Drumming Scoop

Tracking was tedious but positive. Songs were tracked too fast, but the drums themselves sounded pretty good. I’ll chalk this one up to pre-production. I know what I must do to make the drums sound better. I don’t need a hi-hat mic. Don’t need the first rack tom. I want one more overhead. Maybe two cymbal overheads and two large-diaphragms as room mics. Not sure I need tom mics but I’ll figure it out. The toms sound a bit boxy and may need some attention. :

Tracking

Tonight I start drum tracks for my CD. I'm ready to roll. Drum roll! I'll check in after the session for details. Off I go...

9-20-04

I'm reading Ian Whitcomb's 1983 book Rock Odyssey. Interesting stuff. I love the descriptions of Hollywood in the 1960's. Wow. Seedy even then, but my kind of town. I miss the smells of the blooming trees and plants wafting through the air on a smog free day. Hell, I almost miss the smog. Almost.
I played drums on one of Ian's albums just before the book was released. Fun times. Has it really been that long? Somebody slap me!

It’s an absolutely beautiful pre-fall day. The sun is shining, there is a pleasant breeze and it’s cool outside. The sky is opening up for me as it always does this time of year. This is arguably my favorite time of year.

Music’s moving along. I am preparing to record the first four drum tracks for my cd project.

I am pretty well set on the following four to do first:

Famous Last Words

Something I Remember

A Different Light

What Might Have Been

And, if time permits, I’ll squeeze in

Go

Drumming

I got to do some drum practice at Ed's studio today. It's the first time in years that I have sat down behind a kit. I got a good warm-up. Played for about an hour and a half. I am going back in on thursday for further practice and then I'll be booking some studio time. I plan on doing the drum tracks in batches of three or four, finishing up the production at home, and going in and knocking out another couple of batches. The first three songs will determine the course of this project. I think I can pull off the drums. It should be fun. I think I've still got it. The recording of drum tracks seems to always stress me out a bit, but I am determined to make this as enjoyable as possible. I want to flow with it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The time to do this is NOW!

Have Drumsticks, Will Travel

Well. I got some drumsticks. I have been practicing in my head for weeks. It's time to take this thing to the next level. I'm ready to book some time at Ed's Studio (Ed Dennis. Atlantic Spoke Recording), and give this idea of mine a whirl. I have decided to do my own drum tracking. That means blowing some dust and rust off and hunkering down to ROCK the kit. I haven't dome any drum recording or even drumming for lots of years, but I know I've still got it! At least I hope I do. Ed's got a kit already pretty well miked up and ready to record, so, with a few tweaks we should be on our way. I'm getting ahead of myself. I will require a few practice sessions behind the kit to build up stamina, chops, etc. I'll do that first. Then we roll ,er, tape. Well, not tape. Actually nothing rolls anymore. I mean to say I'll fire up my hard drive on my trusty Yamaha AW2816 and we'll take it from there. To say I'm not a bit nervous would be a lie, but I'll be allright. Hey. This is my gig! No worries. This should be a lot of fun. God help me, what have I got myself into!

Labor Day

Rainy morning. I'm smoking a Rocky Patel Churchill 1992 vintage. Good smoke. Maybe a bit early for a medium-bodied cigar, but hey, it's Labor Day and I'm chilling out this morning. How's this for obscure? I'm listening to Flesh For Lulu's CD Big Fun City/Blue Sisters Swing. This is circa 1986. British postpunk I suppose. They Had a release on Capitol about 1987 called Long Live The New Flesh which I liked better. I liked it enough to buy this CD. I forget where I found this. Probably Aron's in Hollywood. Plastic Fantastic was enjoyable as well.

I miss living in Hollywood. I miss it a lot. I'd like to win the Lotto and move into the Hollywood Hills. Also, a condo in Nashville would be cool, since I'm dreaming.

Looking forward to a writing appointment I have with a guy named Chris Yale today...

Can't Sleep

I can't sleep, so I thought I would come downstairs and write random thoughts. Sometimes i feel like an alien on this planet. Sometimes I don't understand why the world is as it is. Other times I understand perfectly. This world is fallen, and we are all in need of redemption. Everybody's looking for a reason to believe in something. What bothers me is that there is so much error out there, it's staggering. I am through with being ambiguous; weary with being all things to all men...a nothing man. I think it's high time I stood up for what I believe in. I judge no one any longer. I'm all about personal freedom and responsibility. I desire truth. I want to live out that truth in love to the very best of my ability. Why is it so hard to drop the facade? Why is it so difficult to be transparently oneself in the midst of a hurting planet?

Rod Stewart

I'm listening to a Rod Stewart Cd called Out Of Order from 1988. Totally eighties sound. Co-produced by the late Bernard Edwards, formerly Nile Rodger's partner from the band Chic. I confess it is enjoyable. I am going through my entire cd collection without prejudice. It's been a while since I've heard some of this stuff. Yesterday I suffered through Phil Ochs in Concert. It had some good moments but I couldn't stomach the anti-Christian statements, although I think it had more to do with politics than Jesus. More about orgainized religion than the Light of my world. I may listen to the rest of the record today. I consider this listening discipline grist for the mill. I am studying songcraft as well as production. My ears are wide-open.