Martin
1043 posts
Jul 22, 2016
6:25 AM
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MindTheGap was kind enough to point me to something interesting for recording direct to computor: the Blue Dadi software.
Free program. Sounds wonderful.
But there´s always a but -- how do you get it to work? Do you have to take a course of some kind?
I downloaded it, then "un-packed" it -- I think I did that -- then un-packed it again and again and ...
Well, what´s the next step. Shouldn´t some kind of program present itself?
If not, how do you find it?
Or is it that, if your general computer literacy level is somewhere between "low" and "brachecyfalic", you just should skip this thing?
A pity, ´cause it sounded real interesting. But what many people don´t realise is that nothing -- nothing! -- is self evident in this virtual half world.
Last Edited by Martin on Jul 22, 2016 6:25 AM
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MindTheGap
1719 posts
Jul 22, 2016
6:33 AM
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Yes, well if it were easy it wouldn't be valuable :)
Windows or Mac? If Windows, then
1. Unzip it to somewhere (you've done that).
2. Go into the folder 'Blue_Dadi1_1d_support'
3. Run the program Blue_Dadi1_1d_support.exe
After that there are various things to set, and the help PDF document has all that info.
I'd be the first to admit it's a bit awkward but as John points out, getting apps to run with one click on lots of platforms is a lot of effort, and this is free.
It's a lot easier than rewiring a tube amplifier. OK a bit easier.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Jul 22, 2016 6:35 AM
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Martin
1044 posts
Jul 22, 2016
7:16 AM
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MTG: I owe you a beer ... -- crate! Many thanks.
At least I think I´ve opened it -- gotta run elsewhere just now -- and it looks like what he showed on YT.
But fer Christ´s sake, why can´t they give out this kind of information?!
They spend days and hours in creating good stuff and then not even five minutes to get bozos like me a chance to find my way around. Same old story everytime.
It´s the plague of the modern world.
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MindTheGap
1720 posts
Jul 22, 2016
8:36 AM
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:)
I think the first thing to try is hit the Demo switch. Then while it's running, have a play with the controls in EQ1. And marvel at the range of tone shaping you can do with just that.
He's got 5 bands of parametric filter - so you use the mouse to drag out with width, cut/boost and frequency of each band. A work of beauty.
That will quickly decide whether you think it might do what you want, and whether it's worth putting the effort in to learn how to use it. Which does take some effort it's true.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Jul 22, 2016 8:52 AM
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Martin
1045 posts
Jul 23, 2016
7:40 AM
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Thanks again, MTG, but as usual I don´t understand a single thing. Not a thing. Having read his user guide twice now, the moderate hangover I´m suffering from just rose to critical level. I still don´t se how the program is supposed to work. From his video -- which is not, repeat not, instructional -- it transpires that one needs som kind of "interface".
What is that?
I need to plug the bloody microphone into something, don´t I. Could that be my RP pedal, for instance?
It would have been nice if he had started out with the basic reuirements for getting the entire thing to work, but professor Shirley is like oh so many people in the "digitsl" world ignorant or uninterested in the considerable group of potential users that do not share his knowledge. (Often manuals are written by people who don´t think they´re necessary: if you don´t already know how the gadget works you can remain in your closet. Therefore our homes are filled with electronic stuff that´s just lying around, or not being used to their full potential -- but it´s such fun buying them.)
Still, it´s a free thing and one should be grateful etc.
But wouldn´t it have been nice with a step by step guide how to record your harmonica à la Mrs Beeton: "First you take your microphone and plug it in to ..." and so on.
In case John Shirley reads this I thank him for his efforts so far, and just wish that he had taken a few moments and pondered the question. "Would grandma be able to operate this thing?" If not, please consider that granny can be one heck of a harmonica player and just loves to record herself.
And many thanks for *your* effort, MTG. I will have to contact the local nerd if I´m going to get around this thing. Until then I´ll continue using the RP 150 and Audacity.
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mlefree
720 posts
Jul 23, 2016
9:51 AM
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Actually, Martin, there is an excellent in-depth resource in Recording Magazine called, "Beginner's Series." It is a 28 article series covering more than you'll ever need to know about the subject. And it was written by, guess who? Professor John Shirley hisse'f.
Beginner's Series
You need to understand that John is on the opposite end of the recording knowledge spectrum. He teaches it to college students. So his mind exists at a very different level. Knowledge he takes for granted may not be easily understood by the uninitiated. That's probably why he took the time to write this series of articles. It is in fact an encyclopedic, step by step guide to how to record music on your computer with detailed information about microphones as well as all the other pertinent devices.
I came up in my computer-based career when there were few if any "teachers" to guide you. You were basically alone in a room with a strange device and a 2 foot tall stack of manuals. My colleagues who became proficient at using these newfangled computer thingies did so for one reason. They read those manuals cover to cover. Over and over as necessary.
Let us know how you do. 8^)
Michelle
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SilverWing Leather - Custom leather creations for musicians and other eccentrics.
Last Edited by mlefree on Jul 23, 2016 9:54 AM
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1847
3581 posts
Jul 24, 2016
3:40 PM
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i have open the software up about 10 times. even got the demo to play.
i just closed the the app. i just tried to restart it. no luck.
why on earth is there not an app on the desk top to open the program?
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nacoran
9166 posts
Jul 24, 2016
7:21 PM
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1847, it's funny how computer language is changing. Everything is getting called an app! I think maybe what you are asking for is a shortcut? If you are on a PC, find the folder it is in and right-click properties. You'll see a little box that says 'target'. It should be the address for the .exe file. Copy the text in that field and then right click on your desktop. Click on 'New' and then shortcut. That will give you a little pop up tool where you can paste the location of the .exe field and make a shortcut.
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MindTheGap
1721 posts
Jul 25, 2016
3:46 AM
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It's useful info for John I think. For TBD to reach a wide audience probably needs a smooth installer and be easy to start up etc. People have also come to expect step-by-step video tutorials, which are a lot easier than reading manuals.
But that takes a lot of effort and this isn't commercial software, it's free. So it depends on his motives. It may be a fun project, and if other people find it useful or not, so be it.
Clearly he's put effort into the user interface - you'll see from the video it's got nice graphics simulating vintage toggle switches and twisting pots. People like that. For myself, I've got no interest in that stuff, I'd by happy typing numbers in or using standard sliders.
All the discussion of TBD I've seen here and elsewhere has been about how to install, start it up, and get some input going. Which is a shame because that takes the focus away from the fact that the amp model really is excellent.
...and quite a bit cheaper than the cheapest pedal or amp that is any good for recording.
What it means for me is: I've worked out how to play live with various amped sounds (clean to distorted), how to get heard but not tickle feedback. That's that. But if I want to explore different sounds like you might get from different mic/amp combinations and try to replicate the wide range of different tones you hear on records old and new, I can now do that for free.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Jul 25, 2016 3:50 AM
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1847
3582 posts
Jul 25, 2016
7:33 AM
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ah yes, a shortcut. i was a bit frustrated, so i uninstalled the program, i plan on re-installing it.
i think i had figured out the issue, but could not re-launch the program. the mic i am using needs to be the default mic.
i had it set up that way, it worked fine on the sound recorder on my computer, but it did not work on either soundcloud
or the blue dadi. i re-did the settings after logging off and logging back on, but now i could not open the program.
i am determined to over dub a track, it has to be just a few mouse clicks away, how hard can that be?
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MindTheGap
1723 posts
Jul 25, 2016
7:49 AM
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1847 - From the main menu try 'Dadi Info and Settings/Audio Settings'. Then see if you can select the right input device from 'Input Device'.
You also need to switch Dadi on using the toggle switch, and switch 'Live Input' on.
Maybe you knew that already, but other people may not, it's not obvious.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Jul 25, 2016 7:50 AM
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mlefree
723 posts
Jul 25, 2016
8:24 AM
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1847, that's easy with Audacity. Read in your original track and when you record Audacity makes a new parallel track using your input audio device. You can manipulate the two tracks independently or together.
Audacity is a very powerful audio file creation and manipulation program that's intuitive, easy to use, and... free!
Michelle
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SilverWing Leather - Custom leather creations for musicians and other eccentrics.
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timeistight
2025 posts
Jul 25, 2016
8:38 AM
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"No good deed goes unpunished."
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MindTheGap
1724 posts
Jul 25, 2016
8:38 AM
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If he can record from his mic in Audacity, then he can record in TBD. They use the same list of input devices.
timeistight - yes, well put.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Jul 25, 2016 8:42 AM
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1847
3584 posts
Jul 25, 2016
8:45 AM
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i had just figured out how to use audacity when TBD was released.
there are great tutorials on youtube. i really love youtube.
i am curious to see how TBD sounds using my condenser mic. i am sure it is really simple to use the program, and it is the thought that i will feel like a dork once learn how easy it is too use.
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1847
3585 posts
Jul 25, 2016
10:58 AM
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ok, i re-installed the software, it completely misfired. i was not able this time to uninstall. i had to call a tech. he said there were issues with the software.
he was able to correctly install it, but i still cannot get anything to record.
at least i am seeing the volume on the meter, but when i hit record it stops showing.
there must be a secret handshake? to close the program i have to use the task manager.
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