Summing this, summing that, summing, summing, summing! Bah!!
I'm now wondering if this summing "fad" has gone too far.
Let me explain how
I feel about it all...
OK, so analogue summing was a way for the ITB guys to get some glue/mojo/x-factor/inter-modulation artifact... call it what you will...
Some folks are using summing boxes or line mixers for this, all power to them.
But some folks have both a DAW and an analogue console and sooner or later the thinking seems to go like this: "Hmmm, there must be a way to get the
sound of analogue along with the
benefits of the DAW...."
And so the idea was born to edit, eq and (maybe compress) as well as automate ITB, sending "stems" out to their analogue channels where maybe some additional "key" analogue compression can also take place. Once in there the whole thing gets sent down wires and electronic components and.....presto, instant x-factor! Who needs a summing box when you've got a whole analogue console?
But hang on a minute, are you
sure this is the best way to use a hybrid of anlg console + DAW?
Why not use the
console for most of the eq, compression, fx and levelling? That's what it was
designed for, what it
excels at, right? You know, all those wires and electronic components......
Oh,
that's right, I remember why now, I forgot about the
benefits of the DAW, the editing, the automation and recall....
"Hmmm, if only I could get the
sound of analogue with the
benefits of the DAW" you ask yourself again.
Well, for those of you who haven't thought about it enough,
one way is to turn it upside down!
Yep, print every channel of your analogue mix (incl eq, dynamics, fx, faders) to a separate digital track in the DAW and sum in the box! If you use busses and direct outs, you can do this in 1 or 2 passes.
The tracks could originate from the DAW (perhaps via 2" tape) so you get original files to edit (like the ITB guys). You can still do level automation (like the ITB guys), and, because you have every channel (incl separate fx returns and paralell comps) rendered as separate digital tracks, you have total recall (like the ITB guys).
In my other High End thread
100% analogue recall! there is a discussion regarding how some of us are going about this and how certain issues are handled, but I was surprised how most folks thought this method falls down significantly due to the fact that it misses out on "analogue summing". OK, so here's my headline:
--An analogue mix captured, summed and played back as 64 "stems" in the DAW sounds equal to if not better than an analogue mix captured, summed and played back as a L and R pair (ie, analogue summed) in the DAW.--
Please, before you flame away, visit the other thread for more background, but I'd like you to return here with your thoughts on summing.
ANALOGUE FIGHTS BACK!