john

Starting with the oldest, and cheapest: When recording vocals, if microphone 'pop' is a problem use a "pop blast screen". 'Pop' is caused when a singer sings a plosive sound, like a 'p' or 'b' sound. This causes air to get forced out the singers mouth where it hits the diaphram of the microphone causing a pop sound on the vocal recording. Just try holding your hand in front of your mouth sing a few different vowel sound, then try singing a word like "drop". On the 'p' you'll find that a blast of air hits your hand. A pop blast screen is a gauze placed between the singer and the microphone. It disipates the blast of air without changing the sound of the word. There for no pop! You can buy pop blast screens. There are cheap ones, but many home recording enthusiasts simply use a metal coat hanger (you know the ones made from a wire) with a pair of nylons, stockings or tights (whatever you call them) stretched over the wire frame. This basically works, not as effective as a pro screen, but it removes the worst effects. Cheers John

Feel free to add your tips here... For a guide to EQ to help improve your mixes: EQ Frequencies Have a browse through some more of our articles below: Compression The Compressor Noise Gates and Expanders Reverb Reverb, Delay and Echo Equalization / Equalisation Home Recording Patchbays - The nerve center of your rack Phase Relationships Standard Filter Types

Hey Does anyone use analog recording anymore? I use a mix of analog and digital signal chains (analog mixer, some outboard, PC, software processors, hardware digital processors. I like analog gear to an extent, but almost everything is digital in home recording. I just wondered to what extent it is still being used... Cheers John

Thanks Hari!

Hey I just wondered when the last time you were in a pro recording studio was? I was in a studio for the first time in a while at christmas, unfortunately I was just visiting someone else who was recording their 4th album (at least I think it was the 4th!). I was in the same studio about 8 years ago recording. It's not changed much to look at until you notice that it is completely protools based now! I virtually never go to studio these days. Home recording meets most of my needs, though it can be a bit frustrating when you don't have that bit of gear that would do what you need! Anyway, I just wondered... Cheers John

Hey Nigel There are a few cheap entry level software sequencers, and a number of freeware alternatives. I'll see if I can find a list... Cheers John

Hey Marc Interesting stuff. I read up on subliminals a couple of years ago, and if not directly, the results of this research are used in everything from adverts, films etc., music, graphics and ... product placement in yout local shops! Oh yeah, then there's product packaging, colour use and combination... We are manipulated at every opportunity. Most subliminals seem to follow a basic formula: Appetite/Desire + Product = Satisfaction although there are variations involving assosciation with desirable attributes, they are only variations. A common one as an example involves placing a skull image in an ice cube, in a alcohol drinks advert. The assosciation is, funnily enough, danger. There are other subliminals in the same advert (about 40). Why? Being viewed as mildly dangerous is a desirable self-image common for drinkers. Assosciation is the key stone of subliminals. Assosciation is usually made with strong emotive subjects, like food and eating, or even stronger reactions using sexual imagery. For example: Product - Soft Drink. (much simplified) Hidden messages: Thirst equated with hunger equated with sexual desire and frustration. Images of heat, dry, arid, undesirable elements from stuck in traffic on a hot day etc. Hidden images include excessive heat (deserts, etc.), flacid unaroused sexual organs, frustrated facial images etc. Product equated with popular food type, and sexual arousal. Images include drink being poured, face showing anticipation. Hidden images include aroused sexual organs, watering mouth, dilated pupils etc. Drinking the product equated with satisfying your hunger and sexual acts especially penetration. Images of happy faces, and sexual acts are used. Swallowing the product is equated with orgasm. Graphic images of orgasm are used. After drinking the product satisfaction with the product is equated with sated appetite and sexual satisfaction. Images of post coital relaxation are used. Images are displayed by a mixture of inserted whole frames, say a couple of frames every hundred, to percentage mixes between the consciously visible signal, say 95%, and the unconsciously visible subliminal, say 5%. The latter can very easily be done with audio. Ok, so the supermarket/mall version is much diluted, but many of the equations are the same. Cheers John

Feel free to post why you feel one is your favourite.

Hey Nigel Ok, ordered by likelyhood of success, higher to lower -> Idea 1: Win the lottery jackpot. Idea 2: Invent something everybody wants, nobody needs, only you can manufacture, where materials are free, and people will help you make it for you for free just to be assosciated with it. Idea 3: Sell your body. You would need to be patient, but I feel almost sure that eventually you would raise the remainder of the £14.00. (Assuming you are about the £12.00 mark just now). John Cheeky? Me?

Excellent Dider! I missed this when it was posted...

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-supe...-home-headlines Could have been Woeful Wednesday or Not Bad Thursday... :

Hey Finn Nice one. Good blog too.

Hey I have a dangerous singing technique. I sing. It's dangerous. :

What would you go for Finn?

Hey Just thought Id see what your next planned musical buys are? And I don't mean a new cd, unless it's a sample cd! Cheers John

Hey Hari Interesting article. Thanks! Cheers John

Hey emptylane Hmm. Obviously there's no simple answer. It depends on the style of music and your playing style. I would start with the basic song with no embelishments. Identify the part(s) of each song where you could embelish, without impacting your vocal performance. Next, try to get variation in the breaks themselves. The big bit to remember is, this is the easiest part to get some form of instrument based dynamic variation. I know you get the chance while you are singing, but at this point you can wholehearted focus on the guitar. Al has it correct to degree, your vocal is the main way to introduce variation. Plan what you want to do. Make it simple. It is better to have a few selected excellent "variations" etc than an overkill of not very good ones. Cheers John

Hey Finn Thanks for letting me know. It's an offsite service for managing the ad banners. Unfortunately if their site goes down, so do the banners. Every one else Cross Link! Cheers John

Hey Finn Go through a manual submit. It should get picked up. You won't have been banned or anything like that. Cheers John

Hey Finn I've added a link to your site on my own artist page: http://www.johnmoxey.com Cheers John

Well bumped Finn! btw, I noticed that your Songstuff page shows as the highest result when you search for Finn Arild! http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navc...en&q=Finn+Arild Cheers John

In the current climate the lion taming might come in handy...

Unfortunately no. It might not be expensive, but I'm pretty broke at the mo. Spending restrictions in place .

Hey Finn Sorry Finn... good luck! I hope you get it sorted soon... Cheers John

You signed up as a label? Where?