I went to Collective Soul on Saturday... man it was _awesome_. I had 5th row center.. when the guy walked me up to my seats I was like 'wow... I just got them today!' haha.
Big head Todd was the opener which I appreciated musically but I was there to party CS style... when they came out I was stoked. They did 'new vibration' for their first... as far as I remember their set went (not in order): new vibration, listen, run, heavy, i don't need any more friends (Joel rocked it), december, world I know, gel, why part 2, better now and encore was 'shine' - their original hit.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Song update
Working the hardest on December recently... always been a great song. One thing to note is just how much style they have by putting a nice melodic bridge where the outro solo would be... Classic and just awesome.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Recording gear
Recently tried to construct a nice entry level studio system to try some recording. Here's what I ended up with:
Audio Technica 3035 condensor - nice airy quality, really transparent. It's level is pretty solid but it didn't seem to do my voice or acoustic with a 'near field' effect. In my studio environment (well, uhm, I live in my studio... really! on a few different levels...) it's qualities make it tough to use in lower SPL recordings like voice and acoustic because of its 360 degree sensitivity. However, in higher SPL recording, like with my amps, it works out really well. It shines on both chunk and clean guitar amp micing so I think for now it's going to be the workhorse guitar mic. It does seem to catch the 'sweetness' and 'snap' of my amps so until I move to the next tier of mics I bet i will use this one for recording electric guitar for quite some time...
Audix OM5 - a dynamic mic used primarily for vocals. It's fun to use and seems to have a mid-cut kind of thing going on. I continue to be amazed at how mic manufacturers are more like amp manufacturers - 'realism' is relative. Sounding good is a little easier to achieve with some amount of modest EQing which if you ask me this mic has. Either that or it happens to have a response curve with a mid-cut builtin. They have a graph on the box, I guess I could look at that. Bottom line is that it probably makes my voice sound a lot more interesting than it is, so I have to give it a good mark too.
Mogami XLR cables - I have 2 of these, 1 for each mic. They seem nice made of high quality stuff like rubber or something.. probably some metal in there. Plus, I have the joy of knowing I have brand name cables. w00t.
Mackie Satellite Interface - it has 'Onyx' preamps, an insert (loop), (2) line-ins, XLR, instrument high Z for each channel on the base station, all with phantom too. They are preparing (or already have) discontinue this thing so for now its $200 - about the price of a decent CPU for your computer. It's all firewire, though, and it can indeed do low latency (I monitor through DAW when recording) but this causes major issues on most PCs. In the end I moved to a Macbook Pro and that works fine with garage band. Perhaps with an 'awesome' computer the need to buy CEntrance drivers would be gone. Until then, for me, it's here.
Sennheiser 'cans' - when doing recording it's fairly important to use monitors that work well. I initially got a pair of senn 280s which are 'sealed' headphones. In the end, my ears would start sweating terribly after 20 minutes so I got a set of senn 555s. These are 'open' but still arent .. "heat free". Maybe no full size headphones are. I also use some decent computer speakers to verify what I recorded is listenable.... they work well too.
To get list:
Palmer speaker simulator - I would dig one of these but at $500 its hard to not buy something much more expressive like a new combo, preamp, or even a new axe like I dont have (hollow body, plastic pickguard, or something).
Millenia - recording preamp that I guess Satch uses... I like his recording clarity so maybe I can find one of these on ebay... even then, its a 'ultra pro' piece of gear... maybe for xmas?
Audio Technica 3035 condensor - nice airy quality, really transparent. It's level is pretty solid but it didn't seem to do my voice or acoustic with a 'near field' effect. In my studio environment (well, uhm, I live in my studio... really! on a few different levels...) it's qualities make it tough to use in lower SPL recordings like voice and acoustic because of its 360 degree sensitivity. However, in higher SPL recording, like with my amps, it works out really well. It shines on both chunk and clean guitar amp micing so I think for now it's going to be the workhorse guitar mic. It does seem to catch the 'sweetness' and 'snap' of my amps so until I move to the next tier of mics I bet i will use this one for recording electric guitar for quite some time...
Audix OM5 - a dynamic mic used primarily for vocals. It's fun to use and seems to have a mid-cut kind of thing going on. I continue to be amazed at how mic manufacturers are more like amp manufacturers - 'realism' is relative. Sounding good is a little easier to achieve with some amount of modest EQing which if you ask me this mic has. Either that or it happens to have a response curve with a mid-cut builtin. They have a graph on the box, I guess I could look at that. Bottom line is that it probably makes my voice sound a lot more interesting than it is, so I have to give it a good mark too.
Mogami XLR cables - I have 2 of these, 1 for each mic. They seem nice made of high quality stuff like rubber or something.. probably some metal in there. Plus, I have the joy of knowing I have brand name cables. w00t.
Mackie Satellite Interface - it has 'Onyx' preamps, an insert (loop), (2) line-ins, XLR, instrument high Z for each channel on the base station, all with phantom too. They are preparing (or already have) discontinue this thing so for now its $200 - about the price of a decent CPU for your computer. It's all firewire, though, and it can indeed do low latency (I monitor through DAW when recording) but this causes major issues on most PCs. In the end I moved to a Macbook Pro and that works fine with garage band. Perhaps with an 'awesome' computer the need to buy CEntrance drivers would be gone. Until then, for me, it's here.
Sennheiser 'cans' - when doing recording it's fairly important to use monitors that work well. I initially got a pair of senn 280s which are 'sealed' headphones. In the end, my ears would start sweating terribly after 20 minutes so I got a set of senn 555s. These are 'open' but still arent .. "heat free". Maybe no full size headphones are. I also use some decent computer speakers to verify what I recorded is listenable.... they work well too.
To get list:
Palmer speaker simulator - I would dig one of these but at $500 its hard to not buy something much more expressive like a new combo, preamp, or even a new axe like I dont have (hollow body, plastic pickguard, or something).
Millenia - recording preamp that I guess Satch uses... I like his recording clarity so maybe I can find one of these on ebay... even then, its a 'ultra pro' piece of gear... maybe for xmas?
MIDI Loop System, and more
Parts (a start):
http://www.mouser.com/search/Refine.aspx?Ne=1447464+254016&Ntt=*PIC16F84*&Msb=0&Mkw=PIC16F84+&N=1323038+0
Debug board:
http://www.awce.com/gp3.htm
MIDI input -> Trigger:
http://www.members.aol.com/decomidi/index_english.htm
** I am unsure if it's exactly what I want - this version responds from 'G to D'. Unsure of how that translates to a standard MIDI control pedal from a typical guitar rig we may have to make adjustments as necessary. Additionally, this implementation is a combination of what a typical system does - this will take a note and trigger a pin out. That's handy, but we want to be able to store the state of any of the 32 pins, save that and restore it later based on the MIDI channel change. In fact, this project is more of a way to guide us in thinking than anything close to the lifecycle we need to support - MIDI in, demux channel, retrieve memory, trigger pins -> relays. Thats a lot different than MIDI in, trigger pins :)
http://www.mouser.com/search/Refine.aspx?Ne=1447464+254016&Ntt=*PIC16F84*&Msb=0&Mkw=PIC16F84+&N=1323038+0
Debug board:
http://www.awce.com/gp3.htm
MIDI input -> Trigger:
http://www.members.aol.com/decomidi/index_english.htm
** I am unsure if it's exactly what I want - this version responds from 'G to D'. Unsure of how that translates to a standard MIDI control pedal from a typical guitar rig we may have to make adjustments as necessary. Additionally, this implementation is a combination of what a typical system does - this will take a note and trigger a pin out. That's handy, but we want to be able to store the state of any of the 32 pins, save that and restore it later based on the MIDI channel change. In fact, this project is more of a way to guide us in thinking than anything close to the lifecycle we need to support - MIDI in, demux channel, retrieve memory, trigger pins -> relays. Thats a lot different than MIDI in, trigger pins :)
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Gear Update and micro reviews
Gear in use right now:
PRS McCarty, vintage yellow - this thing actually has a chambered body, a quite round and big neck (wide / fat), McCarty pickups and really smooth controls all around. It just feels quality. For more commitment to solid and punchy rock tones, go with a CST22. However, with the McCarty a strat sound is totally within reach (chambered!) since it also has the ability to do just a front pickup coil split unlike the CST22 5 way (I think you can get a 3 way / split for a CST22 though). Oh yeah, CST24 has the extended scale making the strings tighter... I dont have a ton of hand strength nowadays so thats not on my 'to get' list [like the CST22 is].
Mesa F50 - overall one of my favorite purchases ever in guitar equipment. It's at times almost too good, meaning it's precise bite and sensitivity really demands that you play very well, with no open strings. They say it's the hybrid of a Dual Rec and a Mark series. For me it's the perfect blend of 'purple' and punchiness. The clean channel is the best I have ever owned by far with it's gliss-like chime. I could go on but will instead record more and post it somewhere.
Marshall TSL60 - it's parallel effects loop mix control only mixes IN an effect, it never cuts out the dry signal! What?! I now must become an amp tech to do a mod to at least turn it into a serial FX loop. Oh yeah - it sounds pretty cool. Marshally. Rather compressed though, and I like the DSL series a lot better (I think, its been a while). The JCM800, JCM900 and TSL60 - as far as I can tell, that's it on high gain tube 1x12 combos.. one of those things you don't realize until you are in the market for something. The rest are Valvestates or all solid state of which they make 1000 different models. Well, sorry, I left out the 'DSL401' combo. I would have bought that but it has el-84s (which never sound right to me - I have always owned 'big boy' tube based amps) and it's tone is just nasally and buzzy beyond other amps I have played.
Ernie Ball Volume Pedal Junior - such an awesome design and implementation of a pedal that I am seriously thinking about converting my Dunlop 535q to a VP JR chassis. Just awesome, smooth and works cool. For a sample of a cool volume pedal effect listen to the bridge in Collective Soul's "December" where Ross fades in an A# -> G .... In the back of my head I always wondered how he did that...
Dunlop 535q Wah -
not much else needs to be said. You can adjust the Q and volume boost. Also how fast the wah tone kicks in is adjusted by the silver knob on the right. If you have ever used a Morley wah versus a Dunlop and wondered what that big difference is, you can emulate that with the knob.
Boss DS1 - it was once remembered that a 14 year old Jeremy K had said of the DS1 "who in the heck would use this thing?!". 18 years later, he is. This thing is almost completely controlled by the TONE knob! Distortion is actually pretty even and doesn't color the tone (like other pedals). Instead the tone knob seems to shift all sorts of stuff all over the place. The end result isn't a metal zone or dual rec thing (I have that 'focus' already with the F50 contour mode...).. instead set the Tone to 10 oclock, level on 12, distortion on 3, put it into the front of a clean marshall channel, put that neck pickup on and play 'Starry Night' by Satch. It has more of an overdrive transparency than grind making it a bad pedal for kids playing metallica but something that enables you to Satch out for about half of his songs.
Boss SD1 - super overdrive (old, rare Japanese made). Got this on a deal when I read that Zakk used it to punch up the usual Marshall gain. I have had it since I got my JCM 900 2100 lead head in 1994. I use it as a whole other layer on top of the clean, gain and contour channels on the F50 and TSL60. It changes tonal dynamics enough in the midrange that it feels like I just added a whole other set of channels to whatever amp Im playing. really.
TC Electronics G Major multi effects - I never owned TCE stuff but I think I always wanted to as everyone in rock seemed to use this stuff. It's effects are all very cool and its true - you CAN use this in an effects loop and retain almost 100% of your amps integrity! Praise be! I thought the features to be initially lacking until I discovered the settings knobs actually have 2 tiers - oops. This thing can adjust the reverb to have predelay and the noise gate to be soft / hard and the tuner to be coarse (live shows) or fine (tuning precisely).
Furman power conditioner - finally broke down and bought one of these for about the price of a decent dinner. Man, times have changed. I dunno if it does much.
Dunlop Power Brick - 18v / 9v wall adapter with 8 outputs and a dozen cables for different types of pedals. Sweet but overpriced at $90... still, I will save that much on batteries and forgetting to unplug my cables probably just this year. Also has a cool circuit breaker functionality for those pedals where the 9v adapter shorts out to the case of the pedal... other solutions probably blow an internal fuse.
That's it - had to get it all synced up. I dont use the POD XT, the Quadraverb 2, a handful of pedals (unfortunately the 95q wah from Collective Soul - it seemed to alter the tone cuz its active bypass) among other things. I dunno what I will sell but I should sell some....
PRS McCarty, vintage yellow - this thing actually has a chambered body, a quite round and big neck (wide / fat), McCarty pickups and really smooth controls all around. It just feels quality. For more commitment to solid and punchy rock tones, go with a CST22. However, with the McCarty a strat sound is totally within reach (chambered!) since it also has the ability to do just a front pickup coil split unlike the CST22 5 way (I think you can get a 3 way / split for a CST22 though). Oh yeah, CST24 has the extended scale making the strings tighter... I dont have a ton of hand strength nowadays so thats not on my 'to get' list [like the CST22 is].
Mesa F50 - overall one of my favorite purchases ever in guitar equipment. It's at times almost too good, meaning it's precise bite and sensitivity really demands that you play very well, with no open strings. They say it's the hybrid of a Dual Rec and a Mark series. For me it's the perfect blend of 'purple' and punchiness. The clean channel is the best I have ever owned by far with it's gliss-like chime. I could go on but will instead record more and post it somewhere.
Marshall TSL60 - it's parallel effects loop mix control only mixes IN an effect, it never cuts out the dry signal! What?! I now must become an amp tech to do a mod to at least turn it into a serial FX loop. Oh yeah - it sounds pretty cool. Marshally. Rather compressed though, and I like the DSL series a lot better (I think, its been a while). The JCM800, JCM900 and TSL60 - as far as I can tell, that's it on high gain tube 1x12 combos.. one of those things you don't realize until you are in the market for something. The rest are Valvestates or all solid state of which they make 1000 different models. Well, sorry, I left out the 'DSL401' combo. I would have bought that but it has el-84s (which never sound right to me - I have always owned 'big boy' tube based amps) and it's tone is just nasally and buzzy beyond other amps I have played.
Ernie Ball Volume Pedal Junior - such an awesome design and implementation of a pedal that I am seriously thinking about converting my Dunlop 535q to a VP JR chassis. Just awesome, smooth and works cool. For a sample of a cool volume pedal effect listen to the bridge in Collective Soul's "December" where Ross fades in an A# -> G .... In the back of my head I always wondered how he did that...
Dunlop 535q Wah -
not much else needs to be said. You can adjust the Q and volume boost. Also how fast the wah tone kicks in is adjusted by the silver knob on the right. If you have ever used a Morley wah versus a Dunlop and wondered what that big difference is, you can emulate that with the knob.
Boss DS1 - it was once remembered that a 14 year old Jeremy K had said of the DS1 "who in the heck would use this thing?!". 18 years later, he is. This thing is almost completely controlled by the TONE knob! Distortion is actually pretty even and doesn't color the tone (like other pedals). Instead the tone knob seems to shift all sorts of stuff all over the place. The end result isn't a metal zone or dual rec thing (I have that 'focus' already with the F50 contour mode...).. instead set the Tone to 10 oclock, level on 12, distortion on 3, put it into the front of a clean marshall channel, put that neck pickup on and play 'Starry Night' by Satch. It has more of an overdrive transparency than grind making it a bad pedal for kids playing metallica but something that enables you to Satch out for about half of his songs.
Boss SD1 - super overdrive (old, rare Japanese made). Got this on a deal when I read that Zakk used it to punch up the usual Marshall gain. I have had it since I got my JCM 900 2100 lead head in 1994. I use it as a whole other layer on top of the clean, gain and contour channels on the F50 and TSL60. It changes tonal dynamics enough in the midrange that it feels like I just added a whole other set of channels to whatever amp Im playing. really.
TC Electronics G Major multi effects - I never owned TCE stuff but I think I always wanted to as everyone in rock seemed to use this stuff. It's effects are all very cool and its true - you CAN use this in an effects loop and retain almost 100% of your amps integrity! Praise be! I thought the features to be initially lacking until I discovered the settings knobs actually have 2 tiers - oops. This thing can adjust the reverb to have predelay and the noise gate to be soft / hard and the tuner to be coarse (live shows) or fine (tuning precisely).
Furman power conditioner - finally broke down and bought one of these for about the price of a decent dinner. Man, times have changed. I dunno if it does much.
Dunlop Power Brick - 18v / 9v wall adapter with 8 outputs and a dozen cables for different types of pedals. Sweet but overpriced at $90... still, I will save that much on batteries and forgetting to unplug my cables probably just this year. Also has a cool circuit breaker functionality for those pedals where the 9v adapter shorts out to the case of the pedal... other solutions probably blow an internal fuse.
That's it - had to get it all synced up. I dont use the POD XT, the Quadraverb 2, a handful of pedals (unfortunately the 95q wah from Collective Soul - it seemed to alter the tone cuz its active bypass) among other things. I dunno what I will sell but I should sell some....
Collective Soul from the Past
I am now playing 'December' along with trying to sing. I have varying results but recording helps expose the reality. I will probably get some opinions but probably NOT of the youtube variety. More on that later.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Song Lists is what this is all about!
So my first working song list set right now is:
Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child
Collective Soul - "New Vibration" (nearly worked out w/o solo)
Phil Keaggy - County Down (giving it a shot) starting at 1:25 in the song
Michael Hedges - Ritual Dance (will be til I cant play any more, too)
Joe Satriani - Oriental Melody, Mind Storm (possibly as a good chord-oriented tune, for once)
more later....
Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child
Collective Soul - "New Vibration" (nearly worked out w/o solo)
Phil Keaggy - County Down (giving it a shot) starting at 1:25 in the song
Michael Hedges - Ritual Dance (will be til I cant play any more, too)
Joe Satriani - Oriental Melody, Mind Storm (possibly as a good chord-oriented tune, for once)
more later....
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