However, I am not sure thats what the OP was asking. If by "High End" the OP only means Top of the range gear and facility project to professional. I am sure there are a lot of DP rooms. If by "High End" the OP means Professional commercial I would say no. Every professional studio I have been in or ever heard about are Pro Tools at least in California! So far most New York studios I have worked in or with have been Pro Tools. Every Production company, every private project studio doing real commercial work, Pro Tools. I just switched from Logic last year October to Pro Tools for that very reason.

DP is the only 3rd party DAW that can run as front-end to Pro Tools HD3 Eccel and MOST people run it this way believe it or not.
Pro tools is for recording bands... multiple live performers simultaneously tracking... whereas, DP can do that too using DAE (plus smokes it in the midi department.) You want to put a killer string section behind your grinding metal bands groove... DP can do that easily and with finesse... this is where it excels.
DP can use DAE and has phenomenal midi editing and workflow... no DAW can do that!
NOT ONE!

PT's is over rated IMO because yes, the HD part of it is where it kicks ass but as an audio sequencer... DP smokes!.
OK, let me have it he he!

[Allen Wrench]

Man, I thought I was the ONLY ONE using DP! Hahhahahaha




- ALLEN

[drBill]

Originally Posted by newrigel

DP is the only 3rd party DAW that can run as front-end to Pro Tools HD3 Eccel and MOST people run it this way believe it or not.

That's how I run DP, but even with HD3 hardware, the "sound" of DP is congested and choked and I can't wait (sonically) to get back to PT via OMF.

That said, I prefer writing (like many TV/Film composers) in DP.

But I've just hit the wall again, and will most likely jettison DP. Why? Because of their refusal to "fix" RTAS plug-ins and instruments in DAE mode. I've been down this road so many times. RTAS instruments work fine in PT. Transfer to DP in DAE mode, and instant crashing round the clock.

The latest victim is Trilian. An absolute ground breaking piece of software for me that I absolutely MUST employ. It will load and audition in DP, but instantly crashes if you hit "play". WTF?!?!?! Talk to MOTU (if you can get thru) and all you'll hear is finger pointing at other companies - INSTEAD of a "let's get r done" attitude about fixing the problem.

That, and the stubborn refusal to employ an autosave function on DP when it crashes so damn often. Just infuriates me. I mean, they have something good, but just can't make it happen completely. AAaaaarrrrgh!

[vudoo]

I bought DP a few years back for some live shows and still using it today whenever i play live shows that involves backing tracks.
There's a feature in DP that is absolutely brilliant, it's called CHUNKS. I tried achieving the same thing in Logic, PT, Live...but no candy !
As for DP under DAE it's not great but workable, to be honest, RTAS under Digi's own PT TDM software sucks so i can't see how it can be any better under DP.

[gearmaniac]

So I guess the most common answer is NO for using DP in High End Commercial Facilities. As for me I'm in Dp7 now with the lynx Aes16e pcie card and everything seems to be working almost fine. I still can't stand the random crashing. The Auto save should be an option. but I am planning to upgrade to Protools as soon as we move out of our current room. Not for workablility, because like many have stated, I can use Dp for mostly anything protools can do. But I want to change mainly for stabibity.

Thanks guys and gals for your posts.

By the way, I'm not in a high end room whatsoever. I jus have a couple of midgrade pieces to work with for now.

again thanks

[henryrobinett]

Originally Posted by kbshearer

Not to partially hijack, but Henry, I've got to play you the Maria mixes. It's the first totally DP/Metric Halo project for me and it's working GREAT!

Kirt Shearer
ww.paradisestudios.net

I missed this somehow yesterday! Kirt, I'm so envious! I can't wait to hear it! That's an awesome project. Are you working with the 2882/2d? Running stems from DP? It makes a remarkable difference, no?

[drBill]

Originally Posted by gearmaniac

But I want to change mainly for stabibity.

thumbsupthumbsup

PT crashes probably once for every 20 DP crashes for me, and even so, with autosave I'm never more than 5 minutes back to ground zero.

[nnajar]

I recently recorded and mixed my new album at the same studio (different room) that the Trans Siberian Orchestra were doing their new record. They had a lockout on studio A for over a year! This studio has an ssl9000J and PTHD, but TSO works exclusively in DP, so they brought in their own rig and hooked it up to the Digi i/o and did the whole project in DP.

N

[gearmaniac]

"PT crashes probably once for every 20 DP crashes for me, and even so, with autosave I'm never more than 5 minutes back to ground zero"

Nice to hear that...

Do you think upgrading during this LE to HD Promotion is a good idea or should I wait for whatever is coming....

I know it is just a speculation but I really dont want to spend $5000-6000 and repent later.

[drBill]

Originally Posted by gearmaniac

"PT crashes probably once for every 20 DP crashes for me, and even so, with autosave I'm never more than 5 minutes back to ground zero"

Nice to hear that...

Do you think upgrading during this LE to HD Promotion is a good idea or should I wait for whatever is coming....

I know it is just a speculation but I really dont want to spend $5000-6000 and repent later.

If you need it, go for it. You can end up waiting forever, but if you need it - go for it. There will ALWAYS be a new version just around the corner.

[kbshearer]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

I missed this somehow yesterday! Kirt, I'm so envious! I can't wait to hear it! That's an awesome project. Are you working with the 2882/2d? Running stems from DP? It makes a remarkable difference, no?

Henry,

Yes, I'm stemming in 2882/2d. Very cool so far. Using the crap out of the character plugs. Since Kerry has the same setup, we both have the audio parked on our own systems and have been sending DP7 and MH files back and forth using idisk. It really has made an amazing workflow and it's sounding great! I'll be done before Christmas with the mixes, so I'll let you hear things soon...

Kirt Shearer
Paradise Studios