what the fuck is this forum comming too

[P-E]

I am new to this forum.... and I actually agree with much of what's being said here.

I joined because there was TONS of useful information here - great people who genuinely wanted to help others. Actually, GuitarHack's impulses brought me here, only because I'd never used or even heard an impulse for that matter. Then, I started taking a look around and said "Holy shit! Theres a ton of useful information and advice, but you're exactly right - now I have to search harder amongst the garbage threads to get to the threads that will help me (note - other newbies like myself need to use the fucking SEARCH button, instead of posting a thread saying "hey guise, can yoo help me with that thing that you helped 97 other people with already").

I say this, because I am an avid reader of the forum, and occasional poster. I realize that I have nothing to add to the discussion when you have vets like Lasse and others talking about AE, so that's my cue to sit back and listen and learn everything I possibly can!

As an aside - Thank you everyone for your help!

Ex-act-ly.
Huge +1 to this.

 

[MarkG]

Ex-act-ly.
Huge +1 to this.

And another +1 from me. Read, lurk and learn. When I have useful info or clips to post I will, but for now there's just nothing I can add.

 

[Jaymz]

Im gonna break the trend and say...

I agree to this.....not +1

 

[nwright]

Hahaha, the reason for this is simple:

a) "in the beginning" it was only a few of the now-regulars, most of which didn't have a clue because forums like this didn't exist
b) it took years of trying and discussing, getting tips from Andy, collecting wisdom from all over the place to put it together. And then apply it.
c) these days we have impulses, Wagner Sharp, Superior 2.0, Slate ... so no need to actually mic up an amp, cause you got the Meshuggah Preset for PODFarm going into CatharsisImpulses for an InstaGood-Sound
d) all the wisdom collected in b) is available in one sticky and all the regulars think it's "old news", because they have now spent a few years finding and collecting and applying it.
e) a few new ppl making tons of pointless threads in the wrong forum-sections and using less humble more offensive tone (which I describe as "spoiled, only-child, internet toughguy"-tone)
f) since the forum is self moderated most people just shrug at e) and move on by not posting as much anymore (I know I semi-did)

There is only so much knowledge in the world! In the "pioneering days", everything is exciting, especially when you have to figure it out yourself. Today everyone theoretically knows how to make a record sound like "The Gathering".

Now everyone just has to go out and do it ...

BIG BIG +1, and I think this is the crux of the issue...There aren't many on here consistently doing this stuff in the real world, for real.

I don't mean that as a slam, but I think the knowledge and "tips" garnered from 50,000 POD and programmed drum clips can only go so far. Sharing POD patches is one thing, sharing true mixing tips I think is another. Sharing impulses and stuff is awesome, too, but it removes the learning aspect and replaces it with an "easy fix".

Not much to share when you are just throwing some polished pro sounding samples on top of POD tones. I don't mean that bad, so I hope not to offend anyone.

It's the exception these days to see a clip or mix or topic revolving around recording an actual band (heck, even if you use triggers and OH mics, thats more than programming, hehe).

I think the mic distance shootout was pretty cool, because it was a little true to actual studio use/learning.

It's like now people just want results, rather than learn the studio process to get desired results. And that's not to say you have to be in a real studio to apply these methods. I've tried to use them here at my home "studio". This forum was a godsend to me when I started learning 3 years ago. I still feel like my mixes pale in comparison to most on here, and I gotta admit it bums me out when most of these mixes are POD and programmed drums. I wanna hear what we all can do with some mics and time. Again, I hope I don't sound condescending, I truly mean no ill will.

 

[lolzgreg]

I lurked around for two weeks and said, wow what a useful forum. I signed up. I will agree we've degraded a bit. Hopefully, we can turn it around. We need more of a community feel here again. I try to post on almost every thread, give advice and most importantly learn.

 

[Machinated]

lasse absolutely nailed my views here.

it seems there is way more people here that arent looking to go into this full time and arent really interested in learning all the techniques possible and working with bands. they just want to make demo's for their band and have it sound really good. nothing really wrong with that, but it seems the focus here has shifted towards that.

 

[Jind]

+1

The problem with new people is they don't bother to do any searching of their own, instead they just go read the first page and then creates a topic asking for magic presets.. but this is how it is on ANY forum tbh.

also agree on what Nuno Filipe posted.. I would love to be able to mic a real amp or drumkit in my apartment but sadly that will have to wait a few years.

I don't really have much to add to the discussion, as you can obviously see im one of the new people.. but a I want to give a big thank you to all the people that share their knowledge, I have already learned so much already and will only continue to leech knowledge from here by reading, searching and learning by doing

+1 to this post.

I'm not a pro or semi-pro, but I am someone interested in music and music production (mostly for my own creative interests) and I come here to gain knowledge.

1: I try to only open a thread if I have exhausted all forms of using SEARCH for the answer and even then I tend to hold off and see if I can find the info elsewhere - i.e. this is not the only music production website and I can Google and see if a question has been asked elsewhere on the internet.

2: I know I am inexperienced so I tend not to post in threads where my lack of experience/knowledge would just confuse matters or not add anything to the conversation.

3: I try to never get in internet dick measuring contests.

4: I believe in using sub-forums as they are intended - read the forum rules and understand what goes where. i.e. don't post items for sale not music production related in a place that clearly states in the rules that it is for music related items and if you are not intersted in buying an item, keep your opinions to yourself. Understand the community you have decided to become a part of.

5: Most of all - research, read, digest, and understand any community - understand the dynamics of it, understand the power-users, the really helpful people, show respect to people you are hear to learn from and above all "If you've got nothing good to say, or to add, it's best to just shut your mouth".

I have learned so much here in my relatively short time - not quite confident enough in my own work to post it yet - but I'm getting there. This is a great place if you can filter through the useless stuff. I rarely read the Off-Topic stuff, but it's good that it's here - but some folks need to understand that each and every piece of information has it's rightful place - think before you post and think about what you post - Search is your friend, understanding how to search is your friend.

Thank you all for helping me become a better musician and to have a better appreciation of all that goes into making music.

 

[Metaltastic]

By the way I'm really sick too of hearing all these tone tests with the Holy Diver DI's, realllly nice from him to share them, but I don't understand why everyone use them instead of taking 5 minutes to write their own riff.

Hey, don't look at me, people always ask for me to share 'em!

 

[GeertSamuel]

Don't know, but I'm still learning a lot on this forum. If it's not with searches it's probally with new threads here and there....

I like the boobs on this forum a lot also.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

The forum is what you make it.

I haven't had a chance to write an epic "guide" thread lately as I'm on full length album #3 this year & really, really need to take some time off.

Meanwhile, frown upon/ignore bad behaviour, and try to post in the right forum!

 

[Ermz]

You can think of it in terms of investments and returns.

Do you gain a considerable enough amount of knowledge here to warrant the time invested? The guys off in college recording demos for fun might be able to justify posting around, but the guys doing it full time have:

1) Their livelihood and business to consider. We know how consuming this industry can be, so most of them are working all the time.
2) They don't learn enough from a userbase that is significantly more 'semi-pro' and 'amateur', as Lasse put it, to warrant spending time here.

The only reason people like Andy and James have to come here is in order to share knowledge with us. When that knowledge is outright rejected, they really have no need to hang around. No obligations at all. I mean, Andy finances the place, what else would we want. He even played nice and answered everyone's questions in that thread. Add that to all the tips he's shared over the years and that's it. What more is there to say?

The golden days of this forum were always going to be the earliest days, just by virtue of how it existed. The guys here who slowly went from semi-pro to pro did it with the guidance of Andy's tips along with a multitude of other people. We all worked together and helped each other get to that next level.

As more and more hobbyists come in, they want quick fixes - way to do things on the cheap. I KNOW now is worse than any other time, because prior to now I never felt like leaving this place. I never would've even considered it. This place was an online home, a repository I went to any time I wanted to hone my craft and interact with like-minded people. It's progressively turning into a social convention for those that have no care for it.

Every place comes to a point like this though, where the old guard get replaced with the new and there's a focus shift. I experienced it very profoundly when I moderated a very busy forum here on UM for a few years. Tight moderation is usually the death knell and the refusal of the old to let the inevitable change turn a place over. It really sucks in this case, because this quite honestly was the best forum I ever found on the net. It will however continually deteriorate into what I see to be the bane of this craft. I'm coming to a point where the investment doesn't match up to the return anymore.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

You can think of it in terms of investments and returns.

Do you gain a considerable enough amount of knowledge here to warrant the time invested? The guys off in college recording demos for fun might be able to justify posting around, but the guys doing it full time have:

1) Their livelihood and business to consider. We know how consuming this industry can be, so most of them are working all the time.
2) They don't learn enough from a userbase that is significantly more 'semi-pro' and 'amateur', as Lasse put it, to warrant spending time here.

The only reason people like Andy and James have to come here is in order to share knowledge with us. When that knowledge is outright rejected, they really have no need to hang around. No obligations at all. I mean, Andy finances the place, what else would we want. He even played nice and answered everyone's questions in that thread. Add that to all the tips he's shared over the years and that's it. What more is there to say?

The golden days of this forum were always going to be the earliest days, just by virtue of how it existed. The guys here who slowly went from semi-pro to pro did it with the guidance of Andy's tips along with a multitude of other people. We all worked together and helped each other get to that next level.

As more and more hobbyists come in, they want quick fixes - way to do things on the cheap. I KNOW now is worse than any other time, because prior to now I never felt like leaving this place. I never would've even considered it. This place was an online home, a repository I went to any time I wanted to hone my craft and interact with like-minded people. It's progressively turning into a social convention for those that have no care for it.

Every place comes to a point like this though, where the old guard get replaced with the new and there's a focus shift. I experienced it very profoundly when I moderated a very busy forum here on UM for a few years. Tight moderation is usually the death knell and the refusal of the old to let the inevitable change turn a place over. It really sucks in this case, because this quite honestly was the best forum I ever found on the net. It will however continually deteriorate into what I see to be the bane of this craft. I'm coming to a point where the investment doesn't match up to the return anymore.

couldn't have said it better!

 

[Metaltastic]

And personally, I'll cast my +1 for Owen and Shadow Walker!

 

[006]

I agree with a lot of what has been said already by smy1, Lasse, Ermz and Owen. One of my main complaints is all the threads about the same shit - every day it seems. I get so tired of browsing the latest topics and seeing shit I know somebody made a thread about not too long ago. Usually "I can haz presetz?" bullshit.

I swear we need some kind of like, test or something before you are allowed to post here. The test will be 100 multiple choice questions, all of them have the same answer: Use search function

 

[drew_drummer]

15 grand gear isn't gonna save your turd and isn't gonna make you better at your shit. I think that's something that really needs to be emphasized.

Certainly something you hear a lot from people who have never even been near 15-grand gear. But hey, doesn't make it true!

 

[SocialNumb]

I not entirely sure what the main forum is supposed to be for . . .

Sneap produced albums, check.
Production Tips, check.
Rate my mix/tone threads, check.
Equipment, check.
Sabbat, check.
Gear For Sale, check.
Off-Topic Tavern, check.

Andy Sneap, ?¿

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

I agree with a lot of what has been said already by smy1, Lasse, Ermz and Owen. One of my main complaints is all the threads about the same shit - every day it seems. I get so tired of browsing the latest topics and seeing shit I know somebody made a thread about not too long ago. Usually "I can haz presetz?" bullshit.

I swear we need some kind of like, test or something before you are allowed to post here. The test will be 100 multiple choice questions, all of them have the same answer: Use search function

^ EXACTLY ^

We need a sticky that says "If you're looking for Tone / Mix answers - LOOK HERE FIRST"

It would consist of the following:

If you want to get that tight Sturgis POD tone: SEARCH THE FORUM
If you're wondering why your programmed drums sound like balls, even though your Mom bought you SSD: SEARCH THE FORUM
If you're looking for pictures of tits: SEARCH THE FORUM
If you're looking for re-amping help: SEARCH THE GOD DAMN FUCKING FORUM!
AND FOR FUCKS SAKE, IF YOU WANNA ASK A QUESTION: MAKE SURE YOU SEARCH THE FUCKING FORUMS FOR AN ANSWER FIRST!

Obviously, for those like myself who appreciate the treasure trove of answers here, that's a given, but for the "i wanna bee uh audeeo enjeneeerz", you may need to point in the right direction, unfortunately.

 

[Pxz]

Back in the day was the same with the krank settings , Andy pod tones clips, 5150 settings , waves c4 , simunalog jcm900 ,andy sneap kick and snare samples . The only difference between "yesterday" and today is the amount of threads created about the same subject due to more registered members we have nowdays . So whats the solution ? more moderators , better subdivitions in the forum threads?
We need a warning system (wich is actually being used in other forums), so lurkers asking for samples and all ,resurrecting old threads could be detected , banned or whatever

 

[GarethSE]

I personally appreciate impulses a HUGE amount, not only have they provided a quick fix, but they have also showed me what good micing sounds like. It's given me something to go off for when I start re-amping soon. I feel like I know what I'm going to be aiming for when I start micing again. Last time I got to mic up my amp was a significant improvement on my old tones because of all that time spent using pete's engl impulses, now with ryans fredman impulses and his explanation of fredman micing to me, I'm gonna be good to go, and I appreciate that hugely.

The problem is perception and usage and intention IMO. Impulses are great, if you use them with the intention of eventually micing shit yourself and making things sound that good. Slate samples are great because they've helped me process drums better, because I've got a point of comparison.
If someone wants a quick fix, then let them have it, but there's enough shit out there to seperate the men from the boys. Lasse is a prime example of that. Real amps and cabs, real drums, and a really talented mix engineer manning the faders. I may like how slate and 8505 sounds, but the sounds lasse gets really show that recordings of real acoustic instruments are always going to sound better.
Lasse's recordings are going to age really fucking well, and your average kid that comes on here begging for presets mixes are going to sound shitty within a very short time frame (if not straight away.)

 

[Lasse Lammert]

thanks, and I'm really flattered, but there are many others at least as talented sharing at least as much.
Feels good to know it's appreciated, but I just wanted to say that people like Ermz, Glenn, Lolzgreg, Machinated, Morgoe etc (and others!) are contributing as much and are all very talented engineers....don't make me the symbol for that, lol.