New C.L.A.S.P units!

[ionian]

Originally Posted by Matt Grondin

Diehipster was cracking me up. Have MANY friends in Brooklyn.

[Joe Haze]

I would love to have a C.L.A.S.P but 5-7k is killing it..

[Matt Grondin]

Originally Posted by Joe Haze

I would love to have a C.L.A.S.P but 5-7k is killing it..

Figure some tape machines cost upwards of 6 figures in their day. Seems relatively affordable considering you can get a machine for the price of a CLASP now and be rollin'. Not trying to downplay, it's definitely a lot of money, but no more than an HD card.

[Sounds Great]

Matt, why don't you tell us what you really think.

Excellent post, agree 100%.

[Matt Grondin]

Sorry man, Chris Estes is a pioneer, someone not content with the status quo. I applaud him. Everyone else can blow it out their ass. I don't mince words when it comes to things I feel strongly about.

[RKrizman]

Not condemning clasp James , just looking for a simple answer to a question. I think it's relevant to know that if you don't have a console you have to come up with something.

-R

[RKrizman]

Suggestion for chris. Since clasp has already done the job ( I think) of splitting off the preamps. How about incorporating a little analog summing bus with vca volume controls that follow the faders in PT. think about it. One stop shopping. One stereo monitor output from clasp that mirrors the PT mix.

-R

[Brad McGowan]

Interesting idea, Rick. My gut tells me that most CLASP customers already own consoles, since it was kind of a prerequisite if you wanted to use a tape deck (pre-CLASP). I'd be curious to know what percentage of Chris' customers are folks that have no console and bought a tape deck only after hearing about CLASP.

Brad

[RKrizman]

Console or not, it seems you have to have two separate mixes going, however u do it. One for tracking and one for playback. To me, fundamental to the tracking process is to have both mixes the same. First you don't want to have to be tweaking two separate mixes as you go, and second, when you play back you're checking your instincts from during the tracking process. That is, did you capture the moment? If the mix is different all bets are off.

And can I please express this concern with all due respect for chris' vision? Thank you.

-R

[RKrizman]

@ Matt , the N'awlins guy calling everyone an asshole. You use an ATR two track w clasp for overdubs, you said? What do you multitrack to? it dang well better be 2" analog.

Btw, I'm at the nola airport after a great weekend at Jazzfest , but have to say that NO doesn't have an automatic lock on integrity. Even Aaron Neville showed up in the gospel tent with one keyboardist playing a couple of fake instruments while a real piano and B3 stood by unused . Saw some great music but also experienced a bunch of lame commercial based compromises. (but Mavis made it all worthwhile)

-R

[RKrizman]

@ Sailor, thanks for the explanation. When I get home I'll download chris' PDF and try to wrap me head around.

[Matt Grondin]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

@ Matt , the N'awlins guy calling everyone an asshole. You use an ATR two track w clasp for overdubs, you said? What do you multitrack to? it dang well better be 2" analog.

Btw, I'm at the nola airport after a great weekend at Jazzfest , but have to say that NO doesn't have an automatic lock on integrity. Even Aaron Neville showed up in the gospel tent with one keyboardist playing a couple of fake instruments while a real piano and B3 stood by unused . Saw some great music but also experienced a bunch of lame commercial based compromises. (but Mavis made it all worthwhile)

-R

1. Not everyone is an asshole. Only the people acting like assholes are assholes. If I thought everyone was an asshole, I would have said everyone is an asshole.

2. OF COURSE New Orleans doesn't have a lock on integrity. Quite the opposite actually. I've never worked with more people who on one hand could have more talent than you or I could ever imagine and completely don't give a shit sometimes. Doesn't mean I'm not gonna try and capture the performances in the most soulful, realistic format I'm capable of. Aaron's keyboardist can do whatever he wants (most gospel guys care less about electromechanical keyboards anymore), but I work with Ivan, he goes no where without a real Hammond and Hohner. I tried watching Herbie Hancock for a minute... one of my idols was playing a keytar. The mighty can easily fall from grace.

3. Only tourists say N'awlins.

4. You sure are the pot calling the kettle black by being critical of my posts and Chris Estes'. "I think you have to be a huge tape fanboy to use CLASP, or a rich guy who just wants cool toys, like Johnny Depp." This man poured years of his time and many hours of hard work creating an invention that can literally revive analog recording for a modern generation with enough adopters and you wipe it away with one sarcastic smartass comment. Maybe Johnny Depp actually makes good records? Presume much? Why does someone that loves working with analog tape a fanboy? If you had paid $50k plus for a Studer that was collecting dust, don't you think this is a relatively small price to pay to have your investment be relevant again?

And yeah, I own an A800, MTR-90 II, and will probably buy an 827 at some point, and would love to acquire a 16-track 800 at some point. I don't track full bands at my house and no one wants to help me lift a multi-track up 5 stairs into the house.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

You use an ATR two track w clasp for overdubs, you said? What do you multitrack to? it dang well better be 2" analog.

If you are adding no more than two tracks at a time can't you use Clasp with a two track and Pro Tools?

[RKrizman]

Ha! Well I am a tourist and dropped enough coin into your local economy that I'll call it whatever my iPhone wants to auto-spell it as.

And btw, my wife was born there.

When you go to the trouble to drag your multitrack up the stairs like i did and start tracking to it then your rants might have a little more weight behind them.

Meanwhile I already apologized to Chris so don't be stirring up trouble by quoting old posts.

I'm just trying to figure out how clasp might work in my own work flow. Good food for thought for a long plane ride.

Be cool my friend and go eat some vegetables. All that fried stuff will lead to an early grave.

Seriously, peace and may the funk be with you.

-R

[chet.d]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

If you are adding no more than two tracks at a time I think you could use Clasp with a two track and Pro Tools, no?

If one has a solid 2 trk, some good converters etc. and only typically needs to track no more than two trks at at a time...
I suppose, if not mistaken, an 8 trk Clasp option would be best considered?

I can't be the only one wondering this but, how nice would a lower cost 2 trk Clasp option be?
Maybe I'm not understanding something, (totally possible) but I keep scratching my head with this thought.

[EndlessAnalog]

Originally Posted by chet.d

If one has a solid 2 trk, some good converters etc. and only typically needs to track no more than two trks at at a time...
I suppose, if not mistaken, an 8 trk Clasp option would be best considered?

Lots of people using a CLASP with their 2 track machine all their overdub sessions. The ATR 102 and CLASP or Studer A807 half inch 4 track are mazing combinations. In the video I posted earlier at Ben Folds' studio, Dave Brainard and Brian Kolb mention how they use their Studer A 807's for all their CLASP overdubs and CLASP mixing. They end up with some pretty huge productions sometimes 50 or more tracks of tape. Most of them on the half inch where noise is a non-issue. All the rhythm section tracks are generally from the 2 inch. But vocals and everything else on half inch with at 7.5 IPS or 15 IPS. They prefer the tapey 7.5 for bass. It does sound amazing.

Aerosmith, along with Producer Jack Douglas and engineer Warren Huart, have been recording most of their CLASP tracks on 2 inch at 15 IPS some overdubs at 30 and vocals on half inch 2 track.

I hope this answers the 2 track question questions out there. Now back to work.

[RKrizman]

What about my monitoring question?

-R

[EndlessAnalog]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

What about my monitoring question?

-R

All I can say is that I have several patents on file for new things that are in development. There are a few people on here that know me personally who are under NDA who know what I am talking about.

Meanwhile..... back to work.

Peace

[Matt Grondin]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

Ha! Well I am a tourist and dropped enough coin into your local economy that I'll call it whatever my iPhone wants to auto-spell it as.

And btw, my wife was born there.

When you go to the trouble to drag your multitrack up the stairs like i did and start tracking to it then your rants might have a little more weight behind them.

Meanwhile I already apologized to Chris so don't be stirring up trouble by quoting old posts.

I'm just trying to figure out how clasp might work in my own work flow. Good food for thought for a long plane ride.

Be cool my friend and go eat some vegetables. All that fried stuff will lead to an early grave.

Seriously, peace and may the funk be with you.

-R

See, the problem here is that you want to make passive aggressive comments and then plead innocence. My rant has more weight than you could ever imagine hombre. The reason multi tracks aren't in my house is because I mainly mix and write here until my commercial facility is done being constructed. Don't talk to me about commitment. I'm putting the same amount of money you spent on your Control 24 into my Studer with Steve Smith in Nashville.

It's so ironic to me that an owner of a tape machine is the one calling CLASP adopters fanboys and getting insulted that Chris takes issue with not wanting an analog machine because of the idea that the UAD emulation is a substitute. Come on dude, don't drive any more nails in the coffin, it's bad enough already. Let me guess? You own the Studer plugin and get great results with it every day? Other wise, why get so offended? He wasn't attacking you personally.

[LeMauce]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

Suggestion for chris. Since clasp has already done the job ( I think) of splitting off the preamps. How about incorporating a little analog summing bus with vca volume controls that follow the faders in PT. think about it. One stop shopping. One stereo monitor output from clasp that mirrors the PT mix.

-R

Scott Greiner (a fellow GS'ers) has this machine made called the sum:mation.
On the last info when I was talking with him, its not far away to hit the marked soon.
It's a PT automation controlled summing device with VCA faders. RTAS/TDM/AAX if i'm not wrong.

http://scottgreiner.com/ to get in contact with him.

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by EndlessAnalog

All I can say is that I have several patents on file for new things that are in development. There are a few people on here that know me personally who are under NDA who know what I am talking about.

Meanwhile..... back to work.

Peace

Fine. But I'm just asking a simple question regarding what you already have out there. With a Control 24 and no extra A/D/A channels how do I derive a reference mix for the musicians during tracking, and is there a way to make it the same as the Pro Tools mix I'm monitoring.?

I swear, the only reason I'm here is to get an answer to this.

Thanks,
-R

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by Matt Grondin

See, the problem here is that you want to make passive aggressive comments and then plead innocence. My rant has more weight than you could ever imagine hombre. The reason multi tracks aren't in my house is because I mainly mix and write here until my commercial facility is done being constructed. Don't talk to me about commitment. I'm putting the same amount of money you spent on your Control 24 into my Studer with Steve Smith in Nashville.

Well this exchange has about as much relationship to a real conversation as a cheap Radio Shack mic does to a U47. I see what you're doing, Matt, and you're definitely putting it out there big time. Somebody's got to be the new Sea Saint and shepherd a new generation of NOLA funksters, and it might as well be you.

I was fortunate enough to hear a conversation with one of my heroes, Allan Toussaint, describing all the fun he had recording and writing with Ernie K-Doe and Walter Washington. Such a gentleman and charismatic person, humble and self effacing. The joy within the person is still the joy within his music. I try to take note of this sort of vibe, which I always experience in NOLA, and bring some home with me.

So good luck to you. Seriously. I don't know how you got the money to do this or how you hope to make money at it, but that's always been my business plan as well. Integrity first, by all means.

With respect,

-R

[Matt Grondin]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

Well this exchange has about as much relationship to a real conversation as a cheap Radio Shack mic does to a U47. I see what you're doing, Matt, and you're definitely putting it out there big time. Somebody's got to be the new Sea Saint and shepherd a new generation of NOLA funksters, and it might as well be you.

I was fortunate enough to hear a conversation with one of my heroes, Allan Toussaint, describing all the fun he had recording and writing with Ernie K-Doe and Walter Washington. Such a gentleman and charismatic person, humble and self effacing. The joy within the person is still the joy within his music. I try to take note of this sort of vibe, which I always experience in NOLA, and bring some home with me.

So good luck to you. Seriously. I don't know how you got the money to do this or how you hope to make money at it, but that's always been my business plan as well. Integrity first, by all means.

With respect,

-R

Well, maybe we should follow your lead and both show integrity. Did I show my ass? Most certainly. Did a bunch of snippy whiny *********s derail a thread announcing a company's new products? Most certainly. I knew my post would ruffle feathers, but it needed to be said.

The asshole thing wasn't even directed at you, you just unfortunately got caught in the middle. I don't even know if it was specifically directed at anyone in this thread, just the overall mentality of gearslutz as a whole of late. Seems like people would rather bitch and complain than be supportive.

Reminds me of the festivals members of my family put on. You can announce an incredibly great lineup with people like Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, etc. and the first thing out of everyone's mouth is, "Where's so and so, why don't you have micro brewed beer there, etc." Humans have become so spoiled and entitled and it would just be nice to see some positivity and encouragement. Chris isn't forcing anyone to buy a CLASP!

I still see very little point in the fanboy/rich guy comment, but it was fairly vanilla. I would just think as a long-time tape user and someone that obviously values tradition enough to fly to New Orleans for jazz fest, it would behoove everyone to show more public support to something as groundbreaking as CLASP.

Good luck to you as well, sir. You obviously have some good taste in gear, and I don't hate digital fyi. I started on Pro Tools. I just have a lot of problems with the emulation thing. I mix ITB (which I resisted for a very long time until I realized that if I didn't take the gig, someone else would do it and digitize the crap out of it... at least summing through Neve's, hitting 1/2", and going through SH Mastering Comp and Mass Pass makes the box tolerable) with my UAD Neve 1081 plugin because I know the EQ points and am used to it by now, but if given the option to work on an actual Neve desk, I would most certainly take that as I would hope you would too.

As far as making money goes, I would do this even if I went broke because it's what I love and there is nothing else I'm particularly good at. Most of the equipment we are buying is investments that will only appreciate in value. The construction is being offset by tax credits. And New Orleans is a hot bed for all sorts of new enterprise in the entertainment industry. If I made one great timeless record, it would all be worth it. Hopefully we will make many. Peace to you.

[Matt Grondin]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

Well this exchange has about as much relationship to a real conversation as a cheap Radio Shack mic does to a U47. I see what you're doing, Matt, and you're definitely putting it out there big time. Somebody's got to be the new Sea Saint and shepherd a new generation of NOLA funksters, and it might as well be you.

I was fortunate enough to hear a conversation with one of my heroes, Allan Toussaint, describing all the fun he had recording and writing with Ernie K-Doe and Walter Washington. Such a gentleman and charismatic person, humble and self effacing. The joy within the person is still the joy within his music. I try to take note of this sort of vibe, which I always experience in NOLA, and bring some home with me.

So good luck to you. Seriously. I don't know how you got the money to do this or how you hope to make money at it, but that's always been my business plan as well. Integrity first, by all means.

With respect,

-R

I genuinely apologize if I was rude to you. I hope you understand where I was coming from.

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by Matt Grondin

Well, maybe we should follow your lead and both show integrity. Did I show my ass? Most certainly. Did a bunch of snippy whiny *********s derail a thread announcing a company's new products? Most certainly. I knew my post would ruffle feathers, but it needed to be said.

For the record, there's another forum for announcing new products. This is "Being hit on the head lessons" in here

Maybe we should all have a look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdoGVgj1MtY

No offense taken, none meant, and off we go.




-R

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by Matt Grondin

I don't even know if it was specifically directed at anyone in this thread, just the overall mentality of gearslutz as a whole of late. Seems like people would rather bitch and complain than be supportive.

Hi Matt, I think making such generalizations will not do anything to help the problem.

I would venture to say that the people you describe above are in the minority of the posters here on this website. It doesn't always seem that way as they sometimes seem to generate the most noise, but there are a lot more good, informative posts than those you speak of in my opinion.

[drBill]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

Hi Matt, I think making such generalizations will not do anything to help the problem.

I would venture to say that the people you describe above are in the minority of the posters here on this website. It doesn't always seem that way as they sometimes seem to generate the most noise, but there are a lot more good, informative posts than those you speak of in my opinion.

And sometimes, checking someone's history or post record to see what they're all about is a good thing before tearing their head off.

Then again, sometimes it's an honest misunderstanding or a just a difference of opinion. Both of which are valid for conversation IMO.

At any rate, the name-calling going on in this thread has no validity here - again, IMO.

[Matt Grondin]

If it came across as a generalization, I apologize. "It seems like" should have been the most important part of my statement, as in, it seems like gearslutz has been overrun by a lot of bickering and negativity. Not saying all posters are doing this, just more than I would prefer.

As far as new product announcements go, this thread wasn't started by Endless Analog. I'm not sure why it degenerated in the way it did. I probably added to it, but I got to this party late and had an abundance of stuff I felt needed saying by the time I reached the end. Again, apologies.

[Sounds Great]

No apologies necessary. Just making an observation.

[allaccess]

Loved working with CLASP at Sonic Ranch last month. Tracked a rock band to tape for the first time in a few years, and man was it refreshing... Being able to listen in repro and dial the sounds to the tape was great, because you don't get to do that in most situations. It took a couple hours to get my work flow on, but once I figured out how it works best for me, I was moving just as fast as I normally would on a tracking date with ProTools, but with the sound of tape.

I didn't get to take advantage of trying different tape speeds on that session, but you can bet that I will next time.

I just got a hold of a couple Ampex 440 1/2" 4 track machines so I can do CLASP sessions at home once I get them built into one killer machine! Can't wait...

Cheers,

Ryan Hewitt