Best processor for Polka?

[chessrock]

Hi,

I've been recording a lot of Polka music lately.

And I'd really like to upgrade my gear to stuff that's more appropriate for the demands and nuances of Polka music.

So I was wondering if you could give me your thoughts as to the big question I have :

AMD or Intel ?

Please debate which processor will best meet my needs for my PC DAW-based Polka tracking studio.

Thanks!

PS -- While you're at it, I was wondering if you could also tell me some other important stuff ... you know, like what brand of cable (for Polka) ... any good mic stands for Polka?

 

[AlexW]

Polka sounds best recorded mono with an SM57 through a Ratt stomp box using an unbalanced custom fabbed RCA cable into a Soundblaster equipped AMD host PC running Garage Band.

 

[chessrock]

So a vote for AMD then?

Cool.

Anyone else?

 

[HangDawg]

Sorry man, my gear will only record classic rock. What is this polka you speak of. Can a DJ play polka?

 

[lpdeluxe]

I think you need a dual-booty setup for that two-step feel.

 

[mshilarious]

So a vote for AMD then?

Cool.

Anyone else?

I think you'd want a MOS 6502 chip for polka.

 

[AGCurry]

I've always felt that the Macintosh does a superior job on Polka music.

But more importantly, the Shure 55's should be mounted on chrome mic stands, not those black ones.

YMMV

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

I changed brands of the bios battery backup on my DAW -- the difference in sound quality was STUNNING. I'd advise getting rid of the cheap stock watch batteries they normally put in and go for the Energizers.......

 

[bennychico11]

I've always felt that the Macintosh does a superior job on Polka music.

WRONG WRONG WRONG
Macs are only good for Polka recordings done in the studio. Have you ever tried recording on a Mac at a LIVE Polka concert??? The roar of a several throusand person crowd cheering for an encore is almost deafening and Macs just can't handle that loud of volume.
I'd definitely say P4 chips with the 1600MHz FSB. Then throw in at least 2GB of RAM. Of course you'll need several fans on your MB. That's just common sense....the louder the music the hotter the electricity gets.

 

[formerlyfzfile]

I changed brands of the bios battery backup on my DAW -- the difference in sound quality was STUNNING

Hey bruce ...... were those the "directional" Energizers???

I've heard they have more mids to them.

-mike

 

[formerlyfzfile]

Chess ..... the most important thing is that you go through a tooba pre-amp.

-mike

 

[mshilarious]

Hey bruce ...... were those the "directional" Energizers???

Unlike cables, batteries are directional

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Unlike cables, batteries are directional

Not sure if they were the directional ones, but they were the ones for Jazz... the Rock ones really sucked, IMO!

 

[boingoman]

Wood. You need wood. Wood alone can warm up a cold digital signal, giving it an organic quality.

http://www.holzkontor.us/wood.php

 

[Richard Monroe]

Chess, it's your OS that you have to look at. For accordian, you need a Vic Commodore to capture the vintage sound. If you can't find one, you can get a pretty good approximation of the clicks and dropouts by using Windows ME. You'll have to log onto some porn sites though, to get a real top of the line browser hijacker. Delete all of that McAfee, Ad-aware, hijackthis, and service pack 2 crap, though. If you have trouble getting the authentic Baltic sound, try recording with an old Bell telephone with a dial, and mic it up with a handheld Radio Shack condenser. Trust me. Fat ladies in lederhosen will be hitting on you before Oktoberfest is half over.-Richie

 

[Dogman]

My dog said something about polka. I didn't hear it the first time, as she went to take a s.......

Sorry.
Ed

 

[joemintz]

meep

AMD and Intel processors are not versatile enough to handle anything but 4/4 time. Therefore I would recommend finding an old laptop based on the Transmeta Crusoe processor. This processor will listen to your playing and adapt its internal clock to what science professors term "a waltz," though you will have to find a pretty fast Crusoe to handle "a swing waltz."

You can also buy external 4/4 to 3/4 conversion boxes, but if you do, make sure you buy extremely expensive time-signature-clock cables. They might seem large at first, but think about what's happening. A couple of rockers and hipsters are dancing along at the beginning of the cable, and pre-trained classical Waltzists armed with machine guns shaped like Miles Davis's first trumpet have to study their style, kill them, and waltz their way to the other end of the cable.

Macintoshes are completely out of the question. They can only process 7/8 and 5/4. For good Polka, the Crusoe is the only option.

 

[lpdeluxe]

I don't think polkas are in 3/4 time...

...unless the musicians are mathematically challenged. The rest of your argument makes sense, though.

And I have to disagree with Blue Bear: Duracell gives creamier mids, more solid bass, and imaging to die for. Just don't buy the ones with the red stripe on the package -- they'll ruin the sense of pace in your recordings. Some people buy them for the sizzle they give cymbals, though, so you might try one out. Just don't leave it in too long or it'll permanently reorient the molecules in your digital cables.

 

[Fab4ever]

Sorry to hijack your thread, Chess, but I was wondering what brand/style of paint and carpeting should I use in my home studio if I have an Wal-Mart house brand P4 to record a sitar playing country and western tunes through a 545 into a DMP-3 with a pre-PMI Joemeek compressor with a 5:1 ratio and a relatively fast release?

I was thinking, lead-based paint and shag for a really funky 70s vibe. What do you think?

 

[chessrock]

I was thinking, lead-based paint and shag for a really funky 70s vibe. What do you think?

Absolultely.