Recording Update - September 1, 2009

Hiya gang...

I figured it was time for at least some kind of update from me. There wouldn't be much point in my getting Twitter...heck, I'm lucky to check in once a month with a blog sometimes, let alone doing multiple daily updates on my goings-on!

I'm still hammering away at new material. I have over twenty new songs recorded, but as I told a friend in a recent email, they're kind of scattered stylistically...so much so that I think they wouldn't all hang together on one album so well. What I've finally latched onto as the direction for this album is the more electronic, synth-heavy side of what I've been doing. So, I'll take what I feel are the best of the tracks I've done that fall into that category, record a few more and, with luck, finally wrap it all up by the end of the year. That's the plan and I need to stick to it - it's been WAY too long since I put an album out. After all this time immersed in recording, I'm almost looking forward to the change of pace of working on things like the graphic design, shooting a video, etc.

For those interested in the techno-geek side of things (my standard disclaimer, since I know some just like to listen to music and don't care that much about the "making-of" details), I've made some major changes and additions to the tool box (and no, I'm not talking about that gay bar in Toronto that shut down a few years ago, LOL).

I just switched to Reaper as my main recording software. I had been using Sonar for most of this project, but Sonar has not been entirely stable on my system and I got tired of the quirks. Reaper seems more efficient and less problematic so far and is enabling me to use my software synthesizers more effectively with less glitches. Spectrasonics Omnisphere was always problematic for me in Sonar, but in Reaper, it runs like a top. It's a great synth that's being used in film soundtracks like "Terminator: Salvation" and "District 9," and now I can finally use it properly myself. Another fairly exciting addition is Synth Squad from fxpansion, a collection of synths that more accurately model the sound of classic analog hardware than probably anything thus far has managed to do. I've now pretty much settled into a lineup of stuff that works for me (finally) and can just focus on writing and recording and getting this project finished.

Aside from working on music, I've also just started enjoying watching the series thirtysomething on DVD. I loved that show when it ran originally, even though I was in my teens rather than my thirties when it first aired. I don't think I ever really was a teen in the sense that most go through it - I was more serious-minded and maybe a bit of an "old soul" even then, so the more gritty, real-life stuff the characters were grappling with was much more interesting to me than the kind of entertainment fare most teenagers gravitate towards. Now, being a thirtysomething myself all these years later and having more experience with the dynamics of relationships, I can appreciate the show all the more.

Guess I'd better get back to recording and get a bit more done before Scott gets home at 5:00. We're going to the casino after dinner...which basically means I'll probably sit there sipping a Coke and reading a book or something while he gambles (I can honestly say gambling has never interested me in the slightest). It's fun for him, though, and he needs to get out of here for a few hours and enjoy himself.

Catch y'all later...have exciting fun day!

DV

Character Synths vs. Swiss Army Knife Synths

Above: The Oberheim OB-X, responsible for (among other things)
many of the synth textures on Rush's classic Moving Pictures album.

This morning's subject of idle, passing rumination (for those into such things) is the merits of what I call "character synths" that provide a specific sonic texture vs. the "do-it-all" modern designs that offer everything but the kitchen sink.

For a while now, I've been kind of big on really deep, complex synths like u-he Zebra that provide a borader canvas on which to paint (sound-wise). It is kind of cool being able to keep stringing oscillators, filters, and all kinds of other components together at will when making a sound, knowing you've got a ton of options at your fingertips to do whatever you want. On the other hand, even synths that claim to be neutral and open-ended still have a certain "sound" of their own that becomes apparent after a while, and they often don't do certain things as well as synths that are dedicated to more specific purposes. The "jack of all trades" thing, I guess.

I've started playing around more with a handful of synths that have simpler layouts and more of a specific sound to them. The two main ones right now are GForce's ImpOSCar and SonicProjects' OP-X Pro. Both are software emulations of classic synths from the early 1980's (the "golden era" of the synthesizer, when synths were still relatively new and made hip by artists like The Eurythmics and Thomas Dolby). Back then, synths only came in the form of expensive and often very bulky hardware. They had far less capabilities, but the good ones had a thick, organic sound to them that software developers are still trying to duplicate in software over two decades later, with varying success.

What I like about ImpOSCar and OP-X is that their focus is on getting a really good fundamental sound with a lot of character rather than incorporating a huge array of complicated options. ImpOSCar in particular has what I think is probably the coolest-sounding filter in any softsynth I've ever heard...ballsy and aggressive and full of personality. OP-X, being an emulation of the classic Oberheim OB-X (used, in its day, by artists like Rush, Depeche Mode, Queen, etc.), has a very thick, substantial sound, especially when you put it into Unison mode and stack all six voices on every note.

You take a handful of "character" synths and mix and match them in an arrangement, and I think you can often end up with a somewhat more three-dimensional-sounding mix than just using one ultra-flexible mega synth for everything. Sort of like having a dash of burnt orange here and a splash of navy blue there instead of doing the whole painting in a dozen different shades of green.

That's what I was thinking about this morning, anyway. Now I'm ready to take a walk and clear my head before getting some recording done. Bit on the cool side for July, but it looks like it's going to be a nice day...

"Enemy of the State" - New Song Preview

I know, I know, I said the last track I posted would be the final sneak peek at the new material. But hey, us artist types are a fickle, mercurial lot, so I changed my mind! After I recorded the newest track, "Enemy of the State," I decided that with its sharp contrasts between hard and soft, rough and smooth, as well as its more complex structure, that it would do a better job of representing for the new project while you're all waiting for me to finish and release it.

You know how it goes...people make hasty judgments. Someone who's never heard of me could stop by and just listen to "Piston" and think that all I do is Bruce Hornsby-style jazzy piano tracks, or listen to "Wavelength" and assume I'm a techno/dance artist (which, on the whole, I'm not, really). The newest song falls more dead-center and represents me better as a whole, I think.

So as long as I've let another cat claw its way out of the bag ("Rawwwrrrrr!"), I might as well say a few words about the new song. "Enemy of the State" is, in some ways, almost a partial throwback to my progressive rock days. It's the first time I've used an odd time signature (the verses are in 7/4) since the Immovable Mover CD I put out in 2003, not to mention the orchestral strings. But I'd like to think that, having grown a lot since then, I can now do a more complex song like this without it coming across as all stiff and contrived and imitative of Rush or Yes or whatever.

Musicians will notice a lot of fretless bass on this song, more bass playing than I've done in probably half a year or more. I finally got around to working at setting up my Ibanez ATK fretless so that it plays more comfortably, and I found that it actually records pretty darned well for a somewhat battered relic scored off of eBay for $350. It's kind of nice to give a little TLC to what you have and get the most out of it instead of constantly throwing more cash at new toys (something I probably did a little too much of last year!).

So there you go, one last teaser track before I cloister myself away at Vector Labs again to record some additional new material and try to get this sucker wrapped up over the next few months.

Now if we could actually get some rough approximation of Summer happening here in Michigan, that would be a hell of a thing (it's June and I'm sitting here in a t-shirt and a hoodie, for crying out loud!). I have a suspicion that when it finally does hit, it's going to just get ungodly hot all of a sudden. But who knows...the weather can be just as fickle and mercurial as musicians and, like us, there's just no telling what it might do next.

Until next time, sports fans...
DV

Vector Laboratories Update 12-7-08

"Christmas Time Is Here..."
Happy Holidays, y'all!

They sure did creep up fast this year, while I was busy doing various things. Scott and I ran up north today to do a bit of Christmas shopping. Getting out and seeing all the lights and decorations and people out wandering the snowy streets looking for gifts does help get you "in the mode," so to speak. We had a nice dinner with Scott's parents and then it was off to "Wally World." Scott was eager to make the shift to Hi-Def, so we did some browsing through the Blu-Ray movie racks and found a number of older films like Stargate and Terminator 2 on sale for $10 each. New releases on Blu-Ray are rather expensive, so that was a good way to start off the collection for cheap. It makes me glad that we had never really built up a very big DVD collection...right about the time you do, they have to come out with some new format!

I'm looking forward to maybe actually getting to enjoy the holidays a little more this year. Last year at this time, I was buried in work and had to be putting in long days right before and after Christmas. This year, the workload is a bit lighter and the pressure isn't so great, which is fine by me!

"Discovering New Tools and Rediscovering Not-New Ones..."

Meanwhile, on the music front, things are pushing forward. After going back to playing real bass on the last track, I seem to have gone all-electronic again on the one that's coming together now. It's not that I don't still enjoy playing bass guitar - I definitely do - but for some reason, I've just been on a major synthesizer kick for the last year. I love having such an infinite palette of sounds at my fingertips with synths, and being able to completely change the bass sound after the part has been recorded if I want to (something you can't really do with acoustic instruments).

A really intriguing and unusual item that just found its way into the "toolbox" is u-he Filterscape (from the same developer who created Zebra, one of my favorite synths). It's a piece of effects software that, as the name suggests, filters what you put through it to sculpt the sound and provide various kinds of sonic movement. It applies morphing EQ curves and synth-style filtering that shifts over time and makes sounds more dynamic. I've barely begun to explore it, but it promises to offer all kinds of sonic spice to the mix.

In the "Not-New" category, I've been rediscovering a software synthesizer I picked up this past summer and hadn't really taken much advantage of. I got Lennar Digital Sylenth and used it here and there on "Compass" (which was previewed on my Myspace page a few months back), and then kind of forgot about it. A few days ago, I decided I really needed to wheel it back out and start exploring it more, and I really like this synth. It doesn't have the sound design depth and flexibility of Zebra, but it has a core sound that is markedly different from Zebra's and it sounds very, very good. Whereas Zebra tends to sound more liquidy smooth and streamlined, Sylenth has more high frequency content (i.e. it sounds a little more bright and airy) and in some ways, it puts me more in mind of an old analog synthesizer. It's a great tool for getting a different kind of sound...another color for the canvas. Finding a "hidden diamond" that had already been installed on my computer for months that I'd never really taken the time to appreciate before is definitely a nice thing. Or, as the Joker put it in the 1989 Batman flick, "Where can I get these fine new items? Well, that's the gag - chances are, you bought 'em already!"

You'll be hearing both on the new track, which finally bucks the recent trend and is going to be a more uptempo, high-energy song that you could actually dance to (if so inclined!).

Time to sign off...I'll probably be back with you one more time before Christmas, but just in case you don't hear from me again before then, I hope yours is a wonderful one.

Talk to you soon!
DV

"Rainy Day Angel" - New Song Preview

Well, hello there...

I guess it's been a while since you've heard from me! I usually try to keep in touch with all of you more often...the last couple of months have been pretty busy. I finally managed to get a decent block of time this past week to just immerse myself in recording and complete a new song I'd been whittling away at when I could find spare moments. It reminded me how much more happy and centered I feel when I'm doing creative work. I'm in the process of simplifying some things in my life so that I can focus more on working away at this album and getting it finished. By the end of the year, I should be back to having a lot more time for that again. Yay!

Since it's been three months since I last checked in, I figured I should post a little new music as well. On the one hand, I hate to dilute the impact of a new release by sharing too much in advance, but since I just have one or two new tracks on my player at a time spanned out over a year or more, most of the songs will be like new to you again when you get the album (unless your memory is better than mine!). The new song preview is "Rainy Day Angel," another rather dark and atmospheric piece, which most of them this time out seem to be!

It occurred to me that this is the first song on which I've played an actual bass guitar line instead of synth bass in a YEAR (well, apart from a few fretless bass melodic lines on the last few tracks here and there). Not sure how that happened, but I've broken the pattern, anyway. Last month, I switched to Spector basses, and I couldn't be happier with them. They have just the right mix of snarly aggressiveness and bottom end and, unlike the Bongo I was using late last year, they feel very comfortable for me to play as well. I used my Spector Euro 4LX on the new song.

In the synthesizer department, "Rainy Day Angel" also features the newest addition to my synth toolkit, Spectrasonics Omnipshere. Among other things, Omnisphere features a boatload of sounds sampled from classic '70s and '80s analog synthesizers like the old Moogs and Oberheims. You get a little taste of that, and roughly the other 50% of the sounds on this came from my long-running favorite synth, u-he Zebra.

Leaving aside the "techy" stuff, I've been seeing some common threads starting to emerge in the material and have been mulling over potential album titles and cover concepts in the back of my mind, but it's still too early for any decisions on that. I might just have to keep all that to myself and not spring it on you until the day the album is released. Always nice to keep some surprises for the end!



Okay, it's time to forge ahead and get back to recording some music. I'm sure I'll be talking to you guys again before the end of the year. Have a great Thanksgiving (for those in areas that celebrate it) and be good. Well, not too good...bad enough to have a little fun and good enough not to muck things up in your life, how's that?

Seeya soon!
DV

P.S. - You can drop by my website, www.davidvector.com or my Myspace page, www.myspace.com/davidvector, to hear the new preview.

"Compass" - Latest New Song Preview

Hey, my friends!

I'm sitting here having a cup of reheated coffee and feeling a little lethargic from the heat...I finally broke down and put the A/C on a few minutes ago. I guess I shouldn't complain - three or four months from now, that icy wind will be whipping off of Lake Huron as we head into another winter (but we don't want to hear that word just yet, do we?). Lacey (our Yorkie/Lab mix pooch) is laying next to Scott on the couch looking fairly dragged out too...she gets a haircut on Friday and must be burning up with that long fur, poor critter.

Anyway, on to the recording update...

The new song is called "Compass," and it's a little different from what I've been doing for the last two or three years. Whereas a lot of what I've done lately has been more groove-oriented and often danceable, this one is more of a "sit and listen" or "play it in the car" type of song. It harks back, just a bit, to the more progressive path I followed earlier on as a musician. I believe this is the first time I've strayed from 4/4 time since my Realty Show CD (and even there, I only did it for part of one song). Lately, I've kind of been revisiting some of what got me interested in music...listening to the kinds of albums that made me want to do this in the first place...looking at where I started and where I've gone since, thinking about what worked for me and what didn't. I guess it's no surprise that my little personal retrospective found its way into the lyrics on this one, which deal with how easy it can be in life to go off on various side roads and forget where the main road was!

On the more technical side, I'm pretty much over my briefly renewed flirtation with hardware synths and have come to find that software instruments work better for me after all. I've settled into Native Instruments Kontakt 3 as my main "axe" - you can use it as a straight sampler for drum and piano sounds and such, or you can get into some pretty deep sound design too - it covers a lot of sonic ground. I also made an interesting find a few days ago - a software synth called Sylenth that I think gets pretty sweet analog-style sounds. I wasn't expecting to be impressed, having become a little disenchanted with "virtual analogs," but it surprised me. I used it for the bass line on this song and a handful of other sounds too. Actually, all the synth sounds on this song are of the analog variety...I do love those warm, '70s style synthesizer sounds used by guys like Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre, and that's where I went with this one.

Time to quit babbling about the song and the toys used on it and just let you enjoy it, I guess! And it's also time to get off the computer and go climb into bed and try to find a movie to watch (it'll have to be a rerun, we don't have our new batch of Netflix yet). For my readers in the northern latitudes, enjoy the rest of the summer while it's still here. Talk to you soon! :-)

DV

Chemicals

"All my tubes and wires and careful notes...and antiquated notions..." - Thomas Dolby

Antiquated notions...like working my way back to preferring interesting arrangements and offbeat song ideas vs. trendy, danceable grooves...or returning to an interest in sampling and more vintage synthesizer sounds instead of the latest shiny gadget. Tubes and wires and the trappings of music technology. Random things to ponder over morning coffee flavored with "Cinnamon Bun" creamer that contains God knows what (chemicals).

I've changed things up at Vector Laboratories again. I finally decided to pony up the modest fee to upgrade my Native Instruments Kontakt software to version 3. Kontakt is largely viewed as a software sampler, but its architecture has become so extensive over the last few years that it offers a more potent set of sound design tools than most so-called "synthesizers." It's an amazing sonic "chemistry set" (more chemicals). You can take raw sonic materials and bend and twist and mix and process them in all sorts of cool ways.

In addition to the new sound design tools, Kontakt 3 also comes with an extensive sound library, and of course I gravitated straight to the synthesizer stuff. The real gems (for me) are the sounds sampled from classic Moog synths. I think this is the first time I've played a Minimoog bass or lead sound on a software instrument and actually found the sound completely satisfying, since the sounds are derived straight from the source. Those old, real analog synths just have a power and personality and "phatness" to them that you don't quite get with modern virtual analog synths (software or hardware). Before I knew it, I was digging into using some of those sounds as raw material for programming, and I started picking up some additional libraries for Kontakt to provide even more sonic material (yes, chemicals) to mix and match and transform.

As I was having more fun working with sound than I had in a while using Kontakt, I realized I hadn't even turned my Virus TI on in over a week. So I put it up for sale one evening and it sold and got shipped off the next day (gotta love eBay). To be honest, it's nice to have the hardware "clutter" gone and be back to a streamlined, efficient, software-only setup again. I took a bit of the money from the TI's sale and invested in some additional sound libraries for Kontakt, as well as a more compact 61-note controller keyboard that I could have right in front of me on my desk so I'm not having to reach in two directions constantly (my 88-note controller is too big for the desk).

So, with all that screwing around with equipment largely behind me now (I think), I'm happily working away on a new song. This one uses nothing but Kontakt so far, loaded up with some delicious old Moog and Oberheim analog synth sounds. I also have a sample library of PPG sounds on the way (sounds derived from a real PPG Wave 2.2, not the modern software emulation thereof), which might arrive in time to get used a bit on this song as well.

Now I'm done drinking my chemical-laced coffee and it's time to stop thinking out loud and get on with it. Say hello to Miss Sakamoto for me if you see her around...

DV