21 replies to this topic

[Lshorty]

For the newbie starting her second semester in sound design at QUT?
To prevent myself from doing this again at the end...
:bang:

haha.
maybe some suggestions on new headphones too?


Thank you!

[Jester_Fu]

Headphones? How much do you want to spend?? My default answer is always Beyerdynamic DT990Pro's. Great studio headphones, priced around the $350AUD mark. Good sounds, solid build, total sex to wear... and non-fatiguing sound for long long listening sessions in the studio.

Tips on maintaining sanity? Well, i think you're in the wrong forum ;D

[rhythmboy]

QUT hey? One of the best music tech and audio schools in the country, hope you get a lot out of it!

Regards sound design, hard to know what your lecturers won't already cover, but a few tips from another teacher

First, whatever books and articles your lecturers recommend, read them! There is a vast amount of golden advice available on this area in the texts. Otherwise...

1) bookmark some free and legal sfx and sample websites for quick access to source material:

http://www.stonewashed.net/sfx.html - directory listing dozens of sfx websites and 1000's of sounds

http://www.ljudo.com - enter search terms for just about anything you can imagine

http://freesoundproject.org - music, voice and sfx samples with tagged descriptors

2) Search the "free plug-ins" thread for interesting plug-ins to mangle and warp your sounds:

http://www.soundpunk...php?topic=960.0

Look especially for granular synths and processors, glitch and stutter effects - granular techniques are commonly taught in sound design

3) Watch The Matrix Trilogy DVD's, then do it again without the screen, just listening. Especially chases and fight scenes, and the underground scenes in Zion. Amazing. An incredible amount of work went into the Matrix soundtrack and there are several interviews and articles on it, eg.http://filmsound.org/studiosound/post_matrix.html

Hope they get you started and good luck!

[em]

welcome shorty, nice to see another bird on the block around here. I'm quite curious about QUT so i might pm u to pick ur brain

was just wondering if anyone can recommend a good home contents insurance policy for their gear. I know some companies cater towards this more than others and thought i'd check in with you guys and save myself the fun of ringing around all day. Thanks, I'll repay you...somehow!!!

I'm on Codral today. Geez im off my head. Fantastic stuff!!! 

[Captain Terrific]

em - goto Home (up the top of the page) - Profile - Forum Profile Layout

Music insurance companies - check these out

Carrington Whittaker Insurance Brokers 1800 244 350

I've used Carrinington and Whittaker for years - good prices

[em]

Thanks bro,

haha, u must have read my post about the avatar before i edited it. I find that my 'ask now, think later' mantra conserves a lot of precious brain power and invariably, i will find the answer i need within 5 minutes of asking a question.

[Captain Terrific]

Quote

I find that my 'ask now, think later' mantra conserves a lot of precious brain power and invariably, i will find the answer i need within 5 minutes of asking a question.

ditto!

[Jester_Fu]

Unless you're using your gear for business purposes, you can get any home insurance policy to cover it. The scope of cover is what you need to decide. Do you just want it covered at home, or do you want gig cover? If you're gigging it and want insurance, you need t investigate muso's insurances. Got nothin' for you as far as tips on who/where/how much, sorry.

If you're making money from your gear at home, you just need to upgrade to business insurance. The only other specific thing i've noticed in my insurance policies is if you have anything worth >$5k replacement cost for one item, you need to list it. Otherwise, you just do a guesstimate yourself of what you think your contents is worth and get insurance on that amount. I've got 100k's worth of contents, and it's something like $70 a month with CGU... but it varies depending on postcode.

[em]

Thanks jester, definately helps avoid the sales trap knowing that stuff. CGU! I was sentenced to two years there as an 'auditor'. :dead: I hear they've cleaned up their act a bit - god those kids were randy - it was like going to the blue light disco.

[rhythmboy]

Since Lshorty doesn't see, to be coming back, might as well throw 2 cents worth in for the insurance thing...

For renters and shared households, maybe consider something like AAMI's renter's insurance, about $125 per year for a flat $25K cover for fire and theft of general household items including the computer and all peripherals and software. Then you cover some of the better or more exotic music gear under music insurance, especially as Jester says if it leaves the house, for a percentage of the value of the gear.

If there's only a few items to insure separately it might be economical. It's what I do, but I have a lot of percussion that often leaves the house so music insurance is good peace of mind.

[em]

That's all very interesting...maybe the standard insurance companies don't insure the exotic stuff because they don't know what it is...i have had one call centre guy think that my sitar was one of those swings that grandparents sit in in their gardens.

[Captain Terrific]

heh, try getting a pro model bassoon, pro tuba, 2 french clarinets, a selmer tenor and soprano saxes, oboe, flute insured under general home and contents....

[smendez71]

I am a newbie looking for a proper music production program that is reasonably cheap within 100-150 dollars that has all remixing capabilities and that has the option to sample existing music tracks. any suggestions??

[Megatroid]

^^^ check this out http://www.reaper.fm/

This is what I use, it's free to try, and it will do everything you need.

[Jester_Fu]

Yeah, don't fear the reaper - the price sure is nice!

[tj0007]

always thought sony did great headphones. still using my mdr cd470's 12 years later

[M.jerrick]

Major tip.
Listen to what the guys on here say, they know their mustard.

[Cheyne]

12 years life span on a pair of headphones is pretty impressive.

Im pushing about 6 years life span on my Senheisser HS 25's

[Mark Shaw]

My HD25's date back to 1994. I've changed to ear pads but everything else is original. Lovely things.

[Mark Shaw]

If you want an honest no bullshit assessment of the music biz your in the right place.