"80 proof Redemption" is a code-name for music projects that my drummer friend and I do as side projects. At times, we have been known to lower our standards sufficiently to tteam up with "Drunken Friends" who are other musicians, singers, sound persons, etc., so we credit these projects as such.
Ok, so I was aware that I had some timing issues on my guitar work and that bothered me, so i decided to re-track the rhythm parts. Then, I discovered a latency error in my recording software, which seemed to just pop up out of nowhere. I corrected this error and commenced to re track the guitar parts.
That's when things got out of hand....
The guitar didn't have enough mid-range, so I kept re-tracking the parts and altering the EQ settings until I got a tone that i was happy with. Naturally, that lead to a multi-track rhythm part - something I was intentionally trying to avoid.
But if it sounds good, just do it, right???
Anyways, I felt like I was walking a tightrope, and not the one SRV sang about. On the one hand, I liked how Page's guitar was really bright and jumped out at you. However, I wanted to retain the low end punch that I've become known for in my other music efforts. I ended up doing quite a bit of EQ-ing after the fact to get the right tone.
Next, I felt that the song just sounded naked without the outro solo, so I thought, naturally I need to have the two octave guitar parts to make it sound right, so I knocked those out and did a 100% improvisation on the solo.
Ok, so I can't duplicate it live with just one guitarist, but it just sounded so much better that I just had to do it. That solo at the end of the song - it has always struck me as such a happy theme - so I threw all the scale theory out the window and just played what sounded energized and happy, but I can't tell you what I did!!!
So, while working on this, a colleague and music teacher/voice coach rings up to ask if I have a bridge saddle for a Fender Stratocaster. I tell him to come on over. I let him listen to 'The Ocean' and he says, "let's lay all the backing vocals down!"
So, we spent about an hour and teamed up on all the backing vocals, included the 'Doo-Wop-A-Doo Weee-Doo-Weee-Doo-Wop-A-Doo-Weee-Doo-Weee' section at the end of the song. I will need to get our singer over here to re sing the middle section of the song, because his vocals are much better than mine, but this will be a really great demo for our group when it's completed.
You will hear my backing vocals (dominant) in the instrumental break section, with "Drunken Friends" vocals in support. We switch roles during the "doo-wop" section.
And best of all, it was a incredibly fun to create!!!!
So, here it is for your enjoyment...
THE OCEAN - 80 Proof Redemption & Drunken Friends
PRODUCTION NOTES: All guitar parts on this version were recorded here in my home studio. My 2016 Gibson Les Paul was used through my Blackstar 100 Watt Solid State direct-out into my DAW.
Blackstar Amp Settings:
OD2 Setting
Gain - 11 O'Clock
Bass - 11 O'Clock
Mids - FULL
Treble- FULL
ISF - Middle (This position will emulate a British-style amp & speaker voicing)
No Reverb or Delay Used
The amp settings were never changed during the recording and the guitar's volume and tone controls were always on '10' for the duration of the project. A more or less gain effect was created by increasing or decreasing my attack.
Ok, so I was aware that I had some timing issues on my guitar work and that bothered me, so i decided to re-track the rhythm parts. Then, I discovered a latency error in my recording software, which seemed to just pop up out of nowhere. I corrected this error and commenced to re track the guitar parts.
That's when things got out of hand....
The guitar didn't have enough mid-range, so I kept re-tracking the parts and altering the EQ settings until I got a tone that i was happy with. Naturally, that lead to a multi-track rhythm part - something I was intentionally trying to avoid.
But if it sounds good, just do it, right???
Anyways, I felt like I was walking a tightrope, and not the one SRV sang about. On the one hand, I liked how Page's guitar was really bright and jumped out at you. However, I wanted to retain the low end punch that I've become known for in my other music efforts. I ended up doing quite a bit of EQ-ing after the fact to get the right tone.
Next, I felt that the song just sounded naked without the outro solo, so I thought, naturally I need to have the two octave guitar parts to make it sound right, so I knocked those out and did a 100% improvisation on the solo.
Ok, so I can't duplicate it live with just one guitarist, but it just sounded so much better that I just had to do it. That solo at the end of the song - it has always struck me as such a happy theme - so I threw all the scale theory out the window and just played what sounded energized and happy, but I can't tell you what I did!!!
So, while working on this, a colleague and music teacher/voice coach rings up to ask if I have a bridge saddle for a Fender Stratocaster. I tell him to come on over. I let him listen to 'The Ocean' and he says, "let's lay all the backing vocals down!"
So, we spent about an hour and teamed up on all the backing vocals, included the 'Doo-Wop-A-Doo Weee-Doo-Weee-Doo-Wop-A-Doo-Weee-Doo-Weee' section at the end of the song. I will need to get our singer over here to re sing the middle section of the song, because his vocals are much better than mine, but this will be a really great demo for our group when it's completed.
You will hear my backing vocals (dominant) in the instrumental break section, with "Drunken Friends" vocals in support. We switch roles during the "doo-wop" section.
And best of all, it was a incredibly fun to create!!!!
So, here it is for your enjoyment...
THE OCEAN - 80 Proof Redemption & Drunken Friends
PRODUCTION NOTES: All guitar parts on this version were recorded here in my home studio. My 2016 Gibson Les Paul was used through my Blackstar 100 Watt Solid State direct-out into my DAW.
Blackstar Amp Settings:
OD2 Setting
Gain - 11 O'Clock
Bass - 11 O'Clock
Mids - FULL
Treble- FULL
ISF - Middle (This position will emulate a British-style amp & speaker voicing)
No Reverb or Delay Used
The amp settings were never changed during the recording and the guitar's volume and tone controls were always on '10' for the duration of the project. A more or less gain effect was created by increasing or decreasing my attack.
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