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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Unwinnable Caption Competition - 030214

Sponsored by "Added 2007".

Tracked 6 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 different bass parts are repetitive in themselves, and, unusually for me, I recorded them straight through, not in 8-bar sections. Effectively, I was jamming with myself. There should be fun editing these parts.  I reckon I know which part will be the main part, so the others will be occasional variations.

I hope to track some guitar parts tomorrow, although you never know with me...;-).

Regards,


djp

You Have My Heart Scalded - 210114

Sponsored by ""Live"".

New track today.

Recorded 5 Ric 4003 bass parts on the Tascam 2488 via the Line 6 Bass Pod XT, having earlier recorded a metronome part in CE5 using the Behringer Xenyx 1202 mixer and the Phonic Firefly. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

It should have been an easy task today, but my poor bass-playing technique "shone through" big time stylee. Lots of timing fluffs. And harmonics - loads of unwanted harmonics.  And the fact that I'd set the tempo just that bit too slow for me didn't help either. Still, I made it through to the end.

I'll probably track guitar parts for this tomorrow.

Regards,


djp

Gomorrah - 070114

Sponsored by "Down Colorful Hill"

Change of plans. I remembered late yesterday evening that if I was to track guitar parts today, I'd need to restring the guitar. And give it a good cleaning too, to be honest. I didn't have time (was too lazy) to do those tasks last night, so I decided that I would track bass parts for Gomorrah today instead.

So that's what I did. 6 bass parts on the Ric 4003 via the Bass Pod XT and the Tascam 2488. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5. The bass parts are very "busy", so it was difficult getting decent takes, but I managed it in the end. Some editing to be done, of course.

On a related issue, I was sitting so long in the same position this morning that I seem to have done something funny (as in not "ha ha") to my left hamstring. Painful to stand up/sit down/walk about. Self-inflicted.

More self-infliction tomorrow, after definitely having restrung/cleaned the guitar.

Regards,


djp

Stiltwalker In The Wind - 060114

Sponsored by "Yes".

And so the tracking begins. I recorded 7 bass parts with my Rickenbacker 4003, using my Line 6 Bass Pod XT and the Tascam 2488. Audio cleanup in AA3 and inserted into the relevant project file in CE5.

And there they are - minus the Tascam 2488, which is very discreet and generally shuns publicity...

Took me a while to get back into my usual tracking routine - recording multiple takes of 8-bar sequences until I get a half-decent one - but it all came together nicely in the end. And there was an unexpected, and totally accidental, jazzy twist in one of the sequences. Niiiice...

The track has a nice "chill" vibe to it, and is probably a close relation to Hosanna In The Hiace of my album OPTIMISM 1 - EXPERIENCE 0...

I'll try not to go over too much old ground on this project.

Geetar tracking tomorrow, and the return of an old friend.

Regards,

djp