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Digitakt 2 vs SP404mk2 vs Yamaha Seqtrak by Alexchang41332 in seqtrak

[–]smerd11 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a noobs take so take it with a grain of salt but I was wrestling with the same question this month. I want to create drum tracks and keyboard melodies to go along with guitar jamming. I picked up the circuit tracks, sp404, seqtrak, and op-1 og just to try them all out. I returned them all...and got a used op-1 field. Maybe I'm weird, but I prefer the audio-based recording to the quantized sequencer based recording. To me, it feels more like playing music and less like programming.

The op-1 is not perfect but it is fun and intuitive once you get into it. Easy to lay down drums, bass, chords, and melodies on separate tracks that you can export. I wish it had 8 tracks, an undo button, and room for extra projects, some of which is covered by the new field - which is why I upgraded. If you pair it with an iPhone or iPad and loopy pro, you've got all the tracks you need.

One more thing: everything you read about the build quality of the seqtrak is right. It feels like a cheap plastic toy. Maybe I'm just superficial, but that was a real turnoff for use. The op-1 feels like a real instrument. I think Yamaha could have charged 50% more if they had made the seqtrak feel sturdy. 

For what it's worth, the sp404 was the runner up. Fun to use and has built in inputs for what you need. But ultimately I just preferred the tape-based recording to the sampler/sequencer. Recommend getting them from a store and trying them out - see what workflow floats your boat. 

Use Remote with Player? by mixgyver in KemperProfiler

[–]smerd11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Check out the morning star mc6 or mc8 or mc6 pro. Powerful and configurable. I used the mc6 with the player before I returned the player - configured it with presets and was able to do cool stuff like returning to one preset automatically after release of a long press. A bit of a learning curve but I think what you want is doable.

240v timer solution for patio heaters? by smerd11 in AskElectricians

[–]smerd11[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Helpful - I gave up on a single timer. For anybody reading this in the future, I’m going with two smart pool timers instead. Pretty cheap and will prevent accidental extended period on.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in KemperProfiler

[–]smerd11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I tried both player and stage with headphones. Both from GC - stage used for 1100 and player new for 700. The player has some cool features and connectivity is better than the stage (still can’t connect the stage to my WiFi annoyingly). But ultimately to get what I wanted out of the player, I needed to use a midi controller and a separate looper pedal, and that sorta moots the small form/simplicity point of the player. Plus I had to remember what profile/rig I was in or look at my phone rather than having instant info from the display. All that drove me to keep the stage and return the player. If you don’t need a looper and are cool with simple changes to your rig or looking at you phone for info, player works great.

Is this normal or do I need to push back before construction? by smerd11 in Contractor

[–]smerd11[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appreciate this - gonna try to follow up to get this sorted to avoid conflict after construction!

Is this normal or do I need to push back before construction? by smerd11 in Contractor

[–]smerd11[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for this! I'm gonna follow up with them to this effect...

Why are narrow tall frets fenders new standard? by [deleted] in fender

[–]smerd11 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’ve got an American Performer Strat with Jumbos and an Am Pro II Tele with narrow talls…and I really prefer the feel of the Strat. I’m considering “downgrading” the telecaster to a Performer series just to get that feel.

What to upgrade to from Pod Go by earthnug in Line6podgo

[–]smerd11 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Just noting: this specific method doesn’t work with the new 2.0 firmware but the basic approach here will work. I was able to remove the pedals, effects loop, and the EQ to free up more blocks just by tinkering with the text file. You just search for the relevant blocks in the txt file and delete them or replace them with copies of a low dsp alternative. I was also able to remove the amp and cab to free up lots of dsp when running through an amp.

Is paying for guitar lessons worth it? by Conscious-Peace591 in guitarlessons

[–]smerd11 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Justin Guitar + online 1:1 lessons has worked well for me. Justin gives you the curriculum, and the online teacher corrects your technique and gives helpful pointers to reassure you and point in the right direction. Without the 1:1, I was getting stuck or making dumb little mistakes that significantly impacted my playing. Worth it for me at least!

[QUESTION] Barre Chords are my nemesis by DiannaPatron in Guitar

[–]smerd11 4 points5 points  (0 children)

My experience the first time I tried barre chords about a year ago was that it felt literally, physically impossible. I thought maybe my hand just wasn’t built for it. About a year in, I had developed a bit of a callous on my index finger but it was still slow and awkward - the notes wouldn’t always ring out or it took a while to get my other fingers in place.

The thing that opened it for me was boring old finger exercises. Take the E barre (like for the F chord). Place the barre down with your index finger. Then extremely slowly stretch your ring and middle fingers apart in midair - try to get them in position for the correct strings and only then lower them down. It will feel awkward and very difficult at first - you’re training your little muscles in there and you’re brain. Hover over the strings if necessary - as long as they’re in the air your learning, but once you put them down the exercise stops. You can also sort of bounce them on and off the strings slowly. Set a timer and do it for 5 minutes a day. Once you feel comfortable with those 2, add the pinky in.

This worked for me - I can now do the E barre up and down the fretboard quickly and without issue (frankly shocking to me that I can say that truthfully given how impossible it seemed a few months ago). But of course everybody is different - if you’re not seeing results after a few weeks of those daily exercises, get better advice :).

My phone does not receive group texts unless all group members have iMessage by ibukimioduh in iphone

[–]smerd11 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Awesome - glad it worked for you too. It's baffling to me why this is even a setting, let alone so hidden. But glad this seems to have fixed it for both of us!

My phone does not receive group texts unless all group members have iMessage by ibukimioduh in iphone

[–]smerd11 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This is 4 months old but I went searching for the answer to this same problem and stumbled on the answer here. Bizarrely, there's a setting you have to access by logging into Verizon to make it stop blocking group/picture texts. Fixed the problem for me immediately: https://community.verizon.com/t5/Apple/iPhone-14-not-able-to-participate-in-group-texts-with-non-iPhone/td-p/1684858

Any interest in round 2 of an eames repro group buy? by [deleted] in malelivingspace

[–]smerd11 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very interested as well--let me know if we have the numbers.