(if you see this in a RSS reader, come to the page to hear the music)<\/p>\n
(Now that I got this Starcaster<\/a> and also completed the first 5 chapters of the new book) Yesterday, I was wondering how I can record some music, so I searched for open-source sound recorder<\/a> and came across this beautiful application called Audacity<\/a> (French word for \"courage\", didn't know it existed in English). <\/p>\n Anyway, last time I've tried music editing software was yeeeears ago and they looked pretty intimidating. Audacity is nothing like this, it's so easy to get started. I just started the program, hit the big red \"record\" button and recorded away. Just as easy as Windows Sound Recorder. But! When I wasn't happy with what I recorder and hit \"record\" again, it played my previous junk but was recording on another track. How cool is that?! So easy to mix. Now I record something, then record again while listening with headphones to the previous thing.<\/p>\n I don't have any special equipment, so I just use the laptop's built-in microphone. Since those microphones amplify and therefore distort, I do a little trick. I play load (take that, neighbors!) and set the microphone level in Audacity to almost zero. The result is not too shabby for an amateur recording if you ask me. I do have an amp, no bigger than any average self-respected Java book, it was in the same package with the guitar.<\/p>\n So here goes. My take on Stevie Ray Vaughan's take on Jimi Hendrix' Little Wing intro - about 40 seconds.<\/p>\n Little Wing<\/a><\/p>\n Now if you feel brave, try the next piece. The theme is somewhat distantly loosely based on what I remember of a song called \"Que Que Ha?\" by Joe Pass<\/a>. In this case I recorder the rhythm first then tried improvising some sort of a - for a lack of a better word, let's call it - solo on top. Didn't like the result, so tried again. Thought first time was definitely better. At this point the kids were finishing their bath so I had to forget about further recordings. Later on I tried playing both solos together - horrible, horrible idea. But then I moved (it's trivial with Audacity) the first solo to the left speaker and the second to the right. And here's the result. I suggest that if, for whatever unhealthy reason, you decide to listen to the next piece, do use the headphones. Otherwise it really is a handful, er, earful. Plus people around you will appreciate it, I assure you. Good luck!<\/p>\n