stefkeB

After struggling with finding a reasonable way to combine Ableton Live loop recording, my Marshall amplifier and my POD X3 Live floorboard, I found a way of controlling it all, without (too much) additional hardware or pedals. In fact, I can diminish the amount of pedals considerably, as I don't have to use the Marshall pedal switchboard. I did had to buy a MIDI-2-USB connector, since the X3 Live connection through USB to the laptop does not send MIDI signals, only audio.

Control the Marshall Amp with the X3 Live floorboard

I've started thinking lately to get up to grips with performing alone with more than simply a guitar. I have most of the hardware and software I need (I think), but to link it all together takes some planning.

One of the tricky things is the lack of hands you have when playing guitar. And the fact that even though you have two feet, you need at least one to stand up. So only a foot controller seems reasonable.

But I have too many buttons to push:

This is a recording of Silver Droplets to reflect how the song was when played live, as discussed here. Although the sound is different. This is a Marshall amp emulation from the POD X3 Live recorded in Ableton Live. The actual performance was my real Marshall and the Digitech Jamman Looper pedal (which can not do direct sound-on-sound after the first recording starts looping).

But this version reflects the mood and feel of the way it was performed.

Last weekend, I played in the Sint-Joriskerk in Antwerpen, during the wedding-celebration of my wife's brother.

The first song was a new composition, titled "Silver Droplets". While practising, the couple was pleased with a fragment I was playing, dubbing it "bubbles". While "Soap Bubble" came to mind, this title was highly unfit to start a lasting marriage. So I proposed the droplets. Here you can listen to the re-recording.

Last weekend, I borrowed a Digitech Jamman from a friend to use during the upcoming wedding celebration. Take a peek at http://www.digitech.com/products/Pedals/JamMan.php. It seems easier then to carry a laptop with Ableton Live and my keyboard on USB and the foot pedal mapped to the looper-plugin button.

Another note, I upgraded my laptop to Snow Leopard and the Line6 drivers and the Soundflowerbed extensions give problems. That's for updating too soon... Well, my iMac will stay a little longer on Leopard in that case, till I know the drivers work fine.

Yesterday, I played some pieces for my brother-in-law, who is getting married this month. He asked me to play some interludes on his wedding.

After about 15 (maybe 20?) years, I finally bought a new guitar amplifier. I was looking at a Fender Hot Rod Reverb and a Marshall JVM 215C. Both are combo amplifiers (amplifier and cabinet combined) but have a different goal:

Apart from software, there is a wealth of possibilities for guitar sounds. From real amplifiers and stomp boxes till software plugins and combined software/hardware products.

Right now, I'm borrowing a Korg ToneWorks AX3000G from my brother, which is mostly a hardware guitar effects and amplifiers simulator. One machine with a nice range of sounds. Maybe I don't need to buy two or more amplifiers and effects at all.

I am re-installing everything. My Powerbook's drive died, so I had to start from scratch (and the partial backup I could recover). I've switched from Tiger to Leopard, but still have iLife '06 for PPC on that machine.

On the iMac, I have the more recent iLife '08 which is nice (especially iPhoto, which we used to reorganize most of our family snapshots). Garagaband seems to be improved somewhat, but not dramatically. I have not had the chance to try others.

Last week, because it was my birthday, I bought a new iMac. It is meant to replace my old Desktop PC from 2000, which did not serve for music for quite some time. While I am happy with the Powerbook, it's still my laptop for work and it's disk died recently. While it is recovering and a new battery is ordered, I had to replace my home computer too. Because of music and graphics I chose the iMac, which is reasonably priced and comes with iLife (including the nice Garageband).