Digital Igloo (Eric Klein, YGG)

[Digital Igloo]

Even in Orvillain's Reaper example, the user is selecting one or more multitracks and bouncing/rendering them with any embedded effects and automation and the track(s)—which may have been three stacked single mono snare samples repeated 400 times starting at bar 49 with 6 plugins each and meticulous automation—are now a single long stereo file starting at bar 1 with everything burned in. Freezing tracks, on the other hand, maintains the original multitracked audio files and their EDL, plugins, and automation, which is why "Stems" is not called out for those items.

If I'm remixing a well-produced and well-mixed song, I'll ask for stems because they're easier to manage. If I'm mixing/remixing a track with vocal tuning problems, or drum timing problems, or mic bleed problems, I'll ask for multitracks so I can fix things. Oftentimes I'll want to build vocal harmonies that don't exist so I'll ask for stems of everything but the vocals, where I'll request multitracks. (It's much harder if not impossible to Melodyne vocal stems with stacked takes and/or reverb/delay burned in.)

Ten years ago, the client would know what I'm talking about. Now I have to spend 20 minutes explaining the difference between multitracks and stems, purely because of the misuse of the latter term. Mix engineers have had to push sooo many deadlines because stems were sent instead of the requested multitracks or vice versa.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

If I'm mixing/remixing a track with vocal tuning problems, or drum timing problems, or mic bleed problems, I'll ask for multitracks so I can fix things

Tbf I’d say that this is more in the realm of production than mixing, even though it can be done at the mixing stage.

Usually when I’m mixing, I’d rather carry on from where the production leaves off - if their production has created a particular drum sound or effect, I’d rather start from that (than have to recreate it and it not quite be right). Having plain unprocessed multitracks for a mix is only really useful if the producer has done a bad enough job that they can’t commit to any sounds.

Likewise, more than happy to just receive a stereo bounce of backing vocal layers or harmony stacks if it’s done well.

I don’t really like how the word stems gets banded about for all kinds of different things, but I’m also more than happy to receive groups of tracks summed together if that makes sense to work from. Quite often I’ll mix using a completely wet vocal track, or stereo drums. It’s surprising how malleable things can be even after relinquishing controls of the individual tracks.

If I was working on the production, then I’d absolutely want to full sessions, warts and all.

 

[Orvillain]

are now a single long stereo file starting at bar 1 with everything burned in

Actually no I'm pretty sure it doesn't do that. Reaper, rather unhelpfully will not merge the tracks to create your stems if you select a bunch of individual tracks. You have to folder everything that you want that, and then select the folder tracks, and then render your stems.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Reaper SucksTM

 

[Orvillain]

Reaper SucksTM

Reaper is the new standard. Welcome your Nullsoft overlords!

 

[JiveTurkey]

Reaper is the new standard. Welcome your Nullsoft overlords!

CAKEWALK4LYFE(until they start charging for it)

 

[the-trooper]

(until they start charging for it)

Soon.
No, really, they're discontinuing it.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Soon.
No, really, they're discontinuing it.

I know Luckily; the one 30 second clip I record monthly probably won't see much of a change in methodology due to that infrequent usage rate

 

[ragingplatypi]

Hey @Digital Igloo
I appreciate the interview you and Ben did with Worship Tutorials. One thing you said has been sticking in my mind for the past few days. You were hoping to see more people create original/ambient/etc tones making the most with routing and multiple effects. That’s something I’ve enjoyed doing with the Stomp.
The thing that is stuck in my mind is a memory of being really dissatisfied keyboardist in the 90’s playing workstations I was told I should love because they were powerful. After pivoting to playing primarily guitar I came across the MicroKorg and had the most satisfying 2 hours of playing it in the music store.
I wonder if there’s a space for Line 6 to do an ambient/guitar-synthy box that’s not bumping elbows with Meris and Strymon et al. The real clincher (and challenge) would be an interface that encourages quick exploration and play, like the MicroKorg.

 

[Digital Igloo]

Hey @Digital Igloo
I appreciate the interview you and Ben did with Worship Tutorials. One thing you said has been sticking in my mind for the past few days. You were hoping to see more people create original/ambient/etc tones making the most with routing and multiple effects. That’s something I’ve enjoyed doing with the Stomp.
The thing that is stuck in my mind is a memory of being really dissatisfied keyboardist in the 90’s playing workstations I was told I should love because they were powerful. After pivoting to playing primarily guitar I came across the MicroKorg and had the most satisfying 2 hours of playing it in the music store.
I wonder if there’s a space for Line 6 to do an ambient/guitar-synthy box that’s not bumping elbows with Meris and Strymon et al. The real clincher (and challenge) would be an interface that encourages quick exploration and play, like the MicroKorg.

Oh yes, that's right up my alley. If I had a million hours in the day, I'd make a bunch of videos on how to get these types of sounds out of Helix or HX Stomp right now, but I recognize how most traditional multieffects appear to overserve all but the geekiest among us.

 

[ragingplatypi]

Oh yes, that's right up my alley. If I had a million hours in the day, I'd make a bunch of videos on how to get these types of sounds out of Helix or HX Stomp right now, but I recognize how most traditional multieffects appear to overserve all but the geekiest among us.

I think you personally putting out a video, or doing a proper Line 6 video would be welcome, and open a lot of people up to the concept.

 

[Digital Igloo]

I think you personally putting out a video, or doing a proper Line 6 video would be welcome, and open a lot of people up to the concept.

I write and host most of the top-down how to videos for HX Stomp, HX Effects, etc. but apparently few people watch them. Maybe the thumbnails need a stupid facial expression and hyperbolic clickbait title?

[O face] THIS ONE TRICK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

 

[Sascha Franck]

I write and host most of the top-down how to videos for HX Stomp, HX Effects, etc. but apparently few people watch them.

They're actually not much about sound design, maybe that's why.

 

[CakeEater]

Huh; works fine here, but I didn't sit and listen for more than a few minutes. Will ask James about it.

Since 3.71 it seems like the intermittent signal dropout on S/PDIF is back. It's my most used output at home and I've only noticed it happening again in the last few weeks.

Hi, @Digital Igloo , just to follow up on this, the dropouts are definitely still happening. In my sitting room setup, my laptop connects to the Helix via USB, and my TV connects to the Helix via the stereo return 3-4. The laptop, the TV, and my guitar all go through the Helix and out through S/PDIF into my digital amp. I've heard all three drop today, not frequently, maybe once every hour, they drop as one, so it has to be the output.

 

[eggpl@nt]

[O face]

┬┴┬┴┤ ͜ʖ ͡°) ├┬┴┬┴

 

[Digital Igloo]

Hi, @Digital Igloo , just to follow up on this, the dropouts are definitely still happening. In my sitting room setup, my laptop connects to the Helix via USB, and my TV connects to the Helix via the stereo return 3-4. The laptop, the TV, and my guitar all go through the Helix and out through S/PDIF into my digital amp. I've heard all three drop today, not frequently, maybe once every hour, they drop as one, so it has to be the output.

QA asked me: What's the digital amp? Is it S/PDIF or TOSLINK with an adapter? Is there a ticket number to reference?

 

[Iron1]

This may have been covered, likely to death, but is the Catalyst the closest L6 is going to get to having a Helix Combo amp? Would love to have an L6 equivalent to the Boss Katana 50 or Fender Mustang GTX50. I get the whole "plug and play/simplicity" thing with the Catalyst, but I'd rather have an HX50 combo that blows the Katana and Fender outta the water.

 

[Stone]

I write and host most of the top-down how to videos for HX Stomp, HX Effects, etc. but apparently few people watch them. Maybe the thumbnails need a stupid facial expression and hyperbolic clickbait title?

[O face] THIS ONE TRICK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Yes DI something like this --->

 

[CakeEater]

QA asked me: What's the digital amp? Is it S/PDIF or TOSLINK with an adapter? Is there a ticket number to reference?

The amp is a NAD D7050 with a proper S/PDIF input. I'll try to rule-out other electrical interference, it did happen once when I plugged in my laptop, the whole signal including guitar and TV, but I couldn't replicate it. I'm pretty sure it's also happened when just playing.

 

[the-trooper]

This may have been covered, likely to death, but is the Catalyst the closest L6 is going to get to having a Helix Combo amp? Would love to have an L6 equivalent to the Boss Katana 50 or Fender Mustang GTX50. I get the whole "plug and play/simplicity" thing with the Catalyst, but I'd rather have an HX50 combo that blows the Katana and Fender outta the water.

Like this?