ShergoldSnickers

Really good and tight - and the bass sound is perfect for the track. Thumbs up here.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1336749328' post='1650460'] So would I, I read the thread about the DoS attack, and ultimately this is our site, and most of us [s]waste[/s] spend inordinate amounts of time on here, so taking the trouble to install a tiny piece of software will benefit all of us. I didn't see anything for Mac though, and even though it's been an ivory tower for a while the increased market share of Mac users has inevitably attracted the attentions of the 'bad sort of nerd'. Is a Firewall enough for now, or should I be looking for something bit more specific, particularly as I run my machine on an administrator account? [/quote] The post above yours... is there enough detail in there or shall I expand it some more Paul?

Whilst historically, Mac users have been fairly immune - more on this later - from true virus attacks, I still advocate setting up the inbuilt firewall properly, using a non-admin account, and using anti-virus software like ClamXav - similar to Clamwin. It is just basic good practise. In a nutshell(ish), my advice to Mac users would be: [b]The firewall:[/b] Take the time to understand what this does. It can block or allow communication in and out of the computer. For a hacker to gain access in the first place, they have to be able to communicate with the machine. You can cut down on the avenues available for entry by setting the firewall to operate on an application by application basis. For example, you may allow an application that allows you to upload files to a website to have both outgoing and incoming communications open if you use the non-passive upload option rather than passive. In non-passive mode the remote server takes control of the upload process, and requires that it can start the conversation. A word processor, Pages or Word for example should not need any communications, so the default would be to disallow. Little Snitch - [url="http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html"]http://www.obdev.at/...itch/index.html[/url] - offers additional information about applications trying to send data out. [b]Using a non-administrator account:[/b] Any significant changes to a machine should be fully authorised. The level of authorisation depends on the type of account you have set up. On a Mac you have three types. A user account, an administrator account and the root account. The user account is the most restrictive and hence the safest - you can't install applications by default for example. Any significant changes such as an installation, require an administrator to enter a username and a password. An administrator account requires just the password - you are already running as an administrator so a username is not required. It is less restrictive in terms of what can be done. The root account is disabled by default on a Mac, although it can be enabled if you know what you are doing. With this account, you are god on the machine and can do anything. That's why it's disabled. Running as a simple user will help to make unauthorised access more difficult. Unfortunately, it cannot prevent it entirely. Most software has flaws. Most will probably be benign, but some will allow a determined hacker to trigger processes beyond the original flawed application. This type of vulnerability is all too common on all platforms, and can render antivirus software, firewalls and restricted accounts useless if carefully exploited. [b]Using an anti-virus application[/b] like ClamXav - [url="http://www.clamxav.com/:"][color=#1324a7][u]http://www.clamxav.com/:[/u][/color][/url] If you really know what you are doing, and you don't visit any nefarious bits of the web, then running an antivirus application on a Mac may be optional. There are still no true viruses for the Mac out in the wild, although there are a few trojans doing the rounds, and the odd website that triggers some behaviour that may trick a user. I'd probably recommend you run something like ClamXav, as it will also spot malware that works only under Windows, and help prevent you passing it on unwittingly to a Windows user. Let's get this clear. The Mac is not inherently immune from viruses, trojans and other forms of malware. In some regards it is more difficult to construct something that will work, although a good trojan will work on any platform as it tricks the user into running something that's pretending to be something else. If they think they want to run it, they will. I'd be prepared for the probable rise in Macs being targeted - in fact it has already started, albeit at a low level. Active malware counts are still in the handful area, on Windows it's in the hundreds of thousands. There is absolutely no room for complacency or any false sense of superiority though.

Not normally my thing but I was held right to the end on both songs. I think that alone speaks volumes.

I shall be attending my son's 16th birthday festival in our back garden in June. Excuse to test the bass cab as a PA speaker.

If we go back in time a bit, even as recently as 10 years, we find that speaker driver construction was not as advanced as it is today. So what's changed? The main differences, other than lightweight neodymium magnets, are the ability of the cone to move further without hitting mechanical limits, to better use that extra movement without too much extra signal distortion, and the ability to cope with the extra power going though the coil windings. What all this adds up to is a greater volume of air being moved without using a speaker of larger diameter. So, it's now possible to get a top notch 12" speaker that can shift much more air than a lesser 15" speaker cone, because the pistonic movement of the 15" is limited. It's this volume displacement that matters as far as the driver goes. If this driver is now put into an inappropriate box, all that extra engineering will be wasted. So the speaker enclosure also matters. You have to consider the box and driver as a complete system. If properly designed, the enclosure will complement the driver and get it working to it's optimum. There is a compromise here though. That optimum might involve a very large enclosure, so you'll find that speaker system designers will trade off some of that optimum to get the enclosure size and weight down. This usually effects the lower end of the spectrum, which will now fall off sooner in terms of response. By carefully tuning the enclosure, it is possible to bring some of this response back at the expense of feeding in more power. This is where thermal power handling comes in. A good speaker will draw away the heat generated within the coils fast enough to avoid thermal damage. Then there are mechanical power handling limits. I'll stop here though, it's already got complicated enough. The thing to remember is it's how all the components in a speaker system work with each other. Isolating one component only gives you part of the story. The link given above by Musky explains all this brilliantly.

Just realised that in ... hang on, quick calculation... 38 years of playing bass I've only played one cover. It was Badge, the Cream ditty, eons ago. Am I missing out? Judging by the videos you lot have posted I might be.

The set-up time is drastically reduced on the Rode NT4, as it comes as one mic. It's still worth playing about getting the distance and positioning relative to the sound source correct, as with any mic. Don't expect an 18 foot wide drum kit using one. You'll get a natural stereo image that's in proportion, but might not suit those looking for artificially wide sound fields. Just been looking at the Mid Side (MS) technique. I've finally got my head round the principles, and can now see why it could also be a very viable method. You need one mic capable of a figure of eight pattern (abbrev. [size=6]∞[/size]), and one cardioid. They don't have to be from the same manufacturer or matched, but the usual quality begets quality rule applies. Set the [size=6]∞[size=4] mic so that the lobes point at 90 degrees to the sound source, to the left and right. Now set the cardioid so that the capsule points at the sound source, and is as near to the capsule of the [size=6]∞[/size] mic as possible without contact.[/size][/size] [size=6][size=4]Record both mics. If your DAW has MS Decoding, then you are all set. If not, copy the [size=6]∞[/size] mic track, reverse the phase on it, and now pan one of the [size=6]∞[/size] tracks left and the other one right. Starting with the cardioid only, gradually fade in the other two tracks and you will start to get an ever widening stereo image. If the recording is ever broadcast in mono, the side channels cancel - they are out of phase - leaving the cardioid output. It's therefore mono compatible. With the capsules being so close you never get phasing problems due to separation, a benefit that XY pairs also give.[/size][/size] [size=6][size=4]Some DAW software will allow you to swing the axis of the side channels around the sound source, as if you were moving the mics in a semicircle around the sound source. Very flexible, but I've not actually tried it yet. I will though.[/size][/size] [size=6][size=4]There's an explanation of handling the tracks in a DAW [url="http://www.recording-microphones.co.uk/Mid%20Side%20FLV/Mid%20Side2.html"]here[/url], and very good it is too. In fact the [url="http://www.recording-microphones.co.uk/"]site from which that came[/url] is brilliant, done by an acquaintance who lives just round the corner, a chap named John Rowley.[/size][/size]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1335452293' post='1631438'] I once read that you should start your drum mix with a stereo pair, and then gradually add the close mics in.... [/quote] This is why it's so important to get the positioning of that stereo pair correct. Once it is, the close mics should only be providing a tad of additional detail, sparkle, welly etc providing you are after a natural sound. Good full range condensers in a stereo XY arrangement is my usual start point, often in the form of a Rode NT4 stereo mic. A well maintained drum kit comes first, then the mics and their positioning. Garbage kit.... garbage sound.

Quality, quality, quality. Both songs ooze it. I preferred 'It ain't', as for some reason I didn't get on with the vocals in 'Vivid Reds'. Pure personal taste, and nothing wrong with the vocalist's capabilities. Really like the feel and atmosphere generated.

This has got some favourable comments on [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/173575-just-a-bit-of-fun-how-many-mics/"]another thread[/url], much to my surprise. As explained elsewhere, the core of the song was done in one take as improvised, and then cut down, with various keyboard noises added afterwards. Still to be finally mixed but not far off. Track title - '[url="http://www.fear-of-bicycles.co.uk/BC/mp3s/Phosphoribosylformylglycinamide-flavour.mp3"]Phosphoribosylformylglycinamide-flavour[/url]'

[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1334923203' post='1623487'] That makes good sense Snicks and has the ring of truth to it. yet how to make sense of the previous posts that say all the sounds are oombined ? If they're combined, then how ? [/quote] We need a long skipping rope with someone doing oscillations at one frequency, and someone at the other end doing them at a different frequency. I'll post you your end.

[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1334922273' post='1623471'] Question. Using entirely hypothetical, random figures here; If one instrument plays a note of say 240 Hz and a second instrument plays a note of 435 Hz, why does the speaker produce two notes and not the one note associated with the sound of 240 + 435 = 675 Hz ? [/quote] If we take a step back and consider two instruments playing the same frequency, say 435 Hz, it doesn't make sense that the result would be 870 Hz, an octave above. Instead, you get a louder 435 Hz. It could get interesting if this frequency addition did happen though. The possibilities...

It always amazes me when you see electron micrographs of LP grooves. The fact that the stylus - for the most part - manages to track the waveforms, but also has to cope with two independent waveforms, one on each groove wall. It's staggering how good this simple mechanical arrangement can sound if the engineering within the cartridge, arm and turntable is right.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1334860793' post='1622601'] Boom, tish! [/quote] Two mics on that one.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1334529018' post='1617378'] I'm an advocate of 'less is more' when it comes to miking up a kit. If the drummer's [i]really[/i] fussy and starts to threaten physical violence then I'll use four. Great track by the way, the world needs more octaved fretless basslines. [/quote] Thankyou paul_5 . There should be a full album's worth of fresh material before too long.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1334857120' post='1622527'] I've found that sometimes when I click on 'View New Content' I get 'There Is No New Content'. But if I click on 'View New Content' a second time, voilà, there is the New Content. I'm going to stop saying 'Content', now. [/quote] Until this is solved I don't think discreet will be content. (Dare I risk one of these: ... no.)

[quote name='rOB' timestamp='1334514380' post='1617100'] Thanks, I like it. [/quote] You have become the one person that justifies our existence. Thanks rOB for taking the time to listen. Much appreciated.

[quote name='rOB' timestamp='1334508031' post='1616990'] I couldn't have even hazarded a guess but I really like the sound and the playing. Any chance of hearing the full track? [/quote] Are you stark staring bon........ [url="http://www.fear-of-bicycles.co.uk/BC/mp3s/Phosphoribosylformylglycinamide-flavour.mp3"]oh go on then[/url]. Track title - 'Phosphoribosylformylglycinamide flavour' No idea why. Final mix yet too be done. The backbone was done in one go as an improvisation, we then cut some bits out, joining up the remainder adding odd keyboard noises. Drums, bass, guitar and piano keyboards are all the original take.

[quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1334505142' post='1616933'] I thought you definitely had one set up on the snare and kick, I thought initially you may have just had one overhead mic until I heard the separation of the cymbals and I realised that actually you had 2 overheads or in this case one stereo overhead mic. [/quote] For a quick and easy set-up the Rode makes life a bit easier. One stand to get in position and set up, and bang... the stereo image is there, lifelike and without giving a kit that sounds too wide in the stereo field. On balance though, I reckon Discreet got nearest. Yamaha 9000 kit by the way, with an interesting array of cymbals and with a second snare without the snare attached.

OK... the answer. Technically 4, but in terms of separate microphone bodies, it's 3. The breakdown: Kick drum - AKG D112 Overhead - Rode NT4 stereo mic Snare and hi-hat - CAD m179 set to figure of eight with one lobe looking at the hi-hat and one lobe looking at the snare. The NT4 was positioned centrally as far as the kit was concerned, about 2 feet above the drummers head and a foot of so in front of his forehead position. The CAD just adds a little crispness to the hi-hat and snare. The CAD m179, a large diaphragm condenser. Bass roll-off switch, -20dB pad and selectable patterns The Rode NT4 - a purpose built stereo mic preset up as a co-incident pair of small diaphragm condenser capsules. Each capsule is identical to that found in the Rode NT5.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1334437021' post='1616300'] ...... (shame about the basses) [/quote] Oh at last.... it's been hundreds of years since the last civil war and I was despairing of ever seeing one.

I'll let a few more guess before I comment Ed - speedy answer though.

Just picking up on something 51m0n said about getting a natural drum kit sound... "To be honest the less mics you use on a kit the better, if you want a natural sound to it. Unfortunately we tend to be conditioned to hearing ultra processed drums these days." So.... how many have been used on this kit? This is a composite of all the drum mics, and as the track was played in one go in the same room with no separation, there is bleed from the other instruments. An extra bonus for guessing the kit make! (No cheating please). [url="http://www.fear-of-bicycles.co.uk/audio/Drums-only-dry.mp3"]The kit recording is here[/url].