Wolfram

Congratulations - well deserved, a great track.

Once again, I just made it in time. I thought I'd get back to bass-ics with this one. I present a haunting solo bass improvisation to conjure up a surreal, distant thunderstorm on a long, dark night. The tech stuff: The bass is my Ibanez EHB1506MS, recorded into Cubase through my Line6 Helix. No other instruments, just effects from the Helix (Native), Eventide's Shimmerverb and Exponential's R4 reverb.

Because you can only use a single USB interface at a time (aside from using aggregate interfaces on Mac which I have found to be problematic with latency). My setup consists of two UR824s (one master connected with USB and one slaved over ADAT) and an old MOTU 2408 MkII connected via ADAT which gives me 24 simultaneous analog inputs, two independent monitor outputs and up to four headphone mixes. It's set and forget, with several hardware synths and external effects permanently plumbed in (I know, but the 2408 was cheaper than a patchbay and it's all immediately to hand). To use the Helix as a USB interface I'd have to switch the monitoring around etc... For anyone who's interested, my full Helix signal routing is: Electric Guitar: Guitar -> Helix input. Helix FX Send 1 -> Boogie Mk V Combo Input Boogie FX Send -> Helix FX Return 1 Helix FX Send 2 -> Boogie FX Return Helix Stereo Out -> Steinberg UR824 (stereo) -> Mac Helix Buffered Thru -> Steinberg UR824 (mono) -> Mac Bass Guitar: Either into the above setup but the patches don't use the Boogie Mk V, or: Bass -> Mesa M3 Mesa M3 Effect Send -> Helix HX Effects Input Helix HX FX Output -> Mesa M3 Effect Return Mesa DI -> Steinberg UR824 (mono) I never use the Helix HX Effects for recording bass, only for live. For recording I use the DI and the exact same Helix patches in Helix Native. The guitar setup gives me the freedom to 'wrap' my real Boogie combo's preamp into Helix patches and I can either enable or mute the Boogie's cab under control from the Helix by enabling/disabling FX send 2. The Helix's routing is really flexible, so you could do things like play directly through the combo (for that real amp feel) and simultaneously record a thru DI and totally independent modelled / effected version. You could even mic up the cab too for another feed! Finally, I don't totally subscribe to the drive to minimise A/D conversion. Yes, you'll get a 'cleaner' sound, but I'm not convinced that it's always 'better'. I've heard many completely in-the-box tracks - including many of my own - that to me sound overly crystalline and 'plasticky'. Whereas I think some of the subjectively best-sounding stuff I've ever recorded was done on an old Tascam Portastudio four track... But each to their own - and yes I do now record and mix entirely in the box - but I use a lot of analog stuff to get my results (e.g. using a real Wavestation as well as the VST)!

Usually I record through my Helix Rack - analog outputs into three channels of a Steinberg UR824 interface. I simultaneously record the stereo out and direct 'thru' to one stereo and one mono track. So I can track with a Helix bass amp sim and (rarely) effects but then use the same preset in Helix Native on the un-effected mono track if I want to tweak things. Alternatively, I will take a DI from my Mesa M3 Carbine combo.... but superb though it sounds, they must have designed that thing purposely to be a pain for recording. It has a DI output, which is affected by the master volume... as is the effect loop... so there is no way to record DI'd and monitor through the studio monitors (or on headphones) with no sound from the combo.

Is it just me or have all the Soundcloud embeds for the past challenge and voting threads disappeared?!

Can't use it because I wrote it back in 1994, but my song Dream of the Walking Dead instantly came to mind for this one. "It's a stormy night, crackle of light. Ghosts walk, spirits talk. Whispers of battles in days of old, Under an ancient sun long turned cold." Love the photo - I have a horribly busy July coming up but will try to come up with something new.

And here's my entry for this month, again only just in time... It's been a long day, the beach party has been epic, and now with the last of the midsummer sunlight the DJ is chilling things down with some minimalist, ambient textures. The tech stuff: Everything was done with Native Instruments Maschine 2 running standalone for producing the patterns and as a VSTi in Cubase 12 for arrangement. Glue reverb courtesy of Lexicon MPX Native, mastering with iZotope Ozone 8. Birdsong sample is from the BBC Sound Effects Library (free for non-commercial use).

To be honest, if you're a three piece band then I would just use the stereo mix input on the rear of the HA4400. This will give you three separate stereo headphone mixes, with one mix accessible from each of the four HA4400 headphone outputs. Do you ever envision needing six headphone outputs? (and if you do, do you need six different mixes?) Remember, summing to mono as you're proposing before you've properly mixed your material can be problematic. Probably ok for a basic tracking monitor, but I would not rely on it for anything else.

Yeah this is on another level than the EW/QL wordbuilders and Vocaloid. I'm not that happy with this track, but what really impressed me was this was literally the first thing I did with Synthesizer V / Solaria, right after I bought it and downloaded. I set up two basic voice profiles for the quiet verse and loud chorus, played in the notes live with a MIDI keyboard and typed in the vocals and that was it. No further editing whatsoever, everything is AI generated. It took about 40 minutes start to finish, including going through the (terrible - documentation is not this software's strong point!) tutorial to learn how to use it. With some detailed editing of pitch, vibrato etc. I'm sure Solaria could be indistinguishable from a real singer.

My thoughts exactly - in fact, listening to some of the music created with Synthesizer V, I found it refreshing that the AI-generated voice sounds far more natural to me than the majority of today's processed 'real' popular singers. I particularly liked this one I found recently (listen from 1 minute onward for the main song).

Ok, very last minute but I just managed to get this finished! The photo immediately put me in mind of an Enigma album cover, and I was (and am still) a big fan, so that's where I've gone with this one - "I See You" - a dreamy flight of fantasy. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed putting it together! The tech stuff: There's some actual hardware on this one! Drums were sourced from the Yamaha SY99, pads from Korg Trinity and I played the flute sound live on a Yamaha WX5 wind controller through a Yamaha VL70m physical modelling synth. Bass is a Dingwall ABII recorded through Line6 Helix. The monks are courtesy of Eduardo Tarilonte's Cantus VST and the synthetic female vocal is generated with Synthesizer V's Solaria voice. All reverb is from Lexicon's MPX1 native.

I paid £1400 new, but on reporting the issues the dealer offered to refund £120 for me to keep it,so I did. I've seen two more since, and both had similar issues.

I've had the EHB1506MS for about 18 months now. I actually really like the tone - the stock Nordstrand pickups are really versatile. I actually use it in passive mode more often than active, though again the active preamp enables you to dial in just about any tone type you could want. Despite the looks I think this bass could definitely be an all-rounder. However... as others have said, the build quality leaves something to be desired. i get that the price point is attractive for a bass with these features, but mine (bought brand new) has a catalogue of fit and finish issues (ugly white pore filler left all over the neck, patches where the finish appeared worn, a couple of small but noticeable gouges on the side of the neck/fingerboard... and just a general utilitarian feeing that it doesn't quite fit together right, that the pieces have just dropped off a machine and been screwed together, and the playability (which is good btw) resulted from components like the height- and width-adjustable saddles being adjusted to correct for alignment issues. For the record, I think it's one of the ugliest basses/guitars you can buy. So why did I buy mine at all? I wanted an extremely portable six-string bass to sling in the car along with Stuart Clayton's excellent Giants of Bass series, on a trip to the French Alps. Wife and daughter were skiing; not my thing, so I decided to learn to play bass that week 😀 It completed this mission very satisfactorily. In comparison, the used Dingwall AB2 I bought recently (I know.. different price point) blows it comprehensively out of the water in every way (except it is obviously much larger and less portable). Fit, finish and quality are absolutely impeccable and its tone and sustain are on another level, particularly that low B (even though mine is just passive). But I've kept the EHB because I do still enjoy its sweet sound, particularly for solo fingerstyle work. If only it had been a £2k bass built with a bit of love! Cheers, David

What's your budget? Also, if you love the 380s, what is it you want from new ones. I've had my HD-280s for around 20 years now and they're still going strong. I did replace the earpads and the padding on the head band about five years ago (spares are available) and to be honest they're as good as new. I've not tried either the Sennheiser or Beyerdynamic 'phones you mentioned, so can't comment. But if I were going for a set of closed-back 'phones to do-it-all I would be trying to stretch for the Shure SRH1540. Cheers, David

There's a couple actually: a headless Status S2 (5 or 6 string). I've absolutely loved the shape since I first saw them in the '80s, way before I ever took up bass (which was about 18 months ago). Just intrigued. And this one from the classifieds right here. I can't afford it. I have no reason to believe I can play fretless bass (never tried). But ... just look at it! https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/469484-marleaux-diva-6-bass-signature-redwood-burl-top/

This is my entry for the April 2023 Basschat.co.uk Composition Competition, inspired by the photo chosen by @AndyTravis. I'm telling the story of the death of silent movies and photoplay through the piano roll backing for a silent movie illustrated by the photo. The ageing and dying piano is overtaken by the rising chatter of the 'talkies'. I present "Photoplay Dies". I really tried to play this in in one take... but have to admit there's a little bit of MIDI editing. Every time I think I have it down... then that pesky red light comes on... Tech stuff: DAW - Cubase 12. Piano - Modartt Pianoteq Stage. Ageing on the dialogue - Izotope Vinyl (free). Long reverb as piano dies - Exponential PhoenixVerb. Sound effects from the BBC archive © copyright BBC free for non-commercial use. BBC Sound Effects

@NickDBest wishes for a full and swift recovery.

I have no idea what to do with this one. First glance at the photo I saw him and now can't unsee it...

Congratulations Andy! A well-deserved win.

I made it... just! I've never produced anything remotely like this before. Lots of firsts for me in this track; I hope it hangs together. It's been emotional. Drawing some inspiration from the Godfather and the late great Coolio, I had two ideas for this one and couldn't decide, so ran with them both. Most definitely a song of two halves: an introduction from the hills of Sicily followed by a little story straight from the Valley of the Shadow of Death. If you don't have the time to listen through, do click to the second half to get the gist. I give you "Godfather's Paradise". The tech stuff: DAW: Cubase 12. Bass is a new-to-me Dingwall 6-string that just arrived on Thursday, recorded with Line6 Helix. My vocals were recorded with a Rode NT1 straight into the interface; all the backing vocals are synthetic, as are all the other instruments. LOTS of VSTis in this one, too many to list.

Wow, some great stuff here! I'm going to be right up to the wire with my effort this time... if I make it at all. Fingers crossed - it's in no state for sharing right now.

Ever have that feeling when you thought what you had down so far was actually pretty good, take a break from it for a couple of days, listen back and it's like... "what were you thinking?" My daughter's kind assessment: "You could use it to test people's hearing. Play it, and if they put their hands over their ears, their ears are working." Back to the drawing board I guess!

I'm in too, love the photo. I had two quite different ideas for how to tackle this one, but couldn't decide which one to run with... so I'm going to do both in a kind of mashup. I hope this works!

Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns 'n' Roses

Life in the Fast Lane - The Eagles