What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

I'm building a recording rig in my office (control room), with the chorus room as a live room. This is for my guitar students who want opportunities to record.

I need a rig with a physical board, computer, interface, and monitors. We'll record only up to about 8 at a time.

Here is what I was thinking of ordering to get started.

Mac Book Pro (16 gig RAM)
Focusrite 18i20
M-Audio Monitors
8 Channel Snake (mounted in chorus room, run through wall into control room)
Command 8 (with a USB-C to USB connector)
8 XLR Cables
Headphones for Tracking
M Audio 88 Key Workstation
LCD TV to monitor session

We won't be running tons of virtual plugins, etc

What am I missing? From what I've seen on this forum and PT website the command 8 will unofficially work with PT still.

Re: What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

only advice I can offer at this stage..... MBP - upgrade to 32Gb ram and at least 1T ssd this will at least future proof a lil in the MBP dept, incase you do started adding extras. Get an external drive for storage and archiving sessions and perhaps an additional external drive to back up to or copy a mirror image of your main ssd and that is not left connected. that way if at anytime something goes pear shaped you'll be in hassle free good shape to get back to where you were.

Re: What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

I am at a loss here. I was told I could use an analog board as well with the interface, and some sort of converter so that I could multitrack into PT.

What should I purchase?
For Sure-
-MacBook
-Focusrite 18i20 Interface
-8 Channel Snake

????
-Analog board
-iPad as a control surface
-Presonus Control Surface

I want a physical board/control surface that will properly track into pro tools (8 mics, 8 track).

Re: What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

I'm not sure what you mean by 'analog board' - please explain. If you're talking about some kind of mixing console that handles the audio from the mikes and feeds it to the Focusrite - sure it's neat to have but not necessary. You could just run the mikes straight into the Focusrite. A lot depends on how much money the school (or you) is willing to spend.

A good control surface that will work with current Macs and PT is a good thing. A Presonus 8 would be good; so would a Mackie MCU.

You don't need another converter to multitrack into PT as the Focusrite does that job.

One of the biggest things you're going to have to wade through is compatibility over the whole system. Thins like the current revision of High Sierra vs current version of PT vs control surface vs external hardware like the Focusrite - you name it.

Don't forget to budget for backup drives and backup software. That will save you trouble when things start to go wrong with the setup and an update or plugin puts the kibosh on things.

Re: What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

I appreciate the feedback. So my updated supply list is:

Focusrite 18i20 Pre Amp
MacBook (32 Gig, 1 T)
External Hard Drive
PreSonus Control Surface
Snake (put in live room, routed through the wall into control room)
Studio Monitors

Is there any additional cables/accessories I will need, or will this be it for my starter rig?

Thanks! Mr. B

Re: What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

I think for what you're getting you're spending a lot of money unnecessarily.

My advice would be to get an older Mac Pro (2010) or a decent iMac as oppose to the macbook pro. You'll get more for your money. You could even use a mac mini, I know professional producers who work with mac mini's.

You would need headphones for the people recording so consider that you'd need to send headphone feeds back into the recording room. (you might find a snake that has sends too) You could get a headphone amp (behringer do cheap ones) so you can have one headphone feed and split it into 8 for example.

Personally I would scrap the control surface. It's simply not necessary. You just plug a cable into the focusrite, set the level and use the virtual mixer in Pro Tools. I feel you'll have more problems and complicate everything by adding in a control surface. I would strongly say do without this and then add it into the setup later down the line if you feel it would be of use.

Re: What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

Forgot about the headphones - they're a must to have for the players.

As to a control surface unless you'll be doing a lot of mixing down to a 2-bus a surface isn't needed, especially if all you're doing is recording players learning the guitar.

The op hasn't mentioned what type of guitars he'll be recording; acoustic and electric guitars have different mic needs. For mic'ing a guitar amp you can't go wrong with an SM57. For acoustic a good large diaphragm condenser mic would be a good thing and there I'd take a look at an AKG 214. Of course don't forget mic stands and good cables. Don't fall for the hype of Monster cables. Also don't buy cheap cables either.

Also to the op:
Take some time and learn how to mic up a guitar (electric or acoustic). For that make Google and YouTube your friends. Don't be surprised what a mic can pick up - noises you won't hear by ears can be easily picked up by a hot mic.

Re: What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

Just as a suggestion...

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/F...retina-display
...for example...whatever...just make sure you get an i7 Quad processor and 16GB Ram at the least...

or search for another one...
https://www.apple.com/shop/browse/ho...macbook_pro/15

Audiointerface...
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...scarlett-18i20

External drive... put such a one
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Inch-...ng+860+evo+1tb
into such an enclosure
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-...rive+enclosure
...most affordable yet very fast and current solution...

Studio monitors...
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...studio-monitor
or a little bit bigger...
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...studio-monitor
...Big Bang for the buck...

I would recommend you a second, external monitor display...it makes life a lot easier...:D...
https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-VE278Q-1...t+HDMI+DVI+VGA

Snake from the recording room to the control room...
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...-snake-50-foot

You know, as all the others have told you already, you not necessarily need a control surface/physical mixer anymore to record stuff into Pro Tools.
You can just connect your mics to your audiointerface directly and manage it all by your Focusrite software and your internal Pro Tools mixer.

Anyway. If you really want a physical mixing/recording desk, this one might be an affordable option...
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...e-with-effects
...it even does work as an audio interface, so you not necessarily would need the Focusrite in this configuration...

You see, there're a bunch of options.
I hope you will find the solution which will meet your needs perfectly finally.

The best of success to you,

VRW

Re: What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

This was very helpful.

I will forgo going with a control surface for now. I would like one, just so my
students can get their hands on a board but it's not consequential to their learning objectives.

How can I run multiple headphones into live room for live sessions?

Could I purchase the following below?
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9SIAEM96KB1032
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0AT7-_-Product

My list is now:
-MBP
-Pro Tools
-Focusrite PreAmp 18i20
-Monitor Headphones
-MIDI Cables (for a keyboard I have)
-Extension Monitor
-Snake
-XLR Cables

Re: What to Purchase?-High School Music Teacher-Help!
 

Thanks!

How do the faders work with pro tools if they aren't automated? For instance if I use channel 1 fader to increase the level on the control surface, will it increase on the DAW? Does the control surface suggested work with pro tools?