Rough Mixes

So here are a couple of rough mixes of songs I am working on for my upcoming album. I've included gear photos and detailed descriptions of how I recorded each track. Constructive criticism is always welcome.



SONG: the old man didn't blink an eye



SONG: a huge blubbery creature with piggish eyes

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the old man didn't blink an eye is comprised of four tracks.

Track 1 - the old man didn't blink an eye - Using my Sequential Circuits Drumtraks and my Simmons SDS 1000 I laid down a stereo drum track. Kick, the lower snare, hi-hats, ride cymbal and tambourine are from the Drumtraks. Higher snare and all toms are from the SDS1000. I used my Korg Electribe Emx to run the Drumtraks (midi) and the SDS1000 (4 line outs on the Emx into the four trigger ins on the SDS 1000) simultaneously. Each instrument was sent to the mixer in a seperate channel and some of the sounds were sent through a Danelectro Spring King and then a Danelectro Reel Echo.


Electribe EMX, SCI Drumtraks and Simmons SDS1000

Track 2 - the old man didn't blink an eye - I sequenced a bass part on my Emx which I used to run a FAT Freebass 383, which is an awesome all analog Roland 303 clone. Couldn't resist tweaking the filter and resonance as the track progressed (I'm a big fan of some of the old acid house stuff). The Freebass was run through the Spring King pedal for a little extra "ring".


Freeform Analog Technologies FB383 Freebass

Track 3 - the old man didn't blink an eye - I played the upstroke stabs on my Arp 16-voice Electric Piano, which I find has a very distinct charm (but weighs about 300 pounds). The signal was sent through the Reel Echo pedal with a very short delay time.


Arp 16-voice Electric Piano

Track 4 - the old man didn't blink an eye - I played the Springboard Dub, plucking the strings, striking the instrument in different locations, patching in temporary glitches, and cranking the delay up to feedback intensity and this was sent through my Maestro Phase Shifter pedal.


The Springboard Dub

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a huge blubbery creature with piggish eyes is comprised of four seperate tracks.

Track 1 - a huge blubbery creature with piggish eyes - I created a lengthy evolving pad for my newly purchased Casio CZ1000. Basically the pad increases from low to a mild resonance while I hold the note (over about 2 seconds), then when released cycles up and down through increasing levels of resonance over about 15 seconds. I played a low C (with an octave) for 45 seconds or so and then added a G and Eb over top, then release the high notes first and the low notes second. This signal was run live through the Springboard Dub, with glitches and feedback and playing of the springs throughout.


Casio CZ1000

Track 2 - a huge blubbery creature with piggish eyes - I programmed a drum loop on my Electribe ER1 and recorded it with its own internal delay cranked pretty high.


Korg Electribe ER1

Track 3 - a huge blubbery creature with piggish eyes - I played a bass track on my Jay Turser JTB 2B Violin Beatle Bass, with a bit of spring reverb from the Spring King.


Jay Turser JTB 2B Violin Beatle Bass

Track 4 - a huge blubbery creature with piggish eyes - I played a track on my Magnatone lap steel guitar (in low bass G minor tuning [D,G,D,G,Bb,D]). The signal was sent into my Danelecro Reel Echo. The dry signal output was sent through the Springboard Dub then into my Gibson Hawk amp with the spring reverb cranked. The wet signal was sent through my Korg X911 Guitar Synth's low pass filter (same filter as the Korg MS-20) to create a sort of burbling filter-sweep echo.


Magnatone lap steel with matching amp


Gibson Hawk tube amp


Korg X911 guitar synth