Help with setting up a good practice side table

jplebre

Member
EDIT:
Even better idea for this thread:
POST PICTURES OF YOUR SIDE CAR!​

(i'll take one of mine tonight)

I have a brilliant MTR recording setup, and mixing setup.
However it's impractical for recording myself or to quickly tweak it for whatever I need whilst practicing.

So, I've been using my phone and in-ears, iPad with Kindle for the book, and a notebook and pen for my diary.

What I'd like is a way to remote control ProTools, control a metronome, be able to trigger some backing tracks, maybe even get a "new playlist" for different takes, but probably asking for too much.

I'm seeing people with a laptop, or a small mixing console, or ableton controllers, or a whole setup with sound cards etc.

What do you have (if anything) next to you to help you practice?
 
So this is my "side car":
- Phone as metronome, backing track player
- practice diary
- source of hydration
- Books/iPad with Kindle
- In ears

I really need something to allow me to drop into record my mics (remote control the main computer, or get a second recording rig) and also needs to record metronome/backing tracks
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0131.jpg
    DSC_0131.jpg
    140.7 KB · Views: 365
Laptop(running Ableton) on top of Scarlett 18i20.

I can plug on everything, but it's pretty much just 3 channels, BD + overheads.

Scarlett through Ableton sounds way better than the old mixer I used to have.

On the laptop I have all my music, Ultimate Slowdowner and stuff.

There's a notestand, but there's not much on it. Usually just a copy of Wilcoxon's AAD and Syncopation. The rest is in my head or home with my pad setup.
 
Back when it was my responsibility at church to run the live metronome, here's what it looks like. It pretty much looks the same these days, but I'm no longer in charge of the metronome. Now, we run backing tracks via Prime on an iPad. And yes, that is a 14" tom to the left of my hi hats.

martinsmusicstand.jpg
 
Great thread! I'll take a picture when I get home in a few days but right now I'm in between. currently have a small desk with a small mixer and headphone amp. Iphone for tracks to play along with feeds into the mixer with an overhead and BD mic. Output to a tascam DR40 for a simple stereo recording of the mix. The DR40 and Iphone sit on my music stand.

I recently bought a new 15" macbook pro, downloaded Reaper and am ordering a scarlett 18i20 so this is about to all change and looking for ideas so its all within reach.
 
picture.php


Agree the side car topic is a good one. I was thinking about posting a thread like this myself. I used to be into the electronic music and sampling, however recently I have tried to get the acoustic version of "sound effects", notice the duck calls, kazoo, samba whistle and other whistles. I have a number of nice Central American ceramic whistles, flutes, and noise makers which I leave in the box until needed. I had a wooden tray that I was using, I just drilled a hole in the bottom and mounted it on a cymbal mount with a washer. The setup is reminiscent of the early vaudeville jazz kits I think.
 
I have a cheap folding bar stool that sits where my 18" FT would be if I had one. I removed the padding and now I can set my coffee/Redbull/beer or water on it. when I use my phone for a metronome, I run my earbuds cord down my back to the phone and then lay it on top of the records in one of the many crates of records that sit behind the kit.
 
Laptop(running Ableton) on top of Scarlett 18i20.

I can plug on everything, but it's pretty much just 3 channels, BD + overheads.

Scarlett through Ableton sounds way better than the old mixer I used to have.

On the laptop I have all my music, Ultimate Slowdowner and stuff.

There's a notestand, but there's not much on it. Usually just a copy of Wilcoxon's AAD and Syncopation. The rest is in my head or home with my pad setup.

I did not know about ultimate slowdowner. Must be sleeping under a rock.
Agree w the BD+Overheads. I need something through the in ears as sometimes it feels I can't hear what I'm doing
 
Amazing Slowdowner is great. I have it on both my iPad and laptop. The only thing that irritates me is that I can't play saved files from Spotify. I have to be online. Not an issue for most I guess, but my preferred practice space is let's say a bit off-grid. I use it as the main music player, too.

It's nice to have the iPad on the side and it's running mostly Pro Metronome and DrumJam.

DrumJam is really great. Not only loops for practice, but really, unless you must use sticks or you're doing something really technical or dynamic, the sounds in there are plenty good enough.
 
Back
Top