Updates
3-23-23
Yeah, probably Easter. I'll redo the other ones, shortly after. The next songs will be more stripped down but recorded a little differently. (This is the full clip, sans lap steel and K's vocals.)
3-18-23
A little rough, yet, but here's how it's coming along. No special widening or dynamic EQ. Going to slip in some feedback before playing a little lap steel on the break. Vocals... done. Thinking Easter. Starting production school in April. New computer, so I can start mixing with higher sample rates.
3-7-23
Deep in the heart of some lead guitar sessions, with vocal tracks soon to follow. I'll be in here for the duration. Had a couple of nasty spills on the ice, this past month, so I'm a little behind my personal schedule but so it goes. If I don't finish the song entirely, by the end of the month, I'll at least post some guitar snippets.
2-19-23
Couple of new toys, in addition to Waves' linear phase EQ: the C4 multiband compressor (which I am probably pushing just a decimal too far, at the moment) and the Atlantis Dual Reverb Chambers emulation from Softube. That's right. ABBA has returned.
2-16-23
Got into the school. I am now a student at the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media.
I can get no worse at this! As much as I love CloudBounce, I think I need to learn how to do my own limiting. My mixes are starting to sound like masters, with this new compression. Once I have that resolved, I'll try some automation with it, as well as this great multiband widener I found sitting around, in my tool kit. I'd been planning on buying a copy and whoop, there it is.
I'm also think the fizz is now coming from my final EQ, in the form of phasing. Time for a proper mastering EQ.
2-14-23
Probably maxing out a couple of things, here, as I take a crack at parallel compression, but I'm closer to the ballpark than I've ever been. Missing a couple of plugins but discovered I already have a slick widener that I thought I needed to save for. Probably try that as soon as I figure out my compression. It's tempting to just have a fit. I'm learning, though.
New laptop. 10 cores and a full terabyte of storage. It's a whopper. Time to start employing some advanced compression techniques. I'll probably post another test drive with some New York compression before I begin recording the Strat. I found a tutorial by the guy who actually coined the term, so I'm not just following hearsay.
I'll probably use some parallel processing on the vocals, as well, before sending a chunk of the mix through yet another parallel buss. School or not, I'm honing my game. Sage Audio has some really excellent YT tutorials on advanced processing techniques. The guy from In The Mix is another well spoken tutor, just FYI.
2-12-23
Well, it's going to sound a little slicey until all the parts are down, and especially the vocal tracks. Two more electric guitar parts to go before I dig in my heels and finish it up.
2-9-23
12-string isn't quite as audible as I'd like it to be but it really made a difference in the overall texture and the level of compression I was able to apply, during the mix stage. Current file is that mix, put through basically the same mastering routine as before. I need to take a short break and A/B a couple of things before moving on to the electric solo parts and, finally, the vocal.
Paperwork is in, at the school. Waiting to hear back...
2-1-23
Well, it's starting to sound a lot fresher than my past few attempts with mastering plugins. Playing with tape saturation but it's already pretty tapey from my mix chains. Fried the beginning a little more, for good measure. 12-string is loaded. I just need to plug it in.
Edit: I turned down the soft clipper after realizing that my cleanup job pushed my volume over the top of the other tracks, which I'm actually very happy with despite any previous recording hang-ups which no longer exist. Also checking out a guitar-oriented production course, online. Certification fully applicable to an Associate Degree in production and media tech.
12-24-22
Some tubular bells and crash cymbals, as I whittle down my bass, perk up my guitar, and get ready to add another guitar track.
Edit: I'm actually at that phase where I need to start doubling down on my processing, as I begin to add more percussive sounds to the mix. (Holding off on any more guitar until I seal the basic mix with a little tom-tomming and bass ducking.)
Merry Krismas.
11-28-22
I've updated the free tracks again, for what I think is the last time. These ones are a couple of decibels louder and should be more compatible with playlists of the same genre. They're also sounding a bit fuller, as I inch my way along, here, as well.
(I'll have the Bandcamp wavs replaced within the next 24 hours. Barely on the grid, up here in Onion Creek.)
Edit: Tried adding a little soft clipping before the final limiter, a couple of days after posting this. It raised the volume at least two or three decibels. I need to be careful, here, but yeah. You can check them again, if you like.
11-27-22
I'll leave the whole mix clip up, in its entirety, for a minute.
Again, it's just the basic structure. The organ needs a little more flash in addition to some swelling and width effect, as well. Getting ready to add a 12-string acoustic track.
11-19-22
Finally reached the finish line with the bass and organ parts. It's about 10 minutes long, or so, now, and doesn't feel like a drudge in any way. Kind of like the extended mixes you hear at concerts, I guess.
Drums are still somewhat stiff, as I go along and fill the track with wah flutters and prepare to add a layer of 12-string acoustic. Then, some electric 6-string. I've decided to wait for the drums until the very end of the sessions, just to make sure they're perfect. The clip is updated with the wah track in progress but I've shortened it a little, so I don't give too much away and spoil it. But, you can hear where it's going...
Oh, yeah! New Strat and a couple of new pedals. Need to work on the tone a bit -- it's a Classic 50s and pretty glassy -- but here's a sample. (Click the darkened text.)
10-15-22
And you thought Def Leppard made a comeback.
9-20-22
Waiting on a last run 90s-era classic Strat from the Ensenada plant. Barely a scuff. 50s pickups, soft "V" neck, skunk stripe, the whole bit.
The model was mass produced until 2019. However, there was a fire at the plant, in 1994. To compensate for losses, some kind of swap occurred between Ensenada and Corona, until 1998-99ish, and a bunch of super-charged MiM Strats made it to the public, that are still talked about to this day. I've owned a '96 standard model and can attest to the quality. Whatever the case, this "new" one appears to be quite special.
6-4-22
Updated the Fables page. Accidentally erased all of my posts, here, so... I'll work on that. *ahem* (Eventually, this will all be contained in some form of album notes or another.)
Listening to The Jokers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6aIXf-yupQ
