RSPE Audio Solutions - Digidesign ICON Specialists - Los Angeles

 Troy Manning with RSPE has known Butch for almost ten years. He recently caught up with him to talk about his world of Pro Tools...

How long have you been using Pro Tools and how did it first come about in your recording and mixes?

I started using Pro Tools in the mid 90's. I went from ditching my two ADAT machines and scraping up  to buy a used 16 bit, Nu-Bus Pro Tools rig with only 16 tracks of recording capability on it. As I recall, my girl helped me out with it! It was the former system from the RnB group Silk and still had a bunch of "Oh baby" vocals on the drive...

I didn't know the first thing about Pro Tools at all, and I learned how to use it by trial and DAE error. Within a month I recorded my first hit song ever on it (Marvelous 3’s "Freak of the Week"). The whole thing was recorded to 16 tracks, with one preamp, one microphone, the drums sub-mixed to stereo, and mixed in the box. That was top 5 radio. It changed my perspective on the "big expensive studio" approach to recording. So needless to say, I have paid my girl back for that rig…

What kind of system(s) are you currently working on?

I have two separate rigs. Both are HD (one being HD4 as my main system), with a ton of plugs, and tons of 192 I/O’s. I am using the latest 7.3 version software. I’m summing out to a Chandler 16 channel Mini Mixer, and back into a D-Command console that replaced my Neve VR60 with flying faders! It sounds better now because I am running through less and getting the sound from the Chandler mixer, and the ease of automation and recall from the D-Command... I love it!! Plus I still have a ton of patchable outboard gear.

What are you currently working on these days?

I just did a bunch of stuff for this year. The new Avril and Pink records, Hot Hot Heat (forthcoming), Von Bondies (forthcoming), Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is, and I will be doing my new record as well this year and development projects that no one knows about!

How fluid is Pro Tools to work with on a daily basis? Are you using it in conjunction with other platforms like Logic?

I don't really need Logic. It just confuses me. It's like having to learn to speak Mongolian when you've been in China for a month... I use Reason a lot and I love the virtual drum programs and synths.. I mostly do organic recording for rock records with lots of old instruments. I use Pro Tools like tape mostly, but the editing is very useful on pop records! Shhhh....

What are your “must have” features? How have they changed how you work and record? What about Beat Detective?

Actually those are such crutches, but for locking a drummer into sequences (Beat Detective), and getting actors to be able to sing (using Auto Tune), you can't beat them. I have to say that the biggest feature that people can't live without is the UNDO FEATURE. Being able to fix mistakes and undo mistakes is big. The days when your assistant engineer was half asleep and punched over the solo to Bohemian Rhapsody while cleaning up tape edits... Wow…

You own a D-Command console. Since they started shipping, Digidesign has expanded and upgraded the Pro Tools software to allow it to become even more powerful and versatile on the user basis. Have you experienced this and what do you think about the fact that Digidesign is trying to incorporate and add on with each Pro Tools release?

I love it, as long as they don't change the HARDWARE every 6 months!!! I love the D-Command features that I can't get on an analog console, like the monitoring and talkback features. They blow away my old Neve for that.  When the transport stops, I don't have to touch anything for the artists to hear every word I say in the control room. And the auto-dim, etc. It's all great. I can make it more comfortable for the artist when they feel like they are part of the recording process and not a monkey in a cage. There's nothing worse than stopping a take, only to hear silence in the headphones and see the producers scratching their heads and frowning!

Are there engineers or Pro Tools operators out there that are just blowing you away with the way they work?

Well, I think I'm a badass at it!!! But my engineers: Rusty Cobb, Karl Egzieker, and Scott Riebling are all very good and I pick up tricks all the time from them. It's like a secret handshake, but in shortcut key form.

Have you used the Digidelivery service at all?

Yes! I love it and I want to use it more in the future. I think now that I live out in Malibu and have my studio here as well, it will be great for projects because I am not a hop, skip, and a jump away! The days of flying or driving to the mix sessions are over. Too much to do, too little time to sit in LA traffic for 6 hrs..

Do you have any favorite plug-ins these days?

 * Fxpansion BFD - Sounds really good, tracks great, ability to route out drums to separate Pro Tools tracks, and it makes starting a sketch of a song very believable and easy to do.

* G-Force M-Tron - Cheaper and more reliable. Sounds good.