Skol303

Very nice playing! Leagues ahead of my own. I'm not sure if blues solos work on bass as well as they do on guitar... But I'm an ignoramus in this genre so take that with a pinch of salt

^ Ditto the comment above above the falsetto-style vocal licks - but that's a love it or hate it kinda thing It certainly doesn't spoil what is otherwise a good song and a cool video. The only thing I can really offer in terms of constructive criticism is the mix itself. I feel it lacks dynamics and 'punch' - there's little change in energy between the verse and chorus, and I really wanted the chorus to hit with more 'wallop'! But like I said... It's a good song!

Lovely song. I like it a lot. I'm listening on ear buds and the bass sounds especially good (Basschat bias notwithstanding...!). Props to your younger brother on that front. Nice vocal too. And a cello! Cool. I like what that brings to it - and nicely subtle too. The synching is a wee bit off in places between the audio and video, but that's just me picking nits... I'd be well chuffed with it

Niiiice one Shep! This floats my boat for sure. Great groove between the beat and bassline - very tight. Fluid rap too. I like this guy's flow a lot. You've clearly been a busy bee! All good mate. Keep 'em coming...

Phwoar, this is good! Nice mix and production. Tight drumming. Beautiful vocals. Warm, fat bass tone. A very well crafted and professional-sounding track. Catchy too. Good work! Paul

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368038628' post='2072440']Cheers Paul [/quote] No worries mate! Good to hear you've found a solution. Be sure to share the track here once you're finished with it

Good suggestions above. As Twig mentions, a reliable yet time-consuming method is to nudge the drum hits just before or after the positions they appear in if rigidly quantized. Nudging before adds feeling of 'urgency' to the beat; nudging after makes it sound more 'relaxed'. Nudging too much just makes it sound like the drummer is drunk (for ultra realism...). Experiment to find out what feels right for the song you're working on. A much quicker method - and one I'm using a lot at the moment - is to 'play' and record the drums live using a MIDI keyboard (or your computer keyboard). Takes a bit of practice bit it can sound quite convincing! Try recording it in different takes: kick and snare first, then record a different take for hats and cymbals (or record each to a separate track if you prefer). This video might help inspire you (fast forward a bit as it's slow to get going...). http://www.propellerheads.se/mmm/index.cfm?fuseaction=eventinfo&EID=1 Plan C? Use pre-recorded loops. No shame in that - it's the backbone of software like EZ Drummer and used extensively in even 'pro' studios. There's a bazillion loops for all genres available online. Try this: http://bit.ly/ZI7mpF Plan D? Beatbox!!

Good one Me like. Especially the drop at 3.12! Nicely produced and a slick video too. Where the heck did you film this...? Looks like an interesting location.

Love it! Great recording - both the audio and video

For anyone interested, here's a link to a bunch of free VSTs, advice, interviews, etc, all on the subject of mixing - made available by Mike Senior, the author of 'Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio'. Worth a look: http://cambridge-mt.com/ms-links.htm#freeware

Twitter has a search function - so as a first step I'd suggest bunging the name of your track into that and see what it comes up with. I'm fairly sure you can search on Twitter without an account. If not, PM me the track name and I'll do a quick search for you, no probs. As far as I know, it doesn't necessarily mean people are talking about your track. It might just be that someone has shared the link to your SoundCloud page on Twitter. Still, no bad thing!

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1367775445' post='2069329'] People write complete Film &TV scores in it..... [It's terrific for scoring to Picture/Video] But i know what you mean mate. Just doing the 30 day demo of Digital Performer 8 for windows. Good grief, the PDF is like War & Peace - Pretty impressive DAW. Garry [/quote] yeah... I was just trying to convince Milty that he can do plenty with Logic without the need to worry about audio interfaces, mics, etc. I don't use it myself (I've tinkered with it), but there's an old joke about agnostic music-makers using Reason and Logic. Yeah, terrible pun I know. Digital Performer looks like a beast and is getting good reviews. Let us know how you get on with it.

Wow, good to see plenty of dates in your diary Nige! Looks like a good schedule mate. Plus you have that Transglobal gig... busy, busy PS: the Love Songs in Age CD arrived just before the bank hols. Perfect timing! Played it loud numerous time while doing stuff around the house. Really like the sprayed artwork and the personal message from Kit. Little touches like that are worth gold.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1367766741' post='2069199']Just the mic on this laptop, which happens to be pretty crap.[/quote] Ah... is that what you use for your video blogs? Sounds ok if so but not suited for instruments. As a bare minimum I'd recommend a simple general-purpose condenser mic (I use a cheap Behringer C-1) and an audio interface to hook up the mic and your bass/other instruments to your computer (Focusrite Saffire 6 is good value for money). A budget of £130 or less would cover it if wisely spent. In the meantime, don't underestimate Logic! You can make complete tracks using just that - lots of people do - and learning to programme virtual instruments is a handy skill. Where there's a will... etc [quote name='charic' timestamp='1367767004' post='2069200']I've wrote a song... but it's no longer related to the pictures in any way [/quote] Haha, no matter mate! Good to hear you've been noodling away at something. I've got an idea for how I want mine to sound but I'm gonna need to collaborate with someone on it... Just waiting to hear back on that before I make a start.

Great playing Chris! Lovely tone too. ...although I notice you're cheating and using an extra finger

Great stuff Mike. Your idea of "rough and ready" is my idea of frickin' good playing, as usual. PS: looks like we share the same studio decorations... mine is currently jungle animals and The Gruffalo

Excellent! Super-tight playing and a nice mix/production too. I've been involved in a couple of international collaborations (and hopefully have one forming for this month's composition competition...), but nothing of this sort. Inspirational stuff. Love it

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1367668450' post='2068154']I'm going to try to get something in for this, been too busy for the last couple. LIke the pics[/quote] Good to hear Nige... It's been too long, we've missed ya! [quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1367723967' post='2068755']Maybe i'll be able to make something just in Logic with my tiny keyboard. Who knows?[/quote] Stick with it Milty and don't get put off by lack of gear and/or learning curves with Logic. You're a smart cookie and you'll get your head around it in no time Logic is a great system. You have everything you need right there to create superb-sounding music using just your computer keyboard if need be. And you have a mic - probably a condenser, right? That can be used to record a vocal, a bassline and even 'found sounds' around the house. What really helped me when I got started was just keeping things very simple. Yes, that is a stupidly obvious thing to say! But it's easy to get lost and daunted by the vast array of features and plug-ins at your fingertips with something like Logic. Also don't be afraid to invent your own workarounds... There's are lots of different ways to use each music software - and most of the time there's not one single ' right way' - so play around and improvise (very apt this month!). And ask questions here. Plenty of folks happy to help.

PS: Off topic, but this seems like a good place to let y'all know that the programme for this year's Manchester Jazz Festival was announced yesterday: http://www.manchesterjazz.com/festival-programme-2013/ If anyone's coming up for it then let me know. I'll be mooching around as much as I can...

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1367578050' post='2067108']I was wondering, therefore, given all the above 'environmental factors', why I think it is EVER going to be anything but grimly inadequate. [/quote] I'd say it's all relative, Bilbo. One person's "grimly inadequate" is another's "frankly brilliant". The key thing here is that you seem to be continually aspiring to do better - I think the rot only sets in when you start believing that's no longer necessary. I have no critical ears for jazz. I love listening to it, but I don't necessarily know 'how' to listen to it (yet). But your playing has always sounded superb to me - something I'll be aspiring to when I [i]eventually[/i] get round to picking up an upright myself (a long-standing ambition of mine). I think your upcoming gigs will be the proof of the pudding... and I'm fairly sure you'll be feeling more than adequate by the end of it

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1367511279' post='2066244']You're quite lucky that you come up with so many good ideas, and it actually amazes me that you aren't a professional musician.[/quote] Thanks Milty, I'm super-flattered that you think that I should say that I also put in lots of hard graft... albeit enjoyable hard graft! I read lots about music production; I enjoy geeking out and learning how to use tech in new ways; I do lots of critical listening to different genres; and I put in plenty of hours. Typically 2-3 days minimum per track, from start to finish, scattered here and there during late evenings, early mornings and weekends throughout each month (snatching opportunities where I can around family stuff!). So while I certainly strike upon ideas quickly and creatively, the task of turning them into full compositions is equally a technical and time-consuming one. At least for me it is. But anyway, cheers for the kind words mate! I've had my confidence massively boosted since I joined Basschat a few years ago. Can't thank y'all enough for that.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1367508515' post='2066177'] Oh, I get this, but most of it's rubbish and I don't want to use it. So I alternately have blocks (when something I have been putting together won't stop and isn't good enough to use), and also no bits that go together, and can never finish anything I start as by the time I've got round to recording it, something more interesting is going on in my head. I thought it was just because I was a bit peculiar in the head. Keeps me awake at nights as well, dum dum dum dddddddd da da da dummmmm all night [/quote] Sounds like you and I should set up some kind of asylum for afflicted musicians, Dave. Or maybe one for our wives!?

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1367508946' post='2066188']might just kidnapp you and get you to do it[/quote] I'm picturing the movie version of Misery, by Stephen King, with you as Kathy Bates and... actually it's probably best if I stop right there

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1367508155' post='2066167'] i might do "anti jazz" but i am yet to work out what that is yet [/quote] So long as it's not 'aunty jazz' you'll be fine mate

It's an odd thing for me. And it's difficult to explain without sounding like a complete tw@t or a madman, but here goes... I have music running in my head almost constantly. Like tinnitus. It's always there - it just gets louder if I stop and think about it. I did some Googling into it once, but stopped when I read that it can be linked to the same area(s) of the brain that are responsible for schizophrenia: voices in ones head (not a split personality, as it's often confused). There are times when I literally have to scribble something down, or hum a ditty into my phone just to 'exorcise' myself of it. Which all probably sounds a bit crazy, but that's how it goes for me. The upside is that I've never (yet) suffered from a creative block. Quite the opposite - I get frustrated by not having enough time to bring each idea to fruition. So for me it's less of a creative process and more a musical illness! Though not one I necessarily 'suffer' from