Skol303

It's proving to be a very discursive picture! Mrs Skol hit upon it 'cos she knows I'm partial to Banksy's work - yeah, don't judge me But interestingly, or not, the picture is really just a pastiche of Banksy's style and perhaps even a comment on the 'commercialisation' of protest - ? I think this comment from the Banksy forum sums it up nicely: "edginess quotient fulfilled. street art aesthetic employed. buy your maximum efficiency urban art merchandise today, now available in four great colours". And maybe that's the message to take away from it? That it's the sort of image someone might hang on their wall to 'fulfill their edginess quotient' (akin to the classic Che Guevara poster). Whereas the lady in the original photo is out being bona fide 'edgy' and probably has no urge to hang such things on her wall. I do like the style of it though, but then I'm a sucker for a nice screen print

Thoroughly nice chap and a pleasure to deal with. Bought a set of strings from me. Quick payment and 100% hassle free. Deal with confidence

I've mentioned this elsewhere but in case you missed it... [color=#800000][b]there's a Basschat Polo Shirt up for grabs this month![/b][/color] And better still, it's a new one, not one of Doug's hand-me-downs It was meant to be a surprise prezzie for the December winner, but I already have one and so the prize is 'rolling over' to this month instead. Here's a link to the BC shop in case you're wondering what I'm blathering on about: http://basschat.co.uk/cp/2-shop/ As you were.

I've used TASCAM and Focusrite products and would recommend either brand. If you're thinking of buying a Focusrite 2i2, also have a look at the 2i4. It's about £50 more expensive but it has more output options (e.g. for connecting monitors) and a Phantom power switch for use with certain microphones. I personally think it's worth the extra money - which is why I bought one myself

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1419785500' post='2642690'] i was listening to Graham Cochrane of The Recording Revolution and he was recommending using alternative DAWs to explore and learn more about what's possible and to use accidental discovery to enhance the music making process. Do any of you advocate this? Is there anything to be learned other than how to drive a different DAW?[/quote] As mentioned above, there's a lot to be said for learning one DAW [i]really[/i] well. My own 'go to' DAW of choice is Propellerhead Reason. I know it well enough not to have to think about using it - I can get it to do whatever I need quickly and easily - which means I can concentrate on the more creative aspects of making music, rather than sweating too much with the technical stuff. That doesn't make Reason any better than other DAWs - it's just better for me because I'm very familiar with it. It feels like 'home'. However... I do like to dabble with other DAWs for the exact reason you mention - sparking creativity and making accidental discoveries. I'm increasingly using NI Maschine for beat-making and writing loops, because it's quite literally hands on and playful. I'm also messing around with Ableton - mainly as a platform for running a few VSTs that I can't access in Reason (such as the Massive synth). But I'm also enjoying it's immediacy and the speed at which you can use it to throw things together. So in short: yes! I advocate playing with different DAWs - but I also advocate having one favourite DAW to rule them all

I've always had an eye on the 500 series units, especially the SSL stuff. They seem like a 'relatively' affordable way of getting some good quality outboard gear to play with... and I've often considered putting together a little 'mastering' suite using a 500 rack. For the time being, there are other things I'd rather burn my money on. But they do look good and generally get very favourable reviews

Like anything computer-related, it's always a case of spending whatever you can afford in order to buy yourself as much 'future-proofing' as possible. In answer to your quandary, 8Gb would be absolutely fine for the vast majority of home recording. Maybe look at 16Gb if you're wanting to run lots of CPU-hungry FX and virtual instruments simultaneously. I use an 'old' iMac from 2010 with 4Gb RAM and it works fine for me. It does mean I have to render some tracks to audio when my CPU starts groaning under the strain of things on busier songs. But it's never been an issue that's significantly disrupted my workflow

[quote name='Bottle' timestamp='1420204729' post='2646651'] BTW Skol, will the Mix Challenge be resurrected for 2015? Ta, Ian [/quote] Hi Ian, it will indeed mate! Hopefully within the next fortnight. I'll post up a new Mixing Challenge thread as soon as it's ready. Cheers, Paul

Yeah it's got me scratching my head too! I think Lurks is on to something with a garage/grunge route... might try that myself... but to each his own, as is always the case with these challenges. I did wonder whether the image is a Banksy but it's not - it's a print made by some chap using a Banksy-ish style. Here's a thread about the image if you're interested, which might spark a few more ideas for anyone struggling with it: http://banksyforum.proboards.com/thread/105081/protester-dot

[font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=5]Feeling like this?[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=5]Still moaning about this?[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=5]Then why not hoik your posterior off the sofa and have a crack at the Basschat Composition Challenge? You’ve nothing to lose, other than your dignity. Your marbles. And you hair.[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]Here are three damn good reasons for getting stuck in:[/size][/size][/font] [list=1] [*][size=4]This month's winner gets a BC polo shirt of their choosing![/size] [*][size=4]It’s the perfect way to get your head around making music at home! (here’s a [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/248509-beginners-guide-to-home-recording/"]handy thread[/url] to get you started).[/size] [*][size=4]You’ll be egged on by the lovely people who frequent the Recording forum. You do like eggs, right? That’s great![/size] [/list] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/252418-january-composition-challenge-get-recording/"][size=5][b]CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS[/b][/size][/url][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]Go on, go on, go on…[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [/size][/font]

I'm significantly hungover today (I rarely drink and so when I do it's monstrous). So I called upon on the clarity of judgement offered by my very sober and pregnant wife to choose the above image. All I can say at this point in time is that it's [i]very[/i] yellow. And has rabbits in it. Innit. Last year we had M.C. Escher and Burt Reynolds, so count your blessings

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1420105407' post='2645520'] Well done Paul excellent piece and well deserved win. I have no need to get a winners speech prepared just yet , but as a runner up I would like to thank ........... [/quote] [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1420126355' post='2645843'] Well deserved, Paul! Loved your track. [/quote] Cheers guys! We got an unseasonably small number of votes, but who cares... for me, it beat watching Mrs Browns Boys or whatever sh*te was on TV Well done to everyone who had a crack at it. I had secret prize up my sleeve of a BC Polo shirt (kindly donated by Ped). But given that I already have one, we're going to 'rollover' the prize to this month instead. Audience goes "wooooo!" with anticipation. So, hangover cured and I'm now [i]compos mentis[/i] enough to post up January's challenge. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/252418-january-composition-challenge-get-recording/"][b][size=5]GO HERE[/size][/b][/url] Happy new year! Now stop dawdling and get busy.

[size=5][color=#800000][b]January’s Composition Challenge is now underway![/b][/color][/size] [size=5]Here’s the image for your inspiration…[/size] [size=5]And here are the rules 'n' stuff…[/size] [size=4]By entering the competition you agree to the [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules"]Basschat Terms & Conditions[/url] and [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/3178-forum-guidelines/"]Forum Guidelines[/url], which are designed to help ensure the forum remains free of offensive and/or illegal behaviour and material. In a nutshell:[/size] [b][size=4]1) Please [/size]avoid any content that other forum users may find offensive.[/b] If your track contains explicit lyrics, for example, then please warn other forum users so they can choose for themselves whether to listen to it. [size=4][b]2) Please make sure you have permission to use any 3rd party sounds included in your track[/b] (ie. sounds that you have not recorded yourself, such as samples of other people's music). The owners of Basschat accept no responsibility for infringements of copyright or other forms of legal ownership, which are solely the responsibility of competition entrants. If we spot any breaches of copyright then your track will be removed from the competition.[/size] [size=4]For reference: here's a great source of copyright-free material, all available under Creative Commons license: http://www.freesound.org/[/size] [size=4][b]3) Entries should be no more than five minutes long and written/produced during the month of the competition[/b], taking inspiration from the photo provided. No cheating![/size] [size=4]If you have any questions about the competition rules, just ask.[/size] [color=#800000][size=5][b]The deadline for entries is midnight on Saturday 24th January.[/b][/size][/color]

Well that's a wrap for 2014! Group hug. A picture will be forthcoming sometime tomorrow. Just as soon as the inebriated fog clears from this merry evening Cheers guys. Paul

[color=#800000][b]VOTING ENDS TONIGHT![/b][/color] If you're not out gigging or on the lash, then you're left with a choice between him... Or us. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/251961-december-composition-challenge-voting/"][b][size=5]CHOOSE US![/size][/b][/url] And a very happy New Year to you all

Voted previously but have just given them all a second listen and added comments on SoundCloud. Well done everyone. Sterling work, as always. Have yourselves a splendid New Year's Eve!

All of the above. Plus... I prefer the 'compressed' tone of active basses. To my ears they just sound better/fuller/fatter when recorded DI. That's not to say that passive basses don't sound good. I have a passive P-bass and its tone is lush. But generally speaking I have to do more EQ'ing post-recording to make a passive bass sound how I want it to.

BOOMP!

Nice thread! Here's mine so far. All subject to flux... as is everything in life Ambitions and goals: 1) Stop noodling around and dedicate some proper time to productive practice (bass and guitar). 2) Finally get round to accepting a kind family friend's offer of an upright piano. Then learn how to play it. Once we've worked out where to put it... Firm plans so far: 1) Finish and release an EP with Mike Flynn (Basschat's 'Urb'). We have a couple of tracks to do, then it's done. Very happy with it so far. 2) Mix an album for J-Sonics. Great musicians, so that should be fun. 3) Start new material with singer Paula Rae Gibson (another Mike Flynn collaboration!). On paper, I'm happy with that

Ditto! Merry Christmess to one and all

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1419450183' post='2640170'] Thank you so much, mate! [/quote] My pleasure Nige. And welcome back!