HomeAboutDiscographyUpcoming ShowsThe Lemmings

Send me an email

This site  The Web 

Welcome!
 
So nice of you to stop by. They say it's all about the music and I believe them. In this case it's all about the independent music. No contracts, no labels, no headlines in People magazine, no shots of cellulite by those troublesome Paparazzi. Sometimes I make music by myself and sometimes I am joined by my friends, The Lemmings (see their special page). And sometimes I enjoy complete and utter silence.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

The Magic of Sound

So I am working on a new CD. And as it turns out it's a lot more work than I had anticipated. But much I have learned, to use the grammatical phrasing of Yoda. Going through the process of recording has changed the way I listen to music.

Take the album Revolver as an example. I have always heard it as a great album. Probably a defining moment in rock history. What is surprising is what I hear now going on in the music that I missed before. Ipods are, in part, responsible for this. Listening to music through some kind of ear phone allows the listener to hear things not readily apparent on a stereo. At least not on my stereo. 

Panning in recording, I recently learned, is what makes stereo, stereo. When you hear the sounds coming out of one speaker more than the other either your stereo is screwed up or the music has been panned. This could also mean a reviewer has registered his or her displeasure. But in this case it just means the music is coming out of one speaker more than the other. For folks who have experience with recording this should not be any news. To me it is a revelation. 

Back to Revolver. Throughout the album panning is used heavily to create the sound of the album. In Taxman most of the music is panned to one side while the vocals to the other. In Eleanor Rigby Paul's voice is panned one way during the verse and then switches during the chorus and is doubled. In any case give a listen and try to pay attention to where the sound is coming from.  If you listen you will hear this technique applied throughout the album.

These guys had pretty rudimentary equipment to work with by modern standards. Digital recording had not been invented yet. They did however have George Martin. And themselves of course. And they used very simple techniques to create incredible music. There is a lesson there.

3:49 pm est

2009.05.01 | 2009.03.01

Link to web log's RSS file

Lemmingsdraw5sm.gif

These days you will usually find me playing with The Lemmings. Read all about them at their page.


Meaning What Exactly - My 2009 release is so close to being done you can almost hear it.  In the meantime here is a sample...

Broken Strings

Faded Bloom

Meaning What Exactly
coverweb.jpg

Join The  Fan Club

By joining my fan club, you will be the first to know about:

  • My favorite recipes
  • Survival tips
  • Exclusive special offers
  • Proven weight loss techniques