Jim Alfredson Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Oh boy! Tomorrow organissimo begins tracking of our next CD. It has been almost three years since we last headed into the studio. We tracked most of "This Is The Place" at the beginning of April, 2005. Wow! We're long overdue for another album and I'm very excited about the tunes we've been working on this time around. The biggest change from 2005 (and 2003's Waiting For The Boogaloo Sisters... for that matter) is that we've decided to track the songs ourselves. I'm sure by now almost everyone knows about the "home studio revolution". I've been recording since I was six years old, starting with taping my own songs on a portable cassette deck (mono, baby!) plugged into a Yamaha organ. Through the next 25 years, I had the opportunity to play with a Fostex 4-track cassette recorder, a Teac reel-to-reel 1/4" tape recorder, an Alesis ADAT (the original blackface), an AKAI DPS-16 harddisk recorder, MOTU interfaces on a PC, and finally to my current setup, which consists of three Presonus Firepods and Cubase 4 on a dual-core AMD based PC for up to 24 track recording at 24bit / 48kHz. Phew! In fact, a little known tidbit is that I tracked "Life Wish" from our first CD (Waiting For The Boogaloo Sisters...) in my dad's basement, using 8 tracks, a Presonus M80 mic preamp, and the AKAI. Glenn Brown mixed those rough tracks and made them sit right in with the tracks we recorded at his studio. Also, on the latest award-winning and award-nominated Root Doctor CD (Change Our Ways), I tracked most of the guitars, some backing vocals, some of the lead vocals, and a couple Rhodes, glockenspiel, and miscellaneous parts myself. I've always loved the art of recording. But this will be my first attempt at tracking a full record with a band. I've been slowly building up my skills and my gear and I'm very happy with the sounds I'm getting. Of course, recording excellent musicians like Randy and Joe make it easy! For the sessions, we are all playing in the same room. There is no isolation, which means if we mess up, we need to start over. We can't overdub any parts in order to fix a flub. We're also tracking mostly without headphones, and balancing ourselves in the room. In the test recordings we've done, this creates a more dynamic and energetic vibe. It's easy to go into your own "space" when you're under headphones. You tend to listen to yourself and forget about the other players. Playing without headphones and balancing ourselves with each other in the same room results in more of a "live" feel. Except unlike a live performance, if we screw up, we can start over! We have four days scheduled at the moment and we're planning on getting the majority of the songs tracked. A few tunes are probably going to be built up "in the studio", meaning they will take more time to get right, since we haven't had an opportunity to play them live. But with my wife and I expecting a new baby (April 19th!), we're kinda under the gun. We need to get these tunes tracked and ready to mix before the new arrival. For the curious, here are some shots of the current setup. First, the organ and Leslie. I'm using my Hammond-Suzuki XK3 / XK System and a beautiful, mint early 1970s Leslie 122 that I found last year with the original, beautiful sounding Leslie branded tubes (aka, Tung Sols). I decided to use the XK System instead of my 1958 B3 because it sounds great and it gives me a lot of possibilities to use other sounds along with the organ. I have it MIDI'd to a Yamaha Motif ES Rack module, which I'll be using for electric piano sounds, some analog-esque lead sounds, and other wackiness. The Leslie is mic'd with two modified MXL 603s condensers on the top and an MXL 2001 condenser with the Royer tube mod on the bottom. The top mics are running through the preamps of my Soundtracs Topaz board. The bottom mic is going through my Quad Eight mic preamps. The sound is thick and creamy! The Royer tube mod makes the 2001 a serious mic. I used one for a couple of Freddie's lead vocals and my lead vocal on the last Root Doctor CD. A drumset is one of the hardest instruments to capture. Not only do you have multiple sound sources throwing sound out all over the room, but the drum kit covers the entire frequency band, from the lows of the kick, to the high sizzle of the cymbals. The kit is a Yamaha Beech Custom with Evans Coated Ambassador heads. Randy has it tuned up and sounding great. The snare is an old Yamaha snare (not sure the model) and then Randy brought in his little popcorn snare to use on a few tunes. For the overheads, I'm using a pair of Audio Technica ATM450 condenser mics. I'm also using one on the snare. I really love these mics. They are inexpensive and sound fantastic on drums either as overheads or for mic'ing individual drums (snare, toms, etc.) The overheads are going through a custom-made JLM Audio Dual 99V stereo mic preamp that I just finished building this week! It's a pretty amazing preamp based on the Jensen Dual Servo designs of the 70s, but updated. Rack tom #1 has an old Shure SM58 on it with the grill removed. Rack tom #2 is mic'd with an Audio Technica ATM650 (AT's answer to the venerable SM57). The floor tom is mic'd with an Audio Technica ATM25. All toms are going through the Quad Eight mic preamps. If you couldn't tell, I really like Audio Technica's mics (and headphones for that matter). The kick is mic'd with a really inexpensive, Chinese dynamic mic from Superlux, the PRA-218B. I bought one off eBay a few years back on a whim and was completely surprised to find out that it sounded far superior to the Shure Beta52 kick mic I had been using. I sold the Beta52 and bought another Superlux for dirt cheap. Unfortunately, the model is discontinued. I can't speak to the sound of the new models except to say I was using one for my Leslie's bottom rotor on live gigs and it recently died. The hi-hats are mic'd with an MXL 603s that has been modified with the Royer tube mod. However, I'm getting enough hi-hat from the snare mic, so I'll probably put that mic and it's twin on the Leslie. The MXL 603s is a nice mic stock, but doing the Royer tube mod to one takes it from good to outstanding. I mic'd the popcorn snare with another ATM650, going through a racked Yamaha PM1000 channel strip. Joe had some problems with his amp during our rehearsal Sunday, so I don't have pictures. He's using his beautiful Stromberg Monterey guitar and a Peavey Delta Blues tube amp along with some pedals. I'm mic'ing the amp with an old Shure 330 ribbon mic and an EV RE20 dynamic. The ribbon is going through another Yamaha PM1000 channel strip and the RE20 is going through the Topaz. I'm also running a direct line from the guitar, through a Little Labs Red-Eye, and into the Topaz. He'll probably play acoustic on a few tunes as well. Of course, all that gear doesn't mean a thing if we don't have good tunes and we don't play the tunes with energy and fire! I'm very proud of the songs we have and the test recordings have sounded great! I think this will be our best record yet! I'll post some sound samples as the sessions progress and more photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 But with my wife and I expecting a new baby (April 19th!) Congratulations on the baby Jim! The project sounds exciting. I'll be looking forward to hearing that "live in the studio" sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Lot o' good news there Jim. and way cool gear head details too! . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Sounds like a good plan, Jim. You go girl! I personally like the idea of the complete take w/no overdubs. I don't know how you like to do it, but after a couple takes on the same tune I prefer to move on and come back later to do additional takes. After too many consecutive takes on the same tune I think the players start to get self-conscious about playing and stop being spontaneous, you know what I mean? You gots skillz my man! Have fun widdit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted March 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 I personally like the idea of the complete take w/no overdubs. I don't know how you like to do it, but after a couple takes on the same tune I prefer to move on and come back later to do additional takes. After too many consecutive takes on the same tune I think the players start to get self-conscious about playing and stop being spontaneous, you know what I mean? Yep. That's the plan. Hit the tunes for a couple takes and if it's not happening, move on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quincy Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Yep. That's the plan. Hit the tunes for a couple takes and if it's not happening, move on! This is exciting stuff, I like the description of how you're going to record. Classic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajerzy Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Well a lot of what you said was WAAY over my head.....except being a new Daddy- congtats!! I do like the concept of doing everything live. Sinatra recorded this way- I listen to master tapes of recording sessions and he hits a note wrong and everybody stops and re-does the song. From my perspective- I enjoy the "liveness" of it....but I hardly know nothing about what you just said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Very much looking forward to hear the results! My best wishes are with you and my thumbs crossed (except when I have to play or post here)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 (edited) It's easy to go into your own "space" when you're under headphones. You tend to listen to yourself and forget about the other players. Playing without headphones and balancing ourselves with each other in the same room results in more of a "live" feel. I think this is an excellent choice. All of the best live groups I know (national, and local acts too) -- in the end, ALL of them are only as good as the extent to which they listen to each other, and respond to each other, almost second by second. When one person solos, having the other guys respond in mid-solo, and then (perhaps most importantly) having the soloist respond to the other guys (responding to him) is one of the things that REALLY makes great performances (and recordings) happen. I'll take musicians who really, really listen to each other in performance, over pure technical skills -- any day of the week. (And of course when you've got both, you've got bliss.) Collective improv (both literal - and figurative, with one soloist more out front) is a huge key factor in all the groups I like best. Think of Miles' 2nd great quintet, a.k.a. the "telepathy" thing. I've heard too many groups with great soloists - but where the rest of the group weren't really listening that closely (because they weren't ever responding to each other) - and frankly I'm getting a little tired of it (even national acts -- actually, usually national acts). The more I listen, the more I think "group interplay" is perhaps the single more important dynamic in making this kind of music work -- the icing too rarely found on the cake. Best of luck with the recording. Really looking forward to the results!! Edited March 20, 2008 by Rooster_Ties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 a beautiful, mint early 1970s Leslie 122 that I found last year with the original, beautiful sounding Leslie branded tubes I still can't get over that thing, having seen mostly Hammonds and Leslies that were all beat up over the years. Even the stickers are immaculate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 I'm glad to hear that you're about to begin work on the new album but I have to say I'm a little disappointed that its not a concert recording. Any chance that you make it a two disc set with a live show on the second disc? If not I really hope that the fourth recording is live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parkertown Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Jim, Be sure and save all the alternate and breakdown takes for your eventual Mosaic set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Stream Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 A couple of questions Jim. Why do you record with the louver-cover on the bottom? Also, curious as to why you are not using your B3? Good luck on the recording! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 But with my wife and I expecting a new baby (April 19th!) Congrats on the upcoming baby from here too!! Uncle Aggie would be proud to share a birthdate with an Organissimo Jr! Very much looking forward to the new recording as well. Can we pre-pay for signed copies again, or at least to help offset the recording/production expenses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connoisseur series500 Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 I'm looking forward to the sound samples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Who are the Organissimo Heads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted March 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2008 I'm glad to hear that you're about to begin work on the new album but I have to say I'm a little disappointed that its not a concert recording. Any chance that you make it a two disc set with a live show on the second disc? If not I really hope that the fourth recording is live. We have a lot of live stuff accumulated from various gigs throughout the years, but we wanted to do another "studio" album for a variety of reasons. One thing I would like to do in the future is a DVD with footage from Baker's and/or the Firefly. A couple of questions Jim. Why do you record with the louver-cover on the bottom? Also, curious as to why you are not using your B3? Good luck on the recording! The Leslie is so mint I just never thought to take the louvre off! That's probably not a bad idea. I'm using the XK because it gives me a lot more options as far as control and using external sound sources. And I have mine sounding really, really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gslade Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 Great News! Thanks for all the recording details Jim, It sounds like you will have fun with these tracks Can't wait to hear the results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 Can ya'll do "blues for shaq diesel" for me? pretty pleazzzzeee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted March 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 Can ya'll do "blues for shaq diesel" for me? pretty pleazzzzeee How about a cover of "Backstabbers" dedicated to Ben Wallace? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted March 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 Very much looking forward to the new recording as well. Can we pre-pay for signed copies again, or at least to help offset the recording/production expenses? Yeah, we'll be setting something up like that soon. We did a full day today and got two or three more tunes tracked (we'll probably re-do the last one we cut, but it's a good take). That makes four in the can. Tomorrow we'll be working on an original that has been kickin' our butts! I think we're ready to nail it, though. We did a couple of takes this evening that we very close. It's a tough tune to play! I'll probably post samples after the sessions are complete. My goal is to track six to seven tunes. We'll have to schedule a couple more sessions once we figure out where we're at with the material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 (edited) Sometime, somehow, through some delivery mechanism to the masses -- you guys GOTTA cover one Larry Young and John Patton tune each. No, it doesn't have to be released on these official "big boy" releases (I don't want to short you any space for your own tunes, and covers of your own desire) -- but man, somehow (some day) I gotta hear you guys remake something off "Mother Ship" -- if I have to scream for it. Remember my thread about us coughing up some real change ($$$) - in exchange for you bowing to our requests?? Someday, some way -- I want 'Big O' versions of something specifically off of "Mother Ship" and something specifically off of That Certain Feeling -- which was the BJP date with Jimmy Ponder. (And I'll put my money where my mouth is -- probably $100 per tune.) Edited March 22, 2008 by Rooster_Ties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted March 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Tom, you're funny! Today we finished up day four. It was a productive day in that we finally tackled a tune that we've affectionately nicknamed "The Bastard Songo", a tune that Joe and I started writing at least four years ago and that we just began playing live in February. It's a mother of a tune. But we got a really good take of it and I think it sounds sweet! Some more pictures for you're viewing pleasure (maybe). Smilin' Randy, behind the kit, ready to work his butt off. It was a tough four days for me and I'm sure for Randy and Joe, too. Randy had a gig last night. He stayed in town Thursday and Friday nights as we worked full days in the studio, tearing our tunes apart and rebuilding them. What a trooper! A Fender Vibroverb Re-issue, courtesy of Greg Nagy. Joe played through this for Groovadelphia and Bleeker, the two "funkers" so far in the can. It's mic'd with a vintage Shure 330 and a Shure Beta87a on the grill and an EV RE20 on the back. Sitting at the mixer, messing with the computer. Just making sure everything is recording right and sounding tight! Ladies and gents, The Gomer Bros. Joe practicing a part before we take. Uh-oh, Joe's secret weapon!!! A Peavey Classic 50 2x12. Joe used this for most of the other tunes, except one song in which he played acoustic. Damn good sounding amp. It's mic'd the same way as the Vibroverb and is graciously on loan from Glenn Brown, who engineered our last two albums. We're letting all the secrets out. organissimo.... SECRETS!!! Yep, I'm playing a Fender Rhodes. I played it on the intro to "The Bastard Songo". I ran it through Joe's Peavey Delta Blues (Peavey - Sound Of The Ghetto ®) and mic'd it with another Shure 330 ribbon. After the intro I switch to organ, with an electric piano patch from my Yamaha Motif layered in for the head. Shhhhhh! Don't tell anyone! There's the rig. Hammond XK System with the XK3, mint vintage Leslie 122, Yamaha Motif. Oooo! Even Joe's getting into the act!!! Randy behind the kit. He played his butt off this weekend. So we tracked 7 tunes, which is one more than I was hoping for. We need to re-track one of them, however, due to some arrangement changes (and needing to shed over the actual changes). Hopefully we can accomplish that next weekend. The clock is ticking. We also have two or three other tunes we'd like to get to but we're already getting close to an hour's worth of music as is (I like the albums to be around 60 minutes long). It's always good to have more than you need. That's it for now. We've got two gigs this week, so that will be a good opportunity to tighten some other things up live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connoisseur series500 Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Can't wait to hear the Fender along with Joe's guitar. Looks like this will be a good 'un. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 The crowd goes wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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