Re: [ARSCLIST] Digital Audio Workstation--What would you build?

[Karl Miller <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 15 Sep 2004, Miriam Meislik wrote:

> I want to recommend a small system that is suitable for student use so
> they can get a grip on the basics. So, what would your workstation look
> like?

Ask a nerd a simple question and you will get more questions...especially
if the subject is the focus of much of their time...but then your note
also suggests that you too have far more than a passing exposure to the
process...

It depends: do you prefer PC or Mac...what analog formats do you want to
cover...what is the level of your students ...what is their
background...what are your expectations...what sort of working environment
do you think they will be likely to encounter...etc.

My choices were based upon a two semester offering on the graduate
level, with restoration being a major consideration for the second semester.
My students have backgrounds with include experience in paper
consdervation, archives administration, oral history, music recording,
etc. Many of them will end up being preservation officers in libraries and
archives.

I chose what I been using for many years, ProTools. They offer free
versions of the software which will run on OS9 (Mac) and Windows 98SE and
Windows Me. Like most of the available applications, ProTools can be used
on an entry level with relatively little instruction. I have not had the
opportunity to research the learning curve of other applications. This
weekend, using my own Mbox and laptop, I will be spending an afternoon
teaching ProTools to a group of 16 year olds. I'll let you know how it goes!

For our lab here at the University, we have the 002 box, which provides
24/96 recording, plus the WAVES Audio restoration software, an OTARI
reel to reel, Tascam cassette deck, Tascam DAT, a CEDAR declicker...and, for
the moment, we are using my Genelec speakers and will be upgrading to a KAB
preamp and a CVS 16 turntable.

I see part of my mission to impress upon the graduate students, that  the
notion that the process is not just pressing a few buttons, and that an
informed technical background, at least on the supervisory level, is highly
desirable, if not essential. This has seemed increasingly important to me as
I have observed otherwise well-informed administrators dismissing the need
for technical supervision of the reformatting process.. I don't expect my
students to be that highly informed technician. That would require, at least
in my mind, far more study than two semesters of study.

I am reminded of statements like..."what's all the fuss? My grandson is
tranferring all of my old 45's to CD and he is doing a great job."

Hope this helps.

Karl