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insane clown pussy posted:that looks cool but it's probably overkill for just making backing tracks. but yeah physical drum machines with pads and whatnot are pretty fun to use I kinda want it to function with a synth input, so i can make some interesting longish texturing set to a beat.. i just find that really hard to do in a pc daw. but i also want it to be able to make more interesting drums than the basic poo poo on a boss rc-500 which just seems to make me play the same chord progressions so I dunno, it's partially trying to sperate from logic a little and get a different workflow going. if im making something serious i spend hours punching the drums into the logic midi roll (because I'm also not great at finger tapping pads) and it's really draining ethanol fucked around with this message at 00:44 on Feb 8, 2024 |
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Feb 8, 2024 00:41
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I've engineered myself into a dumb problem: on my tele I went with a custom high-wind bridge single coil and low-wind neck humbucker. I've convinced myself both of them sound like junk, which is a real possibility, given that they're not a matched set or anything. It's stopping me from enjoying practicing. How do people here dial in clean/dirt tones? My gut is to isolate some guitar tracks that have the sound(s) I'm going for, recording my own playing, and then compare the two, but I'm starting to get overwhelmed by all the variables: body, pickup height, caps/resistors, pickups, amp/cab. I'm not sure where to start, or what a baseline should be for amp/cab (real or simulated) for example. I've got an AC10 for a physical amp/cab and then a Vox Copperhead (Marshall amp/cab modeling).
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Feb 8, 2024 00:47
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ethanol posted:From a guitarist point of view, has anybody here tried messing with serious drum machines like the digitakt to help make backing… for practice to start. Did you have a good time or is it too quantized and stuff to use for non house music song writing Digitakt rules but haven't used it with guitar. Might not be best for "real" drums as its mono samples and only 64mb per project. The sequencer is great with conditionals/probabilities/automation etc. Extremely fast to make a pattern that has variations and fills from just 16 steps. You can microshift triggers if it feels too quantized. You can also monitor the inputs while playing or use it as a audio interface. Overbridge was the deciding factor for me, I need the individual tracks for further production.
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Feb 8, 2024 07:09
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I have a bad time using that kind of drum machine for guitar just because the thinking around drum machine parts for electronic music is so very different from how rock drummers write. I much prefer writing out a fake drum part in a DAW where you can actually compose it out rather than getting stuck in thinking in loops. Also they never have the kind of splashy cymbal and hat sounds rock needs.
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Feb 8, 2024 16:46
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i acquired an MPC One through a music friend who dgaf and that thing will support you as a drum machine and synth with whatever you want to do, like holy gently caress
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Feb 8, 2024 18:04
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Got a video of my newest song from last week's open mic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na9fHj6ASM0
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Feb 8, 2024 21:58
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So, finally got the electronics sorted out. I forgot to take pics but what I have is good enough I suppose. poo poo pic, but the bubba'd condition I got it in:  Needed new strings, truss rod adjustment, cleaned, frets leveled, etc. Then I look inside to find this:  gently caress. So ordered a new pot and knob along with the pickup I wanted. Ground wire to bridge was borked as well as every solder joint in the thing. Took all the guts out, bridge posts and bridge removed and cleaned, re-seated the left post anchor since it was lifting a little so the newspaper trick was what I went with. 18 more hours and I can put that under tension. Re-wired the entire thing, checked it all with the multimeter, good to go on that side of things. Put it back together and this is where it's at until tomorrow:  Cosmetic damage aside, it's in good shape now. I might replace the tuners next time I string it, they're a little worn but fine otherwise. Only other issue I ran into was the store in town didn't have the exact EB strings I've been using, but at least had the same hybrid type from them so good enough. So long as nothing else pops up I should be able to get it back up and running in the morning and hopefully not have to intonate or adjust the rod again, but if so it'll be fine. Then I'll get the pickup height set and I'll be back to practicing thankfully. After I clean it ofc.
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Feb 8, 2024 22:20
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20 Blunts posted:i acquired an MPC One through a music friend who dgaf and that thing will support you as a drum machine and synth with whatever you want to do, like holy gently caress mmm ive been considering that also. to be honest i really like all these stupid boxes and kinda want them all but they're so pricey. i like the look of the controls on the digitakt vs the mpc one having so much multifunction context buttons
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Feb 9, 2024 01:28
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I have basically used the MPC to build realistic percussion backing tracks I can play along to, which may be a lame use case for the thing. The MPC, unlike the Digitakt, has a "Song" mode that allows you to work beyond the 8 bar drum machine and start putting together songs more complex than verse-chorus-verse or whatever. On the flip side, adding effects and tweaking the beats comes faster on the Digitakt. I will say I've had moments where the MPC itself was cumbersome to program in a more sophisticated rhythm, so I've gone into the MPC software on my laptop to make those changes in the cells. My workflow with the MPC has been to tap out beats as I jam over them with my guitar, and then I'll jump on the laptop and start attending to the details if needed. I suppose this is only better than EZDrummer + a DAW in the sense that I would prefer not to gig on a laptop. I did all that work in the MPC software and now the music can travel with me and reach the PA via the 1/8 outs on the MPC. The MPC Is very much a "DAW in a box" that suits me as I produce songs. I have used it to make a hip-hop style sampled beat once and it was easy AF. If you are into Khruangbin, or any this loop-driven jam music I hear a lot of lately, the MPC alone gets you there fast. It won't look at you funny when you've been soloing for 45 minutes. You can be the cool guy who plays a quick synth part on the pads if you get sick of your primitive 6 string contraption. note: I am a total dumbass with music technology - people skills and a metronome are my main tools 20 Blunts fucked around with this message at 17:40 on Feb 9, 2024 |
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Feb 9, 2024 17:35
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I think it's time we all abandon our primitive ways and join the future by buying linnstruments
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Feb 9, 2024 18:27
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The mpc one is intriguing and I may very well end up with one some day, but the workflow looks too much like just using Logic Pro. Whereas the digitakt does all this wild sound design poo poo and seems more clever even if it’s way more limited functionally.. so I ended up ordering a Arturia minifreak and the digitakt… I could reject it all and return when it arrives but that’s what I’m gonna try out first. And definitely want to see what can do for more than just guitar work. Let the gas take me
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Feb 9, 2024 18:59
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20 Blunts posted:The MPC, unlike the Digitakt, has a "Song" mode Digitakt did eventually get song mode.
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Feb 9, 2024 21:44
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i am sleep deprived and staring at strandbergs anyone have one? if so, what do you think?
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Feb 10, 2024 16:05
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Southern Cassowary posted:i am sleep deprived and staring at strandbergs I bought a Boden Metal a couple months back and I adore it. YMMV on the neck but I find that the shape naturally encourages good positioning/ergonomics, and it's fast as all hell. Pickups sound fantastic, especially with high gain stuff, but I can get plenty of good clean tones as well. The multiscale thing took very little getting used to, maybe a day or two at most. The body design is great and I use the classical cutaway all the time. It is far and away the most playable instrument I've ever owned. I also think it looks dope af. 10/10 would recommend.
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Feb 10, 2024 16:16
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Modal Auxiliary posted:I bought a Boden Metal a couple months back and I adore it. YMMV on the neck but I find that the shape naturally encourages good positioning/ergonomics, and it's fast as all hell. Pickups sound fantastic, especially with high gain stuff, but I can get plenty of good clean tones as well. The multiscale thing took very little getting used to, maybe a day or two at most. The body design is great and I use the classical cutaway all the time. It is far and away the most playable instrument I've ever owned. I also think it looks dope af. 10/10 would recommend. i saw a guy playing one using the classical cutout with a strap and it just made so much sense my esp is brilliant but the bareknuckle aftermaths have always sounded a little quirky and i'm tempted to flip it+some of my pile of cheaper japanese superstrats to fund a boden prog a semi-local shop stocks strandberg, i might go check them out before committing to that just in case i hate it
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Feb 10, 2024 16:27
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Southern Cassowary posted:i am sleep deprived and staring at strandbergs i have one and so do a couple other posters. it's super light weight and ergonomic, but somehow doesn't sound quite as good or stay in tune quite as well as my G&L tele. it's still my main electric guitar -- comfort takes priority for me.
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Feb 10, 2024 16:29
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ai rendition of a guitar lol
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Feb 10, 2024 16:30
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Well that's loving adorable.  Edit: I should add that I also had some tuning stability issues out of the box, but since restringing with a heavier gauge for my preferred tuning (C Standard) and doing a bit of intonation tweaking (super easy with the tool they provide) it's been WAY more solid. Modal Auxiliary fucked around with this message at 17:25 on Feb 10, 2024 |
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Feb 10, 2024 17:18
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Modal Auxiliary fucked around with this message at 17:44 on Feb 10, 2024 |
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Feb 10, 2024 17:39
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I'm getting fret buzz when I'm barreing any fret from 6 and up on the A string on my acoustic. I can't really use more force - it's like there's a really, really fine line between getting enough fretting strength to get one string's note to sound and getting buzz or mute. Add that to the fact that I'm just better with a radius and it's frustrating as hell. I already sanded my saddle down way low - any more and it's going to completely deaden strings. Should I be going from 11 gauge up to 12 or just learn to accept that I might just be stuck to frets 1-6 on an acoustic? Edit: unless anyone has a pre-2014 Fender Kingman, which is literally the exact same V neck 9.5 radius as my Strat, which is perfect
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Feb 10, 2024 17:46
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going up in string gauge is going to increase string tension and make it harder to barre
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Feb 10, 2024 17:50
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if you're strumming / plucking hard you need to raise action sometimes, grin and bear it, especially on acoustic... or adopt a softer pluck. that said you could also have too much relief in the neck. try a factory setup martin at the store and you might be surprised how high they come edit: it's going to also raise the volume of an acoustic to raise the saddle height. at some point lowering action and playing harder means too much pressure on your fingers compared to just having been plucking at a higher action edit: unless im misunderstanding your post as the frets still buzz when you press individually instead mean you're having trouble barring ethanol fucked around with this message at 17:59 on Feb 10, 2024 |
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Feb 10, 2024 17:52
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ethanol posted:ai rendition of a guitar lol lol lmao thanks if i could advise the potential strandberg buyers: i would probably opt for the trem bridge. i went with the fixed variant because i thought it would give me rock solid stability, but it hasn't worked out that way. i'm honestly being a baby about this! it's a-tier, but im spoiled by the G&L 1950s style ashtray bridge, which is s-tier.
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Feb 10, 2024 18:16
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Southern Cassowary posted:i am sleep deprived and staring at strandbergs I have a boden seven string and I love it. Agree with Modal on the ergonomics. The weird neck is fantastic for playability and the body is really light. Multiscale frets didn't even register for me, felt like playing any other guitar. My only complaints are that its a bit of an rear end in a top hat to tune since the machines are pretty tight and packed together down below the bridge and the headless thing + body shape makes it annoying to hang or put on a stand. Other than that, absolutely great instrument.
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Feb 10, 2024 18:34
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ethanol posted:if you're strumming / plucking hard you need to raise action sometimes, grin and bear it, especially on acoustic... or adopt a softer pluck. that said you could also have too much relief in the neck. try a factory setup martin at the store and you might be surprised how high they come Honestly, I don't know if I'm complaining too much about barreing or if I have a legitimate issue. If I go from any chord to an Eb major barre at the 6th fret, using the thinnest pick I could find (a Dunlop Tortex Flex - the almost-translucent white one) with the softest possible strum that still produces a note, with the 6th string muted and all other 5 strings producing a clear note, I can hold that barre for about 3 seconds. Any longer than that and it feels like it's straining my wrist and I have to let go and shake it up to get the pain gone. I've tried tons of different positions for my arm, wrist, fingers, angles, etc. I've had three our four teachers at this point. It's always been "you'll get it, you'll build up strength over time". I can only comfortably do this with a V neck and 9.5 radius. I've tried a fuckton of guitars. I've owned three or four. The acoustic I'm using has come from a setup. Even after the setup, I still had this issue. I've played factory Martins, Taylors, everything I could get my hands on. They were all universally the same, even with higher action. I've tried doing the thing where you sort of rotate to get your finger bone to do most of the barreing. It just doesn't work. Someone please tell me I've got some medical or biological issue or "yeah it's just going to hurt forever while barreing" and how hosed I'd be for arthritis if I keep it up. I'll try another saddle and the lightest possible gauge of acoustic strings I can find, but I'm way close to just declaring myself cowboy chords only and everything else just isn't possible for me. EDIT: ugh, this turned e/n. I hate the fact that I've been practicing a lot, made so much progress on a skill that's been completely foreign to me just because I wanted to go for it, and I've just hit brick wall after brick wall after brick wall. When 95% of acoustic guitars essentially have the same unchangeable physical configuration and 100% of them just make you feel physical pain when practicing a basic skill, it's turning into a need to cut my losses. Ovation makes guitars with necks that feel just fine, but I hate the sound, ugh. I just wish I could get handed an acoustic with a C neck, 15" radius, and a setup where it's guaranteed to be Not The Guitar's Fault if I can't barre properly. If I can't do it then, I can focus on electrics and be at peace. If I can do it then, I'll buy the drat guitar on the spot. MJP fucked around with this message at 20:06 on Feb 10, 2024 |
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Feb 10, 2024 20:01
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That doesn't sound like a skill/equipment issue to me. Do you have any other issues with hand pain/fatigue? What you're describing sounds a lot like me during a connective tissue flareup. Does this happen when you're doing other manual tasks, or is it just barre chords?
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Feb 10, 2024 20:40
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Barre chords on acoustic are notoriously difficult until you build up a lot of grip strength and your teachers are probably right. But if you do have something going on medically and can't build up the strength you can always just play the associated triads for the barre chord. Not quite as full sounding but it'll get you there. Or you can do cheater barres where you just finger the low root and triad shape and mute the rest. There's no guitar police that are going to arrest you for playing wrong if its more comfortable and still sounds ok.
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Feb 10, 2024 20:44
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MJP posted:Honestly, I don't know if I'm complaining too much about barreing or if I have a legitimate issue. If I go from any chord to an Eb major barre at the 6th fret, using the thinnest pick I could find (a Dunlop Tortex Flex - the almost-translucent white one) with the softest possible strum that still produces a note, with the 6th string muted and all other 5 strings producing a clear note, I can hold that barre for about 3 seconds. Any longer than that and it feels like it's straining my wrist and I have to let go and shake it up to get the pain gone. I've tried tons of different positions for my arm, wrist, fingers, angles, etc. I've had three our four teachers at this point. It's always been "you'll get it, you'll build up strength over time". Definitely don't keep playing if it hurts. That's what will really get you. Also... I think you're making a ton of progress. Please take a moment to recognize that. This is definitely something a lot of people struggle with, and if it doesn't work out, it's going to be fine. Thanks to a hand injury, I don't play steel string acoustics. I love the sound, but it's just not worth the pain. You can still make a lot of music with an electric and/or nylon string guitar not to mention all the other instruments in this world. Trying a light gauge setup is worth it for sure, but don't put yourself through the wringer. That doesn't pay off.
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Feb 10, 2024 20:44
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doctor walks in “I’m so sorry sir. It appears that you have a case of bitchfingers, and I’m afraid it’s terminal”
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Feb 10, 2024 20:59
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Southern Cassowary posted:i am sleep deprived and staring at strandbergs I have a Sälen Tremolo. It’s a really nice guitar and I appreciate how light and comfortable it is. Have it hanging next to my work desk (I work 100% at home) and it’s nice to just grab and do a little playing between meetings. It won’t replace my other guitars but it definitely has a purpose in the collection. If anything it got me playing my Mustaine Dean V a lot more once I got hooked on classical position.
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Feb 10, 2024 21:03
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MJP posted:Any longer than that and it feels like it's straining my wrist and I have to let go and shake it up to get the pain gone. I've tried tons of different positions for my arm, wrist, fingers, angles, etc. Your thumb is missing from this list so I feel compelled to say: Shoulder relaxed, wrist below rather than behind the neck and thumb not peeking over the top. It's not grip strength--you can have your thumb entirely off the neck and get the force required from your arm. A little grip makes it easier but its an arm thing, primarily
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Feb 10, 2024 21:09
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Southern Cassowary posted:i am sleep deprived and staring at strandbergs I got to play a strandberg at Guitar Center for about half an hour today. I love that it's super light, the body shape is ergonomically perfect, and the pickups sounded great. But fanned frets are a big sticking point for me. I have trouble with the fact that, well: the frets are in different places than I am used to. Maybe I would get used to it after an hour, or 5, or 10? But also I think the design is made for playing with a strict classical wrist and hand posture. (And by classical posture, I mean super modern post-Tim henson post-Tosin Abasi 7 or 8 string playing.)
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Feb 11, 2024 03:06
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I have two steel strings - one is a smaller (parlour?) sized guitar with light gauge strings and the other is standard. Most new songs, chord shapes, etc. I learn on the small one first till I have them nailed then move up to the big boy.
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Feb 11, 2024 08:25
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Modal Auxiliary posted:That doesn't sound like a skill/equipment issue to me. Do you have any other issues with hand pain/fatigue? What you're describing sounds a lot like me during a connective tissue flareup. Does this happen when you're doing other manual tasks, or is it just barre chords? It definitely doesn't happen any other times. I use an ergonomic keyboard, under-desk tray, ergo chair, etc. for work so I at least know what to look out for. No existing medical issues AFAIK. This week I'll sand down a fresh saddle and get the relief dialed in for light strings. I didn't know that guitar sizing would have an effect on string tension, so maybe I'll try a parlor or O size at GC to see how those feel. FWIW I started out on classical and it was just as bad, same for a B&G electric - thick V neck felt great, but it was still a wide radius. Thank you for being a supportive thread. I fully expected to get poo poo on for whining - I as a person am not used to being in a "it's not you and/or a lack of skill, it's your equipment and/or weird physiological stuff" situations. Likewise, my side project might be to get a cheap Dean acoustic with a V neck, 9.5 radius sanding block, fret crown file, and experiment a bit.
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Feb 11, 2024 14:48
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Stealth Tiger posted:I got to play a strandberg at Guitar Center for about half an hour today. I love that it's super light, the body shape is ergonomically perfect, and the pickups sounded great. But fanned frets are a big sticking point for me. I have trouble with the fact that, well: the frets are in different places than I am used to. Maybe I would get used to it after an hour, or 5, or 10? But also I think the design is made for playing with a strict classical wrist and hand posture. (And by classical posture, I mean super modern post-Tim henson post-Tosin Abasi 7 or 8 string playing.) Are you sure it was the fanned frets messing with you and not the headless thing? I have had no issues adapting to fanned frets pretty much immediately but the missing head really threw me off for a good while since my brain seems to have used the “end of the guitar” as a reference for where I was on the fretboard. Also the fanning feels pretty gentle on a Strandberg compared to eg Ibanez.
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Feb 11, 2024 19:34
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MJP posted:It definitely doesn't happen any other times. I use an ergonomic keyboard, under-desk tray, ergo chair, etc. for work so I at least know what to look out for. No existing medical issues AFAIK. it's not the size of the guitar that changes that but the scale length. parlor and o sized guitars often have shorter scale lengths i have a taylor gt-e blacktop that i love for this reason. the gt taylors have a 24.125" scale length and are easily the easiest playing acoustics i've ever tried, and i love the way walnut sounds in acoustics so the blacktop sounds rad. it's not going to boom like a dreadnought does, but i am not really looking for that so much as a chill, easy campfire guitar that can do small scale strumming songs as well as a little fingerstyle.
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Feb 11, 2024 20:21
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MJP posted:It definitely doesn't happen any other times. I use an ergonomic keyboard, under-desk tray, ergo chair, etc. for work so I at least know what to look out for. No existing medical issues AFAIK. Have you considered trying to down tune a half step? See if that helps? A lot of country players will down tune a half or whole step and then capo to the key they want to play since it makes it a bit easier.
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Feb 11, 2024 21:26
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800peepee51doodoo posted:Have you considered trying to down tune a half step? See if that helps? A lot of country players will down tune a half or whole step and then capo to the key they want to play since it makes it a bit easier. my aforementioned taylor gt was designed to emulate this - they did that scale length because it feels like tuning to e flat
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Feb 11, 2024 21:43
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Can I ask a small favor of the thread? Someone with a cutaway acoustic, please record an Eb major chord on the 11th fret, in regular E tuning, evenly strummed and then just picking each string. After spending an hour or so at Guitar Center trying a ton of different makes/models/body types, I am beginning to think it may not be a bad case of bitchfinger and maybe it's just that any barre chord that far up the neck sounds kinda muted. Literally anything from a $100 shitpile to a $6700 Gibson had the same thing for me. I want to hear what it should sound like before I start. No instructions, no lead-ups, just two or three seconds.
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Feb 12, 2024 00:07
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| # ? May 24, 2024 17:26 |
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MJP posted:Can I ask a small favor of the thread? Someone with a cutaway acoustic, please record an Eb major chord on the 11th fret, in regular E tuning, evenly strummed and then just picking each string. After spending an hour or so at Guitar Center trying a ton of different makes/models/body types, I am beginning to think it may not be a bad case of bitchfinger and maybe it's just that any barre chord that far up the neck sounds kinda muted. Literally anything from a $100 shitpile to a $6700 Gibson had the same thing for me. I have a cutaway concert sized breedlove with a solid top and the Eb (e shape) at 11 sounds the same to me as other barre chords lower down in volume and fullness. Here's a clip. Eb at 11 and then a B at 7 to compare https://voca.ro/1jL0pG2A1GDE Edit: can you post a vid of your hands and stuff while playing the barre? I have meaty fingers and have to roll to the side a bit to use the edge a bit closer to my thumb rather than the middle of my pointer to get things to ring out relatively clearly. Edit 2: also as others have said barres are tough. I avoided them for quite a while early on. You don't actually need them if they cause you pain. I started acoustic learning DMB songs and he never does a full barre. If you have big enough hands there are some fun alternate shapes he uses or you can just do triads, etc. havelock fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Feb 12, 2024 |
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Feb 12, 2024 00:23
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