I love music

[Frost King]

I just figured i'd make a thread about how much i love music. its very important to me i can't go a day without whether its listening to it or making it. its my comfort i don't know what i would do without it. anyone eles feel this way?

 

[mikepd]

this is hardly music,but I listen to it every day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NisCkxU544c
Like a baws!!!!!!!

 

[kopfhorer1]

Well, I spend every penny i can't afford on music! I'm all over the thrift shops looking for unusual stuff. Just a few days ago, I found a vinyl record by a bunch of military people singing about missile duty!

 

[CrazyLikeAFox]

I still don't own a car, partly because I've spent nearly all my money on musical equipment, which I shall now braggingly list in chronological order of purchase despite knowing that none of you give a crap.

Yamaha P-85 digital piano
Roland KC-350 keyboard amplifier
Korg X50 synthesizer
Keyboard stand with dual-tier attachments
Cakewalk UA-1G USB audio interface with bundled Sonar 6 le sequencing software
God only knows how many of these bloody cables and adaptors
Oddly enough not a single music CD...

 

[QueenBeeBeeMari]

Well,as a musician music is very important to me.I am actually pretty upset right now because I may have to miss another lesson due to being so sick.

 

[Frost King]

Well,as a musician music is very important to me.I am actually pretty upset right now because I may have to miss another lesson due to being so sick.

Yeah since i'm a musician too i know how you feel marie and i have had to miss some shows for family problems are for other reasons so i know how you feel.

 

[AnnoXanti]

I DO. It haunts like a disease.

 

[kopfhorer1]

I still don't own a car, partly because I've spent nearly all my money on musical equipment, which I shall now braggingly list in chronological order of purchase despite knowing that none of you give a crap.

Yamaha P-85 digital piano
Roland KC-350 keyboard amplifier
Korg X50 synthesizer
Keyboard stand with dual-tier attachments
Cakewalk UA-1G USB audio interface with bundled Sonar 6 le sequencing software
God only knows how many of these bloody cables and adaptors
Oddly enough not a single music CD...

Look at it this way. If your keyboard breaks down, it won't leave you stranded miles from nowhere!

Are you saying that you don't buy recorded music at all, or that you just don't buy CDs? If it's the former, well, it just means you'd rather pursue your own craft rather than invest in someone else's. Put another way, there are far worse things to do with one's money than investing it in creative pursuits.

I myself have been known to make a field recording or bootleg a concert (with the performer's knowledge and consent of course).

Well,as a musician music is very important to me.I am actually pretty upset right now because I may have to miss another lesson due to being so sick.

That absolutely bites it. I hope that you've successfully evicted whatever disease agent you've got by the time you read this.

 

[CrazyLikeAFox]

Most other people's music doesn't interest me. These days you can jump into the hobby of music making with nothing more than funds to cover the equipment, whatever that may be. People don't put a lot of value in musical education anymore, and as a result most music from a single genre sounds just the same to me. Songs from the same artist are even worse in that regard, and some bands' work is basically the same thing over and over *cough*DragonForce*cough*.

Creating music or even just performing is far more exciting and satisfying for me.

 

[mikepd]

Most other people's music doesn't interest me. These days you can jump into the hobby of music making with nothing more than funds to cover the equipment, whatever that may be. People don't put a lot of value in musical education anymore, and as a result most music from a single genre sounds just the same to me. Songs from the same artist are even worse in that regard, and some bands' work is basically the same thing over and over *cough*DragonForce*cough*.

Creating music or even just performing is far more exciting and satisfying for me.

Really? Other peoples music doesnt intrest you? If other peoples music did'nt intrest you than you would'nt like music at all.

 

[QueenBeeBeeMari]

Look at it this way. If your keyboard breaks down, it won't leave you stranded miles from nowhere!

Are you saying that you don't buy recorded music at all, or that you just don't buy CDs? If it's the former, well, it just means you'd rather pursue your own craft rather than invest in someone else's. Put another way, there are far worse things to do with one's money than investing it in creative pursuits.

I myself have been known to make a field recording or bootleg a concert (with the performer's knowledge and consent of course).



That absolutely bites it. I hope that you've successfully evicted whatever disease agent you've got by the time you read this.

Thank you,I am feeling so much better today..I think by tomorrow it should be pretty much completely gone.

 

[Frost King]

Thank you,I am feeling so much better today..I think by tomorrow it should be pretty much completely gone.

Thats great news marie🙂

 

[CrazyLikeAFox]

Really? Other peoples music doesnt intrest you? If other peoples music did'nt intrest you than you would'nt like music at all.

I didn't make that very clear did I. I'm not interested in any of the music of this era. Sometimes I'll hear a song that I can enjoy to an extent, but the appreciation is superficial. I haven't heard anything since the 70's that's really inspired me.

When I tell people I write music and they say they do as well, I couldn't care less about their own work.

 

[mikepd]

I didn't make that very clear did I. I'm not interested in any of the music of this era. Sometimes I'll hear a song that I can enjoy to an extent, but the appreciation is superficial. I haven't heard anything since the 70's that's really inspired me.

When I tell people I write music and they say they do as well, I couldn't care less about their own work.

WOW! So you tell people about your music, but when they talk about thier own you dont care? I guess I just dont understand your thinking. I mean why tell people you create music then. That's prolly one of the most f'd up things I've ever heard........PFFFFFFFFFFF

 

[CrazyLikeAFox]

WOW! So you tell people about your music, but when they talk about thier own you dont care? I guess I just dont understand your thinking. I mean why tell people you create music then. That's prolly one of the most f'd up things I've ever heard........PFFFFFFFFFFF

No you'd probably need to be in my shoes to understand :lol I've played the piano since I was 7, I've spent God knows how many hours practicing to develop and maintain my skills and I still raise my goals as I go along. Sometimes I'll spend months working on a composition, studying classical and modern harmonizing, counterpoint, tonal and atonal theory as I go along to ensure the structure is well thought out the whole way through.

Then I hear from people who not only write music but make money out of it. It's their chosen profession, and yet they have next to no instrumental skills, no understanding or appreciation of compositional theory but manage to get by writing unrefined garbage nonetheless. Then there are the people who say they're interested in getting into a band despite having no real education in music, but they assure you they can play by ear very well. They think they can because they haven't had anyone there to correct them, and in fact they can't get the first bar of most songs they play right.

I won't go so far as to claim my music's any good, but I put so much more work into it than the people I've spoken to. So I've come to expect very little from other people while keeping my own standards as high as I can manage. Recently when looking through online ads looking for musicians I came across one where a keyboardist was required: CAN PLAY CHORDS ON KEYS, NO VIRTUOSOS ALLOWED. What kind of a musician has a disdain for technical ability? How far can your music even go without it? So many people just want to be that person in the band without putting in the effort to have something worth showcasing.

So PFFFFFFFFFFFF yourself :stickout

I don't see why I ought to feign interest in the bland genericisms of today's musical climate.



EDIT: Here's a good example: Think of me as that tall, thin, food critic from Ratatouille.

"I don't like food, I love food. And if I don't love food, I don't swallow."

 

[Slaver123]

I still don't own a car, partly because I've spent nearly all my money on musical equipment, which I shall now braggingly list in chronological order of purchase despite knowing that none of you give a crap.

Yamaha P-85 digital piano
Roland KC-350 keyboard amplifier
Korg X50 synthesizer
Keyboard stand with dual-tier attachments
Cakewalk UA-1G USB audio interface with bundled Sonar 6 le sequencing software
God only knows how many of these bloody cables and adaptors
Oddly enough not a single music CD...

Wow! Do you like ambient Space Music by any chance? That's my big thing nowadays.....

How is the X-50? Does it have KARMA?

Sold my Korg Triton a few months ago. Now I just have a Privia digital Piano and a Korg Kaossilator (and an old Roland that's on permanent loan to a guitarist) and of course my Yamaha upright Piano, but I'm looking for a new synth to jam on- any suggestions?

 

[CrazyLikeAFox]

Wow! Do you like ambient Space Music by any chance? That's my big thing nowadays.....

How is the X-50? Does it have KARMA?

Sold my Korg Triton a few months ago. Now I just have a Privia digital Piano and a Korg Kaossilator (and an old Roland that's on permanent loan to a guitarist) and of course my Yamaha upright Piano, but I'm looking for a new synth to jam on- any suggestions?

Korg never compromise on sound, so for your type of music you definitely wouldn't go wrong with the X50. You'd probably find it lacks many of the functions of your old Triton, but the sound is similar and the synth engine might be a bit deeper. I believe the X50 uses the HI synthesis engine the the TR keyboards which might be a generation or two newer than the Triton but I'd recommend you look it up anyway.

I bought the X50 because I was happy to sacrifice an onboard sequencer (software sequencers are more powerful and easy to use anyway) and pay the little bit extra for the sound. I think the Yamaha MM6 has an onboard sequencer but I've heard mostly complaints about the sound. While the Juno-D probably has better piano patches, you probably wouldn't need them anyway with the Privia (the piano I wish I'd bought instead of the P-85) and the X50 does fantastic synthy, spacey sounds as well as sound effects.

The problem (one of) with the X50 is with editing the programs. Even with the bundled software you have to go through pages of parameters like an old FM synth. The knobs on the keyboard itself are for changing set values during performance and don't really help with editing. If you don't need acoustic patches like strings, brass, guitars etc. you might be better off with a Novation X-Station, which are a bit cheaper in the 61-key versions and much cheaper for 25 or 49. That'll give you the pure electronic sound you're probably looking for and a simpler interface. But if I had to pick a winner over sound it'd still be the X50.

Oh the other problem is the keys are awful. But if you're just making music in the studio and not performing that probably won't be a problem. Just don't, for the love of God, attempt a glissando on the black keys.

 

[kopfhorer1]

Wow! Do you like ambient Space Music by any chance? That's my big thing nowadays.....

You too, huh? I've loved that kind of music since the 70's (Can, Tangerine Dream, Faust, Brian Eno, Bill Nelson, etc.) And still do (Sunburned Hand of the Man, Mouthus, Robert Rich, SUNN O))), Acid Mothers Temple, Godspeed You Black Emperor, DJ Shadow, Aphex Twin, et. al.).

I love the music I came of age to, but I'd be doing myself a huge disservice if I fell into the trap of thinking that it and only it was the only music worth hearing.

 

[Slaver123]

Korg never compromise on sound, so for your type of music you definitely wouldn't go wrong with the X50. You'd probably find it lacks many of the functions of your old Triton, but the sound is similar and the synth engine might be a bit deeper. I believe the X50 uses the HI synthesis engine the the TR keyboards which might be a generation or two newer than the Triton but I'd recommend you look it up anyway.

Just don't, for the love of God, attempt a glissando on the black keys.

That's the one I was trying out a few months ago! Went to Sam Ash, trying to break away from using all Korgs, but this was the ONLY synth they had that "did" anything for me at all (and it's basically all Triton-ish sounds)

Maybe a software sequencer would work; I refuse to even try recording audio on a computer again, they're horrible. The only program that worked reliably for me, EVER, was "Cool Edit" (that was at least three computers ago) Since then, every recording program I've tried has been worse than useless. (Cakewalk is the absolute worst, I won't recommend it to anyone ever) I won't trust computers with my musical "babies"

 

[Slaver123]

You too, huh? I've loved that kind of music since the 70's (Can, Tangerine Dream, Faust, Brian Eno, Bill Nelson, etc.) And still do (Sunburned Hand of the Man, Mouthus, Robert Rich, SUNN O))), Acid Mothers Temple, Godspeed You Black Emperor, DJ Shadow, Aphex Twin, et. al.).

I love the music I came of age to, but I'd be doing myself a huge disservice if I fell into the trap of thinking that it and only it was the only music worth hearing.

I'm a late-comer to "Space" music. First I heard it was in 2005 or 06 on "Star's End" and "Echoes" (late-night radio programs) I recognized some of the synth sounds from my own keyboards- some of it sounded like my own random jamming. I'd never heard synths used that way before in the 'real' world.


Don't worry, I'm not limited to one genre but Space music has revitalized my musical life. Imagine stumbling onto a whole wonderful Genre you never knew existed before? When you're 36, no less, and your life seems like it's already over (I'm 40 now) when enthusiasm has waned....

Is there a good musical forum to discuss this sorta thing? Cause now the crazy "tickling" people know WAY TOO MUCH about me... 🙂

 

[CrazyLikeAFox]

Maybe a software sequencer would work; I refuse to even try recording audio on a computer again, they're horrible. The only program that worked reliably for me, EVER, was "Cool Edit" (that was at least three computers ago) Since then, every recording program I've tried has been worse than useless. (Cakewalk is the absolute worst, I won't recommend it to anyone ever) I won't trust computers with my musical "babies"

How do you record audio if not on computer? My limited experience with external recorders made me forget ever trying that. The floor noise was completely unacceptable for a start. I happen to use a light version of Cakewalk's Sonar :lol And I have to disagree with your recommendation against it. I will admit it's far from user-friendly at times. It took me a good half an hour to get it noticing my audio inputs, but it's one of the most widely used software sequencers in the musical world for a reason. If you can be bothered learning it, the power is there. Sometimes though, I do wish I'd gotten Cubase instead.

What problems have you experienced with software sequencers in the past?

 

[Slaver123]

(Sorry, loooong essay)

How do you record audio if not on computer? My limited experience with external recorders made me forget ever trying that. The floor noise was completely unacceptable for a start. I happen to use a light version of Cakewalk's Sonar :lol And I have to disagree with your recommendation against it. I will admit it's far from user-friendly at times. It took me a good half an hour to get it noticing my audio inputs, but it's one of the most widely used software sequencers in the musical world for a reason. If you can be bothered learning it, the power is there. Sometimes though, I do wish I'd gotten Cubase instead.

What problems have you experienced with software sequencers in the past?

I forgot about Sonar... that was a good program once I spent the 45 minutes to get the Input levels right. (That computer died, tho)

I used a Zoom digital studio that sucked even when it worked right (takes forever to do anything)

All I have now is a Tascam 4-track tape recorder. I'd like to say you don't have the problems with tape that you get with computers, but it's not true. It's more reliable, doesn't take 7 minutes to "boot up" like a computer, and you're MUCH less likely to lose all your work for no apparent reason; the tape deck won't lock up all the time and have to be restarted (unless the tape breaks and jams the machine, which has never happened to me with it)

But I hate the Tascam's "interface", it's really NOT intuitive at all (the way most people insist it is) And I get the same problem I have with CakeWalk and other software programs; You can never be sure it's really recording, no matter how carefully you set it up.

What the tech "geeks" who make these things don't understand (perhaps they CAN'T understand) is, all this fiddling with menus and controls gets in the way of the creative process, or even destroys it. I want to use a computer for composing and jamming as well as recording, but it's too unreliable.

My breed of musician does NOT want to wrestle with his instrument for hours to get it to do even the simplest things. On a Piano you press a key and it sounds; on a Guitar you pluck a string; you don't have to right click and then select from a drop-down menu, then go back and re-set all your line inputs for 2 hours, then go to an online forum to see why it still won't work; that's NOT musical (or elegant, or simple, or efficient, or conducive to creativity)

And it's NOT because we're stupid, or technically illiterate. I don't find ANY joy in wrestling with equipment to accomplish what's basically a CHORE, such as recording audio or saving a file. I don't live for the nuts-and-bolts "chore" side of music, I live for the musical side of it.

Programmers and engineers DO find joy and pleasure in wrestling with problems, in coaxing machinery to perform a basic task; so they can't understand when someone else doesn't like it. (BTW this is the "ANSWER" I've searched for for years, I believe it's the reason why all software sucks)

 

[CrazyLikeAFox]

I hate to have to put it like this, but there's a learning curve associated with just about everything you've listed here. What I think you're finding is that every time you make a little progress you find there's another problem to overcome and more to learn. The root of the problem is that this really doesn't have anything to do with music itself, it's about audio technology. And when people make programs like these they'll be happy to sacrifice simplicity for power, since most of their customers are prepared to or have already gone over the learning curve.

Personally, I hate messing with these programs and being made to feel stupid. Just a few days ago I finally realized I wasn't getting the results from my synth that I wanted because it has an envelope generator for the filter and the amplifier, which was cancelling the former out. The manual is 125 pages long and only covers each function briefly. Some people actually base their opinions and reviews of a synthesizer on the manual, because even the experienced have something yet to learn when using new equipment.

Your workflow will improve after you've taken the time to learn everything you can about what you're doing and what equipment and software you're using. But consider how easy we have it these days. Early composers had to hand-write their notation and, unless it was for a solo or small number of instruments, couldn't even hear it until it was first performed.

 

[Slaver123]

I hate to have to put it like this, but there's a learning curve associated with just about everything you've listed here. What I think you're finding is that every time you make a little progress you find there's another problem to overcome and more to learn. The root of the problem is that this really doesn't have anything to do with music itself, it's about audio technology. And when people make programs like these they'll be happy to sacrifice simplicity for power, since most of their customers are prepared to or have already gone over the learning curve.

Personally, I hate messing with these programs and being made to feel stupid. Just a few days ago I finally realized I wasn't getting the results from my synth that I wanted because it has an envelope generator for the filter and the amplifier, which was cancelling the former out. The manual is 125 pages long and only covers each function briefly. Some people actually base their opinions and reviews of a synthesizer on the manual, because even the experienced have something yet to learn when using new equipment.

Your workflow will improve after you've taken the time to learn everything you can about what you're doing and what equipment and software you're using. But consider how easy we have it these days. Early composers had to hand-write their notation and, unless it was for a solo or small number of instruments, couldn't even hear it until it was first performed.

I overcame the learning curve for the Triton.... took a long time though. The manual is terrible, everyone seems to need the video tutorials.

But these recording programs, I just want them to RECORD, just the most basic record function, and they won't do it- they either lock up or won't load previous data or mysteriously just don't record when everything's set right. I follow the instructions carefully. I just need an audio recorder that will actually record audio; then save it to CD or mp3. Is that so much to ask??? I've gone over the learning curve on these programs; I learn them, I do it right, but they're unreliable. I can't trust them with my music.

Sometimes there's a legitimate reason for it; the Zoom was a display model, plus it turns out the outlet it was plugged into wasn't grounded; that MAY have physically screwed it up. My previous computer needed more memory, that's why it couldn't load more than 20 megs of audio data.

But the computer I have now is WAY faster, the specs are WAY more than what CakeWalk requires but it's STILL absolutely unreliable. (Of course, CakeWalk is a horrible ripoff program and I've written to the company to tell them so)

So I gave up.

No one will ever hear my music, and I've mostly stopped playing at all. Why should I bother playing when I'll never be able to record it?

 

[CrazyLikeAFox]

Can you be more specific about the Cakewalk program you were using? Cakewalk (the company) doesn't have a program under that name anymore, so I'm guessing it was a much older sequencer. I didn't even realize they had one before Sonar. Some sequencers do have the reputation of being extremely unreliable, and computer performance isn't going to change that. Also, since these programs are required to work with literally hundreds of different pieces of hardware, it's impossible for them to be adequately tested for stablity and compatibility before release. Sometimes all that's required is an update or some bug fixes. Then there's the issue of trying to get stuff that's designed for either 32 or 64-bit systems to work together, and some companies like M-Audio, don't bother releasing updated drivers for their hardware. For that reason I'm stuck with a midi interface I'll never be able to use again.

If all you want is a sequencer that can record audio then you might want to at least try out some of these freeware ones.

http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downloads.php/id/3673/software/Ardour/

http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downloads.php/id/4280/software/Cantabile/

http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downloads.php/id/3819/software/Kristal-Audio-Engine/

http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downloads.php/id/4074/software/MU.LAB-Free/