Episode 42 [Discussion]

[chuckles]

Guitarist and electronic musician Christopher Willits gives the first of many lessons on home recording. In this episode, Willits starts with the basics: how to get sounds from your guitar into your computer using pedals, pickups and Ableton Live. Tune in once a month as Chris tackles different aspects of home recording -- from which gear gives you which sounds to his take on the best available software programs.

[eminemdrdre00]

Christopher Willits = David Prager

[kronos6948]

Ok, being a musician myself who also does some home recording, I watched this episode with baited breath, thinking it would be done by showing options and alternatives for recording.

While the show was quite informative, it basically only showed how Chris records. A lot of his equipment would be quite cost prohibitive to most newcomers to home recording. Sure, his software was free, but I'm sure a lot of other people would go out and buy an external USB enabled sound card that's bundled with software (usually Cakewalk, IIRC).

I would like to see this collection of episodes cover the width and breadth of recording gear and computer options, that way more people can get quality recordings even if they're just beginners.

Now, since this is Rev3, if it was possible for him to cover the tech side of gear (some of us musicians build our own foot pedals, amps, cabinets, guitars, pickups and the like), I definitely would like to see it at least talked about in depth.

I'm hoping that in future episodes, we'll get to see topics such as using VST plugins, production techniques, and how certain effects change your sound and make you sound more professional. Sure, some of this stuff will be old hat to some people, but there's always something you can learn off of other people, so I'm sure there's techniques that he knows that other people may not know.

I'll think more about this and post a few more ideas later.

[kowgod]

This was like a musicky episode of Systm :D

Anyway, an episode such as this could have probably benefitted from being longer. He brushed over a lot of stuff that I guess I just had to take his word for, since I don't necessarily know all of the equipment and lingo.

But still pretty cool. I wish I was talented :D

[mic]

I normally don't download this show (a testament to having a long recent list), but found the information about setting up very interesting. However, towards the end of the large XviD version the video and audio were out of sync.

[numberwang]

Did you download from iTunes? A couple other people have been complaining about audio and video being out of sync at the end with their iTunes downloads as well....
Good to know, thanks

[kowgod]

Did you download from iTunes? A couple other people have been complaining about audio and video being out of sync at the end with their iTunes downloads as well....
Good to know, thanks

Yes, my audio and video were out of sync in itunes. I was actually in the process of doing some pretty hdd intensive stuff at the time, and just thought it was my computer.

Guess not?

[mic]

Did you download from iTunes? A couple other people have been complaining about audio and video being out of sync at the end with their iTunes downloads as well....
Good to know, thanks

No iTunes installed here, nor will it ever be installed here. :) I downloaded this episode, my first actually, directly from the download link at Rev3.

However, it is my understanding that iTunes, for the sake of this conversation, just lists the Rev3 shows, it doesn't do any specific encoding, and the downloads still comes from Rev3 regardless. If that's true, then the sync issue comes from the original encoding process.

[mic]

Yes, my audio and video were out of sync in itunes. I was actually in the process of doing some pretty hdd intensive stuff at the time, and just thought it was my computer. Guess not?

The way I understand it, it's very unlikely a transfer would cause a multimedia file to become out of sync during the downloading process, even with extreme hard drive usage. As the hard drive usage increases toward saturation of the bus, the transfer speed will simply slowdown. If there is corruption, it either preexisted or the file became corrupt after the transfer due to a failing hard drive, over-clocking, memory, power supply, etc. However, corruption doesn't mean a sync issue. You might encounter a glitch in one or both streams, but it should immediately correct itself with any decent player. In this case, the sync issue is preexisting.

PS, I received your PM.

[kowgod]

No, I meant I was transferring huge amounts of data while WATCHING the show, not while downloading it. I had downloaded it several days prior to watching...

[movingrushmore]

I don't normally watch XLR8R but I loved it. I even shot the link to a couple of my friends (and I don't do that very often.) It might be niche, but it was great. And I didn't think it was cost prohibitive other than Live.

[kowgod]

Heheh. Ever since watching this episode, I was like, "Oh man, I wonder if he is related to Nathan Willits!"

But then I realized it's Nathan Willet. And I was slightly saddened. :(

[mic]

No, I meant I was transferring huge amounts of data while WATCHING the show, not while downloading it. I had downloaded it several days prior to watching...

I see what you mean. No, that would have no effect.

[istlota]

This is one of the better Ableton tutorial videos I have watched. I have watched many on YouTube, but here on Revision3, how ever it is being shot, I can actually see clearly the Ableton screen [unlike the YouTube videos]. I experienced no technical problems viewing it.

I learned a lot about improvements I can make to my gear from seeing what he uses. For instance, I now realize that I really need to get an good hardware compressor pedal rather than depend on the compression effect built into my POD.

I would like to get the Doepfer pocket fader he uses, but Doepfer's web site says it is discontinued and ebay doesn't have any used ones for sale. I am trying to figure out how to use some of the programmable pots on my Novation Remote SL keyboard instead.

I can't afford a Motu Traveller yet and, instead, am using a Mackie mixer to mix bass, guitar, and vocals into the USB audio interface built into a Line 6 Pod XT Live.

Ebay always has good deals on used FCB1010s.

I was able to follow along, configuring my Ableton Live software step by step right along with him until he actually started recording which is where I think there may be a step or two that he didn't explicitly describe. There is one point when he is obviously making some changes to Ableton, when he says something about "starting the timeline". Unfortunately, the camera is aimed at him and not at the Ableton screen. Hopefully, he can go back over this in the next lesson which I am really looking forward to watch and study.