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Post by forgotteng on Oct 17, 2022 16:46:05 GMT -6
So here is a long gratuitous post about my love for recording. At the end of last year I was asked to move out of my studio of 8 years so the landlord could do something else with the space. Although far from perfect, the room was mine and it was 1200 sq. ft. of a playground filled with racks of analog gear and amps and pianos drum kits and fun. All of that went into storage. A friend offered to let me work out of a room in his humble studio that was designed for in the box, track and replace it/fix it in the mix recording. I tried to compress 1200 sq. ft. of my life work into a 130 sq. ft. editing room and a tiny vocal booth that I hate. It was a soul suck. I stopped taking jobs because I needed to figure out a new way to work. I thought about hanging it up and becoming a Reverb store. I tracked some vocals in the live room and had to send everyone home because the math was all wrong and the vocals sounded like trash. I had to regroup and figure out my chain and methods. I finally decided to give it another go and I finally received my Stam SA47MKII that I waited a long time for. It had been sitting in a corner for a couple of months because I didn't have any work to use it on. Today I tracked a vocal project and all of the sudden, it all came together and reminded me why I enable my craziness. The vocal chain was a the Stam 47 into a Cranborne Camden 500 into a Manley ELOP compressor into my MOTU AVB interface all connected with cable that I lovingly soldered myself. The singers were incredibly talented and the tracks sounded amazing. I didn't need any plugins,(yet) and the tracks sounded finished with a little parallel compression from a Stam SA33609. Now I'm not saying that that particular vocal chain was the best or the only thing that works but in that moment the quality of all those components came together. I thought about the crap that Josh, Eva Anne, myself and others had to swim through to bring those creations into being. It doesn't make sense on paper. its not wise from a business standpoint or a social standpoint. It's downright crazy. But what I heard coming out of those speakers made me want to not quit. In a day where the value of what we do seems to have very little value, it gave me joy. Over $10,000 worth of matter for a mere $300 session. But it made sense to me. In sharing this I have no other agenda then to put it out there for other friends that I've never even met who are most likely just as crazy as me. Soldier on brothers and sisters of the craft.
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Post by gwlee7 on Oct 17, 2022 16:49:55 GMT -6
Don’t mind me… I am just basking in your happiness.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Oct 17, 2022 20:31:11 GMT -6
At the end of last year I was asked to move out of my studio of 8 years so the landlord could do something else with the space. Although far from perfect, the room was mine and it was 1200 sq. ft. of a playground filled with racks of analog gear and amps and pianos drum kits and fun. All of that went into storage. A friend offered to let me work out of a room in his humble studio that was designed for in the box, track and replace it/fix it in the mix recording. I tried to compress 1200 sq. ft. of my life work into a 130 sq. ft. editing room and a tiny vocal booth that I hate. It was a soul suck. I stopped taking jobs because I needed to figure out a new way to work. I thought about hanging it up and becoming a Reverb store. Sounds familiar. Working in my bedroom right now and dying. |
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Post by forgotteng on Oct 17, 2022 20:35:01 GMT -6
At the end of last year I was asked to move out of my studio of 8 years so the landlord could do something else with the space. Although far from perfect, the room was mine and it was 1200 sq. ft. of a playground filled with racks of analog gear and amps and pianos drum kits and fun. All of that went into storage. A friend offered to let me work out of a room in his humble studio that was designed for in the box, track and replace it/fix it in the mix recording. I tried to compress 1200 sq. ft. of my life work into a 130 sq. ft. editing room and a tiny vocal booth that I hate. It was a soul suck. I stopped taking jobs because I needed to figure out a new way to work. I thought about hanging it up and becoming a Reverb store. Sounds familiar. Working in my bedroom right now and dying. It's not easy. I feel your pain. |
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 18, 2022 5:23:09 GMT -6
You (we) are wise to focus on the “why” we do this, not the “why bother”!
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Post by forgotteng on Oct 18, 2022 5:41:18 GMT -6
You (we) are wise to focus on the “why” we do this, not the “why bother”! I like the way you put that. |
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 18, 2022 5:46:50 GMT -6
Personal experience, have found for a few years, when I am working on a songI am engaged and enjoying the creative challenges, after finishing a song, feel like selling everything and paying off my big tax bill !  Just finishing my next album, creating new music is what its all about ! |
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Post by svart on Oct 18, 2022 7:31:28 GMT -6
After years of trying my own "vocal booths" or getting tracks from "vocal booths" I've learned to not use "vocal booths" of any sort no matter how well made. If you can't stretch your arms out fully and turn 360 in a room, then it's TOO SMALL to even think about vocals.
Mic slightly off center in the largest available room for me from now on, even if I have to sit in the same room and use headphones to monitor.
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Post by thehightenor on Oct 18, 2022 8:42:03 GMT -6
Personal experience, have found for a few years, when I am working on a songI am engaged and enjoying the creative challenges, after finishing a song, feel like selling everything and paying off my big tax bill ! Just finishing my next album, creating new music is what its all about ! I have a new live band and we've started gigging - it's my original music and all the guys in the band are really experienced superb players, I'm really lucky as they're really into my song writing and give their time for free. But I'm up against a sea of tribute bands - the venues book about 85% tribute acts and 15% original music .... I find it a bit depressing running a original band here in 2022 feels like we're a dinosaur! Personally, and I'm not knocking anyone per say, I just don't get the desire to be in a tribute band at the weekends - it's a human juke box to my way of thinking. But it's made me realise why I got into music - it's exactly what you just said - to create new and original music (even if only the cat listens to it and I don't even have a cat) the joy of creating something new, original and hopefully fab is my motivation to keep going. There is nothing like the feeling of finishing a great song that seemed to come from nowhere. |
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Post by svart on Oct 18, 2022 8:57:29 GMT -6
Personal experience, have found for a few years, when I am working on a songI am engaged and enjoying the creative challenges, after finishing a song, feel like selling everything and paying off my big tax bill ! Just finishing my next album, creating new music is what its all about ! I have a new live band and we've started gigging - it's my original music and all the guys in the band are really experienced superb players, I'm really lucky as they're really into my song writing and give their time for free. But I'm up against a sea of tribute bands - the venues book about 85% tribute acts and 15% original music .... I find it a bit depressing running a original band here in 2022 feels like we're a dinosaur! Personally, and I'm not knocking anyone per say, I just don't get the desire to be in a tribute band at the weekends - it's a human juke box to my way of thinking. But it's made me realise why I got into music - it's exactly what you just said - to create new and original music (even if only the cat listens to it and I don't even have a cat) the joy of creating something new, original and hopefully fab is my motivation to keep going. There is nothing like the feeling of finishing a great song that seemed to come from nowhere. I know a few folks in cover bands. They tend to like it because they get to play music they like and make money but mostly because they don't have to "be in a band". They don't have to write music, worry about feelings and egos of who gets credits and whatnot. They just learn their parts of popular songs, learn the setlist and they go and play. Usually when someone in one of these cover bands starts trying to push original material, it also means changing the dynamic of the band and usually ends up with power struggles and folks start leaving. |
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Post by mcirish on Oct 18, 2022 9:20:36 GMT -6
The cover band thing is a sore spot for me. My original band has members that play in other bands that do covers. They play every single week. As an original artist, I end up having to travel to get gigs, and many don't pay well. Personally, it's the writing and recording new songs that makes it worthwhile for me. I'm not drawn to the jukebox thing. There isn't any creativity in it.
OK.. back on topic.
I love those times when things fall together and your excitement level is renewed. Sometimes it's just a piece of new gear or working with a great singer that can do it. I also agree on the vocal booth hate. Never again. I have a one room studio 20x20 with a drum kit, piano, amps and all the recording gear happily living together. It's a bit tight at times but I like the connection you get when working in the same room. And... no boxy booth sound you can never EQ out.
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Post by thehightenor on Oct 18, 2022 13:12:51 GMT -6
I have a new live band and we've started gigging - it's my original music and all the guys in the band are really experienced superb players, I'm really lucky as they're really into my song writing and give their time for free. But I'm up against a sea of tribute bands - the venues book about 85% tribute acts and 15% original music .... I find it a bit depressing running a original band here in 2022 feels like we're a dinosaur! Personally, and I'm not knocking anyone per say, I just don't get the desire to be in a tribute band at the weekends - it's a human juke box to my way of thinking. But it's made me realise why I got into music - it's exactly what you just said - to create new and original music (even if only the cat listens to it and I don't even have a cat) the joy of creating something new, original and hopefully fab is my motivation to keep going. There is nothing like the feeling of finishing a great song that seemed to come from nowhere. I know a few folks in cover bands. They tend to like it because they get to play music they like and make money but mostly because they don't have to "be in a band". They don't have to write music, worry about feelings and egos of who gets credits and whatnot. They just learn their parts of popular songs, learn the setlist and they go and play. Usually when someone in one of these cover bands starts trying to push original material, it also means changing the dynamic of the band and usually ends up with power struggles and folks start leaving. Fortunately, in my band everyone is a musician who has decided and realised writing definitely isn't their strong card, they joined the project because the band has a dedicated composer/ songwriter. I actually create their parts for them and chart them out and they play what I've written (with their own twists and interpretations) I run the band, book the gigs, provide the PA and IEM system they turn up and rehearse and play the gigs. I'm their Donald Fagen - they're my LA session band (so to speak ) It's a beautiful thing, a symbiosis of mutual respect. There's absolutely no egos. I'm there benevolent dictator  Of course, it works and is predicated on the unsaid fact, everybody knows as fun as it is and as quality as the writing hopefully is - I'll never make any money at it and therefore there's no bun fight to be had over money :-) You're 100% right if there was money involved the dynamic would rapidly change! Anyway, there's way more bitching in tribute acts IME. |
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Post by forgotteng on Oct 18, 2022 13:54:45 GMT -6
After years of trying my own "vocal booths" or getting tracks from "vocal booths" I've learned to not use "vocal booths" of any sort no matter how well made. If you can't stretch your arms out fully and turn 360 in a room, then it's TOO SMALL to even think about vocals. Mic slightly off center in the largest available room for me from now on, even if I have to sit in the same room and use headphones to monitor. Absolutely agree. In my old studio it was an open room design and I could see the vocalist. No room reflexions and communication was immediate. No talkback mics no communication boundaries. I hate vocal booths. |
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Post by geoff738 on Oct 18, 2022 21:33:38 GMT -6
I was going to add my own recording love/woes comment, but I don’t want to hijack the thread. I’ve been meaning to write something kinda/sorta along these lines for months. I may at some point, but in the meantime let me just say I feel your pain, and wish you the best going forward.
Cheers,
Geoff
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,107 
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Post by ericn on Oct 19, 2022 10:13:57 GMT -6
Personal experience, have found for a few years, when I am working on a songI am engaged and enjoying the creative challenges, after finishing a song, feel like selling everything and paying off my big tax bill ! Just finishing my next album, creating new music is what its all about ! I have a new live band and we've started gigging - it's my original music and all the guys in the band are really experienced superb players, I'm really lucky as they're really into my song writing and give their time for free. But I'm up against a sea of tribute bands - the venues book about 85% tribute acts and 15% original music .... I find it a bit depressing running a original band here in 2022 feels like we're a dinosaur! Personally, and I'm not knocking anyone per say, I just don't get the desire to be in a tribute band at the weekends - it's a human juke box to my way of thinking. But it's made me realise why I got into music - it's exactly what you just said - to create new and original music (even if only the cat listens to it and I don't even have a cat) the joy of creating something new, original and hopefully fab is my motivation to keep going. There is nothing like the feeling of finishing a great song that seemed to come from nowhere. As I am diving back into more SR, your the kind of band I love working with, the tribute acts all seam to think they are the real deal and think they should have a similar rider. Hell I’m waiting to see a BOC tribute band so I can ask Don for a copy of the rider to compare. I Know what my rig is I know what it can and can’t do! However a couple of weeks ago the singer songwriter did a no show, it turned into YouTube Karaoke, I started looking for Anteras Auto tune boxes online. After 1/2 an hour I explained to the venue owner that I could not be part of it because nobody had the permission or rights so I could not be there. |
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Post by stratboy on Oct 19, 2022 19:31:32 GMT -6
I was in a club last weekend that had a sign in the ‘green room’
“No Covers. If you didn’t write it, don’t play it.”
Boy, was that refreshing!
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,107
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Post by ericn on Oct 19, 2022 20:47:54 GMT -6
I was in a club last weekend that had a sign in the ‘green room’ “No Covers. If you didn’t write it, don’t play it.” Boy, was that refreshing! The sad part is it has more to do with BMI/ASCAP than attitude. |
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Post by bossanova on Oct 19, 2022 23:07:38 GMT -6
I’ve been back to writing/tracking/mixing solo since 2020 when the band went on hiatus and eventually broke up, but: one of the best experiences I had last year was watching a young band tracking completely live off the floor in a pristine live room (the drummer was sealed off with a window) into an RND 5088 console. The singer was playing guitar and singing into an M88, in a circle with the lead guitar, bass, and direct keyboard.
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Post by stratboy on Oct 20, 2022 10:04:35 GMT -6
I was in a club last weekend that had a sign in the ‘green room’ “No Covers. If you didn’t write it, don’t play it.” Boy, was that refreshing! The sad part is it has more to do with BMI/ASCAP than attitude. True, but that said, I raise a glass to original music and the venues that support it! |
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