Riffworks (and Riffworld)
http://www.sonomawireworks.com/ www.RiffWorld.com
Hey guys, I had a last attempt to find a way to amplify or record my bass.
My amplifier died and i am broke.
=> i found a USB/Guitar cable for 15 euros and this free software:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYVbWsxMbWU
This commercial looks a bit hmmm....
Well i tested the software and what hes doing there is possible and quite fun.
drum machine, TONS of effects (freeware VST plugins available on the net)
my fav facts are:
- amplify my Guitar/bass/keyboard over the pc (and its speakers)
- record in "riffs" and mix them together to a song
- the finished product can be saved as HQ ogg files
- collab over the net: its "Guitar Hero: Real Life"
So if anyone here is thinking of a way to get his music recorded in a good quality,
this is THE way!
I paid 15 euros for my cable and here is the result:
drum machine, bass (cloned signal: 1 clean, 1 distorted)
http://www.riffworld.com/Members/Zanval/enigma/
(I use the demo drummer here; they gave a free drummer coupon today so ill install my new drummer now 
)
correct me if im wrong, but this is the most awesome cheapest method of recording songs!
15 euros per bandmember and you get this!
I downloaded different synthesizers and 3 amps (2 bass, 1 guitar)
As for a Guitar amp I recommend FreeAmp3 (it has millions of possibilities, simulates tons of things + effects)
CON: the free edition only allows 4 Layers. BUT:
you can mix a song or a riff into 1 layer.
like this you can actually trick your way around (the merged layers arent splittable again, but it "works")
and the drum machine sessions cost 10$ each, so you are stuck with a single drummer if you dont want to pay.
(or collaborate with drummers on the net 
)
riffworks uses VST (virtual studio blabla) plugins to simulate amplifiers.
you can crank up any overdrive you want, or simply click through the settings to find any good sounds you like.
so yes, soundquality wise: its another world.
Audacity lacks equalizers, compressors, limiters, amplifiers, drummachines
VST also offers tuners and synths and stuff.
and for myself, Live its okay if i mess up a note, or my strings ring for a millisecond.
But in a recording when people listen to the sae mistake each time, its horrible.
riffworks records in riffs.
so you make Chorus, VerseA, VerseB, Ending, Intro
so you record one chorus and can clone it if you like
NOTE: the mistakes are much easily heard through Riffworks than through an amplifier.
At least it seems so to me.
Audacity has all of those things through VST support.
audacity can support VST?
wow cool. but theres still the fact that the way you can record in riffworks is safer.
especially for loops etc. it counts in bpm with measures.
audacity went in seconds for me.
also the collaboration on the net aint in audacity.
nice to know audacity has VST support though, i never noticed :x
NOTE: my soundcard is toying with the ASIO4ALL drivers, so i get some crackling randomly in my output
(not on input! the recordings are clean but i hear random crackling sometimes)
this problem isnt on my lead guitarists pc and he used the exact same cable but a different pc.
There are a lot of things in audacity that are really necessary for serious audio production though (more than 4 audio tracks for instance!), and while it doesn't measure in beats and bars, it does have a click feature that you can play with to keep time.
I was just giving Audacity as an example, too. There is other free sound recording and mastering software out there. Also, not trying to put down Riffworks since I have absolutely no experience with it, just trying to show that there doesn't seem to be much that their system does that you haven't already been able to do for many years for free (or for the like $1 it costs for the adapter).
I use fruity loops for everything i do, i had a mate who i used to run a CS:S clan with who dj'd in a club and produced his own music with it, its pretty sweet. The drum capabilities on it are awesome. 
For mastering fruity loops is alot better and easier i think. Am i allowed to promote warez on here?
There are 10 types of people in this world - Those who understand Binary and those who don't.
For mastering fruity loops is alot better and easier i think. Am i allowed to promote warez on here?
I remember doing something like this a long time ago, using a cheap 1/4" to 1/8" adapter I had lying around combined with Audacity.
Is there really much advantage of using Riffworks over just using other recording software plus a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter? As far as sound quality goes, I'd assume it'd only be as good as your sound card anyways. Even if the USB does allow better quality for whatever reason, still seems a bit high for a simple converter.