NickD

Schrodinger's strings!🤣

The best has to be the Helix LT that I picked up from this very emporium a couple of days before we were locked down for the first time, it made the months fly by. The worst (or to be more accurate the most pointless) was the TC Sub'n'Up mini that I had delivered the weekend before spotting the Helix deal. It's fine, but the Helix does a very similar thing in a very similar way, so it's kinda redundant.

I can't speak with any authority about the tiny one, but I'm a fan of the horn in the 'h' model. I went that way after reading of people disconnecting the tweeter in the smaller model. I don't know how the crossover is set up, but it just works, loud and clear. It does the modern thing very well, and I find if I set it right I can get it transparent enough to put the Helix between the bass and the amp. When running straight in though, I can easily get a more old school sound by dialing in the VLE. It is bigger, but it's a dead easy one handed carry. Having said all that, a local jam night I used to go to use the 121p, I never spoke to it's owner, but it sounded great, and I never noticed any hiss.

That keeps coming up... It is, apart from an instrument, the one essential thing. Once you can get your sound, properly, into your computer, then you can choose what to do with it.

Have a look at somewhere like looperman.com/freesfx, etc. You need to register, but can download (and upload) royalty free loops, rhythms, samples, sound effects and stuff, them import them into your Daw, mix in your playing and build tracks that way. Experiment, mess around, have fun, and you'll be learning accidentally while you do.

It's got way more user friendly since the old days.

Honestly, if you just mess with it for a few weeks, you'll look back and realise how quickly it came together.... I did, and I'm as thick as mince! 🤣

They look it at first glance, but when you realise that you're using very little of the functionality to start with, it's not so tough. Plenty of tutorials for all DAWs on YouTube, just search the specific thing you're trying to do. By the time you need to learn something more complicated, you've been using it for a while and it's easier by then. Without an interface first I think you'll struggle though, if you can't get the signal in there without latency, recording will be tough.

..... and there'll probably be a few decent Black Friday deals coming up!

To answer the other part of your question, for a keyboard I picked up just a cheap midi controller keyboard (in my case an Acorn Masterkey 49), using that I plug it in directly via usb. The VSTs I use, drums, strings, keys, whatever, are all bundled in the DAW.

Cost depends on how many inputs and output you want usually, they're usually just plug and play with a usb. If it's just you, one instrument at a time, There's things like the focusrite solo (which comes bundled with Ableton Lite Live), and my first interface, the Steinberg U12, which comes bundled with with Cubase AI. Both for around 80-90 quid.

Usually, the way it's done is Instrument - Interface - DAW of your choice. The Interface is usually connected via usb to the computer, and you plug your instrument into that, it acts as a analogue to digital converter, soundcard, pre-amp, etc, so your computer doesn't need to worry about it, no adjustments necessary. My laptop is pretty rubbish next to yours, but it doesn't need to be any better, because the input and monitoring are dealt with by the interface.

There's your issue! If you were using an audio interface, among other things that would effectively replace the soundcard. Most audio interfaces come bundled with a DAW too. for example., Steinberg interfaces come with a version of Cubase.

Latency is usually a property of the interface/monitoring situation, Your computer should be fine, it's better spec than mine. You say plugging your bass into the computer, how?

Nah.... Just behave yourself a bit in the studio, and hammer it live! 🤣 Seriously though, We've just done the rhythm tracks for 8 new tunes in the studio, and I started off trying to behave myself, smaller movements to reduce string noise, a gentler more considered approach, and the takes were missing something in the mix. I reverted to playing like the cack-handed, subtlety-free chimp that I am, and everything sounded just as it should.

Obviously, the bass and pickups in the original post are long gone.... But I seem to be alone in loving the Delanos. My Elwood L5 has the Haussels and a Glock pre, and it sounds great, but the Delanos in my passive Jake are something else. From a clarity and dynamics point of view (not to mention a raw output point of view) they blow the Haussels out of the water. Every touch of skin, every clank of fretwire against the string is just clearly reproduced, and I love that. If I need to vintage it up (let's face it, it just means make it duller and warmer), that's easily done after the bass, but I like having all that information there in the first place so I can choose to let it through or not as the job requires. In fact I'd go as far as saying I prefer them to the Ken Smith clones in my Sei.

I bought the CMD121h a few years ago while playing in a loud, drums, bass, 2 guitars, flute & electric violin band. I figured it would be fine for rehearsals and the quieter stuff I do with other people, and I could put another cab under it for bigger gigs.... I've still not bought the other cab, and I've not really had it over halfway either. It's a little monster.

I always loved how this was shot, the chiaroscuro style, the face on face projections, just mood of it, and how it fits (to me) with the tone of the vocals. Sure there's clichés, but hey, it was that era. I'm guessing it wasn't a huge budget either. On an even tighter budget, I've always loved this one. Mostly filmed in an old Land Rover. It was the first thing that sprang to mind when I first saw @Cat Burrito's awesome budget vid. Both show that it's more about taste and imagination than big bucks.

I've had the later 121h for a few years now, which I believe is the same head. I couldn't tell you when or if the fan comes on, either at home, at rehearsal or gigging.... and I think the fact that I've never noticed is probably a good thing.

It's gonna be the toughest yet for me, picking just 3. I'll have to draw straws. 🤣

Is it still Cubase AI they ship with it? I found it great for my purposes and used it for a couple of years before they sent me an offer I couldn't refuse to upgrade to Cubase Elements. I'm still not sure what the benefits are as the old version was always enough anyway.

I can't speak of the 44, but I started with a UR12, then moved to a UR22, so we could do bass and electronic drums together at home. I really like the Yamaha pre they use, to the extent that often for jamming I'll forego the Helix or an external preamp, and I'll add anything I want afterwards in Cubase. The bass just sounds really 'real' if that makes any sense. In terms of anything else I don't really know what to say, it just works. I guess the fact that I don't really notice anything is a good thing.... I play, the interface erm, interfaces, the computer records.... Job done!

I suspect there's an 'element' (🤣) of disinterest in the process that's colouring things here. the elements version is far from crippled. I've not yet tried to sync music yet, I've just done soundtracks and editing, (cuts/transitions/effects/titles/credits/incidental music fades/etc) on videos with the kids, by way of learning (I'm not interested in stupid video work, but I am interested in the kids, so it creates a bit of motivation at least). But ultimately I want it for music video stuff once our recording is finished, so I've spent a fair bit of time on Youtube going further than I've needed to do just yet, and it seems pretty straightforward. Just a 'sync audio and video on Premiere Elements' search throws up some really clear simple tutorials.

It doesn't. I just had PSE Elements 10 and got the discount upgrading to the PS/Premiere bundle. 😊

If you've already bought Photoshop Elements there's an upgrade reduction. I had Elements 10 years ago and it's come a really log way since then so I bought the Photoshop/Premiere 2020 Elements bundle. I've only done a few movies with the kids on Premiere, but it's really flexible and easy to pick up. I believe they've just released the 2021 bundle now.