So how about this PSN hack?

Very bad hit for Sony's reputation.

I'm still on the PS2. Current gen gaming fail.

Haha nice, PS2 is a great console. I still keep mine around to play Rugby 08, and I'm pretty sure that in a while, I'll go back for my third revisit of GTA: San Andreas.

FFX, Kingdom hearts, GTA, Shadow of the Colossus, MGS2... There are stacks of great PS2 games and still loads I haven't discovered. PLUS the entire PS1 back catalogue too. It's amazing still.

Shadow Of The Colossus and Ico are reason enough to own a PS2.

Really looking forward to The Last Guardian but it will be like, end of the year at the earliest.

L.A Noire is my next game, pumped for that :). Also there's a book coming out this month that I want to read, it's a promising month for affordable purchases.

I'm surprised how much I genuinely enjoyed GTA San Andreas the second time through, which was years after playing it the first time. It just has such a great story and a really enjoyable setting. I think of it as filling the same role on PS2 that Ocarina Of Time filled for the N64.

[quote=gaslight;18494383]Depends more on how much time you have available for the upright.

I'd be cautious that an upright that is really cheap is probably a shitbox.[/quote]

I don't expect it to sound amazing (not that I could pick out the subtle differences anyway), because it's not a $20,000 upright. I have a 3/4 being sold locally for $600. It was apparently a student instrument for a while and now they're putting it up for sale. It's been recently set up and appears to be in fairly good condition. I figure I can reasonably sell it for what I bought it if I end up not liking it.

[quote=fatbandit;18494384]Get the interface.

I just bought an Iron Ether Oxide. I'm not sure why :/[/quote]

Yeah, I should probably get the interface as I'll probably use it more.

But I really want to start up a Soul Coughing cover band.

The interface you'll get to spend a lot of time using almost straight away, the upright you'll have to spend a lot of time learning before you can get much real use out of it.

I was going to buy an upright this year but I realised I just can't fit the necessary practise into my current life.

[quote=gaslight;18494414]The interface you'll get to spend a lot of time using almost straight away, the upright you'll have to spend a lot of time learning before you can get much real use out of it.

I was going to buy an upright this year but I realised I just can't fit the necessary practise into my current life.[/quote]

Interface it is. But I'm still not sure if I want to spend $250 on an interface.

It's pricey, that's what my headphones are going to cost. But I've had hands on/ears on time with them and I know I really want them so it's okay.

Are you really enthused about this particular interface?

[quote=gaslight;18494940]It's pricey, that's what my headphones are going to cost. But I've had hands on/ears on time with them and I know I really want them so it's okay.

Are you really enthused about this particular interface?[/quote]

It's the only recommendation that I've heard and, quite honestly, I trust Joel's opinion on studio gear.

I wasn't impressed with my M-Audio interface because it colored the sound a bit, negatively. I was all gun-ho for a Tascam at half the price of the Echo, but then Chris' story came about. Then again, he has had some computer troubles lately, so it could just be sh*tty, unrelated luck. I'm definitely adamant about having two channels and XLR inputs. I could do with USB 2.0, but I don't know if it will be phased out in 4 years, and I may end up doing 4 tracks simultaneously at some point, so I should probably go with firewire. Other than M-Audio, there doesn't seem to be much in the sub-$200 category like I was hoping.

I think I'll just have to keep my eyes open on eBay for something used. I don't want to go over $200

Joel, anything negative to say about the Presonus Firebox 4 or the Focusrite Saffire Pro 24?

I have a Tascam 144, it hasn't given me any of the problems that Chris was talking about.

That said, if I was buying a new interface today I would buy something newer and a little fancier, I bought it because it was cheap and readily available.

[quote=FunkMetalBass;18494967]It's the only recommendation that I've heard and, quite honestly, I trust Joel's opinion on studio gear.

I wasn't impressed with my M-Audio interface because it colored the sound a bit, negatively. I was all gun-ho for a Tascam at half the price of the Echo, but then Chris' story came about. Then again, he has had some computer troubles lately, so it could just be sh*tty, unrelated luck. I'm definitely adamant about having two channels and XLR inputs. I could do with USB 2.0, but I don't know if it will be phased out in 4 years, and I may end up doing 4 tracks simultaneously at some point, so I should probably go with firewire. Other than M-Audio, there doesn't seem to be much in the sub-$200 category like I was hoping.

I think I'll just have to keep my eyes open on eBay for something used. I don't want to go over $200

Joel, anything negative to say about the Presonus Firebox 4 or the Focusrite Saffire Pro 24?[/quote]
That M Audio shit wouldn't so much color it as rob the signal of it's soul.

Why not get the Echo 2? It hasn't got preamps, which, unless it was a typo , meets your requirements.

But obviously that means you'd need to buy a preamp. Which for a decent stand alone you're looking at more than what you wanna pay for a interface.

The Firebox is pretty much the same as all of those range of interfaces. The preamps are better I guess. But it's still got the same shitty PSU, with the same shitty converters and small headroom, no clarity preamp.

I'd say the Focusrite would win in a shoot out. But I wouldn't buy it out of principal. Focusrite make some really good preamps, but they ride on their laurels with the low end stuff, which grates me.

You'll end just trying to fuck with shit endlessly till it sounds good and get depressed at the harshness and mud that comes with these little interfaces and yearn for more.

IF I was to start again, start from scratch...


I would buy the lowest spec Macbook Pro **the 1800-2000NZD i5 model** an Apogee Duet, cheap SE condenser or an SM7b, an SM57 and Pro Tools 9. Pair of HD600's for srs stuff, and HD201's for tracking.

Then get a GAP Pre73 when I could. And Mackie HR824's eventually.

Man up, save up, future proof yourself!

I think the Tascam problems are just with the 122 tbh. And it's happened to me since I bought it, it's unrelated to the stuff that's been going on with my computer. Mind you, I think I paid £30 for it 2 years ago, so it's done me okay.

Finally got around to watching District 9, awesome movie.

[QUOTE=gaslight;18495269]Finally got around to watching District 9, awesome movie.[/QUOTE]

Me too, a few nights ago. Was pleasantly surprised.

Yeah I had very little idea of the plot beyond the alien slum thing, it was really great and I'll be looking forward to the next movie from that director.

Great to hear South African accents outside of rugby commentary too.

Some of those alien weapons were fucking sweet. My favourite is the one I've called the zap-popper, I'm sure you remember it.

Mogwai was pretty fucking epic. The sound was massive... not as huge as My Bloody Valentine, but still, I was immersed in sound.

And I'm seeing Battles tonight... oh shit! It's going to be incredible. Sucks that Ty is out of the band, but I'm sure their show will still be awesome.

Battles would be awesome to see. I'm a bit jelly.

Trying to program in a Glassjaw song for a laffo, but it's kicking my ass. I suck at
- picking out piano chords by ear
- programming drums in a swung beat
- making piano sound good
- making non-rock drums sound good

It's a piano/drums/vocals only croonery song. Fails.

Swing beats are typically counted according to the first and third beats of an eighth note triplet (occasionally first and second, but it's not nearly as common). There is usually an option for swing beats on drum programs, or at least a triplet option you can play with.

Piano chords are no different than guitar chords. Listen to it, figure out the root (usually singing the note you hear is the root), determine major or minor, listen for the bass note (it likely will vary from the root), and then play around with small fluctuations in the chord, like augmented 4ths, 7ths, and 9ths. Those should all be fairly apparent to you, and will get you most of the way there.

Had a great jam tonight, used my 6 string and enjoyed it more than ever. Had it sounding fucking fat as a house through my rig, tasty, tasty stuff.

Yeah, I'm getting there with it. I'll put a soundcloud link up here or something when it's done. Just pretty hard to make programmed drums have that little bit of feeling. I'm used to doing pretty straight stuff with them!

Do you play out often? Don't hear you talking about gigs much.

[quote=fatbandit;18497680]Yeah, I'm getting there with it. I'll put a soundcloud link up here or something when it's done. Just pretty hard to make programmed drums have that little bit of feeling. I'm used to doing pretty straight stuff with them!

Do you play out often? Don't hear you talking about gigs much.[/quote]

If memory serves, he had a band that kind of quit about 2 years ago and he's just spent the rest of his time claiming to be able to play.

He sent me some old recording back in the day (this thread moves so slow, a link might even be in here), but I don't have them anymore.

Are you asking me or someone else bandit?

You

At the moment I'm jamming with friends in two different bands, but neither are gigging at the moment - one lost its drummer so that's been on hiatus, and the other barely gets to rehearse (again, a drummer thing) which is annoying because I wanted its 3 hours to be tight by now.

Lately I only do fill-in in gigs if they pay or if I'm feeling generous/bored. Most of my time is spent between teaching and working.

[QUOTE=gaslight;18498647]At the moment I'm jamming with friends in two different bands, but neither are gigging at the moment - one lost its drummer so that's been on hiatus, and the other barely gets to rehearse (again, a drummer thing) which is annoying because I wanted its 3 hours to be tight by now.

Lately I only do fill-in in gigs if they pay or if I'm feeling generous/bored. Most of my time is spent between teaching and working.[/QUOTE]

I just lost my drummer too. Not winning.

Yeah, stuff like that shits you.

I wish I didn't need to work as much, but I have a fair bit of money that I absolutely have to make each week and it doesn't leave much time for dicking around. If a gig or rehearsal doesn't pay there's not much chance I can fit it in because I really hate the feeling of knowing I'm doing something musical that is in truth costing me money to do.

when our drummer left, we split the band up. and started a new one with our old drummer who we kicked out before. luls.

but our guitarist apparently punched a lamp post while he was out last friday night, and he's going for surgery on it tomorrow to have metal plates put in his hand. so i'm not doing any music for a while ¬_¬

[quote=fatbandit;18500669]when our drummer left, we split the band up. and started a new one with our old drummer who we kicked out before. luls.

but our guitarist apparently punched a lamp post while he was out last friday night, and he's going for surgery on it tomorrow to have metal plates put in his hand. so i'm not doing any music for a while ¬_¬[/quote]

Sounds like the perfect time to start writing your own music. I've been on a writing kick lately, trying to work lyrics and song ideas a bit more. Nothing is near completion yet, though. :upset: