Studio Day

[vettie]

So some of you know I manage a couple of bands and sometimes get to perform with them.

One of the bands had signed up for some studio time yesterday and we were to have a show as well. The show was rescheduled by the venue for some obscure reason, but that worked out for the best.

Our Studio time actually started Thursday and Friday. We took our equipment and did all the set ups and adjustments to dial in pre-sets for the songs we decided to cut. Thursday was mostly drum day as everything has to be placed and mic'd, then tuned to get the right sound. This can take hours and pretty much did. The guitars and vocals are relatively easy.

The studio, had separate rooms for 2 guitars (players), 1 vocalist (the guitar areas are also mic'd for vocals). The bass and drums CAN be in the same room or different ones, just depends on the band. Some bassist sing so like to be separate from the drum kits. Ours was not, and the bassist ran direct to the sound board instead of through amps, so again set up was easy.

Our day started at 10a. We all actually showed up and on time, a good sign. We had 10 tracks to lay down.  By 1.p we had 3 good foundations. We did 2 takes on almost every song to pick the best of the 2. One of our standard songs (all originals by the way), that we ahve been doing since nearly day one, was actually the hardest to get right. Live we just do it and it works. Studio, well, we had to do 6 takes to get it close to what we wanted, lol.

By 8p last night, we had all the songs down and were going back to do any touch ups where needed, beginning with the drums. I only played on 2 of the tracks (acoustic guitar) and 1 rhythm. I actually got them right (after a couple of false starts). When we listened to the playback, we were happy. The lead player, was going to do his solos today as well as the bass touch ups. Vocal will be done later next week.

When we finish the touch ups, we will have 10 tracks ready for mastering. We havent decided on a mastering studio yet, not have we gathered the funds, Lol. However, the tracks came out pretty damn good, There are some effects we want to add, and sound spreading we want to do, but now that the tracks are down, that is a (more or less) simple task using the studio software. What this means is the stereo split applied, some fade in tracks, sound level changes and a few sound effects that we recorded, to place in the songs in certain areas.

Anyway, once all the mix downs are down, i will see if I can place a couple of tracks on soundcloud so I can link them for you guys.

In the mean time I got a couple of photos that someone grabbed of me in the guitar studio. and one of me with our bass player looking in the drum room from the vocal studio...

Me in the guitar studio


Vettie and Al goofing around in the vocal room just after 'mis-adjusting' the harmonizer and vocal effects boards...

[StrataDragoon]

ZVettie I always thought you would look more gangsta!

[Lusankya]

He doesn't want to admit it but he is the one wearing the jersey lol .

[vettie]

He doesn't want to admit it but he is the one wearing the jersey lol .

ZVettie I always thought you would look more gangsta!

For 30+ yrs I had to keep the Corporate Haircut, wear a shirt and a tie. When I retired, and after my mother, then my sister died (last surviving relatives) I got rid of all my ties and let the hair grow. I am on MY time now, no clock, no "have to's", no appointments unless I make them and damn meetings with people I have to try to impress knowing I will see them once maybe twice..

So I am a grumpy old hippie that is pretty damn happy.

The guy in the Jersey is actually a police officer for his 'real job', but he can throw down a pretty decent bass back beat. He HAS to cut his hair to meet regulations. 2 of the other members in the band are 'baldies' (by choice) having zero head hair, but got them goats around their lips and chins. The drummer, of course, is a lot like me, having longer hair and doesnt give a damn about squat, other than making music and his (now grown) kids.

So no gangsta, no ties, just a frickin old hippie that managed to keep his hair.

On a more serious note, and I do mean serious, you probably think I am large around the center portion.  Altho the shirt is too big for me (but it was clean), I recently got some news from my Doc that they are pretty sure I have a tumour or a cyst. Endoscopy earlier this week and a snippit from the top side reveals it most likely IS a tumour but the preliminary feedback is that is benign in nature.

They want to do the other side of it and take a snippit to verify. In either event, they say the tumour is large and that it needs to come out.  IF it is not benign, of course the procedure is a little more touchy. The damn thing lies between the lower side of my stomach, gall bladder, maybe pancreas and intestines. They estimate it at roughly 12 to 15lbs.

I said things like darn, and crap and wtf are you talking about, you know stuff like that. So They want to do the colonoscopy and take a snippit. Then they will know for sure. Sometime in the next month or so, i guess I get to have the butt cam installed and uninstalled. Yay.

Just so you know, I dont like Doctors much or hospitals. Not afraid of them, just not my favourite things, but I guess I will get the colon deal done and go from there. I would rather them just go get it and be done, not have to go for 2 to 4 different installments, like they suggest.

Oh yeah, one other thing. This whole deal really pisses me off. I might be a bitch at times and I might be grumpy and I might offer to beat your kids for you, but its just a way of releasing frustrations. IF needed, I apologize up front.

[Lusankya]

Hopefully it is benign vettie we can't have our resident hippie out of action for too long . Yep hospitals suck which is why I steer clear of them. I know people who at the first sign of some kind of cold they head for the hospital lol. I just get lots of rest and some chicken soup and I'm good to go .

[D-Day]

...
So I am a grumpy old hippie that is pretty damn happy.
...

... and you like playing MWO too. Right? 

[vettie]

yep!

[Agent]

You old cogger you! It's great to see what you look like! My grandfather was 80 when he had a 25 pounder taken from him anf he lived the next 13 years. He was 5 foot none and weighed 140 so you'll be fine and probably feel great when it's over. Wish I could have been there for the session I love that kinda stuff. Hope to see you online soon and know I'm sending "good vibes" (California for prayers) your way

Agent

[vettie]

Agent!!

Great to hear from you!!

Appreciate the wishes and prayers..

I know times are hard, believe me I know, but when you gonna get rigged up and join the fun?

Mech nut has actually joined us a few times, altho he is struggling with the keyboard and mouse controls.

MOST of the old crew are on (some every night).

I think DDays Comms are still up, but we now use C3 (must have Win 7 and .net up to version 4 updated and installed to use, not sure about the win 7 part but pretty sure.)

Anyway we play most every night and we even do some organized drops (called 8 mans) now and then until the 'league' portion begins.

Again, as much as we enjoy the game, its the 'friends' on comms together that make it what it is.

The game is really cool tho, looks good, awesome really and complex enough to sink some teeth into, yet simple enough to dive into it and start shooting.

[D-Day]

You old cogger you! It's great to see what you look like! My grandfather was 80 when he had a 25 pounder taken from him anf he lived the next 13 years. He was 5 foot none and weighed 140 so you'll be fine and probably feel great when it's over. Wish I could have been there for the session I love that kinda stuff. Hope to see you online soon and know I'm sending "good vibes" (California for prayers) your way

Agent

AGENT!

Welcome to the tea party dude! 

You can join us on comms with Windows XP (with service pack 3, or so Vanja told me).
Firedog, Lusankya, Sparts, Trodoon, (from Sunder) and others  are on most every evening.

[StrataDragoon]

Agent is that you!?

[Lusankya]

Agent is that you!?

It's a figment of your imagination Sinq .

[StrataDragoon]

yeah Idk why but im not ever loved by my guildies T_T

[Lusankya]

yeah Idk why but im not ever loved by my guildies T_T

We love ya Sinq just not in that kind of way .