With a lifetime in music production and supporting the worlds leading Pro Audio brands, we are sure you will find products you will LOVE with the SERVICE you expect….
Most people have no problems finding drives that work reliably with the BlackBox Recorders, however, in case
you’re having difficulties finding a reliable drive
Please remember that:
• The drives need to be fast – 5400rpm is usually ok but 7200rpm is better especially if you’re using a
MADI system or working at 96k.
• The BlackBox does not support drives larger than 2TB (
• You must back up any data that you record onto the drive at your earliest opportunity. We would
always recommend that you buy drives in pairs – one to use and one as a backup.
Hard drives
Western Digital Elements 1TB (Our favourite drives – many at JoeCo which are pounded 24/7 in
the test department.) http://bit.ly/o4DCXH
Seagate Expansions (Used to be called Free Agent –a number of customers use these)
We have reports about the compatibility issues with the Avid Pro Tools 9 software and the new Apple OSX Lion - 10.7 operating system release.
It has become apparent that you WILL NOT be able to use this new version of the OSX software until Avid release compatibility updates, and at this point there is no release information from Avid.
We would advise any Pro Tools 9 users to avoid this new operating system until Avid have released more information and any needed updates - keep an eye on the Dub Central Sound Advice page for more information soon, or feel free to get in touch.
With the advances in Digital DJ production tools, there are lots of options for getting into the world of Digital DJ-ing and production. Here is a collection of tips, videos, links and information to get you started.... enjoy!
Avid Torq 2.0 DJ Software
When the biggest name in audio production software get's busy on a DJ tip, you know it's going to be worth checking out first! This video introduction to Avid Torq 2.0 is sure to wet your appetite for more!
Recording for HD Video and Surround Audio - Steve Reich at the Roxy - New York
This edited version of an article on recording audio and video for HD gives in insight into microphone choice and technique for recording a varied range of percussion instruments, piano and strings. You can read the full article here;
Last December, I received a call from an American assistant director who lives in London, asking if I would be interested in producing a concert recording and documentary about the composer Steve Reich. I specialize in classical music shows, and had released John Adams: American Classic for broadcast and DVD last year, so this show sounded tempting.
The production company was a new CD/DVD operation called Sweetspot Music DVD, and the executive producer, Mike Roberts, was the initiator of the project. I met with Roberts and discussed his idea of shooting a concert with some documentary material to make up a 90-minute DVD, with the working title Reich at the Roxy, NYC. His plan was to shoot on DV in New York in February 2004.
During our initial discussions, I suggested that HD would give the project better quality and a longer shelf life. Roberts's budget was minimal (around 50,000 GBP; about $80,000) for shooting a music show of this type, but he was willing to consider HD if he could make a deal. Producing this show was a case of taking a plan and making it fit the available gear and budget.
The main production requirement was to record audio for both a stereo mix and a 5.1-surround mix. Roberts had engaged British audio producer Steve Parr of Hear No Evil studios in London to take care of the audio recording.
Audio Producer Steve Parr brought 32 tracks of audio directly into a Power Mac G5 through four Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) 896HD FireWire Audio Interfaces (stacked to the right of the computer). He set monitor and camera mixes with MOTU's CueMix DSP software mixer and recorded everything with MOTU's Digital Performer audio software.
This was a music performance, so Steve Parr needed to create a very high quality recording for subsequent release on DVD Audio. To achieve this, he recorded at 24 bit and 96 kHz directly into a dual-processor Apple Power Mac G5 running OS X 10.3 using Mark of The Unicorn 896HD FireWire interfaces and Digital Performer 4.12 software. The 896HD interfaces have built in mic preamps, so Parr could plug microphones directly in without using a mixing desk.
He enlisted Martin Greenwood for technical assistance and hired Colleen Culhane, an engineer at Hit Factory New York, as a recording assistant.
The 18 musicians of Alarm Will Sound used different sets of instruments for each Steve Reich piece they performed.
Parr's method of recording set a short signal path because he wasn't using a mixing desk for routing purposes. Instead, he used the 896HD's bundled software application, CueMix DSP, to generate various submixes of the incoming audio to feed the house PA system and the stage monitors for the musicians.
Parr used mainly AKG condenser microphones, specifically the C 414, C 451, and the AKG Blue Line CK 91 and CK 93. Parr placed a stereo pair on each of the percussion instruments (two pianos, two vibraphones, three marimbas, two glockenspiels) with miniature clip mics on the strings, direct inputs from the synthesizers, and Shure SM58 dynamic mics on vocals and bass drums. He used an array of 414s hung from each corner of the venue for surrounds.
All of the mics fed into four MOTU 896HD interfaces, giving a total of 32 tracks that he will mix into surround as well as stereo for the eventual release formats.
The 18 musicians of Alarm Will Sound used different sets of instruments for each Steve Reich piece they performed.
With the musicians performing in four very different instrumental lineups in two separate performances, Parr had to be pedantic about mic placement so that he could edit together the two performances of each piece in postproduction if necessary. For continuity of sound, it was crucial to always use the same mic with the same gain structure routed into the same place in the audio hardware.
Ensuring mic uniformity required using a lot of camera tape, strange pagan floor markings, and cross-referenced spreadsheets on Parr's laptop. Parr had thought of everything.
The show is a surround sound-specific recording, but we will also create a stereo mix for those DVD owners without a 5.1 system and for broadcasters who only want a stereo transmission. At present, most people and broadcasters will listen to and send stereo.
To ensure the audio of performances of both conncerts could be edited together, audio producer Steve Parr ensured that the same mic with the same gain structure was always placed in the same position.
Steve Parr, audio producer, is an expert in surround-sound recording and mixing. One of the first in the United Kingdom to set up a multi-channel production facility, he has worked with top artists from every field, including Sir Harrison Birtwistle, David Byrne, Grace Jones, Super Furry Animals, plus several Oscar- and Emmy Award-winning composers and directors. www.hearnoevil.net
Mike Roberts, executive producer and director, is a top-ten pop music and soundtrack producer who has worked with artists ranging from Sacha Distel to Aphex Twin. In 2003, he formed Sweetspot Music DVD to record contemporary music shows with the latest in audio and video technology. www.sweetspotdvd.com
Colin Wilson, producer, is an HD specialist who has overseen the making of many successful music films and DVDs, including John Adams: American Classic, El Nino, and Kronos Quartet on Stage. He has also recorded in HD a variety of major artists from Cecilia Bartoli to Sir John Tavener.
Steve Reich has been called "the most original musical thinker of our time." His music usually features a strong rhythmic pulse and repeating melodies, and is often grouped with that of composers Philip Glass and John Adams. He's been composing since the mid-60s. For the Roxy concert, Alarm Will Sound played selections from several decades of Reich's career.
The pieces Alarm Will Sound performed at the Roxy are:
Violin Phase (1967) Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices & Organ (1973) Sextet (1985) Three Genesis settings from The Cave (1993)
You can learn more about Steve Reich and hear some of his music at www.stevereich.com
With the release of the new Pro Tools 9 software, Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) are moving away from the LE product lines, so now the full Pro Tools 9 software becomes the standard product shipped for non HD systems.
With the move to Pro Tools 9, the Operating system requirements have also moved on so make sure you are ready to run this great new version of Pro Tools - check out the System requirements here;
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System Requirements with Pro Tools 9.0-9.0.2 Software
For optimal performance and reliability, be sure that your computer or laptop meets the following minimum system requirements. Important: Avid dedicates a significant amount of engineering resources and time to test and qualify specific platform configurations. While such systems may operate without problems, please understand we cannot provide support should you choose to use a non-qualified system.
Mac Systems
• Computer: Avid-qualified Apple computer (see details)
• System Software: Snow Leopard: Mac OS X 10.6.2, 10.6.3, 10.6.4, 10.6.5, or 10.6.6 (32 or 64-bit)
• Total System RAM: 2GB minimum, 4GB or more recommended
Windows Systems
• Computer: Avid-qualified Windows-based computer (see details)
• System Software: Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate (32 or 64-bit)
• Total System RAM: 2GB minimum, 4GB or more recommended
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For more information and advice on the ideal system to run the exciting new Pro Tools software, contact Dub Central
We aim to bring you a collection of articles, advice and suggestions all designed to help you make informed choices for you next piece of studio equipment.
Talking to our valued clients is always a high priority and we like to think that we can learn something from every individual - we hope to pass that on!
