I've got to play and put something on my web site. Just my usual blues-based nonsense. All comments welcome with the following disclaimer.

"I know it's still kinda a jam without structure but with blues it's not that difficult to fix it. It needs some live drums and vocals. Then I'm going to record it direct (now it's just a basic live recording) and then add drums/vocals."

I'm also going to build a song online. I just like the idea that I can. The initial idea is on the site. Without a counter or any way to track I guess I'll never know who comes back to hear the final. Ignorance is bliss

headline change - edit
[This message was edited Mon Aug 25 14:10:48 PDT 2003 by Slave2daGroove]

Is this thing on?

Interesting man. If you played everything on here, why does it sound like it's been miked from across the room?

Move the mic much closer to the source. I know you like the ambient feel - and it DEFINITELY makes it sound like it's a band playing, but it's just way too sonically blurred.

If you can, maybe put one mic close, and then put a second one far away to retain that ambience but increase the clarity.

How many channels are you able to record? I would challenge you to trying to laying down just a rhythm guitar part and then adding the lead guitar over that in a totally different tone.

I like the overall groove to the song, but I can BARELY hear the drums in this. It's a drum machine of some sort, right? Get it louder man!!

otan said:

Otan-

Thanks for the kind words. Here's the deal.

I bought that board that has 4 inputs directly to my laptop. The problem is my friend who is playing bass, completly freaks out when he knows he's being recorded. I've been experimenting with doing tracks myself one at a time but it sounds too forced. I'm working on this this was recorded a little more basic.

I have a Zoom effects/recording/metronome/tuner thing with a condenser mic in it. I set the laptop up running through a good set of speakers (fruityloops) and we play along with it. Then the Zoom picks it all up at once, I put it on the laptop and delete the extra nonsense and burn an mp3.

Challenge accepted. I'm going to do it direct myself and maybe you can tell me if anything sounds forced. I'm also going to bring in the loop direct so the drum loop is in your face. This weekend, it's on.

Beau, your feedback is very appreciated, thanks.

spelling, edit
[This message was edited Fri Aug 22 9:03:01 PDT 2003 by Slave2daGroove]

It LOOKS like you're recording things like this?

LAPTOP: rhythm machine => speakers (desktop speakers, or a stereo?

guitar and bass => like thru amps

all goes into a small condenser mic on the zoom?

Questions:
Does the Zoom have an input for a mic? or a line?

I would suggest running the laptop into the 4-channel mixer, then run a mic from you and the bass player into other channels - depending on how many mics you have, so everything goes into the mixer, and THAT goes into the zoom.

-- IF YOU CANT get a line into the zoom:
put everything right up on that condenser mic... use proximity to manage your input volumes - put the laptop speakers right next to it, then put your amp and bass amp further away and crank it. If your amps have line-outs, I'd suggest running EVERYTHING into the mixer and then running that out to a stereo if you have to. Of course, then you totally lose the ambience.

Seems like your problem is that you're using your laptop for the loop, and then also using it for recording, which you can't do both at the same time... so, what the hey, burn a loop to a CD and then play the CD over the stereo?

Good luck man!

I like the initial idea thingy. It reminds me of Sting and the Police. I really like it.

Friend of Zepplin is cool too. I like how you get crazy with the guitar at the end. Can't wait to hear it with vocals. Are you gonna sing?


[This message was edited Fri Aug 22 19:13:38 PDT 2003 by VinaBlue]

otan said:

Again, the bass player get's freaked out when we run direct into the board. With the Zoom, he doesn't know we're recording. I'm working with him to get over this and it's just going to take some time. The Zoom is the only thing recording, the loop is playing through the laptop. Then I take the smart media card from the zoom and put the file onto the laptop to edit and make an MP3.

When I run direct, the sound is night and day (in comparison to this). I can created the ambient sound with effects and I can run the Zoom effects throught the board too. All while listening the the loop and playing all on the laptop. I'm working on this.

Thanks for your help.

VinaBlue said:

Thanks Vina.

It reminds me of Sting/Police too but it wasn't planned. Yeah, I'm going to add vocals and re-record it direct.

I can't wait to hear myself but I'll post here.

Where are all of the musician's here?

Let's hear y'all! Don't make me come find you.

Lookin' for your


edit
[This message was edited Mon Aug 25 8:00:54 PDT 2003 by Slave2daGroove]

The thing to think about is that a direct recording will initially yield a bone-dry sound. The key is to expect it and know that you're not done with the recording, and yeah, add the ambience after the fact. The advantage is that YOU control the ambience and can undo it if there's too much, etc.

I've been working with singer that's the same way - live, he'll rip your head off, in the studio, he turns into the nutty professor or something. I have to get him hammered to loosen up, do a horribly slurred drunk take, and then the next day say "LISTEN! THAT'S YOU WITHOUT THE STRESS!".

I made him buy a 4-track and go home and practice recording songs.

Thanks again Otan.

The rest of you muthas (I'm not mentioning a single name, you know who you are) WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Lookin for feedback from all of you that have posted your music and gotten my feedback.

Slave2daGroove said:

It gets quiet on weekends cos most people access from work. Slackers!!!

I agree with Vina, very Sting. Could do with being a little clearer on the recording sound as Otan said though. Do you use a sequencer software or do you just use the zoom??

Im sure your bass player will get used to recording. I have the same problem, as soon as I hit that red button I freeze. Unfortunatly because I record everything myself I cant use the old engineer trick not letting the musician know Im recording, can hardly surprize myself lol. But its getting better now. Im starting to think that the beauty of recording is that it dont have to be perfect in that first take like it does live & when Im in that frame of mind I actually find it easier to record a song than play it live.

Good tune

I am without a soundcard, so cant hear

5% downloaded so far...keep in post...!

Friend Of Zepplin is very very cool. I think it is a nice guitar jam and i want 2 ask is this really ur song or is it someone elses? It sounds very catchy and like I may have heard it b4 but if not very good job doing a hard Jimi Funkadelic kind of guitar work over a drum beat (nice beat). Cool man! I like it ALOT.

You know I have to be very quick and cautious about being online lately. The people here at work are cracking down hard on internet usage. The only computer I have access to with sound is the bosses computer, and I don't get to be on there very much. If you want, e-mail me at jasondodson_inc@yahoo.com and maybe you can send me a CD with your songs on it. I really want to hear your stuff!



Peace,
JD

paisleypark4 said:

Thanks a lot. The drum is a loop, I'm going to re-record it all direct and repost it.

It's my riff but it sounds a lot like Zeppelin to me so maybe I inverted a chord or something. I grew up from a young age (5 yrs old) listening to Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and some things just come out subconsciously. I'm not trying to rip anyone off but with blues riffs it sometimes sounds that way.

The new idea is different but it sounds like Sting, so whatever. I'm just going to work on making it all my own.


spelling bee flunky edit
[This message was edited Tue Aug 26 16:36:15 PDT 2003 by Slave2daGroove]

7salles said:

Org note me your address, I'll put together a disc.

cloud9mission said:

Thanks Lewis, No sequencer software but I had a Chorus pedal running thru the Marshall, then just everything picked up by the Zoom.

I tried to listen today from my bosses computer at work and I could not get it to play upon downloading them.


Peace,
JD

Flashpointe said:

They're just MP3's but I'll burn a disk for you.

I've added the second part to the work-in-progress to the site. I came up with a drum beat I like and added a guitar solo idea.

Tonight I'm working on Otan's challenge by recording direct. It will be the third installment of this song-in-progress.

My PC is finally well, i heard, its cool, but tell me, its gonan be a jam or a strucured song?
How is your vocal?
PEace!

It will have structure. I was just working out the different parts before I go direct (clean into the computer).

I guess people will tell me how my vocals are. If they suck as a bad as my drumming, I'll need to know.

sorry M8, i will listen when I have time 2 dwld it, I have dialup & its taking long time.
Vina & everyone else, Im coming/trying.

groovement said:

Do you have your own puter now?

yep...NO Sleep/food/..etc
been surfin till dawn