Margaret 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.
Hey, it's a tough world. Somebody has to suffer.
The bounty of bliss will transport me far away from Studio Redline and its recording capabilities. As such, the blog will be silenced until I return in on the first of June.
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.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Back to Wonderland
After 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.
What better place to dive in that the song that started it all: Slips Away. 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.
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.
Slips Away 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.
What better place to dive in that the song that started it all: Slips Away. 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.
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.
Slips Away 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.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Listening Party Aftermath
Five 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...
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.
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?
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.
Fear not; I will press on. This is more an admission of struggle more than it is a consideration of drastic recourse.
I will complete this project. I will complete this project. I will complete this project. I will, I will, I will.
If I keep telling myself this, maybe one of these days I will crack open the files and start plodding forward once again.
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.
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?
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.
Fear not; I will press on. This is more an admission of struggle more than it is a consideration of drastic recourse.
I will complete this project. I will complete this project. I will complete this project. I will, I will, I will.
If I keep telling myself this, maybe one of these days I will crack open the files and start plodding forward once again.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Something Different
The 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.
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.
How do you know if there is a percussionist at the door?
The knocking gets slower.
What happens when you play a country record backwards?
1. You get out of prison.
2. Your wife comes back to you.
3. Your pickup truck is returned.
4. Your dog comes back to life.
Know how to make a million dollars singing jazz?
Start with two million.
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?"
What do you do when a musician comes to your front door?
You give him the money and take the pizza.
How do you start a conversation with a musician?
Ask him where he waits tables.
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.
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.
How do you know if there is a percussionist at the door?
The knocking gets slower.
What happens when you play a country record backwards?
1. You get out of prison.
2. Your wife comes back to you.
3. Your pickup truck is returned.
4. Your dog comes back to life.
Know how to make a million dollars singing jazz?
Start with two million.
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?"
What do you do when a musician comes to your front door?
You give him the money and take the pizza.
How do you start a conversation with a musician?
Ask him where he waits tables.
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.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Listening Party
Big night. Four friends came over to listen through a rough cut of the Redline Project final album. Other than my wife, no one has heard this music before, so tonight was the first unveiling of what has become an epic endeavor.
I am grateful to friends Ian, Eric, Josh, and Peter who spent their Friday night listening to each track and furnishing me with a pocketful of specific, helpful feedback. I am deeply encouraged by their enjoyment of the music and their ability to connect with the emotional content of the album. The advice and ideas for tweaks and adjustments were all spot on and unbelievably helpful.
That said, I am now trying to muster the will to go back through and edit everything yet again. Tomorrow, I will be back to the familiar chain of recording, editing, and mixing. The listening committee all agreed that the opening track needs to grab more than it does, and they suggested a preface track (not yet written or recorded) that may bring introduction and coherence to the overarching album concepts.
Though there is much work still waiting for me, the finish line is within sniffing distance - a cause for great celebration.
I am grateful to friends Ian, Eric, Josh, and Peter who spent their Friday night listening to each track and furnishing me with a pocketful of specific, helpful feedback. I am deeply encouraged by their enjoyment of the music and their ability to connect with the emotional content of the album. The advice and ideas for tweaks and adjustments were all spot on and unbelievably helpful.
That said, I am now trying to muster the will to go back through and edit everything yet again. Tomorrow, I will be back to the familiar chain of recording, editing, and mixing. The listening committee all agreed that the opening track needs to grab more than it does, and they suggested a preface track (not yet written or recorded) that may bring introduction and coherence to the overarching album concepts.
Though there is much work still waiting for me, the finish line is within sniffing distance - a cause for great celebration.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Listening Day Eight
The handful of avid Redline Project blog readers know that I made zero progress yesterday. I didn't even have a few moments to scrap together some scant paragraphs regarding the standstill.
Fear not. To make up for the dearth of Redline action, I have accomplished thorough listening and editing reviews of two different tracks, which means that all the final album cuts have now officially been through the ringer.
The first song to squeeze through the meat grinder tonight is called Sing Silently. I have discussed this track many times during the course of the project's duration. It is the second song written for the Redline Project final album, and I think it may just be the best. Though my wife seldom plays her cello anymore, she is still a magnificent musician with the ability to coax tears from the toughest listeners. I am blessed by her willingness to cameo on this track. Her dark, delicate lines definitely class up the operation. You are going to love this song; little if any thanks to me.
The second piece on tonight's agenda is titled Thursday. Telling the complex tale of Maundy Thursday, this song is a gargantuan work with over fifty tracks and ten minutes of playing time. The length may seem ridiculous, but the music presents itself more as two tracks than one. The first portion is instrumental, based on a scratch recording called Rain. The second half completely new material that shifts through a melange of textures, from delicate and pretty to cacophonous and obnoxous.
Song Report Number Eight: Sing Silently
This track needed a touch of polish, though not nearly as much as most others. As is my custom, I de-esed and compressed the vocals, tweaked the overall EQ, and added automated gain in spots to make an even carpet of sound. The track sounded a little flat and dry, so I selected a medium reverb and applied it to the vocals, guitar tracks, and the cello.
Song Report Number Nine: Thursday
Thursday needed more work than any of the other cuts (probably combined). The track is long and its varied parts present a daunting mixing challenge. In addition to the usual EQ adjustments, compressing/limiting, and de-essing, I had to rework almost everything, adding new instruments, deleting unwanted ones, shortening certain sections, lengthening others. When I opened the file, the song started and ended with a thunderstorm that I recorded through my screen window. The track now ends with heavily effected solo vocals. Hallelujah for the Melodyne plug-in, which has made the impossible possible.
Tomorrow night I am hosting a listening party at my house. A select handful of friends with good ears are coming to listen to these nine tracks and supply honest feedback. This will be the first time that they are heard by anyone other than my wife or me. I selected this quorum of friends not only because of their musical skills, but also because they have unfettered honesty and assertiveness. This gathering promises to be a monumental event in the process of this project that will either leave me bouncing off the walls or tucking my tail between my legs. Though there are still mountainous hurdles between the album release and its current stance, I am starting to carry a sense of accomplishment in my back pocket that lends a little lilt to my step.
Fear not. To make up for the dearth of Redline action, I have accomplished thorough listening and editing reviews of two different tracks, which means that all the final album cuts have now officially been through the ringer.
The first song to squeeze through the meat grinder tonight is called Sing Silently. I have discussed this track many times during the course of the project's duration. It is the second song written for the Redline Project final album, and I think it may just be the best. Though my wife seldom plays her cello anymore, she is still a magnificent musician with the ability to coax tears from the toughest listeners. I am blessed by her willingness to cameo on this track. Her dark, delicate lines definitely class up the operation. You are going to love this song; little if any thanks to me.
The second piece on tonight's agenda is titled Thursday. Telling the complex tale of Maundy Thursday, this song is a gargantuan work with over fifty tracks and ten minutes of playing time. The length may seem ridiculous, but the music presents itself more as two tracks than one. The first portion is instrumental, based on a scratch recording called Rain. The second half completely new material that shifts through a melange of textures, from delicate and pretty to cacophonous and obnoxous.
Song Report Number Eight: Sing Silently
This track needed a touch of polish, though not nearly as much as most others. As is my custom, I de-esed and compressed the vocals, tweaked the overall EQ, and added automated gain in spots to make an even carpet of sound. The track sounded a little flat and dry, so I selected a medium reverb and applied it to the vocals, guitar tracks, and the cello.
Song Report Number Nine: Thursday
Thursday needed more work than any of the other cuts (probably combined). The track is long and its varied parts present a daunting mixing challenge. In addition to the usual EQ adjustments, compressing/limiting, and de-essing, I had to rework almost everything, adding new instruments, deleting unwanted ones, shortening certain sections, lengthening others. When I opened the file, the song started and ended with a thunderstorm that I recorded through my screen window. The track now ends with heavily effected solo vocals. Hallelujah for the Melodyne plug-in, which has made the impossible possible.
Tomorrow night I am hosting a listening party at my house. A select handful of friends with good ears are coming to listen to these nine tracks and supply honest feedback. This will be the first time that they are heard by anyone other than my wife or me. I selected this quorum of friends not only because of their musical skills, but also because they have unfettered honesty and assertiveness. This gathering promises to be a monumental event in the process of this project that will either leave me bouncing off the walls or tucking my tail between my legs. Though there are still mountainous hurdles between the album release and its current stance, I am starting to carry a sense of accomplishment in my back pocket that lends a little lilt to my step.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Listening Day Seven
Tonight's song is about an old friend who spent her formative years facing unthinkable domestic abuse. As I wind my way through the mechanics of the song, it is all to easy to forget the pain and torment this person endured. When I pause to consider the song content, and even as I type these few sentences, I am dumbstruck by the depth of hurt that she and so many others have endured.
On a completely unrelated but nevertheless important note, I reconnected with an old friend from college who now runs a successful recording and editing studio in Massachusetts. His prices seem more than reasonable and he seemed willing to take on the mastering portion of this project. With all the frustrations I have been encountering, he may very well get the gig.
Song Report Number Seven: Cry Justice
To round out the song, I added touches of metallic percussion to various sections of the song, while eliminating texture from other passages. Adding EQ, de-essing, and compression yielded a balanced, full tone. Clearly this song is one the latest Redline Project tracks, because the recording techniques used sound significantly superior to earlier specimens.
On a completely unrelated but nevertheless important note, I reconnected with an old friend from college who now runs a successful recording and editing studio in Massachusetts. His prices seem more than reasonable and he seemed willing to take on the mastering portion of this project. With all the frustrations I have been encountering, he may very well get the gig.
Song Report Number Seven: Cry Justice
To round out the song, I added touches of metallic percussion to various sections of the song, while eliminating texture from other passages. Adding EQ, de-essing, and compression yielded a balanced, full tone. Clearly this song is one the latest Redline Project tracks, because the recording techniques used sound significantly superior to earlier specimens.
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