22 songs; about 77 minutes

[solarbird]

I have 22 songs on my recording list right now. That's 13 on Dick Tracy Must Die, a mostly-vocals album of original songs that includes two instrumentals, and nine on Distractions, an all-instrumental EP of seven originals and two traditional pieces, all flute-led right now. I might move one of the instrumental pieces from the first to the second; I don't know yet.

I've got bed tracks¹ down for eight of the 13 on Tracy, having spent for-fucking-ever learning to get decent recordings. This is good, it's slow but real progress. I've also experimented to the point where I feel reasonably confident about recording flute for Distractions. But otherwise I'm ignoring Distractions for the time being and just trying to get bed tracks down for all the songs on Tracy.

I've never worked on a single artistic project of this timescale before - including the obligatory crappy high school novel that I actually finished - and it's scaring the hell out of me. So I'm trying to ignore most of it and work on one thing at a time,² like y'do.

I'd treat it like a thesis, but that's not a good comparison to make, at least, not from a sanity standpoint. But - just like a thesis! - it does already feel like it's gone on for. fucking. ever. because that includes all the effort taken to get a recording studio and DAW working and and and.

At least the review committee can't make me do it over after I've finished it. ^_^

Anyway, that's what I've been doing. What're you up to?

---

¹: Bed tracks are the first track you lay down so you can play the other instruments against it as a timing reference. The bed track optimally will be part of the final recording, tho' you may end up re-recording it if you decide you don't like it. My goal is to make bed tracks that will be part of the final. That's working okay so far for everything but "January," a nearly five minute long instrumental currently on Tracy.

²: FOCUS ON THE CANDY.

Comments

[403]

Anyway, that's what I've been doing. What're you up to?

I'm rejoicing that the due date for the take-home exam which has eaten most of my week has been extended to next Tuesday. (And, err, at least I'm not the only one having trouble with it.)

[solarbird]

Bleah, take-home exams. How'd it go?

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

I always called 'em bed tracks. But that's probably a more accurate name.

[solarbird]

Ah, okay. I see Google likes "bed tracks" a lot better, too. I should remember that.

[discogravy.livejournal.com]

did you sort your ubuntu problems out?

[solarbird]

Partially. Enough that I'm not going to care. I've still got 70ms-ish latency which is more than I should but the networking is fixed and it's all at least _better_. The only thing I'm worried about is timing on MIDI stuff, but I'm not doing much of that so hopefully it'll work out.

[denelian.livejournal.com]

i am lazy... "bed" track, "timing" track - the drum track?


i keep wishing i were on the Left Coast so i can come hear you at a market. so... no pressure or anything, but i *really* want to hear you :)

[denelian.livejournal.com]

to be perfectly clear - i am teasing. i *DO* want to hear you, but i am teasing. if that makes sense. i guess i should say "to be perfectly UNclear"


what i mean it - i read all the time about your compositions and performances. they sound wonderful. i would like to hear them sometime, when you are done with all the recording and are ready to sell some.

[solarbird]

Traditionally in rock music, bed tracks are drum tracks, but they can be anything, really. The point is that they're tracks recorded to exactly the right rhythm and timing so that you can play other instruments and sing against them, and have everything sync up. In my case, they're actually mandolin or bouzouki tracks, depending upon the song.

Hopefully, at some point, you'll get to hear some of this stuff. That's certainly the intent! Either recorded or live. I wouldn't mind a bigger North American Tour someday! (I kind of called my Boston/Vancouver/Seattle three-show fortnight my North American Tour for Summer 2009. Three cities! Two coasts! It counts... kinda... doesn't it? ^_^ )

[denelian.livejournal.com]

hooray, i was understanding it correctly! i did google it, eventually, but i picked a *bad* article to read. i'm a BAND GEEK, ya know? we didn't do recordings, we just played it again...
but the "rythym track", the "beat track". i follow, which was all i wanted :)


anyway: YAY!!! and HOORAY!!!! at the time you were speaking of the tour (yes, *I* at least, think it counts!) i was SO incredibly jealous - Boston was as close as you came, and Boston is 8-10 hours driving if everything is PERFECT.

but you have no reason (other than me and/or any other LJ friends who are here. ish. in Ohio) to come to Columbus Ohio. hrm... i will start looking for a reason. and continue to figure out what "patience" is, and how to aquire some :)

[solarbird]

Hey, if you want to get someone to pay for me getting out there, I will happily play a Columbus venue. Hell, I'll play several! I've been to Columbus before, tho' not as a musician; I did graduate school at the University of Kentucky, and went to the Marcon SF convention a few times.

Interestingly, if you want to hear my friend S00j, I'm not sure, but she may (emphasis may, I don't know for sure) be hanging out with Vixy and Tony and Brooke Lunderville this weekend at a convention called OVFF in Dublin, Ohio, which is right outside Columbus. None of them are official guests of honour at the convention, but they're all nominated for awards at the convention this year. I'm not a filker myself - I'm a couple of houses down, I guess, at Celtic-flavoured folk-punk or something? - but I like all these people, so. You could say hi. It would freak them out a little. ^_^

[denelian.livejournal.com]

oh, MarCon - the best little convention in sci-fi. or something like that, hehe. i know people on the concom, i'll poke around.
Filk is not the same as folk, true, but your lyrics are sometimes, erm, sciencey? i think i am remembering correctly, the song about Venus, as in the planet? was that you? erm. i hope it was you. not that you post a lot of lyrics, but the ones i have seen were always fun (although i can't think of anything sciencey except the Venus-song, which may not be yours...) Folk-punk sounds right, at least to me who is working off your descriptions more than anything (i only remember *hearing* one song your wrote for the flute you made, the flute i named "Splint" iirc). but still: good music is good music.

Dublin is almost not even a different city :) sadly, i don't get to go to OVFF, because, well because Pete is going to Chicago as we speak, as are most of the people i know (large LARP event) so i has no one to push the wheelchair for me. i don't need the wheelchair often, only when i try to do things like, oh, conventions.
hopefully, next year i will be better and can go. do you know if your friend S00j goes to DeConPression, or MarCon? i'm always up for good music. and for freaking out people in fun:D

[solarbird]

I... think you're thinking of someone else with the Venus song. The flute, tho' - that'd be Splinter, no doubt. Once I have recordings finished I'll be making a myspace music page or somesuch, and then you'll be able to hear the full fake band. ^_^

S00j will be giving a concert at Yellow Springs as part of the Ravenstone festival on the 30th. Check her schedule here for details, if you're interested.

[denelian.livejournal.com]

yes! Splinter! i really liked the tone of the small (8 bars maybe?) that i was to hear. really, really nice tone. and unique, which normally means something negative by is a positive in *this* case. i wants more :)
i can't find the song at ALL now. i went looking for it, and whoever posted it took it down, or locked it further... i KNOW it was one of the few ppl i watch on LJ who composes, but everyone is denying it. i *really*thought it was you. :( i just want it back! sigh

also, !!! Ravenstone!?!? awesomeness. i *might* be able to swing that, because there be people around who can push me. thanks!