dixiechicken

Best Digital Mixer?

DC here!

I'm looking for input recommendations on the best digital mixer,
Suitable for both PA/FOH live mixing as well as recording/mixing with my DAW
(DP-7.2)
Possibly there is some hybrid analog/digital mixers out there that might fit the bill.

My budget limit is about 3000 us dollars.
Any thoughts is most welcome.

Cheers Dixiechicken!

Are You Having Midi-related Problems In Dp4

I will post this - here at this forum as well. Have already posted it at http://www.unicornation.com/.
Hope this can help someone else:
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As of late I have been having progressively more/worse midi-related problems with DP4.
( I readily confess to NOT being very versed in things midi )

With much appreciated help of Nathan (tech-support) at Motu, we have formulated a long & rather boring process for eliminating these particular problems.

In short when I'm working with audio only, everything is smooth sailing, steady as a rock.
As soon as I'm doing any midi-recording and/or midi-editing, the infamous "SBFH" puts in an encore.

Either forcing a "Force quit" from the Apple-menu, or killing off the MIDIServer process - in the terminal window.

Below is the entire 22-step proces for coming to grips with this:
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1:) Remove all FW USB adio & midi-interfaces from your computer.

2:) Reboot your computer

3:) Uninstall all fw and usb-drivers

4:) Open a new project in DP4/DP4.0.1

5:) Put DP in MIDI only mode. "Setup"-menu --> Audio System --> MIDI Only

6:) Go to: "Setup"-menu --> Interapplication MIDI...

7:) In the "Interapplication MIDI" - dialog -- check the "Software Synthesizer"

9:) Create a number of midi tracks - 6 to 8 tracks will do.

10:) Using the pencil tool only, add midi notes into the tracks

11:) Loop the sequence let it play for an hour or two or 24, whatever.

12:) If this plays along fine start adding things back in.

13:) Reconnect your usb/fw - midi-interface and install the proper latest driver.

14:) Reboot your computer.

15:) Go To "Audio/MIDI Prefs" - utility. Setup your minimum studio.
Connect "ONE" cable from your interface to the midi-in on your synth-module.

16:) Do the same in the real world, i.e. between your interface and & your synth.
Only one cable from Interface midi-out to your synth midi-in, will prevent midi log jams.

17:) If this plays back without a hitch, through your synthesizer module. Connect the next cable
in both the "Audio/MIDI prefs" - utility and between your interface and synth.
From interface midi-in - to synth midi-out

18:) If this plays back OK, add your other synth:s and keyboard controller back in one cable at
a time. Like in paragraphs 15,16 & 17.

20:) If this plays back OK, start recording over or add more midi-tracks using your
keyboard-controller as input.

21:) If this plays back OK with the new tracks added your are probaly green-lighted and set to go.
If NOT, open the eventlists (select the tracks & press Shift+E keys at the same time)
for the newly recorded tracks. Look or search for recorded midi-exclusive messages if any.

22:) Select and remove all the system exclusive messages. At least as many as possible.
Do the same for any midi-track you see midi-exclusives in.
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( I suspect the midi-exclusives to be the culprit - you can try to take the short route and only do paragraph 22 )

After doing this my midi-problems seem to have disappeared.
I hope this can be of help to someone.

Cheers: Dixiechicken

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Oh my God it' full of stars?

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posted July 31, 2003 06:12 AM                       

PS- forgot to mention.

When you have successfully come to paragraph 22, without falling asleep -
you can add your favourite audio interface back in and install the proper latest driver for that as well.

Cheers: Dixiechicken

Dp4 And Firewire Audio Failure

Have posted this in Interface forum as well. I dont know where this error belongs.

Today after working for 2 hours my 828 died on me again.
( has happened a couple of times before )

My small project "size machhiato" contains one activated miditrack for klicks.
( have five miditracks, NOT play-enabled )
5 audio tracks +1 Aux track for 2 effects applied to the vocals.
(3 mono and 2 stero tracks)

Laid down two vocal tracks it took an hour or so getting it right
( didnt save any takes or so - simply tried until i was satisfied )

Create the Aux track, read up in manual how to do the bussing.
1)
Assigned bus 1-2 steroo as Aux input
Assigned bus1 from vocl tr1 as output
Assigned bus2 from vocl tr2 as output

Everthing still working great, but all output from vocals going through Aux track this way.
( did have a few cpu spikes that could be heard at playback - nothing major )

Diving into manual again, reading up on how to use effects sends on my vocal tracks to send to the Aux track.
Assigned analog 1-2 stereo from vocl tr1 as output
Assigned analog 1-2 stereo from vocl tr2 as output

Assigned bus1 post fader to send1 vocal track1
Assigned bus2 post fader to send2 vocal track1

Worked fine - except I only got wet vocals on LEFT aux channel nothing in right channel.
( could mix dry & wet signals as I wanted )

Looked over my settings & routings again trying to figure out what i did wrong.

WHAM no output at my 828 1-2 stereo outs, no blinking lights. Did CMD+S to save my work.

Removed my 828 fw-cable with DP4 running but no sequence playing.
Put the cable back into my iMac FW-port. Nothing doing. After a short while the transport controls stopped working.
I cant pull down menus either. The (S)pinning (B)eachball (F)rom (H)ell does any number of encores short and long, whenever I try to issue a DP4 command.

Now I have to force quit DP4, reboot DP4 and maybe reboot my iMac as well. What gives???

Cheers: Dixiechicken

Are Dp4 Problems - Midi-related

I'd like comments to these observations. Has anybody noticed this.

For me all the problems I have in DP4, CPU spiking,
my 828 firewire going dead == no activity lights while playing back sequences,
playback stutter and the famous SBFH etc.

Seems to crop up after I have been doing anything in midi. But I have yet to deduce a pattern to it all.

Just spent 5 hours straight with looping drum-patterns, Recording gtr-tracks, soundbite editing etc.
In a small project. Not a single hiccup. Processor cpu load way down low.

Just before this 5 hour strech I had to "force quit" DP4 in the same small project.
(listened to the midi-tracks & muted them to work the audio)
I did NOT even reboot my imac, just rebooted DP4.

I will post a follow up to this one - directly below - not to be too longwinded in a single post.

Cheers: Dixiechicken

Patchlists In Dp4

OK!
Finally got my DP4 upgrade and is up and running with only a few minor obstacles.
( NOT Motus fault b.t.w. )

But?
In DP4 i only get the 7 banks of sound in my E-mu Proteus 2000.
I seems to be the CMPSR-banks, not the USER-banks, this only a little annoying.
( USER-banks 0-3 == COMPSR-banks 0-3 )

But there also seems to some sounds missing altogether, among them the "Accoustic 1" drums.
( of course the very one I tend to favor ).
Anybody have any ideas tips ot tricks for this?

Cheers: Dixiechicken