By Craig AndertonYou certainly don’t want to add clutter and stress to your time in the studio
Although you want to have fun when recording music, sometimes certain factors work against you—such as software updates, bad cables, mis-set controls (so that’s why I’m not hearing any sound!), and the like. But there are also factors you can control that will make your studio time less stressful. One of the most important ones is simplifying your studio setup (and recording procedures) so you can have a more efficient, and more enjoyable, time in the studio. For example...
Use an Audio Interface with Multiple Inputs
“I’m a solo performer, so I only need a couple inputs.” Right? Wrong! You probably have a couple of mics, and more than one instrument—electric guitar, acoustic guitar, maybe a bass, keyboard (remember, most hardware keyboards have multiple outputs), and the like. All these outputs seek inputs, and you don’t want to re-patch; it’s great to have everything ready to go, so all you need to do is record-enable a track, and start making music. An audio interface
Definition:
A device to convert audio signals into digital code suitable for use by a computer; typically communication occurs through a port such as USB, Thunderbolt, FireWire, etc. with lots of inputs, like Focusrite’s Scarlett 18i20 (Fig. 1), neatly solves those patching problems.
The 18i20 has 8 analogDefinition:
A signal that is continuous in nature, as opposed to being defined as a series of discrete numbers (or elements) as found in digital signals; electrically "analogous" to an acoustical signal in the air. inputs but also includes an ADATDefinition:
ADAT (Alesis Digital Audio Tape): An S-VHS-based, 8-track digital audio recording format, syncable with additional units to add tracks in groups of 8. port. This means you can expand the number of inputs with an 8-channelDefinition:
1. In radio, television, citizen's band radio, and other wireless communications modes, a specific frequency for communication. 2. In mixers and video, an input or output signal path with controls. 3. In MIDI, one of 16 data paths. mic preamp sporting an ADAT-compatibleDefinition:
Capable of operating with a particular selection of hardware or software. output, like the Behringer ADA8200. Another audio interface option, TASCAM’s US-16x08 is very cost-effective. It includes 8 mic inputs and 8 balanced lineDefinition:
A pair of wires, usually twisted with equal and opposite signals, and designed to cancel noise and crosstalk. See Balanced Line. inputs.
A relatively recent product category is a mixerDefinition:
Combiner, controller, and router for multiple audio or video signals. with USBDefinition:
(Universal Serial Bus) A standard, bi-directional serial connection between computers and peripheral devices. interfacing capabilities, like the TASCAM Model 24 (Fig. 2). Given that you can use this as a standard mixer with a full set of both line and mic inputs (the mixer provides the usual routing and mixing functions; the ins, outs, and buses can appear as I/ODefinition:
(Input/Output): 1. A pair of connections that provide input(s) and output(s). 2. The connections that link a computer to devices outside the computer. inside your host), a solid-state recorder, or a USB interface, one unit can fulfill multiple functions in the studio. (For more information, the Full Compass Live blog published a detailed review of the TASCAM Model 24).
The only complication with having an interface that features multiple inputs is you’ll want to keep all unused channels muted so they don’t contribute noise. But the time you save by having all your instruments pre-patched, ready to go, and with levels already set for optimum recording, more than offsets that slight tradeoff.
Use Your DAW’s Bundled Plug-Ins as Much as Possible
Most host DAWs now bundle a decent assortment of plug-ins, including instruments and processors. Using these instead of relying on third-party plug-ins has several advantages:
- No incompatibility issues—if it comes with the host, it works with the host.
- Instrument upgrades usually happen in tandem with host upgrades, so one upgrade takes care of everything.
- This simplifies file exchanges with others who use the same host because you know your collaborator will have the same plug-ins.
- Should you re-visit a file in a few years, odds are good the plug-ins will open properly if you’re using the same host.
Granted, bundled instruments won’t necessarily do everything. But keep your collection of instruments manageable—avoid the temptation to downloadDefinition:
To receive data at one computer from another source (computer, electronic mail service, the cloud, etc.) a zillion shareware plug-ins “just because you can.” It’s more to learn, more to maintain, and more that can go wrong.
Manage Software Upgrades
Schedule doing upgrades (e.g., once every month or so), then check for upgrades to your plug-ins, host, operating system, graphics card, etc. Windows users should set a System Restore point before upgrading anything, and Mac users can use Time Machine; all users should test their setup after each upgrade. You’ll often find this to be more efficient than upgrading with a more scattered approach.
Also, remember your desired result: it’s to do recording, not have the most up-to-date computer on the planet. It’s often not worth being an “early adopter,” and the upcoming Windows 10 update in May 2019 will give more flexibility in terms of pausing updates—no more major updates in the middle of a project unless you want to update. In any event, check forums and manufacturer web sites for potential pitfalls before you update, and remember that the operating system is only part of the process—drivers often need some update love as well.
Simpler Backups
There are sophisticated software programs that do incremental backups, and that’s a good way to go. Or you can just back up your dataDefinition:
Information used by a computer in order to arrive at a decision. Although this is a plural term, it's often treated in the singular. drive to another drive every now and then. In either case, you’ll need a big external hard drive, like the Glyph S6000 6 Terabyte USB 3.0/FW800/ESATA drive (Fig. 3).
It takes time to back up large amounts of data, but that provides the opportunity to clean up your studio, or watch a movie—and afterward, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes from knowing your data is backed up.
Learn to Cut Your Losses
And now, for a non-technology tip. Sometimes a recording just isn’t happening. You try some EQ, some effects, some mix changes, maybe an overdub or two...nope. Well, you’ve done recording before, and you’ll do it again again. If something isn’t flowing right, don’t complicate your life: Cut your losses and move on.
Anything That Saves Time = Good
Wasting time gets in the way of inspiration, and reduces what you can do during a given session. Here are some of my favorite time-savers.
If applicable, increase your computer’s RAM.
The more RAMDefinition:
(Random Access Memory) A method of solid-state data storage where stored data can be addressed in any order. RAM is volatile, meaning that all data is lost when power to the RAM is turned off. you have, the less often your computer will have to go through the bottleneck of accessing its hard drive.
Use multiple monitors.
Moving and re-sizing windows is a major waste of time, and having multiple monitors makes your life easier.
Print out a list of keyboard shortcuts for the programs you use.
Refer to it often; after a few weeks, you’ll have the list memorized—and keyboard equivalents save time compared to mousing around.
Strip down your system.
If you don’t need a driver, disable it. You don’t need fancy screen animations. Remove anything that runs automatically (do you still need iPod helper on your system?). Unless a start-up program/service or driver is absolutely essential, with operating systems, less is more.
Place an alias (shortcut) on your desktop for everything you use consistently.
Also, add a shortcut for your current project.
And of course…turn off your ringer before you start recording.
Nothing will snap your brain out of its right-brain, creative space faster than a robo-call saying the IRS is about to arrest you, or you’ve won an all-expenses-paid vacation. When you’re recording, cellDefinition:
1. An element of a battery that provides between 1.3 and 2.0 volts each (AAA, AA, C, and D Cells are popular). 2. In mobile communications, an area covered by one of many antennas. phones are a privilege...not a right!