UAD Console & Protools BEST PRACTICES

[Drew Mazurek]

I have 2 Apollo 8Ps that I lightpipe into an HD Native PCIe rig. It's like having an amazing $6000 sixteen channel SSL console to track through. Been using the real ones since the early 90s. Sure I have to be careful about latency and use Slates plugs during tracking and overdubbing. But it forces you to get good sounds going in, like the old days. My work has never been better.

[Marsdy]

Originally Posted by Drew Mazurek

I have 2 Apollo 8Ps that I lightpipe into an HD Native PCIe rig. It's like having an amazing $6000 sixteen channel SSL console to track through. Been using the real ones since the early 90s. Sure I have to be careful about latency and use Slates plugs during tracking and overdubbing. But it forces you to get good sounds going in, like the old days. My work has never been better.

It's a shame you have to be careful with latency though. You didn't so much with TDM. Whatever option you take these days is a bit of a backward step and a compromise IMO.

As a composer type dude I like to track with EQ and comps but not commit because like a lot of guys, I'm usually concentrating on composing and/or playing.

[quantise]

I do a similar thing to Drew. See my sig.

It really does give you the best of both worlds in HD Native. I simply use the Apollo's as outboard light piped into the 8x8x8.

I find that tracking with the UAD Console is very good with little audible latency. Tracks are always aligned correctly. It's a very workable solution.

John

[Marsdy]

Let me get this straight.... when you drop in, (or punch in as you guys across the pond would say,) you have to manually switch the monitor source from Pro Tools to the UAD console and back again when you drop out? Really?

[Drew Mazurek]

Originally Posted by Marsdy

Let me get this straight.... when you drop in, (or punch in as you guys across the pond would say,) you have to manually switch the monitor source from Pro Tools to the UAD console and back again when you drop out? Really?

no.

If using UA's Console, you put PT in LLM and PT handles the muting for you. If monitoring through the DAW (at a low buffer like I do) it's just like using a console and a tape machine.

The only downside (for the engineer) is that with method 1, during pre and post roll you will hear the previous performance and the live mic signal. This is actually a desirable thing for most musicians however as it's reminiscent of SSL's SuperCue™ system found on the big consoles.

[priorytools]

Originally Posted by Drew Mazurek

no.

If using UA's Console, you put PT in LLM and PT handles the muting for you. If monitoring through the DAW (at a low buffer like I do) it's just like using a console and a tape machine.

The only downside (for the engineer) is that with method 1, during pre and post roll you will hear the previous performance and the live mic signal. This is actually a desirable thing for most musicians however as it's reminiscent of SSL's SuperCue system found on the big consoles.

Yes. I'm using PT on low buffer & Console is just the front end.
I find the Supercue vibe strange to work with, although that could just be habit & being accustomed to not hearing live input during pre roll.

[Marsdy]

Originally Posted by Drew Mazurek

no.

If using UA's Console, you put PT in LLM and PT handles the muting for you. If monitoring through the DAW (at a low buffer like I do) it's just like using a console and a tape machine.

The only downside (for the engineer) is that with method 1, during pre and post roll you will hear the previous performance and the live mic signal. This is actually a desirable thing for most musicians however as it's reminiscent of SSL's SuperCue™ system found on the big consoles.

Got it! That's much better than I thought. So UA Console is just a host for virtual outboard in effect? Can you choose whether to print or just monitior through any processing?

[Drew Mazurek]

Originally Posted by Marsdy

Got it! That's much better than I thought. So UA Console is just a host for virtual outboard in effect? Can you choose whether to print or just monitior through any processing?

Yes, Console is a virtual front end. A tracking console if you will. And yes, you can choose to just monitor with processing or commit to tape (or both!!), on a channel by channel basis.

[Drew Mazurek]

Originally Posted by priorytools

Yes. I'm using PT on low buffer & Console is just the front end.
I find the Supercue vibe strange to work with, although that could just be habit & being accustomed to not hearing live input during pre roll.

Same here.

SSL's Supercue only fed both input and monitor to the Cue Send for the artist, and not the monitor path for the engineer, so it was superior. Of course this can't be done now due to latency.

[priorytools]

Originally Posted by Drew Mazurek

Same here.



SSL's Supercue only fed both input and monitor to the Cue Send for the artist, and not the monitor path for the engineer, so it was superior. Of course this can't be done now due to latency.

Yes but, I find that say with a drummer they'll play along but be playing harder to hear their live input above the playback so when the drop in happens there's a mismatch …