Yes, Audacity is a piece of shit but it can be worked with - and it's a free piece of shit! The reverb is a bitch but once you get the hang of it, it's not that big a deal. Also, there are an almost limitless number of plug-ins (you aren't limited to open source plugins or the ones that are built in - I have over 60 different reverb "units' and close to 200 other plugins). Yes, Audacity is a piece of shit but I like it (I also like that it's open source and that you're not supporting a big conglomerate like Sony. I've recorded close to 150 songs using it and everybody thinks they were cut to tape - exactly what I want. Free is not an issue with me (I don't buy software) so I can use pretty much anything. I have used ProTools, Cakewalk, Cool Edit, etc and I return with great frequency to Audacity. I'm used to it and it doesn't make your recordings sound digital and sterile (most of these programs cut too cleanly and you have to use a plugin to get it to sound dirty - cheating in my book). I also like CoolEdit for the fact that it doesn't cut stuuf to cleanly but it can be a beast to use sometimes. I'm fairly new to digital recording (still prefer my tape machines - I have a TEAC 2340 reel-to-reel from '73, a Tascam PortaStudio 4 track and a Yamaha 8 track - and they all still work perfectly) but I have done enough at this point to know what I like - and I like Audacity. The learning curve is way lower than with some of the other software.

I think you missed the point. "On the cheap" it's great. And it works fine for producing podcasts. I used to use it myself, before Apple released GarageBand. Mang.

the Clowns said:

audacity is a piece of shit, mang.

the reverb settings are complicated and still sound terrible....the list can go on....

i mean, it's good for recording in general, but i wouldn't recomend it...at all.

Pretty interesting article, check it out and discuss:

How to Build an Incredible Sound Studio on the Cheap...

The following is a guest post from Carla Schroder, an instrumentalist, recording pro, and Linux wonk.  She just finished The Book of Audacity, which officially gets released on Thursday (pre-order it from Amazon here).  Audacity is a free, open source, cross-platform audio editor that allows anyone to transform their Windows, Mac, or Linux computer into a powerful recording studio.

This is chapter 2 of the book.

http://digitalmusicnews.com/stories/030811studio

I agree with the guys above, it is better to record one single shot. But if you want to loop it through, just zoom in the wave and cut on the exact spot and you'll have a perfect loop, it's a matter of practice!

I wouldn't waste time with looping, just try to get the whole track in one take man.

Hi.  I hven't used Pro Tools, but I now tried to use a Tempo Matching function on my Studio One for the first time after watchinf this video,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjmXLYM2kcw

and it was very easy, so I guess (hope) it will give you any tip.  (Sorry, I actually don't even understand what he's taliking.:()

yeah i wouldnt waste time on loops. Its probably more time consuming to cut it to exactly the right point so that when you connect it to the next one it syncs perfectly(which it has to) than it is to just play the track over again, at least for me it would be. Then theres punch-ins. I think in any decent recording program you should be able to select the part you screwed up, punch it in and then hit record again and only the part you want to redo is recorded over again. Try to make sure your volume levels havent changed.

From an asthetic standpoint loops will always sound sort of fake because the little imperfections dont change throughout the song.

Agree with Doc. I did an entire album in Audacity, and I'm pretty darn proud of it. I programmed the drums with all the fills and everything to try and make it as realistic as possible. So some of the drumming was "looped", but I spent a lot of time on it. The rest (guitar, bass and organ) was all done in whole takes on separate channels.

Hi Gonzo!

I wouldn't use loops (unless for some electro stuff), for I don't even know how to loop. I'd just record the rhythm track in whole, because I think you'll always hear that a loop is a loop.

The way I record is to take what I got (in my case just Audacity, or some friends with some machines I don't understand) and record on it. The simpler, the better.

Cheers, Doc

Hello fellow lofi punkers. Currently trying to get into recording ..currently using a MAUDIO interface with the inbuild ProTools Essentials software. I've had a play around trying to get a small rythm guitar section to loop but it seems damn hard to get it to sound like a perfect in time progression...despite how fine I manage to play it. Is looping a prefered method of recording or is it pretty common to record one track all in one take ? I need all the help I can get so any friendly pointers or tips are greatly appreciated. thanks.

If you're after a hollow body....I'd look into buying the vintage japanese range...there's a heap of quirky ES335 copies out there that sound just as good and depending on your taste....even better.

I had one, sold it because it was a damn pain in the ass to learn how to figure it out haha. Now gone back to a more simpler method...guitar > blues jnr > shure sm57 > maudio interface

You need a bullet mic for Harmonica.

Yep!

Nervous Shakes's the name of my band;

Much Luv'

Ivan

ok, I can't even find needles.  So, where can I go online to buy some?

Hey,

    Sorta picking up an old thread here...   Have you  (or anyone out there )  had any problems with the speed / pitch on the debut III ?  I notice it has no pitch control. 
~T

Alex said:

I bought my first turntable for $500. It's a Pro-Ject Debut III, and I added on the speedbox that lets you switch from 33 to 45 with the touch of a button. It's really about as high quality as you can get for that price. I'd recommend reading some articles on Stereophile Magazine to see what they recommend.

Well oiled machine? I'll tell that to the other members, I guess they'll have a good laugh :)

I should have made myself clear and add: when it works. The songs we tried and tried again to get together for months are now discarded. The only remaining ones are those "spur of the moment" thingies.

sounds like a well oiled machine!  what kind of oil is that?:)

Doc Torsid said:

Generally speaking, it starts with a bass line or guitar riff, then the whole band plays along the starting elements, and in a short time, all gels into place, even with 90% complete lyrics at times.

Generally speaking, it starts with a bass line or guitar riff, then the whole band plays along the starting elements, and in a short time, all gels into place, even with 90% complete lyrics at times.

Hey kopper I have someone on twitter interested in the pup. I'll message you in the morning.

I'm interested. I've had plenty of public speaking/MC/stage/performing experience plus recording & some garage DJing. Never done a radio show but had a bit of training for the local station (didn't end up presenting as they had a set playlist and crazy rules). My knowledge of local garage/punk/surf is more by osmosis than dedicated collecting, I'm very willing to dig into and explore current and past scenes but if there is someone with a huge record collection and vast knowledge then they should do it ...

Bella mostra. Peccato che non posso andare in Roma.

When I lived in France as a student about 10 years ago I was looking for 70's punk and found a live comp from '78 called "Rock D'ici A L'olympia: La Nuit Punk De L'olympia" with a few of the bands on that list.  I think a lot of French stuff from that period leans more towards new wave, but some of the artists like Stinky Toys, Diesel and Bijou I remember being pretty cool. And I still gotta check out the Dogs. Anyway, I think you can get "Rock D'ici A L'olympia" here:

http://sonsofthedolls.blogspot.com/2008/01/le-rock-dici-lolympia.html

There is so many others then the ones in the articles that were better and far more interesting. Here's few; Béurier Noir, Les Wampas, Parabellum, Les Rats, Les Sheriff, Pigalle, Les Garçons Bouchers, Lolitas, La Mano Negra, OTH, Ludwig Von 88, Les Collabos, Komintern Sect, Camera Silens, and Trotskids. Most of them came from the 80's, but trust it's worth it to give them a good listening!!

Enjoy!!

I just finished the book, and it was a great read from start to finish.  For those of you who play guitar, Keith gives some tips that you may find useful.  

Keith Richards is the personification of rock'n'roll.