The whole recording thing

[Dave Bryce]

All of this talk about recording in the threads reviewing the submissions for the Keyboard CD have me wondering what you guys use to record with...so tell us about your studio, if you please:

 

What do you use to record audio? Tape? Dedicated HD? Computer?

 

What kind of mixer do you use (if any)? What brand/configuration of monitors?

 

Any fave effects boxes? Plug-ins?

 

How about MIDI? How are you recording that?

 

To what are you mixing? Cassette? DAT? HD? CD? Any mastering boxes/software?

 

dB

[Dave Bryce]

Oh, yeah...

 

I use Digital Performer for both MIDI and audio.

 

I do still use a hardware console (Alesis X2), which is connected to a MOTU 2408 by way of a couple of ADATs, which are basically acting as converters; plus, having them inline allows me to easily transfer ADAT tracks into DP. My synths are fed into the X2 by two separate submixers. I monitor everything through my beloved ADAM S3A speakers.

 

My favorite effects box is definitely my Lexicon PCM 90.

 

I mix everything down to Masterlink.

 

dB

[MusicaL]

I use this set up to record

 

Mac G4 500MP

Digital Performer 2.72 (awaiting 3.0)

MOTU 2408 MKII

Mackie 1202 vlz

Monitors: Event PS8

 

Don't have any outboard gear. Just haven't gotten around to getting any thing yet. I do all tracking in DP, both midi and audio. . . and mix down in DP.

 

I typically like my rhythm section tight, so I usually record the drums and bass in midi first. I do not quantize, but I edit to taste in midi before printing audio tracks.

 

The less rhythmically intense keyboard parts I do in audio as well as solos, to keep the human feel there.

 

I am mixing to CD which is now a frustration since I only have toast but no jam. I have to bounce to disk (dither), make an AIFF file and then burn a cd only to find out I need to roll off 2db's off my bass track!! So, I have to start all over again . . . Not complaining!!??

 

No mastering software or boxes yet -- although the masterlink looks awfully nice. I kind of blew my money on the set up I now have and my next purchase is a Roland Jx3p hopefully.

 

Albert

[F7sound -]

I don't want to sound like a Digi ad, but I really make good (ab)use of my Pro Tools 24 Mix system. I have an ADAT, but I hardly use it. Everythi

[F7sound -]

Originally posted by f7sound@gte.net:

I don't want to sound like a Digi ad, but I really make good (ab)use of my Pro Tools 24 Mix system. I have an ADAT, but I hardly use it. Everythi

 

Sorry, hit the wrong button..... Wife just got home and I'm in BIG trouble! Forgot to feed the cats.

 

 

Michael Oster

F7 Sound and Vision

http://www.f7sound.com

[MacPhearson]

Originally posted by f7sound@gte.net:

Sorry, hit the wrong button..... Wife just got home and I'm in BIG trouble! Forgot to feed the cats.

 

 

Michael Oster

F7 Sound and Vision

http://www.f7sound.com

 

Cat's are very important! They do need to be taken care of first. After all, they are permitting you to have your studio in "their" space.

[sbrock1san.rr.com]

I record with an Akai DPS-16 recorder, and mix down to minidisc. I use Event PS-6 powered monitors.

 

I always record each keyboard and drum machine track on it's own channel. I also record electric and acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and hand percussion.

 

I record instrumental music. I don't want my singing to scare the children. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Llarion]

I record on a Roland VS-880EX hard disk 8 track. I have a Radius Fat Man 3 tube compressor and a Zoom RFX-1000 multi-effects box. I'm a bad boy, I print my effects. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif I master a redbook of the raw stereo mix, and rip to WAV with MusicMAtch 6.1. I do final mastering in CoolEdit Pro, and burn the finished WAV to Redbook with Nero. I rip back to MP3 with MusicMatch.

 

Probably the cleanest examples of this technique are my "The Light Of Valhalla" and "The Journey". They are also probably my 2 biggest keyboard-focused pieces.

 

On another note, is mentioning examples like that considered kosher? I'm not whoring for plays or anything, I'm trying to provide documentation and examples of concepts expressed. Frankly, I wish more of you guys would post your URLs and stuff, I want to hear the stuff you talk about in your posts... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

 

 

------------------

Cheers!

 

Phil "Llarion: The Jazzinator"

www.mp3.com/llarion

Smooth Jazz

[Dave Bryce]

On another note, is mentioning examples like that considered kosher?

 

Absolutely!!!! I do it myself, especially when I can easily illustrate an example by doing so.

 

Music is why we're here, isn't it?

 

Frankly, I wish more of you guys would post your URLs and stuff, I want to hear the stuff you talk about in your posts...

 

We got a thread just for that purpose called "Let's Hear It!!!". I'd be delighted to raise it to the top.

 

dB

[Guest]

My midi is recorded to Cubase VST.

 

The audio is recorded to Korg D16.

 

My currently favorite outboard gear is Tc.electronic Triple C.

Anyone else having this one?

(I have a pdf-file showing the differences between the different modes if someone wants it.)

 

I burn to CD afterwards.

 

I'm currently trying to figure out how to patch everything in the best manner.

The problem is that I have a 8 unit rack case with gear that is used when performing live and it's frustrating to repatch everything in the "studio"

 

 

------------------

--Smedis,--

[b_3guy]

My recording stuff is very minimal. I've only been doing the home studio since Jan. & I'm nervous about buying anything. I want to see if I keep at it. We do photography & graphic design in our home. So we have several macs, networked, cd burners, extra hard drives, & high speed internet, etc. I've played in bands most of my life & have pretty good keyboard gear. So the recording is a by-product. I have enough to get started. The only things I've spent money on are my Alesis M1 Actives & the Apex 430 mic. I have Cubase VST 4, but under advise from a friend who has a studio, I'm using DP 2.72. I use a Mac G-3 Powerbook, 233 mhz, 160 megs of ram, for graphics. On a separate hard drive, in my SCSI chain, I have DP with its own operating system, so the graphics & music software don't conflict. Next to me is a small caddy that I put my MS 2000 & JV1010 on. So to do music, I can restart on the music hard drive & go. I'm still using Sound Manager. I already had a 8 channel Soundcraft Notepad, so I use it to handle sound in & out of the Powerbook. If I want to record the Wulitzer, XK-2, QS-8, I set it up on a keyboard stand. Since we have customers coming into the office, I have to put them away. But the MS2000 & JV1010 stay in their place. I have taken the Powerbook into the living room & recorded the B-3, but it seems like less hassle to set up & record the XK-2 & Leslie in the office. I have 6 tracks that are more or less finished & about 4 works in progress. Dave, if the Compilation CD gets manufactured in some way, I volunteer to do the graphics. Here is the website for the graphics. You can see other audio cd's that I've done.

 

http://users.andara.com/~seagull/

 

So far I'm really enjoying the recording thing, despite the latencies of midi & recording I had to discover & work out & the learning curve that comes with learning any new software. I'm probably having an easier time, though, because of my Mac experience & keyboard ability. I'm sure lots of people go down the road of the home studio only to never get by the hardware/software learning curve or to discover they don't have the chops to do it. The forum has been great support & motivator for me.

[Magpel]

I've got the "everyman bedroom DAW":

 

PIII 600, 256 MB RAM Lots of hard drives

 

Cakewalk Pro 9 is my main recording app, also use soundforge, cool edit 2000

 

MAudio Delta 1010

 

Mackie 1402 VLZ pro

 

Tannoy Reveal monitors (passive, powered by an ancient Crown D60 that just won't die and let me buy a new one)

 

Mics: 2 AKG C 3000, a Shure BG 5, and a nameless Yamaha dynamic that's pretty good.

 

Effects almost exclusively plugins (Waves and TC) EXCEPT for an ADL compressor I have on loan (from AD himself) that I overuse terribly because it sounds so rich and sweet--so much for compressors supposed to be transaprent.

 

Own but never use anymore: Behringer Composer, Alesis Midiverb II and Quadraverb GT.

 

POD

 

Guitars, bass, and amps

 

Generally happy with this modest setup (for my modest purposes) until recently, when some very subtle and very disconcerting issues with midi timing have me in a panic. Hell, groove and feel are hard enough as it is without worrying about how your system is pushing and pulling on the level of the microsecond. I hear macs have much better midi timing than Windows machines, and this irritates me to no end.

 

Yours,

Magpel

[Steve LeBlanc]

Fostex E16 16 track 1/2" tape recorder.

Behringer MX9000 24/8 channel board

Lexicon mpx100

Alesis Monitor Ones - RA100 amp

DBX Compressor

Behringer Composer

Phillips CD recorder

Technics Turntable (the top of the line model)

Sony 1/4" 2 track reeltoreel

 

Mics:

Rode NT2

3 D112s

8 Shure SM58s

5 Shure SM57s

Two Audio-Technica Condenser mics (mostly for drum overheads and/or live room)

3 Sennheiser clip on drum mics

 

Instruments:

1974 Fender Rhodes

Fender Strat

Fender Jazz Bass

1977 Fender Twin Reverb (with JBLs)

Crybaby Wah

Sans Amp Tech 21

Ensoniq EPS

Cheap Yamaha guitar

Double bass drum set (Zildian cymbals, Sabian Heavy Ride, Sabian HiHats)

Fender Bass amp

and more...

 

When it's just my brother and I, we normally record Drums and Rhodes live and overdub everything else later.

 

We're hoping to be decent engineers someday in the near future...our latest album has to be remixed...we made the mistake of using a Sonic Maximizer which just ruined whatever was good about it.

[ViLo]

AKAI DPS16, Alesis M1's, Plextor 12x10x32 CD Burner, Tascam CDR700 Deck, Tascam DA20 MKII DAT,Tascam 302 Double Cassette Recorder, Sony minidisc deck, AT4033 Condenser Mic Yamaha PSR 730.

 

I don't have anything ready yet I'm trying to build my recording room, while I'm trying to make music and record it.

 

ViLo

 

------------------

HE'S COMING, MAKE MUSIC, BE HAPPY!

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

I'm in a weird transition state right now in my little studio. What I'm using now is:

 

- iMac 266MHz w/128MB RAM

- Cubase VST 5

- TASCAM US-428

- Bryston 3B power amp

- Alesis Monitor Ones with f'ed up tweeters (gotta fix that!)

 

Instruments: Alesis QS8, Roland Alpha Juno 1 (stop laughing at me), Roland Sound Canvas (I said to stop laughing!), Alesis D4, Gibson Les Paul, Fender Strat, No-Name Bass, Knock-off Ovation acoustic

 

Mics: Equitek E-200, AT4060, Shure Beta 57

 

Guitar Amp: Marshall JCM 900 (though I never use it anymore, and will probably get a Pod Pro sometime soon).

 

Effects: Alesis Wedge, Alesis MidiVerb 4, several plug-ins

 

That's about it, I guess. I'll eventually get an MX-2424 and use the computer more for editing than tracking.

 

- Jeff

[Mark Zeger]

Originally posted by tuttorney@hotmail.com:

I use this set up to record

Mac G4 500MP

Digital Performer 2.72 (awaiting 3.0)

MOTU 2408 MKII

 

Same for me, except a G4 450 MP. Also, Alesis Monitor Ones. No outboard processors, just the plug-ins that came with DP. Plan to add more (likely to be the Waves suite).

 

I keep everything in MIDI until I'm ready to record vocals, when all instrumental tracks become audio at a friend's project studio. He's has better ears and years more experience than me, so it worth paying for a few hours of time though I have the gear to do everything in-house.

[Mike Martin]

I'm running a PC and use primarily use Logic, Sound Forge and ACID. I use Logic for most of my multi-tracking and Sound Forge for sample editing. I recently got a M-Audio Audiophile 2496 and am very pleased with it.

 

I've got a Mackie LM3204 to handle all of the inputs from all my keyboards, modules and the audio card. Its hooked up to an Alesis RA-100 and a pair of KRK M6000 monitors.

 

Until recently I've always run kept all of my MIDI tracks in the virtual domain. I just started experimenting with recording the audio from keyboard parts into Logic after I'm happy with the sequence itself. Then I can use the plug-ins and EQ's in Logic to do a final mix.

 

My favorite plug-ins are from Timeworks but I do have many from Waves and TC. However none of my plug-ins quite compare to my Kurzweil KSP8.

[jdonnici]

I'm now using Sonar as my sequencer (longtime Cakewalk user), though still mostly just for MIDI. For audio, I use a Roland VS-1680. I use SMPTE to keep the two in sync and it works out very well.

 

I've slowly started to toy with audio in Sonar, via an Echo Gina card, but really like the "surface" of the 1680 for audio stuff. Using the SPDIF connections on the 1680 and the Gina PCI card give me the best of both worlds as I can transfer audio back and forth to tweak in Sound Forge, process with misc plugins, etc.

 

The actual sound-producing gear consists of a QS8, a Proteus 2000, JV-2080, V-Drums Pro, and a variety of outboard effects and dynamics processors. I've got a couple of decent mics, and an ART tube preamp (to warm up on the way into the Roland), but really do very little recording of mic'd tracks -- mostly odd effects or live percussion to augment the v-drums tracks.

 

I run all the instruments and processors into a patchbay and then have the normal'd connections go to either the 1680 or a Behringer 24-track mixer (which is OK, but digital continues to tempt me). I've just reached the point where the patchbay is maxed out, so any new gear purchase will mean adding a patchbay to the mix as well. It's nice not to have to boot up the 1680 if I'm just going to mess with MIDI for a while, but having snapshots and scenes built into my mixer would be great.

 

I'm enjoying this thread... in conjunction with hearing the work of some of the folks here, it's kinda cool to be able to see what sort of gear and configuration went into all that great music!

 

-- jeff

[Gus Lozada]

I am still preparing a NEW tune for the Keyboard Corner MP3 Site.

However, I can describe what do I use:

 

PC COMPUTER

 

SYNTHS, MODULES:

- Ensoniq SQ1 Plus

- ALESIS HR 16

- ALESIS DM5

- CLAVIA Nord Lead 2

 

SOFT SYNTHS:

- GigaSampler

- REAKTOR

- B4

- SOUNDFONTS

- ReBirth

- D-Lusion Drum Station

- Steimberg's Beat Box

- UNITY DS 1

- VAZ

- Retro AS1

 

SOFTWARE

- CakeWalk PA 9.03

- ACID PRO 2.0

- SOUND FORGE 4.5

- CUBASE VST 5.0

- T-Racks

 

 

Process

1) Every single MIDI sequenced track goes in CAKEWALK PA 9.03 or CUBASE, depending in the mood...

2) MIDI tracks are recorded to AUDIO, then exported to ACID

3) VOCAL tracks are recorded directly into ACID. On very seldom times it goes first to CakeWalk or Cubase, then exported.

4) AUDIO Editing of independent tracks is performed in SoundForge (with a lot of plugins)

5) Master MIX is done in ACID with automation envelopes (Pan, FX, Vol)

6) A Master STEREO WAV file is created, then MASTERED in SoundForge. if required, it goes later for an extra touch in T-Racks...

7) Burn the CD...

 

As soon as a sound gets into my computer, it never leaves digital domain...

 

GusTraX

[Dave Bryce]

I can't help but figure that there's gotta be some more of y'all that own recording gear...I'm really curious to hear what it is that you're using...even if it's only the short version...

 

dB

[Magpel]

Well, I didn't mention what synths, amps, and axes I use in my original post--so here's my modest lineup.

 

My main horse: Alesis QS 8 (learning to love it but it has taken a while)

My lone module: Korg NS5r (I love this little box)

My retired veteran: Roland U-20 (with 5 broken keys)

My oddities: Korg Delta, 3MS Triwave Picogenerator, a now departed Korg Polly 800 mk II

My Soft synth/samplers of choice: Gigasampler, Reality, many many Soundfonts, soon the NI B4.

 

My keys/synth wish list: A free Andromeda, Gigastudio with enough money left over to invest in the top line sample libraries, some cheap board with functional semi-weighted action to serve as an alternative controller.

 

My amps:

Mesa Studio 22+ (a sweet little amp that I much prefer to the Mark IIIs and IVs.

Fender Bassman that has recently started smoking, literally, and needs a trip to the doctor.

Roland Jazz Chorus 120 (not mine, but by common law statute of limitations, almost mine)

Big ass Fender bass amp (almost mine)

 

Guitars: Strat plus, little Fernandez trail electric, sorta crappy Alvarez acoustic, truly crappy old Ibanez sports car bass.

 

That's about it. Thanks for listening.

 

Magpel

[Rod S]

I'm still learning how to best use my setup, but here it goes.

 

All my synths go to a rolls line level mixer. Output of rolls goes to main mixer (tascam m08, pretty old). Main mixer also takes outputs for audio card (more on that later), and a cd player (nice to have around)

 

I have a egosystems wamirack audio/midi interface. I installed in last week and so far like it a lot. I have 3 synths connected to three of the midi ports. I run the other gear thru a old kawai midi patchbay to port #4, so I can have a direct in and out to the computer at any time with any gear without repatching.

 

I do everything in midi then record the tracks to audio. I wouldn't give the flexibility of being able to change the sound. I'll then hookup the synths direct to the sound card (kind of a pain, rethinking my strategy) Once I record in the computer it stays there.

 

Still getting the hang of recording! specially the whole record dry and adding effects later thing. I've been recording some of the synths with effects anyways, I can always re-record the midi later. I'm still learning the in's and out's, so I haven't even gotten into mastering yet.

 

I have a guitar and plan to get getting a pod soon so I can record with that.

 

From the mixer I go thru a yamaha eq, alesis ra100 and monitor 1's. Eq is nice to 'clean up the sound' a bit. My 'studio' is in my bedroom and the acoustics suck, but I've managed to get a pretty nice sound with the eq.

 

Software : CPA 9 and soundforge 4.5. I need a new computer! I'll then probably get sonar and sf 5.0. Gotta a copy of cubasis and gigasampler LE with the wamirack. Found cubasis interface annoying and non-intuitive. Giga will probably puke in my current computer, but I'll give it a shot anyways.

 

The only external effects I have is an lex mpx100. I have a lot of direct x plug ins which I can use in sf and cakewalk.

[Dave Bryce]

Pretty diverse responses so far...keep 'em coming! It's really interesting to see what recording solutions you've chosen.

 

If you're uncommitted and thinking about taking the recording plunge, it'd be great if you could tell us what you're considering getting.

 

dB

[zvenx]

I am using a mac clone, the power tower pro with a g3 400 newertech accelerator.

recording midi in the late great opcode's Studio Vision Pro 4.2.2, then making a copy of that file and opening it in SVP4.5.1 which is buggy but has nice features. I record audio in this version, using a motu 2408mkII, and keep my blackface adat as i/o's. The plan is to keep using 4.2.2 to sequence midi and get digital performer 3.0X (basically I not getting the first release of anything :-) ), to record the audio in and dump my midi tracks to.

Presently, I mix on a Mackie SR24x4 and 32x4 combined by a mixer mixer. the plan is to eventually keep these for use during composing to monitor my midi instruments, and dump everything onto DP and mix everything in that using a still undeteremined physical interface.

no real favourite external effects units. but love the sound of cycling '74 and wave plug ins.

I still mix down to DAT.

[humannoyed]

dB wrote

"If you're uncommitted and thinking about taking the recording plunge, it'd be great if you could tell us what you're considering getting."

 

Okay, I need some opinions anyway.

My old girl friend said I was too agreeable and paid too close attention to the opinions of others, even strangers. I guess she was right. What do you think?

Then she had the nerve to call me indecisive, which simply isn't true. Well... sometimes...maybe

I tell you what though, when she told me I didn't take criticism well, that really pissed me off.

When the imac came out, I thought it was a joke but now I see them on the used market with firewire for pretty cheap and I wondering what kind of bargain semi-portable rig they would make with something like the MOTU 828. I mean, the thing has a built in handle. Is anybody using these together? Also I want something that does midi and digital audio with equal ease in the same program. Would MOTU's DP qualify? That program and the fact that the same company makes matching hardware to work with it is the only reason I'm considering a mac again. I'm using Paris on PC at a studio where I work. It is very powerful yet easy to use, but it doesn't do midi. Anybody using Paris with a midi sequencer simultaneously?

(Now I know Paris won't work with an imac, but I have a Dell with PCI slots.)

Then again used mini tower g3s aren't too much more... anybody got one for sale?

Hum

[b_3guy]

Originally posted by humannoyed:

 

dB wrote

 

"If you're uncommitted and thinking about taking the recording plunge, it'd be great if you could tell us what you're considering getting."

 

Okay, I need some opinions anyway.

 

My old girl friend said I was too agreeable and paid too close attention to the opinions of others, even strangers. I guess she was right. What do you think?

 

Then she had the nerve to call me indecisive, which simply isn't true. Well... sometimes...maybe

 

I tell you what though, when she told me I didn't take criticism well, that really pissed me off.

 

When the imac came out, I thought it was a joke but now I see them on the used market with firewire for pretty cheap and I wondering what kind of bargain semi-portable rig they would make with something like the MOTU 828. I mean, the thing has a built in handle. Is anybody using these together? Also I want something that does midi and digital audio with equal ease in the same program. Would MOTU's DP qualify? That program and the fact that the same company makes matching hardware to work with it is the only reason I'm considering a mac again. I'm using Paris on PC at a studio where I work. It is very powerful yet easy to use, but it doesn't do midi. Anybody using Paris with a midi sequencer simultaneously?

 

(Now I know Paris won't work with an imac, but I have a Dell with PCI slots.)

 

Then again used mini tower g3s aren't too much more... anybody got one for sale?

 

Hum

 

I noticed it said "old girlfriend". Hopefully when she said these things to you quickly & decisively dumped her, without requiring anyone's advise, in a calm & cool manner. I'd often thought that an Imac would make a cool recording computer as long as the speed was 350mhz. Then again the 15" screen would probably get to me, DP's windows would be getting in the way of each other. I have several friends that have Motu interfaces. They all like them. I use DP with Midi. I've also used Cubase, but DP's midi is easier & it works. So Motu's Firewire interface looks really interesting, but Pro Tools does midi . . .

[AlGoRhythm]

A P3-750/512M RAM with Nuendo and VST/32, a TASCAM/Frontier PCI-822 card and a Tascam US-428 (the audio machine).

A P2-450/256M RAM with GigaStudio and a ton of virtual synths, and another PCI-822(the MIDI machine). Controlled by the US-428 for the Native Instruments B4 and some other stuff I've been tweaking.

Both machines MIDI'ed together. Mixed internally and mastered in Wavelab.

 

I keep one ADAT and one DA-78 for the occasional tape transfer, but otherwise I never use tape anymore.

[dansouth]

Originally posted by humannoyed:

Okay, I need some opinions anyway.

My old girl friend said I was too agreeable and paid too close attention to the opinions of others, even strangers. I guess she was right. What do you think?

Then she had the nerve to call me indecisive, which simply isn't true. Well... sometimes...maybe

I tell you what though, when she told me I didn't take criticism well, that really pissed me off.

When the imac came out, I thought it was a joke but now I see them on the used market with firewire for pretty cheap and I wondering what kind of bargain semi-portable rig they would make with something like the MOTU 828. I mean, the thing has a built in handle. Is anybody using these together? Also I want something that does midi and digital audio with equal ease in the same program. Would MOTU's DP qualify? That program and the fact that the same company makes matching hardware to work with it is the only reason I'm considering a mac again. I'm using Paris on PC at a studio where I work. It is very powerful yet easy to use, but it doesn't do midi. Anybody using Paris with a midi sequencer simultaneously?

(Now I know Paris won't work with an imac, but I have a Dell with PCI slots.)

Then again used mini tower g3s aren't too much more... anybody got one for sale?

Hum

 

Don't take criticism too harshly; there's value in seeing ourselves from the viewpoint of others. Recognize honest criticism for what it is - a resource for improvement. Remember, only your best friends will tell you that you have food stuck in your teeth. Everyone else will just let you walk around looking stupid. Don't take your own insecurities out on your best friends.

 

On the other hand, always consider the source of the critique. If some aggressive, out of control driver yells "Asshole!" at you in traffic, this is not criticism that you should seriously consider, because it's only a vent for that person's own frustrations. If you ex was just trying to be mean, don't buy into her comments. If, however, you believe that their may be a grain of truth to them, don't overlook an opportunity to put the advice to good use.

 

The 828 is excellent. I can't say enough good things about it. It sounds much better than the 2408/PCI-328, and the 2408 sounds pretty good. The 828 is also very easy to use and set up.

 

I don't think you'll have a problem with iMacs. My only concern would be how many tracks you can track on the internal drive. Does the iMac have a second Firewire port for an external hard drive? If not, you're stuck using the internal drive, because there's no way to hook a SCSI drive up to that machine. Have a look at the new iBooks, too, if you want portability. Of course, the best (inexpensive) solution would be to buy a low end G4. Look for the cheapest discontinued (i.e. six months old) unit later this summer after the new models are announced at Mac World.