Writing and Production (by Mick Brown)
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This space is an encouragement to other amateur songwriters/producers who, like me, simply want to get their music “out there” in an acceptably good manner.
WRITING
Song-writing just happens when it chooses. I cannot dictate when an idea, be it musical or lyrical, will emerge. However, the period from inspiration to final song can be anything from hours to months!
Several of the songs I have on the 2 CDs so far are quite old, as I have a backlog of numbers to get recorded. However, there are many that are new that just invite themselves into existence as recording proceeded! Often God just seems to drop a phrase of lyric with a little bit of a tune with it. It is a germ. It seems to grow into an idea or theme, and then I have to often work a bit to feel what the tune is meant to be. Sometimes I can hear the whole band at the outset, other times the arranging happens as I record. There have been a couple of songs that grew and improved 100% in the recording process! Experimentation often inspires new approaches or twists in the song.
On average I successfully write maybe only half a dozen songs in a year. And only 30% of those will probably be really memorable ones! There are many songs that die before birth - be grateful!
PRODUCTION
Recording is “Layer Cake”: that is, track by track. First is a midi click track with the tempo hit on a rim or block, usually way too long so as not to get off to a bad start. Then I sing a guide track with the acoustic guitar, so that we have a basic structure. By now I need to have factored in space for other major features like a solo, beginnings and endings (although these can be edited in later with computers, it is better to get as near as possible end-product right from the start). After that I usually do a bass and drums foundation, to which I return later to tailor to the song. After that, the rest. Once all the instruments are in, I re-do the vocals and other features.
Mixdown and post production is huge. It takes as much time again, if not more, than recording. I take a full 12 months to write, record and produce 12 songs (“spare”-time)! This is now all done on the Apple. My first CD was done on a ZOOM MRS10/24 desktop studio. Mastering is another world again. All my expert friends tell me I should not do my own - and they are probably right! However, it is part of how I have to learn; so I will take their criticism studiously, but still keep doing it! Again, I presently use the Apple, and Audacity.
I would love to chat with you if you have an interest in this area. I am basically trying to do my best with as little as possible, fully realising that to get a million dollar sound you really need, well, a million dollars! What I have discovered is this. You can get an acceptable sound for much less. Compare it to the music we all raved about in the 60’s, and you will be pleasantly surprised. Some of it will even stand up to present-day stuff.
Some of the gear I use includes: Native Intruments B4 organ; Applied Acoustics Ultra Analogue Synth; OP-X Synth; Apple Garage Band; Anvil Studio; 1987 Gibson ES335 Lucille, Project Stratocaster, Original Epiphone 1959 Texan; 1977 Ibanez Vintage Jumbo acoustic; Senheiser cardioid dynamic and Audio Technica AT2020 condenser Mics; Zoom FX pedal; really old Cry Baby Wah Wah pedal; E-bow, and Marshall Valvestate VS65R amp. I used a Zoom MRS 1044 Desktop Studio and a souped up AMD Athlon PC for the first CD, but abandoned it for a MacBook Pro on the second one!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This space is an encouragement to other amateur songwriters/producers who, like me, simply want to get their music “out there” in an acceptably good manner.
WRITING
Song-writing just happens when it chooses. I cannot dictate when an idea, be it musical or lyrical, will emerge. However, the period from inspiration to final song can be anything from hours to months!
Several of the songs I have on the 2 CDs so far are quite old, as I have a backlog of numbers to get recorded. However, there are many that are new that just invite themselves into existence as recording proceeded! Often God just seems to drop a phrase of lyric with a little bit of a tune with it. It is a germ. It seems to grow into an idea or theme, and then I have to often work a bit to feel what the tune is meant to be. Sometimes I can hear the whole band at the outset, other times the arranging happens as I record. There have been a couple of songs that grew and improved 100% in the recording process! Experimentation often inspires new approaches or twists in the song.
On average I successfully write maybe only half a dozen songs in a year. And only 30% of those will probably be really memorable ones! There are many songs that die before birth - be grateful!
PRODUCTION
Recording is “Layer Cake”: that is, track by track. First is a midi click track with the tempo hit on a rim or block, usually way too long so as not to get off to a bad start. Then I sing a guide track with the acoustic guitar, so that we have a basic structure. By now I need to have factored in space for other major features like a solo, beginnings and endings (although these can be edited in later with computers, it is better to get as near as possible end-product right from the start). After that I usually do a bass and drums foundation, to which I return later to tailor to the song. After that, the rest. Once all the instruments are in, I re-do the vocals and other features.
Mixdown and post production is huge. It takes as much time again, if not more, than recording. I take a full 12 months to write, record and produce 12 songs (“spare”-time)! This is now all done on the Apple. My first CD was done on a ZOOM MRS10/24 desktop studio. Mastering is another world again. All my expert friends tell me I should not do my own - and they are probably right! However, it is part of how I have to learn; so I will take their criticism studiously, but still keep doing it! Again, I presently use the Apple, and Audacity.
I would love to chat with you if you have an interest in this area. I am basically trying to do my best with as little as possible, fully realising that to get a million dollar sound you really need, well, a million dollars! What I have discovered is this. You can get an acceptable sound for much less. Compare it to the music we all raved about in the 60’s, and you will be pleasantly surprised. Some of it will even stand up to present-day stuff.
Some of the gear I use includes: Native Intruments B4 organ; Applied Acoustics Ultra Analogue Synth; OP-X Synth; Apple Garage Band; Anvil Studio; 1987 Gibson ES335 Lucille, Project Stratocaster, Original Epiphone 1959 Texan; 1977 Ibanez Vintage Jumbo acoustic; Senheiser cardioid dynamic and Audio Technica AT2020 condenser Mics; Zoom FX pedal; really old Cry Baby Wah Wah pedal; E-bow, and Marshall Valvestate VS65R amp. I used a Zoom MRS 1044 Desktop Studio and a souped up AMD Athlon PC for the first CD, but abandoned it for a MacBook Pro on the second one!