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Welcome Peter!

At least you've read Dune... forgot Kwisatz started with a K.

LOL I knew it You are going to fit in here perfectly AL! If Fruity Loops gives you a headache i would suggest that you don't even go near any of the Steinberg programs! You dam near have to have a degree in engineering from Stienberg themselves to get any dam use out of them. but heck I personally have always believed the simpler the better when it comes to musical programs and recording. As long as your hardware is solid and you have a direction you want to move in then your good to go. To much computer Tech and all you end up with is that looped up auto tuneded garbage that they sale to the kids today as music!Heck a good 8 track recorder or even a 4 track where you can bounce virtual tracks around a good condensor mic and sometimes a 6 pack of motivation to take the edge off and your recording like we, i mean like the pros use to do when musicians still actually made the music!
From what I have seen of Guitarsenalls setup he has got everything he needs and probably much more then that.
there are so many programs out there now from film editing software like Sony Vegas, or sound forge or even Acid pro. heck Zoom has a couple of portable 4 track recorders that include condensor mic and also a drum machine and a bass guitar! All you really need is a good sound proofed basement and a imagination and your good to go.
Now of course that i have given you all these good tid bits of advice you have to swear to the god of Rock that you will never use any of said information in a way that could be detrimental to the art form! Oh hell in plain English What I am saying is that if you in anyway use it in a attempt to record some kind of RAP MUSIC! The Rock gods will come in and wipe your brain and we will dissavow you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LO Oh hell I did it again! I used the word RAP in the same sentence as Music!I ask forgiveness for my blasphemy! Dam now I have to go do pentance and community service again! be back later!

Scorp, I liked your comments on making music. I wish you would tell us more about your rock background!

The longer I do this, the more I learn how simple it really is. I make use of complicated tools because I am following a simple inner drive to make music. But I think a musician will make good music even if he has nothing but trash can lids to bang on because that is the nature of the human instinct. The tools have come one by one as The Muse drives me in some direction and I find a way to follow it. But the key ingredient is, as you pointed out, motivation. However, we have a music industry that tends to send the message that we can't make music at all unless we have a $5,000 mic plugged in to a $5,000 preamp running through a $100,000 console into $3,000 A/D converters...you know what I mean. My entire inventory costs less than a Harley Davidson. And I started on a Yamaha 4-track cassette recorder back in 1986.

I heard a great tip: The best Digital Audio Workstation (e.g., Sonar, Pro Tools, Logic, etc...) is the one your friends are using. Then lean on the forums heavily (that's my tip). I think the PC has brought million-dollar capability to Bargain-Basement, Dingy-Dungeon hackers like me. Yes, there is a learning curve. Creativity really is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration.

In 2005 I gave myself a simple rule: I make music I like listening to. If I don't like listening to it, it's not done. If I do, then there is probably SOMEONE else out there that will like it too.

I am currently pulling my hair out over the next magnum opus. I finally got a scratch track put together, and it sounds like a chaotic mess, and I am banging my head against the wall asking The Muse, "Which way now?!?!?" And that is precisely why I do this...if that makes any sense, then you should too.

@Nacht--I will check out Viking Empires, I read Behold a Pale Horse by Bernard Cromwell recently and that was pretty solid. I said I was into boardgaming but that includes some dabbling in miniatures too. I do some art stuff as well and had thought about getting into miniatures painting because of some of the work I have seen. Its amazing, the details you can get with the washes and shading techniques. But its over my head at this point. I was watching some videos at Minitiatures Gaming, think they're canadian, they have some cool vids on terrain creation etc..

@Scorp-strike me down now, but I do dig on some hip-hop. I hear where your coming from about rap though. I don't like anything on the radio, except maybe some outcast. Some more underground stuff I like though would be MF Doom, Heiroglyphics, Blackalicious, Digable Planets, Tribe Called Quest. More old school stuff really. As far as keeping recording simple, thats good advice. I have the 600 dollar microphone and the soundproof basement..so I suppose just need a 4 track and give up maybe on cakewalk and all that insanity.

@guitar 5%inspiration, 95% persperation is the truth. I lack motivation. The quip, "I always wanted to be a procrastinator but I never got around to it" applies to me. But I don't have any close friends who make music so I blame that. I'd rather work with some other people as I have in the past. It's easier to be creative that way I feel.

LOL its ok AL. I have a big gruff exterior but as you will find when it comes to my guys I am very forgiving. LOL I think when it comes to music. You are the only critic that matters. Everything else is non sequiter. I truly believe if you enjoy listening to the sound of drum machines, stolen music loops and a artist that lyrically are inspired by sexism, hate ,greed, abuse ,and power. well that is up to you.( LOL sorry Al just had to throw that last cheap shot in!)

What I am really saying is when it comes to art and music the only persons opinion that counts is yours! Guitarsenall I agree that if you are not making music that you like and are making music for others then it is not real and most of the time it come off cheap and shallow. I think music comes from somewhere deep down inside us and the only way to tap into that is if you are making music for yourself. As far as musical projects and ideas. Don't force it. Music is has to be inspired. When it comes to you, it comes to you. If you are trying to force it always ends up sounding artificial and plastic. just relax don't focus on it so much and go about your life it will come you.

Good plan, Scorp. In pursuit of that I played S8 for two hours tonight. It was great running into Quis, Alcorius, and Psy. But it was a bummer watching my team neglect to trigger the outpost beacon at least three times. Almost rage-quit, but I came back in for more abuse. Alcorius gave me awesome hell at CP3 in Orbital Relay. Nice job. We need to get him into Ventrilo.

Ha, yeah, fun trying to get that post, but I only succeeded after you moved on to other things.. that was actually a great game, from where I was sitting.

soon i will over take quitarsnell xp sooooon

COOL I'M LOVING ALL THIS FRESH MEAT !

LOL as you can tell Kami is are resident hard ass!LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL One of the first things you will notice about Kami is his mild mannered meekness. It just makes you wonder how a player whose talents are far beyond that of mere mortal men such as ourselves. Can be so humble in telling you how great he is! LOL LOL LOL LOl LOL
God I wish I was still as arrogant and obnoxious as Kami! Life was so much funner way back then! LOL LOL LOL Sorry Kami just have to yank on that chain every once in a while to make sure you don't get to far above the rest of us!Would not want to lose ya. LOL: LOL LOL LOl Luv ya little buddy!

PRICELESS !

God I wish I was still as arrogant and obnoxious as Kami! Life was so much funner way back then! LOL LOL LOL
Only because we thought we were immortal back then. Now we're at the point where we've more years behind us than in front... that'll sober a man real fast. On the other hand, we've learned refinement in the arts of arrogance and obnoxiousness... battle ax and grapeshot as opposed to rapier and BB gun.