Compuphonic

Take it from a pro in this field (haha scuse the pun!) Best bet for a tractor is a Sennheiser 416.....works on emmerdale

The 416 is definately a good choice' date=' but you're likely to loose a lot of the 'field' ambience..

A lot of folks complain that it produces too clinical a tractror sound

Good source of mic info here:

[url']http://members.aol.com/mihartkopf/index.htm

For tractors I suggest the BBC Sound effect library Volume 36 Farm Machinery..

For cats try BBC Sound Effects Library Volume 6 Animals and Birds

Probably not as much fun though...

Anyone try the audio quiz on the Byre site? Waiting for my results!!

Waiting for my results too.. only took the first test.. the second one requires too much thinking..

The Byre looks very interesting, I've chatted to one of the guys there before, seem to know their stuff.

this is probably true (not enough time mixing mastering) just pretty much fighting with the clock.

we would be hoping to record 4 - 5 tracks and hoping for airplay / anr interest as hoping to go down to london in the summer to gig for a while and we will need a worth while demo to back us up.

And think its DAT toms uses

he did nt do a bad job of the mixing and mastering we just need a place that bit better tho

I'd be inclined to say put the 600-700 budget into your best 3 tracks. A&R seldom ask for more than this to start with. This would let you spend more time on the tracks (particularly the mixing) or choose a better studio to record in.

If you had the individual multitrack files from Toms. the material could have been reworked/remixed to give it more punch. Just an idea.. if I had more free time I'd offer..

Its probably a good exercise to get everybody in the band to pick their favourite albums from a production aspect and get everybody to agree the type of result they want to leave the studio with before starting. Also don't be afraid to play the engineer a selection of commercial CDs you want to capture the production style from before starting.

You want something thats going to sound reasonably polished to attract repeat airplay..

Great tracks' date=' were the vocals recorded live or are they samples?

You are the best thing to happen to this site... since I put up my sundaramusic demos!!!

[/quote']

Thx.. still learning.. but its a lot of fun...

All recorded live in my living room..

those vocals sound outstanding. what mic did you record them with?

Was that to me ?

If so its an AKG C1000, into a Focusrite Twintrack pre, and then via a MOTU 828 Mk 1

Recorded in my living room.. so its not a high spec mic, just seems to suit her voice.

All other demos we v recorded have been at toms yet this time round we want to step into this as professional as possible we simply want to get hte best out of our money alot of toms recordings can sound really thin and lack the balls behind it. especially with more indie based music as it is a quiter genre of music it still needs the lift and body in its sound which toms always seems to lack. Our last e.p was a lot heavier than the one we are about to record so the volume of the recording was already their so we were quite pleased with it this time round the sound is a lot differant so we are trying to shop around - our top line budet will be sum thin like 600 - 700 quid

This sounds a lot like spending insufficient time on mixing and mastering...

I'm not familiar with the recording setup at Toms, what are they using is it ADAT or all computer based ? Who mixed the tracks you recorded at Toms?

How many tracks are you looking to reocrd for your budget, and what are you planning to do with the demo once recorded ?

Most bands go through the same cycle of 'have to record a demo' without deciding why and what they want to do with it.

This has huge implications on deciding how, where and what to record.

If the purpose of the demo is to distribute to fans, sell/giveaway at gigs, online downloads and generally to 'spread the word' choosing to record at home or deciding on a commercial studio purely on price is ok.

If the purpose of the demo is to solicit record company interest in the hope of securing a deal of some form, then consider very carefully what going to a studio will bring you.

After all, its ok to spend 1500 on a guitar, but most bands grudge paying more than a couple of hundred quid each for a demo - which one is going to impress an A&R dept more ?

At the most basic level the process can be split into recording, mixing, and mastering.

Most bands blow 90% of their budget on the recording, and leave a couple of hours for the mixing and almost nothing for mastering.

Another issue for bands not used to working in the studio is who is producing the track ? Leaving the decision up to the engineer doesn't always suit the band, and without some agreement before hand, frequently leads to inter-band arguements under pressure of the 'clock'

It makes a lot of sense to pick a studio because they specialise in type of music you play. They will know how to get the sort of sounds you are after and you will probably feel more at ease - and that often means looking further than Aberdeen..

I'm reasonably pleased with the sound I get recording at home:

http://www.compuphonic.com/music/Finding%20My%20Way%20(Breakz%20Mix)_eq.mp3

http://www.compuphonic.com/music/Finding%20My%20Way%20(Packer%20Mix)_eq.mp3

This is a no brainer...

You've just been given a golden ticket...

Embrace the thought of living in squalour in a tenement, drinking Iron Bru, and making friends with Neds.. the 'deen has none of these perks...

Aye. Although it looks slightly acer on James Dean Bradfield in the videos for Faster and You Love Us.

Always thought Randy Rhodes was the pioneer of the whitetop Les Paul... until both went flying through the windshield of his chipmunk..

See.. rich kids with planes.. are killing music..

The Aberdeen music scene is divided mainly by itself.. to pin the blame on class assumes that the scene is far more organised than it is...

its more a case of 'nae class' ;-)

<shameless plug>

Unfortunately they won't let me host my adult site

http://www.futurequest.net/Services/Compare/

This is now sold.. thanks for all enquiries..

You could try asking this crowd:

http://www.torresengineering.com/tubampkitmor.html

Alternatively the Schematics are available here:

http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/fender/pro_jr.zip

And a discussion of a heap of mods here:

http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/fender/modnotes/pro_jr_mods.pdf

Yes please i would like to take this unit off your hands!

I dont have much to trade' date=' is there anything you had in mind?

Otherwise deal for 125 [/quote']

Trade wise I was on the lookout for DX7/TX7 or D50/D550 but cash is always good..

I've sent you a message with my details..

Try http://www.ebuyer.co.uk

I buy a lot from them and they are as cheap as you'll find. Generally very good service (apart from the Citylink deliveries).

I've also got a Sitecom (Pc World) PCMCIA cardbus 802.11b card for sale 20, boxed as new.

Time to clear out some space in my studio. This is in reasonable condition, everything works and I've recently replaced the screen backlight so its bright and clear.

Lots of info available here http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/2163/fz.html

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/2163/FZ1_pic.jpg

Supplied with manual and a box of approx 40 sample disks.

Looking for 125, consider interesting swaps/px.

Technical Spec:

Polyphony 8-note

Voices 64

Banks 8 (64 areas per bank)

Sampling resolution 16 bit

Sampling rates 36/18/9 kHz

Max. Sampling times (standard memory) 14.5/29.1/58.2 seconds

Max. Sampling times (with expansion) 29.1/58.2/116.5 seconds

External memory 3.5" floppy disc (2 HD - 1.6 Mb)

Source select Sampling, wave synthesis, mix write, cross-mix write, reverse write

Voice edit

. Define voice, truncate, DCA envelope (8-segment), DCF envelope (8-segment), loop set (8 loops/voice), LFO set, velocity sensitivity, tune/memory read, keyboard set, dump voice, copy voice, delete voice, replace voice

Bank edit

. Define bank, area no./voice no., original, highest, lowest, max. touch, min. touch area level, MIDI channel, output channel, dump bank, copz bank, delete bank, replace bank

Effect/MIDI Bend range, modulation wheel, aftertouch, foor VR, MIDI function, dump effect

Data dump Full dump, bank dump, voice dump, effect dump, select device, format disk

Controllers

. Cursor keys, value keys, value slider, ten-key pad, enter key, escape key, display key, tune key, transpose key, call/set menu key, play key, modify key, volume slider, sampling level slider

Wheels Pitch bend wheel, modulation wheel

Inputs/Outputs

. Line Out 1-8 (output impedance 1K, output voltage max 0,3V RMS)

Mix Out (output impedance 1K, output voltage max 2,4V RMS)

Mic In (input impedance 10K, input sensitivity 4mV)

Line In (input impedance 100K, input sensitivity 100 mV)

Headphones, foot switch, foor VF, MIDI IN/OUT/THRU, expansion memory slot, external port

Dump device Floppy disk, MIDI port

Display 96 x 64 dot graphic liquid crystal display (backlit), 16 character x 8 lines

Power AC 220V

Power consumption 39W

Dimensions 1036(W) x 325(D) x 120(H)mm

Weight 17.5 kg

Whoever made off with it must have hefty attributes' date=' honestly the thing is that heavy.[/quote']

Or a skater... probably sit quite nicely on a board..

Anybody else going down to this event next month?

http://www.sounds-expo.co.uk/

A broken Yamaha MD8...I can only record at 2 tracks at once' date=' then bounce those 2 tracks on top of those 2 tracks while I play the next part, so the mix has to be right as I record it... [/quote']

Yamaha are pretty reasonable for repair costs.

I sent my digital mixer back to them for a service an they upgraded all the D/A converters, fixed a dead channel and couriered it there and back for 60+VAT

Retails at $700 I think...havent bothered looking for a uk supplier yet...

UK resellers http://www.handinhand.uk.net/Pages/PresonusStores.htm

489 from Dolphin' date=' looks pretty good value. It been gettig reasonably good reviews.

[url']http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/3852/category_id/aa5045ac8dbda1110af5783d9c9b8f89

well' date=' if other people are having problems with m-audio stuff then all i can say is - it must be other hardware - so get a mac or a mackie!

[/quote']

I had just as much problem under OS9/OSX as I did under Win98/XP

I know a few folk who are currently having issues with the 410.

I'm currently using MOTU hardware and its reasonably good.

If you've got the budget, seriously consider going for anything in the RME range.

I have never had any driver issues with the 44 or the 1010' date=' we've used it to record 5 tracks at once and everything was sound. But thats not to say there could not be incompatibility issues, but the 44 on my PC is still running in ME, and the 1010 works fine with XP. Without a doubt though I'm sure the EMU range is quality as well, they did pretty much invent sampling, with Fairlight of course.[/quote']

Close... Fairlight invented the Fairlight CMI, EMU invented the Emulator range..

The converters are ok, but they have a serious problem with drivers at m-audio. I owned some of their kit a while ago (when they were midiman). Lots of problems with drivers...

Check out the EMU stuff, its affordable and good.

Whats you budget ?

How many simultaneous ins/outs you need ?

Do you need spdif/toslink/wordclock ?

What multitrack are you giving up on ?

At the budget end of the market the Emu cards are very good - m-audio stuff is pants.

It didn't say in the 'review'.

Listening to it, it sounds like practice session thats been recorded, not a proper studio recording. Audio quality Sounds a bit mushy but its got lots of energy.

I'd be very interested in remixing this vocal..