Recording a Tube Amp Sound without a Tube Amp!

I use an MV-8800 sequencer for recording, which has a few built in MFX distortion effects. I don't like them because they have a crisp cut to them that reaks of digital effects and I prefer the warmer, fatter live sound of analogue. I can also get by with distortion pedals, or mic-ing an amp-- but recently I discovered something much better: The Demonizer.

The Demonizer by Damage Control is a distortion pedal with built in tubes that give a rich, warm, tube amp sound. The Demonizer is one of several interesting effects by Damage Control, and I particularly like the Demonizer for its very thick, harsh distortions. You could, of course, tame the Demon(izer) and use a more generic rock distortion setting, but why would you want to? Go ahead, don't be afraid! Stomp the Atomic button... I know you want to.

A Noise Guitar Tool

I found a pretty cool way to squeeze some strange sounds out of a guitar. One sort of humorous example sounds just like a fly buzzing around your head. You can get some interesting, machine sounds going using this technique especially in combination with a good pedal or two. And you have a lot of freedom to shape the sound!

Take the head off one of those razors that vibrates. Turn it on and hold it a centimeter above your strings. Now move it closer, then further away. Move it across the strings barely touching. Interesting right?

The FX-33 Buzz Box by DOD

This pedal has gained a lot of popularity in the past few years. While It's great as a noise guitar pedal, the greatest utility I have for it is creating samples or noise rythms/textures. The unit is no longer produced, and often goes for high prices but if you are lucky you might score one at a reasonable price here on Ebay.

If you are looking for snarling guitar sounds, machine like rythms, synth like, lo-fi, demonic sounds or just pure noise this is one of the best pedals you can get. FX-33 is very noisy, and actually generates its own sound on top of altering the input.
It will take some experimentation to get the sound right but once you do it really kicks ass.

If you combine it with other pedals like a loop pedal or the Audible Disease "Rupture" Pedal you really get some useful samples/textures.

CD Review: Mannikin - (Self Titled)

Mannikin is a solo project by one Daniel Bepristis. What he terms "Machine Rock" is a blistering example of creativity in the Industrial Rock genre. As a fan of many styles of music I really love this disk. Basically, it is a mixture of his unique brand of industrial arrangements and gritty hard rock.

You can hear some of his stuff here: Mannikin MySpace Profile and occasionally you can find Mannikin on Amazon and if you do I highly recommend picking it up.

Contact Mic: A sample seeker's secret

If you already know about the contact mic, you are probably aware how powerful it is as a tool for finding interestingly textured samples. If you don't know what a contact mic is, read on.

A contact mic is simply a very small microphone you place or tape to something that produces inaudible or nearly inaudible sounds and records them. Any time you tap something, it produces a vibration and a contact mic can pic it up and amplify it for your use.

The great thing about contact mics, aside from being cheap and readily available, is that the textures you get with them can sound very exotic or alien. If you are looking for mechanical sounds you can often get them without having to find heavy machinery to mic. Another advantage is that you won't have as much white noise as you would by mic-ing something in someone's workshop.

Some Ideas for contact mic-ing:

• Modem
  
• Refridgerator & other household appliances
  
• Water dripping into a bowl
  
• Anything while flipping switches or pressing buttons.
  
• Creaky chair or door
  

Bottom line is experiment with everything. Sometimes you will find a wicked texture or one shot sound from a source you couldn't even hear. Using these sounds gives your work a much more unique flavor than buying a bunch of samples.

Had any interesting results? Leave a comment about it!

What I think makes a rock band suck

To me, these ideas seem painfully apparent and perhaps not worth voicing. I expect that the reader will probably nod, roll her eyes and skip the site. But for as obvious as these ideas seem, it is surprising how few bands seem to get it.

• DON'T rely on any one element whether part, presence or player, to make your act.
  
• DO add something other than music to your show that is interesting.
  
• DON'T write songs where the verse is the time we have to wait before you get to the chorus hook.
  
• DON'T be fooled into believing you have a good act because you can entertain a bunch of drunks.
  
• DO set a song aside after writing it and come back to critique it with the utmost criticism.
  
• DO record and evaluate your performances, especially the audience's waxing and waning interest. Focus on their peaks.
  
• DON'T misjudge your audience’s reaction.
  
• DO study the use of silence and climax and change the way you use them from song to song.
  
• DO make sure your music is interesting even without vocals.
  
• DON'T sound like a copy of your "influences".
  

Too many bands follow a trend, trying to sound like what they hear on the radio. Admittedly it can work, but for how long? If a band has nothing new to contribute it has little chance of any real success. I'm so tired of hearing band X that sounds like band Y or sounds so cliché I feel like I’ve heard it before a thousand times and can't count how many amateur bands sound just like it.

My two bits.

Finally: Record Controlled Guitar Feedback!

If you're like me, you love experimenting with feedback. You may have also, like me, found it difficult to capture in a recording without some hassle. With the Sustainiac Stealth Plus you can now generate feedback which can be recorded by plugging your guitar directly into your recorder, and you'll have more control than ever in controlling the sounds you create!