Skol303

Holy moly, that is something special. Even in spite of the warning - or maybe because of it? - I just had to click and see for myself. That's the human condition right there.

^ Very good points above. In addition to my regular monitors, I also use a pair of [url="http://www.avantonepro.com/Avantone-Active-MixCube-Powered-Full-Range-Mini-Reference-Monitors.html"]Avantone Mixcubes[/url] - a set of speakers deliberately designed to sound a bit crappy! They're very useful, to the extent that I tend to do most of mixing on these rather than the 'better quality' Mackies. If it sounds good on the Avantones, it generally sounds ok everywhere else - including laptop speakers and such like. They're quite expensive new - I managed to get mine a stupidly good price second hand. But you could probably replicate the same approach by using a set of cheap computer speakers or similar.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1460415216' post='3025615'] I bet when you've all gone home, he opens up one of those cupboards and pulls out a MacBook with Pro Tools. [/quote] brilliant. That genuinely made me LOL.

[quote name='the boy' timestamp='1460388808' post='3025251']I know what you mean.... There isn't a lot in either to inspire. The "Jono" pic is quite a personal thing and the video is a bit stop start to provide any rhythm.[/quote] [quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1460398719' post='3025421']I listened to my track with the video running and kept wanting the snowboarders to do a big huge fast run all the way through.[/quote] Don't worry guys, it never has to be a literal interpretation... the photo (and in this case video) are always just a starting point and not necessarily a final destination. Personally, I never have the image in view when actually writing my compositions for the challenge. I just look at it at the start and think "ok, that sounds something like this in my head" and then off I go... what happens after that is just about having fun with the writing process. But of course everyone approaches it in their own way. Short story: don't over-think it, unless you want to!

Next time I buy a pair of monitors [i](which will be in the distant future...)[/i], I'll probably save up for a pair with a sealed/portless cabinet - i.e. no bass port. It apparently makes a huge difference in helping to tighten up the low end, according to the likes of Mike Senior and other reputable engineers. Trouble is, you can't buy a good set of sealed monitors without spending a good amount of ca$h. Failing that, I'll probably opt for a set with the bass port on the front, rather than the rear of the cabinet. Again, this can apparently make a big difference in smaller home studios. All such things I've learned in hindsight...

Oh man that place looks amazing!! I'd be like a kid in a sweet shop. Or a grown man in a sweet shop (I still like sweets). Just been browsing their website. Some fantastic old gear and the overall vibe seems great. Let us know how it goes

[quote name='elephantgrey' timestamp='1460392642' post='3025326'] I have some rules questions. First, if i use a looper, do i have to set up/record the loop within the 60 seconds, or can i cut down the audio in post so that i don't have 20 seconds of setup at the start? I would upload the longer version alongside so its clear im doing it all in 1 take. Second, Can i use a bass to midi converter (like a sonuus B2M) to trigger notes on something else (my gameboy)? i think how i want to put this is, do the notes that i play need to go through my pickups? Third, My looper pedal doesn't have a click/metronome drum pattern, can i use the basic kick snare kick snare pattern for timekeeping? (i could turn it off after i've recorded the loop) [/quote] Good questions! In response: 1) If using a looper it's perfectly fine to edit the recording to the 60 seconds (or less) that you want to enter into the challenge. Similarly, it's fine to record a longer noodle and just cut out a section that you like. 2) Hmmm... this one's tricky. I like the idea - but for the time being let's stick to it being bass of the stringed variety rather than anything MIDI or synth-based. Instead, I'd maybe use the approach you suggest to enter something into the monthly Composition Challenge where innovative MIDI shenanigans are very welcome indeed 3) Of course! Perfectly fine. It's also ok to include a basic metronome or similar click track in your final recording if you like (eg. a hi hat pattern). Especially if you're playing something particularly rhythmic 'in the pocket'.

[quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1460201441' post='3023505'] Will they ever be seriously sought after? [/quote] Some already are: older Steamers, thru-neck Thumbs, broadnecks. Very sought after by some buyers. I love Warwicks, but I just don't get on with the narrow string spacing on their 5-strings, having tried a few (although I do have a Warwick fretless fiver, which is a keeper). All that said, the second hand market for Warwicks is terrible for sellers - they don't seem to hold their value like other brands, which is crazy given the build quality (especially of the German models). Great for buyers though

Well done Rob! Good show. You may now bask in the glory of being entered into the [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/280646-basschat-noodle-bar-hall-of-fame/"]Noodle Bar Hall of Fame[/url]. Also congratulations to worthy 2nd and 3rd place winners, messrs Simpleton and Bollock, and everyone else who took part this month. Cheers guys [b][size=5][url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/282735-basschat-noodle-bar-april/"]April's challenge is now on.[/url][/size][/b] Tuck in!

[size=4][size=6][b]Welcome to the Basschat Noodle Bar™! [/b][/size][/size] [size=4]The rules are simple:[/size][list] [*][b]Record yourself playing bass for up to 60 seconds[/b]. You can record whatever the heck you like: an original riff or lick; something from your band’s own repertoire; or a well-known piece you’re currently practicing. Doesn’t matter what. Just record something. [/list][list] [*][b]Make sure it’s bass only: no other instruments[/b]. FX and pedals are allowed, including loopers. Simple click tracks and metronomes are equally fine and dandy. Just no backing tracks, MIDI, loops or other samples. [/list][list] [*][b]Upload your recording to [url="https://soundcloud.com/"]SoundCloud[/url][/b], YouTube or another music-sharing platform of your choice. Once you’re finished, post the link to your recording in this thread. Job done! [/list] [size=4]IMPORTANTLY… don’t worry about the quality of your recording. If you don’t have any recording equipment, simply plonk a mobile phone in front of your speaker cab and hit record. Easy peasy. [color=#800000][size=5][b]The deadline for entries is Saturday 30th April.[/b][/size][/color] We’ll then run a vote on everyone’s favourite contributions - and the winner will be added to the prestigious [/size][url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/280646-basschat-noodle-bar-hall-of-fame/"][size=4]Noodle [/size]Bar Hall of Fame![/url]

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1460102366' post='3022519'] So, if you use the Video, does the entry need to be loaded up onto YouTube/Vimeo for the voting? or just the Audio cue up on Soundcloud? [/quote] Either! YouTube/Vimeo or SoundCloud links are all fine for the finished product. Whichever you prefer

[quote name='the boy' timestamp='1460096938' post='3022461'] Logics drummer is full of kits exactly how you describe above. It such an excellent addition to Logics Arsenal. I'm sure you will work something out but it sounds like a lot of work. [/quote] Oh aye, Reason also has a whole bunch of 'live' kits that can be loaded up with a few clicks and then tweaked around with. But... sometimes I just like creating my own patches from scratch (I often do the same with synths). I'm a bit weird like that

Right... mine is now underway. Starting with the drums and taking a very convoluted route to creating a 'convincing' 1990s grunge drum track (trying to make it sound noisy and 'low fi' without sounding too crappy, which is proving to be a challenge in itself). I've written the MIDI file by transcribing and then playing around with the drum pattern from a certain famous Nirvana track [i]<that's a Nirvana smiley.[/i] Dave Grohl really was a solid drummer back then! Simple but very effective. I'm now trying to make it sound authentic by layering together lots of different sounds for each element of the drum kit, mixing samples of 'real' kits with synthetic sounds created using Reason's Kong Drum Designer. It's become one of those stupidly obsessive projects, whereby the outcome won't in any way justify the effort involved! But I'll end up with a nice 'grunge kit' that I can use again in future should I wish. So it's going to be that plus an overdriven bass, distorted guitar and shouty vocal from me this month. I suggest stocking up on Diazepam in readiness.

PS: these guys rock when it comes to room treatment... http://www.bluefrogaudio.co.uk The owner, Joe, is a lovely guy and full of good advice. I got plenty of information from him even before I'd placed an order. He's passionate about what he does and his products are top notch for the money (comparable with or perhaps even better than the likes of GIK). Don't bother with the foam-style panels - they're next to useless when it comes to trapping bass, which is the biggest issue in small home studios. Save up for some proper wooden frame traps and it'll be money very well spent - was for me.

[quote name='Leonard Smalls' timestamp='1459856976' post='3020259'] For some reason I've never really got on with Mackies - I've found them to be a touch harsh in the treble, which means you might mix down higher frequencies, then it'll sound a bit "shut in" on other speakers/phones... [/quote] Interesting... with the Mackies I have at home it's quite the opposite - they're a bit too generous in the low end, whereas the highs are nicely balanced and defined. I have a pair of MR8 mk2, which are relatively cheap and cheerful in the grand scheme of things. They're actually a bit large for the room I work in, but I wanted that extra capacity in the low frequencies given that I churn out a lot of EDM and other bass-heavy stuff. I'm about to mount them on speaker stands, which will hopefully help to tighten up the lows a little and reduce some of the desk noise I'm getting. I'll report back on whether that proves successful! I'm not familiar with any other monitors (I was mixing on headphones before buying the Mackies), so don't have experience with other brands to compare with. I have heard good things about Adam, as you mention.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1459860767' post='3020311'] We're nearly up to as many voters as entrants... [/quote] Always a critical tipping point!

A very subjective question of course... but as I interpret it, my vote would be for playability. All things being fairly equal, my tone sounds pretty much the same whatever bass I'm playing (assuming here a broadly equal pickup configuration, string type, etc). If the action is way too high, or the neck not comfy, or the bass too heavy, or has neck dive, or whatever, then my playability and thus tone is going to suffer. So I always choose basses depending on whether they feel comfy [i]first[/i], knowing that I can adjust the tone via numerous other means (on-board EQ, amplifier, post-production software and so on).

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1459856805' post='3020254'] I've never used a limiter. [/quote] Very controversial! Of course this all depends on the genre you're working with - and in particular, whether you want the finished product to be 'competitively loud' [i](which is the controversial bit).[/i] Personally, I'm not an advocate of the loudness war - it makes very good sense to leave plenty of dynamics in music and not squash the bejesus out of everything so that it resembles the output of a sausage machine. Thankfully, the industry is coming back round to this via things like 'Mastered for iTunes', so in future we'll hopefully see an end to the loudness war and good riddance to it. But... some genres of music do benefit from harder compression, bordering on brick wall limiting. Obviously not classical or folk; but certainly EDM and heavy metal. Used correctly, it can add considerable 'punch' to a mix - it can even be used 'musically' as an effect in itself (the classic pumping synth trick used in a lot of dance music). So there is certainly a place for a limiter in your signal chain. But only when appropriate.

[quote name='Leonard Smalls' timestamp='1459850381' post='3020161'] I use Ableton... I've never bothered consolidating clips automatically to 0dB - I like to set volumes individually both by ear, and by looking at the outputs. I've also always used - until last week! - the Ableton audio fx compressors, in particular the Aggressive Kneeless Compressor - this allows different levels of compression at different frequencies (just about!) which works very well for bass. I also use the Fast limiter, and often a bit of reverb on bass tracks which helps it cut through drums. Being ex-BBC I also take a lot of care for the master output to never exceed 0dB (you can tell what the max level of each track including master from the mix window) as digital distortion and clipping is horrible! I do find that this sometimes means my levels might be lower than some other folks mixes, but it also means that any distortion on the track has been added by me (unless I just haven't noticed it - when you get to my age etc) [/quote] ^ That's all bang on. I used multi-band compression myself to treat the lows, low-mids, mids, upper-mids and high frequencies with different levels of compression on the master bus. I then use a single compressor, set fairly gentle (-2db compression or less) on the mix as a whole to 'glue' everything together, followed by a limiter (iZotope Ozone Maximizer) to crank up the perceived loudness if the genre warrants it. And yeah, I never let the signal clip above 0db. That's one of the golden rules!

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1459686920' post='3018606'] Wow I see we have had a deluge of votes! Haha [/quote] Haha, yup! The usual clamour of excitement over anything that's actually about playing bass, rather than choosing pickguard colours or whatever [i]("that fiesta red lipstick sooo goes with those shoes").[/i] Don't be disheartened. It's all part and parcel of the experience. You just have to be Zen-like and let it wash over you like a warm shower of p...articularly pure and refreshing spring water.

"You been eating falafel again?" "Wasn't me!"

My playing isn't at a level where the neck makes a [i]huge[/i] different to me; I'm quite comfortable (or more like blissfully ignorant!) no matter what the neck profile is That said, if pushed I'd probably say that I prefer thin (as in shallow) necks rather than chunky, with very little radius (i.e. flat). That combination seems to feel most comfortable to me, but it's not a deal-breaker.

[quote name='ribbetingfrog' timestamp='1459761779' post='3019200'] 50 - 60 gb? What are you uploading? Plans for the death star? [/quote] Haha! Well spotted. Thats should be Mb ...although I have uploaded multiple Gb to SoundCloud when swapping stems for projects (like building Death Stars).

[quote name='the boy' timestamp='1459723107' post='3019050'] "Hey olga"..... "Yes Beatrice"...... "you wanna go snowboarding at the weekend?" "Nein... It's too boring" "We can make it more exciting if you like" "How do you mean" "I dunno...maybe we can go down a 90degree mountain and we must Cary hatchets with daggers sticking out of them" "Ya ok.... Das is cool" [/quote] Like it. I was mucking around with a fuzz pedal over the weekend and am now veering towards something fast and sludgy for this month, rather than light and airy. Bring the noise!