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  1. cato

    Future-proof storage upgrade recommendations?

    That's concerning! I'll have to look into that option a bit more as that's obviously something that would be a dealbreaker. With respect to your idea of USB3.2 enclosures, could you post an example of what you're thinking of that is the highest quality available? I'm interested in that route if...
  2. cato

    Future-proof storage upgrade recommendations?

    I’ve heard that people replace the fan to reduce the noise, but is it quiet enough to be able to record with it next to you? My current studio is a control room plus recording room in one!
  3. cato

    Future-proof storage upgrade recommendations?

    Hi, I'm looking to upgrade my current SSD storage (16tb Samsung EVO SSDs in a Blackmagic SSD dock) to something that is silent and portable as I'm running out of space and need to work remotely often these days. I'm on a Mac Studio M1 Ultra by the way. I've heard that a couple of OWC 4m2...
  4. cato

    Best portable Mac rig for 2022?

    This sounds like a good secondary mobile rig too - I agree that it would be good to have something a little less cumbersome for shorter journeys... thanks for the recommendations! Do you find your T7 SSD's work well while on the move? I was thinking of getting one for Spitfire BBCSO Pro while...
  5. cato

    Best portable Mac rig for 2022?

    This sounds like a good set up - looks like it's not available until March, but that should be fine as delivery of my spanking new laptop isn't until April anyway. Caldigit also have a DisplayPort-HDMI adaptor available so I could get one of those USB-C-HDMI adaptors together with a DP-HDMI one...
  6. cato

    Best portable Mac rig for 2022?

    Thought I'd continue this here rather than start a new thread as it's related to setting up a mobile rig: so, I've bought a top of the line M1 Max Macbook Pro as described in my previous message and am waiting the 6-8 weeks for it to arrive :confused:, however, I didn't do enough homework on the...
  7. cato

    Best portable Mac rig for 2022?

    Haha, this is that 'Scooby Doo' reveal moment! Thanks for the replies and apologies for the slow response, the family and I got covid so we were all offline for a bit (and being a man meant my man flu was much worse of course). Yes, it sounds like you've got a similar set up to me in terms of...
  8. cato

    Best portable Mac rig for 2022?

    I love the fact it’s being called a Mac Pro that you can put in a backpack as that’s exactly what I’m looking for - do the fans go mad when you’re running a big session? I ask as sometimes I need to record parts for an arrangement so having as quiet a system as possible would be ideal. Most...
  9. cato

    Best portable Mac rig for 2022?

    This is good to hear - what kind of DAW and VI set up do you have? I’m assuming this sort of hardware can cope with quite a lot, especially if you have separate Mac Minis for VEPro stuff? How about fan noise when you’re working?
  10. cato

    Best portable Mac rig for 2022?

    Hi there, I've been saving up for a while to purchase a replacement for my 2013 "trash can" Mac Pro that I can take with me around the world as I often travel for work. Currently, my set up is as follows which I take between 3 different humble studio set ups that have computer keyboards, mouse...
  11. cato

    Best way to export dynamic game audio seamless loops?

    Thanks @benmrx that's really useful advice. I'm new to the world of scoring games, so I'd like to get up to speed - did you learn through experience, or would you recommend any specific courses or books for things like Unity, Wwise and Fmod? I'd be keen to learn how to score for the more...
  12. cato

    Best way to export dynamic game audio seamless loops?

    That makes sense. I think as this is a small game with a single developer, it's probably best to follow your second suggestion as that will mean it still sounds good and achieves the same effect. Thanks a lot for the advice!
  13. cato

    Best way to export dynamic game audio seamless loops?

    Thanks for getting back to me @Jiffster - it looks like he's using Gamemaker for this project (https://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker) which has some pretty basic controls for the audio side of things like setting the maximum gain per track, sound fx and for the overall soundtrack. Would you still...
  14. cato

    Best way to export dynamic game audio seamless loops?

    Hi there, I'm working with a game developer at the moment and he said he wants to two layers to the music i.e. a base track and then a top layer to increase the intensity when you reach a boss in the game. As I'm mastering the audio, I'm wondering how I should go about exporting the two layers...
  15. cato

    Recommendations for Thunderbolt backup and emergency drive

    With the recommendations to keep an SSD around as a backup in case one of the SSD's fails on me, I'm starting to think it might be better to just buy another 4 x 4TB Samsung EVO's and use the OWC Thunderbay 4 Mini I have lying around as a backup drive. It would set me back a fair amount for the...
  16. cato

    Recommendations for Thunderbolt backup and emergency drive

    Thanks for all the advice so far. Are there any preferences for spinning drives that can be used as backup as well as temporary sample streaming drives? I hear Seagate IronWolf are meant to be good right?
  17. cato

    Recommendations for Thunderbolt backup and emergency drive

    Thanks for this - I actually have a Thunderbay 4 mini and it works great with my SSD's when on the road, but the larger sibling would probably make more sense for backup. The only question I have then would be whether using 4 x 4TB 7200rpm spinning drives would work as a backup that can be...
  18. cato

    Recommendations for Thunderbolt backup and emergency drive

    Hi there, I have 4 x 4tb Samsung SSD's that I use in a BlackMagic TB2 dock to house my samples and I need to buy a backup drive that I can also use for projects should the SSD's fail on me. I have a Backblaze subscription so the important stuff should be backed up on the cloud, but does anyone...
  19. cato

    Negative delays in Logic Pro X clipping start of track on bounce

    Thanks for getting back to me Christian. I thought that might be the case... I suppose another couple of approaches could be to use a negative delay on the track and then cut the first note into a new MIDI region and apply a positive delay to that. Or just render out the first note and align it...
  20. cato

    Negative delays in Logic Pro X clipping start of track on bounce

    Hi there, I wonder if someone can suggest the best way to deal with this: I'm getting a clipped sound at the beginning of my bounced tracks whenever I use negative delays on a track in Logic. It must be because the bounce is rendering a negative delay from the first midi note meaning it starts...
  21. cato

    Recycle old Mac Mini Server or buy a portable PC slave for VEPro?

    Thanks Nick, maybe you're right and it's a matter of testing the Mac Mini before I do anything else... It's a relatively powerful machine, but obviously poor in comparison to the new Mac Mini. I suppose I was looking for anyone with experience using a Mac Mini quad server like mine as a slave...
  22. cato

    Recycle old Mac Mini Server or buy a portable PC slave for VEPro?

    Hey everyone, Apologies if this has been posted before, but it seems a lot of threads refer to tower PC slaves as opposed to portable units which is what I'm interested in. I've got an old i7 quad core Mac Mini server, but I've been pointed to this unit by a good friend of mine who highly...
  23. cato

    How do you protect your studio?

    Is this the Furman you're referring to? https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Furman-PL-PLUS-C-E-Power-Conditioner/art-PAH0009127-000 And what UPS do you recommend? Thanks
  24. cato

    How do you protect your studio?

    Thanks for all the replies, useful stuff. I actually have some basic surge protectors at the moment, but I'm looking for a UPS that will help me save my work quickly (about 5-10m is all I'd need I think) as then I can just wait for the power to come back on.
  25. cato

    How do you protect your studio?

    Thanks for this John! And yes, you’re right about it being a big topic - in all honesty, I’m trying to minimise at this stage rather than cover all bases as I know that there is no limit for what you can spend on things like power surge etc protection only to tip a cup of coffee over your...
  26. cato

    How do you protect your studio?

    Hi, As my studio grows in size and value, I get more and more paranoid about things like fires, theft and particularly power issues frying my gear, so I wondered how each of you tackle these issues? My first challenge is to deal with power loss and surges, would something like this APC UPS...
  27. cato

    Scoring to picture while keeping a human feel?

    Thanks @clisma - when you draw in the tempo changes, do you just do that with your mouse? Or is there a more 'performative' way to do it like via a MIDI controller / dial? I like the idea of being able to 'play in' my tempo map as I expect the result would feel more natural...
  28. cato

    Scoring to picture while keeping a human feel?

    Does everyone just use a metronome then?
  29. cato

    Scoring to picture while keeping a human feel?

    Hi, I'm interested in how people approach scoring to picture to get a human feel and flow to their music. I use Logic and tend to record to a metronome, but then quantise my MIDI notes 'imperfectly (using the humanize function) to try and keep things a bit less rigid. The reason I do that is...
  30. cato

    Recording MU session musicians

    Hi Queb, I’d prefer not to say specific figures, but for everything (my fee included) it’s in the 4 figure range. I’d love to do this properly with MU session musicians in person as I know how talented they are and I believe in paying musicians properly wherever possible. But I suspect the...
  31. cato

    Recording MU session musicians

    Thanks for this, I’ll take a look at your site - by the way, are you related to Isobel Griffiths by any chance?
  32. cato

    Recording MU session musicians

    Thanks for getting back to me @Daryl - are there any places in particular you recommend I look at in Hungary? Would doing this with a US-based remote strings company work as well? i.e. any non-MU / UK-based set up? Also, if an MU member is offering their string services through a third-party...
  33. cato

    Recording MU session musicians

    Hi all, I'm working on a low budget feature at the moment and am really keen to record live strings (a quartet or even just a violin + cello), however, I've been warned about the complications of using Musician Union session musicians as there are minimum rates for film according to their PACT...
  34. cato

    Dealing with different film edits

    Thanks for the replies - a session per cue it is then! I also found some useful tips here for anyone else wondering how to best approach this: https://vi-control.net/community/threads/handling-cues-in-film-scoring-cubase-logic.59960/page-2
  35. cato

    Dealing with different film edits

    Hi, I'm fishing around for a better workflow for dealing with the multiple edits I often receive when working on a film. A while ago, I did some research and it seemed that there are three ways to deal with receiving a cut of a film that will inevitably change: 1) Create a project per cue...
  36. cato

    Logic X Template thoughts... bouncing etc

    Absolutely, I'll be adding in some effects that way too, although I have to be careful as I'm scoring a feature at the moment and trying to avoid using track automation but rather region automation as I find it easier to move things around. In fact, I'll start another thread on how best to...
  37. cato

    Logic X Template thoughts... bouncing etc

    Ok thanks @samphony, that makes sense. I was trying to be clever and give myself a few free bus numbers to assign each effect for the summing stacks as I went along, but as you can see in the attached screenshot, it's a mess! This is where planning and building a template comes in use I expect...
  38. cato

    Logic X Template thoughts... bouncing etc

    Thanks for this - last question before I leave you in peace: I'm assuming the order of the buses can't be changed? I'm finding that the more I add additional effects per summing stack, the more messy the list of auxes becomes... not sure if that makes sense.
  39. cato

    Logic X Template thoughts... bouncing etc

    Hi @VinRice So, I've set things up as you've mentioned - see screenshot attached - and can export stems from my summed track stacks with the effects I put onto the Summing Stack itself. Is there any way I can 'dial in' different amounts of reverb and other effects on individual tracks within...
  40. cato

    Logic X Template thoughts... bouncing etc

    Thank you @VinRice and @samphony these are great tips! I’ll also definitely take a look at groups, that sounds like a useful and powerful feature.
  41. cato

    Logic X Template thoughts... bouncing etc

    Sorry to resurrect this post, but I'm trying to find the best way to export out my stems as well. The way I work in Logic is to have single instances of instruments (no kontakt multis, literally one patch per track) and assign sends for things like reverbs, delays etc. My understanding is that...
  42. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    Hey Arwyn, That sounds like quite a large template! If you're running a 6-core Mac Pro 5.1 with that set up and are merely swapping out your main system t a 6.1 to use with a slave PC, then I doubt you'll have many problems to be honest. That said, the 256gb hd sounds a bit small if I'm honest...
  43. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    Hi Arwyn Hi Arwyn, It's holding up well actually. So far, I haven't pushed it as far as I normally do, but it's not shown any signs of struggle with quite a few instances of kontakt, omnisphere, UVI, Engine (Best Service) and Play. However, what would you consider a large template? I'd be...
  44. cato

    What is this violin technique called and is there a library for it?

    Haha, thanks for the support!
  45. cato

    What is this violin technique called and is there a library for it?

    Thanks for all the advice here, much appreciated. I didn't get the pitch in the end unfortunately as they changed direction (as is common in advertising!). Loads of ideas here that I'm going to look into though and that's really useful @Sears Poncho to see how it should be written down, thanks...
  46. cato

    What is this violin technique called and is there a library for it?

    Hi there, I was recently passed this advert as a reference for an advert I'm pitching on and wondered what the technique at around 1m08s is called? Is it something like a triplet tremolo or something? And is there a library out there that has this sort of thing in it? I was thinking Spitfire...
  47. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    To be honest, I want to install everything from scratch as my experience is that lots of things start to (inadvertently) clutter up a system over time, but it has crossed my mind as it's a pain to reinstall everything. I usually use a bit of software called Super Duper that is similar to Carbon...
  48. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    Ok, so an update: I too just got a Mac Pro late 2013 from eBay - has exactly the same specs as you @Hunter123 ! It was time and I managed to get it for £1550 + insured postage which cost me £115, so all in all, £1665 which I'm ok with. Fingers crossed it doesn't bum out on me! Hunter, if you're...
  49. cato

    Streaming samples from SSD's via a USB3 docking station?

    @christianb I just saw this. Do you know much about it and, if so, do you think this would also be a good alternative to running my SSD's on my Mac Pro mid-2010 via USB3? I'm assuming I can find an adaptor from USB-C / Thunderbolt 3 to USB3 of course...
  50. cato

    Streaming samples from SSD's via a USB3 docking station?

    I just took a look at it - looks great! Will have to try that out, not the end of the world if it doesn't work as it's only around £60. Thanks for the heads up! :)
  51. cato

    Streaming samples from SSD's via a USB3 docking station?

    Hi, quick question, how would plugging in a couple of these USB 3.0 docking stations into a Mac Pro 5,1 with my SSD drives work when it comes to working with sample instruments like Spitfire Albion in my projects? Will I come across lots of issues? Or this one...
  52. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    Hi Nick, I actually have a 5,1 Mac Pro 8-core (I left it in London as have been mainly working in Spain on the MM), but because I now run my samples off SSD’s on a Thunderbolt 2 Blackmagic Multidock and have a Thunderbolt soundcard, I’m a bit stuck with that machine as it doesn’t support...
  53. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on this @Olfirf - sounds like the 6-core I linked to above could be a good option with some OWC RAM then! It has a 512gb SSD HD although the 32gb of RAM is only 1066 MHz so spending £350 or so on 64gb of RAM would make it a decent machine for my...
  54. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    Quick question for those of you with 6,1 Mac Pro's already - I'm seeing a lot of 256gb HD MPro's on eBay (together with D300 video cards), I'm assuming I should steer clear of those as the extra space will be needed for apps and OS right? 512gb or 1tb minimum?
  55. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    A Pro Mac Mini would be great, but there's no guarantee that Apple will even bring those out from what I've been reading. One article I read also said it's possible Apple will remove them entirely from their line of products, although I think that would be a mistake. I currently have the quad...
  56. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    I see what you mean - $3,600 for a 6 core with 128gb RAM, 1TB OWC SSD and D500 video card: https://eshop.macsales.com/configure-my-mac/UAGA3LP6IXXXXXB Why don't we have those deals in the UK? Although customs would probably push that up to same as UK prices I expect.
  57. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    Thanks for all the discussion on this, it's really useful to read. I've come across two options so far, but what @Olfirf has mentioned about 12 cores being a bit rubbish has me thinking... These are two that I've come across: 6 Core Mac Pro (seems to fit the bill regarding a D500 etc. right?)...
  58. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    That's not a bad idea actually. My Mac Mini quad server has been a fantastic and portable bit of kit that's served me well, so if they deal with the loud fans issue and make it quite a bit more powerful then it could be a great interim solution. Thanks for the tip Wayne!
  59. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    I was going to go for a 6 core originally, but it seems all the refurbished options I've found are only 12 core. I could try the Apple store I guess, but I'm keen to get everything set up asap and it's a bit of a lottery on their site. I have considered them - they look fantastic. The problem...
  60. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    I agree that's it's old tech, but like @Bender-offender said, they're still super powerful... my friend is always trying to convince me to go back to PC's, but I'm so familiar with Logic and OSX now that it would be like sticking hot burning coals into my eyes to go back to Windows at this...
  61. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    That's a good point, I expect the new ones will come with a very heavy price tag, so I might not be able to afford it anyway! I'm hoping this MP trashcan will last me at least 3 years so I can earn back off the back of it.
  62. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    Sounds like it will be a good machine, but I need to to be portable enough to chuck in a bag and travel with unfortunately...
  63. cato

    A Mac Pro 6.1 as an interim solution?

    Hi, I'm in a bit of a pickle. As I have a feature film coming up that I'll be scoring in January, I need to upgrade from my current quad Mac Mini to something that is equally portable (I have a studio in London and another in Spain so need something easy to put in a rucksack). I've been...
  64. cato

    Replacement for EWQLSO Gold in 2018?

    Hi John, No apology needed at all! I appreciate your input, all valid and useful info. While I started learning music as a young whipper snapper, I've been earning a living from it for the last 5-6 years pretty much full time although I supplement it with some voice over work still. I'm quite...
  65. cato

    Replacement for EWQLSO Gold in 2018?

    I agree what what you're saying about investing in the right tools irrespective of cost for sure, especially if you're earning above the $75k mark. However, part of the struggle is identifying which tools those are before purchasing them. When there are no demo versions available of a product...
  66. cato

    Replacement for EWQLSO Gold in 2018?

    To be honest I'm also the same, I've got some libraries that I've hardly used and only bought them because I convinced myself I would be able to 'earn back' the cost by composing some tracks for a music library! Still on the digital shelf collecting dust...
  67. cato

    Replacement for EWQLSO Gold in 2018?

    Just heard the demos, the strings are superb - has Alex said a full orchestra plugin is on the cards? Or will it involve buying all the parts individually?
  68. cato

    Replacement for EWQLSO Gold in 2018?

    Thanks for all the replies! Really interesting to see demos using EWQLSO by @Jacob Cadmus and the one posted by @Heroix - they sound great. By the way Jacob, what DAW are you using there? Absolutely, and although I'm keen to get a new library to fill out the articulations I have available (and...
  69. cato

    Replacement for EWQLSO Gold in 2018?

    That's actually a good shout, the only issue is that I'm not a fan of Play (although I still use it). Composer Cloud would be a great way to test that out though for sure. Hi Jaap, sure thing, have a listen to some tracks on my website (be gentle, I've still got a long way to go with learning...
  70. cato

    Replacement for EWQLSO Gold in 2018?

    Thanks for the responses and apologies, I didn't mean to cause a rift about the sound of EWQLSO - I do like it and think it's versatile (although I definitely agree with DarkestShadow about the 5-7khz harsh / squeakiness). I suppose my issue is that when I compare it to the sound of other more...
  71. cato

    Replacement for EWQLSO Gold in 2018?

    Hi there, I've been using EWQLSO Gold Pro for a number of years now and slowly been building up my arsenal with things like the Spitfire Albion collection. I've mainly been using EWQLSO Gold for so long because it's lightweight / quick to load up and still has a semi-decent sound to it...
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