[linux-audio-user] how to invest sensible to get more stability for JACK

[Robert Jonsson]

Hi Daniel,

Friday 22 August 2003 11:13 skrev Daniel James:
> > But if you want to take advantage of Jack then you will be doing
> > more than 10 tracks pretty quickly.
>
> That reminds me of a discussion I was having with our guitarist on
> Tuesday. He said he needed 24 tracks for his solo project, so he'd
> have to hire a bigger studio because our desk is only 8 buss. I said
> if four tracks was enough for the Beatles and eight tracks enough for
> Pink Floyd, then eight inputs on the Delta 1010 would be enough for
> him. I could tell he wasn't impressed by that.

I feel I have to try and clear up somethings, I think there may be some miss 
understandings here about what a input and what a track is.

-
In a digital world there is a big difference between the number of external 
inputs/outputs you have and the number of internal tracks you utilize.

Many external inputs are mainly needed if you _need_ to record many sources at 
the same time, ANALOG sources.
Like if you are recording a symphony orchestra you may wish to use lots of 
inputs to capture a room fully. 
If you record a 4-piece rock band - live - and wish to have great control of 
the result, you probably need between 8-16 inputs. If you don't record live, 
but rather take it one step at the time you need nowhere near that amount of 
inputs.

Another reason for having lots of inputs (and outputs) is that you may have 
external effects that you wish to route the signal through. This is quickly 
going out of fashion, atleast in my world, hobby musican. I work entirely 
inside the computer once I got the analog sources recorded.

--

Internal tracks on the other hand exist only inside the computer, normally you 
mix these inside the computer before sending it to a output (e.g. monitors). 

These can normally be created and utilized almost unlimitedly. It is true you 
can't record an unlimited amount of channels, but the limits are normally not 
a problem.
Of the top of my head I'd say that 100 playback tracks should NOT be a 
problem. (_Should_ not be a problem, I imagine few people are trying the 
limits right now in Linux audio, programs are probably not fully optimized 
yet)
Working in a computer you are not bound to a physical number of tracks that 
you must "fit" your music in. Rather you would probably start creating tracks 
as needed, group them as needed. 
Later in the composition if you for instance needed to add a distorted Oboe to 
get those wierd tones that define your speed metal recording, you would not 
reuse a track that wasn't utilized at that point. Rather you would create a 
NEW track to keep the composition well structured.
(reusing tracks is probably not applicable to pro recordings, I imagine they 
would NEVER reuse tracks, when there are no more left, there are no more 
left. In a home-recording situation, e.g. 4-track or 8-track it is quite 
common to reuse tracks though.)

Conclusion: in a fully digital recording studio there are no real limits to 
the number of tracks you can utilize. You tend to use MORE tracks than in an 
similar analog situation. Just because you are allowed to structure things 
much better. This provides a much better basis for realizing your 
compositions, you have less constraints to take into account.

The number of external inputs and outputs you need is defined by the number of 
concurrent audio sources you wish to record/listen to. If you record step by 
step and use artificial drums, like me, you don't need more than say 4 inputs 
and 2 outputs. The more advanced you get you probably need more inputs and 
outputs, but very few people need 24 inputs in a digital studio.

/Robert

ps. I really don't know these things, I just pretend I do. ds.

>
> One of the things that really dismays me about some people who want to
> record music is that they think you need a lot of equipment to get
> started. Like 24 inputs, or a minimum of 6 mics on a drumkit. I've
> seen some people spend all their money on a ton of kit, and then fail
> to record even one complete song. Having taken delivery of all the
> equipment and put it all together, they are faced with a creative
> brick wall when they don't know where to start.
>
> A friend of mine bought a big 16 channel Soundcraft desk to mix from
> her keyboard and drum machine. Someone had told her that was the one
> she needed. I helped her set it up, but I think she just took one
> look at the about 200 knobs and faders and her heart was no longer in
> the project. We set up Cubase to control the keyboard, and created a
> drum and bass track. It didn't sound 'professional' like she expected
> it would with all the professional equipment around her, and I don't
> think she ever used any of it again.
>
> Cheers
>
> Daniel