Anyone here have any experience using Pro Tools? I just discovered that my university has the program as well as a recording studio for experimenting with mixing and recording. I've given the room a few tries, but I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. I know the basics, like what a track is. But other than that, the shit gets really confusing.
Edit: I fucked up, adding more too this. So, I figured I would get around to posting about my bass, now that I've had a chance to play it a little. Peavey Cirrus BXP 5-String Bass Guitar, with a hard case for just under 800 bucks. I bought the Darkwood version of it (comes in three kinds), with active pick-ups. With a 35" neck that goes through the neck, it gives off a good solid tone and clarity when played without an amp; this is something that usually comes with more expensive guitars, so, at this price, it's fucking awesome. The dual expansion truss rods give it a good, low action and are easily tuned if you know how. I also enjoy the neck size as it's smaller, being a jazz bass setup, with the narrower width between strings, as opposed of the fatter precision setup where the strings are farther apart, gives it an interesting learning curve for the first month. Being a active pick-up bass, I have complete control over the levels being put out and have yet to run into an instance where I have had issues with the +/- boost. There are a few issues with the bass. It took a little while for me to get it setup; having the dual truss rod system takes a long time to get set evenly (even though there are tonnes of advantages to having it). I had some issues with the electronics that were installed into the bass; a couple knobs were loose and needed to be tightened and they were a fucking pain because the screw mounts are inside and under the rubber bands of the knobs. I also had to use locktight on a couple electronic areas to keep everything solid. Really, it's basic stuff but I also had help from my bass teacher and he helped me immensely. Over-all, for a bass that is massed produced in Asia, it's a fucking steal for it's price. The closest match to this bass, that I found in Edmonton, was about 4-500 bucks more expensive and still didn't have the same features as this did (through-body-neck, active pick-ups, ect). The sound quality is close to what my teacher gets on his $1800+ bass and it looks fucking badass with it's raw wood look too it.
I started off way back using Garageband, which gave me a pretty good foundation to use Logic which I find much more intuitive than ProTools (press R to start recording, space bar to play/pause etc). We spent half of last semester learning ProTools and roughly half the class loved it and half the class hated it. I hated it. YouTube will have tons of sweet tutorial videos for pretty much all music editing software and the help menu is decent for quick 'how do i do that' type questions. Other than that I can only recommend using a program that isn't so annoying.
I spent 7 years in school band, and we spent a fair bit of time in 3 of those years doing music theory, despite the total lack of enthusiasm thrust upon the teacher trying to teach us, so I feel like I've got a basic-moderate level of understanding of musical theory from that. At the very least I am able to easily read and understand sheet music and tabs. I picked up a guitar about a year and a half ago, but only started really playing it maybe 6 months ago. I started out with a pair of "TEACH YOURSELF GUITAR IN 4 WEEKS HOLY SHITBALLS YOU"RE GONNA BE BIGGER THAN HENDRIX OR YOUR MONIE BACK*****" type books, but after doing about a week's worth of the book I felt like I was learning all technique and nothing I could play and practice, so I split off to run down some tabs on the internet and spent my time up until now learning a few songs and getting into having fun with it. Now I'm thinking I should really go back and learn me whatever proper technique I may have hastily skipped (I swear to god I got the absolute basics down, posture, fretting/strumming hand position for chords/licks, how to tune the thing by ear) but I feel like now that I've had my fun and am able to kick back and enjoy dicking around on a few songs I can play (Call of Ktulu being my proudest moment yet) I should go back and attempt to learn as much technique as I can in order to venture forth efficiently. I also got a tuner on my phone that works fairly well. My pitch is pretty good already though, from all those years in band. *****monie not really back kthxbai
So I just took a peek at the Guitar Center "King of the Blues" winner of this year. I think he may need to get a tattoo of this: Jesus, why do all these new players sound the same?
Another Strat playing middle aged never-was wailing on the same pentatonic licks that we've all heard, loved, then got really fucking tired of. Except for him.
So, I'm learning to play off of just chords right now. I've got the whole Major 7, Dom 7 and min 7 thing but I'm confused. What's the difference when on the chord changes it says, for example, F - F7? Are both just 1-3-5-7 with no flats?
Jesus, I'm an idiot. I wrote it down incorrectly on my cheat sheet and didn't look it up. F - 1, 3, 5, 7 F7 - 1, 3, 5, b7.
Hey, you're almost both right with that question!!! F(maj)- 1 3 5 F (maj7)- 1 3 5 7 F7- 1 3 5 b7 But Wadget is right, it's not an Fmaj if you add the 7th, it's a Fmaj7th. Different.
In order to get booked for a show, I had to whip up some demos of a few songs we've written in about a day. I figured I'd post them here if any of you guys want to take a listen at them, let me know what you think. The guitars are through Guitar Rig, and the drums are all Superior Drummer. http://soundcloud.com/rapscallione/the-histories http://soundcloud.com/rapscallione/magic-hour
Hey, remember when people who played music posted in this here thread about music and stuff? I do too! Anyway, here's another demo I whipped up a little while ago: http://soundcloud.com/rapscallione/gay-science. Question for everyone, I suppose: What are your methods for songwriting, if you do? I've been going through a bit of a rut coming up with new songs, and I'm pretty sure it's because my way of going about it is Step 1. Fuck around on the guitar for hours until something sounds cool. Step 2. Go from there. Not the most consistent way of doing things, so it's kind of detrimental to writing when I'm basically brute forcing it. What do you all do?
Does anyone here have experience with cigar box guitars? Looking to get a three stringer, non fretted. I have zero talent or experience, so...starting from the ground up.
My 7 year old got an electric guitar from my parents for his birthday (This one, which is about what a 7 year old should reasonably start with... No Stratocasters for him, not yet anyway). I bought a "How to Play Guitar" DVD package for him, and I'm debating signing him up for some lessons. Personally, I'm afraid he's going to be into it for a week then it will collect dust, but I am really hoping he'll love it and want to practice. Any advice on how best to help him learn to play?
Buy a cheap guitar and learn/play along with him. A friend of mine is doing this with his son, and it's going great. They've both got matching guitars, the son's in 1/2 scale, my friend's in full size. Same make, colour, etc. Not saying do the lessons with him, but make it a joint effort, not just him alone. Get a few easy-to-play songs (smoke on the water, etc) where you can set up air guitar shows. Make it fun. Keep it fun. Don't turn it into "guitar lessons at 4". "awwww, Dad!?" And get him lessons from someone who specializes in teaching kids. It's an art.
His guitar is full size. It's actually pretty awesome. The music teacher at his school (who my son thinks "is totally awesome!") plays guitar in a band and does private lessons, so I think I'm going to take my son to him. The "get your own and learn to" is a great idea, thanks!
Just be careful with a full-sized guitar.... it can be tough to play because his hand might not be big enough to fit it properly. The teacher should be able to help you out with that though.