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A service from 'The Serious Writers Guild' at MAKEHITS.COM Written by Dec Cluskey with a little bit opf help from his friends.
This Email first mailed to all Members of 'The Serious Writers Guild' and
subscribers to 'One Minute With Dec' on 23.12.01
The Proof that the 'How To Make A $Million From Your Music' ten month course WORKS
It's easy for me to say that I have made $Millions from music...the proof is all there to see [check out my band 'The Bachelors'] in 'Guinness Book of Hit Records', 'Television's Greatest Hits', 'The Ten Best of Everything'....but it's better to see the success of Members of 'The Serious Writers Guild' under my personal direction.
"You are a living example of what’s possible when one gets their arse in gear and applies this knowledge to their life. That is what I find so very inspiring about you Dec".
John Seiffer [member no. NET0620030W]
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"One Minute With Dec"
"My
Emails are written in good humour, and should be read with a
smile"
Sorry for being a day late…but I’ve got the best excuse in the world…it was my birthday yesterday and it was a BIGGIE!
So, I got the full treatment …into the back of a car with a blindfold on and chauffeured to a pretty sproncy restaurant, where I was lead in (still blindfolded) and yes! All the gang jumped out from behind tables and chairs with crackers and streamers…great night …good, close friends, and some I haven't seen for yonks! Best of all, no headache this morning!
The answer to a very usual question
:I get that same question all the time: "Dec, do you think I’m too old to have a crack at the charts?"
Well, the answer is in the UK charts this week. A total unknown pub singer just missed pushing Robbie off the Number One slot for Christmas. Roland Haskell, with a normal, middle of the road, easy ballad. He wrote it, owns it, publishes it. In fact everything I advise in my ‘Serious Writers Guild [ www.makehits.co.uk/index.htm ] He must be 55 years old, grey beard - and will make a fortune
A Drummer replies
:I expected a torrent of vindictive Emails re my views on amateur drummers last week…instead I got some amazing ‘thank-you’s’ from guys who learned so much from that ‘minute’. Colin Timpson wrote:
"Dec
I just had to reply...... you know I'm a drummer, but every word you
said
is so true.
I was that amateur drummer until the day I came
across a real pro at
work in the studio next door to the one I was in,
his sound, playing and
attitude, changed my life! Thanks to him, and he
never knew it.
So all you ‘wanna be's’ take good heed of
Dec.
Regards
Colin Timpson"
"Last weeks minute tip hit the spot to which extent it would be appreciated if I could send copies to my team, please could you let me know as soon as possible if this would be in order.
Best Wishes,
Trevor Parmenter" [
Member No. STA0544030W]Down to business
:There are many guys out there working with a PC set-up. They have usually picked up on the fact that they should have Yamaha NS10S monitors. You can’t help but pick up on that, as every pic. of every great producer in action, in a studio, will have the white cones of the Yamaha’s in the shot.
However, the importance of the power amp escapes most guys. They usually use a handy Hi Fi mixer amp from their old CD listening gear. They usually ask me the brand names to go for and power etc.
Before I get on to power amps I have to repeat that the usual PC based home outfits are producing no more than decent quality demos. OK, Daniel Beddingfield hit the Number One in the UK with a bedroom produced Ditty, but I have never heard DJ’s knock a track so much since he vacated the top spot….this I heard:
"They say that track cost only £200 to produce….as much as that eh?"
I always say to my Members of 'The Serious Writers Guild' : "You have been warned! and warned....and warned....and warned........"
PC is an extremely amateur system....but Hey! One day you'll find out for yourself......the Pros never touch ‘em and even if they do, they are powered by water cooled, massively powerful, processors…far different to the type used in most bedrooms!
I have all the programmes, Cakewalk, Reason, Cubase VST, etc. etc. etc. and I never switch ‘em on…unless I have to. I use 'Cool Edit Pro' for talking voice editing...but I never store on computer...it comes from CD, gets edited and goes straight back onto CD.
A pal said to me last week: "they expect a $2 Million production to go in and out through a 38 cent stereo mini jack?" Nice way of putting it!
Back to power amps.....
The quick answer is:
The power amp you should use is the most powerful you can afford, from the most reputable manufacturer. I would suggest 1000 watts if your money stretches to that.
Look in 'Studiospares' catalogue (or the equivalent professional studio suppliers in your country)...that is 'The Bible' for all Pro studio folk...get the contact details in 'Dec's Lil' Instruction Book - Vol II'...every worthwhile contact is in the reference section [ www.makehits.co.uk/qabook.htm] . Oh heck, I'll give it to you. 020 7482 1692. Call them, they will give you a customer reference number on your first order...and they will send you their catalogue, if they know you are a Pro and that you will spend money with them. The customer number will always be on the label of any communication they send you. So you are never without it. Clever idea that, which I nicked for my 'Serious Writers Guild' labels.
I personally use Quad.
An Industry Standard power amp that just sits there, does it's job and never gives any bother.
Under no circumstances use a Hi Fi amp with tone controls and loudness buttons....my amp doesn't even have volume controls...it is a pure, powerful power amp.
It is a myth [many will argue otherwise] that one amp is 'better sounding' than another....a power amp is merely a straight through 'increaser of power'. So a professional 'reference' power amp will be absolutely flat in response characteristics. It should not ‘colour’ the sound in any way. Most Pros have their preference...like me...as I said, I use Quad...I always have.
The Studiospares catalogue will have reference amps to suit your pocket...from the smallest pocket to the largest. And remember a good Pro reference amp. is going to last your lifetime...so buy well. You may even pick up the power amp of your dreams in the 'nearly new' ads. in the music mags. or your local freebie paper. There is nothing in a power amp to degrade, so second hand units are usually good.
The more powerful the amp the truer the response from the speakers will be....you will never blow the speakers with power or volume...that again is a myth...you blow speakers with clicks and thumps caused by not having a disciplined way of powering up and powering down, and also you, or 'A N Other' plugging or unplugging leads when the faders are up....the only other way to blow a speaker is when a power amp descends to 'DC'. This will fry the speaker coils. A simple DC protector from Maplin for each speaker will cost £7 each and protect your speakers for life...the best investment there is. Essential for big, expensive, P.A. speakers.
It is important to have the amp in a separate room...as most large power amps are fan cooled. They also radiate a lot of magnetic energy [can cause hums from guitar/electric bass] and dump a lot of excess power down to earth which may cause hums, if racked with other equipment....so keep separate and in another room.
It is also mega important to have the output from your mixing desk of the highest quality, heaviest, low impedance, shielded, cable....running the shortest length possible. Also the speaker cables should be the thickest, heaviest, 7 strands plus, copper wires.
It is quite amazing that guys will buy great speakers, great amps, and fall down on the connections!
It is also hugely important to site your near-field speakers correctly. At ear level, in your normal working position and hitting your ears from an equal distance. Also the speakers should not be near any sound reflecting surfaces whether behind or to the side, or underneath. Again it is amazing that guys will get this all wrong. Corners will enhance bass and so will give an 'untrue' sound.
Always think in terms of the best, flattest sound coming from a speaker suspended by a thread from the sky in the middle of a field...then try to get near that scenario!
Studiospares do an excellent bass elimination foam pad for under speakers...well worth while [cuts down that bottom end muffled kik and bass sound that travels through the structure of the studio to the outside world].
The latest near-field speaker set ups, I see, are five foot long [high], wide plastic drain pipes, with a plate on the top for the speaker and a plate underneath for floor fixing....the pipe is filled with sand. The bass killing foam pad sits on the top plate. It is so important that the structure the speaker sits on, or is attached to is extremely rigid...most of the big studios enclose the main speaker cabinets in concrete block structures. [But that gets on to a whole different subject of ‘tuning’ the speakers to the room]
And the most important factor in your studio is the elimination of square corners and parallel surfaces....again totally forgotten, even by the big Pros. And windows? Heaviest curtains you can afford.
Stand in the middle of the room...clap your hands sharply....if there is the slightest slap back...you have it wrong....a great studio is as dead as a doornail...check mine out!
"She didn’t know it couldn’t be done, so she went ahead and did it"
bridget o’donnell
Could that quote relate to Roland Haskell?
Have a most wonderful Christmas Holiday season,
And spare a little prayer for those who need it….
My love to you all….and thank you for giving me a great, great year....
DEC
"People prefer to stay with problems they understand rather than look for solutions they’'re comfortable with"
PS: stand by for a rush, by all the Majors, for material similar to Roland Haskell…if you are 55 years - then write a Hit song!
One moment with Stuart Goldsmith:
"The code of ethics for a warrior is simply one of rational selfishness"www.medina.co.uk
the website of my good friend - Stuart Goldsmith
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