Dec 2009
A Godfather Moment II
15/12/09
At long last Paul Hodgert’s schedule allowed him to go back to fixing the recording of The Boat Song. Yesterday, he and Luke Bergen re-recorded the drum track to the song. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, the click track behind the tracks we laid down last summer had vanished. This would not have mattered except that there were some flaws in timing of the performances, and these could not be fixed without reference to the click track, which can be divided into up to ten- thousands of a beat - allowing accurate tweaking of the wave forms of the voice and instruments. We asked out favourite drummer, Luke Bergen (drummer for Boats, and for his solo project Beautiful Pipes) to do the drums again. He said he was ready any time Paul was.
Paul and Luke started yesterday morning to jam the song, trying out different drum and bass combinations. The ‘old’ rhythm section parts were very good, but, being perfectionists, they thought they could do better. When they had something they thought worked, Paul put done scratch rhythm guitar and vocal tracks over the click - matched as closely as possible to the beat of the old tracks (about 150 bpm). More interestingly, Paul also had to fake one of Tony Buchner’s electric guitar tracks - on an acoustic! This was necessary because the guitar part is effectively the ‘vocal’ for parts of the song. Anyway, Paul had fun using slurs instead of bends (not possible on acoustic), and trying to figure out the solo a few bars ahead of what he was playing. Since all that was required was for the timing to fit, this worked out fine.
The tracking of the drums took about 15 takes, with the best take chosen for each of the individual piece - snare, kick, side tom, floor tom, and high-hat, crash and ride cymbals. Each drum was separately miked, and an overhead mike caught the cymbals and the blended effect. I reviewed the result and said i was very pleased. The new drums have a slightly different beat from the original, but I am not qualified to explain the difference. I like it better the new way!
Paul will next track the new bass part. Using the new rhythm section parts and the click track, he will next attempt to fit the existing electric guitar parts to the new bed tracks. Then he’ll try to fit the old vocals to the verses and the choruses. Paul and I will probably re-record the vocals for the bridge, because we were not completely satisfied with the old bridge tracks. Finally, we will review the length of the bridge, and the arrangement. When we have something cool, we’ll put in down. Paul will then mix, review with me, and master. Then, after many months delay, I’ll post the finished track on this site.
As we wrapped up yesterday evening, I told Luke I owed him, to quote what I had earlier said to Darren Fast, “... a Godfather type favour. Like the undertaker in Godfather I, I said he could call me at any time if he needed anything - no questions asked.” He smiled and put it in his pocket.
Paul and Luke started yesterday morning to jam the song, trying out different drum and bass combinations. The ‘old’ rhythm section parts were very good, but, being perfectionists, they thought they could do better. When they had something they thought worked, Paul put done scratch rhythm guitar and vocal tracks over the click - matched as closely as possible to the beat of the old tracks (about 150 bpm). More interestingly, Paul also had to fake one of Tony Buchner’s electric guitar tracks - on an acoustic! This was necessary because the guitar part is effectively the ‘vocal’ for parts of the song. Anyway, Paul had fun using slurs instead of bends (not possible on acoustic), and trying to figure out the solo a few bars ahead of what he was playing. Since all that was required was for the timing to fit, this worked out fine.
The tracking of the drums took about 15 takes, with the best take chosen for each of the individual piece - snare, kick, side tom, floor tom, and high-hat, crash and ride cymbals. Each drum was separately miked, and an overhead mike caught the cymbals and the blended effect. I reviewed the result and said i was very pleased. The new drums have a slightly different beat from the original, but I am not qualified to explain the difference. I like it better the new way!
Paul will next track the new bass part. Using the new rhythm section parts and the click track, he will next attempt to fit the existing electric guitar parts to the new bed tracks. Then he’ll try to fit the old vocals to the verses and the choruses. Paul and I will probably re-record the vocals for the bridge, because we were not completely satisfied with the old bridge tracks. Finally, we will review the length of the bridge, and the arrangement. When we have something cool, we’ll put in down. Paul will then mix, review with me, and master. Then, after many months delay, I’ll post the finished track on this site.
As we wrapped up yesterday evening, I told Luke I owed him, to quote what I had earlier said to Darren Fast, “... a Godfather type favour. Like the undertaker in Godfather I, I said he could call me at any time if he needed anything - no questions asked.” He smiled and put it in his pocket.
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Accept My Holiday Love For You
11/12/09
Back at the Dubs, but so, so late (12 noon). I’m waiting for my wash to dry at the laundromat. Off to nephew Tony at Bains tomorrow for a new dryer. But now, maintenant, rightsheer, I’ll report on my purrrformance at Gordie’s Coffee House last night. When I arrived there were three names already on the sign-up sheet. I talked to the three performers, who I had come to know from attending the shows for the last few months. I pleaded first time stage fright, and asked them if I could take the first slot - the one squeezed into the intermission for the main act. They agreed, and we sat to watch the featured act. But first we had a discussion about the excuses amateurs often give to hedge their bets; “I stubbed my thumb.” “I just wrote this song.” “I have a hangover.” “I have no talent.”, etc.
The headliners, Beck and Kels, were very good. They had beautiful soprano voices, and had worked out great arrangements of Christmas and regular songs. Check them out if you can. They don’t play much, but are worth looking for. One thing to note. They sang with dynamic range, both between songs (some soft, some loud) and within songs (crescendos, decrescendos). Also, they put some emotion into the performance. Dare I say it - with soul, and sometimes with a light groove. I mention this because there is a contemporary school of composition, performance, and recording wherein the artist deliberately plays a song (or all his/her songs) using a limited range of volume, usually very quiet, and with little or no variation in the tempo or even the melody! It’s cool, it’s understated, it’s self-referential, it’s ironic - and it’s shit. If you think I exaggerate, try Downtown Coffee Ground, Monday nights at the Red Road Lodge on Main Street. If you do, try to keep a straight face. It’s comic for about three acts, then its time to go. Okay, rant over. Back to show.
The intermission spot turned out to be the best, because the full crowd stayed - they were enjoying the show so much. My three generous friends/performers played to two-thirds, then one-half, then one-quarter of the original house. For the full house, I played the medley Doug Anderson and I had worked out; Set Me Free (Kinks), Summer Rain (Johnny Rivers), and And Forsaking All Others (me). Turned out to be a good idea to start with something familiar. Of course, they couldn’t know how good it would have been with Doug’s inspired lead guitar, but they seemed to like it just fine anyway. Next I did Except My Love For You, first plugging the novel. That got a good response too. Last, I played a new song, All I Have to Say. The song is arranged with a crescendo towards the end, and a full, hard stop on the last note. That can either be cheesy or dramatic. Based on the applause, I’ll tell myself it’s dramatic!
The ladies did an even better second set, then my pals and some others did turns of varying quality. We applauded them all heartily. As a last minute treat, my son Paul (who had dropped me off earlier) came back ahead of schedule. He felt frisky, so he signed up for the last slot. He gave a near empty house a rousing version of two Mountain Goats songs. Paul’s a terrific performer (says his Dad!), and the Mountain Goats are really worth checking out.
There will be an all open mike night at Gordie’s on January 14. Gordie’s is located in Gordon King United Church, on Cobourg Street, west of Henderson Highway, just over the Disreali Freeway. Avoid Elmwood on that date. We might be back!
The new novel? Don’t know yet, but I’ll be writing something large early next year, no matter what. You have been warned.
Merry Christmas/Eid/Chanukah/Kwanza/Festivus, and a Happy New Year.
The headliners, Beck and Kels, were very good. They had beautiful soprano voices, and had worked out great arrangements of Christmas and regular songs. Check them out if you can. They don’t play much, but are worth looking for. One thing to note. They sang with dynamic range, both between songs (some soft, some loud) and within songs (crescendos, decrescendos). Also, they put some emotion into the performance. Dare I say it - with soul, and sometimes with a light groove. I mention this because there is a contemporary school of composition, performance, and recording wherein the artist deliberately plays a song (or all his/her songs) using a limited range of volume, usually very quiet, and with little or no variation in the tempo or even the melody! It’s cool, it’s understated, it’s self-referential, it’s ironic - and it’s shit. If you think I exaggerate, try Downtown Coffee Ground, Monday nights at the Red Road Lodge on Main Street. If you do, try to keep a straight face. It’s comic for about three acts, then its time to go. Okay, rant over. Back to show.
The intermission spot turned out to be the best, because the full crowd stayed - they were enjoying the show so much. My three generous friends/performers played to two-thirds, then one-half, then one-quarter of the original house. For the full house, I played the medley Doug Anderson and I had worked out; Set Me Free (Kinks), Summer Rain (Johnny Rivers), and And Forsaking All Others (me). Turned out to be a good idea to start with something familiar. Of course, they couldn’t know how good it would have been with Doug’s inspired lead guitar, but they seemed to like it just fine anyway. Next I did Except My Love For You, first plugging the novel. That got a good response too. Last, I played a new song, All I Have to Say. The song is arranged with a crescendo towards the end, and a full, hard stop on the last note. That can either be cheesy or dramatic. Based on the applause, I’ll tell myself it’s dramatic!
The ladies did an even better second set, then my pals and some others did turns of varying quality. We applauded them all heartily. As a last minute treat, my son Paul (who had dropped me off earlier) came back ahead of schedule. He felt frisky, so he signed up for the last slot. He gave a near empty house a rousing version of two Mountain Goats songs. Paul’s a terrific performer (says his Dad!), and the Mountain Goats are really worth checking out.
There will be an all open mike night at Gordie’s on January 14. Gordie’s is located in Gordon King United Church, on Cobourg Street, west of Henderson Highway, just over the Disreali Freeway. Avoid Elmwood on that date. We might be back!
The new novel? Don’t know yet, but I’ll be writing something large early next year, no matter what. You have been warned.
Merry Christmas/Eid/Chanukah/Kwanza/Festivus, and a Happy New Year.