Category: <span>Music</span>

From the picture, it looks like Apple’s new $130 audio I/O has eight inputs, but Todd Maffin says it’s only got two mic inputs. Having only two mic inputs would be a monumental mistake.

To record a real garage band using GarageBand, you need at least four microphone inputs (XLR or otherwise), and ideally you need eight, with the option of using microphone-level sources or line-level sources. Without more microphone inputs, you’re pretty much limited to two accoustic and six electronic instruments at once. To record a drum set reasonably well, you need at least three microphones. Two mic inputs is fine if you’re using drum loops and playing one instrument at a time, but won’t get you a live demo of your band in its proverbial garage. For that you need more than two microphones.

Also, there are already plenty of two-channel microphone-capable I/O devices that work through USB for under $200. These devices already work with GarageBand, and your band can do pretty much all the same things that you can do with an 8-channel I/O that only has two mic inputs. Having additional line inputs is better, but you’d need an external mixer to use those for microphones, and the mixer might cost you another $300-500. Now we’re in the $450-700 range.

Now we might be better off looking at some of the pro-level FireWire I/O options like the Mackie Onyx 1220 12-channel mixer — with the FireWire option it’s about $900. Or the MOTU 896HD 8-channel I/O with 8 XLR or line inputs and outputs, ADAT LightPipe I/O, AES I/O and integrated metering for about $1,150. Both of these boxes have sound that’s likely to be superior to the one Apple is working on.

Here’s the thing: Just about any real garage band I can think of, and even college bands, wouldn’t think twice about paying $300, $350 or even $500, for a portable 8-channel I/O. Along with GarageBand, you’ve got a viable digital multi-track solution for a lot less money than any of the other options currently available. Assuming that it would work with other software besides GarageBand (no reason it shouldn’t in these days of CoreAudio), Apple could really score big with a slightly more expensive box that you can hook 8 microphones to for recording your band, and watch your DVDs with true surround sound to boot.

The same amateur and part-time musicians regularly buy things like ADATs, and hard-disk based multi-tracks for two-to-four times as much money, and many of them may have already bought an mBox from DigiDesign for $500 that only has only two channels of I/O.

I’m pretty sure the $300 price point would be possible, considering that the 8-channel Behringer ADA8000 is only $230. Unfortunately the ADA8000 only has ADAT fiber-optic LightPipe connectivity and no FireWire, but its existence proves that it should be possible for Apple to do this at or near the $300 mark.

BTW: If they added phantom power for powering condenser mic’s, then it’s worth an extra $50 to me.

Talk to some musicians at your local clubs and music stores, and you’ll quickly get an idea of what I’m talking about. Apple would do well to do the same.

Music

Among the more interesting revelations in the Audion story is this bit:

“… if it wasn’t for Audion 2 and the new ‘Speed’ effect plugin, we never would have heard the mind-shattering, ear-haunting experience of what the Chipmunks really sounded like.”

Warning: Don’t click the above link if you ever want to listen to the Chipmunks again without cringing. Ok, you’re already cringing, but if you click the link, you won’t even be able to pretend not to cringe… And don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Music

…not writing about work. Or at least not writing about it here — not intermingling it with the rest of my life.

The thing is that I spend an awful lot of time doing it, talking about it, and thinking about it. When I’m not at work, I spend some precious moments with Cindy. When I’m not spending precious moments, I’m trying to unwind, relax, or sleep.

Writing about sleeping is probably not that interesting, and I’m pretty sure you don’t need to hear about a stranger’s lovey-dovey moments, so for this post at least, I’m going to stick with my own rules for this site, and just write about other stuff that’s going on with me at the moment.

I went to a jam session on Monday night at the Hole in the Wall. I really had a blast, and played the heck out of the first set. It’s funny — I knew I was loose before I even started playing, and that it would go well.

I guess it’s a self-confidence thing, but the reception I got was the best I’ve had since I started going to the jams again… Lots of compliments from other musicians, especially from bassists, whose opinion I feel more apt to respect than those of guitar players. (Just kidding… Not really…)

BB Campbell hosts the Monday night jams there, and he’s about as nice a host as there is. His thing is to make everyone feel like family, and I totally dig that. A welcoming scene is really important, especially at this level. In fact, that’s all that matters, at this level or any other. If people don’t feel welcome, they don’t come back.

On the wedding front, we (finally) got around to registering at a few places for gifts tonight. We really should have done it sooner if we actually expected to receive any gifts, but as they say, “better late than never.”

Also on the wedding front, I’m getting a bit behind on the favors. As you probably don’t remember, I’m making a DVD with a slideshow of pictures of the people who are coming to the wedding to support us, with special musical guests, The Beatles. The authoring is about 1/2 done, but then we have to burn the DVD-R’s, apply labels, and cram them into jewel cases. I’d say we’re at about 35% on this project.

More wedding stuff: We successfully bought the dress, and rented the tux, but at these are ancient history at this point.

Even more wedding stuff: We still have to send revisions of the ceremony text to the Justice of the Peace who’s performing the ceremony. Even more pressing, we haven’t written the text of our vows yet. Cindy and I both (I think) know in our hearts what needs to be said, but we need to hunker down and take the effort to put our feelings into words.

In the meantime, mom was just in town for the weekend. We were glad to see her, and I think we all had a good time. It was especially nice to see that she’s excited about the wedding, and for her to have a chance to spend some time with Cindy again before the knot gets tied. She even talked to Cindy’s mom on the phone.

Dad’s away in the Northwest, visiting houses and people. Next time I have a chance, I really should go visit my brother and his daughter.

My buddy Dave is in Germany doing music the “real” way. Too many other friends are too far away… But with so much to do, when should I go see them? After the wedding I suppose.

One last thing: Vote Kerry (a.k.a. “not Bush”)

Music