Well, the reason for this is myself and my cover band (same guys from The Small Party minus the drummer for the moment) are just putting together the backing tracks and getting ready to go out gigging, and this point in itself could add some brilliant posts regarding sounds, track suggestions ( myself and Leighton "what about some rocking Michael Jackson?", Mark "What about The Way You Make Me Feel??" FACEPALM") etc...
For the most part you would have to have been there.
So, I thought I would go on a bit about our production of our backing tracks, because although I am not very good at playing keyboards, drum programming, mixing, mastering (hmmm, my little project studio is now looking to be, maybe, a waste of money!), I am pretty good on a computer, and before we started in The Small Party, we used to play acoustic covers. Just two acoustic guitars and the other two singing
It was music Jim, but not as we know it!
It was music Jim, but not as we know it!
In the video we do an acoustic version of one of our album tracks segued into Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall pt2, but we also did an 8 minute Beatles medley that we created, run 3 or 4 juxtaposed tracks into each other and would start The Coral's Dreamin' of You by playing the intro / solo to Metallica's Fade to Black. Oh, and I played the wah on the acoustic too.
Nowt Like A Good Challenge!
Now, the originals band came and went (long story, hate Bodog!), so after a bit of a break we decided that rather than do nothing, I could use basic midi files that are freely available, process them with some VSTi's in Cubase in my studio and happy days. The problem was, we changed tempo, groove, key and arrangements in the songs we had done previously, but as the versions we did previously were quite rocking, we thought we should keep them as they are. That is when this nightmare began! Playing the tracks through initially caused comments to be made in the vain of :-
"Its much slower than before"
"We kicked in a bit earlier before"
"Why can you just put the track in 5/4 straight into the one in 12/8?"
As so on, and so forth!
Well, that was 12 months ago, and now, after many an hour / day locked in my studio, I have indeed managed to sequence the 8 minute Beatles Medley together 9 (all 7 tracks at different tempo's, keys etc...) to produce what hopefully sounds like one homogenous piece of music.
Oh, and last night we finished sequencing a new medley that features 7 tracks including Shakin' All Over, Metallica and With a Little Help From my Friends, so as you can imagine, when finished I felt more than just a little self-satisfaction. Moreso when I re-learn the solo for Enter Sandman!
Nowt Like A Good Challenge!
Now, the originals band came and went (long story, hate Bodog!), so after a bit of a break we decided that rather than do nothing, I could use basic midi files that are freely available, process them with some VSTi's in Cubase in my studio and happy days. The problem was, we changed tempo, groove, key and arrangements in the songs we had done previously, but as the versions we did previously were quite rocking, we thought we should keep them as they are. That is when this nightmare began! Playing the tracks through initially caused comments to be made in the vain of :-
"Its much slower than before"
"We kicked in a bit earlier before"
"Why can you just put the track in 5/4 straight into the one in 12/8?"
As so on, and so forth!
Well, that was 12 months ago, and now, after many an hour / day locked in my studio, I have indeed managed to sequence the 8 minute Beatles Medley together 9 (all 7 tracks at different tempo's, keys etc...) to produce what hopefully sounds like one homogenous piece of music.
Oh, and last night we finished sequencing a new medley that features 7 tracks including Shakin' All Over, Metallica and With a Little Help From my Friends, so as you can imagine, when finished I felt more than just a little self-satisfaction. Moreso when I re-learn the solo for Enter Sandman!
So when doing this, the comment was made
"I bloody well hope that people appreciate all this effort"
Well, sadly, we all know in our heart of hearts that they won't, not even remotely.
When the paying public see a band in a pub, for the most part, they don't understand or appreciate the HOURS AND HOURS that have gone into getting on stage (longer for me if I could actually program a midi track from scratch!). But honestly, why should they? They are only out for a night on the town, to get leathered, have a dance and maybe get a bit of action when they get home! Are we, the musicians expecting too much? Possibly. I have never expected to get someone coming up after a gig and complimenting me on the segue's we have come up with, or in the future remark on the fluid-like melding of Punk, Glam, Metal and Soul. The best in the past I would get is
"La, playing Floyd on acoustic, thats just sound!!!"
I suppose that is better than some of the things that could be said.
But if you do come and see us and have something negative to say, remember, we have Limp Bizkit tracks just waiting....
^ Amateurs, Meet The Professionals!!!
Now, as you could probably tell, I am quite proud of what we have managed to do with songs, but on my way to rehearsals on Tuesday, I was listening to 106.1FM Rock Radio and I heard a revelation of how to mix tracks together. Now, I know there have been mashups done before by people, but when I heard Thunder Busters by Wax Audio I knew they were something special. And I was also gutted that I never heard it before!
In the past few days, I have been looking for other great mashups, but nothing even comes remotely close to this and the other tracks which I have added below.
So, THATS how it done then!!
Wax Audio, I salute you!!!
Ritchie
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