3V17C

well having been a devout PC user for many years I took the plunge the other week and bought an iMac (see earlier post 'Mac Ponderings'). Now one of the reasons I got a Mac was because [i]apparently [/i] they're better for home recording etc..... hmmmm.... NOT CONVINCED!!! Kinda hard to explain but here goes.... Basically my setup that has worked pretty well for years on PC doesn't work with the iMac. I'm running Garageband and will be using software instruments for drums/keyboards etc but adding live guitar/bass/vocals (all recorded one at a time). Now the trouble is if I playback say a drumloop and try to record some bass over the top of it, although the iMac is getting plenty of input signal and records ok I can't hear what I'm playing at the same time as running the playback. Now yes, this does mean that i CAN record just listening to the bass acoustically but I really need to be able to monitor both what i'm recording and whats playing through headphones at the same time.... If i turn the iMac output volume down and crank my bass input all the way up i can [i]just about[/i] hear a vague distorted bass signal. I've tried going through some preamps/fx to see i i can boost my signal that way but its still just the same. I have a Spirit Folio Notepad mixer which everything goes through and like I say with the old PC it was all fine (the audio from computer comes back through mixer so i can monitor etc). Everything is wired up exactly the same but I'm guessing the only difference is that previously i was coming out of the PC soundcard 'Audio Out' but on the iMac i'm coming out of a headphone socket? Its annoying as well because I've got a bunch of songs to learn for a new band and normally I sit with headphones on and play along with them on my computer for ease of pausing/rewinding/slowing down etc but I can't even do that at the moment as a again I can't hear my bass! I don't seem to have any latency problems so was hoping to do without buying any kind of external audio interface but I'm guessing that is what I'm gonna need if I want to hear what I'm playing at the same time as recording? And if I did get say a firewire or USB interface will it definitely work as I can see only very minimal options for inputs etc in Garageband.... Very annoying because it seems every single time I attempt to do some recording something gets in the way.. honestly, its like its just not meant to happen!! drives me f@*king mad tbh!!! I may just give up! ..also the caps lock light is in a stoopid place as when you're typing you can't see it!!!!!!!!!!!!! grrrrrrrrr C

I reliced mine!!! I did have all the metal work etc meticulously dirtied up too, but I gave it to my guitarist/tech to do a bit of work and and he decided to clean it.... idiot!! peace c

hmm ok.. so...I am now the owner of an intel iMac with 2gb of Ram - less than 6 months old, hardly used and at a very good price..so.. pretty pleased with that.. Now... one of the main reasons for getting this was to do some proper home recording - I don't want to get into anything too technical and after having a quick play with garageband it looks like that should be able to do everything I want (recording live vox, bass, guitars with midi keyboards/drums)..... BUT..... drum sounds on it are rubbish!!! Back in the land of Cubase i was using Battery VST instrument and had spent some time setting up a really realistic live sounding kit... how/where can i get something similar for Garageband?!.... I have zero budget at the mo.. so maybe soundfonts are the way to go? any pointers for some good ones as I really want a decent drum sound to start with.... cheers c

[quote name='woolz' post='781873' date='Mar 21 2010, 06:11 PM']im wondering wether it is my eq? i also have an active bass and i always plug it into the passive input.[/quote] why do you do that??! but back on topic... yeah if you're tuned down like that the string is going to be flapping about a lot more, couple that with right hand technique like people have already mentioned and you'll get the rattling. active bass probably makes it more noticeable too peace c

in case you couldn't guess... we play Rock and Metal!! Its a couple of years old now but was quite pleased with this pic considering I did it on self timer with no flash and just a couple of stagelights! Can't really remember now but i think i had to photoshop in the little guitarist (with the goatee in the waistcoat) and also had to sort out the drummers camoflage tee-shirt, as despite strict instructions to wear dark/black items he went for white/light grey! Grrrrr (and knowing him, probably on purpose just to be awkward!!) peace c

Hmmm.. some useful info so far.. cheers for that... lots to ponder!! i'm terrible when it comes to making decisions!! One thing... will all these possibilities play streaming video etc ok?... I only ask because my old iBook struggles and stutters when attempting to play youtube vids or anything similar and i wouldn't want that to happen!! A common thing too apparently.... cheers c

We've been playing Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City for a while now... I figured it out by ear although aside from certain key bits I do improvise alot as theres lots of room for the bass to wander... Great song though with a great feel and always a pleasure to play in amongst all our usual heads down, root note plodding rock!! peace c

OK.. so my home PC is pretty ancient, choc full of crap and slower than a slow thing... Now I'm not loaded but have recently been looking at going the refurbished Mac route - for my limited budget I can get either an older iMac or a G5 with 2Gb ram and loads of hard drive space. Now I need to get into some home recording..I've got so many bits n pieces knocking around on my hard drive and now i really am going to get motivated and finish some tracks off (honestly...no..but really.. i am!!) - I'm used to using Cubase SX on the PC.. I'm guessing that will run OK on these older Macs (my current PC only has 256 meg of DDR ram..) So.. questions... I'm take it any audio files I've recorded on PC will transfer across to Cubase on the Mac ok.. but I'm guessing the .cpr project files won't.....? Will I need some sort of USB/firewire interface? (My PC currently records OK with very, very minimal latency direct into the soundcard thanks to some decent ASIO drivers) VST instruments.. readily available for Mac? Battery/B4 etc.... Soundcards... I occasionally use some basic sounds off my PC soundcard (ancient Soundblaster) will I be able to do similar with Mac? I take it with the celebrated Mac efficiency it should be fairly painless to get up and running as one of the stumbling blocks I always seem to have is computer issues at the moment!! Drives me mad! Every time I feel creative I have to spend half the night getting things working properly first!! I have got an old iBook which admittedly I only use for a bit of text writing and web stuff but am reasonably familiar with my way round a Mac. I work from home at the moment too doing graphics etc so would imagine Mac being much better for that also.. (Will prob get one with 2 hard drives so can keep music and work stuff seperated.) Anyways..just rambling now!! Any thoughts, comments etc gratefully recieved!! peace c

new one on me.. [url="http://line6.com/lowdownhd750"]http://line6.com/lowdownhd750[/url] Line 6 bass amp modelling in a dedicated bass head (+ they do cabs etc) anyone tried one out? c

I got the bass secondhand from Bass NW in Seattle. It used to belong to Evan the owner of the shop but he's now endorsed by Mike Lull basses apparently. The colour is 'Inca Blue' and yeah it was a special order. (Its actually a bit darker blue in the flesh) cheers C

[quote name='silddx' post='759098' date='Feb 27 2010, 01:55 PM']I spend too much time talking about bass, buying and selling basses, reading about basses, looking at pictures of basses, watching bassists, etc., etc., and I need to scale that sh*t down and actually PLAY my basses. I think I have ability and musicality, but I'm not taking advantage of it,[/quote] Yeah I'm very guilty of the above too.... something I intend to change and getting my new bass this week has certainly helped insert a bit more enthusiasm! Regarding the bum notes etc at least you're aware that you did them and from the sound of it not likely to do them again so thats all good... maybe say as much to your band mates if you think it might be an issue so they know you're gonna pull your socks up for next time. Then rather than beat yourself up over it just get down to some practice! I agree also about putting on a bit of a show/performance too but for me thats never at the expense of the music. peace c

whole thing looks like quite an interesting DVD too... c

My new arrival..... bit of an expensive impulse buy and completely different to what I normally play.. but woah! what a truly excellent bass. peace C

yeah i'm a 'gearstalker' too.. and also I tend to judge a band on the quality/brand/level of gear they have before I've heard them play a note.... any one else guilty of this?! c'mon.. own up!! (my assumptions on said bands are normally correct though it must be said!!) peace c

[quote name='OldGit' post='755814' date='Feb 24 2010, 09:14 AM']Myspace is still the default as far as I can see. Generally "interested people" will know what Myspace is and how to use it (a task in itself!) as so many bands and musicians are already there. As well as the image, tune and video capabilities it also has plenty of link up potential. It's a case of customising it well and using it's full potential. Then use all the other social media "Facebook" and "musicians available" sites to direct people there. I'd also add Gumtree to that list.[/quote] Yeah I think I'll just have to persevere with myspace.. as you say it has all the facilities for audio,video, photos etc its just trying to find good, clean layouts is a pain (especially with my limited knowledge of coding!) Then once I've got enough reasonable examples of my playing etc on there i'll hit all the usual muso wanted sites. peace c

OK so I'm looking to get into some new projects and really want to get a reasonable 'online presence' / CV to point interested people to. Usual kinda thing.. some kind of audio player, couple of embedded videos of me playing, some photos, 'about me' page, links etc etc - I started knocking up a website but then thought, well hang on, I can do all that on MySpace but I don't know... looking at MySpace afresh it seems to be even more of a jumbled up mess of adverts and glittery graphics than ever and I just want something nice and simple. So... any suggestions? Don't really want to do a Facebook or Twitter thing (although I will prob link to them.) I thought maybe ReverbNation or something might do the job? they don't seem to be accepting new profiles at the moment though so any other similar kinda sites where you can put up a good 'musician profile'...? (ideally free BTW!) cheers c

remember this happening at the time... the video is pretty scary - does make you wonder about some of the dives/clubs/venues we have to play in sometimes peace c

nice one.. will check them out properly later c

yeah it is amusing how the ones who do all the slagging off never have any videos of their own. another thing that amused me recently was a load of people slagging of Nine Inch Nails for ruining 'the Johnny Cash song' - and being completely in denial when told that actually Nine Inch Nails wrote 'Hurt' it in the first place... and a similar one about Snow Patrol ruining that Leona Lewis song 'Run'!!! er...two seconds on google will tell you that it was a Snow Patrol song originally!! aaaargh!! idiots!! everywhere!! peace c

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='738683' date='Feb 8 2010, 08:18 AM']where's the book Pete?[/quote] haha just watched it on youtube (well some of it..got bored halfway through!!)... looked like they were playing on a spaceship!! admittedly never a big fan anyway but have to say that IMHO the best thing about that clip was the cymbals!! peace c

akai unibass pedal could be handy... plays distorted/harmonized line over the top of what you're playing and can be outputted to seperate guitar amp too for extra(better) eg etc clip of one in action: peace c