Small Questions Which Don't Deserve Their Own Thread

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > No More Drake > Musician's Lounge > Small Questions Which Don't Deserve Their Own Thread

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

How can I expand my songs into longer ones? It's driving my loving NUTS now, even though I used to be cool with making sub-2 minute stuff. I want to branch out but I'm always so lacking in ideas. I posted this thread as an example of some of my work: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3548285

I have no idea what to do.

# ¿ May 10, 2013 19:01

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Jun 1, 2024 21:21

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

So I have this circuit bent thing (a pcb with a shitload of wires sticking out that used to be an instructional soldering kit) stuck it in a box and it turned out that I was able to solder a 1/4" trs jack to replace the speaker. It makes pretty cool sounds when I cross wires.

Is it possible to plug this into something that I can control even further, synth-style, to play it with a keyboard? Or a touchpad, even?

Hardware would be best, I'm kind of tired of fiddling with programs but if that's the easiest way, then cool.

# ¿ May 27, 2013 01:22

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

Thank you for this stuff, I'll do some more research but these are steps in the right direction. Is there a circuit bending thread anywhere? I haven't seen it.

# ¿ May 27, 2013 18:48

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

I have a ton of wires that can be crossed in basically any permutation to create a different tone, different beats/blips, etc. Could I do something like put the tops of the screws through holes in a non-conductive surface, strip the wires a bit more, wind them around the threading and touch the screw tops?

e. like this:

nishi koichi fucked around with this message at 23:50 on May 27, 2013

# ¿ May 27, 2013 23:45

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

Can I write music down without knowing what key it's in to make a key signature at the beginning? Or am I way overthinking this and keys end up being really obvious as you write. Am I underthinking it?

# ¿ Jun 25, 2013 17:26

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

juche mane posted:

If you know your scales then I don't see how the key signature would be a mystery. Does the piece's tonality change part-way through? Is there a modulation?

I don't know em though.

# ¿ Jun 25, 2013 18:02

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

I have a piece of poo poo strat clone I got ripped off for when I was an idiot kid, how possible would it be to, I don't know, cut off the sides of the body and make it sort of like Bob Mothersbaugh's labaye 2x4? I'm not looking to make a replica or anything I just really like the planky look and my back is getting too lovely for heavy guitars

# ¿ Aug 14, 2013 00:40

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

I have no idea about the brand, the head stock was blank. This is really good information to have, thanks so much dude.

I'm nowhere near agile enough to play the higher frets without the horns getting in the way, and the 2x4 just looks so cool and easy to move around with.

# ¿ Aug 14, 2013 02:10

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

I hold my neck pretty much parallel to the floor :ohdear:

(I also fret with my thumb which I hear is not too great. Ive got stubby fingers and huge palms)

nishi koichi fucked around with this message at 04:36 on Aug 14, 2013

# ¿ Aug 14, 2013 04:32

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

Wow, well I came in here asking if i could hack up a lovely guitar and I leave with better posture, a better-feeling back and better playing altogether. This thread kind of rules. Thanks.

# ¿ Aug 15, 2013 07:33

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

nm asking in synth thread

nishi koichi fucked around with this message at 22:36 on Oct 14, 2013

# ¿ Oct 13, 2013 22:03

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

I figured I'd get more replies in the synth thread and I didn't want to crosspost my question so I just let it go :shobon:

# ¿ Oct 15, 2013 01:06

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

I have to connect two computers to a single pair of monitors, is there something like this http://www.amazon.com/ROLLS-MX41b-F...ds=stereo+mixer but active rather than passive

And how would I go about doing this? One computer has an interface so I'm good with using a 1/4 inch cable, could I just use a 1/8 to 1/4 inch cable from the soundcard of the other computer?

# ¿ Feb 20, 2014 23:37

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

Flipperwaldt posted:

Behringer Micromix MX400?

e: that's 4 mono channels, by the way.

I know very little about the difference between mono and stereo, we are planning to work on music so we need both channels on each working, will that mixer do if I wanted to connect them to something like this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051WAM64/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=32LA2XPXYYNZY&coliid=I1N90BMCSW4VKW Or is mono what I need for doing this?

there's also rca inputs but I don't know if we can use both that and the trs ins at the same time? Does "line" mean that the signal doesn't get amplified?

# ¿ Feb 21, 2014 00:43

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

rad, thanks a lot guys

# ¿ Feb 22, 2014 00:18

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

How can I wire a guitar to pick up AM radio on purpose? Single coil, only one pickup, no tone knob. I don't care if it sounds like garbage

Not having to use a router would be nice.

# ¿ Oct 20, 2014 02:28

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

What's the best way to analyze a song's structure? Let's use Psycho Killer as an example.

What would you call the "We are vain and we are blind / I hate people when they're not polite" section? And the part sung entirely in French, is that a bridge?

Sorry if my questions are silly

# ¿ Dec 24, 2014 08:54

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

Jazz Marimba posted:

The major parts of the song are the verse, chorus, and bridge. Yup, the French part is the bridge! It's the "completely different" section that only happens once. The lyrics you gave, I'd consider them to be the last bit of the bridge, before going back into the chorus, the section that repeats, almost verbatim if not verbatim (the fa fa fa" section). The verse is the part that repeats with the same melody and chords, but the words are usually different every time.

Less major, this song also happens to have an intro, which is exactly as it sounds: "stuff before the actual song". Usually it's really simple in pop tunes to draw the listener in, like in Psycho Killer it's just the drummer tapping the bass drum.

Thanks. I love how chill everyone is in this thread/forum.

# ¿ Dec 25, 2014 01:48

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

How can I follow a slow tempo? I feel like it takes way more effort to play slowly than quickly. Slower than about 80 bpm and I'm hitting notes earlier because it feels like my "inner tempo" or whatever is around 100.

# ¿ Mar 21, 2015 10:33

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

RandomCheese posted:

Set your metronome click to double your intended tempo and then play to it in halftime, the extra tics should help you follow the slower pace and after a while it will feel natural.
Also practice playing as slow as your metronome will allow, usually 40bpm. After settling into this tempo for a bit jumping back up to 80 will feel pretty snappy.

Playing slow but tight is a lot harder than faster speeds because as you've seen the slight timing discrepancies really come through when you have time to analyse the gaps between notes. A good exercise is to intentionally play just before the beat, and just after it as well, it takes a lot of practice to get the muscle memory locked in. If you don't do it already, try nodding your head or tapping your foot to the beat, just keep your body continually moving to the tempo and it will help you internalise it a lot more.

Excellent, thanks.

# ¿ Mar 22, 2015 05:38

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

Any good pizzicato double bass (or whatever it's called when you don't use the bow, like in jazz) instruments? Or should I just find someone who plays one to do that part for me?

# ¿ Jun 20, 2015 04:10

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

Does anyone have any experience playing guitar with hitchhiker's thumbs? The thumb on my fretting hand wants to bend to about 90 degrees on the back of the neck, which doesn't hurt per se, but it can get very uncomfortable after a while. Trying to keep my thumb straighter feels unnatural. I use my thumb to fret the E when I need to, at least.

# ¿ Sep 9, 2018 03:03

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

how do i get into playing bossa nova? my focus is percussion, guitar and bass but i'll take all the info i can get!

# ¿ Jun 15, 2019 02:18

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

Helianthus Annuus posted:

from a guitarist's perspective, trickiest thing is learning the jazz chord voicings, and there are lots. but you gotta start somewhere. which song do you want to play?

more generally: listen to a bunch, play along with recordings. look up and practice any chord voicings that are new to you.

i want to make my own, mostly. but i really dig this song, for example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV561v6FX4A

# ¿ Jun 16, 2019 20:21

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Jun 1, 2024 21:21

nishi koichi: Feb 16, 2007; everyone feels that way and gives up.
that's how they get away with it.

i have a maschine mikro but i like using it for note input because it gets me out of the traditional keyboard layout rut, especially since i'm not great at theory.

# ¿ Jun 26, 2019 01:12

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > No More Drake > Musician's Lounge > Small Questions Which Don't Deserve Their Own Thread