The Home Made Hit Show

Back again after my intensive training for the World Cup. This week we discuss: Rock Band: Green DayRock Band 3Jack White's songwriting tipLack of motivationInspiration and obscure lyricsDave has been listening to Nada Surf, Hot Hot Heat, LCD SoundsystemTony has been listening to Hot Chip, Green Day and Teenage FanclubSome great tunes for you: Barricades Rise - Gave Up The World  Here Today – The Cracks (with Steve Nylander)Frank Canonica – I’m Not Myself with introMat Wilson (Widerenie) -  Debtors are Us

Home songwriting and recording talking heads Dave Criddle and Tony Butterworth return for more waffle. This weeks topics include Filling the gaps in your headThe contest winner (you have to listen to know if you won)The demise of LaLa (I hate Apple)Dave's Buzzcocks tuneTony remixes John Poulton's GravityKeith calls inTony has not been listening to much (thanks Apple) but was underwhelmed by Band of Horses)Dave has been listening to New Pornographers and KraftwerkThis weeks song: The Splinters - The Game Of LyingLucas - Hanging At The ForumThe Pocket Gods - Come On EnglandJay Regain - Motherearth Band Of Horses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGmoOSyFe8I New Pornographers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxMCaU83QKs

Back for more heavy breathing and incessant home recording and songwriting babbling, it's Tony "Vader" Butterworth and Dave "Skywalker" Criddle. Remember to send an email to homemadehitshow@gmail.com with Contest in the subject if you want to win a Korg Nanopad (winners announced next time). This weeks subject matter include Check the mastering thread on the forumsNo show next weekwww.homerecordingweekly.blogspot.com, make sure and visit to enter the songwriting contestDave's a street performerDave's bands plays Baby DollPolly on speedTony has been listening to The NationalDave has been listening to Super Furry AnimalsThis weeks songs Randall Hill - More Than FriendsJohn Poulton - GravityLeisure - Baby Doll James Bryson and Steve Nylander - The One Who Owns My Heart The National http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IprgVNlFIqM Super Furry Animals http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BANdftxuqlM

Yes you can win a Korg Nano Pad simply by sending an email to homemadehitshow@gmail.com. with CONTEST in the title line.  If you're in the US shipping will be covered, outside of the US we will review once I know the cost.  Read about the Nanopad here watch the video below. This week Dave Criddle and Tony Butterworth discuss Tony's inactivityBeing in a band is not always that greatBalanced CablesToneport presetsTony's EZMix review Read Kevin Selby's R16 site here Tony has been listening to - Marina and the Diamonds, Genesis, Kate NashDave has been listening to - Quasi Songs: Joe Holtaway - We Go Sailing Kevin Selby -  Wonderin' (R16 Demo Project) - Leigh Wright - For An Hour or TwoDavid Partrick - (I Unfriended You on) Facebook Sonic State Nanopad Review http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktCKcPWwHPw Marina and the Diamonds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_oMD6-6q5Y Genesis - Dancing with the Moonlight Knight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKIkzGGAG9s Quasi - Peace and Love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dj_Nao5LuA

The week got away from us this week so there is no normal show.  Instead how about a show of videos I've been sent. Also make sure and take a look at my review of the new Toontrack EZMix product http://show.homemadehitshow.com/2010/04/toontracks-ezmix-review.html James Donn - All I Ever Got http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwQodVc1JW0&feature=email Michael Lyzenga - Coal River Blues http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9II-EoUdxZg Bryan Eddy - You Won't See Me Cry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bov7JxIr2bI

EZMix Review What follows is a text based review of the new EZMix product released by Toontrack.  I would like to thank them for them sending me a copy for review. EZMix is a liberating and at the same time frustrating product.  It's a product that will be perfect for some and will drive others crazy with it's limitations. First I need to set the stage by describing my own personal background and use case.  I am a home hobby musician, who records music purely for the fun of it.  My operating mode is to find something that works (a sound, a product, FX Chain or technique) and stick with it, I really don't like to tinker that much so in principle EZMix should be perfect for me.   I do use Line6 products for modeling and hence a number of my tracks, most commonly guitar, are recorded with effects already applied.  I usually record bass, vocals and keyboards relatively clean.  I use mostly clean drum loops or VSTs for drums. So this is where the first issue arises.  I think the product name and the marketing are a little misleading.  Even though I now realize it was impossible, I imagined this as some kind of product that I could apply to my project and it would give me a great mix.  A magical mastering tool.  In reality it really isn't a mastering tool at all, though there are a few presets and it could be used that way.  Most of the time the intention is to apply the effects to clean, or in the case of guitars, post amp tracks and to control them by applying EQ, Compression and other relatively simple effects.  The result is that in a project like mine, with 40 different tracks I have to apply EZMix separately to every track and choose how to process it. Lets take a step back to summarize the product.  You can find lots of details at the Toontrack site. http://www.toontrack.com/products.asp?item=69 including the video shown below.  It costs $69 and is purchased via a download.  You buy the product, then download it and activate it on first use.  You can have it active on two computers at any time, and you can add and remove computers from your account up to five times.  The product installs easily and automatically is added to the folders necessary to make it work on your PC (providing you haven't gone all non standard on your VST folders).  I use Reaper and it showed up first time with no issues.  EZMix uses sixteen different effect types (listed towards the end of this article) that are combined in various combinations to create the presets provided by the product.  These effects are not really modeling based, there are no guitar amps etc, but are more post processing based.  Your ability to customize these presets is very limited.  There are three controls two of which behave differently depending on the preset you are working with, the third one sets the volume level.  The UI is presented very nicely and is easy to understand and follow, once you have selected a preset a window shows you what is included and what the control sliders are set to.  You can modify the sliders to get a sound you like then save the preset with your own name.  You can also click any preset and flag it as a favorite for easy access. EZMix seems very low CPU intensive.  I ran a project where it was running around fifteen times on different tracks, including two copies on a single track and Reaper reported minimal increases in CPU usage on those tracks. I have not counted them but EZMix comes with a lot of presets, probably a couple of hundred.  This is both a bonus and a disadvantage.  To truly be EZ that's too many, you still have to search through and many of them are meaningless without some knowledge (for example "LPF 12dc OCT" really can't qualify as EZ).  In addition many of them are useless in a popular music based production, such as all the bit crushing related presets.  Presets

Welcome to more babbling discussion of our great home songwriting and recording subject from your hosts Tony Butterworth and Dave Criddle. This weeks discussions include Working with a lyricistTony the rhymemasterA Nanopad was donated to TonyTools for helping (free/easy/webased) screen catchers www.screentoaster.comwww.showmewhatswrong.com More songs without vocals discussionsDave wants to mimic a song, including the mixDave's blanket vocal boothToontrack EZMix  www.toontrack.com/news.asp?id=171A great segment from Dave Chick from www.insidehomerecording.com on arrangingThis weeks music Scott Walker - First NightThe Morrisons - John RayBasczax - Sexy Robot My short NanoPad Video Videos from the what I've been listening to. Please make sure and check them out. Featuring. Kate Nash, Avett Bros, Nickel Creek, Trampled By Turtles, The Hollaways, Burning Hotels and Aqualung EZMix Video

Here we go again with the home recording and songwriting wonder from the experienced professional musician Tony Butterworth and the rank amateur Dave Criddle. This weeks discussions More on "modern" lyricsStevie Z reminds us that songs are a chance to say somethingTravis Brown wants a review (or does he)Tony liked a Justin Bieber songTony has continued to listen to Jonsi and The HollowaysDave has been listening to Jonsi and "Sea and Cake"Dave talks about his latency researchDave talks about Buddy Holly's Midnight ShiftTony says "Lyrics don't matter unless they aren't there or you can't understand them"Dave's songs sound great when performed by his band This weeks tunes Spotlights - Travis BrownStraight Up Shot - Famous Patrick BonierLet the Sunshine In - Guys From South Justin Bieber - Girl The Holloways - Jukebox Sunshine Sea and Cake - Weekend

More home songwriting and home recording fabulousness from Mr David Criddle and Ms Tony Butterworth. This week we discus Using more than one good lyric idea per song (including a short discussion of lyrically power spots)The music based movie BandslamDave's latency experiments (thanks to Dan Webb for the email, I believe I forgot to mention your name in the showTony has been listening to Jonsi, Dave has been shufflingThis weeks songs: Michael Wagner - That Secret ThingJamalopia (James Hart) - No AdviceJohn Bowen - Only TimeYou can view a great Jonsi video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6HjT4SQKJI