Original Message                 Date: 14-Mar-01  @  08:03 PM   -   Software VS Hardware

speedload20

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I'm doing a report for the local university about the strengths and weeknesses of using either software or hardware or a combination in your studio. That is basing your studio on either software or hardware.

I would appreciate all thoughts on this topic! Please don't say "Software sucks" or something like that. Tell me WHY it sucks. WHY doesn't it sound/act like hardware? Will software close up on hardware once the computers can start handeling more and more voices/realtime effects?

Thanks!

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Message 31/48                 Date: 19-Mar-01  @  12:29 PM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

Jasper

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ahh bollox.. wrong thread.

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Message 32/48                 Date: 19-Mar-01  @  03:22 PM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

k

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yes some stuff got lost in the transfer, we thought it was better to just go live... as for that ... forget it mate - no worries... sorry. - s/w is ok for suites, but i'd prolly go tape for a band studio cos of it's robustness. for rock bands i'd go tape everytime to get the sound of tape on drums especialy. you cant get that fat pumping drum saturation from h/disk - but i'd want a transfer system to disk for editing... so i'd go 24 track adat with dig transfer to a mac or pc for a 'band' studio.. or analog tape for a rock studio. and go to h/d only for a project studio with synths, samplers etc. if commercial, i'd want a standby back-up pc with ability to pick up the old drive with the data.

___________________________________

I had an idea for a script once. It's basically Jaws except when the guys in the boat are going after Jaws, they look around and there's an even bigger Jaws. The guys have to team up with Jaws to get Bigger Jaws.... I call it... Big Jaws!!!

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Message 33/48                 Date: 25-Mar-01  @  09:36 PM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

speedload20

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Heh... If people could look at this as an interview with more than one person answering the questions it would all be okey =)

Thanks a lot K! That's exactly what I wanted and that was why I did I like I did. =)

I don't really need anymore info now. I'm almost done with my writing.

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Message 34/48                 Date: 25-Mar-01  @  10:54 PM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

JS

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Oh... Feel free to write more by the way. I will look back here.

Still wondering if it's worth it to buy that Nova and some hardware effect units or if I should upgrade my pc and go 100% software instead.

And THAT studio will be 100% aimed at electronic music. Mostly trance and techno I guess. But is it really worth it to buy expensive hardware when I'm only a hobbyist?

The Nova should be enough for 303 like sound and some pads right? I'm played with one for a short while, and I really liked the sound.

I really do like the feeling of twisting knobs and pressing buttons instead of clicking around with a computer mouse. I also think that you more easiliy get stuck in patterns when you draw notes in software sequencers. You sometimes think that it doesn't LOOK good. And that's not really what it is about is it?

Oh, well...

How much does a somewhat neat mixer cost anyway? I guess I need to specify something here too... Hmm... I won't need that many channels and things for starters. Just imagine a very small homestudio.

I agree with Jaspers point by the way. If you don't like the thread, then don't answer.   Seems like a big waste of time to me.

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Message 35/48                 Date: 28-Mar-01  @  12:10 PM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

BJT

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What's the scope of your assignment?
Software v's Hardware for mixing OR
sequencing and synthesis?
OR using for live performance?

What about Native v's DSP Cards?

One thing people overlook in these arguments is that
Good Hardware and Good Software have a bigger R&D budget
and so you can expect better results.

EG Freeware VA's sound no where near as good as High costing software VA's.

Protools is software can also be very high end for a full studio setup
and uses DSP cards and specialised Midi-mixers, so it ain't fully software.

Some new Rackmount's like the Roland 1010 etc... require a computer to use,
so do good midi-Soundcards, so functionally not much difference.

Big scope of argument.

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Message 36/48                 Date: 28-Mar-01  @  12:22 PM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

k

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also you got some fx like gating tricks etc that frankly i wouldnt want to get involved with in s/w even IF the s/w gate claimed to have a trigger input etc - but time might prove me wrong - working on the 'tricks' with hardware is the beauty of it & the bit I enjoy most about hardware...

___________________________________

I had an idea for a script once. It's basically Jaws except when the guys in the boat are going after Jaws, they look around and there's an even bigger Jaws. The guys have to team up with Jaws to get Bigger Jaws.... I call it... Big Jaws!!!

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Message 37/48                 Date: 28-Mar-01  @  11:02 PM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

99devils

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Well, K, even there it depends.. Do you have to do it realtime or not? If you did, I'd use a hardware gate. If you didn't, I'd gate in Sound Forge with AnalogX Audio Arpeggiator.

There's so many ways to skin a cat, some better than others for given situations.

-Craig

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Message 38/48                 Date: 29-Mar-01  @  05:26 AM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

k

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soundforge?.. but how am i going to mix a balance if the wav is in isolation?

___________________________________

I had an idea for a script once. It's basically Jaws except when the guys in the boat are going after Jaws, they look around and there's an even bigger Jaws. The guys have to team up with Jaws to get Bigger Jaws.... I call it... Big Jaws!!!

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Message 39/48                 Date: 29-Mar-01  @  12:54 PM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

Jasper

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I lost about an hours worth of edits last night, my fault though.. but I also lost all the edits I made to compressors, distortion, all mixer edits. I actually only made 1 edit to a track, so if I'd been using purely hardware I wouldn't have lost mutch.but then again, if I hadn't been caned I would have saved every 5 mins as usual.

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Message 40/48                 Date: 29-Mar-01  @  08:48 PM   -   RE: Software VS Hardware

99devils

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In the case of gating, at least for me, it typically wouldn't matter... Anyways, just illustrating the point that there really are no hard and fast rules. Like I said, there's more than one way to skin a cat...

BTW - you could run that plug in Cakewalk or any DX-plugin compatible multitracker as an insert effect too  

-Craig

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