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Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 6:55 am:   

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Anyone try this? I've had it for 3 weeks now and its great for free. Not exactly protools but pretty good for free.
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 3:24 pm:   

If anyone gets a chance to try this let me know how you like it.
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 3:43 pm:   

Freak:

I downloaded, installed and am looking at it right now. Haven't formed an opinion, yet.

What are you using to record with?
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 7:21 pm:   

Right now I am transfering all of my cassette and reel to reel masters from the old days and getting them ready for CD. I did a few tests and they sound pretty good.
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 7:22 pm:   

John I just ran the line outs from the tape machines to line in on my computer and its ready to go.
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 9:34 pm:   

Oh, I thought you were recording your guitar using it.

Here's my first experiment with it:

http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/test/Test1.wav
http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/test/Test1.mp3

Took about 15 mins. to get things to this stage, (including downloading the MP3 encoder and experimenting with a few of the effects) it's only 3 guitar tracks. I plugged my GB12 into my Yamaha QY100 sequencer and the line out to the mic jack on my laptop. That was simple! BTW, the laptop is only a 5 year old Pentium III, 700mhz.
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 10:01 pm:   

Sounds ok there. This is really a fun program. You can record mono, stereo or up to 16 channels if you have the right hardware.

John how do you upload sound clips?
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 11:47 pm:   

Freak:

It is pretty cool. Finding more (Free) VST plug-ins is the next challenge. Some decent distortion would be great.

You need to have webspace to upload the files. I don't know if you have that with your MSN account. But if they allow you space for a webpage then you should be able to upload an MP3 file to it. You may need to use an FTP program to transfer the file to your webspace.

Then you create a URL in your message, like: http://msn.net/~freakspages/myguitar.mp3

Should be it. Also, there are some sites dedicated to housing music files. Not sure if you have to pay for these or not.
Funkle
Username: Funkle

Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 12:52 am:   

I experimented with Audacity a few years back. Not bad for what it is. I'm currently using Garage Band for all my recording. Not the ultimate for multitrack recording, but I like it for it's ease of use.

-Sven
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 9:28 am:   

Hey John, was that song you played a George Harrison tune?

Thanks for the info yes I have a webpage so I will try to upload some stuff later on.

Sven, how much is the Garage Band program?
Funkle
Username: Funkle

Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 11:44 am:   

Freak, Garage band is part of Apples new "iLife" package, which is $79 and also includes video and photo editing software. It does not have quite the power of some of the pro programs, but it is so intuitive that you'll be up and running quickly.

I was just checking out the new version of Garage Band, and they have added 8 track recording and the ability to change the pitch and speed of recorded instruments. Cool! I guess I'll have to upgrade.

http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 12:10 pm:   

You can change speed and pitch on the new Audacity also. Pitch without or with speed change, and speed without or with pitch change. I guess one simulates the old variable speed occillator.
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 12:17 pm:   

Freak:

No, George Harrison. Just F,C,G,D and some futzing around. The first two tracks sounded pretty good together, but my fake bass track is pretty lame.

Garage Band is a MAC only program.
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 2:49 pm:   

Funkle:

GarageBand 2 looks like a much better program for recording original tracks. I thought this "feaure" was amusing:

"And here’s something else you’ll enjoy: Guitarists and bassists can take advantage of the new Instrument Tuner. Imagine — perfectly tuning each string of your instrument before you begin to record. How much time do you think that will save you?"

Don't you just hate when that happens?
Funkle
Username: Funkle

Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 6:15 pm:   

I know, their propaganda is a little simplistic. But thankfully, the people writing the copy are not the same ones writing the software, which is quite capable, and usable. You have to understand that it was originally positioned as more of a "looping" program, where you take prerecorded or MIDI loops and mix it up, like all these young kids are doing :-) It just happened to have the ability to record real instruments one track at a time. I found it quite handy to create play along tracks for practicing. I have a lot of the other fancy pro applications, but I end up using this one. I think a lot of people started using it for recording real instruments. So the new "features" are responding to this.

BTW John, I checked out your site. I think you may be the only graphic designer that is not using a Mac :-)
Funkle
Username: Funkle

Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 6:16 pm:   

And I love the Monty Python thing too :-)

-Sven
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 8:53 pm:   

Sven:

I checked out Garage Band when it first came out and was impressed with the simplicity of creating loops. But didn't take it seriously as a recording app. Thanks for opening my eyes to the newest version.

The web site is under construction and that copy is many years old. The Pythonesque Intro is new.

For the record, we've been bi-platform for many years. But I did start with Windows and that's what I'm more comfortable with.

What kind of MAC system are using? I thought you were an architect? CAD isn't strong on the MAC platform. We've done a dozen of so books on Autodesk products.
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Friday, September 09, 2005 - 7:26 am:   

John, It reminded me of a song he did called "So Sad "off of the Dark Horse album. Same chords.
Funkle
Username: Funkle

Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Friday, September 09, 2005 - 12:43 pm:   

John,

My main computer is a dual 1.8GHZ G5 w/ 2.5GB of ram. I use Powercadd - not the most advanced app, but I'm so familiar with it, it's become an extension of my brain :-) Archicad is probably what I should be using.

I have used macs from the get go. Good software has always been available. I have used autocad on the PC and I think there are other superior solutions. In the late '90s, Autodesk became a bloated complacent behemoth, everyone used it, and there was no reason to innovate (remind you of any guitar companies?)Autocad became the industry standard sort of by default, because all the engineers were using it, not because it was the best tool for the job. Nowadays, different cad packages and platforms can intercommunicate, so compatibility isn't an issue - for smaller projects anyway.
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Friday, September 09, 2005 - 1:00 pm:   

Freak:

Yeah, I wrote that song for George and told him I didn't want the writing credit. Seriously, don't believe I've ever heard the song. The only GH album I have is the one with My Sweet Lord on it.

Have you tried recording multi tracks with Audacity yet? I'm not sure but when trying to isolate tracks (using the Solo or Mute buttons) the playback seems to be allowing bleed thru from subsequent tracks. For instance, mute tracks 2 & 3 to listen to 1 and it's what you expect. Mute1 & 3, play 2 and you hear a faint track 1. Mute 1 & 2, play 3 and you hear some of 1 & 2. Maybe this is a "feature", but when I want to hear one track, that's what I expect to be able to do. I recorded directly using the line out, not with a mic. Can you confirm?
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Friday, September 09, 2005 - 1:08 pm:   

Funkle:

That is a serious MAC. I've got a couple of single CPU G4s. I'm not familiar with any MAC CADD products. But I'll look into them,.

I agree about ACAD. Seems AD's strategy is to buy out competitors/innovators and slap their name on the box. Two AD products (non-ACAD) that I liked were Inventor and Revit.

I guess we should get back to guitars. We can talk about CADD via email, if you'd like to continue the conversation.
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Friday, September 09, 2005 - 1:11 pm:   

John you can use the preferences under file to stop playback of other tracks while doing a new track. However when I did a 2 track on the acoustic guitar with just a mic I monitered the 1st with the speakers. After I was done I exported it as a wave file and it mixed it down to a single mono track.
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Friday, September 09, 2005 - 1:21 pm:   

I just tried it with a mic and am not hearing any track bleed John. I don't know whay that is happening but I will do some more tests later tonight and let you know if it happens. It almost sounds like the type of bleed you get from a multi track tape machine.
Sibly
Username: Sibly

Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 5:06 pm:   

Hey fellow recorders!!!
YOu might wanna try out ntrack... i tried it 5 years ago and have never stopped using it since.
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 12:41 am:   

Sibly:

Do you have a link for ntrack?
Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 10:45 am:   

Here's an interesting site for lots of recording software:

http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/win95/RECORDING/
Funkle
Username: Funkle

Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 4:18 pm:   

Here is the results of a few hours of noodling with GarageBand. I call it the Funkle Funk:

http://www.speakeasy.org/~sven/music/the_funkle_funk.mp3

Guitar and bass were recorded through an M Audio Duo. The distorted guitar could sound a lot better if I were using a mike. The drums are a loop that came with the software. Horns were played on a USB keyboard using samples that came with the program. My first ever recording attempt aside from simple practice play along tracks.

-Sven
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 7:53 pm:   

thats some funky funk there funkle. Sounds good.
What kind of bass is that you are playing?
Funkle
Username: Funkle

Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 8:18 pm:   

The bass is an EBD400 Ergodyne. I'd really like to get a deeper, more punchy bass sound. I'm not sure whether it's the bass or the interface.

-Sven
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 8:29 pm:   

Does that bass have the piezo pup? I have the EDA900.
Sibly
Username: Sibly

Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 5:49 am:   

Hi John,

Sorry i didnt see your reply till now. Take a look here: http://www.ntrack.com/
It's not free, may not be to everyone's tastes, but i love its features and lack of big-brand-hype.
Funkle
Username: Funkle

Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 11:03 am:   

Freak,

The EDA900 is pretty space age! My bass just has 2 standard pickups and a 3 band EQ.

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