Leonard Smalls

My one and only win and subsequent ability to actually choose next month's photo was such an amazing power-rush that I've re-mortgaged my house to fund purchase of a 128 channel Neve desk complete with outboards by Klark Teknik and custom monitoring by TAD and Bryston. And besides, my old laptop was 8 years old and often fell over with just a Word document and Internet Explorer running - which would have been embarrassing if us Weeds had been playing a gig with flawless backing from the laptop, only for it to crash leaving the unfortunate audience to hear only our over-the-top noodlings...

I've just had a new laptop built by www.pcspecialist.co.uk - it was especially for music production and live use... It's a 17" i7 (not over-clocked, no real need for audio) running at 3.4GHz, 16Gb RAM, 1Tb hybrid hard disc with 128Gb of solidstate, with bog-standard sound card (no need for fancy sound card if it's always running into a Focusrite). All for £700 inc wireless mouse. And it's quick - I'm into an Ableton project within 20 seconds of switching on, and much of that time is typing in my pass word! And so far had no glitches or track dropping, even at 32 tracks all with up to 5 VSTs...

Unless you've got a specific audiophile soundcard, a decent interface DAC will beat the[i] bejesus[/i] out of it... However, if you're mixing with, say, Beats headphones, you'll probably have a bass light mix as Beats over-exaggerate in the bottom... So unless you've got transparent monitoring kit I'd check on at least two systems until you're used to how it will actually sound through your chosen system.

Entertaining stuff so far! And Douglas - it was me wot chose the pic...

I prefer The Schnittkinsjaeger...

I plug my laptop and Focusrite/keyboard into my stereo, so no need for separate monitors... All you need is a pair of 1/4" to RCA leads to plug into a hifi amp. So long as your hifi speakers are relatively neutral you'll be fine!

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1415572791' post='2601677'] I have tried to put on a fake accent to add a bit of interest to my dire vocal tones , I am not a fan ofy own voice but at least I have disguised it a touch . [/quote] Can't be any worse than mine! I've been tempted to get autotune, but for the moment notch filters, reverb and delay will have to suffice...

Finally finished mine... [url="https://soundcloud.com/dredd-and-the-badass-weed/dance-until-you-drop"]https://soundcloud.com/dredd-and-the-badass-weed/dance-until-you-drop[/url]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1415193091' post='2597652'] You may indeed sir , but you are likely to find that it sounds more like boney M with an Anthea and Donna influence [/quote] Uptown Top Ranking in the Ring? Strictly Rasputin?

Been off today so I've laid down bass, drums and keys. Not only that but I've also written lyrics. Unfortunately my singing is so bad it'll take a month just to do sufficient retakes and to plaster over the bum notes'n'stuff with reverb and backwards noises to disguise the awfulness of it... Perhaps I should stick with instrumental!

Inspiration for those taking part in this month's Basschat Composition Challenge: [MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYKYYjk0Lq8[/MEDIA]

Nice!

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1415043341' post='2596080'] Here, then, is my entry... [color=#0000cd][u]'Last days of Disco'...[/u][/color] Enjoy. [/quote] I like the influence of Cage in this piece... And Mr Lurks, may I suggest a cross of Divine and Wang Chung with a touch of Sylvester and Chic?

The pic is called "Last Days of Disco", and was taken at the legendary Studio 54 night club in New York...

{Hollywood mode]I'd like to thank my manager, M Ableton, everybody who voted for me and my ma and pa {breaks down in tears}[/Hollywood mode] Cheers all - I've PMed a pic to Skol... It's called "The Last Days of Disco"

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1414666486' post='2591952'] [url="http://soundcloud.com/dredd-and-the-badass-weed/the-difference-engine"]‘The Difference Engine’, from Leonard Smalls...[/url] The bass is now bopping along nicely with false modulations to trick us into thinking we're changing key. "Key..? What is this 'key' of which you speak..?" seems to be the premise behind the uncontrolable trombone which has decided to taunt us. Vive la difference. Douglas [/quote] Nice review - perhaps I should have sent a slightly larger cheque? And the bass does sneakily change key by a semi-tone, then just as sneakily goes back! The trombone, however, was played by a well-known anarchist for whom the bourgeois concept of key is anathema...

Cheers! Looks like my effort this month is slightly better received than last month's appalling racket. This one's just a racket...

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1414522184' post='2590239'] Lovely that you're doing these reviews, Dad [/quote] Aye! And presumably my cheque arrived?

Tis all pretty darned good so far!

Eek!

I could do with a van like that!

Nice!

[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5MXlAAsRVY[/MEDIA]

"Maggie" by the Exploited!

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1412704283' post='2571183'] as for latin I have no recall whatsover [/quote] If you look up the active indicative conjugation for the verb [i]ducere[/i] you'll see why I remembered it, and why I'm not going to finish it in a post! Alternatively, ask your brother - I'll bet he remembers it to... However, I might add that mentally I never got past 15.