# mixing

Category: Jam Session

## Post 1 by roxtar (move over school!) on Monday, 19-Jul-2010 1:57:46

Hi all.
I'm looking for some advice on mixing in a home studio.
I've been doing my own recordings for 5 or so years now, but I've hit a snag.
I have a little zoom mrs8 8-track recorder. I can use all the basic functions of the device, like laying down different tracks and choosing effects and sofourth. The problem is, that I need more engeneering power with my recordings.
Is there any software or hardware recorder that would allow me to have enough control to make a decent mixdown of my work? I've had a sighted friend do my mixdowns for me, but being somewhat of a perfectionist, I want to do all my own work. I don't use any midi or anything like that, as most of my stuff consists of guitar, bass, vocals, and an ocasional smattering of piano.
Any feedback is definitely appreciated, as I need to get a new demo out asap before the bars are all booked up for the coming busy season.
Thanks

## Post 2 by monkeypusher69 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Monday, 19-Jul-2010 14:30:33

Sonar and Reaper are the 2 that are the most accessible recording apps for that sort of thing these days. Reaper is a little more easier to get into righ away, and its scripts work with jaws nvda and window eyes. Sonar scripts are jaws only and tends to have a little bit more support for 3rd party plug ins.

## Post 3 by roxtar (move over school!) on Monday, 19-Jul-2010 17:21:39

awesome thanks. I'll check into both of those. I've already had a little experience with reeper, but didn't know about the jaws scripts.
Thanks

## Post 4 by guitargod1 (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Tuesday, 20-Jul-2010 17:00:36

Yep, Sonar with the j sonar or cake talking scripts is the way to go for the time being. There are other solutions, like reaper on pc and pro tools on macintosh, however, if you don't have a solid engineering background, then sonar will be enough for you to handle even with the help available with the scripts and e mail groups etc.

## Post 5 by KC8PNL (The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.) on Tuesday, 20-Jul-2010 19:48:47

Never heard of Reaper. I'd agree that Sonar is the software of choice for now with the jaws scripts. I thought pro tools was also for Windows?

## Post 6 by monkeypusher69 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Wednesday, 21-Jul-2010 14:15:30

Reaper seems quite nice so far and the ability to use it with jaws window eyes nvda or system access i am sure will make people gravitate towards it as the scripts get better, but you are still somewaht limited to the plug ins that come with it unless u have 3rd party plug ins that you know are accessible. Both sonar and Reaper scripts have email groups that should help you along the way as well. ProTools is available on both mac and PC just like Reaper is, however ProTools has been re coded to work with voice over out of the box, where it hasnt been done so on the windows side, thus its only accessible on the mac. I do believe the programmers of the Reaper scripts have been able to get in touch with the guys at Reaper and are working with them to have more of the accessibility built into reaper itself, so it's probably amatter of time before someone starts hooking it up with voice over on the mac version .

## Post 7 by guitargod1 (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Wednesday, 21-Jul-2010 19:11:05

yeah, hopefully. I'd love to see vo accessibility. reaper is using a new sixty four bit audio engine where as older daw apps are still using older less efficient audio engines under the hood. and, it's a powerhouse for a very reasonable price.

## Post 8 by roxtar (move over school!) on Thursday, 22-Jul-2010 10:37:11

anyone with a mac, how accessible is pro tools?
There have to be graphs of wave forms and soforth. I could see that being hard for even the best of screen readers to handle.
I've always been a windows user, but it might be worth me getting a mac if I can do all my mixing with pro tools.