It's Tuesday...

...Still stressed.

So.

Many.

Words.

Good God, Milt, didn't anyone tell you brevity is the soul of wit?

On the positive side, I don't have to actually work the last act, off book, until Saturday.

Working, working....just keep working....

I have to keep telling myself that, in a few days, when this period of, "oh my God I have to get this done!!!!" is behind me, I'll feel a ton better. Not only because it's done, but because working scenes without that damn book in your hand is soooo much easier.

Night off, tonight. I fully intend to work on the lines for a little while, but I am not going to drain myself on it. I also want to work on some recording. Put down some temp bass lines. Also, to do my cardio time. I've been doing well since the new year. I tend to avoid scales, but I jumped on this morning, and I'm down about 7 pounds.

Also set up a couple of Stage Left-related meetings today. We'll see how that pans out.

The Amsterdam hotel is now booked. The flights are booked. The London hotel booked. Just need to set up the train tickets from Amsterdam to London, and we are golden. Starting to nose around other shows to see, and I'm really, really partial to War Horse.

Of course, Rush is also playing the O2 Arena the night we arrive in London, but Cbyrd would never go for that. I think it's sold out, anyway...

That One Damn Song - "Zep" Revisited - 2.3.2011

So, my office closed early on Tuesday, and was closed completely on Wednesday. This gave me the opportunity to work on "Zep" some more. I even managed to get a sample of what I did up on soundcloud.com.

Now, before you listen, a couple of disclaimers. These should be noted and logged for any "work in progress" samples I share on this blog. I recorded this by hooking the 8-track to the monitor feeds on the 24-Track. It is an on-the-fly mix, very quick and messy. No mastering tools were employed. It's as raw as it possibly can be.

Today, we're looking at the track with the working title of "Zep," again. I've discussed the genesis, and a bit of my work on this song in this previous blog post. I thought I'd revisit it again with a sample. Frankly, the Zeppelin connections aren't as obvious with the example below, but I think there's a reason for that, other than the fact I'm no Jimmy Page.

In this particular example, you have 4 tracks of guitar, 2 clean, and 2 with a bit more distortion (though this section doesn't really get to the distorted part). These were all electric, my Fender "Fat Strat" Stratocaster through my Line 6 combo amp. I have 2 very temporary bass tracks, one clean and one with a bit more "boom" in the bass end. These were done with my (ultra cheap) Yamaha Bass, directly into the recorder, with a Line 6 POD X3 Live providing tone and amp emulation. The drum tracks are a stereo feed from my drum machine, bounced twice. So, a total of 6 tracks with drums, panned and EQ'd to give me some bit of control over the bass, mids, and treble.

"Zep" Sample by mpjedi2

My Verdict: Oy, it's a mess.

It's a classic case where, as I was putting it together, I felt like it was going pretty well. It seemed like the parts were working, but when you play it all together...sludge.

What immediately jumps out is the lack of acoustic guitar. I mean, the main E-B-A riff/progression was originally written on acoustic, and the brittle nature of the electric tones makes it feel kinda harsh. I think what's going to have to happen is an acoustic throughout, just playing chords, and then laying in the lines, runs and "twiddley bits" with an electric. It'll take some time, but the more I listen to this, the more I feel like I have to cut back. Streamline the entire arrangement.

One thing that is becoming clear, as a learning curve with the new equipment, is that I have a lot of options to play with in the mastering phase to get what I want. I layered guitars in this sample because I wanted them to feel "bigger," but applying some compression to that track in the mastering process might give me the same effect, without the "muddying" that trying to overdub can create. I mean, a perfectly synced overdub is pretty much impossible, no human can play a guitar part EXACTLY the same way twice. It just doesn't happen. Natural variations are part of the deal.

What's probably going to happen on the next pass is acoustic run for the main riff, then, as we go into the verse, proper, play the E-B-A progression in rhythm, and lay the electric over it, holding the single root notes. Then as we repeat the riff, again, rely on the acoustic but hold the A. Then I can use the clean electric to add the B - F# "twiddley bit," and the D into A run that leads into the repeating G-A, then C-G-A that ends the verse. That last section will likely be doubled on Acoustic and Electric.

I am very happy with the chorus, which I simplified for this run at it. I think it works much better than what I was doing before. It's cleaner, and it still carries a bit of power. I also really dig the alternate more driving riff as you go into verse two (near the very end of this selection), playing it just on the bass really seems to work, and gives it a new dynamic.

"Zep" is definitely a track that's going to take some work. Much of the other material (so far) is more straight-ahead rock stuff. The main riff is far more textured than what I usually come up with, with lots of ringing strings and insert notes. I think it sounds really great until I start to amplify it, then it becomes a real trick to find the right tone that will give it some oomph, but still allow those ring notes to sound clearly. By pulling back to a more acoustic sound, I think I may lick the problem.

I'm hoping to share this sort of stuff at least once a week moving forward. If you have any comments or criticism, please don't be afraid to speak up. It is a work in progress, and I hope it'll sound much better as I work through these issues.

Also, it probably goes without saying, this music is my creation and intellectual property, so please respect that.

That One Damn Song

Prepare ye all for yet another "new album update."

So, since the world of 24 track home recording entered my life, I've been engaged in a battle with the forces of perfection. I had about seven or so tracks that were worked out and recorded on the 8 track, and I felt the best course of action was to re-record all of these in 24bit, using the 4 track. No, I don;t expect to use all 24 tracks on these, but the setup allows a lot more mixing control, and mastering tools.

Anyway, I've gone over that all before.

Generally, this has gone pretty well. Although, I find myself much more apt to scuttle everything and begin again with the new system. I'll be working on a tune, and suddenly I'll get an idea about moving the drum track around, or a new arrangement, and I'll just figure "what the hell," and send what I have done to the round file. I've got Paulie C (of the world-semi-famous Hired Goons) on tap to do basslines, eventually. My plan is to run recordings of the songs as I've got him, so he can learn them, and we can get a whole slew done in fairly rapid order.

Side note: it is rather odd to have someone else set to work on this stuff. I've grown so used to just doing my own thing, and working alone. Yet, it's also exciting to have outside input and ideas, or even just someone that doesn't play like I do. I've also hatched a sorta bone-headed plan for how I might be able to get a live drummer on these tracks, but that's months down the line, a very "maybe it'll pan out" element.

Anyway, as I say, I've started really going over these songs again and again, trying to really hone them as best I can. There's two that have really just worked out pretty beautifully, so far, and a group of four I haven't really dug into yet...

Then there's "Zep."

"Zep" sprang from a progression I came up with when CByrd and I, via a Groupon deal, spent a night at the Hard Rock Hotel in the loop. Hard Rock Hotels, if you don't know, have this "check in, rock out" program, where you can rent Gibson guitars to use in your room. I had hoped to get one of the Les Paul goldtops, but, alas, all they had left was an acoustic (really nice one, but whatever). I found myself sitting in the room messing around with this guitar, and the headphone amp they sent with it. I came up with this E-B-A progression that, to my ears, sounded vaguely Led Zeppelin-esque. (I'm sure I drove CByrd nuts) I should also mention we were on the Led Zeppelin floor, and the idol/totem/sculpture thing from the cover of their Presence album was in the hall by the elevators.

Anyway, I started messing around with this progression, and worked out a little riff to go with it, as well as a chorus bit, and filed it away to work on later. I tend to do this a lot, at the moment I have two song ideas that I have to run through every time I pick up the guitar, because I haven't started recording them, or written them down. Foolish, yeah, I know. It took me a few hours of trying to remember "Zep," too.

This?

The fact it had a Zeppelin sound, in my mind, made it really perfect for the current recording project. Which, as you've likely heard before, is inspired by a 70's hard rock sound. I don't know if I'll actually get there, but that's what's on my mind as I write and record. I have a sneaking suspicion that it'll end up more metal as I go along. Still not really sure what to call it, "Hayoth" or 'Typographic Workers Trade Union." Maybe I should put a poll on the blog.

Or this?

Anyway, "Zep" is turning into "that song," the one you work, and re-work, and re-work, and you wonder if you're not killing it slowly. The original riff I had attached to the progression ended up sounding pretty one-note, and also seemed to demand a much more aggressive, distorted sound than I really wanted to go to. I mean, the progression reminds me (and by no means do I think it's this good) of the opening acoustic part of "Ramble On," and I've tried it on acoustic a few times. I mean, it was written on acoustic, but finding the right tone and sound proved difficult. Plus, I want it to build in power, and move to a more distorted tone.

I've already made a lot of choices that do seem to work. Ejecting the riff section ended up being, I think, the right choice. I decided to use the Stratocaster over the Les Paul, and the brighter, cleaner tone is really working with the tones I'm using on the amp. The progression kinda demands the brighter, cleaner sound. There's a number of single notes, and nuanced chord adjustments that a heavier tone just buries.

that said, not I'm wondering if I shouldn't work out a more direct, heavier version of the verse and have the song switch up for one refrain of the verse. It's a technique Zeppelin used, and it certainly gives a song a dynamic burst in the middle. I'm thinking I want to play around a bit in that direction, even if it means I'll have to re-do the drum track from scratch. It'd be a lot of work, but I do have the time, my target "release date" for the finished product is my birthday, which isn't until August.

However, in all of this I can't help but hear the words of "Little" Steven Van Zandt...a song should take about six minutes. Every time I start trying to layer on guitars, and try to work in dynamics with tone and equipment, I wonder if I shouldn't just set a tone (I've found a lovely 70's phaser sound that works well), and play the whole thing through. Maybe a couple of overdubs, and just keep it simple.

Am I killing what is a nice little tune by over-thinking everything? I guess time will tell. I was going to include a snippet of the song in this blog, but I just didn't get it put together and uploaded in time. I've found a nice site, soundcloud.com, that will allow me to upload samples of what I'm working on, which I can embed in the blog. I originally was intending to keep this psudo-"band" project under wraps until it was finished, but, y'know, what the hell? I really like the stuff I've been working on, and, while I'm not going to share any complete songs until it's all done, I do what you to hear things as they come together. Sorry I didn't have my crap together for this entry.

In other musical news, I got my Les Paul studio "set up" at a repair shop over the weekend. Essentially, it's setting the intonation and string action, etc. etc. The strings are definitely lower to the fretboard, but I'm not hearing any buzzing or "fretting out," which is cool. It's different, and I'll have to get used to it. That's not a bad thing.

The tech also cleared up a problem I'd been having with binding at the nut (the plastic or bone bar just under the head that holds the strings to go down the fretboard) with the 3rd (G) string. It was catching the string as I played, and not allowing it to slip easliy back into tune after a bend or hard strum. I'm hopeful this work is gonna resolve that. It wasn't a huge problem, more of an annoyance. The intonation work ought to make it easier to tune, as well.

I love the guitar. It's got a great chunky, full, fat sound, and I'm looking forward to seeing if the "set up" helps with the little annoying issues it would give me. The process is advertised, in general, as helping with all of them.

Ahh....It is Friday

And thank God for that. It has been a long week for me, and, as a reward, I've got a 3-day weekend coming up. Yeah, I took Monday off, because I'm going to see The Sword play Sunday night, and it's sure to be a late one, as the show doesn't even start until 9:00, and there are (I think) two openers.

I saw them open for Metallica a couple of years ago, also in the midst of a deep freeze. Yeah, supposedly temperatures around here are going to plunge on Sunday night. Joy on that. I got fairly sick after that Metallica show, and my intention is not to repeat that.

Should be OK. Far easier (and cheaper) to get a cab from The Metro to our place, than from all the way out in Rosemont. That's the plan, in my mind, at this moment.

The Sword is one of those bands that rose to mainstream prominence on the back of Guitar Hero. I believe it was the first, or maybe second game that included the track Freya, off their first album, Age of Winters. I really liked that track. When I'm asked to describe their sound, I've found myself using "they sound like Black Sabbath crossed with Thin Lizzy." I think that's pretty accurate for the latest album, Warp Riders, which I've talked about on this blog before.

I think it's fun that the new record is an honest-to-God concept record, and the three videos they are releasing will form a trilogy. The first two have been released.

Tres Brujas



Lawless Lands




Yeah, yeah it's all sci-fi and stuff, so of course, I think it's awesome.

Can't wait to see the show.

Still thinking and considering on the recording upgrade. I spent some time looking at the Tascam 2488 NEO's owner's manual. So cool you can find this stuff on line these days. I see the package is back in stock, now...

Arrgh. I just don't know what to do. I really don't.

The Upgrade Quandry

I have been recording on my Fostex MR-8 digital 8-Track recorder for the past 5 years, or so. The two CDs of material I have "released" have been recoded entirely on this little unit. It's been a workhorse for me, and I have no complaints. There's a MR-8 MkII version of this unit available now, as well as a MR-8HD, with an internal hard drive. I've, honestly, got nothing bad to say about this unit.

It's served me well, and I wouldn't be as good a musician as I am right now (which is a debatable level) without it. It's allowed me to record my little songs and refine them to a fairly respectable level.

After five years, however, I'm feeling a bit confined by 8 tracks. Add to that, the unit requires track bouncing (fairly decent description of the concept here) to use all 8 tracks. It's not as bad as doing it on a 4-track, because there are 4 dedicated "bounce tracks," so you can record 4 tracks, bounce those to tacks 5 & 6, in stereo, and then record on tracks 1-4 again.

It's effective, but what it also means is that the mix you set for tracks 1-4 is set in stone once you bounce 'em over to 5 & 6. If you'd like to chuck the levels you set the drums and bass, for example, on 1-4, when you star laying down guitar, you can't just do it, and you may have recorded over the original takes. (When you record on 1-4 again, you're recording over the original takes, leaving only the mixed stereo on 5 & 6)

All this is a long-winded, and probably too technical, way of saying I feel I'm ready to have more tracks, and more flexibility, to work with. I feel like I've more than gotten my money's worth out of the MR-8, and I feel OK with looking for something new. Plus, there's a offer for twelve months same-as-cash in December, and the account is basically paid off. The time is right to look at a larger purchase.

I also want to get some monitors to work with. I've always used headphones for recording and mixing, which isn't the best option. Anybody will tell you the truest sound will come from a monitor, and not speakers pushed up against your ears. So, that's an upgrade that's in the cards, too.

The question that is now on the table is, what would be a reasonable upgrade? There are 16 and 24 track digital options.

For the 16 track, we have the Fostex MR-16HD/CD. Looks like a solid unit, and it's the same manufacturer as my current unit. The reviews I've found are solid, and my history with Fostex tends to make me confidant. One unfortunate thing is that Fostex is NOT a brand offering the 12 month financing. However, since I'm buying monitors, too, I can get monitors with that financing, and anything I buy with it is covered, as well. So, a thought, but not a huge issue.

On the 24-Track end, we have the Tascam 2488 NEO. As would be expected, it's more expensive, but I'm also reading through the manual right now, and it's simply has a ton of features.

(Side note...How great is it that you can find the owner's manual of just about anything easily on-line now? So many questions answered by looking at this.)

I gotta say, this thing is, essentially, a pro recording studio in a single unit. That's really cool, and really compelling, in a "that would be so cool" way. Tascam is a known brand, so it's not like an unknown quantity, even if I've never worked with their stuff, personally. Financing is in full effect here, no shucking and jiving with other items to get the deal.

In both of these cases, bouncing is going to be an issue, looks like. The MR-16 offers 8 tracks, then combined stereo bounce tracks for the rest. The 2488 NEO has 12. At the end of the day, I'm kinda hedging toward this package, which would give me the 24 track, with the monitors, and some extra equipment.

I really don't know what to do here. This recorder would be a MAJOR upgrade for me. It would be like having an actual, professional recording studio at my beckon call. That's exciting, and the features and stuff are top notch. Plus, with this package, I'd have actual monitors for mixing, plus some nice new headphones, and a new microphone. Don't NEED that stuff, but buying the recorder with monitors is only about $20 less than the package.

Thing is I don't NEED 24 tracks. I don't. Not at this point. However, this unit would make it very easy to record things like real drums and stuff in the future, if I go that way. I mean, like I said, I've been using my 8-track for 5 years now, so I'm looking at this as a long-term investment. That said, would a 16 Track be just as good?

**sigh**

Maybe I just need a better-quality 8-Track