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Author Topic: Rock out all the way.  (Read 2986 times)

DarkWolfXV

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Rock out all the way.
« on: January 02, 2012, 10:48:51 am »

Im thinking about starting a band,  my guitar playing skill is pretty below-average, since im playing it for only 3 months now, but i have ltos of creativity and even with my poor-so-far skill i create some catchy metal tunes.
However, no one i know would like to join my band, since they dont like metal, the people that like metal dont play anything, i convinced friend to try playing bass since its easier than guitar and he doesnt need to be virtuoso to play, so he agreed about buying a bass. My other friend plays drums but imagine carrying whole drum set 10 kms without a car for just 2-3 hours of play. (Practice sessions and recording.)
I thought about using guitar hero GHTunes to record drums. But by the way, is that legal?
And any advice on mastering and adding warmth to my guitar tracks? I only managed to remove buzz from amplifier and make it sound just "fine", but i want more, my gear is only for 50$, guitar and amp costs the same., so pretty cheap and "fine" quality gear. (Fine being little below acceptable)
Guitar has few dead frets and buzzes even when hand position is right(applies only to thicker strings). Any tips how to overcome that?
Thanks and hope you anwser all my questions.
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Patchouli

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2012, 06:01:57 pm »

If your guitar is really cheap, the build quality might not be the best, causing the dead frets and buzzing.

Your best bet is to learn how to set up a guitar and try to get rid of the buzzing. Google up on how to set the relief and action.
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Blargityblarg

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2012, 06:54:44 pm »

In my band, etiquette is to travel to the drumkit, not have it travel to you. However, our drumkit-having person lives fairly centrally, whereas yours might not. In any case, assuming you're able to practice at the drummer's house, just go there and do so.
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Stargrasper

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2012, 07:38:18 pm »

In my band, etiquette is to travel to the drumkit, not have it travel to you. However, our drumkit-having person lives fairly centrally, whereas yours might not. In any case, assuming you're able to practice at the drummer's house, just go there and do so.

On a related note, ideally, store everything in a convenient place that's easy for everyone to get to for practice.  I used to have to haul not just the drumkit...but all of the band's equipment, every week for performance.  It's amazing how quickly you can set up the band, sound, lights, etc, everything you could potentially need for performance, when you need to, but nobody really wants to.  Minimize how much stuff you need to move and how frequently you need to move it.
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lordcooper

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2012, 10:06:47 am »

1. Bass is not easier to play than electric guitar.  This is coming from a guitarist/failed bassist.
2. Mastering is a pretty extensive process undertaken by highly trained (and highly paid) professionals.  There is no way in hell someone without training will do even a semi-decent job.  You may be referring to mixing or engineering.
3. Try and get your hands on some better equipment if you're serious.
4. Consider posting an ad either in a local paper, or music store saying you're looking for musicians.  Be sure to do this after point 3.
5. Practice every day :)
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fqllve

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2012, 11:31:05 am »

And any advice on mastering and adding warmth to my guitar tracks? I only managed to remove buzz from amplifier and make it sound just "fine", but i want more, my gear is only for 50$, guitar and amp costs the same., so pretty cheap and "fine" quality gear. (Fine being little below acceptable)
Guitar has few dead frets and buzzes even when hand position is right(applies only to thicker strings). Any tips how to overcome that?
To make your tone warmer, try adjusting the tone knob if you have one. If not you can pluck the strings closer to the fingerboard (or sul tasto). Other things you can try are: Keep the Mids and Bass on your amp about even, but lower the treble, switch pickups, if you have more than one use the the one nearest the bridge, if you don't have more than one, they're easy to replace and a humbucker near the bridge produces a nice warm and mellow tone. If you throw a lot of gain or overdrive on top of that you have a perfect deep and distorted metal sound.

For fret buzzing, it's either your action (the distance from your strings to the frets) or the amount of pressure you're putting on the string. Does the buzzing happen when you pluck moderately on an open string or only when fretting. If when fretting, does it occur more towards the head stock or towards the body of the guitar itself? If it happens when the string is open it's probably the action, if it happens mostly when you're fretting on the first two frets then it's likely you aren't exerting enough pressure. I would recommend taking your guitar to a professional to get the action and truss rod adjusted.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2012, 12:17:34 pm by fqllve »
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DarkWolfXV

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2012, 01:11:40 pm »

1. Bass is not easier to play than electric guitar.  This is coming from a guitarist/failed bassist.
2. Mastering is a pretty extensive process undertaken by highly trained (and highly paid) professionals.  There is no way in hell someone without training will do even a semi-decent job.  You may be referring to mixing or engineering.
3. Try and get your hands on some better equipment if you're serious.
4. Consider posting an ad either in a local paper, or music store saying you're looking for musicians.  Be sure to do this after point 3.
5. Practice every day :)

1. Really is bass harder? How? Well i heard strings are harder to press due to them being thicker, but i dont think this is a problem
2. Basic stuff like making your track a bit better than raw version (nah but of course not so pro like from studio) and removing buzz is also mastering iirc. Well i was reading some wiki, google, did 4 hours of looking into it before attempting to master it. Well maybe semi decent is too much, maybe acceptable or something.
3. Thats my idea, but not for now.
4. Good point
5. Excellent point.

And any advice on mastering and adding warmth to my guitar tracks? I only managed to remove buzz from amplifier and make it sound just "fine", but i want more, my gear is only for 50$, guitar and amp costs the same., so pretty cheap and "fine" quality gear. (Fine being little below acceptable)
Guitar has few dead frets and buzzes even when hand position is right(applies only to thicker strings). Any tips how to overcome that?
To make your tone warmer, try adjusting the tone knob if you have one. If not you can pluck the strings closer to the fingerboard (or sul tasto). Other things you can try are: Keep the Mids and Bass on your amp about even, but lower the treble, switch pickups, if you have more than one use the the one nearest the bridge, if you don't have more than one, they're easy to replace and a humbucker near the bridge produces a nice warm and mellow tone. If you throw a lot of gain or overdrive on top of that you have a perfect deep and distorted metal sound.

For fret buzzing, it's either your action (the distance from your strings to the frets) or the amount of pressure you're putting on the string. Does the buzzing happen when you pluck moderately on an open string or only when fretting. If when fretting, does it occur more towards the head stock or towards the body of the guitar itself? If it happens when the string is open it's probably the action, if it happens mostly when you're fretting on the first two frets then it's likely you aren't exerting enough pressure. I would recommend taking your guitar to a professional to get the action and truss rod adjusted.


Thanks for knobs advice, made my distortion a lot better, wasnt using bass knob before becouse it made my strings not amplify properly, now thanks to you it is A LOT better. Well buzz happens when i pluck string hard and on some frets, dont know which ones though.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2012, 01:14:05 pm by DarkWolfXV »
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Probably thats why they are used with pentagrams on covers of Satanic Black Metal albums.
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fqllve

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2012, 02:20:29 pm »

I uploaded a little demo for types of fret buzz to sound cloud here.

If it's type one, fret harder and bring your finger as close as possible to the the next fret. If it's type two, try being a little more delicate and maybe have your action adjusted because it could be quite low. If it's type three, try hitting the string at its very top, so it vibrates parallel to the face of the soundboard.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2012, 02:29:38 pm by fqllve »
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Cyprinus

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2012, 12:19:28 am »

Im thinking about starting a band,  my guitar playing skill is pretty below-average, since im playing it for only 3 months now, but i have ltos of creativity and even with my poor-so-far skill i create some catchy metal tunes.
However, no one i know would like to join my band, since they dont like metal, the people that like metal dont play anything, i convinced friend to try playing bass since its easier than guitar and he doesnt need to be virtuoso to play, so he agreed about buying a bass. My other friend plays drums but imagine carrying whole drum set 10 kms without a car for just 2-3 hours of play. (Practice sessions and recording.)
I thought about using guitar hero GHTunes to record drums. But by the way, is that legal?
And any advice on mastering and adding warmth to my guitar tracks? I only managed to remove buzz from amplifier and make it sound just "fine", but i want more, my gear is only for 50$, guitar and amp costs the same., so pretty cheap and "fine" quality gear. (Fine being little below acceptable)
Guitar has few dead frets and buzzes even when hand position is right(applies only to thicker strings). Any tips how to overcome that?
Thanks and hope you anwser all my questions.

If you're just starting out, chances are you're not putting enough pressure on the heavier strings (this would go double if you played acoustic). Like lordcooper said above me, practice every day.

Also, not to be a jerk or anything, but try expanding your horizons musically. Folk music especially helps you learn basic chords, chord changes, and how much pressure is needed in order to properly play the lower strings. One of the first songs I learned to play properly using strummed chords (I normally play chords fingerstyle and use a pick for music that doesn't call for chords) was part 3 of "The Crane Wife", by the Decemberists.
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lordcooper

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2012, 12:44:30 am »

Agreed, metal and space rock are my favourite musical genres, but playing folk and classical guitar are the best ways to learn.

1. Really is bass harder? How? Well i heard strings are harder to press due to them being thicker, but i dont think this is a problem

I found the learning curves to be pretty different.  It's easier to get to a passable/mediocre level of skill on bass guitar than it is with an electric, but becoming a genuinely good bassist is bloody hard.  You need an incredible sense of timing and degree of precision.  I know they don't get much time in the spotlight, but a bassist can make or break a band IMO.

My general outlook on the roles in the average rock group, translated into RPG clichés for no particular reason:

Vocalist / main charcter: A showman.  People need to be able to relate to the singer.  Vocals draw people in (especially surface listeners) and provide context to the music.  Must be able to improvise to some extent.
Drummister / the badass older character or guide: The foundation of a band.  Keeps everyone synchronised and on track.  This is the person who needs to be shit hot.
Guitarist / mid-boss or knight templar: Brings complexity and to the mix while providing another 'easy access' point to the music.  Should be charismatic, but not outshine the vocalist.
Bassist / love interest or rival: Somewhere between the drummer and the guitarist.  Provides texture for the music and helps set the tone and pacing of a piece.
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DarkWolfXV

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2012, 10:49:55 am »

Agreed, metal and space rock are my favourite musical genres, but playing folk and classical guitar are the best ways to learn.

1. Really is bass harder? How? Well i heard strings are harder to press due to them being thicker, but i dont think this is a problem

I found the learning curves to be pretty different.  It's easier to get to a passable/mediocre level of skill on bass guitar than it is with an electric, but becoming a genuinely good bassist is bloody hard.  You need an incredible sense of timing and degree of precision.  I know they don't get much time in the spotlight, but a bassist can make or break a band IMO.

My general outlook on the roles in the average rock group, translated into RPG clichés for no particular reason:

Vocalist / main charcter: A showman.  People need to be able to relate to the singer.  Vocals draw people in (especially surface listeners) and provide context to the music.  Must be able to improvise to some extent.
Drummister / the badass older character or guide: The foundation of a band.  Keeps everyone synchronised and on track.  This is the person who needs to be shit hot.
Guitarist / mid-boss or knight templar: Brings complexity and to the mix while providing another 'easy access' point to the music.  Should be charismatic, but not outshine the vocalist.
Bassist / love interest or rival: Somewhere between the drummer and the guitarist.  Provides texture for the music and helps set the tone and pacing of a piece.

What if vocalist is both a lead guitarist? :P

Im thinking about starting a band,  my guitar playing skill is pretty below-average, since im playing it for only 3 months now, but i have ltos of creativity and even with my poor-so-far skill i create some catchy metal tunes.
However, no one i know would like to join my band, since they dont like metal, the people that like metal dont play anything, i convinced friend to try playing bass since its easier than guitar and he doesnt need to be virtuoso to play, so he agreed about buying a bass. My other friend plays drums but imagine carrying whole drum set 10 kms without a car for just 2-3 hours of play. (Practice sessions and recording.)
I thought about using guitar hero GHTunes to record drums. But by the way, is that legal?
And any advice on mastering and adding warmth to my guitar tracks? I only managed to remove buzz from amplifier and make it sound just "fine", but i want more, my gear is only for 50$, guitar and amp costs the same., so pretty cheap and "fine" quality gear. (Fine being little below acceptable)
Guitar has few dead frets and buzzes even when hand position is right(applies only to thicker strings). Any tips how to overcome that?
Thanks and hope you anwser all my questions.

If you're just starting out, chances are you're not putting enough pressure on the heavier strings (this would go double if you played acoustic). Like lordcooper said above me, practice every day.

Also, not to be a jerk or anything, but try expanding your horizons musically. Folk music especially helps you learn basic chords, chord changes, and how much pressure is needed in order to properly play the lower strings. One of the first songs I learned to play properly using strummed chords (I normally play chords fingerstyle and use a pick for music that doesn't call for chords) was part 3 of "The Crane Wife", by the Decemberists.

Well i play on electric and i also play other stuff than metal, but ty for advice

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Goats will ignore your grass and eat the neighbours' roses. They're just evil bastards like that.
Probably thats why they are used with pentagrams on covers of Satanic Black Metal albums.
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Ottofar

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2012, 01:51:48 pm »

Also, possible keyboardist.

lordcooper

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2012, 12:48:04 pm »

What if vocalist is both a lead guitarist? :P

That would make them an anti-hero, I think.  ;D

Also, possible keyboardist.

Hm, I wouldn't really say the 'average' rock group has a keyboard player.  I personally love it when keyboards/synthesisers are brought into the mix skilfully, but it's always seemed to me that in the majority of cases it just seems forced.  Perhaps that would make them the secret character that can render the game incredibly easy on the rare occasions a player bothers to level them up properly?
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DarkWolfXV

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Re: Rock out all the way.
« Reply #13 on: January 07, 2012, 06:58:05 pm »

What if vocalist is both a lead guitarist? :P

That would make them an anti-hero, I think.  ;D

Also, possible keyboardist.

Hm, I wouldn't really say the 'average' rock group has a keyboard player.  I personally love it when keyboards/synthesisers are brought into the mix skilfully, but it's always seemed to me that in the majority of cases it just seems forced.  Perhaps that would make them the secret character that can render the game incredibly easy on the rare occasions a player bothers to level them up properly?

Well i have keyboard with built in synthesiser and i though about using it only in few parts, unless i create a great sound on synth... Guitar sounds on keyboard sound cheap though, although better than first 20 year old keyboard i had:P.
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Goats will ignore your grass and eat the neighbours' roses. They're just evil bastards like that.
Probably thats why they are used with pentagrams on covers of Satanic Black Metal albums.
BURNING SHIT AND EATING ROOSESSSSSS DDOFOFAOAARRRAHYYYE