Tools of the trade

[goatkeeper]

Hey, somehow missed your question about soundtracks.  Yah, assume everything is copyrighted and always ask permission.
Some bands will be cool with the exposure, some won't, but atleast none of them will try to sue you.
I don't think this matters anymore cuz it sounds like you've got it worked out now.

[raygunray]

Tee Morris at one of the panels said there is only one rule when using non-podsafe music - DON'T.  Another panelists likened the possible repercussions could be something like "getting bent over a table and...." We'll, you get the picture.

[goatkeeper]

Yikes.  Well, while I'm apparently not as familiar with the repercussions (or experiences with which to draw those colorful metaphorical comparisons) as that panelist- I know my band has let others use our music for their projects and I frequently email artists/photographers and the like for permsission to use things for drabblecast.  With individual distribution capacity so huge these days it's not hard to find good stuff that folks will letchya use.

[BrandtPileggi]

Any ideas on $100-ish mixers? I'm kind of looking at the Beringer xynex.

[BrandtPileggi]

I'm looking hard at this one. I heard Mike on Podholes talk Berhingers down alot but when I talked to him at DragonCon he said something about how for the midrange price they did the job well. He gave me several great suggestions which are lying in a small handsized notebook somewhere I can't remember.

[Listener]

Any ideas on $100-ish mixers? I'm kind of looking at the Beringer xynex.

I have a Beringer (aren't there some O's and H's in there?) 12-track that cost me $130.  It's excellent.  But with any mixer you'll usually spend another $100 on cables to hook up microphones, sources, computers, etc.

[BrandtPileggi]

Shyte.

[Listener]

Shyte.

Don't let it get you down.

Someone once said never buy cables in the store... probably a good idea... you can get anything cheaper on the net.

Basically, you need:

1 XLR cable per microphone (at least 6' apiece, longer if you want to get away from the computer)
1 stereo 1/8"-to-stereo 1/4" or stereo 1/8"-XLR for every external source (computer, TV, CD player, etc; at least 6' apiece, but 12' is safter)
1 stereo 1/4"-to-red and white RCA or red and white RCA-to-red and white RCA for outputing to a stereo (so you don't have to have headphones on while editing)
1 pair of decent headphones (I prefer these from Sony)

I bought a bunch of extra stuff when I got the board because (a) the board was a gift so I figured I could spend the money on the cables and (b) better overprepared, especially since I needed to bring in two mikes, two guitars, a keyboard, and some other stuff, all at the same time.

Check with your musician friends for good cable sources online.

[goatkeeper]

I dunno, I don't use my 12 track for podcasting.  Easier and cheaper maybe to get a M Audio Fast Track interface with your comp (100 bucks) and mid level mic (sure sm 58, senheiser e685) (100bucks) and just mix with your comp software.  You just need one xlr cable then into your interface.

[Planish]

On the topic of ambient noise, my wife just got a Mac Mini and it is very quiet. Her old Power Mac G4 "Quicksilver" (which I've inherited) has something like 4 different fans and I would always have to put it to sleep when I do recordings for librivox.org on my G3 Blue & White.

Fortunately, she's going to let me to do the recording on her Mini (so the G4 can be turned off or sleeping), then I can edit the files on (now) my G4 Quicksilver.

I'll still need to use my (patent pending) Aquarium filter pump silencer because otherwise the "babbling brook" sound would end up on the recording too, even though it's in the next room - archway, no door.

[BrandtPileggi]

So here's what I got yesterday.

Mic - AKG Perception 200
Compressor/limiter/Gate - DBX 166XL
Interface - MobilePre
Program - Adobe Audition

I'm having some issuse figuring out the configuration of the DBX. I'm getting sound throughand it sounds decent but apperently the DBX isn't even touching the signal. Not ready to make any reccomendations or condemnations yet.