I’ll look into it. So far I am pretty happy with audacity though (probably because I am not too deep into it yet, but I like that it is quite lightweight).
Reaper is incredibly lightweight, if that is your concern. It’s basically just a folder with an executable in it. And it is available as native on all platforms.
Nice!
I have played in bands for most of the last 10 years, first rock then we moved towards pop and soul. After that I joined a beginners jazz band.
Had some good fun for a year or two and learned a lot but after the pandemic and picking up some more new hobbies (kiteboarding mainly) with similar peak season, it became too much and I had to choose.
I have too many hobbies and decided to take a step back from music for now. A band is a lot of fun but it also takes some dedication and I believe you should quit if you can’t put in the energy the group deserves.
This week my girlfriend, after binging on Muse songs during work, suddenly showed an interest in learning a musical instrument so I am teaching her bass guitar now. We started with Time Is Running Out.
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Fortuitous post as I’ve been been thinking about replacing the tuners on mine, but in all the time I’ve played I’ve never really done anything more advanced than changing strings!
Wondering if Sobek (or anyone who else might have an idea) would take a look and let me know -
a) if it’d be difficult (doesn’t seem like it, but maybe there are things to look out for?)
and
b) a good site to buy parts like these? Thanks.
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I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like this. A very peculiar design, letting the strings run through the nut at such an angle. Does it hold tune ok?
Why do you want them replaced? Do they get stuck?
In principle, if you have the right parts, changing tuners is trivial, but I got to be honest, I don’t know where to source a replacement for this. I’d try going to a musical instrument shop that also does repairs and asking there.
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I just installed Reaper and watched an hour of tutorial videos.
Man, that user interface is a handful.
But it has a few nice features. Thanks for the recommendation!
Btw, do you use midi for drums or so? I’ve been eyeing that free Spitfire Audio LABS library. Lots of midi instruments.
I haven’t done midi since… well, 20 years or so.
This is like a jump into the future.
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thanks a bunch for replying, appreciate it.
it most definitely does not hold a tune okay, which is why I’m looking to replace them. I brought it into my local shop a year ago and they helped with some of it’s other issues (neck needed adjustment) but I didn’t think to ask about the tuners.
Have a bit of a sentimental attachment to it or I would probably not bother; it’s a “vintage” Silvertone but in the case of Silvertone I think vintage just means old, not particularly valuable.
One thing that’s nice about these is that they are semi-hollow, so you can play them when they’re not plugged in and they’re not as loud as an acoustic, but sound nicer than the plinky sound when you’re practicing on an unplugged electric. Nice for not waking up the house when the mood strikes you late at night.
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I’m afraid changing the tuners might not do a lot for tuning stability, if they work ok otherwise. You can try what I did and apply lubricant to the nut. Apart from that, I’m not sure. The way the headplate is built with the strings running through the nut at such an angle, I’m afraid tuning issues might come with the territory. I’d have a competent tech have a look, but I’m slightly sceptic.
I feel highly inadequate with my instruments here, but I’ll still post them. And yes, I took the pictures in a weird place, the lighting in my living room sucks.
Here’s my electric one. I bought it in the 90s when I started to learn playing properly.
It was cheap because it had some damage on the back. Only scratches though, I didn’t mind. It was expensive enough for me as it was.
Its sound is quite variable, which I like.
But I haven’t used it much in the last ~15 years, as I was more into country and other acoustic stuff.
This is one of the first guitars I played, and I still play it. My parents bought it for my brother originally, in… 1992 or so. Solid, but nothing to write home about. Compared to my dad’s Gibson that I play on weekends when I visit my family it feels rough, but I only want to replace it with the perfect guitar. And I haven’t found that one yet, and/or cannot afford it.
My banjo.
It is… just barely playable. I bought it used and it had a rough life. Combined with me being a horrible banjo player (never learned it properly) it has become more of a decorative item than anything else.
I’ll take a few more pictures of the other instruments that I regularly play, my parents’ house contains quite a collection of interesting string instruments.
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Thanks, yes maybe I’ll give them a cleaning but you are probably right to be skeptical - reading up a bit about Silvertone and they were/are more of a beginner/bargain type instrument so I shouldn’t expect miracles.
Looking at the tuners again though, and they are filthy . Maybe after a good cleaning things will improve a little.
I don’t think you should.
I feel highly inadequate with my playing ability and confidence everywhere. 
I have a nice cheap acoustic/electric which my other half bought me and I wouldn’t swap it or replace it for anything.
I look at it and compare it in an odd way… I ride mountain bikes… and do that very well and have a bike which is a very very nice bike which is just above my level. I can push myself and won’t get in to trouble, I will never have the ability to exceed my bike’s capability.
With my guitars, it’s similar. I am not Slash. I am never ever going to be on stage, I am my only critic. I love playing my (two) guitars. But they do me fine. My acoustic is perfect, my LP Gibson was an indulgence from a bequest but if I am honest I can’t do it justice.
I would be happy with something else, but every time I play, I remember my aunt.
Brings up guitar tab for Gimme Shelter….
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That’s why I play my dad’s Gibson at the weekends.
My Yamaha sadly holds me back at times.
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Yeah, it takes some getting used to, but I have grown to like it. It’s also the best platform for doing spatial audio because it supports more channels per track than any other DAW I know, so I’m kinda forced to use it at work.
I so not do MIDI, but if you have a specific question, shoot me a PM and if I can’t answer it, I have colleagues who definitely can.
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Ok, here we go. I took some quick photographs of the instruments I play when I am at my parents’ house:
This is my first guitar, I think my parents bought it for me in 1992 or so. It is basically a license-built Ovation CC57 I think. It has a round back made of plastic, which sounds like a bad idea but the guitar has a nice sound. It was perfect for me as I wanted a slim neck like that of an electric guitar, and Western guitars didn’t feel right in my short and thin arms (keep in mind I was a child, nowadays I don’t mind the shape of a western guitar).
In the next pic you can see the round back better, and also more guitars: a 12-string western guitar and a concert guitar, I forgot to check the manufacturer.
An then you can see a part of the next guitar, the Epiphone version of a Gibson ES-335 semi-acoustic.
Here’s a better pic of it:
I’ll post the rest in separate posts, my phone is acting up…
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Here is my favourite sounding guitar so far, the Gibson Hummingbird Studio.
Behind it is the Kiso Suzuki version of the Martin D-35, known as the ‘lawsuit edition’ because it was basically an unlicensed 1:1 copy. It was made in 1970 and sounds awesome.
This video shows it, and its really cool inlays and three-part back:
The third guitar in the pic is a Harley Benton resonator guitar. I tuned it open G and raised the strings so I can play it as a slide guitar using a steel bar. I suck at that though.
In this pic you can also see an electric guitar, a Washburn KC40 (I think). Notable about that one is that it has screws holding down the strings near the nut, and you tune it with the little screws at the bridge. That’s not the best construction IMO, it is supposed to keep the tuning when using the tremolo a lot, but I am not sure if it works. I keep accidentally touching the screws.
Also note the two mini amps, a 1 watts Marshall and a 2 watts fender twin. Those are fun to plug in and make people realize how LOUD one watt can be.
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It’s called a double locking tremolo system (because the strings are locked at the bridge and at the nut). And if done right it works very well. I have a Ibanez RG that used to be my main workhorse practicing guitar and you can abuse that trem to no end, just won’t go out of tune. String changes are painful though and you have to know how to set it up right. Sadly I just don’t like the sound of the pickups and the Ibanez Wizard necks are a tad too wide for my girl sized hands, that’s why I’m going to sell it. For what it cost though, this was the best bang for the buck I have ever seen. I’m still amazed by the build quality. My Gibson LP is a much simpler guitar (and more expensive) than this, but the Ibanez blows it out of the water.
Edit: Here’s a pic
This one’s probably seen the most use of any of the guitars I own, you can see that I’ve worn through the top layer of the finish at the spot where my pinky touches the body. I’m going to have to get the frets releveled and recrowned before I can wholeheartedly sell it off.
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