Earbrass

I have the later K-Station keyboard - an excellent little 3 oscillator synth. It came with probably the best manual I've ever had for a piece of musical equipment, with an in-depth explanation of synthesizer architecture and principles. If you didn't get a manual with your Bass station, I'd suggest trying to get hold of one. A quick search of the web reveals a copy here: http://soundprogramming.net/manuals/Novation_BassStation_Rack_Manual.pdf The manual for the software version on the Novation site (http://d19ulaff0trnck.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/downloads/4194/english96.pdf) contains a "Synthesis Tutorial", which looks more like what my manual includes Have fun

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1385122298' post='2284663'] Individual Cheese Portions. [/quote] How about Dare E. Lee and the Individual Cheese Portions?

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1384938854' post='2282432'] We should have closed the site off for new Members in 2009, kept it select and exclusive instead of allowing just anybody to join. I mean, for God's sake, what sort of Inner Sanctum can you be proud of belonging to when people from all over the country are allowed free access, and some of them even slap their instruments. [/quote] Errm, so you're not one of the Super Members (admission by invitation only) with access to the "special" extra fora and exclusive use of the Pall Mall clubroom? Frankly I'm surprised they haven't asked you - but it does explain why I've never seen you at any of Ped's informal "champagne and truffle" soirées.

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1382709951' post='2255751'] ...blown out by a large female singer... [/quote] Sounds nasty

I have a Vintage guitar that I'm very happy with, but it's not this model (it's a 335 copy), and I'm also not much of a guitarist, so may not be the best judge.

Some feline aid to understanding musical notation here: http://trumpetangst.tumblr.com/post/64216370126/musical-notation-as-described-by-cats

I have the Soundcraft Compact 4 and I think it's a brilliant little thing. If I were you I would keep it and spend your money on a simple interface. I use the Edirol UA-4FX, which probably isn't available any more, but as Simon says, there's plenty out there. You wouldn't get much for the Compact 4 second-hand anyway, I suspect, so I think it would be more cost effective to spend all your available dosh on the interface. Just my 2p. Personally, I use the mixer for playing through when not recording, and for listening to music too. The interface sits out of sight under a shelf, permanently connected to the record out / playback in buses of the mixer. The interface also provides MIDI in and out, which you won't find on many (any??) USB mixers. I use the mic pre's of the Compact 4, and do all my plugging in and out, level setting, and swapping around there, which I find very convenient.

[quote name='norvegicusbass' timestamp='1382277644' post='2249945'] How many of you create a bassline by just noodling away to find something that works rather than using musical theory? I must confess that music theory is beyond me ( which as someone well versed and in love with mathematics surprises me somewhat ). I find that I can make up quite a decent bassline when I just mess around on my bass but as soon as I try to justify the line with musical theory I just cant see how the notes relate. So my question in a nutshell is when faced with the task of coming up with a bass line that fits a piece of music how many of you get out your music theory books and how many just noodle around? [/quote] A bit like asking how many of you use spelling and grammar when writing a post.....(although looking at some of the posts on the site that might not be a great analogy ).

[quote name='thebigyin' timestamp='1382093727' post='2247778'] ....but what's your opinion on the roll of the Bass Player. [/quote] It should contain bacon. That is all.

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1380055838' post='2220334'] And, now I know what the Clangers' Music Boat is [/quote] They're returning to our screens in 2015 apparently - should be good: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24523203

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRgg5k7G6Vg[/media] and if you liked that..... (ok, not pop/rock, but.... wait for the changes at about 2.35 & 3.45 - Monty Alexander is playing the piano and the melodica) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxZsdWIuQRs

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1380801418' post='2230696'] did they tell the staff? [/quote] they did, but they were a bit crotchety.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1380663140' post='2228782'] These stats only seem to be available if you get the pro version of Soundcloud? [/quote] Not so - I only have the free Soundcloud account - you still get basic stats including number of plays in each country. To see them, click on your track to get the "one track per screen" view. To the right there are three numbers - plays (next to a triangular "play" icon), likes (next to a heart) and messages (speech bubble). Next to that it says "more stats". Click on this and it takes you to a tabbed stats screen. Top tab is overview, with the world map. Next tab is "Counts" - this is where it lists plays by country. By default it shows just the top ten, but there is a "Show All" option at the bottom of the list. To the right (for all tabs) is a date field which shows the period the stats are for - it seems to default to the current week, but you can change this. The third tab (Sources) shows no data unless you have paid for the upgrade - I presume it gives details of the users who played your track.

I've had just one track up on Soundcloud for about 2 years now, and it's had 475 plays so far. What I've found interesting is the geographical distribution of those plays. As I would expect, there are more plays in the UK than anywhere else - I have a link to the track in my sig on here and on another UK website. What surprised me was that Japan is the second most popular listening venue, way ahead of the third (USA), and that SE Asia in general had more hits than I was expecting. My top 10 countries for plays are as follows: UK 181 Japan 122 US 29 Germany 22 Indonesia 20 Taiwan 12 S Korea 6 Chile 5 Netherlands 5 Australia 5 No plays at all in Russia, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia or the Indian subcontinent. I was wondering whether this is simply a reflection of where Soundcloud is most popular, or of the appeal of my track in particular. What are other Soundcloud users' experiences?

Not really a fan of the original, but... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rjbtsX7twc

What about an East African 1980's Madonna tribute: Desperately Seeking Sudan.

It's the recession. People can't [i]afford[/i] frets. I blame the tories.

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1375900255' post='2167200'] I didn't see it as any of those things. Rock was a music of rebellion but also an art form -- something to listen to. Disco was about partying -- something to dance to. Rock music was progressing as was the musicianship. Solos and wild experimentation were a growing part of it. Disco was about precise rhythm, repetition and simplicity. Rock lyrics spoke of angst, revolution and insight. Disco spoke of Love to Love Ya Baby and Boogie Oogie Oogie. When disco emerged, the clubs that hired rock bands switched to DJ's. So naturally, to the rock crowd, disco SUCKED. [/quote] +1000

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1375228515' post='2158693'] Strictly speaking there isn't really an equivalent for chi in English: ΙΧΘΥΣ. In the circumstances icthus probably replicates the sound of the Greek word as well as ichthus. In Greece very often chi is translated as a H, and would be pronounced the same was as the H in Ahmed. [/quote] I cannot, off the top of my head, think of a single Greek-derived English word in which chi is transliterated as "c" instead of "ch". Anyone?

[quote name='andydye' timestamp='1375041713' post='2156111'] Icthus is greek for fish... [/quote] Ic[b]h[/b]thus is greek for fish.

[quote name='hen barn' timestamp='1374700778' post='2152238'] My old drummer was a Phil Collins fan and used to play in a band called Jenny's house!!!! Brilliant!!! [/quote] Should have been Jenny's Sis.

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1374530792' post='2149890'] I don't think coloured vinyl is cool anymore, is it? [/quote] Being the proud owner of a 33rpm 7in EP of "The Tale of Benjamin Bunny" in BRIGHT RED (vintage c.1963), I beg to differ.

Soft Machine were guitarless in several of their line-ups in the early seventies - as for example on Soft Machine 6.

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1374491239' post='2149221'] But ultimately, my all time coolest of the cool is my Camberwick Green / Trumpton LP ([url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAMBERWICK-GREEN-TRUMPTON-2-x-1960s-LPs-Freddie-Phillips-Brian-Cant-/380573602628"]this one[/url]). Had it since I was knee high; still in mint condition and chock full of nostalgia. Well, I think it's cool anyway [/quote] You win. It doesn't get any cooler than Freddie Phillips / Brian Cant. I have the complete Camberwick/Trumpton/Chigley on DVD.

I still have tons of vinyl. Not sure what's "cool" though. Could it be something from my stack of 70's dub - [i]The Best Dressed Chicken in Town[/i], perhaps? Or perhaps some Professor Longhair? I've got a Sun Ra disk somewhere - no idea of the title. Or maybe the classic Gerry Anderson story LP "A Trip to Marineville" / "Thunderbirds Are Go". There's an EP of nursery rhymes in there somewhere featuring the voice of Boris Karloff, among others. But perhaps pride of place in "cool" terms is the album of Russian Folk songs performed by the Red Army Choir: "[i]Kalinka![/i]"