"Not Worth its own thread" Thread

[MFB]

Now that I'm back from the show, Lamb of God actually sounded fucking spot on just to make me eat my words; Mastodon were no worse than usual, but as Randy said, for whatever reason their distorted parts seem to not work as cohesively as they should. It's not BAD any of the times I've seen them, I just think it could be BETTER, probably all those weird chord shapes they seem to like. In all the years I've been going to shows, the bands who've sounded the best live consistently is scant:

Coheed
Paramore
Windhand

I can't recall what Lamb of God sounded like when i last saw them in '07, but overall, this was definitely one of the best sounding metal ones. I feel like Opeth also had a VERY good mix when they came around back in ...2021?

 

[p0ke]

Now that I'm back from the show, Lamb of God actually sounded fucking spot on just to make me eat my words; Mastodon were no worse than usual, but as Randy said, for whatever reason their distorted parts seem to not work as cohesively as they should. It's not BAD any of the times I've seen them, I just think it could be BETTER, probably all those weird chord shapes they seem to like. In all the years I've been going to shows, the bands who've sounded the best live consistently is scant:

Coheed
Paramore
Windhand

I can't recall what Lamb of God sounded like when i last saw them in '07, but overall, this was definitely one of the best sounding metal ones. I feel like Opeth also had a VERY good mix when they came around back in ...2021?

Yeah, it's weird how some bands just don't manage to sound good live Even on the same stage at a festival, you'd imagine the bands to have somewhat similar sound and mix, but nah!

For example Tuska this year - most bands sounded really good, but then there was Dimmu Borgir who seemed to have forgotten all their guitars in Norway or something. Because the guitars were mixed so low, it just lacked any kind of aggression and I think that alone was what made them sound so tired. I'll be seeing them again next year apparently, so hopefully they'll sound better then.

Last year I was at a smaller metal festival with a lot of technical issues, almost every band had issues with monitoring and most bands sounded a bit weak or just weird for various reasons too. For example Ensiferum, who generally sound good, had this very weird Pantera-style super clicky and overpowering kick sound for some reason
Anyway, Brymir, who also had monitoring issues at the start of the show sounded absolutely phenomenal. Best they've ever sounded IMO. Apparently they couldn't hear anything when they got on stage, and their intro track just played and ended, there was nothing they could do until someone found the loose connection or whatever and they got to start their set. In the meantime they jammed the Super Mario theme and their vocalist did a super funny freestyle rap thing, so hats off to them for handling the situation even when stuff didn't work and for playing a solid show after they got it sorted.

----

Anyway, what I actually came here to write about: beard trimmers! Anyone have any extensive knowledge about said devices?
I have a 20 year old Braun trimmer, which I guess was the best of the best back in the day, but much of the parts on it are worn out and/or broken, so I intend to replace it soon.

It has this automatic cleaning station, but the locking mechanism on it broke around 15 years ago, so I removed the spring from it in order to make the contacts touch, but when it cleans it vibrates just enough that sometimes it looses connection and then you have to restart cleaning again. I haven't used the cleaning station in years as a result of this.
Then the blade covering foil thingy wore out and got several bigger holes in it, so I replaced it, but now it just doesn't shave as close as it did before. Also the on/off switch is very flimsy after 20 years of toggling Battery life is still more than acceptable though, which is pretty surprising for a 20+ year old device.

I read some reviews, and it seems like Braun is still the best? The one I'm looking at is a Series 9 Pro+. It seems to have essentially the same features as my old trimmer, but with all the upgrades that have happened in the last 20 years. The reason why I wanna buy the best is that hopefully it'll last as long as my previous machine, but then again I'm wondering if such a machine is overkill for my needs? I don't do any fancy stuff, I just want a clean shave as quickly as possible and with as little maintenance as possible (because otherwise I'll just end up not doing it, and then my wife complains that kissing hurts and then that just doesn't happen).

 

[BlackMastodon]

Anyway, what I actually came here to write about: beard trimmers! Anyone have any extensive knowledge about said devices?
I have a 20 year old Braun trimmer, which I guess was the best of the best back in the day, but much of the parts on it are worn out and/or broken, so I intend to replace it soon.

It has this automatic cleaning station, but the locking mechanism on it broke around 15 years ago, so I removed the spring from it in order to make the contacts touch, but when it cleans it vibrates just enough that sometimes it looses connection and then you have to restart cleaning again. I haven't used the cleaning station in years as a result of this.
Then the blade covering foil thingy wore out and got several bigger holes in it, so I replaced it, but now it just doesn't shave as close as it did before. Also the on/off switch is very flimsy after 20 years of toggling Battery life is still more than acceptable though, which is pretty surprising for a 20+ year old device.

I read some reviews, and it seems like Braun is still the best? The one I'm looking at is a Series 9 Pro+. It seems to have essentially the same features as my old trimmer, but with all the upgrades that have happened in the last 20 years. The reason why I wanna buy the best is that hopefully it'll last as long as my previous machine, but then again I'm wondering if such a machine is overkill for my needs? I don't do any fancy stuff, I just want a clean shave as quickly as possible and with as little maintenance as possible (because otherwise I'll just end up not doing it, and then my wife complains that kissing hurts and then that just doesn't happen).

I was going to say something like "just grow a beard " but yeah, wife/significant other kinds dictates that for us with their desire to smooch us.

I don't have much experience with electric razors or trimmers, but I will say to stay away from Wahl. My first cheap Wahl trimmer from like 20 years ago was solid and last 10+ years of weekly-ish use, but the one I got to replace it shit the bed after maybe 2 years. I only really use them for my neck and lining up my beard for the last 10 years, so it's really not anything that should be taxing on it. My Philips body hair trimmers have faired pretty well, though, so I would expect similar quality and performance from their electric razors/beard trimmers?

I remember my brother really wanted that Braun self-cleaning electric razor in high school and got one for his birthday. He used it for maybe 3 or 4 months and found he didn't like it, and the cleaning station was smote inconvenient than anything and basically just felt like an expensive gimmick.

 

[p0ke]

I was going to say something like "just grow a beard " but yeah, wife/significant other kinds dictates that for us with their desire to smooch us.

I don't have much experience with electric razors or trimmers, but I will say to stay away from Wahl. My first cheap Wahl trimmer from like 20 years ago was solid and last 10+ years of weekly-ish use, but the one I got to replace it shit the bed after maybe 2 years. I only really use them for my neck and lining up my beard for the last 10 years, so it's really not anything that should be taxing on it. My Philips body hair trimmers have faired pretty well, though, so I would expect similar quality and performance from their electric razors/beard trimmers?

I remember my brother really wanted that Braun self-cleaning electric razor in high school and got one for his birthday. He used it for maybe 3 or 4 months and found he didn't like it, and the cleaning station was smote inconvenient than anything and basically just felt like an expensive gimmick.

I do have a beard, and my wife doesn't even let me shave it because I'll look like I'm 15 if I do It's only a goatee though, the rest gets annoying if I grow it out. And the moustache is the main part I keep shaving.

I always liked the self cleaning system myself... As long as it worked properly.

 

[LordCashew]

Oh dude yeah the best sounding bands I've seen are the ones with the backing tracks, samples, and in-ear monitors going.

Yep. Saw Animals as Leaders twice and it was an excellent mix both times.

Meshuggah's always super dialed in too.

Saw Opeth once in Chico and it sounded fantastic. Mellowest metal crowd ever, and plenty of attractive women.

IDK, as I'm writing this it doesn't sound believable. Maybe the Opeth show wasn't real.

 

[Ordacleaphobia]

Yep. Saw Animals as Leaders twice and it was an excellent mix both times.

Meshuggah's always super dialed in too.

Saw Opeth once in Chico and it sounded fantastic. Mellowest metal crowd ever, and plenty of attractive women.

IDK, as I'm writing this it doesn't sound believable. Maybe the Opeth show wasn't real.

yeah man that kinda does sound like a fabrication we don't have any good sound guys here

 

[Seabeast2000]

I only care about the bass at live shows, it has to dominate the mix start to finish. Each quakeblast beat needs to fully interrupt the rest of the band so I do not recognize songs I've known for years. What a time to be alive.

 

[nightsprinter]

When times get tough, it sure is nice to kick back with a glass bottle root beer.

 

[Randy]

A black on black UV7S but the pickups are swirled

 

[Crungy]

If I only knew this trick years ago

 

[nightsprinter]

I love uncle judy

 

[gabito]

 

[nightsprinter]

I haven't listened to heavy shit in awhiiiile but sometimes old Exhumed is just what the doctor ordered.

 

[TedEH]

Another round of french classes has started up again, which is fine, but I'm struck again by just how militant it feels. On day one with a new instructor, she starts diving into this spiel about dedicating myself to the language and making commitments, etc. C'mon, man, the fact that I've set aside 2 hours every week IS the commitment. That was the point. That's what a language class is.

It drives me nuts that every instructor I have keeps insisting that I should go around refusing to speak English to people. Ordering food? Don't let them serve me in English. I have to insist that they're helping me practice. Let alone that they're trying to do a job and I'm making their life more difficult. I was literally told to go to my band jams and force everyone to speak French so that they all become obligate teachers themselves and have to sit and wait for me to stumble through my poor phrasing so they can correct me. Apparently it's not enough that we already conduct jams bilingually.

Is this a normal language learning thing? I get that practice is important, I get that conversing with people is useful, but it's not like if you're, say, learning Japanese for fun, you're going to force every Asian person you meet to serve as your personal practice fodder. I can't imagine this is a universal experience.

 

[ArtDecade]

Another round of french classes has started up again, which is fine, but I'm struck again by just how militant it feels. On day one with a new instructor, she starts diving into this spiel about dedicating myself to the language and making commitments, etc. C'mon, man, the fact that I've set aside 2 hours every week IS the commitment. That was the point. That's what a language class is.

It drives me nuts that every instructor I have keeps insisting that I should go around refusing to speak English to people. Ordering food? Don't let them serve me in English. I have to insist that they're helping me practice. Let alone that they're trying to do a job and I'm making their life more difficult. I was literally told to go to my band jams and force everyone to speak French so that they all become obligate teachers themselves and have to sit and wait for me to stumble through my poor phrasing so they can correct me. Apparently it's not enough that we already conduct jams bilingually.

Is this a normal language learning thing? I get that practice is important, I get that conversing with people is useful, but it's not like if you're, say, learning Japanese for fun, you're going to force every Asian person you meet to serve as your personal practice fodder. I can't imagine this is a universal experience.

Y'all just speak English like the rest of country. It is not like France even likes you.

 

[gabito]

Another round of french classes has started up again, which is fine, but I'm struck again by just how militant it feels. On day one with a new instructor, she starts diving into this spiel about dedicating myself to the language and making commitments, etc. C'mon, man, the fact that I've set aside 2 hours every week IS the commitment. That was the point. That's what a language class is.

It drives me nuts that every instructor I have keeps insisting that I should go around refusing to speak English to people. Ordering food? Don't let them serve me in English. I have to insist that they're helping me practice. Let alone that they're trying to do a job and I'm making their life more difficult. I was literally told to go to my band jams and force everyone to speak French so that they all become obligate teachers themselves and have to sit and wait for me to stumble through my poor phrasing so they can correct me. Apparently it's not enough that we already conduct jams bilingually.

Is this a normal language learning thing? I get that practice is important, I get that conversing with people is useful, but it's not like if you're, say, learning Japanese for fun, you're going to force every Asian person you meet to serve as your personal practice fodder. I can't imagine this is a universal experience.

First, most language teachers are like that: assholes. I don't know why, they train them to be like that.

OTOH: she's right, the more you use and immerse yourself in the language the more you're going to learn. You should try to read french, write french, watch french tv shows, speak french, etc. all you can. Also, she doesn't know if you're there just for fun or if it's a really serious thing for you and you want to be the best french speaker ever. And I don't think she can or will adapt her style of teaching to every person's needs.

I personally think that if you're interested in understanding spoken french and speaking french yourself that's what you should do as much as you can. It's embarrassing, yeah, but that's how everybody learns. And I don't think 2 hours a week is enough if you want to "get good", just as practicing guitar one hour a week when you're in guitar class is "not enough". But... maybe the guy who practices guitar one hour a week is happy that way, and maybe you're happy with learning french 2 hours a week. That doesn't mean teachers will agree, they always want you to practice more.

Now, is it possible and practical to do all she is asking you to do? Maybe if you're an asshole like language teachers are.

 

[SalsaWood]

The only language you need to know is love.

In English.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

First: most language teachers are like that: assholes. I don't know why, they train them to be like that.

OTOH: she's right, the more you use and immerse yourself in the language the more you're going to learn. You should try to read french, write french, watch french tv shows, speak french, etc. all you can. Also, she doesn't know if you're there just for fun or if it's a really serious thing for you and you want to be the best french speaker ever. And I don't think she can or will adapt her style of teaching to every person's needs.

I personally think that if you're interested in understanding spoken french and speaking french yourself that's what you should do as much as you can. It's embarrassing, yeah, but that's how everybody learns. And I don't think 2 hours a week is enough if you want to "get good", just as practicing guitar one hour a week when you're in guitar class is "not enough". But... maybe the guy who practices guitar one hour a week is happy that way, and maybe you're happy with learning french 2 hours a week. That doesn't mean teachers will agree, they always want you to practice more.

Now, is it possible and practical to do all she is asking you to do? Maybe if you're an asshole like language teachers are.

It's basic pedagogy: anybody who thinks they will really learn anything - maths, history, geography - with two hours a week and only two hours, covering a course is setting themselves up to fail. Doubly so with a language.

Firstly, all new knowledge needs to make it out of short term memory to long term memory, which can only happen with repetition and interleaving.

Secondly, as language is a skill, as much as music is, one will never be proficient without practice. And as we all know, the best practice is performance.

Assuming one is in a predominantly English-speaking country, opportunities to practice need to be made. That means forcing oneself to make such opportunities (i.e. watching French movies/news, conversing with French-speakers, etc.)

It is a little sad to see a teacher's good advice taken as "militancy": I think it's good advice, meant to set one up for success.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

The only language you need to know is love.

In English.

I beg to differ...

 

[Ordacleaphobia]

It is a little sad to see a teacher's good advice taken as "militancy": I think it's good advice, meant to set one up for success.

This really just comes down to tone.
I tried learning both Spanish and American Sign Language. Both took the same approach but the Spanish teacher came off with the same vibe that Ted is describing. This needed to be my life now. And as a high school kid taking this class so I could graduate- that accomplished the opposite of what she surely intended.
ASL, on the other hand, was pitched the same; but the tone of the pitch was a lot more inviting. It would be good for you vs you have to. In my experience, trying to sign your way through conversations with others is a great way to build phrase associations compared to the conversational hostage-taking pitch.

The 'militancy' of a zealous instructor was also what turned me off from trying to dip my toes into music the first time when I was a kid. Like I get you're enthusiastic and that you want me to be enthusiastic too but you need to build that organically rather than demand it up front. Come in too hot and you're going to put people off.