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Thursday, July 11, 2013

Deep Purple "Smoke On The Water" Isolated Guitar

Here's another in a series of isolated guitar tracks from some big hits. This time it's Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water," a song that every young guitar player learned before anything else at one time. Here are a couple of things to listen for:

1. There's a nice short reverb on the Ritchie Blackmore's guitar. It fits just right for figures that he plays.

2. Listen to the single note phrases he plays in the verses and B-section. This simple part gets lost on the record sometimes. Also listen to the mistake he makes in the second half of the second B section at 2:40. Today that wouldn't be left in.

3. The solo (obviously an overdub that was cut into the example) features a different sound on the guitar (the Strat's neck pickup) that's not too distorted and also has a tape echo on it.

4. The figure that Blackmore plays on the outro from 5:18 is another part that frequently gets lost in the track (and is never played by bar bands).


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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

5 Prep Tips Before Recording

Band In Studio image
Many musicians who have a lot of experience gigging never cut it in the studio. That's because they don't realize that the mentality of the studio is different. Where a gig is fairly loose and usually low pressure, the studio is more job-like and serious. Where on a gig every note you play is gone the second your play it, it may be kept forever in the studio and is under a microscope.

Playing in the studio is a different animal than on a gig and requires different mindset. Here are 5 tips from How To Make Your Band Sound Great and The Studio Musician's Handbook that will help you get off to a good start in the studio.

"You have to think differently when you’re about to do some serious recording. Let’s reinforce what it takes to think like a pro when it’s time for a recording session.

1. Arrive early. This goes without saying, but I’ll say it again to reinforce it.  You should always arrive at least a half-hour before the downbeat of the session and if you’re a drummer or keyboard player with a lot of gear, then figure one full hour. Remember, if you’re late and you keep people waiting, it’s probably going to cost you money.

2. Turn your cell phone off! The session should be your main priority with as few distractions as possible and one of the easiest ways to achieve this is to turn off your cell phone. If you leave it on, not only do you risk ruining a good take if the ringer goes off, but talking on the phone is the best way to stop the momentum of a session in its tracks. And it’s so disrespectful to everyone else involved. Don’t even bother to put it on “vibrate” since this will cause you to lose your focus just as easily as when the ringer is on. Turn it off, then leave the phone outside the studio in the lounge so you won’t be tempted to use it. 

3. Make sure your gear works. If you’re serious about recording, then everything has to work, from the smallest guitar cable to the largest amplifier. Not only does everything have to work, but it has to be in tip top condition as well. The better everything works and sounds, the better your recording will be.
Make sure that your gear is comfortable to you. Make sure everything's working, the cables aren’t crackling, your instrument is in tune and intonated, your tuner is working, and your amp sounds good. Make sure that you can set everything up quickly and be zero hassle to anybody, either technically or personally. Turn off your cellphone. Make it a point that everyone sees that you’re turning off your phone or leaving it outside the studio so they all understand that you’re not interested in phone calls while you’re working. Make the session a priority. -- Paul ILL: LA Session Bass Player (Pink, Christina Aguilera, Bill Ward, Tina Turner)
4. Be Prepared. Know just what you’re going to record. Have a plan, then have a backup in case things don’t work out the way you expect. Make any charts, notes, lyric sheets, or cheat sheets beforehand. You don’t want to be wasting anyone’s time for something that could so easily been done beforehand.

5. Bring everything to the session that you think you might need. Even if there’s only a remote possibility that a piece of gear might be needed, bring it anyway because you can bet it’ll be the one piece that will hold everything up if you don’t.
I over-kill. I bring so much more stuff than we’ll use because that’s part of the charm of hiring me.  It’s part of the “oooh, aahh” factor, and also it’s to be of service to the muse and the spirit of the session. If you’re not sure what you’re going to be doing or where the music is going to go, that one extra piece that you bring can make the difference. I’ll bring as many basses as I can fit in my car for that day with a B-15. -- Paul ILL"
These prep tips are simple yet can be very important to the success of a session. Make them part of your studio routine.

To read additional excerpts from How To Make Your Band Sound Great and The Studio Musician's Handbook, go to the excerpts section of bobbyowsinski.com.
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Tuesday, July 9, 2013

The Landfill Harmonic Orchestra

We all know that musicians are dedicated. Once you get the bug, that's all you want to, almost at any cost. We also know that most musicians suffer from G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome), always wanting the next best piece of gear that will hopefully make them sound better.

But what if you were so poor that you could barely afford to eat, let alone buy an adequate instrument? That's the case in this video, as you see some people in Cateura, Paraguay who are so poor that they literally live in a slum on a landfill. The only way they can afford an instrument is to build it out of recycled materials.

After you watch this video, you'll appreciate how well most of us have it.




If you enjoyed this video and appreciate what these people are trying to achieve, please Like the Landfill Harmonic Orchestra on Facebook.
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You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Don't forget to check out my Music 3.0 blog for tips and tricks on navigating social media and the new music business.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Guns N Roses "Welcome To The Jungle" Isolated Guitar

One of the things that many casual listeners frequently do is take some of the most basic parts of a recording for granted. Take a rhythm guitar, for instance, which can provide both the glue and movement to many songs. A good example is in the video below of the rhythm guitar parts to Guns n Roses big hit "Welcome To The Jungle."

In it you'll hear rhythm parts from both Izzy Stradlin and Slash on the left side only (the lead guitar is panned to the right side on the final mix). Listen for:

1. Izzy isn't the greatest player, but the part is played perfectly so you don't hear any inconsistencies with the rest of the track.

2. You can hear where Slash comes in at 1:36 where the sound changes and the playing technique is tighter and more fluid.

3. There are a lot of guitar layers that you don't hear distinctly on the record. Listen to the ending at 4:05 for a good example.



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Sunday, July 7, 2013

New Music Gear Monday: IsoAcoustics Speaker Stands

One of the most overlooked parts of most home studios is the way that the speakers are mounted. Most of the time they're placed haphazardly on a desk, but that usually means that the speakers are at the wrong height and the cabinet vibrations through the desktop lead to phase cancellation. That results in speakers that are robbed of their clarity, especially in the midrange. You need to isolate them somehow to get that clarity back.

The IsoAcoustics speaker stands are different from other isolators in that they're adjustable so you can change the height and tilt of the speakers while isolating them from the desk. There are three models that can fit almost any size speaker. They range in price from $80 to $150.


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You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Don't forget to check out my Music 3.0 blog for tips and tricks on navigating social media and the new music business.

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