[FarisElek]

I’m relatively new to the world of recording at a pro level. Most of my experience prior was with portastudios and garage band.
Now as I building up my studio I’m finding that some of the things I felt I needed have moved out to make way for new things I think or feel I need. There are however a few things I know i’ll never part with. For instance my CAPI and AML pre’s. Good pre’s have been a huge game changer for me.

So this brings me to my question:

What are some rack gear that you own you couldn’t live without on your mixes?
 
Why?

What in particular do you use them on that you feel make your mixes “perfect”.



Ryan

[Whoops]

Let's separate Recording from Mixing.

Your Mic Pre's are for recording, I understand that you like you Mic Pres, I also like mine and I need them, but for recording.

Your question is related to Mixing

What are some rack gear that you own you couldn’t live without on your mixes?

None.
I can't live without my Computer, DAW, Plugins , Sound interface, Studio monitors and headphones.
Don't need anything else.
I used so many rack gear over time, mostly all the know great stuff.
I don't need or miss any of it.

What in particular do you use them on that you feel make your mixes “perfect”.

It's not related to gear, even if you don't believe in it at this point.
It's much much harder than bying a piece of gear.

It has to do with your experience and your Brain.
You listen with your Brain, you make decisions with your brain, you are creative using your brain.

Your Brain is the most important piece of equipment in mixing.
Achieving a Brain capable of doing great mixes is hard, takes a long time, but doable although a lot of people are never able to achieve it even though they spent a huge amount of money in rack gear.

What benefit an expensive compressor or equalizer gives you if you don't know how do you want the kick Drum to sound for that particular song?
What god any rack equipment do if you don't understand the arrangement and don't know how to interpret musically the elements of the song?

Mixing is not about rack gear is about making different instruments work in a song, is about emotion, it's about getting the most potential out of the sound.
Someone that is able to achieve a perfect mix with rack gear is also able to achieve it with a DAW and plugins. It doesn't matter it's much more than that.

Best Regards

[ruffrecords]

Coffee cup colder.

Cheers

Ian

[FarisElek]

Let's separate Recording from Mixing.

Your Mic Pre's are for recording, I understand that you like you Mic Pres, I also like mine and I need them, but for recording.

Your question is related to Mixing

None.
I can't live without my Computer, DAW, Plugins , Sound interface, Studio monitors and headphones.
Don't need anything else.
I used so many rack gear over time, mostly all the know great stuff.
I don't need or miss any of it.


It's not related to gear, even if you don't believe in it at this point.
It's much much harder than bying a piece of gear.

It has to do with your experience and your Brain.
You listen with your Brain, you make decisions with your brain, you are creative using your brain.

Your Brain is the most important piece of equipment in mixing.
Achieving a Brain capable of doing great mixes is hard, takes a long time, but doable although a lot of people are never able to achieve it even though they spent a huge amount of money in rack gear.

What benefit an expensive compressor or equalizer gives you if you don't know how do you want the kick Drum to sound for that particular song?
What god any rack equipment do if you don't understand the arrangement and don't know how to interpret musically the elements of the song?

Mixing is not about rack gear is about making different instruments work in a song, is about emotion, it's about getting the most potential out of the sound.
Someone that is able to achieve a perfect mix with rack gear is also able to achieve it with a DAW and plugins. It doesn't matter it's much more than that.

Best Regards

Ha.

I literally pride myself on capturing sound the best I can with just mic placement, little to no eq, as little process as possible. I like imperfections. I went to university for classical music composition and have written pieces for symphony. I know how to listen. I'm an extreme minimalist with my gear. I appreciate the sound analog gear applies to my sound, but I'm by no means tricked into believing that it's the one all be all. I've just been excited about the sounds I've been getting as of late and I was just asking to start a fun conversation about what kind of gear people have and enjoy using. I didn't think this was going to be lecture on using your ears. 

[Whoops]

I didn't think this was going to be lecture on using your ears. 

You asked free opinions from members, I politely and respectfully gave you my opinion.

I do lectures, but I get paid for that

[Gold]

I agree with what Whoops said. But to get to the point where the equipment doesn’t matter takes a lot of experience. Part of that experience is knowing what stuff sounds like. That includes classic analog pieces.

I’d recommend building a couple of EQ’s of different styles. If you like the CAPI mic pre then an API style EQ might be a good start. You could also try a Pultec style and a more  modern style like a state variable filter EQ.

Same with compressors. Try building a couple of different styles.

[Whoops]

I agree with what Whoops said. But to get to the point where the equipment doesn’t matter takes a lot of experience. Part of that experience is knowing what stuff sounds like. That includes classic analog pieces.

I agree with you also Paul

[FarisElek]

I think my whole post has been misunderstood and I apologize for that as I’m sure it’s the way I worded it. I’m not new to recording or music at all. I’ve got a degree in music and have been recording my music since 2004, usually with tape machines or free software. It’s only recently that I’ve been recording a more professional level and I’m just interested in what y’all are excited about in your studios.

I’m actually not interested in improving my studio. Or building or buy anything in the near future. I’m really just curious of what y’all are into and why. It’s more of a playful discussion about our passions, not recommendations, opinions, or anything like that.

[EmRR]

I would miss my Dolby 740 the most probably.  Followed by the Foote Control Systems P4 DMS.   Then maybe the Roland Space Echo.  I have tons of analog mix options, if there's ever client time or desire to do an analog mix (there isn't), and the rest comes and goes, like the seasons. 

[Whoops]

It’s more of a playful discussion about our passions, not recommendations, opinions, or anything like that.

What??

You want a discussion but no Recommendations, opinions, or anything like that?

Ok, this just got weird

[FarisElek]

I would miss my Dolby 740 the most probably.  Followed by the Foote Control Systems P4 DMS.   Then maybe the Roland Space Echo.  I have tons of analog mix options, if there's ever client time or desire to do an analog mix (there isn't), and the rest comes and goes, like the seasons.

Amazing! Besides the space echo I don’t even know what those things are, which is part of the reason I’m curious about everyone’s favorite gear. Gives me something to learn about while I’m working from home due to covid, but also is nice to connect with everyone and hear about what they enjoy doing. Thank you for your response!

[FarisElek]

What??

You want a discussion but no Recommendations, opinions, or anything like that?

Ok, this just got weird

I guess I just thought it would be cool to hear everyone talk about their studio, what they love about it....am I the only one with an inner child here?...

I guess this is more of a “Brewery” thread.

[Gold]

I do mastering. I guess the only outboard thing I couldn't do my job without is a Maselec MDS2. There really isn't an alternative to it besides a Neumann BSB74 which are extremely hard to come by. I'm in the process of switching over to a new rig. I've been using basically the same stuff for over 20 years. I am liking the stuff I'm replacing what I have with. I would feel like I wasn't very good at my job if I needed specific equipment to do a good job.

[EmRR]

Following the end of Paul’s statement, sometimes being good is knowing you’re staring at crap equipment and you should skip using certain things.

[Gold]

Following the end of Paul’s statement, sometimes being good is knowing you’re staring at crap equipment and you should skip using certain things.

Sometimes you have no choice. It still shouldn’t be an excuse.  I always liked walking into a radio station with a band and being handed four 57’s and a Shure mic mixer. Time to go to work.

[EmRR]

Sometimes you have no choice. It still shouldn’t be an excuse.  I always liked walking into a radio station with a band and being handed four 57’s and a Shure mic mixer. Time to go to work.

Right.  But you can hit bypass on the 3630 at least. 

[Gold]

Right.  But you can hit bypass on the 3630 at least.

Can and will. I like riding faders.

[groselicain]

Hands on faders.

There was a time that I worked completely in the box. I currently have a Chandler Mini Mixer in lieu of a standard console. Without getting too philosophical, the one thing I can't live without is some form of analog control on my channels.  It doesn't have to be a console that carries a pedigree like a Neve or Trident, or one full of flexibility like an SSL. It could be as simple as a four channel TEAC. You could talk about the effect analog summing has or doesn't have, topology, active versus passive, and a slew of other concepts that may or may not matter, but if something can take my eyes away from a screen and force my ears—and preferably hands—to evaluate a balance and manipulate it into the correct place throughout the journey of a piece of music, then it's indispensable.

[Rocinante]

Gssl. Fwiw.

[Seeker]

Like most, I also mix pretty much all digital these days... I do like to get it out of the box though, I like the sound of recording back in through my converters, and I have a little line amp driving a couple carnhills that has a little mojo that I haven’t found in the box.   Sometimes I’ll even use it to clip the converters (flame on!) a touch if I’m doing hip hop, edm, etc. 

If you could get your hands on an old analog computer...

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