tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10397903718382009482024-03-12T21:37:59.163-04:00Mike Muscarella.netMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-34828303999240269942012-03-26T23:26:00.002-04:002012-03-26T23:35:17.557-04:00New Toys: Axe FxI just picked up a new piece of gear... well, new to me. It's a rack unit by the good folks at Fractal Audio called an Axe Fx Standard. You may remember me posting a while back about the Digidesign Eleven Rack. Imagine an Eleven Rack on steroids with better product support and almost 10x the capabilities. This thing's a monster.<br /><br />I'm only just beginning to crack the surface of this beast, but here's the plan. I'm intending on putting the Axe in a rack with a single space power amp (either a Carvin or an ART... both fair well with Axe users) and running it into a 1x12 cabinet. This rig can be run at very low volumes with the cabinet acting as a personal on-stage monitor. The FOH will get a stereo send from the XLR outs complete with cabinet modeling for the room. The on-stage cabinet would function without the modeling. This is a level of functionality that I wanted from the Eleven Rack, but was one step beyond the processor's capabilities. Too bad too! <br /><br />The other function I'm hoping to use the Axe for is a complete effects processing unit. I would run all my delays and modulations through it and run it in the loop of the Budda. Fear not, the Budda isnt' going anywhere. By running the Axe in the loop, i can standardize my effects from rig to rig, and the Axe has far more processing power than my pedals. Downside, it's much harder to be spontaneous with settings on the Axe. So, I'll likely keep a pedalboard as well, for those times when I just want my Direct Drive and a tape delay. <br /><br />So, new toys! If I get this thing figured out, I'll bring it out for one of the April shows. But, for now, there's a lot of learning that needs to happen first.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-19289498237856232392012-02-14T00:07:00.001-05:002012-02-14T00:07:57.248-05:00Making of Violet Mary 3: Guitar Overdub Day 1<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/odLlHwC1F3k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-49598655848478490682012-01-27T00:11:00.002-05:002012-01-27T09:33:01.191-05:00Making of Violet Mary 3: Bass, Guitar and Cue Mixes<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hE6e5AfPGMc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">To recap: </span> the first session was simply to get drum sounds. We made it about 90% of the way there before Scott and I hit the wall, so I took a sample and we called it a night. I know that we'd be starting the next session by looking over the snare sound again before moving on. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tonight</span>, we started by switching out the snare. The problem with the sound we had was that it was too ringy and lacked a mid-rangey "splat" that I'm looking for. Scott had two other snares he wanted to try. The first was a brass snare he uses at rehearsals. It's beautiful on the rehearsal recordings; very dry, immediate and fat. We threw that under mics and it was close, but possibly too dry. After monkeying with positions on that snare, we swapped it out for his gigging snare: a Pearl Reference snare. We all knew it was the one almost immediately. Just dry enough, just fat enough, but not characterless. We futzed the mic positions a bit and shazam, good sounds. <br /><br />Next up is the bass. Marty's running direct, but I also want to take advantage of his stereo board. His pedalboard, which is part of his personal tone, has stereo effects that help shape and color his tone. We decided to take a completely dry sound, pure and direct, alongside the wet tone. This will give us the most flexibility in the mix. <br /><br />Cranfill will be tracking the first 4 sounds with his Bitmo Modded Epiphone Valve Jr. through a 1x12 with a 70/80. The Valve Jr. really has a Tweed Deluxe thing going on, perfect for laying fuzz tones or boosts on. I miked the speaker at a 45 degree angle around the cap edge with a SM57. I then ran that 57 through API 550 and 2500 on the computer. The API's have an aggressiveness to them that just loves guitars.<br /><br />I opted for my Port City Sahana head, which is a 50 watt Plexi clone, through my 1960BX cab in the iso-box. It's miked with a 57 as well as a ksm32. The 32 is off axis at the cap edge, and the 57 is straight on and dead center. This will be a bit more cutting than Cranfills sound, and should complement it. I'm not going for a huge sound on these first few tracks. Definitely a Marc Ford / Rich Robinson deal. Also been listening to a lot of <a href="http://www.theelms.net">The Elm's live CD</a>. Great Les Paul into Marshall tones. For these first 4 songs, we'll be going for those kind of tones along with acoustic tracks.<br /><br />The first four tunes will be:<br />Take The Train<br />You and I<br />Lonely Bird<br />Stonewall<br /><br />Be looking for another update this weekend from our first tracking session!Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-4296378928658948432012-01-23T20:33:00.003-05:002012-01-24T23:30:29.494-05:00Writing The Next RecordThis new record is coming together in a somewhat unique way from <span style="font-style:italic;">After The Plunge</span>. We started recording ATP with only 4 songs really in the can. We were just eager to get a new record together that would feature our then new drummer, Scott Butcher. So, we we took the 4 songs we had and started tracking on those. As we fleshed those songs out, we wrote a bunch more and tracked them as they were written. Many of the songs on ATP were not played in front of people until after the CD was released. And, if memory serves me, there are songs that have never been played out. The record takes on a feel when it's created in the studio. It's a coherent thought from beginning to end, and focused more on a private listening experience.<br /><br />This new record, whatever it is that we'll call it, is a bit different. We started writing on the new record in early June, having passed our newest member, bassist Marty Dorren, through a trial by fire. Most of these new songs have been written with two main guiding principles: <br /><br />1. People latch onto melodies, so each song must have a memorable hook. It could be a guitar lick or a keys phrase, but likely it's a vocal melody. Harmonies help reinforce those hooks.<br /><br />2. If people can't latch onto a melody, give them something they can move to.<br /><br />I started demoing song ideas in Logic. I'd start with drum tracks created with ToonTrack's EZ Drummer, and then I'd lay down the guitar parts I heard in my head. Sometimes I'd add a simple bass part to communicate the idea. The point of such demos was not to orchestrate parts for the band, or to dictate the changes, but to get the idea out of head so that I could talk over it. I'd come into rehearsal with the demo that I could play for the band, explain the basic thematic ideas and the key points. From there, they'd descend on the idea like an invading army, sometimes pulling it apart and reconstructing, other times merely refining and adding their personalities to the track. <br /><br />I'm going to take you through one such track from beginning to end. This is a track that initially came in as a Logic demo. There were no words, no bass part. Just guitar and drums. Here's the demo as the band received it:<br /><br /><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F34462459"></param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F34462459" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/mikemuscarella/planning-my-escape">Planning My Escape</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/mikemuscarella">Mike Muscarella</a></span> <br /><br />As the band moves this track forward, I will continue to upload samples and progress notes. I may also do that with other tracks.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-40223649955862892462012-01-09T19:27:00.004-05:002012-01-09T19:41:26.372-05:00Making of Violet Mary 3: Drum DayHi all - My band, Violet Mary, is back in the studio to track a third full-length record. We've decided to record a behind-the-scenes blog for each session. I'm definitely cueing a bit off of Pete Thorn and James Lugo... you can google them and learn more. Both gentlemen make excellent youtube videos from their studios. Mine is modest by comparison, but it's still pretty fun! <div><br /></div><div>So, here's installment number one: Drum Day. I'll be adding more posts as the sessions commence. Note: there will likely be some significant gear-nerdery. I recommend Advil for any headaches that occur due to gear-nerdum. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/M_iIWuSuIf4?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-13022780621924311962011-01-24T14:31:00.003-05:002011-01-24T14:39:46.760-05:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Tommy WalesTommy Wales (of Wales Road fame) returned The Whale on saturday to cut the follow up to "Snake Hisses and Judas Kisses". SHJK was the first of Wales 15 records to be recorded with me, and was his best selling and most played EP to date. Thus, a return trip was in order.<div><br /></div><div>This new EP will be tracked entirely in Logic Pro, a departure from my usual modular and nearly analog system. My Logic rig was predominately a remote recording system for live multi-tracking. All of the live cuts on <a href="http://violetmary.bandcamp.com">Violet Mary's "End Times Puppet Show"</a> single were recorded using it. I followed that by doing a more traditional recording project for the Silver Threads. Logic came through as well, though I didn't have to set up cue mixes or overdub at all. The end result was remarkable, and the process was rather smooth. I was curious about mixing a full EP with a mouse, and found that while I missed the faders and knobs, the act of automating a mix made up the difference and then some.</div><div><br /></div><div>Assuming Wales Road's project is a success, I will likely transition The Whale to Logic. It will be hard to let go of my knobs and faders (get your heads out of the gutter), but Logic greatly expands the studio's capabilities. It's hard to pass that up. </div><div><br /></div><div>M.</div><div>(audio samples with the next post!)</div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-76973106972704907382010-06-17T09:25:00.001-04:002010-06-17T09:31:00.099-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 10<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I started mixing the first of 11 tracks for the new Violet Mary record titled "After The Plunge". The goal this week is to mix the tunes that will appear on the promotional single, "You Won't Rule The World" and "Whiskey Drinking Woman". Along with those two album cuts, we're going to feature three tunes from our show at The Fairport Landing on June 11. First of those is a new take on Trigger Happy from Marionette, followed by Release (also from Marionette) and our cover of Mountain Time, a tune by Will Jennings and Joe Bonamassa. Joe has mentioned that he can't play a show without playing that song... people will riot. We've found the same to be true; a credit to the quality of the song!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Keep your eyes peeled for "The End Times Puppet Show", the new single from Violet Mary available July 11 everywhere Violet Mary stuff is sold. </p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-7766513909589722362010-03-24T01:12:00.003-04:002010-03-24T01:22:18.851-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 9<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>I Hope You Like Our New Direction</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The remaining tracks on the record are being laid down in a slightly different fashion. For these tunes, I'm less concerned about keeping a perfect tempo throughout the song, and less concerned with layering tones of instruments (though always reserve the right to do so if the song begs for it). We're writing these tunes with the intent to track the principle rhythm parts live as a band. We're slightly limited by space and by available inputs, so Cranfill mans the desk while we track. He then overdubs his parts as needed. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">This batch of songs are all simpler than the first half as well. The difference between them isn't night and day, but there is a distinctive simplicity that is appealing and attractive... much in the same way that the many ebs and flows of Leviathan are attractive. These tunes are:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Whiskey Drinking Woman</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Off The Wall</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Buffalo</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Rock and Roll (This is What It Takes)</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">As I Lay In The Red Earth</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><b>A Brief Aside</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">There may be others, but at this point, that's where the record feels like it will end. There are other pieces on the fringes of this record that may wind up on an EP in the future, or may make the core of the next record. Mel has a beautifully haunting song called Love Unfinished. This one may actually make the record, and serve a similar thematic role as "Dissemination Part 1" from <i>Marionette. </i>There are also several pieces that I've worked up and have demoed for the band, but we simply haven't had the time spent of them yet. We may choose to include them in the sessions, but it's more likely that they get more time after we finish tracking this record. All that to say, we're in a rather prolific time as a band, and it's a wonderful time to writing new music in Rochester, a town that is rip for revival! [end of aside]</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><b>And... Back To Our Story</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The first of these tunes we cut was Whiskey Drinking Woman. This tune was originally very different. Tyler did a clever rewrite to it, giving it a little bit of a swagger to it and channeling a bit of Black Crowes, some early Zeppelin and some alt-country. I put together the bridge which is heavily Crowes influenced. For those looking for musical quotes, you will find the Mel makes a reference to an old Theophilus song within the keys feature. I'll leave to you, gentle reader, to find said quote. The rhythm tracks (guitar, bass and drums) were all cut live. If memory serves me, the take that will make the record is around take 6 or 7. It didn't require more than 2 hours to find the pocket. We then overdubbed the remaining instruments during the following session. The guitar tracks on this tune are all done with my Budda Superdrive 30 through a 1x12 cabinet loaded with a Peavey 'Greenback' clone. The short lead adds a new germanium fuzz I found called a Sybil by Retroman. It's big and wooly and awesome. Interesting note on the snare drum sound: I wanted a slightly choked, early 70's tone from the snare. Scott swapped out his babinga snare for a Pacific snare with all-wood suspended rims. We then turned it lower than the previous snare for less of a 'crack'... but it still needed some deadening. The solution: drape half of a t-shirt over the batter head. The resulting sound is a little spitty and muffled... exactly what I was shooting for.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">We followed that tune with Off The Wall. This is one of Mel's tunes, and practically wrote itself in one rehearsal. We did some polishing to it, but the core of the song as Mel presented it was solid enough that we just added our personal flavors. The outro was a Hendrixy jam that we added to it, and may lead to a song of its own one day, but is a fun out for the song. Again, the rhythm instruments (drums, bass, electric guitar and keys) were all cut live with very few 'fixes'. We required a few more takes on this one, oddly enough. In the end, we did about 10 or so, then started goofing around. That goofy take didn't lead to anything of quality, but loosened everyone up and we had a good laugh. The take immediately following it is the keeper take and will make the record. Again, acoustic guitar are overdubbed. Cranfill used a mid-90's Guild to track the two acoustic parts. The first is his main chording, the second is voiced higher and appears on the choruses. This will help the song have a three dimensional aspect, contracting during the verses and widening on the choruses. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Next on the docket will be either Buffalo, a tune I penned somewhat tongue-in-cheek that has a lovely smack to it, or Rock And Roll, Tyler's ironic take on what it takes to be a rock-and-roller. Both are really fun tunes, and we hope you will enjoy! </p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-20127600538803131162010-03-24T01:09:00.002-04:002010-03-24T01:12:27.834-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 8<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Returning Home</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Recently, the band reconvened at The Whale to begin tracking the second half of our next record. The plan was to spend the past few months penning out the rest of the tracks while I had other bands producing at The Whale, and we'd return with a fresh batch of songs to round out the sophomore effort. For the most part, this is where we're at.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">We finished instrumental tracking on the first six tunes in the fall:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Leviathan</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Long Dark Night</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Three Over Four</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">You Won't Rule The World</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Some Things You Never Wash Away</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The Contented Tune *</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The tone of these 6 tunes is polished and precise, with all the production of late Zeppelin and Queen. With those tracks, I really want the sound to be expansive,... even on Three Over Four, which has a very intimate feel. On that track, I occasionally have two or three layers of acoustic guitars to give it a full, rich quality. Each of these tunes was tracked to a click and each was tracked in pieces... starting with scratch tracks, then adding the instruments like legos to form the finished sound. This is the approach we took on <i>Marionette</i> almost entirely.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The Contented Tune was left half done at the end of the fall sessions. Tyler was still wrestling the bass line down, and the keys remained scratch. We chose to start with this song when we returned to The Whale. The Contented Tune has changed slightly in the last few months as we've adapted the piece for live shows. On the recording, I have layers as many as 5 guitar parts at one time. I am a man of many talents, but playing all 5 parts at once is beyond even my extraordinary reach. In addition, Tyler and Scott have honed the groove down to its essence and allowed the song to really breath. All that being said, we elected to keep the work we did in the fall for the recording and add to that, as opposed to starting from scratch on it. Using preamps by ART and an Electro Harmonix fuzz box, Tyler tracked the bass part in 2 takes... one to practice, one for history. I will give you a taste of The Contented Tune when we have finished tracking the keys. </p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">For now, peace to you all.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Mike.</p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-47904513521983914772010-03-10T15:49:00.002-05:002010-03-10T16:06:17.987-05:00Where The Hell I've Been...The Belly of The Whale has consumed me over the last four months. Three records in four months... and all three aren't mine. Here's some tasty cuts:<br /><br /><div><b>Froth: www.myspace.com/frothband</b></div><div>Froth was looking for a CCR - esque record with a very live feel. Once they got a taste of what an overdub can do, that plan changed a little. Still, most of the rhythm section is live. These are finished mixes of:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/5qa463h4k8">Alter Ego</a></div><div><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/4zvgs4xgx6">Shuffle</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tommy Hawkins</b></div><div>Tommy's a crazy-man. He did a demo with me a few years ago before Tom left for Nashville and his rock-and-roll dreams. Since then, he's been all over the country and taken much more to writing. He brought in two fantastic musicians from Toronto to cut the drums and bass... and in 12 hours, these rhythm sections were complete. Here's a daily from one of those sessions: </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/eeqo1rkf4m">Just As You Are</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Teagan and The Tweeds: www.teaganandthetweeds.com</b></div><div>Violet Mary and Teagan have grown rather close over the last year. We've become tight gig partners, and thus they took their demo to me. The Austin Demo was recorded in a weekend in preparation for their trip to South By Southwest on March 17. Here are two cuts from the finished mix:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/b4l296ipz8">He Gotta Go</a></div><div><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/u8ch4mbbva">Sweet Lovin'</a></div><div><br /></div><div>So... that's where the hell I've been these last few months :)</div><div><br /></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-70785677312826519732009-12-20T14:29:00.002-05:002009-12-20T14:39:28.004-05:00Pedal swappingGone is the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret. It was an impulse buy as I had a fair amount of money left over from my amp sale, so i thought I would give it a go. It's not a bad pedal at all, but it didn't love my Budda. I use the Budda at 75% of my gigs, so my board needs to love that amp most. The DLS was very friendly with my DRRI, but not any more friendly than my Barber Direct Drive on low gain settings. And my Direct Drive handles fuzzes and treble boosts just as well, so the Barber stays and the Dirty Little Secret left. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tonefreak.com/images/SevereHeader2009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 798px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.tonefreak.com/images/SevereHeader2009.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />In her place, I picked up a Tonefreak Severe. This pedal is intended to be the gainiest thing on the board, and would serve all those big-rock needs. I spent about two hours with it this afternoon through the DRRI and it's just BALLS! No getting around it, flat out rock and roll. For the most part, I ran the gain at about noon, and there's plenty of gain on tap. It can take you from ZZ Top to Alice In Chains without much issue, and that's with vintage output pickups. Three styles of clipping (symmetrical, asymmetrical, and diode lift), plus a bright switch. The bright switch actually changes the frequency that the tone knob interacts with... an extra level of awesome. <br /><br />Check it out at: www.tonefreak.comMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-40481336263678256652009-11-20T19:38:00.004-05:002009-11-20T19:55:03.464-05:00Been A Long Time (waiting on posts)<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Greetings All,<div>I realize you've been pining away looking for updates from the studio. And for my lack of posts, I am truly sorry. We have taken a few months to finish writing the remainder of the record and will return to The Whale in January to finish tracking. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>In other news, I've updated my pedalboard with a couple new pieces. First, a BYOC Tri-boost. I built the Tri-boost from a kit from the fine people at "Build Your Own Clone". It's three classic boosts in one pedal: A Germanium Treble-Boost in the Beano-Boost direction, a Linear Boost ala an Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 and a Clean Boost in the vane of a Zvex SHO. Second, a rather standard Line 6 DL-4 which is handling all my time-based effecting. And lastly, a new Catalinbread D.L.S.. This pedal is freakin' awesome, and will service all my gain-stage needs when using any other amp than my Budda, and will serve as a mid-gain tone between the clean and drive channels. </div><div><br /></div><div>I had a bunch of people on The Gear Page asking for some clips of the DLS and the Budda so, I took a stab at making a youtube video. Keep in mind, I was half asleep so my playing is, well, just that. Here ya go:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f34DS-jUDTU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f34DS-jUDTU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-10317776574959106792009-09-30T13:59:00.002-04:002009-09-30T14:02:17.553-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 7<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Some Things You Never Wash Away</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Most of this record has been quite effortless. Many of the tracks are single takes on the drums and bass... most of the guitar tracking just flowed off the neck. Some Things we've been wrestling with a bit. You've read in previous posts about the rewriting of the tune. We landed on an arrangement we really liked and decided this would be the next track we'd lay down. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">All tracking for this record starts with laying down a click. I decided to lay down a 1/16th note click as the head riff tends to get away from a little. The more subdivisions one has in the click, the easier it is to hold to it. Once deciding on the click, we programmed it into the computer and let it roll for about 8 minutes. As I was laying down the click, I was noodling and chatting with the band Only after laying down the scratches did I realize that the mics were live and bussed to the same output as the click... so the click track was blended with my non-diatonic bends and such. At that point, we needed to start over.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Within an hour, we'd recreated the guide tracks and moved into tracking the drums and bass. Tyler and Scott worked their magic as they are known to do! Within a few takes, they'd created a groove. Scott added some new fills that really spiced up the track (see the turnaround into the third verse) and Tyler accented his outro groove with some excellent ghost notes. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">But, here's the part that gets me all hot and bothered. Punching drum tracks is extremely hard to do. One has at least 11 live mics live, all of which need to be picking up any number of cymbals and drum hits at the same time as the take one is punching into. Doing so is very difficult, both as an engineer and as a drummer. I'm proud to say we successfully did it in three places :)!!! My ego's still huge around it. Normally, Scott's tracks are a complete take. That keep take is commonly take 4 or 5. This time out, Scott his a killer take... all of which was inspired save about 8 bars. A few punches later, and the take is clean and clear.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">"Where are the cool studio pictures?", you ask. I'll have pictures posted in the next entry, along with an updated photos of the all-knowing white board.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">For this tune, I won't post an MP3 until the guitar tracks are down... then we'll play "spot the punches". </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-32585724585626114672009-08-31T09:51:00.013-04:002009-08-31T11:11:15.586-04:00Mike's New Ride and The Shakedown<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Helvetica, serif;font-size:small;">Mike's New Ride</span><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The last five years or so I've gone through amps like underwear; wear them until you get a</p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 157px; height: 61px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SpvfJ3gm9nI/AAAAAAAAAII/OAk-2P7yKGo/s320/gearlogo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376135940809356914" /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">stain, and then throw them away. I was a Mesa-Boogie guy until then, and played a rack full of gear that, for the most part, had great tones. The issue was that it required a manual and several hours of time to lower the treble if the venue was bright. I moved from midi and presets to a one channel amp, throwing the pendulum to the exact opposite side, as is my way. From there, I had a custom amp built for me... again, sounded great. This time, the amp required unusual amounts of service. It was a Jaguar. You look at it funny and it would blow a fuse or, worse yet, a set of power tubes. The custom amp hit the auction blocks and I went back to presets for a brief period.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">In the meantime, I picked up this great little philly from Toronto called a Traynor Bassmaster. Traynor is the Peavey of Canada,... amps for the working man. The Bassmaster was their impression of the Fender Bassman, with a bunch of Marshall Superlead added. Many people look at these guys as the 'poor-man's plexi'. I found one in the back of the local Guitar Center and snagged it. It's got a some issues, so it's can't be my only amp, but the sound is there.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The Traynor, with her faux alligator-skin tolex head box, is currently at <a href="http://www.voodooamps.com/">Voodoo Amps </a>in Ithaca. Trace Davis is working his magic, taking the amp from someone's project amp to a fire-breathing monster. Initially, I brought the amp in to have it overhauled. I knew that the amp had been someone's pet project, and the turret board was a mess. But, the amp is hand wired, and thus is easy to retrofit... again, why people love these amps. I brought it to Trace and said, "Allmans to Van Halen, that's what I'm looking for". It's a tall order, but generically, it's the scope of an old 1969 Marshall, from clean to completel</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">y gained out. Voodoo Amps has a reputation for being both excellent with their workmanship and personable with their customer service... so a non-expert vocabulary is welcomed and translated with ease.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I received the head back a few weeks ago, and the tonal improvement was noticeable immediately. The amp had a spectrum now, both in eq and in gain. The more I played the amp, though, the more i noticed a fuzzy artifact behind each note. The amp also didn't respond well to any gain setting below ten. Now, i know, what self-respecting rock player is going to set their plexi below "molten death" overdrive... maybe me. Thus, the Traynor returns to Ithaca for fine-tuning and tweaking.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Here's the dilemma: It's my only gig-able amp. In 15 years of gigging, this is the only time I've been with one gig-worthy amp. I began the search for a new rig about three months ago. Research lead me to Egnater Amps and Budda Amps. The Egnater in question is a new imported deal called the Renegade. She's a 65 watt, 2 channel head designed in the states, built in China. Many cool features on the amp, smooth look, and great tone. The Budda Superdrive is a 30 watt amp and simple: 2 channels, shared eq.... very similar to the Traynor in layout. They both achieve tones I'm looking for, each with their own flavor and nuance... but each residing in the <i>modded Marshall</i> camp.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 135px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/Spvf254LNcI/AAAAAAAAAIY/pQdGr7pbsEY/s320/BRS-11100-120V_7722.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376136714539185602" /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The timing was right... conditions were perfect... and The Budda Superdrive 30 won the day! She's one her way to me now with a matching 2x12 cab. The hope is that she will make her debut at The Lovin' Cup on Sept 12th! I'm thrilled.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">(sidenote: say what you will about the purple, but I think it's hot! the knobs may need to be replaced with a more attractive "chicken head" variety, but i'd keep the pointy ones for resale, should i need them.)</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b><br /></b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">The Sunday Night Shakedown</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Late on sunday, I drove a copy of Marionette and a poster</p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SpveDjBAffI/AAAAAAAAAH4/JvH-ea6VFXM/s200/IMG_0072.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376134732717260274" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica, serif;font-size:12px;">for the fall shows down to The Sunday Night Shakedown on 98.9 - The Buzz. Frank DeBlase, the show's host and producer, is an avid local music fan and editor of the Arts & Music section of City Magazine. My plan was to simply drop off the poster and disc, ask them to mention the gig and play a tune (if i'm lucky). This was not to be. Frank saw me trying to get the front door of the studio open (it was locked), and invited me in. We had a brief conversation in the lobby and then he disappeared in the studio for a quick on-air piece. When he returned, he said "You wanna do an on-air. We'll chat about the show and play a tune". <b>When someone asks you "do you want to be on the radio to promote your gigs, be interviewed and play a tune"... you say yes!</b> So, we had a blast... chatted up the shows some and played <i>Black Stones</i>. The record has been added to the Shakedown's library, so call in on Sunday evenings and request some Violet Mary!!!</span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/Spvepo29nkI/AAAAAAAAAIA/LUERq0OcGJ8/s320/IMG_0070.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376135387120770626" />Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-68674013372281981772009-08-19T11:36:00.004-04:002009-08-19T11:40:08.922-04:00Inside The Violet Mary Hit Machine: Session 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SowcgKFR1eI/AAAAAAAAAHo/wFzNnCtl3xU/s1600-h/IMG_0080.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SowcgKFR1eI/AAAAAAAAAHo/wFzNnCtl3xU/s200/IMG_0080.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371699794334045666" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Writing Session for <i><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/hsxo5iz9jg">Some Things You Never Wash Away</a></i></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Our plan for this new record is to craft it as much in the studio as possible. The last record was written and performed several times before we tracked it, so most of the arrangements, parts and words were polished up before tracking started. This time, we decided to take the ideas we've been working on and track them as we solidify the arrangements (the internal song order and how long each section lasts). We can begin to form a cue track even if we don't have our individual parts together, and craft the final parts with the tape rolling. We spend 75% of our sessions tracking. The remaining 25% are devoted to finalizing the arrangements.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">This saturday our goal was to polish up <i>Some Things You Never Wash Away</i>. We wrote this tune about 6 months ago, with an In My Time of Dying flow to it. In the end, we had a decent tune that was about 7 minutes long, with short verses and long choruses. The nuts and bolts were there, but an edit was needed. Mel and Tyler took a stab at the main revision while Cranfill and I did acoustic tracking. What they returned with is a much more concise tune, one that has a better dynamic range and meanders far less. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">For my part, I first had to unlearn the old version. Most of the writing session for me was getting the new arrangement under my fingers so that I could listen to it as its own song, and less like a new version of an old song. And there's also something that happens when you write a tune and present it to a band. Originally, this tune was a drum groove that scott was playing. Tyler and I started vamping some changes over it and settled on a short progression. That inspired some lyrics from Tyler, so he ran with it and returned with a completed tune. The tension in the writing process comes when you transfer <i>'my idea' </i>to <i>'our idea'</i>. I mentioned to Tyler in our session that I hadn't much feedback on the arrangement yet because I was still unlearning the old one, and I wasn't sure what parts of the new arrangement he was married to and what he wasn't. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">This is a vital thing to learn when working with someone's idea. When I bring in a tune, it's pretty much fully formed. I write my riffs and progressions based upon drum grooves and lines I hear in my head. So, I try to find representative loops (or drum my own simple loop) and make a fleshed out demo version of the song to help communicate my thoughts. I try to compose these demo pieces around the way I think my bandmates will handle their parts, so that when they put in their parts, the general groove and structure remains the same. But, I am somewhat married to the groove, the tempo and the structures as I craft my parts around them. So it's important for the band to know that, and important for me to allow space within my ideas for them to be expressive without a total direction change. It's a very delicate line.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">With this tune, we're learning what aspects of the arrangement are important to remain and what can be altered slightly. Having listened to the rehearsal take, I think we're 80% there, and the rewrite is a million times better than the former version. I'm confident we'll have this one on the ropes shortly!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"> </p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-23774916687953408662009-08-05T13:16:00.007-04:002009-08-05T13:54:32.901-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 6<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SnnCs22Ch0I/AAAAAAAAAHY/ju_aOPPM1dU/s1600-h/Recording+7-25-09+-+10.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SnnCs22Ch0I/AAAAAAAAAHY/ju_aOPPM1dU/s200/Recording+7-25-09+-+10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366534506880862018" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, fantasy; font-size: 12px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; ">Ed. Note: I'm sorry this session blog is delayed. I've docked my own pay, and have received a stern warning! :)</span></a> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Night of The Cranfill</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">In our last session, we focused on adding Cranfill's guitar parts to the tracks I'd worked on the previous week. The focus was on acoustic guitars for Long Dark Night and Leviathan, and electric parts on Leviathan. For the acoustic tracks, Cranfill borrowed a lovely Guild acoustic from our friend Scott Austin. This thing tracks like a million bucks. I used a Shure KSM32 (my go-to mic for acoustic instruments, vocals and guitar cabs alongside a SM57). Positioning the mic is key for a great acoustic song. If i'm using a stereo pair, i like small-diaphragm condensers placed about 18" away from the guitar in an x pattern. The center of the X is at the neck joint (about the 15th fret), with one mic pointing at the neck and the other at the sound hole. I then take these mics and pan then hard left and right. The product is a spacious, clear and full acoustic sound. When using one mic, i usually place it about the 12th fret and then face it slightly towards the sound hole. I wasn't gaming for a large spacious acoustic sound, more for a familiar, intimate sound. I think we got it here.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/qheenkxaro">Long Dark Night</a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SnnC59lascI/AAAAAAAAAHg/cfSCkBjwLnM/s200/Recording+7-25-09+-+05.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366534732028490178" /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">We also added this same sound to the bridge of Leviathan, accompanied by Cranfill's electric part. For the electric sounds on Leviathan, we used two tones. The verse and bridge tones were courtesy of an AC30.. bright, jangly with a little grit. I then applied a bit of internal reverb and a subtle tape echo. The chorus part was a little harder to nail down. We used a few Racontours tones as our benchmark. Essentially, the tone is a JTM45 on about 7 with a ton of mids. The bass was on about 3 and the treble up the middle... presence rolled off. Cranfill tracked the part with an ash tele on the bridge pickup, tone rolled half way off. This gives it a slightly muffled thud. My guitars are decently bright and provide note definition. Cranfill provides the thud!!!!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/0fyn3qsde7">Leviathan</a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Next Up: Keys and more guitars!!!!!!</p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-23237264200119377782009-07-20T11:33:00.004-04:002009-07-20T12:26:40.038-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 5<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SmSaU-Z-xsI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/yb-X5Occl4I/s1600-h/IMG_0076.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SmSaU-Z-xsI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/yb-X5Occl4I/s200/IMG_0076.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360579141617764034" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I went into the studio on wednesday to begin tracking electric guitar parts. For me, this is a little bit of heaven... alone with guitars and amps and endless possibilities. I set out to track 2 songs: Leviathan and Long Dark Night. For the most part, I knew going in what I wanted to track for each song and how I was going to achieve those sounds. Of the new record material, these are the two songs that are most rehearsed and more prepared. The bonus was The Contented Tune (There Is A Light) I finished the other 2 rather quickly, so I used the remaining time to create the textures I'd been hearing for The Contented Tune. Here's a geeky play-by play:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b><br /></b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b><br /></b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Leviathan</b> - really straight forward Black Sabbath meets Maiden style tones, both clean and dirty. No solos for this track. The main rhythm sounds are Marshall Plexis: The right side is a just the bright channel gained out, the left is the same amp with the channels jumpered and slight boost. These sounds hold down my portion of the rhythm. My part in the bridge is sparse, and just a clean fender. A little delay and verb on the fender, and away we go. Les Paul for all the dirty parts, strat for the clean. This clip is from the middle of the song, so you can hear the bridge cleans and the Maiden Madness</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/nkj73gojbe">Leviathan Clip</a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Long Dark Night</b> - My parts are even more sparse on this tune. The acoustics and piano hold down the majority of the chordal content here, and will be added later. The chorus rhythm is double: a cleaner fender deluxe with the strat and an AC30 slightly breaking up with a Les Paul. Each has a hefty amount of delay for character. The bridge is that same AC30 on one side and my plexi bright channel tone from Leviathan on the other... this tone carries the lead line at the end. The gain is slightly less than on Leviathan and I'm not hitting the notes with as much gusto. There are also some textures provided by a flanged clean guitar with delay and tons of verb...and a slide. This clip is from the end of the song, where all the parts meet</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/ler36nyqre">Long Dark Night Clip</a></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>The Contented Tune (There Is A Light)</b> - This one was just magic. I'm not at all trying to cop an Edge-like delay, but looking for a similar swirling delay. The right side is a chorused, delayed Plexi set a to just barely break up. The left side is an AC30 gained out with flanger and massive delays. Both tracked with the Les Paul. That's just the prechorus section. The chorus are much more of The Who meets Marc Ford style tones. The left is a Matchless Chieftain gained out with the mids pushed, and the right is my plexi sound again (lovin' the plexi these days). This clip will show off all the parts nicely.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/pepdhge41z">The Contented Tune Clip</a></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, fantasy;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-75340998860171108582009-07-14T16:25:00.000-04:002009-07-14T16:26:57.940-04:00Rochester Gig Announcement<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/Slzp7FyOJ9I/AAAAAAAAAHI/eHiapnc7DQk/s1600-h/Boulder+Coffee+Poster+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/Slzp7FyOJ9I/AAAAAAAAAHI/eHiapnc7DQk/s400/Boulder+Coffee+Poster+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358414858038421458" /></a>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-69277401259724412762009-07-07T14:32:00.009-04:002009-07-07T14:45:19.701-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 4<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SlOXT88K2LI/AAAAAAAAAHA/QhXB8i_O6_U/s1600-h/IMG_0041.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SlOXT88K2LI/AAAAAAAAAHA/QhXB8i_O6_U/s400/IMG_0041.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355790750905456818" /></a><br /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SlOWyLClWlI/AAAAAAAAAG4/WbCOkOdsjHg/s200/IMG_0020.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355790170574903890" /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; font-weight: bold; font-family:Helvetica, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: none;text-decoration: underline; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SlOWGmonI7I/AAAAAAAAAGg/apUPcAnxvDw/s1600-h/IMG_0016.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tracking Li</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">v</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; font-family:Georgia, fantasy;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SlOWGmonI7I/AAAAAAAAAGg/apUPcAnxvDw/s1600-h/IMG_0016.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; font-weight: bold; font-family:Helvetica, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: none;text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">e:</span></span></span></span></a></span></span></span></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">We returned to the studio on July 3rd, geared up to re-track a tune that just wasn't jivin' the way we wanted it to. <i> Three Over Four</i> is a blues in 6/8 that really requires dynamics and a live feel. The scratches we'd laid down for the track were uninspiring (which is fine, they're non-keeper tracks... but...) and were difficult for Scott to track anything with feeling. Scott commented that he plays off of Mel's vocals and keys primarily, and that having Mel track with him may yield a more passionate performance.</p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">We decided to track the bulk of the tune together. The lofty goal was to keep it all, but even if we just got a great drum track, that would be a victory. Within a few takes, we got a winner:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/h6gc74ntkc">Three Over Four</a></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The vocals will most likely be cut again, and we may retake the keys and guitar, but the drum and bass performances were very solid and full of emotion! A victory for rock and roll</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>The Low End Thump Sticks:</b></p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SlOWY8gVhNI/AAAAAAAAAGo/bd3ooasVBW0/s320/IMG_0016.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355789737176433874" /> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">After our victory on <i>Three Over Four</i>, we moved on to two other tunes: <i>The Contented Tune (There Is A Light)</i> and <i>You Won't Rule The World.</i> These tracks only have one thing in common, a militant adherence to the click. <i>The Contented Tune</i> has a layered looping prechorus ala The Edge meets "Lifting Shadows Off A Dream" from Dream Theater's <i>Awake</i>. To accomplish the feel of swirling chorused delays, the time needs to be incredibly steady. We did a number of takes to make this happen, and in the end, Scott punished the click and gave a great performance.</p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><i>You Won't Rule The World</i> is more in the Radiohead direction, with a Clapton-esque head riff. It's tight and punchy and fast,... another reason to be slave to the click. Oddly enough, this is the first take that Scott and Tyler did... one take wonders on this tune. I think you will hear in the take the frantic energy and frenzied pace of the tune,... and the performance is killer. This tune is going to melt people when they hear it. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">So, in one session, we worked on a blues in 6, a triumphant piano-driven textured piece and a frantic riff-based rocker. This record's going to lay you out!</p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/1ogq2j19vm">The Contented Tune (There Is A Light) </a></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/eg23xlbryq">You Won't Rule The World</a></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SlOVuvDET1I/AAAAAAAAAGY/dlOOgw3nRXE/s320/IMG_0030.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355789012009504594" />Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-76080253963378095672009-06-29T11:06:00.010-04:002009-06-29T11:23:28.298-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 3<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Session 3: Good Tone and Click Tracks</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Getting Tone</span></p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/Skjaq-1R_2I/AAAAAAAAAFo/Z0PK6a6zc64/s200/IMG_0053.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352768589085671266" /> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Drum and bass tracking began on saturday... if you live with the blast radius of Scott's kick drum, you already knew that. We started by getting a bass guitar tone. This is generally a pretty easy proposition: </p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">********************************</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Good Bass Tone</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><i>prep time - years</i></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><i>cook time - abo</i></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><i>ut 5 minutes</i></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><i></i><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">1 part awesome bass player (make to separate the hacks from the talent)</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">1 part good tube preamp</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">3 cables</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">salt & peppa (I mean, seriously, i use them on everything i cook up)</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">********************************</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">We also built the cue mixes for Tyler and Scott. This is the first project in 10 years of The Whale where i'm actually building cue mixes the way they should be built. I'm so proud of me :). Tyler's mix station is unique to the others, and probably looks most like a big-kid recording studio. He's got a small mixer running between me and his headphones. To the mixer is whatever he needs from the recorder (Click, vocals, scratch instruments) and a feed from the input-thru of the direct box. This gives him increased co</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">ntrol over the amount of bass he hears in his phones. Bass is hard to monitor in headphones if you're used to hearing yourself through an amp, in that it doesn't carry the low end information the same way, and you can't 'feel' it, like you can with a bass amp. It's very easy to loose the bass in a cue mix, which leads to the bassist playing the strings harder than he normally does and sending a very plunky sound to tape. This new monitoring setup seems to work very well for tyler, which is excellent!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">The Tyranny of the Click</span></p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SkjacotkEyI/AAAAAAAAAFg/oly7glzE2wY/s320/IMG_0120.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352768342629552930" /> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Tracking to a click is also a challenge if one is not used to hearing "BEEP, boop, boop, boop" over and over a</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">gain in your ears for five minutes while playing. In general, having the click allows us to maintain an even tempo and serves as a marker when sections of songs where the drums are not playing. The click is a evil taskmaster as well... and points out those places within the song that one naturally speeds up or slows down. Sometimes those ebs and flows of tempo are good things and provide emotion to the track. But often, when listening to a studio recording, those fluctuations sound more like amateur hour than polished, as it's much harder to make a tight recording when the tempos ride a wave. When you play live, you can see each other, you can feed off of each other... tracking with overdubs doesn't always afford that luxury.... what you gain in limitless possibilities you sometimes have to sacrifice in spontaneity. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Here are two songs we cut to the click and cut mixes. The drums and bass are real tracks, the rest are scratch (like underpainting on a canvas) and will be covered over. You may notice the keeper tracks deviate slightly from the scratch tracks. In these cases, the deviation is minor. Remember, the scratch tracks will be covered over with keeper tracks of their own, and those tracks will be recorded to the real drums and bass. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/o7tgkt0fl8">Leviathan</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> & </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/gakqxzuxjc">Long Dark Night</a> </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/k81bj64nrx">Scott & Tyler Screwing around to YYZ</a></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Change of Plans</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The third track we recorded in this session was "Three Over Four". This is a track that I wrote up in the vein of "Bell Bottom Blues" (Clapton) or "Sometimes Salvation" (Black Crowes). It's more typical blues, and was dying at the hand of the click and cue mixes. It felt very sterile in tracking. So, we've decided to track that tune live with the full band. This friday, we'll go into the studio together. Cranfill will man the board, and the rest of the band will track the tune together: old school... everyone live.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Hopefully this will yield a more passionate performance. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SkjbsrDsbUI/AAAAAAAAAGA/n_YKEZPTmtA/s320/IMG_0018.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352769717648780610" /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SkjbbdwDh3I/AAAAAAAAAF4/nUo2tTtMMx0/s320/IMG_0106.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352769422018971506" /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SkjcJZCyA0I/AAAAAAAAAGI/4Zq2l0QElW8/s320/IMG_0102.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352770211029320514" /></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-81531109180021788542009-06-27T13:37:00.007-04:002009-06-27T13:52:25.502-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 2<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SkZZg0UVHLI/AAAAAAAAAE4/7mzLiIfYcJc/s1600-h/IMG_0002.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Session 2: Brainstorming & Scratch Tracks</span></span></span></a><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SkZZg0UVHLI/AAAAAAAAAE4/7mzLiIfYcJc/s320/IMG_0002.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352063627511012530" /></span> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">We spent our second session by set<br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">ting up the coveted White Board. Every self-respecting band going into a full-record studio project begins by laying out the white board with all the songs one will be focusing on. We broke those down in to two categories: Songs that are arranged and ready for tracking, and songs still in need of polishing. For those keeping track at home, you can follow the progress of the White Board here!</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">After populating the White Board, we started laying down scratch tracks. Each track is recorded to a click to help keep us honest and steady. Following the click, we added rhythm instruments, vocals and solos as needed. None of these tracks will be keepers, they're place holders that are tight to the click and give</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Tyler and Scott a representative track to record their bass and drum tracks too. Tyler and Scott will be tracking live together, which will allow for some great interactions. I will post some audio from the first tracking sessions in the next post, along with those drum tone samples I promised!</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SkZcBj6E5pI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/kRR7TYHkH5Y/s320/IMG_0011.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352066389064869522" /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SkZbImSys2I/AAAAAAAAAFI/BhNsoz5j7JE/s320/IMG_0021.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352065410452861794" /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SkZa0p4sDsI/AAAAAAAAAFA/reu5T_iMHBg/s320/IMG_0063.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352065067819732674" /></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-2193051313132047482009-06-17T10:43:00.016-04:002009-06-18T09:03:57.718-04:00Inside The Belly Of The Whale: Session 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/Sjo5qddemmI/AAAAAAAAAEg/sDUGXTQlwGY/s1600-h/IMG_0047.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/Sjo5qddemmI/AAAAAAAAAEg/sDUGXTQlwGY/s200/IMG_0047.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348650909081442914" /></a>Welcome to the first of many session blogs from Violet Mary's second record. First, let me catch you up and set the stage. Violet Mary is my band... and Tyler's, Mel's, Scott's and Scott's. We released our first record in April on my label, Belly Of The Whale Music, and at the time of release, we had hired a new full-time drummer in Scott "Thunderstick" Butcher, and written more than half of a sophomore record. Our sound had evolved significantly since the tracking of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Marionette. </span>We decided to set up shop at The Whale in June to begin this next record, while at the same time gig with intention to promote <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Marionette. </span> I'm expecting this next endeavor to take until Thanksgiving, so there may be hope for Christmas release... but that's getting a little ahead of myself.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Loading In</span>: </div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SjkLJxjJbII/AAAAAAAAAEQ/BF0LUy4BB_0/s320/IMG_0060.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348318295026658434" /><div>We loaded in the drums on Saturday afternoon. This is his Bubinga kit, one that he only uses in the studio. The bulk of this session was devoted to set-up and tuning the beast for full and total domination. Scott made sure to take his time,</div><div>giving each drum a good whack after setting it </div><div>in place. Within a few hours, he was shaking the walls and making his presence known. Note the "Bump" sign on the back wall. Tyler brought that from his apartment. He was wise and padded the back side of the sign so as not to rattle. </div><div>Meanwhile, Tyler, Mel and I helped our friend Ken unload a new-to-The Whale spinet piano. Ken offered to give me his Story & Clark if I could transport it to the studio. I figured 2 guys and a few beers and we'd have a new piano in the place, as a spinet is a relatively small piano. Let it be known, like elephants, even small pianos weigh a ton. </div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>Micing Up</span>:This is by far my favorite part of studio work... micing up a drum kit. With Scott's kit, I'm running 11 channels: Kick, Snare, 6 Toms, 2 Overheads and a room mic. The magic happens with the overheads and room mic, so I'll add a bit more detail there. For those studio nerds reading, the o<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/Sjo6gbgCUrI/AAAAAAAAAEw/JSU0Aq-CNzY/s320/IMG_0120.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348651836268237490" /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/Sjo581XXc4I/AAAAAAAAAEo/lwCfoVHtXfo/s320/IMG_0084.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348651224735904642" />verhead mics are Studio Projects B3 condensers. They're not overly pricey, and sound great: a perfect pair for mid-sized studios. I'm using a technique from Abbey Road studios called The Glynn Johns Technique. It's a way of spacing overhead mics to get a stereo image while keeping the snare and kick in the center. The key is making sure the mics are the same distance from the snare, thus making the snare's sound hit the mics at the same time. The first mic is placed directly above the snare. The second is placed over the floor tom at the drummer's right side almost parallel to the snare head. These mics are both 43'' from the snare. Then bring the gains on those two inputs up so that the snare is hitting evenly on both mics and pan them to 9 and 3 on the clock. With that, the snare is in the middle of the stereo image, along with the kick and hats... and the toms magically pan, along with the other cymbals. It's damn sexy. I also add a mic about 15' away in the entry way of the studio. The foyer is a 22' tall atrium that lends a massive room sound to the kit. I used these same techniques on our last record... all the reverb on the kit was natural. In our next session, we'll be tightening up the drum sounds to tape... I'll post some samples for your listening enjoyment.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Inside The Control Room</span>: Here are a few more choice images from the studio. For those looking for the inside scoop on songs that may appear on this next record, check out the white board!</div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SjkLjl915YI/AAAAAAAAAEY/YTjsjqMMB-I/s400/IMG_0050.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348318738593998210" /></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-19992848569160228732009-04-20T08:52:00.002-04:002009-04-20T09:02:39.935-04:002009-04-18: Marionette Drops!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SexyYuIaGdI/AAAAAAAAADY/6_V4Kt-un9k/s1600-h/Front+Cover.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SexyYuIaGdI/AAAAAAAAADY/6_V4Kt-un9k/s200/Front+Cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326758228298176978" /></a><br />It's for real now. We've been working for what seems like a year on this record, and it's finally completed and in peoples hands! That's so excited. I truly enjoy the fact that people are interested in owning a copy of my work (it's really 'our' work, but this is 'my' site, so I'll switch my pronouns back and forth whenever I please, mister). They take it home, import it to iTunes and promptly loose the CD... but then they listen to it. And I know they listen to it because they'll comment on it, or sing along at the next show, or tell friends who also buy the disc. That's just cool. <div><br /></div><div>Grab your copy of Marionette on iTunes, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody or Napster. </div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-71438921663418666422009-03-31T20:51:00.002-04:002009-03-31T20:54:18.395-04:00It's Official!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SdK7J1lQW1I/AAAAAAAAADQ/Ji-2E6mH36Q/s1600-h/CD+release+Poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SdK7J1lQW1I/AAAAAAAAADQ/Ji-2E6mH36Q/s400/CD+release+Poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319519887554534226" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/SdK65dJVctI/AAAAAAAAADI/CP3ItjraPHo/s1600-h/CD+release+Poster.jpg"><br /></a>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039790371838200948.post-75851576499827434452009-03-25T17:31:00.006-04:002009-03-25T17:53:23.816-04:00And the winner is...?The band got together on friday night to review the mastered mix and decide on the album's front and back covers. We gave three local artists the lyrics and session mixes from the record and left them to their own devices. Lennie Muscarella, Cathy Bileti and Bethany Beams went wild, drafting everything from pop art to photography to photoshopped likeness of the band on marionette dolls. In the end, we choose a piece by Bethany Beams. The finished product will look very similar to this:<div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KL1abCY7P-4/ScqlKmd2MUI/AAAAAAAAADA/4YyMGgMDe74/s320/8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317243911607300418" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In all likelihood, all three artists will be exhibiting some of their work at the CD's release party on April 18th. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The mastering is superb! I went back and forth about posting some before and after clips... and I still think I will but not until the record is out. For now, I will leave you with another track. This one didn't make the cut, but very well may make the next record. No vocals were tracked, and the drums & bass are scratches. <a href="http://www.box.net/shared/yhn01npxfl">"My Way Around"</a> is what we called it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Peace,</div><div style="text-align: left;">m.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981640163722532890noreply@blogger.com0