Setting up a Songwriter’s Studio (part 6): The Rest
In this final post of the series, I just wanted to touch upon a few other things about my new workspace.
- Audio Monitors – I’ve stretched myself as much as possible in order to get the best speakers I could afford. Besides quality, the other major consideration was portability (which pretty much translates to: they need to be of an active type and not too heavy). After consulting a friend, who is an experienced mastering engineer, a pair of PMC DB1S-A active monitors have landed on my desk.
- Microphones – Regardless of how hard I’ve tried, I could not come up with any reasonable explanation (for myself, or even for my wife) of why should I spend four thousand dollars on a top-flight Neumann microphone, when I’d be using it for demo vocals only. Instead, a special deal at a local shop, where AKG C1000S and AKG C2000B were bundled for just a few hundreds, ended up being a good upgrade for my good old Shure SM58.
- Headphones – I’ve been using my AKG Studio Monitor cans for years now, and am quite happy with them. However, as they can get tiring after being used for hours, I started using my iPhone headphones from time to time, which is much more relaxing. Of course, this only works when I’m not interested in hearing the fine details in the audio recording.
And that pretty much would be it. A few items will need to stay on my wish-list for now: Martin D-35 acoustic guitar, … and, of course, that Neumann microphone with a decent tube pre-amp (hope my wife’s not reading!).
So, there it is. Nicely set up and ready. No more excuses for not working on new songs… Till the next post…
Setting up a Songwriter’s Studio (part 5): MIDI
The first time I set my hands on Korg M3, it brought tears to my eyes… OK, yes, I admit I’m exaggerating… but I really fell in love with M3 the first time I gave it a try. Today, it’s a workhorse in my studio.
It ticks all the boxes for me:
- Keyboard – My M3 has 73 keys, which are nicely responsive, regardless of if I’m playing synth pads and organs, or an acoustic piano. I wouldn’t mind having an 88-key version, but, unfortunately, I haven’t got enough space for it. (As shops don’t often stock M3s with 73 keys, majority of sales people are not familiar with them. When I was shopping around and enquiring about a 73-key version, almost each salesman tried to confidently convince me that it is 71 keys, not 73. It was fun watching their faces after they checked their records and realised they were wrong.)
- Sound – The sound quality is excellent. Full stop. It’s as simple as that. And the palette of sounds easily covers any genre I want to work on.
- Performance Controllers – M3 is well equipped with a range of MIDI controllers: faders, velocity sensitive pads, a modulation joystick, ribbon, X/Y LCD screen … Of course, they are all programmable to my own needs.
- Plug-in appearance – M3 appears as a plug-in in my Logic Pro. It is very convenient to be able to control it at the same spot where all other plug-in synths and effects appear.
- KARMA – I left the best for the end. KARMA is an intelligent auto-accompaniment system (it is similar to auto-accompaniment keyboards, but much more sophisticated, and it can be customised to a great extent; I’ve also tried similar software, like Band-In-A-Box and others, but none was even close). KARMA is also an advanced arpeggiator (which, for example, can be used to emulate different instrument playing techniques, like guitar strumming). KARMA is also an algorithmic MIDI data-generating tool… In short, it is an incredibly deep and sophisticated creative tool, that does require some time to be mastered, but the results can be truly amazing (still a long way to go for me to master it, though…).
Another little addition to my MIDI arsenal is Korg padKONTROL, which I’ve added simply because I prefer playing drum and percussion sounds on pads, instead of on a piano style keyboard. It also has an X/Y pad, which I’m using more and more recently, in preference to a joystick or mod/pitch wheels. padKONTROL is a simple MIDI controller, but it does great job in making my tracks sound more natural and expressive.
This small series of posts about a songwriter’s studio is drawing to an end. The next post will be the last in this series and it will talk about a few bits and pieces that didn’t fit into any of the previous posts, after which I’ll start writing about some other songwriting themes. Till then…
Setting up a Songwriter’s Studio (part 4): Audio Interface
It’s been a while since my last post, … mainly because it took me some time to decide on which audio interface to go with for my setup. My old Roland M-120 mixer was doing OK with the Focusrite Saffire LE audio interface, but the pair was not even close to the objectives that I’ve set up at the start of the journey. I needed some improvements.
The first limitation was the number of audio inputs available for my Mac. Although M-120 has 12 inputs, it has no EQs, so I was pretty much limited to Saffire’s 6 inputs, two of which are digital, and only 2 of which have mic pre-amps. If this was the main limitation of the setup, I could probably survive with it.
However, what was really bothering me was the inability to modify the audio path very conveniently (in other words, without plugging the cables in and out all the time). For example, sometimes I want to play my guitar/VG-8 directly through the speakers (bypassing the computer completely), and at other times the signal has to go through the computer first (so that I can record it). On the other side, what if I want to use multiple speakers for monitoring and I need to switch from one pair to another? Not to mention that sometimes I need to record Mac outputs on my PC, and at other times the other way around.
One of the obvious options here would be to get a good patch-bay, but they are not cheap. And not only that. The whole setup would become a bit too messy (and simplicity was one of my original goals), and I would still be feeling like something’s missing (more mic pre-amps, for example).
So, I’ve decided to do a bit of a research on audio interfaces. As always, my starting point was the amazing web site of my favourite magazine Sound On Sound, which contains all the articles and reviews from the issues that are older than 8 months or so. After further consultations with the guys from the local shop, I’ve decided to go with Metric Halo’s Mobile I/O (18 ins & 20 outs), which ended up being exactly what I was looking for:
- Any input can be sent to any output – These routings can be stored and recalled instantaneously, which allows for a lot of flexibility. It is even possible to send the same channel to multiple outputs.
- 4 high quality mic pre-amps – I won’t often need to record more than one or two microphones at the time, but if I ever need to (for backing vocals, for example), I know I’m covered.
- Flexible monitoring – My new audio interface allows me to set up multiple monitor paths and I can easily switch between them. This will work very well for my mixing needs.
- On-board plug-ins – Mobile I/O also provides a fair range of plug-ins, including a channel strip and tube pre-amp simulations. These plug-ins use an on-board processing engine instead of computer’s processing power.
- Expandability – If my needs ever grow in future, I have an option of adding more inputs (by adding an ADAT I/O converter), more on-board lug-ins (+DSP licence), or even combining multiple Mobile I/O units together.
The only thing that Mobile I/O is missing is MIDI. However, this doesn’t worry me really, as I plan to connect all my external MIDI hardware to my Mac via USB.
But more on that next time …
Setting up a Songwriter’s Studio (part 3): Guitar set-up
Some time ago, I bought a Roland VG-8 from a friend (for a very good price, as he was somewhat disappointed that VG-8 is not a guitar-to-MIDI converter). VG-8 can only be used with a dedicated controller, so I also bought a ‘Roland-Ready’ Fender Stratocaster, which has all the features of the Standard Stratocaster, plus a Roland GK-2A pickup system which is seamlessly built into the guitar by Fender. For years I would occasionally brush off the dust and play with the system a bit, just for fun, or to record a couple of electric guitar tracks. And that was pretty much it.
It was not until a year ago or so, that I discovered that Roland had also released an upgrade (VG-8 S1 card) which increases the number of instruments VG-8 can emulate, including acoustic guitars. As these cards are really hard to find these days, it took me some time, but I did finally manage to upgrade my VG-8.
Since then, I spent a bit of time getting myself familiar with my VG-8 v-guitar system, and luckily so. Of course, I am doing a bit of compromising here, as I’m still not fully convinced that a digital guitar system can replace proper guitar amps combined with good microphones and external hardware. But, on the other side, for the purposes of songwriting and demo production, it offers the exact balance of sound quality, flexibility and guitar/amp emulations, that I could not imagine myself being without any more:
- Alternative Tunings – Clean Strat, Drop D tuning? A-13. That’s it. I can store any alternative tuning with a guitar sound and recall it instantaneously when required.
- Auto-Tuning – I absolutely adore this feature. When used, all it takes is just a few seconds for the VG-8 to output a perfectly tuned guitar sound, even if my real guitar is getting out of tune. It is my habit now to apply auto-tuning every now and then, and I don’t ever need to worry if my guitar tracks will be out of tune.
- Although a new generation of the Roland v-system is now available (VG-99), as well as various software packages for guitar processing, I’m quite happy with what VG-8 offers. It allows me to quickly access a range of guitar tones (acoustic, electric, ethnic and synthetic, plus a bass guitar) with a simple setup and using just one guitar, which serves me just perfectly for my songwriting needs.
Next time, I’ll talk about the audio path. Till then … happy song hunting!
Setting up a Songwriter’s Studio (part 2): DAW
I don’t really have to revisit the objectives that I listed in my previous post (part 1) to know that a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) will play a central role in my studio and that my audio production will be dependant on it a lot.
Luckily, I was not in too much doubt here, as I am a big fan of Logic Audio since its early incarnations, when it was called Creator/Notator, and was owned by C-Lab. Mainly for the reason that I always felt that Logic was a leading package when it comes to the user interface and editing capabilities, allowing me to be efficient and to customize the environment to my needs (well, at one point of my career, I was a full time MIDI File developer; so, efficiency was a must). I did occasionally test other DAWs (when I was frustrated with Logic or when I was writing reviews for the magazines), but I kept coming back to Logic.
Here is a list of my ‘must-haves’ when it comes to a DAW:
- Screensets – The ability to save and recall different views of the song (or any part of it) is such a great time and momentum saver. My starting template song has a set of pre-made screensets that can display the entire arrangement, individual tracks, editors, mixers and so on, anywhere from bird’s eye view to the finest detail, and all of the above in different combinations.
- Score Editor – When working on a song or sketching a demo, I tend to do a lot of quick editing of my MIDI tracks by hand, as I do not want to waste time on chasing perfect live takes (which I like leaving for the final production). My preferred approach is almost always using the Score Editor, and Logic really shines here. Also, the Score Editor is great for making lead sheets.
- Folders – Grouping different tracks into a folder (which is then presented as one track in the arrangement window) is great for keeping the arrangement in a ‘good shape’. Folders can be quite handy in many situations, from grouping multiple takes of the same vocal, to keeping different song versions separately in the same file.
- Tempo Changes – From time to time, I like checking how a song would ‘feel’ in a different tempo. Maybe a couple of years ago, it would be too demanding to expect that audio tracks can be slowed down in real time (like MIDI tracks) and that they would still be in tune. But not any more. (New technologies are getting almost too scary, I must admit.)
- Real Time Re-Arrangement – This is probably the only area where I can see plenty of space for improvement in Logic. (Well, some ugly work-around is always a possibility, but …) On the other side, Ableton Live is so cool about it, that I am considering adding it to my tool-set.
- Bouncing – This is such a useful feature when I need to quickly extract an audio file of the song at any stage (e.g. when checking the overall sound on different speakers, or emailing the song to someone).
- Customizable Key Shortcuts – Very often I prefer to change key shortcuts to something that makes more sense to me, instead of using the ‘factory’ ones. The more options here, the better.
- Sound Library and Plug-ins – As Logic Studio comes with a huge library of sounds, software instruments, grooves/loops and plug-ins, I feel quite comfortable with keeping it simple and doing the complete production within the package.
Next time I’ll describe my guitar setup. Till then, happy holidays to you all, and may Santa bring you a bagfull of inspiration.
Setting up a Songwriter’s Studio (part 1)
Last night, I spent a bit of time thinking about what do I want my workspace to be like. It definitely must feel comfortable and relaxing, and, most importantly, inviting to work in (I know I am probably over-thinking here, but I cannot help myself). So, I came up with the following objectives that will guide me through the whole process:
1. Minimalistic, yet versatile set-up – The set-up needs to be very simple and with majority of cabling and other unnecessary equipment being hidden away (I can really get frustrated by these from time to time, regardless of how much I like being surrounded by technology and gadgets). Also, a simple set-up can easily translate into mobility, in case I need to work somewhere else (well, co-writing is becoming very popular these days).
2. Full audio production capability – I certainly want to be able to do anything from sequencing and recording of live instruments to mixing and simple mastering. Which leads me to the next point …
3. High quality – Although I plan to produce only demos at this stage, I am aiming for the highest quality of audio production I can afford (sample libraries and synth sounds, audio processors, microphones, monitors, etc.), although my budget is quite limited.
4. Notation / Score – I want to be able to quickly produce lead sheets for all my songs. In addition, I want to be able to extract and print out instrumental parts for musicians doing live tracks.
5. Minimized waiting times – When a muse comes to visit, time cannot be waisted. And that is why I want everything to be as quick as possible: systems boot up, access to synth sounds, sample libraries, guitar sounds, anything … Templates everywhere … Key-shortcuts everywhere … Total recall … Any little trick that would save me time and take distractions away …
6. Backup strategy – I am just nuts about backing up everything and keeping the old versions …
Sounds like a plan … 
Welcome to Songaholic’s Diary …
I am currently in a process of setting up my songwriting workspace. As I am putting some effort into the whole thing, I thought it might be worth exposing it to the outer space. Hopefully someone out there may find some useful bits and pieces in my thoughts, and I would certainly be very happy to benefit from the wisdom of others.
In a series of blogs to come, I will write about broader aspects of songwriting matters and more specifically about a set of songwriting tools that I find useful to work with. I will be examining what aspects of each tool would I consider important and why, and what impact would that process have on my decision on which tool Iíve selected.
Welcome and please feel free to leave comments