Slutz... your input needed for Music-computer FAQs

[George Necola]

like the title says, there are topics that are covered 1 million times..

topics:
hardware: mac, PC, interface
software: sequencer, plugins
.... more to come.. please give me your input..

I need titles (and afterwards solutions for several computer topics).

let's start here..
Hardware: what kind of pc should I buy
Software: what kind of OS (operating system) should I use
Sequencer: advantages of sequencers.. blahblah

if you can think about a title, even if you dont know the "answer", post it here please.

cheers

[nukmusic]

"Installing, tweaking, & running XP/Vista on Mac" (Boot Camp FAQ)

[beef]

My Pc hardware;

asus maximus formula, intel Q6600/Q9450 (overclocked) - 4 gig Mushkin extreme performance ram, seagate barracuda s ata hardrives. Work great for protools Le.

Best Core 2 Series Desktops-Results and Specs - Digi User Conference

[psycho_monkey]

Can you run 2 PT LE interfaces on one machine? Can you run PT LE without a digi interface?!

[George Necola]

Originally Posted by beef

My Pc hardware;

asus maximus formula, intel Q6600/Q9450 (overclocked) - 4 gig Mushkin extreme performance ram, seagate barracuda s ata hardrives. Work great for protools Le.

Best Core 2 Series Desktops-Results and Specs - Digi User Conference

that would be more kind of experience.. have to think about, how to integrate..

thanx so far!

[Lagerfeldt]

George you know what my answer is. :-) Is this a PC only FAQ?

If not:

edited by evil mod..

try to GET INPUT.. not destroy my lovely thread..

mac allowed of course!

[Audio in HD]

Well, from my recent experience I can throw something in under the "What computer I should buy" heading.

Now I realize that this is said alot, but I MUST re-iterate the necessity of a TI firewire chipset and the complete refusal of anything that uses a Ricoh firewire chipset. Ricoh chipsets "in notebooks" are uncorrectable by expresscard 1394 even when it is TI. This is not a myth.

I went from a Dell E1505 with a T7600 (2.33ghz), 4gb 533mhz Ram, 200gb 7200rpm HDD and TI chipset running 36 plugin heavy tracks in Nuendo at 24/96 pretty fluidly. The same projects however in my insanely high specced laptop (Asus G50V - X9100 OC'ed to 3.54ghz, 2x 320gb 7200rpm HDD in Raid-0, and 4gb 800mhz ram) with the huge flaw of a Ricoh chipset will not even run those projects without the interface (Echo Audiofire12) totally crapping out.

So with all other specs in mind Rule number one of "What laptop should I buy" is something with a Firewire chipset that is clearly supported by your interface manufaturer (and never Ricoh).

[manning1]

my tip would be.
(xp preferred.)
use 32mb cache hard drives.
AUDIO LIKES BIG CACHES.
my other tip would be , at the very low end you can do 50 traks easy with a used
dual core pc. just put a nice new drive in it with a big cache.

[celticrogues]

Pro Tools M-Powered vs. Pro Tools LE
How are they the same/different

Cheers!
-Mike

[matt thomas]

what free software / plugins are available?

narco

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

mac allowed of course!
[/U][/I][/B]

Okay, here goes then:

Hardware: what kind of PC/Mac should I buy?
Stationary Mac, minimum requirements:
Any iMac or Mac Pro will do for most applications. The Mac Mini is generally not recommended for music production due to slow internal hard disk and limited processing capabilities.

Portable Mac:
Minimum 15" MacBook Pro or any portable Mac with Firewire. The new 13" MacBook only has USB connection and will not work with many quality sound cards.

Software: what kind of OS (operating system) should I use
Mac OS X Leopard is preconfigured for music production and is preinstalled on Macs. You can also install Windows VISTA on a Mac using OS X Boot Camp or the 3rd party software Parallels.

Sequencer: advantages of sequencers.. blahblah

I would personally recommend Logic Pro as it offers the best value for money in terms of features and bundled plug-ins and sounds. All major sequencers will work on a Mac, such as Cubase, ProTools and Ableton Live.

[soupking]

I need new samples (I think), and don't know very much about step recording other than I've got some good beats and sounds coming along from my default Ableton sound bank. But I feel the need to get expressive.

I'm sure this is probably not the first post and I will search first. However, sample resource would be awesome.

Thanks for asking!

[FeatheredSerpent]

Q. 'Which sequencer should I buy?'

The only right answer to this is 'the one that you best like working with', so it would be really useful to have a comprehensive list of all available demos for the different sequencers, on different platforms, with up-to-date links for download.

A very quick description of the app and the demo limitations (if any) would probably help too.

[primitive]

a Sticky:
THE ULTIMATE MAC vs. PC Discussion- what is better?

Just to have one thread around where EVERYONE who is concerned can talk about HIS or HER favourite and bash those who have the opposite cos they are not cool at all. of course.
Maybe it won't work but also maybe this discussion gets a home there so you don't have to read about it in EVERY OTHER thread.

But I'm afraid you will always get the answer "buy a mac" from some funny pal if you ask for e.g. a new motherboard.

Edit: Just saw that these discussions are forbidden which is very good!!! But maybe give those 1000's who still have a need for this discussion (and always will have) a definite place to do so, so they stay away from all the other threads. (wishthinking I know...)

[primitive]

Music PC Configurations

Just a list where everyone can drop his/her config and how they work. Also a "common place" thing so you don't have to read all threads to get this information from many people.
(is that english?)

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by primitive

a Sticky:
THE ULTIMATE MAC vs. PC Discussion- what is better?

Just to have one thread around where EVERYONE who is concerned can talk about HIS or HER favourite and bash those who have the opposite cos they are not cool at all. of course.
Maybe it won't work but also maybe this discussion gets a home there so you don't have to read about it in EVERY OTHER thread.

But I'm afraid you will always get the answer "buy a mac" from some funny pal if you ask for e.g. a new motherboard.

Edit: Just saw that these discussions are forbidden which is very good!!! But maybe give those 1000's who still have a need for this discussion (and always will have) a definite place to do so, so they stay away from all the other threads. (wishthinking I know...)

Problem is that it will eventually consist of pure PC-bashing and any objectively useful comments will drown in the frenzy.

The Mac community is a cult-like group who truly and utterly believe that PCs are the root of all evil and Macs are the only right choice - not just for music, but for anything (except maybe hardcore gaming).

And unlike most PC users, once a Mac user has been recruited into this cult he himself will start recruiting new members - trying to convinced family and friends and even complete strangers on internet forums that their life can only be improved by ditching their PC and getting a Mac instead.

While Macs can't get viruses your mind can get infected by the "Mac virus". :-)

[primitive]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

Problem is that it will eventually consist of pure PC-bashing and any objectively useful comments will drown in the frenzy.

The Mac community is a cult-like group who truly and utterly believe that PCs are the root of all evil and Macs are the only right choice - not just for music, but for anything (except maybe hardcore gaming).

And unlike most PC users, once a Mac user has been recruited into this cult he himself will start recruiting new members - trying to convinced family and friends and even complete strangers on internet forums that their life can only be improved by ditching their PC and getting a Mac instead.

+1

...and the PC guys keep saying something like "uuuuh expansive waste of money BLABLABLA...

But OT again: that was precisely the idea! As long people wont stop this completely useless discussion it might be better to give them a place to mock around so they leave other threads alone...?
It might not work, but maybe its worth giving it a try? And even give it a better name somethig like:
"THE ONE AND ONLY TRUTH ABOUT WHETER MAC OR PC IS THE BETTER DAW PLATFORM"And I can write the 1. Post which would be something like:
"Mac is better."
And -Bam- let the bashing begin

Serious - useful discussion of this topic on the internet is impossible anyway due those exact reasons mentioned by you.
regards

andi

[allencollins]

I'm using a couple setups. I have a remote pc and a couple PC's that stay put in the studio.

For remote I use a Dell w/ a 6600 core2 quad. I moved the guts into a 19's pc rack . For the studio the main pc is a homemade Dual XEON 5430 w/an Intel Motherboard. Both have 4 gig.

The Xeon system has a scsi setup. The Dell has a stock sata. I can do atleast 150 tracks with the Dell. With The Xeon I've done about 400 tracks with instances but after actually adding it up its roughly 250 discrete tracks. I still didn't tax the CPU or harddisk with many many plugins.

The 2nd PC in my studio is used only vienna symphonic. It's Intel 6600 w/Tyan MB I have 2 96/52 cards lightlink via VSL. For Motherboards Intel and Tyan are the best. Despite was Scott from ADK thinks Asus still makes some great value boards as does supermicro and Abit has some nice boards.

For RAM I only use Micron. If I'm desparate I have been know to use Hynix or Samsung i nthe past. But I'm pretty much anti Asia as far as ram goes. I am very picky about ram. For me the thing that really gives my main system the kick is the SCSI. It's like have a UA or Powercore card for your hardsisk. It's got a risc on the controller. Never a glitch. I have never seen my cubase performance monitor go past 1/2 even with loads of data and mucho plugins. For power supplies I like the Ultra X3 . But the Corsair is what I have in my VSL pc in it is solid.

I keep my pc's in a separate room so noise and heat are never a factor

[tribeofenki]

I suggest something like a standardized option as Protools under XP and Logic under Mac, plus a more experimental option, as portable Laptop gear only.
optimization English ( Look up "optimization" in Wikipedia )

Noun

• the design and operation of a system or process to make it as good as possible in some defined sense

[theblue1]

Originally Posted by George Necola

like the title says, there are topics that are covered 1 million times..

topics:
hardware: mac, PC, interface
software: sequencer, plugins
.... more to come.. please give me your input..

I need titles (and afterwards solutions for several computer topics).

let's start here..
Hardware: what kind of pc should I buy
Software: what kind of OS (operating system) should I use
Sequencer: advantages of sequencers.. blahblah

if can think about a title, even if you dont know the "answer", post it here please.

cheers

I'd like to recommend using wiki software. (You can set it up to cut down on the wild-west aspect by delaying/moderating changes, etc.)

But it seems like the best way to develop an authoritative set of well-vetted FAQ answers.

(I'll be glad when we're just checking/testing/verifying instead of vetting everything... but I'm a creature of my times... )

[stag]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

Problem is that it will eventually consist of pure PC-bashing and any objectively useful comments will drown in the frenzy.

The Mac community is a cult-like group who truly and utterly believe that PCs are the root of all evil and Macs are the only right choice - not just for music, but for anything (except maybe hardcore gaming).

And unlike most PC users, once a Mac user has been recruited into this cult he himself will start recruiting new members - trying to convinced family and friends and even complete strangers on internet forums that their life can only be improved by ditching their PC and getting a Mac instead.

While Macs can't get viruses your mind can get infected by the "Mac virus". :-)

Users like yourself, plus the flip flop Mac record along their obnoxious borderline unethical marketing strategy, is what makes me think twice about getting a PC from Apple.
AFAIK, and i know, OSX can be run on a off the shelf PC. Let me tell you, bloat for bloat, i prefer the one i master.

BTW, this one is new. It´s an XP issue, albeit the mod and the rest of the people thought it was Cubase.

Creating accounts with Capital letters messes with the "Search" function. It disappears. It also decreases overall performance and stability.


Regarding Hardware PC: it´s about more what not to buy than what to buy, Anything stock as long as it has an Intel chipset will work well. From my experience GigaByte produces the most stable and reliable boards, disks: Toshiba seem to last longer, a little noisy doe. Western Digital Caviar black would be my choice right now. Memory. i never used anything else than Kingston. Regarding chassis and cooling system i acquire this: PaQ Limited (Powered by CubeCart) .

I have also 4 UAD-1 on chassis. I run all kind of audio interfaces, USB, FW or PCI w\o problems.

Software: I use Cubase, it does everything i need. I reckon that other sequencers can do specific tasks better or easier but then they miss a lot of Cubase most useful functions. I run Plugsound pro, Superior, UAD, Amplitube, HALion, Korg Legacy and Atmosphere, along with the plugs bundled with Cubase, which are a huge upgrade from SX3.

OS. I´m still on XP. Not because i think that Vista isn´t a capable OS. I already have polished all the edges on XP, it runs very smooth. My favorite interface, Roland VG 99, has not Vista 64 drivers. I don´t see the point of going to another 32 bit OS as long as Steinberg supports XP.


If i was living in the USA, i believe i would get all my hardware from ADK. I don´t know of any other company with such reputation on Europe. So i´ll keep looking for the specs of ADK machines and try to replicate them when i feel it´s time for a change.

[theblue1]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

Problem is that it will eventually consist of pure PC-bashing and any objectively useful comments will drown in the frenzy.

The Mac community is a cult-like group who truly and utterly believe that PCs are the root of all evil and Macs are the only right choice - not just for music, but for anything (except maybe hardcore gaming).

And unlike most PC users, once a Mac user has been recruited into this cult he himself will start recruiting new members - trying to convinced family and friends and even complete strangers on internet forums that their life can only be improved by ditching their PC and getting a Mac instead.

While Macs can't get viruses your mind can get infected by the "Mac virus". :-)

You're an Apple certified Logic Pro guy... you're not supposed to talk like that! Even I, at my most PC-defensive, didn't talk like that! (Very often.)

Actually... while I might have felt like that in the past at times, I have to say that we've got a whole new, computer-multi-culti set of folks out there who mostly rise above those narrow minded, parochial, my-platform-can-beat-up-your-platform things. For the most part. On a good day.

[Alex Specht]

What Can I do to eliminate the noise from the computer in my recordings?

-Fans
-HD
-Convection cooling
-etc....

What is latency, why? How to avoid problems.

Run Plugins such as VSTi on low Latency , small buffer, setting

Mixdown playback at high latency setting etc...

What is latency compensation?

[George Necola]

keep it coming.. I am working on it. thumbsupthumbsup

[Alex Specht]

Clock sync, BNC, ADAT

AES/EBU, SPDIF, ADAT, TOSLINK, TDIFF, MADI, Coax, HDMI, MIDI

(I once saw a guy plug the AES out from CD player into analog XLR in on powered monitor)

Also summing buss? Subgrouping

ITB, OTB? Glossary definitions

[animix]

My signature lists my hardware. I have been rolling my own DAWs for years but I decided to go with ADK for this one. I trust these guys. They know their business and I received a burned-in, preconfigured product that was easy to interface with my extensive hardware requirements. It saved me time (and therefore money) to let them build the system and I had no problems with dirver issues, having to second guess problems that might have been caused by faulty components, etc. It was well worth the small margin that they charge over building a component level system.

Here's what's happening as far as interfacing devices with the mobo:

PCIe_1: OPEN

PCIe _16_1: PNY Quadro-IRQ 16 & 17

PCIe_2: Pro Tools Branded 13 slot Magma PCI chassis hosting RME Multiface, MADI and AES32 PCI cards in slots 1, 5 and 7, interfacing the mobo PCIe slot using a Magma PEHIFX1host card. All cards share IRQ 18.

PCIe_3: UAD-2-IRQ 17

PCIe_16_2: Duende PCIe-IRQ 16

PCI_1: Pro Tools Branded 13 slot Magma PCI chassis hosting 4 x UAD-1 cards in slots 1, 5, 7 and 11-All cards share IRQ 20

PCI_2: OPEN

The audio drive consists of 4 x 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB cache Seagate Barracudas in SATAII RAID 10 Array.

The onboard LAN shares IRQ 17 with no ill effects. There are no FW devices on this machine and it is disabled in the BIOS. I have had this system running almost nonstop for the last three months, often tracking up to 18 hot mics and 4 x DI's simultaneously at 64k buffers and mixing fairly heavy track count projects and it hasn't crashed once. OS is Win XP32/SP2.

[peeder]

Question:

Are there answers?

[George Necola]

Originally Posted by peeder

Question:

Are there answers?

only one.. 42..

shall I close the topic now peeder? fuuck

[captain caveman]

Backups - systems and projects, the when and the how.

[djgizmo]

What about some basics? Like word clock?

Until I wiki'd word clock I was a bit lost.

Also, what about something simple as SAVE EARLY and SAVE OFTEN.