Signal To Noise

Episode 04: Making Music On The iPad

I first started doing home recording in 1992. I had a Fostex X-28h, a Boss DR-550, a guitar and my P-Bass. It was a cassette recorder and was one of the best home units at the time. The recordings were rudimentary at best and rarely had more than 4 tracks. Still, I did a ton of writing and even recorded some other people. 8 years later I upgraded to the boss BR-8. Now I had 8 tracks, built-in drum patterns for roughing out ideas, COSM amp and mic modeling and it was all digital. In just 8 years home recording had changed DRASTICALLY. A year after that I started using my computer to do my recording, and in 2011...I can now record on an iPad. Garage band on the iPad blows me away. It boggles my mind to think that this self contained flat piece of glass and metal has more recording power in it than the Beatles had to record "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band". And yet here it is. I started my recording endeavor on a cassette tape, and there are no moving parts to be seen and it is a much more graphical interface than I ever had. What I like best about Garage Band for the iPad is that not only is it a great platform for sketching out ideas. It is also an empowering platform. With "Smart Instruments" it gives the beginner a solid starting point. It is nearly impossible to play a wrong note and it teaches chord theory in a round about way. Recently,  I had the opportunity to watch this empowerment first hand. I work with guy named Mike. He does not play any instruments, but he loves music and can sing. I thought Mike would enjoy a program like Garage Band, so I sat down with him, showed him the basics and let him go. In three weeks I watched him go from music enthusiast to music creator. The best part is with each song he writes he learns something and uses the smart instruments less and uses what he has learned from the start instruments and applies it to the other instruments in Garage Band. And that leads me to this episode. In episode 4 we talk with Mike about his transformation into music creator and how the iPad can be a viable tool for all musicians. All the Music in this episode was created by either Mike or Myself and done entirely on the iPad. So sit back and enjoy!

Episode 03: TonePros

The guitar is quite a curious instrument. It can sound as huge and devastating as a hurricane, but it's also quite delicate. For example since most guitars are made of wood, they react to the element. Think of it like this. You know how in the summer time when it is super humid your door frames stick? And then then is the winter they work really well because it is so dry? Your guitar reacts in the same in the same way to the climate changes and this can cause the wood in the neck to warp. And if the neck warps... your guitar is done. Most guitarists are very aware of this and take steps to regulate the climate in their houses to keep the guitar and neck in good shape, especially since the neck has so much to do with tone. There is another part of the guitar that has a big effect on tone as well, a part that as guitarists we overlook, the bridge. The bridge is one of two contact points for the strings. It is also the contact point that controls the intonation of the guitar. If the bridge is junk or in bad shape, then the guitar sounds bad. Even that vintage Les Paul. In Episode 03 we talk with Wookie of TonePros where we discuss his life on the road in various positions, and how his time as a guitar tech lead him to TonePros. And don't forget, The month of October is a special month for our Sister Podcast, Radioactive Metal. Snowy will watching 31 Horror Movies picked by the listeners. so head to their Facebook page and toss in your suggestions!