I think I'll record a CD this year.
 

I've never really had much luck with recording. I've played concerts that have seemed to go really well, but when I hear recordings I've made (for various reasons) the result is never pleasing.
I think this will be the year when I make a good recording.
It may be a sort of 'newgrass meets jazz meets klezma with arco' thing. I'll use mostly original material. I'll ask my brother Daryl to play guitar and banjo, and a friend Wade to play guitar.
I have another brother who operates a home studio and seems to get as good a quality as the studios I know around town. I think I'll talk to him.
Okay, I realise that there are things I must work on - like time, tone and intonation; and not playing sh1t at solo time. I'll also attempt to get 'in the zone'.
As they say,
"There's no point in reinventing the wheel."
So, I thought that all of you out there might have some intelligent insights into the recording journey.
So, here's your chance. Let's hear your wisdom.

That's great Richard. Tell us when we can help you reach the Billboard top 40.

As for wisdom, I don't have much. I am too young and not completely bald yet.

that is a great idea richard!

some thoghts based on my own experience:

- the process of preparation will bring you to a new level of quality
(you could use this mechansim also without recording a cd)
- be prepared before you record, the time in the studio is not the time to rehearse
- take time for soundcheck
- after the recording is completed take some time and not listen to it - then do the mastering (--> or be there when it´s being made, don´t rely on somebody elses ears, its your music)
- a recording is always a snapshot in time, if you listen to it with a distance in time you may be dissatisfied with some parts of it, but thats the nature of the game, you have to accept it
- try to make music in the studio

hope this helps



np: lisa ekdahl - the color of you
np at edit: silence

Hey, when The Grits Band's CD is complete, send me and Junior a copy and I'm sure you'll need to follow it up with a tour of The South. I could be your back up bassist and Junnior could be mine. Or maybe better. We could do a 3 part bass harmony. WOW. I can't wait.:)

I can see why there is now silence. What is this thing with Germans and second-rate Swedish music? :confused:

Richard, don't you think The Nitty Gritty Grits Band would make a great band name? Like that old country & western-band. You would definitely make a success in the American South.

I think you've hit it in one, my wise friend.
And, by the way, if you like listening to second rate Swedish music, that's fine by me.

NP. Du Gamla, Du Fria, Du Fjällhöga

Now what's that, you're listening to the Swedish national anthem?

I have to say it's rather beautiful for being a national anthem. It's not a march. I quite captures the Scnadinavian melancholy. It is said to be a Finnish song from the beginning, though.

There is also 'Värmlandsvisan', or 'Ack Värmeland du sköna.' It's a song from the county I'm from. I am not known to be very patriotic about my country, but I love my home county. I didn't find one of those wonderful folk versions, so you'll have to stick to Monica Zetterlund, I think accompanied by Bill Evans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOgN3...eature=related

A lovely song! My hero NHOP played a few Danish folk songs. My favourite is "I SKOVENS DYBE STILE RO"

But, hey, aren't we supposed to be talking about recording?
Anselm summed it up very well. Being prepared is certainly the big thing. I played on a folk singer's CD last year and really tried to concentrate on playing with intuition. Her song was about birds on an island where she sometimes works and she wanted me to imitate the mood of the lyrics (eg. birds taking off, etc.). It was probably the best experience that I've had in a recording studio and the result seemed to sound good. I waited excitedly to hear the rough mix. When it finally came, the bass track was down so low that you could hardly hear me. I haven't heard the final mix yet. Fingers crossed.

Nitty Gritty Grits Band is the most marvy name yet for your family band Richard. Great thinking Joel.

BBTTR - Preparation is the top advice. Next would be expect the worst. Of course, that goes along with being prepared. Just like a good boy scout. Next would be the mixing itself. As you've alluded to, the best recording in the world is only as good as the mix and sound person. Way to many of them don't know what they're doing. A pity.:mad:

I am only really familiar with recording not too serious songs at home, where I never play double bass. I've been in a number of more or less minimalistic studios, but only once in a band that sort of tried to make it sound good, and in a place with decent equipment. I believe we only finished one or two songs, but as I recall it, it/they sounded quite good. The guy who was the man behind the band was studying to become a producer, and I think he used it as some sort of exam, and he could be very pedantic. If you know a sound engineer that is a guy to be trusted, and who actually enjoys his job, that is good.
Also, always keep the first take. There is always something special about the first take. But of course, this is old news to most. Preparation of course. My teacher is going to record a CD with a bunch of Bottesini's small pieces. I think he's done most of the songs at least 15 times during concerts over the last months. Will you be able to take your songs onto the road? And rehearse them properly with the other people before entering the studio?

NP: Emiliana Torrini - Beggar's Prayer

+1!

np: João Gilberto - Bolinha de Papel

While I agree that many mixers don't have a clue, I must respectfully disagree with the concept that "the best recording in the world is only as good as the mix and sound person". Great performances of great material will ALWAYS trump a bad mix and even bad engineering. For one example, listen to the great Etta James' recording of "At Last". Does the fact that her "P's" and "B's" distort keep that from being a great record? Nope, even though it was an engineering error. A whole bunch of wonderful records have bad mixes; in the context of the whole, it doesn't matter at all.

Most of my days and nights are spent in a recording studio, where I play electric and acoustic bass, produce, engineer, and clean the toilets when necessary. My place can be seen at www.javajivestudio.com if anyone's interested.

I hear what you're saying Dave. While I don't disagree that "At Last" is a great record, IMO - if it were released today exactly as it originally was, do you think that it would be a great record? Pretend you knew nothing about her and had never heard it before, then answer. Maybe your answer wouldn't change, and that's OK. But I'm not so sure. In any event, my statement is more directed to more recent, say the last 20 years or so, deals, and is based upon my personal experiences. I've been the performer in the studio and live, a listener in the studio and live, and also the mixer of a master that the recording mixer was clueless on. Too many times I've heard and seen the results be bad as compared to the performance that I just did or heard someone else do solely due to poor mixing skills. My mixing deal was by necessity. I told the mixer that I could do a better job than he had done, so he offered to let me do it. No regrets from anyone. I'm also not trying to step on any one's toes, just stating the facts from my experiences.

I peaked at your place's site when you first joined up and would love to visit if I ever get back to Nashville. :)

Yeah, I think it would still be a great record. The string charts are great and Etta sings the bejeesus out of the song. But I also think that Etta's "The Right Time" (recorded in Muscle Shoals, and the last record that Jerry Wexler produced) is a great record. I think it only sold about 12 copies, but I bought one of them and treasure it. From my perspective as a recording guy, I don't think that Bettye Lavette's "I've Got My Own Hell To Raise" sounds that great. Nevertheless, it's a great record because it captures Bettye's performance, which is stunning. And that's ultimately the key for me - I want to hear stunning performances. Give me those and I'll forgive all sorts of mixing issues...

Just for the record...
 

I'm getting tired of my avatar. Any suggestions for a replacement?

Maybe I could send you a picture of a box of......well, you know.:rolleyes:

Oran, my friend, if you mention the 'g' word on this thread, I'm going to climb into my bass bag and zip it up!
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Hang on, why is no one saying,
"Come on Richard, don't do that!"?

= Question


= Answer

Well, to be honest, I haven't done much yet. I'll keep you posted.