Small crap-amp run through an iGriffen into Garageband. The crap-amp takes guitar, bass and microphone (drums are software).

Because I build the drums in software I have usually played the rythym guitar line about 8-10 times. So down they go, one panning left, one panning right (first takes as SHMRB stuff is pretty simple).

Then I make up the solos and the single note guitar lines. Usually takes about half an hour.

The bass is next. Usually first take, unless I make a massive error then I do it again (secret to fast takes is leaving the errors in there).

I then write the lyrics (usually very simple) and read them out (oops I mean sing) as recording. Wallah a song in about two to three hours.

cam
Freedom, liberty, equity and an Australian Republic

I opened Cubase, loaded Battery, loaded one of my favourite kits and started knowcking out some phat beats; then, I closed it all down again and didn't save, realizing I didn't really have the time this MFC. Apologies. Great haul, though.

I could have just pulled any old crap out of the stuff already in the can and submitted that, but that would be against the spirit of the thing, wouldn't it?, thinks I, especially when some people will have approached it in the right manner.

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Done.

I invented this sucker while convalescing from the recent Illness. Variations include bacon for meat-eaters. The most compact, grease laden, and gooey way to eat eggs I have figured out so far. I think I'm finally gaining weight from being unable to eat anything but Grilled Cheese Eggs in a Basket Sandwiches with Bacon.

I have a $20 microphone which plugs into a Griffin iMic (basically a sound card input) which plugs into my iBook. I also have a keyboard that plugs into the USB port on my ibook (the musical kind of keyboard).

I've been working on recording this piece for a while now, and what I ended up doing for this time (which actually is a marked improvement over previous attempts) was to play the parts, one at a time, a few measures at a time, on the keyboard, recording with garageband. This compensates for the one-track mind I seem to have when it comes to playing music with my hands.

So then I got out the mike, discovered that the iBook didn't have enough resources to do something with 12 or 13 tracks, so moved to the iMac on the desktop. The iMic connection seemed to make no sound come out of the thing (there's always an "um, huh?" moment in these things), but it turns out it has a microphone input jack (unlike my iBook). So I used that, despite the fact that it's rather noisy. Perhaps I should invest in a proper microphone and amp.

I think I spent most of my spare time for a whole weekend doing the vocals. Could have used substantially more time, more takes, more duplicated tracks. What you hear is 2 tracks upped an octave doing the soprano line, and the rest is just me, one track to the part. Cam's trick of doubling up vocals (singing them twice, on two tracks, one in each ear for stereo listeners) really does help thicken things up.

All that said, the vocals are thin, the instrumental bits are almost inaudible (but they helped keep me in tune while I built the harmony), and I'm not at all sure I deserve the one vote I have so far.

Can you introspect out loud? --CRwM

Try doing things with stuff, for a fresher perspective.

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