The DijonStock Yamaha AW16G, AW1600 & AW2400 digital recording support forum

Hey everyone. New to this forum. Been lurking for a bit and have learned alot. I am a beginner when it comes to digital recording which is why I am here.
My band and I have been using my AW1600 and have been pretty happy with the results. We would like to record a studio quality EP and have been looking into getting an interface, PC and probably Sonar. I have been looking at interfaces (most notably PreSonus FireStudio).

My ACTUAL question is if we could use the AW1600 in place of The FireStudio? From my eyes, as the AW1600 can be connected to a PC, could we not just use it as the interface into the PC and to record our tracks onto a software program?

Clearly, I am a noob. But any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hi GH,

First, welcome to the forum.

To do that, you would need a high-end audio card for your PC. My question, personally, would be: why do that when the AW1600 has excellent AD convertors, in 24 bit. You can always use the AW1600 for recording and transfer your tracks to a PC. Using guide tracks, the number of tracks are unlimited - the only limit is the processing capacity of the computer you use. The AW1600 can hold 6 tracks in 24 bit (if memory serves correctly), so more than enough room for a guide track and a few track that you use as a proxy for the PC.

I'm sure more people will come along and share their thoughts. These were just mine.

The AW1600 cannot be used as an audio interface to a PC. I.e., it does not feed live audio into a PC via USB. It can only transfer already recorded WAV audio files (both ways).

You could use it as a mixer and feed the stereo audio result to the PC by either analog or digital. However, you would still need some sort of audio interface on the PC.

As Robbie said, you can always record your tracks on the AW1600 and then transfer them into the PC via USB and mix them with a multitrack audio program (vs. mixing on the AW1600).

The AW1600 will handle 8 tracks in 24 bit.

Welcome to the forum!

Ah, 8. Thanks Ralph.

Ralph, would it be possible that our new friend wants to use the faders etc as a control board only? So, the actual recording is done by the PC, but he controls the PC software using the AW1600 through MIDI - would that be technically possible?

Using the AW1600 faders to control the software faders in a program like Sonar is possible. You need either a "regular" MIDI connection or a USB MIDI connection. I messed around with it using the PC Cubase LE program that comes with the AW1600. In fact, you can set it up so that the PC program will record the AW1600 fader movements. I sent the fader movements back to the AW1600 while doing a mix, but I think the recorded fader movements could also be used while do a PC mix. However, I've never tried it.

The AW1600 can also control other things on the PC, like Start, Stop, etc . Not sure of the overall possibilities.

mrskygod has done a lot of this, I think, using his Yammy AW units.

Hey guys. Thanks alot for the quick answers. They have been helpful.
The reason I want to go the PC route is because of the number of tracks I can use. We recorded some demos and didn't like having to bounce so much to keep free tracks open for other parts. For example, I recorded my drums using 7 tracks,EQed and mixed them, and then recorded them to the stereo track and then bounced onto 2 open tracks. I just found you don't have enough control of your mix that way, as your basically stuck with what you originally mixed before bouncing.

So if I am understanding correctly.. I CAN record the tracks onto the AW1600 and THEN transfer onto PC and use a software program (Sonar,Pro Tools) to EQ, add Effects, Compression and do all the mixing on the PC? Basically I wanna be able to use unlimited tracks without the need to bounce.

I open I haven't really confused anyone. I know what I wanna do, but am not great at conveying that on the internet. Thanks in advance.
GutterHoney

Yes you can do that.

You could record a guide track onto two tracks (for instance 1&2 for stereo, but that's not mandatory obviously), and use the remaining tracks (3 to to:

- add a few parts to 3 to 8
- send the added parts to PC
- clear up the tracks 3 to 8 of the added parts
- repeat the process until you have all tracks on PC.

use every track on the 1600..use it all up..then transfer all to pc. then, if you still need overdubs after utilizing all 8 tracks and stereo pairs, add the rest of the overdubs and/or submixes of different groups of instruments (creative time) internally on the pc mixing software.
Unless it's an orchestra, this should work, though I haven't tried it...yet

Hi GutterHoney,
With a little planning and using PC for mixdown, U could get plenty of tracks for mixdown, ALL recorded on AW. This would be much easier and faster in 16bit recording mode, but U say U want 24bit. No problem, just a little more planning.
U can record max 16x8 total virtual tracks in 16bit (=8x8 in 24bit I guess).
The only limitation is monitoring: u can only hear 16 (active) tracks at once (that's 8 in 24bit).

So, hope Robbie won't mind, I will do few modifications to already good suggestion:

I think there's no need for sending to PC many times between recordings. It's also not very practical. U can send ALL rec tracks to PC at the end of rec session, but max 16 active tracks at the same time (=probably 8 at 24bit). That's not a problem, U will just repeat sending with other virtual tracks, just make sure they are all in sync.
Now, back to recording: U can make stereo guide track like Robbie wrote, or U can do little planning in advance, without bouncing. Just record first 8 tracks and make sure few of them are good guide-monitoring source for later parts.
For example, use 1-4 tracks for guide/monitoring, and at virtual tr positions 5-8 change active tracks to 2nd position. This gives u room for next 4 tracks recording (5-8). U can repeat this enough times and with little planning U can max record 8x8 24bit tracks which can all be used in mixdown, if U transfer all of them to PC. The only limitation when recording is monitoring only 8 of them at the same time on AW, but if that bothers U, U can still do rough premixes with bouncing and preserve original tracks for mixdown on PC.
Now, the real question is... is 64 24bit tracks recorded on AW enough for your band...?

Every good idea needs a new idea.

Thanks again guys! I like the idea of recording onto the AW and THEN transferring to PC for mixing and stuff. Glad I can use the AW and save like 500 bucks instead of buying a new interface. I will be putting that cash towards some more mics .

So now I need some suggestions for recording software. I've been looking at the main ones, (PRO TOOLS, Sonar,, Reason) Anyone have any experience with these or other programs?. I'm looking for something thats easy to use, but has everything I will need.

Thanks in advance!

Yes, this is a way to go, rec on AW and mix on PC.
There's a lot of options in rec software world, the ones U mentioned, Logic, Cubase... But Reason is more like synth/sampler program and not really for audio recordings. They developed other prg for this, but haven't tried it yet.
First try few demo programs and decide which user interface suits you best.
There's one program very popular lately, a little different, not hungry at system memory, but very powerful in options: REAPER. Check on net, it has great support, excellent forum (almost as good as this one.. )

This will also save you more money for mics.

As you learn and discover, don't discard the idea of "cutting your teeth" by developing a song(s) completely within the AW - from the tracking > (minor) editing > mix. the AW does provide some facilities to polish ("master"). but for serious mixes this is perhaps best done within another platform. but for demos and recordings for archival/family/friends the AW allows complete production.

Learning the machine for purposes of production (post tracking) will really reveal to you some realities about your tracking habits - and build your skills in this area, as you come to understand the power of compression, expansion EQ etc., and how they are applied to a mix of solidly recorded tracks.

Additionally, mixing within the box creates a hard limit as to the track count / EFFect busses - forcing you to do more with less. Mixes can get awfully busy, and the temptation is to add, rather than subtract when working with the seemingly unlimited resources available within computer based platforms. Working "within the box" is certainly worthwhile as you build your skills, IMO

Yes, I forgot to mention the most important thing, tnx JM

.... wise words from Byron! I can underscore every word Byron wrote!

Andreas

Hi and welcome. Once you decide on your computer software, you can easily record on the 1600 as everyone mentions. While this might be a little more time consuming, you can record 8 of your tracks (the mono ones) and take the individual .wav files and load them onto 8 tracks of your computer software. Then record another 8 and move them to the next 8 tracks of your software and on and on. Because you can zoom in tight on each .wav file on your computer, lining up the beginning of each file will be pretty easy to do.

Once you are done, you'll have all your individual tracks loaded on your computer. This way you can fiddle around with the levels of each track as well as any dynamics, eq and panning. Granted you could do this with the Yammie and it works great, however, computers can offer you a bit more flexability.

Just a thought.