Ramblings of a Mad Woman
It's been a busy couple of months, even after the holiday season is long past. Turns out that I get less sleep during the weekends now, than I did over the work week. I'm not complaining about that, actually... but I am waiting for the day where I crash for 72 hours straight. I'll just have to remember to turn my phone off right before that happens ;)
PopRANT is almost done recording. Seriously. Tracy did the last of the guitar bits last weekend. We did random percussion bits the weekend before that. Week after next (hopefully), we'll have a conga part for Lonely (by Frank Malabe... bass god and general all-around "good guy" not to mention my musical guru, and the one person who's managed to call me on my shit). After that, a couple keyboard parts... and then final vocal recordings (not necessarily in that order). And then the fun part of mixing and production.
Crap. I gotta get that artwork done, I guess. At least it's started.
At the same time, the question still goes: how do we go about playing live? We've toyed with the idea of just doing a duo bass and guitar... but let's face it, we're -both- percussionists: a lot of the music needs some kinda backbeat at the very least. So do we break down and get a drum machine? I'm afraid we'll lose the visceral nature of the music itself by relying on something mechanical. I already know that Tracy has major issues with even working with a click track. Too sterile for her. It has no soul. Me, not so much trouble... hell, I love the fact that I don't have to second guess the timing (Tracy and I groove together when she's on drums... but there's this technical side to me that just let's go when I know the "one" is where it's supposed to be without my having to think about it). But yeah, maybe a little sterile sounding.
Another idea would be to bring both guitar and a set, and then switch off as necessary. Which might also mean my having to learn those parts as well. Yes, absolutely possible... but also a waste of time, when I could be going over bass parts for new songs. Or better: writing new songs that utilize my voice better (this album: not showing off my voice to my best extent. Not even close.)
So... that leaves us where we've been all along: looking for a guitarist. Funny thing is, we don't even care so much about skill level (hell, when I was brought on board, I knew nothing about the bass... well not enough to make any kinda difference. Sure, I had musical experience. I sang. I played all manner of percussion. I played cello for a few years a million years ago. Not completely clueless... but I had to learn an instrument from scratch.)... we need someone who's into the music... who's dedicated, and who's going to pump -our- creative juices, while we pump theirs. We don't care about age. Or gender. Or race. Or financial background (TOO much... they need to be able to afford their own equipment, and to be able to chip in for band expenses). We don't care what yer musical background is (only that you have one). Tracy and I have hugely DIFFERENT musical tastes (there are a few things we agree on, but we'll argue more often than not).
Will it be possible to exert some influence on the recorded stuff alone? The internet is a big place... and a lot can happen out in cyber-land. I've read about bands or solo artists who've done it all themselves, and then went to gain some fame on the internet. That requires some marketing savvy... which I hope I have enough of. We'll see, I s'pose. In the meantime, things can wait until the album is finished... can't push a product I don't have yet (despite gaming companies (and other companies too) being able to do just that)
Work should be interesting for the next couple of weeks. And not in that fun way, that it never manages to be anyway. Over the course of the next two weeks, we'll have three people out on vacation (one for one week, two for another week), and three people leaving to go to another store, that'll be opening up later this month. All of these people are full-timers, at least specialist level or higher. I'm a little concerned. Not stressed yet tho. No, that'll come -after- the weekend, because if I feel work-stress over the weekend, I'm liable to kill someone. And then that's one -less- person who'll be able to work, because I'm sure I'll either be incarcerated or dead. -smiles sweetly-
Speaking of the weekend. Headshot day part tres is happening this Saturday. I participated in the last one (couple of weekends ago)... and was quite pleased with the results :) Prolly won't particpate in this one... but I'll be there. I'm just too facinated with the camera and such. The working end of it, that is... there's still a lot I can learn, which I'll then apply to my 3D art. And, of course, more fodder for me to touch up and hone my photoshop skills. One of these days, those will come in handy.
Anyway, let me sign off before people start coming in. Ciao for now.
PopRANT is almost done recording. Seriously. Tracy did the last of the guitar bits last weekend. We did random percussion bits the weekend before that. Week after next (hopefully), we'll have a conga part for Lonely (by Frank Malabe... bass god and general all-around "good guy" not to mention my musical guru, and the one person who's managed to call me on my shit). After that, a couple keyboard parts... and then final vocal recordings (not necessarily in that order). And then the fun part of mixing and production.
Crap. I gotta get that artwork done, I guess. At least it's started.
At the same time, the question still goes: how do we go about playing live? We've toyed with the idea of just doing a duo bass and guitar... but let's face it, we're -both- percussionists: a lot of the music needs some kinda backbeat at the very least. So do we break down and get a drum machine? I'm afraid we'll lose the visceral nature of the music itself by relying on something mechanical. I already know that Tracy has major issues with even working with a click track. Too sterile for her. It has no soul. Me, not so much trouble... hell, I love the fact that I don't have to second guess the timing (Tracy and I groove together when she's on drums... but there's this technical side to me that just let's go when I know the "one" is where it's supposed to be without my having to think about it). But yeah, maybe a little sterile sounding.
Another idea would be to bring both guitar and a set, and then switch off as necessary. Which might also mean my having to learn those parts as well. Yes, absolutely possible... but also a waste of time, when I could be going over bass parts for new songs. Or better: writing new songs that utilize my voice better (this album: not showing off my voice to my best extent. Not even close.)
So... that leaves us where we've been all along: looking for a guitarist. Funny thing is, we don't even care so much about skill level (hell, when I was brought on board, I knew nothing about the bass... well not enough to make any kinda difference. Sure, I had musical experience. I sang. I played all manner of percussion. I played cello for a few years a million years ago. Not completely clueless... but I had to learn an instrument from scratch.)... we need someone who's into the music... who's dedicated, and who's going to pump -our- creative juices, while we pump theirs. We don't care about age. Or gender. Or race. Or financial background (TOO much... they need to be able to afford their own equipment, and to be able to chip in for band expenses). We don't care what yer musical background is (only that you have one). Tracy and I have hugely DIFFERENT musical tastes (there are a few things we agree on, but we'll argue more often than not).
Will it be possible to exert some influence on the recorded stuff alone? The internet is a big place... and a lot can happen out in cyber-land. I've read about bands or solo artists who've done it all themselves, and then went to gain some fame on the internet. That requires some marketing savvy... which I hope I have enough of. We'll see, I s'pose. In the meantime, things can wait until the album is finished... can't push a product I don't have yet (despite gaming companies (and other companies too) being able to do just that)
Work should be interesting for the next couple of weeks. And not in that fun way, that it never manages to be anyway. Over the course of the next two weeks, we'll have three people out on vacation (one for one week, two for another week), and three people leaving to go to another store, that'll be opening up later this month. All of these people are full-timers, at least specialist level or higher. I'm a little concerned. Not stressed yet tho. No, that'll come -after- the weekend, because if I feel work-stress over the weekend, I'm liable to kill someone. And then that's one -less- person who'll be able to work, because I'm sure I'll either be incarcerated or dead. -smiles sweetly-
Speaking of the weekend. Headshot day part tres is happening this Saturday. I participated in the last one (couple of weekends ago)... and was quite pleased with the results :) Prolly won't particpate in this one... but I'll be there. I'm just too facinated with the camera and such. The working end of it, that is... there's still a lot I can learn, which I'll then apply to my 3D art. And, of course, more fodder for me to touch up and hone my photoshop skills. One of these days, those will come in handy.
Anyway, let me sign off before people start coming in. Ciao for now.
posted by Phrogie at
6:20 AM
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