Propellerhead Record

[MikeRivers]

 

One thing I learned from the Producer's Conference - and this is suitable for any DAW, by the way - is that hard disk recording does not benefit from recording with a real hot signal, or "hitting the tape hard" as it were. Presenters there pointed out that changing the default input sensitivity in Record from -12 to -18db is a real help.

 

It's a perception thing. People look at the wimpy waveform graphic and think their tracks aren't "hot enough." I've always thought that it would be a good idea to have the waveform display always normalize (in the graphic only, of course) so people would get over their low level track fears. You'd still be able to tell if something clipped, and you can (and should) use your ears to determine the level in the mix.

 

I've found that more than one program has the mixer's default channel gains at -6 dB, so if you have a calibrated system (0 dBFS equals the same analog level in and out) and play back one track with the default mixer gain, it will play back 6 dB lower than when it went in. Another cause for a perceived worry.

[jgirv]

...looking forward to this review... the greatest difference in a pro review (other than the obvious experience) is the writing style... Craig's clarity is unsurpassed, been reading him for years.

 

As for Record, I have been able to get my modest recordings done so much easier than using a full blown DAW... number one reason? The stability of the program. I have spent so much wasted time on trouble shooting other music programs rather than recording. I'm very interested in reading here about the positives and the negatives in using Record instead of one of the big boys. thanks, jgirv

[moonlight.mile.]

 

Before proceeding any further: Does anyone want a basic explanation of what sidechaining is, and why it's useful? Let me know.

 

 

Yes, please.

 

Thanks!

[Anderton]

First, thanks to Panthalassa for the tip on how to adjust default levels

 

Second, about sidechaining. There's actually a good explanation on the Cakewalk site:

 

http://www.cakewalk.com/Tips/SONAR7_sidechaining.asp

 

The short form is that the sidechain input for a processor allows a separate signal to the affect the sound. For example, consider a noise gate. Normally it monitors the input signal, and if the signal is above a certain level, the gate opens and lets the signal through. If the signal is below a certain level, the gate closes and the signal is muted.

 

However, suppose the noise gate is processing a bass track, and there's a sidechain input. If we drive the sidechain input with a kick drum instead of the bass, then the bass will be "chopped" by the kick - when the kick hits, the bass audio is let through the gate, but if there's no kick, the bass is muted.

 

A very common sidechain application is de-essing. The sidechain input is filtered so that only high frequencies are compressed. and other frequencies don't affect the compressor.

 

Okay?

[Anderton]

 

Well, you almost had me hooked there for a minute when you said that it emulated the workflow of a traditional studio. But now I see that Record hasn't yet come up with a really great solution to the limitation of the size of a monitor vs. the size of a hardware console. The scrolling console idea seems like it might be better than the show-and-hide paradigm, but I'd have to play with it a bit before I was convinced.

 

 

I think the answer to a lot of these kinds of issues is the Microscope mode you can enable in Sonar for MIDI editing. Imagine having the entire Record console in front of you, and when you pass over a section with the mouse, it becomes magnified...I think that might work well.

[Anderton]

The Dynamics module, shown in the first attached image, has an independent compressor and expander/gate. As we've already noted you have some options as to where this goes in the signal path, e.g., before or after EQ.

 

The compressor controls are familiar: Ratio, Threshold, and Release, and the meter shows gain reduction. So where's the Attack control? There isn't one, but there's a Fast button that fixes the attack at 3ms for 20dB of gain reduction. There's also no Auto setting for the Release time, which is something I would probably use if it was there, but the MClass compressor has this feature if you really need it, and you can patch the MClass compressor into the inserts (which we'll get to soon enough). There's a Peak button for determining whether the compressor responds to peak or average levels - handy. As to an output control, it's not really necessary as makeup gain is automatic.

 

After playing with the compressor for a bit, I've found two main uses for it. One is a utility "signal smoother," like you'd use on bass. Leave Peak off, and go for a fair amount of compression with an average response. With Peak and the Fast button enabled, the compressor does a good job on clamping peaks. Yes, I'd like to see a "soft saturation" button on there, but I'll give Record a break - this is a dynamics module in a mixer, not a be-all and end-all compressor.

 

The Gate becomes an expander if you enable the EXP button, but is otherwise pretty straightforward. However, check out the Key input: So how do you key it?!? Well, check out the second attached image, which shows the back of a Mix channel in the rack. When you flip around to the back of the rack with the Tab key, you'll see the sidechain audio inputs, along with a CV input and the Key on/off button. This seems a bit awkward to have to flip the rack around to set up the key input, but it's not something you have to do often, and I don't really see an easy way around this - for example, if you wanted to just flip the mixer module around, how would you have the rack flipped around at the same time so you could make the connections?

 

Which underscores something important I'm starting to notice about Record: It sure seems like Propellerheads spent a great deal of time analyzing which functions would be used most often, and which were "once in a session" kind of things. They then prioritized workflow based around that, so that common, basic operations could be done very simply, and more complex workflows were reserved for more complex operations.

[Anderton]

This definitely departs from a conventional hardware mixer, here's why.

 

Each channel has an insert for adding effects, and as noted, this can go various places in the signal path. The inserts tie in with the rack, where you can create your own effects setups, or call up preset effects, including Combinator setups

 

If you're not familiar with Reason, a Combinator is a "container/programmer" for multiple effects, instruments, combinations of effects and instruments, etc. Its basic interface consists of four knobs, four buttons, and a section that allows programming "macros" for the knobs by letting you route them to target parameters, as well as set minimum and maximum values.

 

One example of a Combinator might be combining two layered synths, which feed a mixer that goes through a reverb. You could have one knob change pitch positively on one synth and negatively on the other to create detuning effects, with another knob crossfading between the two synths. One of Reason's "poster boy" Combinators is a mastering suite composed of MClass proecessors. Of course, you can save Combinator presets and call them up as desired.

 

Anyway, check out the attached image. The highlighted part of the mixer is the insert part of the channel strip. Below it is the rear view of the rack containing the Combinator patch used as the insert effect. Note how the four knobs and buttons control particular parameters in the insert effect Combinator.

 

You'll also note the Audio Track making another appearance...we're going to have to get to that whole recording audio aspect of things, and we will after we're done with the mixer.

[Anderton]

FYI - I may have to put this review on hold until later in the week. I am out of the country and don't have Record installed on my laptop. If I can get a decent internet connection and a few spare hours, I'll download the demo and see if I can add some more info to the review...like how well it works with a laptop!

[k2500x]

 

If you import an audio file you want to time-stretch, you first need to disable stretching in the file, then match the tempo to the loop. Once you've matched the tempo, you bounce the clip to a new "recording." This embeds the original tempo information you just determined into the file. Now when you enable stretching for the clip, it follows tempo changes.

 

 

For me, most of the time I know the tempo of the clip I'm importing, so I just set the tempo of the project to that and then imported the audio and switched the tempo back to what it was before the import. Works great !

 

I'm still unclear on why you need to "bounce the clip to a new audio file" though. I've never done that. Even if you don't know the tempo. You disable stretch, find the tempo, and then right click and enable it again and reset the tempo to what you want. That should work without bouncing the clip, don't you think?

[k2500x]

...but on my dual-screen monitor setup it's pretty cool.

 

I'm currently running it on a 27" 1920 x 1200 setup and it's a pretty smooth workflow with F5-F6-F7. But I'd be very interested to see how this looks with two monitors! Can you provide an 'external' shot of your two monitors, Craig?

[Inazone]

This is the Pro Review I've been waiting for! A friend of mine seems to change DAWs every six months, and when I asked for his advice for my own purchase, he said I should read some Record reviews. Being a guitar guy with lots of rack toys, and a fair bit of experience with traditional mixers, Record looks like it would make far more sense to me than anything else I've looked at.

 

I'm noticing a lot of Line 6 references. Does Record include some sub-set of the GearBox/POD Farm product?

[panthalassa]

 

I'm noticing a lot of Line 6 references. Does Record include some sub-set of the GearBox/POD Farm product?

 

 

On the Propellerhead's website, Dan Engelbrecht's .plan post from this past May mentioned "Rob Rampley, Software Architect from Line 6, who flew in from Japan to help finish up the Line 6 integration. The Line 6 stuff is actual Line 6 code with a Propellerheads front end, so you get their exact models. And if you have bought models for you Line 6 hardware you can use them in Record."

 

The best part of it is, if you already own Reason, you can hook up all the different models. I've never had such a flexible guitar/bass setup. As soon as I can afford a faster machine (probably when fully-buffered DIMMS are common in the MacBook Pros - but that's asking WAY too much right now), I'll be using a computer as part of my live rig - along with a good solid backup amp, of course.

 

There are currently a lot of feature requests and such, but I can't help thinking they got most of it right, and it's only 1.0! Not bad.

[Anderton]

Well this is cool: I downloaded the demo (almost 1GB) and surprise, the internet connection authorization deal worked! Apparently it authorizes YOU, not the specific instance of the program. Very, very cool!!!

[Inazone]

Too bad about the lack of VST support. That seems like a major strike against Record, and for me personally, I don't think that the included Line 6 features are enough to make up for it.

[moonlight.mile.]

Thanks for explaining sidechaining, Craig.

[Anderton]

 

Too bad about the lack of VST support. That seems like a major strike against Record, and for me personally, I don't think that the included Line 6 features are enough to make up for it.

 

 

Well, Reason doesn't have VST support, either. Are you concerned about effects, instruments, or both? I'll list the effects and such that included with it shortly, but Reason include a lot of instruments and effects, and works directly with Record. Also, if you have a host program, you can ReWire Record into it, and process tracks with VST plug-ins.

 

Now, this won't help you if you have some favorite VST instrument (e.g., Rapture, Moog Modular, or whatever) and don't want to deal with inserting it into a host program. But AFAIC, if you put Record and Reason together, you have an extremely powerful setup and I'm not sure what you couldn't do with it that would require VST support.

[panthalassa]

 

Well, Reason doesn't have VST support, either. Are you concerned about effects, instruments, or both? I'll list the effects and such that included with it shortly, but Reason include a lot of instruments and effects, and works directly with Record. Also, if you have a host program, you can ReWire Record into it, and process tracks with VST plug-ins. Now, this won't help you if you have some favorite VST instrument (e.g., Rapture, Moog Modular, or whatever) and don't want to deal with inserting it into a host program. But AFAIC, if you put Record and Reason together, you have an extremely powerful setup and I'm not sure what you couldn't do with it that would require VST support.

 

Again, not to sound too fanboy-ish, but there's not a single VST or AU that I miss. Reason did it all, and if there was something it didn't do (like audio-in) I would just use ReWire.

Even for standalone VSTs, a program like Plogue Bidule will work with, say, Redline's Monitor (brought to our attention by Lee Knight). I have yet to try this setup myself, but it looks workable (here it is mentioned in another thread).

[Anderton]

Here's what comes with Record. I wasn't exactly sure because I have Reason installed on the same desktop computer as Record, and all the Reason stuff showed up. But after installing Record on my 64-bit Vista laptop, it was a "pure" install so the only things that showed up are part of Record. Here's the list:

 

ID8 Instrument Device - this is the only instrument included with Record, and it hardly has any editing at all (two parameters per sound). The sounds are useful, but really, think of this as a sort of General MIDI module designed to get you recording fast.

 

As to effects, the four main ones are the MClass effects:

 

MClass Equalizer

MClass Compressor

MClass Stereo Imager

MClass Maximizer

 

These are all great effects and a good addition to Record. You also get six more "standard" processors:

 

Line 6 Guitar Amp

Line 6 Bass Amp

RV7000 Advanced Reverb

Scream4 Distortion

DDL-1 Digital Delay Line

CF-101 Chorus/Flanger

 

I haven't tried it yet, but from what I understand if you own the various Line 6 model packs they will load into the amp modules. These are all fine effects, although the DDL-1 and CF-101 are quite basic. The Scream4 has always been one of my favorites when using Reason, and the RV7000 is a quality reverb.

 

There are also several "utility" devices from Reason. These don't make any sound but are designed for routing.

 

Mixer 14:2

Line Mixer 6:2

Spider Audio Merger & Splitter

Spider CV Merger & Splitter

 

There's also the Combinator module for putting mutiple combinations of devices together, then controlling them with a single "shell" interface.

 

While this is a good selection, it's basic. If you want to do any serious virtual instrument work you just about have to get Reason. Typical street price for Reason is $400, or $500 if you buy Reason and Record together.

 

However, if you think about it, $400 is a really good deal. You get the SubTractor analog synth, NN-19 simple sampler, NN-XT full-function sampler, Malstrom graintable synth, Thor semi-modular synth, Dr. Rex REX file player, and ReDrum drum machine. At about $60/instrument, you have quite a selection. The only synth I would really miss from my VST collection is Cakewalk's Rapture, which I use for a lot of sounds and for which I've developed several sets of patches. So just ReWire it, you say? Well, I don't think I can with Vista-64. although it's possible with 32-bit Windows operating systems and Mac OS X.

 

You also get quite a few extra effects with Reason, so it's a felicitous combination, especially when you consider you get the whole virtual studio for $500.

 

Still, as you evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Record for your own needs, take into account that you don't really get a lot of "plug-ins," particularly in terms of virtual instruments. If you're using Record just to record, say, a rock band, this probably won't make any difference. But if you're heavily into virtual instruments and MIDI, given that you can't use VST or AU devices, you'll have to factor Reason into the overall cost.

 

 

So let's b

[poserp]

Hello -- nice review so far; I'm looking forward to more. I've been using Record since beta testing back in July or August (can't remember when exactly now)... One quibble with your intro post:

 

 

Besides, no matter what you do, it's going to end up in the mixer...

 

 

Actually, just like Reason, you can bypass the built-in mixer and go straight to your DA's via the "Hardware Interface" device. Nice if you want to mix outboard or don't like the "sound" of the built-in mixer.

 

I really dig the studio emulation vibe in Record -- I've been playing with emulating how sources are actually recorded. For instance, if you have a guitar, bass, and drums then these instruments are mic'ed: run the instrument into an RV7000 in mono (with suitable room ambience) into a Scream 4 with very small amounts of distortion into a channel on the mixer. You can also do "bleed" using instances of the 6x2 mixer to send audio to different "mics", pre-reverb. I use the combinator to split out the ID8 drum kit into different sections depending on how I want it mic'ed -- snare and kick each get a mic, then everything else into a stereo overhead mic. Here are links to a quick demo track and a refill that demonstrates how this can be set up and what it sounds like:

 

demo track: http://www.silo3d.com/Music/Real_Drums_Demo.mp3

 

refill: http://www.silo3d.com/Music/Rock_Band_Refill.rfl

 

The refill includes a demo "song" that has everything wired up. Of course you could do this in any DAW, but Record a.) makes it easier because everything is at-hand, and b.) you can trade setups using refills and know that it'll work correctly on every system and across platforms.

[poserp]

 

I haven't tried it yet, but from what I understand if you own the various Line 6 model packs they will load into the amp modules...

 

 

I can confirm this works, with some limitations. If you have a long processing chain set up then most of the knobs on the Record Line 6 interface device won't do anything, and afaik there's no way to map them. I've been using POD Farm with Reaper to audition and save presets (I'm running the plugin-only version of POD Farm -- they were giving it away for free in September to iLok owners and it doesn't have a stand-alone mode) so I can set up patches so I know they'll load with everything set correctly. This is kind of a shame because POD Farm comes with API-ish and Neve-ish preamp emulations that would benefit from having the knobs mapped (and could be useful for more than guitar and bass...).

 

The other limitation is that "dual" tones have to be loaded into two Line 6 interface devices; not that big of a deal, but a bit annoying if you just want to load a "dual" patch and play straightaway.

 

While I'm at it, another neat trick I found is the RV-7000 has a delay that you can use 100% wet with no dry signal. Since its delay time can go down to 1 ms, you can use it when mixing an "amped" (i.e., routed through a Scream 4, the Line 6 device, etc) and "direct" guitar sound to adjust phase offset.

[panthalassa]

 

While I'm at it, another neat trick I found is the RV-7000 has a delay that you can use 100% wet with no dry signal. Since its delay time can go down to 1 ms, you can use it when mixing an "amped" (i.e., routed through a Scream 4, the Line 6 device, etc) and "direct" guitar sound to adjust phase offset.

 

Thanks for the trick! It's an interesting way of doing things for sure.

 

BTW I too have the free PodFarm from back in September, but I can't remember if you can actually run it in standalone; You simply tell the program that you have a UX-1 or something on the drop-down list, and the thing opens up. But quite honestly I haven't felt the need to tweak too much yet, as the out-of-the box tones are pretty good. I'll try it when I get off work tonight.

[panthalassa]

UPDATE: Apologies to all; I did indeed use my borrowed UX2 to process PodFarm's audio. If you have an iLok, editing presets outside of Record simply will not work. Let's have better integration of the two programs in the future, howsabouts?

[Anderton]

Referring to the attached image, Record's mixer has eight send controls per channel, each of which can be pre- or post-fader. Like the rest of the mixer, this is fixed; it's not configurable for more or fewer sends, although you can show/hide the sends. When hidden (actually, a better term would be "minimized"), there's a small red indicator (which you can see in the screen shot) that shows whether any sends are enabled.

 

Returns are toward the right, and each return has a level control, pan, three-step meter, edit button for the return effect (along with a label for same), and a Mute button (but no solo). I assume the lack of a solo is because if you solo the effect return, you'll be muting the signals feeding the individual mixer channels, which would make hearing the results of any FX a moot point. But I don't see a reason why you couldn't have solo within the returns affect only the return channels.

 

The fader section is below the sends, and it's pretty typical: Fader, meter, mute, solo, and panpot. Each channel can be mono or stereo; if stereo, there's an additional width control to widen or narrow the image, with the panpot "weighting" it more to the left or right. A cool touch here is that there's an "LED ring" around the panpot that shows the effect of the width control, with either more or less of the ring illuminated to indicate the stereo spread.

 

We'll cover the bus compressor next, and that will pretty much take care of the mixer.

[poserp]

 

UPDATE: Apologies to all; I did indeed use my borrowed UX2 to process PodFarm's audio. If you have an iLok, editing presets outside of Record simply will not work. Let's have better integration of the two programs in the future, howsabouts?

 

 

 

I suggest using Reaper -- it runs on windows, linux, and mac and it's free to "try", but there are no feature limitations (just a short nag screen). Not an ideal solution, but it works for these purposes. Also, it helps reduce micro-managing of guitar sounds during tracking.

[panthalassa]

 

I suggest using Reaper -- it runs on windows, linux, and mac and it's free to "try", but there are no feature limitations (just a short nag screen). Not an ideal solution, but it works for these purposes. Also, it helps reduce micro-managing of guitar sounds during tracking.

 

Absolutely, thanks. I already have Live, Pro Tools, and even Logic Pro (yes, it pays to live near Cupertino). Right now this is how I edit patches in VST/AU mode. I guess I was bellyaching because there's no way (yet) to edit patches inside Record. But my friends in our little users group who have Reaper really like it; before Record came along that was a good way to get audio "through" Reason.