Edward

I've read about that. Makes sense and explains why some drums sound very processed even when actually "played". It is much easier to play the drums with a group than it is to play to a loop after the song has been recorded - a whole different skill. I play drums a bit as well but playing to a "click" or a loop is a whole other thing. I had a set of V-drums once as well but ended up just owning the module for sounds. Edward

1. Do you sing, play an instrument or instruments? What instruments? Guitar, bass, some piano. When did you start playing? Many years ago. Did you teach yourself? Mostly - but I took some guitar lessons. 2. Are you in a band or bands? Church band presently but used to be in a band for many years. What is the name of the band? KB What do you play? guitar What other instruments are in the band? drums, bass, piano, guitar Do you have a band website? No 3. Do you write songs? Yes. Do you write lyrics, music or both? Mostly the music. Do you have a writing partner? Yes. 4. Do you record your music? Yes. Do you use a home studio? If so what gear do you use? Do you use a recording studio? Digital Performer, Apogee convertors, Big Ben master clock, outboard pres, UAD-1, Panasonic DA7 console, some good instruments and mics, midi gear, virtual instruments, synths - I've been collecting for years. Do you have music available on the web? if so where? No. 5. What other roles do you perform in the music business? I wear all the hats because I have a basement studio: arrange, perform, mix, write. Management? Label owner? Publishing? Promotion? Other? No. 6. Are you a tech head? Not really but I try to do as much as I can myself. 7. What country do you live in? Canada - yes, it's cold and has flies in the summer but it's a great place to live. 8. What are your ambitions? Almost too old to have any but it would be great to write music that people enjoy. 9. Do you draw/paint/write stories/computer art/dance or other creative pursuit? No. What are your pastimes? Music, church related activities and hanging out and traveling with with my church band (families). 10. What would you like to get out of Songstuff? ALways interested to hear how other people do things. It is great to share stuff that has been learned over the years - but I learn more than I'm able to share.

I use Digital Performer. I always start a song with a midi drum loop. I've got to have that so I can lock the bass guitar with the drums (kick). Because I basically work by myself, I use the midi drums and program them with my controller keyboard - after I do guitars and bass and vocals. - but I always start with that loop. One of the good things is that you can quantise the drums but you can also humanize them to lessen the "machine like" quality. I do the drums one piece at a time - kick and snare, hats, etc. You can decide at mix time where you want the drums in the mix. The neat thing about midi is that you can change the drums to a virtual instrument drum sound later or change kits at mix time if you want. You can combine sounds from different midi kits. It's fun to layer a second snare sound to the chorus from a different midi unit or add a tom sound to the snare, anything. I can't imagine not having the drums loop to keep me on the beat and in the groove right from the beginning. But you can decide to have the drums come into the mix at any time or not at all. Yes, most midi kits are highly processed but that is okay with me. I have BFD drums which I don't use much but they sound less processed. I have to say that I've been told by my friends that my songs would sound "better" if I used real drums. But I'd have to hire someone and that is not an option. When I listen to the radio, most drums sound processed like they are midi drums anyway. I am also really picky about timing and I am not in a location that has drummers that could perhaps give me what I'd be looking for. I've chosen to just work this way - not that it is the only way or even the best way. I've also chosen to use what I have and not keep buying and buying. Edward

Honestly there is no problem with me sharing or giving credit. A good chord progression would indeed be worth something but these were just basic and common chords and rather boring really. I did dig my heals in when he stated that the "melody" was in the chord progression. He just strummed the chord progression so there was no finger picking to indicate a melody. When I asked him to sing the melody, he said he doesn't sing; his voice ranks very highly as one of the most out-of-tune vocals I've ever heard. When I made up a melody, he was happy to take credit for it saying I'd heard it from his chord progression. I'm way too old to accept this kind of stuff. I merely wanted him to understand that he was not really writing a melody. Sometimes, on a matter of principle, you have to stand up for what is truth or you end up lying to yourself and the other guy. That's what this comes down to as far as I am concerned. When you have a basement studio and work with people, you hear a lot of versions of the truth. I have decided to decline the offer to work with him. We attend the same church and I could have accepted his version of what melody is if I thought that there would be hard feelings but it seems to be okay. I will just concentrate on his many good qualities. I used to teach school and I've become sensitive to weirdness and people who refuse to listen. Thanks for all the contributions. "Remember that the rule of thumb for measuring the fairness of a vexatious agreement is that both parties end up being equally pissed-off." ha-ha; got to remember that! Edward

Make that "a" certain Beatle song and "a" certain Rolling stone song- not ALL of their songs obviously. I forget which specific songs they talked about. It was in an article that gave the chord pattern of La Bamba and found identical chord progressions in a song by the Beatles and another song by the Stones as well as songs by other groups. That should prove the point that there are many potential melodies in any given chord progression when you think about it - to a reasonable person anyway. Had to correct myself. Edward

Hi Bob, Good advice so far. I hear you say you don't want to use a mic but I second the idea of a small diaphram condenser mic for recording acoustic. To experiment, can you borrow one and try it for a recording? I've used a Neumann KM 84 and it is very sweet. Same thing with vocals - if I record a vocal idea with a Shure Beta 58 (good mic) but then redo it with a large diaphram condenser it's a night and day difference even in the way it fits in the mix. I usually put a compresser first then EQ second on my acoustic guitar after the track is recorded and then rather than boost the top end, just pull out some mid range stuff; that alone gives the top end a boost as well as gets rid of some annoying mid frequncies. Parametric eq is great because you can boost the nasty stuff to see what bothers you then lower that frequency - as you listen in context. You could also borrow someone else's acoustic to see if it's more the guitar than anything else in your chain that is the culprit. You likely already know this stuff. I'm new here and will be a student of music recording all my life. Good luck. Edward

Hi Tom, Thanks for your input. The situation is made a little more complex by the fact that we attend the same church. I'm inclined to think that he wants to hold fast to his side of it because he is unable to write melody or lyrics effectively and yet wants to "own" a song. I've mentioned the chord progression pattern of La Bamba for instance and how Beatle songs and songs by the Rolling Stones and others have the same progression and yet different melodies hoping that it would convince him that a chord progression doesn't have a melody inherent in it. He keeps referring to "the way" a chord is strummed which can accentuate certain "melody" notes and I can see where that might be possible - a bit. He also refers to the melody in the "music" as distinct from the melody the vocalist sings. It's this "melody in the music" that he says he writes when he gives someone a chord progression. He claims it should be worth up to 1/3 of the melody credit on a song. I was just wondering if I am missing a wonderfully simple explanation that he might accept. I've told him I can't work with him as long as he refuses to accept Socan's (Canada) rules for song ownership. He says the rules are unfair. Someone once told me to just give him a piece of the ownership but I feel that would be a violation of the principle of the argument and wouldn't educate him in the least. This is purely a philosophical discussion since I refuse to work with him. This is not earth shattering but it would be good to know how to deal with someone like this other than pointing to the door. There are more important things in life for sure. Thanks again. Edward

Hi - first post. I didn't want to jack 21 mile's thread so I started a new topic although it's fairly similar. I have a basement studio. I have been asked by a person to help him write a few songs. He hands me a chord progression and I write lyrics and melody and play all the instruments as well as the vocals. This person does not write lyrics or vocal melody nor does he play or sing. He has the impression that when he comes up with a chord progression he has basically written the "melody" of the song because he feels "the melody is in the progression". I tell him that someone still has to derive the melody while listening to the chord progression but he maintains that the melody notes are in the progression so he should get a portion of the melody credit. I feel a clever chord progression is worth something but I also feel that he is incorrect about his understanding of melody. I have decided not to work with him but am looking for ways to convince him that he isn't accurate regarding melody in a song since he is upset with my take on it. Again, I know this sounds silly. Edward

Is it called a power soak? Some people use them. Some people worry about possible damage to the amp. Dunno! Edward