Dream Theater's The Dance of Eternity

How Mike lay it out

Cho may guitar gods tai Vietnam, phan 1

Truoc het so sanh PRS voi Strat.



Di tour nha may cua PRS



Zack Wylde cho Mini Marshal stack.



Ok, Zeek Overdrive test!

The 'Transient' behind SYG drum sound

Till this day, whenever I travel to Vietnam and meet up with my musician friends there. The same questions had always been what did I do to get the drum sound for the Vietnamese American band SYG (SUM YUNG GUYZ). How did I brought out the transient attack on Meo's snare and the kick out front with all the distortion from Bau's Mesa stack? The difficulty for this also with Dan's vocal, the band music carry a low distortion, almost fuzzy color. During the mix for this CD, I need to bring Meo's out, sort of outside the heavy jungle of sound. Meo's playing is fast a furious but he often got drown out by his band mates easily and this was the issue for me during mixing.


Fortunately I manage to borrow a SPL Transient design 4 unit and used it on Meo's drum tracks. The entire Cd was recorded on 2-inch 24 track analog tape deck, transfer to Protool Mix3 system for mixing via Benchmark AD. The TD 4 was the only dynamic I used for Meo's drum tracks with some minor digital editing initially.






Transient Design 4 help brought out front all the attack of the drum strike for the snare and the kick with just enough compression without killing or muddy up everything.

I went out and bought one a month later and love everything about. Ever wonder why you hardly see one selling on Ebay, no one want to let it go.

here are the spec:

The Transient Designer provides a revolutionary concept for dynamic processing rendering controls such as Threshold, Ratio and Gain superfluous. The Transient Designer's automation is highly developed, so that while the processing going on inside the box may be very complex, the user has to deal with just a few intuitive controls.

Differential Envelope Technology

SPL's Differential Envelope Technology is the first analog solution for level-independent shaping of envelopes allowing transients to be accelerated or slowed down and sustain prolonged or shortened. The degree of dynamic processing required to do this couldn't be duplicated even using a chain of several conventional compressors, yet only two controls per channel are required to allow the user to completely reshape the attack and sustain characteristics of a sound. Attack can be amplified or attenuated by up to 15dB while Sustain can be amplified or attenuated by up to 24dB, enabling weak drum sounds to be made much more percussive and powerful, or for over-percussive transients to be softened. All necessary time constants (Attack, Decay and Release) are automated and optimised adaptively in a musical manner according to the characteristics of the input signal. This results in natural sounding signal processing and fast operation.

How does the Transient Designer work?

The Transient Designer uses envelope followers to track the curve of the natural signal so that optimum results are guaranteed regardless of the input signal's dynamics (for more information refer to Tech Talk). Because of the level-independent processing inherent in Differential Envelope Technology (DETª), manual threshold adjustments are not required. In order to maintain the cleanest possible signal path, the Transient Designer uses the excellently specified THAT 2181-VCAs, which are especially natural sounding, transparent and create minimal distortion. High amplitudes are processed without damping of high frequencies or reducing bass.

Sound benefits

• The attack of a bass drum or a loop can be emphasised with a single control to increase the punch and the penetration in the mix
• Sustain of snares or toms can be shortened very musically for more transparency
• Beats any gate for drums – must-have for live engineers!
• Acoustic or electronic instruments get "in the face" sounds or can be smoothened with lower attacks
• De-verb capability! Less Sustain shortens reverb flags of any sound (more elegant than gates do)
• New panorama effects based on different dynamic effects per channel – great for loops

Other features and connectivity

For stereo operation the Link function connects channel pairs (1 and 2 and/or 3 and 4). Linked channels are controlled by the same side-chain voltage so as to maintain a coherent and stable stereo image. When operating in Link-mode, the control elements of the first (or third) channel, including the Active switch, control the second (or fourth) channel, too.

Each channel is equipped with a relay hard bypass circuit to ensure a minimum signal path when the process is bypassed and to provide power fail safety. The Signal-LEDs allow to quickly monitor the signal flow, which is particularly important if the four channels are connected to a patchbay. The Transient Designer is fitted with XLR-connectors for balanced operation. To improve signal quality, SPL has developed a new hybrid-component balanced input/output stage using all laser-trimmed resistors with a tolerance of 0.01%. This approach has resulted in an exceptionally high CCMR (common mode rejection) better than -80dB at 1kHz.

Transient Designer rear panel view

Specifications

Input & Output

• Instrumentation amplifier, electronically balanced (differential), transformerless
• Nominal input level: +6dB
• Input impedance: = 22kOhms
• Output impedance: <>
• Max. input level : +24dBu
• Max. output level: +22,4dBu
• Minimum load ohms: 600Ohms
• Relay Hard Bypass
• Power Fail Safety

Measurements

• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 100 kHz
  (100 kHz = -3 dB)
• CCMR (common mode rejection): - 80dBu @1kHz
• THD & N: 0,004% @1kHz
• S/N CCIR 468-3: -89dBu
• S/N A-weighted: -105dBu

Power Supply

• Torroidal transformer: 15VA
• Fuse: 315mA
• Ground-Lift switch
• Voltage selector

Dimensions

• Housing: Standard EIA 19"/1U, 482 x 44,45 x 237mm
• Weight: 3,4 kg

Videos before the storm

You are awsome!

Once again, I could not say thanks enough to the people I met in Vietnam for the past month. I was sad to leave good friends behind but I will see you again soon.

I would like to thank you for your wonderful friendship and smiles+ice tea and coffee...

-The gang at Galaxy Movie theater, casts and crew of the movie 'the Rebel' :
Nhan (mr. dictionary): you are harmless when you drunk
Nam (Sumo): "...from now on, you're no longer a person. You are a number, no mother, no father." line from 'The Rebel'.
Son Oi(Asst. Director): I will see you in UCLA in June.
Ut Chang, Phuong (Just Men haircut), be Phuong, Bao (architect)
-Hero In Danger:
Phuc (mr. crazy), Quoc (curly), Cuong (battery Cuong), Bao (mr. safety net)
-Atmosphere:
Truong flying V, Hoang, Tung, Linh for boiled quail eggs, Saigon Beers, kho muc, thuoc la Con Meo, and motorcycle rides.
-Unlimited:
Thanh Bo...the man with the great voice and skill on the Amek mixer at Viet Tan Studio and tickets to HTV shows.
-Gat Tan Day
Long...quick ice tea but good conversation.
-Lazy Dolls
"...you think you know, why don't you get on stage and see for yourself." the drummer girl said.

Special thanks for the wisdoms and advices with great respect for:

-anh Trang va chi Hue: 'Yes, I will gladly become your adopted brother.'
-Huong and Doan Khoa: There will not be enough Bun bo Hue to keep us apart...or maybe pho, xoi, hay la cam tom bi? How can Vietnam do without you two?
-The great artist family of Dao Minh Tri: 2 bac, Hung va Tung...the wonderful arts, friendship, and teaching.
-Thien and Trang: advices, strategies, friendship, coffee, dinners, company, art, film, and American Idol.
-Quynh and Rob of Quynh's art gallery: thank you for the smokes.
-the gang at 3T for a great evening at your place.
-Anh Tai at Con Ca Vang
-Bao and Vi: you two rocks!
-RMIT
-Chu Tan at Viet Tan studio: For the great conversation in audio, coffee, ice tea and wisdom. I will see you again in 3 weeks.
-the gang at Long Thanh golf course :
Anh Bac Nam: laugh and Mercedes rides.
Nghiep va Quan for your money!
-the gang at Song Be golf course:
Hung of Zone Golf: golf, rides, lunch, boozes, more boozes, and dirty stories.
Phi: for rides, golf, money, and more dirty stories
Thinh: for golf and things not to do when on the golf course in Vietnam.
Jimmy: Rides and Kut Kit
Dragon Alex: Mr. Aussie for the lighter and cig.
Lam (le Chevral), Lam (IDG), Alex, Tuan, anh Chanh (Cargill), Tung (HSBC).

...Let's not miss Duc Tri, Ho Ngoc Ha, Thuy Tien, Cam Van, Khac Trieu, Tung Duong, Linh Microwave, Hai audio, chi Oanh at Ti Mau, anh Hien & chi Ha, Phuoc Sofitel.
...and lastly Mike, Steve, Anita, Gavin, Db Dave at Meyer Sound for constant support for Vietnam. Eva Manley of Manley labs, Scott at Cranesong, Mark of API, Scott at LAchapel Audio, Fletcher of Mercenary Audio.

I may miss somebody but do know I thank you and appreciate all of you. Will see you in 3 weeks.

Q and A

Thru my research and friends, the answers will be short to some of the questions I always run into.
How to succeed in recording in 5 easy steps!

1-No one start out a producer or audio engineer without going thru some sort of basic skills or understanding of audio basic and music. You can side step all you want with new expensive gears, forum advices, hip new DAW, and tricks from your friendly neighborhood engineers, but all will collapse on your head one day or hit the wall, it will come. When it comes, you will look like a "midget". Learn your audio basic, signal routing, and the most important...Stage gain.

2-Get yourself a "solid" studio set up within your financial mean, if engineering is what you are you dream or goal.

So you need a studio setup that consists of a good vocal mic, a decent preamp or audio interface, versatile recording and mixing software (or standalone DAW), equalizers, compressors and reverb units or plug-ins. Software to burn CDs. And of course instruments

3-Learn to listen and train yourself to listen to the nuances in music. It is right in front of you in the music Cd you are listen everyday of the best producer and engineer...oh yeah, the song writers too. No it is not an easy task to do but learn it. Basically learn what you "can't hear" in a record. Eventually you will listen to music with an acute ears and determine your own sound or color of your strength.

4-Let your work out of the cage. Let professionals listen your music or work and listen to what they have to say. Let's say you have achieve the commercial sound and somewhat the work are comparable with the commercial sound. GET IT OUT!

5-Let's say the god are smiling on you and you are now successful. Work work and work harder than before.

these are giant steps but they are not easy. I hate to be vague but it is basic and personal. DO IT!

If you can only buy one channel strip

This isn't just another 2 RU signal path... the Quartet is an all-purpose recording tool designed with the ultimate in sound quality and flexibility in mind. We have combined four elements - Mic/DI preamp, Opto-compressor, EQ, and De-esser -into a fully integrated package that it makes it easy to track any source.

It's the mic pre from an MDP-1A, a channel of compression from the OCL-2, with a brand new equalizer design and one of the least offensive 'de-essers' we've ever encountered. The mic pre is very detailed an opulent sounding (as one would expect from Pendulum Audio), the compressor can go from nearly seamless and transparent to being a very audible effect by altering the 'time constant presets' or using the fully variable attack and release functions.

The equalizer is a brand new design that offers 3 frequency selectable shelving on the top and bottom bands, and a rather musical selection of 'peak/dip' midrange selections. All in all, this is very possibly the best value we've seen in an "all in one box" with absolutely no sonic compromises. A true original, with a remarkable pedigree...

FEATURES

• The tube Mic/DI Preamp from the MDP-1
• The tube Opto-Compressor from the OCL-2 using our proprietary optoelectronic cell
• A new three band tube EQ with HI and LO shelving and peaking MID band
• A new de-esser design using opto-inductive filtering and a highly selective detector
• The Mic/DI, EQ and Compressor/De-Esser can be patched out and used independently.
• Transformerless or transformer output
• Gold-plated switch contacts, I/O connectors and tube sockets
• Polypropylene caps and metal film resistors (pairs matched to 0.1%)
• Fully regulated high voltage (300V) and filament power supplies with soft-start warm-up and muting
• Custom toroidal power transformer with shield for minimum hum
• 120V or 240V ac voltage switch on the rear panel.

The Mic/DI preamp, borrowed from our acclaimed MDP-1, can handle mics, pickups, keyboards, or line-level signals. It features phantom power, input pad, phase reversal, and a switchable lo-cut filter. Independent gain and output controls permit overdrive of the tube stage to vary the harmonic content of the preamp.

The Opto-Compressor, derived from the popular OCL-2, uses our proprietary optoelectronic cell, and has a sound all its own. It can be used in one of four modes: Fast (for 'invisible' compression), Average (rms responding), a new Vintage mode (with program-dependent response), or full manual operation.

Our new 3 band tube EQ, a modifed Baxandall design, is simple but very effective. The HI and LO bands have up to ±10dB of shelving at 15, 10 and 7 kHz, and 50, 100 and 200 Hz respectively. The MID band has a broad ±10dB peaking response centered at 0.7, 1.6, 2.2, 3.3, 5.0 and 6.5 kHz. The EQ can be placed before or after the compressor with the flip of a switch.

The new De-esser, which is implemented within the opto-compressor, uses a novel approach. A highly selective inductor-based detector triggers a very fast opto-inductive notch filter. The user can control the depth of the notch, which in turn controls amount of sibilance to be removed. When not triggered, the de-esser is out of the signal path entirely.

You can use this unit with an 'external pre-amp' [if desired], you can use this unit "line in", or access the EQ and or 'dynamics section' from an external source while in use with another sound... the flexibility of this unit is absolutely astounding!!!