Tuesday, August 02, 2005

PROGRESS

Back in the old days, you made some sound near a microphone, the microphone converted it to electricty, you used this electricity to modify something (like the magnetic particles on a piece of tape), then you reversed the process, substituting a speaker for the mic and putting an amp in line. What you heard was (sort of) what you put it, minus any degradation from the system itself.

If you wanted your cymbals quieter, you didn't hit them as hard. If you wanted your voice to sound in tune, you sang in tune. It was kind of like taking a picture.... if you thought you looked too fat in that photo, you lost some weight and took it again.

To be a musician required knowing your instrument, being able to play a song all the way through, doing the chorus more than once (gasp!). Tuning was important (out of tune? Do it again, learn to tune, or take up a different hobby.) Someone screwed up? Do it again (or live with it).

A lot of great recordings were made. A lot of bands developed, learned how to play, busted their asses, listened to the sounds they were making, adjusted, and did it again, and again. These people were professionals, even if some of them never made any money.

Things changed, slowly. Cutting tape, multitrack, mixers with more channels, effects... all headed toward the big shakeup, digital recording. Suddenly, we weren't modifying magnetic particles on a piece of tape in a way analogous to the sound we were making, we were modifying magnetic particles to create a representation of the sound, something that could be copied, moved, deleted, auto-tuned...

The "musicians" started getting lazy. Why play the song all the way through if we can copy the chorus? Why get the sound right when we can modify it later? Why put everything into the moment when there's another moment just an "undo" away?

Yes, the engineers, producers, equipment manufacturers, share at least some of the blame. But when "artists" just want to get it done, but don't have the talent (or work ethic) to do it right, what should an engineer or producer do? Not use the technology because it's not pure? Tell the artist to tune for the 100th time? If they don't care, why should we?

Well, we want it to sound good. So inevitably we end up fixing shit that the musicians don't even hear, on our own time (read: no charge). We work hard trying to make two half moments sound like one whole moment. Listeners don't say "that bass is 50 cents flat, it's fucking up the whole thing." They say "hmmm, that doesn't sound like something I really want to hear. I don't know why, but I'd rather pay $15 for a Pink Floyd CD than anything for this." So we tweak and tweak, just trying to tidy up what should be right in the first place.

Then someone says "Can you turn that cymbal down," and I reach for another beer.

11 Comments:

At 12:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I guess you've layed down the rules for our Us & Them project. Good thing. I told Ted that I'd do my parts until I got them right. We'll do them while your at work and have you inspect when you get in. I've been practicing them every evening unti lmy fingers bleed. My wife is quite sick of the tune by now. She's also had to endure my attempts at figuring out the chorus harmony. I hope you're having better luck than I. I believe I've got the low end one.

I'll be bringing the good Tele with me also.

 
At 12:45 PM, Blogger Chrispy said...

Practice, practice, practice!

It shouldn't be a problem figuring out the high harmony - I'll give her a listen tonight.

The toughest part will be getting just the right delay for the vocal - and the choruses of women singing "ahhhhhhhh"

 
At 2:24 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Do any of us know any women other than the ones we're attached to? I know your gal can sing, and sing well.

Jackson was commenting to the fact that the delay thing will be your nemesis. In all actuality, it will be a challenge to everybody really since those echo's will need to be locked on beat hence why I so driven not to be the one whose tracks aren’t locked in. I’m jazzed about giving this tune a whirl. What do we do for bass?

 
At 3:05 PM, Blogger Chrispy said...

Actually, the delay can be locked to tempo very easily. Computers are great - just tell the plug-in the have the delays be quarter notes (Us... us... us... us..... us...), then automate the send to the delay so we only get the words we want (us...us.... them... them.... men... men.... men...). We'll filter it and maybe flange/chorus it out.

I'll get the bass part worked out as well. I guess, in the interest of doing it properly, we should have Machold cut the drums before you get up here.

Are you working out the guitar arpeggios as well?

How much preprod should we do? When the hell are you coming up anyhow?

 
At 4:09 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm waiting for confirmation on a meeting they're calling me to in DC on the 24th-26th before firming plans, but it looks like 27th thru the 30th allocated for studio time, and the rest of the week thru Labor Day hangin with the in-laws and going to Jackson's brothers Labor Day bash.

 
At 4:53 PM, Blogger Jackson said...

I never used the word 'nemesis'. In conversation with Tony Alva I said that the echos would be your 'domain'. Certainly something you'd enjoy doing, and given your nature, re-doing until it's right.

I qiut. Can I hang out and drink beer though?

If we want to get Rob's parts done we should inform him soon. I'll call him now, after I start my paper route....

 
At 4:57 PM, Blogger Jackson said...

....I talked to Machold, he's in, we just got to do it before the 25th. He will be away for Rod's party.

Oh yeah, can you turn the cymbals down?

 
At 5:18 PM, Blogger Chrispy said...

FUCK YOU AND YOUR DAMN CYMBALS. I QUIT THE BAND BUT WILL STILL HANG OUT.

 
At 12:23 PM, Blogger Chrispy said...

Well, you know, Bob's a smart guy.

http://www.tapeop.com/magazine/bonus/pdfs/bobmould.pdf

 
At 3:23 PM, Blogger Jackson said...

I always wished Husker Du would put out a collection of singles and b-sides called 'Husker Du's and Don'ts'.

 
At 1:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I always wished the Husker Du would put out a record with a bass guitar track.

DCC

 

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