Saturday, August 25, 2007 (7:17PM)
This song captures my mood during my bikes rides on the single-track
trails at Farmdale Reservoir.
+ Bass.
* Patch 91 ("Wills Killer Bass") with extra compression
(switch 6) active. Pan 75% to bridge pickup.
Use heavy pick heavily with lots of palm muting. Tempo=165.
+ Drums.
* Worked a lot on it for this early in the song, but the part
is extremely important.
* I will probably redo the bass since the synchopated parts
got the timing off a bit.
+ T5 scratch.
* Patch 57 ("Far From Your Home"). Tap a 3/8 delay.
* render the_ride_scratch_a.mp3
Sunday, August 26, 2007 (9:42AM)
* Listening to the scratch, I begin to sense a longer road map
which extends the verse.
- verse one will gradually introduce the instrumentation
with a chord progression on an organ and long slow chords
on the T5.
- Use the insert bars command to insert 24 bars at the
beginning of verse one and verse two.
+ Fiddle with organ.
* I entered some notes manually just to hear them.
Saturday, September 1, 2007 (5:19PM)
* I had thought I would use the sounds on the Yamaha P-120, but
they do not respond to velocity. Having tried all the sounds
in the Roland VSC, I think I have settled on one
(see organ_patch.png):
Mode: GS
Bank: Percussive Organ (18)
Variation: Perc. Organ (32)
I like the solid chord in the midrange and the loud scream
at the high notes that I plan to use in the chorus. What I
worry about is my experience shows that the patch really
affects the way I play, and if I lose access to it, it ruins
the part.
* Extend the chorus. The D-C-G-F-Am-G sequence is too good not
to repeat it there, and I want a little fun with the bass
the 2nd time around.
- Insert 8 bars at 51.
* the chords are too complex for me to play. Use piano roll
window. Basic technique: play pathetically along just to get
a feel for what note range and velocity to aim for, then
enter notes with the mouse.
- Found a helpful technique: For some reason, playing the
keyboard produces too low a volume. Set the real track to
channel one and a "play-along track" to channel two.
See organ_play_track.png
- Save the organ part to organ_b.mid and render it to
audio as organ_b.wav.
- render the_ride_scratch_c.mp3
Sunday, September 2, 2007 (4:08PM)
+ Back to the T5 for inspiration--the hard work.
* Setup: Patch 57 ("Far From Your Home") morphed fully to the
tube (bright tube at 100%). Tap a 3/8 delay. I haven't made
up my mind about the pickup--either all bridge or position 4
(bridge and humbucker in parallel).
* I just spent 30 minutes playing along. I still don't have
that crazy chord progression memorized, so I use the chord
window as a reminder as I fiddle with the fretboard and try
to hear where the song is going (see learning_chords.png).
- t5_scratch_2.wav.
Monday, September 3, 2007 (12:50PM)
* More playing along. I feel like I am closing in on the
first set of verses (before 1st chorus). I also believe I will
morph into a deep overdrive for the 2nd set of verses.
- t5_scratch_4.wav
- Render the_ride_scratch_d.mp3. Time to go listen for
the notes. I just can't force them with my fingers.
Also make a scratch with gaps in the solo only where I
really need to create.
Saturday, September 8, 2007 (10:37PM)
- t5_scratch_6.wav. I think I have the part outlined the
way I want to develop it now. I have now spent 8 hours
on this part since Sep 2. The process of listening really
works--especially to get the chord progression deep into
my soul from where the solo has to come from. I find
myself singing all kinds of ideas under my breath
subconsciously, and I think I am subconsciously sifting
through them and picking out the keepers. I remember it
going something like this with When I Stand. There came a
time when every note was exactly what it was supposed to
be, but not before a great internal struggle. What a
blast!
: Render the_ride_scratch_e.mp3.
Sunday, September 9, 2007 (11:40AM)
+ Bass. I have enough of the T5 defined to do the bass line right,
and I want a strong bass line for tracking the T5.
* Same setup as before.
* I don't want to record the delay. Use the plug-in. Nope, I can't
eliminate the dry sound. Record with no delay.
* I think I nailed it in the second track. I can't think of
anything I would add to it. The sensation was EXPLOSIVE!
Thank you, Lord!
+ Back to the T5. The bass just took a couple passages in a
new direction.
* I've got the house to myself. Turn the amp up to eleven, and
throw away the knob.
* What a rush! Too intense! The adrenalin rush is unbelievable!
Can this be legal? But drugs were NEVER this good!
* Really thought I had that super-shredder riff at 78-84.
But I am tired, and the notes were ill-defined. Need lots of
practice. Better walk away for a while.
* 7:41 PM. Return. A couple practices and a single run-through
with no punch-ins. t5_scratch_8.wav and the_ride_scratch_g.mp3.
Certainly my best run-through without punch-ins.
Monday, September 10, 2007 (7:14PM)
* Another better run-through.
- Found a new trick: Action->Play at speed->75%. No wonder
I was struggling with 78-84! That is fast! Getting there.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 (8:45PM)
* Another better run-through. Closing in.
t5_scratch_10.wav and the_ride_scratch_h.mp3.
Friday, September 14, 2007 (5:00PM)
* My guitar gets too loud in the chorus. Tracking will go a lot
easier if I can record at a constant volume. Add volume ramps
to bass and drums from 100 to 127 over the choruses.
See volume_ramps_for_tracking.png.
Saturday, September 15, 2007 (11:AM)
* Time to track!
- Three takes. Felt more energy on the third--we shall see
if it translated into a better take.
- Integrate the takes. Had to take two more attempts at the
killer riff at 78.
Sunday, September 16, 2007 (5:10PM)
- Today I played along with When I Stand and Fire Vamp.
Having gone through this song, those ones feel almost
rudimentary now.
* Create a stereo delay by duplicating the track and panning
hard. Use auxiliary sends so the delay levels can be automated.
Set the left at 545 ms (3/8ths) and the right at 363 ms (1/4s).
See t5_stereo_delay.png.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 (7:11PM)
+ Back to the drums.
* Fill & solo at 99-108.
Saturday, September 22, 2007 (8:29PM)
* Lots of work later...the_ride_scratch_j.mp3. I may be done,
but not sure. Having a hard time getting an authentic feel.
It requires A LOT of mouse work. Dig that china cymbal!
Excellently rude.
+ Mixdown--I think.
* drop crash cymbals 10% via edit | change velocities.
* Reverse the panning of T5 and organ. Put the T5--the main
feature--toward the right where car stereos often have a
more direct shot at the driver's ear (noticed while driving
and listening).
* Boost T5 delay at the overdriven solo intro (69-74) via
mixer automation.
* Grab a screen dump for records: the_ride_mix_a.png.
* render the_ride_mix_a.mp3
Monday, September 24, 2007 (8:10PM)
- So far I am pretty happy with it, but it may be bass-heavy.
And this is a consequence of using bass-weak monitors.
After two years of guessing at the low frequencies, it
is time I got some bigger monitors. I ordered a pair of the
Behringer 2031A's for $340 to supplement the
M-Audio DX4's.
- also need a convenient way to switch monitors
search sweetwater.com in
studio monitors->monitor management
Mackie Big Knob
Coleman Audio LS3
Pro Co Switch Witch
Hosa SLW-333
Samson C•Control (ordered)
Friday, September 28, 2007 (8:45PM)
+ Multimedia considerations.
* I would like to move away from direct MP3 downloads toward
a player on the web site. Hopefully, those that want to listen
to my music more will request CD's giving me a better idea
on what kind of demand is out there for my stuff. Search.
- How to use the Windows Media Player ActiveX control in
FrontPage
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294549
follow the link about more on WMP
- I like the way Phil does it.
See http://www.myflashfetish.com/
build the playlist and copy the code. then simply grab the
flashvars segment and insert it into code hacked from Phil's
player:
<center><embed src="http://www.mp3asset.com/swf/mp3/fetish-mp3player.swf"
quality="high" wmode="transparent" flashvars="myid=4930367&path=2007/09/27&mycolor=0xffff00&mycolor2=0x330000&mycolor3=0xffff99&autoplay=0&rand=&f=3" width="250" height="320"
name="myflashfetish" align="middle"
type="application/x-shockwave-flash"
pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></center><br><center>
</center><br><br>
* Also, I want to display my photos from my ride at Farmdale
along with the music.
- Google search on "flash slideshow with mp3"
http://flash.dvd-photo-slideshow.com
downloaded. not bad. Got it working with a couple hours
of effort.
Saturday, September 29, 2007 (10:55AM)
+ Create the players
* http://www.myflashfetish.com/
* Better colors: insert the following in the flashvars section
between the two ampersands:
mycolor=0x6666&mycolor2=0xffffcc&mycolor3=0x663300
* Create a master player for the WillSongs++ page that includes
all "playable" music (12 tracks)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 (03:55 PM)
+ Mix B
* Some time ago I came up with a solo part to play over the second
chorus, but I never recorded it. Also, the shockwave flash file
cannot be uploaded to YouTube, so I need some way to convert it.
Two birds in one stone: Track the second-chorus solo, shoot with video,
and hire Mike to do the video editing.
* Track the T5.
- Mike is here and we erected a makeshift green screen.
He thinks he can set me in the forest with the pictures.
- Setup.
: Christopher showed up at the door JUST IN TIME. So I used
Rob's ribbon mic to track (replacing a Shure SM57 shown
in track_chorus2_solo_b.jpg). Sounded Great.
See v3_with_ribbon_mic.jpg
: Signal chain:
Taylor T5 (switch pos 4, no EQ, full volume)
GSP1101 (stompbox section for wah)
Carvin V3 Preamp to series effects loop
GSP1101 (effects section)
Carvin V3 Preamp loop return to power tubes
Carvin V3 4x12 half stack
Apex 215 Dual Ribbon mic (Rob loaned it)
Aphex 207D tube preamp to S/PDIF
M-Audio Delta 1010LT PCI interface
: Pics:
carvin_v3_settings_a.jpg
v3_with_ribbon_mic.jpg
track_chorus2_solo_a.jpg
track_chorus2_solo_b.jpg
track_chorus2_solo_c.jpg
midi_foot_pedal.jpg
- Got three takes.
: Start time is
00:02:38:16 (hh:mm:ss:ff)
00:02:38.545 (hh:mm:ss.sss)
Thursday, February 10, 2011 (12:05 PM)
* Mixdown.
- I found a real jewel that I have been sitting on for about three
years without noticing: Sonar's 64-bit multiband compressor
(only in producer edition). See mastering_multiband_a.png
- Screen shot of project: fits in one.
See the_ride_mix_b_sonar.png
- Render:
the_ride_mix_b.wav 16-bit, 44.1kHz
the_ride_mix_b.mp3 192kbps
the_ride_mix_b_128k.mp3 128kbps
- upload to soundclick
songID = 10262254
Total Production Hours: 34.5