paul_c2

Gigs of amateur bands clearly fall in the "high risk, low economic value" category. My main fear is if areas such as gigging, and many others, are introduced earlier rather than later, the R value will be (for example) R=0.9 instead of R=0.7, which results in the pandemic dragging on longer than it otherwise could do.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5eb96e8e86650c278b077616/Keeping-workers-and-customers-safe-during-covid-19-restaurants-pubs-bars-takeaways-230620.pdf

Thanks, I thought there would be official advice offered to underline the announcement yesterday. It makes perfect sense from an epidemiology point of view, although I can understand why some people would have associated pubs reopening with gigs starting again. As has been said, things are going to be different, for a while yet. I've already seen the shambles in the car dealership sector - they reopened car dealers, but didn't reopen car auctions until 2 weeks later - which resulted in bizarre prices, shortage of stock and there's severe logistics issues with transporting cars safely. Oh, and DVLA are still on holiday too which doesn't help. Similarly, they pragmatically ought to allow rehearsals at least a few weeks before they allow gigs, otherwise its going to be a similar, but musical, shambles. (Perhaps not as musical as it ought to be!)

The problem is, there are many businesses whose business model is somewhat marginal and they need some kind of incentive to get punters in (be it a shop, pub, website app, widget factory selling stuff, etc etc) to be profitable. With Covid 19 and the required social distancing that goes with it, many businesses are simply unviable. Fortunately, the government is artificially propping many of these up with a humongous financing package. Put simply, pubs don't need or want bands at the moment. Maybe one day, environments such as pubs etc won't need to impose social distancing - the idea being, if the virus is sufficiently quelled and the ability to test/track/trace is well-developed enough, then an outbreak can be known about and acted upon swiftly enough to make a difference. Also there's other factors such as people's awareness and possible treatments. And of course it would rely on the number of people with it to be sufficiently low too. Only once we're in that area, will government not need to 1) restrict the operation of pubs quite so much and 2) offer that financial support. At that point, pub gigs should return. BUT.....in the meantime, we're in a "new normal"TM situation. Bands could and should adapt, there are other opportunities in addition to pub gigging. They just take some amount of effort to accomplish and an amount of determination to achieve. Personally the example which comes to mind is a drive-in/open air gig. Its summertime after all, apparently.....at least for a few more days.

Sticking to the topic of pub gigs, I think its fair to say that today's new guidelines will only be able to be implemented by a subset of pubs - I suspect most will be keen to at least try it, rather than remain closed. But of those that re-open, they certainly won't be rushing to have live music back any time soon. There might be a handful of places which do low-key (I don't mean Ab minor stuff....) musical performances, eg a jazz pianist or maybe even a quartet. I think for the vast majority of us, its no change and still "watch this space". I've tried to find details of any government consultation with the arts industry, without any luck - the Making Music website doesn't have up-to-date details, for example.

There is no evidence for this

Aaah yes thats the other thing, the 2m rule is now a 1m+ rule; and is no longer legislation but guidance.

From the PM announcement at 12:30pm today, which was/is being televised. Pubs and restaurants are allowed to re-open, but for table service only with minimal contact between customers and serving staff; and they will also take names and addresses upon arrival. It was also mentioned, "Most leisure facilities will re-open if they can do safely, including.....social clubs and community centres". "We will also work with the arts industry on specific guidance to enable choirs, orchestras and theatres to resume live performances as soon as possible".

I know its been a year and a half since I started this, but its always been on the back of my mind! So, with the lockdown continuing, I bought this: Its a Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol A49; a MIDI controller keyboard. I had also looked at the M-Audio Oxygen 49 which had more knobs and sliders but I don't think the keyboard is as good (the Native Instruments claims to be "semi-weighted"). And I wanted one with at least some knobs (in addition to the mod wheel) to allow for dynamic changes while playing. Frustratingly, with lockdown etc, there was no practical way to try out a keyboard, but I knew I could return it within 2 weeks so I just went for it. Anderton's Music gave the best price at £142 and it arrived in less than a day from placing the order. Brilliant! I had played the piano as a child so half the reason is because the keyboard action, build quality etc had good reviews and half was the software bundle was highly spoken of. I don't really know what I need/want etc though! I figured that 49 keys was the minimum if you want to play 2 hands, and it wasn't too expensive so if its a short-term thing, I've not sunk much money into it. The S61 gets very good reviews but its a different beast, and about £600 - way too much for me to spend. The keyboard action on mine is definitely not like a piano, but for a synth, I don't think you want it like a piano anyway, and its "good enough". Its fair to say I'm a complete beginner with synths but I've invested a little time in trying to learn how they work and are controlled etc, with reasonable success so far. For example I've figured how to use Reaper to be set up to record eg a 4-bar phrase, then loop it; or to use Reaper to record and dynamically alter various parameters eg filter resonance, an EQ sweep or flanger intensity. And I have plenty of piano music to try get back into it with!

I am ambivalent towards any particular piece of software, be it a DAW, operating system, etc so long as they pretty much cover the features you need, and are equivalent on price. What I do pay respect to, is my own time in learning how to use it properly. I am sure I could transition to another DAW but I've made some significant investment in learning Reaper, so I'd stick to it and solve the tech issues. Also its worth mentioning, it has an active and large user base, so whenever I've wanted to find out how to do something in it, or solve a problem, I've always been able to find the answer. So fair enough after 2 weeks, if its not for you then switch to another. If Cubase crashes too......maybe its not Reaper but a plugin? Or something on your system not right? Is Cubase LE free (trial) too?

This pretty much saves me typing the same thing! I'd also add, its worth spending an amount of time researching and learning how each effect works, properly. Some may say "trust your ears" but I think its easy to fall into the trap of sliding from a simple tweak of something or other, to trying every knob and slider and going "ooooh that sounds different!" and latching onto a thing or a sound, when you don't really fully understand what you just did, and it all becomes a bit random. Step back, look at the bigger picture and try to understand from first principles what's going on and what you're trying to achieve by applying the effect or change. Reaper really is amazingly comprehensive for a free (trial) product and some effects don't need to be complicated. As an example, I recently bought a MIDI keyboard and while the Native Instruments Monark synth has some great patches, the built-in ReaSynth is 100% fully understandable and I was able to get a 100% grip on its controls pretty soon, so able to make the sound I wanted to! Same could be said for its EQ, compressor, limiter, etc

I hear you (relating to the original problem) and I deal with the issue like this: If/when a track is more than just a simple thing which I'll play in one or two takes okay, I'll dedicate a track to "original recordings", which has many takes on it; then create another track with one track, which is the final thing. Using Reaper's track colour options and also putting the 'scratch recording' track at the bottom of the list, helps with quickly knowing which is which. And as for getting the take I want, out of that recording track, I'll use the "explode all takes to new tracks" option (then do a lot of deleting of the excess tracks it creates, if its eg take 12 I'm on). Sometimes if it gets out of hand, I'll have "scratch recordings #1", "scratch recordings #2" etc tracks. I know its not vastly efficient but this way I'm assured I won't actually lose anything original, and I can go back if needs be and retrieve a brilliant take of musical accomplishment, if somehow I managed to record it. I dare say, there's more elegant features - probably including locking the recording track to prevent its deletion - but it works for me. Its a bit slow to wade thru them but at least I won't lose anything....unless I forget to press record. And often when patching together the "final" track, I'll temporarily use 1 or 2 other tracks (created just below it, to help visually) and shuffle things round, copy & paste there, etc etc

But are they blocks, or stickers???

Maple neck with blocks is luxury - that's what the custom range is for.

Just buy it online and if you don't like the colour, send it back within 2 weeks.

This is "Theme song" from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (I am sure people are familiar with it). I am fairly new to using DAWs/Reaper "properly", I know the basics of what the various common/basic plugins do (eg compressor, limiter, EQ, etc) but I am by no means an expert. The drums and synth (start 4 bars) were manually entered in Musescore then the MIDI tweaked, "humanised" and put into Reaper using the MT-PowerDrumKit and Diachi Virtual Analog Synth respectively (both free). The rhythm guitar is 3 takes triple-tracked, using various different pickup selections on a Fender Start. The lead guitar is double-tracked. And the 'scratch' was put in afterwards too, using 4 takes blended together. The bass is a Fender Jazz DI'd straight in, but then put though EQ compression and one of the free amp modellers supplied with Reaper. And, the "bell" special effect at the end is a free sample of a church bell from the internet, although it needed to go through the free standard "pitch shift" plugin so it rang out in the right key (E minor). Any comments, criticism, suggestions for improvements welcome. (This is the original: )

Welcome to the forum. Can't help thinking though....1st post, bumps up a 2 year old topic, looks like a sales pitch? I am sure its my imagination running wild though. Welcome.

If you refund the sale doesn't go through and there is no transaction to leave negative feedback on? You'll get a black mark for an incomplete sale though. Just looked at the advert, you need to make it clear from the pics only - ie if the cab isn't included but its on the picture, put a label on the picture. Or better still, not have it on the pics at all.

Why on earth did you let him pay by Paypal??????? (Unless it was the gift thing?)

Instruments such as voice do harmonies or counterpoint melodies, which sounds pretty good. Strings in orchestras are different - due to the timbre and the intonation, when many eg violins play together it distinctly changes the sound. Also, a single violin is a very quiet instrument so it really helps balance out with eg the brass section. 2+ guitars in bands - they tend to play different things. As well as harmonies, often one will play chords and the other upper/revoiced/rootless voicing chords or a riff or melody line. Very different to drums.

Exactly. Any debate about "put your finger on the line/put your finger just before the line" is pretty meaningless.

Halford's offering is distinctly different, it is a national chain store selling what is fairly generic stuff, but with the advantage that there's one in a town near you and you can nip out eg on a Sunday morning for a spanner or battery if you need it. (And of course they expanded into bicycles and repair work). Dawson's didn't really get close to that, and I'm not convinced there is the same need for generic bits - maybe, if you're gigging and desperately need eg an XLR lead; or reeds for woodwind players, etc etc? Not really. Musical instruments are much more individual and personal to a player, there is opportunity to capture that (much better than online stores) but they didn't really rise to it. Other musical instrument shops did. There are always disadvantages to buying online, high street shops need to maximise their opportunity to compete on the unique aspects they can offer.

If I reveal my best deal here, then some years later it comes time to sell, this is still searchable and reveals what I bought it for, right?

Can you raise it with Invision as a UI/UX bug, see above for explanation.

If the user receives the notification then they should be able to see the message which prompted the notification to be created. So, the choice would be notification + see Guest message; or no notification + unable to see Guest message.