Saturday, November 3, 2007 (1:26PM)
+   Compose. 
    *   The idea for the verse first came 9:15PM, 15-Aug-2007.
        I played the chords on the unplugged T5 and sang "doo-doo-doo"
        into the Zoom H4. This included the Dm7-C2-Dm7-C2 sequence
        at the end of the verse. I knew the idea was a seed to something
        deep, but I didn't know what. 
    *   The verse now comes to me as a song in 1st person as a plea
        to others that have misunderstood the subject. It is a song
        about being different and seeking connection through
        multiple hindrances and the natural inclination to judge
        or reject people who are different. 
    *   Over the last week I have begun to really work at developing
        the song. It is a grueling process that has no structure
        and feels the emotional equivalent of giving birth (I can
        only suppose). But I now begin to see the verses as about
        engagement and a long bridge about solitude. 
        -   I have struggled much to find a bridge, but I really
            like a transition I stumbled upon: 
            Fmaj7-D2add4-Fmaj7-D2add4 with a guitar lead that introduces
            the new chord by slowly bending from A to B and back down.
            This sequence has a significance for the song, perhaps
            of contemplation, and I wish to return to it several times. 
        -   I have tried 3 or 4 ideas for the bridge and rejected them.
            But yesterday at work I stumbled on something worth building
            on: in 6/8
                    Gm          F                  Eb   Bb    Cm
                    D   G   Bb   A   F     D   F   G     D    C
                    I  walk a - lone un - der the  au - tumn moon
              /  /  /   o   / |  o   o     /   / | o.    o. | o. 
            where,
                    \ = eigth note
                    o = quarter note
            As much as I like it and feel this is will become part of
            the song, there is much hammering and chiseling yet to
            do as there is much to accomplish in the bridge. For I
            must return to the verse (engagement) with new perspective.
        -   For composing I have turned to the T5 with the same
            patch, "Far From Your Home" set to 100% tube, and the
            pickup at position 4 (neck & humbucker in parallel). It
            gives a lot of expression and flexibility while letting
            me try chord sequences and switching to leads quickly. 
                                Sunday, November 4, 2007 (12:54PM)
    *   Wrestling with the final verse today. My first pen strokes
        used too wide a brush. Time to struggle with what I am really
        trying to say--like I am for the first time putting words to 
        thoughts that I have already found music for. Such is the
        way with me. 
        -   I also had to tweak the first verse to unify it with
            the rest of the song and bring it within scope. It feels
            unfortunate to abandon what I thought was a good lyric,
            but the rest of the song just wasn't going to elaborate
            on that theme. 
        -   My emotions begin to explode in resonance to the song,
            indicating its completion is near.  It currently 
            stands at 5:15, an appropriate length, I think, for 
            its theme. 

                                    Saturday, November 10, 2007 (5:39PM)
+   Arrange. Begin a scratch track.
    *   New SEQ file. 
        -   Tempo = 125 bpm. 
        -   Map out the meter, switching between 4/4 and 3/4.
            Create a basic beat to serve as a metronome via the
            drum grid editor and piano roll window. 
    *   scratch T5. Same settings as above. The idea is that this part
        is the purest, albeit crudest, expression of the song and,
        therefore, should serve as the foundation upon which other 
        tracks are built. 
    *   Back to lyrics: The final verse is weak and fails to advance
        the song and lead to the final chorus powerfully enough. 
        I think it is time for The Wind and The Rain to re-emerge
        as agents of renewal. 
                                    Sunday, November 11, 2007 (5:40PM)
    *   Spent some time on the RG1570. This will definitely carry
        the refrain--at least most of the time. Bridge pickup through
        RP20 with Dirty Tube preamp on low gain. I may wish to modulate
        the gain. 

                                    Sunday, November 18, 2007 (1:05PM)
    *   I never did record a scratch with the RG1570--the Weight
        just did not seem to be there. But I picked up the 414 and
        recorded one.  In the middle of the scratch take, the batteries
        began to give out. When I opened it, I found the the Duracells
        had leaked inside my 414--bad news! 
        -   Pick up the bass. Yes, perhaps that is where the Weight
            is for now. 
                                    Sunday, November 25, 2007 (12:09PM)
        -   OK, it took me a week to get back to it, but bass is 
            definitely where the Weight is. I am back to driving 
            with a pick as on The Ride. 
            >   1:14 PM Got a scratch track in, and I like the
                direction we are taking. One thing that came to me was
                taking the second bridge an octave lower at full
                volume and setting it apart from the first and last.
                Then, in the first four bars of the last bridge,
                I let the one high C ring and build from mf. The 
                bass really is in the driver's seat! Almost makes me
                want to return to it as primary instrument...almost.
                Let's grab the RG1570 again and see what happens.
                The first snow of the year is falling. 
            >   By the way, patch 95 on the RP20 ("Wills Killer Bass"),
                the old tried and true. No extra effects. Pan slightly
                to bridge PU, mid-boost switch. Pick hard!

    *   RG1570. 
        -   Fiddle for the right patch. Elusive. I know I want the
            sensitivity of the tube, but preamp 2 (bright clean) has
            too little gain, and preamp 3 (dirty tube) has too much
            or is too dirty--something is different about it, and it
            doesn't seem to be just the gain. 
            >   New idea: preamp 2 (bright clean) with the compressor
                on, but boost the volume out of the comp to +13db
                to drive the tube harder. Add some mids to the EQ
                (2.5kHz and 4kHz). Store on Mission Control to 
                patch 84 "Love & Truth". Bridge Pickup. 
                                    Tuesday, November 27, 2007 (9:02AM)
            >   Got a second scratch in. 
                Save Mission Control memory to "RP20 bulk 27-nov-2007" 
                and "RP20 sys 27-nov-2007"

                                    Friday, November 30, 2007 (9:16AM)
    *   Recorded a second scratch on the T5. Better definition of the
        part in the refrain, the chorus, and the bridge. A lot of
        finger work for the bridge. 
        -   I noticed I really blew the rhythm on the bridge in the
            bass. Should alternate 6/8 and 3/4, and I almost made it
            completely 6/8. 
                                    Saturday, December 1, 2007 (6:40PM)
        -   Fixed bass. More fiddling with T5. 

                                    Sunday, December 2, 2007 (3:21PM)
    *   The 414 is back in the saddle! Nothing like new strings, a
        new power supply, and new batteries to resurrect a fine
        instrument. 
        -   Taylor Guitars' support was fantastic, and I wrote
            them and told them so: 

                I have had my 414-CE-L3 (Maranatha! Worship-Leader LTD) 
                for three years now, and I love it so much I have nearly 
                worn the frets out. The other day I was dismayed to 
                discover my batteries had leaked inside the ES 
                compartment. I thought I had a real problem on my 
                hands--until I called Taylor Customer Service. In no 
                time at all I had a human being on the line (that means 
                a lot these days) who understood my guitar (that means 
                more) and could explain the process to me (icing on the 
                cake). Two days later I received a new power supply in 
                the mail.  When I dismantled the old one, I came to 
                really appreciate Taylor's innovative yet practical 
                approach to guitar design (as a mechanical engineer, it 
                takes a lot to impress me). The swap was a real breeze 
                and demonstrated that my guitar was designed and built 
                for the long-haul. 

                I have been a Taylor owner for eleven years (a 555 in 
                1996, the 414ce-l3 in 2004, and a T5 this year, all of 
                which I am thrilled with), and this is the first time I 
                have had to call on you for help. You far exceeded my 
                expectations. I begin to feel the need for solid-body 
                electric. And, given this experience, your new one is 
                the first I intend to look at. 
        -   recorded a second scratch. 
            >   I feel like a sculptor continually chiseling away at 
                what is not yet the masterpiece, and the going is slow. 
                But I don't have a record company screaming about a 
                scheduled release date either. Thank you, Jesus. 
            >   Record direct to mixer via XLR->BalQtr. Flat EQ. 
                dbx266xl compressor with moderately fast attack
                & release and 2:1 ratio. 

    *   Back to Bassics. 
        -   I don't think I want the pick. Now for the hard part:
            File the Fingernails down. Ironic, isn't it? 
        -   Got a second scratch. I think I induced a blister though.
            Also, I don't think I can get much further without
            a vocal track. 
            love_and_truth_scratch_a.mp3

                                    Tuesday, December 4, 2007 (10:02AM)
    *   Quick vocal scratch, but my voice is just not there today.
        Oh well, it's something to work with as I arrange the other
        instruments. I would like to lay another bass line, but my
        blistered finger hurts too much. 
        -   love_and_truth_scratch_b.mp3

                                    Friday, December 7, 2007 (9:59AM)
    *   Back to Bassics. 
        -   I haven't done much. I did not like the vocal scratch, and
            I am struggling with the gap between the song's current
            state and my original vision. If experience is any guide,
            I will have to let go so I can see where the song is
            supposed to go. But I finally have fingers that will last
            long enough to develop a real bass line. And I miss the
            nails!
        -   By the way, I am tracking the bass playing straight 
            through the Behringer B210A's. These things sound great!
    *   Voice feels stronger. Quick second scratch. Concentrate on
        softer, more up-front sound in places. 
        -   love_and_truth_scratch_c.mp3


                                Thursday, December 13, 2007 (10:28AM)
+   Drums

    *   I have got to do something to expand my drum sound. 
        -   Checked out EZ Drummer by toontracks. No assurance of
            compatibility with PowerTracks, and no trial version.
        -   Upgrade to PowerTracks 12 PowerPak Plus. Get RealDrums
            sets 1-20. 
            >   Total Download 2Gb. 
            >   RealDrums comes as compressed WMA files and decompresses
                to WAV. c:\bb\ is 20.0Gb! 
                                    Friday, December 14, 2007 (9:33AM)
        -   Post to PT user forum:
                I currently use the Roland Virtual Sound canvas with 
                PT12, but it lacks flexibility (not enough kits).  If I 
                could stuff 50 more kits in the VSC, that is the way I 
                would go. 
                I tried RealDrums but was disappointed.  I write my own 
                drums with too much detail to take what it gives me.  If 
                I could get it to follow a MIDI track, I might consider 
                it. 
                I asked about EZ Drummer, but got no response either 
                way. And they won't give a trial version either. 
                I am currently looking at Native Instruments' Battery 3.  
                They give a 30-minute demo. How I am going to learn the 
                thing and decide in 30 minutes is beyond me, but it's 
                better than nothing. 
                So...  What are the rest of you using?
                                    Friday, December 14, 2007 (4:05PM)
        -   Battery 3 by Native Instruments.
            >   return RealDrums for refund. Thanks to PGMusic for 
                being flexible and standing behind their products! 
            >   download Battery 3 demo. Problem. Post to NI user forum:
                    I downloaded the demo version of Battery 3. But it 
                    has a MAJOR problem: The VST won't render to audio 
                    in my DAQ (PowerTracks). This means I can play the 
                    thing, but I can never get a mixdown out of it. 
                    Whenever I create a mixdown or render to an audio 
                    track, the VST loses all its settings and reverts to 
                    an empty setup, and I get blank audio. 
                    Is this just because the demo disables "save" and 
                    "total recall" functions? What are these functions 
                    anyway? 
                    Will this behavior disappear if I pay the money? How 
                    can I be sure?
                reply:
                    Yep, it is. When NI says save here, they're 
                    referring both to saving kits/cells and saving any 
                    rendered audio. This is a common restriction in 
                    demos; after all, if the demo could render, there'd 
                    be a lot of people who'd never buy the plugin, and 
                    just install the demo to finish a track.
                    Total recall refers to how when Battery is loaded 
                    into a host, when you recall that project, all of 
                    Battery's settings will be recalled, even if that 
                    particular kit isn't saved as a .kit in Battery.
                    Yes, it disappears when you get a license.
            >   Buy Battery 3 full from Guitar Center. GC will take
                a return if it doesn't work even though it is not 
                their usual policy. 25% lower than any other price
                too! Thanks to John G at GC! 
            >   Install. Learn. WOW! This thing is DEEEEEEP! In fact, 
                it's so deep, it's unfathomable. I have a full-blown
                sampling system on my hands. Absolutely incredible.
                But it cost three times as much as the DAW. 
                                Saturday, December 15, 2007 (10:51AM)
            >   Master Battery 3. E-mailed Ken and Rob:
                    Guys:
                    I bought Battery 3 to get some more drum kits and 
                    more control of the sound.  Then I read the manual 
                    and understood I had gotten a full-featured sampler.  
                    I figured a good way to get my feet wet would be to 
                    build a kit. And what better material than the 
                    recordings we made nine months ago! 
                    You can get the kit I built here (15Mb): 
                        http://.../djembe.zip
                    You will need to get the demo version of Battery 3 
                    to run the kit: 
                        http://www.native-instruments.com
                    If you don't have a MIDI interface and keyboard 
                    handy, you can still listen to the mix by clicking 
                    the cells with the mouse. 
                    Also, the six major syllables are mapped to the 
                    first two groups of three black keys.  That is,
                            goon   = F#0
                            goe    = G#0
                            pa     = A#0
                            doon   = F#1
                            doe    = G#1
                            ta     = A#1
                    The samples use the three raw mic responses in 
                    separate cells (I parsed out about 6*3*12 = 216 wave 
                    files). This allows anyone to tweak to their heart's 
                    content to get the "right" sound.  I added a little 
                    boost to the goon and doon notes on the bass mic, 
                    moderately panned the overhead and side mics, and 
                    gave a limiter to the mix. I would never have 
                    guessed I could get this far in two hours. 
                    Enjoy, Will

    *   The full Pop Kit in Battery 3 looks like the way to go for now.
        It has 60 cells with multiple versions of snare (direct, rims,
        and side sticks). Definitely a very nice kit. 
        -   I will need to relabel the keys to get around the kit.
            I am glad I have a full set of strong fingernails to
            peel the old labels off. The new labeler works much better
            with the 3/8-inch laminated tape which sticks better and
            peels easier. 4 octaves (50 keys) labeled. 
            See b3_popkit_keys.jpg.

                                    Sunday, December 16, 2007 (10AM)
    *   Program
        -   Wow! The snare, with 15 cells, is so expressive, I wonder
            if I will find anything for the toms to do!
            >   Nice new feature in PowerTracks 12: automatic
                backups saved to C:\pt\PTBackup. 
        -   Finished the line through the first chorus. 
            love_and_truth_scratch_c.mp3
                                Tuesday, December 18, 2007 (8:30AM)
        -   Into the bridge. 
            >   I used the audio chord wizard as a short-cut to 
                making the chords (they serve as a guide in the piano
                roll window). But it deleted the meter and tempo maps.
                The ritard at the end is a tempo fill:
                                pos     tempo
                                176:01  125
                                177:01   50
                                Thursday, December 20, 2007 (9:50AM)
        -   Finished the first pass at the song. I cheated a bit and 
            copy-pasted a lot of material from previous passages with
            the intent of listening for what is missing.
            >   love_and_truth_scratch_e.mp3
            >   To-do's:
                :   Do I want an open-hat in chorus 1 on 3-and? 
                :   1st bridge velocities need to increase 
                    (ride & stick).
                :   Simplify fill leading into chorus 2. 
                :   verse 3-4 needs to be at a higher energy
                    level (copy-pasted from verse 1-2). Perhaps just
                    raise velocities. 
            >   Total drum-programming time at this point: 11.5 hours


                                    Sunday, December 23, 2007 (2:47PM)
+   Tracking.

    *   Bass
        -   File fingernails again (boo-hoo).
        -   I like the scratch track, but I suspect that the presence
            of the scratch tracks--especially the drums--will affect
            my approach to the song. 
        -   3:35 PM Fantastic take! Fingers on the edge but held strong.
            One take, 3 punch-ins. Call it golden. 
            >   love_and_truth_scratch_f.mp3
        -   What do I track next? Both the 414 and the T5 require
            fingerstyle, and I just filed my nails! RG1570.
            >   Make something to practice along with. I want to work
                on some fills. love_and_truth_f_norg1570.mp3

                                Tuesday, December 25, 2007 (7:37PM)
                                Happy birthday, Jesus!
    *   RG1570
        -   I have about 3 hours of playing along with the scratch
            over and over, and I only now begin to "feel it in my 
            bones" (and in my fingertips!). I now feel the rush of the 
            music and can begin to really hone the approach to the song. 
            I now think the RG1570 will drive the energy of the song, at 
            least more than any single instrument. 
            >   Funny: I had thought I would put in a lot of shredding 
                fills in certain places, like where the F lingers 
                waiting to resolve to the C. But the instincts say no; 
                play the G-F-C sequence because that is the soul of the 
                song. I think I have a couple hours of play time left 
                before I am ready for tracking. 
            >   I changed the RP20 program: assign the pedal to the
                output of the compressor to control the gain. I need
                to back off when playing the Dm7-C-Dm7-C sequence in
                the first and third chorus. Subtle: the entire range
                is 13 to 18 db. 
                                Thursday, December 27, 2007 (9:54AM)
            >   I have gotten a couple more hours in and written a
                blistering two-hand-tapping lead in the second bridge.
                All my left-hand fingers hurt--especially the pinky
                which stings during four-fret pull-offs. Now I notice
                how much I rely on a four-fret span in my playing. 
                I need to develop more strength before tracking. The
                full-step D-string bend in the refrain is still a
                challenge for accuracy and strength, and this distracts
                from expression. 
                :   By the way, see practice_rg_interface.png. 
                    Windows Media Player along with the Delta 1010LT
                    Control Panel is a very handy interface for
                    rehearsing. 
                                    Friday, December 28, 2007 (1:28PM)
        -   Fingers strong...Pain gone...WE TRACK! 
            >   Forget about the pedal control. I am using the guitar's
                volume pot to control overdrive level. 
            >   Grueling work. It is a real stretch for my playing.
                Lots of punch-ins. 
            >   Four takes, but the 1st is worthless. 
                :   Backup RP20 memory. Patch 84, "Love & Truth" used
                    with pedal at 100%. 
                :   I noticed I was out of tune with the T5 during
                    the bridge. Better double-check when tracking T5.
                                Saturday, December 29, 2007 (11:21AM)
        -   Integrate the takes
                     section      take
                    verse 1-2       3
                    chorus 1        4
                    56:1-66:2       1
                    66:2-end        4
            >   love_and_truth_scratch_g.mp3
                :   The intro gong cuts out too soon. What happened?
                    I had added a muted track to play with the
                    Arturia Analog factory. Its logo appears when
                    I render to audio. Delete notes. No luck. Delete
                    the connection. No luck. The sound drivers had
                    gotten reset to MME. Switch back to ASIO. No luck.
                    In fact, all cymbal notes are being cut short,
                    and the drums entirely disappear a few measures into
                    the song. 
                    #   Another change I had made was assigning 
                        the track and synth to a specific port. This
                        added the benefit of not having to reload the
                        kit every time I opened the file. The MIDI
                        channel is zero. Try using 10. No luck. 
                        Reboot. Problem gone! 
                                    Sunday, December 30, 2007 (10:42AM)
        -   I am having trouble with the song. It lacks the impact
            and interest it should have. It may be the lack of 
            attention to the vocal or to mixing. But I can't really
            move forward until I reconnect with the song's soul.
            Spend a couple hours mixing. Much better. 
            >   love_and_truth_scratch_h.mp3
            >   I can see now that the greatest needs are vocal 
                (I need the intimacy of a large-diaphragm condenser,
                better timing, and be in better vocal shape) and the 414 
                (the Expression Pickup just won't cut it for this song, 
                and I picked where I should strum in places). I am 
                considering a low background vocal for the verses. 
                But I think the T5 can stay as is. 


+   Vocal

    *   Prep. I will record both vocal and 414 through the B-2 Pro
        mic. In both instances, I would like to record without
        compression, but I would like to hear compression in my
        monitor. Here is the technique:
        -   Route the mic into the BlueTube then into channel one.
        -   Ch 1 is routed directly to the main output with no effects
            or inserts. However, the aux 1 and aux 2 sends are 
            at 12:00. 
        -   The Aux 1 send is patched to ch 3's input. Ch 3 is routed
            only to the submix which is used for monitoring.
            The compressor is inserted in ch 3's insert chain.
        -   Aux 2 is used for reverb (and sent to the submix bus) 
            and uses the uncompressed channel. Thus, reverb increases, 
            relative to the dry sound (which is taken from the 
            compressed channel), when I sing louder.
        -   This setup should approximate what I intend with the
            final effect, so I should end up singing appropriate for
            the effects. 

                                Monday, December 31, 2007 (12:40PM)
    *   Got four takes in. Tickle in throat. Drink lots of water
        between punch-ins. Even managed to get in a high-A "yeah!" at
        the end! 

    *   Integrate. 
        -   love_and_truth_scratch_i.mp3
        -   I have been increasingly noticing the RG1570 being out
            of tune. I think I have not been careful enough not to
            bend or overpress the strings as I play. I may be able
            to fix it by re-integrating the takes, but perhaps not.

    *   Preliminary mix.
        -   Splitting the reverb from the compression has very little
            noticeable benefit and a lot of hassle. Forget it.
                                    Tuesday, January 1, 2008 (7:57AM)
        -   Trouble rendering. The automation on volume and aux 3
            (delay) not working in the output. I notice that the audio
            event does not start until bar 6 (though I consolidated
            it). 
            >   Step One: Reboot. No luck. 
            >   Insert blank audio at the beginning. OOPS! All the 
                automation data moved, and it was not supposed to.
                Lots of mouse work in the roll window to correct.
                Audio is now the first event, and it plays perfectly.
                No luck. The vocal is constantly washed out in the
                delay at full send. 
            >   Bracket the problem. Is all automation data ignored,
                or just the aux 3 send? Exaggerate the volume boost
                at the chorus. The volume commands are used. Is the 
                saved value used or full boost always? Save zero. 
                Zero is used, and the commands are ignored. 
                :   Volume is controller #7, and Aux 3 is #1. They
                    are both on MIDI channel 1. 
                :   The 414 also has volume and aux commands. Aux 4
                    is controller #11. That raises a question: Why 
                    would aux-3 be CC1? Because Aux 1 and 2 are
                    "reverb" and "chorus" (CC91 and CC93), resp. 
            >   Duplicate the track to an used location (track 16).
                Use exaggerated movements. Plays fine. Render. 
                No luck. Same effect: volume used, aux3 ignored.
                :   Delete the volume commands. No luck. 
            >   Build a track from scratch. 
                :   Export the audio to WAV and import to track 17.
                    Save the effects group and load. 
                :   Enter the commands in the roll window. No luck. 
            >   Enter commands by recording mixer moves.
                :   Rebuild another track from scratch as above.
                    Funny, tracks 15 and 16 appear to be what I thought
                    were tracks 16 and 17. No luck. 
                :   I must conclude that aux 3 cannot be automated.
                    Not yet.
            >   Build in a blank file. debug.seq. 
                :   Import the wav file. Use subgroup 3 and aux 3 as
                    in the main song. Record mixer moves. 
                :   No luck. The saved fader value is used throughout.
                    Now I conclude that aux 3 cannot be automated.
                :   Use the 3rd send, but change to aux 5. Plays fine
                    though data is still on CC1. No luck. The problem
                    is the 3rd send. 
                :   Use the 4th send, but change to aux 3. Record
                    mixer moves. Data on CC11. No luck. the 4th send
                    doesn't work either.
                :   Use the 1st send, but change to aux 3. Use the
                    event window to change to CC91. Plays fine, the 1st
                    send is automated. IT WORKS!!!
                :   Try the same thing with send 2 and CC93.
                    IT WORKS!!!
                :   Conclusion: Aux sends 1 and 2 can be automated,
                    but 3 and 4 cannot. 
                :   Post to the user forum. 
            >   Fix in the main song. 
                :   Try edit|replace. No luck.
                :   Cut-paste in roll window. No luck. It pastes under
                    the same controller, CC1. 
                :   Paste data into an unused MIDI track. Then
                    cut-paste. IT WORKED! Now copy from that track
                    and paste into the vocal track. IT WORKED!!!
                    Not quite. The timing is all wrong. Problem on 
                    the MIDI track. 
                :   Try again. Get data from a backup(nice touch, PT!). 
                    Wah-lah! I have automated volume and delay on
                    the vocal track. 
                :   Use the same process to fix the 414 and T5 tracks.
                :   The rendered mix is finally equal to the 
                    live mix. Re-render love_and_truth_scratch_i.mp3.

+   RG1570--again. 
    *   I can't live with the RG's out-of-tunedness. 
        -   Part of the problem is also my instinct of resting my
            right hand on the bridge--a delicately balanced floating
            tremolo. But no guitars appear to be out of tune. 
    *   Two takes. 2nd was a good take in one take--no punch-ins.
        But I punched once to perfect the 2-hand-tap sequence. 
        -   love_and_truth_scratch_j.mp3
            I am getting back "into" the song again. Truly it is said
            that "Creativity is five percent inspiration, 95% 
            perspiration"

                                    Thursday, January 3, 2008 (3:39PM)
+   Upgrade: Switch to Sonar 7 Producer Edition. 

    *   Why?
        -   PowerTracks weaknesses:
            >   Biggie: during tracking, one or more tracks will
                suddenly fall behind the other tracks. It is subtle,
                so I don't always notice right away, and it causes
                my playing to lag timing. 
            >   The bug with the aux sends really "bugged" me. 
            >   It is about time I graduated from an entry-level DAW.
            >   integrating takes (a.k.a., "comping" a track) is
                tedious.
        -   sonar hit points
                track folders
                v-vocal pitch & time correction
                customizable track window controls
                console quick groups
                step sequencer
                inline piano-roll view and editing
                    velocity audition
                Layered Recording and Editing
                    comp-track creation
                    clip-based effects & automation
                                    Sunday, January 6, 2008 (12:43PM)\
                grouping controls (p115)
                db-scaled faders
                subgroups have solo & aux sends
                I can edit markers (rather than delete & recreate)
                multi-select tempo events (tabular or graphical)
                    for deletion. draw tempo changes & view audio
                    alignment in track window.
                Fast save to small file (audio in separate WAV files)
                    with auto-backup.
                named subgroups
                shift-key vertical dragging between tracks & layers
                    preserves time alignment.
                dimmed solo mode (-6, -12, -18 db)
                the scrub tool (MIDI AND audio)
                dynamic zoom in track window
                trim controls channel inputs (very helpful when
                    automating faders)
        -   Sonar down points
            >   Don't think I can autoconvert MIDI track to audio.
                Have to bounce realtime through the Delta 1010LT
                mixer. However, this is a very rare procedure for me.
                [1/8: Wrong. Fast bounce.]
                                    Tuesday, January 8, 2008 (7:57PM)
            >   Dropouts. Consulted forum.
                :   Disable Windows Media Edition stuff
                    goto Control Panel|Administrative Tools|Services 
                    then Stop the following services:
                            Media Center Receiver Service 
                            Media Center Scheduler Service 
                :   Also, turn windows sounds off (per addendum in box).
                :   Update driver for M-Audio Delta 1010LT to 
                    Version: 5.10.00.5065
                    Release Date: December 17, 2007
                :   Seems to have fixed the problem. Run several
                    loops of a problematic file with zero dropouts.
                    These issues may have been what plagued PT12,
                    but the program lacked the diagnostics to issue
                    an error. 

                                    Thursday, January 10, 2008 (4:32PM)
+   Re-comp takes. 

    *   RG1570 takes 5 & 6. 
        -   Gradually getting to learn Sonar, though the learning
            curve is a bit steep. But it is well worth it. Comping
            two takes together is vastly easier and faster, even for
            a rookie. 
            See comp_rg1570_a.png. Use solo tool (Ctrl-click-drag
            with mute tool) with track soloed in dim-solo mode to
            listen to transitions and choose takes.

                                    Saturday, January 12, 2008 (1:53PM)
    *   vocal
        -   Imported takes 1-4 into layers.
        -   Patched in aux sends for delay and reverb and inserted
            the Sonitus Multiband Compressor--very nice interface! 
            The realtime graphics lead to quick understanding of what
            the thing is actually doing. 
        -   While comping, I am using solo in dim mode and soloing the
            individual layers. But a bug occurs: once in a while the
            rest of the audio will drop out. Use a second bus and
            just reduce the master so that no track solo is needed.
            >   It seems to be hitting the CPU fairly hard (peaks 
                above 20%). Perhaps freeze the drums? Yes! Just 
                right-click the MIDI track and select Freeze Synth.
                No hitches. An audio waveform appears in the synth
                return track. Mute the MIDI track.
        -   See comp_vocal_a.png. Parts taken from all four takes.
        -   Render love_and_truth_scratch_k.mp3
            1:30 to render to WAV with 64-bit engine. Pro Tools would
            have driven me CRAZY (5:20 to render--real time). Plus,
            I have only had Sonar 9 days, and I feel close to a good
            mix and not far from a great mix. Also, since the project
            file is only 1Mb, it is no big deal to save a copy as
            love_and_truth_scratch_k.cwp in case I need to get back
            to that point. 

                                    Monday, January 14, 2008 (7:24PM)
                                        Grab a screen shot, 
                                        sonar_screen_a.png
                                    Friday, January 18, 2008 (7:48PM)
        -   Here's what's so great about Sonar: I want the vocal delay
            to decrease if I increase the volume and increase if I
            decrease it. Use a console group. 
            See vocal_delay_console_group.png

                                Saturday, January 19, 2008 (11AM)
+   Mix

    *   Get initial volumes & settings for verses 1 & 2. Use snapshot 
        feature to set values for settings I plan to automate.

    *   Automation
        -   The control group for the vocal delay is not working! 
            It works if I manually adjust one or the other, but not
            when the fader is automated. Oh well, go with normal 
            automation with the following map:
                volume:     -2 db       0 db
                delay:       0 db      -6 db
        -   Add automation to boost the T5 & 414 fingerstyles in bridge.
            Coordinate volume and fader. 
        -   Bass chorus mix (zero to 30% wet)

    *   Tweak drums
        -   Unfreeze the drum track. 
        -   Too much deep bass in kick. Tweak EQ in Battery 3.
        -   Snare sidestick too low. Quick solution: open Battery 3,
            Select the cell, click the setup tab, and in the velocity
            area, increase the curve parameter to warp the MIDI
            map upward. See boost_stick_a.png.
        -   Save kit as love_and_truth_popkit_c.kt3
        -   Cymbal swell was too fast at end. Select notes in roll
            window, use Process|Fit to Time to stretch the notes out.
            Beautiful!
        -   Refreeze the drum track. The audio engine still stops
            a lot--especially when Battery 3 is running, but fortunately
            not while playing. 
        -   Render love_and_truth_mix_a.mp3. Save export settings
            to preset "mixdown". Oops, forgot to listen on other
            monitors:
            >   Listen on DX4's
                :   Bass high C is somewhat dead due to EQ dip.
            >   Listen on HD280's.
                :   Upper mids may be a bit sharp, but not much.
            >   Listen on Altec Lansing's (cheap PC speakers w sub).
                :   Oops, not plugged in. That is how I missed the
                    kick drum EQ.
                :   Ultra-lows and ultra-highs seem balanced. That is
                    about all I trust these for. 
            >   Listen on Kenwood Surround's (cheap 4" speakers).
                :   Sounds rather nice.
            >   Do I want to boost the 414 in the 3rd chorus?
            >   Conclusion: Listen for a while & decide whether to
                tweak. 

                                    Sunday, January 20, 2008 (10:19AM)
    *   After much listening, I think the mix needs a little tweak:
        -   The RG1570 needs to come up about 1db. 
            >   Oops, no headroom left in the channel. I have to drop 
                all other channels. Use trim on those with automated 
                faders (couldn't do that in PowerTracks). For the vocal, 
                dropping the trim would effectively raise the 
                compression threshold. Use gain parameter in the Sonitus 
                Multiband Compressor.
            >   Yes, +1db seems right. Ears are improving--I think.
        -   Give the 414 that extra boost in chorus 3.
        -   Pan T5 harder left and vocal 15% left. So the panning 
            layout is
                    -65         -15     0      15           65
                     T5         voc    bass    414          RG
        -   There was a weak word in the vocal somewhere. Find it.
            Use F11 to mark it when I hear it (this places a marker
            during playback). Found a couple of them.
            >   CPU getting slammed by Norton Antivirus (CCAPP.EXE).
                Reboot. 
        -   Aaaah, the magic is returning finally. 
        -   Render love_and_truth_mix_b.mp3. 
            >   Copy to love_and_truth_mix_b.cwp
            >   Screen shot of console: console_mix_b.png
            >   Make a mix without the RG1570 for practicing.

                                    Monday, January 21, 2008 (2:40PM)
+   Publish. 
    *   Martin Luther King Day. Ironic. 
    *   The title is too direct. Change to "Rain & Wind", the subtle
        Movers in the song's drama. 

Total Production Hours: 52.5