Below is my gear:

Guitar: Ibanez RG320DX Black (Great guitar. Stayed in tune for more than 2 years of not using it and even after a transport on a flight).

Amp: No amp. I used to have a Marshall Valvestate 8080 when I was playing on some bands, but had to sell to get some money.

Effects:
- Behringer V-AMP 3. (Ideal for playing and recording at home. Not as good as the Line 6 POD, but cheaper).
- Morley Steve Vai Bad Horsie Wah (Great one. Sound is great and no switches make it quicker to play).

Drumkit: Roland TD-4K (Very good electronic drumkit, though is my first one, hence I cannot compare with others).

Recording: Garage Band on an Apple MacBook (Simple and useful)

Anybody needs information about the gear listed below, just drop a line.

Cheers,
datavase




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Re: My gear
By: datavase to All on Mon Aug 24 2009 12:04:42

Recording: Garage Band on an Apple MacBook (Simple and useful)

I've used Garage Band before and also found it to be simple and useful. I don't have a Mac now, but I'd almost consider buying a Mac Mini (again) just for Garage Band. I think it would be nice to have Garage Band available for Windows. :) Or perhaps even Linux.

Eric

Re: My gear
By: datavase to All on Mon Aug 24 2009 12:04:42

Recording: Garage Band on an Apple MacBook (Simple and useful)

I've used Garage Band before and also found it to be simple and useful. I don't have a Mac now, but I'd almost consider buying a Mac Mini (again)
just for Garage Band. I think it would be nice to have Garage Band available for Windows. :) Or perhaps even Linux.

Eric

With the Behringer V-Ampn 3 comes a software called energyXT2.5 Compact.

I haven't tried yet, but it looks simple and useful as Garage Band. Advantages is that it runs on Windows XP, Vista (32-bit), OS 10.x and Linux.

Have a look at: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Support/energyXT2.5-Compact-BEHRINGER-Edition.aspx or at http://www.energy-xt.com/

Cheers,
datavase




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Re: Re: My gear
By: datavase to Nightfox on Wed Aug 26 2009 08:51:20

With the Behringer V-Ampn 3 comes a software called energyXT2.5 Compact.

I haven't tried yet, but it looks simple and useful as Garage Band. Advan is that it runs on Windows XP, Vista (32-bit), OS 10.x and Linux.

Thanks for the link - I'll check it out.

A while ago, I heard about another music recording program, for Windows, which was being called a Garage Band clone for Windows. It's called M-Audio Session: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Session.html

I've tried it out, and it does look similar to Garage Band. I still feel like Garage Band is the ultimate in ease of use though, and I like the virtual instrument sounds that Garage Band comes with.

Another thing I've noticed about Windows-based music recording software, that bugs me, is related to MIDI. If you want to render MIDI to an audio file, Windows software generally seems to only be able to do that with software MIDI synthesizers. I don't mind that, but the problem seems to be that software MIDI synthesizers in Windows have a noticeable delay between when you press the key on your keyboard and when you hear the sound. I think that makes it basically impossible to record a song properly. I did not notice that problem with Garage Band on the Mac platform - I'm not sure if it's due to the software or the hardware on the Mac, but I'd like to see a decrease in software MIDI latency in Windows.

Nightfox

Another thing I've noticed about Windows-based music recording software, that bugs me, is related to MIDI. If you want to render MIDI to an audio file, Windows software generally seems to only be able to do that with software MIDI synthesizers. I don't mind that, but the problem seems to be that software MIDI synthesizers in Windows have a noticeable delay between when you press the key on your keyboard and when you hear the sound. I think that makes it basically impossible to record a song properly. I did not notice that problem with Garage Band on the Mac platform - I'm not sure if it's due to the software or the hardware on the Mac, but I'd like to see a decrease in software MIDI latency in Windows.

Nightfox

Hi,

AFAIK this delay is due something called latency, and is usually provoked by the hardware. Expensive sound cards have less latency. Usually, trying to record with an integrated card (i.e. the ones that came in the motherboard) could be very painful.

The Behringer V-Amp 3 that I was mentioning claims to have "No-latency guitar recording on your PCùedit". Apparently gets it using the UCA222 USB Audio interface (http://www.behringer.com.au/EN/Products/UCA222.aspx).

I'm sure there is something similar for keyboards too.

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Re: Re: Music recording software
By: datavase to Nightfox on Mon Oct 12 2009 09:52:09

AFAIK this delay is due something called latency, and is usually provoked the hardware. Expensive sound cards have less latency. Usually, trying to

The Behringer V-Amp 3 that I was mentioning claims to have "No-latency gu recording on your PCùedit". Apparently gets it using the UCA222 USB Audio interface (http://www.behringer.com.au/EN/Products/UCA222.aspx).

I'm sure there is something similar for keyboards too.

Yeah, USB probably does introduce some latency for MIDI. However, I've used 2 different USB MIDI keyboards on both a Mac and Windows, and on the Mac, there was no percieved latency, but there was in Windows. The difference seems to be a hardware MIDI synthesizer vs. software MIDI synthesizer, at least on Windows.
With Windows, a hardware MIDI synthesizer (i.e. via an add-on sound card) has no noticeable latency, whereas a software MIDI synthesizer does.

As for Mac, it was a Mac Mini I was using, and I was using Garage Band. I'm not sure how, but it had no noticeable MIDI latency. Since the Mac Mini is Apple's least expensive Mac, I would guess that the Mac Mini's MIDI is on the motherboard at most, but considering its size, it may not have any MIDI onboard, in which case it would have to be software-based. Either way, there is no noticeable MIDI latency.

Nightfox

Re: Re: Music recording software
By: datavase to Nightfox on Mon Oct 12 2009 09:52:09

AFAIK this delay is due something called latency, and is usually provoked the hardware. Expensive sound cards have less latency. Usually, trying to
The Behringer V-Amp 3 that I was mentioning claims to have
"No-latency gu recording on your PCùedit". Apparently gets it using the UCA222 USB Audio interface (http://www.behringer.com.au/EN/Products/UCA222.aspx).

I'm sure there is something similar for keyboards too.

Yeah, USB probably does introduce some latency for MIDI. However, I've
used 2 different USB MIDI keyboards on both a Mac and Windows, and on the Mac, there was no percieved latency, but there was in Windows. The difference seems to be a hardware MIDI synthesizer vs. software MIDI synthesizer, at least on Windows.
With Windows, a hardware MIDI synthesizer (i.e. via an add-on sound card) has no noticeable latency, whereas a software MIDI synthesizer does.

As for Mac, it was a Mac Mini I was using, and I was using Garage Band. I'm not sure how, but it had no noticeable MIDI latency. Since the Mac Mini is Apple's least expensive Mac, I would guess that the Mac Mini's MIDI is on the motherboard at most, but considering its size, it may not have any MIDI onboard, in which case it would have to be software-based. Either way, there is no noticeable MIDI latency.

Nightfox

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Well, one thing to consider is that one of the markets to which Apple is focusing since long time ago is Music Production, hence I guess they have
tweak their machines and/or operating system and software to work as better as possible for musician.

One estra point for Apple :-)


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Re: Re: Music recording software
By: datavase to Nightfox on Thu Oct 15 2009 08:43:23

Well, one thing to consider is that one of the markets to which Apple is focusing since long time ago is Music Production, hence I guess they have tweak their machines and/or operating system and software to work as bett possible for musician.

One estra point for Apple :-)

Yeah, the Mac has typically been the preferred platform for creative works. As Apple has adopted more standard hardware, though, (USB, IDE and now SATA, and now Intel CPUs) it seems to me like the Mac is basically just another PC. At one point, I had built a custom PC that could run OS X (a hacked copy to run on non-Apple computers), and Garage Band's MIDI instruments didn't have any noticeable latency on that machine. So, I'm not sure if there's anything special about Mac hardware..

I will say though that I do enjoy using Macs. I think Snow Leopard is the greatest Mac OS so far. I'm also impressed with the current generation Mac Mini - Its use of the Nvidia 9400M video chipset makes it a decent computer for 3D-intensive tasks (although of course it's not a top of the line video chipset). I think the Mac Mini is a nice computer for what it costs - although I think it should come with no less than 2GB of RAM. The base model comes with 1GB, and I've noticed that OS X seems to use a significant amount of RAM. With only 1GB of RAM, you wouldn't have much RAM left over to run software.

Nightfox

datavase wrote to All <=-

Recording: Garage Band on an Apple MacBook (Simple and useful)

Same here. Does all I need. :-)


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Nightfox wrote to datavase <=-

I've used Garage Band before and also found it to be simple and useful.
I don't have a Mac now, but I'd almost consider buying a Mac Mini
(again) just for Garage Band. I think it would be nice to have Garage Band available for Windows. :) Or perhaps even Linux.

There's an old joke that used to go around the Mac world. When people
say, "I like GarageBand - how much to purchase for Windows?" the answer
was, "$499, and Aplle with throw in a Mac Mini to run it on." :-)



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Nightfox wrote to datavase <=-

I've tried it out, and it does look similar to Garage Band. I still
feel like Garage Band is the ultimate in ease of use though, and I like the virtual instrument sounds that Garage Band comes with.

Since your message is from 2009 I don't know if you're still here, but
if you are - have you seen the amp modeling that's built into the newer GarageBand? I actually use an iPad on an iKlip for a lyrics machine
when I'm onstage, and I have GarageBand running via iRig for the
effects. Super fast to change to other presets, though you can't do
it via footswitch. :-)



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datavase wrote to Nightfox <=-

Well, one thing to consider is that one of the markets to which Apple
is focusing since long time ago is Music Production, hence I guess they have tweak their machines and/or operating system and software to work
as better as possible for musician.

Agreed - and the same for photos and video...


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Re: Re: My gear
By: jimmy anderson to Nightfox on Fri May 10 2013 11:38:00

There's an old joke that used to go around the Mac world. When people
say, "I like GarageBand - how much to purchase for Windows?" the answer was, "$499, and Aplle with throw in a Mac Mini to run it on." :-)

haha :)

I've since discovered Mixcraft for Windows, which is very much like Garage Band, and I think is just as easy (if not more easy) than Garage Band. I like it. Not much motivation for me to use a Mac for music recording now. :P

Nightfox

Re: Re: Music recording software
By: jimmy anderson to Nightfox on Fri May 10 2013 11:40:00

Since your message is from 2009 I don't know if you're still here, but
if you are - have you seen the amp modeling that's built into the newer GarageBand? I actually use an iPad on an iKlip for a lyrics machine
when I'm onstage, and I have GarageBand running via iRig for the
effects. Super fast to change to other presets, though you can't do
it via footswitch. :-)

I haven't seen the amp modeling, but that sounds cool. I have since discovered Mixcraft for Windows, which is very much like Garage Band, and I think it might even be a little easier to use. Since I mainly use Windows, Mixcraft is what I've been playing around with for music recording.

Nightfox

Nightfox wrote to jimmy anderson <=-

Re: Re: Music recording software
By: jimmy anderson to Nightfox on Fri May 10 2013 11:40:00

Since your message is from 2009 I don't know if you're still here, but
if you are - have you seen the amp modeling that's built into the newer GarageBand? I actually use an iPad on an iKlip for a lyrics machine
when I'm onstage, and I have GarageBand running via iRig for the
effects. Super fast to change to other presets, though you can't do
it via footswitch. :-)

I haven't seen the amp modeling, but that sounds cool. I have since discovered Mixcraft for Windows, which is very much like Garage Band,
and I think it might even be a little easier to use. Since I mainly
use Windows, Mixcraft is what I've been playing around with for music recording.

To be clear, when I'm using GarageBand like I'm talking about (on stage)
I'm not recording, just using it for the modeling and effects...

Not sure I made that clear. :-) That's GarageBand on the iPad, like using
the other stomp box effects apps, only you have the full GarageBand too.

When I'm recording I use GarageBand on the computer and all my
recording so far has been "acoustic." Even though my guitars are
acoustic electric, I record into a snowball USB mic, even bass. My
wife has an acoustic bass that is also electric, but I play it
via the mic.

My goal, at least with my latest recordings, is to make a "home grown"
CD that best mimics what you hear when you see me perform in a
writer's round or house concert. Nothing over the top produced -
no extra instruments brought in. I will maybe add a track of
"acoustic picking" or even mandolin, but it's still all "acoustic"
in nature.


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Nightfox wrote to jimmy anderson <=-

I've since discovered Mixcraft for Windows, which is very much like
Garage Band, and I think is just as easy (if not more easy) than Garage Band. I like it. Not much motivation for me to use a Mac for music recording now. :P

Me being an Apple user, I totally agree. Mixcraft sounds cool, but no motivation for me to use Windows. ;-)


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Re: Re: Music recording software
By: Jimmy Anderson to Nightfox on Wed May 15 2013 11:50:00

To be clear, when I'm using GarageBand like I'm talking about (on stage) I'm not recording, just using it for the modeling and effects...

Not sure I made that clear. :-) That's GarageBand on the iPad, like using the other stomp box effects apps, only you have the full GarageBand too.

Ah, I see - That's a little different. :) I tend to use the software for recording.

When I'm recording I use GarageBand on the computer and all my
recording so far has been "acoustic." Even though my guitars are
acoustic electric, I record into a snowball USB mic, even bass. My
wife has an acoustic bass that is also electric, but I play it
via the mic.

My goal, at least with my latest recordings, is to make a "home grown"
CD that best mimics what you hear when you see me perform in a
writer's round or house concert. Nothing over the top produced -
no extra instruments brought in. I will maybe add a track of
"acoustic picking" or even mandolin, but it's still all "acoustic"
in nature.

That's cool.. Definitely one way to do it.
I do like the "virtual" instruments that the recording software provides. Since I don't play in a band (yet, at least), I like being able to do the other parts when I record music.

Nightfox

Nightfox wrote to Jimmy Anderson <=-

That's cool.. Definitely one way to do it.
I do like the "virtual" instruments that the recording software
provides. Since I don't play in a band (yet, at least), I like being
able to do the other parts when I record music.

Very much agreed! Fun to jam with too. :-)

The top three songs on my ReverbNation page are done the way I mentioned,
if you want to check them out...

http://www.reverbnation.com/jimmyanderson


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