AUdIoCoUrSeS
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 2036
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| The "Billie Jean Boyz" |
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Here you go guys, this thread is for the September 2003 cohort ("Billie Jean Boyz"), to stay in touch and let us know what you are all up to.
Make sure you do keep "networking" and informing.
Cheers
_________________
It's all in the ears. - Learn the concepts not the software.
Audio Courses is a way into the music business for you
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Fri Dec 12, 2003 6:18 pm |
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julesf
Joined: 31 Aug 2003
Posts: 58
Location: Southampton, UK |
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Hi Guy's,
Just want to say happy new year to you all. 
I am pretty much ready to sail and drive to Spain on the 5th Jan 2004.
I have purchased all of the required equipment for the Music Factory Studio.
I will take my UK studio PC and converter set to Spain (1Ghz P3/ Aark 2020)
I have replaced this with a Barton XP3200+ PC using an ASUS mainboard,
750Mb of 3200 DDR Ram, 80Gb 7k200 IBM drives x2, Converters are MOTU
2408 Mk3. This will now be used in my UK studio. In Spain I will also use a Behringer MX8000a 24 channel desk which seems too good to be true for the price. I also will use lots of other Behringer equipment which will be mainly used for recording demos for bands and solo artists. So far all of the equipment seems to be well up to scratch, though I will replace anything that does not cut it.  If you are thinking of buying Behringer but are not sure and need advice, then check with me as I have road tested a lot of it. Generaly it is great for the price, but some items should be avoided in my opinion.
I have another band to record in January in the UK so I will keep you posted on that project. I have some other project based recordings to complete in the studio too.
Well thats me,
What about you guy's?
Best regards to all.
Good luck for 2004
Cheers,
Jules. |
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Thu Jan 01, 2004 1:22 pm |
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MIKE_NOSTRADAMUS
Joined: 08 Jan 2003
Posts: 163
Location: Northfork Recording Studios |
| happy new year!!! |
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Happy new Year to all!!
Jules I read your list of equipment for your studio.
I think you'll be happy with your purchases.
I have the motu 24/io which i'm very happy with and both Behringer products I have one is for my portable studio for use with my laptop
That one is the MX1804 console just wanted to see the performance because it is built like the MX9000 for a few exceptions.
the 1804 has its plugins on top and fx but only 6 Xlr plug ins for mics and
is a miniature 18 channel desk.Good starter board.
the Mx 9000 is something else 24 channel in and out and 48 channel in only
both boards are noiseless and the features to many to mention.
The only thing I was disapointed in is that the 9000 has all its plug ins at the rear of the board.By the way the Mx9000 is a copy of the Makie board which I use at the High School .Its also a good board but lousy service.
I'm very happy with both boards (Behringer)a lot of good reports on them.
Best of luck to all with new year!!
Mike |
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Sat Jan 03, 2004 8:56 pm |
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julesf
Joined: 31 Aug 2003
Posts: 58
Location: Southampton, UK |
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Thanks for the feedback mike  <p>I was worried about using Behringer because it simply is too cheap 8O But so far the serious equipment (mixer, dynamic processors, condenser mic, monitors, headphone dis amp, DI box, monitor headphones) have all surpassed my expectations and frankly I don't think that I could of managed to build a second studio especially abroad if the pricing had not been so keen.<p> I am careful to make sure that the quality of clients productions do not suffer due to my budget so each item and the overall set up will be check for sonic quality before we open. If something does not cut the mustard it will go. The only thing so far that I have not been too keen on is the DI 120 DI box, Ok I have also dissed other DI boxes in the past but the Behringer single channel pro DI is so much better sonically and has a much reduced noise floor. <p>I have kept the converters high spec, the Aark 2020 that came out of my UK studio is fantastic, I did consider going for the Aark 24 but I wanted to give the MOTU a try this time. I must say the MOTU is impressive. <p>If you have not heard the Truth B2031 monitors mike then give them a listen. How they do it for the money beats me 8O <p>The MX8000a is the model before the MX9000 The (a) has the same spec pre's as the Mx9000 and was an improvement on the MX8000. It is also a M***** look a like. Its a hell of a console for the dosh. I use a mackie 1402 in my UK studio and that is hard to beat sound quality wise. I will let you know how it all pans out when it's up and running. <p>If students and graduates on a budget can use Behringer equipment and get good results it's a plus, as they have a chance to build a good quality recording platform with a proper small console as a front end. And actually be able to buy and use tools like gates, and compressors that they have learnt, or are learning about rather than just using them academically.
With this in mind Behringer is a very cost effective solution |
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Sun Jan 04, 2004 12:45 am |
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mommi
Joined: 21 Apr 2003
Posts: 47
Location: Tallinn, Estonia |
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Yeah, Happy New Year, guys
Seems you are in the schedule and advancing well with your new studio Jules! I suppose you to be on the road at the time of my writing, so have a nice trip!
In case anybody is interested -- I've got no great news 
While there was a plan to consolidate after the courses with my friend to form a team which would concentrate on live sound (him) and recording (me), it has come clear that I cannot expect that kind of co-operation to be born. My friend has a long experience in both live sound and recording, but we've proved to be unable to come together and discuss even the most basic matters -- he seems to be too busy. And, as I've got children to take care of, I try to avoid any unprepared changes in my life. So at the moment I'm just partly dreaming, partly trying to get an idea of my opportunities in the audio field. Yes there is a creative force behind me, too -- my wife has composed some songs and we are considering how to publish them. Though it is hard to expect any serious business from it, I hope it would eventually pay off in the form of experience and feeling of some kind of achievement.
So much from me. Any other news from you guys 
Tarmo aka mommi |
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Tue Jan 06, 2004 6:27 am |
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Fenderocks
Joined: 09 Aug 2003
Posts: 26
Location: Music City, USA |
| Just to say hi |
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Hi everyone. Things in Nashville are moving rather nicely. We completed our demo towards the end of November and got the finished product mid December. We are getting great reviews and have some interesting things going on with our band. Anyway continue to wish us luck.Here's a link to our free website, we have just purchased dissidencemusic.com so hopefully we will get a real site up soon. Best of luck to all. Trey
http://dissidence.iuma.com |
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Sat Jan 10, 2004 4:42 am |
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julesf
Joined: 31 Aug 2003
Posts: 58
Location: Southampton, UK |
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Hi Guy’s,
Thank you for your comments and general interest in the Spanish Studio.
We set out from Portsmouth, bound for Bilbao, in my LHD Renault Clio which was loaded to the roof with studio equipment. The passage took some 36 Hrs was not rough (even in Biscay) and good fun.
We then left Bilbao heading for Benalmadena Costa Del Sol where we were to stay with our friends who live there. The journey was 1000Km and took approx 10Hrs non stop with us both sharing the driving. <p> Next day we drove to the Music Factory where we built the studio. Firstly we removed the chipboard floor which left us a perfectly smooth concrete floor. Then we built the control room dividing wall, this was built from a metal frame clad with 15mm gypsum on one face and 13mm gypsum on the other face. The gypsum was screwed to the metal frame and the void was filled with 60Kg Sq/mtr rockwool. We then glued an additional 15mm and 13mm gypsum board onto each respective screwed board. All gaps and seams were filled with silicon. We then cut in a small glass window approx 1 mtr x 150mm using 2 x sections of 3/8" plate glass separated by air. Next we laid 10mm foam insulation on the floors and fitted a laminate floor to both rooms. We cut out a door way to the corridor and fitted a frame and door. The new control room wall was then finished in melamine cladding and the equipment surfaces installed. The equipment was then brought into the room and cabled. The whole system was tested by recording a student playing Flute during her lesson and was a great success. The MX8000a desk is fantastic I have no complaints at all. Noise floor is so good, you would not expect it for the price  PC is from the UK studio and is a known quantity, as is the Aark 2020 converters. These have been replaced in the UK with an XP3200 Barton PC and MOTU 2408. <p> The guys in Spain will now finish the live room and produce the
Marketing material. We are expecting a good initial response from the 150 active students who attend the Music factory academy. We also hope to infiltrate the Spanish market. The next couple of months will reveal a great deal I think. <p> To the guy’s who are having a tough call at the moment: plan want you want to achieve carefully, take your time, then don’t look back, work hard, and GO FOR IT! <p>
This project has taken some time to get to this stage. Initial talks started some 7 Months ago, it took quite a while to collate the equipment, car, and book all relevant crossings and flights. So far I have spent approx, £5000, not a lot to start a business I think you will agree Of course The music factory holds all of the relevant licenses and insurance’s to run the business. They also provide the premises, initial client base and marketing strategy. Also I have friends on the Costa who have helped a great deal and provided accommodation and local knowledge. As always their has been an element of being in the right place at the right time, I guess a heap of luck too. But also good business and communication skills have played an important part too. <p>
<p>
So Far So Good
I will keep you posted.<p>
Best regards to all,<p>
Jules |
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Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:08 am |
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mommi
Joined: 21 Apr 2003
Posts: 47
Location: Tallinn, Estonia |
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Hi guys,
Haven't heard from you for a while, just thought to give you a sign of life from Estonia.
I've been busy with my very first very own job. I was contacted by a head of a music school asking to record four regional contests of young players. The contests would be organized so that the first (regional) round would be carried out live, then records of winners from all over the country would be given to the jury for them to decide on who would pass on to the final (live again) round at the country level. This meant the whole first round would be recorded and, after the winners were chosen, their playing would be recorded onto cassettes or CDs.
The four contests took place in such an order that allowed me to interpret them as a practice course, starting with the simplest (if I may say so) and ending with the most complex (if I may say so again ) ones. The order was:
1) the national zither players (solo)
2) acoustic guitar (solo)
3) accordion (solo)
4) violin with piano accompaniment
The gradation (how I interpreted it):
1-2) single sound source (recorded in stereo still, of course)
3) single instrument with two sound sources
4) two sources with varying positioning, depending on where the violinists chose to stand on stage
The project in total has taught me alot. E.g. I was happy enough to discover I had to re-mix only half an hour worth of music after finding out I had forgotten to invert phase on one of the accordion close-mike channels. I also discovered quite a few specific problems with the equipment. The Yamaha AW16G DAW, for example, suprised me by not recording onto one specific track in the second half of the accordion contest, albeit all the settings were the same as in the first half 8O. At this point I was happy to use four micophones -- two close mikes and one stereo pair a bit more far. You may ask why I used a DAW at all, as these recordings could as easily be done with a DAT. The answers are -- because I have free unlimited access to this DAW (which doesn't hold true for a DAT) and I wanted to take this opportunity to try several microphone positions and compare them later.
So, this was my first very own project. Not too groundbreaking, true, and probably the CDs I made (at early hours, of course  ) will be forgotten soon. But it still was the first case I could write "Recorded by Tarmo Pajusaar" on the CDs .
Any news from you guys?
Tarmo aka mommi |
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Tue Mar 23, 2004 6:15 pm |
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julesf
Joined: 31 Aug 2003
Posts: 58
Location: Southampton, UK |
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Hi Mommi,
I remember you telling me about the contest " your first job" I think that it is great that you have been able to put your skills to test in the real world and the contest sounds like a sensible first job, scary but not too scary. I think that you were right to use multi track as a multiple mic set up would give you the best possible chance to experiment and get the best takes. Later with more experience you will know exactly what mic's to use and where to best place them, then DAT would be a good choice. The things that you did wrong you were able to correct which was great, and you will know next time how to avoid these problems. Strangely the 3:1 rule in mic placement to avoid phase cancellation is something that always sticks in my Brain when placing mics's.<p> I remember that my old Roland VS840 did do some odd things every now and then showing that these hardware DAW's are not always completely bomb proof. <p> Overall I would say that the project was perfect for your first Job, how do you feel that it sounded in the final master? What would you do differently except for the points that you mentioned?<p>
quote:
So, this was my first very own project. Not too groundbreaking
<p>Well I do have to say that micing up a Zither, violin, or accordian would be pretty groundbreaking for me! <p>
I am about to undertake my first job for the mobile studio. I have recorded on location a few times and things have gone smoothly enough, but this is a completely new rig. The Ramsa DA7 digital desk is quite a learning curve! On this job I will be taking the 16 balanced inputs from the DA7 to the Mackie SDR24/96 on direct channel outs routed through the 2 ADAT cards and down two ADAT light pipes. Channels 17-32 will be used for playback and the desk can easily be flipped between 1-16 (channel inputs) and 17-32 (playback) so I will be able to check the results between takes. The desk has full automation and flying faders so all settings can be stored, this will also allow me to make most of the settings before I leave home which will save time on location. The Mackie recorder is brand new and is fitted with an 80Gb drive it should be Ok The job is to record a demo for a Jazz band consisting of Piano, Horns, Bass, and drums. If they require vocals these will be added later in my project studio. It is planned to fly the mix from the Mackie into Cubase via ADAT light pipe through the MOTU 2408 mk3. I can then edit, mix and master the tracks using Cubase and plugins. I will let you know how it goes. Fingers crossed
How are the rest of you guys doing, any news?
Cheers,
Jules. |
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Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:26 pm |
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