HairyScaryMark

Record the audio as well as the midi and that gives you the option of re-adjusting it later.

You're definitely looking at the same Reaper. I've installed it on a few computers and it's definitely legit. Who needs pirating...Best free stuff - Harmony Central Musician Community Forums This harmony central thread is a good source or links to legally free stuff.

What power supply or supplies are you using? I heard (although have never personally tried) some of them (such as Dunlop D.C Brick) are known to cause hum. I have a PP2+ with 6-7 pedals plugged in and no buzz. I also have 2 high gain pedals and never felt tempted to use a noise gate but perhaps I don't fully understand how other people are using them. I've never really got along with noise gates very well in general.

Yes it does, at least at some of them. It's not unheard of to have a 'Music Psychology' module on some Music Degree courses, such as at Napier University 20 Credit Modules When I went to college for music one year there was a class that was meant to be loosely based around the sort of ideas you get in "the inner game of music". I've heard a few people, who are also good musicians recommend this. It comes from a whole series of "inner game of..." books, which started with "the inner game of Tennis". Inner Game of Music: Amazon.co.uk: W Timothy Gallwey, Barry Green: Books At a more basic level. Plenty people say things like "if only I could play as well live as I do in my bedroom". These sort of books help you achieve this and possibly take things a step further. They aren't a magical replacement for hard work and practice, they never claim to be. I've also heard of a few other self help type books such as, Zen Guitar. Zen Guitar (A fireside book): Amazon.co.uk: Philip Toshio Sudo: Books

Can't beat effects pedals with silly names and funny artwork.

The truth is, all these programmes are very similar. Unless you have specific requirements or prefer the interface of one then it probably wont make a huge difference which one you get. You get a lot more extras in terms of effects processing and software instruments with the non-LE versions. I've used Sonar for quite a few years and have came to like it. I use the score editor in Sonar for programming drums to help practice and writing. If you wish to make electronic music, have you looked into Abelton Live? Ableton - Live

The only thing against Reaper, from my perspective is the lack of a midi score editor. Most people probably wouldn't use the score editor, but I use it all the time in Sonar, which means I am not going to change at this moment. You can get a 3rd party score editor and use it in conjunction with Reaper but I still figured it was more bother than it's worth for me to change at this current time.

That is ridiculously cheap for a Fender Mexican Tele. How did you come across that?

I couldn't be happier with my new Strat. Tempted by the vaguely equivalent Fender Player Baja Tele also but I probably don't have the money and I'm not going to get to 'know' the guitar properly unless I buy one at a time and work it in.

Got this far with my pedalboard now, but still a work in progress. The Electric Mistress is going there but hasn't been commissioned back into action yet, as it needs to be modified to stop the volume drop that the unit currently has when engaged. For cables, I used Planet Waves Cable Station Pedalboard Kit, which I am rather impressed with. Every cable worked first time and the plugs are solid enough that I don't think they'll get damaged easily. Back of pedalboard (will be neat someday)

Yes, according to their website it has these things. Under 'Key Features' "2 XLR inputs with mic preamps and +48V phantom power" Line 6 - TonePort

To clarify: Bruce Millers isn't closing down, it was merely an unsubstantiated rumour on another thread. I bought a guitar there on Wednesday.

Got this bad boy today. Fender Products: Classic Player '60s Stratocaster It stood out to me above all the other Strats I tried including the Highway 1, USA Standard and Roadworn, the latter of which was my next favourite.

Sam L4: I think you are over complicating things. The OP is new to recording. My advice is as follows. If you're guitar is crap, upgrade it before upgrading the microphone. If you are not happy with the sound of your existing microphone but your guitar is of a quality you are happy with, then consider investing in condenser microphone. There are budget condenser microphones such as. Studio Projects B1 Condenser Microphone | DV247 If you have the money, an AKG C214 would be an excellent solution. It's based on the AKG C414, which performs very well on acoustic guitar and many vocalists, except it has some differences such as a lack of switchable polar patterns, these things wont matter to you until you know how to use them. AKG C214 | Dolphin Music You need a microphone pre amp for every microphone you use at the same time and every condenser microphone requires phantom power (which is often built in to microphone pre amps, but not always).

Even when it's switched off?

It is rather good. It basically does what the POD should do but a lot better. It's got top of the line A/D + D/A converters. The effects are of the highest quality and have very flexible routing options. The algorithmic distortion is fairly impressive also. It also has good editing software. The ultra has a built in delay looper amongst various other features. I don't think I'd personally get one but if someone wants a very high quality 'direct' solution, or even as the basis for a larger modular system, it certainly is one of the best choices out there.

Got the following on order now Pedaltrain PT-2 w/ Hard Case Voodoo Labs Pedal Power II plus 2 x Planet Waves Pedalboard Cablestation kits 1 x Budda Bud Wah I also need to get my vintage Electro Harmonix Electric Mistress modified by my friend who is an electronics engineer so it doesn't drop in volume when engaged. I have the parts for that. Bought a pack of 480 resistors in order to get the one I needed. Probably could have got the individual one somewhere but for 5, I thought I might as well.

Better selection of beer and some higher quality ones. Only beer they currently have I consider to be genuinely good quality would be Budvar or perhaps even Guiness. I'd say the bar prices are overall a bit steep, especially when it is somewhere that you might expect to be aimed at a student-aged crowd. Don't make the music too loud (it often has been when I've been in at the weekend) or re-think the placement of speakers etc. Stick to playing music which pleases the loyal customers. This would primarily be hard rock/metal/goth/punk etc. Other crowds typically have more trouble makers and when that music becomes unfashionable, you'll have to change it again. The layout with seating could possibly be improved a bit although that would probably be a more expensive option. I'm not a huge fan of booths personally and I think the use of space at the pool table area is inefficient and inflexible. The DJ booth could be moved somewhere that wouldn't otherwise be a prime seating location. Moving around themed nights without sufficient advertising and promotion is probably a waste of time.

If you're producing a different but similar signal and running it alongside an existing one then there will phase issues. You can however move the effected track back in time in your DAW so the peaks and dips are more closely aligned with the original If you are running it instead of the existing track, you may still wish to physically move the track in your DAW so it's in the place it's meant to be You could make a fairly plain noise at the beginning of your track as an extra reference point for alignment.

You could alternatively use them in an insert in the signal path before they are recorded. Or if routing options allow you could split it between your two channels and record both the dry and effected signal. You will have to re-align a signal that has been D/A - A/D'd as there will be added latency. If you are mixing it with a dry track, this opens up the likelihood of phase cancellation. The other question would be, what hardware effects processors do you have that make it worth the bother of doing this? I've used some pretty good free VST plugins that are at least as good as anything in budget effects range.

I suppose you can use compression in that way but any kind of high gain distortion/overdrive tone going to already be heavily compressed, without the use of a compressor. I'd be more likely to use a compressor on a clean sound to squash the low strings a little bit or perhaps for funky percussive stuff to get a more 'in your face' type clean sound. Either that or to add sustain and 'smoothness' to an over-driven sound. Remember, less dynamic range = less punchyness. The effect I use the most is delay, followed by reverb, then chorus. I find I can get away without reverb if I have delay. So, you plan to 're-tune' your entire guitar using a whammy pedal? I.e take the whole thing down 1 or 2 notes? I never really thought about doing that and always imagined it wouldn't sound very good but I would like to be proven wrong. I don't actually own a whammy pedal, although that will probably change in the next year. I'm also far too lazy to be using anything other than standard tuning, so I'm probably not a very worthwhile opinion on this sort of thing. I generally haven't gotten along with noise gates on any instrument, apart from maybe snare drum in a rock band situation, when every beat is meant to be a similar volume. I know the Boss Noise Suppressor is a popular effect though. I'll be interested to hear the sounds that you produce with these effects. It's like you've got the priorities in reverse from me.

If you're after a compressor for guitar. I got a DOD compressor/sustainer pedal off ebay for 16.77 + postage t'other day. It hasn't arrived yet but I know someone who has one and it's pretty good. They're not too difficult to get on ebay. I also got their Ice Chorus pedal for 12.29, which arrived today and I'm rather impressed with it. DOD is a bit of a ebay bargain, in my view. Interesting. What sort of music do you play? Those are the 3 effects that I'd be least likely to use on a guitar (compression is more likely but I've never seen it as essential). Do you already own a fair few other effects? There are excellent multi effects processors (in pedal form) made by the likes of Rocktron and TC electronics. Just at the budget end they don't tend to be that good and you'd often be better off with individual pedals, although this is not always the case.

My friend has a VC15, he thinks it's the business but I'm not so convinced. I reckon it sounds good for dirty tones (with a pedal as either a boost or to add overdrive/distortion). The cleans however are too dark/muddy for my liking, but whether or not this will be an issue, would probably depend what guitar you use and what sound you are going for. It's also more expensive than a Fender Superchamp XD and similar in price to a Blackstar HT-5 combo.

Some options include Fender Vibro Champ XD Fender Super Champ XD Blackstar HT-5 Orange Tiny Terror I have the Fender Super Champ XD and I rate it very highly. The on-board distortion is not amazing but it's decent enough on some of the settings. I've been using it quite happily for approximately 18 months, up until buying pedals in the last week.... The clean sound is amazing and is only one I listed that doesn't have EL84 valves, which have a tendency to sound dark in comparison to 6V6, although possibly have a slight advantage for certain types of over-driven tones.... The on-board effects are actually good as well. Apparently there is a notable improvement in tone if you replace the speaker with a higher quality one as well as the valves with more expensive ones. I'm still using mine 'out of the box', until I can justify investing in it further.

Unless you count strings and picks I am still to buy any gear this year. Going to be getting a few pedals in the near future. Still deciding whether it's worth spending the extra on a Keeley modded Blues Driver vs the original Boss BD-2. I'm slightly leaning towards the standard Boss pedal at the moment. I also plan to get another electric guitar this year but not yet sure what I'll end up getting. I've got a Budda Wah on order also.