maroonandwhite

Now all of the large's are starting to show up! haha

Lot's of good advice so far. Anyone have any good sites for play along tracks? The one JGunner mentioned looks nice but I'd like to have as many options as possible.

I don't really have any problem learning the scale "forms" it's just piecing it all together that I am having trouble with. I think maybe I just need to sit down with a jam track or something and play till something clicks. I learn better by doing  haha.

I have been blown away by the amount of knowledge some of you guys have on home recording from my other thread. I am now hoping for some tips on my guitar playing/practice. I have read it's a common occurrence for a musician to "plateau" on his/her playing ability and that is just what I have done. I have been playing for ten years and can read a tab and learn a song fairly quickly( not so much on solos) but am really wanting to get to a level where I can improvise some lead stuff and really know what I am doing on the guitar rather than just learning chords and tabs. I have a hard time following along with books but can't find the time/money for private lessons. The fretboard logic book is what I have been using but am getting nowhere with it.   Can anyone give me any general tips as to what I should be focusing on or other avenues I can take? I know there is no substitute for practice I just don't know where to begin.

Welcome from a fellow westerner! :wave:

This reminds me of some C Movie Zombie flick I watched recently. All of the characters thought they were humans going up against some type of super fast "enemy" but in fact they were zombies and didn't know it.

Just to make some interesting discussion on this. If this WAS all a dream, do you think he would actually be able to stay married to Lori and/or even function in society? That's a pretty messed up dream.haha

That FocusRite looks like it would fit the bill perfectly. I 'd rather spend and get a good one to begin with.

:rofl:  I'm the same way. I kind of know how it works but not really. It's kind of like guns I guess. I will buy a Taurus first then once I get a feel for what I want buy a 1911/Glock/M&P.

Sounds like a PC is the way to go then for me. I am not familiar with Macs anyways. I don't really have a budget set yet. I have to get my strat project finished first and go on vacation but once we get back I will be ready. Gotta talk it over with the wife too. I still haven't had a chance to research but honestly not including the cost of the PC i'd like to start out with around $1000. I know that is chump change when you look at high quality stuff but keep in mind that is just to get started. I would like to get a DECENT interface/preamp and some good software. A good mic will also be needed.

Lester right now I am pretty much just going to be doing 1-2 guitar tracks and voice. Nothing too loud or major, mainly just doing it for my own enjoyment and improvement of my skills. I want to be able to hear how I sound is what it mainly boils down to.   LOTS of great info here and I appreciate the time ya'll took to type all of this.   Since their seems to be ALOT of music heads on here I'd like to ask a guitar question. I have a classifieds thread started looking for some pickups / pickguard for a strat 50's reissue (American). My grandmother THREW AWAY the original pick guard and pickups so I am wanting to put something in it's place. I went through the whole phase of putting high output humbuckers on it but finally grew out of it and realized what a strat is really supposed to sound like.   My question is rather than buying one of the american standard loaded pickguards, would I be better off just buying the empty pick guard and getting some pickups,pots, etc. and wiring it myself? I would rather not have the ceramic magnet pickups but would like to hear some advice from you guys who clearly know more than I do.

Well my mic isn't THAT good haha. It's one of the higher quality Shure mics but I guess you would call it a stage mic.

All great advice guys! I didn't have time to sit down and look at alot of the products last night but it looks like I will probably get a decent preamp and some good software to start. I already have one nice mic so that should get me started. Am I correct in assuming most preamps have an interface that will connect to the computer? Also since I am new to macs will I have to get an upgraded sound card?

Thanks for all the advice so far guys. I am hopefully going to be getting a new mac soon so I should have that part down. The software is probably my biggest concern but I am assuming most of the well know products are all about the same. I'm sure the mics and preamp are the most important piece of the puzzle.

I am looking to start doing a little home recording and am trying to get opinions on what you guys might suggest to start out with. I admit it's been a while since I did any serious reserach on the matter. I know there are all in one type "mixers" that have a hard drive and all that but I am wondering if a good computer with some good software would be better. I would probably need a max of 8 channels. I wouldn't use all of those but don't want to buy too small. I am mainly just playing acoustic and singing but would also like to add in drums and other instruments. I know this isn't a cheap hobby but I am wanting to get something decent without spending ALOT on the front end but halso have the ability to expand it in the future.

Welcome! Outdoor shooting (on ones own land preferably) is where it's at.

It's kind of ironic that Jason Aldean just released a song called 1994. It's about Joe Diffie but I guess any name (Bill Clinton, Bill Ruger) could be interchanged.

Well that escalated quickly. :rofl:

Taking small breaks it took about an hour and a half overall. If your hand starts aching or shaking I'd stop and rest. Best thing to do is practice on soemthing like a gun case or an old grip or something. Just to get a fell for how long to hold and all that. It's too difficult for me to try and do a symmetrical pattern so I just do the outline first then randomly put dots on it until its filled in.

Yeah that was my biggest concern. Not so much on a Glock because they are ugly to me anyways. I think the M&P is a pretty gun though so it was difficult to decide to do it. I am 100% glad I did it though after feeling the more positive purchase it has now. Can't say I will do it to the pro/ core model I have coming soon but for a carry/small grip gun it definitely works.

Somehow I finally worked up the nerve to stipple the M&P. I had done this before on a Keltec PF9 so it wasn't my first time but scary nonetheless. I was a little scared that the texture would be really uncomfortable but I think due to the grip insert being softer rubber it's actually a very nice texture after the stippling. I could see it being a little tough on lady hands but hey that's how you build calluses.

Welcome!

Yep. Also whatever you do DON"T LET THEM GO IN YOUR ROOM. Oh wait that's another thread..... :rofl:

Congrats man! The wife and I have been trying for over a year and are going through all of the fertility drugs/tests now. I heard kids were expensive but I am paying for kids I haven't even had yet haha!

Looks like they have some pretty decent rifles! My guess would be a PD just cleaning up the gun closet and/or getting new stuff. Looks like it's all in good shape.