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R/E/P => R/E/P Archives => j. hall => Topic started by: Colin Larson on July 08, 2010, 10:52:44 PM

Title: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Colin Larson on July 08, 2010, 10:52:44 PM
Just finished up tracking all our basics to tape, and it's time to dump it all to digital.  Is this as straightforward and obvious as I think it's going to be?  Any tricks or things to watch out for?  I'd love to do 88.2k or 96k, but I don't think it's going to be an option.  That being said, since it's going to end up as 44.1k anyways, is it best to just dump straight to that, or is there a benefit for dumping to 48k and then converting to 44.1k later?

it's a rock song, chain would be studer a820 (GP9 @ 15ips) -> apogee AD

*** Please, no analog vs. digital debates in this thread (unless it's actually relevant).  There's a reason I'm posting this here and not in whatever works...  Twisted Evil /endrant
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: rankus on July 09, 2010, 01:26:52 AM
Colin Larson wrote on Thu, 08 July 2010 19:52

There's a reason I'm posting this here and not in whatever works...  Twisted Evil /endrant


HUGE belly laugh over here!

May as well stay at 44.1 me thinks


Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: compasspnt on July 09, 2010, 08:30:32 AM
Just be sure to be @ 24.

Watch your levels; some things (bass springs to mind) may read much hotter on "digi meters" than they did on "analogue VUs."
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: 0dbfs on July 09, 2010, 12:29:42 PM
I would do my best to xfer all the tracks in one pass and don't spread multi-mic'd sources across multiple AD16x's... ie; Drums and stereo pairs should be xfer'd with the same AD16x instead of breaking them out to a second.

Best,
j
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Fibes on July 09, 2010, 07:22:24 PM
0dbfs wrote on Fri, 09 July 2010 12:29

I would do my best to xfer all the tracks in one pass and don't spread multi-mic'd sources across multiple AD16x's... ie; Drums and stereo pairs should be xfer'd with the same AD16x instead of breaking them out to a second.

Best,
j


Seconded but more importantly what Terry said.


I'm a 44/24 guy unless it's classical or Decca Tree ensemble.
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Hallams on July 10, 2010, 06:00:04 AM
.....whatever works.
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Seb Riou on July 10, 2010, 11:43:00 AM
With increasing internet bandwidth ,I'm afraid (I hope) CD's and redbook format in general will be soon part of the past. SACD didn't catch but BLURAY or another will prevail one day or another, allowing (at last) 24 bit and higher sample rate music files.
So I wouldn' make the economy of 4 KHZ, and run 48KHZ (at least).
You never know, the music you record today could make it to the next decade (who knows ?)
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Scott Featherstone on July 10, 2010, 02:16:29 PM
Since 88.2 and 96 are not an option...

Wouldn't it be best to dump into PT at 24 bit/48 k for the mixes, and leave the final jump to 16/44.1 for the Mastering Engineer ?

If I'm incorrect on this...Let the flames begin   Smile
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Rob Darling on July 11, 2010, 08:02:53 AM
Use an optical connection between the computer and the convertor so that the convertor and your tape machine aren't polluted by being directly connected to the electromechanical horrorshow that is the computer.

Make sure the AD convertor is the clock master so that it is running under its own clock.

Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Colin Larson on July 11, 2010, 02:57:52 PM
cool, thanks for all the advice!  I'll probably get to it later this week, I'll let ya know how it goes.
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: j.hall on July 11, 2010, 11:13:11 PM
i did this (well something similar) last november on a record i cut.  i did the drums to PT (24 bit 88.2), comped, beat detected, placed all the samples i wanted.  i brought in a tape machine, aligned it and did the following.

1.  printed time code to track 24 at -10 analog VU
2.  locked the tape deck to pro tools.
3.  did a few tests to double check levels and how PT was locking to code.
4.  printed drums (locked to code) to tape.
5.  new playlist in PT created.
6.  print drums back from tape deck to PT.
7.  zoom all the way in, switch playlists double check hardware delays and make sure new "analog" drums are lined up properly.
8.  erase tape
9.  bring up new song and start all over.

i think i did 14 songs.  the drums sounded AWESOME.

analog certainly sounds great when done right, it's just such a pain (considering current production styles) to work with on an entire album project, IMO.

i didn't worry one bit about splitting converters or anything like that and i didn't have a single problem.

hope this helps.
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: jetbase on July 11, 2010, 11:25:34 PM
What is the advantage of locking tape to PT over recording to tape & recording back into PT from the repro head in the same pass?
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: j.hall on July 11, 2010, 11:51:34 PM
keeping your time line the exact same.
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Rob Darling on July 12, 2010, 12:28:14 AM
if you are locking to time code, make sure PT is the master and the tape machine is chasing so that the clock is not slewing and you don't have to run under any pll.
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Colin Larson on July 14, 2010, 02:36:06 PM
Success!  There is a difference, I noticed some of my stereo image width going byebye, and the high-mids aren't quite as "soft" as on the 2-inch, but that's all well documented digital vs. analog stuff.  It still sounds great to me.  At the end of the day, it's the song that counts and not audiophile paranoia, and I need over 24 tracks to get this thing done in the production style we want.

J, I was thinking if you needed some tracks for a new IMP, I'd be happy to lend this one.  Just drop me a PM. (although we're not quite done with tracking yet, bout 80% of the way there)
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: tim on July 19, 2010, 02:43:35 PM
J., just curious as to how you locked PT to tape?  Did you stripe code straight out of the sync I/O?  and then read from the sync I/O?  Or did you have a synchronizer involved?  Like a lynx timeline or something?

Thanks.
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Fibes on July 20, 2010, 11:13:27 PM
I'm mixing a tune flown from Tape to PT and have to say I've never heard so many clock issues, overs, bad (popping) consolidation and terrible crap on tracks...

I would be ashamed to send this off for someone else to mix as is, but hey, a lack of skills and client unhappiness is why this went from there to here...



Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: compasspnt on July 21, 2010, 01:18:36 PM
Hey, but they used TAPE, so it must be great.
Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: Fibes on July 21, 2010, 08:49:44 PM
compasspnt wrote on Wed, 21 July 2010 13:18

Hey, but they used TAPE, so it must be great.



This is another one for my 96k theory.


Title: Re: transfering from tape to pt
Post by: j.hall on July 21, 2010, 09:34:38 PM
tim wrote on Mon, 19 July 2010 13:43

J., just curious as to how you locked PT to tape?  Did you stripe code straight out of the sync I/O?  and then read from the sync I/O?  Or did you have a synchronizer involved?  Like a lynx timeline or something?

Thanks.


that was the very first thing i did after getting the deck aligned and ready.  i printed code to track 24 at -10dBvu

i generated the code out of the SSL i think, can't remember.  either there or PT.

then i patched track 24 repro to time code in on PT.  set PT to "on-line" (command-J) and had it set to record at sync.  so as soon as PT locked to code it would drop into record.

hope this helps.