GRcade Musician's Club - Do You "Do" Music?

The last one I made (which ended up gooseberry fool so I've abandoned it) was all recorded on the red lines, I went full Be Here Now

Victor Mildew wrote:I always find it hard to reply to your posts GG as there's so much to refer to, but I've already started taking this in to account with my stuff. Luckily most of what ive live recorded was accidentally done pretty neutral volume wise, and it's only the latest one I was doing that was too loud, so I was able to pull it all down and it sounds much much better.

Lime wrote:
Also, just a thought - there is a guitar solo that's way beyond my abilities... is anyone any good at listening, transcribing and recording a take I could use? I'm not sure if I want to do this yet, as I've done the rest myself and should really go up the curve on my guitar playing, but just looking at options....

Send me a link over, I'll let you know if it's within my abilities.

Cheers for the offer, let me see what I can do.
I'm pretty old so it's old fashioned music (think early 90's funk rock ) and the solo is not a Van Halen/Vai widdle-fest, but to my ears (and fingers) it's tricky, and all in the rhythm/mutes/tone.

Victor Mildew wrote:I always find it hard to reply to your posts GG as there's so much to refer to, but I've already started taking this in to account with my stuff. Luckily most of what ive live recorded was accidentally done pretty neutral volume wise, and it's only the latest one I was doing that was too loud, so I was able to pull it all down and it sounds much much better.

Lime wrote:
Also, just a thought - there is a guitar solo that's way beyond my abilities... is anyone any good at listening, transcribing and recording a take I could use? I'm not sure if I want to do this yet, as I've done the rest myself and should really go up the curve on my guitar playing, but just looking at options....

Send me a link over, I'll let you know if it's within my abilities.

If you have level indicators on your interface or zero latency ones on your driver/control panel you can use those for getting it about right.

If you're recording a signal you're not going to process much, you can record pretty much right up to it clipping into the red during the loudest possible sound you can make strumming etc, then ease off a bit for the actual recording. So around -0.2dB

If you're going to add stuff like effects, generally stay in the generally orange/yellow area around -4 to -6dB, perhaps with a peak around -2dB.

if you're going to heap on all kinds of gooseberry fool, just play enough to get a level around 50-65% peak level (so somewhere around -20 to -30dB), always picking up something on the level/VU meter regardless of what you play, but it may be lacking in bass and other higher SPL (sound pressure level) sounds and certain other harmonics.

I have LED VUs on Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 for this which is super useful but you can do the same thing on-screen, there's just a bit of a delay.

I was recording the vocals on a new tune last night, and as per usual I'd recorded the music first, then found it was in a key I couldn't sing in However, after a while of trying I managed to tune my voice in to actually hit it. I did the vocals high first, then a low harmony over it all, so I can pull those bits in as and when. Sounds quite nice in places already. It must have sounded so funny to my wife, as I'm using heaphones with a really good sound seal, so all you could hear is my just repeating the same bit over and over with swear words every now and then punctuating it. The best bit which made me properly lose it laughing was trying to hit some John Mayer type falsetto in the chorus, when I was already right up the top of my range anyway. It was as flat as can be and just this HOOOOOOOOONNNNNNG like a kid whos voice is breaking

Lol, I know the feeling. You can always sing in a complementary key as well so your entire vocal is a harmony with the melody, I use that trick a lot. Sounds odd at first but the listener gets used to it after a couple seconds. You can use strings and stuff that sound similar to vocal chords to hit the notes you were going for originally, or simply pitch shift the whole thing (or your voice), it's not that bad these days - even if it's just by a semitone. There are plenty of songs (especially covers) out there in weird flat and sharp keys.

It's nice when you have those days where you can just hit really high notes or sometimes really low notes, then it disappears until the time you actually want to record something. Annoying, that. I go from hitting falsettos to really low Leonard Cohen type bass notes, it's never both. If I got some actual training, I think my range would be pretty impressive. Indeed, that's factually the case with the likes of Matt Bellamy etc. who had to retrain numerous times, people often forget no musician got here they are without a bit of help and encouragement, it's all about finding where your voice actually is rather than striving to be someone you aren't.

Most lately I've pretty much been a Nick Cave sort of thing, really belting stuff out that borders on metal. Never really let myself do that seriously before but it's hilarious to listen back to as I'm actually like, "strawberry float me is that me? Well yes it is really, the rest of the time I'm just pretending I'm not strawberry floating pissed off!"

I'm looking to record vocals and get some good headphones to make my mixing better. I know I need to get an audio interface to do this, if it's only for a microphone and headphones, does it need to be a particularly good interface?

blackoutHERO wrote:I'm looking to record vocals and get some good headphones to make my mixing better. I know I need to get an audio interface to do this, if it's only for a microphone and headphones, does it need to be a particularly good interface?

Essential it has low latency. I used to have one of these before I got my pod x3 and it was great:

https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Line-6- ... gLi0PD_BwE

I'd recommend the Focusrite Scarlett Solo, I've had zero issues with their hardware since 2011 and never replaced my FireWire interface, and I have a few friends who use the newer USB devices. You also get free VSTs every month and a few models of their vintage hardware that are actually useful (comp, limiter, EQ, Reverb).

For a decent mic if you are going down the proper XLR route I'd look at Rode NT1A which you can get in a set with shock mount, pop guard and even a reverb shield, or Audio Technica's entry level Mic. maybe Samson C03 if that's still bashing about or check eBay, should be cheap. I have one and have never bothered replacing it for my needs:

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/samson-c03

C01 is cheaper but is hyper directional carboid pick up pattern only so less versatile.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/audio_technic ... aca867815b

Includes pop guard for vocal sibilance removal but you can make one out of gaffa tape, a coathanger and some stockings.

I went for a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd gen a few months back. If you ever think you'll do record anything in stereo I think it's worth the extra.

I can run keyboards, guitars, mic into it (obviously not at the same time), but swapping plugs over is easy enough. It might futureproof you a little, if you can afford it.

EDIT : Oooh it was about £30 cheaper when I bought mine, (it was £125), so maybe it's not worth it if you're just doing vocals.

An interface and some amp software will likely be my next purchase. Would quite like a 5 string bass and a 7 string guitar as well.

Audio interfaces tend to fluctuate with currency exchanges unfortunately due to manufacture and ownership, many of them are US companies sourcing foreign components in $. Japanese brands so Roland and Tascam have the same thing, the yen is much stronger than the £.

Focusrite is English.

I struck pretty lucky with some of my equipment as I came into some money when a close relative died sadly of Leukaemia, when that happens I spend it 100% on equipment or travel to see family. Was getting things for as much as £50-£100 less than the equivalent now but that was almost a decade ago. For example some of my Samson mics (US company) were roughly half the price. My monitors went for £130 rather than £175 or so now (M-Audio BX5a Deluxe although I've replaced the power caps with Nichicon audio grade caps because it was crackling and cutting out, problem disappeared).

Green Gecko wrote:Audio interfaces tend to fluctuate with currency exchanges unfortunately due to manufacture and ownership, many of them are US companies sourcing foreign components in $. Japanese brands so Roland and Tascam have the same thing, the yen is much stronger than the £.

Focusrite is English.

I struck pretty lucky with some of my equipment as I came into some money when a close relative died sadly of Leukaemia, when that happens I spend it 100% on equipment or travel to see family. Was getting things for as much as £50-£100 less than the equivalent now but that was almost a decade ago. For example some of my Samson mics (US company) were roughly half the price. My monitors went for £130 rather than £175 or so now (M-Audio BX5a Deluxe although I've replaced the power caps with Nichicon audio grade caps because it was crackling and cutting out, problem disappeared).

I got a bit of extra money coming my way next month, so I'm expecting to get the stuff then. One of my guitars was bought with a bit money my granda left me. It's a great instrument, just needs a setup (which I'm hoping to arrange this week).

The blue PRS I got recently is acting the goat. Restrung it and I obviously got a different gauge than what the factory put on. Problem is, I made adjustments to the trem bridge and it's not sitting well at all now. Might have to drop that in as well as the other guitar I mentioned. I'm rubbish at dealing with trems.

Funny how music works out. Yesterday I got the drums, guide acoustic rhythm and two vocal tracks down no problem. Tonight I went to put one electric track on and got nowhere, absolute shite.

MAEKS U SING DO X

Just finished printing and cutting 50 cassette tape inlays for my friends next release which got plugged on Radio 6 at midnight literally at the same time I was working on the layout which was strawberry floating surreal.

Decided to use the package which started out as a joke (as she's recorded with us before) as the poster for my band's next live streamed set/performance thing, info in the image but will post the Twitch URL here if anyone wants to watch me make gooseberry fool up on guitars and synths as I go along for an hour (that said, I've done this before).



And yes that's Kirby for no reason. I'm strange so I keep all the negative shapes from the decals I've done in the past and hoard/stick them on random stuff.

The fact I went from a couple of squiggles about recycled packaging to a gig poster in a couple of minutes just about shows how my mind works when I'm busy, I suppose. Fully expecting a catastrophic creative slump in the coming weeks or maybe I'm healthy, who knows.

Green Gecko wrote:I'd recommend the Focusrite Scarlett Solo, I've had zero issues with their hardware since 2011 and never replaced my FireWire interface, and I have a few friends who use the newer USB devices. You also get free VSTs every month and a few models of their vintage hardware that are actually useful (comp, limiter, EQ, Reverb).

For a decent mic if you are going down the proper XLR route I'd look at Rode NT1A which you can get in a set with shock mount, pop guard and even a reverb shield, or Audio Technica's entry level Mic. maybe Samson C03 if that's still bashing about or check eBay, should be cheap. I have one and have never bothered replacing it for my needs:

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/samson-c03

C01 is cheaper but is hyper directional carboid pick up pattern only so less versatile.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/audio_technic ... aca867815b

Includes pop guard for vocal sibilance removal but you can make one out of gaffa tape, a coathanger and some stockings.

Regarding mics I only need it for autotuned singing as I can't sing so an entry level mic is probably just fine for me. Going for Joji, Bon Iver, 808s Kanye sort of vibes.

(Double post from the Doom thread)

My buddy Colin has done a drum cover of one of the Doom OST tracks.
He is a drumming beast.

LewisD wrote:(Double post from the Doom thread)

My buddy Colin has done a drum cover of one of the Doom OST tracks.
He is a drumming beast.

I like their "Sound Like" series, always interesting to see how they get to different drummers' sounds through what they stock.

Ah Andertons. That's some cool drumming.

For some reason, I can't stand that Rabea guy. He annoys me. Same with Rob Chapman.

I don't mind Lee though.

Squinty wrote:Ah Andertons. That's some cool drumming.

For some reason, I can't stand that Rabea guy. He annoys me. Same with Rob Chapman.

I don't mind Lee though.

Yeah, Rob, Rabea and all the other acolytes they introduced with them aren't any more to do with Andertons than the YouTube videos.
Dealing with Rob's ego whenever he arrived at the shop to do a video made me want to inject my veins with bleach... and he was creepy with the young fans. Real creepy.

Colin was a Drum Department veteran the same time I was running the Fender section in the guitar department.

Also, if you like Colin, you'd love Jack on the Anderton's Keyboards and Synths channel.
Jack was in the keyboard department when I was there and he left to go touring with James Arthur and James Bay as their Keyboard/Backing Vocal guy.
REALLY likeable and so, so talented.

Ah, I didn't realise you worked there!

I've actually seen Jack before on a demo video, he is really great at what he does (on the playing side and the videos), not really surprised he's been offered the opportunity to do that.