PreSonus Blog

OBEDIA’s new video on Quantization in Studio One

November 30,2012

Category Studio One | 0 Comments »
Posted by Bellsauce


San Diego Troubadour on PreSonuSphere

November 29,2012

[Sven-Erik Seaholm, Executive Wordsmith over at San Diego Troubadour, flew out to Baton Rouge for PreSonuSphere and created a nice writeup on his experience.]

As my flight lifts off from the Baton Rouge runway, a silvery trickle of sunlight glints along the plane’s wing (of which I have a perfect view) and suddenly splashes into my eyes with the blinding sting of organic hotel shampoo. Lying back, I think about the events from the last two days and wonder if I’ll ever be able to digest all of the info and experiences I feasted on like Thursday’s jambalaya…

Regular readers of this column know that in addition to the techniques and philosophies discussed here, we also cover a lot of different gear from a variety of manufacturers. Microphones to headphones, keyboards to plug-ins; if it helps you make better music and recordings we try to cover it. That said, there are a few companies whose products have been featured here numerous times. None more so than those from PreSonus (www.presonus.com).

Most recently, we looked at their StudioLive 16.0.2 mixer and StudioOne 2 digital audio workstation software. We highlighted these particular products for three specific reasons: the amount of power being placed into the hands of the “average” musician or recordist, the company’s very reasonable price points and the ingenuity and elegance with which their solutions are rendered.

When I heard they were hosting a two-day event called PreSonuSphere, an interactive conference where users would not only attend information-drenched presentations and receive hands-on training with PreSonus’ line of mixers and software solutions, but would actually be able to interact with the developers of these products as well, I knew I had to go.

[More after the jump. Read the complete article over at San Diego Troubadour.]

Category Uncategorized | 0 Comments »
Posted by Bellsauce


We’re Hiring a Web Content Coordinator.

November 28,2012

We’ve got an extra seat to fill here in the PreSonus office in Baton Rouge. Perhaps it’s a good fit for you!

Web Content Coordinator

Job Description

PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc., is a leading designer and manufacturer of audio-recording software, hardware, and related accessories. PreSonus’ software, microphone preamps, signal processors, digital audio interfaces, mixers, control surfaces, and other products are used worldwide for recording, sound reinforcement, broadcast, sound design, and Internet audio. The Web Content Coordinator does exactly that:  Coordinates (and sometimes originates) content for www.presonus.com by working with all contributors including in-house writers and art directors, Social Media Manager and outside PR and Artist Relations firms.  The Coordinator is in charge of making sure that all content on the site is correct and that new content is posted in a timely manner.  The WCC will also constantly monitor the site for problems.  Initially, the WCC will serve as Project Manager for the transfer of all current content from the old site to the upcoming new site.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Monitor the site for:
    • Broken links
    • Missing or out-of-date downloads
    • Typographical errors
    • Obsolete content
    • Loading problems, DOS attacks, hacking
  • Oversee the addition of content to the site including
    • New products and updated product copy for existing products
      • Work with Creative Director and Writer
    • Updated downloads
      • Work with Production Art Director and freelance Documentation Project Manager
      • Work with QA staff
    • Videos
      • Work with Video Designer and outside video sources
    • Artist Spotlights including basic image enhancement in Photoshop
      • Work with the Communications Manager and Artist Relations
    • Sales Promotions
      • Work with VP of Sales and International Sales Director
  • Monitoring and reporting
    • Monitor and report site traffic trends on a weekly basis
    • Monitor and report sight navigation patterns on a monthly basis
    • Evaluate e-blast responses
  • Banner coordination
    • Maintain database of paid site requirements
    • Work with Marketing Coordinator and Creative Director to implement banner campaigns start to finish
    • Evaluate click-through rates after each campaign or monthly

Desired skills

  • Assist freelance Documentation Project Manager and outside translators in preparing a plan and budget for site localization in ES, DE and FR
  • Work with outside translators and Web Designer/Programmer to execute localization plan

Qualifications

  • Microsoft Office:  Word, some Excel experience
  • Must be willing to learn advanced PowerPoint skills
  • E-mail systems
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Basic HTML experience a must.  Does not need to be proficient but needs to be a good problem solver.
  • Must work well with others
  • Must have a strong sense of organization and the ability to achieve deadlines
  • Knowledge of recording and musical instruments

Job Location: Baton Rouge, LA

 Please send resume to resumes@presonus.com, ATTN: Job Opportunities or fax to (225) 216-9621 (Attn: Job Opportunities).

Category Jobs | 7 Comments »
Posted by Bellsauce


The Studio Channel Shines Like Some Kind of Heavy Metal!

November 27,2012

Check out the latest heavy metal recorded via the PreSonus Studio Channel from @guitarist_facts!

Category Studio Channel | 0 Comments »
Posted by Bellsauce


Charlton Combs—PreSonus at Home, PreSonus on the Road.

November 27,2012

[This just in from Charlton Combs of CombsAudio.]
Hey PreSonus!
I am currently on tour as the front of house engineer for the Sounds of Liberty, which is a vocal-driven worship group. We have six main vocalists, a seventh who plays rhythm guitar, plus drums, bass, keys, and lead guitar. We play at events such as the March for Life in D.C. which brings in over 200,000 people, large houses of worship such as the Brooklyn Tabernacle, Prestonwood Baptist Church, and other large religious events such as the Southern Baptist Convention. We also have played many of the pre-debate parties in this current election—we do everything from political events to houses of worship with several thousand to several hundred. We travel with our own gear. I own a multi-track rack outfitted with strictly PreSonus gear.
I use PreSonus interfaces on the road and they have never let me down. The XMAX preamps are second to none as far as quality, sound, dynamic range, and price point. The overall quality of the units are impressive, the build quality is solid, all connections are sturdy, and most importantly, they are straightforward to use. I have never been in a situation where I have experienced driver issues or any other connectivity problems. This is a key point for me, since many times I find myself in a situation where a quick load- in and setup is necessary—the last thing I need is to have a driver let me down or not be able to connect the units to my laptop! I use three FireStudio Projects in tandem directly to PreSonus Studio One Professional 2 software.
The sound of the XMAX preamps is where I really fell in love. The preamps are true to the source, and replicate exactly what the microphone is giving me. Microphone choice and placement are key factors in my audio methods, and it’s comforting to know that the time and work I put into choice and placement will not be skewed by the preamps. The A/D converters also aid this pure sound, and I have yet to experience any jitter or harmful latency in my live recordings.
Finally, the dynamic range of these units is impressive, I can capture subtle pluckings and nuances of an acoustic guitar, and still have plenty of headroom for a full out chord strum. It also shows on vocals, I can go from a sweet and delicate solo, to a full out belting chest voice of singer with headroom to spare.
Overall, these units can’t be beat, and I trust my most important audio captures to PreSonus.
Thanks,
Charlton Combs

Category User Stories | 1 Comment »
Posted by Bellsauce


Swampgrease II Mastering: PreSonus LIVE Nov. 27

November 26,2012

Tune in and win on Tuesday!

Join us LIVE from Oak Street Studios in New Orleans to watch Terence Higgins’ Swampgrease II album get mastered in Studio One!

PreSonus LIVE airs Tuesday, Nov 27
2 p.m. CST / 3 p.m. EST / Noon PST / GMT -6
www.presonus.com/videos/presonuslive

 

Category PreSonus LIVE | 0 Comments »
Posted by Bellsauce


Scott Szeryk Opines on the StudioLive

November 25,2012

[This just in from Scott Szeryk, composer, six-string virtuoso and Royal Conservatory of Music gradate!]

“Since switching over to the PreSonus StudioLive 24.4.2 Scott Szeryk has never sounded better in the studio or on the stage…  Szeryk’s latest release “Guitar Manifesto” is evidence of just how good the PreSonus Studio Live sounds!” Give it a listen!

Since the mid-90s, I had been using the Tascam M3500 as my main mixing desk for the home studio, but was becoming a bit weary of its compatibility with modern-day recording setups.   When I heard how great the XMAX preamps sounded on a StudioLive, I was instantly sold.  Not to mention the insane power and functionality of the board, especially for live FOH!  Changing over to the StudioLive 24.4.2was an easy, practical decision…The StudioLive not only shines in the studio but also in live applications!  We were able to do spot- on monitor checks, even before the band had arrived at the venue for sound check, by playing back program material from shows previously recorded in Capture. The integration of Universal Control also meant that the onstage players could also control their own monitor mix via iPad SL Remote.   There were a few times when we were able to Mix FOH on the iPad when there was a less-than-ideal location for the board at the venue. We rely heavily on the PreSonus StudioLive for recording all of our shows.  Check out the latest DVD “Scott Szeryk live at Aeolian Hall!”

 

I’m totally into big, awesome guitar sounds but my favorite instrument to record is drums. I love  capturing all aspects of the drum set with the right mics, and experimenting with their creative possibilities. When working with the whole kit, I’m adamant on new skins top and bottom and experimenting with different tunings—how the top head is tuned in relation to the bottom head in particular.
As a starting point, I also like to have the toms tuned in fourths. I have favorite mics for certain drums. An SM57 will always sound great on the snare top, and a nice condenser mic on the bottom to blend in some of the articulation. Shure KSM 32 or 44 on the Toms, and AKG 414 for overheads…   A good sounding room is a must and does make a huge difference in the way the drums sound…   I will also add in room mics to add some cushion and depth into the drum mix…   Like anything if the drums sound great in the room and the drummer is playing well you can get great results with basic micing, but not the other way around…  Using a photography analogy, if the talent is not looking good and the lighting is poor, you can have the greatest camera in the world and the results will be poor…
It’s not about having the best gear, it’s about a great performance and knowing your gear.  What I love about the PreSonus StudioLive is just how great the XMAX preamps sound. We actually did a comparison with some API and Neve preamps, and the difference was extremely minimal when the tracks were soloed. I use minimal compression on the snare and kick, just to even the attack out. I apply minimal EQ to remove some of the boxy frequencies inherent with kick drum and toms.  If the room sounds great I will not use reverb, so the drums are kept pretty simple.  It’s all up to the musicians to deliver a top notch performance. I’m not into samples. if the drums don’t sound good, it’s because they don’t sound good at the source, so we will change things up until the sounds are great, once again at the source.

Category StudioLive 24.4.2 | 4 Comments »
Posted by Bellsauce


Check Out This Sweet Gig Log

November 24,2012

Austin’s Matt Langel has been posting kick-ass vlogs of his experience with the PreSonus StudioLives. His most recent vid offers an exceptional fly-on-the-wall view of his sound check process at a noisy club. Any of you interested in checking out a real-world application of the StudioLive series mixers should take a close look at how quickly Matt is able to check a full rock band: applying compression, adding gates, EQing, and routing his subs like he’s sprinkling pixie dust. Matt, thanks for sharing!

Category Uncategorized | 0 Comments »
Posted by Bellsauce


Lynn Fuston Presents: The iPad Chronicles

November 22,2012

Lynn Fuston, head honcho over at 3D Audio, posits a compelling question.

 ”Would it be possible to assemble a system that could record 16 inputs onto a multitrack for under $2000?”

The answer is… well, read for yourself. It’s a bit of a lengthy thread but well worth the time. SPOILER ALERT: His solution involves and iPad and the AudioBox 1818VSL.

 

Here’s a highlight:

"I ran a test last night. 16 tracks at 24/96. Recorded for a minute. Added another 16 in record for a minute while playing back the first 16. Then added 5 more stereo tracks. Hit record. Then added 6 more stereo tracks. Hit record. 

Several observations:

1) This is not real world because we don't record 1 minute songs.
2) CPU usage at its highest never exceeded 30%. There are CPU and Disk Space Usage meters right on the front of the mixer.
3) I got "Low Memory" messages at least four times, so I finally quit every other app BUT Auria. That seemed to eliminate the problem.
4) It only bailed on a recording one time, and that was when I had the buffer set to 128. I upped it to 256 and it seemed fine. By then I was playing back 42 tracks at 24/96 and recording 12 more.

I considered doing a stress test and recording for a long duration but file management using iTunes, at least to someone accustomed to using a computer, seems like a real headache. I'm going to wait to do that test until after I finish my actual music recording. I don't want to fill up the drive with huge empty files.

Like the guy at the Apple store told me, "the iPad is designed for GATHERING information." Fascinating. In the big picture, I think he's right. It's a content-vacuum. Videos, pictures, audio: it's designed to collect info. It's really easy to import stuff into an iPad. Exporting (apart from tossing it into iTunes), not so much. So far, it seems like the recording will be the easy part. At least to this seasoned pro who is accustomed to using multiple backup drives and backup utilities like SyncPro and drag and drop file management."

Read the entire thread over at 3D Audio! There’s some great mobile recording opportunities with this setup…

 

Category User Stories | 0 Comments »
Posted by Bellsauce


Improvised Instruments FTW

November 21,2012

Good morning. Improvised performances are one thing, but how do you feel about improvised instruments?

I ask because I think they’re really funny. I lost it the balloon solo around 0:40.

Category Just for Fun | 1 Comment »
Posted by Bellsauce