I picked up a small voice recorder $40 or $50 I cant remember but its great. I thought I would give it a go on my electric guitar and clipped the little mic to the tail plate (where the strings sit) which is close to the bridge.The guitar was not plugged in to amp so all the sound was gathered straight from the guitar. I was blown away by the result. Because of the poor quality of the mic the sound turned out like something you would be happy to get thru Eric Claptons effects rack. So I have been happily recording chord progressions, blues, turn arounds and off the top of the head arrangements..and then play them back and play off the cuff leads to fit the progression... it cant record the lead over but thats not a worry it is just nice to have someone to jam with even if it is only me. I wish my old mate Tui could have seen one of these ... but if you are into guitar the distortion generated by the poor quality of the mic is real trick... I expect as it is digital replayed thru a decent sound system would sound real cool and I guess it would load into music software to tidy it up.
Such a small inexpensive thing has taken my mind away from the worries of the world.
alex
That's a good trick. Another one I tried, using an acoustic guitar, I used the microphone headset that came with my computer voice modem. I plugged it direct into the computer and just sat it on my knee in front of the guitar. I used a freeware program to record with and I was amazed at the quality. You have the advantage then of editing the sound if you need to. I havn't tried it with the electric guitar yet. You sound like a man of my own breed. The universe needs music. Keep on jammin, you're never, ever, ever too old. Regards, Jimbo. (What's this got to do with astronomy, who cares, it's all fun)
Hey Jimbo welcome to Iceinspace from me. Out of anything I find the guitar is a real friend, when I pick it up it reminds me of so many folk I have met in a pub and jammed with, I dont play to please others its just for me.. funny listening to myself I was thinking ..How does he do that? never knew so many sounds were coming out other than the what I had in my head..my Gibson is as close as you can get to a magic harp I recon it seems to play with you ..i cant explain it better than that.. but hearing the recording was like hearing your voice for the first time on a recorder but instead of hating it I loved it.. not big headed but I liked the music..it didnot sound like I expected but actually better than I thought I played, been over ten years since I heard myself play .
anyways nice to hear your advice I will have a look and see what I can do in the software dept.
alex
Hi Xelasnave, and thanks for the welcome. Obviously you noticed I'm brand new in this place. As far as astronomy goes, I bought this little 4" Celestron scope for my daughter, starting cheap because knowing nothing, I thought it would be a nice little learning experience for her but then the novelty would soon wear off. Wrong. One look at the moon and we're both hooked. Now I wish I bought a bigger one. Unfortunately I have a wedding to pay for, so that will have to wait a while. (the bigger scope that is) As for guitar, I messed around with one when I was a kid, but during my second childhood (or is it my first) about 7 years ago, (aged 45) I decided it was time I learned how to play one. So I bought one, then another, you know how it goes, I now have a family of 6 guitars etc, and room for more. If you didn't live in a place I've never heard of, where is it, I'd drop in and jam with you. And I have to mention on closing, I saw Roger Waters in concert here in Melbourne Aus 2 weeks ago, doing the old Pink Floyd best, all I can say, I can die a happy man now, I've seen and heard the best, it was awesome and if you ever have the opportunity, go for it. Jimbo.
Jimbo nothing wrong with a 4 inch I have up to 12 inch and it surprises me what you can see thru a 80mm or even 50 mm. Scopes are like bikes everyone wants a bigger one but in truth they cant use the power already under them.
Geoff if you are serious I am happy to look at it if you dont have experience.
Owned 15 once..Open tunned D and G nashville tuned/strung jass strings they all have something different ..but I gave them away one by one to encourage different kids to play, the only other one I have is a Seagull (Canadian spruce top no pick plate) for unpluged. I have found many good guitars in hock shops.
A new gibson is very expensive these days so a good second hand one often means excellent value..
alex
I'm use to be Sound Engineer for my day gig, I'm now an Audio Visual Manager, and at home I probably have close to 30k of recording gear. But most of my recording gets done on my palm pilot. It's just easy. It's a great creative tool because you dont get bogged down in "the sound" which always happens to me. As soon as I have a mic in front of me I put the engineer hat on and it just sucks the creative juices right of out me. I only use the palm if for jotting ideas down so that I dont forget them but it has turned out to be my most used recording device.
If you are new to Gibsons, do some research before you buy. There are a lot of dud and inferior Gibs out there. So as mentioned above, get someone experienced to look at it if you're not sure. Also check out the Gibson forums, etc.
Having said that, there is nothing like picking up a good second hand guitar. Neil Young said something like "used (old?) guitars ate the best because they always have at least one good song in them".
hey thats nothing new Alex - we were using cheap realistic/tandy 'tie pin' omni directional wide frequency condenser mics (and the conference/interview pzm's ) for that sort of thing and recording 16 or more yrs ago - some of my recording mates still do in some situations - in amongst an array of $2000 - 3000 neimans!! and such like sometimes, and especially recording acoustic guitars ect. just tape them on the soundboard in appropriate place
its the latest buzz - is every ones going valve crazy!! at least in little 5- 15 - 30 watt pre amps and tiny power amps - so you get that highly desirable overdriven sound of a large valve amp, but at low volumes
thanks to ebay and the resurgence the range of valves on the net is simply awesome!
heres a cheap example - would prolly replace the valve with a better one
can use them as main amp in practice set up - and simply AWESOME for recording! mmmm lovely warm alive valves - solid state go to hell! unless a high end power amp of course - 50+ yr old technology rules - mind you they intergrate modern circuitry and digital to get the best out of them these days
Hey FD I would like to hear some of those from 16 years ago. I recorded some of the drum tracks to play with but lost all that and some other stuff mustta been something pressing a button in the bag?? Tried the little voice recorder with the seagul and thats a lot better . Had a valve effect pedel (with only one fender valve) once best peddal out sorry I gave it away now..it was excellent thru my clean amp. But its amazing the opportunity really available today . I saw a four track for $600 I mean the sound now once captured can be mixed for ever really and all you need to start is a fair recording and add stuff as much as it takes ..or as less as it takes more the secret I recon .
alex
hehe one day I will get around to having an online presence music wise - i started to go back over hundreds (thousands?) of cassette tapes!!! and converting them to digital before their lost forever - but i tired of it quickly having to do it all in real time is a drag.
altho re the tandy 'tie pin' mics, a mate was the first that i knew of to have the first you beaut portable DAT (digital tape) recorders (1992?) and attatched the tiny condensers on either side of a pair of walkman head phones and used to walk around recording all the ambient things you hear - like for example he would go to the F1 grand prix (when it was in adelaide) walking around recording perfect human-hearing-like stereo!! i'll get one of those recording off him mebbe he used to intergrate them into atmospheric/ambient music!?
but in recording we used to have a dummys foam head or push bike helmet and attatch them either side to get the same thing re live music mix - still did that ocassionaly up until maybe 5 years ago - my preferred quickie 'live recording' back then
mind you, i just remembered now he use to soup up the tandy condensers/tie mics, made a bit more powerful - so they werent stock standards anymore i guess
the fender valve (pre amp? or something else?) pedal sounds interesting Alex - altho i think the mordern ones are a lot better now mate, and fender factory valves are usually instantly chucked and replaced by the discerning electric guitarist - its funny we/they spent all those years making pedals to poorly replicate the sound of valves (tubescreamers and some compression pedals ect. for instance) after what what was lost when everybody went to solid state for the cheapness and lightweightness, less heat ect. in the 80's, biggest rip off in history - outrageous!
but (EDIT: seperate from head) accessory valve pre amps only really to start to come out for guitars in the early 90's i thought and not really till '95 did they slowly start getting cheaper and become floor/pedal units?
It's good to see some fellow guitarists on here!
I love your Gibson Alex.
I'm a Gibson fan myself, they make beautiful instruments. I've attached a picture of my Les Paul Gold Top.
Anyone thinking of getting one should be aware there's a lot of fakes getting around on ebay, so be careful.
Hey Johnathan you have the deposit on a house there make sure you dont ever use it that way .
Gibson "Melody Maker" is the one to look out for in the fake department the only differnece is the "gibson" sticker . I cant remember the brand that was used but noticed a few fakes around years ago, I had the "pre" brand and I bet it has grown up to become a Gibson if it still lives .
hey nice goldie axe Jonathon I like alexs 335 to very much - would make me want to play jazz all night!
I'm a fender man myself when it comes to electrics - love tele's and strats - most versatile of all the electrics methinks!
i am mostly an acoustic player when it comes to gitar, altho i have a classy six string gits, martin 6 string and a maton 12 string (which i played for many years - ouch!) amongst others - i play a 'piece of junk' (well its not bad) ex-school issue aria nylon string the most these days! i got sick of my nails being worn down/broken on steel strings, replacing strings evry week or two ect., as i am a finger picker by nature and looooove short scale gits (have a 1936 regal dobro)
altho used to play a gibson 'victory' bass (heavily modified-fretless) amongst others - for many years in previous life as a bass player for about 15 yrs or more - i can see the IIS house band happening one day
heres an interesting astronomy/gitar crossover subjects tip - my very clever mate (once again) uses finest grade cerium oxide (he made our newts/dobs) to polish up old guitars - the results are simply freakin AMAZING! best aethestically finished guitars i have evr seen - he adds 100's of bucks to the price of some average git's - made a few bucks with this trick i am prolly in trouble for passing on that secret tho LOL
heres an interesting astronomy/gitar crossover subjects tip - my very clever mate (once again) uses finest grade cerium oxide (he made our newts/dobs) to polish up old guitars - the results are simply freakin AMAZING! best aethestically finished guitars i have evr seen - he adds 100's of bucks to the price of some average git's - made a few bucks with this trick i am prolly in trouble for passing on that secret tho LOL
yes - awesome mirrors alex! my 10" he made many yrs ago (amongst 30 or 40 others) is about as good as they get i would imagine going by the many star tests i have witnessed with his mirrors over the years
sadly, he has spurs in his AC/shoulder joint, i think?, and has stopped for a long time now - it is too painful for him to do all that mirror grinding anymore- altho I heard him making noises he may start up again, recently i hope so he could always get an op to remove them i spose - but i have been tryin to talk him into maybe hot rodding/tweaking GS mirrors possibly, the new GS 16"s have piqued his interest again - altho he is definitely not a fan of full thickness mirrors/blanks - i think his are all only about 1" thick? -
Another guitar trick
That's a good trick. Another one I tried, using an acoustic guitar, I used the microphone headset that came with my computer voice modem. I plugged it direct into the computer and just sat it on my knee in front of the guitar. I used a freeware program to record with and I was amazed at the quality. You have the advantage then of editing the sound if you need to. I havn't tried it with the electric guitar yet. You sound like a man of my own breed. The universe needs music. Keep on jammin, you're never, ever, ever too old. Regards, Jimbo. (What's this got to do with astronomy, who cares, it's all fun)
More on guitar
I recorded some of the drum tracks to play with but lost all that and some other stuff mustta been something pressing a button in the bag??
Tried the little voice recorder with the seagul and thats a lot better
having to do it all in real time is a drag.
