Cosmic Seam Is Tracked

Our first song is completed and no more is to be recorded for it.  It is ready for editing and mixing.  We spent the last session adding a few sprinkles of guitar notes here and there.

Of possible interest to the audio geeks - we borrowed a technique from Mutt Lang and Brian May.  You see some of us have been on a Def Leppard Hysteria kick for the last month and we've been watching a lot of the behind the scenes action of how that classic album was recorded.

One little nugget we came across was recording little guitar noodles. Mutt Lang made them track each  note  separately. The result of this time consuming process was that no note would be cut off or muted if it was on the same string.  Each note would have the same sustain.

I had a little 3 note run we wanted to record with this technique.  To make it official - Mike dug out an original Rockman X100 guitar amp simulator - the same one they used for the recording of the guitars in Hysteria.

To take a it a step further - we did it twice.We ping ponged the notes so each note is either left channeled or right channeled (ala Brian May).

Once that was completed - there was one 'space note' we needed to end the track with.  Ken was up to pluck harmonics on both low and high 'E' strings.  One set of notes.  Pretty easy right?  Unless you were up against a practical joke that would make it near impossible to get it right.

You see - we had a separate track up in the mix that made some guitar noise shortly after the spot where Ken had to hit his mark.  Every take - he thought he screwed up.  I figure this went on for about 8 tries before he caught on.

Let's just call it studio initiating.

Oh yeah - I snuck into the studio early in the week to lay down the bass tracks.  It didn't take Ken long to figure this out upon playback.  He was crushed - but as always - a good sport about it.   I think he's earned his lumps and is now fully and completely a studio musician.

Prep work for the next tune has already begun and Mike hopes to have the drums tracked for next week's session.

Percussion Rogue

We took a brief break over the holiday to spend time with family and loved ones.  But that didn't stop Mike from jumping in the studio to track additional percussion tracks.  Sneaky sneaky!

I haven't heard it.  I've only seen these photos.  Looks like Mike had as much fun as one can when left to his own devices (egg shakers, chimes...)

I will try and convince him to bounce the percussion tracks for a sneak peak :)

Track-Orr

Cosmic Seam may make mixdown by Christmas after all!

Last night's session was short but uber productive.  We had a plan going in and stuck to it and even got a little extra for our efforts.

Ken got his 2 acoustic tracks down in short order once we determined that just the drum track was all he needed to play against.

I was next to track.  Mike and I a while back stumbled upon a pretty cool mix of choruses and delay last month when we were doing scratch tracks.


We tuned up the Strat, figured on the right pickup selection and started laying tracks.

We hit a snag when I couldn't keep time as the effects chain had a delay in the playback. So we just muted my playback and I relied solely on the sound of the strings.  Me thinks that worked well enough that if it is a smidgen behind that it can be nudged later in post production

Between takes I was noodling and discovered a nice picking pattern that the guys insisted I lay down.

I was reluctant as my chops aren't 100% yet but did a quick take just to have the idea for reference.   It turned out really well and helps lift the chorus section of the song. The take may even stick.

The guacamole provided by the studio was fantastic.  Will have to credit it in the liners as inspiration.  That and Dr. Who.  Don't ask.

Something Ends, Something Begins

The end of winter is finally upon us.  This week was my last game of indoor co-ed soccer with my team Pixie Caribou.  Weather is finally getting sunny and i hope the snow is finally finished..

It was a hard fought campaign, i don't think we won a single game and i think we may have had one draw.  But that's not why we play. Exercise and camaraderie is what indoor co-ed footy is all about.

As always, the end of the season is sad. But it always ushers in the spring.  As something Ends, Something Begins.

Sports will do wonders for burning off pent up frustrations, the endorphin release of intense exercise and the 'team' element always helps social side of things. There's a great sense of belonging. It's finished for this season - i need something to fill the void.


With two close friends, a 9 song writing expedition has commenced.  Four songs from a demo recorded over the last 2 years has now grown into a full album.

There's a different type of synergy.  Its very pure when you get in sync with others with music.

Something spiritual.

It's even more inspiring when you wake up in the morning with a tune you helped craft stuck in your head.

With this new chapter being written, i look forward to this project. It is a great combination of song ideas, form and direction.  7 of the 9 songs have been charted out and we're on the verge of tracking