tech dude

M123 Recording Tech Tip

Condense this!

Condenser microphones are at the heart of nearly every studio, and rarely is a record made without one. The good ones are highly sensitive and also very accurate, and that is why condenser mics are such a staple. They help recordists capture sounds with an extended, precise response not found in most dynamic microphones. The heart of the condenser mic is its diaphragm: an extremely thin piece of either Mylar, plastic, or metal (and sometimes Mylar-coated plastic or metal) that is suspended in front of a metal plate called a back plate. When you hit the diaphragm and the back plate with voltage it creates a charge in the space between them. When a sound wave (air movement) hits the diaphragm, it moves into the charged field generating a fluctuation in voltage that is picked up and amplified by the internal preamp of the microphone. This internal preamp is why all condenser microphones require some form of power, usually from phantom power, but sometimes from an onboard battery. While condenser mics were traditionally expensive and used almost exclusively in pro studio settings, the last decade has seen a large selection of condenser microphones hit the market at prices well within the reach of most home studio owners.

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M123 Guitar Tech Tip

Remember the lights!

D'oh! In a previous Tech Dude, we gave you a short list of tools you should take to a gig. But the ol' Tech Dude slipped and forgot to remind you to include a flashlight in your tool kit! So this week, we have the amended list of non-musical essentials for playing music. Along with the Phillips screwdriver, peg winder, string cutters, extra strings, extra cables, fuses, alligator clips, spare batteries, and spare tubes, you should definitely include a small flashlight with spare batteries. The front of house (sound) guys are the only persons who seem to remember to bring them, and they usually don't like loaning theirs out because they're busy using them. And even well-lit stages can have areas of relative darkness due to shadows and low ambient light. So a flashlight is a necessity at your gigs. Get one.

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M123 Guitar Tech Tip

Essential tools for guitarists

Whether you're playing gigs or recording dates, or just jamming on your guitar at the local bar on blues night, you should have a small tool kit stashed in your gig bag. Your bundle of guitar tools should include a small Phillips screwdriver, peg winder, string/wire cutters, extra strings, instrument cable, fuses, alligator clips, spare batteries, spare tubes for your amp (if you play a tube amp), and any other tools you find useful for your maintenance routine. You might play your guitar a thousand times and have nothing go wrong, but on the 1,001 time, you'll be prepared with the guitar tools you need to fix your rig.

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M123 Drum and Percussion Tech Tip

The traditional 5-piece drum set

Many drummers have brought the thunder with a simple 5-piece drum kit. This setup uses a snare drum, a kick drum, 2 rack toms, and a floor tom. The drum sizes include a 5" x 14" snare, 22" x 14" kick, one 12" x 8" rack tom, a 13" x 9" rack tom, and a 16" x 16" floor tom. As with the 6-piece drum kit, you can change any of the drum sizes to suit your preferences.

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M123 Songwriting Tech Tip

Increase your chances of success as a songwriter

Having great songwriting chops and sensibilities is what separates the one-hit wonders from the masters like Lennon and McCartney. There's no better way to make sure your songwriting abilities match the big boys than by learning from the best. Thankfully, this is one course of study you can enroll in for free. All you need are your best friends, the radio, or your favorite online music site. Dial in your favorite station or internet song stream and pay attention to what the songs you like have in common. Take notes even. Pay attention to the lyrics, the structure, the chords the songwriters use and how they use them, and anything else that catches your ear. You'll soon notice that you're able to call up more ideas per songwriting session.

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M123 Bass Tech Tip

Keep your thumb up to keep your sound punchy

Here's a good rule of thumb (geddit?) for bass guitar players. Keep your thumb anchored on the E string when you play instead of on the body of your bass. When you need to play the low E string, just slip your thumb up to rest on the body or the top of a pickup. This will keep the E string from moving in sympathy with the other strings while you're playing, making your sound punchier and cleaner by eliminating the low-frequency rumble of a vibrating open string.

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M123 Drum Tech Tip

Picking out cymbals

Absolutely make sure you know what the cymbal you are going to buy sounds like before you buy it. It's a classic mistake to buy a cymbal that looks good to the eye but sounds terrible once you get it. You can visit manufacturer's websites for sound clips or go to a local music store to hear what sound the cymbal you are looking for produces. Word.

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M123 Tech Dude Bass Guitar Tip

Don't over-think your bass playing

Whether you're playing or not, your ear is busy collecting new musical concepts and sounds. It's this awareness of musical ideas, moments, and tones that made many of us want to start playing in the first place. Sometimes we can have trouble translating those concepts and sounds into our music.

Thinking too much can sometimes get in the way and mess up your creative process. Getting your ears-to-fingers connection happening without thinking too much can help. To develop that connection, try to play your bass without thinking and just see what comes out. Often you'll recognize ideas and sounds that subconsciously slip into your playing after having rattled around between your ears for a while.

Get all your bass guitar needs met at Music123 where you'll find the greatest selection, the hottest deals, and the strongest guarantees on the internet.