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Ferrous Wheel posted:I'm thinking of replacing my beat-to-poo poo computer chair with a drum throne. Reasons being that it will save space, force me to use decent posture, and it has no arms to get in the way of instruments when I record playing in front of the computer. Not a bad idea, but I'd suggest getting a drum throne with a back on it. That way you'll have some lumbar support.
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Dec 5, 2010 05:21
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Help. Me and my friend (bass and guitar) have been jamming every weekend for a while now and we're starting to sound kinda decent. So we've got a third friend willing to do vocals over the top. Any suggestions for a CHEAP way to amplify vocals? I'm looking at a SM58 or SM57 for the microphone. I've got a $1200 home theater system where we play; which is totally available for vocals if that will suffice; but I'd need a mixer for the mic -> receiver process. Or I can pick up a PA. But I know nothin about it. Looking as cheap as possible. Suggestions?
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Dec 6, 2010 03:47
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Walked posted:Help. Cheapest way I can think of is to just turn your amps down and don't use a microphone. I have no idea what style of music you're playing, but since your'e not using drums, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to do that. I know it may sound like an oversimple solution, but instead of spending your money on amplifying your vocals, you should save towards proper recording equipment down the line.
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Dec 6, 2010 11:25
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You can get an XLR to 1/4" adaptor and use the microphone through a practice amp. That's cheap and might be ok if you're just jamming, you know?
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Dec 7, 2010 06:24
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codyclarke posted:Not a bad idea, but I'd suggest getting a drum throne with a back on it. That way you'll have some lumbar support. Basically this. Go to your local music shop and just ask to try them out - you can tell near instantly how good or bad a drum throne is. You don't need to shell out for expensive, as long as you're happy with it. Most of the "expensive" ones suffer extreme diminishing returns and you'll find that sometimes a small-brand throne has more love put into its model than the pricey brand names.
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Dec 10, 2010 01:35
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Ok so this semester I took a recording class and had a blast playing with Pro-Tools and learning how to mic instruments and stuff. Now I want to keep doing this kind of stuff even after the class ends but I'm at limited funds. The first thing I was gonna save up for is Pro-Tools, but what else are the essentials? Mics are hella expensive and I'm only planning on guitar/bass/maybe vocal tracks so I'm thinking some sort of direct input and maybe amp modeling software might be the way to go. I think pro-tools might even have an amp modeler. What do you guys recommend? Also I have a pretty good laptop, but its still a windows based laptop, is it even worth it to try to use pro tools on it? It's an HP Dv9700 with an Intel Core2 Duo T8300 2.4GHZ processor, 4gigs of RAM, and Vista 64bit OS.
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Dec 10, 2010 02:58
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What's the exact difference between key and scale? I understand that key is the "tonality" of the song, and a scale is more like a palette to draw notes from, but for example, can a song be in D phyrgian? If so, what's the point in them being differentiated? When writing a chord progression: do you have to draw each note from the scale of the key (see my confusion above) you're in? Like, imagine I'm in D phyrgian: do I have to use only notes from D phyrgian to build the chords? The reason I'm asking this is because sometimes I get advice like "play with the fifth", "introduce some diminished/whatever chords to bring tension/make it more interesting". But then I look at the scale and think "drat, can't do that, the flat fifth is not on this scale". From what I understand, if you "use" that sort of thing, you're introducing "chomaticism" right? Like, "borrowing" notes from other scales. But then, how do I know when to do that, and when I'm going to stray away from the scale/key too much and make my use of a certain scale irrelevant? On that point, what's the point of saying you're using the chormatic scale? If you're using all twelve semitones, isn't it like not restricting yourself to a certain scale? Also, how can I get the chords of "Everything you do is a ballon" from Boc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQEmaj9C6ko)? I don't want to get the chords, I want to get some advice to figure them out myself, because I feel that you learn a lot more if you recognize intervals and chords by ear... the thing is, I find it too difficult to get the exact voicings of the chords. Last question: any good online tutorials or lessons to get my feet on writing melodies based on different scales, including adding variation, etc? I was trying to write a melody the other day, and it sounded repetitive, bizarre (not in a good IDM way, but in a, "why the hell does it start doing all these things" way)... would like to get some pointers. Thanks a lot in advance. PD: sorry for all the quotation marks.
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Dec 10, 2010 10:44
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KaosPV posted:What's the exact difference between key and scale? I understand that key is the "tonality" of the song, and a scale is more like a palette to draw notes from, but for example, can a song be in D phyrgian? If so, what's the point in them being differentiated? Not all scales in the key D have the exact same notes for that very reason. Try playing two notes at the same time and listen closely to the effect they produce when played together. Alternate one of the notes, move it up and down in pitch but keep the other note the same. Some scales are rigged towards using notes that sound melancholic and sad together, and building a piece up around them. You'll notice that from the first, third and fifth notes of the minor scale for any key, combining them together into a chord automatically makes a minor chord. Major chords would indeed be created from a major scale. The difference between them is usually explained as 'major sounds happy', 'minor sounds sad', 'diminished sounds angry' and of course, 'anything pentatonic sounds cool as h*ck'. You're usually not using the chromatic scale because of the harmonious properties of certain notes played together with others or within the span of a certain chord. Take any song you like and try playing a chromatic scale over it in time, you'll notice that some notes just don't sound 'right'. Those are your dissonant notes. Of course you can use them, but in Western music, it's considered 'ugly' because of its inharmonic properties. Some styles of music do thrive on using the chromatic scale just like that though. A lot of music has a 'chromaticism' in it, where the point is indeed to play the melody or chord or riff in a chromatic fashion, not skipping the notes that usually lie between the 'right' ones. There are other arguments to be made too. For example, some notes are deemed to be more 'strong' than in others, in relation to others. I'm not really an expert on this so please, for anything I've said so far, correct me if I'm wrong. I believe strong notes are fifths for example (so in the key of D, your fifth would be A). If you play the seventh note (C#) in a D major scale, you'll probably notice how it 'pulls' towards resolution. It wants you to finish it and move towards the D octave again. You can hear that tension-resolution thing everywhere in western music, at the end of a movement for example, or jus before the chorus in pop music. That could be characterized as a 'weak' note. e: fixed some writing errors here SSJ2 Goku Wilders fucked around with this message at 13:02 on Dec 12, 2010 |
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Dec 10, 2010 13:11
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All you should be worrying about is the key. Like the poster above said, different keys contain different consonances and dissonances and lend a certain feeling to the music. However, it sounds like you're getting hung up on the word "scale." All a scale really is, is a series of notes. You can play a scale just like you can play an arpeggio or a trill - don't get it confused with the key since it's really more like a particular figure. Now, you referenced Phrygian mode. You can think of Phrygian as being the scale that starts on the third "scale degree" of the key, or you could just think of it as the mediant becoming the tonic. (Generally, when your tonic center is different than what the key signature suggests, you call the corresponding scale a mode instead of a scale.) People use the word scale to reference the pitches available within a key, but really that's all it has to be if you want it to. If you see f sharp in the key signature, you know you're likely in G major or e minor, but beyond seeing that you should sharp f when you use it, you don't have to think about "scales" unless you want to. As far as what notes you are "allowed" to play within a certain key - that's up to you! If you study theory, you'll learn about the function of various chords that can be built within the key you are in, but eventually, and historically, sticking to those chords becomes boring, and so composers started "borrowing" from other keys. If you study theory, you will also learn about these borrowed chords. Lastly, if you do decide to use a note that isn't in the key signature, you mark it with an accidental, either a sharp, flat, or natural. (A natural cancels a sharp or a flat that exists in the key signature.)
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Dec 12, 2010 05:32
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Crudus posted:Lastly, if you do decide to use a note that isn't in the key signature, you mark it with an accidental, either a sharp, flat, or natural. (A natural cancels a sharp or a flat that exists in the key signature.) Good information in this post. Depending on the key signature, there may also be double-sharps and double-flats, which are then returned to the key not by a natural but by a sharp or a flat. But yeah, music theory is a great thing. I just finished my first semester of it, and it's radically changed my bass playing.
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Dec 12, 2010 06:26
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Hey guys, I read the FAQ and there was a section on general singing tips, but the area I live in doesn't have much for vocal teachers. Is there any possible hope for finding something online or in the form of a DVD or anything like that with good exercises and lessons on how to improve my vocal capabilities? Or do I just have to bite the bullet and try to find somebody out of town to help? Thanks for any help!
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Dec 14, 2010 23:04
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My acoustic guitar's neck is becoming increasingly bowed. Is there anything I can/should do besides take it in to some shop? Why does this happen? I got the action lowered around a year ago, could that have had something to do with it?
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Dec 14, 2010 23:58
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Reposting my question because nobody answered it and I'm still curious and can't find any useful information elsewhere on the internet.Coupon Wizard posted:What's a hexatonic pole?
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Dec 15, 2010 04:11
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Coupon Wizard posted:Reposting my question because nobody answered it and I'm still curious and can't find any useful information elsewhere on the internet. According to the Opera Quarterly, a hexatonic pole is "a progression (in either direction) between a major and a minor triad that features semitonal motion in each of the three upper voices." I had never seen the term before, but it makes sense.
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Dec 15, 2010 04:21
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Manky posted:According to the Opera Quarterly, a hexatonic pole is "a progression (in either direction) between a major and a minor triad that features semitonal motion in each of the three upper voices." I had never seen the term before, but it makes sense. Cool, thanks for answering so swiftly. So if I'm reading it correctly one example would be A major to F minor and the reverse?
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Dec 15, 2010 05:32
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Coupon Wizard posted:Cool, thanks for answering so swiftly. So if I'm reading it correctly one example would be A major to F minor and the reverse? Yeah, that could definitely be set up as an example.
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Dec 15, 2010 05:37
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I'm rewiring my old Korean PRS with all new electronics and pickups, but have run into a snag: the pickup rings on the new pickups don't align perfectly with the holes from the old ones. If I push the pickup to one side I can fit two screws in on that side, but then the ones on the other side are 90% concealed. I can see a bit of every hole if I leave it in the middle, but not enough to evenly screw in the ring. As far as I can see it, my options are: 1) Drill two new holes on the body right beside the old ones. 2) Drill two new holes on the ring. 3) Buy new pickup rings and mount the pickups on those and hope to hell the alignment is perfect. But with #s 1 & 2, don't I run the risk of just drilling right through into the old holes, making an open oval? The holes are going to be reeeeally close together, and I'm concerned about merging the holes (in #1) or causing a failure in the plastic (in #2). Maybe I'll just superglue the drat thing down.
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Dec 15, 2010 17:24
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BronYAurStomp posted:My acoustic guitar's neck is becoming increasingly bowed. Is there anything I can/should do besides take it in to some shop? Why does this happen? I got the action lowered around a year ago, could that have had something to do with it? If your neck is bowing, you probably need another truss rod adjustment. If you have an appropriately sized allen key, you can do it yourself. http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/repair/acoustic-guitar/truss-rod.php
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Dec 15, 2010 17:50
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CmdrSmirnoff posted:Maybe I'll just superglue the drat thing down. Not exactly, but you should be able to fill in the old holes with superglue or wood filler and then drill your new ones once its cured. By filling the old holes with something sturdy you'll basically be drilling solid material again and wont have to worry about getting ovals.
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Dec 15, 2010 18:54
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Crudus posted:Not exactly, but you should be able to fill in the old holes with superglue or wood filler and then drill your new ones once its cured. By filling the old holes with something sturdy you'll basically be drilling solid material again and wont have to worry about getting ovals. Sounds like a plan. I'll give it a shot with wood filler later today, thanks.
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Dec 15, 2010 19:28
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Use toothpicks and wood glue to plug the holes, that way you are drilling into wood not just a lump of glue or filler.
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Dec 16, 2010 01:05
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Did I miss something or is there some reason the old rings won't fit the new pickups?
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Dec 16, 2010 02:23
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Ferrous Wheel posted:Did I miss something or is there some reason the old rings won't fit the new pickups? The old rings are disgusting and old and one is missing a corner. quote:Use toothpicks and wood glue to plug the holes, that way you are drilling into wood not just a lump of glue or filler. Yeah, I put in a couple layers of wood filler using toothpicks. Gonna let that sit for a while and build it up further; working on other projects in the meantime.
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Dec 16, 2010 03:18
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You seem to have handled it, but I might as well say that carved top guitars and flat top guitars use different pickup rings. On carved tops (like les pauls) they're flat while on flat topped ones they're larger and slope slightly downward. Hopefully you have the right kind.
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Dec 16, 2010 04:51
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Why is it high end bass amps typically use 10 inch speakers when guitar cabs use 12"? youd think bigger size=more bass right?
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Dec 17, 2010 14:14
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Three Red Lights posted:Why is it high end bass amps typically use 10 inch speakers when guitar cabs use 12"? youd think bigger size=more bass right?
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Dec 18, 2010 02:13
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I know it's a disaster to power on a tube amp with no speaker load, but I've also heard that you shouldn't turn one on without an instrument plugged in. What's up with that? Is it just because plugging one in after the amp is on might make a speaker-damaging "pop"?
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Dec 18, 2010 02:34
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Can audio rackmount equipment be mounted on a computer server rack? They both seem to be 19".
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Dec 21, 2010 02:22
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Any suggestions for a reasonably priced recording method (either via laptop, or handheld) for recording riffs/song ideas / basslines? Mostly electric bass and acoustic guitar. Looking at the Zoom H2, but would prefer to grab something locally from Guitar Center - I'll be patient if that's the best choice.
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Dec 22, 2010 01:01
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I just bought a Sony PCM-M10 and I'm pretty happy with the functionality for the price ($230 from Sweetwater). It's pricier than the H2 but the battery life and recording/playback capabilities are much greater. I'm still learning my way around it in terms of ideal positioning and mic level but it's a solid little unit and I feel comfortable recommending it. I looked at all of the Zoom offerings and decided that the Sony has the best ratio of bang to buck to space.
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Dec 22, 2010 02:01
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Has anyone else used GarageBand 6 and found the software bass samples out of tune? I'm trying to put something together but it sounds terrible because all the bass samples are slightly out of tune.
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Dec 22, 2010 06:58
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My office doubles as my studio, and I have a Mackie CFX-12MKII that connect both of my computers, my TV, guitars, and vocals out to a pair of JBL speakers on stands. The problem is that everything is in mono, so music doesn't pan right when played from my computer and in general it seems that it's not as loud as it could be when playing guitar, so I suppose my question is two fold. One: Am I doing something wrong? Two: What is a better mixer that would suit my needs?
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Dec 22, 2010 17:34
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I'm trying to save space and need to stack my guitar and bass rigs in the basement. Here's what I'm working with: * Peavey JSX head - 55lbs - vent on top * Hartke LH500 head - 20lbs - fan on rear * Avatar 2x12 guitar cab - 50lbs, 28.5" W * Avatar 1x15/6 bass cab - 63lbs, 24.5" W Ideally I would like the LH500 on top of the JSX because of the weight, but it would be sitting on top of the JSX's vent. I checked and it doesn't *block* it because it's on half-inch legs, but I'm still concerned about heat building up between the two. So - would it be a problem to throw the JSX on top of the LH500 despite the massive weight difference? I really don't want to crush the poor little guy. Stacks: there should be no problem keeping the 2x12 on top despite the 2 inches of overhang on either side, right? This is something I can play around with as needed anyway, and I'd rather figure out how to get the heads stacked safely.
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Dec 23, 2010 23:14
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Good_Vs_Evil posted:My office doubles as my studio, and I have a Mackie CFX-12MKII that connect both of my computers, my TV, guitars, and vocals out to a pair of JBL speakers on stands. The problem is that everything is in mono, so music doesn't pan right when played from my computer and in general it seems that it's not as loud as it could be when playing guitar, so I suppose my question is two fold.
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Dec 24, 2010 01:54
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CalvinDooglas posted:Has anyone else used GarageBand 6 and found the software bass samples out of tune? I'm trying to put something together but it sounds terrible because all the bass samples are slightly out of tune. I've never had a problem with it. The two things I'd suggest you check are 1) make sure your guitar is in tune using GB's built-in tuner (if that indeed is the instrument you're using) and 2) make sure the key you have selected in your GB project is accurate.
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Dec 24, 2010 02:02
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I was thinking about buying a Yamaha DD-65 so I could learn drums while at college. I would get a full set if I could, but space is going to be an issue. Should I just continue with buying the DD-65, or something similar, or is it better to buy a drum pad like the Roland SPD-S or Alesis ControlPad? Also, I plan to use whatever drum pad I get as a MIDI controller and use VST drums.
Crazy Legs fucked around with this message at 23:53 on Dec 24, 2010 |
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Dec 24, 2010 22:15
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Anyone have any suggestions for a sample library of 'industrial' / factory / mechanical sounds (gears grinding, machines running, metal clanking, etc)? I could synthesize but I'd rather use sampled sounds.
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Dec 26, 2010 05:18
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RetardedRobots posted:Anyone have any suggestions for a sample library of 'industrial' / factory / mechanical sounds (gears grinding, machines running, metal clanking, etc)? I could synthesize but I'd rather use sampled sounds. I got a bunch of glitchy sample packs from browsing here and looking for them: http://www.idmforums.com/ Here's the one I bookmarked, but theres more floating around http://brontoscorpiomusic.blogspot.com/2010/06/free-glitches-vol01.html Should be what your looking for.
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Dec 26, 2010 16:43
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DrChu posted:How is everything hooked up to the mixer? 1/4-inch instrument cables.
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Dec 27, 2010 03:07
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Good_Vs_Evil posted:1/4-inch instrument cables.
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Dec 27, 2010 03:35
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