Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

[TwilightOdyssey]

After a few months of prep, my band is ready to enter the studio on Sunday to record the first track for the upcoming As Follows album! This will be a unique session in that we will be recording the basic tracks live off the floor and it is largely an improvised piece. Stylistically, the song, titled DEAD SLOW AHEAD, is in keeping with the more synth-forward songs I have recorded to date, Galactic Entropy (18 minutes long) and Megalith (23 minutes long). This piece will be a bit longer and more involved than both of those.

We will be recording at Rivington Music in NYC. I will be producing and engineering the session as well as playing guitar, synths, and percussion.

I will be using this thread to document the process of prep, set up, and recording a 30+ minute song in a 9 hour session!

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

Recording a 30 minute song kinda sounds like it would be an ordeal.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

Recording a 30 minute song kinda sounds like it would be an ordeal.

It can be! When you venture into these kinds of waters you really have to know the lineup and its capabilities. You also need to have scheduled breaks AND TAKE THEM or you risk burning everyone out.

I spent the past week working out the equipment list and refining it. I packed all of the equipment yesterday and made a few last minute adjustments. Since this is going to be self recorded I need to bring everything needed for both playing and recording.

This includes:
Laptop, recording interfaces
Monitoring for everyone
Guitar, effects pedals
Synthesizers (about six of them for this project)
Sequencers and MIDI controllers
Foot controller for bass pedal synth
Lots, and lots, and lots of cables

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

Synthesizers being used on this session:
Yamaha TX7
Roland JP-08
Arturia MiniBrute
Moog Mother-32
Modular voices from 2hp, Studio Electronics, Expert Sleepers, Make Noise, Erica Synths

Effects pedals being used:
TC Electronic Hall of Fame, Prophet, Flourescence
BOSS RV-3, Space Echo
strymon DECO
Mooer Re Echo
Hartman Tommy Bolin fuzz

Recording stuff:
Audio Interface is a Focusrite 18i20/Octo Pre combination (16 tracks simultaneous recording)
SSL channel strip
Neutrik patch bay
Audix D2 microphone for hand percussion

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

The session went great yesterday!

We had five hours to write and record and were able to get the first part of the song to the point where we could play it live. We recorded three takes, all live off the floor. The third take was the keeper, running around 16 minutes long.

On the Minus side we only got to record half of the song; on the Plus side, we got to record half of the song!

Overall it was a relaxed session with plenty of time to get set up, trouble shoot, and jam. One more session and we should have the whole thing recorded!

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

You don't do your writing prior to recording?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

You don't do your writing prior to recording?

Sometimes I do, sometimes not. Depends on the project, who's involved, and how complete a vision I have for a piece. This time round I wanted to keep it open. I had four 'themes' that were basic sketches, much like a jazz song where you have the head and then a repeating chord sequence with improvisational bits. I did the same thing but applied to a prog/rock setting. It was a gamble but even if we walked out with only a good demo and some solid ideas it was worth it. Fortunately I have the pleasure of jamming with some very creative people and once we got started the piece evolved in a very organic fashion.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

Reamped the guitar tracks today and added the tambourine track. No vocals yet, but here's what we have thus far:



The guitar track is my '62 Fender reissue with a DiMarzio HS-3 in the bridge.
Pedals used: Catalinbread Naga Viper, MXR micro flange, Hartman Tommy Bolin Fuzz, MXR Phase 90 (Script), BOSS Space Echo (in fx loop).
Amp used: EAST Studio 2
Cabinet used: 1970s Hiwatt 4x12
Bass is a Steinbeger 5 string fretless into an MXR bass di+ into an SSL channel strip
Synths used: Yamaha TX7, Moog Mother-32, 2hp Pluck

 

[Ascension]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

Sometimes I do, sometimes not. Depends on the project, who's involved, and how complete a vision I have for a piece. This time round I wanted to keep it open. I had four 'themes' that were basic sketches, much like a jazz song where you have the head and then a repeating chord sequence with improvisational bits. I did the same thing but applied to a prog/rock setting. It was a gamble but even if we walked out with only a good demo and some solid ideas it was worth it. Fortunately I have the pleasure of jamming with some very creative people and once we got started the piece evolved in a very organic fashion.

Cool and good to see someone else here doing stuff like this. I work in a circle of folk who do spontaneous stuff regularly. We are doing worship stuff so it's a little different environment but the same concept. I record regularly because you just never know when something cool is just going to come.
Your clip reminded me of some of the older Floyd stuff and also some of the old Hawkwind stuff man and yes I did listen to the entire track.
Some of the cooler true off the cuff spontaneous pieces from over the years I have captured.
https://app.box.com/s/hi3so3xhrf4m758wxbvw
https://app.box.com/s/si1y0vger50vph3b2no0
https://app.box.com/s/fma3sagx3wfc04k9mmds
https://app.box.com/s/q6u4nggyksy02m4mttdr
https://app.box.com/s/hcffmbpity6127puiafl
https://www.soundclick.com/html5/v4/player.cfm?songID=6790849
https://www.soundclick.com/html5/v4/player.cfm?songID=6777974
https://www.soundclick.com/html5/v4/player.cfm?songID=9154872
Rare to see folk doing this kind of stuff man!!

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

Reamped the guitar tracks today and added the tambourine track. No vocals yet, but here's what we have thus far:



The guitar track is my '62 Fender reissue with a DiMarzio HS-3 in the bridge.
Pedals used: Catalinbread Naga Viper, MXR micro flange, Hartman Tommy Bolin Fuzz, MXR Phase 90 (Script), BOSS Space Echo (in fx loop).
Amp used: EAST Studio 2
Cabinet used: 1970s Hiwatt 4x12
Bass is a Steinbeger 5 string fretless into an MXR bass di+ into an SSL channel strip
Synths used: Yamaha TX7, Moog Mother-32, 2hp Pluck

I like the synth sound you're getting. I feel like some of the the lead guitar is overpowering the rest of the song in parts (around 11:37, 11:51, etc.). It's a decent song, kinda a Pink Floyd meets Stranger Things vibe.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

Cool and good to see someone else here doing stuff like this. I work in a circle of folk who do spontaneous stuff regularly. We are doing worship stuff so it's a little different environment but the same concept. I record regularly because you just never know when something cool is just going to come.

Always a good idea!

Your clip reminded me of some of the older Floyd stuff and also some of the old Hawkwind stuff man and yes I did listen to the entire track.

LOL -- that's what I said, but also reminds me a bit of Tangerine Dream, too. Thanks for listening and commenting!

Some of the cooler true off the cuff spontaneous pieces from over the years I have captured.
https://app.box.com/s/hi3so3xhrf4m758wxbvw
https://app.box.com/s/si1y0vger50vph3b2no0
https://app.box.com/s/fma3sagx3wfc04k9mmds
https://app.box.com/s/q6u4nggyksy02m4mttdr
https://app.box.com/s/hcffmbpity6127puiafl
https://www.soundclick.com/html5/v4/player.cfm?songID=6790849
https://www.soundclick.com/html5/v4/player.cfm?songID=6777974
https://www.soundclick.com/html5/v4/player.cfm?songID=9154872

Thanks for sharing, I will check them out!

Rare to see folk doing this kind of stuff man!!

Agreed.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Entering the studio on Sunday/studio diary

I like the synth sound you're getting. I feel like some of the the lead guitar is overpowering the rest of the song in parts (around 11:37, 11:51, etc.). It's a decent song, kinda a Pink Floyd meets Stranger Things vibe.

Thanks for listening and commenting! This isn't mixed yet; there are lots of imbalances and such that need to be worked out!