Soon after recording each song, an update will appear below with personal thoughts

and feelings regarding the recording process, how things worked, what didn't,

what was considered and rejected.. and anything else that comes to mind. 

Feel free to check back here and hit the RELOAD or REFRESH button weekly to see

the latest info on what tracks have been recorded and the artist's views on each.

 

Jan. 6, 2002    12:30pm - 6:30pm

recorded: 

Audubon

For the first song recorded, this one went very smoothly.. There are things I think

could be improved if I were a perfectionist, but I'm not so we have a 'good enough'

recording with only 5-6 hours in the studio.  This is great timing considering the

drum track, bass, second guitar and lead guitar tracks were all conceived during

recording and sound as if they had already been figured out ahead of time.

 

My vocals weren't the best, I have done better, but there isn't anything really bad about

the version we recorded so it will most likely remain as is for the final recording.  Working

with Tim Gack again is a highlight of this project, as his advice and assistance are

completely unmeasurable, not to mention he can REALLY play some awesome guitar.

His lead on Audubon added to the emotion of the song and I am amazed how fast he

was able to come up with it, basically adding it on the fly as we recorded.

 

I wish I could dedicate more time to the studio to get these songs all recorded ASAP

but patience is a virtue and if we can continue on this pace, recording one song per

session, I will have the CD finished well ahead of the scheduled release date.  Of course,

expecting to finish each song in one session is probably not realistic, particularly on some

of the other songs which need backup vocals, more advanced guitar tracks, etc..

 

In any event, I could not be more pleased with the progress thus far and can't wait to get

the next recording session underway, with "Share Everything" next on the list.  I'm expecting

that song to go nearly as quickly as Audubon, though one never knows until it's being done what

issues can come up.  It's amazing to hear a song you wrote come to life.. what a rush!!

Curious as to how it turned out?   How curious?  I've put up a small sample you can preview

if you  CLICK HERE.   (1.2MB MP3 version).   This is probably the final version, but we'll see..

 

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Jan. 13, 2002    11:30am - 6:30pm

recorded: 

Akeley, Minnesota

It's amazing to think this song was the second one recorded when it wasn't even written until

the night before, when the final verses and changes were made.  Since it was still so fresh in

mind though, I thought it was worth doing when we sat down to record, and again things went

together smoothly and with remarkable results for the amount of fun it was creating it.

 

There is still a chance these songs will again be edited or added to before the final CD is cut

and this song in particular is begging for a keyboard arrangement to accompany, if not harmony

vocals.. but for now I was happy with the results and thought I would add this to the list of songs

that can be downloaded freely while still on this site.

 

On another topic, the song Audubon now has a completely different lead guitar cut, but you'll have

to wait to get the CD in order to hear that.  Consider the MP3 above a "bootleg" version which

didn't make the final CD, though very much resembling the final version.

 

Anyway, can't wait to get into the Headbanger's Loft next week to get more done, and as always,

I will update the site with some news from the experience when possible.

Curious as to how this turned out?   How curious?  Would you be able to withstand the torture of

downloading a whopping 4.2MB MP3?  If so, CLICK HERE.   This is almost the final version, most likely..

 

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Jan. 20, 2002    1:00pm - 5:30pm

recorded: 

Share Everything

As much as I want to see this project finished and have a complete CD, I always seem to find

it hard to resist staying up way too late the night before.. and this was no different a situation.

I planned on getting over to the Headbanger's Loft by 11:00am, but that was not going to happen.

I found the perfect inspiration to bring to recording this song, however, as she always brings out the best

in me.  Just imagining her smile, catching her glance across the room, holding her in my arms.. one very

special woman, to be sure.   Someday...

 

But anywho, back to recording.. this went so smoothly I think Tim got bored and we spent a good hour

checking out the most time-consuming way to play keyboards imaginable.. and then scrapped it! Hehe..

No, we didn't scrap it, but it's going to take a bit more manipulation before being added to what was

recorded.  The drum track was fairly quick this time, Tim is getting better and more experimental with

each song, adding to the final mix to be sure.

 

I went through the rhythm guitar quick enough, and then did a second track to do some stereo manipulation

and since I could hear it so plainly I put down the lead guitar as well.  Tim again did the bass track

and with one take each I had the vocal tracks down, again playing with the stereo manipulation effects.

It really sounds like my voice is processed, but that's just the subtle differences between each of the

vocal tracks playing off each other, there was no effects used- it's just me! (twice)

 

I will most definately be adding some strings of some sort to this song, and possibly others as well,

hopefully with a keyboard I am thinking may be just collecting dust at the moment, but if worse comes

to worse we know a few hours with some software can produce the same sounds..

 

Anyway, I've decided to wait on posting any more songs on here for the time being, and really this song

isn't completely done anyway.. but I'll keep putting up at least something of progress each week.

If you want a quick tease of the song, (just over 1MB MP3 this time!)   CLICK HERE.  Later!

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Jan. 27, 2002    11:30am - 6:30pm

recorded: 

Destiny's Power

Ok, this CD will never get finished if I keep writing new songs.. but this song had to be included.

Recording went well and quick, but this weekend we brought a keyboard into the mix, so I went

back through the previous songs and did some quick 'additions' to help finish each of them.  Each

of the songs above has been changed and new versions are now available, though still not final..

 

I've decided to post the entire song for Akeley Minnesota and Destiny's Power, but all other songs

that will be available here will be short segments rather than the entire song. This keeps things much easier to keep track of and keeps my server space available for the new songs as they are completed.   Besides, you have to have a reason to want the CD for yourself, don't you?  If I had all the songs up here I would probably end up selling 10 CD's.. to all 10 people I know who don't get on the Internet.. (do I really know 10 people.. hmm).

 

Anyway, I really like this song and have nothing bad to say about how the recording went.. pretty much

getting to be routine now although one difference which may lead to better results for upcoming songs

is the order of recording- prior to this song we did the drums, then the rhythm, then bass, then lead,

then the vocals and any other necessary additions.  This song we started with drums, then got the bass

recorded, then did the rhythm on top of that, which I think will make each song from this point further

much tighter and better sounding.   It's nice to hear what's going on around you when doing the rhythm,

as you can play off subtle nuances of the bass guitar and keep a tighter rhythm going. 

 

As to the song, probably the shortest one on the CD but that's not any indication of the quality.. I think

at this particular time it's the one I am most proud of and happy with.  I would like this song if someone

else had recorded it, it's that good! hehehe.

 

But as with any art form, the final assessment is taken individually by each person with their own tastes

and preferences.  Go ahead and give it a listen, it's just a 2.6MB MP3 and it's the complete song.  Till next

week, same bat-time, same bat-website..  Oh almost forgot the link- CLICK HERE!    Later!

 

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Feb. 3, 2002    12:00pm - 9:00pm

recorded: 

Carita

Here's the reeeal issue.. this  is  a  tough  song!   I like it, but there's just.. yet some tweaking

to be done before I really have it.   Since I have learned from mistakes in past weeks' comments

I will not even attempt to put what I have up here yet for this song, but I'll offer the 'hidden surprise'

which will trail the song on the final CD.. (again, still subject to revisions, additions, yadda.. big badda boom..)

 

As to the past offerings of supposed 'final cuts' or versions.. hehe,, not even close!  We seem to find new

and interesting ways to tweak songs which seemed complete and polished just the week before.. thus each

song has and probably yet will have new versions.  Most profound is the keyboard arrangements.. in every

song the keyboard level was brought way down and in some taken completely out.. among other tweaks.

 

But on to this project and the progress.. very good atmosphere, good day overall and didn't want it to end..

I knew going in this would be one of the most difficult to set a drum track to, and I think I pushed past

finding the optimal tempo in foolish haste.  By the time I noticed it, we already had so much time into what

was down I thought it a shame to quit.. so we adapted, and quite well.. but I have since experimented with

speeding the song up in playback processing, and if I can find a way to do so without losing audio quality

that's what I would like to do.   If not, it's really not bad at it's current speed, and if you never heard it

as fast as I think is 'optimal'.. you'll never know what you're missing anyway, right? (right? Humor me!!)

  NOTICE!   NOTICE!   Offensive Language Warning!  PG-13!   NOTICE! NOTICE!

In the 'sample' below, you can hear a portion of the song in the background, as it is currently.  And for

those who wonder.. this is not a true recording of a conversation, this is a good-humored mix done purely

for entertainment's sake.. really she's a kewl bud and she helped out as a favor, way out-of-character

behavior from her, etc.. so please don't judge.  (Unless he deserved it.. then I suppose.. OK.. NUFF said!)

 

So, for the 'partial-probably-not-final-version-as-background-music-trailer' of Carita, Click Here!

(This is a quick one.. only 580MB this time..)  Remember.. it's all a joke! Ha Ha.. Funny?  No cow-having!

 

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Feb. 10, 2002    12:00pm - 6:30pm

recorded: 

DP Romeo

One type of song I have always enjoyed, regardless of who the artist is or what the genre, is

the humorous ones.  I always thought growing up.. "if I ever do make it I'm going to have at least

one funny song on each album".    DP Romeo is that song for this album, and was just as fun

to record as it sounds.  Tim and I had a blast trying to keep our laughter from making the final cut

as we laid down the tracks. 

 

The drum track took a while with all the stop-and-go parts, piecing together different timing signatures

to find the right sound.  In the end we ended up with an adequate beat and symbol crashes in all the right

places, so I was pleased.  The bass, again I have to credit Tim for his amazing talent, as he put together

the perfect bassline in very short order.  I thought my guitar sounded awesome with the particular

mic placements Tim thought up, and the vocals went fairly quick as well.

 

Incidentally, I had Tim do backup vocals in the chorus of the song, so this marks the first of these songs

with someone else's voice other than my own in the mix.  I really suspected his voice would sound great

on these parts, and I turned out to be right on the money.  I couldn' be more pleased with how it turned

out.

 

Another milestone with this song is the half-way point.. I'm now half-way through the initial recordings

for the Fade Away CD.  After all the tracks have been recorded, and mixes are reviewed, the final versions

will go to the most talented drummer I know, Brian Hitchcock, who also happens to have a great singing voice..

hopefully  I will be able to persuade him to record original drum tracks for each song.  Any songs which

need harmony or backup vocals will also be double-checked, as Brian's voice is the perfect compliment to

mine.  *(Anytime you hear us sing at karaoke  together you'll see where I base that conclusion).

 

Anyway, without further adeiu, here is a short sample from the song, a 713 Kb MP3 Click Here. 

 

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Feb. 17, 2002    12:00pm - 7:00pm

recorded: 

Fade Away

This song was bound to be a challenge for a drum track, and if Tim had spent more time I am quite sure

he would have figured it out, but in the interests of brevity and knowing Brian Hitchcock agreed to do a

quick once-over on each of my tracks when completed, we decided to get the rest of it done and forget the

drums.

 

Actually, I kind of like it without drums, but I'm sure I'll really like it with drums, so they will be added.

For the preview I've linked below you hear what I have now, or rather one verse of it, and that should be

enough to get a taste of the song, drums or no drums.

 

Laying the guitar down on this wasn't hard at all.. the first time.  Trying to match that exact tempo on a

secondary guitar track, now that became a challenge.  The only way I could keep track of where I was

in the song was to sing along in my head, but when my attention was diverted to listening to the recorded

guitar track that didn't work so well.

 

Tim then mentioned the option of doing a scratch vocal track so I can hear the vocals too.. and wallah, the

problem was solved.  Second guitar down, bass, and replacing the vocals with a polished version carless of

extreme volume levels.. and the song was basically done.  A few minor tweaking, stereo manipulation (Tim is

getting really intuitive on some of his effects suggestions, enhancing the songs- gotta listen to these on

a good set of headphones when it's all said and done!  Truly amazing!)

 

As to my thoughts on the finished product- Quite satisfied.  I don't think I've ever played the guitar track

quite so well before, and I think the Pink Floyd / Led Zepplin influence is right there for anyone to hear.

The vocals were definately a challenge, but I was lucky enough to only have to do one or two takes.. and

knew ahead of time I needed to give everything I had for energy on this one. 

 

To the people who wouldn't let me go home and sleep early the night before- PfffftT!  I managed to get to

sleep well before 6am and was up at the crack of noon.  A small  820 KB MP3 sample? Just Click Here!

 

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Feb. 24, 2002    11:30am - 6:30pm

recorded: 

Alone

Once again a new song crept it's way into this project.  In looking over the selections I had planned for

the CD, I noted there seemed to be a few too many love songs.. not that there's anything wrong with love

songs in general, just don't want to come off as a new Harry Connick Jr. crooner or something.  I had to add

a bit of diversity and I was already working on a kewl riff which came about during one of the recording

sessions, so I set to work on lyrics.

 

Initially the song was intended to be written from me to my daughter, envisioning the inevitable day when

she will be out on her own, perhaps after I have passed on.  As the lyrics were coming though, it seemed to

take a more vague and variable theme, however, which could be interpreted in many different viewpoints.

I remember thinking while writing it.. what if this is God speaking to me through the lyrics?  In no way am

I professing to be a prophet or assigning a holy involvement at all, but it was an interesting thought (probably

brought on by recently watching the movie "Dogma" again.. what a movie!)

 

In any event, the recording went well.. although I am still not entirely pleased with the vocals in spots.. but

I intend to add some other harmonies in the background and that might just take care of my concern there.

Guitar track went perfectly- and once again I must give credit to Tim for his awesome addition of lead guitar

parts to complete the music.  The drums are just a basic track to keep the beat, and will be replaced with

Brian Hitchcock's original track once all is said and done..  Otherwise, I think this is probably one of the

best songs on the CD, to my tastes anyway.

 

Why trust my opinion though?   Form your own with a quick preview of a portion of the song available by

CLICKING HERE to download.  It's a 1MB MP3 file, but it will give you an idea how it sounds.   Later!

 

 

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March 10, 2002    12:00pm - 6:00pm

recorded: 

Northwoods Nights

   After a week's break from recording, I had some time to sit back and reflect

on the project as it was coming together.  I noted the one thing missing from

this CD for the maximum local effect was a more generalized and nonspecific

description of life in the area.   Sure, Akeley gets mentioned a few times, but

there was nothing there for Walker, Park Rapids, Nevis, Laporte, Bemidji.. etc..

and thus Northwoods Nights was created, and may be the new title for the CD!!

 

   The recording went fairly well, although there are a few rough spots with the

harmonies on vocals that I will be going over again (with Brian Hitchcock's aid).

The drums weren't really as much an issue this time, there was an attempt at a

more complex drum pattern but knowing Brian is going to make anything we had

sound like greasy kid stuff doesn't lend much motivation for spending time on it,

Tim found the right beat, we worked out the timing for chorus, etc.. and wallah..

Guitar sounded just right- we actually recorded it without any effects- just clean,

and then added the chorus and reverb in the software, which allowed for much

better control on exactly how it would sound.  No leads on this one, just me.. and

Tim came up with just the right bass line.

 

   Oh, I take that back, the leads are my loon call, the wind and spring birds.. which

were done by yours truly (not without some funny looks from Tim while recording).

I think this song is perhaps the most poetic in verse, and also stands a pretty

good chance at being the most popular (at least locally- or real big in the Florida

and Arizona markets during winter months, when snowbirds have landed south).

Don't take my word for it though, you can hear a small sample of the working

copy as it is now if you CLICK HERE.  It's just over 1MB, MP3 format, and only a

portion of the song.

 

   Till next week..

 

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