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Post by matt on Aug 31, 2021 8:19:01 GMT -6
I have not tried the P90 model, but I have a set of Fluence in one of my strats. They are hum-free and sound good, particularly with the boost switch engaged. They sound a little "hi-fi" to my ears, which is not a bad thing.
I like them enough that I am going to try both humbucker (Les Paul) and P90 (SG) in the near future.
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Post by matt on Aug 18, 2021 20:07:03 GMT -6
I've reversed my 2020 decision to go ITB and am investing in some new hardware (Audioscape D-Comp, Heritage 609A, Fatso, and more). There's new interfaces coming too, to take advantage of vanilla Pro Tools going 64x64 I/O. Hello hardware inserts! Fun times- and expensive, but sometimes you just gotta say WTF. I am thankful to the rock gods that I did not go crazy and sell anything!
Awesome! I'm with you all the way. The Hardware inserts on/in Pro Tools and real gear are my lifeblood here. So immediate, so organic, so simple. Once you get things set up, it will revolutionize the way you work. Good luck with it!! Thanks Bill! It's re-kindled my desire to push my mixing to a new level.
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Post by matt on Aug 14, 2021 8:14:49 GMT -6
Powell's approach is seductive, and has won me over. Two events recently converged for me: 1) my bassist/consiglieri casually dropped via text message that our sound is old-school rock, so our recordings should be too (it's a shame that you have a pile of nice analog gear, all unplugged), and 2) I rediscovered Vance's excellent pureMix content, and watched all of it- more than once. As a result, I've reversed my 2020 decision to go ITB and am investing in some new hardware (Audioscape D-Comp, Heritage 609A, Fatso, and more). There's new interfaces coming too, to take advantage of vanilla Pro Tools going 64x64 I/O. Hello hardware inserts! Fun times- and expensive, but sometimes you just gotta say WTF. I am thankful to the rock gods that I did not go crazy and sell anything!
Also, while I have moved on from teaching sites such as Mix With The Masters (it's an interesting site, just not to my taste anymore- not enough rock-related content), pureMix keeps me hooked due mostly to Vance. I also enjoy Fab, Greg Wells, and others. IMO Fab has created the best tutorial-based community out there. Vance's "Start to Finish" work is particularly killer and inspiring.
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Post by matt on Apr 12, 2021 18:06:34 GMT -6
Selling my Martin D-28 Authentic. I have gone back and forth more times than I can count. I traded my pristine HD-28 for a Gibson J-200 Parlor a couple of years ago. It was a great move- full size dreadnoughts feel big to me, and the J plays like an electric due to it's wonderful shallow C neck profile and J-165 size body.
Cash in the pocket is always a good thing. Put it into something you will use, or just save it (which I've never been good at).
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Post by matt on Mar 15, 2021 17:48:59 GMT -6
60 and doing OK in most ways. But, except for one aunt, my brother and I are the oldest in my family. It's weird. And several of my close life-long friends are dead. All the aphorisms that warn about growing old are true. As the song goes- Ain't it funny, how time slips away.
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Post by matt on Feb 23, 2021 17:47:09 GMT -6
Hey matt - download Cygnus and see what you think. I like it so far. I'm going to shoot out the Deluxe model with the real thing later this week. I'm coming around to the conclusion that the AF3 does Fender-type amps better than old Marshall (which is where I live). It's a matter to degree though- good vs great. The metal amps are pretty great too, but not my style.
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Post by matt on Feb 17, 2021 17:08:52 GMT -6
Matt, I get what you're saying - to me the Komet has a certain harmonic richness while retaining enough clarity to cut through that the axe doesn't quite get yet.
(you) can hear it transition from clean to full as I roll up the guitar volume.
Sounds very good! Allman Bros, one of my favorites.
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Post by matt on Feb 16, 2021 10:49:52 GMT -6
I think some amp designers (Komet) call this characteristic "fast" Matt - I have a Komet Concorde that was/is my favorite live lead tone (2004-2011ish) - but damn it was one loud amp I took a serious look at the Komet 60 a while back but never bought one. From what I've heard, Komet amps capture the elusive tone that I'm talking about. I have a pile of heads that don't quite do it for me including some esoteric models (Cameron CCV, 1995 SLO 100, pre-mass produced Friedman Marsha, Jimmy Wigle Purplexi 100, etc etc) so I'm reluctant to pop for anything new for a change. I am really digging the Morris XSIII right now for that aggressive heavy tone that I think the AF3 could improve on. Heavy but with an underlying clarity, its not easy to achieve. And all his amps clean up nicely at the guitar. But I digress- I hope FW16 adds more of this Marshallesque mojo to the relevant models. I'd much rather use the AF3 in the studio!
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Post by matt on Feb 15, 2021 12:36:57 GMT -6
Probably moving to Grace’s hometown - or close to it. Yes, appears so. They bought a farmstead and are converting it into a large studio complex. He talks about it at length here:
EV gives me a case of envy in many ways!
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Post by matt on Feb 13, 2021 18:26:40 GMT -6
Apparently, there’s a major update coming...Cliff posted this a week or so ago “ I unlocked the secret of "chug"." I was very glad to see this on the Fractal forum. I've realized over time that there is something missing from the modeling of the Marshall Plexi amps. A great early Marshall exhibits an aggressive/sharp transient when a note or chord is picked that the AF3 doesn't do. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I wouldn't call it "chug". I think some amp designers (Komet) call this characteristic "fast" but who knows, amp terminology is so subjective these days. Greg Morris of Morris Amps calls it "raw" and even includes a control for it on some amps he makes. My ears hear this elusive tone as bright but not harsh, distorted but not fuzzed on the fundamental note. Brown but not burnt (unless you're looking for the Billy Gibbons/early live ZZ tone. That would be barbecued). Light Brown, perhaps? I hope Cliff delivers, otherwise I'm going to call Greg Morris and place an order.
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Post by matt on Dec 28, 2020 12:38:01 GMT -6
Just ordered one yesterday. The endorsements here were all I needed. Going to run it to a free slot on my Spdif splitter. Just FYI - I have no idea how it does with spdif/digital. I think it only operates at 48 and has to be the master I record over spdif with the AF3 set to internal clock. For whatever reason -maybe by accident- I do not clock to it with my interface or system and it records fine into my Trashcan/Pro Tools rig. Everything is run at 48K. I've also used the analog outs with no issue.
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Post by matt on Dec 13, 2020 20:00:36 GMT -6
No Pro Tools. Reaper here. So no brand match for hardware. Since stability is #1 for me, it would be a main consideration for an interface- next to the feature set, of course. Good luck!
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Post by matt on Dec 13, 2020 19:55:30 GMT -6
I've built a good relationship with people at two of the stores near me. I occasionally trade stuff in, and their no-hassle approach is easy for me. Yes, I could get more $ selling privately but the way many would-be buyers behave in personal deals is a huge turn-off for me. I don't expect expertise -GC is a retail chain after all- so all I need most of the time is help at the register. When I have trades, I deal with certain go-to individuals who know my name and that I'm a serious customer when I call or show up.
I hope GC survives. I hope my friends are still there when covid is over. But I doubt it, most GC staff is young and won't have the financial resources to handle being out of work or have cut hours (my local stores were closed for a while and then only did curb-side sales after that. They are all open now but have limited stock). I was young and poor once, so I can relate. Best of luck to them, they need it. We all need it.
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Post by matt on Dec 13, 2020 19:32:32 GMT -6
Are you a Pro Tools user? If so, while it's a budget stretch, I'd look at the Carbon.
As the years pile up, I'm coming around to the idea that there's some merit to buying the same brand as your DAW where possible. So, Studio One > Presonus, Pro Tools > Avid, Cubase > Steinberg, Luna > UAD, etc. IMO, these days, most interface brands can deliver fine results. Avid's Carbon gives nearly half an HDX card's low-latency performance without having to empty your wallet (as much).
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Post by matt on Dec 10, 2020 17:47:54 GMT -6
Good old Waves L2 here. I just tickle it a db or so. Too much reduction and it destroys the signal.
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Post by matt on Nov 2, 2020 7:34:20 GMT -6
They've issued one more code, good through the 3rd: SPOOKY-2999. According to the email, older codes will not work anymore.
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Post by matt on Oct 26, 2020 19:27:11 GMT -6
I am not looking for sympathy... but I felt it would be good for me to share this....as I share good things about my music....and honestly I need to get it off my chest. At this point, it’s got to be purely about your love for it. Only for yourself. ^^^^ This, 100%. Me and the boys talk about this regularly, as in "wouldn't it be great to be known/popular/successful" etc, etc. Or, "we need to get more songs out". Every time it comes up (last Saturday on Zoom) I reply the same way- I do it for them and pretty much nothing else. I do it because they are life-long friends since high school, brothers from other mothers, and every hour and every penny I invest in all the things it takes to make music is because the time we've spent together (and will again when COVID is over) is precious to me. After six years of writing music we have barely one album of our own material, and it doesn't bother me. Some people paint to fulfill their artistic ambition. We make music, since we were 15 (we all just entered our 60s). Yes we are old, but we rock more than ever, and our passion is undiminished. I wouldn't have it any other way. Keep pushing Peter. There's a reason why we all keep making music in the face of intense adversity. We are musicians. What else would we do?
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Post by matt on Oct 20, 2020 21:11:00 GMT -6
How finicky did you guys find the plug-in module contacts to be? The thing I always heard, and was true of the one I encountered, you had to keep some contact cleaner on standby and somewhat frequently clean contacts and re-seat the modules. I always checked the seating on mine prior to use. I never had an issue but I did not swap modules out very much.
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Post by matt on Oct 3, 2020 9:04:55 GMT -6
Those biker bars are usually in the bowels of a town. This one's right on the main drag. Or what there is of a main drag. The town's motto? "A hard drinking biker town with an artist problem!" Hahaha!! I had to buy THAT T-Shirt. LOL Engaging in a bit of speculation, but I think this place is in a little hillside town that goes by the name of Jerome. I've been there once and don't remember it very well. But that's another story!
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Post by matt on Oct 2, 2020 17:53:51 GMT -6
I owned two heads and a bunch of modules back in the '80s. I was friends with the SD regional sales rep and he hooked me up with every module available, it was a beautiful thing. Went back to Marshall after a while though when a '69 100 watt crossed my path. Now there's an amp I wish I still had! You had every module? Did you have the 'Melting Marshall' and the 'AC30' modules? Seymour told me that they made some, but very very low numbers. I had the AC30 but not the Melting Marshall- my SD rep must have not known about it. Bummer, I think I would have loved to try one! But the truth is, I settled on a subset of them (which I don't exactly remember) and sat on one channel most of the time. It's a great amp and a groundbreaking design.
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Post by matt on Sept 30, 2020 18:52:48 GMT -6
I owned two heads and a bunch of modules back in the '80s. I was friends with the SD regional sales rep and he hooked me up with every module available, it was a beautiful thing. Went back to Marshall after a while though when a '69 100 watt crossed my path. Now there's an amp I wish I still had!
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Post by matt on Sept 24, 2020 18:23:22 GMT -6
I unplugged everything in my 32 i/o hybrid rig and went in the box in April. Got rid of my desk too. Still coming to grips with the change but I already know I won't go back. Besides issues with hardware delay compensation and end of life gear (Symphony MK1), I started to feel boxed into one method because I became reluctant to twist knobs. I now have a healthy pile of gear to sell/trade, which I'm going to plow into Avid S1s and iPads. I already own a Dock and it's killer. I want to start using VCA spill as a core mixing technique, and the trio of Control/Dock/S1 will do it all night long: Attachment Deleted
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Post by matt on Sept 23, 2020 18:33:17 GMT -6
I own an Alesis DM-10X kit and send MIDI over USB as does everyone else. I record the MIDI directly into Pro Tools but run SD3 in stand-alone mode and not as a plugin. So PT and SD3 run separately, with the plugin instance in PT inactivated. My 8-core Mac trashcan will run a bare PT session at 64 samples buffer while recording a low number of tracks in PT: MIDI, mono guitar and bass, and lead vocal. Since 64 samples happens to be the native buffer size of stand-alone SD3, I can load any kit size that I want, CPU utilization is manageable, and there is no latency issue with MIDI vs audio in the resulting session. Whether we play well enough, now that's a different matter!
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Post by matt on Sept 12, 2020 13:05:34 GMT -6
Macallan 18 here. But it's funny, I'm living the subject line- I've gotten off the Mac/Stella train and hopped on The Wagon for a while. I realized I was just mildly sedating myself every night and not getting anything done. So now I'm sober and still not getting anything done. But the idea of drinking suddenly feels wrong. I'm sure the feeling will pass, thankfully.
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Post by matt on Sept 9, 2020 20:35:12 GMT -6
Using Hansa Marble Room Twin Shell kit right now, pretty much at default settings with the ambiance pulled down some. But the band says the snare on my last mixed kit with 4(!) stacked snares is better, so we'll see. The SDX Rabbit Hole is wide, and deep. You can lose yourself in there. I've built kits that use 12 gigs of ram, it's nutty.
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