Rebuilding + Remixing = Musical Tedium

I spent a good part of yesterday's time in the studio rebuilding and remixing my track "Reflections". You may be wondering why. Well, I had a hard drive crash on me a few months ago. I was able to recover most of the data. The files that got corrupted were the .wav files from my Cubase project. I'm not sure why those particular files got cratered. I assume it was because of their size. I was planning on just getting the stereo .wav file ready for the new CD but I don't seem to have it. In fact, I don't think I ever made one. I just saved it straight to .mp3 or .wma. Fortunatley, I was able to also salvage the MIDI data from the track. So I've imported the MIDI data and all the loops into a new project in Tracktion.

I am now reconstructing the tune track by track trying to get everything laid out the way it was originally. I am missing about a minute or so of some improvisational audio. That's okay though. I was thinking about re-doing that section anyway. I was also thinking of re-recording some of the pads in Atmosphere but haven't stumbled across anything that sounds as goos as the patch I used on my Triton. So I still have some work to do. You can still get the original over at www.idtheory.com. It's also getting some plays over at www.di.fm on their chillout channel.

Damn George Lucas

I'm not buying it again. No. I refuse. According to an article on comingsoon.net, soon you will be able to buy the original unaltered Star Wars trilogy on DVD. Enough! I'm sending out a cease and desist letter to Lucasfilm. I can't justify spending my hard earned credits on more Star Wars movies. I've already purchased the original Star Wars movie 4 times. 3 for the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Let's see... there was the original CBS Fox release, then the Trilogy box set in letter box, then the Trilogy box set with the new and improved added material and finally (what appears to be only the penultimate) The Trilogy on DVD. Now another version is coming out? Say it ain't so, George.

But wait... Could this be the grand apology for the three lackluster prequels? The big "I'm sorry Jar Jar was lame. Still, listen closely, I AIN'T BUYING IT!! If I get it as a gift... well, okay. It'll be added to the collection. I might even watch it once or ten times. I just hope George can take pity on us poor souls and stop milking every last Kroner out of our pockets. Sheesh.

The Art of the Mix Tape

I guess I never really thought about making a mix tape as an art until a few days ago. In my mind, a mix tape was just a few songs that you liked and would listen to for your own pleasure. But I now see how a mix tape can transcend mere "listening to music for pleasure" and just background noise to have on a long trip.

My wife asked me to help her create a mix tape. Well, make a mix CD. I thought she would pull a few songs she kinda liked (usually Broadway and big band music) and throw them on a CD for her drive to here current work site. Instead what I witnessed was a personal musical journey that went beyond "these are songs I know I like." She insisted that she likes rock music more than I think she does. She was extremely thoughtful and weighed each song against the others. Now there were a few songs she insisted on like Kelly Clarkson's "Walk Away" and "Since You Been Gone". Then she would add on "Church" by Lyle Lovett with the comment "you just gotta have that!" Another interesting song choice was "Box Set" by the Barenaked Ladies. That song basically lays out everything the songwriter is about and that is exactly what she did before we got married. She sat me down and told me everything that was wrong with her. She then asked "Do you still want to marry me?" Well, Duh. Of course I married her. I bought the whole "Box Set".

My wife then proceeded to sit at my computer and add other songs carefully weighing it's "Rockin' ness". She would pick something and the conversation would go like this:

Her: What's that Shania Twain song I like?
Me: That's country.
Her: I know, but it rocks.
Me: Well, it was produced by Mutt Lange.
Her: Who?
Me: Mutt Lange. He produced Def Leppard's Pyromania album.
Her: Do I like them?
Me: I don't know. I though you were going to make a disk of show tunes.

So we proceeded to add "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" and "That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain. She always made it a point to listen to a couple of minutes of each song before it was added the "mix tape". I was impressed with some of the songs she did pick out like Meatloaf's "Paradise by the Dashboard Light". Apparently a boyfriend of hers in college gave her a recording of "Bat Out of Hell" that she wore out. She even liked some of the songs I picked out like Jamiroquai's "Virtual Insanity" and the Art of Noise/Tom Jones "Kiss" remake.

So after about an hour or so, we burned the "mix tape" and she listened to it on her drive. I suggested she might want to get an mp3 player. I told her she could put 10+ hours of music on it. She asked "When have I ever listened to 10 hours of music?" Apparently it's not about "how much music" but "this is the music I put the thought into."

I guess it's all in the art of the mix tape.

When Technology Flies

The F-22 Raptor has got to be the coolest plane I've ever seen. I work in an office building about 5 miles south of Dobbins Air Base where Lockheed does the final assembly and testing of the F-22. My side of the building just happens to face north so when I hear the roar of jet engines, I'm often treated to a maiden flight from a new Raptor. In fact, some of them have recently been flying sans the gray on gray paint scheme. It's kind of interesting to see. The color is a mixture of tan and dark brown. Most of the tan color consists of the radar absorbing material that the plane is made out of. The plane itself is a marvel to see. It's about twice the size of an F-16 and during many of the fly-bys the little F-16 looks like it's just about at maximum military power (as fast as you can go without lighting the afterburners) and struggling to keep up. One day I saw the Raptor hit the end of the runway and go straight vertical. I've seen an F-15 do this on numerous occasions at airshows. The Raptor outclimed the F-15 considerably. One of my neighbors works on the F-22 program and he said that one of the test piolots asked a flight engineer what they could do to fly the plane more effectively. The enigneer's reply... "Don't touch anything."

Jumping on the YouTube Revolution

I've uploaded my "War Machine" video to YouTube. Everybody else is doing it so I thought I would post it and see what kind of response it generates if any. If you would like to find out a bit more about the video read about it or watch it here. I guess I'll see if I actually get any plays from among the volumes of videos that are already there.

File under WTF?

I'm a pretty big Star Wars fan. The prequels... Umm... well, mediocre at best. Great eye candy, sucky writing. I know good ole George likes his creative control, but damn. "I don't like sand. Sand is rough". What? Did Darth Vader actually say that? What kind of dialogue is that? Any way, that's not the WTF part. The thing that makes me go WTF is the fact that Madonna may be part of a live action Star Wars tv show. I'm expecting "Hello Larry" in space if Lucas does the writing. But still, Madonna? Can't she go away and take Paris Hilton with her? Well, whatever. I'm not buying any more DVDs. I bought the original Star Wars trilogy no less than 3 time. I'm done. Instead, I'll spend my hard earned credits on The Gilmore Girls.

I’m Glad I Didn’t Get the Tattoo

CD Review - Queensryche Operation Mindcrime II
My buddies and I saw Queensryche twice on their Empire tour; once in Chattanooga, TN and the second time in Knoxville, TN. We were in nirvana. We all had our own copies of Empire and Operation Mindcrime. Those of us who were completely obsessed had the EP, Warning and Rage for Order as well. We were stoked. Twice in one year we got to hear Operation Mindcrime live in all its progressive, ahead of its time, conceptual glory. I even bought a T-Shirt for that tour. We were all excited about the show. We even contemplated driving to Kentucky or some other point a few hours away to see them a third time. We were so mesmerized we even considered getting the Tri-Ryche symbol tattooed on our left shoulders. We refrained. Our lament was "what if they put out an album that sucks?" Well...

Operation Mindcrime II came out just yesterday. I promptly went to Circuit City on my lunch break hoping to get it for 9.99 as I was under the impression that is what they charged for new releases. I guess I got there before they put the sale stickers on. I paid 14 something after tax. Anyway, I'm not saying it sucks but it is definitely less than stellar. It's forced. The mix is thin. Vocal and guitar harmonies sound as if they were all recorded with the Antares Vocal Producer. There is no punch in the drums. The only thing that hit me in the face was how sophomoric the writing came across. The lyrics are forced and melodically parts sound as if they were written and sung by an aspiring songwriter ("choppin' brocc-o-lee") not an accomplished one. I'm one of the first ones to sing Geoff Tate's praises when it comes to vocal performances. I think he's got an incredible voice. He just falls flat on this one. As far as I'm conerned, the only two good tracks on this one are "The Hands" and "Fear City Slide". Both are clearly quoting musical ideas heard in the original Mindcrime.

I wanted to like it. It'll go on my Zen. I doubt very seriously it will even grow on me as Promised Land did. I have the utmost respect for Geoff and the boys. It was a very ballsy move to record this CD. I was okay not really knowing what happened to Mary and Nikki. In the words of Nigel Tufnel "best left unsolved." I think this is the last time I buy a Queensryche record without listening to it first. As for the tour, I *might* go see them live. They are going to do both Mindcrimes with live actors. That should be worthy of another blog entry. I'll save my money on the T-Shirt though.