[Harp-L] Re: recording yourself

["steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm sure recording yourself is a great idea. I have WAY too many recording devices and they are all under-used.  Sometimes I don't want to hear me.  
The best recording I ever made was with an old cassette deck, using two cheap condenser microphones at a jam session in a bar. I now have recording equipment that I don't know how to operate.. yet. I will learn and I will make good recordings. But right now I'm more involved in my real life and in learning how to play good music. But I have the stuff now to record it faithfully. If life will just let me learn how to use it.. :)

Steve Webb in Minnesota, where the last time I checked, the snow was waist deep in front of my door.


---- Ray Beltran <raybeltran@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 
> 
> On Jan 12, 2009, at 9:02 AM, Richard Hunter wrote:
> 
> > Cassette recording technology is good enough for this purpose, and  
> > it's a lot cheaper.  Radio Shack sells a recorder with a built-in  
> > mic that uses standard audio cassettes for a price of less than $40,  
> > as I recall. Cassettes are cheap and still readily available, too.
> 
> Thanks for bringing this up, Richard. Excellent point. BY WHATEVER  
> MEANS NECESSARY, record yourself.
> 
> Back in the 90's, when the Harmonica Masterclasses had all the greats  
> showing up for seminars, Rod Piazza said that someone (George Smith?  
> can't recall - I'll have to go back and listen), gave him a cheap  
> recorder just for the purpose of recording his practice sessions. He  
> said it was the best gift he'd ever gotten, and he encouraged us to do  
> the same.
> 
> I recorded him saying this, as I already had one of those old-school  
> tape recorders that lay flat underneath my chair and have the built-in  
> condenser mics, big black flat keys that go "ker-PLUNK" to let you  
> know to turn the tape over (and annoy the heck out of everyone), all  
> chrome and shiny speaker grille... you 'member.
> 
> All the music on my website at www.resgraphics.com/music is recorded  
> using a Sony MZ-RH1 Hi-MD minidisc recorder and some Sound  
> Professionals Audio Technica mics with a power pack for the mics. This  
> whole setup is still smaller than the H4, but what's nice about the H4  
> is it's an all-in-one unit. I do some post-processing using Bias Peak,  
> and it takes a bit of time, but it's sort of a hobby of mine.
> 
> You don't need this sort of setup. You don't need to go crazy like  
> this. Keep it simple if you don't want the hassle, as long as you  
> record yourself. Even a simple recording is better than none.
> 
> I record every performance to check myself, the band, my amp, my tone,  
> what I was saying musically, what I could have been doing, the times I  
> should have shut up... I go over and over the music listening for all  
> sorts of stuff. What you'll hear is amazing, and you'll learn so much.
> 
> I am also looking to capture that magic moment. You know, that moment  
> when everyone is in the pocket, the music is moving up and out with a  
> life of it's own, and it's just a coming together of all the right  
> time and things and notes and crowd... Rather than tell the grandkids  
> about that special moment when it all just came together, wouldn't you  
> rather them hear it? That stuff's PRICELESS!
> 
> Then, of course, those warts. Ah, yes... the warts. Those times when  
> you just fall flat on your face, and you don't quite know what you  
> were trying to do or why. When you hear it, you'll winch... "What the  
> HECK wuz I THINKIN'?" And you'll never want to hear it again. It's all  
> good, though! I guarantee you, when you hear it, you WON'T do that  
> thing again. EVAH! You will have a better performance the VERY NEXT  
> TIME.
> 
> Okay, I think you all get the picture; I'll shut up now. Forty bucks  
> or four hundred bucks. Just do it. You'll be happy you did.
> 
> Ray.
> --
> My Music - www.resgraphics.com/music
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