TMUP 219: Audio Workflow and Creating Music on iPhone and iPad
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Show Notes
Fantastocrats where you can get StudioMini and StudioMini XL
Victor’s Setup
Mic
Processor
Aphex 230 vocal strip Retail $799
Mixing Board
Mackie Onyx 1220i You can get this board for $599
Recording
Post
I use Levelator to even-out the sound levels of any files sent to me or when I record interviews. It’s software that runs on Windows, OS X (universal binary), or Linux (Ubuntu) that adjusts the audio levels within your podcast or other audio file for variations from one speaker to the next, for example. It’s not a compressor, normalizer or limiter although it contains all three.
I use Sound Track Pro for multi Track editing. This is where i put in all my audio clips, interviews, music etc to build the show. STP is part of Final Cut Suite which is $999 but you can also get it with Logic Pro for $499
I use Bias Peak Pro 6 Retail $599 for mastering the final product that gets turned into an MP3 in iTunes and sent to you
So my total investment is roughly $3844 US
Georges Audio Chain
Mic
I have Victor’s old original mic. It is an xlr condensor mic, approximately $100.
Processing (Hardware)
dbx 266XL - $130
I also have Victor’s old dbx 266XL compressor – gate. This is great for just a touch of compression and gating out background noise when I am not speaking.
Mixing Board
Mackie 802-VLZ3 – $200
I have a simpler board than Victor. One aux bus. This is important for what we call mix minus. I have the Mackie 802-VLZ3. It is pure old school analog audio. No usb or firewire.
Recording (software)
I tend to record most often in an old podcaster reliable package called Audio Hijack Pro. I use a couple of audio plugins to do processing saving me work in post production.
Sometimes I use Wiretap Studio where I intend on doing less post production since it lets me do very basic editing on the clip before exporting it. I also use my audio plugins in this processing stack.
I don’t use it often since most of my recording is made to be handled in post rather than “live to hard drive”. But I also love and sometimes leverage Wiretap Anywhere – $129
Recording (Hardware)
Sometimes if doing critical long recording I will hang either my iPad or my Zoom H2 recorder off the mixing board as a backup recorder.
On my iPad I record using the app Fire Field Recorder. They have licensed iZotope plugins and I find the Noise Gate plugin works great and makes a nice low work in post production file.
Post
I too live in Soundtrack Pro from Apple. I very rarely bother with other apps but have used Audacity and Garageband over the years. I very often setup multitrack templates for regular shows I edit. Even ones I just edit and not record. I have a good video on my youTube channel on how I do this template. It includes the processing stacks I put on each host and leave there to reduce my time spent tweaking the sound quality. It is the “Setting up a Podcast Multitrack Project Template in Soundtrack Pro” on George’s YouTube Channel
I used to use Levelator a lot. But these days I have things so dialed in that I rarely have to use it. But then I achieve the same result by doing some RMS and Peak leveling as part of my workflow in Soundtrack Pro. Now and then I will still use Levelator especially if I get tracks from someone else.
My Total Investment ignoring my ipad and Zoom H2 is about $1800 for what is really used constantly in my chain.
