Anyone not use a computer for their music?

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dj funkifize

Guest
Just curious to see if anyone here excludes their pc (or mac) from their setup.
Does anyone record on anything besides their PC?


I'm using a PC to both sequence and record, but I only have a stereo consumer grade soundcard (very good, but I need something better.)
I'm switching to an 8 track recording setup and am not going for the PC route because I don't have the $$. I am either going ADAT or tape. But most likely ADAT because it's cheaper.

But really why I want to know is because I was looking through the gearlist post and every one I saw had a computer in the setup. Not even any all-in-one DAW's like an Akai DS12 or the Korg or Yamaha ones.
Just wondering if anyone here didn't use their PC.
 
I had a Fostex VF160 but I got a couple of friends with ProTools, and I would be bringing the wavs from my VF to their places and started getting into ProTools pretty deep, using the unlimited aux channels, tricky little stuff like reversing my chopped audio on the fly, deep eqing, using all these plug ins, easily etc...I was like why dont I have this...so I gave in and copped a Digi001, there aint no reason to keep a DAW around unless your recording a band using a bunch of mics, just my opinion. I do things now that I couldnt even imagine on the VF...WITH EASE!
 
Let me say this first: With music today there is a place for all three types of recording. Through my experience with all three the portability of the DAW's is really cool but very limited unless your just looking to do only your stuff and you have a lot of time on your hands. The flip opposite being DAT or ADAT can produce outstanding productions but is VERY costly by the time you set it all up in which case you'll need your computer anyways for splitting, slicing or altering your vocal (or any sound) waves, and for that matter, not even counting the advantages of midi quantizing and other plug and play effects you'll want to add. A computer (which you already have) is the happy medium. Quickly, Tape (analog) can also produce great ambient sound but the reels can add up and it's pretty time consuming also. That being said; I would lean toward an external 80 gig hard drive memory box (for $200 at office depot) to hold your .wav and mp3 files, a decent progam to replace your 8track with vertual programs (cubasic or cakewalk($90) - very user friendly by the way) just to get started then maybe upgrade to sonar 2.2 or take the plunge into digi products down the road. and a good DI BOX for your mics and instrumentation. Anyways - hope this helps shed some light - Computers ultamately = cheaper - good luck:cool:
 
yes, me

no PC- Yamaha AW16GCD
reason is that i spend 8 hours a day working on a PC and when it gets to musikmaking i prefer dedicated hardware, i.e. HW sequencer / sampler, HW synths and HW DAW...

2nd reason is: i simply *love* knobs ´n faders and the hands on factor...
 
hey, so far only one person not using a computer!
I'm not completely alone.

the pro: I know the advantages of a computer, I've been using mine for music for a few years now. But now I need 8 tracks of recording and I've pretty much made up my mind on the ADAT. For me it's either $700 for an 8 track PC card/breakout box, or $200 for a used ADAT. And I barely have the $$ for the ADAT, so that's where I'm going. For me, I don't mind the hassle of the ADAT. I just need a good 8 track right now, regaurdless of what format it is.

maybe there are other people who prefer the non-PC approach. (or don't care either way and went without a PC anyway)
 
i used ADATS for about a year

the tapes cost alot and even tho you can re use them you end up dumping to something like pro tools anyway

i worked with three machines (24 tracks) and 2 of them broke within the same year...this was not in my house it was at a church studio

quality is real good tho

i got a korg d-16 a Qs8, RM1x and a masterlink

i do alot of real time recording and melodies on the yamaha
but i gave in along time ago to ACID and FL
my hardware does compliment the software with that live fell tho


using tape just isnt practical unless you gettin a huge kickback from the dealer

just my thoughts
 
I have made beats not using a pc mostly at school (Im taking radio broadcasting) in our station we have an older ensonique keyboard that i make beats on sometimes and just record them on cds but most of the time we just **** around and freestyle over those or something stupid like that we really dont use them for much even tho some of those beats are nice for me I prefer to use a pc at some point in my music but i can do it either way
 
I don't use a pc for any music editing or recording, only for making copies of my cd's. It makes you feel better about your music if you have made it on recording equipment that is not a computer. I have a korg D1600, and after using that for nearly a year I feel there is nothing I don't know about it.

I recently had an argument with someone who was saying, what is the point of a full studio setup and spending loads on it, when you can just use cubase SX? He obviously has no music knowledge. I don't like the way modern music is so relient on pc & macs, I say bring back the 70's.

Adam
 
Isn't the Korg a computer as well?

Doesn't it use digital,just like a trusty PC does?

If "you don't like the way music is so reliant on PC's" then i suggest that you should feel VERY uneasy about using your Korg!

Or listening to your CD's :bigeyes:
 
The only thing that I use that ISN'T inside my computer is my front end,Guitar/Amp,a couple of microphones,a controller keyboard/interface and my near-fields.

I wouldn't have it any other way......but i can easily see why some(most?)people don't like it.
But for me it just plain works :)
 
I don't use a computer. I sequence on my RM1X and record on my Roland VS. I am thinking about sequencing on a PC though. I may also do recording on it as well, but no softsynths for me. I need a little more convincing.
 
I wish I could, one day, throw away my computer, but I'd like to change it for great analog recording system. So I guess I don't have enough money yet, but I hope I will....

I only record in my computer, I do all the music with hardware and instruments.
 
QUOTE]Originally posted by Shovel
I don't use a computer. I sequence on my RM1X and record on my Roland VS. I am thinking about sequencing on a PC though. I may also do recording on it as well, but no softsynths for me. I need a little more convincing. [/QUOTE]

Hey!! you make a good work.


Actually, I don't even know the Fruity Loops, or Rebirth. I don't know how to use any PC software for music production.

I learned to make all the music on synth's sequencers. I started to work on Ensoniq and Yamaha keyboards, recording on 100.000 notes sequencers (Yamaha W5), and trying to get the best of all the features of each sequencer.

Four years ago, I began with grooveboxes, buying a Roland MC 505. MC 505 sequencer can record 100.000 events.

I work all the sequences on MC 505, and use MIDI cables to sync the tempo with a Yamaha EX5 synth. some tracks of MC 505 have sequences on EXTERNAL mode, so they affect Yamaha sounds. I can trigger quantized samples of the EX5 with the pseudo-keyboard of MC 505.

But a year ago, I bought a Korg Karma, Roland Phantom, Yamaha Motif, and the Roland grooveboxes MC 307, 909, D2, Electribes EA 1 and ER 1, and the SP 808 Sampler.

I wired all my room, and started to build a synth network, only using MIDI cables. I use as a "server" the MC 909, controlling the tempo and some samples. This one controls thru MIDI all the others. A lot of them go thru the SP 808 line in and aux in,, others go thru the Electribes, also used line in provided on those ones.


The pattern set of the Roland grooveboxes help me a lot. Its easy to get lost on a live act if your are running 48 tracks at the same time, obviously, muting some of them, and let others sound. So I use the Pattern Set feature to build a map, you can make with the P.S. 16 different versions of a 8 measures pattern. The pattern set of each synth needs to be harmonize with the others.


The risk are: saturated sound , lost of the BPM after an hour or more playin' continuously, differences on the volume of each synth and you can get confused sometimes with so much lights blinking.


I use a Marantz CD burner and connect all the synths outputs to the input of the CD burner, and I record 10 or 20 different versions live. A lot of this recordings are useless because I'm jammin', but sometimes I do something interesting, and then, I sample my own CD on SP 808 and make some edition working, and add new tracks to this recycled song.

I do not use any remixer, or computer, or headphones on a live act. Nothing but synths and cables, it's the hardest but the funniest way, you can never repeat a song exactly in the same way, and you can make any change when you can modify any parameter you want. For realtime control changes, everything is right on your hand
 
Ive always been a hardware man. I gave in and bought a digidesign toolbox but I only recorded one track on it and decided it just wasnt for me. I feel that each peice of hardware has its own personality. The only thing that drives me crazy after awhile is my cables shorting out argh! I think sometimes its just too easy with a computer there are no limits: If your computer can handle it, you can run 20 drum machines at once. When you are using hardware and it gets outdated thats it, theres no patch or upgrade you are forced to use what you have and I love it. but to each is own there is great music made on hardware and computer. after going through alot of expensive equipment it feels good to settle down with some gear that you really love.
Peace
 
Each synth is like a unique instrument. Sometimes when you work with very limited equipment and gear, you have to strain your self twice, but you get a closer relationship with your machine, sleep with them and make'em your pillow.

Roland Grooveboxes are qualified as "low-quality synths", but they are so easy to carry!!! And they can sound good if you combine them and try to increase the interaction between the machines. When you use MIDI , they can become a whole new instrument. It's somethin' like sinergy (...?), new properties are born with the MIDI interaction, they work as a unity...
1 + 1 = 3
 
until a fortnight ago i didnt use a computer in my setup at all.
sequenced on a yamaha qy700, used hardware effects and equipment through an analog desk onto a 6 trk HDR then onto a 2trk tape recorder.

i have however moved over to cubase SX now on my laptop. i found the sequencing now tight enough finally and everything nicely laid out too. it works very much like the QY but even more user friendly. i also love the ability to be able to see what i am doing on a larger scale and to stick in little sound clips with the audio functions.
it was this that finally swayed me to be honest. i can use huge parts from synths that arent multitimbral now by recording audio from them then having this play while the rest is sequenced and its much simpler than sampling them or using the multitrack, especially if its parts of a couple of minutes in length or your not quite sure how the song will work out.

still, only use my PC for sequencing duties and audio in this limited way. all my synths still play through my desk, all my effects are hardware and now i can just go straight to 2trk analog tape.
couldnt imagine using the plug in effects or it to record a actual mix. yikes.
 
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