njmp studios california

What's happening with you?

Are you taking steps, even small ones, (and hey!) even a single little thing to move you closer to your creative goals today?

Like what? Maybe you thought about cool guitars to save for. Some effects pedals, what would be the best, most effective thing you could use? Have you thought about getting yourself a recording device? Some of the new digital stuff, is around the price of a medium level guitar - but the clean digital sound quality is amazing! "Old School" rockers from the 70's and 80's would fainted in amazement with equipment this pro-sounding at these kinds of prices. Plus instead of a multi-track recorder being the size of a washing machine and costing thousands of dollars (especially back when) now sounds cleaner, fits in a book bag, and is only a couple a hundred bucks. My gosh - do we not appreciate? You can make "better than "demo" quality if you keep the levels in the sweet spot while you record.

I am currently checking some digital recording methods and equipment. Personally I prefer a stand alone. if you would rather get up on the screen with software using your computer's hard drive as the actual "recorder" that can be fine too. Think about it. Ask if your ok with playing a guitar/keyboard/ singing into a mic/whatever -  in front of your computer -

Depending what type of audio you create may influence what your preference are at this time. For me, I am very happy to bring my recording deck, all loaded with great tracks, and then mix em down into my computer into something Sound Forge, Audacity (a free, open source download) or WaveLab. I wish my old copy of WaveLab worked in my Vista - arrg!  WaveLab - not cheap - but WOW! you can do A LOT with it as a wave editor.

Audacity has less on the importable effects but still works great. SoundForge is what i usually use to mix down my tracks initially (until I get a Vista compatible WaveLab again or something in that league.

BUT and is it a big one? I suppose -

There is an old theory that the more you 'mess" with something, the worse it gets.

I like clean tracks, not gobbed with dozens of treatments, like EQ's Compressors, reverbs, Phaser, sonic maximizers, "trippy" effects - the signal can become buried - I have found that 'digitally' speaking, the entire project can get garbeled up and ruined. A favorite song i did last year (2007) was nearly lost. I had the file in computer, and then, something happened to my computer - a scary reboot, where it "black-screened" and I wasn't sure how many files would make it safe and sound. I found my music files and felt relieved until I click one to play it and it was all garbely sounding. Luckily, I had the clean originals already burned on a CD (you must do this - not only as a back up- I did it simply to hear the music in my car! lol)

Lucky - whew!

But I also noticed some other tracks that had a lot less 'digital' treatments survived a lot better in my desk-top data files. Why - I don't know...? I'll need a computer savvy friend to clue me in for that question...

that's it for now... see ya soon!

Nels