Electric Guitar

[Richo 18]

HELP MEH!

So played the sports awards night at my school this year as an encore from the performing arts festival, and a mother of a student saw and said: I want that kid to play my wedding.

Skip to now, it's my first contracted performance, I've gone round and talked with the family, they've given me a song to play as they walk down the aisle, 3 other songs to play at other specific times that I've forgotten now but all fairly fundamental, and then they've said do half an hour of whatever you want while we take photos a little up the hill.

There's a band playing the reception and I'm using they're PA or something but I still need to get/organise a foldback or something with the wedding couple...

OKAY

So.

How much am I charging?

They're asking for about an hour's worth of actual playing, except I'm spending time going to see them, talk with them, going to rehearse with them doing the whole shbang, and given that at this point (the wedding's in 10 days), I'm fairly crucial to the smooth running of this operation.

Am I looking at asking for $200 here?

More? Less?

HELP MEH OWT GUYS

 

[LJohn]

Sounds reasonable.

People pay through various uncomfortable orifices for weddings.

I'd just charge something like $75 for every hour I'm there. It's not like you have to finance a band. What are transport costs and stuff like?

 

[Richo 18]

Yeah first thing my teacher said:

"A wedding? Charge em double. People pay shitloads for no reason at weddings, it's great "

Transports not too bad, it's a 20 minute drive.

If I say 75 for ever hour, is that including the rehearsals? Cause quite literally I'm going to end up playing this things 3 times..

 

[LJohn]

20 minute drive either way adds $50.

So $200 would be reasonable.

I'd say anywhere between $150 and $200. Whatever you feel comfortable with.




Now beside my electric guitar, I've been hitting the electro business after taking a liking to repetitive loops and crazy synths.

I'd appreciate any listens. Trying to drum up some popularity. It's getting there.

http://soundcloud.com/elsonido/sets/elsonido-body-movers/

 

[Plow King]

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[harmonix1234]

Now beside my electric guitar, I've been hitting the electro business after taking a liking to repetitive loops and crazy synths.

I'd appreciate any listens. Trying to drum up some popularity. It's getting there.

http://soundcloud.com/elsonido/sets/elsonido-body-movers/

Great! Keep pumpin 'em out. Always good to see some guitarists mixing it up a bit and trying new stuff. One piece of advice if I may?
If you are intending on printing to vinyl/CD and handing out to DJ's, make sure you do a B side mix that Starts and ends with a kick drum. This way the DJ can beat match it in the middle of a set.
With no kick the DJ is flying blind.
But, as individual tracks I reckon your'e getting some good sounds.
Are you constructing the sounds and beats from scratch or looping samples?

There should be a thread in here for musos/producers/engineers or anyone that makes music.

On a side note, here is one of my latest. 'The Black Curtain'.
Trying to mix electro, with super crunchy guitars, with rock and add a bit of synth pop flavour... With a touch of metal hahaha. Lyrics/singing to come.

http://www.myspace.com/theharmonicsproject/music/songs/the-black-curtain-52474222

All recorded in this humble little home studio It's not much, but it does me. No computers, all old school multitracking.

 

[LJohn]

It's all completely from scratch. The most pre-constructed things I've used is synth presets. The vocal samples are all me. So I'm getting pretty happy with the results.

I've got a couple of soft synths, an 808 plugin, a bunch of processing, EZdrummer, and that's about it really. Haven't used a sample yet, but I'm starting to get into it. I'll be using more kick samples to beef up the kick.

I'll add a pop to the 'start' of the tracks, good call on that one. It would make mixing a hell of a lot easier even with a digital system.

Just listening to The Black Curtain as well. Sounds really nice, like a sonically complete piece. There's a lot going on but it all fits. Nice stuff.

 

[harmonix1234]

It's all completely from scratch. The most pre-constructed things I've used is synth presets. The vocal samples are all me. So I'm getting pretty happy with the results.

You should be stoked! The vocal samples came out really well too. It sounds a lot more polished than the T-minus song.
are you going to incorporate any live instruments? Guitar? Bass? acoustic etc?

 

[LJohn]

I want to work in some funk riffs and slap bass. I think that'd add a nice element.

http://tminus12seconds.bandcamp.com/track/think-about-it-flight-of-the-conchords-cover

My recording's just a touch better than before

 

[Richo 18]

Hmk.

So, given that just about everybody here has a decent method for home recording, I figured I'd shoot some questions through.

I'm looking to buy some sort of computer interface that will allow me to simultaneously record vocals and acoustic or electric guitar in Garageband, and a little later Logic, all on Mac. Maybe record acoustic guitar parts with a microphone as well, so multiple mic inputs are required. Simple right?

The first thing that just snaps to mind because it's clean, obvious and well advertised, known, yada yada is the Line 6 UX2.

From memory John has one, and I'd get one, I just want to know what my alternatives are. There's so much of this stuff floating around that I need some pointers, direction and criteria from you guys that I just know I'm missing right now.

Stuff that pops up in some quick searching is the Lexicon stuff, apparently the Lexicon Omega is a ridiculously underrated interface that does a job way above it's price-expectation-I-can't-articulate-my-point-properly-right-now.

http://www.lexiconpro.com/product.php?id=6

Also the Lexicon I-ONIX U22 looks good.. however as the main inputs are line-outs rather than a USB/Firewire deal.. probably not what I'm after.. but either way, very noobish on this whole mixer/input output business.

What about M-AUDIO stuff?

Somebody point me in a general direction

 

[Elbo]

I've got a Digidesign (now Avid) MBox 2 Mini interface for my Mac. It has 2 inputs:
1) The first input is switchable between an XLR Mic or a 1/4" jack (XLR has phantom power if needed.)
2) 1/4" jack.
The interface has L&R outputs on the back for monitors or 1/4" headphone jack on the front.

It's USB — I haven't had any issues with latency. I initially wanted to get a Firewire interface, but really pleased with this one. Also, you should invest in an external harddrive that you use for recording, rather than recording to the same drive that has your software on it and is running your OS, audio interface, etc… that will really help your computer. The build quality is fantastic, all made of metal. It also came with ProTools LE 8 in the box which was great.

There are bigger models in the family with more inputs, and you might be able to pick up a reduced MBox 2 as the MBox 3 is now out.

http://www.avid.com/US/categories/Audio-MIDI-Interfaces/USB-Audio-Interfaces

 

[LJohn]

I just discovered that all this time the previous owner of my UX2 bought all the upgrade packs.

It's now amazing. So much tone potential. The expansions models sound fantastic.

Look up the Akai EIE. I might get one when it comes out, if the mic pres are clean and it goes for the stated street price.

 

[Richo 18]

Thanks guys, that EIE looks pretty awesome John.

Apparently the mic pres on the UX2 are weak or not great or something which is why I'd be a little hesitant to buy it.

Also, I'm not interested in software, if I want to use amp/cab/effect simulation I'll use those in Garageband, then Logic, and if I'm not satisfied I'll end up buying some software for it. However I do have a direct output from my Egnater Rebel 30 Head, and a Shure Beta 58A to mic the cab if I choose to go that way, which I probably will.

Thanks for the heads up though

In other news, going to order the new Boss RC-30 this week and get my strat finally refretted as an 18th present

 

[jjperko]

I use a Presonus, can't remember the model name but it has two XLR's with great pre's, midi and all the usual monitoring stuff. It works really well with condensors, yet to try with a 57 or 58. For guitars, If I don't have time to mic my amp my old Line 6 GX is fantastic, really great modeled tones and you can do all the stuff its not feasible to do in the real world

 

[Joy]

I really like the look of that EIE. $199 street price? Cheap as!

So I'm about to rewire my RG. I've got a new Fender Noiseless Wiring kit, a brand spankers Dimarzio Evolution (hot pink of course) and a new pick guard. I've been practicing my soldering whilst waiting on the parts, just putting together some old guitar parts. Any advice or tips? I know most of you guys are pretty savvy when it comes to mods etc.

 

[LJohn]

Tin all wires before joining.

Make sure the iron doesn't get too hot.

Nothing really special. Just be methodical. Think about which wires join lower in the cavities and solder them first.

 

[harmonix1234]

Think about which wires join lower in the cavities and solder them first.

Yes!

And use a solid and steady table and a good quality solder.

 

[harmonix1234]

I'm a bit of a sucker for carbon, so when I found these I thought I'd share.

Enjoy.

ME Guitars - FM1 Carbon Fibre Guitars

FM1 secifications :
EMG 81 - bridge pickup coil tapped
EMG 89 - neck pickup coil tapped
Gotoh 510 series machine heads
Gotoh EV510TS Tremelo bridge
Ebony 24 fret fingerboard.

"The guitar skins are moulded using high grade carbon fibre and cured in an autoclave oven which applies high heat, pressure and vacuum. The end result is a Carbon component that is consolidated to 1.3mm thick with virtually no resin content and has extraordinary acoustic properties. This is also the same method of production thats used in Formula One and Aerospace industry.

I have changed the construction so that it's made in two components as opposed to four with an internal structure that maintains the strength from the bridge to the headstock producing maximum sustain.

Down the length of the neck there are two channels moulded into the carbon fibre underneath the fretboard which creates a strong stucture without the need for a truss rod. The neck is so strong that it will not be distorted at all by string tension and is also temperature resistant.

I have redisigned the neck to body join so that there is maximum access to the 24th fret.

The composite core material used inside the body (still under intellectual property scrutiny) is designed to reduce the feedback you would normally get in hollow body guitars but is also lightweight and adds to the compressional strength of the guitar body.

The overall performance of the FM1 is a lightweight versatile guitar with a rich range of highs and lows with semiacoustic overtones, from a clean crisp response to the power of the EMGs to deliver for the serious rocker - a quality guitar for the serious player."

 

[Joy]

snip

Wow. I really want one

 

[Ham]

so i just bought a second hand Ibanez AX7221 7-string for and Pod xt live for $400, and its covered in stickers. What's the best way to get rid of them without ruining the finish?