PreSonus Blog

Monthly Archives: November 2016


Jurij Ricotti and Studio One

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Jurij Ricotti is a Musician, Composer, Music Director, Sound Engineer, Sound Designer and Producer. He’s worked on multiplatinum albums alongside top artists and producers with Tony Renis and Humberto Gatica. He’s worked as a Musician and Sound Engineer in Europe, Asia, Middle East, USA, and Australia, and is a Studio One power user. He was happy to tell us why.

 

• What PreSonus products have you used and which do you currently use?

I Use Studio One Professional since version 3 because I was tired of crashes and old features in Cubase 7 and 8. My workflow is stressful for the DAW, and for the Mac too, with hundreds of MIDI tracks assigned to orchestral instruments, drums, audio guitars and percussion strictly focused on Cinematic purposes. As a composer and arranger, I love flexibility, speed and performance that does not distract my mind from the creativity process. And Studio One is the best DAW for this, in my humble opinion of course.

• For what applications are you using Studio One? (Example: for recording, composing, sound design, and so on; in a commercial studio,  project studio, for live recording, etc.)

At the moment, SO3 is my main DAW at JGRSTUDIO. I’m finishing mastering on Barbara Todisco’s new album before starting Gianfranco Mauto’s next album. And all my collaborators are moved to Studio One and Notion. Recently I’ve finished some guitar tracks for three international movies in 2016. I’ve used Studio One for all Andrea Bocelli “Cinema” Radio edits and cuts, some edit for his TV video show in Italy with Rita Ora and many other great performers. I’ve also used Studio One for arranging the drums on Bocelli’s performance at the MTV Awards with Tory Kelly. The piano parts and mixing was performed by Pierpaolo Guerrini at PPGStudios. Another intensive use was during percussion programming on the Track “Maria” on Cinema Album. Vocal Recording was all done in PPGStudios (www.studiocentauro.it) by Humberto Gatica, Pierpaolo Guerrini for the English and Italian songs and with me in the Spanish version. The London Symphony Orchestra was recorded at Abbey Road. Final Mix was by Humberto Gatica at Lion Share Studios in LA. “Cinema” was a gigantic work with pro arrangers involved, four Sound Engineers, Abbey Road sessions, mixing in LA. Thanks to three of the best producers: Tony Renis, Humberto Gatica and David Foster. Studio One is a perfect platform for project studio and for pro studio, I didn’t use it for live yet, but I will cover this soon.

• What led you to choose Studio One? Was it the company’s reputation, audio quality, ease of use, specific features, price, other factors?

PreSonus have a great reputation in Europe, and the products are solid and used in a lot of home and project studios. As I mentioned before I was tired of other DAWs, I’ve used Cubase mainly for the last 10 years, I use Pro Tools because is a standard in the studio, and when 64-bit came around, the choice was only on Logic, Cubase 8, Bitwig, or Ableton. I’ve tried to work with those platforms, especially on Logic because of its score editor, and other features.

But there was always something missing. As any user knows, changing your DAW after 10 years is not easy for anyone. I downloaed the Studio One demo and started to feel confident immediately thanks to the option to use Cubase Key Commands. But I was completely blown away with the Melodyne Integration and parallel processing with the Splitter. At this point curiosity brought me on to the Studio One Expert website where I’ve studied all the other features. After the first month, I was faster than before doing vocal comps and converting MIDI to audio. With Melodyne studio I can also bring the orchestral click on the arrangement. I love the mixer: it’s innovative, full of controls and perfectly fits with my controllers and iPad.

• Having used Studio One, what do you like most about it?

Well, strange but not strange. Studio One is super solid—I get no crashes with my intensive sessions. Great compatibility with any controllers, Melodyne and now VocAlign integration, parallel processing, and great performance on my Mac Pro. There are also other features I love: no dongle, affordable price, mastering in the Project Page, and last but not least an amazing dithering process from 192khz or 96khz to 44khz—better then all the other DAWs.

• What Studio One features have proven particularly useful and why?

In modern music arrangement and mixing, the parallel processing and external audio hardware integration is a standard. Especially with external outboards like compressors, effects, or preamps. I’m using Studio One with an RME Fireface UFX and a lot of outboard gear. Many composers and sound engineers are now tracking in home studios, or project studios without physical mixers, they prefer to use Summing Mixers with outboards and different kinds of preamps. Even if you are involved in rap, pop, rock or classical. This reduces space, studio costs, and time. The most interesting feature for me is the automation. With Studio One you can automate everything, simply amazing.

• How does Studio One compare to other DAWs you have used? What’s better, what’s not as good, what does it give you that other DAWs don’t?

A comparison is obvious for a professional user, someone like me comes from intensive works on Pro Tools or Cubase or Logic. Studio One is new, and all the new features are impressive. The mixer has better performance and the audio dithering is better. The score editor with Notion 6 is great. Pro Tools does not have score editor at all. The real strength of Studio One is the continued relationship with their Forum users, they pay attentions what users ask and suggest, this never happened before with other DAWs. The compatibility with AU and VST let the users choose do not change the plugs, this is important for small budget studios.
Arranging and mixing is faster, plug-ins copy and paste, customizable colors, Melodyne works better than other DAWs, and native plug-inslike the Pro EQ, and Reverbs are pro-quality. Macros are genius, and users can share them through PreSonus Exchange. The loops management is functional and logical, the resident instruments are good. All DAWs have many shared features like VCAs, Analog emulations, etc.. but Studio One is on another level.

• Any user tips or tricks or interesting stories based on your experience with Studio One?

I’ve created my YouTube channel JGRStudios, where I show how to use Studio One professionally in Italian for our audience. The best tips are related to speed up all the production process. I’ve suggested Studio One to my other collaborators, showed how to translate audio to MIDI, use of Melodyne, programming the orchestra and how to use parallel mixing. Now we all use Studio One. I think the best way to understand the real potential is simply to try it! Download the demo and use it, you will be impressed.

• Please give me some basic background info on your career and current projects, credits, and so on. (You can point me to Web sites and/or email me information.)

My music career was started in 1990 as a guitar player in a death metal band called Desecration. My idea of music was always based on “create, not emulate.” In these years my music was released for Warner, Sony and Universal. A big change was in the middle of 90s with Yngwie Malmsteen’s Italian Tour. Thanks to him I started to work with other guitar heroes and guitar magazines until a I began session work in early 2000. I’ve traveled a lot, and worked with Kevin Costner, Kacey Musgraves, MIMS, Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Desecration, Corona, Fernando Osorio, Tony Macalpine, Ana Belen, Armando Manzanero, Queen, Britney Spears, Bireli Lagrane, Richard Galliano, Marcello Giordani, Andrea Bocelli, IL VOLO, Ennio Morricone, Vinnie Colaiuta, Nathan East, Michael Thompson, Michael Landau, Nguyen Le, John McLauglin, David Silvian, Steven Mercurio, and many more.

Aas a Sound Designer my job was awarded with Effie 2016, Dubai Lynx 2015, and nominee for Golden Lions at Cannes for Chrysler Commercial “The Performer” with Qsai and Publicist Middle East.

I’ve worked for 5 years with IL VOLO as arranger, Music Director, Guitarist and Sound Engineer thanks toTony Renis and Humberto Gatica on their first three albums and a PBS special. After this experience I was aired to be a Music Direcor for Pope Francesco events with Hope Music in Vatican and Brazil Youth Day, the absolutely most incredible experience of my life.

Actually I’m still working with Tony Renis (A. Bocelli’s Producer) always together with Humberto Gatica. With Pierpaolo Guerrini we started a very good collaboration in his wonderful studio PPG in Tuscany.

•  Any final comments about PreSonus and Studio One?

I think Studio One is the DAW of the future. Great potential, great team, smart approaches to user needs.

The beach, an Airstream and the PreSonus AR12 Mixer

Don’t get us wrong–working at the PreSonus headquarters in Baton Rouge is awesome.

But if we had the option, doing what we love at the beach is high on our wish list. Somehow that’s just what Cory Davis, with 30A company based in Santa Rosa Beach, FL, has figured out how to do in his work at 30A Radio.

30A is a highway along Florida’s gulf coast offering visitors more than just a beach vacation. Fine dining, prefect sandy beaches, weekend farmers markets, bike trails… you’re not going to want to leave. It’s also where the Truman Show was filmed.  You may have seen a bright blue bumper sticker when driving around town–it looks like this:

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Davis is the Director of Sales for The 30A Company advertising department, and programs and manages 30A Radio. Davis recently got his hands on one of our AR12 Mixers and we wanted to hear how it was treating him and improving his workflow.

  • Tell us about yourself…
    • Graduated from LSU in broadcasting, been in radio for 25 years. We launched 30A Radio digitally over 2 years ago, broadcasting 100% online via our website, and our free 30A app for iPhone and Android. After leaving FM radio, I really wanted to find a fit digitally to take everything I had learned to the next level. Our main project is expanding the 30A lifestyle into perimeter markets and getting our 30A Radio Airstream to regional music festivals in the Southeast for interviews and sessions with our core artists.
  • What PreSonus products have you used and which do you currently use?30a1
    • We use the StudioLive AR12 USB for our Airstream performances, interviews, and podcasts.
  • What led you to choose the AR mixer?

    • The new AR 12 seemed to fit every capability we needed in such a tight space. We have performances and record in an Airstream. The ability to record directly on the mixer and PreSonus’ reputation was key… and being from Baton Rouge helped. GEAUX TIGERS!
  • Having used the AR Mixer, what do you like most about it? What are you using it for?
    • We use it for bands that stop in and they play songs which we produce and insert into rotation on 30A Radio. The easy to use functions, and recording on the board were key.
  • What mixer feature have proven particularly useful and why?
    • Recording easily was key. But the FX and low cut options help. We tend to record in areas that may have a lot of exterior noise, and we can limit some of that pretty easily with dynamic mics.
  • How does the AR Mixer compare to other mixers you have used? What’s better, what’s not as good, what does it give you that other mixers don’t?
    • It lets me work quickly, on the fly. Tuning up different mics is pretty easy for a guy that is learning to use a board for recording sessions. We have limited time to set up sometimes, and don’t want the band to have to wait too long. So making them sound great quickly is key.
  • Any features on your wish list for us to add in future updates?
    • Not sure if you can boost the headphone jacks a bit…but that would be one.
  • Any user tips or tricks or interesting stories based on your experience with the AR Mixer?
    • Recently had John Driskell Hopkins of the Zac Brown Band in the Airstream for a session. He has a home studio and helped fine tune his session. It was bike week at 30A so it was pretty noisy. John suggested using the low cut to get the “Harley” sound out… and it did! Bikes were passing right by us and we didn’t hear them at all on the recordings.

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  • What’s next for 30A Radio?
    • We are really not pushy with 30A Radio, it’s there for our fan base. We try to tell the story of our area, and give the vibe of what we see and do every day here. I guess what’s next is finding out what our limits are in the Airstream with bands and performances. Definitely have a bucket list of artists we’d love to host at some point. Either here or on the road.
  • Any final comments about PreSonus?
    • It really appears that you guys are user-friendly, and take suggestions and integrate them into upgrades and newer versions of your equipment. And that’s awesome!
  • What’s it like working at the beach?
    • It’s unreal to think what I have done in the past, got me to this great position. Working in a corporate environment and typical “sales” management for clusters of stations makes you age quickly. I took the best of what that environment was like, and came up with a new template for 30A Radio and our advertising department. Being able to have your feet in the sand, and do radio is quite amazing. We really do that…I swear. Now we can bring the beach to feeder markets for us with our Airstream studios.

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Learn more about our StudioLive AR Hybrid Mixers here!

Get four HD7 Headphones and an HP4 headphone amplifier for $199 in the USA

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Ray Tantzen not included

This is a screamin’ deal!

Mix and monitor with your bandmates without bothering the neighbors. This limited-time bundle (November 2016) is available to customers in the USA only from shop.presonus.com.

You get the whole bundle for a mere $199, which is less than the cost of the four sets of headphones without the HP4 amp on any other month out of the year.

The headphones are comfortable for long mix sessions and sound great, and the HP4 allows for stereo or mono listening, with individual volume levels available for each set of headphones connected. The HP4 gets PLENTY loud, too (be careful!) so it’s also a great choice for drummers who need to hear the mix over the clang of their Lars Ulrich Signature Series Diamond Plate Steel Snare Drum.

Click here to get your HP4/HD7 monitoring bundle!

30% Off Woodwinds Section Bundle for Notion!

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Click here to go to the PreSonus Shop!

For the month of November, purchase the Woodwinds Section Bundle for Notion for 30% off right out of the PreSonus Shop! This bundle enhances your composition and playback options for all woodwind sections in Notion!

The Section Winds give your arrangements and orchestrations new depth and control and there’s a ton in this bundle.

  • Flute Section
  • Flute Duo
  • Clarinet Section
  • Clarinet Duo
  • Oboe Duo
  • Bassoon Duo

All of which were performed and recorded by principal and second players from the London Symphony Orchestra  at Abbey Road Studios in London.
This bundle is compatible with Notion 4 or later! We released Notion 6 earlier this year–Click here to read the latest on Notion!

25% off Eris E5s and E8s in November 2016

25off_eris_600x600_nee01We love the Eris monitors around here, and if the reviews are any indication, the rest of the world does, too. We’re pretty excited by the fact that this line—our entry into the studio monitor arena—remains such a favorite. Some things are done right the first time. (The trick, by the way, is lots and lots of planning.) And this month only, customers in the USA can get them for 25% off! That’s like getting the second one half price when you pay full price for the first. 

Normally this is the part of the blog post where I say a bunch of great things about the thing I’m trying to sell you. But I’m going to let the reviews do that this time:

“Of course, there plenty of comparably priced speakers, but PreSonus has differentiated the Eris line in some key ways, principally the extensive tone control options (these can really make a different in rooms that don’t have ideal acoustics), analog power amplifiers instead of digital, and the easy accommodation of consumer as well as professional gear. PreSonus has a reputation of making great products “for the rest of us,” and the Eris speakers follow that philosophy.”

—Jon Chappell at Harmony Central.

“I found both of these monitor models very useful tools for the imperfect art of home-studio mixing… if you were to put them up in a very controlled environment, next to speakers you paid a bunch of money for, you would probably find things here and there about them you didn’t like – although you may be surprised. Setting them up in my humble (yet effective) home studio for a few months helped me hear things I wasn’t hearing previously and helped me to provide better mixes for my clients. At the end of the day, that matters much more than the price tag of the speaker or the label on the front. Job well done, PreSonus.”

—Eli Crews at Tape Op.

award_bestvalue_2013“For their first attempt in the monitor speaker market, PreSonus start with an already technically mature product. The Eris E8 offers high-quality construction, comprehensive input connections and extensive setting possibilities (low-cut filter plus low, mid and high filters) at an affordable price ($250 for a single monitor). During our listening sessions, the speaker seduced us because it reveals no real weakness. The frequency response is very smooth, even smoother than the Mackie we liked so much two years ago, all frequencies are reproduced effortless. This also applies to the dynamic range and the stereo imaging. This E8 monitor speaker is the autumn hot deal in the lower mid-class market segment.”

 at AudioFanZine.