Re: Did a quick Mobius gig today :-)

[mech <mech@m3ch.net>]

At 1:07 PM -0700 5/3/06, jondrums wrote:
>>conference one hour later. I packed the laptop, tc electronics 
>>fireworX, FCB1010 MIDI pedal and a minimal FaderFox MIDI hand 
>>mixer,  grabbed a tenor sax and rushed for a taxi. The gig went 
>>well (and
>
>Per -
>I noticed that you still use the fireworX - in fact it seems to be 
>your only outboard processing gear.  I wondered why that is, surely 
>there are plugins that can do all that right? or not?   It isn't for 
>the interface is it - I can only guess that you're trying to free up 
>processor for other things. Isn't it painful that it always must be 
>wired pre-loop or post-loop, or do you have some sort of 
>programmable insert point on your audio interface?

Well, I'm not going to put words in Per's mouth, but the architecture 
of one of my rigs is pretty close to what he's doing here.  In fact, 
owing in great part to Per's always helpful and informative posts, 
I've... erm, "borrowed" quite a few hints at making my own rig run 
better (BTW, thanks Per! :).

Again, speaking of my own setup here, I'm using primarily a laptop to 
loop and process external input (Augustus and Live), but I also use a 
small rack of hardware effects to augment the setup.

In regard to routing, Ableton Live is remarkably flexible in the ways 
it lets you convolute the signal path.  Assuming you've extra I/O on 
your soundcard, you can place your external effect loop(s) anywhere 
in the signal path you like -- just like your software VST/AU 
effects.  You can also save this routing within each individual Live 
Set, and bring a different one up at will.

To address the "why" aspect, there are three reasons that I do it 
this way.  First, I use my TC Powercore to take load off the CPU for 
frequently-used or mundane effects.  This provides fantastic reverbs, 
chorus, and basic delay with a minimal hit to my processor.

Second, there are really very few plug-ins for some effects (like 
reverb) which can match the quality of mid- to higher-end dedicated 
hardware without eating your processor alive (Altiverb, for 
instance).  Also, there are some effects that I just don't like the 
sound of in the currently available plug-in software, such as many 
distortions.

Plug-ins are great for bit/sample-reduction type effects and harsh 
audio mangling, for instance.  But I haven't found anything 
plug-based that I like as well as a coupla stompboxes (aside: oh 
yeah, there's another reason "why" -- stompboxes!) for traditional 
creamy guitar-type distortion.  I use a Keeley Blues Driver in 
combination with a Yamaha Magic Stomp (MS is also great for delays, 
and it's verb isn't half-bad either).  Although, strangely enough, 
MDA's freebie Combo plug-in will do one of the best speaker 
emulations I've come across.  I think a lot of things are just 
hit-or-miss at the moment.

Third, and finally, there are currently some outboard effects that 
just haven't yet been emulated.  Find me a plug-in that will let me 
put my Lexicon Vortex out to pasture, and I'll happily do so.  ;)

        --m.
-- 
_______
"Take a packet of seeds.  Take yourself out to play
  I want to see river of orchids where we had a motorway..."