once i get all that done, i have to finish putting together the seventh song, which actually is an all-electronic song[1]. i think i’ve got most of it figured out, but i haven’t touched it in a few weeks. the problem is that i’ve been trying to work on this record while the semester is in full swing (grad school) and balancing that with a very busy, very high profile day job.

i grossly underestimated the effort this record was going to take. absolutely underestimated, like by a factor of 10.

meh, just the way it is.

[1] i’ve decided long ago that every release will have one all electronic song.

but now i have full demos, complete with overdubs and even ambient elements as well. i even have a (very simple) piano part for the last song, which is pretty cool because the studio has an absolutely beautiful instrument that i have no business playing, but it should sound interesting.

well, i have to say, looking at this next record, it’ll definitely be my most significant effort to date. if anything comes of it is really just an after thought i think. it still bothers me that i can’t “support” it properly but the point has always been to just make this music, record it and just put it out there. the work of doing so is its own reward.

yes, each of the songs i will be recording are completed, i just need to be prepared so that i can make the best use and maximize the time. i’m not sure if i’ll be able to get all of the tracking done in those two days, and if not, that’s ok, just have to schedule more time, on another weekend. i don’t expect that at the end of sunday the 21st i’m going to have all six songs “in the bag” but hopefully i’ll have enough so that i can start mixing a few of the songs. heh yeah i’m also not convinced i’m the one to do that particular job either. lets face it, i’m not very good at that.

i’ll keep the blog updated as this project unfolds.

i’ve got to get it tracked then because grad school is going to be kicking into full steam shortly after that (the semester starts in a couple weeks and the first few weeks are always highly manageable) and i need to get things rolling by then.

so that means i need to get everything tracked (drums, guitar, and what little bass guitar there is) in february, and then depending on what my work and school load is like, work on mixing it in march.

because i haven’t done a darn thing to promote sfb or shop for any potential labels, this release will most likely be self-released. yeah, and i’ll struggle endlessly about it not feeling legitimate… and start feeling like a total hack, again. but doing nothing would make me even more crazy. so the idea is, make less crazy.

so that’s that. an update. as i get firm dates set for tracking, i’ll drop another update here.

the more i think about it the more i believe that “how much worse…” was a mistake. this review just confirmed for me what i had in the back of my head all along. this release was a test. i suppose being a software engineer i’d call it an alpha release, see how the system works and then go back to the drawing board.

i’ve been working on  music for the better part of 22 years, and i still haven’t figured it out, and this release just does show that i’m still confused. i’ll keep practicing, but i’m not making any promises.

also, today i received my digi003 rack back from digidesign, finally! so i will be starting writing the next record for real now. what a relief.

i’m pretty happy with how the CD came out, i mean it doesn’t look like crap… and it sounds ok.

The vinyl version will probably be later. Its expensive getting records pressed and i want to make sure i have enough disposable cash that i can put into it. i’m going to use piratespress for the 12″ vinyl, they do really good work. Hopefully i’ll have some money together by this spring to get it pressed. It’ll be a limited run (300 to start). i have no delusions that i’d even sell a dozen, so they are going to just be for “promotional” use (read: give away to a few friends and whatnot.) i only want to make a “thing” and selling it isn’t really important. i have a day job, and while yes, i would like to transition my day job into this, but again, no delusions here. even if that were to never happen, i’d be happy just making the odd record here and there, putting it out there and let that be it.

so, i digress, when everything is ready, i shall post a link to amazon. not that i expect anyone reading this to buy anything… i know times are tight and purchasing a lousy CD from a beyond-obscure music project is about the lowest on anyone’s list of priorities. i just do it, because its like proof that i did something.

This release is the last pre-release before the full length comes out. I still want to have another four or five songs in the bag before i can start thinking of putting the full record together. Also, i may want to have them mixed at a new studio i just visited the other day, dirty water sound and music. nice looking place and run by some swell chaps who really know their stuff.

So, i’ll post something when the disc drops.