Studio log

[shikawkee]

Let me add to the party and introduce myself.
I'm Ed Pettersen and I'm Bob's co-conspiritor.
I produce and engineer and write some songs.
You can find out more here if you like:

www.myspace.com/edpettersen
www.edpettersen.com

The band, named appropriately by Bob O., likes
to be referred to as the Great American Rhythm Section.
At Bob's urging I will be posting a studio log here at
the Womb of all of our sessions in as much detail as
I possibly can. I hope some of you find it informative.

I'm in NYC this week and if I have time I'll post something.
If not, when I return to Nashville for sure.

Long live the Womb!!!

[jerryskid]

Welcome, Ed....enjoy !!!!!!

[shikawkee]

Thanks gang. So what session do you want to hear about first?
The Black Crowes? Devendra Banhart? Bettye LaVette? BR549? Michelle Shocked? The Blind Boys of Alabama? Our demo tracking sessions with the Great American Rhythm Section? You pick and I'll wrack my bean for some juicy details.

[jerryskid]

The Black Crowes.....could you see through all the smoke ????

[shikawkee]

The Black Crowes.....could you see through all the smoke ????

The Black Crowes were a piece of cake. Total gentleman and professionals. No abuse during session at all. They are very talented boys and deserve more credit.

They brought their dad along who was signed to Monument Records in the 60's as part of the Mountaineers duo/group. They played the Opry twice. When it was at the RYMAN. Anyways, we recorded a remake of Woody Guthrie's "Reuben James" for a charity project we're working on. Bob O. set them up in one small room together, Chris and his dad on vocals and Rich on guitar and vocals. Donny Herron of BR549 and now Bob Dylan's band was in the back corner of the small room on banjo. I can't remember Chris' mic (Bob?) but his dad was on Bob's old RCA77DX and I think we had a Neumann condenser on Rich's guitar or maybe an 84, same for Donny. Oh yeah, and no headphones. Yup, live and real like the good old days. Playing "into it" as they say. Oh, and no compression (which we almost never use anyways). I think Donny or I overdubbed Mandolin but that's it. Take 8, live, no edits. That's what will end up on the record (distributed by Sony/BMG/RED in Sept. '07).

Bob, please fill in any holes since I'm writing on the fly in-between sessions here in NYC.

Bob and I mixed it (easy as pie when you record this way).:D

[jerryskid]

very interesting......thanx man !!!

[shikawkee]

You bet. Maybe we should talk about forumate Swafford's project?
We're in the midst of that right now.

[jerryskid]

sure....all the stories you can tell....I'm interested.....

[shikawkee]

Well then, let's start at the beginning:

First-The artist, in this case my buddy Jeff Roberson from Len's Lounge, sent me some songs he was considering for a new disc. I think he sent about ten or eleven (correct me if I'm wrong Jeff) and from that we chose five to cut including one cover. I know Jeff's music pretty well and to me these were among the best songs he's written and more importantly, would fit the project and represent his artistry accurately. We intend to record 4 or 5 more but this step is the most crucial in the process so I wanted to give it proper coverage. START WITH KILLER MATERIAL. The best advice I've gotten so far in this biz is that if you hear the same comment or comments about your music regularly you might wanna' pay attention and fix whatever needs it. That's where I, the producer, fit in. It would be also nice if you could have a producer who's a skilled arranger. A GREAT DEAL OF THE REPRESENTATION OF THE MUSIC IS IN THE ARRANGEMENT. Sorry for the big letters but it's that important. Think George Martin and/or Brian Wilson and with training and skills to conduct professional musicians. I think we've got some killer stuff with Jeff so let's move on....

Next we assembled the Great America Rhythm Section at the Castle in Franklin and cut live in the big room. We try to get everyone as close to each other as possible but in this case we had to use headphones (We're working on maybe getting rid of those eventually too....) Katherine was the only band member (and believe me, they ARE a band) in the other keyboard room and Jeff sang tracking vocals from studio B's ISO booth. We cut 5 songs in just over 3 hours and I don't think we did more than two takes of anything. Everything grooves like a mother and mixing is gonna' be very exciting. Jeff and I are doing vocal and guitar overdubs at his home studio in Cincy called Ultrasuede. Very cool studio with a great vibe.

We used no compression while tracking, ribbon mics on a good deal of stuff as well as the new Heil dynamics and assorted Neumann's. If anybody wants more gear specifics just let me know and I'll do my best to recall. (Bob Babbitt and Dave Hungate use my custom Coil EQ/DI direct when playing bass.)

I know I'm missing stuff on the fly typing fast but just let me know and I'll try to fill in the blanks when I can check in here from the road.

[Swafford]

Thanks for the kind words Ed. I know we're both pretty excited the direction these songs are moving in.

The most amazing moment for me during this session was about halfway through the first take of the first song, I realized not only were these folks aces on thier intruments, but they had the feel and groove of a real band - imagine how great each one of these people is on thier intruments, then imagine the sum being truly greater then the parts.

Each tune would begin with a listen in the control room to the demos I sent down to Dave Hungate to chart. Ed would make changes to tighten up arrangements and confer with Ed Green about tempo, and everyone else would make suggestions if they came to them and then confer with Hungate (who takes on a kind of hub of the wheel for the band) about what changes are where. Notes would be made to charts and then off to the tracking rooms. It was quite a revelation to be half participant and half observer, all the sessions I'd done before were with my band and it's always as much about arranging music as it is managing egos. I was quite comfortable giving over the means of production to Ed - I've never been much for studio work and feel a comfortable release when someone else assumes the responsibility for the direction of a session.

Once in position, everyone would generally vamp up the song for a minute or so to get thier groove together. Then Rich would push the red botton and like Ed said, no need for more then 2 takes on a tune, some quicky overdubs (organ, tamborine) and then on to the next one.

Favorite moments for me: Jane cooking lunch (damn I can still smell those baked beans), Bob O. giving up spontaneous laughter when something amazing would happen during tracking; Bob Babbitt busting balls ("Just don't call it a chorus") ; Catherine Marx...wow..her playing completely floors me, Outer Banks native to boot.

[studjo]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

what a great thread - I love it - keep it coming :grin:


Technical question: Tape or HD?
Micing would be insteresting (as allways)

Thanks guys

Jo

[shikawkee]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

what a great thread - I love it - keep it coming :grin:


Technical question: Tape or HD?
Micing would be insteresting (as allways)

Thanks guys

Jo

PT to HD.

What about the micing would you like to know?

[studjo]

well I don't wanna waste anyones time, but how did you set the whole place up. I think it's all live. So lots of close micing and no room mics? how did you seperate the bass from the rest (I assume an amp was used in conjunction with the Di-correct me if I'm wrong)?
what's the idea behind using lots of Ribbons? I love the transient respons of Ribbons (especially going to HD/digital). I find myself using less condenser these days because I have the feeling they're just too hard sounding (coming back from HD).

I ramble - may you want to ramble too :very happy:


Jo

[Goes211]

More. More. More !!!
I'm sitting in the back of the classroom listening.
:Coolio:

[shikawkee]

No amp on bass, just DI. Sounds boss.

Reggie's amp had a Royer or Shure ribbon up against the grill and the Heil PR20, Hungate's electric had a SM57 and a Heil PR30 and Dave Hungate's acoustic is usually more or less an 84 on the bridge or an 87 in a pinch. Ed Greene's drums have a fet47 on the kick as well as a M88 or RE-20, snare is 57 or now one of the Heil's (he has a new one especially for snare) and an 84 with a 57 underneath too. We use two 67's on the rack tom's and an 84 on the floor tom. Overheads are usually Coles or B&O stereo ribbon (the same one Bob's dad bought him on a trip to Sweden 40 years ago....). We usually only end up using 5 or 6 of those mics in the mix but it's nice to have. The secret weapon is the Sony ECM-50 on the high-hat. Catherine's piano usually has three mics which I can't remember off the top of my head but Bob owns the AKG for the low end and he can tell you exactly what model. Three mics on the piano and two, low and high, on the Leslie. I usually have an 87 on my acoustic and though I'm not normally crazy about 87's it usually sounds right in the mix. Plus, un-modded Neumann's take EQ like all get out. I like SM7's for male vocals and fet 47's for female but also vice-versa. The new Heil's are also real good for some male vocalists. Maybe one or two rooms mics. I like ribbons period and to digital but if you have good converters it shouldn't matter.

Did I miss anything?

Oh yeah, you hire players like this for their FEEL, not chops.
They can outplay just about anyone too probably but that ain't the point.

[Bob Olhsson]

Feel and how they each respond to what they hear. The whole is equal to more than the sum of the parts.

[EyreSpace]

Thanks for posting. I've been using less headphones and loving the results. One thing I'm considering is replacing my current closed back headphones with semi-closed or even open backed for the times I need to use headphones. Very much like seeing Bob Babbit smiling. cheers, bob

[jerryskid]

Great thread !!!...keep the good stuff coming !!!!

[studjo]

:Thumbsup:

I love session pics - if you guys find some "room-overviews" that would be awesome :very happy:


Jo

[shikawkee]

:Thumbsup:

I love session pics - if you guys find some "room-overviews" that would be awesome :very happy:


Jo

Hey Bob, why not post the Blind Boys pics with the mic set up?
(I think I might have them too)

I think we'll have some pics from Swafford's session too soon (Just haven't seen them yet from the photographer/videographer.....yup, we filmed the last session!!!!!)

[Bob Olhsson]

This sort of shows the basic setup for the Blind Boys:

Two Blumlein pairs of U-67s and Coles 4038s one above the other. I ended up mixing both pairs together.

There was also a U-47 set to omni up high in the room that I used as an echo send.

[shikawkee]

Me and Bob and the brothers Robinson and dad
(I hope this shows up....I attached it):

[idylldon]

(Bob Babbitt and Dave Hungate use my custom Coil EQ/DI direct when playing bass.)

Could you elaborate on the design for us DIY geeks?

Cheers,
--
Don

[shikawkee]

Could you elaborate on the design for us DIY geeks?

Cheers,
--
Don


It's a pure, passive, Class-A, discrete signal path employing 24v rails and simply coils and resistors. Here's some pics:

http://www.edpettersen.com/edpettersen/Coileq.html

We custom make them one at a time (or at least Robery Derby does <g>) and Radial will be licensing their own, similar model next year sometime through their Forest Labs high end line.

Honestly, I designed and developed this box to save me grief and it's been a wonder (Bob O. had a lot of input too). I've got three and take them everywhere. I can actually tolerate my acoustic DI'd at gigs now.

[shikawkee]

P.S.-Babbitt plays bass for us mostly. Dave plays guitar, banjo, trombone, whatever...and sometimes bass. Gotta' love them stunt musicians!!! Also gotta' give props to our other stunt musician, Donny Herron of BR549 and Dylan's band. He and Al Perkins are invaluable to me.

[Fulcrum]

^
| Sitting next to Goes, keeping my fool mouth shut, and listening with rapt attention

[idylldon]

It's a pure, passive, Class-A, discrete signal path employing 24v rails and simply coils and resistors. Here's some pics:

http://www.edpettersen.com/edpettersen/Coileq.html

We custom make them one at a time (or at least Robery Derby does <g>) and Radial will be licensing their own, similar model next year sometime through their Forest Labs high end line.

Honestly, I designed and developed this box to save me grief and it's been a wonder (Bob O. had a lot of input too). I've got three and take them everywhere. I can actually tolerate my acoustic DI'd at gigs now.

Very, very nice looking unit and it must sound spectacular as well. I think I may just have to order one of these soon.

Cheers,
--
Don

[Unfcknblvbl]

^
| Sitting next to Goes, keeping my fool mouth shut, and listening with rapt attention


Sitting next to Fulcrum doing the same.

[Droolbucket]

^
| Sitting next to Goes, keeping my fool mouth shut, and listening with rapt attention


Scoot over, you guys, and pass the popcorn... this is great stuff!
Droolbucket

[shikawkee]

Not to toot our own horn too much but you know what the Coil EQ really blew me away on? Drum machines. You send the output of an MPC to this box then to your recorder/board and watch out. Tweak 'till you drop! You won't believe how good your samples will sound and they'll need less EQ later.

[studjo]

you guys rock - great pics

thanks

Jo

[Jackpine]

Pass the corn this way... I can't take my eyes off the screen.

[dwoz]

It's a pure, passive, Class-A, discrete signal path employing 24v rails and simply coils and resistors. Here's some pics:

http://www.edpettersen.com/edpettersen/Coileq.html


You know, I can just tell it sounds great. It has a blue and a red knob on it, how could it sound bad.

I don't want to sidetrack into a gear question, because who cares, but if its passive, what are the rails for? I know you need SOME power to light up the LEDs that are mounted behind the tube...?

:-)

dwoz

Great thread, appreciating it VERY much...

[jerryskid]

SHHHHH!!..some people are trying to watch!!!:grin:

[shikawkee]

You know, I can just tell it sounds great. It has a blue and a red knob on it, how could it sound bad.

I don't want to sidetrack into a gear question, because who cares, but if its passive, what are the rails for? I know you need SOME power to light up the LEDs that are mounted behind the tube...?

:-)

dwoz

Great thread, appreciating it VERY much...

The rails provide juice for the optic cells but we
found that it actually sounds better with them too.
Kind of like the same principal as the Radial MK3
DI. Slightly more hi-fi performance but don't
ask me why.:icon_eek:

[Swafford]

I was happily surpised at how good the bass sounds through this DI. Big, full, lots of feel for the bottom with no mud. If Ed has no objection, I can post a link to an MP3 of a rough mix I did from my session (Little Bit of Rain) and you can get a feel for how it's working on the bass.

[shikawkee]

I was happily surpised at how good the bass sounds through this DI. Big, full, lots of feel for the bottom with no mud. If Ed has no objection, I can post a link to an MP3 of a rough mix I did from my session (Little Bit of Rain) and you can get a feel for how it's working on the bass.

No objection , just don't post the whole song.
Maybe a minute or so.

We've a/b'd this DI with a few others and it always
comes out on top (bless our little hearts!!! <g>)

[Swafford]

I cut it where Reggie comes in on the third verse. The nice thing about this song, a cover of Fred Neil's 'Little Bit of Rain', is the intruments trickle in so you can here how the bass sits against each one. The bass is mixed up a couple dbs at the top till the vocals come in. Two versions - 24bit Wav file (29mgs) and an mp3 (4mgs).

Please, I mixed these, and I make no pretention of knowing what I'm doing, so no need to critique the mix. I tend to balance things by panning them hard left or right. No eq, no compression, a little bit o' 'verb on the vocals, no fader rides, except at the top on the bass as I mentioned. Bounced out of Logic, though originally tracked in PT. The vocals are from our session up here at Ultrasuede Studio (Ultrastudio.com, cool place, great room), my friend John's place, Ed used both a U67 and a Heil PR40 on my voice. This was the last take (I think), uncomped and is the U67 - any idea which preamp that went through, Ed - the TAB V78?? It's really smooth. I like the sound a lot.

http://www.lenslounge.com/mp3.mp3

http://www.lenslounge.com/wav24.wav

[shikawkee]

Ed used both a U67 and a Heil PR40 on my voice. This was the last take (I think), uncomped and is the U67 - any idea which preamp that went through, Ed - the TAB V78?? It's really smooth. I like the sound a lot.

http://www.lenslounge.com/mp3.mp3

http://www.lenslounge.com/wav24.wav

The 67 went through the Manley pre.
I liked that pre a lot but the TAB was cool too
with the Heil.

[shikawkee]

That sounds pretty good Jeff.

Let me elaborate on the Coil EQ box:

This unit is really quiet and runs hot so you won't
need another pre for gain. Plus, it has a gain knob too just in case (you probably won't need it; I've had to pad it at gigs sometimes with cheap FOH boards). I really dig that 'cause it keeps the signal chain simple. It also has 600ohm custom transformers in and out and can run TRS or TS (switchable). We added a tuner out (non-buffered) and a high shelf boost switch at around 12k because Grammy-winner Jason Lehning asked for it (so you have high cut and boost which creates real interesting palates).

It sounds fat, acts like a classic channel strip from an old board, eliminates the need for other hardware and has EQ. I basically do a lot of work this this box and a few pres and decent mics, good to go.

[J.G.]

More. More. More !!!
I'm sitting in the back of the classroom listening.

And I'm behind him, pulling his 80's 'tail'... :Razz:

Totally enjoying this thread, and I look tres forward to the next additions.

Thanks for deciding to pull a stump here, shikawkee,

: J

[shikawkee]

Okay, let's get off the gear for a bit and talk about another session (they'll be more about Jeff's later)....

Bettye LaVette-

Ms. LaVette is simply one of the finest vocalists there is.
And real. And brave.

"Okay Ms.LaVette, we're thinking about doing this old school...."
"Old school? What do you mean, old school? I know old school!"
"Well. we'd like to put you in the piano room with the upright bass player and pianist and oh yeah, no headphones. Cool?"
"Just as long as we don't need to do 300 takes honey, that's allright with me".
"Allright. Here's where I'd like you to stand. Do you know the song (Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia")?
"Well, the band has it charted but let's go listen once or twice to the original"
"Allright then"

We listened twice I think then she went out and nailed it.
Hers is nothing like the original BTW.
We did three takes but I think take 1 is still the best.
Maybe with a few edits.

Bob can tell you the mics. I think I remember but he's the master.

[Bob Olhsson]

Vocal was a U-67 with an RE-20 for backup in case she sang too loud for the 67. Ms. LaVette was up by the tail of the piano facing her accompanist.

Piano was a pair of original tube C-12s and an AKG D224 placed to pickup the subsonics from the sounding board.

Bass was a long chrome Tele U-47 looking down from the fingerboard along with a Coles 4038 close to the f-hole with a popper-stopper in front of it to keep the breeze from the F-hole from popping the mike. The bass was behind the piano player's left shoulder so he could see the pianist's left hand and that the Coles figure-8 would be edge-on (i.e. dead ) to both the piano and the vocal.

[willpowrd]

Very cool thread, guys. I'm gonna take a seat, too. Continuing education. :)

So, Bob, are you still mastering independent outside projects?

[Bob Olhsson]

Mastering indi projects remains most of my livelihood.

Returning to recording music after 14 years of mostly mastering and motion picture post work has been a total gas.

[shikawkee]

Mastering indi projects remains most of my livelihood.

Returning to recording music after 14 years of mostly mastering and motion picture post work has been a total gas.

It is a gross understatement to say that Bob is responsible
for any success I have. I still know nothing. Ya' gotta' learn from da' best to be the best!!!:Thumbsup:

[shikawkee]

Allright, it's a road day so I may be out of touch for a bit.

Here's what I need from y'all-

I'm looking for musicians to take part in an ambient, slightly trippy, melodic, but also hip-hop influenced group. I already have my beatmaster/rapper and one other instrumentalist but we need musicians/singers. If this is your sort of thing--and ONLY if this is your sort of thing--please drop me a line. Think Dusty Springfield fronting the Velvet Underground with Dangermouse making the beats. MUST be committed and not afraid of hard work.

Thanks!!

[PRobb]

I had a chance to use a prototype of the DI box, and loved it. Particularly on a P-Bass with flatwounds.

I had an indy rock singer/songwriter project mastered by Mr. Ohlsson. It's one of the very few times I got something back from mastering and said "yeah- that's what I meant".

[rockdart]

I didn't see a price on them... did I overlook something? Some of us have to or may have to budget for these things...

[shikawkee]

I had a chance to use a prototype of the DI box, and loved it. Particularly on a P-Bass with flatwounds.

I had an indy rock singer/songwriter project mastered by Mr. Ohlsson. It's one of the very few times I got something back from mastering and said "yeah- that's what I meant".

Don't worry buddy, I'll get you another soon!!!
(*Maybe Dec. 11th??? <G>)

[shikawkee]

I didn't see a price on them... did I overlook something? Some of us have to or may have to budget for these things...

$595.00 retail.

[blackieC]

Digging all of this like a ditch.


And a big fan of BR-459



Don't bother to pass the popcorn fellers. I had a gig for a few years as a projectionist and the smell of the corn brings up all sorts of unpleasant memories.


The next time y'all are at a theater and the film breaks, don't start bitching and moaning after thirty seconds. There is some poor hapless bastard behind the wall who is doing his damndest to pick up a couple hundred feet of film from the floor and find a spice point.


:Thumbsup: , Blackie.

[dwoz]

Allright, it's a road day so I may be out of touch for a bit.

Here's what I need from y'all-

I'm looking for musicians to take part in an ambient, slightly trippy, melodic, but also hip-hop influenced group. I already have my beatmaster/rapper and one other instrumentalist but we need musicians/singers. If this is your sort of thing--and ONLY if this is your sort of thing--please drop me a line. Think Dusty Springfield fronting the Velvet Underground with Dangermouse making the beats. MUST be committed and not afraid of hard work.

Thanks!!


any thoughts about using some Chapman Stick?


dwoz

[Bob Olhsson]

any thoughts about using some Chapman Stick?sounds awfully creative...:icon_eek:

:Wink:

[dwoz]

sounds awfully creative...:icon_eek:

:Wink:


Maybe you could package up a guide track for me to overplay something on...

:grin: :lol: :D

[shikawkee]

sounds awfully creative...:icon_eek:

:Wink:

Hmmmm....very interesting.
Giving it some thought.

[jerryskid]

Digging all of this like a ditch.


The next time y'all are at a theater and the film breaks, don't start bitching and moaning after thirty seconds. There is some poor hapless bastard behind the wall who is doing his damndest to pick up a couple hundred feet of film from the floor and find a spice point.


:Thumbsup: , Blackie.

Just scrub the floor....




softly














we're trying to watch the show dude......

[malice]

Hmmmm....very interesting.
Giving it some thought.

Maybe I did not catch exactly what you were looking for (reading dwozs proposal to work on a guide track)

Are you looking for "online" collaboration ? Or do you seek musicians in your area ?

Velvet meets Dusty Springfield ... trip Hoppy style... that sounds like a great project.

malice

[shikawkee]

Maybe I did not catch exactly what you were looking for (reading dwozs proposal to work on a guide track)

Are you looking for "online" collaboration ? Or do you seek musicians in your area ?

Velvet meets Dusty Springfield ... trip Hoppy style... that sounds like a great project.

malice

To be clear, no, I wasn't really looking for online
collaboration right now. Just too busy I'm afraid.
This has to be a real group. It can be acoustic-based
but I'd like it to also be atmospheric and blend a few
styles. It has to be performance-based so a real
band is essential. This is a real opportunity to fill
out a group and make a record distributed through
a major. I've been working on this for a while and
I believe talent I already have and the idea has a ton
of potential. We just need to put a period on it and deliver
a great record.

Thanks for your indulgence.

P.S.-Looking for drums/percussion, keys, vocalists
and other instrumentalists.

[shikawkee]

So, next topic:

What's a producer do? -OR- Do you want to hear about the Anthony David w/the Funk Brothers session?

[jerryskid]

How about "What's a producer do"?.....

[shikawkee]

How about "What's a producer do"?.....

Allright.....answer:EVERYTHING!

The way I was taught is that a producer is responsible for everything. Finding and coordinating talent, finding the right studio, picking the right material, finding the perfect musicians, coming up with arrangements (VERY underrated part of the job--in the old days arrangers WERE often the producers!!), interfacing with the label, choosing a mastering engineer, you name it!

For example-

For the Blind Boys of Alabama you'd think it's a cinch, right? Five guys around mics singing. Well, yes and no. First off, they record for Real World, Peter Gabriel's label. They also manage the BB's. That means layers and layers of middle-people who basically have the best interests of their client at heart and aren't necessarily there to throw monkey wrenches in your path. However, layers and layers take time and patience. Plus, hey, they're BLIND. Someone has to meet them at the airport and drive them to the studio. Plus, they are a bit older now and require a bit of extra care (such as food and RX requirements....all in their rider). This all has to be taken into account and handled deftly BEFORE you even talk about recording.

Then of course after recording you have to find the proper person to mix the tracks and master. Then you often have to present the tracks or "sell" them to the label. If you haven't done this before it ain't just standing up and playing the songs and smiling. It takes a bit of skill and experience.

Most important part of the job:Keeping the client happy (whether it's the label, the artist or both), keeping the integrity of the music intact as much as possible and coming in on-time and under budget (You come in on-time and under budget for most majors and you will continue to work....). The politics of the recording industry are almost as important as the music and it takes a bit of finesse to make it work for you and the music.

I'm sure I'm missing tons 'cause it's early A.M. but fire away and I'll try to answer....

[gbacklin]

don't worry about finding a chair to sit on....... that spot on the floor will suit me just fine :Wink:

[jerryskid]

How about when a session just isn't going well....any stories on turning it right?....



(P. S. thanx for the wonderful info)

[shikawkee]

How about when a session just isn't going well....any stories on turning it right?....



(P. S. thanx for the wonderful info)

Take a break! Go bowling, watch a movie.....probably get some space between you and the band/artist for a bit. Ideally try to divert the energy elsewhere but in a positive way. Something distracting but cathartic ideally. Maybe even try another song or ask if they have something new they want to lay down and demo.

DON'T.....be aggressive. Nothing much good happens in the recording studio that is macho (why women make better musicians!!!:lol: ).

[jerryskid]

ok...now how about the Anthony David w/the Funk Brothers session?

[shikawkee]

ok...now how about the Anthony David w/the Funk Brothers session?

Ahhhh, that was a LOT of fun.

I heard Anthony's new record and immediately bought it (I buy most of my records...). I thought, "Man, what would this cat sound like with the 'Funks???". So, I wrote to his management team and proposed it. As it turns out we needed a new cover of "What's Going On" for a U.S. history project I'm working on (more on that later) and I figured, "Heck, I've got the guys who played on it, the engineer who recorded it, why not do it again!!".

Anthony was super cool and agreed immediately and without hesitation. I know he's heard the song, as all of us probably have, but he didn't really get time to work up a feel or arrangement for his own comfort level yet. Not to fear; enter Bob Babbitt and Ed Greene. As it turns out Ed and Bob were the only two guys we could get to the studio on short notice (this all happened within 3 days) and they met Anthony and myself at the studio to come up with something.

I'm pretty sure we lowered the key one step and slowed the tempo down just a tad but within a few minutes (MINUTES!!!) we had a real good feel going. Now, here's where it gets wild.....because we didn't have a lead sheet or real, accurate chart we had no chords. Only a head chart of what we all remember of the original. So Anthony looks at me and says, "How we gonna' track it without a guide guitar?". No worries; Babbitt?!?!?!

Here's a beautiful lesson for some of us who get caught up in gear and the latest trends: Feel is feel. You're not paying for chops, you're paying for feel and experience. JUST FOLLOW ED AND BABBITT. Seriously, I told Anthony, "Don't sweat it, just follow Bob and Ed and we'll see where it goes". Trooper that he is, Anthony just put his head down and sang his no-guide, Sunday-go-to-meetin' ass off!!! Just over bass and drums!!!
In fact, I'm pretty sure we only did two takes and used the second one.

Later, I asked Jack Ashford of the 'Funks to lay down some percussion and vibes and had the 'Funks horn guys put down some tasty parts. Oh, and Anthony did lay down a very cool, very laid-back acoustic guitar part which Bob O. will also tell you is on the original 'cause he has the cassette vocal rough he printed for Marvin the night of the original vocal session!!!!

Anyway, it sounds freakin' groovy, crazy, amazing and the record label is talking about it being the single. Maybe even a whole record with Anthony and the Funk Brothers.

All from just one e-mail to his manager.

(Bob, if I missed stuff on the fly please chime in)

[Swafford]

That's a great story. I love the idea of singing over just bass and drums.

[jerryskid]

Thanx....anymore session stories would be wonderful.....:Wink:

[Swafford]

Just had this film processed. Shot of lunch and the exterior of the Castle. I have some dim shots of the drum set up, but the light was pretty weak and my flash was on the mend. Looks like a lot of drum and mic silouettes. I also have a nice shot of Jane eating pie.

[shikawkee]

I'm trying to figure out which session to talk about next.
Maybe Devendra Banhart? That was a lot of fun.

In the meantime I'm on my way to NYC to hook up with some old buddies (one who's lurking around here I think) and record John Wesley Harding live with a horn section and drums (and stuff!).

I'll check back in throughout the week though.

[jerryskid]

anything you want to tell dude...and I love John Wesley Harding....

[shikawkee]

anything you want to tell dude...and I love John Wesley Harding....

Just in from the JWH session and I must say that I am
now a huge JWH fan! Lots of fun and hopefully my buddy Peter
who chief engineered the session will drop by with his take.

Horns (4), drums and vocal live in a room w/no punch ins.
I luv show bidness!!!!:D

[PRobb]

Just in from the JWH session and I must say that I am
now a huge JWH fan! Lots of fun and hopefully my buddy Peter
who chief engineered the session will drop by with his take.

Horns (4), drums and vocal live in a room w/no punch ins.
I luv show bidness!!!!:D

Big fun! A stripped down drum kit (kick, snare and cymbals), a horn section (Trumpet, trombone, french horn and tuba) and JWH goboed off all in the same room. Doing a sort of demented marching band arrangement of "God Save the King".

It was at The Space, a funky but great sounding big room in the Lower East Side. (They have the old custom board from the upstairs room at the late, lamented Sorcerer Sound). I miced up everybody, but what we wound up monitoring was just 121s in a Blumlein pair between the horns and the kit, a 67 in omni 20 feet up, and the vocal mic. Well, maybe a bit of the kick and french horn mics. The mix is gonna be a snap.

JWH sounded great and was a pleasure to work with.

Nothing is more fun than a room full of great players playing live. A splendid time was had by all.

[shikawkee]

And the Cuban sandwiches!! Don't forget the Cuban sandwiches!!!:lol:

[PRobb]

Oh, man- the best part! One of the real joys of the Lower East side is great cheap eats.:lol:

[jerryskid]

mmmmmmmm Cubian sandwiches arggggghhhhhhhhhh

[shikawkee]

One more tidbit I'd like to pass on-

Bob and I like to run a relaxed session.
Not relaxed sloppy but relaxed loose.
As a musician I always hate those sessions where
everyone is so wound up you're not sure if you're
really getting the artists best work. We try to provide
a calm, nurturing environment that's very laid back
but on-point. To me it's the people and surroundings
that help get the best work done. A serene work
environment and very supportive, creative, talented
people.

We EXPECT everyone, musicians, engineers,
assistants, to do his/her job and we've never had to
raise our voices once (they've earned that respect).
T-E-A-M.

[shikawkee]

Hey Peter R.-

Feel free to discuss any interesting sessions you've had recently....like maybe mixing Ray Charles a few years ago?

[shikawkee]

Merry, happy everyone!!

Be safe out there.

I promise I'll post about Devendra when I get back online in a few days. It's been kind of crazy around here trying to keeps mooks happy before the holiday.

[shikawkee]

Oh yeah, I meant to add something about my Coil EQ/DI box from an earlier post:

The reason for the 24-volt rails is that the higher the rail voltage the lower the inherent distortion.

Cheers everyone!
Ciento anni!!!!

[shikawkee]

Devendra Banhart-

First off, I am a huge fan of Devendra's and I "got it" right away from the first time I heard his music. But I sure didn't think I'd ever get a chance to record him based on what I'd been told about his recording habits (lo-fi, happenstance, loose, living in San Fran....). Such is not the case.

Thanks to many e-mails with his manager and a connection through a mutual friend we actually got Devendra and crew (Vetiver, Coco Rosie, Bunny Brains, Noah Georgeson....all 13 of them!) to record on their day off (!!!) while on tour in Nashville. They all have to be the nicest people I've ever recorded and I can't imagine how anyone could ever have a serious issue with these sweet souls. And can they work!

After quite a few took showers upstairs at the studio (13 on a bus does things to your hygeiene <g>) they all loosely gathered and just picked up instruments and started playing without really intensely working out parts. However, that doesn't mean it was haphazard. Everything just flowed. It was a challenge to get everything miked and sounding right as fast as they worked but it was invigorating at the same time.

As I remember, Devendra and his lead guitar player (damn, it's at the tip of my tongue...) laid down the basic track with the lead guitar player isloated in the piano room at the Castle so he could see Devendra in the other iso room near the kitchen (which also looks out to the main tracking room) and Devendra sang his vocal live while playing acoustic. No overdubs or fixes and it sounded great. Devendra then asked his drummer (from Bunny Brains) to overdub some free-form drums to the track we just did (with no click!). Surprisingly, it sounded great too. Then I overdubbed bass and paino and Devendra asked all of us to contribute backgrounds. ALL of us. It may sound kooky but it worked. He then laid down a harmony to his lead and voila! Rich Feaster from the Castle and I just mixed it on the spot and even went out later that evening after everyone left and recorded some crickets (Rich's idea) to add to the track. Devendra loved it.

We also cut some tracks with Bunny Brains before they left but they must have been dog tired from travelling and gigging. But not one complaint or ANY sign of attitude. That's a gig I'll take anytime. What a joy. That's what I got into this mess (biz) for in the first place!!

[shikawkee]

More on Devendra and an article I forgot about from engineer Rich Feaster. (Rich and I recorded Tim O'Brien today. Tim is a MONSTER!!!). If anyone wants details about what he's referring to fire away:

>>
Ed,
it wont let me register with my yahoo account. If you want, post the story from the Rage about Devendra's session, (with my regards, just tell them I haven't been able to register yet!). It has some details about the session, how it came about etc. The drummer was Dev's band drummer, Otto Hauser of the band Espers (not Bunny Brains), Dev's vocal was with a Sennheiser 441, KM54 and/or 414 on his guitar. And you might want to mention that gigantic bud that dude from Rough Trade was passing around, and about how Dave from Bunny Brains nearly electrocuted himself the next morning! :) Here is the link and the text:

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:3KvNFyPpUtoJ:www.nashvillerage.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20051027/RAGE1403/510270367/1245+%22Richard+Feaster%22+Devendra&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2

Thursday, 10/27/05
Under The Wire
While in town for his Exit/In show earlier this month, painter-poet-songwriter Devendra Banhart made time for a recording session at Castle Studios in Franklin.
Email story | Print
By Jonathan Flax

While in town for his Exit/In show earlier this month, painter-poet-songwriter Devendra Banhart made time for a recording session at Castle Studios in Franklin. Banhart initially had visited the Castle after a previous show in Nashville at The 5 Spot at the invitation of Castle recording engineer and local painter Richard Feaster.
"It was a crazy night, very late and spooky out there at the Castle, and I think he dug the atmosphere out in the country," recalls Feaster. "We made tentative plans to record next time he was in town."
Initially it was to be a freeform session. However, by the time Banhart had returned to Nashville for the Exit/In gig, local producer Ed Pettersen had approached Banhart to contribute to a new compilation project, The Song Of America, which will document the history of the nation from 1620 to the present through 50 historical songs performed by popular artists, including The Flaming Lips, The Black Crowes and others.
On Oct. 13 at the Castle, Banhart recorded the Malvina Reynolds song Little Boxes for the project. Feaster engineered and mixed the song and Pettersen produced it. Meanwhile, documentarian Aiyana Elliott, daughter of Ramblin' Jack Elliott, filmed the entire session.
"(Banhart) arrived late with his large crew in a really nice, large touring coach," Feaster says. "It was like a huge party descending on the studio. It was a blast. The session lasted all night, and you can hear some of the party — talking, cooking noises, other music — in the background of the recording!"
David Macias, who most recently co-produced Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Steven Foster, will co-produce The Song Of America with Pettersen. The album is due in 2006 on Macias' Emergent label.
<<

[Swafford]

I had the fortunate experience of heading down to Nashville yesterday to track four more songs for the record Ed and I have been working on. Ed was producing, Bob was overseeing and tweaking (and grinning and laughing) and the band was there in fine form. The Castle got a better offer at the last minute and bumped the session, but Bob was able to secure Java Jive, Dave Martins studio. Rich Feaster was on hand to assist in the set up. Dunno if Dave reads here, but thanks again for your beautiful studio, hospitality and drunken talent shttp://womb.mixerman.net/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif. Dave's a pretty funny and light hearted guy, the studio is great sounding and fantastic looking, located about 15 mile west of Nashville in the mostly rural town of Joelton. The walls are adorned with a range of gutiars.

Also present was Mike "Blues Clues" Rubin, a friend of Ed's from NYC who flew down to track two songs and Kensie (sp?), and up and coming Nashville singer, and my old friend Niki (and former bandmate) who is the music director at a Ohio AAA radio station whom I have gotten interested in putting together a music magazine/podcast of some of this really really cool shit.

And I took a bunch of pictures for you freaks.

the grand mic'd, over Babbit's shoulder, Reggie Young's rig.

[Swafford]

Ed Green, drums, Dave hungate in the acoustic iso booth.

[Swafford]

Ed and Rich Feaster. Dave Hungate, Reggie Young, Bob Babbit, Ed Green, me, looking over a chart for the next one. Actually, I'm just watching them look over the chart. Ed and Catherine Marx. Catherine's playing takes my breath away. Pure joy. No shit. Really. Pure heavenly joy.

[Swafford]

Babbitt, Mike Rubin, Reggie and Ed in the large tracking room. Bob, smiling (of course!) in control room next to the Vegas sign. Ed and Dave Martin at the board.

[shikawkee]

I had the fortunate experience of heading down to Nashville yesterday to track four more songs for the record Ed and I have been working on. Ed was producing, Bob was overseeing and tweaking (and grinning and laughing) and the band was there in fine form. The Castle got a better offer at the last minute and bumped the session, but Bob was able to secure Java Jive, Dave Martins studio. Rich Feaster was on hand to assist in the set up. Dunno if Dave reads here, but thanks again for your beautiful studio, hospitality and drunken talent shttp://womb.mixerman.net/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif. Dave's a pretty funny and light hearted guy, the studio is great sounding and fantastic looking, located about 15 mile west of Nashville in the mostly rural town of Joelton. The walls are adorned with a range of gutiars.

Also present was Mark "Blues Clues" Rubin, a friend of Ed's from NYC who flew down to track two songs and Kinsey (sp?), and up and coming Nashville singer, and my old friend Niki (and former bandmate) who is the music director at a Ohio AAA radio station whom I have gotten interested in putting together a music magazine/podcast of some of this really really cool shit.

And I took a bunch of pictures for you freaks.

the grand mic'd, over Babbit's shoulder, Reggie Young's rig.

Man, believe me it was our pleasure. The players are really getting a kick out of these tracking sessions. They wanna' do more!!!

One correction though:

It's Mike Rubin, not Mark. Mike writes and produces all of the Blues Clues stuff since the beginning of the show. He's aces. I just got off the phone with him and he wants to come back too with other artists. Can't wait for you guys to hear the tracks. I spent 6 hours backing up!!!:icon_eek:

[shikawkee]

Oh yeah and it's Kenzie. Kenzie Wetz. She's gonna' be a big star, bless her heart. Wait'll y'all hear this Oklahoma girl sing SOUL.
She plays fiddle and hates Bluegrass. Gotta' love that!!!:lol:

[Swafford]

Oops, sorry bout that....long drive home, up very early, not too much sleep.

[studjo]

Boys I love your project! Great pics - great guys - it has to sound terrific. I can't wait untill I hear your stuff and Dave Martin is a fine lad - a bit on the coffee drinking side but other than that a nice dude :very happy:

Jo

[Bob Olhsson]

Let me mention that we intend to be very creative about selling these records we're making.

[shikawkee]

I'm about ready and packed to be off to NAMM but Bob and I just finsihed mixing a Tim O'Brien track that's pretty cool. I think we have a pic somewhere I'll find to post. Tim is just a huge talent. Dang!

Got the Fisk Jubilee Singers and the Old Crow Medicine Show next.

Maybe see some of y'all in Anaheim!

[Swafford]

If you all don't know, Ed's new CD "The New Punk Blues of Ed Pettersen" comes out Tuesday. It's been a long time coming (least it seems like it) with lot's of delays from the distributor and what not. It's a fine piece of work with some real rollicking rockers and fine folky tunes. I'm always partial to the folk stuff and his tune Chelsea still slays me a good two years (it seems, I lose track of time pretty easy) since I first heard it.

Look for him to be playing in a town near you.

I'll be hosting Ed for a couple of dates in the Cincinnati area. Feb 9 at the Southgate House in Newport, Ky. and Mar 7 at the Northside Tavern in Cincinnati. The Southgate show is designed for you to bring your plukemate, relax and listen, while still getting home a manageable hour. The Mar 9 show is a late starting 3 banger with my good friends from Winnipeg, Twilight Hotel, Ed and myself.

http://murdercreekassembly.com/ for more info. Or PM me. Would love to see you at the Southgate House, probably give you a place to crash if your traveling far and the first drink is on me.

[shikawkee]

Awww shucks, thanks a lot Jeff.
I am proud of this record. Bob O. had a LOT
to do with it (the good parts anyways <g>).

Got even better news last night when I got a call from a favorite artist of mine telling me they're cutting one of my songs next week. I think my wife is happier than me!!!:icon_eek: :lol:

[lebouche]

the grand mic'd, over Babbit's shoulder, Reggie Young's rig.
I've never seen a condensor used like that on a cab before...with to top of the mic facing the cab, why is this technique applied.
Great thread btw.
Thanks

[shikawkee]

I've never seen a condensor used like that on a cab before...with to top of the mic facing the cab, why is this technique applied.
Great thread btw.
Thanks

It's a front loaded/end-fire mic.
I think it's one of the new Heil dynamics.
We've been using them quite a bit lately and I was
pleased to see Dave Martin had them too.

And your welcome. Glad to be here and happy to help.

[shikawkee]

Up next this week:

The Old Crow Medicine Show, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Bill Miller and Elizabeth Foster.

Pics to follow (I hope!).

[Swafford]

Just got this film back. SOme cool Widelux shots fo the control and tracking rooms.

[Swafford]

some more.

[shikawkee]

SWEET! Nice shots buddy.

I think we got some pics of the Old Crow Medicine Show and Fisk Jubliee singers from yesterday. Will post soon. We took care to get mics and placement clear in the shots.

[Spock]

You know I'm going to ask this....




What did you use to take them. What film etc.

[Swafford]

The b/w's were taken with a Horizon 35mm Panaromic, a Russian copy of a Widelux 35mm Panoroamic - swivel lens, 140° field of view. Kodak Tri-X rated at 400. Nice size neg fits well in a 6x7 carrier for scanning, just mask of the bleed areas. Java jive is a really well lit studio, I wish they all had ambient light like that. The tonal range in Java is really quite nice - The Womb upload compresses the jpgs with an iron hammer. No ductile anchor there.

Here's a shot of Ed at his Nashville release with my trusty Leica. Tri-X, but of course!

[Bob Olhsson]

Those pictures are amazing!

[Swafford]

Better then chocolate pie?

Thanks Bob.

[Cosmic Pig]

Thanks for this thread you guys! Sometimes things look pretty bleak down here in the trenches of producing, and it gives me hope that once you break through the clouds of hacks and sharks clustered on the bottom rungs there's sunshine up there.

So... three questions about producing.

Ed (or whoever), the sessions you've described were positive experiences, what about the bad ones? Like the writer who insists the 10 minute vibraflap solo is crucial to his message or telling the band the drummer won't cut it. Does that sort of thing happen up there in the sunshine? How do you handle it when the writer or band dig their heels in, do you put the hammer down, or just get the hell outa there?

Down here in The Room Of Pain the writer is usually footing the bill, so my job is keeping their vision clear rather than fitting the song into a top forty formula. the object being their satisfaction with my work is more important than something sellable at the end of it. How much of your focus in producing is towards marketing?

The third question I suspect has no real answer, but where is the line between arranging and producing? I only vaguely understand what arranging is, but I sorta figure arranging as coming up with a horn line, producing is the decision to pitch it, or have backup singers sing the line instead of horns.

Thanks for any thoughts, and thanks for the glimpse above the comic tragedy of producing karoake queens and 17 year olds.

Cos.

[jerryskid]

Better then chocolate pie?

Thanks Bob.


The only thing better than chocolate pie is pussy !!!!

[shikawkee]

Thanks for this thread you guys! Sometimes things look pretty bleak down here in the trenches of producing, and it gives me hope that once you break through the clouds of hacks and sharks clustered on the bottom rungs there's sunshine up there.

So... three questions about producing.

Ed (or whoever), the sessions you've described were positive experiences, what about the bad ones? Like the writer who insists the 10 minute vibraflap solo is crucial to his message or telling the band the drummer won't cut it. Does that sort of thing happen up there in the sunshine? How do you handle it when the writer or band dig their heels in, do you put the hammer down, or just get the hell outa there?

****Happens all the time in some form or another (no 10 minute vibroslap solos though--that's where I draw the line <g>). Right now frankly, I don't have to take those sessions and I will absolutely not work with someone I don't like. That said, I try to always stay on top of what the main objective is for a session (ie:jingle, song demo, overdub, master or just wanking off) and try to keep ahead of the client at all times. I make sure I explain what can be done for how much and how long it will take to reasonably achieve that goal. From copious experience and many skull sessions you get a feel for this and get a sense of how far you can push. You also keep your crew fresh this way and keep them from getting burned out by the client.

Down here in The Room Of Pain the writer is usually footing the bill, so my job is keeping their vision clear rather than fitting the song into a top forty formula. the object being their satisfaction with my work is more important than something sellable at the end of it. How much of your focus in producing is towards marketing?

****ALWAYS! Believe it or not I am always thinking of how what music we're making is going to be marketed. If you don't you're a fool or not working. You have to sell the suits first!
Plus, I'm a fan. If I ain't buying it how will someone else?

The third question I suspect has no real answer, but where is the line between arranging and producing? I only vaguely understand what arranging is, but I sorta figure arranging as coming up with a horn line, producing is the decision to pitch it, or have backup singers sing the line instead of horns.

****Do you write charts? Are you creating ALL the key parts and /or suggestions for a session? Are you actually writing notes with real musical notation and terms? Are you orchestrating? Then you're an arranger. If you're calling the shots you're a producer.

Thanks for any thoughts, and thanks for the glimpse above the comic tragedy of producing karoake queens and 17 year olds.

****Glad someone's getting somethin' outta' this!

Cos.

:)

[Cosmic Pig]

Thanks for the insights Ed! Your words speak volumes. I definitely got some food for thought out of it. First up, learning to read music.

Cos.

[Swafford]

Whoa!?!? You mean your not going to use that 20 min acoustic guitar jam I poured my heart into and you secretly recorded, because the "suits aren't buying it"? Harummph! No more muffins for Jane!

I will add, as the 'artist' that it behoves us as 'artists' to recognize our limitations (whatever they may be). We choose to work with people, let them do thier thing. Input can either be utilized or ignored, just move on to the next thing without getting your ego tangled up in the process. And fuck the rest of the noise.

[shikawkee]

Always hire people better than you.
You should be the weakest link in the chain.
Best advice I ever got!

[Cosmic Pig]

Always hire people better than you.
You should be the weakest link in the chain.
Best advice I ever got!

Ha... I got that same advice many years ago. It keeps the ego in check and makes you a better player. It makes you a better player because you have to learn how to play with them rather than at them or they won't stick around.

Here's a bad live recording of Summertime (http://members.shaw.ca/helenduguay/summer.mp3) with some of the regulars.

Buuut anyways... I fear I may have hijacked this thread somewhat. How bout more stories Ed?

Cos.

[shikawkee]

Today's headline:

NO HEADPHONES

You want to get a better performance out of an act?
Make 'em all play in the same room in close proximity
with no headphones. I bet you get a more even, inspired
and less self-conscious performance AND it will likely be
easier to mix.

We recently had Grammy-winning Tim O'Brien in the studio
to cut a track for the Song of America. Not only did he give
a fabulous performance but since he sang and played the fiddle
at the same time there's this really cool harmonic resonance
from his fiddle while he's singing. It really provided the track
with that extra something, that extra atmosphere that you
could never get from overdubbing. It made it REAL. That can
only add to the emotion of the track and make it stick that much
more in the listeners brain. They FEEL it as well as hear it.

In fact, we've had tremendous results with the Black Crowes, Joni Harms.
the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the Old Crow Medicine
Show and many others recently using no headphones and I applaud these
acts for taking the leap of faith with us.

Talk about old school!!!:icon_eek: :lol: :Thumbsup:

[Cosmic Pig]

I'm a big fan of real, but now you're just talkin crazy. No hp's? You guys all wandering around that castle wearing suits of armor and tilting at windmills has addled your minds.

So is the Holy Grail in mic placement? Close mic or stereo ambient? Careful alignment of figure of eight? Isolation of amps and drums?

My armor is rusty and my lance droops, but I'm always up for a good quest.

Cos.

[shikawkee]

I'm a big fan of real, but now you're just talkin crazy. No hp's? You guys all wandering around that castle wearing suits of armor and tilting at windmills has addled your minds.

So is the Holy Grail in mic placement? Close mic or stereo ambient? Careful alignment of figure of eight? Isolation of amps and drums?

My armor is rusty and my lance droops, but I'm always up for a good quest.

Cos.

Well, we are dark knights-that's fer sure!
Seriously though, you're on the right track.
It's all about mic placement and careful alignment
of figure eight. We don't isolate amps and drums;
we enjoy the bleed! (Well, with great players anyway! <g>)
We use room mics usually only for space and as echo sends...
sometimes for other things. But having the players vibe
off of each other and having REAL dynamics makes the
whole thing fly. Oh yeah, NO COMPRESSION. You won't
need it. You'll really appreciate it when it comes
time to mix.

I'm sure Bob can pipe in some on this too....

[Bob Olhsson]

When I started working at Motown in the fall of 1965 we were just building our first headphone system because we had added three iso rooms onto the side of the studio. The original idea was to use a binaural microphone array in each room that would put everybody in the same "space." That didn't work out so after trying headphone mixes off the board, we wound up leaving the doors to the iso rooms open and just giving the organ player a headphone mix off the board. Eventually we also gave the drummers a mix.

Prior to the headphone system, singers were dubbed in using the Altec A7 speaker system that was out in the studio for playbacks to the musicians. The bottom line is that most records made prior to the late 1960s did not employ headphones. They also had everybody playing at the same time and very few studios had more than one compressor/limiter which was generally used as "protection" so a saturated tape wouldn't prevent the use of a take. I've found a huge part of "vintage" sound is vintage production techniques as opposed to vintage gear. The guys who taught me had recorded everything this way before they came to Motown, i.e.: no headphones, no overdubs, no compression.

It's ironic that console automation, vocal tuning and compression seem to be needed mostly because of the use of headphones and overdubbing.

[shikawkee]

Oh yeah, and I like to liberally use quality dynamics and ribbons along with condensers in figure eight. (If you wanna' hear a UA 2-610 scream use it with dynamics and ribbons. That's what Bill Putnam was using with his console in Chicago.)

Dynamics tend to isolate well especially in bad rooms.

[shikawkee]

I've got pics including close ups of micing for the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the Old Crow Medicine Show, Tim O'Brien and maybe one or two other artists if someone can tell me how to upload the dang things!

[Cosmic Pig]

Cooool.

Below the quick reply box hit the "go advanced" button.

Then you come to the advanced post page, scroll down a bit to "manage attachments" That'll get you a popup box where you can download pics or tunes.

This thread is too cool. I get that the concept of hp's and tracking one at a time is for sound quality, but it comes at the expense of "the zone" that good players get into. That moment when the band is locked in tight and the groove goes deep. It's psychic... man.

So the AE's get all fancy with sound at the expense of the music, then the listener mp3's it at 128 kbps. Makes ya wonder wtf.

Mind you, most bands aren't that good and need the comping and editing, especially down here in the Room Of Pain. With the amount of mediocre players out there I can see how it became industry standard.

Cos.

[shikawkee]

Tim O'Brien, Fisk and some Old Crow next...

[shikawkee]

Old Crow up close:

[shikawkee]

More Crow...

[shikawkee]

And one mo' Crow:

[shikawkee]

Cooool.

Below the quick reply box hit the "go advanced" button.

Then you come to the advanced post page, scroll down a bit to "manage attachments" That'll get you a popup box where you can download pics or tunes.

This thread is too cool. I get that the concept of hp's and tracking one at a time is for sound quality, but it comes at the expense of "the zone" that good players get into. That moment when the band is locked in tight and the groove goes deep. It's psychic... man.

So the AE's get all fancy with sound at the expense of the music, then the listener mp3's it at 128 kbps. Makes ya wonder wtf.

Mind you, most bands aren't that good and need the comping and editing, especially down here in the Room Of Pain. With the amount of mediocre players out there I can see how it became industry standard.

Cos.

I feel your pain. Music is all about repetition. Repetition so you don't have to think while playing, just feel. If we could only make all of our clients rehearse well before they come in!!!

P.S.-Thanks for the tip about posting pics.
I still have to size them down with Irfanview.

[Cosmic Pig]

Well there's yer problem Ed, those mics are too old. Send em over and I'll dispose of them in an evironmentally friendly manner.

I can see how careful placement in a good room with good pre's etc. in combination with good players would in fact mix itself.

I have to get pretty crazy with eq here because of the room... or maybe it's the washer dryer in the drum area. Studio A is the basement, and studio B is my kid's bedroom. The control room is behind the floor to ceiling to-be-fixed pile. The iso booth is the bathroom. Toss in a Roland 2480 and a few Mr. Microphones and there ya have it. haha.

The one benefit of this setup is I don't have much problem with red light fever.

But seriously, thanks for the pics. Those look like they were some awesome sessions.

Cos.

[shikawkee]

I just had the pleasure of producing Freedy Johnston's new record with Bob Babbitt, Ed Greene and Andy Reis backing him. Here are some crummy pics taken on the fly (we had 12 songs to cut in 2 days so we really had to move). Pics are taken with a digital Canon Powershot SD600:

(Well, I was gonna' post pics but I keep getting "invalid file" no matter what size the pics are. Strange....)

[shikawkee]

Okay....figured it out (DOH!):

[shikawkee]

More:

[shikawkee]

A few more:

[shikawkee]

Scott Kempner sessions
-----------------------

Scott Kempner taught me almost everything I know (so blame him....); How to play guitar, how to write songs, how to make it ache. He came to Nashville this week to record a coupla' new songs to add to his new album, "Saving Grace", that will be out later this year on 2minutes59 Records. Here are some pics of the session with Bob Babbitt playing bass and Ed Greene on drums:

[shikawkee]

More shots including second set-up (Scott needed to be in the same room with the other players-not in an iso booth):

[shikawkee]

More:

[shikawkee]

More of Ed Greene:

[Cosmic Pig]

Cool pics Shikawkee!

12 tunes in two day?!?!?! I can see it happening, but the tunes must have been really ready. Can you tell us how much producing is involved in speed recording like that? I mean, it seems to me you wouldn't get much of a chance to tweak the tunes themselves in that amount of time. Is there much arranging going on?

Soory to ask such a potentially large question, but what are your duties in a fast session like that? Is producing in those circumstances mostly just keeping the session moving and spirits up?

I'm curious, because down here in the Room Of Pain producing is usually slow and involves arranging a jumble of half baked tunes. I spend a lot of time patiently explaining why tunes need things or don't need things. Why an artist will lose the listener's interest if a 7 minute tune has 6 verses, or why a second guitar part will stop the listener from recognizing the direct ripoff of a ZZtop tune. Or more minor things like changing the kik pattern to stop the camel hump.

Sorry to babble on dude. Something I noticed lately is the amount of concern over my destroying their babies goes down in direct corelation to their talent. I have a few killer players in here at the moment and when I make suggestions to them they're all ears. Suggesting things to the not so killer players they immediately dig their heels in. Do you run into much of that? I guess that's an arranging thing rather than a producing thing.

In fact... I think I just answered a few of my own questions haha. Feel free to comment on anything or nothing. More pics please.

Cos.

[shikawkee]

Cool pics Shikawkee!

12 tunes in two day?!?!?! I can see it happening, but the tunes must have been really ready. Can you tell us how much producing is involved in speed recording like that? I mean, it seems to me you wouldn't get much of a chance to tweak the tunes themselves in that amount of time. Is there much arranging going on?

Soory to ask such a potentially large question, but what are your duties in a fast session like that? Is producing in those circumstances mostly just keeping the session moving and spirits up?

I'm curious, because down here in the Room Of Pain producing is usually slow and involves arranging a jumble of half baked tunes. I spend a lot of time patiently explaining why tunes need things or don't need things. Why an artist will lose the listener's interest if a 7 minute tune has 6 verses, or why a second guitar part will stop the listener from recognizing the direct ripoff of a ZZtop tune. Or more minor things like changing the kik pattern to stop the camel hump.

Sorry to babble on dude. Something I noticed lately is the amount of concern over my destroying their babies goes down in direct corelation to their talent. I have a few killer players in here at the moment and when I make suggestions to them they're all ears. Suggesting things to the not so killer players they immediately dig their heels in. Do you run into much of that? I guess that's an arranging thing rather than a producing thing.

In fact... I think I just answered a few of my own questions haha. Feel free to comment on anything or nothing. More pics please.

Cos.

Yup, 12 tunes in two days and if you really wanna' feel bad it really was two half-days <g>.

Actually, most of my work gets done before I even walk in the studio. It's a must for me that I get the material far in advance of recording and I work it and re-work it.....pretty much until I'm sick of the song! Lots of pre-pro with the artist. Another key that can't be over-emphasized is hiring great, brilliant, experienced musicians with great feel and can hang. This makes EVERY session I do go very smoothly and allows us to move quickly. We know when we have a great take and we very rarely let the band play past it. Maybe one take past it to be sure. Last week I had an artist question everything we were doing not because it didn't sound or feel perfect but because it was too easy. I'd rather be in that position that not!!! I do make a lot of decisions on the fly during recording but you have to trust your instincts and the players on those and go with it.

Any yes, it always seems that the level of talent dictates their level of flexibility. Hopefully they'll learn or disappear, especially with things as competitive as they are right now. It certainly seems to me to be less traditional opportunities in the biz right now. We need a new model but that's another post...

[Bob Olhsson]

I'm preparing for another session tomorrow, seven songs in four hours, six of them r&b tunes with live vocals. Tommy Dowd would be proud of us for pulling this together.

We're seriously considering ditching the click this time around. Everybody seems to have been assuming some of the others wanted it! Yet another step towards how we all used to work back in the '60s and '70s. In retrospect I've often really wondered about recording "progress."

I'm also finally ditching the 57s on the snare in favor of just a KM84 top and, if needed, bottom. Ed's bringing three M-88s for the toms to free up the 3 KM84s I'd been using. Of the 50 or so songs we've recorded, I've only wound up using tom mikes on two. Last time around we used a TLM103 on outer kick because no FET 47 was available and it worked out pretty good so I'm going with that once again. Still using an RE-20 inside and a U-47 out on the floor in front of the whole kit for "balls."

[MGMc]

No click? I wouldn't recomend it. I guess you can always fix it later in beat detective when you're replacing the original hits with samples...












*ducks and runs for cover*

[Swafford]

Bob, I found the click useful when tracking both the 'scratch' and 'final' vocals (since I can't count for shit), so maybe you don't need it for tracking, but I suppose you'd print it?

It was a pleasure to hang at your place while you and Ed mixed a bit.

[Bob Olhsson]

Many of us think headphones and clicks were both giant steps backwards in recorded performance.

Every single one of our musicians is a legend when it comes to time. Obviously some songs will be easier to overdub with a click and we'll use it but not using one could easily be a way to kick everything up another notch.

Just don't try this recording the kids next door.

[Johnny]

Drums and books in the same room=my dream come true.

[Cosmic Pig]

Clicks and headphones are the first steps to way more work.

It's been my experience that if the drummer needs a click he probably can't follow it anyway, and if the tune speeds up it's just that much sooner the parents pain will end.

I love that smile parents get on their faces when they come in for playback. Their mouths are smiling but their eyes are shrieking "omigod this is just awful!". The kids think the look is one of shock at how badass their tunes are and stand around cool as cucumbers trying to be hardcase artists. Ha.

Buuut anyways... How did the session go?

Cos.

[Bob Olhsson]

It went pretty amazing. Because the piano needed to be in a separate room, the musicians wanted to use click on all but one tune.

These were the first full-out R&B tracks we've been able to line up a budget for and the section really rose to the occasion. I was bouncing around the control room making a complete fool of myself. It was everything great about Memphis, Muscle Shoals, Philly, LA and Motown all rolled into one.

[shikawkee]

It went pretty amazing. Because the piano needed to be in a separate room, the musicians wanted to use click on all but one tune.

These were the first full-out R&B tracks we've been able to line up a budget for and the section really rose to the occasion. I was bouncing around the control room making a complete fool of myself. It was everything great about Memphis, Muscle Shoals, Philly, LA and Motown all rolled into one.

Pics of the session (sorry, I'm a crappy photographer):
P.S.-You don't replace Ed Greene with samples!!!

[shikawkee]

More pics:

[shikawkee]

More still....Kenizie, the artist, is gonna' be a star.
She's a real musician who only cares about soul music
from a very short period and she's making her first album
with the musicians who made that music famous. I'd
say it's a pretty good match. Oh yeah, and she's
only 22. The last pic is Babbitt, Ed Greene, Bob Olhsson,
Pete Abbott (Average White Band) and Freedy Johnston
having coffee and doing a podcast for the WOMB:

[Cosmic Pig]

Cooool. I wanna hang out with you guys.

I don't suppose the guitar player is the one playing through that Leslie cab? Will the CD be released commercially or is there a website I can buy it from when it's done?

Cos.

[shikawkee]

Cooool. I wanna hang out with you guys.

I don't suppose the guitar player is the one playing through that Leslie cab? Will the CD be released commercially or is there a website I can buy it from when it's done?

Cos.

B-3 through the Leslie. Guitars rarely.
As Beatle George so aptly put it, "It's been done" <g>.

The CD will likely be released early next year, though
ya' never know with labels; if they're really excited it could be this year. But a serious, long-time label is waiting on it.

I think Kenzie has a myspace page:www.myspace.com/kenziewetz

We'll keep you posted. We have to do more tracking once we find more songs or write them. We went through hundreds to get six this time.

[Cosmic Pig]

Heh.. and what's old is new again. I've been dragging a leslie 145 around to gigs lately. The amp's taken out so I can run my Twin through it and the spinny bits still work. Sounds great on slow rotor. I'll never use a chorus pedal again.

I've seen it done a few times but what got me hooked was a tune by Govt. Mule where Warren uses one.

But yes, keep us posted on those tunes, I'd love to hear them.

Outa curiousity, What's you guys' favorite album at the moment?

Cos.

[shikawkee]

Right now I'd say my favorite disc is the 2-CD re-issue of Robert Fripp's "Exposure" which was a fave in my teens. I'm also about to listen to Tarnation's "Gentle Creatures" which is my favorite Alt. Country album of all-time (I don't listen to much Alt. Country). My fave new CD is Andrew Bird's new one.

[shikawkee]

The Freedy record is done! (pending Freedy's notes on the mixes)
I'm very proud of this one and Bob really kicked it up a notch.

What I'm listening to right now is "What it Is:Funky Soul and Rare Grooves". Just a killer box set.

[Leifski]

Hey Ed!!!
This is just way too cool!!! I got a tip about this site from a guy on the Logic chat group and when I log on for the first time, who do I find??? My good friend Pete Abbotts twin in Nashville!!! This is great and I look forward to checking out this site in the future...
Fantastic!!!
Rock on... Leif @ stable studios Oslo

[shikawkee]

Hey Ed!!!
This is just way too cool!!! I got a tip about this site from a guy on the Logic chat group and when I log on for the first time, who do I find??? My good friend Pete Abbotts twin in Nashville!!! This is great and I look forward to checking out this site in the future...
Fantastic!!!
Rock on... Leif @ stable studios Oslo

Did you see the pic of Pete with Ed Greene, Babbitt, et al?

'Bout time you found us Norge boy!

[Leifski]

Did you see the pic of Pete with Ed Greene, Babbitt, et al?

'Bout time you found us Norge boy!

Yeah, I saw it... Pete has it on his laptop for all to see... It would be nice to see you some day in person Ed... Gotta take a road trip...
L :):):)

[shikawkee]

Yeah, I saw it... Pete has it on his laptop for all to see... It would be nice to see you some day in person Ed... Gotta take a road trip...
L :):):)

We sure wouldn't mind having you here!
You still play with A-Ha! anymore?

[shikawkee]

Hey gang-

I'm re-working my website. I'd love to have some feedback
(Still haven't got to everything...):

www.edpettersen.com

Thanks!!!

[Cosmic Pig]

Looks great Ed! not too slick or too many geegaws... nice to see someone skipping the flash crap... came up really fast too.

The pics on the first page don't link to bigger pics like they should, but that's probably what you meant by still haven't got everything.

My only critique would be it needs more separation between the various projects. Someone unfamiliar with your work might be confused as to whether you're a producer or a player or what. I see you have somewhat separated it, but maybe a title above the vertical page breaks would help.

Also the vertical page breaks are a little uneven, try using that width=100% in a few places. That way the page will adjust to different computer settings.

Minor quibbles tho, it looks really good dude. The vibe matches what you're about and thats the hardest part.

Cos.

[shikawkee]

Looks great Ed! not too slick or too many geegaws... nice to see someone skipping the flash crap... came up really fast too.

The pics on the first page don't link to bigger pics like they should, but that's probably what you meant by still haven't got everything.

My only critique would be it needs more separation between the various projects. Someone unfamiliar with your work might be confused as to whether you're a producer or a player or what. I see you have somewhat separated it, but maybe a title above the vertical page breaks would help.

Also the vertical page breaks are a little uneven, try using that width=100% in a few places. That way the page will adjust to different computer settings.

Minor quibbles tho, it looks really good dude. The vibe matches what you're about and thats the hardest part.

Cos.

Good feedback, thanks man.
Titles are confusing 'cause I do wear many hats!
It's can be kind of a curse I guess.
Props to Swafford for getting the layout, etc.
together for me.

[Leifski]

Hey Bud... My A-ha days are over... Nothing surprises me anymore... :grin: having Pete in my life is enough at the moment. I do the odd session with Morten (the singer)...
Hey, I dig your website... What was Michael Moore like???
Leif



We sure wouldn't mind having you here!
You still play with A-Ha! anymore?

[shikawkee]

Hey Bud... My A-ha days are over... Nothing surprises me anymore... :grin: having Pete in my life is enough at the moment. I do the odd session with Morten (the singer)...
Hey, I dig your website... What was Michael Moore like???
Leif

Michael Moore is a riot, just a goofy, regular guy
who digs music. Me, Steve Earle and him were
watching the Yankees in the playoffs that night.
Good times....not like this baseball season!!!

[shikawkee]

The Song of America is DONE!
50 songs by 50 popular artists celebrating
our history as a nation. Out Sept 18th:

1 Lakota Dream Song Earl Bullhead
2 Once More Our God Vouchsafe To Shine Julie Lee
3 Let Us Break Bread Together Blind Boys of Alabama
4 God Save The King John Wesley Harding
5 Young Ladies In Town Elizabeth Foster
6 The Old Woman Taught Wisdom Malcom Holcombe
7 The Liberty Song Ed Pettersen
8 Yankee Doodle Harper Simon
9 Jefferson & Liberty The Wilders
10 Hail Columbia Steven Kowalczyk-Santoro
11 Star Spangled Banner Take 6
12 Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child Beth Nielsen Chapman
13 Peg and Awl Freedy Johnston
14 Sweet Betsy From Pike BR549
15 Trail of Tears Will Hill and Jehnean Day
16 Declaration Of Sentiments Minton Sparks/Pat Flynn
17 Go Down Moses Fisk Jubilee Singers
18 Dixie's Land Mavericks w/ Thad Cockrell
19 John Brown's Body Marah
20 Battle Hymn of the Republic Joanna Smith
21 Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye Janis Ian
22 Thousands Are Sailing To Amerikay Tim O'Brien
23 The Farmer Is The Man Otis Gibbs
24 Home On The Range Joni Harms
25 Stars & Stripes Forever Jake Shimabukuro
26 Over There Jen Chapin
27 How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm Andrew Bird
28 Lift Every Voice And Sing Karen Parks
29 Happy Days Are Here Again Danielson
30 Brother Can Spare A Dime? Andy Bey
31 Seven Cent Cotton and Forty Cent Meat Jim Lauderdale
32 Deportees OCMS
33 Rosie The Riveter Suzy Bogguss
34 Reuben James Black Crowes w/ Stan Robinson
35 Apache Tears Scott Kempner
36 The Great Atomic Power Elizabeth Cook/Grascals
37 Little Boxes Devendra Banhart
38 The Times They Are A Changin' Del McCoury
39 Get Together Kim Richey
40 Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud The Dynamites/Charles Walker
41 Ohio Ben Taylor
42 What's Going On Anthony David
43 I Am Woman Martha Wainwright
44 Youngstown Matthew Ryan
45 Streets Of Philadelphia Bettye LaVette
46 Wave Gary Heffern
47 The Message Shortee
48 Sleep, My Child (Schlof Mayn Kind) Judith Edelman/Neilson Hubbard
49 Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning The Wrights
50 This Land Is Your Land John Mellencamp

I need a vacation!!!

[Hud Hudson]

Way to go, Ed!!! What a project to be proud of.

[shikawkee]

Way to go, Ed!!! What a project to be proud of.

Welcome brother HUD!!!
'Bout time you showed up <G>.

'

[Hud Hudson]

Been lurking here for a while, just taking it all in, brother.

Best regards to Jane. I'll be coming to town this summer on a pitchfest, gotta hook up!

Hud

[shikawkee]

Been lurking here for a while, just taking it all in, brother.

Best regards to Jane. I'll be coming to town this summer on a pitchfest, gotta hook up!

Hud

Right on man. You'll enjoy having just about
everyone you need to pitch in a 10-block radius <g>.

[Cosmic Pig]

Tell us more about the project Shikawkee. Did you produce and record all the tunes? Are they all original to this project or were some gathered from other CD's? Will it be a box set, how much where etc.?

Also, if you have a sec check out this thread. (http://womb.mixerman.net/showthread.php?t=3607) I'm curious to know if you had any thoughts on it.

Cos.

[shikawkee]

Tell us more about the project Shikawkee. Did you produce and record all the tunes? Are they all original to this project or were some gathered from other CD's? Will it be a box set, how much where etc.?

Also, if you have a sec check out this thread. (http://womb.mixerman.net/showthread.php?t=3607) I'm curious to know if you had any thoughts on it.

Cos.

Bob, myself and David Macias (Grammy-winner for the Stephen Foster project) produced the entire collection and Bob and I produced about 30-35 of the tracks first-hand here in Nashville. A few came directly from the artists. It was a LOT of work! All new performances specifically recorded for this project except one Native American tune was licensed and previously released. It'll be a 3-CD set via Sony/BMG/RED on Sept 18th and retail is $19.99 street. Thanks for asking. All net proceeds go to folk music charities.

I'll check out that mix thread. Looks interesting.

[shikawkee]

To answer about the mix thread, the absolute best song/mix/arrangement/performance I've ever heard is the Temptations "Poppa' Was a Rollin' Stone". If that ain't the shit I don't know what is! My favorite album mixes are the Who Live at Leeds. It was the first album I ever bought with my own money and I could've stopped there. It sure wasn't about pristine sound either <g>. To this day nothing moves me like that record. Bass left, drums and vocal middle and guitar right. Perfection. Just got the deluxe set.
Let it rock.

[shikawkee]

Yo!

I've been digging the new Black Rebel Motorcycle Club record (they're my favorite band right now), the 120 Days record and lots of old blues. Anybody else getting excited about anything right now? We're making a soul record with Kenzie Wetz and then it's time off, vegging and more CD listening for me. God I forgot how much I loved summer in NYC....

Big Ed from my old pad in Hell's Kitchen

[Unfcknblvbl]

Anybody else getting excited about anything right now?

I've shoved everything aside to listen to the CAPE V tunes, they have me really excited.

[Cosmic Pig]

Exlint Shikawkee! I'll definitely grab Song of America when it comes out.

Checked out BRMC, way cool stuff. Good ol R&R with lots of groove.

Poppa was a Rolling Stone... oh yeah. Awesome.

I haven't bought a CD in ages, but I really need to. I've been grooving on Arcade Fire lately on youtube and want to grab their disc among many others.

This is probably the result of living in the pot capitol of North America, but I've sorta been noticing a trend in the evolution of emo that might be way cool. Its like the musical aspect of emo is growing while the image side is shrinking and I'm seeing a fair amount of bands heading that direction. Mostly I see it on late night talk shows. Arcade fire is one example but even BRMC has a tinge of it.

Good tunes as opposed to good image? I dunno, maybe its the haze of pollen in the air from the thousands of grow-ops around here.

Cos.

[shikawkee]

Amazon.com pre-order link for Song of America:

http://www.amazon.com/Song-America-Various/dp/B000T3GK8O/ref=sr_11_1/104-2721509-8541503?ie=UTF8&qid=1183654793&sr=11-1



or



Pre-Order Song of America

Thanks!

Ed

[shikawkee]

Janet Reno and the Song of America on NPR's "All Things Considered: today, 7/6-

For airtimes in your area, click here: http://www.npr.org/templates/stations/schedule/index.php?prgId=2&showNav=1.

Thanks!

Ed

[shikawkee]

www.myspace.com/songofamerica

[Swafford]

Goddamn, that Bettye LeVette track could make the world stop turning.

[shikawkee]

Goddamn, that Bettye LeVette track could make the world stop turning.

Thank ye'! You should have heard Bettye when Bob and I tell her that we're "gonna' do it old school-no headphones and in the same room...". She says, "Old School?? I KNOW old school!!!!".
To funny....how right she was.

[shikawkee]

Though the disc doesn't come out until next Tueaday there's an exclusive listening party at napster.com for the Song of America and you can find the banner/link at myspace.com/songofamerica

[shikawkee]

Song of America video of the Black Crowes, Blind Boys and Mavericks recording:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ICaK87dt1g

[Bob Olhsson]

WOW!

I hadn't seen this before.

[shikawkee]

Just got that video back Bob.
There's even more where that came from.
(I'm in NYC promoting the record.)

[PRobb]

The record is amazing. Major props to Big Ed for a job well done. And a testimony to the strength of great songs to stand up to a wide range of treatments.

[shikawkee]

The record is amazing. Major props to Big Ed for a job well done. And a testimony to the strength of great songs to stand up to a wide range of treatments.

Major props to Big Bob too!!!:grin: :icon_eek: :lol:

[Bob Olhsson]

PRobb is responsible for one of the best tracks and mixes on the album too, John Wesley Harding's send up of "God Save the King." I only wish most of my mixes were that good! Same for Rich Feaster's BR549 mix.

[PRobb]

PRobb is responsible for one of the best tracks and mixes on the album too, John Wesley Harding's send up of "God Save the King." I only wish most of my mixes were that good! Same for Rich Feaster's BR549 mix.

Wow, thank you. Only problem is, now my head won't fit through the door!:icon_eek: :lol:

That track was an absolute blast to do.

[shikawkee]

Wow, thank you. Only problem is, now my head won't fit through the door!:icon_eek: :lol:

That track was an absolute blast to do.

Live in the studio no less.
Imagine that?:lol:

I love working with inspired, great artists.
Makes our job so easy.

[PRobb]

Live in the studio no less.
Imagine that?:lol:

I love working with inspired, great artists.
Makes our job so easy.
Yup. The key to that one was to figure out the most creative path to getting the fuck out of the way.:lol:

[Cosmic Pig]

Wow. Watched the vid... I don't know how you guys did it. I would have been a blubbering idiot for most of it.

Here's something (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnZIBhPvL50) I recorded for fun. When Cosmic Wifey was a little girl her Mom taught her how to sing harmony with this tune. Now her Mom is 89 and here they are singing it again.

Music is fucked up man.

Cos.

[Bob Olhsson]

I was a blubbering idiot for most of it!

[shikawkee]

Hey, dig those mics and set ups that Bob O. did!
And NO HEADPHONES on Blind Boys and Crowes.
They ain't lip-syncing.:grin:

[PRobb]

Hey, dig those mics and set ups that Bob O. did!
And NO HEADPHONES on Blind Boys and Crowes.
They ain't lip-syncing.:grin:

Interesting use of the figure 8 pattern in the Crowes session!

[Bob Olhsson]

Nothing is deader than the dead sides of a figure-8. All cardioid mikes are half figure-8 and half omni.

[shikawkee]

Long time, no speak!

Just wanted to let you know it's official. The Song of America, which I created and co-produced is scheduled to be featured on Good Morning America this Friday, day after Thanksgiving. The project features fifty contemporary artist (Blind Boys of Alabama, John Mellencamp, Janis Ian, Kim Richey, Bettye LaVette, Andrew Bird, Devendra Banhart, etc) performing new renditions of historically important songs to tell the story of our nation's history.

Good Morning America can be found on ABC and the segment is supposed to run sometime between 7am and 9am. That's not all the excitement... the Associated Press also taped a segment on the Song of America and their piece should be released to cable tomorrow. We don't know which channels specifically will pick it up but there is also supposed to be a syndicated print piece that will be put out on the AP.

If you want to catch up with the other print pieces such as The New Yorker, etc., check out the website at www.songofamerica.org.

Wishing everyone a happy holiday,
Ed

www.edpettersen.com

[Bob Olhsson]

Here' the first mix for the Kenzie Wetz project.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=66017455

[Pancho Ballard]

Drums and books in the same room=my dream come true.


Ditto.










But without the drums. :Wink:

[Pancho Ballard]

Here' the first mix for the Kenzie Wetz project.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=66017455

Bob, you tell us all about the evils of MP3's, streaming audio and such and then link to a MySpace site!

The worst thing is...


... it sounds great. :lol:

[Bob Olhsson]

I'm the guy who reads all of the chemical names on the ingredients list aloud and then it gos down the hatch.

[shikawkee]

We'll be on Good Morning America Dec. 27th at approx. 7:40 am EST talking about the Song of America. Just got the word.
Peace and be merry.

[shikawkee]

Supposedly we'll be on GMA tomorrow, Jan. 1st bet. 7-9am EST.
Keep your fingers crossed!

[Bob Olhsson]

A second Kenzie Wetz song is up.

http://www.myspace.com/kenziewetz

[MacGregor]

Here's something (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnZIBhPvL50) I recorded for fun. When Cosmic Wifey was a little girl her Mom taught her how to sing harmony with this tune. Now her Mom is 89 and here they are singing it again.

Music is fucked up man.

Cos.

Sorry for hijacking this thread, but I'm really digging vocal
harmonies and love that mother/daughter duet a lot :Thumbsup:
When I was young, my mother and my sister did that a lot during
washing the dishes, but I had never the chance to record it.
Thanks for the link, Comic.

Now back to our regular thread...

[shikawkee]

Hey y'all, check out the new Freedy Johnston record Bob and I did with Bob Babbitt on bass and Ed Greene on drums. Bad ass and LIVE (Drums, bass, guitars and vocals):

www.freedyjohnston.com

[Wireline]

Song of America video of the Black Crowes, Blind Boys and Mavericks recording:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ICaK87dt1g

Dadgum...I am slap amazed...details! DETAILS~

You remember that Tango24 you sold me a bazillion years ago? Still going strong...

[shikawkee]

Dadgum...I am slap amazed...details! DETAILS~

You remember that Tango24 you sold me a bazillion years ago? Still going strong...

Hey, those Frontier Audio people are smart cookies.

Whatdya' want to know? Mics? Arrangements? musicians? Food service???

:D

[Wireline]

Hey, those Frontier Audio people are smart cookies.

Whatdya' want to know? Mics? Arrangements? musicians? Food service???

:D

Everything except food service...and - er - companionship arrangement facilitators...

What can I say? I'm nosy about things like that...

[shikawkee]

Well, most of it, including the Crowes, was recorded live in one room, including vocals. We recorded 25 and collected another 25 songs to tell the history of the U.S. from 1492 to the present. It was fun but a HELL of a lot of work. Bob usd mostly his or my mic collection and hopefully he can chime in with more details. But ask away and what I remember I'll type.

[Hud Hudson]

Yo Ed, the Freedy website has been hijacked by some Turkish hacker. No kidding. Would love to hear some of the new tracks but this Turkish music is bizarre.

Hope to see you (and Freedy?) at SXSW. Jim Boggia and I are doing a house concert on Sat night, hope you & Jane can make it.

[shikawkee]

Yo Ed, the Freedy website has been hijacked by some Turkish hacker. No kidding. Would love to hear some of the new tracks but this Turkish music is bizarre.

Hope to see you (and Freedy?) at SXSW. Jim Boggia and I are doing a house concert on Sat night, hope you & Jane can make it.

Thanks for the tip man!
I'll let Freedy know.

We'll definitely be at SXSW.
Wouldn't miss it. Our party is Friday.

[shikawkee]

I dunno' if Bob posted this yet or not but here are some new mixes we did on Kenzie Wetz' debut we're working on.
SOUL music:

www.myspace.com/kenziewetz

Ed Greene, Bob Babbitt, Reggie Young, Dave Hungate, Catherine Marx and Pete Abbott are the Great American Rhythm Section on these tracks. Hope y'all dig 'em.

[Swafford]

The recordings I started with Ed and Bob and crew at the beginning of this thread are done! You can get a preview of the release on my myspace page - produced by Ed, mixed by Bob and mastered by Bob a Georgetown masters. The shit is fantastic in all regards and strong sentiments of gratitude from me to them would be expressed if I could find the right words that didn't make me gush like a 9 year old girl.

Give a listen - current plan after I play out a couple options is a self release beginning of April.

Thanks Ed and Bob, Reggie, Dave, Bob, Catherine, Ed, Kenzie, Liz, John, Dave and Rich.

[shikawkee]

The recordings I started with Ed and Bob and crew at the beginning of this thread are done! You can get a preview of the release on my myspace page - produced by Ed, mixed by Bob and mastered by Bob a Georgetown masters. The shit is fantastic in all regards and strong sentiments of gratitude from me to them would be expressed if I could find the right words that didn't make me gush like a 9 year old girl.

Give a listen - current plan after I play out a couple options is a self release beginning of April.

Thanks Ed and Bob, Reggie, Dave, Bob, Catherine, Ed, Kenzie, Liz, John, Dave and Rich.

Jeff it was a real pleasure to work on your stuff. Top shelf material and a willingness to work hard are always a wonderful combination. Any release date yet?

[Swafford]

Jeff it was a real pleasure to work on your stuff. Top shelf material and a willingness to work hard are always a wonderful combination. Any release date yet?

I got the CD's back this week. They'll be available locally Apr. 1, everywhere else via CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon Digital and Rhapsody about May 1. I'll stick a bunch in the mail for you and Bob Monday. I have a copy out to MoM and some other Internet niche retail sites, and we'll see how that goes. Only CD versions will have the Fred Neil tune as I didn't see a point in licensing for digital download worldwide. There's a website in Spain I'm talking with that wants to offer high res downloads of the CD (minus the Neil tune). They also want to package 4 songs into an EP download, and I'll be looking at using the more popular tune from the CD along with the stuff that I decided not to use with the CD. They also expressed some interest in doing a 7". There's a guy locally whose interested in the same package for a hard copy release.

I'll be servicing select Americana and AAA stations, satellite and terrestrial, beginning next week with an add date of first week of May as well as hitting the usual publication suspects.

Things are starting to roll along.

I sent out a few burned copies to get some feedback from a select group of people who I know in the business and I also know won't bullshit me, and the response has been nothing short of terrific. So, knock on wood.

knock, knock.

[shikawkee]

I got the CD's back this week. They'll be available locally Apr. 1, everywhere else via CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon Digital and Rhapsody about May 1. I'll stick a bunch in the mail for you and Bob Monday. I have a copy out to MoM and some other Internet niche retail sites, and we'll see how that goes. Only CD versions will have the Fred Neil tune as I didn't see a point in licensing for digital download worldwide. There's a website in Spain I'm talking with that wants to offer high res downloads of the CD (minus the Neil tune). They also want to package 4 songs into an EP download, and I'll be looking at using the more popular tune from the CD along with the stuff that I decided not to use with the CD. They also expressed some interest in doing a 7". There's a guy locally whose interested in the same package for a hard copy release.

I'll be servicing select Americana and AAA stations, satellite and terrestrial, beginning next week with an add date of first week of May as well as hitting the usual publication suspects.

Things are starting to roll along.

I sent out a few burned copies to get some feedback from a select group of people who I know in the business and I also know won't bullshit me, and the response has been nothing short of terrific. So, knock on wood.

knock, knock.

What's the name of the CD?

Can't wait to see/hear 'em!
Congrats brother.