Macs or PCs

[frisco]

Hey Guys!

What do you guys prefer to use for Professional Audio Programs (such as Cubase, Reason, Logic, etc.), digital recording, mixing software and audio in general---PCs or MACS?

Frisco

[djdeanmasi]

Everyone is gonna tell you to use a MAC but, I use a PC. Do what ever works for you & what ever you're more comfortable with. FUCK what everybody else uses! Truthfully, it doesn't make a difference what you use. It's how u use it! If you only saw how we (Masi & Mello) do some shit!

ANYTHING & EVERYTHING you do on a MAC, you can do on a PC!

I would recommend that if you get a PC, have it custom built around the specs that you need for the programs you are running. THAT'S WHAT I DID & MY SYSTEM IS A WORK HORSE. DON'T BUY A SYSTEM RIGHT OFF OF THE SHELF!

ONE LAST & MOST IMPORTANT THING: DO NOT GO ONLINE WITH THE SAME SYSTEM YOU ARE DOING PRODUCTION ON!

PM me with any questions.

[mangledx]

Originally posted by djdeanmasi

ONE LAST & MOST IMPORTANT THING: DO NOT GO ONLINE WITH THE SAME SYSTEM YOU ARE DOING PRODUCTION ON!

PM me with any questions.

why is that? just curious

[frisco]

djdeanmasi,

Thanks for the advice. You made some good points. I am more comfortable with PCs so I guess I will stick with them, plus I love Windows XP! I guess I just thought that Macs might have some audio advantages, but PCs have come along way to bridge the gap.

Frisco

[djdeanmasi]

There are a lot of little bugs you can catch in your system by downloading shit & just by having your system on all day. You wouldn't even realize it but, it happens. Another thing is, you don't want too many programs running or even in your computer. It will slow down your computer & you'll start to see problems.

When I got my new system, I started going online with my old one. Ever since I've been online with my old one, it runs like shit. A lot of weird shit happens all the time. I can't really do much music with it any more.

If you're not gonna go 100% in production then, I quess it's not a big deal. If you want to do it right, keep it seperate!

You have to treat your computer as if it is a musical piece of equipment. Just like a keyboard, drum machine, etc... Use it to serve a purpose, not a shit load of purposes.

Trust me, it will run better & you'll be a hell of a lot happier while you work! When you're serious about making music & you're getting record deals & labels are throwing remixes at you, you can't afford to be having bullshit problems with your system. You always need to be ready!

[Guest saleen351]

Dean you should use a MAC:D

Mac's are built for mutimedia, pcs are for looking at porn, posting on cp, and sending email, thats about it......

here is calderones equipment

Gear Check

Power Macintosh G4

15-inch flat-panel Apple Studio Display

Multitrack Audio and MIDI Application

Emagic Logic Audio

Audio Hardware

Digidesign Pro Tools Mix Plus 24

Emagic Audiowerks

Synthesizer Editor/Librarian Software

Emagic Sound Diver

MIDI Interface

Emagic Unitor8 (3)

Stereo Audio Editor

Bias Peak

Plug-Ins

Waves Native Power Pack II

Antares Auto Tune

Digidesign Focusrite d2 d3

Lexicon lexiverb

TC Works Voice Tools

T-Racks Mastering

Voxcite

Software Synths

Digidesign/Access Virus

BitHeadz Retro AS-1

Hardware Synths

Roland Juno 106

Roland JD-800

Roland 909

Roland MKS-80

Roland MKS-50

Roland D-550

Roland JV-2080

Roland JP-8000

Roland JP-8080

Oberheim Xpander

Nord modular

Novation

Waldorf Wave XT

Access Virus B

Korg M1R

EMU Orbit

Kurzwell K2000R

Akai Sampler S-6000

Mixers

Mackie Digital 8Bus

Tape Recorders

Sony DAT Recorder

Panasonic DAT Recorder

Speakers

Mackie HR824

here is the article.

Walking into Victor Calderone’s Brooklyn waterfront recording studio is like walking onto the bridge of a starship. The rectangular room’s two long walls are lined with synthesizers, samplers, and outboard gear, which with their blinking red and pale blue diodes and barely audible hum, look like robots chattering in electric speak. A large mixing desk, like some kind of futuristic navigation console, is strategically placed between the banks of instruments, translating the digital impulses of these machines into sound.

“The Mac is user friendly and that’s very important to me.†Calderone presides over this impressive arsenal of equipment with obvious pride. But after methodically explaining the role each vintage synth plays in the making of his music, he stops and points to the Power Mac G4 resting by his feet. “This is my baby,†he says with a glint in his eyes. “This is the heart of the studio.â€

Macintosh, the “creative enablerâ€

Calderone’s keen understanding of dancefloor dynamics and his respect for the song form make him the ideal groove evangelist for the less groove-inclined. And unlike some high profile dance music producers, Calderone enjoys getting down and dirty in the studio. He believes that this hands-on approach to his craft predisposes him as a “Mac-head.â€

“It’s user friendly and that’s very important to me,†Calderone explains of his professional love affair with the Mac. “I have friends who work with the PC but I think the Mac is just easier to use...It’s a musician’s computer; it’s like when they built it, they had us in mind.â€

Ever since the day he abandoned his Atari for a Mac Classic he saw in a friend’s studio, Calderone has faithfully upgraded his Mac setup whenever new models are introduced. Indeed, more than just a tool of the trade, he feels empowered by it. “My Mac is a communication tool that enables my creativity,†he muses. “Since I don’t really consider myself a musician, the fact that I can easily create and edit my music is essential.â€

Emphasizing speed and memory as key attributes of a musician’s computer, Calderone’s “Baby†is a Power Mac G4 with 256MB of RAM and lots of hard disk space. Like most MIDI setups, his G4 is the command center for all his equipment, and with the help of Logic Audio, it’s also the canvas on which he constructs his sonic masterpieces.

Fresh ears

As a rule, when he starts a remix production, he doesn’t spend too much time listening to the original music because he wants to approach each project with fresh ears and does not want to be unduly influenced by the original musical direction. But his respect for his client’s musical vision is such that while he might completely overhaul the musical context of the original, the essence of the song is always preserved.

“I usually start by importing the vocals into my Mac,†states Calderone. “After I lay them out in Logic, I would program the drums around the vocals until I’m happy with it, fill in other musical elements like bass and keys, and then do the arrangement.â€

The hub that connects the virtual future and the old school past

Calderone draws on a battery of synths, samplers, and other gear to help him realize his musical vision. He uses virtual synths such as the Virus and Retro, and has a real soft spot for his vintage analog synths like the Roland Juno 106, JP8000, and the Oberheim Xpander.

“I like the virtual synths I’ve tried; I think they are really very good,†he explains, “but I also love the warm, big sounds you get with these analog synths.â€

Calderone admits he’s been slow to fully embrace the virtual movement in music production technology. Part of it is the fact that he still enjoys knob-twiddling so much with his analog gear.

Regardless, Calderone acknowledges the trend towards virtual studio as inevitable and is methodically exploring and assessing new products and their effects on his sound. He always welcomes the opportunity to work with technology developers to create instruments that satisfy creative needs.

“The future of music production is definitely virtual,†he offers. But like the changes he is contemplating for his own career, he is moving ahead with a deliberate methodology.

So where to next?

“Eventually, I want to be known more for my production than remix,†declares Calderone. “After all these years, I’m inspired to do something different musically by artists like Peter Gabriel, Morcheeba, and by the downtempo electronica I enjoy listening to at home. But I still love DJing and making people dance,†he continues. “So I have been carefully working on new projects and directions while still making my fans dance.â€

This systematic, technology-driven approach to artistic development seems a familiar one to Calderone as he surveys his studio, lingering affectionately over his Power Mac G4. “I know I need to take a risk,†Calderone muses. “It’s time for a change.â€

[djdeanmasi]

YO, Saleen! KISS MY BIG BLACK ASS!!!

YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST WROTE A BOOK FOR EVERYONE!

ANYWAY, I HEAR WHERE YOUR COMING FROM BUT, EVERYONE HAS THEIR PREFERENCE. MAC VS. PC / ALL OF THAT GEAR VS. NOT HAVING ALL OF THAT GEAR DOESN'T MEAN SOMEONE IS GOING TO MAKE A PHATTER TRACK THAN SOMEONE USING OTHER SHIT TO THEIR PREFERENCE!

This is the first vote for MAC. As I said before, everyone will say MAC. Also, as I just said, "KISS MY BIG BLACK ASS!"

P.S. I'M NOT REALLY BLACK!!!

SALEEN, I'LL TALK TO YOU LATER!

[Guest saleen351]

Originally posted by djdeanmasi

YO, Saleen! KISS MY BIG BLACK ASS!!!

YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST WROTE A BOOK FOR EVERYONE!

ANYWAY, I HEAR WHERE YOUR COMING FROM BUT, EVERYONE HAS THEIR PREFERENCE. MAC VS. PC / ALL OF THAT GEAR VS. NOT HAVING ALL OF THAT GEAR DOESN'T MEAN SOMEONE IS GOING TO MAKE A PHATTER TRACK THAN SOMEONE USING OTHER SHIT TO THEIR PREFERENCE!

This is the first vote for MAC. As I said before, everyone will say MAC. Also, as I just said, "KISS MY BIG BLACK ASS!"

P.S. I'M NOT REALLY BLACK!!!

SALEEN, I'LL TALK TO YOU LATER! [/quote

am i never getting a copy of dirty cash? i won't leak it, trust me, i never sent luz out to anyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! those fockers had to wait..................................

whats in the works for new bangers? i got some ideas of tracks to remix... Someone needs to remix rio again, by duran duran, sick vocals... do it up.........

[ADV]

Originally posted by frisco

Hey Guys!

What do you guys prefer to use for Professional Audio Programs (such as Cubase, Reason, Logic, etc.), digital recording, mixing software and audio in general---PCs or MACS?

Frisco

It's all in what you prefer. I fix pc's for a living and used one in my studio until a year ago. I used Cakewalk Pro Audio for 2 or 3 years and now I'm using Digital Performer which I find much easier to use. I'm friends with a few other guys who switched to a Mac and are very happy with them. For some reason Cakewalk made my stuff sound very stiff. Good luck with whatever you do.

Anthony DeVito

[mindfaqd]

[djdeanmasi]

Yeah, you're right. Unfortunatelly (on my behalf) someone did leek my track (DIRTY CASH). I'm not very happy about it. Of course, the track is still not released yet. It is finally at the distributers now. The record stores don't have them yet. It is allready selling in the UK through Pinnacle distribution.

MONEY TALKS, MONEY TALKS, DIRTY CASH....

That was a great feeling hearing Denny play it on KTU Sat. night at 4:00 AM:eek:

Hopefully, you all like the track! I know SALEEN won't like it. You picky fuck!

[djmattreid]

hahaha:laugh: :laugh:

[njdionysus]

I do graphics with my machine, but I can tell you that the MAC G4 with dual 1ghz processors and 1gigram is absolutely sick. Over $4000 (less monitor) but the machine is very stable, absolutely sick. This is coming from someone who has worked with a PC for 7+ years, there is nothing like the stability of a MAC.