Spinal Tap Recording

Yesterday we did drums for three songs. We've devised a technique to allow overdubs, while keeping a "live" feel (especially for the drums sake). I have no doubt that we could each chug through to a click track solo. It's a lot better to record drums, one guitar, bass and vocals in one pass. It seemed to work out for "Stevie Johnston", so we've kept it up. The next couple of weeks means overdubs of violin, vocals, bass, cymbals and several guitars. I really enjoy working with everyone in the studio because it's all about teamwork and everyone does their part for the art. After we finish up, it actually feels good; like we've accomplished something.

My orange one's new pickups seem to sound pretty nice. The Fralins are definitely more aggressive than stock. I actually used the Sansamp (check out the new and improved model) as intended instead of using a Radial DI. Greg commented that it's nice because it compresses quite a bit, so I don't have to be so careful. I still think that the damn thing sounds too bright, but it actually sits in the mix (very rough at this point) pretty well. It's not as crunchy as my amps, but it'll work for the overdub sessions for everyone. Apparently, that bass has a lot more sustain than I thought it did. It was out-ringing cymbals and Josh's Reverend. We're all standing around looking at each other at the end of each song, waiting for the bass to stop. It was a lot like this:

Organ Parts?

Today I got asked if I'd like to play organ on a friend's upcoming record. Apparently, the word is out, and Jeremy Paul Jones rides again. I replied that I'd like to, but I can only give an Oklahoma guarantee as far as the quality of my performance goes.

The Internets Are Good For Something

Even if I can't get over selling people mp3s, the internets are pretty cool for discovering music. On one of my frequented fora, someone posted about the bass sound on this:



It's totally got that earthquake kick drum, too. I do dig the blended/biamped glitchy fuzz tone bass. I wish that I could pull off sounding like that, but usually my fuzz sound sounds nothing but cheesy. I need to work on it, I think. I'm getting closer, though. I remember hearing playback on one particular recording, and being amazed at exactly how overdriven my sound is at times. Greg and I have sculpted some very nice bass sounds for the eminent BLC record. The funny thing is, it's mostly just a good passive DI, with the electric grandmother mic'ed about ten feet out. He used the 1176 to even out some of my excitement, much like McDonald did. (BTW--I've heard some of that guy's new stuff, and it's going to slay listeners when they hear it)

The moral of this long-winded post is that I'm checking out more of Oxbow's catalog.

Time Capsule

Recently, Ross found some of the "Adolph sessions", which were recorded November 7, 2004 in the big, bad studio at the Auraria campus by the one and only Chris Adolph. I can sort of make out the phantasmal backing vocals on the chorus. Those singers were Marie Litton, Joe Sampson, and "some dude from the DU recording school that was there helping Chris". This is the only existing track, which is complete with studio chatter during the solo (I'll bet that the talk back microphone was left on by accident--this seems to happen a lot). The others aren't complete, and Chris has misplaced the DAT tapes, so they never will be. It sounds pretty nice; I've got a couple of gripes, but no big ones. I'm glad that these recordings surfaced. That wicked Abby Road console sure did sound nice.

Truly "A Heavy Metal Overdose"

Ross finally put up one of the demos on the space. The track in question is 'Any Port in a Storm.'

"Magical" Trevor really did a nice job for a "let it bleed-style" recording in one room, really. All the years of recording econo have paid off. The solo guitars are overdubs, but that's it. The solo feels really like some slow version of low-fee NMH chaos, but that's completely understandable, because they rocked:



I still want to know how we got the "round sound" going on. The bass was so quiet during the tracking that the tubes couldn't really do their thing--I need to get myself a low-wattage rig for such nonsense.

A Sausage Fest (could be "Gothic Power Violence" v. JZ)

Recording was a hoot, and there was a lot of sausage eaten (seriously, no double entendre here). Dameon, Andrew, Greg and I did parts for two songs: "God Damn Sinner" and "Rebel". Both were a piece of cake. Shortly after we did our parts, some of Uncle Chuck's friends arrived (BLC is too punctual, usually). The female voices really filled the parts out nicely--you get punch from the male voices and clarity from the female voices. It could have been done in a handful of takes, but Chuck wanted some really thick sounds (probably to compete with those bad-ass guitars). This is going to be a great record. Of course, Eve got in on the action, and she doesn't stick out in the unmixed group (totally amazed me; she's a neat kid, even if she's taken to calling me ZEEHEE).

Margret brought more [Polish] sausage and [Polish] cheese and [Polish] beer. After bratwurst, I was waiting for someone to have an infarction. There otta be a law...

Greg introduced me to someone as "our amazing bassist and, now, organist." That was actually pretty cool, because I'm not amazing, but I've learned to take a compliment. Ray Manzarek I'm not, but I guess that once that comp drops (late September is what that email sez), I'll be the bassist/organist. It doesn't count if you don't do it live, though. I won't allow that to happen. I never really dug playing keys live, although it gives you a good place to hide when the sequencer goes berserk (MIDI is evil; don't get me started).

I heard some stuff from the RR show, too. It was Andrew's recorder that was stationed at the FOH desk. The mix was a lot better there than in the monitors, for sure. Besides the lush lush lush natural reverb (too much, really), it sounds pretty good. We're going to see if we can dry it up a bit with the SPL Transient Designer. It seems that there's no limit to signal processing these days. The Norse Audio God was explaining this "magic box" to me, and I'm stunned that one can manipulate transients' attack and decay so easily. I'd have to fiddle a lot with compressors and gating to remove excessive reverb, but this thing apparently makes it easy easy.

Spooky Sounds

Tonight, I'm headed over to do group backing vocals for the SS record. I'm pretty stoked. I should have a tale to tell afterward.

I'm not a Cheap Trick fan at all, but I heard this one while driving around Weld county today. Harpsichords can get really creepy (when they're not doing some jaunty Baroque piece). I really really dig that bass tone (12-string) a lot--it's a lot like what I've been shooting for. The coda reminds me of the first A Silver Mt. Zion record, if I'm recalling correctly. Maybe, or not (hokey fan powerpoint):



I do remember hearing this a while back, and it's totally got the creepy harpsichord thing going on. Apparently, it's an early version of "In The Light". I've always loved the greasy guitar line in the verse. Supposedly, it's an ode to Lucifer (the light?), but I don't know/care (low quality):



I'm not crazy. The coda here also has that screeching quality. I love the huge reverb. I'm assuming that those moans are electric guitars, but I could totally be off on that:

I Lied.

We actually recorded eight songs last Tuesday. I thought that it was seven, but, as a bass player, I rarely have to count past six, and usually four. So, I can't count to eight--oh well.

I got the rough mix today and it's lacking in several areas (when listened to on my bass-infested computer and car--on the 1970s Sansui, I can EQ the badness away). I have to keep in mind that these are mere demos and far from perfect:

• The songwriting and arrangements really work, though. We did a good job with Ross' songs. I'm so proud of us.
  
• If we can tighten up the bass track's low end and carefully tweak the midrange, we'll be set. I think that if I did a DI track and we used an in-phase room mic for the bass a way off, it'll fix my floppiness, which is the worst part of all of this (still not playing like I need to for a three piece, perhaps). Maybe some crap was done to the bass track unbeknownst to me--Greg did it right with a DI and a room mic on the 8x10" moderately loud with a touch of limiting on the DI (the UA 1176 plug in rocks). Maybe I just need to record with a different setup entirely.
  
• The drums weren't terrible, but again, the low end is really loose. There's virtually no crispness on the cymbals. I'd like to hear more of that. I want the snare to crack a little more, too. The percussion just ain't quite as tight-sounding as I'd like.
  
• The guitar actually sounds much better than I thought it would after listening to the playback. It could use a little bit more presence, but basically, it's cool.
• The vocals actually are great, and that's what I think that the magical one was shooting for. Sometimes, they sit in a weird place, but I think that's because it has a really smiley EQ curve (no mids) on everything else. There's a couple of places that ADT would be cool, or RDT as the case may be.
  

I'm trying to not let this bum me out at all. This isn't for real, after all. This is just for (fuckin') Ronny to figure out if the arrangements will work. I think that we've made impressive progress in two months. Mostly, it's production problems that have shown up, which is the whole point of pre-production, I think. Some of the improvisation is brilliant, though. I love it when things happen.

The new and improved 'Army of Stars' is really the best I've heard since Last Man on the Moon. Somehow, we managed a rock 'n' roll fine, which I didn't think that I had in me.

This new one is great, with a little bass-cut, man.

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Now playing: Ross Etherton and the Chariots of Judah - Goodnight Everybody (5:01)

Exhausted.

A couple of days of burning the candle at both ends, and I'm done. I totally require some performance-enhancing drugs, or something (sleep would be best).

The recording didn't happen for me; I played control room terrorist, instead. Seriously, though the songs wouldn't be served best if I were to do my thing. Once a drummer is secured, then I think that bass will be required. Baritone singer-songwriter stylings are going to be buried by bass guitar. The songs are fucking great, though. Short, but really great. My favorite one was the "Sirens' Song," which is a translation done from The Odyssey done up as a blues holler deal. It's really really really amazing.

Dude needs to release a solo ep ahora, if only to get a couple o' dollars. I think that an electronic (cheap) release could be best, and pay for a 'real' record.

Y Mucho Más Para El Cinco De Mayo

I've volunteered to play bass for a quick recording project. Should be pretty painless, but could turn into something very interesting. It's not really too unusual, but sort of 'folkie' (I'll get my ass chewed for saying that), but in a sort of John Fahey sort of way. The songs are translations of Chinese death poetry, and actually really cool. I'm excited. Tonight, I'm practicing this new music.

This really gets me off: