My New Hardware for use with OctaMED S.S.

[minator]

You use a pre-amp when you have a mic that doesn't have battery power and your plugging into something that doesn't provide power.
Some recording devices have "Phantom power" that provides power for standard mics.

You have these a bit mixed up:

Phantom power is a power source for condenser Mics, they require power as part of their design though some have batteries as well.
Dynamic Mics do not require any power.
Note: Only use phantom power on things that need it, otherwise you could end up frying things!

Pre-amps are for everything.  It's the first thing a signal goes through when it goes into a mixer.  You use them to increase the level on Mics (all types), guitars and anything else (even synths if they need it).

All Mics will need to go through a pre-amp whether it has phantom power or not.

--

I'm learning a lot of this stuff at the moment as well but there's a lot of help out there.
Youtube has loads of stuff.

There's a free book here on setting up a studio:
http://www.recordingreview.com/killerhomerecording/KHR_SettingUp.php

ProAudioDVDs.com have a weekly free video.
They also have a DVD set called "Ultimate Home Recording School". Bit expensive but very good, covers a lot of the basic knowledge you'll need.

[minator]

Yea, You know it's bad when I'm a 20 year veteran of this stuff and I can't get it right on a retro computer forum!. Thanks for clearing that up..

There's a lot to know!  I wasn't 100% sure myself so checked as I was writing it.

Great track BTW.

[minator]

You only paid $200 for the MicroKorg?  That's a steal for a synth this good.

How does it compare with real analogue?  I know a lot of the Analogue guys don't like virtual synths but what do you (or anyone who's tried both) think?

I've only heard them sparingly in shops but they sound pretty good.

[minator]

Atari is now listed as for sale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Pro-Sounded-MIDI-SynthCart-Key-Pads-/220776318959?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33674b47ef

Are you willing to ship to the UK?

[minator]

Of course. Shipping would be a bit more, but I have shipped to there before.

Added to watch list :-)

[minator]

Thank you!

Must make sure I remember it. If my new* synth arrives I'm likely to be distracted.
*Don't know if new is really the word for a synth not made since the early 80's.

Just got back from the musick store. Turns out that I need to buy a new mixer board as the one I'm using (old 80's mixer) does not have gain, which is something I need. I did some recording last night which I might upload (nothing special), but hopefully when I can afford the new Mixer, my output quality will be improved over all.

I recorded a track recently.  First time I've ever tried to record anything:

http://www.blachford.info/transfer/Weak1.m4a

[minator]

I need a new mixer anyhow, some of my gear is really dated, and yes I could use the gain to resolve a few issues I'm having, besides half my input ports are failing me so I can see this mixer dying all together sometime soon.

Funny, with synths, the more dated they are the more expensive they get!

Minator: I loved the track! Dark and moody! You should keep at it man!!!

Thanks :-)

I plan to, I've just built a home studio...

[minator]

x303: I'm looking more for Studio Gear, the whole DJ scene makes me ill to my stomach. My buddy is a DJ, and while he is very talented and really a great guy, he has given some terrible advice on gear as it all seems to be nothing but machines that make quick easy dance beats, but can't really be used for much else.
As for me, I have no interest in making people dance. If what I put out happens to make a person feel like dancing, that that is purely accidental side effect.

What sort of music do you make?

For mixers I didn't know diddley squat so I asked a guy I know.  He said to go for the simplest mixer as there's less to go wrong.  He also said don't record things in stereo because it's difficult to mix them, so stereo channels aren't much use.  I was advised to to avoid one particular cheap brand beginning with B, in mixers you really get what you pay for and they're cheaper than anyone else.  If you've a limited budget have a look at ebay.

I ended up getting a Mackie mixer with mono channels, no stereo channels and no FX.  It does however have firewire so I can plug it into the computer (I'm using Logic on a Mac, haven't attached the Amiga yet).



BTW About the Atari you're selling, in addition to the MIDI stuff, can it still play games?

[minator]

minator

The 2600 should still play games afaik the synthcart is just a plug in cart! You take it out and put in pac man (boy i hate pacman on 2600 lol)

Xdelusion

"i dont want to make anyone dance.." that is so funny.  It sounds like you just want to make music for your own purposes so you certainly wont need a "studio mixer" as staed before. Also, for you I wouldnt recommend a mixer with mono channels at all for your needs.  Stanton makes some nice cheap mixer that look really cool and are affordable. I'd recommend a mixer with not only gains but independent control of hi low and mid levels.. kills switches would be great too as it lets you completely kill the frequences of hi lo mid (but then again its for dance or electro stuff mainly, but has it uses for practical music)

I'd say the exact opposite of this.
If you're into dance music you can create the entire thing, mix it and master it all in the computer.  I looked at one music site that was for a dance musician and in the "show us your rig" section there was a whole series of people who have a tiny little keyboard and a computer as their set up.  There's no hardware mixer because it's in the computer.

OTOH If you're recording physical instruments you need something just to plug them into and generally that'll be a mixer.

Anything other than very basic mixers will have EQ, solo, mute, routing etc.
There's nothing "wrong" with having stereo channels but they are limited to being stereo.  I can use 2 mono channels as independent mono channels or I can use 2 mono channels as a stereo pair.  You can of course also record as mono and use effects to create stereo.

The other option is to just record everything onto a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and do the mixing in the computer like the dance guys do.  In that case you won't need a hardware mixer.

[minator]

Minator: 2600 will play games, and the audio output will be better.

I look forward to its arrival :-D

As for my "musick" I'm purely experimental, though I have been known to lay out a few techno-ish tracks, though they are not House Tekno, so my conscious is clear!

But ya, most of my stuff is experimental. I was going to upload a few of my older tracks, but again forgot the damn things. Aside of experimental, I also have worked on some unorthodoxed Hip-Hop beats for my long lost brother as he just so happens to rap, and just so happens to have a background and set of obscure interests much like my own. The only down side is we have found it hard to make the time to put his lyrics together with my tracks, but I can at least upload my side of things.

As for influences, well they are all over the place. I love synth pop, classic 70's/80's industrial/goth. Pink Floyd, The Legendary Pink Dots, Beethoven, 20's - 40's era musick. Musick with that old negro wisdom, chip tunes, classic Country (Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline), Hip-Hop (not rap, not MTV or Radio Hip-Hop, but HIP-HOP the shit with street sensibility and wisdom of the ancients. Umm... there's a lot of influences, and not all of them merely musick related, as I've been influenced by the fact that you can use Musick and Video as a means of artistic expression, to help communicate where words and mere logic fail....it would just be easier for me to upload the stuff.

I also like a lot of different styles but I like a good melody.  I'm not into hip-hop, rap or indeed many modern styles.  I think music was better before the mid 80's because that's when computer sequencing came in, they had to be able to play their instruments.

Beauty is the Enemy (Musick by cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy, and Words by Genesis P. Orridge of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV). Video by Me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJQK6DExtIg

I like it, completely bizarre!

Beautiful World: Music by Devo, video by Me. My first video ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIwnIQT1lOA

Great for a first attempt!  What's the film clip at the end from?


Anyway, I also got a new Korg so I'm off to play with it.
Cost a bit more than $200, but then it is an MS-20  :-D

[minator]

minator: Congrats on the new gear, both mine and the korg! And thank you for funding mine!!!

You're very welcome :-)

[minator]

That is bad ass!!! But I don't deserve such a machine. No talent. :/

Oh, don't know.  It's only £12,000.