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Legion303   Members

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  1. I don't know if anyone else will find this useful, but if you have linux (or maybe OSX) and you want a program that can generate a wide range of useful tab templates for various stringed instruments, I've been working on this on and off for the past 5 years. It's what I personally use for all my tabs. I just added some functionality to shift standard tunings by a set amount of half-steps up or down, which is handy for bands like Godflesh.

    There's no Windows binary. I work in Windows most of the time, but I program in linux. If someone wants to compile this under Windows, have at it.

    Here's the source: https://neutronstar.org/tmp/tab.c
    (compile with gcc -o tab tab.c -lm)

    Here are a couple of template examples:

    legion@neutronstar:~> ./tab -p 2 -t 2
    4/4:

    e |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    B |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    E |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
      | e e e e e e e e | e e e e e e e e | e e e e e e e e | e e e e e e e e |
      |                 |                 |                 |                 |
      |                 |                 |                 |                 |
    e |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    B |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    E |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
        e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e


    legion@neutronstar:~> ./tab -s 4 -f -T -1
    4/4:

    gb|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
    Db|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
    Ab|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
    Eb|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
        Q Q Q Q   Q Q Q Q   Q Q Q Q   Q Q Q Q   Q Q Q Q   Q Q Q Q   Q Q Q Q


    legion@neutronstar:~> ./tab -s 7 -T BEADGBE -w 2 -t 2 -c 100
    4/4:

    e |-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
    B |-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
    G |-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
    D |-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
    A |-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
    E |-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
    B |-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
        e     e     e     e     e     e     e     e       e     e     e     e     e     e     e     e


    legion@neutronstar:~> ./tab -b 7 -n 8 -T DbAbDbGbBbEb
    7/8:

    eb|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
    Bb|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
    Gb|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
    Db|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
    Ab|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
    Db|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
        e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e


    And here's a copy of the usage instructions so you can get an idea of what it can do:

                    Usage:
    ./tab [-p #] [-b #] [-n #] [-s #] [-c #] [-w #] [[-f] -T TUNING] [-1 | -2 | -3 | -4]

            -p #            number of simultaneous parts (default = 1)
            -b #            beats per measure (default = 4)
            -n #            note division (default = 4)
            -s #            number of strings (default = 6)
            -c #            number of columns per line (default = 77)
            -w #            wide format for solos (default = 0, increase to add more space)
            -f              Accidentals will be shown as flats instead of sharps (only used
                            with the -T option, and it must appear BEFORE -T or it won't work)
            -T TUNING       Give string tuning from low to high (default=EADGBe)
                            NOTE: Supports [A-Ha-h#] (Hi, Germans!). "b" means flat and will break
                            shit if you try to use it as a note value (use "B").
                            If you want to drop or raise all strings a set amount from the default EADGBe
                            tuning, enter +n or -n here (where n is the number of half-steps) instead of
                            note values and the program will do the needful. This really only works for
                            guitars in standard tuning but it also works for basses in standard tuning
                            due to the programming. This displays sharps by default when they occur; to
                            show flats instead (e.g., "A#" will become "Bb"), use -f before -T.
            -t #            override timing marks. For instance, -b 2 -n 2 will divide
                            measures into two halves. Adding -t 2 will divide those "H" timing
                            marks into quarters, -t 4 into eighths, etc. while keeping the correct
                            time signature.
            -h              HALP

            -1, -2, -3, and -4 are common presets.

    With the exception of -f, switches can be in any order. If you use the same switch twice with different
    values, the last one wins (but if you use presets, the first one wins)


                    Examples:

    ./tab -p 2 -b 7 -n 8 -s 4 -w 1 for 2 simultaneous parts, 7/8 time, 4 strings,
    wide format

    ./tab -b 6 -n 4 -p 3 -t 2 -c 70 for 6/4 time divided into eighths, 3 parts, 70
    columns to cut it down to two measures

    ./tab -T EbAbDbGbBbeb OR ./tab -f -T -1 for 6 strings tuned a half-step down

    ./tab -4 to rock out with your banjo out

    Undocumented features: there are some exciting quirks in the behavior of regular
    switches with preset switches. See how many you can find! Because I'm too lazy
    to fix it.


                    Limits:

    This program only supports 1 to 9 simultaneous parts, 1 to 32 beats per
    measure, 2 to 8 strings, and width of 0 to 35.

    Note divisions must be 1 (whole), 2 (half), 4 (quarter), 8 (eighth),
    16 (sixteenth), or 32 (thirty-second).

    "-t" timing mark overrides have the same constraints as note divisions. These
    marks divide the given note value into finer divisions (i.e., -t 4 divides
    quarter notes into 4 sixteenth notes). Implementing this was way easier than I
    expected. If you tried to divide finer than 32nd notes, hi!

    All simultaneous parts must use the same tuning.

  2. I always do a minimum of two rhythm tracks panned hard left and right and played as separate takes. Solos go close to the center unless there's another guitar harmonizing; in that case, I usually pan the leads close to center or put the main melody dead center and offset the harmony in whichever direction needs the balance. When I'm harmonizing or just thickening rhythms, the additional parts go anywhere from 60-90% L and R depending on how much sonic space there is in the moment. These songs were both in the box:

    https://neutronstar.org/music/Steve_Pordon-untitled20150811.mp3
    https://neutronstar.org/music/Steve_Pordon-Awkward_Boehner-02-Culte_des_Mortes_(Cerebral_Fix_cover).mp3 <-- 4-5 guitars in some of the outro sections

    Bonus: listen to the left and right channels of this song independently if you can. By the 25th measure he's running 6 panned guitars under the synths, bass, drums, and vox. Shit's on fire:

    Bonus bonus: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/blut-aus-nord/the-meditant-dialogue-with-the-stars-tabs-1731120

  3. My shirt makes me look like a CGI rendering. Excellent. These video games are getting so realistic!

    EDIT: attaching original. The flash off my eyeballs and the head angle made me look like a zombie, but of course that didn't come through in the tiny avatar version.

    steve_profile8.jpg

  4. You can install alternative firmware and alternative viewer programs, which support epub, on the Kindle. I've done this, so it's as flexible as any other reader

     

    Yes, but then you're still supporting Amazon's decisions. Unless you buy one used from a third party.

     

    I'm happy with the Kobo so far. Crisp, easy to read, tons of settings to tweak. The downside compared to my tablet ebook app is that I can't easily categorize books, and it's comparitively slow. The display is much better for extended reading sessions, though.

  5. My Kobo Glo HD gets here tomorrow. Reviews are giving it an edge over Kindle Voyage, and Kindle doesn't support the open epub format. If you have lots of epub and enjoy spending time converting it to .mobi, Kindle might work for you. If you don't mind Amazon removing books you own from the device you own like they've done in the past, go Kindle. Otherwise literally anything else.

     

    This rant sponsored by Literally Anything Else .

  6. Depends on the song and the style. My music usually has a minimum of 4 or 5 main drumlines with fills and variations throughout. My last song had one main drumline because it's what the song needed.

    If you're trying to emulate a real drummer, figure out your groove and play along to the entire song "live" (even if it's just tapping out the kick and snare on your computer's keyboard), then go modify it afterwards with fills and quantization if you need it.

  7. I don't get the complaints about grinding. I'm L20 and have done no grinding whatsoever. The combat is too easy if anything.

    I really like the touch of the random enemies running away from you when you're more powerful. With most RPGs I'm yelling at the enemies: "really, level 1 bandit, you're going to engage an armed-to-the-teeth war party with your fucking toothpick? Stop wasting my time!" I should probably get out more.

  8. I use BFD, where it's easy to solo each kit piece and render it on its own, but regardless of how you do it, make sure you also render the whole kit out and mix that in a little with your individually EQ'd parts. It makes drums a whole lot more "live" and vibrant (unless you're going for industrial sterility, that is).

  9. My son wants to cover a song with me. The original singer has a high voice, so it should be within his range, but I'm not a vocalist. Other than making him practice the song over and over, I'm going to do these things;

    1. Make him stand and aim the mic down at him to force him to open his throat and lungs more.

    2. Build a ghetto vocal iso booth around him with pillows and comforters on a frame.

    3. Many, many takes.

    4. Have him drink warm herbal tea before and during.

    Is there anything else I need to know?

  10. I just used some spoken word in a song (from a LibriVox audiobook, highly recommended for your sample needs). You'll want to slap some effects on it, reverb at a minimum. I used EQ, Waves Ultrapitch, ping-pong delay and reverb. If the meter of the sample is too different from your music, you'll need to do some precise wave editing to shorten or lengthen the spaces between words as needed.

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