|
March
8, 2006
Here is a version of Lost & Found with Mike and without the some of
the "lost" bass parts. I loved what we lost so much I asked Mike to play one
of Nicolas' phrases. It gives the piece a completely different feel but I
must say I prefer it. Perhaps it makes it more thematic and less "jam"
sounding. While Mike was playing this tune I had this monotonous humming
thing going in my head. I asked Mike to put me out of my misery by singing
it. I think this kind of holds the tune together in a funny way. I also
asked Mike to put a synth bass slightly left of Nicolas'. This just makes it
funky. I am of course a funky white boy. I haven't transferred Rhani's
performance on to this tune yet (I will do that today) but if you like this
tune at all I know you will love what he did. It is now complete. Today I am
also going to work on the new one Meeting Point. I am seriously on a
mission now with this project. My aim is to have it all recorded and mixed
by next Wednesday. I then go away with my family for a week. On my return I
will fix everything. It's good to get some distance from it and come back
with completely fresh ears. This will give me a chance to hear all the
flaws. I will not listen to any of this stuff while I am away. One more
thing: I had a phone call from a certain trumpet player yesterday who wants
to make a small contribution to the record. Maybe this record is not over
yet. Someone else wants a peek through that fourth wall. Can you guess which
tune I might be thinking of? Boo!
Listen to 'Lost & Found v2'
March
11, 2006
I have mixed six tunes in this order: Lost & Found, Three Souls, Iguazu,
One More Second, The Bridge and Meeting Point. Actually with
Meeting Point I found myself on a roll with the guitar melody and extra
bits and pieces. I love this tune so much. It's got a happy kind of
atmosphere which is somewhat lacking on this album. I think it might be good
to end the album with this tune. I will send you the mix soon. I have four
more to mix: London Paris Cardiff (which will HAVE to be renamed),
Gabe, Lyre's String and Count it Off. So that's it. Ten
tunes. I will be mixing over this weekend which I don't normally do but I
have to because I am going to France next week for eight days. I want this
all done before I leave. On my return I want to listen very objectively to
the mixes and it is at that point I will make notes on each track. Usually I
write the first thing that comes to my head, no matter how trivial. Then I
might recall any given tune and remix it. I have booked the mastering
session for the 13th of April. Mastering is when they turn it into a record.
It's quite a sophisticated process because it involves quite a few key
adjustments. A mastering engineer is someone with superior ears. They can
say it's too this or that or not enough whatever. They can ride the levels,
perhaps add more low or higher frequency and in some cases compress any
given section or track. They have every speaker configuration imaginable
from the highest end Hi Fi set up to your grannies old system which probably
only works on one side and has a fault. They try to make the record sound
good on any system. Not just the one you mixed it on. They organize the
record, take away all the glitches etc. To me it is a very exciting day out,
comparable to going to hospital for the birth of a child. I am nervous about
it because this is when I will "see" it for the first time. That sounds
weird I know but it's been my experience that I don't really see it until
it's over. Once it's done I can't change it and will have to take
responsibility for it. This might include praise and criticism. I don't want
to be in a position of justifying my intentions with this record although I
know this might happen. It's a mixture of relief and sadness. I will
probably feel depressed for a while as well as overjoyed. The timing is good
though because soon I will be able to concentrate on what I love doing
perhaps most of all. The day job. Time to get skinny, grow my hair and look
like a homeless person again.
March
12, 2006
Here is Meeting Point in it's original raw form. There are no
overdubs except for a tambourine Rhani put down immediately after the take.
I have since added a melody and Mike has done some stellar keyboards and
doubled the simple melody I came up with which you will hear soon. I thought
you might be interested to hear something just as is. I haven't had a chance
to do anything this weekend. I thought it was too ambitious and I was right.
I will continue tomorrow with the other mixes. For the time being here is
Meeting Point.
Listen to 'Meeting Point'
March 15, 2006
Here is Meeting Point with a few overdubs. I
want to illustrate the other extreme by showing the process I often go
through with a tune. Once I have the initial idea I like to throw all the
elements into it by dressing it with many layers. As you probably guessed I
haven't made my deadline of today as there is too much going on at the
moment. I need to get ready to go away and simply can't give total focus to
all the mixes. I certainly don't want to rush them. My real deadline is
April the 13th when I go to mastering. I have another little trip to go on
with my "brother" shortly after I get back so I have a window to get this
right. The other mixes seem to have gone really well. I will know for sure
when I get back. But this tune is still work in progress. I will have fun
undressing it on my return and finding its essence which might well be
exactly like the original. But I do love the melody and at the moment can't
live without it. But I will live without all of them for a week and come
back with fresh ears for the final laps of this record. I am psyched!
Listen to 'Meeting Point' v2
March
17, 2006
I just did something I shouldn't have done. Big mistake! Mistake 1: to bring
my iPod to France with me. Mistake 2: To listen to the mixes. They all
sounded horrible and left me feeling depressed. I wanted to change
everything about them. Not just the mixes but the performances. It's like
taking a peek into your Christmas presents on Christmas Eve and badly
wrapping them up again. It leaves you with a feeling of emptiness. Someone
once described the definition of guilt to me which is exactly what I am
going through right now. "Guilt is when you step outside your own set of
rules" (and not necessarily what you have been taught what is right or
wrong). It's just that I couldn't resist it because I had a moment to
myself. OK, temptation is the perhaps the one I fell for. Time to regroup
and hopefully have faith that they will sound OK on my return and I won't
have to start all over again. God I hate my own incompetence. I will try and
concentrate on something else now. My wife, children, the beautiful weather
and food here in Aix en Provence.
March
24, 2006
I am relieved to inform you the album will live. I have heard the mixes and
realize I just need to tweak them here and there. There might even be the
odd drop-in or repair job but generally I think it's done. The party is
almost over and it's time to pack my things and move on. I still won't do
anything until I get back from my little trip on the 4th of April but what I
can do is start thinking about the order. This is quite a hard but fun
process. There are a few factors to think about when compiling an order. The
first track should invite you in to the record as opposed to scare you off.
It shouldn't necessarily be the "hit" (on this album there are certainly no
hits). Neither should it be too challenging nor too simple to the ear (or at
least that's the way I see it). The next one I like to think about is the
last tune. My main rule with this is it should make you want to hear the
whole thing again. Not just file it next to Glen, Steve, Marcus, Frankie,
Dusty etc (my "cousins") and wait a decade before you might listen to it
again. The last track should make you want to keep this record near the CD
player at all times. Quite a challenge. Abba's greatest hits has been near
mine for years. The running order should take a similar form as a piece of
music. There has to be a feeling of momentum. This is where they tempos and
keys are important. It's not a good idea to play two tunes of the same key
next to each other or else there would be no real contrast between them. The
same goes for tempos. Nor the same feeling. It's kind of like putting a set
list together for a show. I enjoy doing this. I don't believe there are any
throw away tunes on this album (dare I say) so I don't have to worry about
putting the "good ones" near the beginning. So far I am inclined to put Lost
& Found first because I think it reflects what this album is about. Plus
it was written near the end when I knew the direction I was going. The
Bridge or London Paris Cardiff could go last. Gabe would
be to obvious an ending and maybe somewhat depressing (by the way, a certain
someone, blonde, smooth, male and non singer played on LPC). I will
take my iPod on the plane with various running orders and have the order by
the time I go to mastering on the 13th of April. Quite likely the last
minute. The artwork is going really well and I think you will like it. I
really have the concept together and have found the right designer to
realise it. Until next time...
March
29, 2006
As I listen to all the tunes I can't help thinking Meeting Point
should open the album. It's strange and somewhat annoying because this was
the fastest written tune on the album. And the last. I came up with the
basic chord sequence in my hotel room in Cologne and then made up the rest
on the spot. Nicolas threw one chord alteration which I liked. Rhani just
got on with it and I didn't pay much attention to what he was doing because
I was trying to arrange the thing while we were there with the microphones
in front of us and the engineer ready to roll tape (these days it isn't tape
but that's the term we still use). Once I was satisfied I had a scratch
arrangement we rolled tape and settled for the second take. My intention at
the time was to do all the editing on my return. But I haven't done that
because it seems perfect. It's kind of ironic that this piece came together
in a small hotel room on a rainy day in Cologne. Some writers and artists
like to go to inspiring places to "find" themselves. This goes to show that
it's an inside job. Everything one searches for comes from within (or that's
the way I see it today). I now listen to Rhani and realise what an enormous
contribution he has made to this tune. The melody for this one wrote itself.
I didn't have to look hard for it. Why annoying? Because the others took so
long to get together and the way I used the musicians was much more
calculated. I have learnt a lesson here. If you use musicians you respect
just let them get on with it and keep your mouth shut. It's a question of
trust. The hard part is finding the right ones or getting the right "cast"
together. I am also going through many "what if" scenarios in my head. What
if I had done the whole album like this? What if I were to go back to
Cologne for another session like this one? Is this album finished yet?
Either Meeting Point was a lucky day out or I have finally found the
best way of working. Fast. I also realise I want to record with this "crew"
and in this way for the next album. I want to open with this tune simply
because It feels like the right move and I believe it does bring the
listener in to the album. Fanny really likes this one and when she talks I
listen. I just hope my mother doesn't like it or else It won't be on the
album. If you have any suggestions for openers I would love to hear them and
why. I have two weeks to make the final running order.
Read on >> |