#Frail Autumn,, #music, #songwriting, #The XCerts

New Technology and Recording Music. Reality or False Realisations.

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The darkened screen still awaits to be plugged in and brought alive.

Late last night I sat and looked at the new Apple set up. A very clean and soulless visual amount of new technology in front of my eyes. This is the system which will record our new songs. Songwriting has been pretty frequent again over the last few months. Well, on realisation, since last September. September was the time when I was asked to join a project. To reform The XCerts band I played bass for (and sang in) in the 1970s. We wrote all our own songs.

Back then recording songs involved standing at a microphone, singing out loud to compete with the high volume of guitars and drums. Going through each song to capture the sound of driven energy on a four track tape machine. Microphones and leads were everywhere. The aroma of tea, coffee and smoke from my brother Kev’s roll ups accompanied the noise produced. Sometimes the smell of a bag of chips after a visit to a takeaway. Well….if we could afford them. Huge guitar amplifiers and a vocals’ amp/cabinet set up of Marshall and Fender cabinets encompassed and snuggled us in that basement rehearsal room. They were like large plinths of volcanic/plutonic plugs of hard, igneous/metamorphic solid rock. Now I own a small, lightweight, beautiful Fender Rumble. The sound is phenomenal.

Have removed that XCerts guitar sticker now. It was a bit cheesy to be honest!

Now? All is so much a gently flying solo scenario in my room called The Den. To sit and practice and revisit the bass notes and guitar chords from old songs we once wrote, or create new ones. This is the experience and considered affair with my current musical songwriting journey. An iPad with its inherent microphone, an acoustic six stringed 1979 Guild dreadnought guitar and a quiet singing voice warbling my self penned tunes into the seemingly simple, yet inherently complicated, technology of a modern everyday item that everyone in my social circle owns. An iPad. Energy over the last months has been gentle and thoughtful. But…..it always seems to be a calm before the awaiting musical storm. If I were a singular singer/songwriter on an acoustic guitar practicing to perform to a pub audience, it would be singing out loud to The Den’s enclosed space. A lyric just came to mind, typing this observation, from a song I wrote called Faded Velvet Suit.

‘Four grey walls are false security.

That’s no life. It’s obscurity……’.

I suppose those 3 small little lyrical lines are going to be the scenario to avoid in recording now in this room. False security being the one to truly ponder upon. When I spoke on the phone to my guitarist brother Steve last year, after asking him to join me in music again, he said something that I have now considered again. He said his experience of sitting with his electric guitar, for the past few years, was basically listening to what he was practicing/playing through headphones. Playing in a band, playing live are very distant memories. The closest equivalent to getting back to those days for myself was a day’s rehearsal down in Coventry with Steve and John. A three piece who had only practiced our each individual parts separately for months regarding all the songs. But the energy was completely there. Albeit a scenario of a new ‘tread gently and analyse’ endeavour to work the songs out collectively, find positivity and succeed in creating something to build on. No wham, crash, bang familiarity that existed in our old band days. But still really enjoyable.

Modern recording. The monitor screen awaits springing from the darkness into the light.

This brand new way of Apple technology recording is strange. I have watched numerous YouTube videos regarding this technique. I have recently listened to Ian Hunter’s two Defiance albums (#1 and #2) where, on Defiance #1, the contributions from extremely well known guest musicians were sent from distance. They recorded their parts in their own studios. I think it was recorded in the height of the initial Covid period. Despite this personnel separation, the albums are blistering masterpieces. I suppose you sit listening to the contributions, through headphones, and play as if they were in the room. I haven’t done that as yet, so have no insightful experiences.

The other strange vibe about this new technology is ‘perfection’. Watching a YouTube video with the excellent presenter (Fil) ‘Wings of Pegasus’ he provides lots of musical insights. This one, in the below link, is regarding modern ‘pitch perfection’ vocal recording.

Instruments can be ‘embellished’ to provide drive, softness, clarity, dynamics, etc. Similar to a guitarists effects pedals. Similar too, as Fil/Wings of Pegasus above describes, in regarding embellishing vocals belonging to great singers. Embellishment brightens up the original skills. Works alongside true originality and skills. With this other ‘perfection’ technology? It changes to a whole different concept. False. The word False comes to my mind. You can imagine a resulting finalised digitally ‘perfected’ song being so far removed from original intentions to be painfully soulless. If I record a Saxophone or Harmonica player into my 1970s Shure microphone in The Den, playing with beautiful breath filled dynamics and intonation, why would you change it to squeaky nursery rhyme clean?

Francis Dunnery.

I have listened to the songs and watched most contributions to music and philosophy regarding Francis Dunnery’s current and back catalogue. I have most of his CD’s. Some, I don’t have, are rare now and can cost the price of a guitar! CDs and vinyl from the early It Bites band days to now. I rewatched a few of his advice videos on one of his YouTube channels this morning. You can never really find an upload without his lovely use of the ‘F**k’ word….but that’s Francis. A gem of a guy. With a complete overall reality look at life. And a songwriter who is sublime. I love the guy.

(This link above does have the ‘F’ word a fair few times. Well worth his insights to recording music nowadays. He has three differently themed YouTube channels and each are really great watches).

I recently watched him explain vocal dynamics. Getting to the true sound of his playing and singing. He did say he changes his voice on backing harmonies to create a different vocal/tone sound against his normal singing voice. As he says, if he sang all the harmonies in his same voice it would sound very strange. But, no plug in changes for alteration I would think. He is singing in his own voice still. Albeit in different delivery styles. He has the female vocalist, Deanne Blazey, in his ‘Call Me the Comeback Boy’ song (and other songs too) who sends chills and adds an absolute priceless addition to the song.

I do love various vocalists who put a distinct/unique style on their delivery to set them apart. Happened many times in my listening to glam rock and some punk singers in the 1970s. But my preference is for singers like Paul McCartney, Roddy Frame, Nick Heyward, Harry Nilsson and Francis Dunnery who sing in their own voice with different adopted delivery styles and timbre depending on their song.

I am no amazing singer. Nowhere close. Well…..maybe after a few bourbons. Then I listen back on the iPad the next day and quickly delete the evidence. But, I don’t actually want others singing my songs. So my limited voice skill is going to have to do. I am selfish in the fact that this is part of me. Stories, lyrics and melodies that I write, which are personal and that I simply want to own. If others take or leave the results? It is something I am extremely comfortable with. I would love, at times, a male or female singer singing vocals alongside or creating harmonies on songs though. The same as adding a keyboard, tambourine, percussion, etc. If appropriate it would add depth and resonance.

So. The back to the current project that is FRAIL AUTUMN. Technology here we come. But not to the point of annihilation of our songs.

SPEAKING OF OLD RECORDING METHODS!

SONGS BELOW RECORDED ON TO AN OLD PENTAX OPTIO DIGITAL CAMERA. A LITTLE VIDEO TOOL INSIDE WITH A ONE MINUTE POSSIBLE RECORDING OPTION. THEN LOADED UP FROM CAMERA ONTO AN OLD LAPTOP. THEN POSTED ON TO FLICKR PHOTOGRAPHY SITE. THEN DOWNLOADED INTO THE IPAD. AND NOW UP TO WP.

THESE TWO BITS TO ‘NOVEMBER, THE STEREO AND YOU….MY FRIEND’ WERE RECORDED ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO. SOUNDS VERY DIFFERENT NOW SUNG AND PLAYED OVER A BASS PATTERN RECENTLY WRITTEN. NOT SURE WHAT STEVE WILL COME UP WITH ELECTRIC GUITAR YET.

The old dining room decor! So much more comfortable now.

19 thoughts on “New Technology and Recording Music. Reality or False Realisations.”

    1. Cheers cookie. I bought the Apple system for sound quality when recording our songs. Also for the Logic Pro abilities to ‘level and layer store’ individual contributions. It has loads of separate layering recording abilities. If we were all in the same room like our early days experiences, it would be different. We are a hundred and thirty miles apart and have to use, logically, this system mainly. The 1979 Guild was bought a fair few years ago now. For writing in the past I used and still use the Eko jumbo. Original Italian make from the early 1970s. The Guild is the one being played on the Giving it Time idea that was started by simply picking up the Guild, pressing record on the iPad and hearing the melody come out immediately from brain and strummed string harmony combination. You will know yourself exactly what I mean by this. The guitar is often generous and gives you a melody on a plate. My days of technical investigation are starting. But Francis Dunnery is going to be listened to. A man after my own heart. All the best cookie.

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    2. Hey cookie. I just found I could upload two small samples of a really old song on a little video I did 15 years ago. I’ve just added them to the bottom of today’s blog. This is the Eko Jumbo guitar from the early 1970s I spoke of. Cheers.

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      2. Cheers. I don’t practice much on six strings. So thank you for the comment cookie. Focus is so more intense on the Bass. I do love the Eko though. Use Elixir strings now. Very harmonic.

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  2. Gosh, there’s sooo much here I could comment on Gray. But two things really stand out:

    ‘Wings of Pegasus’ – I too just watched a YouTube from him (I believe) about ‘no one will sing like Judy Garland’ due to all the pitch correct tech being used (sometimes without the singers knowledge)! He used an example of Kelly Clarkson singing Somewhere over the Rainbow to illustrate the digital tuning. My takeaway was guitars can be tuned, the human vocal cords cannot!

    Why do we doubt our own singing voices? I think you have an excellent voice.

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    1. We are our own worst critics Sheila. The old adage of your parents recording your voice as a child and you say ‘Does my voice sound like that really. Oh no! I don’t like it!’. 😆 I watched the Pegasus ones you mentioned. He is brilliantly insightful. As is Francis Dunnery. Francis was in Robert Plant’s band. His philosophy on life is very much akin to your own too Sheila. I like that vocals can’t be tuned phrase you use. But I have looked at the way the voice is used. Welsh voices are beautifully sonorous. I have an acquaintance in the Machynlleth community who has an amazing voice. I may ask him how to get the ease of presentation he shows. Time of day changes my style and range too Sheila. So does quiet and loudly forced. But, singing in tune? I try to, but am aware that it doesn’t always work. Those three girl singers doing ‘All about the Bass’ on the Modern Jukebox YouTube upload is probably one of the greatest three separate/together in harmony female performances I have ever heard. All the best Sheila.

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  3. Ahh yes. Francis Dunnery is spot on. Some of the files I receive are so compressed there’s just no space, no panning just a wall of noise! There’s no turning up on these files! I can see you’re on the money and you will keep it real and authentic. Condiments should be just adding flavour not changing the nature of the toon. Look forward to seeing and hearing how it all goes. Thanks for taking us on your personal journey Gray. All the best to you and yours. Ol’ Shep Dawg Hisself

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    1. Francis Dunnery is very particular in his choices. He can diversify at times, but in general his albums are little treasures. I’m learning slowly about files. WAV are the good ones on my MOTIV Shure audio/mic app on the iPad. But you can’t send them easily as they are too big information wise. They can’t get to FB, Messenger, here on WP. So I have to change them down to a compressed file. I send often to Messenger for the guys to listen to. So similar high end equipment may be needed to the person you send to. I don’t know as yet. Bit naive presently. And, yes, additions re: musician contributions are to be simple and there to make a unique soulful slant on the song. The journey is a personal great for myself too Shep. I get nice support here on WP.

      Interestingly, I know a musician from way back in my early band days who writing totally with AI now. He chooses a style and AI writes the song! He then adds his own vocal melody and lyrics to them. I can’t believe where this technology is going !! Crazy and very much not welcomed in Summersville. Cheers Shep for your insightful thoughts. And same sentiments to you and yours too.

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    1. Hi Steven. The best scenario is to arrange to get together with this set up in the above photograph and record as a band playing through the songs. The vast distance we are living apart means that to get on and put the ideas all together without messing about rehearsing, I can airdrop vocals and the bass lines over to my brother and the drummer. Steve, my brother, can certainly receive my contribution and play his guitar parts over it and send it back. It is all a bit of a learning curve presently. But intentions will be to get together and play along with each other in the same room when recording. A better dynamic vibe exists that way. It is frustrating not being able to meet more regularly. So it will be a bit of both solo recording and group recording. The Apple computer is a gem for sound quality. And can record instruments on separate levels. So songs can be worked on and mixed as you would see in a recording studio with the sound desks. Hope this helps. Cheers Steven.

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    1. Once a punk, forever a punk Shep. 😊 Cheers for the advice and link. Steve my brother is the technical one. So will show me the ropes hopefully too. He owns a lodge he bought down South of England by the sea. He was saying that we could both go down there and take the instruments, mics and the Apple recording stuff and rehearse and record songs for a weekend. Then arrange to get to John the drummer and record his parts. Then drop songs to people like yourself. I know of a few local people that have interesting musical instruments with fantastic skills too. They can visit The Den and play contributions. Be nice to just get a great vibe on some songs. As said, no over the top crazy orchestral chaos and manipulation. Instruments that float in and out that lift the dynamic. I am nearly seventy Shep and only want to produce something of really listenable melodic simplicity now. I love Ian Hunter’s new Defiance albums. I’d love something like those. Can’t stop playing them.

      By the way. John, the drummer I played alongside in Team 23, is on the King first album. If you listen to Love and Pride the single by King, you get at how he plays. Cheers Shep.

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  6. Great the way we can introduce ourselves to music that we may have never come across. The King rhythm section were pretty tight – loved the bass. I’m a bit partial to the bass being prominent in the mix – just saying. 👏🏻

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    1. King were a Coventry band. The guitarist, Jim, played in the Team 23 alongside John and myself. There were weird dynamics with the Team 23 band with the brass section being confrontational and we split up. We found a couple of other guys who could help out over a couple of gig commitments. But due to their other commitments they left. We had started supporting The Selector on tour and had to pull out. No brass section for a heavily laden brass inclusion in the set. That’s when I fell out with the music experience. Became a potter. I like bass that is really evident in the mix too. Steve Curry in T. Rex is who I listen to often. Also. There is a particular Sex Pistols live gig (Phoenix Festival in 1996) in two parts on YouTube where the three guitar, bass, drums instruments are blistering. Bass is perfection on that one. Cheers Shep.

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    1. I enjoyed that. A bit vocally Talking Heads, a Jean-Jacques Burnel bass vibe and love the inclusions of female voice at the end. The three piece brass is awesome. And that drum beat is primeval. You have hit the nail on the head with this when I talked about simplicity of sound (and yet not simple to achieve here at all in reality) and adding in relevant dynamics. I was hooked on The Teardrop Explodes song ‘Reward’ around that time. This one reminded me of that sound I really got into at that time. Both on your blog and in the replies here you do send out some great music Shep. And eclectic too. Just as music listening should be. Loved this one. So….Cheers.

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