Donna

Your journey is inspiring, JB. You've tracked many miles!!

Amanda, I meant that vociferous list you wrote of THINGS THAT ____ ME OFF! I was teasing you - it is very clear what your pet peeves are

Anna-log porta studio here

Appeciate you being in the know then. But it can be picked up anew.

Is it really a coach's question? That ups my opinion of sports, then. Yeah, looks like I'm being taken care of. Thanks, Al!

Amanda, under pet peeves, why don't you tell us now what you REALLY think?

John Nightwolf, good to know the pick up can be inserted. It's nice to hear your friend has one as well. This man, Pete, is a high test classical guitarist. I was surprised and kinda confirmed I was on the right track cause he has the same exact Cort, which I didn't know til after I'd played it. (Long Freakout on Pete: He said it'll be fun to go over all this stuff - and I knew he meant just that! I wanto bring Husband too so he can freak out on Pete as well. Those two'd get on. (I've never met such a store owner, can't think of one who truly strives w/ determination but laid back excitement to get ppl hooked up with what they want and need. I'm so lucky to have found such a musician to bouce stuff off of, cause that's been the bulk of the exchanges, not me buying stuff. Ya apologize (kinda) for the state of your axe or case and he says, "that's good - it means it's being used." You tell him your playing is done on your doorstep and he says, "I am SO glad to hear that." You realize this guy, this heavy musician wishes he could walk down a street to hear (even) fumbling chords on the doorstep. (It's a second generation family store. I heard him giving the lesson while trying the guitars and actually quieted down...after the brass player gave a lame reading of the exercise, Pete asks him, "what is it about this song that makes you play like that?" Pause. "Is it boredom?" Pause (maybe because a crazy womaine was in the foyer playing guitar and hearing him, a beginner!) But he asked a couple more questions which went right into my soul as it were, I deja voo-ed as if I was a kid again, knowing I wasn't doing what I ought to come lesson time. I wish someone woulda nicely nailed me like that to get it out in the open and not kept secret even from me, why I didn't put my heart into whatever thing. I have never known a teacher to do that, though there must be others. Seemed like a lot could be accomplished that way. Freakout done). Yeah boys, I'm already in love - with it's acoustic unplugged sound. Never played an acoustic plugged in, I don't think. OK Al, I'll just enjoy the ride!

Rudi, thanks for asking. It's a red Cort, with a pick-up. The body is kinda big. I'd never heard of the name. Pete has one. Set up a time w/ him to check out stuff again...and he said, to plug 'em all in so I can hear the difference in pick-ups. And try it out standing, all that stuff. He wants to see if there's something comparable (lower price) I'd be happy with. I'd said doors seemed to be closing for people to help, but I meant they're closing as far as doing recording how I used to, where I'd write the song, show up, play (maybe) one instrumental line and sing. In many ways, there are more folks than ever helping out - Songstuff heads the list! I'd never seriously looked into mixing prior to. And Pete, I know he wants to help me out. It's just a little unnerving, now I've had some time to catch my breath since I began Songstuff, and see that things seem to be opening up and nudging me toward doing stuff in my own right, other than writing/singing/drumming. But I'm sure I'll be properly thankful and excited shortly (woo-hoo, I'm gonna get a new axe! It may take awhile, but it'll happen!)

thanks, JB. pax...

Hey all~ 3 nights ago I said out loud "I need a guitar I can play." I thought it was me at first, but now know the Ibenez is ____, tho grateful for anything at this point. Husband encouraged me to visit Pete (the green guitar pick guy). He was just beginning a lesson but quickly tuned 1/2 a dozen acoustics and set them out for me to try. "Note what you like about each, and at this point don't worry about color and etc;. Leave this list with me and we'll set up a time where we can go over all the possibilities based on what you like." Well, the one I like is 3 times the amt I have. (Tho I did ask Pete if it was going to stay in tune). So I'm thinking how I can get extra work to buy that axe (if I still like it in days to come). This is the hardest part about being a Mom. Lord-a-mercy, if I had two stupid weeks, ten business days free during the day to work, I'd probably have enough for a new bass, too. It's such a STUPID problem! The $ is so close! It's possible to attempt enlisting short term (gratis) help...one day so-and-so comes over multiplied by 2 weeks. I also need to find temproary work. When I played it, I found myself thinking, "I could get good enough on this to walk into an open stage situation...I could gig, even one song." Can't imagine anything getting me better as regards singing/playing/writing than a gig - even one song. So...after playing just enough these past years so that I haven't regressed (much), I think I have loved guitar for a long time, but didn't realize it til I played that guitar in Pete's store. And it seems like doors are closing for others to help...Terri, it looks like, cannot play on the song. (That means, once I accept I'll have to do the guitar parts myself, someone will show up, right?) The mere thought of playing a song solo I could never seriously entertain, as well. What's happening? Who am I - musically, I mean? Things is changing, or I'm maybe being added to.

JB, this thread is telling to say the least. You aren't a keyboard player? What are you, then (seriously)...your lines are all done via keyboard, are they not? You orchestrate, reach for the lilting strings; chord progressions; solos... Let's hope James will cure you re: the touch sensitivity - you know what I mean! Dynamics is reality of music. It's real-ness. JB, you've always given me encouragement, esp as a player, I wish I could do likewise for you because your musical ideas I think are sound! (So to speak) IMO, always keep that part forefront which concentrates on theme music/all your ideas. Step out and sing/play. At least I (hopefully) won't complain anymore about not being a keyboard player myself - think you've cured me.

Steve...it's got to be said that under that insane smarta** humor is a sweet person. Sometimes I realize, 'they've only heard one song but a thousand albums of chit chat'. JB: are you kidding? No, you're being respectful and no-pressure, gotta love that. If I get it done, that means it's respectable and posting it is a main reason to get it done...Actually, I do so want to get this little one's voice talking on a recording - then she will be in the credits I was spoiled rotten with Loo doing the instrumentation AND mixing AND engineering. It's like a lost-my-limbs kind of thing. He's basically irreplaceable so I'm coming to terms with that. He's gone into infant exile as I'm coming out of it. I actually scored his bass part and retaught myself (for 56 measures) how to read bass clef....did you know a hard cigarette pack works as a ruler when drawing bar lines on the staff paper? I fight all this pre-lim work, it's very hard to get myself to do the scoring, cause I'm out of shape. But that's a key to this whole thing, as is setting the eq right in the first place.

Recalled today that I know one guitar player who, if I ask her "will you do it this way", WILL, and she'll do it PERFECTLY. Haven't spoken (cause of life) in ten years...different city she lives in. Terri is...much more of a perfectionist than I am. I hope she'd be willing.... Sorry if I'm blogging too much y'all

OK tonight I said I'm doing this whole song, I just have to hear where it's at, the good and the bad. Frankenbass young man is nowehere to be found these days, so I added a keyboard bass to the...rough draft (shall we say) sequenced part. Did that and drums (after ten PM) and was finishing vocals after midnight. I did shut the windows for the last bit. Sometimes you just have to risk waking the whole place up. It will work. I just need to get a guitarist over here and come up with better keyboard parts for the verses. It works best when I play it just like I think it should go. It's ending up that I'm copping less and less of Loo's lines. Did two mixes of the 9 parts. The mixing/equing along as I go is the biggest bear. I'm certain it can be done, just wish I wasn't the slob who has to do it. The separation is an issue, but thanks to you guys giving me many maps on this recodring section of Songstuff, it's really all here how to go about acheiving it. I'm in a good spot with it, such a big project for me. Made also a new mix of Stage 1 (stereo drums and keys) which is my map of vision as it turned out really good. Cheers, splitter jacks and beers! And - three vocals (swoon), I sang back up while playing (lol) guitar. Did you know in a pinch you can attach a mic to a keyboard stand with a sturdy rubber binder? That was the condenser mic. It's not even a money issue! Literally haven't had time to pick up a mic stand.

I've solved some of this hiss - maybe most. Turned up the gain way on the keyboard, turned off the trim, had to ride the master and individual gains a bit before recording and on mixdown. Still experimenting and at 15 minute intervals (which stinks), but there it is, til I get a bigger block of time. All in all, progress PS Prometheus, I found your last reply quite interesting, thank you.

It's not the splitter jack, effects or dbx...altho pushing the input mix of the midiverb adds a crisp hiss

Re: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBX_(noise_reduction) A sometimes noticeable artifact of dbx was "breathing", as its compander rapidly increased and decreased the volume level of the background noise along with the music, which was most noticeable in quiet musical passages; this was a greater issue with dbx than with Dolby because its compander was more aggressive and worked across the frequency spectrum.[1] Interesting...I only need press a button to switch it off (not recommended in the 246 manual). dbx Type I and Type II are types of "companding noise reduction". Companding noise reduction works by first compressing the source material's dynamic range (in this case by a factor of 2) in anticipation of being recorded on a relatively noisy medium (magnetic tape, for example). Upon playback, the encoded material, now contaminated with noise, is passed through an expander which restores the original dynamic range of the source material. The contaminating signal (tape hiss) is "masked" by the dynamic expansion process, resulting in a significant reduction in perceived noise. Love that: "perceived" noise. Hey Prometheus, it's good to know a bit what dbx is! This paragraph got me wondering about compression as an effect. I assume compression on hot vocal levels would not expand upon playback? Right, the idea is to level out peaks which are overhigh. In dbx it is the dynamic range which is compressed...that's the same with compression per se?

Hey~ It's got dbx. Don't think there's dolby, will look again~ I need to play with it, which I will but having too many outings and stuff. will report back....

That would be an option, John Nightwolf, except I'm recording the keys via a sequencer, and while I'm playing drums...ha ha, as it is, I'm using the drumstick (ya know, leaning past the drum kit which I'm behind) to push "record" on the 4-track, and also using drumstuck to push the "start" on the sequecer. *sings* "things'll get better"

I agree, I think I can hear the hiss across more than just the high freq. Bless your heart...Prometheus, I'm using the annologue 4 track exclusively til further notice. The pc mission has been aborted for the time being...

John, I've read everything you posted as links. It really does look like the Behringer will have to be acquired. Your article writing is so packed (dense), you probably don't realize that. How the heck do you know so much? I've found that every answer is there, but I must slow down and look it over carefully to get it. That's in part cause the language is still new to me. It's not main hums or low frequency rumbles, this I knew. 'Tis hiss. Well, I'm gonna get the noise gate, probably should have it anyhow and the price (or debt acquisition ) is manageable. But you're right, it's the minimal or silent keys passages which are intolerable w/ hiss. I'll try cutting gain on the effects after bypassing them to check the monitor. But I hope to get the noise gate pronto, in a day or two. Thanks for getting us up to speed about what has kept you away...

Mon capitan, thank you for your help! Good to see ya Cheers (but only with beers)! Donna

Yeah. Thanks, John. The gates you speak of, these are not gated effects (like on my midiverb II)? Or are they?

Prometheus, if you can believe it, I had the 4 yr old man the desk for drum levels! She was the only one on hand when I was ready to roll. I explained to her the mic, signal source (drums) and meters. "Just tell me if there's too much red. It should be like black-black-black-RED, black-black-RED, black-black-back RED-RED. What we don't want is RED_RED_RED_RED_RED_ all the time!" I was able to lean forward while playing so as to view meter for a second to check her answers, and she was fairly accurate. I told her to plug her fingers in her ears if it got too loud and to keep her eye on the meter. Based on her answers and my quick view, I set the trim and it's not bad.

Hey y'all, please deliver me from this if you can It's not a connection problem, pretty sure, and not a bad connection Hiss, if that makes sense. But, could it be a not-good-enough-keyboard problem? Using a splitter jack with two 1/4 inch cables into the tascam annalogue 4 track. I think once all the parts are there on the tune it might be OK if nothing can be done. Still, the dynamic swells of keyboard lines, those are fine w/ good strong sognal, but the quieter parts, if I boost the trim, hiss is boosted as well. Thanks for any insight.