torsdag 9 oktober 2014

Compressor problems

Those who search may find!  

Sound and how it´s made is almost like magic. With a guitar and a bit of singingskill, theres a possibility for you to perform a tune with fair result. How did it sound? 
You then start all over again, this time using a Recording device of some kind. Years ago that recording device was a TEAC 4-channel reel to reel taperecorder. You then was forced to plan your recording. With only 4 channels there was natuarly some problems, but in the end it did sound if not great so call it fair!

Suddenly the taperecorders was stoneage, I started to us a computer and found a couple of FREE studioprograms that I started to work with. Ending up with something called AudaCity.

As most guitar players I tried a lot of different gadgets-effects. The latest Digital units, but very soon I realised they was SHIT! Well they may be great if youré a modern electronic wizard. To me they was just to f-ing complicated to use. Never managed to set up the sound the way I wanted.

Beeing a fanatic collector of things I started to use a mix of oldtime Analog units linked to my computer. At this moment theres at least three Mixers from the 60-70´s and today all digital electronic devises are to the sold or meant for the dustbin.





You´ll need to use a Compressor on top of your recordings! So I connected an expensive Digital compressor. The actual sound of the tune did sound much better, but there was also at least 10db of noice produced by the unit. (natuarly I read the instructions and also talked to a lot of people with know-how)
The rackmounted Digital multieffect gave similar result and both of them was extremly hard to adjust, set up for use.

At the end the only effects that DID work was me trusty VOX AD60 and its buildt in effect. (Digital-Analog I dont know) and me homemade Fuzz clone from Burns.



Natuarly I never read the entire instructions for the AudaCity studioprogram. But there I was trying to understand that program. Up until now I used it in similar manner as a reel to reel recorder. Exept that I was able to erase noice in silent parts. Now I started to use the inbuildt compressor and WHOW it did the trick.

It seams very easy to cheat your ears, You listen to a sound in so many ways. Whats the best? One of my biggest problems has been finding good Monitorspeakers. On my behalf I took the biggest and on paper best units I could afford. Just to exchange em for something that I thought was better. Unfortinutly they wasnt. My eyes told me one thing, that went in to my brain so for a while I did believe that this was it!



Remeber that 95% of my musicgadgets, amps, mixers aso is at least second hand. Many of them is found at the scrapyard! And set up for use after a proper service and repair.

Then after at least 5 years of search I foudn a pair of small odd looking speakers made in DDR! It took me less then an hour to realise that those two was way on top of all different speakers I used so far. JBL, Fostex, Technics, Sony, Sonab, Bose, all of them was disconnected and place in the those new old speakers. Now mounted on the studio control rooms walls.



A couple of week´s ago a pair of the same speakers appered at the scrapyard. So once again 4 huge expensive speakers was taken to the closet and the new once moiunted at the wall. Today I have to admit that I´m satisfied with my monitors. All of them at the cost of 0,oo £.

In search for music gadgets at the extreme low price leads me to loads of equipment. Some musicians seam to do well and buy new amps, gadgets all the time. And for me finding an old amp a mixer or what ever is like christmas. 



Latest findings include a SONY TV377 reel to reel taperecorder that was found filled with sawdust inside. An 8-channel Traynor mixer-amp (50 watts), an 8-channel Yamaha stereo mixer-amp with 2 x 100 watts. Two Dynacord amplifiers, one of em the Eminent 2 tube amp.





With some proper service and reapir those will be back in buisness again after say 20 years of sleep. The Yamaha mixer will be used in place of a huge-heave 24 channel mixer and a 2 x 400 watt poweramp. With a really small studiospace this mean one less unit.



The new secondhand Yamaha mixer-amp  will hopefully do the same job with only 2 x 100 watts. Got it a few days ago and was natuarly curios if it would work. So I plugged it in with a pair of speakers.



At first a AC hum was heard, checked each channel and whoow it seam´d to be working if not perfect ! A few minutes later the AC hum dissapered! Now this felt great for a few minutes. Suddenly the sound in the lefthand speakers was gone. After a check out I realised that the fuses for the left channel was brooken. So now I have the opportunit to repair the unit, and hopefully it will not be to difficult.



Some amps, speakers and guitars from my so called collection has been sold or is to be sold. The Chinise extrem lowprice W&T ES335 copy that was bought for a freind of mine ended up at my place. He didnt like it. What about it? It do look great, after an hour of adjustment it was a really good player, if not great. The latest addition, is a Bigsby tremolo and suddenly the guitar was so much better. Remember its a 100,oo £ guitar! looking like a1500,oo £ original  exept for the logo.



When me freind Johan who use to play drums told he was in need of an old washingboard search started once again, with the result of an at least 50 year old washingboard.



One of me guitars was advertised and an interessted buyer show´d up. All ending in a cool deal where He give me a 1970´s Hagström Echo as part exchange. As soon as it arrives you will read more about it. 



That´s all for today.




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