If I put on headphones I can apply all kinds of effects to my acoustic guitar.
I have even figured out how to send the output to Audacity, so I can record it.
A lot of times it helps to be able to hear whatever effects you are playing through. If you are getting a lot of sustain, for example, you might tailor your playing style to this and do a lot of long and sustained notes like that Pink Floyd guy with his long slow bending notes. He was most likely inspired by the sound and what he could do with it.
I have been burdened with having to imagine what my guitar will sound like after I record it, plain vanilla, no ambiance at all, and then doctor the file up by applying an effect.
My Newest Facebook Friend, Jacob's Mother...
If I am going to sound like I am in a cathedral after I add "cathedral reverb," then I have to pretend I am in one as I am recording the track...Don't worry, I might tell myself, it's going to sound full and spacious and like a wall of sound; and hitting these little few notes and letting them ring, even though they sound moronic and simple in the light of day, is going to sound cool, like you are playing in a cathedral!
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| Kevin Bape, drummer |
So, with the Guitarix effect (shown) I can at least put my headphones on and hear what the result is going to be after running my guitar through all kinds of simulations of amplifiers and squash boxes and filters.
This at least helps me write a part that optimizes whatever flange or phaser I'm going through. I still can't hear the effect after I hit the record button on Audacity, but I am working on that problem, reading more manuals and help screens and tutorials.
So, an acoustic guitar sounding like a cranked up electric one might be coming soon..
That virtual effects thing looks fun!
ReplyDeleteThese days there's no problem with computers dealing with audio or even radio frequencies in real time. A "rack" like the one there is child's play for modern technology.
I haven't even dug into Audacity yet, and haven't messed with MuseScore either. MuseScore is for writing down music.
You can run into latency issues trying to monitor real time signal running through a lot of software effects while recording. You ultimately need a good pro audio card and a fast, *dedicated for DAW* computer. (All those unnecessary MS background services and various other programs can steal precious memory.)
ReplyDeleteI have a Sibelius digital sampler program, a full set of industry quality sample CD's and a Steinburg grand piano VST that sounds like a million bucks... but still don't have a computer that can run the shit (docked with my Sonar/ Cakewalk) without locking up.
Hm, that's a good point. I'm amazed - but then it makes sense when you think about it - that there are such things as "software defined radios" these days, but then those have dedicated processors. Your average McWindows machine is juggling a lot of tasks.
ReplyDeleteI haven't used my DAW for a long time. It's ironic, after chasing the recording technology for so many years, from buying the first tascam 4-track cassette machine and all the outboard effects I could afford to now, having an entire professional recording suite with every digital effect and sound engineering goody I could ever dream of and more...and I have no interest in multitrack recording. Why? because after putting in hundreds of hours learning the software then umpteen zillion hours spent programming drum tracks, step-writing bass lines, adjusting attacks, velocity's, quantizing and randomizing, not to mention the myriad problems getting real instruments properly recorded when you have to play producer and engineer while trying to keep your creative musician hat on the whole time. But mostly, after having spent so much time staring at a computer screen making a piece of music that I'm proud of, having to beg people online to even give it a passing listen. It gets disheartening after a while. Nobody gives a fuck. And in a way I don't blame them. Most are listening to music off their phones anyway, they can't appreciate subtlety and wide dynamic range, everything is all compressed and homogenized as fuck by the music distribution platforms themselves. 'Loudness wars' are still ongoing, despite industry promises to do something about it...
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty well known by now there's no money in recorded music anyway, even for most top acts. Live music and merch are the only things making $$$ for musical artists these days.
So go out busking!
ReplyDeleteExactly.
ReplyDelete