DAW "LVF" (basics, click arrow for details)
mobo: Asus TUSL2-C-woa
chpst: Intel 815ep
cpu: Intel "Tualatin" PIII-s 1.13ghz (512k cache)
ram: Crucial, 512mb
h/d: dual ata/100 WD400jb (8nb cache)
audio: soundcard, Korg Oasys, synth/audio/effects
soundcard, Yamaha SW1000xg with PLG100-vl
O/S: Win98se/98Lite custom hybrid.
seq: Cubase VST 5
edit: WaveLab 3
note: Encore 4.2
mast: Steinberg Q-Metric
mast: Waves Native PowerPack 2
misc: XGEdit-95
ssyn: Reality
vsti: Spectrasonics Atmosphere
vsti: Spectrasonics Trilogy
vsti: Steinberg TheGrand
DAW "SLVF" (basics, click arrow for details)
mobo: DFI 875-PT.
chpst: Intel 875p.
cpu: Intel PIV 3.6ghz #660 (2mb L2 cache).
ram: 4gb Mushkin hp3200 ddr (dual channel).
h/d: ata/100, WD 400jb (40gb).
h/d: sata-150 Seagate 7200.7 (160gb).
sata-150 WD 1500adfd (150gb).
audio: Echo Gina 3G PCI (24bit/96khz).
O/S: WinXP-sp2/XPLite (heavily tweaked).
.
seq: Cubase SX3
edit: WaveLab 5
note: Encore 4.5
plug: Waves Gold Native 5
plug: PSP VintageWarmer, Xennon
plugs: Nugen, P-Music, Acousticas
rwire: Propellerhead Reason 3
vsti: Soniccouture Pan Drum, DFish
vsti: Spectrasonics Atmosphere
vsti: Spectrasonics Trilogy
vsti: Steinberg Halion 3
vsti: Synthogy Ivory 1.5
vsti: VSL Appassionata Strings
vsti: NI Komplete 4, Guitar Rig 3
(Shared equipment)
desk: custom wood/plex workstation-desk. midi: CME UF80 keyboard/controller + BC3.
display: Westinghouse (LCM-22w3) LCD. switch: Belkin Omnivew E, KVM.
ups: APC "Back UPS Pro 650". monitors: Hafler M5 reference, Audioengine 2.
amp: Hafler TA1100. mics: Rode NT1-a (matched pair).
electrical: 20amp dedicated circuit. guitars: Thames acoustic, JS1000bp electric.
headphones: 2 sets Sennheiser "580" (open) and "280" (closed), via G3G H-out custom Y.
mixer: Mackie "ms1202-vlz", 12 channel analog mixer (output mix for LVF only).
preamp: FMR "RNP 8380" (dual channel mic-XLR or DI-TS inputs, SLVF only).
Complete music production in a small, dedicated space?
Yes, absolutely. Allow me to explain my unique distributed-studio approach, featuring what I term the "DAW Sidecar". This strategy is designed for DAW soloists that have only a little dedicated space but want big results. Note the set of six pictures below. The upper left image is my garage looking out to the backyard. To the right and above the window is my custom active-vent. Below this is the sidecar enclosure for my main computer. Its cables run through sealed channels in the thick, soundproofed, walls of the dual-purpose control/isolation room behind it. The door to this room, with its lower passive vent, swings just clear of a washer/dryer to its right (marital diplomacy at work). Family bikes are in the right foreground with a workbench (unseen) at left. The amount of dedicated space used is a mere 6' x 7', yet this is enough to anchor a complete studio solution when supplemented by the 13' x 19' adjoining family room which I use, as needed, for mastering and recording.
Control contains my desk-workstation, the LVF DAW, relocatable wall-mounted monitors, and various musical and organizational tools. My main SLVF DAW is located outside in a modified shelf unit. This DAW is used exclusively for all audio recording, mastering, and the majority of midi work. Placing this computer outside the room provides a completely silent creation space with an adjustable airflow, provided by the before-mentioned vent system, drawing clean air low via passive door vent while exhausting stale air high. The top-right image shows the active-vent with its foam silencing tube and variable DC converter in foreground. This combination works beautifully with a single 120mm "S-Flex" fan. The middle-right picture below shows the "sidecar" system close up. The screens are waterproof with the side detachable and front hinged. The top cowling is exhaust (also micro-screened), with the side duct as intake to the CPU blower located between the two exhaust fans of my Lian-Li case. The middle-left image shows the studio interior with some creation tools and a partial view of the absorption materials that allow for its occasional use as an isolation booth. The lower left image is from under the workstation, showing cable routing to and through ports in the desk. The lower right shows a section of the adjoining recording/mastering room with its Steck console piano. I use various additional tools to quickly prepare this space for its immediate purpose, including relocating detachable nearfield monitors to speaker stands and bass-traps to key absorption areas.
The following details my studio setup based on two custom-built DAW computers (one legacy, one state-of-the-art) that empower me to create and record music in the do-it-yourself style of a DAW-soloist. Can computers have personality? I would argue affirmatively (Dave). I always name my personal DAW systems, so please allow a brief introduction.
LVF "Ludwig Von Frankenstein", the grand old man of my active DAW family. He is proud and eccentric, but once you know your way around him, relatively easy to deal with. LVF hosts my legacy soundcards: the legendary Korg Oasys and Yamaha SW1000xg. It also hosts the original software synth, Reality, which of course is also worthy of "legendary" label. The LVF exterior and interior images below bear witness to the eccentric, but keep in mind that the computer case is stock ATX from the early '90s, the mobo circa 2000. In "computer years" this means old! This is the first system I'm aware of to extensively use neoprene sheet for sound-insulation. The funky front-intake wooden brace does wonders for airflow and vibration reduction. The metal off/on lock, the shiny hand-colored emblem, all expressions of personality. Like some old hipster driving his modified Buick with custom hood ornament, LVF is an original and proud statement.
SLVF "Son of Ludwig Von Frankenstein", doesn't need to be showy. He knows he's privileged, even spoiled. The history of music creation and distribution has been encoded; the great instruments of performance and recording virtualized, for his use. Highly evolved, with resources beyond the imagination of prior generations. SLVF is all about getting the job done professionally, with an awesome potential just beginning to be truly leveraged.
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D A W - s o l o
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D A W - s o l o
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