I wanted to share my recent adventure in recording that has led to a nice recording setup that marries Cubase 4 LE with the Tascam DP-02CF. I know that Brandon advises that you pick one platform to record on and stick with it, which is excellent advice. However, because my laptop kept being a troublemaker and I also happen to own a few pieces of gear, I decided to try to make it all work together. I think I succeeded in creating a hybrid system that solves some of my recording challenges, without creating a troubleshooting nightmare. My setup:
Hardware
Laptop 2 ghz P4 with 1 gig RAM
Native Instruments Session IO audio interface
7200 RPM ext hard drive
Axiom 25 midi controller
Xenyx 502 Mixer
Tascam DP-02CF
Korg Toneworks Pandora PX4D amp modeler
Software
Windows XP sp2
Cubase 4 LE
Sequel 2 with 4 content sets
I setup everything with the goal of:
- Reducing the CPU load created by using Cubase softsynths and effects.
- Having the flexibility of playing softsynths (latency free) using the Axiom 25, without having to play with the buffer settings of my audio interface.
My laptop and Pandora (amp modeler for my Bass) are plugged into channels 1 and 2 on the Xenyx 502 mixer. The tape out from the mixer is plugged into the Tascam. The Tascam sends the midi time clock to Cubase. By using this setup:
The mixer eliminates the effects of latency while playing live instruments. By not playing my bass through my audio interface, I can set the buffers at their highest settings. No latency, no pops or crackles!
The Tascam allows me to record and play tracks without choking Cubase. My laptop can only handle 5 tracks with effects. By recording these tracks to the Tascam, I can freeze those tracks (or remove them all together), and record new tracks in Cubase, without losing the ability to hear the tracks I have already recorded.
The Tascam keeps time, so syncing tracks with Cubase is no problem.
If I need to play a softsynth using the Axiom 25, I can lower the buffers to reduce latency, without risking pops and crackles. I can play existing tracks from the Tascam.
This setup is not complicated to configure (4 patch cords total), but offers a lot of flexibility. I know there are other options available to reduce CPU overhead, like converting softsynths to audio tracks or track freeze. This setup lets me create tracks in Cubase until the CPU can't handle it, then move the tracks to the Tascam almost effortlessly, which frees up Cubase for new tracks. The last piece of the puzzle was syncing the Tascam to Cubase, which was easier than I thought.
I realize that this is not the most elegant solution. If I had the money, I would just get an Apple Laptop and call it a day. This setup has given me a studio that uses what I have, without consuming huge amounts of time maintaining the system, which means I spend more time composing and recording.
At a later date, I will share how I got Cubase LE4 to use sequel content sets (which shouldn't be possible without upgrading to CUBASE 4).
Peace!