Recording from GLD-80

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  • #60697
    Profile photo of dcatondcaton
    Participant

    Hello. We have a GLD-80 at my church. I am going to undertake a project to sample our pipe organ to create a virtual pipe organ sample set. I was wondering if there is any way to capture a high-quality digital output without the use of any add-on boards. I know we can record to USB (I do that for our sermons) but I don’t think the quality is high enough for what I need. I was hoping avoid purchasing a stand-alone microphone preamp and then feeding that into a computer.

    #60708
    Profile photo of GSLC-TechGSLC-Tech
    Participant

    We record using a dante board to reaper and also using the usb record. I would say the are similar if not identical. Reaper just provides us the opportunity to post mix.

    How are you planning to mic the organ? I would think the mic, mic location and room acoustics would be the biggest challenge. You are going to be basically micing the room, not the organ per say. A quick google search provides many suggestions.

    #60712
    Profile photo of dcatondcaton
    Participant

    I’m not concerned with microphones or placement, etc. I’ll purchase a pair of high-quality mics to be used for this specific purpose and there’s plenty of info out there regarding sampling pipe organs. I’ll be micing the room as I want a wet sampleset rather than a dry one.

    I need a high quality digital output because there will be a lot of post-processing of the recordings, and the GLD-80’s USB output is only 48k 16-bit. Ideally I will be recording at 96k 24-bit. I was hoping there might be some other mechanism to get a digital output from the GLD, perhaps through the ethernet interface or whatever, without having to purchase an add-in card. At $1600 the Dante board is not an option, and I don’t need multichannel output capabilities, only two channels so the LR main output that goes to the USB would be fine if it were a higher quality.

    #60713
    Profile photo of GCumbeeGCumbee
    Participant

    The GLD has an AES and SPDIF digital output.

    #60714
    Profile photo of dcatondcaton
    Participant

    Still only 48k.

    #60716
    Profile photo of GCumbeeGCumbee
    Participant

    I’ve recorded many pipe organs. I have never used anything other than analog in the early days or 48K or 44.1K on either ADATS, DA-88 or RADAR. I never had any complaints. Sure in theory 96K is fine but most pros don’t use it for many reasons. I recorded major company’s projects for years. You would be surprised how many stayed with 44.1/24. Even some were 44.1/16. Why? No conversion. Don’t get caught up in the buzz.

    #60718
    Profile photo of dcatondcaton
    Participant

    Ok, thanks for the advice. The USB out on the GLD is 48/16. SPDIS and AES outputs are listed as 48 but no bit depth.

    So in your opinion, if I used properly placed high-quality mics and recorded through the GLD-80 into USB, would the resultant .wav file be of a high enough quality? Or use SPDIF/AES out and route into a sound card that has digital input?

    I realize of course that the post processing of the recordings will play a big part in the final quality of the sampleset, and as I’ve never done this before it will be a big learning curve. I don’t expect my initial attempts to be anywhere near perfect, but I want to get the highest quality recording I can get, within reason of course. If I can use existing equipment (ie the GLD-80) that would be a bonus but I’d rather spend some money if it’s warranted.

    Thanks.

    #60730
    Profile photo of Anonymous
    Inactive

    I questioned the USB output at being only 16 bit?
    48k is fine.
    As per George, all i had for years in a studio was 16 bit 48 k on black faced ADATS.
    A lot of huge hits world wide were made on those machines.
    I recorded a major Wurlitzer to 16 bit 48k for CD. It sounded fine.
    Its often how you use the gear and the quality of the mics that matters.
    In fact back in the CD days [20 years ago] I heard of a major studio copying CD to CD via analogue! 😐

    What I’m surprised is the GLD only has this.
    Surely the GLD dose not run at 16 bit internally?
    And is that a separate card that maybe replaced as an upgrade in some point in time?

    #60732
    Profile photo of dcatondcaton
    Participant

    xyx: The GLD user guide (page 9) shows the USB output as 48/16. I don’t want to invest in any (expensive) cards for the GLD. Our church has no need for it; I was just hoping to use the GLD to record the pipe samples rather than having to purchase a preamp with a digital output.

    The objective of recording the pipes is to reproduce something that is as close as possible to the sound of the physical pipes. What might be acceptable for a consumer grade CD wouldn’t necessarily be acceptable for this purpose.

    #60735
    Profile photo of Anonymous
    Inactive

    Well to help us help you.
    You have not said exactly what or where you will be playing the samples back through?
    Are you going to trigger these samples off midi key board or whole complete pieces of music?
    Will you be playing back the auditorium speakers?

    You need to find out what the eternal GLD runs at
    I could be wrong but I think it is 48k 24 bit?

    #60738
    Profile photo of dcatondcaton
    Participant

    The samples will be played back using virtual pipe organ (“VPO”) software. Hauptwerk to be specific. Not through auditorium speakers, this is for my personal use at home, not by the church. There will be multiple sets of speakers or studio monitors, I haven’t decided on that end of things yet. My church is getting a new console for our pipe organ and I bought the old console and am going to convert it into a VPO. Rather than (or in addition to) purchasing a sample set, I’d like to create a sampleset from the organ the console was designed for.

    The GLD user manual page 9 states that the USB output is 48/16. SPDIF/AES are just listed as 48k, no bit depth.

    The creation of a VPO sample set involves making at least one digital recording of each pipe, then processing it to reduce noise, identify loop and release points, etc.

    I just want to determine whether I can (or should) use the GLD to make the recordings. The alternative I suppose is to purchase a two channel preamp with digital output, perhaps something like the Art Digital MPA II.

    #60742
    Profile photo of GCumbeeGCumbee
    Participant

    what are you recording to?

    #60743
    Profile photo of dcatondcaton
    Participant

    Not sure what you’re asking. I was hoping that I could use the GLD for the mic preamps and A2D converter, and its USB output to create the wav files. However it’s only 48/16. Is that good enough for pipe organ samples? Or I could feed the GLD’s SPDIF output into a sound card, but again it’s only 48/16.

    I could feed two of the GLD’s analog outputs into a sound card and record at a higher rate/depth, but that would incur a D2A and A2D conversion. Don’t know if that would degrade the samples in any significant way.

    Otherwise, I guess my alternatives are to connect the mics to a sound card, or perhaps a mic preamp with digital out. If the mics need 48v then I’ll need a preamp if I can’t (or shouldn’t) use the GLD. Either way, I’d use something like Audacity or Sound Forge to record the samples.

    It sure would be convenient if I could just plug the mics into the GLD and record to USB, I’m just not sure that what I would get is suitable for the intended purpose.

    #60744
    Profile photo of Anonymous
    Inactive

    If you want to save some money yes just use the GLD
    However As George asked: what are you recording into?

    And to correct my own mistake which should have read INTERNAL
    You need to find out what the GLD runs at INTERNALY.
    I could be wrong but I think it is 48k 24 bit?

    An AES capturing device might be good?
    So long as you can transfer to your PC or MAC?

    #60747
    Profile photo of dcatondcaton
    Participant

    What do you mean what an I recording “into”? I want to create .wav files from microphone input. I don’t care how they’re created, I just want to create the highest quality files I can create, within reason and suitable for the intended purpose, preferably using what I have (GLD80) rather than purchasing new hardware.

    The GLD can create wav files on a USB device, but as I’ve said the output is only 48/16. The user manual does not state the internal bit depth, but what does it matter if I can’t access it? The bit depth for the SPDIF and AES outputs is also not specified.

    My thought in using the GLD is that it’s already there, I know how to work it, and I can hook up mics and start recording without having to drag a computer around with me, and I don’t have to buy anything else to get started (except a pair of mics).

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