Guitarman - I don't personally have the xbox live set up, but some people I work with say that Call of Duty 4 is incredible. Very fast paced and very difficult. For at least a year I keep telling myself I am going to get the wireless connection and get online, I just have never seemed to find the time. With a murder of kids and a house myself it's difficult to balance it all. I do get on Friday or Saturday nights after 10 and play some on the xbox. I really like cod4 and Assassins creed. When I finally wire up to go live I'll let you know. It would be pretty fun to play some with people from this site.

I would love to know if anyone has the satchurator yet also. I see it on GC website but havne't asked them if they are selling it. The last time I was in GC I was foaming at the mouth over the JS 1000. Still patiently working all the angles with the wife! Perhaps when we go to Dallas to see him, she'll give in. I did buy her earplugs already to get her prepared for the show. She still doesn't believe we are going. I have to take vacation time from work. I have only taken 10 days off in 5 and half years, so she really is calling my bluff. We are going though. I have waited so many years for the opportunity to go and I'm not missing it this time.

Do the Stu - Good to hear you are a journalist. I was a broadcast journalist for 8 years in the Navy. I wish I had pursued it when I got out. I actually had a job with the local Fox station in Jacksonville Fl but decided to pass on it.....very long story.

Well i guess not then . . . .

Guitarman - I don't personally have the xbox live set up, but some people I work with say that Call of Duty 4 is incredible. Very fast paced and very difficult. For at least a year I keep telling myself I am going to get the wireless connection and get online, I just have never seemed to find the time. With a murder of kids and a house myself it's difficult to balance it all. I do get on Friday or Saturday nights after 10 and play some on the xbox. I really like cod4 and Assassins creed. When I finally wire up to go live I'll let you know. It would be pretty fun to play some with people from this site.

I would love to know if anyone has the satchurator yet also. I see it on GC website but havne't asked them if they are selling it. The last time I was in GC I was foaming at the mouth over the JS 1000. Still patiently working all the angles with the wife! Perhaps when we go to Dallas to see him, she'll give in. I did buy her earplugs already to get her prepared for the show. She still doesn't believe we are going. I have to take vacation time from work. I have only taken 10 days off in 5 and half years, so she really is calling my bluff. We are going though. I have waited so many years for the opportunity to go and I'm not missing it this time.

Do the Stu - Good to hear you are a journalist. I was a broadcast journalist for 8 years in the Navy. I wish I had pursued it when I got out. I actually had a job with the local Fox station in Jacksonville Fl but decided to pass on it.....very long story.

Hello Satriani Fans! If you are a fan of melodic instrumental rock, be sure to check out www.soultostrings.com

Do the Stu : well.. i think we both agree to say that evh influence onto Morse is real.

After, i'm not as knowlegdeable about Morse as you think.. i just think is one of the greatest.. & some of his compositions for trio sound very interesting.

About the Deep Purple thing... the fact that this band hired him means a lot... if we keep in mind that it was the band of a certain Blackmore.

Just popped to say

THE NW GOT THE SHAFT AGAIN. No Joe.

Good Afternoon Satchland.......How Is Everyone?

Shoving off work early and getting a jump on the weekend. We're going to visit my in-laws in Wisconsin.

Everyone have a Great Weekend !!!!!

Good evening Satchland......

Do the Stu - How you doing? People seem to like 'Deliverance' for a full on rock thing and 'These Days' for more of a ballad....'Neocity' is a mix of techno sounds and guitar which is kind of a EOC sound. Great, take a listen if you get time! If you follow the link below and click on the 'Fusion' album....Cheers!

nickbowley.co.uk/music

Nick

Hello, I am new here. I have registered because something has been bothering me for a while now. I was a Satriani fan only by knowing 3 albums (SWTA, FIABD, EXTREMIST). For the past 3 years I decided to catch up with his latest works.

I have been observed how Joe interact with his fans and he's humble and simple, a very nice person, no arrogance or stardom disease. So I thought well, since he's a simple nice guy why not ask. I believe Joe and his band are magnificent musicians who also have a certain knowledge of how audio has to be properly mastered when making a record.

What I am really concerned is about the loudness race taking place in Joe's records. And I am here to ask WHY in the world, the album "Strange Beautiful Music" is so LOUD, peaking at 0dB, at full digital scale. And taking the moment to also ask WHY "Professor Satchafunkilus" mastering is so loud, whimp and weak.

First, let me say about "SBM". It's is loud, really loud. Is that really necessary? Who decides this? Can Joe ever ask the record company for them to slow down? This album's loudness is on par with Oasis' loudest albums (generally their albums peak at +4dB).

Second, about "Professor Satchafunkilus"... how come the mastering is so different from, let's say "Super Colossal"... There are no punchy drums, it all feels flat, although this album is still loud but not as loud as "Strange Beautiful Music" (ReplayGain value of -8.40). How come "Professor" is so whimply mastered? Although I don't find "Super Colossal" that quite (-7.10dB) it still got punches.

Why in the world albums like "SWTA" and "FIABD", full of dynamics in the sound, perfectly mastered, their mastering techniques have been abandoned for so long, and they're the best sounding records.

I would think that with wasteful pop music like the absurd hip hop and rap groups put out would have been OK because I don't expect musicality or mastering perfection for THAT kind of music. But why the beautiful guitar has been forced to join the loudness race, this is something I really can't compreehend.

I can't accept an answer like "I leave this up to the engineers", NOT from so well talent, intelligent and well reputated instrumental musicians. I really really admire Joe and his band, and I am sure someone out there must feel the same way I feel too. So what gives? Who is encharged for these horrible mastering techniques? I wish that one day, the loudness race becomes the first 1 enemy for artists, bands, producers and engineers.

Keniko-what part of Wisconsin are you coming to?

NickBowley-how much does all the equipment cost?

Joe Satriani-I saw the vid of everyone singing happy birthday! sounds like you had a fun day!

John-thtanx for the floydrose trem page, it helped me realign the bridge when I wanted to adjust it, but messed it up.

Blue-moon-are you saying you're gonna stay a "girl" on myspace!?

This is a reference table for loudness. It explains a bit of the pain. Crystal Planet is also a *VERY* loud CD.

References in dB FS: Film industry reference level - [ 83dB ] (PS. the film industry never changed their level) Enya Watermark 1988 pressing - [ 85dB ] a-ha Hunting High and Low 1985 pressing [ 88dB ]

Joe's Albums in dB FS: JS Not of this Earth 1986 - [ 88dB ] JS Surfing w/ the Alien 1987 - [ 89dB ] JS Dreaming 11 1988 - [ 90dB ] JS Flying in a Blue Dream 1989 - [ 92dB ] JS The Extremist 1992 - [ 95dB ] (here things start to get loud) JS 1995 album - [ 92.5dB, because it's a quite semi acustic album ] JS Crystal Planel 1988 - [ 96,5 dB ] JS Engines of Creation 2000 - [ 96,5 dB ] JS Strange Beautiful Music 2002 - [ 99dB ] (1 to full digital scale) JS Is there love in Space? 2004 - [ 98dB ] JS Super Colossal 2006 - [ 96,5 dB ] JS Professor Satchafunkilus 2008 - [ 97,8 dB ]

For you to understand more, when these values hit 100dB FS, it is the same as saying they are 0dB or full digital scale. Whatever goes over 100dB it is represented as +1, +2, +3.

When you say that an album is "-10,00dB", that means that it will have to go down -10dB FS to match the referece of 89dB, which is the loudness reference that well mastered CD's have been made in the 80's. The film industry have always worked with a 83dB reference level and never changed it. So what is the best reason for record companies to boost the loudness and ruin the records with loud tracks.

Further reading and consulting:

LOUDNESS WAR in Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ

The best way to master is record at maximum levels on your recording software and/or recording workstation. Then that way you don't have to over-boost on your mastering, just barely give a raise in levels.

The Alesis MasterLink is the best stand-alone mastering tool on the market and allows loudness (but never too loud) without over compression on dynamics.

Check out www.soultostrings.com I recorded & mastered everything in this fashion and the end results were fantastic.

Dear Professor Satchafunkilus, HI,Joe.I am guitarist in Australia.Have been listening and being inspired by you since not of this earth.I just wanted to thank you for music and your lifes dedication that has meant so much to me.You are a very generous and humble man and wanted too thank you for sharing your skills and work with the world.Please dont ever stop recording and touring.will come and see you when your 85 still blowing peoples minds.Lifelong dream came true and can mark it off the bucket list.Just went to the show at Tivoli Brisbane.It was everything i wanted and more.My mind was blown and willbe forever more.The new album is great and got it on constant rotation.Theres no-one else i'd rather listen too. I know you dont like praise but i just wanted to thank you once again for everything you do and what you've given us all.I'll look foward to your future conquests. I just wanna rock.

Craig