tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490586467787468612024-02-21T18:01:01.088-08:00The Redline Project - One Musician's Quest to Get HeardOne year, $1000 budget, 10,000 fans. Documenting one unknown artist's quest to release an album of music and have it heard by thousands of people.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-74793197187214360502010-11-18T11:33:00.000-08:002010-11-18T11:36:23.434-08:00Redline Project Turns 400First the great news: over 400 people have downloaded 'Thursday,' the album I produced this year and am giving away online. That means over 400 people are checking into my music -- 400 more listeners than I had a month ago.<br />
<br />
Now the bad news: If stalling load numbers are any indication, I have possibly exhausted my social networks. If I am going to continue to publicize the availability of this free download, I have to think outside the Facebook and Twitter boxes.<br />
<br />
My first goal will be to contact the local papers and publications, hoping that charitable souls will like the project and furnish it with a bit of press. If my readers have publication brainstorms, I would be delighted to know.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-57541108906674922992010-10-30T11:32:00.000-07:002010-10-30T11:32:54.908-07:00Album ReleaseThe big moment for which I have been waiting is finally here. 'Redline Project | Thursday' is finally live and available for free download. Pop the bubbly. Clink the glasses.<br />
<br />
I am not requiring anything in return for the download. It is a free gift without strings attached.<br />
<br />
If you enjoy the music and want to give something back, the best thing you can do is promote the free download. Ideas for promotion:<br />
<br />
1) Add a link on Facebook.<br />
<br />
You can write your own paragraph, but if you are not up to it, you can copy the one below:<br />
<br />
<i>My friend spent a year recording an album, and now he is giving it away for FREE! Visit www.TheRedlineProject.com to download it.</i><br />
<br />
2) Send an email to your friends.<br />
<br />
3) Write about the project in your blog.<br />
<br />
4) Tell friends in the break room at work.<br />
<br />
5) Vote for Redline Project on November 2. (Just Kidding)<br />
<br />
<br />
Today is the culmination of a tireless year of writing, recording, editing, mixing, mastering, producing, and now distributing. I am delighted to share the product with you, and I sincerely hope you enjoy the fruits of all this effort. Cheers!Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-72289281758842720742010-10-29T06:22:00.000-07:002010-10-29T06:22:58.243-07:00About To Go LiveContaining my excitement is proving to be a difficult task as the 31st of October approaches. When you check back on this blog in less than 48 hours, there will be a link to a new website. From there, you are one click away from downloading 'Thursday', the album I have worked so hard to release in a year's time.<br />
<br />
As I have been saying, the music is entirely free. Free to download, free to listen, free to share. FREE, FREE, FREE!<br />
<br />
My hope is that all downloaders will want to return the favor and help me promote the album through word-of-mouth, social networking sites, and all other imaginable venues. 10,000 downloads is a big goal, and it is only possible if the listening community comes together.<br />
<br />
It is difficult to believe the day is almost here. Jitters.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-49385915844412299262010-10-11T09:30:00.000-07:002010-10-11T09:30:15.703-07:00Three WeeksThree weeks remain until 'Redline Project - Thursday' is finally released. The album will be available for free! Anyone who wants to download the music may do so by following a link that will appear on this blog on October 31.<br />
<br />
I am hoping that readers of this blog will help me promote the free download by using Facebook, Twitter, and Email-blasting the news all over the web. Thanks in advance.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-24330766575802700642010-10-04T09:31:00.000-07:002010-10-04T09:31:59.143-07:00Can't Touch ThisThis announcement has me straightening my bow-tie. <i>Redline Project - Thursday</i> is on its way to the Library of Congress, which means that all of the tracks I have worked hard to finalize are now officially copyrighted.<br />
<br />
Two steps remain before I can pound the 'complete' stamp onto the Redline Project.<br />
<br />
1) I need to create a small website from which anyone can download my album.<br />
<br />
2) I need to figure out how to convince 10,000 people that they should download my album.<br />
<br />
Step one is easy enough because it is within my control, and since the download will be completely free, I feel the second step is not entirely out of reach.<br />
<br />
If I still have the honor of your readership on this blog, please consider helping me promote the free download at the end of the month. By using the social media outlets available to us, I believe we can wrap this up. Thanks in advance to all who will help me get the word out.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-13062767700326286882010-09-27T19:06:00.000-07:002010-09-27T19:07:22.489-07:00Project Title and Album Cover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QL6Nz7mMXpJG-GZJwIR6GoZI3nJ0NOr_yXqs37Ssl0KqGHwE0IYHWmuMQKPsHHhhKiqMDCnLH8kpXGkp75JwdAWBdd-EaR_S3P21qZwmtEvCDP5WNoepV7tt2db3d5wU3NyK8_pGbFqy/s1600/Thursday_Liner_Notes_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QL6Nz7mMXpJG-GZJwIR6GoZI3nJ0NOr_yXqs37Ssl0KqGHwE0IYHWmuMQKPsHHhhKiqMDCnLH8kpXGkp75JwdAWBdd-EaR_S3P21qZwmtEvCDP5WNoepV7tt2db3d5wU3NyK8_pGbFqy/s400/Thursday_Liner_Notes_COVER.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
You are looking at the official cover art for the Redline Project album. 'Thursday' is the recording's title, and it is named after its final track.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-8288816470453889732010-09-24T19:18:00.000-07:002010-09-24T19:18:19.846-07:00Wrapped UpI spent the evening nipping and tucking the last little glitches of the Redline Project tracks. Sitting in a folder on my desktop are ten complete and final tracks. Ready to go.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow they ship digitally to a friend from New England who has agreed to master the project. Once his work is complete, and after I officially copyright the materials, this project is ready for the world.<br />
<br />
What a year; what a project. I am elated to wrap this puppy up. All I need is 10,000 people to download the music, and the Redline Project is a complete success.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-48702911249087652372010-09-17T18:43:00.000-07:002010-09-17T18:43:52.628-07:00Three Cheers For RedlineI spent the past four hours laying down the retake of "Commons." The result is good enough to make the cut, which means that the Redline recordings are officially complete. Yippee.<br />
<br />
A few last tweaks and this project is headed to a mastering studio. If anyone has a lead on a good venue for this, please send a link along.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-21760769633074949652010-09-10T19:13:00.000-07:002010-09-10T19:13:01.655-07:00Working on Final LyricsLest any readers wonder if the deadline of this project will come and go, as with most 365 initiatives, fear not. With the scant free minutes peppered thither and yon, I am putting the icing on the cake, and there will be a launch in just over a month.<br />
<br />
Steps to completion:<br />
1) Finish rewrite of 'Commons' lyrics.<br />
2) Re-record portions of 'Commons.'<br />
3) Revisit final mixes; make last-minute adjustments.<br />
4) Hire a friend (TBD) to master the recording.<br />
5) Apply for copyrights to all songs and recordings.<br />
6) Release this thing!<br />
<br />
With chisel in one hand and mallet in the other, I have been buffing and polishing the chorus of 'Commons.' Here's the old:<br />
<br />
Black hand, white hand<br />
Gripping each other<br />
Dance in circles<br />
Sister and brother<br />
Leaping, glittered splash<br />
Underneath the fountain<br />
Fifteen miles<br />
A world apart<br />
There's plenty of time<br />
For broken hearts<br />
Drink the moment<br />
At the barefoot Commons<br />
<br />
And at last, my latest (and possibly final) revision:<br />
<br />
Black and white<br />
A spectrum of color<br />
Up or down<br />
One life or the other?<br />
Is it dark or light<br />
Underneath the fountain?<br />
Fifteen miles<br />
A world away<br />
Dawn, the tale<br />
Of night and day<br />
Seek the moment<br />
At the barefoot Commons.<br />
<br />
<br />
I think I am going to chew on that over the course of the weekend. Feedback is embraced as always.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-12573834082875153232010-07-30T16:40:00.000-07:002010-07-30T16:40:17.631-07:00Back to RedlineIn case you thought the Redline Project had failed, or that its proprietor had been abducted by the mother ship, fear not. This post and the last may have a month's worth of gap between them, but the Redline Project lives on. And I WILL make the album launch deadline that looms 92 days from the present.<br />
<br />
It is hard to believe that well over half of this year now sits in our back pockets. I sharply dislike how time vanishes like water in the fingers, but I am delighted that its passing often brings monumental life change and fresh newness.<br />
<br />
This is foremost a blog about a renegade music project pieced together with zero budget with potentially unattainable goal of 10,000 listeners at year's end. I have often forayed into personal matters, especially because so often they have been related to the Redline Project progress.<br />
<br />
Many of my readers known that my absence is the effect of a worthy cause. Four weeks ago, my wife and I traveled to Seoul, South Korea to adopt a magnificent baby boy. Though early fatherhood is unparalleled joy, it has also managed to knock the wind out of my sails and leave me dizzy on the floor. I have not accomplished much of anything in the past month, including logging adequate sleep hours.<br />
<br />
Becoming a parent is all I really have to discuss lately, and that is not pertinent to this blog. However, I have felt a rekindled passion for finishing the project over the past number of days, and I am pleased to report that I am digging into a song rewrite and a new (hopefully final) composition. Once those two pieces are tracked, it will be time to master the recording, send it off to the Library of Congress for copyrighting, and finally distribution.<br />
<br />
I blogged nearly every day for half a year, and it was mostly delightful to send oodles of pontification into the digital abyss. With the responsibilities that fatherhood brings, it will be impossible to keep the same pace. So I will write when I can, and all the while I will continue crawl toward the finish line.<br />
<br />
If anyone actually finds their way back this blog after my extended absence, you win the gold star of loyalty. You may redeem that gold star on October 15 for a free copy of the Redline Project final album. (And yes, everyone else in the world gets to download it for free as well).Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-82795447835927400092010-06-14T20:27:00.000-07:002010-06-14T20:27:49.435-07:00A Stunning TurnSeveral 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-21929485034930910992010-06-11T13:00:00.000-07:002010-06-11T13:00:37.935-07:00Lyric ConundrumHere is the chorus of the Redline Project song called <i>Commons</i>:<br />
<br />
Black hand, White hand<br />
Gripping each other<br />
Dance in circles<br />
Sister and brother<br />
Leaping glittered splash<br />
Underneath the fountain<br />
Fifteen miles<br />
A world apart<br />
There's plenty of time<br />
For broken hearts<br />
Drink the moment<br />
At the barefoot Commons<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Anyone have some ideas and want to chime in? If your ideas are accepted, you will get mentioned in the project's liner notes.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-78444645738908454612010-06-10T20:45:00.000-07:002010-06-10T20:45:46.182-07:00MidisphereI 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-88502230848200006482010-06-09T19:16:00.000-07:002010-06-09T19:16:50.428-07:00Big CreekA 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-29336912952009653862010-06-08T20:13:00.000-07:002010-06-08T20:16:27.655-07:00A Day Later24 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.<br />
<br />
A grand announcement and substantial surprise: the two minute piece has grown on me and I like it more now than I did yesterday.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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?<br />
<br />
Eat a midnight snack and sleep on it... that is exactly what I will do.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-76928500659866967222010-06-07T20:27:00.000-07:002010-06-07T20:31:19.039-07:00PrologueThough 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.<br />
<br />
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 <i>Prologue</i>, 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Quite the preface to say that I think the <i>Prologue</i> 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.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-67822649593031994262010-06-06T13:00:00.000-07:002010-06-06T13:00:28.885-07:00Redo FestSunday 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
As a side but important note, the music currently blaring out of my studio monitors, the bridge from <i>Thursday</i>, 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.<br />
<br />
Now back to the Sunday afternoon recording fest.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-29011704160999844742010-06-04T20:34:00.000-07:002010-06-04T20:34:40.930-07:00Missing SomethingStewing 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.<br />
<br />
The song slated to be the opener is called <i>Sidewalk</i>, 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.<br />
<br />
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.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-37356491447465676202010-06-03T20:12:00.000-07:002010-06-03T20:12:28.444-07:00A Little HelpMy 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.<br />
<br />
Here are his comments about one of the tracks:<br />
<br />
<i>- 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.<br />
- added on a few instruments reverb to push them a little bit in the backround<br />
- added chorus to one guitar (chords)<br />
- worked with the eq to make instrumenst more recognizable / hearable or to eliminate (for my ear) disturbing frequencies.<br />
- worked on track volumes with hyperdraw.<br />
<br />
I think the mix is quite good this way and needs only small corrections.</i><br />
<br />
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.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-26274047844900136422010-06-02T21:11:00.000-07:002010-06-02T21:11:24.631-07:00Paradise... The BandI 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.<br />
<br />
The ensemble, a local cover band, called themselves <i>Paradise</i>, 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-2945203172552210702010-06-01T19:21:00.000-07:002010-06-01T19:24:59.321-07:00Looking GlassI 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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: <i>do what sounds good.</i><br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-44412361259860928162010-05-27T20:43:00.000-07:002010-05-27T20:43:49.598-07:00Suffering for a CauseMargaret and I toast to 8 years of marriage this weekend, and we are making the six hour drive to the coast in celebration. Nothing but sleeping late, waking to the sound of crashing Atlantic waves, and sipping iced tea on a poolside chaise. Divine.<br />
<br />
Hey, it's a tough world. Somebody has to suffer.<br />
<br />
The bounty of bliss will transport me far away from <i>Studio Redline</i> and its recording capabilities. As such, the blog will be silenced until I return in on the first of June.<br />
<br />
My only goals for the Redline Project during the escape will be to play through the tracks on my iPod and carefully consider my next moves. Like any creative process, I am excited to step away from the thick of the work in search of a clearer perspective. Maybe when I return I will rip through all of the tracks and come up with some final finals. What a victory that would be.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-29499895515926447412010-05-26T20:15:00.000-07:002010-05-26T20:19:03.822-07:00Back to WonderlandAfter a week's worth of massive Communicycle events, compounded by the sheer joy and utter complexity of hosting out-of-town guests for several days, I have returned afresh to the molasses of mixing Redline Project songs.<br />
<br />
What better place to dive in that the song that started it all: <i>Slips Away</i>. It is recognizable to its week-old form, but I reincarnated most tracks to provide better balance and more organic tone. These songs are starting to remind me of the nine lives of cats, with most surviving multiple wholesale returns to square one.<br />
<br />
A thin band of silver lines the buttload of work that remains: with each pass, the compositions inch towards refinement and maturation. There is an evolution to my slowly building skill as a home recordist, and it is motivating to throw the occasional glimpse over my shoulder as I crawl toward this project's lofty goals.<br />
<br />
<i>Slips Away</i> is a solid song - a simple statement that means much coming from the increasingly cynical curator of this endeavor. And the day is coming when I will finally share it (and much other music) with anyone who cares to have a listen.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-24113753889724795662010-05-25T19:12:00.000-07:002010-05-25T19:19:14.419-07:00Listening Party AftermathFive days ago, friends joined me for a listen-through of each Redline Project song. Each brought thoughtfulness and criticism to the table with candor and tact at hand; I was deeply impressed by everyone's thoughtful, intuitive, and constructive comments...<br />
<br />
Until I plopped my head against the pillow a bit later. Eyelids defied gravity deep into the early morning as I contemplated the sum of every suggestion. Though encouraging in the moment, the doubts of the pitch black night swirled the bounty of thoughts received into a vortex of doubt and hopelessness.<br />
<br />
Might all the work so far have been for naught? Can I even work with the raw track data in these songs? Might the results of this project be much better if I scrapped the whole thing in favor of a reboot?<br />
<br />
I wonder if a clean stab at some of these songs may yield more vibrant results. This is daunting, making me consider hanging the whole project up (with some level of seriousness). At this point, I am too deep into this project to shelve it, though more and more moments surface lately when my crammed schedule begs me to lose a hobby or two.<br />
<br />
Fear not; I will press on. This is more an admission of struggle more than it is a consideration of drastic recourse.<br />
<br />
I will complete this project. I will complete this project. I will complete this project. I will, I will, I will.<br />
<br />
If I keep telling myself this, maybe one of these days I will crack open the files and start plodding forward once again.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-549058646778746861.post-62964558453872253132010-05-24T14:43:00.000-07:002010-05-24T14:43:27.239-07:00Something DifferentThe fact I must face is that the Redline Project has become a bore. It won't insult me if you think the same, even if you were to mention it out loud. In some ways the blog mirrors the slog of the recording work lately. Instead of composing songs and laying down tracks, the work of the Redline Project has been mechanical, detailed, and downright tedious.<br />
<br />
So I am going to write something different today, something fun, something off the beaten path. In a shameless plea to retain what is left of my dwindling readership, I am offering the very best musical humor the web has to offer.<br />
<br />
How do you know if there is a percussionist at the door?<br />
<i>The knocking gets slower.</i><br />
<br />
What happens when you play a country record backwards?<br />
<i>1. You get out of prison. <br />
2. Your wife comes back to you. <br />
3. Your pickup truck is returned. <br />
4. Your dog comes back to life.</i><br />
<br />
Know how to make a million dollars singing jazz?<br />
<i>Start with two million.</i><br />
<br />
Bob is throwing a party. He decides that, to break the ice at his party, he'll ask his guests what their I.Q. is--hopefully this will strike up an appropriate conversation from there. The day of Bob's party rolls around, and when the first guest knocks on the door, Bob asks the person what her I.Q. is. "200,000" replies the first guest. "Well, that's great," says Bob, let's talk about ethereal astro physics. Bob and this first guest talk about the aforementioned subject for a while. Later in the party, someone else is at the door. "Hi my name is Bob; welcome to my party, what's your I.Q.?" The new guest responds with "250". "Great," says Bob. "Lets talk about advanced math. Bob and his new guest talk about calculus and statistics for awhile. Much later in the party, after many more guests had arrived and been spoken to by Bob, yet another guest arrives at the door. "Hi, my name's Bob; welcome to my party, what's your I.Q.?" This time the guest replies after putting some thought into it "five". "Well, that's great," says Bob, "what kind of drumsticks do you use?"<br />
<br />
What do you do when a musician comes to your front door? <br />
<i>You give him the money and take the pizza. </i><br />
<br />
How do you start a conversation with a musician?<br />
<i>Ask him where he waits tables.</i><br />
<br />
And there you have it: something different, something light. Yes, all of this material was shamelessly lifted off of random websites and no, I am not taking the time to reference any of it. Hope you enjoyed the results of my scavenging. The blog returns to pertinent topics tomorrow, with a promise that the content will be less technical. Thank you for enduring the last weeks' slog.Redlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03384072287176323327noreply@blogger.com0