Want to know about Bass Effects? Episode 5 of the Bass Tone podcast has you covered!

In this week’s podcast you’ll learn all about:

• Equalization (EQ), the cornerstone of a good effects chain
• Compression and Limiting to even out playing dynamics
• Multiband Compression
• Distortion, Overdrive and Fuzz Effects

http://www.EasyEarTraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/5_-_Bass_FX_1.m4a

You can subscribe to the Bass Tone podcast in iTunes, or your favourite podcasting program using the feeds below:

	Bass Tone Podcast (iTunes)
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You can also download this episode directly:

Download Bass Tone Podcast – Part 5 (right-click and “Save as…”)

The podcast is an M4A (AAC) file, which should play back on most modern audio software and portable music players. If you have any problems downloading or playing the file please let us know.

What’s your take on Bass FX? Special sauce or better off without ‘em? Let us know in the comments below!
And don’t forget to check out the recent “Bass Effects” article.

Here are a few recent developments in the world of music and sound which might help inspire or guide you in your ear training!

Jump to:

• Big Update for Theta Music Trainer
• A possible end to the “Loudness War”
• Piano Carnival CD: Classical Music and Stories for Kids
• New Wah-Wah and SwingIt! apps for iOS
• Happy Birthday, Don Leslie!

Big Update for Theta Music Trainer

Back in October we covered the launch of Theta Music Trainer, an exciting new website which provides a wide range of ear training games. You play online via your browser, and the games teach everything from intervals and chords, to rhythm, music reading, and more. Varying difficulty levels make it easy to get started, and there are ‘courses’ you can take to build up your skills in a structured way.

Here at Easy Ear Training we love seeing fun new ways to develop aural skills, and so we were excited to hear about the new version of Theta Music Trainer, which introduces three new games, a smart Personal Trainer feature, and strong support for music teachers to use the games with students in the classroom. It also adds Spanish to the English and Japanese language options already available.

Number Blaster is a fun arcade-style game to learn musical numbering

Two of the new games focus on your ability to judge pitches, with Speed Pitch testing your ability to make broad judgements quickly, and Dango Brothers essentially making a game of tuning a guitar string. I’ll admit, I had to look up what a Dango is – but fortunately this didn’t hinder my ability to enjoy the game!

Dango Brothers checks your fine-grained pitch judgement

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Missed the start of the series? Catch up here.

Last time around we looked at the basic controls of the compression effect, a core part of dynamics control in audio. This week we’ll look at some specialised variants: Limiters, Expanders, Gates, and Multi-Band compressors. Then… more listening!

Limiters

Limiters are in essence compressors with very high ratio settings – as high as “Infinity:1″!

The primary use of a limiter is not to manipulate, change or restructure a signal’s dynamics, but rather to contain them! It limits the peak of the signal from exceeding a predetermined setting. This is usually done to prevent overloading or clipping a recording device/mixer or P.A. system. A good limiter has no sound of its own. You shouldn’t even know it’s on. The only way you would know, is if it was turned off and you heard the clipping and distorting that it was protecting you from. Past that, once turned on, you would simply miss the clipping and distorting, and nothing more. Limiters are (or at least should be) the ultimate silent partner.

Note: Limiters are one of the key ingredients used AND abused in mastering studios.

Limiter Examples

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