Do Something Challenge Discussion Thread

[Alex Kenivel]

@Iron1 you seem to like the SD1 model in the Helix. Why do you pick that over other drives/boosts? I only ask because I like it in front of some amps not so much others

 

[Iron1]

@Iron1 you seem to like the SD1 model in the Helix. Why do you pick that over other drives/boosts? I only ask because I like it in front of some amps not so much others

Mainly because it's my OD of choice in real life. I have 3 of them right now. I also have a Tube Screamer, and I'm not sure there's all that much difference with the way I set them (level maxed, gain at 0). But, it's essentially a 'use what you know'. There are so many other variables to tweak in the Helix that my brain hurts sometimes so using an SD1 is one less thing to fool with when dialing in a preset.

 

[DrewJD82]

Yeah, I automatically started putting them in front JCM800's because I knew Zakk Wylde did and I'm sure plenty of other dudes in the 80's. I didn't even know how that pedal sounded by itself into a clean amp until this week and I've been using them for 5 years on a bunch of Marshall and Friedmans.

 

[Iron1]

Yeah, I automatically started putting them in front JCM800's because I knew Zakk Wylde did and I'm sure plenty of other dudes in the 80's. I didn't even know how that pedal sounded by itself into a clean amp until this week and I've been using them for 5 years on a bunch of Marshall and Friedmans.

I used to run one into the clean channel on my JCM900 back in the 90s and ran the gain and level to max and that rig roared.

 

[Jarick]

Returned the Launchkey Mini and ended up getting the Launchkey 37.

It's not nearly as cute, but feels WAY better to use and to play. Now it feels more like an instrument and less like a toy. Full size keys are much better feeling and more responsive, the pads seem to trigger more accurately, and there's more transport controls. The baby screen will probably come in handy too.

I did kind of plink around on a bunch of different controllers. They didn't have any NI ones there which is a bummer, but I preferred the feel of the Novation to the Arturia. Also looked at the Akai MPK 249 as a potential upgrade choice and didn't feel like it was necessary.

The Launchkey 37 should be enough to inspire me to do some new and different things, which is what I was after. It's also small and light enough to move on and off my desk.

 

[la szum]

The last 2 days and nights have proven one thing very clear. I suck donkey balls and have a lot of work to do.

If repetition is the key to success then I should see some progress, but I feel more like Sisyphus destined to roll
back down the Mountain side all over again. Have 3 different "projects" in the works, and like all "projects" it remains
to be seen if I can love and massage them into anything decent.

It sure is fun, though. Also kind of revealing and harsh in that it confronts one with one's own limitations and inadequacies.
Of course, the only way to ever address those is to be aware of them first, right? Well, there is a lot of awareness here
right now.
It's also funny how our ears change day to day. I am going to blame the fluctuating humidity. Damn you humidity!!
One day the thing that sounds ok doesn't remotely ok the next day, and the next day the thing that sounded like hot garbage the
day before suddenly has potential. Make up your mind music!


I really want to track some live drums like @Alex Kenivel l did, but my balls are not as ginormous as his. Maybe the cream will help.

Lotion and lube on everything. Put it on all the tracks!!! That's the secret!

 

[Alex Kenivel]

The last 2 days and nights have proven one thing very clear. I suck donkey balls and have a lot of work to do.

If repetition is the key to success then I should see some progress, but I feel more like Sisyphus destined to roll
back down the Mountain side all over again. Have 3 different "projects" in the works, and like all "projects" it remains
to be seen if I can love and massage them into anything decent.

It sure is fun, though. Also kind of revealing and harsh in that it confronts one with one's own limitations and inadequacies.
Of course, the only way to ever address those is to be aware of them first, right? Well, there is a lot of awareness here
right now.
It's also funny how our ears change day to day. I am going to blame the fluctuating humidity. Damn you humidity!!
One day the thing that sounds ok doesn't remotely ok the next day, and the next day the thing that sounded like hot garbage the
day before suddenly has potential. Make up your mind music!


I really want to track some live drums like @Alex Kenivel l did, but my balls are not as ginormous as his. Maybe the cream will help.

Lotion and lube on everything. Put it on all the tracks!!! That's the secret!

The key to ball sauce is to show them off even if it's a cold day

 

[TJontheRoad]

The last 2 days and nights have proven one thing very clear. I suck donkey balls and have a lot of work to do.

If repetition is the key to success then I should see some progress, but I feel more like Sisyphus destined to roll
back down the Mountain side all over again. Have 3 different "projects" in the works, and like all "projects" it remains
to be seen if I can love and massage them into anything decent.

It sure is fun, though. Also kind of revealing and harsh in that it confronts one with one's own limitations and inadequacies.
Of course, the only way to ever address those is to be aware of them first, right? Well, there is a lot of awareness here
right now.
It's also funny how our ears change day to day. I am going to blame the fluctuating humidity. Damn you humidity!!
One day the thing that sounds ok doesn't remotely ok the next day, and the next day the thing that sounded like hot garbage the
day before suddenly has potential. Make up your mind music!


I really want to track some live drums like @Alex Kenivel l did, but my balls are not as ginormous as his. Maybe the cream will help.

Lotion and lube on everything. Put it on all the tracks!!! That's the secret!

Reminds me of an old story that goes something like…

A man from a foreign land goes to see a bull fight for the first time. Afterwards, he’s energized by the spectacle of man vs. beast. Upon leaving the arena, he sees a small cafe across the street. Its name is, “Pelotas De Pelea”. He has no idea what that means, but it sounds good and he is very hungry. He sits down and notices the table next to him is dining on what looks to be a delicious dish. It was two big round succulent looking meatballs with a thick red sauce. He asks the server what it is and if can order it. The server tells him that it is the special meal of balls that was harvested from the prior day's bull fight. They only have one harvest a day so the dish must be reserved. Lucky for our traveler, he was able to reserve the special dish for the next day.

Once again, the next day the traveler sees the bull fight and is amazed. His hunger finds himself at the Pelotas De Pelea cafe ready for his big meal. The plate is served but he is now very upset. He finds the dish to be very much smaller than he remembered. He was insulted by this inhospitable treatment of a foreigner. He insisted that he was being mistreated. The server only replied, "Senior, you must understand by now that the bull doesn't always loose".

 

[Alex Kenivel]

confronts one with one's own limitations and inadequacies

We all have limitations! Put those balls out there! I'm not a huge fan of my voice, but with practice I got pretty good at using it. It's been a few years and I haven't sung much at all, and my vocal abilities are lacking big time. I'm trying to get that back up to par and everyone here gets to hear my bumpy progress.

 

[DrewJD82]

We all have limitations! Put those balls out there! I'm not a huge fan of my voice, but with practice I got pretty good at using it. It's been a few years and I haven't sung much at all, and my vocal abilities are lacking big time. I'm trying to get that back up to par and everyone here gets to hear my bumpy progress.

Hahahahha the song I’m writing now….I dunno how long it’ll take me to be able to sing it. I’m so out of practice and it’s heavily inspired by Queensryche. Doesn’t mean I have to sing it like Geoff Tate, but I wrote the chorus specifically for a huge vocal to go over the top of it and if I can pull it off how I‘m hearing it in my head, it’s going to require some vocal athletics. Definitely nothing I can do at home, so I might actually come to work at night so I can belt it out and not have my neighbors calling the cops. Just hope the cleaning crew doesn’t get freaked out.

 

[la szum]

We all have limitations! Put those balls out there! I'm not a huge fan of my voice, but with practice I got pretty good at using it. It's been a few years and I haven't sung much at all, and my vocal abilities are lacking big time. I'm trying to get that back up to par and everyone here gets to hear my bumpy progress.

 

[la szum]

Hahahahha the song I’m writing now….I dunno how long it’ll take me to be able to sing it. I’m so out of practice and it’s heavily inspired by Queensryche. Doesn’t mean I have to sing it like Geoff Tate, but I wrote the chorus specifically for a huge vocal to go over the top of it and if I can pull it off how I‘m hearing it in my head, it’s going to require some vocal athletics. Definitely nothing I can do at home, so I might actually come to work at night so I can belt it out and not have my neighbors calling the cops. Just hope the cleaning crew doesn’t get freaked out.

Haha! That's awesome! I did something like that in 1991 when I did a DIY album. Worked in a retail
music establishment and had the keys to open and close. I used to go in there in the middle of the
night to record the LOUD bits I couldn't do elsewhere. Both vocals and mic'd up amps. Luckily, it worked
out. I never got busted. I was a bit paranoid, though. The Cops would come and do a door check of all
the businesses at odd times.... and I feared they might hear me bringing the Thunder at 3AM and wonder
WTF?!

 

[Jarick]

One of the albums I recorded, I did the drums in my parents garage. Basically took over the garage for a couple weeks setting up mics and everything. I believe I was tracking drums quite often late at night and was surprised to not get any knocks on the door from the cops.

Really there's only been one time the cops showed up at the door. After recording an album for a few months we started going nutty, and decided to do a one-off joke "live" album. I'll call it "party punk" or something like 80's hardcore crossed with a frat party. Song titles like "Beer" and "Ass". High brow stuff.

Anyways, the guitar was running into a Mesa half stack on one side and a 100 watt Marshall half stack on the other, cranked up pretty high. That apparently was enough to get the neighbors annoyed. I believe the last track was the band stopping as someone came down to tell us the cops were here.

 

[la szum]

We all have limitations! Put those balls out there! I'm not a huge fan of my voice, but with practice I got pretty good at using it. It's been a few years and I haven't sung much at all, and my vocal abilities are lacking big time. I'm trying to get that back up to par and everyone here gets to hear my bumpy progress.

Kudos and props! I look forward to hearing you on that journey!

I'll jump in the fire more over time. Like you with kids and obligations I can't dedicate
as much time to my passions as I am sure we would both like. I recorded an album in
2006 right before my son was born. I haven't done much since then recording wise,
for obvious reasons. 17 years goes by in a flash, and now I find that I am year or so away
from being able to have more time to do more music. If I will is another matter.


I applaud your intention to be there for your family. I knew too many "musicians" who made
seriously questionable decisions when it came to stepping up to the plate of parenting. They
put music ahead of what I assumed would be their primary responsibility. Their example showed

me a lot about what NOT to do as a Father.

 

[la szum]

One of the albums I recorded, I did the drums in my parents garage. Basically took over the garage for a couple weeks setting up mics and everything. I believe I was tracking drums quite often late at night and was surprised to not get any knocks on the door from the cops.

Really there's only been one time the cops showed up at the door. After recording an album for a few months we started going nutty, and decided to do a one-off joke "live" album. I'll call it "party punk" or something like 80's hardcore crossed with a frat party. Song titles like "Beer" and "Ass". High brow stuff.

Anyways, the guitar was running into a Mesa half stack on one side and a 100 watt Marshall half stack on the other, cranked up pretty high. That apparently was enough to get the neighbors annoyed. I believe the last track was the band stopping as someone came down to tell us the cops were here.

Most excellent!

I have the Cops captured on a room mic pounding on my front door when
I was recording drums last year. I really need to use that someday!

 

[DrewJD82]

Haha! That's awesome! I did something like that in 1991 when I did a DIY album. Worked in a retail
music establishment and had the keys to open and close. I used to go in there in the middle of the
night to record the LOUD bits I couldn't do elsewhere. Both vocals and mic'd up amps. Luckily, it worked
out. I never got busted. I was a bit paranoid, though. The Cops would come and do a door check of all
the businesses at odd times.... and I feared they might hear me bringing the Thunder at 3AM and wonder
WTF?!

Hahahha awesome. There's a few suites/hallways that'd be AMAZING for recording anything that required a mass amount of natural reverb....my problem is by 9pm I'm usually winding down and getting into that "If I lay down my eyes are going to shut" zone. We'll see, I've had this chorus stuck in my head for a few days now and I'm kinda sick of not releasing material on account of not having vocals finished. I should just attempt it here in my apartment some time and see what I can get away with before the po-po shows up.

 

[la szum]

Bathroom? That has been my Iso Booth before.

 

[Jarick]

It's a requirement to do some vocal recording in the bathroom at some point.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

The bathroom is right next to my studio desk

It's cool sometimes

There's actually a closet in the bathroom which makes it the most Central cut off spot in the house. It would make a great ISO closet for a cab

 

[Jarick]

Update:

I had an issue with a plugin crashing Garageband and Logic repeatedly. Turns out that was Helix Native. I installed the updated version and so far so good after a few days.