When people get to be my age, they go through what most people call a midlife crisis. I don't like to think of it that way. I view it more as a midlife re-evaluation. It's the stage of life where you finally realize that you no longer have all the time in the world to do everything you want to do, so you re-evaluate those goals and figure out which ones are viable and which ones have to be abandoned. It's a bittersweet time as it's sad to see some of your old goals and aspirations die, but it's good to be refocused on the things you really want to do. It doesn't happen at once and the plans often change until you finally figure out what you want.
This re-evaluation happened to me recently. I'm fortunate in that I have a logical, analytical mind, and that I can do a lot of internal analysis without doing anything rash. Many people end up doing crazy stuff like quitting their jobs, divorcing their husbands/wives, and buying outrageous sports cars, boats, motorcycles, etc., only to realize they love their spouse, they liked their job, and the new bike hurts their back. I'm also fortunate because the only part of my life being re-evaluated is music - I enjoy my career, I love my wife, and although I'd love to learn to ride a motorcycle, it's not as important to me as it used to be, so I could take it or leave it.
Showing posts with label Recording. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recording. Show all posts
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Recording again!
Those of you who've been reading this blog from its inception know that it's about guitars and recording, not just guitars. Well, after a flurry of early experiments, I stopped trying to record and focused on guitar, mostly buying new ones.
I recently found myself with some unexpected time off, so I decided to finally try some serious recording. I turned my PC into a dual-boot XP-Ubuntu machine a while ago and installed all the Ubuntu Studio audio packages but I never had a chance to try it out. Until now.
I've mentioned this before, but I'm a fan of Rob Chapman a.k.a. Rob Chappers a.k.a. The Monkey Lord on YouTube and I became a member of his forum to help design his latest guitar. Apparently, the members of this forum have occasional collaborations and I just happened to notice their latest one, so I wanted to try to record something. I downloaded the backing track - a simple blues progression in E - and got to work trying to figure out Ardour.
My recording rig was slightly comical. I didn't want to plug directly into the computer, but I needed a way to get the sound into Ardour. So I used the microphone I got with Rock Band. Yes, you heard me, I used a Rock Band microphone. It's USB, so it worked just fine with the computer. One thing about Ardour (and Linux in general) is that it's open source, so there's a wealth of information on how to use it. I Googled "ardour usb microphone" and got my setup instructions immediately.
With the microphone set up, I got to work recording. I already have some experience with Jack, the audio connection system, and Patchage, the excellent graphical connection manager, so setting that up wasn't bad. After fumbling around with Ardour I managed to get the backing track imported and I rattled off about eight or nine solos. I also managed to figure out how to export just the tracks I wanted into WAV files, although I still don't know how to export as MP3s, so I brought the WAV into Audacity to convert it to an MP3.
I ended up with one that I thought was pretty good so I submitted it for the collaboration. It was done on my Strat through the neck pickup with the volume on 10 and tone on about 6 and a half, then through my DigiTech RP90 on a custom preset based on a Marshal JCM800, then through my Line 6 Spider III 15 as an amp only - I had it on the clean channel with a flat EQ - then through the Rock Band microphone and into Ardour.
Here it is, I hope you like it. I know it's not perfect (I messed up in a few places) but I think it's pretty good for my first attempt. Enjoy!
I recently found myself with some unexpected time off, so I decided to finally try some serious recording. I turned my PC into a dual-boot XP-Ubuntu machine a while ago and installed all the Ubuntu Studio audio packages but I never had a chance to try it out. Until now.
I've mentioned this before, but I'm a fan of Rob Chapman a.k.a. Rob Chappers a.k.a. The Monkey Lord on YouTube and I became a member of his forum to help design his latest guitar. Apparently, the members of this forum have occasional collaborations and I just happened to notice their latest one, so I wanted to try to record something. I downloaded the backing track - a simple blues progression in E - and got to work trying to figure out Ardour.
My recording rig was slightly comical. I didn't want to plug directly into the computer, but I needed a way to get the sound into Ardour. So I used the microphone I got with Rock Band. Yes, you heard me, I used a Rock Band microphone. It's USB, so it worked just fine with the computer. One thing about Ardour (and Linux in general) is that it's open source, so there's a wealth of information on how to use it. I Googled "ardour usb microphone" and got my setup instructions immediately.
With the microphone set up, I got to work recording. I already have some experience with Jack, the audio connection system, and Patchage, the excellent graphical connection manager, so setting that up wasn't bad. After fumbling around with Ardour I managed to get the backing track imported and I rattled off about eight or nine solos. I also managed to figure out how to export just the tracks I wanted into WAV files, although I still don't know how to export as MP3s, so I brought the WAV into Audacity to convert it to an MP3.
I ended up with one that I thought was pretty good so I submitted it for the collaboration. It was done on my Strat through the neck pickup with the volume on 10 and tone on about 6 and a half, then through my DigiTech RP90 on a custom preset based on a Marshal JCM800, then through my Line 6 Spider III 15 as an amp only - I had it on the clean channel with a flat EQ - then through the Rock Band microphone and into Ardour.
Here it is, I hope you like it. I know it's not perfect (I messed up in a few places) but I think it's pretty good for my first attempt. Enjoy!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Almost ready to start recording again
It's been a long time since I made my last recording post, but I should soon be experimenting with recording again and posting my results. I had a few recording platform plan possibilities (say that ten times fast) and I finally have a setup I'm creating as we speak.
At first, I was going to get a MacBook and use Garage Band. I have a MacBook Pro, but my wife uses it for school and there will be times I can't use it. I then saw a product from a company called Indamixx, an MSI netbook loaded up with Linux-based recording software. I was going to get one of those, but I noticed that they're going with more of a touchscreen-based system for future versions, which I don't really want.
Also, I finally got my Dad's old computer and saw just how good it was. When my Dad passed away in July and I originally asked if I could have it (being the computer geek of the family, it just made sense) my sisters said that it wasn't a good computer. Of course I still wanted it, but after getting it, I realized how good it was. My Dad didn't buy a lot of stuff - he was a hard-working, blue-collar guy - but when he did finally get something, he didn't skimp. He got the best he could find within reason. Instead of buying a garden-variety Dell or HP, he went to a local computer shop and got one custom built. It may not be a 64-bit powerhouse, but it has good specs and is plenty powerful enough to be used as a recording PC.
It came with Windows XP Professional, but over the weekend I installed Ubuntu 10.10 with dual-boot capabilities. I'm going to install some of the Ubuntu Studio packages (but not the desktop - I like the new Ubuntu interface) and once again try my hand at Open Source recording. I was impressed with Ubuntu Studio when I had it on the Crappy Lappy. I can't wait to try the same tools on a more robust system.
I always have the Mac to use, too, plus I can get Windows-based software if the Open Source tools don't pan out. So be ready for a lot of home recording posts in the very near future.
At first, I was going to get a MacBook and use Garage Band. I have a MacBook Pro, but my wife uses it for school and there will be times I can't use it. I then saw a product from a company called Indamixx, an MSI netbook loaded up with Linux-based recording software. I was going to get one of those, but I noticed that they're going with more of a touchscreen-based system for future versions, which I don't really want.
Also, I finally got my Dad's old computer and saw just how good it was. When my Dad passed away in July and I originally asked if I could have it (being the computer geek of the family, it just made sense) my sisters said that it wasn't a good computer. Of course I still wanted it, but after getting it, I realized how good it was. My Dad didn't buy a lot of stuff - he was a hard-working, blue-collar guy - but when he did finally get something, he didn't skimp. He got the best he could find within reason. Instead of buying a garden-variety Dell or HP, he went to a local computer shop and got one custom built. It may not be a 64-bit powerhouse, but it has good specs and is plenty powerful enough to be used as a recording PC.
It came with Windows XP Professional, but over the weekend I installed Ubuntu 10.10 with dual-boot capabilities. I'm going to install some of the Ubuntu Studio packages (but not the desktop - I like the new Ubuntu interface) and once again try my hand at Open Source recording. I was impressed with Ubuntu Studio when I had it on the Crappy Lappy. I can't wait to try the same tools on a more robust system.
I always have the Mac to use, too, plus I can get Windows-based software if the Open Source tools don't pan out. So be ready for a lot of home recording posts in the very near future.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
It wasn't the amp
In this post I speculated on the potential suckage of my Line 6 amp. As much as I liked it as a practice amp, I was disappointed at its performance as a recording amp. When I plugged it into the Crappy Lappy it spewed forth copious amounts of static that was captured on recordings, making it useless for my recording project.
Or so I thought.
Or so I thought.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
I love Rosegarden
I really do. Not a real rose garden - my allergies would never let me near one - but the multi-track recording and mixing software for Linux. I installed it last week after being overwhelmed with Ardour, another Linux-based multi-track recorder/mixer that comes standard with Ubuntu Studio. Ardour is a fine program, but it's definitely aimed at those who have some recording experience. Not me, in other words.
Rosegarden, though, is clearly designed to be more intuitive for the recording n00b, of which I am one. The interface is simpler and it already creates tracks for you (you have to add them yourself in Ardour). I had some recording success with it early this week and I wanted to expand on that success by actually making a multi-track recording that sounded decent. I'm happy to say that last night I did just that.
One of the biggest boosts to my recording escapade was figuring out how to properly use my Vox headphone amp to get sound into my computer. Once that was achieved it was all about Rosegarden. Getting sound into it was easy - like I said, it already creates tracks for you. You just have to find the right one (any one marked Audio will capture sound from standard input) or change one of the others (which is as easy as changing a drop-down menu). I had to go into Patchage - an excellent graphic configuration tool for JACK connections - and tie the recording monitor output to the system output so I could hear what I was recording. I know there's a setting in Rosegarden somewhere that does it for you, but I really like Patchage, so I took care of it that way.
I'm using a chord progression that a friend of mine used in a song he wrote. I figure this way I really don't have to think about what I'm playing, I can just learn how to record it. I started out with a track where I strummed the chords using about half-gain on the Vox for a nice overdriven sound. The nice thing about Rosegarden, too, is that you can change the input levels and the waveform will adjust, so if you're peaking too much (you can tell you are if the waveform is a solid block) you can turn down the input level until you start seeing the peaks and valleys indicative of a normal waveform. The track was too loud at first, but a simple adjustment of a slider control (two actually, left and right) and it was perfect.
I then wanted to record a pseudo-bass line, so I turned up the gain on the Vox and turned down the tone to roll off some treble and played muffled root notes. It sounded pretty good for what it was. The only thing I noticed was that my timing was off at one point on track one, but since this is only a learning experience, I didn't really care. On that point, Rosegarden includes a metronome that you can set up to use any sound you want, including those from a built-in synth plugin. I used a DX7 emulator on an electric piano setting and I was able to hear it with no problems while I was recording. I never got the metronome on Ardour to work, so this was a major victory for me.
So now I have a real multi-track recording using Ubuntu Studio on my piece of crap laptop. I can only imagine how it would do with better hardware. I'm still up in the air on whether or not I'll get a Mac or a Linux computer for my studio, but with every victory with Ubuntu Studio the decision gets harder to make.
Rosegarden, though, is clearly designed to be more intuitive for the recording n00b, of which I am one. The interface is simpler and it already creates tracks for you (you have to add them yourself in Ardour). I had some recording success with it early this week and I wanted to expand on that success by actually making a multi-track recording that sounded decent. I'm happy to say that last night I did just that.
One of the biggest boosts to my recording escapade was figuring out how to properly use my Vox headphone amp to get sound into my computer. Once that was achieved it was all about Rosegarden. Getting sound into it was easy - like I said, it already creates tracks for you. You just have to find the right one (any one marked Audio will capture sound from standard input) or change one of the others (which is as easy as changing a drop-down menu). I had to go into Patchage - an excellent graphic configuration tool for JACK connections - and tie the recording monitor output to the system output so I could hear what I was recording. I know there's a setting in Rosegarden somewhere that does it for you, but I really like Patchage, so I took care of it that way.
I'm using a chord progression that a friend of mine used in a song he wrote. I figure this way I really don't have to think about what I'm playing, I can just learn how to record it. I started out with a track where I strummed the chords using about half-gain on the Vox for a nice overdriven sound. The nice thing about Rosegarden, too, is that you can change the input levels and the waveform will adjust, so if you're peaking too much (you can tell you are if the waveform is a solid block) you can turn down the input level until you start seeing the peaks and valleys indicative of a normal waveform. The track was too loud at first, but a simple adjustment of a slider control (two actually, left and right) and it was perfect.
I then wanted to record a pseudo-bass line, so I turned up the gain on the Vox and turned down the tone to roll off some treble and played muffled root notes. It sounded pretty good for what it was. The only thing I noticed was that my timing was off at one point on track one, but since this is only a learning experience, I didn't really care. On that point, Rosegarden includes a metronome that you can set up to use any sound you want, including those from a built-in synth plugin. I used a DX7 emulator on an electric piano setting and I was able to hear it with no problems while I was recording. I never got the metronome on Ardour to work, so this was a major victory for me.
So now I have a real multi-track recording using Ubuntu Studio on my piece of crap laptop. I can only imagine how it would do with better hardware. I'm still up in the air on whether or not I'll get a Mac or a Linux computer for my studio, but with every victory with Ubuntu Studio the decision gets harder to make.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Maybe Line 6 amps DO suck...
...or maybe not.
I have a Line 6 amp. More specifically, I have the much maligned Spider III 15.
I traded in a Fender Stage 112SE for it last year. I can hear the gasps of shock and disbelief now. Yes, I know the Fender was a better amp. I also couldn't put the volume past 2 without blowing my eardrums, shaking the house apart, or both. If I were a giggin' man, I never would've gotten rid of the Fender. Since I'm a bedroom guitarist and aspiring home recorder, it was too much amp for me.
I want to say one thing to all you Spider III haters out there (you know who you are). When I was researching this amp before I bought it, I saw many a forum post or blog comment putting down the amp, saying the presets didn't sound right, weren't the same volume, had weird effects on them, etc. You know what? You're missing the point! The whole point of an amp like this (or any amp, for that matter) is to make your own sounds and overwrite the factory presets. That's what I did. I have my own settings for all four channels and each one sounds great. Plus they're MY sounds, not the sounds of some committee at Line 6.
So yes, my Line 6 sounds great. It sounds great through headphones and through the speaker. Unfortunately, as I found out last night, it sounds like a pile of steaming dog crap when I plug it into my computer. If you remember/read this post you know I tried to record on my Linux laptop through my Vox headphone amp
and it sounded bad. Then, in this post, I tried the same thing with my Line 6 and was "impressed." That feeling evaporated last night. When I was recording with my Line 6 I noticed a lot of static through my headphones, but I thought it was just the headphones and the guitar still sounded good. Last night I wanted to listen to my recording without any amp plugged in to hear what it sounded like. You know all that static? Well, it got recorded, too. Sounded like poo. So I set up my Vox headphone amp again and, lo and behold, no static. Or at least very little. I didn't get a chance to record with it because just as I was ready to start recording my wife announced that it was dinner time, so it'll have to wait a day.
So why all the static? It doesn't show up when I have headphones plugged into the same jack. It's not there when I play through the speaker. I have two theories: either the cable that I'm using to connect amp to computer is low quality and is picking up interference, or the amp is too powerful and is overwhelming the sound card. I use the same cable for the Vox, too, but I have a 1/4"-to-1/8" adapter on the Line 6, so maybe that's it. I still haven't plugged the Line 6 into the Mac yet. If the static persists I know it's not the limitations of the sound card. That'll be a shame, because I can get much better sounds out of the Line 6.
And what about all the problems I had when I first tried the Vox? I chalk that up to a mixture of inexperience (I know a lot more about Linux recording now) and the fact that I was trying to run it through guitar effects software that was most likely overwhelming the hardware. I'm going to try more recording tonight straight from the Vox and hopefully things work out better.
On a side note, I'm really enjoying Rosegarden as a recording program. Also, I figured out how to get JACK Control GUI to start properly (I'll post instructions and screen shots soon).
Have I told you how much I'm enjoying this recording thing?
I have a Line 6 amp. More specifically, I have the much maligned Spider III 15.
I traded in a Fender Stage 112SE for it last year. I can hear the gasps of shock and disbelief now. Yes, I know the Fender was a better amp. I also couldn't put the volume past 2 without blowing my eardrums, shaking the house apart, or both. If I were a giggin' man, I never would've gotten rid of the Fender. Since I'm a bedroom guitarist and aspiring home recorder, it was too much amp for me.I want to say one thing to all you Spider III haters out there (you know who you are). When I was researching this amp before I bought it, I saw many a forum post or blog comment putting down the amp, saying the presets didn't sound right, weren't the same volume, had weird effects on them, etc. You know what? You're missing the point! The whole point of an amp like this (or any amp, for that matter) is to make your own sounds and overwrite the factory presets. That's what I did. I have my own settings for all four channels and each one sounds great. Plus they're MY sounds, not the sounds of some committee at Line 6.
So yes, my Line 6 sounds great. It sounds great through headphones and through the speaker. Unfortunately, as I found out last night, it sounds like a pile of steaming dog crap when I plug it into my computer. If you remember/read this post you know I tried to record on my Linux laptop through my Vox headphone amp
and it sounded bad. Then, in this post, I tried the same thing with my Line 6 and was "impressed." That feeling evaporated last night. When I was recording with my Line 6 I noticed a lot of static through my headphones, but I thought it was just the headphones and the guitar still sounded good. Last night I wanted to listen to my recording without any amp plugged in to hear what it sounded like. You know all that static? Well, it got recorded, too. Sounded like poo. So I set up my Vox headphone amp again and, lo and behold, no static. Or at least very little. I didn't get a chance to record with it because just as I was ready to start recording my wife announced that it was dinner time, so it'll have to wait a day.So why all the static? It doesn't show up when I have headphones plugged into the same jack. It's not there when I play through the speaker. I have two theories: either the cable that I'm using to connect amp to computer is low quality and is picking up interference, or the amp is too powerful and is overwhelming the sound card. I use the same cable for the Vox, too, but I have a 1/4"-to-1/8" adapter on the Line 6, so maybe that's it. I still haven't plugged the Line 6 into the Mac yet. If the static persists I know it's not the limitations of the sound card. That'll be a shame, because I can get much better sounds out of the Line 6.
And what about all the problems I had when I first tried the Vox? I chalk that up to a mixture of inexperience (I know a lot more about Linux recording now) and the fact that I was trying to run it through guitar effects software that was most likely overwhelming the hardware. I'm going to try more recording tonight straight from the Vox and hopefully things work out better.
On a side note, I'm really enjoying Rosegarden as a recording program. Also, I figured out how to get JACK Control GUI to start properly (I'll post instructions and screen shots soon).
Have I told you how much I'm enjoying this recording thing?
Monday, January 18, 2010
A lot harder than it looks
Bolstered by this weekend's successes with Ubuntu Studio, I decided to try to do some real recording. Sure, the sound quality was terrible, but it's as close to recording as I've ever been, so I wanted to run with it.
I still have the same issues - crappy hardware, JACK not starting with Jack Control GUI, etc. My goal was to make some kind of multi-track recording, or at least be able to play along with a recorded chord progression. I was able to do both, but not without some issues.
First and foremost, I have no idea what I'm doing. And it's not as easy as it seems. I mean, how hard can it be, right? Hit the record button, play, hit stop. Done. Right? Heh, heh, heh. Not even close.
For one thing, Ardour, the multi-track recorder/mixer that comes with Ubuntu Studio, is as about as intuitive as the control layout on my old Subaru XT coupe. Look it up, you'll see what I mean. The first time I tried to get two tracks recorded, they were about 5 minutes apart. You'd hear the first track (all 2 minutes of it), wait five minutes, and hear the second track. Not good. So I tried again with a new project and this time Read the Freakin' Manual (RTFM). I had much better success, and even though they weren't perfect, I was able to get a decent chord progression down and a half-decent lead on top of it, all on two separate tracks.
Still, I wasn't feeling Ardour. I'm sure it's a great tool for someone who has some experience, but I need something more suited for neophytes like myself. Garage Band-esque, if you would. So I installed a program called Rosegarden, and so far I like it. I think it used to be included in previous versions of Ubuntu Studio, but don't quote me on it.
So I'll keep plugging away. As Robert Pirsig would say, I'm at the front of the train, where Quality is, and I'm figuring it out as I go.
I still have the same issues - crappy hardware, JACK not starting with Jack Control GUI, etc. My goal was to make some kind of multi-track recording, or at least be able to play along with a recorded chord progression. I was able to do both, but not without some issues.
First and foremost, I have no idea what I'm doing. And it's not as easy as it seems. I mean, how hard can it be, right? Hit the record button, play, hit stop. Done. Right? Heh, heh, heh. Not even close.
For one thing, Ardour, the multi-track recorder/mixer that comes with Ubuntu Studio, is as about as intuitive as the control layout on my old Subaru XT coupe. Look it up, you'll see what I mean. The first time I tried to get two tracks recorded, they were about 5 minutes apart. You'd hear the first track (all 2 minutes of it), wait five minutes, and hear the second track. Not good. So I tried again with a new project and this time Read the Freakin' Manual (RTFM). I had much better success, and even though they weren't perfect, I was able to get a decent chord progression down and a half-decent lead on top of it, all on two separate tracks.
Still, I wasn't feeling Ardour. I'm sure it's a great tool for someone who has some experience, but I need something more suited for neophytes like myself. Garage Band-esque, if you would. So I installed a program called Rosegarden, and so far I like it. I think it used to be included in previous versions of Ubuntu Studio, but don't quote me on it.
So I'll keep plugging away. As Robert Pirsig would say, I'm at the front of the train, where Quality is, and I'm figuring it out as I go.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Linux pulls even
I had some surprising success yesterday. I was able to record music on my crappy lappy running Ubuntu Studio.
I'm as surprised as anyone.
I had an idea to try plugging my Line 6 into the Mac instead of the Vox headphone amp to see if it sounded any better. Since my wife was using the MacBook for school work, I had no choice but to try the Compaq again.
I still had the same problem with JACK, so I had to start it from the command line again instead of using the GUI. I opened up Patchage - which I really like, by the way - and mapped the line-in to the output.
Then something strange happened.
I heard my guitar!
And it didn't even sound that bad. There was some latency, but it was hardly noticeable.
But I wasn't out of the woods yet. I had to find a way to record. Ubuntu Studio comes with oodles of great tools, but they're all fairly advanced. I tried Ardour (a mixer-recorder similar to ProTools) and after fiddling around for a while, finally figured out how to capture audio.
It worked.
Hot damn and pass the ketchup!
There's a lot of interference in the headphones, so I don't know if that was captured or not, but I now have another crappy riff recorded on a computer, this time using Linux.
At the end of the first, it's Mac 1, Linux 1.
I'm as surprised as anyone.
I had an idea to try plugging my Line 6 into the Mac instead of the Vox headphone amp to see if it sounded any better. Since my wife was using the MacBook for school work, I had no choice but to try the Compaq again.
I still had the same problem with JACK, so I had to start it from the command line again instead of using the GUI. I opened up Patchage - which I really like, by the way - and mapped the line-in to the output.
Then something strange happened.
I heard my guitar!
And it didn't even sound that bad. There was some latency, but it was hardly noticeable.
But I wasn't out of the woods yet. I had to find a way to record. Ubuntu Studio comes with oodles of great tools, but they're all fairly advanced. I tried Ardour (a mixer-recorder similar to ProTools) and after fiddling around for a while, finally figured out how to capture audio.
It worked.
Hot damn and pass the ketchup!
There's a lot of interference in the headphones, so I don't know if that was captured or not, but I now have another crappy riff recorded on a computer, this time using Linux.
At the end of the first, it's Mac 1, Linux 1.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Mac 1, Linux 0
As I gear up to create my home studio (to be named the Half-Assed Home Studio) I'm trying to decide which platform I'm going to use. I thought it was going to be a no-brainer - Mac with Garage Band - until I discovered Ubuntu Studio.
I installed it on my test computer at work and was impressed, especially since the computer was just a run-of-the-mill Dell with a Pentium 4 processor. Everything just worked, even though it took a little more tinkering (welcome to the world of Linux). With a real-time kernel, the JACK MIDI interface and Patchage configuration tool set up, I was able to play around with a software synth (the horribly named ZynAddSubFX) and even create a passable half-time shuffle beat on Hydrogen, an excellent drum sequencer. Bolstered by this, I decided to install it on my crappy old Compaq Evo laptop and start recording at home. Let's just say it didn't go quite so smoothly.
I installed it on my test computer at work and was impressed, especially since the computer was just a run-of-the-mill Dell with a Pentium 4 processor. Everything just worked, even though it took a little more tinkering (welcome to the world of Linux). With a real-time kernel, the JACK MIDI interface and Patchage configuration tool set up, I was able to play around with a software synth (the horribly named ZynAddSubFX) and even create a passable half-time shuffle beat on Hydrogen, an excellent drum sequencer. Bolstered by this, I decided to install it on my crappy old Compaq Evo laptop and start recording at home. Let's just say it didn't go quite so smoothly.
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