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Tascam DP 004:
It is much simpler for me to use and now that I got the expensive DVD tutorial, I am getting a very nice sound (some minor changes made major impacts!) and having a lot of fun. I have had no problem sending the song demos over to the Macbook and I will next learn how to master the recording, as soon as I find 4 tracks I am not horrified to listen to! The DVD has helped a great deal, especially since even the terminology was confusing to me and learning how to adjust the settings (and even what the recorder sits on) has produced some nice sound. I love recording practice. So... my next step will be to add a bass guitar. (acoustic bass; not stand up) Did any of my fellow old guy amateurs find it easy to learn to play bass? Did you need or benefit from an instructional DVD to learn bass? thanks!
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Martin 00-15M (gloss custom) Pono ATD 2 Tenor Ukulele Seagull Merlin Last edited by SeamusORiley; 06-06-2012 at 12:20 PM. |
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Seamus: Glad to hear you are moving along w/ the tutorial. I have bought/sold various recorders over the years and haven't found any to be that easy/intuitive to use. The Tascam DP's seem 'old school' friendly, as many have attested. Maybe I'll have a look at it...seems to me I recall it doesn't have any EQ (not sure about reverb, etc) on board though the 008 does, as I recall.
I think I am like you - just me and my guitar, not evening singing or anything though. I am on a Mac too and would be curious to know what software program you will be using for processing. |
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Some bass guitar techniques can be difficult to learn and master, but to learn and play a simple bass is very easy if you already play guitar. Just hitting the bass note of each chord is all that is needed in many songs. Getting your bass parts perfectly timed with your guitar will be an important goal to start. Then work on more complex parts from there, such as alternating bass, and bass riffs and patterns such as the boogie. Bass can be played with thumb, fingers, a pick and there are slap techniques that can be employed (that is a little more advanced). For the music I play, simple bass, alternating bass, and simple bass riffs are usually all that is required. It's fun and really rounds out the sound of the track.
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ShowcaseYourMusic (covers) ReverbNation (originals) SoundCloud (the Hobo Troubadour) |
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"Does this sound like anything you have tried? Others? "
Seamus, most of us have done this or are doing it. In almost in all cases, you will learn a lot. In almost all cases, the music you make will be inbred. You can't help that if you're the only source. My personal music was hugely improved by bringing in others to play other parts. Here are some tips: If you plan to overdub, get a metronome or some sort of drum track device and begin practicing with it. It's very frustrating to attempt an overdub without a solid time base. Humble yourself to the mistress of good timing. Don't think that one more acoustic guitar track will solidify a weak bunch of previous attempts. You'll end up with a messy guitar salad. Go back and record a solid track. Have fun. Ty Ford |
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Seamus,
Sorry I'm jumping in later here. A few comments though form a 59 year old home recordist and sometime semi-pro musician, for what they're worth. First, I use both a Boss MicroBR four track digital recorder to capture band rehearsals. When I get home, I'll transfer them to my PC and edit them with Mixcraft multitrack recording software. When recording at home, I record directly to PC using and interface and Mixcraft. Very easy to use. Basically, a PC version of GarageBand. Regarding basses.......I play guitar and harmonica but my primary instrument is bass. I have several basses but depending on the sound I'm after determines which I'll use. I have a Michael Kelly fretless acoustic bass that's setup with a low action and tapewound strings. Unplugged, it's OK and will keep up with one acoustic guitar. Plug it in to record and it's superb! Thick, deep, rich, resonant bass tones much like that of an upright bass. Great for more folk and acoustic type stuff but not so much for rock. I HIGHLY recommend going fretless with an ABG. For my drum tracks, I have a Zoom RhythmTrack RT123. I'll program the drum tracks ahead of time if the song is straight forward or, if there are breaks or rhythm changes, I'll add the drum tracks manually later. I'm working on learning to program breaks and rhythm changes into the tracks but, for now, the manual method works. Hope this helps a little! Good luck and have fun!
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Martin Road Series D10e Martin Special X Custom 000 Martin Special X Custom GPC Epiphone IBG J45 Yamaha FS800 Guild Pilot Bass Guild Flamed Maple Jumbo Junior Guild Flamed Maple Jumbo Junior Bass Recording King Dirty 30's Mando Frankensquier P Bass Squier Bullet Telecaster |
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[QUOTE=Ty Ford;3067663
Don't think that one more acoustic guitar track will solidify a weak bunch of previous attempts. You'll end up with a messy guitar salad. Go back and record a solid track. Ty Ford[/QUOTE] Very well-said, thank you ![]()
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To the thinking man, this world is a comedy, and to the feeling man, it is a tragedy ![]() |
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And I thought I was a lone wolf who's still playing around with Zoom RT123, now I know I've got a friend ![]()
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To the thinking man, this world is a comedy, and to the feeling man, it is a tragedy ![]() |
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My studio is definitely budget minded but the gear does the trick for me at this point. I've only been messing around with the harmonica for about a month and I can play a few Neil Young tunes with it and a six string but, I haven't tried bass and harmonica at the same time.........yet. ![]()
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Martin Road Series D10e Martin Special X Custom 000 Martin Special X Custom GPC Epiphone IBG J45 Yamaha FS800 Guild Pilot Bass Guild Flamed Maple Jumbo Junior Guild Flamed Maple Jumbo Junior Bass Recording King Dirty 30's Mando Frankensquier P Bass Squier Bullet Telecaster |
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I just discovered blues harp recently - great fun to play
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This is a great thread; thanks for the advice, particularly on playing the bass.
I am going to visit my local guitar store to look for a used bass as I don't want to spend much at all. Any recommendations? ![]() I need to repeat playing the DVD over and over during the next month or two, but if you have the DP 008 or 004 and are struggling, I would be glad to loan it out. I haven't reached the mixing stage yet, using the DP 004 and I am not sure which software to use with the Mac, but as I progress, I'll post.
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Martin 00-15M (gloss custom) Pono ATD 2 Tenor Ukulele Seagull Merlin |
#56
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There are a lot of choices in the used bass market, so depending on your budget you should be able to find something that will do the job for you. I have a Fender Squier P-Bass that I bought used for $75.00. I would like to get a fretless or perhaps a hollow body like the Hofner for a different sound, but that will come later.
Some things to consider and watch out for when buying used: 1. Check for hum and static from the pickups (live it might not be very noticeable but on a recording it will ruin the entire track). 2. Make sure the volume and tone pots work smoothly without producing crackles and pops! Yes, sometimes just a little tuner cleaner can work wonders, but there is no guarantee. If the bass is pristine in every other way, you could replace worn and crackling volume and tone pots. 3. Make sure the jack plugs in securely with no play. A loose connection will cause crackles, hum and varying volume. 4. Check for excessive fret wear, especially if the bass is strung with round-wound strings which function like metal files on both your fingers and the guitar frets! (I prefer flat wounds which last longer and are much kinder to my fingers). Fret wear can cause rattles that will be very noticeable in a recording. 5. Check the neck angle and straightness. Bass strings exert a lot of pressure and if the instrument has not been properly maintained the neck could become twisted which cannot be corrected effectively. Neck angle can generally be remedied easily on an electric and some bowing can typically be corrected with a truss rod adjustment, but severe bowing or angle can be a symptom of a bigger problem. 6. Listen carefully to the tone! There is nothing worse than muddy bass on a recording. Each note needs to be solid and clear (some of that is technique, but a lot is the instrument itself). I hope that helps.
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ShowcaseYourMusic (covers) ReverbNation (originals) SoundCloud (the Hobo Troubadour) |
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I have learned (so soon!) how adding more guitar tracks did not improve the song, but muddied it. I deleted and started again...and am glad I did. This is really a great deal of fun!
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Martin 00-15M (gloss custom) Pono ATD 2 Tenor Ukulele Seagull Merlin |
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Well, I just finished my another "learning process", and I wanted to share with you here Seamus;
Nothing much, just me and my voice, my Santa Cruz OM, my Lee Oskar harmonica. No bass at this one. This is the song that I've been yearning to do for quite sometime, now it's done (or isn't it???) http://soundcloud.com/napman9/against-the-wind-acoustic
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To the thinking man, this world is a comedy, and to the feeling man, it is a tragedy ![]() |
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Great job!
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Martin 00-15M (gloss custom) Pono ATD 2 Tenor Ukulele Seagull Merlin |
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