I've just finished mixing the latest CD project using the Mackie control surface for the first time. It was a children's CD with chorus and full instrumentation plus numerous solo voices. Up to 30 tracks on some songs, all done in Vegas with on-site track recorded via laptop and M-Audio 410.
So, here are my observations after this first project that was part learning and exploring the Mackie interface and part time consuming production:
1. Mackie greatly reduced mixing process over previous mouse-only mixes in my Vegas past. Once I learned how to move between banks quickly.
2. I got better as I went along with naming conventions in tracks. Since the Mackie only allows 6 characters, I learned a new (and better) shorthand. CHOVOX from child chorus, GIBSON, Giutr1, etc. Once I got the hang of what I wanted it was easy to set up.
3. The buss tracks names don't appear on the Mackie. This is annoying because AcouG (Acoustic Guitars) just gets labeled Buss B. It makes it hard to visually adjust without the mixer open. I've been assured this is being looked at to 'fix'.
4. Automated panning was fun and easier if I switched the pan to the faders by 'flipping' them. Easier and more accurate than the virtual pods. VP's were fine however for fine adjustments outside of automated moves.
5. Adjusting effects was too cumbersome on the Mackie. Easier to use windows and mouse.
6. Save button was very useful. Undo was less useful but I didn't really try it till later in the project. Opening buss tracks was useful button. I used cycle, in and out pretty regularly. RTZ (return to zero) got a lot of touches as well.
7. The 'tape' transports were very handy.
8. It was easier to make incremental adjustments with faders over mouse.
The annoying:
1. There were several times when the interface would be lost and I would have to reboot. Since Vegas rarely if ever crashes, this was a bit annoying. Most often problems came when switching between projects.
2. Faders were sometimes quirky. I'd move one to adjust the level of a track and it would come right back to where it was. Sometimes the only way to get it to adjust was to slide it all the way off and then bring it back to adjust. Buss tracks were sometimes unwilling to move to where I actually wanted them without some coaxing. This was all without automation, just track adjustments.
3. Master fader on the Mackie (in conjunction with the master buss fader in Vegas) didn't work well in general. Sometimes they would connect and sometimes not. I couldn't figure out what the reason for 'sometimes' working really was. Maybe I'll figure it out on a later project but I've got word from Sony that they are looking at it.
So, all in all it was a good investment for me. I've got a video project up next so I will see how it does with the video end. It sped up my mixes and made for a very nice interface, despite some quirks that could be easily overcome.
At this point I'd give it about an 8 of 10. If you have any specific questions, post them here.
So, here are my observations after this first project that was part learning and exploring the Mackie interface and part time consuming production:
1. Mackie greatly reduced mixing process over previous mouse-only mixes in my Vegas past. Once I learned how to move between banks quickly.
2. I got better as I went along with naming conventions in tracks. Since the Mackie only allows 6 characters, I learned a new (and better) shorthand. CHOVOX from child chorus, GIBSON, Giutr1, etc. Once I got the hang of what I wanted it was easy to set up.
3. The buss tracks names don't appear on the Mackie. This is annoying because AcouG (Acoustic Guitars) just gets labeled Buss B. It makes it hard to visually adjust without the mixer open. I've been assured this is being looked at to 'fix'.
4. Automated panning was fun and easier if I switched the pan to the faders by 'flipping' them. Easier and more accurate than the virtual pods. VP's were fine however for fine adjustments outside of automated moves.
5. Adjusting effects was too cumbersome on the Mackie. Easier to use windows and mouse.
6. Save button was very useful. Undo was less useful but I didn't really try it till later in the project. Opening buss tracks was useful button. I used cycle, in and out pretty regularly. RTZ (return to zero) got a lot of touches as well.
7. The 'tape' transports were very handy.
8. It was easier to make incremental adjustments with faders over mouse.
The annoying:
1. There were several times when the interface would be lost and I would have to reboot. Since Vegas rarely if ever crashes, this was a bit annoying. Most often problems came when switching between projects.
2. Faders were sometimes quirky. I'd move one to adjust the level of a track and it would come right back to where it was. Sometimes the only way to get it to adjust was to slide it all the way off and then bring it back to adjust. Buss tracks were sometimes unwilling to move to where I actually wanted them without some coaxing. This was all without automation, just track adjustments.
3. Master fader on the Mackie (in conjunction with the master buss fader in Vegas) didn't work well in general. Sometimes they would connect and sometimes not. I couldn't figure out what the reason for 'sometimes' working really was. Maybe I'll figure it out on a later project but I've got word from Sony that they are looking at it.
So, all in all it was a good investment for me. I've got a video project up next so I will see how it does with the video end. It sped up my mixes and made for a very nice interface, despite some quirks that could be easily overcome.
At this point I'd give it about an 8 of 10. If you have any specific questions, post them here.