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Friday Influences Thread (November 2015)


bee3

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The mic is a modded MXL990 done by Michael Joly at Oktavamod. You can read about it here: http://www.oktavamodshop.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_28&products_id=189

 

 

Ah...those Octava mics are something else. I picked up a dented little Octava MC-012 from a Guitar Center blow-out for something like $90 years and years ago, and man, it's a killer acoustic small condensor guitar mic. All the acoustic tracks in my Soundcloud account are recorded with it. Mine's unmoded...Joly has been modding these for a long time - it's tempting....

 

nat whilk ii

 

 

 

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Moving Hearts formed in Dublin in 1981 and released this album.

Some of the musicians had played together in other groups such as Planxty.

The album had a big influence on me back then - especially this track which is a sort of Celtic folk / jazz fusion.

 

[video=youtube;DE-Kr7aZa1Q]

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What's with modding a mic? What is done to them to 'improve' them.

Why not a buy a mic that does the job off the shelf? There's thousands to choose from.

 

Just wondering……...

 

Yeah, you're correct - there are plenty to choose from.

 

Every mic is a compromise in some ways - this goes for all the gear, actually. Sometimes the original gear specs just include something stupid or cheap that can be remedied by Mr Fixit at home. Whichever the case, from time to time somebody figures out a relatively easy and cost-effective way to simply mod someone else's design, and if it makes enough of a difference, word gets around. The specific mod depends on the mic or other original gizmo, and the creativity of the mod-inventor.

 

For example - I have a Presonus MP-20 preamp that, in it's day, was a nice B+ sort of preamp. The early runs incorporated Jensen transformers (it was a big selling point) but Presonus quietly switched to a generic transformer that was not quite as good pretty early on. So people started pulling the generics and replacing them with Jensens - easy enough if you are good with a soldering iron.

 

Some mods are so effective and popular, that someone will make a little business specialty out of performing the mod, since most people are not comfortable or experienced with opening up a delicate bit of gear and monkeying around with it's innards. These Octava mods have the reputation of turning already serviceable and inexpensive mics into something exceptional for far less than you'd spend buying straight off the shelf. You already like the mic and know it, and the mod just takes you further in the same direction.

 

Guitar players, of course, are famous for doing this - there's an entire industry devoted to electric guitar mods. And now the guitar makers are working the well-known mods used by famous players back into their own line-ups.

 

Also - it's fun for those so inclined. I love doing this sort of thing, being a DYI person forever.

 

nat whilk ii

 

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^^^ Thanks for the comprehensive explanation. Because I don't do 'serious' recording, I haven't thought about these things.

But I understand the DIY drive - Apart from my good guitars, I also have some Tele components that I like to mess with.

 

I also have my old 1968 Japanese dreadnought that I do unspeakable things to in an attempt to hone my skills at keeping my good guitars well set up and maintained.

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The rap on modded mics is that they don't keep their value, so of course I'm always looking for a used one. :)

 

I have an Apex 460 that I'm thinking about sending to Advanced Audio in Canada, supposedly sounds like an AKG C12.

 

IN the end I realized my obsession w/ mic mods was like any gear obsession, a diversion from finishing music. That said, Justin let me know how that works for you - I'm looking for a good mic on my voice. Not crazy about the SM7B I'm using now.

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I got asked to join a band to play keys. Now I just need to find a keyboard :)

 

I'm thinking I'll go the electric piano route. I really like the Hohner Pianet as a not as heavy, not as many parts to break, not as expensive version of a rhodes. It was used on this classic

 

[video=youtube;yf-d-Ka30EY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf-d-Ka30EY

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I don't remember if I posted this song in a FIT before today, but I typed out all the lyrics last night because I kind of wanted to learn it. It's one of songs that's pulled me through some dark times. There's some great word play here I think some of you will really appreciate it.

 

Guys name is Brent Best. He has a solo record that came out this year. I still need to check that out. This is from when he was playing with a band called the Drahms.

 

[video=youtube;_RsJH3_-mfE]

 

There's a dog that is licking the sweat from my face

There's a few hours gone, you're lost without trace

There's a bottle that's broke but was drank first I'm sure

There's a stain on your shirt and your tongue feels like fur

There's about 15 between me and my bed

It's one room away but you slept here instead

There's blood on the floor from where I hit my head

There's a pain in your brain bit at least you're not dead

 

It's a wondrous life, wondrous life, and I got no misgivings

It's a wondrous life, wondrous life, I find myself living

 

Now the bartenders tending to bar me from drink

His intentions are tender he's helping he thinks

To remind me to mind myself and don't be an ass

His assistance excepted he soon pours a glass

The patrons all patronize the drinkers are drunk

The smokers are smoking they spew with the spunk

Of a jukebox that is choking out meaningless junk

While you fade to fumes in your own cloud of funk

 

It's a wondrous life, wondrous life, and I got no misgivings

It's a wondrous life, wondrous life, I find myself living

 

There's a knock on the door but there's nobody home

Except for you silent, you sit by the phone

It's unplugged from the wall so it won't make the sound

That comes with the call of a girl you once found

To be radiant gold with a brilliance I'm told

That comes when you love someone, strange things unfold

A blissful fog rolls in and clogs up your brain

And you miss little clues that could save you the pain

Of shattered plate windows and old clothes that stink

From three weeks of wearing them, pushed to the brink

With a broken heart brimming with broken heart schemes

Of sorrow and swimming through deep whiskey streams

Yeah, I'll just dive deeper and swim towards the light

That surely must come at the end of the night

Like a sailor, I'll sail on, a pilot I'll fly

On failures freight airliner through turbulent skies

Like a soldier of sorry ill march to the fife

and the drum beat of losers that choose this same life

We'll drink to the morning we'll drink to the light

That surely must come at the end of the night

 

We'll sing to the fallen, we'll sing to the strays

We'll drink till we've driven your memories away

I'll drink to the wonder of wondrous days

When I cast my eyes skyward and at last I can say

 

It's a wondrous life, wondrous life, and I got no misgivings

It's a wondrous life, wondrous life, I find myself living

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