ghost

the above is pretty much all you need to know to start off, but to be honest just experiment - sometimes just panning left and right and having two people sing the same melody produces decent results. Technical term: doubling. Do that with harmonies and it'll sound like you've got an entire room full of people!

cool edit pro all the way (now adobe audition). easy as pie to use and has a pile of great FX (white noise generators - you'll love that! ) for paul - you've got that diagram the wrong way around! it should be: instrument -> mic -> mixer -> soundcard -> PC -> software if you don't have a mixer, get a 6.44mm to 3.5mm converter (basically, jack lead to walkman headphone socket adapter) and plug your mic/instrument straight into your soundcard. anyone want any specific help, send me a PM.

just a thought... what kind of computer have you got? PC? MAC?

if i were you i'd try and find out why your computer has stopped working - adobe audition is an excellent piece of kit for recording "real" instruments. alternatives are: cakewalk sonar, soundforge, cubase, logic audio. if you want to stay analogue, invest in a four track (or just hire one from the central library - it's dirt cheap!)..

Sometime's its good, sometimes you get the same old shit no matter what you do. It's worth recording it on tape/MD if you can and picking the best bits later...

*cough* selling Zoom 504ii!! selling Zoom 504ii!! *cough* PM if interested. Here are more details: http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=164&brandID=4

April always seems to be the best month...

or www.hookersgreen.com

Suvara - Demo 1 ( most songs are available from http://www.soundclick.com/suvara ) Way back in the mists of time (Autumn 2002 I think!), I was handed two CDs by Frosty Jack over a bottle of Jacobs Creek. Naturally, I promised to review them as soon as possible and (of course) it's taken me over a year to fulfill this promise (and hey, there's still another CD to go!). Thankfully, in that time I haven't completely ignored the CDs - they actually get regular rotations on my stereo at home - and they've worked their way into my head. Look out for the review of the 2nd CD soon... Halo: Ever find yourself drawn into a song by distorted mandolin? Do yourself a favour and listen to this track - it kicks! I have no idea what this song is about, but the upbeat, almost manic mood is infectious. I wondered about the location of the main vocals in the mix (about 25% right) but when the chorus kicks in and Keith's backing vocals filter through at 100% left the whole song balances. I think I've just listened to this track 92 times in a row without failing to tap my toes when the drums kick in. It really is the drums that make this song, and I think that is the first (and possibly only) time I'll say that, as without them the mood would be completely different. Karma Overdraft: A song about being considerate to others I think? This one is a slow burner with echoey bass and dry upfront vocals hooking you before the track explodes into some kind of bastardised collaboration between the Sawdoctors, Kirsty McCall and erm... The Muppets? It's the drumming and the slightly off but still entirely viable harmony, honest! There is also a cracking solo to round the song off, unfortunately marred by a peak at exactly 3mins which seems to cut the guitar entirely. If that can be corrected, and the drums pulled back into the mix, you're listening to the song of the summer - guaranteed. Treasure Island: Starts off like a sea-shanty, like the simple mandolin riff. It's light and breezy and there is a heap of space in the mix.... then you're suddenly thrown into a tumultous chorus where the skies are black and there's tension in the air. The way the listener's mood is controlled is frankly amazing. This track stands out for me because it doesn't hook you in the same way as the other three do - this one is a more demanding listen, but offers greater rewards. Strong traditional air which sticks in your head months after the first listen, I could see this getting airplay from Mike Harding or on a similar show. Overall, the comments for Brass Eye regarding the mix also hold true for the other tracks. The drums and vocals have been recorded brilliantly and sound really three dimensional, but the other instruments sound like they've been recorded in a different studio at a different time. (original Brass Eye review included for reference. See http://www.aberdeen-music.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10591 for more details)

Kitchen Cynics definitely helped inspired me to pick up a guitar and get recording, sad that I had to go to Italy to get any of his stuff!

PS: Some sort of deal with free parking at the NCP might help too.

A good idea! On a similar vein I tried giving as much information about parking n the like nearby for the November Night By The Fire gig as well as offering free hot drinks. Wasn't a phenomonal success but it did make a slight difference...

good tip - thanks for that! ps: someone get molina over for a gig!

Even better... I'll be back in time for River City... or perhaps The Bill... I'll have to tape Watchdog of course.. but beggars n choosers...

Agreed. Even if you don't play keyboards - a VL Tone is essential! You're not a musician without one!

Maplin sell regulated multi-volt units for about 14 (I've got one of these, but it's rather bulky), but you can also pick up ones in ASDA (think they're unregulated) for about a fiver (Crown make em). Both types are dual polarity.

Good luck with your new job

Scott - 8pm is probably alright for a pipenslippers case. Your chances of me attending have increased! Chris - No probs. Glad you like it.

oh, agreed. barry's a good guitarist but his vocals were (a) too loud (b) slightly too whiny and © out of tune (or his guitar was). i liked lucy's third song, but the one she started with just reminded me of L7. it is nerve wracking playing the belmont though - it's bright, crowd noise travels too well and you've got no monitors & therefore no idea how you're sounding. she should smile more too. oh and while tom bigg (and band) sounded quite nervous for the first couple of songs, those harmonies were great and the song lyrics surreal. sounded just like the cd i got too. some of his songs were like a cross between malkmus and the microphones and vocally, tom reminds me of david byrne. recommended!

indeed, if more folk used this forum they'd notice the amount of diverse and interesting things other bands are doing. they may even find a band they like better than the ones who get the main coverage on this site... well, maybe. and i agree with you on point (2) - although i check out AUBL and HUBL from time to time to see if there are any new bands on the go, because i can't download as much at work as i used to i'm losing touch. do you know when you're on at KEF? i'm not the best at getting to gigs, but i've been to more this year than in the whole of 2003 - mostly on a whim, so there's a good chance...

Anyone else for a review swap? Just Noise Pollution's EP outstanding...

No need. I listen to that song quite a bit - it's a local mashup!

So where is it? I've had a few folk tell me they couldn't find the CD recently... weird that it's not in the local section (but then I do live in Bridge Of Don, perhaps that's international? ) You're just about right, deliberately lofi taken with a low res digital camera, its of the church opposite Aberdeen Uni on King St. But I'll pay more attention to the presentation next time... You've put a lot of thought and work into this review - I'm honestly touched! In sort of answer to your question of what the songs are about (in order): missed opportunity, blind tourists, change, crime, paranoia, disasters (and how the us don't have the monopoly on falling buildings), ghosts, misunderstandings, mother nature & being generally positive. shit, i'm a slightly warped hippy! as for the instruments you quote in the review - it's all down to post processing jiggerypokery. i don't even have a bass guitar, let alone a double bass (just an acoustic and a damn good time/pitch shifter). far off cry - chant is 'dig' (although with the reverb and EQ it does sound like quick, well spotted). my favourite local band fluctuates between saint maybe, hookers green#1, masamune and now orwell. if you liked tall oak, then listen to ivor cutler - he's on a different level. amazing. Haven't really heard much of UNKLE, so might have to give them a listen... hoping to pick up your EP over the weekend, I don't think I can say thanks enough for taking the time to buy the CD and review! It's going on lofi this very morn! Off to deflate a rather large head. Carry on.

i was there. i saw and heard. i'm afraid i was glad it was a short set.

THAT SCENE WILL NEVER EVER DIE! I must admit there is a need for high speed disco remixes - without them there wouldn't be as much laughter in the world...