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'Those who hammer their guns into ploughs

will plough for those who do not.'    

~ Thomas Jefferson ~

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T Mobile advert.  Is it real?  [ 30,000 singing Karaoke]

Four new Fender Acoustics [release news from our ‘guitarsite’ friends] 

A Mirror or a 2-Way Glass? [Dave gives good advice] 

IRONY AT IT’S BEST [could this be the correct attitude?] 

Testimonials 

Subscriber's Section [another PC lover?]

The gags: .....     [ 'they're coming for Christmas’ … from Paul ]

 

T Mobile advert.  Is it real?  [ 30,000 singing Karaoke]

If you are in the UK and wondered is the current advert on Telly for T-Mobile featuring Pink and 30,000 [yes, thirty thousand] folk in Trafalgar Sq. singing Karaoke for real?

Yep.... it is ... what a feat.

The logistics behind this 'event' were massive and included 161 channels of Shure UHF-R SM58/Beta 58 based radio microphones, five sound engineers, four digital mixing consoles, 200 channels of Pro Tools recording hardware, as well as 2,000 dummy radio microphones - created especially for the shoot by Propshop, based at Pinewood Studios - and 160 wranglers for the real ones.

"Each of the five engineers - Dave Bracey, Moritzio Genari, Carl Newton, Chris Coxhead and Ben Milton - were assigned 40 channels each to deal with. The engineers followed the pictures from CTV [the outside broadcast company responsible for shooting the event] and had to spot the microphone being used and bring it up. They were all colour-coded and numbered and they did an amazing job," continues Grant.

[Tip: always colour code all mics. on stage or at any presentation]

Britannia Row then passed 200 splits to John 'Freddo' Fredericks of Technical Earth to record onto Pro Tools, enabling Toby Alington of Richmond Studios to complete the post-production audio on the project.

Hand Held Audio - which provided all of the radio microphones and technical expertise for its largest-ever job.  "In theory we worked out that we could probably use up to 190 channels, but decided to give ourselves some breathing space and just go for 160 for the crowd and one for singer Pink," Tarkan Akdam explains.

Hand Held was assisted by JFMG enabling them to block-book channels 27-69 for the day.

The event also saw 160 radio mic wranglers passing the real microphones to potential singers, providing them with their 15 seconds of fame and ensuring the security of the microphones themselves. "We didn't get a single dummy mic back and we lost four real ones," Akdam confirms.

 

"Continue when others have stopped, finish when others sleep" Gabriel Garcia Marquez

 

Four new Fender Acoustics [release news from our ‘guitarsite’ friends] 

I am always amazed at how Guitar manufacturers continue to excite us with new innovations, new styles, new looks. 

So often we look at the classic makes of guitar and think “if only it had built in preamp, built in tuner, built in electronics” … but the top makes are on top of their game .. and the price is always a pleasant surprise - on the low side. 

Of course, the good side is that you always know that your pals are going to be green with envy when they see the maker’s name? 

Fender Acoustics has introduced four new acoustic guitars for spring 2009; a California series model and three Classic Design series models. 

Read on:http://www.guitarsite.com/news/acoustic_guitar/four_new_fender_acoustics/?nl548

 

"A man has the right to look down on somebody only when he is helping him get up" Gabriel Garcia Marquez

 

A Mirror or a 2-Way Glass? [Dave gives good advice] 

How can you tell when you are in a room, restroom, motel etc. with a mirror or a 2-way glass? 

Here's how: I thought it was quite interesting! And I know in about 30 seconds you're going to do what I did and find the nearest mirror. 

Do you know how to determine if a mirror is 2-way or not? A policewoman who travels all over the US and gives seminars and techniques for businesswomen passed this on. 

When we visit toilets, bathrooms, hotel rooms, changing rooms, etc., how many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the wall is a real mirror, or actually a 2-way mirror (i.e., they can see you, but you can't see them)? There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors in female changing rooms. It is very difficult to positively identify the surface by looking at it.   

So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of mirror we are looking at? 

Just conduct this simple test: Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface and if there is a GAP between your fingernail and the image of the nail, then it is GENUINE mirror. However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES the image of your nail, then BEWARE! IT IS A 2-WAY MIRROR!

"No Space, Leave the Place" So remember, every time you see a mirror, do the "fingernail test." It doesn't cost you anything. 

REMEMBER. No Space, Leave the Place: 

Ladies: Share this with your girlfriends, sisters, daughters, etc. 

Men: Share this with your wives, daughters, daughters-in-law, mothers, girlfriends and/or friends

 

"You slam the bottom and either walk

away or suck it up and get through it." Gabrielle Reece

 

IRONY AT IT’S BEST [could this be the correct attitude?] 

What are we going to do about the impending flu pandemic?  Are you prepared? 

I know that I am one of those who absolutely dies when ill!  That is why I am so keen on good health, good food, good intake of minerals and vitamins.   

Only once have I had proper flu, about four years ago.  Boy, was I ill?  It was one of the only times in my life when I curled up and wanted to die.  It just consumed my whole body … I felt that a good dose of some illegal drug to make me pass out for a few days while my body got better would be the best method of enduring it. 

So, what are we all going to do now?  Following the advice from the various health authorities would be wise… a wad of clean tissues in your pocket or hand-bag and contain any sneeze … have a circle of friends ready to help each other with Tamiflu and trips to the shops.  Do not go to your doctor or A&E with symptoms unless it is serious.  Wash hands constantly and have those little bottles of antiseptic hand sprays on each basin and sink [I have had those for years and use them] 

90 people get the Swine Flu and everybody wants to wear a mask? 

A million people have AIDS and no one wants to wear a condom. 

Hmmmmmm!

"I have to believe in the process. It has become like a religion.

It is part of my everyday life." Gabrielle Reece

 

Testimonials 

“I am writing you this message to say thank you...you have been a GREAT, GREAT teacher”

KK

"Stay calm and aggressive." Gabrielle Reece

Subscriber's Section [another PC lover?]

Hi Uncle Dec, 

I really don't understand... how do you mean I might be spending in error buying the Roland VS series of recorders... I thought you had a soft spot for the VS recorders at one time... because apart from what you have taught me, I personally like that hardware... which I have used in a studio before and also the Yamaha O2R... tho' I use a PC in tandem with the VS2400 for some editing and adding of effects/processing like using the Celemony Melodyne to correct pitch... 

In most of your e-zines ... you talk a lot about the ProTools system (s)... Well, the ProTools system is really cool and I think I like it... but if I must be sincere to you... the reason why I can’t think of buying the ProTools system now is because buying a Mac computer will not favour me...  

You see, the price of that machine is way too expensive for me when I can integrate my own windows computer that can be faster than a Mac G5/G5 Pro... all I need to do is getting the necessary components and I am done...I am very confident about this... 

Also, here in my country, most of the programs we have are all for the PC platform therefore, getting programs for the Mac is really going to be challenging and the reason for this is because most us here use PC/Windows. 

I hope to read from you soon knowing your opinion, I am really curious why you think I should think I might be spending in error buying the VS recorder from Roland... 

My Reply:    

Our rules are "one short reply to ONE question on music FOR NON-MEMBERS, Members of 'The Serious Writers Guild' have unlimited personal access to Dec by direct telephone, Fax and Email, apply at https://secure.mistral.co.uk/makehits/swgappsecure.htm ".     

[Any advice given here shall not be deemed as financial or legal advice under any existing or future laws of any country] 

Answer: 

<<<<<<<... I thought you had a soft spot for the VS recorders at one time>>>>>>>>>> 

I did.... and I still use it for quick projects .. like 'Demo Consultations' see http://www.makehits.co.uk/demo.htm etc. ...  

But you simply have to understand that the whole of the successful music industry operates on Mac with ProTools [or occasionally Logic7] 

With ProTools you become a world player, you can take your files on a stand-alone hard drive [cost approx $90] and then use any Protools equipment in any studio of the world.  That is what I do. 

There is no argument here ... and please do not try to argue ... I am bored with it! [grin!] 

<<<<<<<< the ProTools system is really cool and I think I like it>>>>>> 

Think??????????????????? 

ProTools is the expected standard in any studio in the world.  Look at any CD ... you will always see: "ProTools editing by **** ****" ... you will never see: "Cubase editing by *** ****" 

<<<<<<<<<< buying a Mac computer will not favour me>>>>>>>>>> 

Of course not ... but before spending any money on lesser equipment, always remember that you could be wasting money ... as we say: "pouring good money after bad" 

<<<<<<<<<< way too expensive for me when I can integrate my own windows computer that can be faster than a Mac G5/G5 Pro>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

I feel you have no idea how powerful and fast a dedicated Mac is in music .... it is massively powerful ... and that is why the music industry will only use Mac ... just like the graphics industry ... only Macs.  It is only when you experience using Macs that you realise just how powerful they are ... and they rarely crash ... whereas my top of the range laptop PC, which I am using now to write this, will crash ten times a day.  I simply could not have that happen in professional music production. 

<<<<<<<< most of the programs we have are all for the PC platform>>>>>>>>> 

What you really mean is "most of the FREE or BORROWED programmes are for PC" 

It is unwise to use cheap or 'stolen' programmes ... in my side of the business I could not take the risk. 

<<<<<<<<<< I am really curious why you think I should think I might be spending in error buying the VS recorder from Roland.>>>>>>>>>> 

Because "you are in this business to make money, not to spend it" the first rule in ‘How To Make A £Million From your Music’ http://www.makehits.com/products090707/million.html ... and wanting to buy anything other than industry standard, respected throughout the world, will only lose you money in the long run. 

And please do not argue this point ... as I have said, people in the proper, money making side of the record industry are fed up with it. 

My advice is always to use what you have at the moment up to its full capacity but do not spend any money on improving or upgrading ... best save the money until you can buy the proper equipment [Mac and Protools] 

It is like a brain surgeon spending money on knives a forks to perform operations instead of waiting to buy proper Operating Theatre scalpels and instruments.  

Regards  

Dec [Cluskey]  dec@makehits.com <mailto:dec@makehits.com>  

2 Gold discs in 2008!  Decca have relaunched their ‘World Of’ series on the back of those hits.  Readers Digest are now promoting a triple album set …. Do you think I can help your music career succeed?  

 “How to Make A $Million From Your Music”. To see the course go to http://makehits.com/products090707/million.html   fast cred*it card line: +44 1323.728005 or UK 01323.728005 

To purchase go direct to: https://secure.mistral.co.uk/makehits/swgappsecure.htm 

“3 Minutes on the Radio with Dec” …. Available immediately at http://www.myspace.com/makehits 

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The gags: .....     [ 'they're coming for Christmas’ … from Paul ]

A man in Scotland calls his son in London the day before Christmas Eve and says, I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.

'Dad, what are you talking about?' the son screams. We can't stand the sight of each other any longer,' the father says. 'We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Leeds and tell her.'

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. 'Like hell they're getting divorced,' she shouts, 'I'll take care of this,'

She calls Scotland immediately, and screams at her father, 'You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?' and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. 'Okay,' he says, 'they're coming for Christmas - and they're paying their own way..'

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