The summer so far:
The first few weeks of our recording expedition have been
like dusting off old things tucked away for safekeeping. Diligently working to
discover which cables, mics, camera angles and drum setups work for what we are trying to
achieve. Sometimes I think that the emergency trips to Sam Ash or Guitar Center
for xlr’s and drumheads have occurred way to many times.The realist in me knows that those trips represent progress in this shakedown period, this stress test if you will, finding out what’s
viable.
It’s been 4 weeks of countless takes and equally innumerable songs to figure out
what works and what doesn't, and it's still a shifting entity. Just the other day we
had to make an emergency kick drum mic switch. I used to think that I cursed at
inanimate objects a lot, until Monday. I
broke every record I’d previously held. I’ve also never wanted to smash a mic out of sheer frustration more than
I did in that moment, but alas calmer heads prevailed. Toady even, a snare wire
broke. Luckily I had Ludwig snare available, it graciously and selflessly
sacrificed its snare wires so we could keep going. I have resigned myself to
the fact that the things we require will never not break; it’s a matter of
when.
At the end of the day, with equipment decay and all, this
has been such a rewarding journey. I think I speak for both of us when I say
that. Above all else this has been an exercise in using our collective ideas and
visions to create a finished product. While its taken us a month or so to hone
that vision into a tangible thing that we are proud of, I think the work is
paying off. More importantly, the practice and experience we’ve gained will
only lead to better endeavors in the future.
about 20 songs have been recorded, my list of "things to mix" is growing increasingly longer and more intricate. I've never done anything like this before, and it might be just what I need. This isn't just a stress test for equipment, this is a stress test for me. This is an opportunity to see if I'm prepared. Hopefully my abilities will be judged soon, I'm ready.
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