Recording with Peavey Mixers

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Peavey Pro
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Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by Peavey Pro » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:03 pm

We need a resource for all of us to share and swap Ideas, what works and what doesnt so this is the place to come and share Ideas, lets all get in here and share whats we are using and what we are trying etc...

My Current recording setup consist of two mixers, A older RQ 24 Channel and a PV 14USB...

I also have a splitter snake that lets me get my own mix, not a board room mix and thats a key part of getting a good recording, Board Mixes will always be whats happening in the ROOM, not so good for recording. So a good splitter is a must, You can build a passive splitter pretty easily that will allow you to get each Instrument, Vocal etc and then MIX into your two tracks master.

I use Sonys Sound Forge Media Studio as a two track reording platform with an external Lacie 7200 RPM HD...Laptop HP 9600 Pentium 4, 2 Gigs of Ram, pretty much a beast that will handle the Digital needs easily, I plug the PV14USB Straight into the Laptop and it works very well.
There are as many formats of Software as there are ANTS, Audacity, Pro Tools, Sony, Ableton etc
I would say it depends on your skill at this and with computers, Mackie has Traction which is a easy to use program, many of the USB/Firewire based recording interfaces come with starter paks of Cakewalk LE or Digidesigns Pro Tools LE, The starter software will almost always need upgrading if you want any flexibility, I suggest you buy the full program for the most Tools/Plugins etc.

I also have a Tascam DR-1 that Is a cool little digital recorder that I can take the Outputs of the Mixer and drive right into the DR1, It uses SD Cards as the recording media and with a 2 Gig card I get almost 4 Hours of CD Quality on.

I almost always will put a pair of Large Format condensers, such as Peaveys Studio Pro M2 into the room to get room ambience and Audience applause.

I would like to see Peavey offer a program to go along with the PV/FX mixers and make it easier for the Home/Garage guys to get involved. The USB port goes along way but without the software tools etc you still have a limited experience recording to MEMSTICKS etc.

So lets start sharing tips and tricks here on recording. I hope youll all chime in, ask questions and lets help each other LEARN AND BURN !!!!
Don Lanier
Pearl Pro Audio
http://www.pearlproaudio.com
Facebook.com/Pearl Pro Audio

Josjor
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by Josjor » Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:58 am

OK. Here's my tip of the day:

I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer and I'm cheap. Most commercial software is pretty expensive and a lot of it is pretty confusing as well. So here is a good, free software program that is incredibly easy to use and gives a pretty danged good recording ability with multitrack capabilities:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

I've actually done some pretty cool recordings with this, even some radio commercials for my store. It passed muster with the radio engineers so can't be to bad.
www.yandasmusic.com
Don't believe me. I'm just guessing.
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by Peavey Pro » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:05 am

Audacity is very cool FREE program and does work and is a good place to begin your recording career, Same program I had before I bought Ableton Live and realized quickly it was way over my head and more suited to DJs etc...great for LOOPs and Making your own DJ stuff.....I treid Mackies Traction, and now I use the Sony programs....Im more into recording bands live then doing Studio stuff.

Audacity has a BLOG that you can go into and get advice and help on using the program also and thats a big help for the beginner. :idea:
Don Lanier
Pearl Pro Audio
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by johnny810 » Wed Oct 22, 2008 6:11 am

Just listing what I use for recording I have a PV14USB and if I just want 2 tracks I use the usb direct to my MAC and use garage band 08 this program has lots of features, a lot more than most people think and is very easy to use. If I'm recording more tracks I use a presonus inspire I connect the control room out to inputs 3 and 4 than use the Inputs 1 and 2 which are combo 1/4 and xlr inputs for two seperate mic inputs and have had excellent results. I just got a presonus fire studio that has eight inputs I intend to record with this by using this interface connected to the channel inserts on the PV14usb by inserting the 1/4 cables only one click in this should send individual signals to the fire studio and allow me to record 8 tracks at one time, I'll let you all know how it works. Most of the time I like the usb its quick needs no set up and just plain works if you want some to record two mono tracks just pan left and right as usb is a 2 send 2 receive format.

Rock642
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by Rock642 » Mon Dec 01, 2008 8:08 pm

For $99 at Fry's I got "SONAR Home Studio 6" It' has more stuff on there than I use in the next 5 to 10 years. :D
That is for a personal home set up.
VTM 60, 412MS, C30, Rage 158, PV6 & Predator

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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by Peavey Pro » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:51 pm

Thats the key is to get the right software as many of us just dont need all these features and things, Most guys are happy with a Two Track, some want to Bounce and Mix multitrack, its all easy if you have the Time. Ive recently invested in the New Tascam 8 Channel Interface/s, Ive now got 16 channel of recording and using the Sony or the Pro Tools programs Im actually starting to get good at this, and Im planning on getting another 8 channels so we can offer 24 track Live Mobile recording to Pro Tools.

Or recording direct to my Tascam DR-1 works really good and is simple to burn CDs etc. If Im archiving Church programs the DR-1 is the machine I want, It records to a SD Card and with a 4 Gig SD card you can record for HOURS....You can also record the entire band using Direct Line Input, or the built in Condenser mics, Coming right out of my mixers L/R I recently did a CSNY Tribute band and it came out fabulous. When your done you simply plug this into your USB port on your computer and Burn the CD.

Just like using the JumpDrive but its got so much more capacity and can give Hours and Hours of REC time.

If you want to get a great book about the Pro Tools recording you can buy the same book they use at the Berklee School of Music,
Producing in the Home Studio,Third edition
David Franz....

There are other great books on AMAZON, or at the PLSN Bookshelf and the Berklee School of Music has a great online Pro Tools class, and your local Colleges are offereing these classes as well. :idea:
Don Lanier
Pearl Pro Audio
http://www.pearlproaudio.com
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Roger Crimm
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by Roger Crimm » Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:24 pm

I am going to sticky this one, since recording questions seem to come up a lot.

I will add this doc concerning recording with USB drives:


USB Memory sticks and Peavey products


Some user are experiencing problems with their FX mixer or VSX processor
And their USB jump drives (memory sticks).

The primary cause of this is using so called “smartdrives” and those that contain schemes like U3 pre-installed on them. This is because these drives have two partitions on them and a hidden system file that “autolaunches” when plugged into the USB port. This problem is well documented on the WWW on such sites as Wikipedia. Peavey products run their own operating system and the launch of these programs will cause them to crash and become unresponsive.

In order to use one of these sticks in a Peavey product this hidden file and extra partition must be removed. U3.com provides a Windows program to un-install it from the stick. There may also be newer information available by doing a Google search for “U3 uninstall”. We also recommend that you remove any other “free” programs that came with your memory stick.

Unfortunately from Win XP and on you can no longer “f disk” your USB stick to completely clean it. There may be external utility programs that do a better job and a quick Google search may help here too.

Memory sticks implementation is constantly being changed by manufacturers and strict compliance with USB 2.0 conventions seems to be a matter of interpretation. Sticks from Sandisk, Memorex and Ativa seem to have the most problems and are not recommended at this time. The U3 website has a constantly changing list of smartdrives and we recommend that you avoid using them.


In order to work with Peavey products memory sticks should be cleanly formatted FAT and be less than 4 gigs in size. Remember that the larger the memory the longer it will take for the FX mixer to recognize it and prepare it for recording and storage of recorded files. Loss of your data will occur if the stick is removed before it has time to do all the housekeeping. Please wait until the record light cycles off. Shorter sized sticks are far easier to work with. It is also important to give the units about 30 seconds when first plugging a drive into them to allow for handshaking. If you start sending commands before this process has been completed you may freeze up the unit.
Roger Crimm
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scottc
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by scottc » Thu Jan 01, 2009 1:13 pm

Thanks Roger,

A majority of the problems are like you mentioned are the mem sticks.
I use the PNY 1GB sticks. I have had the least problems with them,in fact no problems at all. Uninstall the U3 programs from their website and they become a plain ole mem stick in just a matter of a few clicks from the mouse,and it removes everything. Some of the office supply stores used to sell cheap plain mem sticks with nothing on them, but now about all you can find have the U3 & smartdrive programs.
Never tried a sony but I have the Sandisk and I will agree with what Roger stated, Problems!!!

Also, if your are using alot of the programmed features of the FX mixers, you may not be able to record because too much CPU is being used.

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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by Peavey Pro » Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:20 pm

I believe it was a great Idea when they put this USB ports onto these mixers but there simply isnt a good way to record large files using these mixers other then going to an external Computer or Digital recorder. Im hoping that Peavey will continue to refine these issues and soon come out with a simplified way to do these recordings using larger recording mediums or sticks. Ive used the PC recording and the DR-1 Tascam Digital recorder, frankly the DR-1 is the easiest and fastest way to do great board recordings and you can use up to a 4 gig SD Card to make up to 8 hours of Digital recordings.

While the USB Ports work to go out to your PC and record, your recording time is limited by the smaller sticks, although a 1 gig stick will do a very nice demo, or for break music for bands or Audio Visual Music etc.

I think also its only prudent when you go to do a recording that you make sure the stick, or card is clean, formatted and empty of ANY other program or recording, this will make your final burning of the recording easier too.

Ive found the PV 20 USB Mixers with the Onboard digital effects work absolutely great for doing Live band recordings and better yet if you create a passive splitter you can then share the same Mics as the PA board but MIX your LIVE CD to disc and it simply sounds as if it were created in a Big Bucks recording studio.

Ive recently built a recording rig for a church using Multiple HD and CD Burners using Sonys Audio Media studio software using the USB out from a Sanctuary Series Board and they burn to the Hard Drives and then burn five discs at a time for distribution to the disabled and infirm or visitors.
Don Lanier
Pearl Pro Audio
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scottc
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by scottc » Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:41 pm

Glad you clarified that Don, I didnt explain myself to well.Thanks.
When I was saying I use the 1GB mem stick, I'm not doing alot of recording.
I use my mem stick on the FX mixer to record certain things at practice which dosent require alot of memory and for that purpose works ok and I use it on my VSX to store settings. If I was doing more recording such as an entire show or something that would require alot of time or memory,I couldnt do it on a mem stick.

CajunPlayer
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by CajunPlayer » Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:56 pm

In six weeks I start construction on a Project Studio/Work Shop. The plans are for a 20' x 20' building with a 10' ceiling height.
If everything goes well, I'll have the PV 14 USB mixer and a PV CS 1400 power amp.
The software is computer driven Cubase LE 4 - It is a big step up from the Cubase LE of two years ago. Depending on how the money holds out, I'll get the Cubase Essential suite.

Please keep this thread alive... I will need all the help I can get. Currently I have a Presonus Fire Box with 4 in and 4 out... via Firewire. For the quick stuff, I use a Zoom H4.

What does everyone thing about the Peavey Condenser Mics? I need a couple of good condensers and again there will be a money issue.

thanks,
Robert
Rocking the Old World
A Geezer and simply astonished that I am alive!
Love to play, Love to play loud sometimes

jon
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by jon » Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:17 am

Hello. I have an FX 16 and am trying to record via usb (B port) to digital performer ver 5. While Performer sees and records from the Peavey the audio comes back "very" distorted and over driven sounding. I'm monitoring from the headphone out on the FX16. Also, even if the signal I send is very low, it "still" comes back distorted. I have played with all the levels I can find in DP% and the mixer, including the one in the digital display of the board itself but nothing seems to work.. I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have.
Thanks!
Jon

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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by jim h » Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:24 am

While we don't have a list of drives that are known to work, I can tell you one that definitely doesn't.

http://www.lexar.com/jumpdrive/jd_360.html

This one will not only not work, it will lock up your mixer until the power is reset.

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JohnT
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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by JohnT » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:39 pm

I have been having good luck with cheap Kingston DataTravler in the 1 or 2 Gb size. the 4 Gb has not worked but I get many hours of storage time. One trick that I use is to label the master recordings by reverse date so the computer sorts them for me. "090327s is a service on 27April 2009 and a W is for a weding and F for a Funeral. I had a few problems with the flash drives until I noticed that I could not have other recordings in various formats on the Flash drives. It seems they nust be blank, or contain ONLY the default 49000 bps files that the Mixer uses. This works for me.
All choices have consequences!
Not to choose is also a choice

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Re: Recording with Peavey Mixers

Post by johne149 » Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:51 am

if you are trying to record on flash drive with peavey fx if your cpu is higher than 60% your mixer will show that it is recording and the file will be on your flash drive but no audio to get your cpu useage down you have to cut some features off to get cpu below 60% i just use a reverb and graphic eq
in stereo mode my cpu is down arround 49%

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