Shopping Spree

The sale of some old turntables and bike bits gave some gas to the project budget, and I am pleased to announce that the basement studio is steadily piecing together.

Here is a breakdown of collected gear that is either ready to go or about to arrive:

Already here:

Alesis Multimix 12 Firewire
$200: from a CraigsList ad

Audio Technica AT4033a Condenser Mic
Free Loan: from a buddy's closet

Logic Express 8.0
$70: from eBay

Coming soon:

Epiphone Les Paul
Free Loan: pulled from a friend's living room wall

Total spent so far: $270

Though $270 is a significant hunk of dough, it seems a reasonable amount to invest in the start an adequate rig. There is more to buy, including a quality set of headphones and/or monitor speakers, and a solid microphone stand.

Logic Express 8.0 arrived yesterday in a stout, mustard envelope. With fingers crossed, I unstuck the seal. Purchasing used software is a precarious endeavor, and though I communicated extensively with the seller, I had a few needles on my nerves. In order for this copy of Logic Express to be a worthwhile purchase, it needed to be (A) the full retail version (not academic) with (B) install discs and (C) legit serial numbers. I tore the thick paper and took a gander: (D) all of the above - Score!

As Apple products often boast, the application dug itself into my hard drive without a hiccup. GarageBand is the musical version of building with Lego blocks; a little too easy to mouse around and conjure up a decent track. By contrast, Logic Express presents itself as a complex animal with seemingly endless facets that are anything but 'click for easy results.' Despite the complexity, I hope to have my explorations posted here in short order. Stay tuned...