Dad3353

...but not hard enough.

[quote name='steantval' timestamp='1510075798' post='3403807'] Is your drum kit carried in pro flight cases, if so it would take well over 5 minutes just to take the full kit, stands and cymbals out of them before actually putting the kit together. [/quote] Yes, and no. I'll be generous and maybe give you the five minutes, but really, no more. My drums are well cosy in their 'pro' soft cases, opened with a simple zip, the cymbals are in their flight case which only requires unlatching, and my stands are pre-set, fully positioned and ready to go; they're never folded away (that [i]would [/i]take a day or so..!) . So five minutes, on my own, but I've other helping hands in the singster and our bass player, our youngest. The cases don't take up much space, either, as they're 'Russian dolled' as and when they're emptied. It's just a matter of being organised, and having willing partners in crime.

The OP is not starting from scratch; he is already using a ('rubbish'; his term...) system, so may well have much of the ancillary stuff such as cables, mics etc already (but some of that may need an upgrade, too, of course...).

Well, there's one that didn't fit, for starters. Fixed.

[quote name='skitzigol' timestamp='1510071547' post='3403751']...[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]the magic of the consistent dum sound...[/font] [/quote] Now that's being a bit [i]too [/i]harsh..! Thanks for the background info. Very interesting, and all the more credit to you for getting such a clean result; I'm impressed. I'm also very impressed with the drums; I was sure they were human-played, and well played at that. That they turn out to be 'drums in a box' is, to me, an extra lump of kudos due. You obviously have benefited (benefat..? ) from your previous experience with analogue gear, and that will doubtless continue. I'd be wary of reacting too strongly on my sole comments; best to garner a few more pairs of ears, as tastes and fashions in music have very different appeal to different folks. We (Basschat in general, and the 'Recording' section in particular...) always welcome opportunities to hear new talent, especially when it's so finely expressed. Keep 'em coming, in your own time, and again, 'Well done'.

I never do whale with fish puns.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1510051844' post='3403480'] The biggest issue with the conventional kit is the lack of redundancy, a powered desk being the worst, dog and duck ten minutes away from a spare one might be ok, an hour each way from a decent paying wedding gig not so much. [/quote] Late '70s I was playing regular wedding gigs as a duo with an accordionist/keys buddy. My PA, a Hiwatt DR205 6-entry 200w head. Taking it out of the car at one restaurant venue, the chassis slid from its sleeve onto my knees, then to the ground. All four KT88 valves were shattered in the gutter. Gutted..? Yup; I'd forgotten to bolt the chassis back in place after having serviced it..! We did the evening using the key's Carlsboro amp as FOH (luckily a pretty small function room...). Back-up..? Spare..? Ha..! One never stops learning, and that was a lesson. Just sayin'.

Our Youngest plays bass in our band; it takes him about fourteen seconds to be ready, once the head is lifted onto the cab. He plugs in the bass and that's that..! From then on he'll be helping the singer and myself set up my kit; I say that five minutes is about right. The longest is the six cymbals, despite having the stands pre-set to their respective positions. I've looked at several 'quick-fit' solutions, but nothing, so far, has replaced the tried, tested, but slow method of wing nuts, felts and penny washers. So be it; it's not that bad. At least I'm sitting down for that part..! Total set-up for the whole band, from opening the van doors, would be around thirty to forty minutes, our PA and sound check included (no lights...).

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1509996063' post='3403145'] The good thing about digital desks and powered speakers is that there are still plenty of people happy to buy the old stuff off anyone thinking of getting some modern kit [/quote] Now there, I agree entirely. Bargains for everyone..!

Here we go; I offer you ... Mason And The Beasts ... In a somewhat 'soundscape' vein, I took inspiration, not only from the picture, but also from the old masters, notably one Sergei Prokofiev and his splendid 'Peter and the Wolf'. Far from having his talent, naturally, but I was attracted to the notion of according a theme to each of the protagonists. A much shorter piece, of course, which limits one's scope to some extent (maybe that's for the better; I'll let you judge that after having listened to the piece..!) Relatively sober in its construction (for a change..!); it makes use of only one 'synth' Vst instrument (Beatmaker Horror Box...), suitably (lightly...) treated, and a series of vocal samples as 'script' for our heroine, Mason Weaver. A stereo image to match the picture and that's it..! My usual gaggle of EQ, compression, delays and reverbs, all native Cockos, and a final patina applied with AAMS, 'Movie RMS' preset is the sum total of components used. Thanks for listening, if you already have; if you're about to, enjoy.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1509980163' post='3402989'] That's not really a fair comparison is it? [/quote] Reading through the OP again, I'd say it fits quite well concerning usage and budget. Same band make-up, same venues, similar repertoire, looking for ease of use... Yup, I think it fits quite well...

I've just bought, almost new, an Alto 8-mic mixer amp, 500 + 500 Class D, for just under £120, delivered. It weighs just 8 kgs. For the size of venues we play, that's all I need (and all of us know how to work it, even the singster..!). None of us have these 'ipad' things, either. We just plug the box into the HK cabs, plug in five mics and we're off. Pubs, clubs, small outdoor gigs and garden parties... I'm fully aware of the splendid features of these new generation PA sets, but, for what we, and a lot of other amateur, 'week-end warrior' local bands do, they're fine, but overkill. Nice toys, but way off my budget, and not worth the difference as we don't use, nor want to use, their features. No 'individual monitoring' for us, no 31-band graphic, no need for tons of (or any...) fx. Old school..? You betcha. Does it work..? It does for us.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1509969720' post='3402900'] Well, anyone using electronics that's 30 years old and expecting it to be reliable has another thing coming. [/quote] Our Hiwatt has never failed, unlike our Hartke.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1509968205' post='3402880'] To be fair, it's criminal to use anything but a digital mixer and a tablet nowadays... [/quote] ...assuming one has the budget for such things.

Good afternoon, Tom... Disclaimer: I'll admit to not having listened to all of the tracks all the way through, but enough, I hope, to not betray the 'vibe'. That said, it's a very good example of what can be done in a home studio environment. The recordings and mixing are well up to the standards of many dedicated studios, with maybe a slight reservation on the choices made for treating the vocals. Nothing seriously wrong; just a tendency for 'sameness'. Some might consider that to be a quality, of course. The compositions and arrangements are mostly of a pattern: intro, verse, chorus, verse etc, but this suits the lyrics well enough, and gives some homogeneity to the album, too. There are variations, but nothing shocking. The overall impression that came across to me (take this as a compliment...) was early Elvis Costello, with smatterings of 'Jean Genie'-era Bowie, some Boomtown Rats; maybe a little Lou Reed buried in there. The standard of playing is fine; more than adequate for the genre, on all instruments. The singing has at least the advantage of being clear enough to capture the essential of the lyrics (always a problem for me, what with being old and having cloth ears... ), but one could not say that he's ready for Glyndebourne yet. Altogether, then, a worthy production, well worth the modest sum asked for; I've heard much worse at far higher prices from established 'name' groups. Well done; congratulations to all concerned, and especially those able to get such a consistent drum sound into the mix. Surely not done in the bedroom..?

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1509966855' post='3402872']... You are telling me someone is going to spend £7k and then gig that unreliable effects unit? They're £140 new for the vintage 70s one. The latest model is under £80. [/quote] That's what [i]you [/i]would choose to do, it would seem, but whoever buys this sort of stuff may well have a different [i]modus operandi[/i], and do things very differently. I doubt that the concept of '£80' comes into their equations. What would [i]I [/i]choose to do.? I'd economise even the £80..! There, you see..? Another way of thinking. Folks can be very different; of that I'm pretty sure.