MAY 16, 2020 // LOFGREN (VERSION VI, PROTOOLS DEMO)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
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-There are three celeste tracks. I went through each and did some editing of notes, shortening to sixteenth notes, and then creating sparse harmonic lines so that the three tracks work together like a music box. I particularly like the little run around eight seconds into the song, and some of the odd counter point ideas during the last long chorus. The lead instrument, the one with the weird ideas is the track called the “special celeste.” The celeste low and high tracks often hammer on the same note, and I think I messed with some of the note velocities to give a percussive effect, the feeling of a band playing this strange music.
-The electronic kick, snare and cymbal tracks in my session are run through a drums bus with BF-76 compression, J-37 tape machine, and Soundtoys Decapitator. When I solo the kick, it sounds dusty and low in a good way. Likewise it combines with the bass pedal to give the song the low end it needs.
-Bass Pedal track has BF-76 compression and Saturation knob on it to make the track dirty and low.
-I added seven tracks of backing vox. The general principal is that they are harmony, and/or doubling lines. Each part is a pair and is panned opposite its mate. The backing vocal tracks are sent to a different bus, with a different reverb aux, from the lead vox track. The exception being the “Old Radio Yeller” track, which is sent to an aux track with the Decapitator plug-in on a pre set that approximates the sound of an old radio. It’s a bit silly, but I liked the idea of having the “lady at the border with a baby in her hands” line coming through an old radio.
-I added Eric’s “Mexico on New Years Eve” field recording to the beginning and end of the song and really like it. Regarding the silliness addressed in the preceding bullet point, I’m finding the weirder this one gets, the more I like its’ survival qualities.
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-I worked long hours on this one and make not have properly documented all the changes. I apologize. Presently I feel this version accurately expresses my ideas on how I want it to come out. Having completed that I remain open minded, and will be done meddling with the following exception….
-I still might shoot for a better lead vocal comp. (Your feed back on this one would be helpful.) AND, Once the final lead vocal comp is decided upon, I may make a track doubling it on the chorus. Right now all the backing parts on the chorus are Ooos, Ahhhs, and Hellos. I dunno though, I just listened again and like how I have it. We’ll see what you think.
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