Several hours ago, my wife and I received the phone call for which we have longed. Our social worker finally rang to tell us we have been cleared for travel -- that our son is ready to come home. We depart in a week and return seven days after that, and thus ends a two year road of praying, planning, soul-searching, paperwork, fundraising, and the like.
Assuming we had three weeks remaining, the lady and I charted an agressive calendar for accomplishing all the work-related tasks, avocational endeavors, and endless errands. That calendar flushed down the potty today as a new seven-day schedule took its place.
What does this mean for the Redline Project? I am going to be out of the loop for a few weeks, unable to record, unable to edit, unable to post, unable to progress.
This initiative poses an odd, somewhat contradictory set of emotions. On the one hand, the Redline Project means everything to me. It has become a standby of my routine; a daily dose of creative expression. On the other hand, it is a disposable, meaningless work that holds more narcissistic value than it is an expression of vitality to others. My growing hope has been to finalize and master all tracks, copyright them, and release them to the world in the form of a free download before my son comes home. It appears I have failed that goal, and though disappointed, all I can really think about at the moment is the joy of bringing my son into my family.
Before I take a mid-year sabbatical, it seems appropriate to furnish a brief project update. The Redline Project is alive and well, with nearly an hour of music recorded and mostly edited. One track still needs a rework of lyrics and therefore a redo of the vocal recordings. I hope to write and record one track that is yet to be imagined and composed.
The project was initially scheduled for a launch of October 31, which remains 137 days in the future. Even with a lapse in project productivity, I am convinced there is enough time to tie a knot around the goals of this project and successfully launch its final album.
10,000 downloads is a lofty, intimidating number, but I have nearly 1,000 friends on Facebook, and those friends all have their respective networks. I believe the goals of this project are within reach, and I believe the Redline Project will survive my impending fatherhood.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Lyric Conundrum
Here is the chorus of the Redline Project song called Commons:
Black hand, White hand
Gripping each other
Dance in circles
Sister and brother
Leaping glittered splash
Underneath the fountain
Fifteen miles
A world apart
There's plenty of time
For broken hearts
Drink the moment
At the barefoot Commons
A handful of trusted friends all pointed out that this chorus is riddled with cliche and overused imagery. The song tells the story of two neighborhoods: a rougher part of town and the wealthy urban high rise community. The idea is that both neighborhoods have their detriments and their benefits. Neither one hell, neither one heaven.
The Commons refer to a public garden in Boston that sits under the shade of ancient willows and oaks, where people from any neighborhood may come enjoy a moment of its delights. It is the Eden of the song, and in it the only true harmony is found.
If the chorus is to describe this utopia, it ought to do so in an artistically appropriate and poetically sensitive way. I am going to take a swing at a rewrite.
Anyone have some ideas and want to chime in? If your ideas are accepted, you will get mentioned in the project's liner notes.
Black hand, White hand
Gripping each other
Dance in circles
Sister and brother
Leaping glittered splash
Underneath the fountain
Fifteen miles
A world apart
There's plenty of time
For broken hearts
Drink the moment
At the barefoot Commons
A handful of trusted friends all pointed out that this chorus is riddled with cliche and overused imagery. The song tells the story of two neighborhoods: a rougher part of town and the wealthy urban high rise community. The idea is that both neighborhoods have their detriments and their benefits. Neither one hell, neither one heaven.
The Commons refer to a public garden in Boston that sits under the shade of ancient willows and oaks, where people from any neighborhood may come enjoy a moment of its delights. It is the Eden of the song, and in it the only true harmony is found.
If the chorus is to describe this utopia, it ought to do so in an artistically appropriate and poetically sensitive way. I am going to take a swing at a rewrite.
Anyone have some ideas and want to chime in? If your ideas are accepted, you will get mentioned in the project's liner notes.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Midisphere
I continue my collaboration efforts with Jan Fischer, someone I barely knew before the launch of the Redline Project. Jan is quickly becoming a musical colleague and, even better, a good friend. He has helped me with so much already, from mixing tips to solid critique and feedback, even laying down some tasty electric guitar tracks for a couple of my songs.
He asked me to return the favor with a little keyboard work on one of his latest songs. Though I am glad for the opportunity to show my gratitude in this way, it is overwhelming to select from infinite possibilities. Logic Pro ships with roughly a bajillion keyboard and synth instruments, all of which can be customized until one is blue in the face. Add 10,537 plug-in effects to the mix and you have one entirely overstimulated musician.
I used to think that playing a set of drums afforded me endless sonic possibilities, and in a sense the nuances are vast. In fact, I used to revel in pulling a broad array of sounds from a fairly basic instrument. Turns out, I do pretty well with a limited set of options, like three drums and two cymbals for instance.
In a digital world there are a multiplicity of hats in the ring, and there seem to be as many rings. How does anyone narrow down the plethora of options to one sane choice? I find it much easier to select sounds for myself, but choosing some instruments for Jan was certainly a challenge.
He may very well dislike the choices I made, and I am comfortable with that. Whether he keeps each of my notes or discards every last one, I continue to marvel at the fun of putting music together with a fellow in a vastly different time zone.
He asked me to return the favor with a little keyboard work on one of his latest songs. Though I am glad for the opportunity to show my gratitude in this way, it is overwhelming to select from infinite possibilities. Logic Pro ships with roughly a bajillion keyboard and synth instruments, all of which can be customized until one is blue in the face. Add 10,537 plug-in effects to the mix and you have one entirely overstimulated musician.
I used to think that playing a set of drums afforded me endless sonic possibilities, and in a sense the nuances are vast. In fact, I used to revel in pulling a broad array of sounds from a fairly basic instrument. Turns out, I do pretty well with a limited set of options, like three drums and two cymbals for instance.
In a digital world there are a multiplicity of hats in the ring, and there seem to be as many rings. How does anyone narrow down the plethora of options to one sane choice? I find it much easier to select sounds for myself, but choosing some instruments for Jan was certainly a challenge.
He may very well dislike the choices I made, and I am comfortable with that. Whether he keeps each of my notes or discards every last one, I continue to marvel at the fun of putting music together with a fellow in a vastly different time zone.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Big Creek
A favorite after-work riding spot, Big Creek trails are my midweek mountain biking standby. Tonight they held a time trial, a sort of race where they release one rider per minute instead of all at once. This is a great way to roll, because instead of butts and elbows everywhere, each racer feels virtually alone in the woods.
I have participated in a few races in the past, never doing all that well. If 30 riders enter, I usually end up dead center at 14 or 15, and occasionally I bump ahead a few slots. I have not participated in a race for a year and a half, though I have been cycling several times each week since.
Unbeknownst to me, I have been improving. A lot. Tonight, I made it to the podium for the first time, placing third. There was much whooping and happy dancing once I was in the seclusion of my somewhat soundproof automobile. Hurray Josh. Atta boy.
What does this have to do with the Redline Project and its progress? Remarkably little, except that my legs ache, my brain is fried, and my eyelids are drooping even as I try to squeeze out these few paragraphs. I just don't have it in me tonight to face recording and editing. For tonight, nothing is on the docket except a slice of pizza and a sitcom viewing or two.
I have participated in a few races in the past, never doing all that well. If 30 riders enter, I usually end up dead center at 14 or 15, and occasionally I bump ahead a few slots. I have not participated in a race for a year and a half, though I have been cycling several times each week since.
Unbeknownst to me, I have been improving. A lot. Tonight, I made it to the podium for the first time, placing third. There was much whooping and happy dancing once I was in the seclusion of my somewhat soundproof automobile. Hurray Josh. Atta boy.
What does this have to do with the Redline Project and its progress? Remarkably little, except that my legs ache, my brain is fried, and my eyelids are drooping even as I try to squeeze out these few paragraphs. I just don't have it in me tonight to face recording and editing. For tonight, nothing is on the docket except a slice of pizza and a sitcom viewing or two.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
A Day Later
24 hours have accrued since I pieced together a prologue for the Redline Project final album. Read yesterday's post for my prediction as to how I thought I would feel about the composition once a day passed.
A grand announcement and substantial surprise: the two minute piece has grown on me and I like it more now than I did yesterday.
Not to say that I didn't add, subtract, tweak, adjust, filter, modify, extract, transpose, and plop a dollop of whipped cream. The track seemed (and after all of my work tonight still is) a farthing or two from perfection. Nevertheless, I bounced out an MP3 file for a listen in iTunes, and so far I am nodding satisfactorily at the sonic product.
On a darker note, I sat with the guitar and notebook tonight in hopes of capturing some new direction for an opening track (the one following the prologue, and the one that I feel is still missing from the current lineup). No dice. I have zero sense of what to write about; if it is catchy and upbeat, it will not fit with the deeper messages characterizing the rest of the album, and if it is thick and deep, it will not work well as a first song. What will I do?
Eat a midnight snack and sleep on it... that is exactly what I will do.
A grand announcement and substantial surprise: the two minute piece has grown on me and I like it more now than I did yesterday.
Not to say that I didn't add, subtract, tweak, adjust, filter, modify, extract, transpose, and plop a dollop of whipped cream. The track seemed (and after all of my work tonight still is) a farthing or two from perfection. Nevertheless, I bounced out an MP3 file for a listen in iTunes, and so far I am nodding satisfactorily at the sonic product.
On a darker note, I sat with the guitar and notebook tonight in hopes of capturing some new direction for an opening track (the one following the prologue, and the one that I feel is still missing from the current lineup). No dice. I have zero sense of what to write about; if it is catchy and upbeat, it will not fit with the deeper messages characterizing the rest of the album, and if it is thick and deep, it will not work well as a first song. What will I do?
Eat a midnight snack and sleep on it... that is exactly what I will do.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Prologue
Though I have never forayed into the realm of book writing, I imagine that the last page typed is the volume's preface. This is odd at a glance because it is the first material to pass in front of the readers' eyes, but a deeper look offers a sensible reason: an author can not be expected to know how to prepare her audience for the ensuing adventure until said adventure is inked onto a page somewhere.
In a similar manner, I have been crafting a new piece of music that will perch at the front end of the Redline Project final album. Called Prologue, the short instrumental composition draws heavily from elements that belong to the final track. It also steals from the frenetic and tense textures peppered throughout the hour of recorded material. Its a veritable 'coming attractions' of sorts.
If I have learned anything over the course of the past five months, it is this: do not under any circumstances judge a piece of music to be good on the night it is tracked. What seems a stroke of genius the first day become pretty good the second, decent the third, tolerable the fourth, and finally sours to audio vomit once the fifth day arrives.
Quite the preface to say that I think the Prologue is fairly rad as it stands. Will it make the cut? The five days older and wiser version of me will have to see about that.
In a similar manner, I have been crafting a new piece of music that will perch at the front end of the Redline Project final album. Called Prologue, the short instrumental composition draws heavily from elements that belong to the final track. It also steals from the frenetic and tense textures peppered throughout the hour of recorded material. Its a veritable 'coming attractions' of sorts.
If I have learned anything over the course of the past five months, it is this: do not under any circumstances judge a piece of music to be good on the night it is tracked. What seems a stroke of genius the first day become pretty good the second, decent the third, tolerable the fourth, and finally sours to audio vomit once the fifth day arrives.
Quite the preface to say that I think the Prologue is fairly rad as it stands. Will it make the cut? The five days older and wiser version of me will have to see about that.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Redo Fest
Sunday afternoons... the perfect occasions for napping, catching up on light housework, flipping on an old movie, and when you are pushing forward on a year long music project, several hours worth of a recording fest.
The Redline Project has inspired a dichotomy of love and hate lately. With so much vying for the scant gaps in my schedule, I have wanted nothing more than to put a wrap on these recordings. But as I sit in my wheeled leatherette office chair, clicking away at the old pile of Logic files, I am savoring anew the fun and excitement of the Redline Project.
It is clear from gut intuition (not to mention Google Analytics) that readership of this blog has dwindled down to a handful of dedicated readers. That is okay with me, especially because the remnant of holdouts are delightfully encouraging and actively motivating.
When the blog started, not only was there an audience excitement about the new project initiative and a fat question mark about the proprietor's ability to bring the goals to completion, there were also regular experimental audio postings that drew people into the contents of these posts. Now months into the recording, editing, and mixing process of the actual project tracks, there has been a complete dearth of such postings. I can understand how daily paragraphic musings aren't much of a draw.
That said, I believe the launch of all my final materials is a matter of weeks away. Soon we will be through all of the technical discussions of snail-like progress and we will move on to an exploration of self-marketing tactics.
As a side but important note, the music currently blaring out of my studio monitors, the bridge from Thursday, is good. Darn good, actually (Said with the humblest of second-guessing lack of confidence). For those who have made it far enough to be reading this post, please be assured that my gratitude (in the form of polished mp3 tracks) will soon be a click and a free download away.
Now back to the Sunday afternoon recording fest.
The Redline Project has inspired a dichotomy of love and hate lately. With so much vying for the scant gaps in my schedule, I have wanted nothing more than to put a wrap on these recordings. But as I sit in my wheeled leatherette office chair, clicking away at the old pile of Logic files, I am savoring anew the fun and excitement of the Redline Project.
It is clear from gut intuition (not to mention Google Analytics) that readership of this blog has dwindled down to a handful of dedicated readers. That is okay with me, especially because the remnant of holdouts are delightfully encouraging and actively motivating.
When the blog started, not only was there an audience excitement about the new project initiative and a fat question mark about the proprietor's ability to bring the goals to completion, there were also regular experimental audio postings that drew people into the contents of these posts. Now months into the recording, editing, and mixing process of the actual project tracks, there has been a complete dearth of such postings. I can understand how daily paragraphic musings aren't much of a draw.
That said, I believe the launch of all my final materials is a matter of weeks away. Soon we will be through all of the technical discussions of snail-like progress and we will move on to an exploration of self-marketing tactics.
As a side but important note, the music currently blaring out of my studio monitors, the bridge from Thursday, is good. Darn good, actually (Said with the humblest of second-guessing lack of confidence). For those who have made it far enough to be reading this post, please be assured that my gratitude (in the form of polished mp3 tracks) will soon be a click and a free download away.
Now back to the Sunday afternoon recording fest.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Missing Something
Stewing around in my mind since the listening party two weeks ago is the growing awareness that the Redline Project final album lacks a strong opener. Aside from that, the collection of tracks has everything: high energy selections, slow burns, a variety of textures, an array of emotions. As it continues to take shape, my excitement has continued to ramp upwards.
The song slated to be the opener is called Sidewalk, a mysterious track leaning towards the electronic domain of the aural spectrum. With its industrial beat and repid lyrics, I initially deemed it a strong foot forward for the project. The more I listen, the more I feel certain it will leave my listeners a little hollow and a touch morose - not exactly the strong opener the album needs to encourage further listening.
I am headed back to the blank canvas yet again; this time searching for a catchy, relatable tune that has enough hook and yet remains true to the overarching album concepts. While the task itself is daunting, I am eager to create from scratch after spending months on the technical side of editing and mixing existing music. And as always, I will keep the readers of this blog apprised of the results.
The song slated to be the opener is called Sidewalk, a mysterious track leaning towards the electronic domain of the aural spectrum. With its industrial beat and repid lyrics, I initially deemed it a strong foot forward for the project. The more I listen, the more I feel certain it will leave my listeners a little hollow and a touch morose - not exactly the strong opener the album needs to encourage further listening.
I am headed back to the blank canvas yet again; this time searching for a catchy, relatable tune that has enough hook and yet remains true to the overarching album concepts. While the task itself is daunting, I am eager to create from scratch after spending months on the technical side of editing and mixing existing music. And as always, I will keep the readers of this blog apprised of the results.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
A Little Help
My hero across the pond continues to come to the rescue. Jan Fischer agreed to help me with a couple of mixes so I could gain knowledge as I compare his revisions to my originals. He remixed two of my tracks, and I am stunned by the results.
Here are his comments about one of the tracks:
- try to pull the whole range of instruments across the horizontal line, that is, using the pan to locate it left or right of the center when necessary.
- added on a few instruments reverb to push them a little bit in the backround
- added chorus to one guitar (chords)
- worked with the eq to make instrumenst more recognizable / hearable or to eliminate (for my ear) disturbing frequencies.
- worked on track volumes with hyperdraw.
I think the mix is quite good this way and needs only small corrections.
In my estimation, the last comment is on the generous side. Be that as it may, what a delight to have a veteran's lend a skilled touch. Though the adjustments made were mostly minor, the resulting sound is miles apart from the original slapdash concoctions. Jan, you clearly have honed an abundance of natural gifting into sharp musical talent and skill. I am deeply impressed, and will be working hard to reproduce the refined sound in all other Redline Project tracks.
Here are his comments about one of the tracks:
- try to pull the whole range of instruments across the horizontal line, that is, using the pan to locate it left or right of the center when necessary.
- added on a few instruments reverb to push them a little bit in the backround
- added chorus to one guitar (chords)
- worked with the eq to make instrumenst more recognizable / hearable or to eliminate (for my ear) disturbing frequencies.
- worked on track volumes with hyperdraw.
I think the mix is quite good this way and needs only small corrections.
In my estimation, the last comment is on the generous side. Be that as it may, what a delight to have a veteran's lend a skilled touch. Though the adjustments made were mostly minor, the resulting sound is miles apart from the original slapdash concoctions. Jan, you clearly have honed an abundance of natural gifting into sharp musical talent and skill. I am deeply impressed, and will be working hard to reproduce the refined sound in all other Redline Project tracks.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Paradise... The Band
I miss the feeling of drumming in a band. On the occasion of this past long weekend, our beachfront hotel hired a septet to create a poolside party for all of us appletini-sipping vacationers.
The ensemble, a local cover band, called themselves Paradise, which is perhaps the most garrish, trashy, chintzy excuse for a band name that has ever tickled my eardrum. Be that as it may, the musicians were true professionals who knew how to cover fun hits and create the right vibe for a bunch of tipsy tourists.
Here's the rub: they were all fantastic musicians. Clearly each member of the cover band was constraining their musical chops in favor of catering to the beach crowd, but they were able to bring lively new arrangement ideas to old classics. Each recognizable tune was treated with a fresh array of rhythm and texture, and the soloists were nothing short of phenomenal.
As I sat in my padded blue chaise trying to doze and enjoy the sounds of the surf, all I could think about was the skills of the hired musicians, and of course I was concurrently wishing that I was alongside, knocking away on the drums.
There is something marvelous about musicians creating together in a live setting. The synergy of the seven was vibrant and magical, and I can not stop daydreaming about the group's chemistry since the weekend concluded.
I sincerely hope that someday I will connect with a band of brothers and sisters who will enjoy this type of musical relationship. Until then, I keep playing the music over and over in my head. This is one of the many reasons I cherish the Redline Project: through this yearlong effort, I am finally able to express the music in my soul, even if it is not much of a group effort.
The ensemble, a local cover band, called themselves Paradise, which is perhaps the most garrish, trashy, chintzy excuse for a band name that has ever tickled my eardrum. Be that as it may, the musicians were true professionals who knew how to cover fun hits and create the right vibe for a bunch of tipsy tourists.
Here's the rub: they were all fantastic musicians. Clearly each member of the cover band was constraining their musical chops in favor of catering to the beach crowd, but they were able to bring lively new arrangement ideas to old classics. Each recognizable tune was treated with a fresh array of rhythm and texture, and the soloists were nothing short of phenomenal.
As I sat in my padded blue chaise trying to doze and enjoy the sounds of the surf, all I could think about was the skills of the hired musicians, and of course I was concurrently wishing that I was alongside, knocking away on the drums.
There is something marvelous about musicians creating together in a live setting. The synergy of the seven was vibrant and magical, and I can not stop daydreaming about the group's chemistry since the weekend concluded.
I sincerely hope that someday I will connect with a band of brothers and sisters who will enjoy this type of musical relationship. Until then, I keep playing the music over and over in my head. This is one of the many reasons I cherish the Redline Project: through this yearlong effort, I am finally able to express the music in my soul, even if it is not much of a group effort.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Looking Glass
I spent the evening back in the leatherette saddle at the helm of Studio Redline for the first time in several days. As you may have read in the last Redline Project blog post, my wife and I made the six hour drive across southern barrenness to spend a few blissful days in coastal Carolina. With nothing but hot sun, frosty iced tea, shady umbrellas, and rolling ocean waves, our time off the grid was utterly blissful and way too brief.
Alas, I have returned to the world of graphic design, non-profit pioneering, and yes, music recording and mixing. Though I miss the lazy nothingness of a sand and surf holiday, it feels pretty good to be back at the Mac.
Three songs got a spit shine tonight, and I am pleased with the subtle differences of fore and aft. Somewhere along the line, I read a rule about EQ changes that said not to add or subtract a certain amount from the equalizer curve. I read a better rule recently that said this: do what sounds good.
Ditching the first axiom in favor of the second has enabled my feeble vocal tracks to pop through the mix more, replacing muddled fog with clean, balanced tone. Swish.
Time continues to be the looking glass of musical truth in this project; as it passes, details emerge from the mix that were once shrouded by flashier elements. Though part of me wants to pull the trigger on the album release already, a wiser half delights in the subtleties of the slow burn.
Alas, I have returned to the world of graphic design, non-profit pioneering, and yes, music recording and mixing. Though I miss the lazy nothingness of a sand and surf holiday, it feels pretty good to be back at the Mac.
Three songs got a spit shine tonight, and I am pleased with the subtle differences of fore and aft. Somewhere along the line, I read a rule about EQ changes that said not to add or subtract a certain amount from the equalizer curve. I read a better rule recently that said this: do what sounds good.
Ditching the first axiom in favor of the second has enabled my feeble vocal tracks to pop through the mix more, replacing muddled fog with clean, balanced tone. Swish.
Time continues to be the looking glass of musical truth in this project; as it passes, details emerge from the mix that were once shrouded by flashier elements. Though part of me wants to pull the trigger on the album release already, a wiser half delights in the subtleties of the slow burn.
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