Ableton Live

For the most part, I record using the Ableton Live DAW and several SVT plugins.

For a contrast of power between the free app, Audacity, and Ableton Live listen to Idyllwild (discussed on the post about Audacity) then to As It Happens.  As It Happens was recorded on Ableton Live 8.1

 

For precice information on the latest version of Ableton Live, go here --> https://www.ableton.com/en/

A Little Known Well Known Secret

Today I want to write about a software known as Audacity.

Audacity is a free, open-source, audio recording and manipulating software.  With this software, you can record multi-track and edit audio files of many types including .wav, .flac, and .mp3.  You can download it at https://www.audacityteam.org/, and it works on Windows, Mac-OS and Linux.

This wonderful recording application is perfect for recording demos and podcasts on the fly.  It supports a host of plugins and effects.  There is a complete wiki-style manual available here --> https://manual.audacityteam.org/index.html that gives step-by-step instructions, complete with screenshots, that deal with just about every aspect of the recording process.  There is even a section that deals with latency, and how to correct it.

Click image for more screenshots

I recorded a simple acoustic piece, Idyllwild, with rhythm on one track and lead on another.  I quadrupled the lead track out and tripled the rhythm track and applied some compression as is normal to give them width. But otherwise left the recording dry.  You can hear it either on the player on the top right ot the page, or by clicking here --> http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/song/28181289

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface

The interface that I use to record is the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface.  Mine is a 1st generation (of course) but it's still awesome!  Even though Focusrite is currently on the 3rd generation of these magnificent interfaces, they still look and feel the same and operate with the same ease as always.

I like that it supports from 44.1 - 192kHz sample rates
super easy to control
1/4" outputs

Here's the link to Focusrite's page for the Scarlett 2i2:
https://focusrite.com/en/usb-audio-interface/scarlett/scarlett-2i2

I have made many recordings using this interface and Ableton Live 9.
Listen to a sample here: https://soundcloud.com/billcollins/as-it-happens

The Random Acoustic Jam Early in the Morning

Just me messing 'round at 1:30am on the acoustic.....

The Stuff I Use

I have played guitar since I was 13 years old.  A bit late to start, I know, but I still love it.  I knew I was hooked as soon as a friend of mine showed me power chords.  You know, the two fingered root and fifth chords prevalent in metal songs.  Gratefully, I progressed from there.

Over the years, I have accumulated a small truckload of equipment.  I have collected a few guitars and an awesome bass along the way.

Guitars I  have:

• 1986 Kramer ZX-10
• 2010 HSS Fender Stratocaster
• 2010 Fender Telecaster
• 2010 Fender electric-acoustic

My Bass:

• 1990 Fender Jazz Bass '62 reissue

Amplifiers:

• Fender Reverb 25 guitar amp
• Fender Rumble 350 bass amp
• Marshall HD100FX/w 4x10 half-stack

Effects:

• Dunlop Cry Baby Wah pedal.
• The rest, delay, chorus, flanger, compressor, etc., are onboard on the Marshall HD100FX Head and are controlled with a foot pedal.

My Fender guitars are both equipped with Seymour Duncan humbucker pickups, tapped for single coil play, and I changed out the pots for 500k pots.  In the Stratocaster the neck and middle positions are fitted with Seymour Duncan's Single-Coil-Spaced Little '59 Strat humbuckers and in the bridge position is a Seymour Duncan '59 Trembucker.  I love them!  What a great sound!  The volume pot is push/pull to

tap the pickups to single coil.




On the Telecaster, I replaced volume and tone pots with 500k pots and the Fender Pickups with a Seymour Duncan Hot-Rails Tele Set with an additional Seymour Duncan Hot-Rails Tele Neck pickup for the middle.Another home run by Seymour Duncan!! The volume pot is push/pull to tap the picku

My Telecaster is a 2010 Blackout model (not to be confused with the block-top
model, which was mainly distinguished by its flat-top knobs).

It is an otherwise standard Telecaster except that it has a middle Telecaster pickup in a Stratocaster style configuration, complete with a five-way switch.

It is not to be confused with a Nashville model or a B-bender model - two other Telecaster models that have a three pickup configuration, but whose middle pickups are actual Stratocaster neck position pickups.