so here's some tunes for November.
early Thundercub mixes.. we're all mixing a little [in different towns] and this will come together sometime next year. Don't want to wait? If you ask nicely there may be free copies of the first EP at our shows...
http://soundcloud.com/thundercub
and the whole Fun On The Quiet EP has been spotted on myspace.
http://www.myspace.com/funonthequiet
out..
Friday, November 27, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Your next band, the Veils and my free EP
Play an instrument today. Yodel in the shower. Blow over a bottle. Strum the washing line. Bang some pots and pans, but do it today. Music is easy to make and resources are everywhere. Making music you truly wish to share [a transfer of an idea from the mind to sound] may take some time and practice, but you can practice anywhere, anytime, on anything. Play an instrument today.
What's going on around Dunedin? I've recently spotted The Veils in this region of the world on their NZ leg of an Australasian tour. Sammy's was an ideal venue for the NZ/Brit band, and cheeky glances from frontman Finn and sultry bass player Sophia kept most of the 400-strong crowd on their toes. Slick gigs are few and far between in Dunedin, and judging by the career spanning set the Veils blasted out with vigor on Friday, I feel optimistic 2010 will bring more.
Free music*. 'Fun On The Quiet' is an ongoing project of experimental EP's. I wrote and mixed "Tear" during the third week of October. It's partial noise and partial recordings from the field. The mastering process was an experiment into depth and spread but it's a long way from the realms of the 'professional'. How could I describe it in words? It is music that is difficult to describe in words. Electronic drums are heavily featured, recorded onto tape 'hot' with distortion. If you want a clean crisp CD of it, send me an email at sjdawa@gmail.com, or you can browse 3 tracks at http://www.myspace.com/funonthequiet
[* for a donation of your choice. we could even trade ya know]
What's going on around Dunedin? I've recently spotted The Veils in this region of the world on their NZ leg of an Australasian tour. Sammy's was an ideal venue for the NZ/Brit band, and cheeky glances from frontman Finn and sultry bass player Sophia kept most of the 400-strong crowd on their toes. Slick gigs are few and far between in Dunedin, and judging by the career spanning set the Veils blasted out with vigor on Friday, I feel optimistic 2010 will bring more.
Free music*. 'Fun On The Quiet' is an ongoing project of experimental EP's. I wrote and mixed "Tear" during the third week of October. It's partial noise and partial recordings from the field. The mastering process was an experiment into depth and spread but it's a long way from the realms of the 'professional'. How could I describe it in words? It is music that is difficult to describe in words. Electronic drums are heavily featured, recorded onto tape 'hot' with distortion. If you want a clean crisp CD of it, send me an email at sjdawa@gmail.com, or you can browse 3 tracks at http://www.myspace.com/funonthequiet
[* for a donation of your choice. we could even trade ya know]
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Caffeine is a strange affair
I haven't recovered from a long weekend's recording so I'll get straight to the point.
I've just spend the staring at wave[audio] files in ProTools down at Albany St studios. My arms and legs were fuzzing ever so slightly all weekend from the sheer amount of coffee consumed. The studio, previously used by Newstalk ZB, is owned by the University of Otago. I'm glad the music department has room to stretch out now, it was a crowded affair when I was studying. Thundercub were able to record 5 tracks for our EP and laid down demos for another EP/album. We're aiming to add vocals onto the demos and have a few copies available at our next gig with So So Modern this Friday at Refuel. A heads up though, we may be distracted by sleep.
In other news, local engineer Chris Keogh has added the finishing touches to his protest song about the DCC. We recorded the track a few weeks back, and it features Chris on guitar, myself on drums, Chris Miller on bass, and the talents of Michael Cathro, Tono and Chris K on verses. Chris' facebook group concerning the DCC can be found here, and the song here.
Over here you can find a preview of Tom Waits next album, 'Glitter and Doom live'. Waits' growl and roar is going strong after 3 decades in the industry and it's the kind of show I have to see before I die [I don't go to many shows any more].
I recently rediscovered some tracks from my EP yet to be. I'm investigating servers and hosts, but if you want them for free send me an email at sjdawa@gmail.com, subject 'free EP' and I'll hook you up.
fizzles
I've just spend the staring at wave[audio] files in ProTools down at Albany St studios. My arms and legs were fuzzing ever so slightly all weekend from the sheer amount of coffee consumed. The studio, previously used by Newstalk ZB, is owned by the University of Otago. I'm glad the music department has room to stretch out now, it was a crowded affair when I was studying. Thundercub were able to record 5 tracks for our EP and laid down demos for another EP/album. We're aiming to add vocals onto the demos and have a few copies available at our next gig with So So Modern this Friday at Refuel. A heads up though, we may be distracted by sleep.
In other news, local engineer Chris Keogh has added the finishing touches to his protest song about the DCC. We recorded the track a few weeks back, and it features Chris on guitar, myself on drums, Chris Miller on bass, and the talents of Michael Cathro, Tono and Chris K on verses. Chris' facebook group concerning the DCC can be found here, and the song here.
Over here you can find a preview of Tom Waits next album, 'Glitter and Doom live'. Waits' growl and roar is going strong after 3 decades in the industry and it's the kind of show I have to see before I die [I don't go to many shows any more].
I recently rediscovered some tracks from my EP yet to be. I'm investigating servers and hosts, but if you want them for free send me an email at sjdawa@gmail.com, subject 'free EP' and I'll hook you up.
fizzles
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
September love
Kanye West, Biff Merchants, The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra.
Now that the fervor surrounding Kanye West's VMA intervention is dying down, we can see how lucrative a move this was by Kanye. Not only is Kanye doing well out of the situation [his career will continue, zealous fans will still attend to his shows, media appearances keep the wheels turning], but he has gifted media companies everywhere bumper September activity. They may not admit this (openly), but rest assured they love Mr West at the moment. As the saying goes: "Any publicity is good publicity".
Well yes. And no. Media frenzy like this pushes people to take or adopt a side to the situation, further propelling frenzy and egos as millions of leaders-to-be struggle to assert their opinion. This is useful for understanding each other, but I've seen some awfully pointless and messy arguments over something as small as Swine Flu. You've got to hand it to Kanye West though, what he did took some mighty big balls.
And as the internet boils, so does the opportunity to make money from t-shirts quoting relevant news and memes.
http://imaletyoufinish.com/
It is with great respect I relay the news of a great Dunedin band's final gig. The Biff Merchants sign off on Saturday the 26th, upstairs at the Captain Cook Tavern.
The Biff Merchants have been investing in the imagination and sharing their sense of space and the great unknown to audiences since 2007. I had the blessings of sharing the stage with some Biffs-to-be in 2005 when the LPHS Jazz Band and Bypast (Paul and Ben's band) played the Town Hall, and in 2006 when my uni band (ABCJERRY) learned about mammary glands from the Dunedin Albatross Colonoscopy (Andy and Skinny's band) at Refuel. It was easy to see great things in store for these strong partnerships and I was really excited to see these 4 strapping young lads get together and make music. With the addition of Michael Straight on bass, these 5 men have proceeded to blow my mind with tight harmonies, grandiose arrangements and general good-cuntery.
Some members may be moving overseas soon so I implore you now, while you still can, check them out.
http://www.myspace.com/biffmerchants
http://www.dunedinmusic.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4128
Regarding other string-playing musicians, The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra play the Regent, October 2nd;
http://www.ticketdirect.co.nz/choose_seats.asp?ev=37**192&quickseatsButton.x=73&quickseatsButton.y=1
And finally, this caught my eye earlier today.
" With improved medical capability, dying has become a condition to be managed."
Many thanks wikipedia.
Now that the fervor surrounding Kanye West's VMA intervention is dying down, we can see how lucrative a move this was by Kanye. Not only is Kanye doing well out of the situation [his career will continue, zealous fans will still attend to his shows, media appearances keep the wheels turning], but he has gifted media companies everywhere bumper September activity. They may not admit this (openly), but rest assured they love Mr West at the moment. As the saying goes: "Any publicity is good publicity".
Well yes. And no. Media frenzy like this pushes people to take or adopt a side to the situation, further propelling frenzy and egos as millions of leaders-to-be struggle to assert their opinion. This is useful for understanding each other, but I've seen some awfully pointless and messy arguments over something as small as Swine Flu. You've got to hand it to Kanye West though, what he did took some mighty big balls.
And as the internet boils, so does the opportunity to make money from t-shirts quoting relevant news and memes.
http://imaletyoufinish.com/
It is with great respect I relay the news of a great Dunedin band's final gig. The Biff Merchants sign off on Saturday the 26th, upstairs at the Captain Cook Tavern.
The Biff Merchants have been investing in the imagination and sharing their sense of space and the great unknown to audiences since 2007. I had the blessings of sharing the stage with some Biffs-to-be in 2005 when the LPHS Jazz Band and Bypast (Paul and Ben's band) played the Town Hall, and in 2006 when my uni band (ABCJERRY) learned about mammary glands from the Dunedin Albatross Colonoscopy (Andy and Skinny's band) at Refuel. It was easy to see great things in store for these strong partnerships and I was really excited to see these 4 strapping young lads get together and make music. With the addition of Michael Straight on bass, these 5 men have proceeded to blow my mind with tight harmonies, grandiose arrangements and general good-cuntery.
Some members may be moving overseas soon so I implore you now, while you still can, check them out.
http://www.myspace.com/biffmerchants
http://www.dunedinmusic.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4128
Regarding other string-playing musicians, The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra play the Regent, October 2nd;
http://www.ticketdirect.co.nz/choose_seats.asp?ev=37**192&quickseatsButton.x=73&quickseatsButton.y=1
And finally, this caught my eye earlier today.
" With improved medical capability, dying has become a condition to be managed."
Many thanks wikipedia.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Who manipulates the master?
Here's an article I recently wrote for a local magazine-to-be, pen-named Black Coffee. Black Coffee is a project led by Kari Schmidt who previously edited the Outtathaway magazine a few years back. This was a case of condensed research for a deadlined article; I really don't know what I'm talking about here. Please, feel free to send in links, suggestions or corrections, it'd be rad to properly learn what's out there.
BLACK COFFEE: WHO MANIPULATES THE MASTER?
By Samdrub Dawa
In light of the recent news that the Beatles catalogue has been remastered for the digital age, I pondered what audio mastering could possibly mean. Audio Mastering... Mastering what?
In fact, what goes on from the time a band heads into the studio and records.. and the arrival of that hot little CD in yours hands? What are all these heavy and expensive looking shapes of metal doing in that tidy room? What goes on when those audio wizards [or 'audio engineer' if you're more in tune to the world of science and reason..] twiddle dials... raise faders... and smile and giggle when everything sounds... normal?
Well as it turns out, recording, mixing and mastering music have a profound effect on the way you consume and listen to music. They can separate and isolate instruments or sounds, clean up muddy or rough edges, and give music a sense of presence. Universal appeal is not absolute, but an exotic women in a red dress on a scooter will at least turn your head.
The series of events leading towards your plastic encased prize begins with the capture of audio itself. Microphones, instruments, people and mixing desks are usually involved, though not necessarily at a purpose-built studio. Advances in technology have allowed for enthusiasts to record and mix from the comfort of their bedroom, bathroom, or car.
First of all, a good performance on the musicians behalf will result in a manageable outcome for whoever mixes it. Performers with the temperamental fluctuations of a socially responsible wind sock may create a puzzle for engineers. Bad signal in, bad signal out. A performance need not be perfect, though putting some thought into a take often brings more desired results for everyone involved. Note, this can be achieved before recording.
Microphones are strategically placed to capture sound, as it will travel and reflect around the room or area of recording. Just as it is important to objectively judge ones performance, the type of microphone and its position should be carefully considered when committing sound to tape or hard-drive.
Once a performance is captured, the audio engineer [or wizard, if you'd rather simplify the whole ordeal] will then usually scratch their head for a while whilst they plan how to separate and blend everything together. This is where music has the ability to transcend the mere band-in-room-with-some-important-looking-people-watching situation as instruments are compressed [squashed to a specified volume], treated with equalization [cut or boosted in low, mid or high parts of the frequency spectrum], panned [situated] left and right, as well as whatever tickles the wizard's beard. If recording is preparing a meal, then mixing would be adding and blending the ingredients in a mutually pleasing order. Whilst you CAN butter your bread before it goes in toaster..
And going back to the food parallel, the mastering process may be likened to the final balancing of a meal; the main dish may simmer as the table is set and sides are balanced in temperature, garnished, sprinkled with spice or sherbet. Sherbet? Yes.
It is important to remember that anyone's work is ["professionally"] their opinion on the material and that theoretically, anything can be done. This applies to any step of the current standard process, and suggests why some people working in the industry are sought after more often than others. Regardless, mastering can finally polish minor flaws, further equalize and compress audio, as well as balance the volume between tracks and give the audio a real chance to shine and stand out.
This is where a recording can put on its long coat with tails, don the top hat and cane and go for a stride along Broadway, or sit in it's cold Dunedin flat and eat cheese rolls. If any part of the process thus far could be thought of as magic, it would be mastering. The mastering engineer eventually has the last say and forwards a final copy [many gigabytes of information] of the audio to people who then press it to CD which is then converted [from around 50mb .wav files] to 3mb mp3's for your portable music player. Let's face it, quality faces a compromise when it comes to size.
So in dawn of a new generation's exposure to the world's best band, the Beatles collection will stimulate ears in a way they have never been moved before. What does remastered mean? Reinvigorated? Reinvented? Replaced? I say, Revived. Whilst the Beatles catalogue has not been remixed for this gargantuan project [well someone's going to complain aren't they?], it is important, at least for the mastering engineers, to know the way in which the music was recorded.
The end result? Well, you'll just have to find out yourself. When does it come out? On number nine... number nine... number nine...
Further reading:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/arts/music/08beat.html?em
N.B. When a television or radio program takes a cigarette break and cuts to ads, you may notice a sudden change in volume and clarity. The audio here has been compressed and raised in volume right to the medium's limits. Apparently it hijacks your attention more effectively than a clown in a candystore. True story.
BLACK COFFEE: WHO MANIPULATES THE MASTER?
By Samdrub Dawa
In light of the recent news that the Beatles catalogue has been remastered for the digital age, I pondered what audio mastering could possibly mean. Audio Mastering... Mastering what?
In fact, what goes on from the time a band heads into the studio and records.. and the arrival of that hot little CD in yours hands? What are all these heavy and expensive looking shapes of metal doing in that tidy room? What goes on when those audio wizards [or 'audio engineer' if you're more in tune to the world of science and reason..] twiddle dials... raise faders... and smile and giggle when everything sounds... normal?
Well as it turns out, recording, mixing and mastering music have a profound effect on the way you consume and listen to music. They can separate and isolate instruments or sounds, clean up muddy or rough edges, and give music a sense of presence. Universal appeal is not absolute, but an exotic women in a red dress on a scooter will at least turn your head.
The series of events leading towards your plastic encased prize begins with the capture of audio itself. Microphones, instruments, people and mixing desks are usually involved, though not necessarily at a purpose-built studio. Advances in technology have allowed for enthusiasts to record and mix from the comfort of their bedroom, bathroom, or car.
First of all, a good performance on the musicians behalf will result in a manageable outcome for whoever mixes it. Performers with the temperamental fluctuations of a socially responsible wind sock may create a puzzle for engineers. Bad signal in, bad signal out. A performance need not be perfect, though putting some thought into a take often brings more desired results for everyone involved. Note, this can be achieved before recording.
Microphones are strategically placed to capture sound, as it will travel and reflect around the room or area of recording. Just as it is important to objectively judge ones performance, the type of microphone and its position should be carefully considered when committing sound to tape or hard-drive.
Once a performance is captured, the audio engineer [or wizard, if you'd rather simplify the whole ordeal] will then usually scratch their head for a while whilst they plan how to separate and blend everything together. This is where music has the ability to transcend the mere band-in-room-with-some-important-looking-people-watching situation as instruments are compressed [squashed to a specified volume], treated with equalization [cut or boosted in low, mid or high parts of the frequency spectrum], panned [situated] left and right, as well as whatever tickles the wizard's beard. If recording is preparing a meal, then mixing would be adding and blending the ingredients in a mutually pleasing order. Whilst you CAN butter your bread before it goes in toaster..
And going back to the food parallel, the mastering process may be likened to the final balancing of a meal; the main dish may simmer as the table is set and sides are balanced in temperature, garnished, sprinkled with spice or sherbet. Sherbet? Yes.
It is important to remember that anyone's work is ["professionally"] their opinion on the material and that theoretically, anything can be done. This applies to any step of the current standard process, and suggests why some people working in the industry are sought after more often than others. Regardless, mastering can finally polish minor flaws, further equalize and compress audio, as well as balance the volume between tracks and give the audio a real chance to shine and stand out.
This is where a recording can put on its long coat with tails, don the top hat and cane and go for a stride along Broadway, or sit in it's cold Dunedin flat and eat cheese rolls. If any part of the process thus far could be thought of as magic, it would be mastering. The mastering engineer eventually has the last say and forwards a final copy [many gigabytes of information] of the audio to people who then press it to CD which is then converted [from around 50mb .wav files] to 3mb mp3's for your portable music player. Let's face it, quality faces a compromise when it comes to size.
So in dawn of a new generation's exposure to the world's best band, the Beatles collection will stimulate ears in a way they have never been moved before. What does remastered mean? Reinvigorated? Reinvented? Replaced? I say, Revived. Whilst the Beatles catalogue has not been remixed for this gargantuan project [well someone's going to complain aren't they?], it is important, at least for the mastering engineers, to know the way in which the music was recorded.
The end result? Well, you'll just have to find out yourself. When does it come out? On number nine... number nine... number nine...
Further reading:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/arts/music/08beat.html?em
N.B. When a television or radio program takes a cigarette break and cuts to ads, you may notice a sudden change in volume and clarity. The audio here has been compressed and raised in volume right to the medium's limits. Apparently it hijacks your attention more effectively than a clown in a candystore. True story.
Touchdown! Goal!
From my reality to yours, thank you for the most kind welcome. I will have departed from this keyboard by the time this reaches you, so from now, to then, I hope you are well.
This blog may at any time investigate what there is and what it is to learn. I hope to further my own understandings and get into the regular habit of writing, if only for my own amusement. This process may be under review as it is typed, at which point the subject will be shaken up about over a cup of tea.
Anything may be involved; what is thought to have happened some time ago, what is thought to be happening and what is thought possible to happen. I will aim to avoid limiting content to just itself and it's immediate context.
Hopefully something will let itself be known. Whilst not here, I play percussion [sometimes with thundercub] teach ways to approach the drum kit, and meander Dunedin, New Zealand.
Thank you for reading.
sjd
This blog may at any time investigate what there is and what it is to learn. I hope to further my own understandings and get into the regular habit of writing, if only for my own amusement. This process may be under review as it is typed, at which point the subject will be shaken up about over a cup of tea.
Anything may be involved; what is thought to have happened some time ago, what is thought to be happening and what is thought possible to happen. I will aim to avoid limiting content to just itself and it's immediate context.
Hopefully something will let itself be known. Whilst not here, I play percussion [sometimes with thundercub] teach ways to approach the drum kit, and meander Dunedin, New Zealand.
Thank you for reading.
sjd
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