An unexpected side effect of plugging away at the Redline Project is having a pointed awareness of just how speedily a set of months can slip away. Tonight is March 31st, relegating the first three months of 2010 to the past and leaving only nine in the future.
Does this shock anyone else? We just sipped champagne and exploded poppers roughly 14 days ago. How can March 2010 be hours from vanishing?
As my custom has become at the close of each month, I am taking the opportunity to scrutinize the successes and failures of the Redline Project. Where has there been progress? Where has the momentum slacked a bit? What needs to happen to keep this initiative moving forward? Are we on track for an album release on October 31?
Let's commence with the plusses. In three months, I have acquired more than enough gear to adequately record, edit, and publish an album. Many of the acquisitions (including an electric guitar, microphones, and studio monitors) are borrowed instead of purchased, which is the only way I have managed to stay within a budget of $1,000.
Speaking of budget, I am thrilled to announce that while I have spent far less than $1,000 on the Redline Project ($877 to be exact), I have sold $900 worth of bikes and related gear to offset the cost. This has required a sizable and complicated effort. If anyone has ever tried auctioning items under Ebay's asinine new user feedback policies, you know that sellers have no recourse to deal with feisty, manipulative, or deadbeat buyers.
As I write this blog post, I received an email from one such buyer who is demanding more money back from me than he ever payed for an item sold 'as is.' Lovely. Ebay is wonderful, and Ebay sucks eggs. If someone with the username jmdesigns2 tries to buy an item from you, run far and run fast.
Frustrations considered, piecing together a basic recording studio for zero dollars is a grand success, and one that pleases my wife as well.
This month, I wrote what I consider to be my best songs so far. The tally so far is nine, including vocal and instrumental numbers. Several pieces are five minutes in length, and some are longer. Mind you, these are not final recorded versions; the tracks are currently scratch recordings meant to capture the basic form and textures of each composition.
With a baby boy coming to join our family around the first of July, I have decided that the Redline Project's final product will feature 10 original pieces of music. Originally I was aiming for 12, but I needed to adjust in order to keep the project moving forward as I prepare for fatherhood.
After the scratch recording roadmaps are all pieced together, the next step is to scrap and re-record just about everything. Three or four months worth of knowledge is virtually nothing when compared to giants of the recording industry with decades of experience lining their pockets. Om short, I am a noob. That said, I know considerably more than I did 83 posts ago, and I am hoping this base of knowledge will lend a relatively clean and polished sound to the final cuts.
Is the Redline Project on schedule? The answer, according to the original array of deadlines, is a resounding yes. I am supposed to complete all the rough cuts by May 15, which is still a month and a half out. If I Complete one more composition and two more recordings by then, I can draw a red line (pun intended) through this mile marker.
Nevertheless, I feel hopelessly behind. After the scratch tracks are complete, I must get to work recording palatable music that is at least somewhat iPod-worthy. Then comes the mixing process, with the mastering procedures hot on the tail. If these daunting tasks somehow are accomplished by October 31, I then must climb the mountain of distribution. At a glance, this final step is made easier by offering the music free of charge to anyone and everyone, but that in turn complicates the matter as it begs questions of copyright issues and distribution venues.
[Insert panicked nail biting here]
Scores of miles fade into the rearview mirror as hundreds more appear on the horizon. As this project turns into something of a second full-time job, the television tempts me with endless chasm mind-numbing nothingness. But I will press on. I will create. I will get heard.
Showing posts with label Project Budget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Project Budget. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Fleabay
I have accomplished an important Redline Project task this evening that has nothing to do with music. Over the past weeks, I have racked up a bit of debt as I purchased the Melodyne editing plug-in for $200 and the upgrade to Logic Pro (from Logic Express) for $115.
If you know anything about either software, you know that both prices are at great savings off retail list. Still, this is a chunk of expense considering the entire project budget is an even grand.
Regular readers know that I am trying to scrounge the 1,000 big ones by selling off possessions. My goal is to leave the old savings account undisturbed. Mostly a success thus far, I reached for the plastic as I succumbed to both deals.
I am determined to pay myself back in full by unloading an unwanted miscellany of bicycle gear and other bric-a-brac. I dedicated the past three hours to photographing a pile of junk from the bike closet and posting it up on the world's favorite used-item free-for-all, eBay.
Should the auctions end near the fair-market value of each tchotchke, ample money to replenish my recent withdrawals should plop into my Paypal account. I will inform you of my success or lack thereof at the time of my listings' deadlines - seven days from today.
If you know anything about either software, you know that both prices are at great savings off retail list. Still, this is a chunk of expense considering the entire project budget is an even grand.
Regular readers know that I am trying to scrounge the 1,000 big ones by selling off possessions. My goal is to leave the old savings account undisturbed. Mostly a success thus far, I reached for the plastic as I succumbed to both deals.
I am determined to pay myself back in full by unloading an unwanted miscellany of bicycle gear and other bric-a-brac. I dedicated the past three hours to photographing a pile of junk from the bike closet and posting it up on the world's favorite used-item free-for-all, eBay.
Should the auctions end near the fair-market value of each tchotchke, ample money to replenish my recent withdrawals should plop into my Paypal account. I will inform you of my success or lack thereof at the time of my listings' deadlines - seven days from today.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Sixth
A stunning bit of truth for me, and probably everyone reading, is that a sixth of 2010 has snuck past. How did that happen?
In many ways, the Redline Project is on track, and perhaps I am even a touch ahead of schedule. The second post on this blog reveals that my goal for February's end was to acquire all gear necessary to complete this effort. Check - mostly.
I have purchased many pieces and borrowed even more, finding myself surrounded with an arsenal of competent, beginner gear. Just today, an upgrade from Logic Express to Logic Studio arrived, which means I will be recording and editing audio on a top notch suite of programs. As a coworker of mine used to interject, "Great giggly wigglies." I also have acquired a mixer that doubles as a firewire audio interface, a midi keyboard, and a direct box for inputting (mostly) clean guitar signals. Sennheiser headphones, a condenser mic, and a gorgeous Guild electric guitar are the most used pieces of borrowed gear.
Still on the wish list is the Melodyne vocal editor and a good pair of studio monitors. The latter I can potentially do without, but my pathetic vocal attempts are begging the powerful Melodyne to touch and to heal. To date then, I have spent $540, just over half my project budget. I have sold around $450 worth of possessions, which leaves me owing $90 to my bank account. Not bad.
The purchase of the software and monitors together will run around $350, and right now that is all I anticipate spending on this project. Looks like I will accomplish at least one of the three goals posted in this blog's header.
Those reading along have undoubtedly noticed a slow-down in the posting of scratch recordings, and with good reason. I have been feverishly plugging away at several audio sketches of songs I hope will end up on the final Redline Project recording. 'Audio sketch' is a term I am using to refer to a fully structured song with imperfect recorded parts. Once I have an understanding of how a song or composition will be arranged, I plan to replace the rough tracks with polished counterparts.
I have five such compositions that are baked to varying degrees. I need to write seven or eight more in the course of the next three and a half months to keep pace with the next deadline. By the end of May, all songs should be written and all audio sketches complete; doable only if I put my feet to the fire and press on.
A reader suggested I locate a widget displaying the number of days left in the project, number of dollars spent, and other related statistics. This is a fantastic idea, and I will search for one tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope this brief synopsis suffices.
In many ways, the Redline Project is on track, and perhaps I am even a touch ahead of schedule. The second post on this blog reveals that my goal for February's end was to acquire all gear necessary to complete this effort. Check - mostly.
I have purchased many pieces and borrowed even more, finding myself surrounded with an arsenal of competent, beginner gear. Just today, an upgrade from Logic Express to Logic Studio arrived, which means I will be recording and editing audio on a top notch suite of programs. As a coworker of mine used to interject, "Great giggly wigglies." I also have acquired a mixer that doubles as a firewire audio interface, a midi keyboard, and a direct box for inputting (mostly) clean guitar signals. Sennheiser headphones, a condenser mic, and a gorgeous Guild electric guitar are the most used pieces of borrowed gear.
Still on the wish list is the Melodyne vocal editor and a good pair of studio monitors. The latter I can potentially do without, but my pathetic vocal attempts are begging the powerful Melodyne to touch and to heal. To date then, I have spent $540, just over half my project budget. I have sold around $450 worth of possessions, which leaves me owing $90 to my bank account. Not bad.
The purchase of the software and monitors together will run around $350, and right now that is all I anticipate spending on this project. Looks like I will accomplish at least one of the three goals posted in this blog's header.
Those reading along have undoubtedly noticed a slow-down in the posting of scratch recordings, and with good reason. I have been feverishly plugging away at several audio sketches of songs I hope will end up on the final Redline Project recording. 'Audio sketch' is a term I am using to refer to a fully structured song with imperfect recorded parts. Once I have an understanding of how a song or composition will be arranged, I plan to replace the rough tracks with polished counterparts.
I have five such compositions that are baked to varying degrees. I need to write seven or eight more in the course of the next three and a half months to keep pace with the next deadline. By the end of May, all songs should be written and all audio sketches complete; doable only if I put my feet to the fire and press on.
A reader suggested I locate a widget displaying the number of days left in the project, number of dollars spent, and other related statistics. This is a fantastic idea, and I will search for one tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope this brief synopsis suffices.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A Look Back, A Look Ahead
Only 25 days into the mess, and already life without music has become unthinkable. Difficult to believe that a mere 26 days ago (and continuing backwards five years from there), I hardly ever touched a musical instrument. A few have questioned how the time for this project exists, and to that query I offer an amazing and unexpected answer:
I have flicked on the tube exactly once (for a half-hour) since the Redline Project commenced, and I no longer cruise around Facebook or Youtube unless there is some intended purpose. That's it. Nothing else has changed.
I still ride my bike. I still help run the Communicycle co-op. I still play Scrabble and Settlers of Catan with my wife. I still sleep late on Saturday. I still hang with friends midweek for all kinds of shenanigans. I still help with music at church on Sundays. And yes, I still work the old day job. Get the picture?
Two minor epiphanies: First, it is astounding how much time I have wasted doing absolutely nothing over the course of the last several years. Second, it has taken me far too long to recognize the truth of epiphany number one.
It has been downright nifty to figure out that there is plenty of room in my daily life for a new ordeal, and a time-munching one at that. This may become one of my favorite unexpected outcomes of the Redline Project, and I sincerely hope it encourages everyone reading along to consider subtracting a measure of fluff and adding something of significance to the daily grind.
A glance at the project schedule (in an earlier post for those wanting to have a look for themselves) exposes the truth that I can be an overachiever when I set my mind to it. By the 31st of January, my goal was to acquire all funds for the Redline Project, with the follow-up February goal of acquiring all equipment necessary to complete this project.
If you have visited before, you know that Studio Redline has at least enough gear on the shelves to produce the ten scratch recordings peppered throughout these two dozen posts. To be exact, the funds came in (and went back out) for a 12 track mixer, a 49 key midi controller, two condenser microphones, two microphone stands, a pop filter, an electric guitar, and a tangle of XLR and quarter-inch cables. True that many components are stickered with the names of friends who lent them to the project's cause, and for these acquisitions I am forever grateful.
So here I am, surrounded by an arsenal of recording equipment. Professionals may turn up their noses, scoffing that Radio Shack peddles finer offerings, but I am enamored with these electronic components of bliss. And I believe in time they will prove themselves to be the little recording engine that could.
A nice surprise popped into view when I checked the analytics for this site last night. It looks like Google has found this humble project and been so kind as to send not one, not two, but six visitors to its pages. Go ahead, laugh, all ye blogosphere experts. I think that is exciting news.
In the course of three weeks a small but steady stream of folks has materialized. We are over 200 strong on Facebook (The Redline Project) and even have a few people sniffing the bones thrown out on Twitter (@RedlineProject). Google also heralds visitors worming their way to this website from five countries outside of the United States (Germany, Moldova, Australia, Hong Kong, and Canada for the curious).
Regarding a look forward, what do all these bits of excitement mean?
Absolutely nothing.
I am still a nomad meandering around the genres, window-shopping the possibilities of music and musical expression. I have no voice. I do not understand recording theory in the least, and I have no control over the finer points of my extremely powerful and complex software workstation. The electric guitar buzzes and pops, and the acoustic guitar produces a lead quilt of magnetic noise. And the ambient noises from my 1970s split-level infect every attempt to lay down an analog waveform.
Almost a month of thought, effort, purchasing, contemplating, exploring... is in the back pocket, and 11 short ones remain. My level of investment took the plunge some time ago, and I have no confidence in my ability to deliver on the goals set forth on the header of this page. This is a fearful expedition, one that may be without specific destination.
I am left with a question. It nips at the heels of my daily routine and robs sleep from the darkest part of the night: Can I do it?
I have flicked on the tube exactly once (for a half-hour) since the Redline Project commenced, and I no longer cruise around Facebook or Youtube unless there is some intended purpose. That's it. Nothing else has changed.
I still ride my bike. I still help run the Communicycle co-op. I still play Scrabble and Settlers of Catan with my wife. I still sleep late on Saturday. I still hang with friends midweek for all kinds of shenanigans. I still help with music at church on Sundays. And yes, I still work the old day job. Get the picture?
Two minor epiphanies: First, it is astounding how much time I have wasted doing absolutely nothing over the course of the last several years. Second, it has taken me far too long to recognize the truth of epiphany number one.
It has been downright nifty to figure out that there is plenty of room in my daily life for a new ordeal, and a time-munching one at that. This may become one of my favorite unexpected outcomes of the Redline Project, and I sincerely hope it encourages everyone reading along to consider subtracting a measure of fluff and adding something of significance to the daily grind.
A glance at the project schedule (in an earlier post for those wanting to have a look for themselves) exposes the truth that I can be an overachiever when I set my mind to it. By the 31st of January, my goal was to acquire all funds for the Redline Project, with the follow-up February goal of acquiring all equipment necessary to complete this project.
If you have visited before, you know that Studio Redline has at least enough gear on the shelves to produce the ten scratch recordings peppered throughout these two dozen posts. To be exact, the funds came in (and went back out) for a 12 track mixer, a 49 key midi controller, two condenser microphones, two microphone stands, a pop filter, an electric guitar, and a tangle of XLR and quarter-inch cables. True that many components are stickered with the names of friends who lent them to the project's cause, and for these acquisitions I am forever grateful.
So here I am, surrounded by an arsenal of recording equipment. Professionals may turn up their noses, scoffing that Radio Shack peddles finer offerings, but I am enamored with these electronic components of bliss. And I believe in time they will prove themselves to be the little recording engine that could.
A nice surprise popped into view when I checked the analytics for this site last night. It looks like Google has found this humble project and been so kind as to send not one, not two, but six visitors to its pages. Go ahead, laugh, all ye blogosphere experts. I think that is exciting news.
In the course of three weeks a small but steady stream of folks has materialized. We are over 200 strong on Facebook (The Redline Project) and even have a few people sniffing the bones thrown out on Twitter (@RedlineProject). Google also heralds visitors worming their way to this website from five countries outside of the United States (Germany, Moldova, Australia, Hong Kong, and Canada for the curious).
Regarding a look forward, what do all these bits of excitement mean?
Absolutely nothing.
I am still a nomad meandering around the genres, window-shopping the possibilities of music and musical expression. I have no voice. I do not understand recording theory in the least, and I have no control over the finer points of my extremely powerful and complex software workstation. The electric guitar buzzes and pops, and the acoustic guitar produces a lead quilt of magnetic noise. And the ambient noises from my 1970s split-level infect every attempt to lay down an analog waveform.
Almost a month of thought, effort, purchasing, contemplating, exploring... is in the back pocket, and 11 short ones remain. My level of investment took the plunge some time ago, and I have no confidence in my ability to deliver on the goals set forth on the header of this page. This is a fearful expedition, one that may be without specific destination.
I am left with a question. It nips at the heels of my daily routine and robs sleep from the darkest part of the night: Can I do it?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Shopping Spree
The sale of some old turntables and bike bits gave some gas to the project budget, and I am pleased to announce that the basement studio is steadily piecing together.
Here is a breakdown of collected gear that is either ready to go or about to arrive:
Already here:
Alesis Multimix 12 Firewire
$200: from a CraigsList ad
Audio Technica AT4033a Condenser Mic
Free Loan: from a buddy's closet
Logic Express 8.0
$70: from eBay
Coming soon:
Epiphone Les Paul
Free Loan: pulled from a friend's living room wall
Total spent so far: $270
Though $270 is a significant hunk of dough, it seems a reasonable amount to invest in the start an adequate rig. There is more to buy, including a quality set of headphones and/or monitor speakers, and a solid microphone stand.
Logic Express 8.0 arrived yesterday in a stout, mustard envelope. With fingers crossed, I unstuck the seal. Purchasing used software is a precarious endeavor, and though I communicated extensively with the seller, I had a few needles on my nerves. In order for this copy of Logic Express to be a worthwhile purchase, it needed to be (A) the full retail version (not academic) with (B) install discs and (C) legit serial numbers. I tore the thick paper and took a gander: (D) all of the above - Score!
As Apple products often boast, the application dug itself into my hard drive without a hiccup. GarageBand is the musical version of building with Lego blocks; a little too easy to mouse around and conjure up a decent track. By contrast, Logic Express presents itself as a complex animal with seemingly endless facets that are anything but 'click for easy results.' Despite the complexity, I hope to have my explorations posted here in short order. Stay tuned...
Here is a breakdown of collected gear that is either ready to go or about to arrive:
Already here:
Alesis Multimix 12 Firewire
$200: from a CraigsList ad
Audio Technica AT4033a Condenser Mic
Free Loan: from a buddy's closet
Logic Express 8.0
$70: from eBay
Coming soon:
Epiphone Les Paul
Free Loan: pulled from a friend's living room wall
Total spent so far: $270
Though $270 is a significant hunk of dough, it seems a reasonable amount to invest in the start an adequate rig. There is more to buy, including a quality set of headphones and/or monitor speakers, and a solid microphone stand.
Logic Express 8.0 arrived yesterday in a stout, mustard envelope. With fingers crossed, I unstuck the seal. Purchasing used software is a precarious endeavor, and though I communicated extensively with the seller, I had a few needles on my nerves. In order for this copy of Logic Express to be a worthwhile purchase, it needed to be (A) the full retail version (not academic) with (B) install discs and (C) legit serial numbers. I tore the thick paper and took a gander: (D) all of the above - Score!
As Apple products often boast, the application dug itself into my hard drive without a hiccup. GarageBand is the musical version of building with Lego blocks; a little too easy to mouse around and conjure up a decent track. By contrast, Logic Express presents itself as a complex animal with seemingly endless facets that are anything but 'click for easy results.' Despite the complexity, I hope to have my explorations posted here in short order. Stay tuned...
Sunday, January 3, 2010
First Challenge: Project Budget
I am pleased to announce that the premise of the Redline Project has been approved by the advisory board (my wife)... Well, mostly.
The first issue this project will face is a slight discrepancy in the budget allotment. Instead of having $1000 to begin, I have $0. Not an insurmountable problem, but definitely one that will require some creativity and resourcefulness.
My goal is to spend no more than $1000 on this entire project, but despite my hoping otherwise, it looks like I am going to have to find the money before I can spend it. Initial ideas: There's a fairly nice bicycle in the shed and few pieces of musical gear around the house that are no longer of use to me. I will spend some time this afternoon valuing these items and posting them for sale.
On a much more confounding note, I have commenced the tedious job of scouring through endless web pages looking for advice on piecing together an adequate recording rig. Thanks to my line of work, I already own a powerful Mac G5 that is a bit old, but still has plenty of kick. That leaves the need for recording software, audio interface, microphone(s), cables, and some sort of midi controller keyboard.
There is much to discuss about an acoustic instrumentalist (steeped in the jazz tradition) embracing the world of computer music and midi interfacing. But this is a philosophical topic that I will reserve for a day further down the road. For now, this little piggy is off to the e-market to pawn off some unwanted gear in exchange for a project budget.
The first issue this project will face is a slight discrepancy in the budget allotment. Instead of having $1000 to begin, I have $0. Not an insurmountable problem, but definitely one that will require some creativity and resourcefulness.
My goal is to spend no more than $1000 on this entire project, but despite my hoping otherwise, it looks like I am going to have to find the money before I can spend it. Initial ideas: There's a fairly nice bicycle in the shed and few pieces of musical gear around the house that are no longer of use to me. I will spend some time this afternoon valuing these items and posting them for sale.
On a much more confounding note, I have commenced the tedious job of scouring through endless web pages looking for advice on piecing together an adequate recording rig. Thanks to my line of work, I already own a powerful Mac G5 that is a bit old, but still has plenty of kick. That leaves the need for recording software, audio interface, microphone(s), cables, and some sort of midi controller keyboard.
There is much to discuss about an acoustic instrumentalist (steeped in the jazz tradition) embracing the world of computer music and midi interfacing. But this is a philosophical topic that I will reserve for a day further down the road. For now, this little piggy is off to the e-market to pawn off some unwanted gear in exchange for a project budget.
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