Preproduction Help (Russ? Phil? Anyone?)

[Lee Knight]

Update time.

 

I went to their rehearsal last Wednesday. The bass player, he of too much ale and not enough skills, didn't show. I will be tracking the bass. We'll try to get him in on some stuff as an overdub, post basic tracking.

 

So I set up the Zoom H2, wrote down the list of tunes, and we went through them with out any lead guitar or bass. Just play what you play. I took notes as to key riffs that weren't being used enough, awkward grooves between the rhythm guitar and the drums, where the harp plays integral rhythm parts, weak stock endings, etc.

 

I then took the recording and made a CD of the tunes and drove around for a week listening, checking my notes, pulling over and jotting down a better kick pattern, playing bass in my head and pulling over jotting down the lines.

 

Tonight, we start making changes and I start playing bass.

 

This... is... FUN!

[UstadKhanAli]

Cool! I hope it goes well!

[Ernest Buckley]

Hey Lee-

Thanks for keeping us in the mix. I love threads like this that have some sort of process to them for us to follow along to. I think the most important thing to do in this very unstructured band you find yourself working with is to bring structure and order. Taking notes and writing down some specific patterns and trouble spots is great.

 

I`ve also used spreadsheets with album projects and update it everytime something gets done, then email it to everyone and keep one handy at all times in the studio. This will keep you and the band focused and avoid oversights.

 

Eventually, we`d love to hear some audio!

 

Peace,

EB

[Lee Knight]

Yeah, structure.

 

At this point, I'm keeping a notebook with a page for each song. I jot down ideas, observations, rhythm notation, etc. As I fill up a page, I start a new one for that tune and distill the previous ideas into a little blurb and transfer to the new page.

 

As it stands now, I've got a priority list of things to try, and to record. These guys are going to forget what we work on, no doubt. So the plan is to document via the Zoom H2 what works tonight and catalog that recording and any written notes that go with.

 

I think unfortunately we'll be running a click. But... that's a good thing in this situation cause I can make guide tracks to play with and markers for song sections, etc. This will, by default, bring structure.

 

Currently I'm brainstorming ways to break up I IV V. 5 bar turn arounds, bass dropping out for 2 bars then in for 2 in the verses. Straight 8 bass in the chorus. Harp doubles riff guitar on partial phrases. Stuff like that.

 

As long as I can get them to do it in practice and I get it recorded there... I can get them to nail while actually cutting it.

 

I'm not used to carrying that burden along with everything else but it's a fun challenge.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Sounds like you're off and running Lee.

 

Good luck with everything, and please let us know how it's going.