Paul Vnuk Jr.

@Dave Bryce I know we talked about this in person (and we politely disagree), and I understand your points, but I heard a lot of good things from manufacturers (mainly in the North Hall). Most said that it was good to be back and see and talk with people in person, and they were really happy with this year's show, especially over last year's. I am a firm believer that for our industry (heck, even society) to succeed long-term, we need to get back to human interaction whenever and wherever possible. Most people I know(manufacturer and end-user) are, by and large, really burnt out on things being "online". I also think that it's good to remember, especially as it relates to product demos, that some people suck at "online learning" and need someone to hold their hand and walk them through things in person. I do think this is a reboot of NAMM and what is to come, I do agree that the NAMM experience can be re-tooled, and I am also glad that some of the bloat has been reduced.

Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young): Love: The Lee Shore Like: Carry On (kinda love that too) Hate: Our House Lynyrd Skynyrd: Love: Saturday Night Special Like: Sweet Home Alabama Hate: That Smell Bruce Springsteen: Love: Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out & Atlantic City (Can't pick between the two) Like: Radio Nowhere Hate: Born In The U.S.A. Peter Gabriel: Love: Here Comes The Flood Like: Solsbury Hill Hate: Sledgehammer

I need to be fully in the mix when singing meaning I need to hear the mix as close to "final" as possible with panning and all, and singing to the mic is really important to me, so I track vocals with molded in-ears and really try to work with nuanced levels and distances to the microphone and, when possible without a pop screen (depending on the mic).

When it comes to singing, I started as a singer in punk bands, then got conservatory training, sang in some progish and funkish bands in the 90s and early 2000's and then stopped singing publicly for the next 20'sh years. I just started again, and honestly, it's taken that long before I became comfortable enough that I can say I sound like me and be ok with it. Strangely, I now love singing and interpretation, but I hate writing lyrics. Which is odd, seeing as I am a professional writer/editor. It's just musically, I feel I lyrically have nothing to say, and being a drummer/synthesist, I tend to write from a more atmospheric and rhythmic place than I do a melodic place.

This is a hard one for me as I tend to be a ravenous music nerd and like artists and bands from almost every genre, and if I like a band...I LIKE a band, meaning I will stick with them through every period...even the albums I know are not as strong as others. I feel it's an artist's right to explore and experiment and grow, even if that means failure. Also, often when I make a statement, I don't like artist 'x'. No sooner have I said that, and I end up finding a song I like, then an album, then pretty much the whole catalog. However, sticking with the thread, there are a few bands/artists over the years that just never clicked with me: Styx comes to mind, they have 3-4 songs I like, and the rest, I just cannot dig the, let's call them theatrical (as in, this guy should sing musicals) vocals. I also kind of agree, for the most part, with @bill5 on ELP. I respect the heck out of them, and I like 4-5 songs, but I prefer Lake with King Crimson, and generally, I just never clicked with Emmerson's keyboard style. Similarly, Asia had 2-3 good songs on the first album, and then its downhill for me. Oh...and pretty much any 90s - 2020's boy-band...😀

There is nothing better than recording an inspired musician coaxing beautiful music out of their chosen instrument, and it all starts with using the right microphone. Even many virtual instruments in your DAW are based on sounds and samples recorded by a skilled engineer. The central focus of the May issue of RECORDING is instrument miking. Reviews We have 25 products on review this month. On the mic front, we have the instrument-focused OD5 active dynamic and OC7 condenser from Austrian Audio. From CAD, we look at the drum kit-focused C98, D29, D88 and D89. We check out a pair of the new 2015 Wide Cardioid mics from DPA, and we get the first look at the Royer 25th Anniversary R-10 Hot Rod Limited Edition ribbon mic. In microphone preamps, we plug into the Warm Audio WA-2MPX. For your mic-boosting pleasure, we have a mic-boost/direct box combo from Peach Audio called the Cube 5, and we run some mics through the new transformer-equipped Cloudlifter CL-X from Cloud Microphones. In the guitar pedal department, we stomp on the five latest offerings from Maestro (Gibson) and the new Cloudburst reverb from Strymon. Moving in the box, we round up four of the latest EBX Sound Expansions for Toontrack EZbass. For our "virtual ivory ticklers," we have Version 8 of the popular Modartt Pianoteq and the new 285 Delay from PSPaudioware. Finally, we get the score from Notion from PreSonus and dig into online collaboration with FarPlay. Interview This month's interview returns to the age-old question, "If we can walk together, why can't we rock together?" as editor Paul Vnuk Jr goes back in time to the DIY recording ethos of the mid-1980s US punk scene, with Kevin Seconds, Don Zientara and Ian MacKaye to discuss the recording of 7 Seconds classic Walk Together, Rock Together EP. Features In Session Log, producer Marc Urselli brings another "strange and unusual" instrument as he tells us how he recorded Gotye’s Ondioline Orchestra. In this issue's Studio 101, Joe Albano’s lesson topic is an Intro To Microphones, Mark Hornsby is back Inside The Studio sharing about his recent sessions tracking Carl Verheyen’s Riverboat Sky, and Dave Martin shares his insightful advice in Readers' Tracks. Finally, Associate Editor Alex Hawley helms Fade Out with his thoughts on the growing AI trend. May this issue be instrumental to your RECORDING success!

So who went, what did you think and what was your favorite thing?

I was so busy with NAMM stuff, I forgot to post this. I will jump to May tomorrow. Welcome to one of our favorite annual topics––Studio Upgrades! Perfectly timed to be handed out in person at the April NAMM show in Anaheim, Studio upgrades can be a better microphone, a new flavor of compression, a shiny new plugin, or it can be the addition of room treatment, a super fast hard drive, or even simply re-arranging your racks and gear layout to improve your workflow. All this and more is the focus of our April issue. Reviews What is a NAMM issue without a hearty host of reviews? Starting with outboard gear, to get connected, we have the MBOX Studio USB-C from Avid. For your summing needs, it's the new 2-BUS-XT from Dangerous Music, and we have the 12-channel Dante equipped 12Mic-D mic pre from RME. In microphones, we check out the new 5th Generation of the RØDE NT1 and the LA-220 V2 from Lauten Audio. Our processor upgrades included the RS660 compressor from Chandler Limited, the Solid State Logic Bus+ bus compressor, and the LiN2A optical compressor from Lindell Audio. In the EQ department, we have the 500-Series API Select SV14 4-Band EQ and the NSEQ-F from Millennia Media. On the room treatment side, we check out the new Razor acoustic panels from GIK Acoustics. For your ears, we listen to the Focus Headphones from Fluid Audio, and we have your storage needs covered with the new OWC Envoy Pro mini portable SSD from Other World Computing. If your studio needs a furniture upgrade, we have new desk and chair options from Wavebone. Finally, in software, we have the pure:limit plugin from Sonible and the Patch App DX from Flock Audio. Interview Our interview this month is by way of Mark Hornsby's Inside The Studio column. Mark sits down with "The Man Behind the Music" Chuck Surack. Learn about his musical past, the early days of portable and home studios and more. Features In this issue's Studio 101, Joe Albano instructs us on wiring up your studio with, An Introduction to Cables and Connections. In Session Log, producer Marc Urselli offers up some of his recent studio upgrade tales. Aaron Trumm is back in the month's Fade Out with more studio upgrade considerations, and engineer, producer and bassist Dave Martin dissects the latest Readers' Tracks. We look forward to seeing you at NAMM and in the April issue of RECORDING Magazine.

I am a HUGE Wavedrum fan (I might have posted this somewhere else on the forums), I have the original from the late 80s/early 90s, as well as the first of the reissue models (pre Oriental or Global). I need new heads for both soon.

I have one of those as well. It's sonically really powerful, if not a bit quirky, to get used to with the touch controls. I downloaded a CR-78 bank and use that the most. I also have both Arturia Drum Brutes, they have great analog sounds coupled with Arturia's usual sequencing paradigm. In usually just make some cool tribal-style beats and let them cycle, but I don't often do modern music stutters, rollers and such. Most of my programed beats lately, however come from sounds I sequence on my Voyager, Prophet 5 and DFAM...basically percussive sounds, not so much drum sounds.

Thanks for sharing OG_Dave. Cool set up.

I am a percussionist and drummer. Acoustically I have a vintage 4-piece slingerland kit from 1966. I also have a bunch of hand drums—doumbeks, djembes, Klong Ya, and such that I have collected over the years. On the electronic side, I have two wavedrums old and 2nd gen and as Kuru said, they are like no other electronic drum ever! The only thing that comes close is the ATV A-Frame which has become my main live electronic drum—successor to the wavedrum in many ways.

From the product page: 2 of the 8 line inputs offer switchable instrument-level more for direct bass and guitar recording So you are covered with two direct instrument in’s. However if I am reading you correctly, yes you will need a traditional direct box (one for each simultaneous instrument that you are recording this way) if you want to split your signal to the input and amp simultaneously. You may also want to consider a Reamp device to send the signal back out to an amp at a later date. This would be my choice in your scenario. Reamp Station Here is my full review which explains it better. RECORDING Review

Royer R series mics use an offset ribbon as well. PS-Bryce I love the way your brain works. “Fun Ribbon Tidbit”.

I used to own a pair of Blue Robbies...really great-sounding preamp, but inconvenient to use as far as where to put them, etc. Sold them a while ago.

I think Johnchop hit the conundrum on the head. Despite owning dozens and dozen of Waves plugins (and always doing the $30 intro when one comes out), when its time to "re-up my WUP" it's usually $240'sh, as such the yearly subscription suddenly becomes a bargain...and yet, I am still not a fan of plugin subscriptions. The problem is (for me) software subscriptions are like getting rid of cable is to Netflix, Hulu, Disney+...if I want to subscribe to two to three plugin companies...they add up fast.

The one cool thing about ribbon mics is that even dirt-cheap ones can add new flavors to even the most well-stocked mic locker––the same with dynamic mics. The only caveat with cheap ribbon mics, in my experience, is they tend to tilt toward the stereo-typical dark side of the spectrum, and one thing I learned stepping into some of the industry standard ribbon mics like the Royer R-121, Cloud 44A and AEA R44CE is that a good ribbon mic is not dark––its neutral and natural. Which we often think of as dark since many modern condenser mics are so dang bright. All that said, I have zero experience with the LR100

Sorry for my tardiness...its been an insane couple of weeks. So...I am a huge fan of the whole "inline signal booster craze" because I love using my SM7, and more importantly, my passive ribbon collection on delicate and quiet sources and inline signal boosters let me treat and process said mics like I would my condensers, meaning I don't need to push my amp, and its noise to get the mic up to level––none of this should be a surprise as this is exactly what the inline signal boosters are made to do. I also love the fact that we are now entering a time when these boost-boxes are not simple clean-utilitarian devices, but many companies are offering a spin or a flavor. So now, just like you might pick between 2 or 3 different mics or preamps depending on the sound you are after, now there is a 3rd flavor option to add to the mix. On to the discussion of the Soyuz Launcher, it is the most flavorful of the current crop of mic boosters, and that is by design––although these added weights and colors as it where are on the subtle and cumulative side––which is similar to most preamps when compared side by side. If you are indeed considering a pair of/2 channels of Launcher, then I would absolutely go with the Deluxe, especially because you get the added benefit of it playing double duty as a passive transformer box. I use this often to re-amp softsynths, digital synths and plugins to add a nice touch of analog "spice". Just know if you are looking for clean, as in, this is my mic and preamp with no added color, then the Cloudlifter is a better bet, and if you need more gain and want a subtler transformer tone, the new Cloudlifter X is a contender as well. If you like to play with mic impedance (which also changes the sound of your mics) the Cloudlifter Z (or ZI) is a cool choice, and the Cloudlifter I use the most often with my SM7B and AEA 44CE as I can "dial -in" the best tone for the song and source on any given day. sE also makes a signal booster that has some stepped impedance options. Finally, Royer makes a clean yet gently harmonically cool dBoost, and if you get the 2-channel dBoost 2, it also doubles as a high-quality classic DI Box. I have one of these and use it most often on my R-121 and my stereo AEA R88. Here is a quote from my original 2020 Soyuz Launcher review: "I compared The Launcher to a Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter CL-Z and a Royer Labs R-DB20 dBooster, all with a Telefunken M80 dynamic mic through a Millennia Media HV3-D preamp. After layering acoustic guitar, vocals, and percussion, I found the CL-Z offers the most gain of the bunch and the most 'not there' transparency. The dBooster was also designed to impart flavor to a mic through the use of bipolar transistors and op amps and is best described as harmonically excited. It fills out the lows like The Launcher, but its top end is much more forward than rounded. The Launcher was the most weighted and smoothest of the bunch."

I’m doing sound for a conference today, and can’t get deep into it single finger typing on my phone, but I have a lot of experience with the Soyuz, the Royer dBoost, and pretty much every model of Cloudlifter. I can chime in with thoughts on each later, but I can say I would get a Launcher Deluxe over two individual Launchers for the added transformer inputs.

You are correct. I have two...and yet I utilized the Raven more when I had one. When I had one, I used it as a mixer, which I LOVE. Its so much nicer being able to adjust plugin parameters, and move faders and write automation just like a console/piece of hardware. I also love the transport features and quick keys. What I never got the hang of was the whole "Minority Report" style waveform editing and various touch voodoo that the Rave guys like Jamie Zabreck pull off. I also know it's my own fault, but I just don't have the time to daily invest in digging deep into those processes. As such, Raven #2 is just more of a computer monitor.

A well-done vocal track can move us to tears, stir us to action, tell us a story and become so infectious we are driven to hum and sing along. In this issue, RECORDING looks at the vocal recording process with the tips and tools to tackle the most terrific takes! Reviews Beyond a talented set of vocal cords, it all starts with a well-chosen microphone. In this issue, we sing and play through the newly updated sE4400 from sE Electronics and the Soyuz 1973. Then we celebrate 20 years of Placid Audio with a fresh look at the beautifully lo-fi Copperphone and the new limited edition 20th Anniversary Copperphone. We also take a deep dive into one of the most iconic microphones of all time as we look at a historic reissue of the legendary M 49 V Large-diaphragm tube mic from Neumann. In the preamp department, we plug into the Drawmer 1972 and the Auteur DT desktop microphone preamp from Black Lion Audio. From there, we move inside the box to look at plugin vocal tools, including the Joe Chiccarelli Vocal Strip from IK Multimedia, the VLA-2A MK II compressor and TD-201 vintage tape echo from Black Rooster Audio. Finally, we check out the latest additions in Auto-Tune Pro from Antares. Interviews Our interview this issue is with musician, engineer, producer, multi-media artist and model Charlotte Kemp Muhl. Formerly one-half of the duo The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger with Sean Lennon, Kemp Muhl's latest project is Uni and the Urchins with vocalist Jack James and guitarist David Strange. We peer behind the curtain of the band's latest album, SIMULATOR. The album was recorded and mixed by Charlotte and released on her Chimura Music label. Features Want more microphones? We've got you covered as editor Paul Vnuk Jr rounds up all 6 current models in the AKG C Series in the latest installment of A Family of AKG C Series Microphones Compared. In this issue's Studio 101, class is in session as Joe Albano gives us an introduction to vocal recording. Joe helps us choose the right mic, setup for the session and offers solutions to common vocal recording issues. In Session Log, producer Marc Urselli travels back in time to sessions at LA's East West Studios with Foo Fighters. Mark Hornsby is back Inside The Studio with vocal recording advice from vocalist, instructor, and vocal coach Beth Cohen. Aaron Trumm offers his thoughts on recording the sound of your own voice, and engineer, producer and bassist extraordinaire Dave Martin returns to the RECORDING family with Readers' Tracks. Get vocal in the March issue of RECORDING Magazine.

Bill, Have you ever compared these to an actual C414?

Very wise words!

Cubase user of darn near 20 years since SX3. I just looked at a screenshot of SX3 to see when it came out (2003/2004), and wow, did that bring back memories. My how each and every one of these DAWs has evolved.

Welcome to the Recording Forum. There are a couple of things to consider with using the x2222 as a recording front end. The good news is that it has fairly standard and capable EQ on each channel, and some built-in effects, although I would assume the effects in your DAW will be much better for mixes as it pertains to reverbs especially. The first 8 (I think channels) accept TRS channel inserts which means that with the use of TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) Y-Cable, you can add an outboard compressor, another EQ or any mono processor to those channels. There are many options in those departments ranging from $200 to $4,000 and up. The other consideration is how will you be using this mixer to connect with your DAW? Do you plan on using it as a stereo USB interface? If so, you are good and will simply be mixing down multiple channels through the mixer into a mono or stereo input into your DAW of choice. You can also use the same 8 inserts described above and use those as direct outs into a separate interface (depending on how many input channels your interface has). The plus here is you can multi-track live, although I do not know enough about the Xenyx architecture to know if the insert/direct out path is pre-eq. I suspect it is, and therefore there may be little benefit over simply bypassing the mixer just using a multi-channel audio interface which would most certainly have it's own built-in preamps. It all comes down to, the best way to trick out your setup is to decide what you want to do. What are your immediate recording desires and needs? Choose and buy gear as and when you need it. Don't buy gear just to have it, and hope you will use it. Will this be a keyboard sub mixer? Will you track a full group of musicians playing live? Do you simply plan to track one source at a time and build up tracks that way? Will you be using microphones (how many) or direct instruments? Answering these questions will help you determine how to best trick out your setup for the most effective use.