Making Music

[Mel81x+]

So, I was playing around today with drums after a long time and started thinking that maybe I was going about it the wrong way. Instead of writing the drum beat first and then adding bass what if I added the bass first then added the drum beats on the up-beat/down-beats to match the bass. This is kind of how we started writing that song I posted a while back. It goes a bit like this and you can use new-age tabs with a metronome to get started since we're all pretty much string instrumentalists here.

Bass tab (Sample)

Drum tab (sample)

If you look at both the tabs they have the same down-beat and the only thing the bass is doing in certain parts is leaving gaps while the drum fills the slots (more akin to progressive rock than metal). However, with a bit of tweaking you can probably write something to play along with and then fine tune it as well. 

Then go into your editor of choice and use the beat maker to fill the slots (not play the drums) and quantize post that to offer velocity, etc. (cheating I know). I find that its easier to relate to something you know first then learn the rest post that. My drums are shit imo but if you spend enough time on YouTube you can learn the rudiments and couple with your instruments understanding and how drums are supposed to fit in and get it to work?

All the work above was in Guitar Pro 7 while I was playing to ensure I had the time signature right for the bass first then I used my limited knowledge of drums to fill the gaps in and called my band-mate to spruce it up. I was told to stop playing drums btw lol. 

P.S. Now, if you want to add guitar in there you can do that on all the fillers by using the same time-sig or merging two and creating a fast-moving melody line.

[Happy Blue]

18 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

@Happy Blue found something decent sounding & free, with a nice sized library of grooves. Gonna give it a whirl now, but figured I’d post think link before I get lost in it:

https://www.powerdrumkit.com/download76187.php

Cool  i didn't get the notification for some reason  will check that out!

[Dr. Gonzo]

14 hours ago, Mel81x said:

So, I was playing around today with drums after a long time and started thinking that maybe I was going about it the wrong way. Instead of writing the drum beat first and then adding bass what if I added the bass first then added the drum beats on the up-beat/down-beats to match the bass. This is kind of how we started writing that song I posted a while back. It goes a bit like this and you can use new-age tabs with a metronome to get started since we're all pretty much string instrumentalists here.

Bass tab (Sample)

Drum tab (sample)

If you look at both the tabs they have the same down-beat and the only thing the bass is doing in certain parts is leaving gaps while the drum fills the slots (more akin to progressive rock than metal). However, with a bit of tweaking you can probably write something to play along with and then fine tune it as well. 

Then go into your editor of choice and use the beat maker to fill the slots (not play the drums) and quantize post that to offer velocity, etc. (cheating I know). I find that its easier to relate to something you know first then learn the rest post that. My drums are shit imo but if you spend enough time on YouTube you can learn the rudiments and couple with your instruments understanding and how drums are supposed to fit in and get it to work?

All the work above was in Guitar Pro 7 while I was playing to ensure I had the time signature right for the bass first then I used my limited knowledge of drums to fill the gaps in and called my band-mate to spruce it up. I was told to stop playing drums btw lol. 

P.S. Now, if you want to add guitar in there you can do that on all the fillers by using the same time-sig or merging two and creating a fast-moving melody line.

It's funny you mention this. One of my thoughts before going to bed last night after fucking around with making beats was... "interesting, me thinking about drums hasn't made me any better at putting a beat together but has given me interesting ideas for basslines). And I've had a bassline that I made up last night stuck in my head for several hours today, until I forgot it... like a fucking idiot...  shouldn't have gone to bed before trying to figure out the bassline I imagined on guitar and at least recording that so I could figure it out with the MIDI keyboard & a bass plugin today.

I'm sure the Maschine is probably one of the better MIDI controllers out there, just generally... and I can certainly see how it'd be more useful than the Akai MK3 Mini Play I've got as a MIDI controller (although, I kind of knew I'd have more limitations than many people out there with similar MIDI controllers as I chose the one that has the "internal sounds" so I can use it as a standalone keyboard/drum pad - mostly to take it from a tool I use for making music seriously... and bringing it downstairs and getting high and using it as a way of entertaining myself while I'm stoned to the bone).

I'm glad I've figured out how to map the drum pads on mine to work with the different drum kits I've used so far - I know there's more bits of kit that I'm not using beyond those 8 pads, but I've NEVER been good at physical drums (my brain doesn't work in a way where I can coordinate both hands and both feet at the same time and make noises that aren't unpleasant ) - I bet it's great with the Maschine. Probably should have sprung the extra 130-ish and picked one of those up. I did want a keyboard though... and I do find it pretty fun messing around with the Akai's internal sounds, reminds me of when I was a kid and I fucked around on my dad's little Casio keyboard... but with a drum pad too!

I don't think I'll have time to mess around with it again tonight because work has been absolute shit today and I have way too much to do before the end of tomorrow. But it's really all I want to do right now, just mess around with MIDI drums

[Mel81x+]

6 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

It's funny you mention this. One of my thoughts before going to bed last night after fucking around with making beats was... "interesting, me thinking about drums hasn't made me any better at putting a beat together but has given me interesting ideas for basslines). And I've had a bassline that I made up last night stuck in my head for several hours today, until I forgot it... like a fucking idiot...  shouldn't have gone to bed before trying to figure out the bassline I imagined on guitar and at least recording that so I could figure it out with the MIDI keyboard & a bass plugin today.

I'm sure the Maschine is probably one of the better MIDI controllers out there, just generally... and I can certainly see how it'd be more useful than the Akai MK3 Mini Play I've got as a MIDI controller (although, I kind of knew I'd have more limitations than many people out there with similar MIDI controllers as I chose the one that has the "internal sounds" so I can use it as a standalone keyboard/drum pad - mostly to take it from a tool I use for making music seriously... and bringing it downstairs and getting high and using it as a way of entertaining myself while I'm stoned to the bone).

I'm glad I've figured out how to map the drum pads on mine to work with the different drum kits I've used so far - I know there's more bits of kit that I'm not using beyond those 8 pads, but I've NEVER been good at physical drums (my brain doesn't work in a way where I can coordinate both hands and both feet at the same time and make noises that aren't unpleasant ) - I bet it's great with the Maschine. Probably should have sprung the extra 130-ish and picked one of those up. I did want a keyboard though... and I do find it pretty fun messing around with the Akai's internal sounds, reminds me of when I was a kid and I fucked around on my dad's little Casio keyboard... but with a drum pad too!

I don't think I'll have time to mess around with it again tonight because work has been absolute shit today and I have way too much to do before the end of tomorrow. But it's really all I want to do right now, just mess around with MIDI drums

I think any MIDI tool is super for a person trying to get into any style of music because it helps you learn very fast. The pads on the Akai are superb imo and for the price almost unbeatable. The portability of it is its outstanding feature imo and as you said its great, just take a laptop, plug keyboard in, sit down and jam. 

As for the guitar to bass thing, its very true. I learned a long time ago that my phone was an invaluable tool so now when I get an idea I just turn voice recorder on, hum the tune and let it go. I have a trove of garbage on my voice recorder I probably will never get to haha but its there.

Oh forgot to add, if anyone wants to drumkits DM me.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Had a funny discussion with a guy I regularly play music with…

”It’s great you’re getting more into recording, you should use Ableton though - it’s what all of us use.”

”Nah, I’m going to stick with Cakewalk I’m still learning as I go and I’ve come a long way. Plus @Mel81x says I should stick with one now that I’ve learned one.”

”Who the fuck is Mel?!”

But now I’m on the end of a targeted peer pressure campaign by about 5 people (although one of them says “well I use Logic and I think Cakewalk is closer to that than Ableton is - but he should use the one that is Mac/PC compatible”

…. And I don’t understand why I’m on the end of this peer pressure campaign? Can’t I just export the files and I should be able to send them audio files that can be edited in any DAW?

I have into some of the peer pressure - I spent a while in Ableton Live 10 Lite (the only free version of Ableton) before getting frustrated and going back to Cakewalk , but I think that’s just the nature of trying out a new DAW.

I’m not really keen on making a switch to Ableton though, so I hope they fuck off with this suggestion 

[Mel81x+]

11 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Had a funny discussion with a guy I regularly play music with…

”It’s great you’re getting more into recording, you should use Ableton though - it’s what all of us use.”

”Nah, I’m going to stick with Cakewalk I’m still learning as I go and I’ve come a long way. Plus @Mel81x says I should stick with one now that I’ve learned one.”

”Who the fuck is Mel?!”

But now I’m on the end of a targeted peer pressure campaign by about 5 people (although one of them says “well I use Logic and I think Cakewalk is closer to that than Ableton is - but he should use the one that is Mac/PC compatible”

…. And I don’t understand why I’m on the end of this peer pressure campaign? Can’t I just export the files and I should be able to send them audio files that can be edited in any DAW?

I have into some of the peer pressure - I spent a while in Ableton Live 10 Lite (the only free version of Ableton) before getting frustrated and going back to Cakewalk , but I think that’s just the nature of trying out a new DAW.

I’m not really keen on making a switch to Ableton though, so I hope they fuck off with this suggestion 

Firstly, LOL. Secondly, why would you yank someone from a tool they are learning and getting familiar with the DAW ecosystem and just dump them into a new learning system? What's the benefit here? You're using Cakewalk based on familiarity and even if Abelton is great (which it is) and it is what the group prefers who gives a shit until and unless you'll are mixing recording layers and creating pieces that will end up in a much larger song so you all need to be on the same tools. 

And then this is where I always like to remind people what happens when folks learn about channels and how to manage stuff and are on a learning upwards curve vs saying omg you're using that tool? Lets all move here. Now, not only have you started the long road this person was on at zero start but you've also added something they didn't want ... confusion. 

Stick with Cakewalk till you're familiar with all the DAW terms then use whatever your whole band is recording with. Till then ... just ignore and keep learning. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

39 minutes ago, Mel81x said:

Firstly, LOL. Secondly, why would you yank someone from a tool they are learning and getting familiar with the DAW ecosystem and just dump them into a new learning system? What's the benefit here? You're using Cakewalk based on familiarity and even if Abelton is great (which it is) and it is what the group prefers who gives a shit until and unless you'll are mixing recording layers and creating pieces that will end up in a much larger song so you all need to be on the same tools. 

And then this is where I always like to remind people what happens when folks learn about channels and how to manage stuff and are on a learning upwards curve vs saying omg you're using that tool? Lets all move here. Now, not only have you started the long road this person was on at zero start but you've also added something they didn't want ... confusion. 

Stick with Cakewalk till you're familiar with all the DAW terms then use whatever your whole band is recording with. Till then ... just ignore and keep learning. 

I honestly don’t understand why they’ve decided to up the pressure on me switching DAWs  - I don’t know a lot about what makes Ableton so special, I think it’s the “Session Mode” which I don’t fully understand just yet.

They keep saying “it’s really good for writing music” - but I’m finding the arranger view on Cakewalk isn’t bad for using a DAW as a songwriting tool.

But I’ve only just scratched the surface on what Cakewalk/DAWs can do. And the learning curve is pretty massive, so them trying to get me hooked on Ableton… where the layout of everything is very different. I think you’re right, it’d be easier to figure out once I am more fully aware of what the fuck is going on generally with DAWs

What specifically makes Ableton “so good” compared to other DAWs? Because people really really seem to love Ableton. Even people that I know use ProTools and Logic a lot of the time seem to love Ableton.

[Mel81x+]

7 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I honestly don’t understand why they’ve decided to up the pressure on me switching DAWs  - I don’t know a lot about what makes Ableton so special, I think it’s the “Session Mode” which I don’t fully understand just yet.

They keep saying “it’s really good for writing music” - but I’m finding the arranger view on Cakewalk isn’t bad for using a DAW as a songwriting tool.

But I’ve only just scratched the surface on what Cakewalk/DAWs can do. And the learning curve is pretty massive, so them trying to get me hooked on Ableton… where the layout of everything is very different. I think you’re right, it’d be easier to figure out once I am more fully aware of what the fuck is going on generally with DAWs

What specifically makes Ableton “so good” compared to other DAWs? Because people really really seem to love Ableton. Even people that I know use ProTools and Logic a lot of the time seem to love Ableton.

Ableton as a company did a few things right in the early years that really paved their way into where they are now. 

• They focused on EDM and the Hip-Hop Scene a lot in the initial years. I cant begin to tell you how many DJs would tell me to use Ableton instead of Logic because it was just easier to arrange music. And to be fair to them it was
• Because of their rich history in EDM they developed something that Apple really hasn't fully flushed out on Logic and that is workflow automation for common tasks like grouping FX blocks or parameter maps and using single points of control for multiple variations. DJs need this for live performances and Ableton really have this feature flushed out so well you'd be hardpressed to find any DAW out there that does this as well as they do. Keep in mind of course that this can be done in other DAWs if and only if you need it.
• It was fast. It really was. Then Apple invented M1 and Logic turned from a slow cat into an unbeatable Cheetah. But, it still not 100% compatible with all the older plugins that now have to go through the grind of upgrading. Why do I mention this? Because Ableton doesn't suffer from this problem. 
• But here is why I think Ableton is as popular as it is - Ableton Push. This device is so versatile that it turns your production into a single device that can do so much when paired with Live. You can produce tracks, build beats, rearrange music instruments, run automations, etc all from a device versus actually spending time in the DAW itself. And this has massive appeal to so many musicians who just want to write something, play something, arrange it and be done.

At the end of the day it all boils down to comfort and your ecosystem of choice. I use Logic to do fast recordings and then spend hours just fooling around to learn more about how I want the instrument to sound because Apple's music bank is extensive and Logic has been around forever so its got a lot going for it. I spend time in Pro Tools when I want to do MIDI work like adding piano or vocal harmonies via notes because I find it works best for what I want to do there. I spend time in Maschine when I want to create a single drum beat with accents and then move it to Logic or Pro Tools with a simple WAV export because that's what the tool offers. I use Ableton just to keep up with whats out there.

If I had to pick two tools I would keep out of everything I have I'd keep Logic and Maschine. I am so comfortable in Logic that if someone sent me an out of sync music track I can slice it, bump it, push it into spaces and create channels way faster than any other tool can. Does that mean its the best? Not really but the fact that I spend X - (Learning Time) to do things justifies it for me. I have friends who swear by Pro Tools but thats because they are paying for really awesome stuff on the tool just like I have a piano teacher who swears by Ableton because of Native Instruments easy interfacing with it for the S-series keyboards they make. 

You're fine with Cakewalk as I said before. There will come a time when you want to do more and then you'll find the tool that makes it work for you. The only time this will ever become a hindrance is when you want to work with a band and they've got an entire project in Ableton and it wont work with your DAW but when that time comes you'll know enough about the terms and features of a DAW you wont care what DAW you're using as long as it gets the job done.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Ableton seems like a weird choice for a metal band though 

[Dr. Gonzo]

12 hours ago, Mel81x said:

You're fine with Cakewalk as I said before. There will come a time when you want to do more and then you'll find the tool that makes it work for you. The only time this will ever become a hindrance is when you want to work with a band and they've got an entire project in Ableton and it wont work with your DAW but when that time comes you'll know enough about the terms and features of a DAW you wont care what DAW you're using as long as it gets the job done.

I feel like they're just being snobbish with Cakewalk because it's a free DAW, tbh. Mostly because one of them said "well if you want to mess around with something and not pay money, just use the free version of Ableton until you want to do more and then you can buy the standard version of Ableton 11."

But from everything I've seen and read it's just SONAR rebranded after Gibson killed off that DAW & BandLab purchased Cakewalk as a brand and just released it with the company's name rather than the old name. And SONAR had a really good reputation judging by everything I've seen online about it. And it's not just that it's free... it's a fully featured DAW that's free and runs well on my machine, I don't feel like there's any constraints on me doing anything other than what I don't know how to do.

So for the type of music we play... and also for me just generally learning about recording... I'm not so sure I see the value in getting started after a month of investing time and energy getting into Cakewalk. And even if I do end up loving Ableton... I feel like I'd still rather use Cakewalk and spend the money that would go to Ableton 11 Standard on something like SuperiorDrummer3 (because that looks like an incredibly useful bit of software).

[Mel81x+]

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I feel like they're just being snobbish with Cakewalk because it's a free DAW, tbh. Mostly because one of them said "well if you want to mess around with something and not pay money, just use the free version of Ableton until you want to do more and then you can buy the standard version of Ableton 11."

But from everything I've seen and read it's just SONAR rebranded after Gibson killed off that DAW & BandLab purchased Cakewalk as a brand and just released it with the company's name rather than the old name. And SONAR had a really good reputation judging by everything I've seen online about it. And it's not just that it's free... it's a fully featured DAW that's free and runs well on my machine, I don't feel like there's any constraints on me doing anything other than what I don't know how to do.

So for the type of music we play... and also for me just generally learning about recording... I'm not so sure I see the value in getting started after a month of investing time and energy getting into Cakewalk. And even if I do end up loving Ableton... I feel like I'd still rather use Cakewalk and spend the money that would go to Ableton 11 Standard on something like SuperiorDrummer3 (because that looks like an incredibly useful bit of software).

Thats the way to go. I sometimes feel like people gravitate to whats hot in the market just because the marketting works really well. I mean what are you getting in Ableton that you're really not to get in Cakewalk in terms of learning right?

[Dr. Gonzo]

@Mel81x if I've got a very very small desk area... any recommendations on some smaller studio monitors? I saw these cute little JBL ones - but some of the reviews have me a bit scared off. The price was good though, considering I'm a cheap bastard.

I'm not really in any rush to get any studio monitors at this point - I'm not doing much mixing/mastering, just yet. I've got a pair of headphone monitors that are working just fine for now. But in time, I'll probably want studio monitors for mixing and mastering. The limited desk space, however, is a bit of a challenge. I've been using my Yamaha THR10 that I've had since I moved to America as PC speakers/shite studio monitors...

I've got a built in desk upstairs (I actually fucking hate it) and there's no room for my computer so I've got to have the desktop tower up on the desk taking up too much space. So I'm building my home studio in a pretty unergonomic fashion and size/desk space is getting to be a bit of an issue  - I've just ordered myself a computer keyboard that's 1/3 the size of my current one upstairs to try to reclaim some desk space.

[Mel81x+]

4 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

@Mel81x if I've got a very very small desk area... any recommendations on some smaller studio monitors? I saw these cute little JBL ones - but some of the reviews have me a bit scared off. The price was good though, considering I'm a cheap bastard.

I'm not really in any rush to get any studio monitors at this point - I'm not doing much mixing/mastering, just yet. I've got a pair of headphone monitors that are working just fine for now. But in time, I'll probably want studio monitors for mixing and mastering. The limited desk space, however, is a bit of a challenge. I've been using my Yamaha THR10 that I've had since I moved to America as PC speakers/shite studio monitors...

I've got a built in desk upstairs (I actually fucking hate it) and there's no room for my computer so I've got to have the desktop tower up on the desk taking up too much space. So I'm building my home studio in a pretty unergonomic fashion and size/desk space is getting to be a bit of an issue  - I've just ordered myself a computer keyboard that's 1/3 the size of my current one upstairs to try to reclaim some desk space.

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iloudmm/?pkey=iloud-micro-monitor

I highly recommend these for small spaces. They are loud enough and clear enough too. I think they do a box but thats not going to give you any panning, etc. It took my five years to get my desk space setup and it happened in 2019 before all this shit happened.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, Mel81x said:

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iloudmm/?pkey=iloud-micro-monitor

I highly recommend these for small spaces. They are loud enough and clear enough too. I think they do a box but thats not going to give you any panning, etc.

These look perfect! Although the inputs are a bit limited if I move onto an interface that's not got 1/8 inch output for monitoring & needs an analog out (unless there's some with RCA outputs, but I've not seen any) - and while I'll probably be using the iRig for a good long while... I can see myself eventually getting an interface that's got more inputs - I'm seeing the value in an interface with more inputs for when people come over to jam now... because we won't have to use little 1x12 speakers if I get an interface with more inputs!

[Mel81x+]

Just now, Dr. Gonzo said:

These look perfect! Although the inputs are a bit limited if I move onto an interface that's not got 1/8 inch output for monitoring & needs an analog out (unless there's some with RCA outputs, but I've not seen any) - and while I'll probably be using the iRig for a good long while... I can see myself eventually getting an interface that's got more inputs - I'm seeing the value in an interface with more inputs for when people come over to jam now... because we won't have to use little 1x12 speakers if I get an interface with more inputs!

For more inputs try the bigger scarletts for more interfacing. Or, get an Audient EVO if its a quartet. I love my Audient and I think its even better than the Scarlett in many ways.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, Mel81x said:

For more inputs try the bigger scarletts for more interfacing. Or, get an Audient EVO if its a quartet. I love my Audient and I think its even better than the Scarlett in many ways.

I was looking at a few different Audients...

... but getting a new interface so soon after getting one to replace my broken Focusrite is probably not something I'm going to do anytime soon  - I think in terms of "expenses" with my music production, I'm probably looking at getting things in this order:

1.) SuperiorDrummer3 - I never should have watched so many videos on how this software works, I've gotten a LOT better at programming MIDI drums (btw, thanks again for your excellent drum samples)... but this software just seems absolutely incredible. I must have it.

2.) Some form of studio monitors - I could see maybe being in a position where I'd get these ahead of SuperiorDrummer3. I don't need SuperiorDrummer3... I just think it would aid me with songwriting pretty significantly. Ultimately, I will NEED studio monitors at some point in the coming months.

3.) An interface with at least 4 inputs - one for me, one for a singer, one for a bass, one for another guitar. That way I can have my friends come up stairs and we can jam/record in my shite little home studio I've cobbled together. Right now, I've got 2 inputs - one in the iRig and 1 in my Yamaha THR10 (which I completely forgot I can use as an interface until Saturday when my bass playing pal came over )

4.) Probably a condenser mic? Something for vocals in my house - nothing too fancy, because recording for a full on album I'd probably do at my mate's house and he's got a much more professional setup with thousands upon thousands invested into interfaces, mics, mixers, etc...

I was looking at the Audient iD14. Also I know Focusrite Scarletts have an excellent reputation for home studio purposes... but idk if it's that the Gen 2 ones were not as good at all, but it really fucking hated my guitars pickups (they're all pretty high output)... especially the ESP with EMGs. I don't know a fucking thing about the preamps in interfaces... but it does seem that whatever the iRig Pro is using is a bit of an upgrade to my old fried Focusrite. I do see that now on the Scarlett product description it specifically mentions active pickups - so I wouldn't be surprised if the newest generation has been improved.

But considering that my SG and Jackson don't have active pickups and they faced similar problems where I was even clipping with the input gain dialed to 0... I'm a bit hesitant to try again with another Focusrite. Audient, however, is a company I've heard nothing but good things about.

[Dr. Gonzo]

@Mel81x if I got those iLoud Micro monitors you showed me earlier (which look, by far, like the best monitors around for a small space - the best competitors are imo PreSonus & JBL... but in terms of sound & size quality, those monitors you showed me look the best. It's more than double the other two in price though ) and then in 6 months to a year I go ahead and buy something like an Audient Evo 8 (which looks fucking fantastic)... in order to hook it up to the monitors could I just get something like a RCA to 1/4 TRS?

That might be more a question for IK Multimedia than you 

I'm pretty pleased with myself though. I've spent all week working on writing a song and I've had all kinds of struggles - from coming up with riffs (because it's easy to come up with a riff, but it's not easy to come up with good riffs lol), to figuring out a song structure (which I think has been the absolute hardest part of songwriting). But last night I had a pretty great breakthrough with my structuring of everything... which I think gave me a huge boost in confidence because some of the takes I recorded after deciding "this is the song's structure" were probably some of the best stuff I've played while the recording is going on.

Red light fright is becoming a thing of the past. And while the song isn't anywhere NEAR done... I feel like now, for the first time in my life, I have written my own song (rather than writing parts of a song, which I'd done before as a kid in bands - just contribute a few riffs to spice up a song my friend had already written).

So while it's a very rough draft and not close to being done yet... and I'm not sure if the song is any good (I like it, but I'm biased lol)... I AM A SONGWRITER NOW!

[Mel81x+]

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

@Mel81x if I got those iLoud Micro monitors you showed me earlier (which look, by far, like the best monitors around for a small space - the best competitors are imo PreSonus & JBL... but in terms of sound & size quality, those monitors you showed me look the best. It's more than double the other two in price though ) and then in 6 months to a year I go ahead and buy something like an Audient Evo 8 (which looks fucking fantastic)... in order to hook it up to the monitors could I just get something like a RCA to 1/4 TRS?

That might be more a question for IK Multimedia than you 

I'm pretty pleased with myself though. I've spent all week working on writing a song and I've had all kinds of struggles - from coming up with riffs (because it's easy to come up with a riff, but it's not easy to come up with good riffs lol), to figuring out a song structure (which I think has been the absolute hardest part of songwriting). But last night I had a pretty great breakthrough with my structuring of everything... which I think gave me a huge boost in confidence because some of the takes I recorded after deciding "this is the song's structure" were probably some of the best stuff I've played while the recording is going on.

Red light fright is becoming a thing of the past. And while the song isn't anywhere NEAR done... I feel like now, for the first time in my life, I have written my own song (rather than writing parts of a song, which I'd done before as a kid in bands - just contribute a few riffs to spice up a song my friend had already written).

So while it's a very rough draft and not close to being done yet... and I'm not sure if the song is any good (I like it, but I'm biased lol)... I AM A SONGWRITER NOW!

Ill go in reverse here. Firstly, Congrats! Songwriting is such a hit and miss thing that when  you write your first song no matter how good or bad it is its an achievement in itself. 

Secondly, I want to hear it and I am sure others do too like @Happy Blue

Lastly, for RCA to TRS its the way to go but if I am not wrong you want something that does Stereo although I could be 100% wrong here. I used an XLR to TRS (I think jack years ago and it was really good who knows what advancements have been made there). Suffice to say its easy and a lot of folks do it as the iLoud is very popular. 

[Happy Blue]

1 hour ago, Mel81x said:

Ill go in reverse here. Firstly, Congrats! Songwriting is such a hit and miss thing that when  you write your first song no matter how good or bad it is its an achievement in itself. 

Secondly, I want to hear it and I am sure others do too like @Happy Blue

Lastly, for RCA to TRS its the way to go but if I am not wrong you want something that does Stereo although I could be 100% wrong here. I used an XLR to TRS (I think jack years ago and it was really good who knows what advancements have been made there). Suffice to say its easy and a lot of folks do it as the iLoud is very popular. 

Absolutely, lets hear it @Dr. Gonzo  

[Mel81x+]

20 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I was looking at a few different Audients...

... but getting a new interface so soon after getting one to replace my broken Focusrite is probably not something I'm going to do anytime soon  - I think in terms of "expenses" with my music production, I'm probably looking at getting things in this order:

1.) SuperiorDrummer3 - I never should have watched so many videos on how this software works, I've gotten a LOT better at programming MIDI drums (btw, thanks again for your excellent drum samples)... but this software just seems absolutely incredible. I must have it.

2.) Some form of studio monitors - I could see maybe being in a position where I'd get these ahead of SuperiorDrummer3. I don't need SuperiorDrummer3... I just think it would aid me with songwriting pretty significantly. Ultimately, I will NEED studio monitors at some point in the coming months.

3.) An interface with at least 4 inputs - one for me, one for a singer, one for a bass, one for another guitar. That way I can have my friends come up stairs and we can jam/record in my shite little home studio I've cobbled together. Right now, I've got 2 inputs - one in the iRig and 1 in my Yamaha THR10 (which I completely forgot I can use as an interface until Saturday when my bass playing pal came over )

4.) Probably a condenser mic? Something for vocals in my house - nothing too fancy, because recording for a full on album I'd probably do at my mate's house and he's got a much more professional setup with thousands upon thousands invested into interfaces, mics, mixers, etc...

I was looking at the Audient iD14. Also I know Focusrite Scarletts have an excellent reputation for home studio purposes... but idk if it's that the Gen 2 ones were not as good at all, but it really fucking hated my guitars pickups (they're all pretty high output)... especially the ESP with EMGs. I don't know a fucking thing about the preamps in interfaces... but it does seem that whatever the iRig Pro is using is a bit of an upgrade to my old fried Focusrite. I do see that now on the Scarlett product description it specifically mentions active pickups - so I wouldn't be surprised if the newest generation has been improved.

But considering that my SG and Jackson don't have active pickups and they faced similar problems where I was even clipping with the input gain dialed to 0... I'm a bit hesitant to try again with another Focusrite. Audient, however, is a company I've heard nothing but good things about.

ID4 is a superb solo device imo as it has everything you need to get started. 

1. SuperiorDrummer3 is really superior.

2. Get the iLouds you'll be sorted for a long long time

3. When you get something new take a look at this for two years or less from now - https://usa.yamaha.com/products/proaudio/mixers/mg_series_xu_model/index.html . I just got one and it changes the way you see Stereo mixing.

4. AudioTechnica all the way. Cheap, sturdy and does a good job for a condenser mic. If you want long-lasting and want to shell out more then Shure or Rode. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

37 minutes ago, Mel81x said:

Ill go in reverse here. Firstly, Congrats! Songwriting is such a hit and miss thing that when  you write your first song no matter how good or bad it is its an achievement in itself. 

Secondly, I want to hear it and I am sure others do too like @Happy Blue

Lastly, for RCA to TRS its the way to go but if I am not wrong you want something that does Stereo although I could be 100% wrong here. I used an XLR to TRS (I think jack years ago and it was really good who knows what advancements have been made there). Suffice to say its easy and a lot of folks do it as the iLoud is very popular. 

Thanks! I'll let people hear it when it's not anywhere near as rough  right now it's for a few select ears only. I'll put it up on Soundcloud or BandLab when it's a bit more fleshed out. Right now it's a rough song with a start to finish - but it's still missing a bit. I'm still counting it as a "song I've written" though!

At some point in the next week or so I'm probably going to give the drum track a huge re-working. I found it easier to work with a premade groove from the MT Powerdrum2 plugin, edit that a bit - make my own fills (because I really do not like the premade ones in the plugin I've got)... then removing the plugin from the track and going in and using the MIDI samples and running my MIDI track through those sounds. But I think the drums could use a massive overhaul, the current ones were really just there to help me develop the rhythm and structure in a way that was more intuitive to me than just using the click track.

I like working with the grooves, though - because when I make my edits I don't have to worry so much about quantizing or timing. I've found if I'm banging drum bits on my MIDI keyboard out and then I quantize to fix the timing... it sounds... very, very unnatural. Whereas working with a groove and banging in the bits I want to put in, after I've removed beats/editted beats on the piano roll... I can add my own bits in without worrying about quantizing and it'll actually sound a bit better.

I'm looking into paid drum plugins - like SuperiorDrummer3, which I mentioned yesterday, for the better groove libraries. I'm also looking at EZDrummer2 (which I mentioned earlier) and Addictive Drums 2 - which I think might be better for my current level of experience, tbh (and are about half the price of SuperiorDrummer3... so I'd be looking at getting studio monitors a bit quicker)! They've all got pros and cons, so it's actually pretty fucking tough to make a decision. But I think with the way I've found I like working with MIDI drums... any of those would probably be a decent investment. I just need to pick one 

Would RCA to TRS not be stereo? I thought it would be. But I'm an idiot, lol. I'm only asking because it looks like the only inputs for the iLoud Micro are only a 1/8th inch in (which is fine for me right now as that's what I currently link my iRig to my THR/my monitor headphones) & RCA. So I figured 1/4 TRS from the EVO8 (because that looks like the only output there, and it's got the "smart monitoring" when you plug in headphones - which I think is something I can see being very very handy) would go to the RCA on the iLoud?

I suppose I could do TRS to 3.5mm TRRS too? I don't know why I'm worrying about it now, this is more something to worry about when I do end up getting an interface with 4 inputs (which btw, thanks for pointing me towards the EVOs, the EVO8 looks like a perfect idiot-proof interface for what I'd eventually be wanting).

[Dr. Gonzo]

1 minute ago, Mel81x said:

ID4 is a superb solo device imo as it has everything you need to get started. 

1. SuperiorDrummer3 is really superior.

2. Get the iLouds you'll be sorted for a long long time

3. When you get something new take a look at this for two years or less from now - https://usa.yamaha.com/products/proaudio/mixers/mg_series_xu_model/index.html . I just got one and it changes the way you see Stereo mixing.

4. AudioTechnica all the way. Cheap, sturdy and does a good job for a condenser mic. If you want long-lasting and want to shell out more then Shure or Rode. 

Would you go with SuperiorDrummer3 over EZDrummer2 or AddictiveDrums2?

Honestly one of my big concerns there is how many GBs it'll take up in my hard drive 

[Mel81x+]

Just now, Dr. Gonzo said:

Would you go with SuperiorDrummer3 over EZDrummer2 or AddictiveDrums2?

Honestly one of my big concerns there is how many GBs it'll take up in my hard drive 

Luckily I dont have to make that choice haha but SD3 over the other two. I just use Maschine and program drum beats that way and i like their workflow. I dont touch the keyboard, build the groups, tap the slots and then add velocity and I am done.

[Dr. Gonzo]

3 minutes ago, Happy Blue said:

Absolutely, lets hear it @Dr. Gonzo  

I promise I'll let you both hear it once it's a lot less rough.

The recording I've got on my PC upstairs is basically a demo of a demo 

[Happy Blue]

2 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Thanks! I'll let people hear it when it's not anywhere near as rough  

Hey, come on! ..you cant get much rougher than a phone infront of an amp