twelvetone

Sorry, me again, if you don't mind... 1. If nothing is connected and all input levels are down - do you still get noise? 2. Was the kick mic a condenser or dynamic? (drawing current might be a cause...) 3. You say a whine - could it be a ground loop? I have this happen if, say, other devices (keys, guitar multifx... Laptop itself) with their own grounded power supplies are connected. I originally intended the two OctaCaptures for permanent mounting in my rack with outboard gear. I had endless whine and hum problems, disconnecting one device may stop another unrelated source - it drove me crazy. I eventually got a whole bunch of Behringer HD400 hum destroyers (really just audio isolation transformers) and it worked but was ridiculous with all these things hanging between connections. Much later I got a Tascam US-20x20 and that has given me no issues. I got the StudioCaptures to record an entire band (if that ever happens again) but I take a whole lot of HD400's to a recording gig just in case. What I'm saying is, they are temperamental, but I'm still hoping they don't have a limited life.

also, be aware that a signal with high harmonic content sounds much louder than a signal with low harmonic content. Try this when you have time: Record a sine wave around 500-1kHz, and then some white noise at the same level. Notice how the sine wave seems much softer? Voice has low harmonic content compared to distorted guitar and fat synth pads. Add the fact that distortion is in a sense a hard limiter and voice is dynamic, you will have the issues bitflipper was talking about.

You got me really worried - I have 2 Studio and 2 OctaCaptures. Did both become noisy at once? And equally noisy? Are some channels more noisy than others? Or is the entire device noisy? You are aware that the instrument inputs on the entire range are microphonic and generate hum if on hi-impedance? (but if you turn the level down its inaudible) Please, some more info on the nature of this noise phenomenon... !!!

Really? What do you use it for, if I may ask? When I was a new to - then Sonar - the fact that it is the default on install made me think for a long time snap to grid was broken. Even today I wonder what situations it could find a use.

Look out for as many of the old-style USB ports as possible. You will be wanting to connect interfaces, keyboards, controllers, a thumb drive or external hard drive... Hubs often cause issues with DAWs. Also decide how your setup will be arranged and where the ports should be - mostly left, mostly right, or back? The trend is toward fewer ports and USB 3, but music gear is moving rather slowly and USB 3 is not yet common. And yes, two internal hard drives is desirable.

I was going to say Offset is on... Even if you create a fresh project, copy some audio in a mono track and pan hard?

If you plug the guitar straight into the interface, use Inst. It presents a high-impedance and that is what an electric guitar needs, else you will get less high frequencies.

Once recorded, set the low EQ to roll off below around 200Hz at about 12dB/Oct.

Hi Noel, yes I'll do that. The device has only recently been announced and there's not even a formal Midi support table in the downloads. I expect the information is just not complete yet. Thanks very much for that link, been looking for it for quite a while.

I'm into my wind synths and Yamaha have just announced the new YDS-150 Digital Saxophone. I downloaded the manual and was surprised to find midi only ever mentioned once, in connection with Bluetooth. Under Specs they say: Bluetooth version 4.2, supports profile A2DP, complies with Bluetooth Low Energy MIDI Specification, Wireless output Bluetooth Class 2, 10m Max, 2.402-2.480MHz, Max out EIRP 4dB, FHSS modulation. There is a mini usb but that is for powering the unit only - not for Midi. So I looked up Bluetooth Midi and it would appear there are different standards. Yamaha themselves have a Bluetooth midi device (Yamaha MD-BT01 Bluetooth MIDI Adaptor). It is two DIN jacks connected by a short wire. It draws power from the Midi out itself. But the product description says it is intended for iOS. Are there Bluetooth standards that apply to iOS only? Will I even need such an adapter? Is the Bluetooth in my laptop not enough? Is it the right standard? Will I need a special driver so CbBl sees it? I thought I knew midi, but I feel like I'm starting school all over again.

I had the AudioBox 22VSL and the ASIO drivers just did not work with, back then, Sonar. I downloaded the next driver version when it became available and then WSL did not work, either. Other audio software (audacity) and DAW (Reaper) were fine. I forget the precise details, but I wasn't able to use it with Sonar.

If they do that, differently-named projects being interpreted as the same, causing all sorts of issues.

MIDI synths or Audio tracks?

And now everybody's gonna want a Zoom session with Noel...

Unlike an audio clip, a midi note has no end in the sense that it cannot know how long the release of your chosen sound is, so bouncing down ends where the last note ends.

I have 5 laptops and the Behringer U-Phoria UMC1820 was not recognized by 3 of them. Nothing shows up in the Device Manager at all. Must be compatibility problems with some chipsets. Very strange. The power transformer does't seem to be very well shielded. When I mounted it in my rack it caused other devices to hum, including Behringer's own ADA8200. I also have Tascam's US-1641, 1800 and 16x08. They are excellent. Unfortunately the 16x08 only goes down to -12dB which means drums distort even with the input turned right down to minimum. The older two go to -2dB and are fine with drums. The OctaCapture goes to -6 which is better. It's big brother, the StudioCapture, goes to -2dB. I have both. Roland and Tascam have kept up with their drivers so far.

+1 ^This.

I use 2 StudioCaptures on a WinXP 32-bit Atom-CPU Netbook running Sonar 8 (Tracking only, no plugs). Those drivers seem to be easy on CPU and RAM.

Oh, to add a tip to what @John Bradley said: If you mix live you will need to turn up your phones to crazy levels to hear the phones rather than the live sound. So I have 25dB moulded hearing protectors to drastically drop the overall sound level and now I can turn up the phones volume so I can hear the mix over the live band and still be at a reasonable volume. The closed-backed AKG K270s have a built-in switch so when you take them off you don't have unexpected sound sources getting picked up by the mic. However, some artists like to hold the headphone to only one ear, so they will switch off. To cover the above situation I have other closed-back phones. I built a little through-box with two toggle switches so I can turn off the other phone so it does not go into the microphone.

Choice of mastering listening device has become very difficult. Today, your material must come across convincingly on earplugs, headphones, car systems of various quality, laptop and phone speakers, and club sound systems (maybe not so much anymore). Only hifi speakers seem to barely exist anymore. I use AKG K240 MK I (now made in China - the cone changed) but only prep work. That means I use them for long periods. They sit comfortably and in the correct position without needing high pressure on my ears to stay in place. The cable can be exchanged so you can get curly or straight as you prefer. It is a standard mini 3-pin plug which you can get from Switchcraft in metal so you can make up your own cable. Ear pad plastic gets brittle and the foam inlays perish after 2-3 years so replacements can be purchased. Replacement soft suede-ish finish ear pads intended for the top models also fit if you want comfort. They are open-backed so I set my listening volume by turning on a radio in the room. I then set the headphone volume so I can still hear the radio. Listening at high volume sounds great but gives a false impression. I tried the Sonys but the earpads come off accidentally and are difficult to put back on. Also, they don't sit as comfortably on my head. Maybe it's my head.

On the other hand the manufacturer of a VST may stop supporting it or go out of business, the next DAW version may stop supporting VST2 / 32bit / whatever, a windows update may confilct with something in your VST... But your Yamaha will always be there (barring technical failure)

...and also page 910, "Clip Tail Duration". Back in Sonar 8 there was a setting "Play Effect Tails After Stopping". Seems to have morphed into this where you can set an actual time.

Yes. See page 1401 of the latest Reference Guide.

Agreed. That would mean it must cover the official syllabus being taught in schools.

I claim ignorance. I am keen to learn from those here so that I can see the potential. Back to the OP: What details must be covered for it to be accepted/be useful in schools? Which detail can be made to work in a piano-roll, and which would need to be stand-alone notation only?