From what I gather, many of the readers here are musicians, to one degree or another. So, I was wondering... would any of you be interested in doing an on-line collaboration ?
There are online services, such as Kompoz which make the process pretty simple. Basically, someone would start the song by creating a foundation track, then we'd all add our own tracks to it. There's a bit of software involved (but you can use free stuff like Audacity, so there's no cost) and you'll need to know how to record yourself to MP3, but that should be doable.
Anyone up for it ?
(and don't be shy - I'm not expecting that this would be some kind of masterpiece or anything. I'd just like to see what would happen when all these people with all these different musical tastes get together and do something. I'll even volunteer to put up the first track. And I'll offer tech support to make it happen, where I can.)
(Raises hand)
What I mean to say is, I play violin and sometimes viola, also I’ve been known to sing. I can record the violin with surprisingly good fidelity using my laptop microphone. Generally when I’ve tried to do multiple tracks using Audacity it has not come out well, I think primarily because I have not figured out how to do that yet — do you have any experience with this?
were you thinking of writing original songs? Playing covers? I have not got lyric writing talent but I’ve often thought that if somebody gave me a lyric they had written, I might be able to do good work setting it to music.
i don’t have much experience doing multitrack with Audacity, though i’ve done plenty with Cakewalk (not free). but, people on the Kompoz boards use Audacity without issue.
a couple of people recommended Reaper: http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ , too. never tried it m’self.
i don’t really have any firm ideas right now. i was planning to start thinking about it when i knew who would be participating – see what kind of instrumental possibilities we’d have. i have guitars and a bass and a couple of drum machines, here. my singing voice is pretty weak. :) (Mrs C can sing – but i haven’t asked her about this, yet)
I have a handful of woodwind instruments, some of which I play competently.
Weeeeee! I’ll play!
I just got my drum studio set up so I can record to my ipod. I bought one of those Belkin units that is basically a four track mixer that dumps its output to your ipod in stereo. Got an OEM copy of Cakewalk with it. I have no idea in hell what I’m doing, but it sounds like I’ve got the gear in place.
I actually want to put some tracks down for some other projects I’m involved in, at a minimum I’ll send them your way to mess with.
Maybe I can figure out how to put some marimba overdubs on whatever y’all come up with.
I’m tempted if you need a rhythm guitarist. What I lack in skill I make up with enthusiasm. :) I’ve no recording equipment though and have never attempted anything like this before.
I am home alone this week so I have my Rickenbacker 330/6 out to play. Not happy with the sound though and I think my crappy practice amp is probably the weakest link – it’s an old Park G30R and the settings leave a lot to be desired. The clean tone is nice enough but the overdrive channel is woeful.
Anyhoo, I’m thinking about treating myself to a new practice amp, and these little babies attract rave reviews:
http://www.voxamps.com/da-series/
They’re solid state (a valve amp is overkill for my needs) and have a load of built-in effects. I’m tempted by the DA15, although the smaller DA5 would probably suffice.
I also need to get my Rickenbacker setup professionally – it doesn’t get played very often and could probably do with an expert’s loving attention.
So, if I get my guitar sorted, I might be able to contribute a basic rhythm track (Cleek would have to supply the chords – I can’t work stuff out by ear, although my classically trained pianist wife might be able to help.)
Rickenbacker 330
mmm. drool.
, I’m thinking about treating myself to a new practice amp, and these little babies attract rave reviews
i played with one of them at a local music store a few weeks ago, and it was pretty sweet. i don’t know which one it was, though.
more info on the collaboration, later.
i’ve created a private project on Kompoz. for you to be able to add to it, you need to register with them (it’s free, just pick a username). then either send me an email (cleek @ this domain) with your Kompoz ID, or leave it in comments here. i’ll add you as a member of the project, and we can take it from there.
i’ll get my first track up this weekend.
Joined; my id is themodestokid.
ok. i added you to the project (i think). i assume you’ll get a notification of some kind. if not, i’m “cleek” and the project is “Song Number One”.
Hmm… Kompoz tells me I have not joined any projects yet. Searching for a project created by cleek or one named song number one returns no results. Presumably that’s because it’s a private project I guess.
let’s see what Kompoz tech support has to say about this…
they said i need to “invite” you. which i’ve now done.
Kompoz id: ambignostic
Also: that’s some goofy bevel-emboss action going on in the new ok-cleek logo.
Kompoz id: ambignostic
added you to the “group”. i’m not sure what the group is for, however.
i sent you an invite to the song.
that’s some goofy bevel-emboss action going on in the new ok-cleek logo
isn’t it? it was so puffy, i had to keep it. or, at least, i had to go to bed and figured that was good enough for today. i’ll try something else tonight…
Yeah, it’s early still, but overall I’m finding Kompoz’s flow a bit non-intuitive. It will probably all become clearer in time.
Kompoz id: rec
So, how do I record myself playing guitar? Any free solutions out there? I guess I need a line in -> mic cable of some sort too? I like the idea of using my iPod as a recording device, but I’m just as happy to use my laptop.
So, how do I record myself playing guitar? Any free solutions out there?
for software Audacity.
for basic recording mic -> line-in/mic input on your sound card -> Audacity.
or you can get a some kind of USB recording interface. they come in all shapes and sizes and prices.
Yeah, it’s early still, but overall I’m finding Kompoz’s flow a bit non-intuitive.
me too.
but it’s easier, at this point, than anything else i could come up with. though i did think about doing it: seems like it’d be straightforward enough to write some kind of simple web app to do what Kompoz does (less all the blogs/groups/etc junk). it’s almost like a source control system.
id: oldschool
Sounds fun. I can play electric guitar (though not real great at it). My kompoz id is ChrisR.
OK, well I’ve got a melody I’m playing around with in D minor — I could upload it to the Kompoz project except the recording I have right now is more the purpose of seeing if it gives you guys any ideas, than as a track that you would play along with. I’m playing without any rhythm instruments so my timing is pretty uneven, and the noise from my disk drive and fan are way louder than I remember it being. (Does this mean my computer is not long for this world? Yikes) What say ye? The tune is an 8 bar A part, repeat, 8 bar B part, repeat, back to the A part. 8 bars = about 15 seconds, so the recording is a minute and a half; there could be more repeats and stuff if more instruments were playing.
i’ll have my track up by the end of the night… hell or high water.
save your idea, flesh it out. we’ll do this again – unless this turns out to be totally unworkable :)
Hi, haven’t commented here before, but wouldn’t mind trying to get involved. I ain’t much on the talent side (still fingerpicking the same five or six chords since I learned em, now on a crappy Yamaha classical guitar), have collaborated on songwriting before, just never the way you’re proposing.
Hi, haven’t commented here before, but wouldn’t mind trying to get involved.
get yourself a Kompoz ID and send it to me – i’ll put you on the member list for the project.