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What have been the highlights of your musical year?


Mark L

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I'm rediscovering a few things too:

(1) I absolutely hate playing in a cover band (still),

(2) ALL lead singers get LSD after a while,

(3) Drummers have me by the short curly hairs,

(4) If you aspire to be successful you really have to do almost all of it by yourself,

(5) Hauling heavy gear around 3 nights a week really sucks (worse as you get older),

(6) There is absolutely no one you can trust in the music business. If you want to make a group of musicians laugh, just tell them you trust your bandmates.... facepalm.gif

(7) As Pat Coast would say, "We thought we were musicians but we're just beer salesmen."

(8) It's of absolutely no use to work your ass off if you don't also work smart.

That about sums it up.

Terry D.

P.S. lol @ your "signing with a record company" and a heartfelt good luck with that. wink.gif

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I'm rediscovering a few things too:

(1) I absolutely hate playing in a cover band (still),

(2) ALL lead singers get LSD after a while,

(3) Drummers have me by the short curly hairs,

(4) If you aspire to be successful you really have to do almost all of it by yourself,

(5) Hauling heavy gear around 3 nights a week really sucks (worse as you get older),

(6) There is absolutely no one you can trust in the music business. If you want to make a group of musicians laugh, just tell them you trust your bandmates.... facepalm.gif

(7) As Pat Coast would say, "We thought we were musicians but we're just beer salesmen."

(8) It's of absolutely no use to work your ass off if you don't also work smart.

That about sums it up.

Terry D.

P.S. lol @ your "signing with a record company" and a heartfelt good luck with that. wink.gif

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I mastered Tonadilla by ear in only five months in my spare time. Because I didn't want to radically keep retuning my classical guitar I just learned it with a drop D tuning so I had to make some contorted chords, and that tune is a serious chordal workout. The stress from learning it prompted me to create a slower stress relieving tune in the same tuning. Tonadilla was the right in line with the stressful 2012.

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I mastered Tonadilla by ear in only five months in my spare time. Because I didn't want to radically keep retuning my classical guitar I just learned it with a drop D tuning so I had to make some contorted chords, and that tune is a serious chordal workout. The stress from learning it prompted me to create a slower stress relieving tune in the same tuning. Tonadilla was the right in line with the stressful 2012.

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Well, one obvious highlight is how working with Mark gave me a different approach to finishing projects, and now I have seven tunes posted on my YouTube channel. So props to the English dude, and a heartfelt thanks; a major highlight was when "Black Market Daydreams" passed 1,000 views. This just shows for the 47,569th time that collaborating is always better than working in a vacuum. Or even worse, in a vacuum cleaner. But, there are some other highlights.

  • My vocals all of a sudden got an order of magnitude better. I have no idea why, and I wished it had happened 40 years ago...but better late than never smile.gif
  • For whatever reason, Sonar X2 really syncs with how I work, and I've been able to work much more efficiently since X2 came out. Projects are taking me half the time they used to take.
  • My Windows computer is pretty much the poster child for 64-bit operation, and that too has helped the cause.
  • The Line 6 Dream Rig really is a dream rig for me. My plan is to keep the Dream Rig pro review going until I die so Line 6 won't ask for it back.
  • I don't care what anyone says, the Firebird X is an amazing guitar. Sure, it looks weird, and do you really need onboard effects? I just like the way it plays and feels. It's sort of like the ultimate Telecaster, and I've always liked Teles.
  • Getting Komplete has totally rocked my world. That and a DAW, and you're done.
  • Slowly but surely, I'm getting better at DJing. Anyone who thinks it's easy to be a good DJ probably thinks it's easy to be a good producer. I almost feel I'm at the point where I'll be good enough to add some interesting twists to the process.
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Well, one obvious highlight is how working with Mark gave me a different approach to finishing projects, and now I have seven tunes posted on my YouTube channel. So props to the English dude, and a heartfelt thanks; a major highlight was when "Black Market Daydreams" passed 1,000 views. This just shows for the 47,569th time that collaborating is always better than working in a vacuum. Or even worse, in a vacuum cleaner. But, there are some other highlights.

  • My vocals all of a sudden got an order of magnitude better. I have no idea why, and I wished it had happened 40 years ago...but better late than never smile.gif
  • For whatever reason, Sonar X2 really syncs with how I work, and I've been able to work much more efficiently since X2 came out. Projects are taking me half the time they used to take.
  • My Windows computer is pretty much the poster child for 64-bit operation, and that too has helped the cause.
  • The Line 6 Dream Rig really is a dream rig for me. My plan is to keep the Dream Rig pro review going until I die so Line 6 won't ask for it back.
  • I don't care what anyone says, the Firebird X is an amazing guitar. Sure, it looks weird, and do you really need onboard effects? I just like the way it plays and feels. It's sort of like the ultimate Telecaster, and I've always liked Teles.
  • Getting Komplete has totally rocked my world. That and a DAW, and you're done.
  • Slowly but surely, I'm getting better at DJing. Anyone who thinks it's easy to be a good DJ probably thinks it's easy to be a good producer. I almost feel I'm at the point where I'll be good enough to add some interesting twists to the process.
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I haven't really put much out there music wise in 2012 but I sure have amassed some great gear and a lot more space to do it in when I do! I'm slowly but surely learning the Anime Studio Pro program that I want to use with my music video production and then I'll start in on the Poser book and program.

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I haven't really put much out there music wise in 2012 but I sure have amassed some great gear and a lot more space to do it in when I do! I'm slowly but surely learning the Anime Studio Pro program that I want to use with my music video production and then I'll start in on the Poser book and program.

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Finally being able to write with no barriers.
Have the Daw, Logic Pro 9 for me
Have the computer that can go start to finish. MP 3.1
Can't think of the last time I had a crash.
May go SSD's for Audio and another for Samples this year.
Crucial 512 MB for $369 at my local bestbuy.
I play drums now too, my Roland TD 8 kit...
Love the live feel, SD2 and now Slate drums rawk
AxeFx II guitars just cut through the mix now, no tweaking, just a little lo cut.
Looking forward to my move to Wasaga Beach in the next few weeks.
Have the $$ to spray foam a double car garage and setup "shop" in there.
Looking forward to jamming again, seems to have a great music vibe round there...
smile.gif

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Finally being able to write with no barriers.
Have the Daw, Logic Pro 9 for me
Have the computer that can go start to finish. MP 3.1
Can't think of the last time I had a crash.
May go SSD's for Audio and another for Samples this year.
Crucial 512 MB for $369 at my local bestbuy.
I play drums now too, my Roland TD 8 kit...
Love the live feel, SD2 and now Slate drums rawk
AxeFx II guitars just cut through the mix now, no tweaking, just a little lo cut.
Looking forward to my move to Wasaga Beach in the next few weeks.
Have the $$ to spray foam a double car garage and setup "shop" in there.
Looking forward to jamming again, seems to have a great music vibe round there...
smile.gif

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The big deal for me was also finding my songwriting muse after having pretty much considered it a divorce for a long time.

And I have an electric guitar amp now, my first. Been playing my el cheapo strat knockoff through NI Guitar Rig to date. Which is fun, but also not fun if that's all you have for an amp and effects.

So now with all this new material and a real guitar rig, I need to record a lot. So that will be the 2103 story.

Right now I'm cherrypicking the end-of-year specials. Downloading some UAD plugs on sale, that sort of thing. And reorganizing my tiny studio.

HOW can a little studio get to be such a mess in such a short time???

nat whilk ii

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The big deal for me was also finding my songwriting muse after having pretty much considered it a divorce for a long time.

And I have an electric guitar amp now, my first. Been playing my el cheapo strat knockoff through NI Guitar Rig to date. Which is fun, but also not fun if that's all you have for an amp and effects.

So now with all this new material and a real guitar rig, I need to record a lot. So that will be the 2103 story.

Right now I'm cherrypicking the end-of-year specials. Downloading some UAD plugs on sale, that sort of thing. And reorganizing my tiny studio.

HOW can a little studio get to be such a mess in such a short time???

nat whilk ii

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I'm able to play the violin again, regular and electric, at will, for the most part.

I started playing when I was five. Payed a mortgage for 15 years by playing, came home from the job and did more playing. And then for 10 years it was just too painful to play much because of a whiplash injury.

Well, I'll never be an all day player again, but I'm very thankful for the grace that's come my way, and for the most part, I'm me again! And not so rusty as I'd feared smile.gif

Happy New Year to you all!!! thumb.gifwave.gif

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I'm able to play the violin again, regular and electric, at will, for the most part.

I started playing when I was five. Payed a mortgage for 15 years by playing, came home from the job and did more playing. And then for 10 years it was just too painful to play much because of a whiplash injury.

Well, I'll never be an all day player again, but I'm very thankful for the grace that's come my way, and for the most part, I'm me again! And not so rusty as I'd feared smile.gif

Happy New Year to you all!!! thumb.gifwave.gif

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Cheers guys. Ill use some of yours.

Quote Originally Posted by MrKnobs View Post
(3) Drummers have me by the short curly hairs,
(5) Hauling heavy gear around 3 nights a week really sucks (worse as you get older),
Hauling heavy gear around at all I would say

Quote Originally Posted by MrKnobs View Post
(6)If you want to make a group of musicians laugh, just tell them you trust your bandmates.... facepalm.gif

(7) As Pat Coast would say, "We thought we were musicians but we're just beer salesmen."
Quote Originally Posted by Anderton View Post
  • My vocals all of a sudden got an order of magnitude better. I have no idea why, and I wished it had happened 40 years ago...but better late than never smile.gif
  • Yes (although 30 years ago) and its of no use to me know really. I am all but over playing. Because my playing is getting worse.
    With regard to gigs I didn
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    Cheers guys. Ill use some of yours.

    Quote Originally Posted by MrKnobs View Post
    (3) Drummers have me by the short curly hairs,
    (5) Hauling heavy gear around 3 nights a week really sucks (worse as you get older),
    Hauling heavy gear around at all I would say

    Quote Originally Posted by MrKnobs View Post
    (6)If you want to make a group of musicians laugh, just tell them you trust your bandmates.... facepalm.gif

    (7) As Pat Coast would say, "We thought we were musicians but we're just beer salesmen."
    Quote Originally Posted by Anderton View Post
  • My vocals all of a sudden got an order of magnitude better. I have no idea why, and I wished it had happened 40 years ago...but better late than never smile.gif
  • Yes (although 30 years ago) and its of no use to me know really. I am all but over playing. Because my playing is getting worse.
    With regard to gigs I didn
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    Yeah... Mr. Knobs saying how playing in a cover band can suck? I feel the same. To each his own in their own time, but after jumping in again for fun this year, it really was not fun. It was a relief deciding to leave, as much as I enjoyed the guys.

    The highlight? Probably rediscovering the simple joys of entertaining a small group at a party with just a guitar, voice and a song.

    Those two seemingly similar experiences ended up being two very different things for me.

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    Yeah... Mr. Knobs saying how playing in a cover band can suck? I feel the same. To each his own in their own time, but after jumping in again for fun this year, it really was not fun. It was a relief deciding to leave, as much as I enjoyed the guys.

    The highlight? Probably rediscovering the simple joys of entertaining a small group at a party with just a guitar, voice and a song.

    Those two seemingly similar experiences ended up being two very different things for me.

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    2012 was a period of rebuilding for me personally. And all in all, have to say I feel like I made major strides to get back on track not only with music by my life.

    Thru 2008 to 10, I managed to lose everything. My house, my gf, my job, my studio. And even myself.. I unwittingly allowed someone the power to control me. I had no confidence, I felt like a leaf in the wind just floundering around.

    2011 I walked away from it all. Found myself alone and depressed, but eventually landed a rewarding job.

    2012 I woke up and realized, everything is now under my control. So I started working out again (kickboxing) and then reconnected with old friends and family. Also was very happy to meet several new friends.

    I bought a used piano and started learning to play the keys better than I ever have.

    I also formed a new band with a unique sound (fuzz bass, harmonica, drums and vox) a mix of sexy style funk and hardcore. I jokingly call it sex metal.

    And Tidied up some old projects as well.

    A productive year, in terms of creation, we've written about 10 new songs. I am very proud of them. We played a handful of successful gigs, no money of course but very positive feedback. We just wrapped up some minor construction to create a couple of sonic spaces, one lively room and one dry room. We plan to kick in the new year with some recording, then on to some spring and summer shows.

    Now that I'm back amongst the living and on stable ground, I fully intend to kick 2013 right in the ass.

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    2012 was a period of rebuilding for me personally. And all in all, have to say I feel like I made major strides to get back on track not only with music by my life.

    Thru 2008 to 10, I managed to lose everything. My house, my gf, my job, my studio. And even myself.. I unwittingly allowed someone the power to control me. I had no confidence, I felt like a leaf in the wind just floundering around.

    2011 I walked away from it all. Found myself alone and depressed, but eventually landed a rewarding job.

    2012 I woke up and realized, everything is now under my control. So I started working out again (kickboxing) and then reconnected with old friends and family. Also was very happy to meet several new friends.

    I bought a used piano and started learning to play the keys better than I ever have.

    I also formed a new band with a unique sound (fuzz bass, harmonica, drums and vox) a mix of sexy style funk and hardcore. I jokingly call it sex metal.

    And Tidied up some old projects as well.

    A productive year, in terms of creation, we've written about 10 new songs. I am very proud of them. We played a handful of successful gigs, no money of course but very positive feedback. We just wrapped up some minor construction to create a couple of sonic spaces, one lively room and one dry room. We plan to kick in the new year with some recording, then on to some spring and summer shows.

    Now that I'm back amongst the living and on stable ground, I fully intend to kick 2013 right in the ass.

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    I am abandoning digital to as much a degree as possible without hurting my self as a marketable studio from here on out.
    Digital sucks, it sounds like {censored}.
    Also it causes more headaches, detours and distractions to making good music than anything else there is.
    I'm out.

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    I am abandoning digital to as much a degree as possible without hurting my self as a marketable studio from here on out.
    Digital sucks, it sounds like {censored}.
    Also it causes more headaches, detours and distractions to making good music than anything else there is.
    I'm out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by roomjello View Post
    I am abandoning digital to as much a degree as possible without hurting my self as a marketable studio from here on out.
    Digital sucks, it sounds like {censored}.
    Also it causes more headaches, detours and distractions to making good music than anything else there is.
    I'm out.
    Just outta curiosity, have you tried recording at really high sample rates, like 192kHz? Some smart people I know were on the "digital is crap" side of the fence, but have been swearing to me that recording at 192kHz makes a significant difference - far more than the difference between 96 and 44.1. They say it has nothing to do with frequency response, but the ability to reproduce phase angles properly idn_smilie.gif
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    Quote Originally Posted by roomjello View Post
    I am abandoning digital to as much a degree as possible without hurting my self as a marketable studio from here on out.
    Digital sucks, it sounds like {censored}.
    Also it causes more headaches, detours and distractions to making good music than anything else there is.
    I'm out.
    Just outta curiosity, have you tried recording at really high sample rates, like 192kHz? Some smart people I know were on the "digital is crap" side of the fence, but have been swearing to me that recording at 192kHz makes a significant difference - far more than the difference between 96 and 44.1. They say it has nothing to do with frequency response, but the ability to reproduce phase angles properly idn_smilie.gif
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