Sound and Recording
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor
Music for Butterflies & Hurricanes. A simple song title or perhaps something more profound? Muse is infinitely smarter than their name implies, churning out complex, oddly mutated old school' Hard Rock from somewhere beyond the fringes.
This three piece juggernaut springs from the minds of guitarist and vocalist Matthew Bellamy, bass player Chris Wolstenholme, and drummer, Dominic Howard, and has released four discs, including their highly successful 2006 release Black Holes and Revelations, featuring the singles, Knights of Cydonia and Supermassive Black Hole.
Indeed, Muse might just be the best UK band you've never heard of. Matthew Bellamy, who also plays keyboards, provides the song-craft, and it's all top shelf. Concise melodies and beautiful fretwork are abundant throughout the bands catalog of catchy tunes. Although the boys continues to chart an impressive growth curve, they have yet to make any appreciable impact across the pond
Over here in the states, bands like Muse are a rare commodity. Modern Rock radio is in dire straights, struggling to gain a foothold in a changing environment. As a result, sometimes great songs get lost in a machine fueled by desperation. Fortunately, Muse has managed to pop its head above that super massive black hole we call radio, and when it happens, we rush to bask in their radiance.
So say what you will, sayer of things naysayers say. Muse has captured my heart and my imagination. The more I listen, the more captivated I become. It goes beyond explanation, really. A sickness, perhaps? Some kind of hysteria, like say Stockholm syndrome? It's always possible, I suppose. After all, I'm just following the muse.
Brad
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Showing posts with label songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label songs. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Recording Drum Tracks
Sound and Recording
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor
Recording drums and percussion instruments can be tricky at times. Every sound engineer has his own story to tell. Noisy symbols, poorly tuned drum heads, questionable room acoustics etc. All can contribute to the chaos, a kind of sonic dysentery. We can't actually cure the disease, but we can treat the symptoms.
The underlying problem can be attributed to those pesky transients. No, not the ones under the overpass. Transients are those sounds that come out of nowhere, like the crack of a snare drum, a sudden burst of signal, or the grinding smash of a distorted guitar or a crash symbol. Drum related transients often tend to be especially problematic. So where do we begin?
For starters, new drumheads and a decent pair of drumsticks seems obvious, but never overestimate a musicians common sense. Invest in your craft. You are only as good as your tools. Dampening the drums heads is often necessary, but certainly not mandatory. When recording, capturing a workable signal is tantamount. Learn to strike your drums in a manner conducive with good sound management. Pardon my saying so, but garbage in, garbage out.
Next, let's go over room acoustics, as a bad room adversely effects those afore-mentioned transients, and any listeners within earshot. A live' sounding room, like a garage or a nite-club will be subject to various bounce back' issues, such as unwanted room echo or worse yet, the dreaded square wave'. You can't see it, but it's stalking your studio, even now. The louder you play, the angrier it gets. Acoustic treatments will usually do the job, but each room is different. Sound baffling, bass traps etc. all play an important roll, but ultimately, it's up to you to get it under control.
Finally, we reach the subject of microphone placement and technique. The possibilities are limitless, so I'll cut to the chase. The more microphones you set up, the more sounds you must dial in. Some engineers can successfully mic an entire drum kit with a pair of overhead room mics, but as a rule, I recommend a minimum of at least four, adding a mic for the kick drum, and another for the snare. The overhead microphones can be adjusted to pick up signal from the toms and the symbols. The two produce radically different signal response, so crosstalk and cancellation usually aren't a factor.
Here's something to keep in mind. Most drum isolation booths are far more trouble than they are worth, so don't bother. The drums are the foundation upon which your song is being constructed, so set them babies up in the big room. Let the guitarist set his rig up in the iso' booth, as his tracks may need to be re-recorded later anyway. Today, it's all about the drums.
Keep an open mind and learn all you can about your craft. Leave your ego home, and play what is best for the song. Recording music is really not that hard, but capturing the magic often takes a little time. Just keep banging away, and by all means, enjoy the process.
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor
Recording drums and percussion instruments can be tricky at times. Every sound engineer has his own story to tell. Noisy symbols, poorly tuned drum heads, questionable room acoustics etc. All can contribute to the chaos, a kind of sonic dysentery. We can't actually cure the disease, but we can treat the symptoms.
The underlying problem can be attributed to those pesky transients. No, not the ones under the overpass. Transients are those sounds that come out of nowhere, like the crack of a snare drum, a sudden burst of signal, or the grinding smash of a distorted guitar or a crash symbol. Drum related transients often tend to be especially problematic. So where do we begin?
For starters, new drumheads and a decent pair of drumsticks seems obvious, but never overestimate a musicians common sense. Invest in your craft. You are only as good as your tools. Dampening the drums heads is often necessary, but certainly not mandatory. When recording, capturing a workable signal is tantamount. Learn to strike your drums in a manner conducive with good sound management. Pardon my saying so, but garbage in, garbage out.
Next, let's go over room acoustics, as a bad room adversely effects those afore-mentioned transients, and any listeners within earshot. A live' sounding room, like a garage or a nite-club will be subject to various bounce back' issues, such as unwanted room echo or worse yet, the dreaded square wave'. You can't see it, but it's stalking your studio, even now. The louder you play, the angrier it gets. Acoustic treatments will usually do the job, but each room is different. Sound baffling, bass traps etc. all play an important roll, but ultimately, it's up to you to get it under control.
Finally, we reach the subject of microphone placement and technique. The possibilities are limitless, so I'll cut to the chase. The more microphones you set up, the more sounds you must dial in. Some engineers can successfully mic an entire drum kit with a pair of overhead room mics, but as a rule, I recommend a minimum of at least four, adding a mic for the kick drum, and another for the snare. The overhead microphones can be adjusted to pick up signal from the toms and the symbols. The two produce radically different signal response, so crosstalk and cancellation usually aren't a factor.
Here's something to keep in mind. Most drum isolation booths are far more trouble than they are worth, so don't bother. The drums are the foundation upon which your song is being constructed, so set them babies up in the big room. Let the guitarist set his rig up in the iso' booth, as his tracks may need to be re-recorded later anyway. Today, it's all about the drums.
Keep an open mind and learn all you can about your craft. Leave your ego home, and play what is best for the song. Recording music is really not that hard, but capturing the magic often takes a little time. Just keep banging away, and by all means, enjoy the process.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Taking Song Lyrics Literally
Sound and Recording
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor
Other than love, music may be the closest thing to real magic most people will ever experience. A song can lift us up or bring us down, inspire us, or maybe just help us fall to sleep at night. Music can be a very personal experience, or shared by thousands.
As a professional musician and songwriter, I find that my opinion often falls from the fray, as I neither adhere to, nor do I encourage reliance on a formulaic approach to lyrics. Instead, I prefer to concentrate on the essence of my song-craft with the understanding that the lyrics are an integral aspect.
Cryptic messages or entendre hidden within song lyrics are certainly nothing new. For centuries, many found this to be the safest way to express political or religious dissent. The Mother Goose Rhymes are a classic example. Some lyrics rely on the nonsensical turn of a phrase. A particular rhyme scheme should be guided by the muse, and little else.
Of course, each song should be approached individually. If your goal is to write a hit song, the rules begin to get slippery. Obviously, the lyrics for a dance number should reflect the spirit of the mood. One can't be afraid to "get down and boogie oogie oogie" when that is what the song calls for. By the same token, one shouldn't ignore the value behind lyrics like the overtly pedantic "The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald".
When writing for myself, I always write what I feel, and for me, the little twists and turns are all part of the puzzle. This of course, explains why you have probably never heard my records. Legendary record producer Tony Bongiovi likes to describe hit songs as "Cheeseburger Music", easy to identify with, and easy to digest. The more twists and turns you throw in, the less your chance of connecting on a grand scale.
Still, where would we be without lyrics like "I am the Walrus" or "Gabba Gabba Hey"? Both, although seriously stilted, represent delicious song-craft. There are no rules that can't be broken. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself.
I am by no means suggesting you find a way to excuse bad ideas. Settling for less than your best will not bring lasting satisfaction. Push those lyrics hard, and then push them a little harder. Be brave and be diligent. Make those words count.
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor
Other than love, music may be the closest thing to real magic most people will ever experience. A song can lift us up or bring us down, inspire us, or maybe just help us fall to sleep at night. Music can be a very personal experience, or shared by thousands.
As a professional musician and songwriter, I find that my opinion often falls from the fray, as I neither adhere to, nor do I encourage reliance on a formulaic approach to lyrics. Instead, I prefer to concentrate on the essence of my song-craft with the understanding that the lyrics are an integral aspect.
Cryptic messages or entendre hidden within song lyrics are certainly nothing new. For centuries, many found this to be the safest way to express political or religious dissent. The Mother Goose Rhymes are a classic example. Some lyrics rely on the nonsensical turn of a phrase. A particular rhyme scheme should be guided by the muse, and little else.
Of course, each song should be approached individually. If your goal is to write a hit song, the rules begin to get slippery. Obviously, the lyrics for a dance number should reflect the spirit of the mood. One can't be afraid to "get down and boogie oogie oogie" when that is what the song calls for. By the same token, one shouldn't ignore the value behind lyrics like the overtly pedantic "The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald".
When writing for myself, I always write what I feel, and for me, the little twists and turns are all part of the puzzle. This of course, explains why you have probably never heard my records. Legendary record producer Tony Bongiovi likes to describe hit songs as "Cheeseburger Music", easy to identify with, and easy to digest. The more twists and turns you throw in, the less your chance of connecting on a grand scale.
Still, where would we be without lyrics like "I am the Walrus" or "Gabba Gabba Hey"? Both, although seriously stilted, represent delicious song-craft. There are no rules that can't be broken. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself.
I am by no means suggesting you find a way to excuse bad ideas. Settling for less than your best will not bring lasting satisfaction. Push those lyrics hard, and then push them a little harder. Be brave and be diligent. Make those words count.
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