Category: Studio Diary (Page 8 of 23)

Bass traps decorated and installed (folded mover blankets).

I brought the Korg M1 out of retirement today. I’ve been looking at an older project, with an eye to remixing it for a commercial marketing video, and I realized that I just had one stereo track called “M1 Mix”. The dark side of the M1 Combi mode… Anyway, the M1 fired up without problems and I quickly created 5 separate tracks for each of the parts. Remixing can now proceed!

April 30
Where did the morning go? All I did was put some new strings on the Telecaster. Now it’s lunchtime.

Interesting fact: The Telecaster is different from other electric guitars because, unlike others, the bridge pickup is “rhythm” and the neck pickup is “lead”.

When the 8-octave version of this arrives in the studio at the end of the month, I’ll have something more to say about it.

The meantime, the Fantom goes into storage… its place on the stand is now occupied by the VK8. An attempt to goose the muse.

I’m guessing the VaxMidi isn’t going to show up this month. Which is O.K. by me because I’m busy… but the studio is all ready for it.

My wishes for 2016 is that I complete another couple of tracks and make a good start on #5. Whatever that turns out to be.

There are a lot of cool new analog synths being manufactured this year. The KORG Minilogue looks good. Actually, it looks great. I’ve just ordered one.

Jan 25
Yeah, the Minilogue order didn’t work out. I’m saving up for something else.

In other news, 60 hr work weeks are not leaving a lot of time or energy for musical creation. It looks like we’re in another hiatus. Buying a new synthesizer isn’t going to magically add two extra days to the week.

Oct 17

Things had to take a back seat for a bit while other things happened. I’ve curated the bucket of vocal takes and they are ready to replace the previous vocals in The Current Project. Also recorded a few more vocal lines that will mean that the final section will have to be extended by 8 bars… but on the plus side, this means that the musical themes from part 1 and part 2 get to co-exist for a short while right at the end. Symmetry like this makes me happy, so I’ll probably do it.

Oct 19

“The Project” is up on blocks with its guts strewn over the studio floor and I’m thinking I made a terrible mistake. It was just an 8-bar change!

Oct 28

Wil Wheaton writes, “I need to read so that my imagination is inspired. I need to read so I get an artistic and creative hunger that can only be fed by writing.”

I believe this is true for artists of any medium. I have found myself putting aside the latest CD – unlistened – by a favorite artist ( Imogen Heap for example ) because I’m afraid that it will be SO GOOD that I will despair of ever being inspired, original, and creative… and yet: One sure way to dig yourself into a creatively dead hole is to concentrate only on your own music for long periods of time. You need to give your brain a break, and give it some creative protein.

Yes, there’s a risk that you’ll get all inspired and start writing a song and find out that, actually, that cool riff is just way too similar to the one you heard last week in the new Glass Hammer album. However, if my experience is typical, then you’re definitely not going to come up with anything original unless your brain and subconscious have been well-fed, with a balanced diet.

So go listen to something! And then something different!

It’s been quiet here in the Studio last month, but house guests and The Day Job will have that result. I’m down one guitar, gifted to the godson, but the Great Work continues: Polishing lyrics.

I will no longer make the mistake of working insane hours on the instrumental tracks before figuring out that it needs a bar of 6/8 and a key change, the first time I try singing.

Cure for Writer’s Block? A new softsynth.

In August, the Studio workstation gets upgraded to Windows 10!
Sky doesn’t fall!

Also in August: The Studio workstation gets down-up-graded to previous Windows 7! Sky still doesn’t fall, but engineer is much happier!

New bass strings!
New bass track!
New callouses! (working on the third one)

And today, the Studio computer undergoes brain transplant (upgrading to SSDs)

Bass traps can make a big difference, especially if your room is a big cube. Pulling the desk out from the wall can help, and putting something dense and absorbent in the corners can also help.

Here, I’m experimenting with hanging dense blankets (from DIY redwood clamps) to see if it is effective. If it works, I’ll find something more permanent:

I just listened to my “final” mix of the new track and I can’t think of a single thing I’d change. Get ready for “Working The Paradigm Shift”…

I’ve posted it on SoundCloud, for your enjoyment:

https://soundcloud.com/prodigals…/working-the-paradigm-shift

Update:

Okay, that link is no longer valid, and the track did undergo some more work since I posted it. The final release version can be enjoyed here on BandCamp:

https://theprodigalsounds.bandcamp.com/track/working-the-paradigm-shift