Saturday, December 27, 2014

FCA Boots - 271214

Sponsored by "Joy Division/New Order".

Programmed/edited various MIDI drums parts in CE5 using the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/Kore Player Sky Kit. Tricky rhythms to program/edit and I may have to revisit some of the parts at some stage, but it's in pretty good nick beatswise.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Friday, December 26, 2014

Never Had It To Lose It - 261214

Sponsored by "John T. Baker".

Finished off editing the Squier Strat parts in CE5. Did quite a clear out of parts and there's a lot more "room" in the mix now. Feeling more optimistic about the track. Needs a good "dub-up" and a careful mix and then we're away...

Time to move on.

Regards,


djp


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Never Had It To Lose It - 231214

Sponsored by "John Fogerty etc.".

Started work on editing the Squier Strat parts in CE5. A lot of work to do. Not sure if it's going to make the cut as an album track, to be honest, but I'll keep plugging away at it, 'cos that's how I roll...;-).

This is my last session on the project before Christmas, and I'll be doing my usual Facebook blanket blackout from tomorrow p.m., so I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you all for your attention and interest. See you all after the festivities!

Regards,


djp

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Never Had It To Lose It - 141214

Sponsored by "Iggy Pop etc.".

Managed to sneak in a quick session, editing the Ric bass parts in CE5. Coming together quite nicely, if I do say so myself.

Not sure if I'll be managing any further sessions this week. The end of the week is going to be disrupted, in a nice way of course, by the return of Younger Daughter from her five-month study session in Sweden. I'm sure the place will be in a state of chassis in the meantime and thereafter...;-).

Regards,


djp


Saturday, December 13, 2014

My Troubles Are As Nothing Compared To Yours - 131214

Sponsored by "Icystew".

Edited the MIDI drum parts in CE5. Also edited the brass parts mentioned  yesterday. Sound much better now, thaks for askin'...;-).

The track isn't 100% tight, due to my lack of guitar/bass playing prowess, but it's as near as dammit and it works for me. Time to move on...

Regards,


djp

Friday, December 12, 2014

My Troubles Are As Nothing Compared To Yours - 121214

Sponsored by "Ian Dury".

Edited the Ric and Godman 12-string parts in CE5. That came together rather easily, with the bare minimum (comparatively speaking) of tweaking.

Having much time to spare, I programmed  and edited a variety of MIDI VST plugins via the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/HALion One/Brass Fanfare/Mixed Percussion/Nanotron/Kore Player Sky Kit. Not too sure about the brass parts - they're a bit tricky to blend in easily with the...er...analogue timing of the 12-string and bass parts. Let's see...

Must do some more working on editing the drum parts. A job for next week, methinks...

Regards,


djp

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Iye - 111214

Sponsored by "I Heard Something In The Distance".

Finished off editing the Squier Strat parts in CE5. One or two technical glitches with the PC, but nothing major.

The track is in pretty good shape for the moment. Time to move on...

Regards,


djp



Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Iye - 101214

Sponsored by "Holger Czukay".

The day started well, with a quick flit up the M7 to Dublin where my Roland Juno-D had just has its contacts replaced. It can see wonderfully well now, all thanks to James Killilea of Sonic Repair Services.

In the afternoon, I thought I'd be able to start editing the Squier Strat parts for IYE in CE5. However, my PC decided that this was the day to get a dose of the scutters. It took numerous attempts (followed by equally-numerous hard reboots. And a kick) to get CE5 to open and run properly. I did manage to go through each of the six separate parts and at least identify those elements that I won't be using.

So I'll have another go at it tomorrow and see what I can come up with. Like ...INDECISION yesterday, the edit won't really be complete until the vocals are in place and I see (or hear, to be more accurate) what's what...

Til tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

I Choose Indecision - 091214

Sponsored by "Hawkwind".

Finished off editing the Squier Strat parts in CE5. Stripped them pretty much to the bone, but as I said yesterday, there may be scope for further editing when the vocals are tracked.

I also tracked audio for the various MIDI VST plugin synth parts using the Behringer Xenyx 1202, as I need to do some drop-outs on the synth parts, and it's as handy to do them in audio as against VST. But maybe that's just me.

The track is pretty much done for the moment. I have a road trip to Dublin tomorrow, to collect the Roland Juno-D from the vet, but if I have enough time in the afternoon, I might be able to do some editing on another track. At least I have a choice in the matter...;-).

Regards,


djp

Monday, December 8, 2014

I Choose Indecision - 071214

Sponsored by "Harry Nilsson".

Did a lot of work on the Squier Strat parts in CE5. I have more work to do tomorrow, but I suspect that I won't be finished editing these parts until such time as I have some vocals to work against. Which won't be for a while yet...;-).

Regards,


djp

Friday, December 5, 2014

I Choose Indecision - 051214

Sponsored by "Futureheads".

Finished off editing the Ric bass parts in CE5. Took a bit more time than I thought, and, in keeping with the track's title, there were a few moments where I got completely lost in cut'n'pasting and I didn't really know what to do. But I got it sorted eventually. Go Me!

I also edited the MIDI drum parts to sort out some stray kicks.

The track is in pretty good shape, but more editing is required next week.

Regards,


djp

Sunday, November 30, 2014

I Choose Indecision - 301114

Sponsored by "Field Music".

After a hiatus, I decided to crack on with the project, so I started editing the Ric bass parts in CE5. Not complete, but another day should do it. Coming along nicely.

Regards,


djp

Thursday, November 20, 2014

I Can Explain...Everything - 201114

Sponsored by "Dub etc.".

Finished off editing the Squier Strat parts in CE5, Also edited the Stylophone parts and had another cut at the Ric bass parts. In pretty good nick now, but I'm sure there will be more edits when it comes time to dub it up.

Sounding like potential EP material. Something has to be EP material.

Off on a road-trip for the next few days, so I won't be working on the album for a while. Such is life...

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

I Can Explain...Everything- 111114

Sponsored by "Daniel Prendiville". Self-praise is no praise, so they say...;-)

Edited the Ric bass part and most of the Squier Strat parts in CE5. Less about cutting and pasting and more about muting the parts inna dub stylee.

More work to do,but I won't be doing it tomorrow, because I'm on a road trip...

Regards,


djp

Monday, November 10, 2014

FCA Boots - 101114

Sponsored by "Daniel Land".

Productive day. I had only planned to edit the Ric bass parts, but I also managed to edit the Squier Strat parts too. All this while waiting for a phone call. Still waiting at time of writing.

Some small tweaks remain, which I will address tomorrow.

Track sounds great, BTW - thanks for askin'...

Regards,


djp

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Me & The Fly - 091114

Sponsored by "Creedence Clearwater Revival".

Had another pop at editing the Squier Strat parts in CE5 and after a few hours I actually think I found myself back where I started. That, as they say, is hurlin'...

I also programmed a MIDI synth part using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/FM8. Not particularly inspired, so I ended up chucking most of it, but the track's in pretty good nick, so it's time to move on.

More tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Me & The Fly - 061114

Sponsored by "Colin Blake".

Edited the Squier Strat parts in CE5. Some further tweaking required but very nearly "there".

Road trip tomorrow, so no work on the album. That's hurlin'...

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Me & The Fly - 291014

Sponsored by "Brian Eno".

Edited the Ric bass parts in CE5. Sound pretty good now.

Back to the real world tomorrow. I might be able to spots of editing over the next few evenings. Or not...

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Helicopter Shots Of The City - 281014

Sponsored by "The Boomtown Rats".

Programmed a strings-y MIDI part in CE5, using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/HALion One SynStrings. Edited in CE5.

The track is now ready for the next stage. Time to move on.

More work tomorrow...

Regards,


djp

Monday, October 27, 2014

Helicopter Shots Of The City - 271014

Sponsored by "Bob Mould etc."

Frustrating, but ultimately rewarding, morning today. Programmed a number of MIDI parts in CE5 using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/4Front Rhode. Edited in CE5.

My PC decided that today was the day to start acting the maggot, so I had quite a number of screen-freeze/hard reboot situations.My own occasional lack of decision didn't help here wither. But I kept plugging away at it and eventually got a satisfactory result.

A little more programming tomorrow and then I think the track is ready to dub-up.

Regards,


djp

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Accents - 251014

Sponsored by "Bob Dylan".

Busy day today. Programmed a variety of MIDI parts in CE5 using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/HALion One Vintage Kit and SynStrings/Prologue Trill Pad. I also edited the various vocal parts in CE5, to fit in better with the MIDI parts I'd programmed.

The track sounds really good now. I'm at the point of either adding more elements to it or leaving it be. My preference is for the former, so that I can have scope for dubbing things up. I'll have a go at this next week.

Another one nearly done...

Regards,


djp

Friday, October 24, 2014

FCA Boots - 241014

Sponsored by "Blues etc.".

Most satisfactory morning. Tracked 12 Squier Strat parts on the Tascam 2488 via the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

I had no idea that the track would have as much potential as it (potentially) has. Should be a key track on the album.

And so it seems, as mentioned yesterday, that, to use a cinematic analogy, "principal photography" has been completed on the album. In other words, the main musical non-digital elements have been recorded. A lot of editing beckons over the next few weeks, with some further MIDI programming. And then the real fun starts!

More work beckons next week. And then a return to the "real world", Bummer...;-).

Regards,


djp

Thursday, October 23, 2014

FCA Boots - 231014

Sponsored by "Bleep Podcast".

New track today.

Tracked 10 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488, using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

This is going to be another one of the those mad tracks I've done in the past with multiple time signatures. Not unlike this, in many ways...:-



And, as it turns out that I've now actually addressed all the potential track titles for the new album, this will probably turn out to have been the last bass tracking session for the album. How fitting, therefore, that I should mark the occasion by tracking while wearing my dressing gown. Again...

I'm hitting a pivotal point in the project about 9 weeks early. Which can't be a bad thing, yes...?

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

My Troubles Are As Nothing Compared To Yours - 221014

Sponsored by "Black Sabbath".

Tracked 9 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

The track has, unintentionally, taken on a slight resemblance to this...:-


...and no harm in that.

Incidentally, I only realised this morning that the title I had originally intended for this track was "My Problems Are As Nothing Compared To Yours". Think I prefer "troubles" myself.

May start a new track tomorrow. Who knows?

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

My Troubles Are As Nothing Compared To Yours - 211014

Sponsored by "Bjork".

Started work on a new piece today. Tracked 7 parts of electro-acoustic 12-string guitar on the Tascam 2488 - DI'd. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

To those of you unfamiliar with my cheap'n'cheerful 12-string, say hello to my Godman...


As you know, I can't really play guitar in the conventional sense, but I was able to track 4 parts on a modal drone (is that what I meant?), with 2 Echo & The Bunnymen-esque melodic lines picked on the G-strings, and an occasional upstrum. The melodic lines will need some editing, but the main parts tend to mask each other's flaws, so I'll pretty much leave them alone.

I can hear bass parts (tomorrow), and banks of choral vocals (much later).

And all of this was recorded while I was wearing my dressing gown. Phew, rock'n'roll, eh...?

Regards,


djp

Monday, October 20, 2014

Helicopter Shots Of The City - 201014

Sponsored by "Bing Satellites".

I was supposed to start work on a new track today, but the real world intervened and I had to change my plans. Luckily, I have a backlog of matters musical to attend to...;-).

Edited the various Squier Strat parts in CE5. Also did a little edit on the MIDI drum parts. I hear synths...

Hopefully I should be able to start on the new track tomorrow.

Sweden went great, BTW. Younger Daughter is keeping well, if somewhat penurious. Got back to Ireland yesterday tired, a little bit sad and somewhat out-of-pocket. But it had to be done, so you'll hear no complaints from me...;-).

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Me & The Fly - 141014

Sponsored by "Bill Nelson etc."

Very productive session this morning. Tracked 15 Squier Strat parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

There are two different sets of parts - the first set has a dirty fuzz tone which lends the track a bizarre swampy lo-fi electronic feel, whereas the second set is more clean and dub-friendly. Either set works in their own right - the trick is how to combine them successfully. At this stage, I can envisage a "single" version of the track with a simpler mix and an "album" version which might just be maaaayn-tull...

Which brings me to an interesting stage in the project. I think I will definitely work on one more track for the album before breaking for Christmas, even though I have some more "spare" titles floating around. If I get to finish off that one track, I'll be happy - if I manage a few more, then bonus. As it stands, I have a shipload of editing to do that'll keep me going for a while. In the New Year, I'll start bringing the tracks "home" in terms of lyrics, vocals, additional tracking and editing, and mixing/mastering. And all that that entails. So that's me out of the snooker halls for the first half of 2015, then.

And in the meantime, we are off to Sweden tomorrow to see Younger Daughter. Should be a blast - but not on the aeroplane, hopefully...

Regards,


djp

Monday, October 13, 2014

Me & The Fly - 131014

Sponsored by "Be Bop Deluxe"

Frustrating, but ultimately successful tracking session today - tracked 11 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

The beats are inspired, in part, by this:-



And everything progressed nicely, until I found myself doing a variation of the bass riff off "Whole Lotta Love", and followed that with a vaguely sub-prog melodic bass line which finishes with a Wobble-esque flourish.

Something odd in the water today, obviously...;-).

Found the simple parts difficult to play, and the difficult parts easy. What's with that?

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Me & The Fly - 121014

Sponsored by "Band Of Heathens".

New track - programmed 3 MIDI beat parts in CE5 using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/HALion One Tekno Kit. Edited in CE5.

Hope to track Ric/Squier Strat parts for this over the next few days. Quick and nasty. This track (if it ever gets finished) is a candidate for the lead single from the album.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Never Had It To Lose It - 111014

Sponsored by "Augustus Pablo".

Due to an unexpected turn of events (more a case of "I told you I was going to Dublin today - you never listen..."), I managed to have a brief, but productive tracking session this morning. I recorded 10 Squier Strat parts on the Tascam 2488, via the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

I should be able to squeeze in another two tracking sessions before heading to Sweden next week.

Go, me!

Regards,


djp

Friday, October 10, 2014

Never Had It To Lose It - 101014

Sponsored by "August 2014".

In total contrast with yesterday, had an absolute breeze, tracking 12 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488, via the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

The parts are mostly variations on a standard parts, with a handful of non-sequitors thrown in for good measure. Very satisfying.

Not sure how much work I'll be able to do over the next few days. Things are going to pretty busy around here, since we're all heading off to Sweden next week to see Younger Daughter for a few days. I might manage to sneak in a few tracking sessions, but I wouldn't swear to that.

And speaking of Sweden...



God eftermiddag, vänner ...

Regards,


djp

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Iye - 091014

Sponsored by "ATL Introducing... New Irish Music".

Had a very frustrating morning tech-wise. Two computers decided that today was the day to start acting up. The fact that one of the computers was only bought five days ago just added to the annoyance.

But eventually I managed to track 6 Squier Strat parts on the Tascam 2488, using the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

The parts are really just little snatches of guitar sound that I can dub up for the track. They're not really that good taken in isolation (I could've tracked 66 parts and they'd still sound crap), but I should be able to edit something decent out of the various parts.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Friday, September 26, 2014

Another re-release...

I mentioned recently that my Reverbnation store is closing down and that I need to migrate some of my archival releases from Reverbnation to Bandcamp. Well, here's another one...



TANTRUM EGO was my first album, which I released in 1999. It was rough and ready and recorded under difficult circumstances on crappy equipment, but I think it still sounds great, and there are some fine songs (if only lyric-wise) on the album. I seem to recall that the album was mixed/mastered the night before I was due to take the family off on a camping holiday in France. I was up til 2.30 in the morning doing the business. As it happens, my PC kept breaking down during the rendering process, so I never got to hear any of the tracks in its entirety while mixing. I'm surprised it sounds anything like palatable in that case.

A certain Mr. Dave Gregory from XTC said some nice words about the opening track, Every Bump In The Road. I was well-chuffed. Possibly one of two highlights of my "career" so far - the other being one of the tracks from HELLHOLE getting mentioned in dispatches by Tom Robinson last year...

In 2000, I did a sort of "companion" release, called MUTANT OGRE (it's an anagram, innit...?) which featured a couple of remixes (one done by the mysterious DJ Arse) plus me singing one of the TANTRUM... tracks in Italian. Geddowdahee, as you might say. Also included on the album were some recordings taken off an answering machine, where I'd asked a number of people to ring my phone and leave some messages which I'd scripted for them. No Oscar-winning performances (sorry, guys...) but all done in a spirit of fun.

In releasing TANTRUM... on Bandcamp, I decided to "enhance" it by bundling-in the MUTANT... tracks. So now you know what way my mind was working back in the day...:-).

I can tell you're not surprised...

Regards,


djp

I Choose Indecision - 260914

Sponsored by "All Songs Considered".

Tracked 11 Squier Strat parts on the Tascam 2488 via the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Another "jam" session - just looking for bits and pieces to use dubwise. The track doesn't really need guitars per se, so all the more reason to put them in. Came up with some mad stuff that might be considered "lead", but only by non-guitarists...;-).

I'm off on two extended jaunts to Europe over the next few weeks, so I won't be doing any more tracking for a while. I have a shipload of editing to do, so that will keep me out of the pool halls...

...and speaking of ships, mine has come in - finally. Those who know, know. Those who don't will just have to die wondering...;-).

Regards,


djp

Thursday, September 25, 2014

I Choose Indecision - 250914

Sponsored by "Album In A Day".

Tracked 12 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Given the vaguely Simple Minds-y/Derek Forbes-ish/eurofunk stylee bass parts I came up with, I couldn't use my plectrum to play the bass, so I have developed quite a nice blister for myself on my fingertip. Mother always said that there'd be trouble if I insisted on fingering my Ric. Here all week, tell your friends...;-).

More tracking tomorrow (hopefully...).

Regards,


djp



Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Helicopter Shots Of The City - 170914

Sponsored by "90s Music".

Edited the Ric bass parts in CE5. Coming together nicely.

That's all for the moment. Real life impinges on me again tomorrow. Dang...;-).

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

I Can Explain...Everything - 160914

Sponsored by "80s Music".

Similar to yesterday, I "jammed" and tracked 6 Strat parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Plenty of fun ahead with editing. Don't you just love structured activities?

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Monday, September 15, 2014

I Can Explain...Everything - 150914

Sponsored by "70s Music".

Tracked 5 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Because of the mad, random nature of the track (as you will eventually discover), I decided to "jam" the bass parts rather than meticulously composing/recording as I do, section by section. The 5 bass parts use the same pattern which acts as a counter rhythm to the beats, but the parts start in different places in the track in comparison with the beats. I think I have found the most advantageous starting point, but this being vaguely dub-by, I will probably switch between the various parts, provided I can find enough decent bits within the parts to come up with something...er...decent.

I had a repeat of the issues I had last week with the bass tones changing during the tracking. The situation improved during the course of the session as it seemed that whatever is causing the problem "warmed up". I tried the Fender Jazz Bass in the same set-up after the "warming-up". Sounded fine (very different from the Ric...). I suspect the problem is with the Tascam. Although this doesn't seem to be a problem with dirty contacts, it probably could do with a bit of a clean up. If all else fails, I can always track on the Gulag Mobile. But I'd rather not.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Friday, September 12, 2014

Re-releases/Floaty Floaty/Tupolev Honey - 120914

Sponsored by "40s Music".

Reverbnation (the bastards) are shutting down their online music store at the end of this month. The Reverbnation site used to be my main online store for my releases which were not done through CD Baby. My Bandcamp store is now my main outlet, but I only opened that in recent years, so there's material on the Reverbnation store that isn't on the Bandcamp store. D'ye follow...?

So, in view of the imminent closure, I'm starting a programme of releasing material on Bandcamp that was previously exclusively available from Reverbnation. First up are the three EPs I released to promote my 2010 album HAPPY DAYS IN THE GULAG...

I'LL VISIT YOU IN PRISON



LUCKY DOPPELGANGERS...



...and STOP-GO GUY



There will be further releases over the next few weeks. Keep your eyes and ears peeled.

While I was rooting around for the wavs for these tracks, I came across files for tracks I'd been working on for HAPPY DAYS... but which, for whatever reason, remained unfinished.

FLOATY FLOATY is an experimental electronic instrumental based on a single VST plugin part. I'd obviously planned to do more with it at the time, but on listening to it now as is, it ties in nicely with the experimental stuff I'm doing for this project, so I mastered it in CE5/AA3. It'll either be an album track or an EP track. I'll know better closer to the day.

Meanwhile, TUPOLEV HONEY was about half-way finished, with a rockabilly drum loop rhythm and a MIDI piano take on Khachaturian's Sabre Dance...



...kinda sorta. I hear a walking bass part and some rockabilly guitar. And some vocals. If I have the time...;-).

So, a busy and productive day. How was yours...?;-).

Regards,


djp

Thursday, September 11, 2014

I Am A Shadow Of Your Former Self - 110914

Sponsored by "30s Music".

Finally mixed and mastered in CE5/AA3. Another one in the can, as it were.

More work tomorrow.

In other news, I have a significant road-trip this afternoon.  The recession is nearly over in the Gulag!

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Helicopter Shots Of the City - 030914

Sponsored by "John Fogerty".

Although not feeling the Mae West (I think I'm coming down with a lurgee), I still managed to track 11 Squier Strat parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Again, like yesterday, I had issues with the levels changing while recording. Not sure if it's the cables after all - I used a different set today, as well as a different "sans amp", and different guitar. The only things in common with yesterday were the power supply for the Pod, and (more worringly) the Tascam 2488. I sure hope there isn't a problem with the dedicated guitar input on the Tascam...

...anyway, that's a worry for another day. Looks like this month and the next might be disrupted by travelling, so I may be coming close to the end of Phase 1 of the project. Let's see what I can put in place by the end of the year, shall we...?;-).

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Helicopter Shots Of The City - 020914

Sponsored by "John Coltrane".

Finally got my act together and tracked 9 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488, using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Had some problems early on with cables, which meant I had to re-record some parts I'd thought I'd put to bed, but no bother. Quite a bit of editing required, but that goes with the territory.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,

djp

Monday, September 1, 2014

A Accident/I Am A Shadow Of Your Former Self - 010914

Sponsored by "Jimi Hendrix".

Plagued with technical problems today...:-(.

I didn't feel like tracking bass/guitar today, so I had a look to see what needed doing on the project, and found to my delight that I had two tracks ready to mix/master. I decided to give that a go...

A ACCIDENT

Mixed in CE5 and mastered in CE5/AA3. Benjy the Studio Cat doesn't like it. That's fine by me. He's a cat - what does he know?

...SHADOW...

Was all set to mix/master this, when the anti-virus software on my PC told me that one of the VST plugins used on the track, Motion 2.8, was actually a "trojan horse". This messed up the launching of CE5, but bizarrely the track would open but would only play some of the notes in the Motion 2.8 part. Strange that. I uninstalled/reinstalled CE5 and restored the project file from DVD to see if that would do the trick. No dice.

I wouldn't mind, but Motion 2.8 worked fine only a few days ago...

I was starting to desperate at this stage, until I remembered that I have CE5 on my laptop. I powered that up and found that Motion 2.8 worked fine. I did notice that the laptop was not connected to the internet, so obviously the anti-virus software was not as up-to-date as on the PC. Whatever.

I decided the thing to do would be to track the Motion 2.8 part in audio on the laptop and then transfer it to the PC. This eventually worked after several cock-ups, and I finally got a decent audio track. There was one big click on the track, but I sorted that with AA3.

So now I'm ready to mix/master the track at some stage in the future when I get a free day but don't feel like playin' geetarz...

As well that ends well, eh...?

Regards,

djp

Friday, August 29, 2014

Ceo

Ooops, how could I have forgotten?

This slipped out of the laboratory a few weeks back. If you haven't heard (of) it before, you have heard (of) it now...



It's supposed to remind you of the sensation of being trapped in fog. Not everyone shares that view. Tough on them...

Enjoy!

Regards,


djp

Helicopter Shots Of The City - 290814

Sponsored by "Jason Mundok".

Edited the various MIDI drum parts in CE5. I substituted a number of parts in Kore Player Sky Kit for HALion One parts with which I was not entirely satisfied.

That is all...

Regards,


djp


Thursday, August 28, 2014

Helicopter Shots Of The City - 280814

Sponsored by "January 2014" and "Japan/David Sylvian/Mick Karn".

Programmed a variety of MIDI drum parts in CE5, using the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/HALion One Jazzy Kit/Kore Player Sky Kit.

I hear a nice Wobble-esque bass line behind this. But that won't be for a while.

Two road trips over the weekend. Only one of them will be enjoyable...:-(.

Ah, me.

Regards,


djp

Friday, August 22, 2014

I Choose Indecision - 220814

Sponsored by "Hawkwind etc."

Eventful morning today. Had to rise at 2.30 a.m. to drive my younger daughter to Dublin Airport to catch an early morning flight to Sweden, where she will be studying for the next few months. Back home around 8.30, determined to make myself busy for the morning, even though I was feeling knackered.

In spite of my fatigue, I did some significant work on ...INDECISION. I finished programming and editing the drum parts in CE5, and then I programmed two addition synth parts using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/HALion One New Wave Synth/Minimogue VA Simsynth 3. The Minimogue part is arpeggiated, but for some reason that I cannot fathom, the pattern for the arpeggio changes towards the end of the track without my intervention. I've tried to program it a number of times but the same thing keeps happening. Maybe my VST plugins are haunted...;-). I'll stick with what I have, because the track is coming together very nicely.

Now I'm starting to flag, so I reckon it's the leaba for the afternoon. It'll probably turn out to be a nice afternoon, too. Bastid...

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

I Can Explain...Everything/Helicopter Shots Of The City - 200814

Sponsored by "Grizzly Bear".

...EVERYTHING

So I had a mad idea this morning and decided to record a musical instrument I'd never used before. Ladeeez and germz, I give you...

It's a Stylophone - imagine that...?


I'd bought this years ago at the height of the Celtic Tiger for the princely sum of €15 at the HMV in the Dundrum Town Centre (I think - don't hold me to that...).


Those of you of my generation, who lived in more innocent times, will remember that the Stylophone was promoted heavily by A Certain Person...


...but also that it featured heavily in David Bowie's SPACE ODDITY...


Anyway, I recorded three different tracks of Stylophone noodling on the Tascam 2488- not terribly well played, and not really sure if I'll use any of it, but it was fun to do.

While attempting to record the Stylophone, I accidentally connected the wrong set of cables to the Tascam, and ended up recording four minutes of electrical noise from the Phonic Firefly. It sounds vaguely like a helicopter, so I decided that I'd use that piece also in a new track I'd been planning, HELICOPTER SHOTS OF THE CITY.

All in all, a productive (if accidentally so) day.

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

I Can Explain...Everything/I Choose Indecision - 190814

Sponsored by "The Grateful Dead".

...EVERYTHING

Repeated yesterday's experience with the Loop Loft loops - different set today - DanceGate - and made up a fairly random beatbox drum part in CE5. Then programmed a number of VST plugin parts using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/Sophia_1_1 2y2les/ Gargoyle Intereference (not my spelling...). I was checking out another plugin, when I decided it was good enough to use in a separate track, so that lead to...

...INDECISION

Programmed a trance-y part using Predator Dance. I was attempting to programme drum parts using HALion One T8AnalogKit, but I kinda ran out of steam, so I decided to leave at that for the day.

More work tomorrow (hopefully)...

Regards,


djp

Monday, August 18, 2014

Never Had It To Lose It - 180814

Sponsored by "Gentle Giant".

Busy weekend last weekend. Younger Lassie had a joint 21st birthday celebration on Saturday night, in advance of her moving to Sweden for studies for four months (or so) this Friday. So things were hectic around here for the last few days and I'm still very much "in recovery".

That being said, I wasn't in much form for doing anything that involved guitars or basses, so I had a little poke around to see what was on my computer. I stumbled upon a folder containing samples of drum loops which I'd downloaded from the Loop Loft ages ago. I'm not a great fan of loops, as some of you might know, and I've only ever used them very sparingly throughout my output. But since I wasn't in the mood to program up a set of MIDI drum parts today, I imported the loops into a project file in CE5 and had a bit of fun playing around with them. After an hour or so, I came up with a reasonably coherent drum part, which has a touch of the Chemical Brothers about it.

I then programmed an arpeggiated VST plugin part on the Minimogue VA/Emerson's Tarkus, using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly. After editing in CE5, I tracked it to audio using the Behringer Xenyx 1202 and did audio cleanup in AA3. For the gas of it, I tracked the same part in audio, but this time messed around with the oscillators on the Minimogue. Interesting - some parts work well in unison, while I can cut between other parts.

I also programmed a strings part using HALion One/JP Analog Stringpad. After editing, I tracked to audio and did audio cleanup. Without being aware of doing so, the JP part is somewhat similar to the Minimogue parts, but a little out of sequence, so there's an unintended "round" effect between the three parts.

I can hear certain bass parts, which I may have to track without one or other of the synths, because there's an awful of "music" in there. Must leave room for the Strat too.

Could be interesting...

Hopefully more work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Friday, August 15, 2014

Iye - 150814

Sponsored by "Funk etc."

Edited the Ric bass parts in CE5. Quite a lot of cutting and pasting. Everything sounds fine when you're listening at a superficial, but once things get forensic, all the fluffs were painfully apparent...

...but I've got a pretty decent bass line edited together now. No doubt there will be tweaks along the way..;-).

Now, what's for lunch?

Regards,


djp

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Iye - 140814

Sponsored by "Free etc.".

Oh now, that was very satisfactory!

Haven't touched the Ric in a while, so I decided to have a pop at doing the bass parts for this track today. Did 12 different parts, using the Tascam 2488 and the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

There's now a nice muscular Simple Minds/Derek Forbes/eurofunk vibe going on here, a la this:-



I plan to track some Squier Strat parts in the near future, but there's a lot of (good) stuff goin' on chez moi these days, so I can't be sure when I'll be able to crack on with another session. Keep tuned, nonetheless...;-).

Regards,


djp

Friday, August 1, 2014

Accents - 010814

Sponsored by "Ella Fitzgerald etc."

Based on my infamous spreadsheet, as referred to yesterday, I inserted 49 clips from the 78s into the relevant CE5 project file. I might have to re-do some of the clips, in that I may have edited them a little too tightly, but it's not a huge problem.

Beyond that, there isn't much more I can do with the track until I actually start, y'know, writing music and stuff.

Catch you on the flip side.

Regards,


djp

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Accents - 310714

Sponsored by "Electronic etc."

Completed editing the various 78 clips in AA3. Because I want to do a mash-up between two different tracks, and yet have a semi-coherent "storyline", I ran up a quick spreadsheet in OpenOffice Calc with the file names and a textual transcript of the files. I used the spreadsheet to determine the order of the files in the final mix. I know, a spreadsheet. It's just my way of doing the William S. Burroughs cut-up method...;-)

The order seems to be pretty OK, so tomorrow I will create a CE5 project file for the track and insert the various files in order. After that, I'll just have to compose a musical "bed" for the track. Seeemples.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Accents - 300714

Sponsored by "Elbow".

You may be aware that part of my creative process when working on an album is to stockpile a load of working titles for potential tracks. I have no idea what was going through my head a while back when I proposed to call a track for this album ACCENTS, but that's not a bad thing, because it now means I can do what I like with the title, without being tied to any legacy preconceptions.

As part of my project working on the 78s, I came across a number of "novelty" records. A number of these were "comedic" spoken-word monologues delivered in thick Irish brogues (is there any other kind?). So I decided to take two of these tracks, cut-up the monologues in AA3 and mash them together to see what I come up with. Hopefully I can find a lyrical point to this, otherwise it's just me feck-acting about...;-).

I have one track done so far, and I plan to do another one tomorrow.

I may do a simple drum and bass backing for the track, but that's for the future.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

I Am A Shadow Of Your Former Self - 290714

Sponsored by "Editors".

Completed adding a number of 78 "elements" to the track in CE5. Spent way too much time playing around with the various wav clips, but I think it's pretty sorted now, so I'll leave it for mixing/mastering at some date in the future.

Of course, I only went and did that stupid thing that happens in CE5 where I drag the transport panel off the screen and can't retrieve it. Pain in the bum. One can live with it other than for the fact that the transport panel also contains the L/R location indicators, which I normally use when rendering a master wav file, but it seems that CE5 will include in a mix anything that hasn't specifically been switched off, regardless of location. This seems to include delays which trail way past the end of the relevant wav clip. Will have to take that on trust then.

More work tomorrow, with an idea for a brand new track...

Regards,


djp

Monday, July 28, 2014

A Accident/I Am A Shadow Of Your Former Self - 280714

Sponsored by "Dummy".

I was off on holidays/family business in the UK last week. Came back on Saturday night, absolutely wiped. Did very little yesterday apart from mooching around the house. And holidays are supposed to be a time where the body is refreshed and restored to its optimal physical condition? As if...;-).

Before going on holidays, I'd finished sampling all those 78s. I've been left with over 6 and a half hours of audio recorded at 45 rpm. I think I have worked out how to resample it to equate, more-or-less, to 78 rpm - there may be some issues with pitch, but I'll have to get over that in due course. Still, I'll have a shipload of audio to go through to see if there is anything really useful in it.

In order to get cracking on with the project after my break, I had a look at A ACCIDENT, which I'd decided just needed a bit of 78 "business" to finish off. I opened up one of my 78 files in 45 rpm in AA3 and edited a clip which included the stylus connecting with the vinyl. I inserted it into the relevant project file in CE5. I edited a segment of that clip, which is essentially the run-in section without the "contact" and repeated that a number of times. Then I took the first, unedited, clip, reversed it and repeated that clip a number of times also. All the vinyl elements are treated differently using various VST plugins. The track is pretty much ready to mix/master now. It's going to be a track on an EP, so it's not going to be High Art, alright...?;-).

I also had a look at ...SHADOW... for potential 78 treatment. It doesn't need a huge amount of vinyl input. I took another clip from the same 78 files, which included a musical intro, and inserted it in various locations in the relevant CE5 project file. The clip had to be detuned by two semi-tones to fit with the rest of the track. This may well be my "rule-of-thumb" for the future. The clip is not going to work in all circumstances, so it's really a question of finding the best-sounding locations. I may look for other clips to fill out the track. Not sure if this track will actually make the album. Probably will, at this stage. Got to finish it first, of course.

Mad road-trip tonight, then more work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp


Wednesday, July 9, 2014

78s and all...

So, today I have been doing something rather unusual...

...sampling old 78s to see if there is anything worth using on this project.

The 78s came into my possession via my wife's family. As you can imagine, they're in rag order having been stored in a wooden box for many decades (as in, these were never played on anything other than a gramophone), and they're an odd mixture of musical hall acts, "standard" ballads and instrumental pieces.






I'm sampling them via my old Sony hi-fi turntable which only takes power from the amplifier, so I've had to drag the whole lot down from the attic for the purpose. The audio signal is recorded onto the Tascam 2488 with the turntable playing at 45 rpm. I'll speed them up in AA3 in due course.

Excuse the mess...


There must be close to 100 discs here, so this is going to take me an age to complete.

You may know that I'm not a great fan of vinyl - this whole upsurge of interest in the format just strikes me as being a vain attempt to recapture one's youth (buy a Sodastream and a Raleigh Chopper, why don'tcha...?) - but I have an absolute phobia about 78s. And here's why...

...back when I was a kid, in the town in which I grew up, we had an empty shop space which my mother would occasionally rent out to various wannabe business-types. When things were quiet and the space was empty, it would be used as a "communication centre" for the annual carnival. A PA system and turntable would be set up in the shop window and records would be played for several hours during the day. I even got a go on the turntable myself from time to time. The records generally came from a neighbour's daughter's collection and other sources and were generally the pop music of the late 60s/early 70s, with an unhealthy smattering of showband/country & Irish music thrown in for "good" measure.

One evening, I was sifting through the pile of discs when I came across on old 78 of Johnny Ray. I have no idea what the song was - I can only recall that it was on the Philips label (back in the day when that type of thing mattered...). I put on the record without giving it that much attention.

Boy was I in for a shock. The disc had been pressed off-centre and yawed from side to side ferociously, with the sound from the disc varying in pitch at an alarming rate. And there was poor Johnny, with his hearing-aid and all, sounding like he was scared to death, trying to sing while riding on a rollercoaster. It was a most unpleasant and frightening experience for me - it felt like Johnny had been trapped forever within the grooves of the 78, howling in varispeed agony.

I haven't played a 78 from that day to this.

I have to say that playing the discs today hasn't been quite as unpleasant as I'd feared. Yes, old scratchy vinyl played at the wrong speed sounds just as awful as you might imagine. But I'm thinking of all the people who were involved in the production of these discs:- composers, musicians, singers, studio techs, label owners, people in the pressing plants. All dead now. Not to mention the people who sold the discs - some were sold in bicycle shops for heaven's sake. All dead now.

Pretty much like the record industry, when you think of it.

These people deserve to be remembered and respected (although I'm sure some of them were disreputable in their various ways - no matter...).

Regards,


djp

Iye - 06 & 070714

Sponsored by "Cousin Silas" and "David Bowie".

I had two sessions with this track during the week, but due to technical problems with the internet I wasn't able to blog about them at the tine. Communication problems are sorted now (apparently...), so watch me catch up with meself big-time stylee...

060714

Programmed some MIDI drum parts in CE5 using the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/HALion One StereoGM/Kore Player Sky Kit. Some interesting Latin percussion stuff going on...

070714

Edited the MIDI drum parts in CE5. Also programmed/edited some melodic MIDI parts in CE5 using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/Kore Player Morning Sun/FM8/Minimogue VA Big Drift. Tracked these parts in audio via the Behringer Xenyx 1202 mixer.

Track sounds mighty now. More work required in the future.

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Tropes and Memes - 250614

Sponsored by "Brian Eno".

Edited the reverse Ebow Squier Strat parts in CE5. Cutting between three different parts. Sounds reasonably cohesive for an abstract type of thing. It will do for now. I also tweaked the Ric bass parts. As you do...

I'm off on a road trip for the rest of the week and off "forrin" for most of next week, so you won't hear from me for a while. I'm sure we could both do with the time apart...;-).

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Is Everybody Happy Yet?/Tropes and Memes - 240614

Sponsored by "Bob Mould".

...HAPPY...

Edited the Squier Strat parts in CE5 and tweaked the Ric bass parts. Everything sounds great now.

TROPES...

Edited the Ric bass parts. Essentially there is one part which is looped repeatedly, with various variations dropped in randomly. Sounds even better when I decided to "nudge" all the bass parts a couple of beats to the right.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Monday, June 23, 2014

Is Everybody Happy Yet? - 230614

Sponsored by "Bob Marley".

Finished off editing the Ric bass parts in CE5 and got most of the Squier Strat parts done too. Had some hassle with the PC freezing repeatedly - had to do a few hard reboots and nothing "saved" of course, so had to start from scratch each time  - and then, for no reason, the PC ran smoothly for the rest of the morning. Bit like Sebastian Vettel's car in the Austrian GP yesterday.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Friday, June 20, 2014

Is Everybody Happy Yet? - 200614

Sponsored by "Black Sabbath".

Edited most of the Ric bass parts in CE5. Coming together nicely. Hope to have them all edited over the weekend, with a bit of luck.

Peace out...

Regards,


djp

Thursday, June 19, 2014

This Is Going To Take, Like, Forever - 190614

Sponsored by "Bing Satellites".

Finished off editing the Ric bass parts in CE5. Everything's pretty much sorted now, although it's hard to judge just how tight the bass is played when you're working against a backwards backing track. But only an out-and-out pedant would find fault with the track. And I have a useful dubwise workaround for those parts that I just can't fix.

More effort tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

This Is Going To Take, Like, Forever - 110614

Sponsored by "Amon Duul I & II"

Started editing the Ric bass parts in CE5. Got most of done. A bit more to do. Not sure if I'm really satisfied with the edit, so I'll let it stew for a bit and revisit.

Who'd be me, eh...?

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

This Is Going To Take, Like, Forever - 100614

Sponsored by "Ambient etc."

Nice quick session today. Tracked 8 Ric parts on the Tascam using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Fair bit of editing required, but should buff out nicely.

Regards,


djp

Monday, June 9, 2014

This Is Going To Take, Like, Forever - 090614

Sponsored by "Alvin Lee".

As mentioned the other day, I decided to have a bit of fun today. I took a few rough mixes of the backing track of TROPES..., reversed them and then inserted them into a new project file in CE5.

Then I edited a few short clips from the backing tracks and "repeated" them throughout the track. Each track was treated differently using VST plugin effects.

I toyed with importing the Strat parts that I am unlikely to use for TROPES... Suffice it to say, I'm unlikely to use them here either...;-).

I also got the mad notion to programme in an MIDI softsynth part (HALion One Sample & Hold Pad), purely because when messing around with that tone, the s&h synced with the tempo of the project file (no sync control on the synth, so I presume this would happen regardless of the tempo). For dub purposes, I tracked that part to audio using the Phonic Firefly and the Behringer Xenyx 1202. The net effect of this new part is to shed the polyrhythmic nature of the TROPES...backing track. It's much more "four-to-the-floor" now. No harm.

I have an idea for a nice Wobblesque bass part which I'll have a pop at tomorrow. And I hear massed choirs of moi in there too.

Regards,


djp

Friday, June 6, 2014

Tropes and Memes - 060614

Sponsored by "Album In A Day".

Recorded 6 Squier Strat parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

3 of the parts were recorded "backwards", which required me to do a rough backwards mix of the track so far, dump it onto the Tascam, record the Strat parts the right way round and then reverse them in CE5. Some editing will be required, but the great thing about backwards guitar is that you don't really have to be precise with it, so I can't see a huge amount of editing being necessary, other than cutting out the crappy bits.

The other three parts were various arpeggios. Not sure how many of these I will actually use, as I don't want to crowd the arrangement. Might just use the arpeggios in the gaps between the backwards bits. As it were...

I might actually use elements of the rough backwards mix as the basis for a further track. Nothing goes to waste here...;-).

Regards,


djp

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Tropes and Memes - 050614

Sponsored by "Ade Hodges".

Tracked 12 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

11 of the parts are short loops with slight variations between them, while the last part is a "wild" part, a run through of a single bass parts with (undoubtedly) lots of errors, but there may be something interesting that I can edit out of it.

The intention is to a have a repetitive Wobblesque bass line with some variations. Hopefully it should all edit together nicely.

More work tomorrow.

Regards,

djp

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Complications From A Fall/The New Number Two - 280514

Sponsored by "60s Music".

Mixed/mastered both tracks in CE5/AA3.

And who would've thought it would be so difficult to mix ambient tracks? Bass everywhere, lots of resonance(?), levels mis-matched between headphones and monitors. Bloody nightmare!

Had to do three mixes of COMPLICATION... and ten(!) mixes of ...NUMBER TWO before I was happy with them. That would have been a whole load of expensive analogue tape if I'd been working inna old-skool stylee.

I hope I won't be revisiting these mixes, but I suspect I might. Still, no worries - these mixes won't be seeing the late of day for a year yet, so plenty of time...;-).

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Is Everybody Happy Yet? - 270514

Sponsored by "50s Music".

Quick session today. Tracked 9 Squier Strat parts in the Tascam 2488, using the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

The track is shaping up nicely.

Tomorrow, I hope to mix/master at least one of my synth-y tracks. Amongst other things. Unless real life intervenes...

Regards,


djp

Monday, May 26, 2014

I Am A Shadow Of Your Former Self/Iye - 260514

Sponsored by "40s Music".

I was going to do the devil and all today. But the real world intervened, so I had to make do with what I did, which is what I did...

...SHADOW...

Played the track for the first time in months - I'd forgotten what it sounded like, to be honest - and decided that it needed a stringsy synth part, so I programmed up a part in CE5, using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/HALion One SynStrings. There was a lot of trial and error before I finally decided on the voice to use. I then decided to track it to audio using the Behringer Xenyx 1202. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

I have an idea for an extra element to the track, but I won't share that with you for now. Enigmatic...

IYE

I decided to start a new track, but only got as far as programming up a rough beats track in CE5. Ran out of enthusiasm (for today), but I will come back to it. Pwomiss...

Regards,


djp


Friday, May 23, 2014

Is Everybody Happy Yet? - 230514

Sponsored by "10s Music".

So I completely messed with my head and tracked 10 Ric bass parts on the Tascam using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Edited in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

All went rather swimmingly, and when you finally get to hear the track, you won't even notice that during the session, I had to dash over to the old gaff to sort out an alarm set off by the plumber, and Benjy, the studio cat, "fired one off"...

Such is life in the Gulag...

Regards,


djp

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Complications From A Fall - 220514

Sponsored by "00s Music".

I was going to track bass/guitar parts today, but I didn't feel especially inspired. So I didn't. Welcome to my world...

...instead, I started a new track - COMPLICATIONS FROM A FALL. I took a piece of found audio, reversed and detuned it in AA3, inserted it into CE5, and messed around with it to the extent that it is (hopefully) unrecognisable.

I'd thought about programming MIDI drum parts or doing some Ebow parts, but I couldn't "see my way into" the rhythm (principally because it was so messed-about-with that it didn't have any particular rhythm to speak of), so instead I programmed a random part by ear in Prologue Forum Romanum, using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly. I didn't bother to edit/quantize it, but I might yet do that if anything sticks in my craw.

This track is pretty much ready to mix/master, but I'll leave it stew for a while, as is my occasional wont.

I'll definitely track bass/guitar next week. Solemn promise...

<...fingers crossed behind my back...>

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The New Number Two - 140514

Sponsored by "Jason Mundok".

Quick session today, as the real world encroaches on the Gulag...

...programmed and edited a variety of MIDI parts in CE5 using the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/Minimogue VA sub bass/Reaktor 5 Mikro Prism Autobahn Pad/Majken's Chimera Static.

The track is ready to mix/master at some stage in the future. Time to move on.

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

You'll Never Miss Your Mother Till The Well Runs Dry - 130514

Sponsored by "January 2014".

Programmed a number of MIDI parts today in CE5 using the Roland Juno-D/Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/Nanotron/4Front Rhode.

I was going to use a Wurlitzer soundfont to give the track a Grizzly Bear vibe, but it didn't quite work out for me, so I went back to the 4Front Rhode. Still vaguely Grizzly Bear-ish, though.

Edited the MIDI parts and did some tidying up on the audio.

The track is almost ready for the next stage. I'll be recording choral-type vocals. No lyrics. But not till next year.

Regards,


djp

Monday, May 12, 2014

You'll Never Miss Your Mother Till The Well Runs Dry - 110514

Sponsored by "Jah Wobble".

After my spell "out forrin" last week, I finally got a change to get back in the saddle today.

Programmed various MIDI drum parts in CE5, using the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/Kore Player Sky Kit/HALion One Jazzy Kit. All edited and everything.

More programming tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Is Everybody Happy Yet? - 300414

Sponsored by "Hawkwind".

I wasn't expecting to be able to do any work on the album today, but an unexpected bit of fortuitous timing, realword-wise, gave me a few hours to play around with.

I tracked the various VST plugin parts (Voyager Brain Salad/Shifting Sands/reset) in CE5 via the Behringer Xenyx 1202 mixer and the Phonic Firefly. Audio cleanup in AA3.

And I accidentally solved a long-running problem I have had when tracking VST plugins to audio (or at least I think I have...). I would frequently gets clicks and pops breaking through on the audio. I always assumed that this was due to various bits of electrical activity around the gaff (fridges switching on/off etc.) breaking into the signal chain, but it seems to be a feature of my PC's graphics card when scrolling along the track while tracking. No pops/clicks occur when I zoom out sufficiently so that I can see the entire track without scrolling.

"Did you not know that before? Feckin' eejit!!!"

Never said I wasn't...;-).

Regards,


djp


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Is Everybody Happy Yet? - 290414

Sponsored by "Grizzly Bear".

Programmed and edited various MIDI drum parts in CE5, using the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/Kore Player Sky Kit/HALion One Jazzy Kit.

Still haven't had the Juno-D serviced yet. Will do so in due course. In the meantime I found a workaround that will allow me to program the drum parts on it OK. Not sure if I'm happy with all the tones I've chosen, but that can be remedied in due course.

That's it for now. Real life kicks in this afternoon...;-).

Regards,


djp

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mare Nostrum - 280414

Sponsored by "Giorgio Moroder".

Edited the Ric bass parts and the Squier Strat parts in CE5.

The bass parts were relatively straightforward, as I was editing between two "identical" parts, so it was a case of going through the parts "line-by-line", finding the best lines and muting those that didn't work so well. In some cases, a line might be composed of two different parts, topped-and-tailed. In other cases, neither line was good enough, so the bass just drops out.

The Strat parts were more difficult, since I was looking at seven completely different parts. Again, it was a case of muting the lines that clearly didn't work, and then trying to put together a reasonably coherent guitar arrangement with what was left over. I may well split the parts in to one melodic group and one rhythmic group, and treat the groups different inna dub stylee.

Fun and games.

More work tomorrow, then two road trips on Wednesday and Thursday. Not looking forward to the latter, but no need to worry yourselves about that...;-).

Regards,


djp

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Mare Nostrum - 240414

Sponsored by "Free etc.".

Attempted to edit the 4Front Rhode VST plugin parts in CE5, but it just wasn't working out, so I re-programmed them using the Yamaha DX100 and the Phonic Firefly. Then I edited them. Worked out a lot better, but a very tedious job.

I had to edit "by ear", and some of the edits are probably better than others, so it's likely that I'll do some dub-style dropouts where appropriate.

That's enough for today. You're not the boss of me!

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

You'll Never Miss Your Mother Till The Well Runs Dry - 160414

Sponsored by "Elvis Presley".

Finished off editing the Ric bass parts in CE5. The track is sounding a lot better now. Tight, but loose...

That's all for the momo.

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

You'll Never Miss Your Mother Till The Well Runs Dry - 150414

Sponsored by "Ella Fitzgerald".

Edited all the Squier Strat parts and some of the Ric bass parts in CE5. I'll try and finish these tomorrow. A good bit of tightening-up required, but I've got to marry the best parts in the right places first.

It looks like there's going to be a vaguely Tame Impala-esque vibe about the Strat parts. Lovely slow phasing....



Regards,


djp

Monday, April 14, 2014

Mare Nostrum - 140414

Sponsored by "Electronic etc.".

Quick session today. Tracked 7 Squier Strat parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Not sure how impressed Charlie Burchill would be with my efforts. Quite a lot of editing to be done here. All, some or none of the parts will be used.

Speaking of editing, I'm well overdue doing some more work on some tracks I've already worked on. So I'll do that over the next few days. Oh, the joys...;-).

Regards,


djp

Friday, April 11, 2014

Mare Nostrum - 110414

Sponsored by "Dummy Mixes".

Track 3 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Had difficulty getting a decent bass tone with the plectrum that would cut through the mix, so I had to use fingering (steady now). It worked fine, tonewise, but I ended up with a bit of a blister on my plucking finger (well, really, if you're going to keep sniggering like that...).

Hey, mistah - itzah blistah...   

The only time I ever play bass by fingering is when I play my Aria AMB-50 electro-acoustic, because I can't get any decent sound out of it acoustically with a plectrum.

Aria - having a lovely time...?
I've tried using the fingering technique in recording sessions before, but not successfully. That was a long time ago, though, and my technique has improved with age...look, stop it! NOW!!!

As mentioned in an earlier post, I was recording against a live drum track, so precision in timing cannot be guaranteed. I had to play by ear ( I know, I was using my finger. No need to remind me...). I think I hit most of my spots pretty accurately. I recorded two different versions of the main bass part, so hopefully I can edit between them. I also recorded a separate intro.

The bass line is in a rather rigid eurofunk-style, á la (but nowhere near as good as) Derek Forbes from Simple Minds. Had I been able to record against a strict temp beat, I might have thrown in a bit more in the way of stylistic variation, but I was trying to get out of Dodge here. Still, I think it holds together well and with some judicious editing and the odd dub-style dropout, I should be able to get away with it.

God knows what I'm going to do for the guitar parts, though. Charlie Burchill, perhaps?

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Mare Nostrum - 020414

Sponsored by "Deep Purple".

New song today.

Are you ready for a long story? Good, pull up a sheep and sit down...

You will be aware that I generally track audio on my Tascam 2488. Turns out I actually have two of 'em - one is permanently set-up in the Gulag, while the other one (the Gulag Mobile) is used when I record outside the studio (as in vocals, which are recorded in a walk-in wardrobe). I bought the second one secondhand several years ago with a view to working on a particular project which never materialised (but that's another story). It was in storage for several years, and it was only when I moved into the new gaff that I decided to take it out of the box and, like, see if it actually worked. It did.

A while back, I decided to clear out the second one in preparation for some recording. I discovered that the previous owner had left a lot of recorded material on the machine - band rehearsals for a metal band. Most of it wasn't to my taste, but I was very impressed with the drumming - pretty good time-keeping and quite "busy". The drums were recorded over several tracks of audio and while possibly not the best recordings you'll have ever heard (rather "hot" and no separation between the tracks), I decided to save all the drum tracks with a view to potentially using them some day in the future...

...and today was that "some day".

I took one set of drum tracks (over 6-channels) and imported them into a new project file in CE5. I couldn't be bothered trying to work out what the tempo was (which would possibly have changed throughout the track anyway), so today's task was to play keyboards (always a challenge anyway) by ear.

I programmed a variety of MIDI VST plugins in CE5, using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/HALion One Dreamy Spheres/4Front Rhode/Kore Player Holographic Lights. I edited most of the tracks "by ear", as I have no strict reference points to go by in terms of bars and beats. Worked out way better than I expected.

The track has a huge post-punk sound, with the live drum parts adding a wonderful dynamic dimension. The track is going to end up sounding like classic Simple Minds with John Bonham on the traps. You'll be impressed. Got the vibe of a single about it.

I must do some more synth editing, and then track guitar/bass parts. It'll be much easier to play the axes by ear than synths. I have form in this regard...



Regards,


djp

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

A Plague On Both My Houses - 010414

Sponsored by "Deep Elm".

Had a busy morning this morning, and found I didn't have time to track guitar/bass parts, so I decided to run up a quicky electronic track in CE5.

Programmed various VST plugin parts using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/Viral Outbreak init/Motion 2.8 Opium TC/ Sophia_1_1 departure.

Essentially, I copied the original MIDI part for init and applied it to the other two parts, moving them around to suit. Cheating, I know...

Since there wasn't much else to do with the track, I decided to mix and master it. However, the departure part didn't seem to like my mastering settings, so it distorted significantly. I decided to do a remix minus the departure part, and this sounds much better. I decided to keep the distorted mix as well, and will use it as an EP track in due course.

So, two tracks for the price of one then...;-).

In other news, I am getting quotes for servicing the Roland Juno-D. One is better than the other, but I suspect the other may be better than the one. If you have me...

More tomorrow.

Regards,

djp

Monday, March 31, 2014

You'll Never Miss Your Mother Till The Well Runs Dry - 310314

Sponsored by "Daytrotter Sessions".

So I finally got my act together today and tracked 9 Ric bass parts on the Tascam 2488, using the Line 6 Bass Pod XT. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Tough going today - I've obviously been out of the groove too long and I found myself being even more hyper-self-critical than usual. But everything should edit out OK.

More stuff tomorrow. No idea what though...;-).

Regards,


djp

Friday, March 28, 2014

Is Everybody Happy Yet? - 280314

Sponsored by "Daniel Prendiville"...

...yeah, I know...;-).

Still can't get my head around tracking guitar/bass (maybe next week...), so I decided to start a brand new track based on various VST plugins.

Programmed various MIDI parts in CE5 using the Yamaha DX100/Phonic Firefly/Texture 1.2 Shifting Sands/ DSK xXx reset/Minimogue VA Voyager Brain Salad. Edited the various parts.

I plan to track the VST plugin parts to audio to give me options for dubbing. But that's a job for another day.

All came together very easily.

Knackered after my trip to Lisbon, but that's a First World problem for sure...;-).

Regards,


djp


Saturday, March 22, 2014

Gomorrah - 220314

Sponsored by "Cousin Silas".

Edited the various MIDI drum parts in CE5. Sounds great.

The track is ready for the next phase, but that'll be for a while yet...

Out forrin' for much of next week, but I hope I'll be able to do some work on the album on my return.

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Gomorrah - 190314

Sponsored by "Colin Blake".

Difficult day today - plagued with technical problems.

My Roland Juno-D synth seems to have decided not to perform when certain keys are played. This isn't a major problem when programming MIDI drum parts, but God help you if you want to play a melody - so it's a good job I can't actually play keyboards then, innit? Probably needs someone to take a look at it - a good cleaning out, most likely.

I had to dig out the old Yamaha DX100 for programming a variety of synth parts in CE5. The DX is perfectly fine for what I was doing today, various VST plugin pad sounds.

A frustrating day, but I got a decent amount of work done. I just need to edit the hell out of the track and then it will be ready to really work on...;-).

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Gomorrah - 180314

Sponsored by "Classical Music".

Programmed up a variety of MIDI drum and percussion parts in CE5 using the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/HALion One Jazzy Kit & Mixed Percussion/Kore Player Sky Kit.

A lot  of editing to be done here, but I won't be around for much of the next week or so. Off to Lisbon on a business trip - lucky moi. The editing will have to wait until I return. In the meantime, I'll have a go at tracking some bass parts tomorrow. It's been a while...;-).

Regards,


djp


Wednesday, March 5, 2014

You Have My Heart Scalded - 050314

Sponsored by "Bob Mould".

This session started out badly, as my ancient old PC started acting up for a while. But after several reboots and a few tactical decisions on my part, it finally started to behave itself and earn its corn. As it were...

Programmed and edited number of VST plugin parts in CE5, using the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/HALion One JP Analogue Stringpad and Brite Clav. I now have a pretty firm idea of where the track is going, so I shall leave it for a while and move on to something else next week.

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

All The Way Home (Gulag Remix)

You'll recall that I mentioned a while back that I had done a remix for Katey Laurel? Well, here it is (finally) for your listening pleasure...



Hope you enjoy it!

Regards,


djp

You Have My Heart Scalded - 040314

Sponsored by "Bob Marley".

Edited the MIDI drum parts in CE5. Very pleased with them. Very "robust".

The track bears more than a passing (if unintentional) resemblance to the track King Fidget off OPTIMISM 1- EXPERIENCE 0.




Could it be I'm starting to repeat myself? Hopefully not, dear reader. Tomorrow, I plan to add some synths to the track. We'll see how that goes...

Regards,


djp

Monday, March 3, 2014

You Have My Heart Scalded - 030314

Sponsored by "Bob Dylan".

Programmed various MIDI drum parts in CE5 using the Roland Juno-D/Phonic Firefly/HALion One Jazzy Kit & Percussion/Kore Player Sky Kit. Was going to have a go at editing them, but I got sidetracked, so that's a job for tomorrow.

Til tomorrow, then...;-).

Regards,


djp

Friday, February 28, 2014

You Have My Heart Scalded - 280214

Sponsored by "Black Sabbath".

Should've worked on the album yesterday, but an issue arose which required a bit of a road trip. All resolved now, thank goodness, and it could've been a lot worse. But it shouldn't have happened at all. Grrrrr.....

Anyway, back in the Gulag...

Edited the Ric bass parts and Squier Strat parts in CE5. No major issues to report. I will have to program MIDI drum parts over the next few days, and then think about some synths. Or maybe a melodica...;-).

Regards,


djp

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Watching The News With The Sound Off - 230214

Sponsored by "Augustus Pablo".

Mixed and mastered the track in CE5 and AA3. Had to fix some clicks which appeared when tracking from VST plugin to audio. Mostly sorted, although some vestiges remain. Nothing to fret about.

Another track completed. That makes two, by the way...;-).

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Unwinnable Caption Competition/Watching The News With The Sound Off - 190214

Sponsored by "arseblog.com".

Busy day today...

UNWINNABLE...

Tracked audio for the Prologue Forum Romanum and the Majken's Chimera Wide Pad VST plugins in CE5, via the Phonic Firefly and the Behringer mixer. I also played around with the Squier Strat and Ric parts and edited the Minimogue VA audio part.

The track is in pretty good shape and ready to dub up at some stage in the future.

WATCHING...

The Wide Pad part, isolated, is actually a (n unintentionally) nice piece of ambient music in its own right, so I'm going to use it, pretty much as is, as a new track (Watching The News With The Sound Off). Now that's being efficient and economical...

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Unwinnable Caption Competition - 180214

Sponsored by "Andy Partridge".

Finished off editing the Ric bass parts and started/pretty much finished editing the Squier Strat parts in CE5.

I had to take some extraneous buzzing out of the Strat parts, using AA3 - not entirely successful, but hey, it's dub, innit? One can get away with a certain amount of murder in that genre...

The situation now is that all the parts are in place, but I need to edit "between" the parts to help create the dub effect. I can leave that to mixing time, perhaps.

One thing I need to do is track audio for some of the VST plugin parts. I'll do that tomorrow.

Not sure if the Ebow parts will be used - at this stage I have way too much going on in the track. I'll sleep on it and see what I can do tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Monday, February 17, 2014

Unwinnable Caption Competition - 170214

Sponsored by "Amon Duul I and II".

Back in the saddle after a brief work-related trip abroad last week. And I'm still not over my recent bout of illness, so I'm wasn't feeling particularly inspired to start something new today.

Instead, I decided to have a go at editing the Ric bass parts in CE5. I have the main bass line sorted, which is Wobble-esque in its repetitiveness, but with some variations chucked in. Not finished yet, but not far off it.

On the basis that I'll be similarly uninspired tomorrow, I'll try and finish the bass parts then and move on to the Squier Strat parts.

And that's how we keep plugging away at a project. Bit by tedious bit...;-).

Regards,


djp

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Gomorrah - 050214

Sponsored by "Added 2009".

Edited the Strat parts in CE5. I also changed out one of the Ric bass parts. Things sound much better. The track is ready for the next phase.

Regards,


djp

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Unwinnable Caption Competition - 040214

Sponsored by "Added 2008".

Tracked 7 Squier Strat parts on the Tascam 2488 using the Pod 2.0. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

Actually, I thought I'd recorded 8 parts, but unfortunately, I hadn't pressed the record button on one of the channels. Only found out after the session. Silly bugger.

Two of the parts were recorded using an Ebow. Just for a bit of different, doncha know. I will attempt to blend them together. Somehow...

An Ebow named Simon...
I took the same approach as yesterday, jammed straight through. This lead to one of the shortest guitar tracking sessions ever - barely an hour...

Must do some editing of something tomorrow. Plenty of material to work on, that's for sure...;-)

Regards,


djp