So what gear should I add to have a sampler without a DAW?

Forum for Roland FA-06/08
Skijumptoes
Posts: 681
Joined: 11:08, 21 June 2010

Re: So what gear should I add to have a sampler without a DA

Post by Skijumptoes »

tidalwaveten wrote: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... aha+mg10xu
Any great differences / impediments between it and the MG 12/4 aside from the # of inputs?
Well, the lack of sub/group outputs restricts your flexibility, i.e. you will only be able to record what comes out of your mixer's master output.

What a sub group mixer allows you to do is, say have 2 or more external sources playing (Let's say a drum machine and a synth, or sampler and synth), but only select one of those sources to go to your audio interface via a sub group output for recording. Your audio interface also feeds back into the mixer, and then out to your monitors - so you have full control of your monitors/speakers volume, and EQ via the main outs of the mixer too.

You're not reliant on an audio interface being on for this type of setup.

If you don't go through a sub/group method, then your Monitors plug directly out of an audio interface, and the main output of the mixer goes to the inputs of your audio interface, which means you record everything that's going through the mixer (faders/mutes dependant of course).

If you don't expect to need that functionality then it should be ok, not sure what the USB Audio interface is like built in to the mixer you linked to, but that would just give you the master output feed direct into USB Audio, in all honesty, i would go with a Scarlett 2i4 over the mixer, if i had to get one or the other. You're good for 4 inputs then, and it keeps the whole setup simple.

There's a few on reverb, one is for $100, but this is a 2nd gen and looks practically new for $130:-
https://reverb.com/item/5333496-focusri ... ce-2nd-gen

It really depends if you foresee more external hardware being added to your setup, and how crucial a mixer is. i think you will be surprised what a modern DAW can do with plugins though, and a decent Audio Interface will be your strongest back bone in that type of setup, and allows for a mixer at a later date.

I've got 9 external sources to cater for so a mixer is pretty much essential in my workflow.

Choices eh?! lol :)
tidalwaveten wrote:How would this gel / interface with the Yamaha MG10XU vs. the MG 12/4? I'll strongly consider the 2i4. Just want to be sure I can utilize it if I got for the new mixer. But the MGxxXU next series model with more inputs than the MG10XU starts at ~USD $350--too rich for my blood.
As above, unless you really feel that a mixer is important, i'd aim for something like the Scarlett 2i4, the FX on those yamaha mixers are very good, but a basic plugin within most DAW's would walk all over them, purely because they're more customisable, and you can assign as many as you like per track.

I hope i'm still making sense, there's so many different options out there that it's hard to not give conflicting opinion on it all as there's many pros and cons and i know originally you preferred to stay clear of the computer screen, but the DAW option really does save you a lot of money and opens up such a wealth of power at your hands.
tidalwaveten
Posts: 14
Joined: 12:58, 11 May 2017

Re: So what gear should I add to have a sampler without a DA

Post by tidalwaveten »

Audio, in all honesty, i would go with a Scarlett 2i4 over the mixer, if i had to get one or the other. You're good for 4 inputs then, and it keeps the whole setup simple.

There's a few on reverb, one is for $100, but this is a 2nd gen and looks practically new for $130:-
https://reverb.com/item/5333496-focusri ... ce-2nd-gen

It really depends if you foresee more external hardware being added to your setup, and how crucial a mixer is. i think you will be surprised what a modern DAW can do with plugins though, and a decent Audio Interface will be your strongest back bone in that type of setup, and allows for a mixer at a later date.

I've got 9 external sources to cater for so a mixer is pretty much essential in my workflow.

Choices eh?! lol :)
Easy. Just snagged the $130 one (plus $8 shipping). Thanks! :-)
As above, unless you really feel that a mixer is important, i'd aim for something like the Scarlett 2i4, the FX on those yamaha mixers are very good, but a basic plugin within most DAW's would walk all over them, purely because they're more customisable, and you can assign as many as you like per track.

I hope i'm still making sense, there's so many different options out there that it's hard to not give conflicting opinion on it all as there's many pros and cons and i know originally you preferred to stay clear of the computer screen, but the DAW option really does save you a lot of money and opens up such a wealth of power at your hands.
I'm good, thanks! Still making sense. Time to order the Superlux hd681 evo headphones. :-) I may hold out for the older MG12/4 mixer if I find a good deal. Never heard of Reverb.com, so thanks for that. Thanks for everything, really! It's hard not to use exclamation points here. Color me excited.
tidalwaveten
Posts: 14
Joined: 12:58, 11 May 2017

Re: So what gear should I add to have a sampler without a DA

Post by tidalwaveten »

Well, the lack of sub/group outputs restricts your flexibility, i.e. you will only be able to record what comes out of your mixer's master output.

What a sub group mixer allows you to do is, say have 2 or more external sources playing (Let's say a drum machine and a synth, or sampler and synth), but only select one of those sources to go to your audio interface via a sub group output for recording. Your audio interface also feeds back into the mixer, and then out to your monitors - so you have full control of your monitors/speakers volume, and EQ via the main outs of the mixer too.

You're not reliant on an audio interface being on for this type of setup.
Resolved. :-) I'm a Buy It Now guy on eBay. However, the one decent MG12/4 on offer was an auction. Actually, it had a buy it now price of USD $150 but the shipping was said to be around USD $30. At $180, I thought it might not be good value. So I bid. And waited. While searching on Reverb.com and elsewhere, I see people are still trying to sell used MG12/4s for between USD $200 and USD $250. Possibly pristine used. So then I'd wished I'd Bought It Then for the B.I.N. price of $150. All in, USD $117 with non-expedited shipping. It's funny--the expedited and non-expedited shipping had the same arrival dates. Anyway, thanks for describing what I'd be giving up if I went with the newer model. Too limiting.

Also, I thought, hey, with the mixer's effect sends, I can purchase some old multiverbs / multi-effect rack-mount units for nearly nothing. :-) If you think of any units, please let me know. But I'll start with Alesis multiverbs and ART units. I know what you're saying about VST plug-in effects. But for times--and they may be many--when I want to be off the grid as you say, the hardware will be there for me. Glad your mixer has effects built-in. But I think I'll be pleased with my budget purchases.
I hope i'm still making sense, there's so many different options out there that it's hard to not give conflicting opinion on it all as there's many pros and cons and i know originally you preferred to stay clear of the computer screen, but the DAW option really does save you a lot of money and opens up such a wealth of power at your hands.
Yeah, we'll see how long I can keep my eyes of a laptop screen or monitor. Possibly not very. :-) Leading to... the Mac. So, forget it I've mention, but I found a somewhat beefy Mac Mini on sale for USD $600:

https://www.google.com/shopping/product ... 8wIIiQgwAQ

Quick specs: Apple Mac mini - Core i5 2.6 GHz - 8 GB RAM - 1 TB HDD - Intel Iris Graphics - OS X 10.12 Sierra

(I believe the memory is upgradable to 16G)

Description:

"The late 2014 model Mac mini 2.6 GHz Desktop Computer from Apple is a compact form factor desktop solution for consumers who are dedicated to the look and feel of Apple brand mini computers. The small square desktops contain a 2.6 GHz Intel Core i5 dual core Haswell processor 8GB of 1600 MHz LPDDR3 RAM and a 1TB 5400 RPM Hard drive. Although these units require an optional monitor they are powered by an integrated Intel Iris GPU. These mini computers also support dual monitor displays at 2560 x 1600 pixels. Regardless of their small size they contain a number of connectivity options including two Thunderbolt 2 and four USB ports a Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 jack and an HDMI terminal along with an SDXC card slot for additional storage options. For networking there is 802.11 ac Wi-Fi backwards compatible with 802.11 a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 support. It also includes an integrated speaker audio line in digital/analog minijack audio line out/headphone minijack and support for Apple iPhone headset with microphone. The late model 2014 Mac minis run on the Yosemite operating system. Yosemite has been designed to take advantage of high-end displays and to integrate iOS devices and your desktop Macs with ease. It also improves almost every area of the Mac OS including but not limited to Safari Finder AirDrop and FaceTime to name a few"

I'd likely be purchasing here at a local Best Buy, as I have around $200 worth of Best Buy gift cards to take the edge off:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-mac-m ... :212,loc:2



Any issues with this box? Some cons may be:

* Evidently no SSD; but there is an SD slot--would hope it's addressable up to 128G or more.
* Wouldn't have instant-on boot up like a MacBook; I could live with that
* More complicated / pieces for gigging. But I don't see myself gigging any time soon. And if I get to the point where I'd like to gig, and I find myself loving Mac OS, I'll buy myself a MacBook and use the mini as my home office desktop. Or keep it in the studio for dedicated video editing, VSTs, etc. Or some combo of any of the aforementioned. :-)

Pro is low cost entry into the Mac Universe. :-)

Any issues with the # and type of I/O ports? They say there are two ThunderBolt ports, but I only see one (?). If I go this route, I want at least two monitors if not three. Can a box like this handle that? I know it's got HDMI. And though I know very little about Thunderbolt, I believe video can be routed through it.

So, I ordered some TRS balanced cables. They're cheapies and won't last forever, but they're balanced. Brand is HOSA. They are stereo pairs that one can pull apart completed if desired. I purchased:

(qty 2): 6.5 ft
(qty 2): 3.5 ft

Strange. I'm used to round ft numbers on cables. Doesn't bother me; just more of a "why?" curiosity thing. Like if those translate into round metric numbers. It's funny here in the U.S. we're still using the English system of measurement; while the English / U.K. and the rest of the planet use metric.

Cost was exactly $31 total. Looked into Van Damme with neutrik connections on Amazon, but they were asking $30+ for a single cable. If the HOSA cables don't work out, Amazon.

Any other cables I should get? Shorter ones for connecting the mixer to a multi-effects unit, etc?

So, last purchases will be:

* Computer Music mag. Yeah, it's an import here. I remember reading it years ago in a local Barnes and Nobles store. We still have a few around here. I should call and see if they stock it. Or order online, so long as it's the "dead tree" version and not an eMag. I'm old school in that, even with technical books (did I mention I'm presently a DBA?), I like to mark-up my books; underline, write notes, tear out pages, etc. I know there are digital equivalents. And call me a dinsosaur (been called worse I suppose). But I love the old, tactile way of interfacing with the written word in long form.

* A cheap bass guitar. Probably a USD $200 Fender P-bass (?) knock-off, like a Fender Squire. Preferably used and in great condition. When I was in metal / punk / art rock bands in high school, I believe our bassists used the latter, not being able to afford anything better. Any suggestions?

For a guitar, I have a "mexican" Fender strat purchased new circa 2015; vs. the Standard (?) strats built in the U.S. And a "crap" amp (fit my need at the time): Line 6 Spider III amp with built-in effects. I don't like the built-in effects; at least the routings are limited. But hey, for USD $150 used for a loud amp with multi-effects built in, it was a bargain and Got Me Back Into The Game. My strat--never had a proper set-up done on it. Can't seem to get or keep her in tune. No warped neck or anything like that. Just needs a set-up I suspect.

* Monitors: I'll try my cheap mega-boom box that I use for my poor man's home theatre. Meanwhile, I'll check prices on used Behringer B2031As. Would be nice to have dedicated monitors where I need them.

So, damn, thanks man for all the detailed back and forths! Would buy you a pint--or several--if I was in the U.K. Been to the U.K. twice--London a few years ago, just as a short Eurostar side trip from Paris; and technically the U.K--Northern Ireland, in the late 90's on a trip of the Republic of Ireland.

While not a "trad" music guy, I had many a pint of Guinness in Ireland, where the musicianship in the pubs was stellar. It's the same here in the southern U.S. where we have bluegrass music and large bluegrass festivals. While I don't often listen to bluegrass music, I love seeing it live. The musicianship is off-the-charts phenomenal; especially when you consider these guys are playing insanely fast on acoustic instruments. Mental. :-)

My playing, quite frankly, is crap. I only do rhythm guitar and bass. This is why sequencing was a revelation to me when I discovered it. You mean all the compositions I'd like to write, based on experimentation and what I'm hearing in my "mind's ear", I can implement to perfection in a computer? Wicked! :-)
Skijumptoes
Posts: 681
Joined: 11:08, 21 June 2010

Re: So what gear should I add to have a sampler without a DA

Post by Skijumptoes »

tidalwaveten wrote: I see people are still trying to sell used MG12/4s for between USD $200 and USD $250. Possibly pristine used. So then I'd wished I'd Bought It Then for the B.I.N. price of $150. All in, USD $117 with non-expedited shipping. It's funny--the expedited and non-expedited shipping had the same arrival dates. Anyway, thanks for describing what I'd be giving up if I went with the newer model. Too limiting.
Ok, that sounds good, you'll be looking at connecting up as follows:-
Screen Shot 2017-05-24 at 12.57.50.png
Screen Shot 2017-05-24 at 12.57.50.png (76.07 KiB) Viewed 534 times
11+12 will be your fader for DAW return
9+10 will be level for FA
1-8 gives you the expansion for future.

Master fader controls speaker volume.

And then the Group 1+2 buttons (One per channel), you just engage/disengage on whatever channels you want and they go off to the DAW, without affecting how your hardware is connected.

So, you see, you have it all at hand there, which is nice.

As you're getting the 2i4 interface you then have the front 2 inputs to plug mics/guitars into easily - that's all i use my front inputs for, just quickly plugging stuff in that isn't laying around.
tidalwaveten wrote:Also, I thought, hey, with the mixer's effect sends, I can purchase some old multiverbs / multi-effect rack-mount units for nearly nothing. :-)
Yeah that's when a mixer comes in really handy, you can go out via a send on that mixer, or it has inserts too, so you have plenty of options for additional fx if needed. Inserts just need special Y Split cables, but an insert you can have different FX for each channel on the mixer, whereas an aux/fx out you send varying balance of the mix out to the FX box, all quite simple.
tidalwaveten wrote:Yeah, we'll see how long I can keep my eyes of a laptop screen or monitor. Possibly not very. :-) Leading to... the Mac. So, forget it I've mention, but I found a somewhat beefy Mac Mini on sale for USD $600:

Quick specs: Apple Mac mini - Core i5 2.6 GHz - 8 GB RAM - 1 TB HDD - Intel Iris Graphics - OS X 10.12 Sierra

(I believe the memory is upgradable to 16G)
Hmmm. I'm hesitant on that, i mean it is good for what you want to do (HDD you're best with an SSD or a 7200RPM traditional drive), but i'm concerned that you won't be getting long term value for money. The Mac Mini's are due a refresh and that current line is the same Mac Mini's that have been on sale for several years now. I think they're 2014/2015 models? Yet Apple aren't really clear on what they're doing with them.

If you can hold off a while, do so, if you can't.... Well, don't discount windows machines of course. Sorry, but i really like to make every penny count, so maybe over critical here! :-)

One other thing with those mini's is that i don't think the RAM can be upgraded after they've been bought as they are soldered in. However, you won't need more than 8GB unless you got into seriously LARGE sampling library territory. I'm talking silly large though.
tidalwaveten wrote:Any issues with the # and type of I/O ports? They say there are two ThunderBolt ports, but I only see one (?). If I go this route, I want at least two monitors if not three. Can a box like this handle that? I know it's got HDMI. And though I know very little about Thunderbolt, I believe video can be routed through it.
2x displays at once on those i'm afraid, not 3. And yes Thunderbolt can be used for all sorts, including displays.

It's got USB ports, too so you're good on that front. Some of the newer MacBooks have gone thunderbolt only so you have to use USB/Thunderbolt adapters, but you won't suffer with that.
tidalwaveten wrote:So, I ordered some TRS balanced cables. They're cheapies and won't last forever, but they're balanced. Brand is HOSA. They are stereo pairs that one can pull apart completed if desired. I purchased:
HOSA are good, you'll be fine with those.
tidalwaveten wrote:Any other cables I should get? Shorter ones for connecting the mixer to a multi-effects unit, etc?
I drew a basic diagram so you get an idea of connecting up, but you're probably good, i wouldn't get cables until you pick up a cheap effects unit, as they may differ as to how many i/o's they have.
tidalwaveten wrote:A cheap bass guitar. Probably a USD $200 Fender P-bass (?) knock-off, like a Fender Squire. Preferably used and in great condition. When I was in metal / punk / art rock bands in high school, I believe our bassists used the latter, not being able to afford anything better. Any suggestions?
The vintage modified are great Squier's if you see any of them, i really like the 5 string version in the Jaguar/Offset style, but not great if you want to play/learn slap bass. But they're great for a guitarist wanting to play bass parts! :)
tidalwaveten wrote:For a guitar, I have a "mexican" Fender strat purchased new circa 2015; vs. the Standard (?) strats built in the U.S. And a "crap" amp (fit my need at the time): Line 6 Spider III amp with built-in effects. I don't like the built-in effects; at least the routings are limited. But hey, for USD $150 used for a loud amp with multi-effects built in, it was a bargain and Got Me Back Into The Game. My strat--never had a proper set-up done on it. Can't seem to get or keep her in tune. No warped neck or anything like that. Just needs a set-up I suspect.
Yeah those Line 6 Spiders are a touch metally i always find. There's some great guitar plugins which may impress you, you just go straight into the front of your audio interface with guitar and through to the amp sims, and they sound superb, plus you can alter the sound AFTER you've recorded which is handy. Personally, i like to use a real amp with 2x mic's picking up the sound, but most people use amp sims when recording now i bet.

As for guitar going out of tune, Maybe your guitar just needs new strings? Also check that your strings are the correct size/gauge for your guitar, as sometimes using different gauges can cause the strings to sit in the nut incorrectly and dip out of tune, particularly if temperature changes.

Another thing, is that when tuning, i always tune down first, and then turn up to the correct frequency... i.e. the last time i touch the tuners is to tighten, not loosen. Even if i have to tune down, i will go lower than the target frequency and then tighten up to that note.
tidalwaveten wrote:So, damn, thanks man for all the detailed back and forths! Would buy you a pint--or several--if I was in the U.K. Been to the U.K. twice--London a few years ago, just as a short Eurostar side trip from Paris; and technically the U.K--Northern Ireland, in the late 90's on a trip of the Republic of Ireland.
No probs, i tend to talk about music more than i get to do it nowadays, i had a really bad blip a few years back where i couldn't write anything... or at least nothing that was good, so i've been refreshing my skills this year, learning more music theory, subscribed to a 'guitartricks' website, and you know, it's going really good.

So hopefully get a good stab at recording again soon, right now i'm just enjoying playing and doing stuff i wouldn't normally do.

tidalwaveten wrote:While not a "trad" music guy, I had many a pint of Guinness in Ireland, where the musicianship in the pubs was stellar. It's the same here in the southern U.S. where we have bluegrass music and large bluegrass festivals. While I don't often listen to bluegrass music, I love seeing it live. The musicianship is off-the-charts phenomenal; especially when you consider these guys are playing insanely fast on acoustic instruments. Mental.
Totally, i saw a band from the late 80s/90's (Soul II Soul) - thought it would be a laugh to go see them, and they were great. However, they had a Jazz-funk type band support them, James Taylor Quartet, i knew the name but didn't know much about them.

Holy crap, it was immense, massive Hammond (Or similar) Organ on stage and all seasoned professionals jamming around that. It was fantastic, and i think was the turning point of me questioning my own ability. I wouldn't sit and listen to an albums worth of it, but being in that room and just having fun with it is what music is all about. Even the people in the room reacted differently to them than other bands that i've seen.

I can't wait to track them down again when they next come.
tidalwaveten wrote:My playing, quite frankly, is crap. I only do rhythm guitar and bass. This is why sequencing was a revelation to me when I discovered it. You mean all the compositions I'd like to write, based on experimentation and what I'm hearing in my "mind's ear", I can implement to perfection in a computer? Wicked! :-)
You can get lost in it, don't know about perfection!! :)

My mate is into it big time, has built an Abbey Road replica studio in his garden (It's a building within a building - same doors, same windows etc.), and he will sit for hours staring at waveforms and manually moving snare drums by milliseconds to get the sound he wants, immense! I could never be that person, i can be driven to tears by the cheapest tape recording of a band, it's that reaction why i love music, and there's no better buzz than doing it yourself. It's like a drug.
tidalwaveten
Posts: 14
Joined: 12:58, 11 May 2017

Re: So what gear should I add to have a sampler without a DA

Post by tidalwaveten »

Ok, that sounds good, you'll be looking at connecting up as follows:-
Screen Shot 2017-05-24 at 12.57.50.png
11+12 will be your fader for DAW return
9+10 will be level for FA
1-8 gives you the expansion for future.

Master fader controls speaker volume.

And then the Group 1+2 buttons (One per channel), you just engage/disengage on whatever channels you want and they go off to the DAW, without affecting how your hardware is connected.

So, you see, you have it all at hand there, which is nice.

As you're getting the 2i4 interface you then have the front 2 inputs to plug mics/guitars into easily - that's all i use my front inputs for, just quickly plugging stuff in that isn't laying around.
Thanks so much for the diagram! This will make setup so much easier. I really appreciate the time you've put into this. If it's a VSD diagram, would you mind exporting it to a format that could be read and altered by, say, OpenOffice Draw? Or another FOSS program? Unfortunately, I don't have a license for Visio.
Yeah that's when a mixer comes in really handy, you can go out via a send on that mixer, or it has inserts too, so you have plenty of options for additional fx if needed. Inserts just need special Y Split cables, but an insert you can have different FX for each channel on the mixer, whereas an aux/fx out you send varying balance of the mix out to the FX box, all quite simple.
So, I did some research on late 80's / mid-90's digital multi-effects units. Was looking for wash of sound, ambient, shoegaze / dreampop / industrial applications. Units that kept repeating were as follows:

* The original Alesis Quadraverb (bought one for USD $50 + reasonable shipping)

* Alesis Midiverb II - bought one and paid way too much. $99 + $20 shipping. Evidently this is in Kevin Shields' rack from My Bloody Valentine (MBV). While not an MBV fan myself, the verbs were described as dreamy and spacious. So I went for it. There's a good thread on GearSlutz.com about favorite midiverb ii presets, and that pushed me over the edge on it.

* Not purchased yet due to outrageous used prices ($120 to $200+), but looking at a Yamaha FX500. The may reason--it's a guitar effects processor having one mono input but a stereo output--is that one patch in particular, people have described as Instant Slowdive. And I'm a huge fan. It's a preset named Soft Focus. Hopefully it has other applications; but I'd derive a great deal of pleasure having an instant Slowdive-like sound.

* Looking at Boss SE-70's but can't seem to find any inexpensive used ones. Evidently, The Prodigy had around 6-7 of these, saying, "you can never have enough SE-70s." Really enjoy their beats and sound warping, so I might like to have one. But at these outrageous prices, my spending's going to put me in the poor house.

Still, I wanted external, vintage effects processors to steer clear of the DAW / plug-in rabbit's hole / time sink that it would well be with me.

* Another unit, the SPX900 or SPX90 seemed to have been big amongst shoegaze / dreampop bands. But the prices are very high given the age.

What would you advise purchasing if I could purchase only one more unit?

* Thought about a Quadraverb GT. Unlike the Quadraverb (1), it's made for guitars. And a lot of shoegazers evidently had these. There is distortion, a pre-amp, and since it's a mono unit, you can have up to 11 simultaneous effects running--6 digital and 5 analog; something like that. The prices aren't cheap--again, probably around $200. And the sounds are geared more to guitar. But evidently they can make keyboards sound nice, gritty, and nasty--a good thing.

What offers the best value going forward and what cabling will I need? At least for the Quadraverb and the Midiverb II?
Hmmm. I'm hesitant on that, i mean it is good for what you want to do (HDD you're best with an SSD or a 7200RPM traditional drive), but i'm concerned that you won't be getting long term value for money. The Mac Mini's are due a refresh and that current line is the same Mac Mini's that have been on sale for several years now. I think they're 2014/2015 models? Yet Apple aren't really clear on what they're doing with them.

If you can hold off a while, do so, if you can't.... Well, don't discount windows machines of course. Sorry, but i really like to make every penny count, so maybe over critical here! :-)
Can't hold off much longer. And yes, I believe this is the 2014 model, sadly.
HOSA are good, you'll be fine with those.

I drew a basic diagram so you get an idea of connecting up, but you're probably good, i wouldn't get cables until you pick up a cheap effects unit, as they may differ as to how many i/o's they have.
Phew, thanks! Thought I had stepped over dollars to pick up pennies. Given the external effects processors I now have, any may yet purchase, what would you advise for additional cabling? Also, what model of used inexpensive rack would you recommend? Never owned one. But now I've got two rack mounted units and may yet get two more. Then stop. So I say now. :-)
The vintage modified are great Squier's if you see any of them, i really like the 5 string version in the Jaguar/Offset style, but not great if you want to play/learn slap bass. But they're great for a guitarist wanting to play bass parts! :)
Nice, thanks!
As for guitar going out of tune, Maybe your guitar just needs new strings? Also check that your strings are the correct size/gauge for your guitar, as sometimes using different gauges can cause the strings to sit in the nut incorrectly and dip out of tune, particularly if temperature changes.

Another thing, is that when tuning, i always tune down first, and then turn up to the correct frequency... i.e. the last time i touch the tuners is to tighten, not loosen. Even if i have to tune down, i will go lower than the target frequency and then tighten up to that note.
Thanks for that. Strings are old and are ernie ball super slinkies. I like them because I don't play often enough to develop callouses again--that may change with all this kit! Should I try a large gauge? How would I discover what brand / gauge is optimal for a "mexican" strat?
You can get lost in it, don't know about perfection!! :)

My mate is into it big time, has built an Abbey Road replica studio in his garden (It's a building within a building - same doors, same windows etc.), and he will sit for hours staring at waveforms and manually moving snare drums by milliseconds to get the sound he wants, immense! I could never be that person, i can be driven to tears by the cheapest tape recording of a band, it's that reaction why i love music, and there's no better buzz than doing it yourself. It's like a drug.
Perfection was hyperbole on my part. Perfection is nowhere to be found in reality, to quote someone the source of which eludes me. Wow, that's cool about the Abbey Road replica studio! Huge Beatles fan here of course. Beatles on drugs primarily vs. the early days when the subject matter was predominantly them singing love songs to fans. I'm not OCD--not that your friend is. But I couldn't be that person either. I want to finish a track, share it with a few mates, then move on.
tidalwaveten
Posts: 14
Joined: 12:58, 11 May 2017

Re: So what gear should I add to have a sampler without a DA

Post by tidalwaveten »

Would this MacBook be a good alternative to a a $600 Mac Mini with no SSD but a 1 TB HDD? So the SD slot doesn't help at all if you could address a 128G SD card for writing music tracks out to? How different are SSD drive read / write speeds vs. SD card read / write speeds?

Price USD $1049 on sale for Memorial Day Weekend holiday here in the U.S:

Apple - MacBook Pro with Retina display - 13.3" Display - 8GB Memory - 128GB Flash Storage - Silver
Model: MF839LL/ASKU: 8532557

Has an i5 2.7 ghz processor vs. a lot of the sub 2.0 ghz i5 processor MacBooks.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-macbo ... Id=8532557

Has an SSD, but only 128G. Also has older Thunderbolt 2 ports, and only 2 USB 3.0 ports vs. 4 USB 3.0 ports on the Mac Mini and, and Thunderbolt 3 on the MacMini I think. You're right--don't think the RAM can be upgraded on a MacMini. But it's already 8G. What's more important? SSD amount (128G vs. 256G) or the fact that it has it at all? The 256G SSD MacBook runs $1300--too rich for my blood. Presuming with the USB 3.0, I'd always keep a multi-terrabye HD connected, assuming those aren't expensive for Macs. What are some of the factors driving things? I understand about bottlenecks. But I can't imagine I'm going to be recording huge amounts of tracks live, etc. Could just be one or two stereo pairs at a time. Or one stereo pair and a mono.

I've got a gift card for $160 off the price of anything at Best Buy.

Anyway, here are the specs for the $1,049 MacBook. Hard to read, sorry:

Hard Drive Capacity128 gigabytes
Hard Drive Type Traditional, mechanical hard disk drives are the most common type of storage because they're relatively inexpensive and offer huge capacities. However, they also generate both noise and heat. Solid state drives, also known as SSDs, are many times faster than hard disk drives and have no moving parts to wear out, but typically offer far less capacity.Other
Operating System The operating system manages all software and hardware, including files, memory and connected devices. Most importantly, it lets you interact with your device and your programs in a visual way; otherwise, you'd be typing computer code to get anything done.Mac OS
Processor Speed The clock speed of the processor, measured in hertz (Hz), is defined as the number of operations the central processing unit (CPU) can carry out in a single second. Working in combination with system memory, the power of the processor determines the complexity of software you can run, how many programs you can have open at the same time, and how fast those programs will run.2.7 gigahertz
Processor Model Your computer's processor is like its brain. Working in combination with system memory, the power of the processor determines the complexity of software you can run, how many programs you can have open at the same time, and how fast those programs will run. Most computers feature an Intel or AMD processor.Intel 5th Generation Core i5
System Memory (RAM) Random-access memory, or RAM, is important because it helps your processor tackle multiple tasks at once. A minimum of 2GB is required for basic computing, but 6GB or more is recommended if you're into graphics and advanced photo or video editing.8 gigabytes
Graphics CardIntel Iris graphics 6100
Screen Size13.3 inches
Touch Screen Touch-screen devices make navigating more intuitive. Using a touch-screen display, you can do things such as tap to select, hold and drag to move items, swipe to scroll, and pinch to zoom.No

Retina display with 2560-by-1600 resolution

Fifth-generation dual-core Intel Core i5 processor

Intel Iris Graphics

Up to 9 hours of battery life1

Faster flash storage2

802.11ac Wi-Fi

Two Thunderbolt 2 ports for connecting high-performance devices and transferring data at lightning speed

Two USB 3 ports (compatible with USB 2 devices) and HDMI

FaceTime HD camera

Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand included

OS X, the world's most advanced desktop operating system

1 Battery life varies by use and configuration. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information

2 Compared with the previous generation.
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