optimization of the recording process - any suggestions?

[gitarrero]

hi folks,

I have a well equiped homestudio and I currently evaluating where and how I can optimize my production process in any way (meaning: it can be on the equipment side as well as in the workflow etc).

to give you a short overview about what I've currently got, here's a quick list:

equipment:

* PC 3.2 ghz HT, custom built for audio use, running cubase SX 3.1, two uad-1 cards, 1 powercord card and a bunch of vst-i & plugins

* total 16 guitars including acousting (6, 12 string, nashville tuning), e-gits (les paul, tele, strat, p-90 etc), dobro, lapsteel, mandoline, greece bouzouki, e-bass.

* amps (marshall & vox) and a isolated speaker cab.

* mics for guitar amp (sm 57, 609e...), 1x tlm 103 neumann, mic pre great river, rnc compressor for tracking.

* adam p22 monitors, ns-10 for reference


workflow:

as you might have guessed I'm doing lots of tracks with guitars/stringed instruments. my currently goal is to spend as much time as possible with PLAYING my instruments and not with mixing, mastering or other technical related tasks.

I have startup-projects where all fx, eqs etc are already inserted but turned off. I then record my tracks and for the mixdown I just turn all fx on, make adjustements here & there and I found that I'm way faster through the mixing process in that way.

so - what do you do to optimize your workflow, have you got any time-safing strategies..?

any tipp is welcome.

thanks,

martin

[RainbowStorm]

Originally Posted by gitarrero

hi folks,

I have a well equiped homestudio and I currently evaluating where and how I can optimize my production process in any way (meaning: it can be on the equipment side as well as in the workflow etc).

to give you a short overview about what I've currently got, here's a quick list:

equipment:

* PC 3.2 ghz HT, custom built for audio use, running cubase SX 3.1, two uad-1 cards, 1 powercord card and a bunch of vst-i & plugins

* total 16 guitars including acousting (6, 12 string, nashville tuning), e-gits (les paul, tele, strat, p-90 etc), dobro, lapsteel, mandoline, greece bouzouki, e-bass.

* amps (marshall & vox) and a isolated speaker cab.

* mics for guitar amp (sm 57, 609e...), 1x tlm 103 neumann, mic pre great river, rnc compressor for tracking.

* adam p22 monitors, ns-10 for reference


workflow:

as you might have guessed I'm doing lots of tracks with guitars/stringed instruments. my currently goal is to spend as much time as possible with PLAYING my instruments and not with mixing, mastering or other technical related tasks.

I have startup-projects where all fx, eqs etc are already inserted but turned off. I then record my tracks and for the mixdown I just turn all fx on, make adjustements here & there and I found that I'm way faster through the mixing process in that way.

so - what do you do to optimize your workflow, have you got any time-safing strategies..?

any tipp is welcome.

thanks,

martin

In terms of making the workflow more efficient overall I think it's useful to have a routine that supports repeatability, things like utilizing the console in an efficient manner, powering on/off gear efficiently etc. I think it's also important to use this sort of efficiency only for what it is, a means of making the repeated practical work easier and faster, instead of using it as the magic recipe to everything by believing a heavily structered pattern/recording flow will create a great final sound and make you master the recording process.

I think you should challenge your own way of approaching the recording process by opening yourself a lot more to the creative parts of the recording process that you can't apply a structured workflow on.

I say this because I believe it's not worth coloring your workflow with the idea of striving for mastering things, struggling with things is what ultimately turns efficient. The difference is in the amount of energy you spend in what you do, what you try to do and what you rely on. The term "master" is tightly related to the laziness and search for power that lies in the human nature (relying on passiveness and magic), struggling with things is a more active and productive process where relying on passiveness is your worst enemy, knowing that magic is false. Life teaches us the same thing, we cannot and should not try to master life, we can struggle with it and we should do that the best we can.

[gitarrero]

hi

thanks for your post.

I agree that all optimization shall just be a tool, not a goal itself.

personally I don't think that we need to "struggle" (in the meaning of a fight) on everything, but this is getting more into philosophy than a technical chat

for now I just want to spend most of the time with playing, but I'm the composer & engineer at the same time, so I have to find ways that work with my situation.

[Kiwiburger]

I have a similar setup. The suggestions I would make are:

1 - templates can save a lot of time
2 - reamping is ideal for the solo musician/engineer. Reamp, by John Cuniberti You can concentrate on performance, and then later on concentrate on sound, with easy repeatability.
3 - getting the computer and power amps out of your control room allows you to work with mics in the control room - very liberating.
4 - multiple keyboards - or numeric keypads - or usb controllers with transport control can make it easier to record from numerous positions (e.g. from a keyboard, or vocal mic stand etc).

[gitarrero]

Originally Posted by Kiwiburger

I have a similar setup. The suggestions I would make are:

1 - templates can save a lot of time
2 - reamping is ideal for the solo musician/engineer. Reamp, by John Cuniberti You can concentrate on performance, and then later on concentrate on sound, with easy repeatability.
3 - getting the computer and power amps out of your control room allows you to work with mics in the control room - very liberating.
4 - multiple keyboards - or numeric keypads - or usb controllers with transport control can make it easier to record from numerous positions (e.g. from a keyboard, or vocal mic stand etc).

true - I already have set up my studio so I can record in the controll room (only my amps & cabinett is in a diffrent room). also the "multiple keyboards" is a good strategy.