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Combining Hardware and software

I see from pictures of peoples studio they have a pc/mac and then a few synths etc but also racks like compressors etc.

i love hardware even if my korg wont sync with cubase properly GRRRR.

These processing racks are they used like run a kick through then record and use the processed sound or are they used like an effect in cubase?

can you assign channels to hardware racks etc?
or are they standalone?

I use hardware synths and reverb units(UAD dsp plugins too but theyre a bit different)im looking for a decent compressor and eq to patch into my mixer too,i use these in Cubase 4 and they load and act like any vst would. Compressors and eq's are the same really, just load from your vst list.

They can be used to process channels then record to audio and process another, or they can be used simply as an insert then rendered with the finished track(this is all really easy in C4)


can you assign channels to hardware racks etc? or are they standalone?

not sure what you mean by this, can you elaborate?

I mean in cubase i want to compress my kick so i get a vst like multiband or vst synamics simple.

Is it this easy with hardware?

Let me explain

In cubase you have a mixer the audio is split into channels.

Out of a sound card the audio is one channel.

Say you want to use the hardware compressor only on kick drum.

Surely you would have to play the kick through the compressor then record it and them import the compressed sample into cubase.#

Or

Can you use hardware the same as software in cubase and if so how?

hope this explains it LOL

Seeing as you are still new to the whole production thing and learning the ropes, you shouldn't really concern yourself with how a hardware compressor works with software.

When, eventually you are a lot more experienced then you will

a) know what hardware, if any, you want

b) more than likely decide that a hardware compressor is way down the list on the different gear you want to get (eg - hardware synth, reverb units etc)

Obviously its entirely up to you what you want to get or find out about, but I really believe that you don't really need to ask this particular question just yet

For this you need a full duplex soundcard (one that can play and record at the same time).
Create a output and input channel in Cubase. Put that channel (the physical output) on your mixer and route that channel to your compressor (you can also put the output channel directly on the compresser). Put the output channel of your mixer (or compressor) on the input channel of your soundcard (so it will go into Cubase) and that's pretty much it.

You will probably have to record the kick to use it realtime. Because the time it will take to get to the compressor and back in cubase, most likely it will be slightly off-time.

You need to set the compressor ins and outs in your vst connections, then just place it in your kick inserts as you would a vst

quote:

Originally posted by Ry Thomas You need to set the compressor ins and outs in your vst connections, then just place it in your kick inserts as you would a vst

Hey... didn't knew that, thanks! Thats a bit easier than my method

It makes things so much easier dude, whatever instrument/effect you're installing, try googling its name and 'device map' or 'device panel' too

quote:

Originally posted by G-Con Seeing as you are still new to the whole production thing and learning the ropes, you shouldn't really concern yourself with how a hardware compressor works with software.

I consider myself new to producing I have been going 2 years and I have hardware synth a microkorg and a m-audio midi keyboard and a dj set up but thats unrelated.

Im interested because im at the stage where I know what a melody is or a motif and can put together a track now i just want it to sound pro.

Most of the similar posts about this people respond with compress compress compress so i wondered if my next investment might be a good compressor.

How long you been in the game>?

When working with outboard fx it's handy to have your pc run multiple outputs. Via a hardware mixer you can control the fx on the individual channels.

quote:

Originally posted by Pjotr G When working with outboard fx it's handy to have your pc run multiple outputs. Via a hardware mixer you can control the fx on the individual channels.

Does this mean I can get a soundcard with say 16 outputs route each channel in cubase to a fader on the ahrdware mixer and then use hardware effects on the hardware mixer.

I assume that then the final mixdown would involve recording the output from the hardware mixer into your computer?

quote:

Originally posted by Sonic_c I consider myself new to producing I have been going 2 years and I have hardware synth a microkorg and a m-audio midi keyboard and a dj set up but thats unrelated. Im interested because im at the stage where I know what a melody is or a motif and can put together a track now i just want it to sound pro. Most of the similar posts about this people respond with compress compress compress so i wondered if my next investment might be a good compressor. How long you been in the game>?

About 3 years. I judged your newness to producing by some of your recent threads that suggested you were still learning the ropes and unsure how to improve your sound.

If you think that a hardware compressor is required to sound pro, then think again.

There are probably 100 other things you could learn/get that would improve your sound before a hardware compressor. Doesn't matter anyway. I know nothing about you really and its none of my business what you do or don't spend your money on.

G-con im here to make frineds and learn mate. TBH i am new to doing it "properly" I spend almost a year making rubbish unmastered dry sounding trance tracks that had no musical structure LOL. Im just interested in how to take a track that I am happy with and make it clean crisp as loud as it could be without clipping and how to prevent my instruments mudding up. Your help is appreciated!

Completely understand mate and thats why my advice is to wait until your own production skills have improved before forking money out for something which may not improve your tracks in the slightest.

Using compression properly in practice is IMO one of the most difficult aspects to learn (I'm still learnig it bit by bit myself). You can easily make a track sound worse by using compression in the wrong way and many people on here will tell you that if you don't really know what you are doing with a compressor then don't stick it on a track just because you think you are supposed to as you'll probably ruin the track. There are actually a few producers here who don't use compressors at all and believe good mixing and eq'ing is all thats needed. I'm not actually suggesting this myself, merely pointing out that its only when you are more experienced that you know what you really need.

Remember there are plenty of good software compressors on the market which will be cheaper, some decent free ones as well. For me, I would only consider purchasing a hardware compressor once I felt I had mastered the use of them in general.

My 2 penneth

Integrating hardware is easy in Cubase (I'm using Cubase 4), as long as you have enough inputs and outputs on your audio interface.

Obviously, research the compressors you're interested in. If you have enough studio experience you'll get a feel for what hardware you think will work for you. Definitely, for a couple of grand you'll be able to get a very nice analog compressor which will impart a certain sound to whatever you run through it. Each piece of equipment (or software) has a particular sound. There are hardware EQs which cost many thousands of dollars due to their sound characteristics. For some producers, that's money well spent. For others, that's crazy money. As long as the music is beautiful in the end...

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