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The Zen of Recording

PreSonus Studio One: A New Contender for the DAW Crown

In an early issue of this column, I addressed the reasons and concepts behind titling it "The Zen of Recording." In far too small of a nutshell, it refers to the ability to become so comfortable using your available tools, techniques, and technology that the creative process is unabated by them, effectively allowing one to remain steadfastly in the creative moment while chasing down those fleeting moments of inspiration.

Frequent readers of these communiqués may have also noted that the majority of products chosen for review herein are not only chock full of great ideas, but are also easy on the relatively thin pocketbooks carried by so many of us muso types.

Hardware is a frequent focus, with high performance and solid build quality joining the list of requisite features. Baton Rouge's PreSonus (www.presonus.com) has been a frequent subject of review, with the venerable Eureka microphone preamp, HP60 headphone amp and FirePod and FireStudio recording interfaces, all being covered here and making more than admirable showings.

Still, with regard to software, PreSonus is a relatively unproven commodity. Add to that the abundance of digital audio workstations already available (ProTools, Logic, Sonar, Vegas, Cubase, etc.) and you've got a mighty tough climb ahead of you.

Upon first opening Studio One Pro (PC/Mac, $499 retail, $399 street) after a relatively easy install process, the program opens and a start page presents itself. This allows quick access to songs, projects (more on this later), tutorials, and even a PreSonus news feed!

Opening to Song View, one can immediately see that there is a fresh approach at work here. Most apparent is the "single window" GUI, wherein most tasks are very conveniently laid out within arm's (or mouse's) reach.

The left side of the screen is where the tracks are stacked in the by now familiar horizontal fashion, events and envelopes being centrally located just to their right. Along the top is an ergonomic toolbar, with windows at the far left, providing visual information with regard to track state, inputs, etc. Below this, buttons for Inspector (a fly-out window that gives more indepth info for a selected track), Track Add, File Import, Automation Envelopes, Tempo Track, and Marker Track stand at the ready. Along the bottom are the transport controls, CPU and Midi meters, metronome, time signature and tempo info, time display, and a redundant volume control.

At the bottom right corner of the screen are three tabs marked "Edit," "Mix," and "Browse." This is where things get interesting, because the tabs hold the key to how Studio One makes this virtually "navigation free" approach work.

For example, click on the "Edit" tab and the bottom half of the workspace becomes an area devoted to editing the currently selected track. If that track contains audio, everything you need for slicing, dicing, quantizing, selecting, erasing, and muting wave forms is at your "virtual" fingertips. Similarly MIDI tracks, open to a "piano-roll" styled editor with a monitor space-conscious panel and tabbed access to other parameters.

Click the "Mix" tab and every channel's input and outputs, corresponding fader, inserts, and buss assignments are displayed, making mixing and effecting tracks more intuitive.

"Browse" is the king of the interface, though. Each of its five tabs providing instant access to VST instruments, effects, sounds (loops, etc.), files, and a pool of the files being used in the current project. In use, nothing could be simpler or more convenient.

That convenience and ease of use are underscored by the "drag and drop" implementation of all these features. Need a compressor on that vocal? Find what you need in the browser and drag it onto the vocal track. It's automatically added as an insert effect! Need to play a keyboard bass part? Drag the included Mojito synth over to the track and instantly begin auditioning patches! How about a drum loop? Browse to the "Sounds" tab and audition any number of the great sounding loops included at the tempo you've specified.

It can't be emphasized enough just how "inspiration friendly" Studio One is in use. If you've used recording software before, the learning curve is a gentle one. I was up and running and deep in the moment almost instantly. Building arrangements and auditioning sounds with instant and contextual feedback was just plain FUN! Add the fact that audio is captured in lustrous 32-bit depth and processing is at 64 bit, and you‘ve got state-of-the-art, pristine audio quality to boot!

Once I had made a few demo recordings, I decided to explore Studio One's "Project" mode, where one can apply mastering and compile Red Book compliant CDs. Again, the great thinking that went into this facet of the program was constantly evident. Instead of rendering (or "bouncing" if you only speak ProTools) your mixes first and then compiling your CD project, you can actually drag the Studio One file directly into the timeline. A mix is automatically rendered and placed there. Add to that the Adobe-style automatic updating of edits in the placed files and you have the best damn idea the mastering process has seen since limiters! There's even a great feature for preparing your files for digital release, with easily editable metadata and the ability to include artwork...Yes!

Studio One comes with a huge bundle of virtual keyboards, samples, loops, and effects that will more than admirably cover the needs of any pro or newbie, making it an incredible value for anyone looking to build a new recording setup. It should also be mentioned that Studio One Artist (PC/Mac, $249 retail, $199 street) comes bundled free with all new PreSonus recording interfaces. It is essentially the same program sans the mastering options of "Project" mode.

In essence, PreSonus has effectively taken the best parts of Cubase, Acid, Logic, and Ableton Live (among others) and placed them into an interface that provides unprecedented flexibility and ease of use. That Studio One ultimately promotes creative, right-brained thinking makes this an all-in-one solution for those looking to become one with their muse.

Sven-Erik Seaholm is an award-winning independent record producer, performer and recording artist. His company Kitsch & Sync Production (kaspro.com) provides Recording, Mastering, Graphic Design, Consultations and CD Manufacturing Services. Call him at 619-287-1955 to inquire about Special Winter Rates. Or go to www.svensongs.com to see where he's playing.



PreSonus Studio One