THANK YOU TO ALL MY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FANS !!!
Some will say that Rock-n-Roll history is all about raunchy parties, drugs, decadent behavior and a wide assortment of very easy women. I think the accepted phrase has always been "sex, drugs and Rock-n-Roll". In one way or another, I suppose we all have a sweet tooth for a little good old fashioned debauchery. I am sure that the temptations will always come my way, but I am very thankful that I have enough years under my belt that I will always know what is really important. Ultimately ... behind all the illusions, fantasies and distractions it all comes down to good family, close friends and the ability to write catchy songs. If the listeners can relate to your tunes, then they will become fans. When I started this project back on January 1, 2010 (New Years Day), I really had no idea how everything was going to turn out. With no excuses, and utter determination, I set out to create one of the most unique, groundbreaking Cd's to ever be released. With the release of "Crazy Like A Fox" (on October 1, 2010), I accomplished this goal. This blog captures the entire process from start to finish. I hope you enjoy it !
My "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd was officially released on Friday October 1, 2010. It is available for purchase at http://www.foxman.etsy.com and http://myworld.ebay.com/foxmanmusic2005 . Cd lyrics are available at my home website www.foxmanmusic.com
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Finish Line !!!
This will be my final post for my "Crazy Like A Fox" blog. I will return to finish the post once the Cd is officially released. If all goes well, I am hoping that this will be around the first, or second, week of October. Just in time for Halloween, and the holidays !!!
8-30-10 (6:00 a.m.) I had to keep riding out the momentum wave. I just spent the last 3 hours adding the "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd lyrics to my website (www.foxmanmusic.com). The site now contains the lyrics for all 32 of my songs (from 3 Cd's) and 1 poem. Once the Cd is replicated, I will upload a photo of the front cover to my site. There will also be plenty of links to my art studio (www.foxman.etsy.com), where the Cd's will be made available for purchase. I am going to charge $15 per Cd, which includes the S&H fees. The in person charge will be $13.
9-16-10, I just gave my final approval for the Cd to be replicated. It will take about 2-3 weeks until the copies are available through my art studio. I have everything completed with the copyrights, and my application to join ASCAP has been received. All the Cd lyrics are available at my home website. Once the Cd's arrive I will send out 2 copies to set up digital distribution through ReverbNation. This will allow me to sell my tunes as downloads through iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and others. The Cd lyrics are already available at my home website (as advertised in the Cd sleeve). I think I pretty much have everything finished. All I have left to do is to finish up with ASCAP (once I am accepted), and that's it. Yes !!!
9-18-10, YES ! I just got accepted to ASCAP !! All I have to do is register my works through my members access page and that's it, I'm good to go !!
9-21-10, I am going to have to do some editing to my various websites to include the new Cd release. This won't be overly time consuming and it will give me something to do while I wait for the copies to arrive. I am happy that I have chosen to keep things nice and simple. The Cd will only be available through my art studio (www.etsy.com). I will need to make sure that all of my websites have a link to this site.
9-23-10, I've pretty much got the websites up to date. I'll just have to make a few adjustments once the copies arrive. I'm still waiting for the ASCAP members package to arrive. For fun, I was working on some Graffiti art at my brother Tim's house today. So far I've spray painted a Rays logo and a Bucaneers logo on the wall. They wanted to try something different on the walls in their rec room, and I was up to the challenge. I can't say the work is anything professional, but it is a lot of fun.
* An interesting aside: I received a friend request a few days ago from American Idol at My Space. Today I received a friend request from Ryan Seacrest. I am starting to wonder if maybe an acquaintance of mine sent a Cd to them ? It's flattering to think about, but I don't have the vocal range to compete on Idol. Besides, I've already released my own Cd's. If this is what's happening, then I am already starting to generate some notoriety. Yikes !!!
9-27-10, I just received word from Jennifer at Total Media that my Cd's will be available by Thursday, or Friday, of this week (today is Monday). This means that my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd will be officialy released on October 1, 2010 ! I have also figured out how to register my songs with ASCAP. I am very happy because this will give me a project to work on while I wait for the Cd's to arrive. The timing of everything is absolutely perfect !
9-30-10, I didn't realize that tomorrow (Friday) is actually October 1. I have a feeling the girls at Total Media will be giving me a call, at some point, to let me know my Cd's have arrived. I had one little detail to take care of with my Pay Pal account. I needed to add my confirmation code to validify my credit card. About 3 weeks ago I authorized Pay Pal to make the $1 charge to my account to generate the code. The 4 digit code then appears on my credit card statement next to the payment info. Well my statement arrived today, I entered the confirmation code into my account, and everything is good to go. Once again, the timing is perfect. I have also decided that I will also make my Cd's available through ebay. I think this will end up being a wise because most people probably aren't very familiar with Etsy. With both outlets, Pay Pal is going to be an important element for the transactions. I'm glad to have this minor detail taken care of. One other decision I have made is that, besides selling the "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd for $15 individaually, I will also sell a set containing all 3 of my Cd's for $25. I am also going to deactivate all the artwork in my Etsy site, so that the Cd's will be the featured items. Once it gets closer to the holidays I will reactivate the artwork.
10-1-10 (4:20 a.m.) Dang, here it is, the day that my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd gets released. Since I have to be at Total Media around 1:00, you would think I should be sound asleep by now. Wrong ! I decide to stay up until the wee hours of the morning getting my websites ready to. You Tube and My Space are completly finished. I also have the profile bio's at Etsy and ebay completed. My priorities after I get home tomorrow afternoon will be to update ReverbNation, IMRadio and Bebo. This will only take about 1 hour. After that I need to take a photo of the new Cd and one of all 3 Cd's together, so I can start stocking my shops at Etsy and ebay. Once I get this completed it will be time to start posting the Cd's official release on Facebook, Twitter, My Space and Bebo. At ReverbNation I will send out an e-mail to all of my fans announcing the release. I think it sounds like a pretty good plan of attack for day #1. (11:00 p.m.) I picked up my Cd's and am totally pleased with everything. Total Media did an excellent job. I've pretty much got all my websites up to date with links to etsy and ebay. I sent out as many emails as possible to announce the release of "Crazy Like A Fox". The only setback I have encountered today is that my home website www.foxmanmusic.com is down. It's kind of a bummer, but I'm not going to let it ruin such an awesome day ! I sent an email out to the Yahoo's Web Hosting team and I'm sure they will get back to me when the weekend is over. No matter what the situation is, I will get the site back up and running. The negative is that I may have to totally redo everything, including rewriting all the lyrics. Oh well, it will give me something to do. Well, that's it for this post !
* Everything is alright with my home website. It ended up being a temporary glitch that occured at Yahoo over the weekend. Everything at foxmanmusic.com is now up to date and ready to roll ! I am very thank ful I don't have to type in all those lyrics again ... whew !
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also visit my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
8-30-10 (6:00 a.m.) I had to keep riding out the momentum wave. I just spent the last 3 hours adding the "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd lyrics to my website (www.foxmanmusic.com). The site now contains the lyrics for all 32 of my songs (from 3 Cd's) and 1 poem. Once the Cd is replicated, I will upload a photo of the front cover to my site. There will also be plenty of links to my art studio (www.foxman.etsy.com), where the Cd's will be made available for purchase. I am going to charge $15 per Cd, which includes the S&H fees. The in person charge will be $13.
9-16-10, I just gave my final approval for the Cd to be replicated. It will take about 2-3 weeks until the copies are available through my art studio. I have everything completed with the copyrights, and my application to join ASCAP has been received. All the Cd lyrics are available at my home website. Once the Cd's arrive I will send out 2 copies to set up digital distribution through ReverbNation. This will allow me to sell my tunes as downloads through iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and others. The Cd lyrics are already available at my home website (as advertised in the Cd sleeve). I think I pretty much have everything finished. All I have left to do is to finish up with ASCAP (once I am accepted), and that's it. Yes !!!
9-18-10, YES ! I just got accepted to ASCAP !! All I have to do is register my works through my members access page and that's it, I'm good to go !!
9-21-10, I am going to have to do some editing to my various websites to include the new Cd release. This won't be overly time consuming and it will give me something to do while I wait for the copies to arrive. I am happy that I have chosen to keep things nice and simple. The Cd will only be available through my art studio (www.etsy.com). I will need to make sure that all of my websites have a link to this site.
9-23-10, I've pretty much got the websites up to date. I'll just have to make a few adjustments once the copies arrive. I'm still waiting for the ASCAP members package to arrive. For fun, I was working on some Graffiti art at my brother Tim's house today. So far I've spray painted a Rays logo and a Bucaneers logo on the wall. They wanted to try something different on the walls in their rec room, and I was up to the challenge. I can't say the work is anything professional, but it is a lot of fun.
* An interesting aside: I received a friend request a few days ago from American Idol at My Space. Today I received a friend request from Ryan Seacrest. I am starting to wonder if maybe an acquaintance of mine sent a Cd to them ? It's flattering to think about, but I don't have the vocal range to compete on Idol. Besides, I've already released my own Cd's. If this is what's happening, then I am already starting to generate some notoriety. Yikes !!!
9-27-10, I just received word from Jennifer at Total Media that my Cd's will be available by Thursday, or Friday, of this week (today is Monday). This means that my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd will be officialy released on October 1, 2010 ! I have also figured out how to register my songs with ASCAP. I am very happy because this will give me a project to work on while I wait for the Cd's to arrive. The timing of everything is absolutely perfect !
9-30-10, I didn't realize that tomorrow (Friday) is actually October 1. I have a feeling the girls at Total Media will be giving me a call, at some point, to let me know my Cd's have arrived. I had one little detail to take care of with my Pay Pal account. I needed to add my confirmation code to validify my credit card. About 3 weeks ago I authorized Pay Pal to make the $1 charge to my account to generate the code. The 4 digit code then appears on my credit card statement next to the payment info. Well my statement arrived today, I entered the confirmation code into my account, and everything is good to go. Once again, the timing is perfect. I have also decided that I will also make my Cd's available through ebay. I think this will end up being a wise because most people probably aren't very familiar with Etsy. With both outlets, Pay Pal is going to be an important element for the transactions. I'm glad to have this minor detail taken care of. One other decision I have made is that, besides selling the "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd for $15 individaually, I will also sell a set containing all 3 of my Cd's for $25. I am also going to deactivate all the artwork in my Etsy site, so that the Cd's will be the featured items. Once it gets closer to the holidays I will reactivate the artwork.
10-1-10 (4:20 a.m.) Dang, here it is, the day that my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd gets released. Since I have to be at Total Media around 1:00, you would think I should be sound asleep by now. Wrong ! I decide to stay up until the wee hours of the morning getting my websites ready to. You Tube and My Space are completly finished. I also have the profile bio's at Etsy and ebay completed. My priorities after I get home tomorrow afternoon will be to update ReverbNation, IMRadio and Bebo. This will only take about 1 hour. After that I need to take a photo of the new Cd and one of all 3 Cd's together, so I can start stocking my shops at Etsy and ebay. Once I get this completed it will be time to start posting the Cd's official release on Facebook, Twitter, My Space and Bebo. At ReverbNation I will send out an e-mail to all of my fans announcing the release. I think it sounds like a pretty good plan of attack for day #1. (11:00 p.m.) I picked up my Cd's and am totally pleased with everything. Total Media did an excellent job. I've pretty much got all my websites up to date with links to etsy and ebay. I sent out as many emails as possible to announce the release of "Crazy Like A Fox". The only setback I have encountered today is that my home website www.foxmanmusic.com is down. It's kind of a bummer, but I'm not going to let it ruin such an awesome day ! I sent an email out to the Yahoo's Web Hosting team and I'm sure they will get back to me when the weekend is over. No matter what the situation is, I will get the site back up and running. The negative is that I may have to totally redo everything, including rewriting all the lyrics. Oh well, it will give me something to do. Well, that's it for this post !
* Everything is alright with my home website. It ended up being a temporary glitch that occured at Yahoo over the weekend. Everything at foxmanmusic.com is now up to date and ready to roll ! I am very thank ful I don't have to type in all those lyrics again ... whew !
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also visit my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Copyright
As with my previous works, I will also copyright this Cd through the Library Of Congress. I believe the appropriate form to use is Form SR (for sound recordings). I think the fee for this is around $75, or so. Technically, once a work is completed it is already copyrighted. I just like the extra protection of formally doing so through the Library Of Congress. I will also do a poor mans copyright and send a copy to myself ... one can't be too careful these days !
7-11-10. I did read up a bit more on copyright forms. I wanted to make sure that I was doing everything correctly. Basically there are 2 forms that apply to recording artists. One is Form PA, which copyrights a particular performance of a song, and the other is Form SR (sound recording). For what I am doing Form SR is the correct form. This form serves 2 purposes, it copyrights both the sound recording and the underlying works. What I will need to do is to send the completed form, 2 Cd's (as they will be heard on the Cd), copies of my lyrics and the $75 fee to the Library Of Congress. I will send everything certified mail so that I will have a return receipt confirming that the package was received. It takes a long time for the material to actually be processed, but the copyright is technically valid once it has been received. The post date on the certified receipt, along with the return receipt, will serve as the official date of copyright. Once a work has been copyrighted, the author has the right to post an official notice on their work. In my case, I am going to use "2010 FOXMAN MUSIC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED". To the left of this caption will be the official copyright symbol, which is a circle with a small "c" inside. My official notice will appear on the back sleeve of the Cd, and on top of the actual Cd disc.
8-25-10, I went to the local library today and made copies of all my song lyrics. I also printed a copy of Form SR and got it filled out properly, and legibly. All that is left now is to finish the masters (only 2 left, will be done within 1 week), burn down 2 copies, and mail out the package to the Library Of Congress. I will also burn 1 extra copy which will be sent to myself as a poorman's copyright.
8-29-10 (8:35 p.m.) YES !!! I did it ! The "master" copies for the Cd are completed. I put together both copyright packages today, and I will mail them out tomorrow. Well that's it for this post. All that is left now is to join ASCAP, and finish the Cd replication.
8-30-10, I did a 3 1/2 mile walk today (in the heat), to my bank and then a postal outlet. I am proud to say that the copyrights, and ASCAP application, are in the mail. I saved all the receipts for my records and made copies of everything. Technically, the postmark on my certified letter receipts will serve as the official day of copyright for my release. All I need now are the signed return receipts to cement the process.
9-8-10, Just got back from my California vacation. Before I left I had received my poor mans copyright package through the mail. So, that part of the process is finished. I am a bit concerned that I haven't received the return receipt from the Library Of Congress copyright. I'll be patient, there was a holiday Monday (Labor Day), so maybe that's why it hasn't found its way yet.
9-10-10, I am going to have a barcode added to all my Cd copies. This will give me extra copyright protection and assist in Cd sales. Thanks Jennifer (Total Media) for bringing this to my attention.
9-11-10, I still haven't received the return receipt from the Library Of Congress copyright. Well, that's the postal service for you ! Good thing I did the poor mans copyright to cover my ass. The other thing is, if they did receive it and the receipt is lost, the canceled check will show up on my bank statement. Like a return receipt, this will also confirm the copyright. I will definitely be keeping an eye on my bank statements.
9-12-10, Yes !!! I got the return receipt back from the Library Of Congress. Now everything is official and I don't have to worry anymore. I will still save the canceled check statement when it comes in. Well that's it for this post !!!
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also visit my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
7-11-10. I did read up a bit more on copyright forms. I wanted to make sure that I was doing everything correctly. Basically there are 2 forms that apply to recording artists. One is Form PA, which copyrights a particular performance of a song, and the other is Form SR (sound recording). For what I am doing Form SR is the correct form. This form serves 2 purposes, it copyrights both the sound recording and the underlying works. What I will need to do is to send the completed form, 2 Cd's (as they will be heard on the Cd), copies of my lyrics and the $75 fee to the Library Of Congress. I will send everything certified mail so that I will have a return receipt confirming that the package was received. It takes a long time for the material to actually be processed, but the copyright is technically valid once it has been received. The post date on the certified receipt, along with the return receipt, will serve as the official date of copyright. Once a work has been copyrighted, the author has the right to post an official notice on their work. In my case, I am going to use "2010 FOXMAN MUSIC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED". To the left of this caption will be the official copyright symbol, which is a circle with a small "c" inside. My official notice will appear on the back sleeve of the Cd, and on top of the actual Cd disc.
8-25-10, I went to the local library today and made copies of all my song lyrics. I also printed a copy of Form SR and got it filled out properly, and legibly. All that is left now is to finish the masters (only 2 left, will be done within 1 week), burn down 2 copies, and mail out the package to the Library Of Congress. I will also burn 1 extra copy which will be sent to myself as a poorman's copyright.
8-29-10 (8:35 p.m.) YES !!! I did it ! The "master" copies for the Cd are completed. I put together both copyright packages today, and I will mail them out tomorrow. Well that's it for this post. All that is left now is to join ASCAP, and finish the Cd replication.
8-30-10, I did a 3 1/2 mile walk today (in the heat), to my bank and then a postal outlet. I am proud to say that the copyrights, and ASCAP application, are in the mail. I saved all the receipts for my records and made copies of everything. Technically, the postmark on my certified letter receipts will serve as the official day of copyright for my release. All I need now are the signed return receipts to cement the process.
9-8-10, Just got back from my California vacation. Before I left I had received my poor mans copyright package through the mail. So, that part of the process is finished. I am a bit concerned that I haven't received the return receipt from the Library Of Congress copyright. I'll be patient, there was a holiday Monday (Labor Day), so maybe that's why it hasn't found its way yet.
9-10-10, I am going to have a barcode added to all my Cd copies. This will give me extra copyright protection and assist in Cd sales. Thanks Jennifer (Total Media) for bringing this to my attention.
9-11-10, I still haven't received the return receipt from the Library Of Congress copyright. Well, that's the postal service for you ! Good thing I did the poor mans copyright to cover my ass. The other thing is, if they did receive it and the receipt is lost, the canceled check will show up on my bank statement. Like a return receipt, this will also confirm the copyright. I will definitely be keeping an eye on my bank statements.
9-12-10, Yes !!! I got the return receipt back from the Library Of Congress. Now everything is official and I don't have to worry anymore. I will still save the canceled check statement when it comes in. Well that's it for this post !!!
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also visit my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
ASCAP or BMI ?
I am definitely going to join either BMI or ASCAP. Before making my final decision, I will need to spend some time researching both of them. I will use this post to share the information that I have learned. Both groups are designed to protect songwriters rights and to allow for the collection of royalties from air play. Hearing my songs play on the radio would be an absolute dream come true. Being able to also collect royalties from this would be amazing !! From what I have read so far, the fees for joining both groups are very minimal (around $35, or so).
6-25-10, I researched both and I think that ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) sounds like the wiser option. They were founded in 1914. It is entirely owned and operated by its own members. They provide full financial disclosure to their members and the general public. Royalty checks are sent out 8 times per year. The payments are made about 6 months after the performance quarter (BMI is 7-8 months). The cost to join is a $35 processing fee, and that's it, there are no annual dues. After that, ASCAP collects 11.3% from the members royalties for operating costs. I still have to research a few more things, but what I've read so far sounds pretty good. The 11.3% is cheaper than what iTunes, Amazon and others deduct for their services. What's cool is that once I join, and submit my music, they do all the rest. All I have to do is sit back and collect the royalties. If I start gaining notoriety, I will already have myself set up to start collecting royalties from airplay. How cool is that !!! Any way I look at it, I have to join this group.
8-25-10, I printed out copies of the ASCAP application. I will probably still register online, but it is nice to have a physical copy that I can review beforehand. I have only one week left until my California vacation, and there are only 2 songs left to master. My priority before the trip is have the Cd completely finished (masters) and the copyrights sent out. Once I return, I will join ASCAP and visit Total Media to have my work replicated.
8-29-10, I guess I am on a roll ! Last night I finished up the final touches on the graphic design. Once I finished, I saved everything down to a memory stick. Today, I finished up the final "master" copies of the Cd. I also got both of my copyright packages together. Since I have to go to the post office tomorrow, I figured I might as well add one more letter to occasion. This letter is my application for ASCAP ! It will cost me an extra $30 to register by mail, but at least I won't have to deal with my credit card company. I am very proud of my decision to join ASCAP, and I look forward to becoming a card carrying member.
8-30-10, I sent out my ASCAP membership application today. I don't foresee any problems, at all, with my application being accepted. I imagine that there will probably be a letter of acceptance waiting for me when I return from my vacation. I will keep my fingers crossed anyway.
9-8-10, Just got back from my California vacation. My return receipt from ASCAP was here waiting for me. Now I'll just have to wait and see if I'm accepted.
9-18-10, YES !!! I just got accepted to ASCAP. The confirmation arrived through my email address. I guess they are also mailing out a welcome package with my membership card, and #. Once I receive this, I will be able to register all of my songs on line.
9-28-10, OK, I'm an idiot. I didn't need to wait for my membership card to register my works. I already had my membership #, I just needed to enter my full name correctly and come up with a new password. That is all done now and I am ready to roll. Since it is 2:15 a.m., I have decided that I will start this project when I wake up. I just received an update from Jennifer at Total Media that my Cd's will be available for pick up by Thurs, or Fri (today is Monday). The registration of all my works with ASCAP is going to coincide with the release of the "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd perfectly. (6:45 p.m.) Well that wasn't too difficult. All of my songs (even the new ones) have been submitted for registration at ASCAP. All in all, I have a total of 32 tunes that equal up to 2 hours, 7 minutes and 30 seconds of music ! My shortest songs are "Won't Be Home Again" (2:40) and "Hard Times" (2:45). My longest songs are "Simple Minded" (5:26), "Halfway To Memphis" (5:24/Songs From The Gallery Cd) and "Oh Desiree" (5:23/Songs From The Gallery Cd). All I have to do now is wait for ASCAP to process the song registrations, and I'll go from there. At some point in time, I'm sure that I will have to send them copies of my 3 Cd's for their records. I also still need to receive my membership card. Now that this is done .... Go Rays !!! Price is pitching, we're playing at home and are 1 win from clinching a playoff birth. We also still have a shot at winning our division and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. At this moment we are neck and neck with Minnesota and the Yankee's for that honor. Go Rays !!!
9-29-10, Yes ! The Rays are in the playoffs for the 2nd time in 2 years. We are 1/2 game up on the Yankees and 2 on the Twins (5 games to go) for home field advantage. Tonight is the last home game of the season and they are giving away 20,000 free tickets. I was thinking of going until I saw the lines of fans, outside the stadium, on the TV. I just got done checking my ASCAP page, where I was surprised to find that all my songs are registered already ! All that is left now, is to wait for my membership card to arrive and this post will be complete.
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
6-25-10, I researched both and I think that ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) sounds like the wiser option. They were founded in 1914. It is entirely owned and operated by its own members. They provide full financial disclosure to their members and the general public. Royalty checks are sent out 8 times per year. The payments are made about 6 months after the performance quarter (BMI is 7-8 months). The cost to join is a $35 processing fee, and that's it, there are no annual dues. After that, ASCAP collects 11.3% from the members royalties for operating costs. I still have to research a few more things, but what I've read so far sounds pretty good. The 11.3% is cheaper than what iTunes, Amazon and others deduct for their services. What's cool is that once I join, and submit my music, they do all the rest. All I have to do is sit back and collect the royalties. If I start gaining notoriety, I will already have myself set up to start collecting royalties from airplay. How cool is that !!! Any way I look at it, I have to join this group.
8-25-10, I printed out copies of the ASCAP application. I will probably still register online, but it is nice to have a physical copy that I can review beforehand. I have only one week left until my California vacation, and there are only 2 songs left to master. My priority before the trip is have the Cd completely finished (masters) and the copyrights sent out. Once I return, I will join ASCAP and visit Total Media to have my work replicated.
8-29-10, I guess I am on a roll ! Last night I finished up the final touches on the graphic design. Once I finished, I saved everything down to a memory stick. Today, I finished up the final "master" copies of the Cd. I also got both of my copyright packages together. Since I have to go to the post office tomorrow, I figured I might as well add one more letter to occasion. This letter is my application for ASCAP ! It will cost me an extra $30 to register by mail, but at least I won't have to deal with my credit card company. I am very proud of my decision to join ASCAP, and I look forward to becoming a card carrying member.
8-30-10, I sent out my ASCAP membership application today. I don't foresee any problems, at all, with my application being accepted. I imagine that there will probably be a letter of acceptance waiting for me when I return from my vacation. I will keep my fingers crossed anyway.
9-8-10, Just got back from my California vacation. My return receipt from ASCAP was here waiting for me. Now I'll just have to wait and see if I'm accepted.
9-18-10, YES !!! I just got accepted to ASCAP. The confirmation arrived through my email address. I guess they are also mailing out a welcome package with my membership card, and #. Once I receive this, I will be able to register all of my songs on line.
9-28-10, OK, I'm an idiot. I didn't need to wait for my membership card to register my works. I already had my membership #, I just needed to enter my full name correctly and come up with a new password. That is all done now and I am ready to roll. Since it is 2:15 a.m., I have decided that I will start this project when I wake up. I just received an update from Jennifer at Total Media that my Cd's will be available for pick up by Thurs, or Fri (today is Monday). The registration of all my works with ASCAP is going to coincide with the release of the "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd perfectly. (6:45 p.m.) Well that wasn't too difficult. All of my songs (even the new ones) have been submitted for registration at ASCAP. All in all, I have a total of 32 tunes that equal up to 2 hours, 7 minutes and 30 seconds of music ! My shortest songs are "Won't Be Home Again" (2:40) and "Hard Times" (2:45). My longest songs are "Simple Minded" (5:26), "Halfway To Memphis" (5:24/Songs From The Gallery Cd) and "Oh Desiree" (5:23/Songs From The Gallery Cd). All I have to do now is wait for ASCAP to process the song registrations, and I'll go from there. At some point in time, I'm sure that I will have to send them copies of my 3 Cd's for their records. I also still need to receive my membership card. Now that this is done .... Go Rays !!! Price is pitching, we're playing at home and are 1 win from clinching a playoff birth. We also still have a shot at winning our division and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. At this moment we are neck and neck with Minnesota and the Yankee's for that honor. Go Rays !!!
9-29-10, Yes ! The Rays are in the playoffs for the 2nd time in 2 years. We are 1/2 game up on the Yankees and 2 on the Twins (5 games to go) for home field advantage. Tonight is the last home game of the season and they are giving away 20,000 free tickets. I was thinking of going until I saw the lines of fans, outside the stadium, on the TV. I just got done checking my ASCAP page, where I was surprised to find that all my songs are registered already ! All that is left now, is to wait for my membership card to arrive and this post will be complete.
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Cd Replication
This post will be for the Cd replication process. This is the point when the actual copies are made. This process will be a bit costly ($1,500 for 750 copies, or so). Once I get to this point the Cd is completed in its entirety (graphic design and recording). Despite the cost, I will be very happy when I get to this point. I think it will probably take about one month, or so, for the copies to be finished. So, I will need to have the "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd totally finished by about mid September. At the beginning of the year, I set my target release date for this Cd to be around Oct-Nov. If all goes well, I will be back to this post around early September.
7-4-10, How cool is this ... I completed the graphic design for my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd on the 4th of July ! This day also marks the end of my 2 month storage unit rental, which means that all my vocals are officially completed.
7-11-10, I have just finished recording the last track on the entire Cd. All that is left now is the mastering ! Talk about timing, my studio monitors just arrived a few days ago.
8-29-10, YES !!! According to my first post, I am about 2 weeks ahead of schedule. I finished up the "master" copies of the Cd today. Last night I put the finishing touches on the graphic design. After all these months of hard work it all comes down to one memory stick (graphic design artwork) and one Cd ("masters"). In 2 days I going to visit my brothers in California for one week. As soon as I return, I will call my friend Dan at Total Media and make arrangements to replicate the release. YES !!! I can see the finish line ! Tomorrow I am sending out both copyright packages, and my application for ASCAP membership. The Cd replication is all that is left to do. (10:00 p.m.) I sent a message to Dan, letting him know that I will ready to replicate the Cd, around September 9th (Thurs), or 10th (Fri). This will all coincide with week 1 of the NFL ... YES !! I have 2 fantasy teams ready to take care of business. This will keep me occupied while I wait for the copies to arrive.
9-8-10, I just got home from my California vacation. Tomorrow I will give Danny a call at Total Media and set a time to meet him. I still have the radiator problem with my jeep to deal with, so I may have to use my parents car to drive there. One way or another, I am going to get this done.
9-9-10, I brought my jeep to a local garage today. Hopefully it is just going to be a hose, or the radiator. I also called Total Media and made arrangements to come in tomorrow afternoon (going to use my parents car). Danny is out of town for 4 days so I am going to work with Gary, the company owner. Before I go to bed tonight, I will have to listen to the Cd one more time and make sure everything recorded alright.
* Yes ! The NFL season starts tonight (Saints vs Vikings). The last time I watched a Saints/Vikings game it was the playoffs this past January. At that point in time I was just starting my Cd. Now, here I am 9 months and 14 songs later, getting ready to have the Cd replicated ! I am also proud to say that I have 3 fantasy football teams ready to take care of business.
9-10-10 (12:00 a.m.) I am listening back to my Cd, to make sure everything recorded alright. While in California I played the Cd for my brothers. The only problem was that I had to use the DVD player, as a result I was at the mercy of the speakers as they were (no EQ that I could adjust). To cut to the quick, the Cd didn't sound very good because the speakers were loud on the low end and the high mids were obsolete. I do have a bit of a husky voice, so the speakers didn't compliment my work very well. Anyway, I am really enjoying hearing the Cd through my PC. Everything sounds good again ! (5:00 p.m.) I had a very good day today. I went to Total Media to start the Cd replication process. Gary was gone for the day and Danny is on vacation, so Jennifer and Sarah helped me out. Everything with the graphic design looks like it is going to be alright. Not having the actual disc design in the right format wasn't a problem at all. The specs on everything else should be perfect. I am also going to have a barcode added to the copies (on the back panel), for resale and extra copyright protection. Once they have checked the audio on the Cd and put the graphic design together they will email me a copy for my final approval. Once I give my approval the Cd is sent out for replication. I was happy to hear that the replication will only take 2-3 weeks, instead of 1 month. The total cost to have 1,000 copies made is going to be $1,440 ($60 below my projection). I left a $700 up front payment with Total Media, the other $740 will be paid when the copies arrive. The other good news is that my jeep has been repaired and the cost was only $282. The problem wasn't the radiator, is was actually a worn out o ring in one of the hoses. All in all, I spent $1,722 today, but it was money very well spent.
9-13-10, I talked to Sarah at Total Media today. As it ends up I saved all the graphic artwork in the wrong format. I had everything in the Bitmap format and it needs to be changed over to JPEG. I just finished converting the pictures and saved them to a memory stick. The girls were just leaving the office, so I will have to make another trip over there tomorrow. Whew ! Just a minor setback.
9-15-10, I made it to Total Media around 1:00. The JPEG version of the pictures will work out just fine. The resolution was still low at 90, so Sarah had to enhance them all up to 300. I think what happened is that I have my camera set to the bitmap, low resolution, format. If I wanted all the images to be 100% perfect I would have to go back and retake all the pictures (in JPEG) and do all the editing all over again. I decided to go with what we got. The images, as they are, are good enough (about 90% perfect). The slight blurriness adds a bit of a mystique to the overall graphic design. I was also thrilled to find out that Sarah is a classically trained musician, who can play multiple instruments ... and plays in a symphony ! I told her that if the occasion arises where I need to put together a band, I may be in need of her talents. I am definitely serious about this. When I go to pick up the Cd copies, I will make sure to set up a day to hang out with her and check out her work. Sometimes life has a funny way of making things happen.
9-16-10, OK ... I just gave my final approval on the graphic design, so the Cd has officially been sent out for replication. I feel like I just handed off the baton and now the entire project is out of my hands for a while. The final prints of the graphic design looked perfect. Sarah and Jennifer did an excellent job centering the design for the top of the disc, so that worked out well. I'm not going to worry, everything is going to turn out excellent !!!
9-19-10, I am totally enjoying all this down time while I wait for the copies to be finished. Thankfully there is a lot of good TV going on to keep me company (NFL, Rays games, Boardwalk Empire, Dancing With The Stars, etc). The Rays are battling the Yankees for home field advantage and the Bucs have started the season 2-0. The season premiere of Boardwalk Empire was excellent. It's going to be a very memorable series.
9-27-10, Jennifer just notified me through an e-mail that my Cd's will be available for pick up on either Thurs, or Friday (today is Monday). It's so cool of them to keep me updated. When it is all said and done the Cd will be completed and available for purchase by the first day of October ! This means that I finished the entire project about 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule ... how's that for delivering the goods ! From start to finish the entire process took 9 months to complete (and it is all captured here in my "Crazy Like A Fox" blog).
9-30-10, YES !!! My Cd's are completed and ready to be picked up. I e-mailed Jennifer and told I would be in around 1:00 tomorrow to pick them up. Once I get back home I will have to spend some time getting all my websites up to date, with links to purchase the new Cd (Etsy and ebay). Friday October 1, 2010 is going to be the official release date for my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd. I did it !!!
10-1-10, I picked up my Cd's this afternnon ! Everything turned out perfect ! Sarah and Jennifer rock ! I ended up getting an extra 75 copies, bringing the total to 1,075. The total cost ended up being $1,390 (another wise investmebt). We forgot to include the barcode in the graphic design so it isn't included on any of the copies, which is alright. The barcode will just have to be added during the 2nd printing (hopeful thinking). This will make the 1st printing more distinguishable. Thanks again to the girls at Total Media. Well, that's it for this post !
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also visit my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
7-4-10, How cool is this ... I completed the graphic design for my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd on the 4th of July ! This day also marks the end of my 2 month storage unit rental, which means that all my vocals are officially completed.
7-11-10, I have just finished recording the last track on the entire Cd. All that is left now is the mastering ! Talk about timing, my studio monitors just arrived a few days ago.
8-29-10, YES !!! According to my first post, I am about 2 weeks ahead of schedule. I finished up the "master" copies of the Cd today. Last night I put the finishing touches on the graphic design. After all these months of hard work it all comes down to one memory stick (graphic design artwork) and one Cd ("masters"). In 2 days I going to visit my brothers in California for one week. As soon as I return, I will call my friend Dan at Total Media and make arrangements to replicate the release. YES !!! I can see the finish line ! Tomorrow I am sending out both copyright packages, and my application for ASCAP membership. The Cd replication is all that is left to do. (10:00 p.m.) I sent a message to Dan, letting him know that I will ready to replicate the Cd, around September 9th (Thurs), or 10th (Fri). This will all coincide with week 1 of the NFL ... YES !! I have 2 fantasy teams ready to take care of business. This will keep me occupied while I wait for the copies to arrive.
9-8-10, I just got home from my California vacation. Tomorrow I will give Danny a call at Total Media and set a time to meet him. I still have the radiator problem with my jeep to deal with, so I may have to use my parents car to drive there. One way or another, I am going to get this done.
9-9-10, I brought my jeep to a local garage today. Hopefully it is just going to be a hose, or the radiator. I also called Total Media and made arrangements to come in tomorrow afternoon (going to use my parents car). Danny is out of town for 4 days so I am going to work with Gary, the company owner. Before I go to bed tonight, I will have to listen to the Cd one more time and make sure everything recorded alright.
* Yes ! The NFL season starts tonight (Saints vs Vikings). The last time I watched a Saints/Vikings game it was the playoffs this past January. At that point in time I was just starting my Cd. Now, here I am 9 months and 14 songs later, getting ready to have the Cd replicated ! I am also proud to say that I have 3 fantasy football teams ready to take care of business.
9-10-10 (12:00 a.m.) I am listening back to my Cd, to make sure everything recorded alright. While in California I played the Cd for my brothers. The only problem was that I had to use the DVD player, as a result I was at the mercy of the speakers as they were (no EQ that I could adjust). To cut to the quick, the Cd didn't sound very good because the speakers were loud on the low end and the high mids were obsolete. I do have a bit of a husky voice, so the speakers didn't compliment my work very well. Anyway, I am really enjoying hearing the Cd through my PC. Everything sounds good again ! (5:00 p.m.) I had a very good day today. I went to Total Media to start the Cd replication process. Gary was gone for the day and Danny is on vacation, so Jennifer and Sarah helped me out. Everything with the graphic design looks like it is going to be alright. Not having the actual disc design in the right format wasn't a problem at all. The specs on everything else should be perfect. I am also going to have a barcode added to the copies (on the back panel), for resale and extra copyright protection. Once they have checked the audio on the Cd and put the graphic design together they will email me a copy for my final approval. Once I give my approval the Cd is sent out for replication. I was happy to hear that the replication will only take 2-3 weeks, instead of 1 month. The total cost to have 1,000 copies made is going to be $1,440 ($60 below my projection). I left a $700 up front payment with Total Media, the other $740 will be paid when the copies arrive. The other good news is that my jeep has been repaired and the cost was only $282. The problem wasn't the radiator, is was actually a worn out o ring in one of the hoses. All in all, I spent $1,722 today, but it was money very well spent.
9-13-10, I talked to Sarah at Total Media today. As it ends up I saved all the graphic artwork in the wrong format. I had everything in the Bitmap format and it needs to be changed over to JPEG. I just finished converting the pictures and saved them to a memory stick. The girls were just leaving the office, so I will have to make another trip over there tomorrow. Whew ! Just a minor setback.
9-15-10, I made it to Total Media around 1:00. The JPEG version of the pictures will work out just fine. The resolution was still low at 90, so Sarah had to enhance them all up to 300. I think what happened is that I have my camera set to the bitmap, low resolution, format. If I wanted all the images to be 100% perfect I would have to go back and retake all the pictures (in JPEG) and do all the editing all over again. I decided to go with what we got. The images, as they are, are good enough (about 90% perfect). The slight blurriness adds a bit of a mystique to the overall graphic design. I was also thrilled to find out that Sarah is a classically trained musician, who can play multiple instruments ... and plays in a symphony ! I told her that if the occasion arises where I need to put together a band, I may be in need of her talents. I am definitely serious about this. When I go to pick up the Cd copies, I will make sure to set up a day to hang out with her and check out her work. Sometimes life has a funny way of making things happen.
9-16-10, OK ... I just gave my final approval on the graphic design, so the Cd has officially been sent out for replication. I feel like I just handed off the baton and now the entire project is out of my hands for a while. The final prints of the graphic design looked perfect. Sarah and Jennifer did an excellent job centering the design for the top of the disc, so that worked out well. I'm not going to worry, everything is going to turn out excellent !!!
9-19-10, I am totally enjoying all this down time while I wait for the copies to be finished. Thankfully there is a lot of good TV going on to keep me company (NFL, Rays games, Boardwalk Empire, Dancing With The Stars, etc). The Rays are battling the Yankees for home field advantage and the Bucs have started the season 2-0. The season premiere of Boardwalk Empire was excellent. It's going to be a very memorable series.
9-27-10, Jennifer just notified me through an e-mail that my Cd's will be available for pick up on either Thurs, or Friday (today is Monday). It's so cool of them to keep me updated. When it is all said and done the Cd will be completed and available for purchase by the first day of October ! This means that I finished the entire project about 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule ... how's that for delivering the goods ! From start to finish the entire process took 9 months to complete (and it is all captured here in my "Crazy Like A Fox" blog).
9-30-10, YES !!! My Cd's are completed and ready to be picked up. I e-mailed Jennifer and told I would be in around 1:00 tomorrow to pick them up. Once I get back home I will have to spend some time getting all my websites up to date, with links to purchase the new Cd (Etsy and ebay). Friday October 1, 2010 is going to be the official release date for my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd. I did it !!!
10-1-10, I picked up my Cd's this afternnon ! Everything turned out perfect ! Sarah and Jennifer rock ! I ended up getting an extra 75 copies, bringing the total to 1,075. The total cost ended up being $1,390 (another wise investmebt). We forgot to include the barcode in the graphic design so it isn't included on any of the copies, which is alright. The barcode will just have to be added during the 2nd printing (hopeful thinking). This will make the 1st printing more distinguishable. Thanks again to the girls at Total Media. Well, that's it for this post !
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also visit my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
"Crazy Like A Fox" ... graphic design
Yes, I like looking ahead ! This post will be dedicated to the graphic design for my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd. Besides being a songwriter/musician I am also an artist. On my 2nd Cd release "Like The Freak You Are", I used images of my artwork in the graphic design. In a way, it's like using one hobby to promote the other hobby. The trick with artwork, like music, is making a particular piece as memorable as possible ... it just doesn't get any more memorable then being on the front cover of a Cd !!! It is still early, and I am way ahead of myself with this post. But ... my early prediction is that I will use my original handmade voodoo dolls for the front cover of the Cd. Yes, that's right ... voodoo dolls !!! I am going to keep the inside of the Cd sleeve simple and just list some of my online links. My home website www.foxmanmusic.com will contain all of the Cd's lyrics. I will also list this blogsite, My Space and ReverbNation. Well anyway, this is where I stand on June 1, 2010. As you know, I may change my mind in a snap.
6-20-10, I had a surge of artistic inspiration today and started designing the front cover for the Cd. I am going to use the voodoo dolls, but in order to present them in the right way I needed some kind of backdrop. So, tonight I created a 20" x 20" display case for them. I chose the 20" x 20" dimension, because the front cover sleeve is a square. At the top of the display case is my name "Foxman", at the bottom is the Cd title "Crazy Like A Fox". For both of these, I used stencils and turquoise colored construction paper (my name, at the top, is also shadowed in yellow). In between my name and the Cd title is a 13 1/2" x 20" recessed stage area (set back 5"), where the voodoo dolls will stand. The entire display case is done with hard cardboard (black colored). I am not sure what to put on the back of the recessed area (behind the voodoo dolls). There really needs to be a picture, or collage, with some depth to it. An old black and white picture of a dirt road surrounded by trees would work very well. The voodoo dolls are very colorful, so I definitely don't want something behind them that will be a distraction.
6-22-10, I went out last night, before it got too dark, and took some pictures. I ended up going to a cemetery down the road, which worked perfectly. I came up with 4 pictures which turned out pretty good. Today I went to Kinko's and made copies of all 4, done in black and white to a 13 1/2" x 20" dimension. I brought them home, tested each one in the backdrop, and then made my final decision. I opted for the photo with the dense woods in the background, a meadow in the foreground and 2 drooping trees on the left and right. Of all 4 of the photos this one had the best detail. An interesting aside, there was a coyote running around in the cemetery, once he saw me pull up he ran into the woods in the background of the photo. So anyway, this black and white photo is now going to be the background in the recessed area of my front cover sleeve. I put the voodoo dolls in the display and took a few photos. It is already starting to take form ! It still needs a little more detail, so I am thinking about hanging some of my homemade voodoo jewelry from the top of the recessed area. I think it would add a really cool element to the display. This whole approach is awesome because it give me an opportunity to showcase two of my other hobbies (voodoo dolls and jewelry). I am also thinking that I may even use another black and white photo for the back panel of the Cd. Turquoise lettering (with the Cd and song names) would look really good on top of it. It's kind of funny that all of this came about on a day when a wiley coyote and a sly Foxman crossed paths in a cemetery.
6-23-10 (2:00 a.m.), I put together a bunch of cool voodoo beads to hang in the recessed area of the front cover display (skull beads, African Christmas beads, bone spacers, small bone skulls, etc). They added the perfect amount of color, and mood, that I was aiming for. The front cover display is now complete ! The most challenging part will be to capture the perfect picture. I don't want to have any camera flashes showing up in the photo, so I will have to take the pictures outside. One of the local parks will serve as an excellent location for this endeavor. I think it is cool that the front cover for this Cd is going to be a picture of an actual artwork that is entirely handmade (rather than a bunch of computer generated graphics). The voodoo dolls, beads, background and stencil work all make for a very unique cover design. All together they present an artsy, freaky and nostalgic vibe which compliments the songs perfectly. (7:00 p.m.) Ooops ! I tried to take it too far and messed up. With many of my collages and paintings, I like to put a coat of clear gloss (or glaze) over them when they are finished. Well, I tried this on the lettering areas of my Cd cover display and it didn't go too well. It was way too hot outside and the gloss didn't set right. I ended having to redo both lettering sections (name and Cd title). On the brighter side, prior to this mishap, I did go out and take some more pictures. I think I have about 4-5 that turned out excellent. I will visit Kinko's tomorrow and have them printed out, in black and white, to a 20" x 20" dimension. There is a good chance that some of them will be used on this Cd.
6-24-10 (4:00 a.m.) After a good workout, I finished redoing the lettering parts for the Cd display. They are pretty much identical to the first ones I did. Lesson learned .... keep it simple ! (3:00 p.m.)I just got back from Kinko's. 2 of the prints turned out excellent. I will now cut out the pictures and paste them to poster board. After that I will take pictures of them. With these photo's and my front cover display, the trick is to get the best pictures possible. Once I have all these pieces worked out, I will hit the park and photograph them. With the 2 new photo's, one will be used on the back cover and the other will be used somewhere inside the Cd. All together there are 7 spaces that need to be filled (4 for the front cover sleeve, one for the back cover and side slot, one under the Cd tray and the actual top of the Cd disc). So far, I have 3 of them worked out. (8:30 p.m.) I ended up taking a ton of pictures (inside the apartment) of the new photos and the cover display. The results were awesome. I am positive that I have captured the right pictures for the front cover, and the back panel. How about that ... no need to go to the park. After looking over my last Cd "Like The Freak You Are", I realized that there are only 6 spaces that need to be filled (there wasn't an open space under the actual Cd). I need to contact the business that replicated my previous releases, to see if they have a template that I can download. It will make things that much more easy when I go in to have the new Cd replicated.
6-28-10 (3:00 a.m.), I have spent the last few days experimenting with different front covers. I have opted to use the computer for the lettering, instead of the stencil work I did on the display case. I am still using photographs of the voodoo dolls with the black and white cemetery picture in the background. The computer generated lettering is much more professional. (11:00 p.m.) I have almost completed the back panel for the Cd (except for the lettering on the side flaps). The black and white photo I used is actually taken from the back side of the one used on the front cover (behind the trees that the coyote ran into). Basically, I photographed the same wooded area from exact opposite vantage points. For the back panel, I used the same "chiller" lettering that I used on the front cover with a turquoise color (for the front cover I used an off yellow color). The song titles, on the back, are done with a light gray silvery color. When put on top of the black and white photo they have a bit of a ghostly effect. The turquoise color represents the nostalgic vibe of "Best Days Of Your Life" The cemetery approach ties into the songs "Sweet Adelaide", "Doppelganger Blues" and "Simple Minded" (one of lyrics is "and to all our dear departed .."). The black and white effect used in the photos goes along with "Where's The Sun", "Horrible End" and even "Wilderness Of Mirrors". The voodoo dolls represent "Same Old Troubles". "Downtown" and "Hard Times" are kind of cop and robber tunes (not sure how to tie them into the graphic design yet). "Under The Weather", "Coming For You" and "Nothin" are songs about relationships (not sure what to do with them either). I have another black and white photo that I am probably going to use on the back of the front cover sleeve. The photo was also taken from the same vantage point as the one used on the back panel, just a bit farther up the path. For the actual top of the Cd, I am contemplating using an old vintage record approach. This would also tie into the nostalgia of "Best Days Of Your Life". Maybe I will even take it step farther and make it look like a gold record.
6-30-10, I pretty much have the entire graphic design worked out, except for the actual disc. Being the perfectionist that I am I will probably end up tweaking a few things, but for the most part the general layout is worked out. On the inside of the front cover sleeve I kept things very simple. I wrote down the address for this blog, my home website, my art studio (where the copies will be sold from), ReverbNation, MySpace, You Tube and Twitter. I also included a picture of me giving the thumbs up. This is the first time that I have included I picture of myself in a Cd. An interesting aside, I hid 5 small "Foxman" insignia's within the forest pictures. In black coloring they blended in very well with the tree branches. It will make for an interesting trivia question some day.
7-3-10, Yesterday I went to a local park and took some more pictures of the front cover display, and the black and white background photos. A couple of the pictures turned out real well. I spent most of today working on the pictures using the same general layout approach I used on the other pictures. They turned out excellent ! I am positive that I came up with some keepers. I am still going to experiment with front cover some more. The design I am going to use on the actual disc is that of an old vinyl record. I have the perfect picture for it. I just don't know how to cut out circles with my editing tools. More than likely, I will work that out when I go into Total Media to have the Cd's replicated.
*** Just to make things a bit more fun. I intentionally hid 7 small "Foxman" logos within the Cd's graphic design. With all the limbs and branches in the pictures, it was an easy thing to do. I am not going to give away any clues, so you'll have to see if you can find them on your own.
7-4-10 (7:00 p.m.) Well, I might ass well make it official ... on the 4th of July ! I am positive that the graphic design is complete. I experimented with some different cover ideas, but I keep going back to an original one I did about 1 week ago. All of the new panels I worked out 2 days ago are perfect ! All that is left is the top of the actual disc, which I will do when I get the Cd replicated. I thought this whole process was going to take a while, but it all came together rather quickly (less than 2 weeks). Luck is still on my side. Hopefully it will stay that way throughout the mastering and replication process.
8-21-10, I have been rethinking my approach for the graphic design on top of the actual disc. I was going to use an image of an old vinyl record, to capture the old school vibe. Instead, I am thinking of using an image from one of my art works. The art work is actually a collage that features a whole bunch of American coins, dating from the founding of our country to current times. The new approach should add a "pot of gold" vibe to the release. Hopefully, it will also make my fans feel as if they have found something rare and collectible. When I get a chance I will take some photo's and go from there.
8-29-10 (5:00 a.m.) I have spent the last 3 hours putting the finishing touches on the graphic design. For the actual disc, I am going to use a format similar to the Cd's back sleeve. I don't have the actual dimensions, or a usable template, for the actual disc. As a remedy I cut a disc sized circle in paper and put that over the image on my PC. When I get to Total Media, I am sure that Dan will help me cut out the image so it fits on the disc properly. I do, also, have 2 alternate versions for the disc. One is the vinyl record, and the other is a photo of the voodoo dolls with the lettering in yellow chiller text (same text on the forest version). I am almost positive that I will go with the forest version because of financial reasons. The printing on top of the disc can get very expensive if too many colors are used. The forest version is mostly black and white with yellow in the text. The voodoo dolls have just about every color imaginable. I saved all these images down to a memory stick so that I am ready roll when the time comes. Later today, when I wake up, I am going to record 6-7 "master" Cd copies.
9-14-10, the lesson I have learned with this release is to make sure that my digital camera is set to the JPEG format, for the best resolution. I found out that I had inadvertently set the camera to a lower resolution for all the pictures used on this Cd. They all ended up being alright and the slight blurriness ended up adding a perfect mystique to the graphic design so no harm is done. On future projects I will make sure to have the camera set to the JPEG format.
9-16-10, The Cd was sent out for replication today, so I am officially finished with this post !
UPDATE (2-16-14): All song from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
6-20-10, I had a surge of artistic inspiration today and started designing the front cover for the Cd. I am going to use the voodoo dolls, but in order to present them in the right way I needed some kind of backdrop. So, tonight I created a 20" x 20" display case for them. I chose the 20" x 20" dimension, because the front cover sleeve is a square. At the top of the display case is my name "Foxman", at the bottom is the Cd title "Crazy Like A Fox". For both of these, I used stencils and turquoise colored construction paper (my name, at the top, is also shadowed in yellow). In between my name and the Cd title is a 13 1/2" x 20" recessed stage area (set back 5"), where the voodoo dolls will stand. The entire display case is done with hard cardboard (black colored). I am not sure what to put on the back of the recessed area (behind the voodoo dolls). There really needs to be a picture, or collage, with some depth to it. An old black and white picture of a dirt road surrounded by trees would work very well. The voodoo dolls are very colorful, so I definitely don't want something behind them that will be a distraction.
6-22-10, I went out last night, before it got too dark, and took some pictures. I ended up going to a cemetery down the road, which worked perfectly. I came up with 4 pictures which turned out pretty good. Today I went to Kinko's and made copies of all 4, done in black and white to a 13 1/2" x 20" dimension. I brought them home, tested each one in the backdrop, and then made my final decision. I opted for the photo with the dense woods in the background, a meadow in the foreground and 2 drooping trees on the left and right. Of all 4 of the photos this one had the best detail. An interesting aside, there was a coyote running around in the cemetery, once he saw me pull up he ran into the woods in the background of the photo. So anyway, this black and white photo is now going to be the background in the recessed area of my front cover sleeve. I put the voodoo dolls in the display and took a few photos. It is already starting to take form ! It still needs a little more detail, so I am thinking about hanging some of my homemade voodoo jewelry from the top of the recessed area. I think it would add a really cool element to the display. This whole approach is awesome because it give me an opportunity to showcase two of my other hobbies (voodoo dolls and jewelry). I am also thinking that I may even use another black and white photo for the back panel of the Cd. Turquoise lettering (with the Cd and song names) would look really good on top of it. It's kind of funny that all of this came about on a day when a wiley coyote and a sly Foxman crossed paths in a cemetery.
6-23-10 (2:00 a.m.), I put together a bunch of cool voodoo beads to hang in the recessed area of the front cover display (skull beads, African Christmas beads, bone spacers, small bone skulls, etc). They added the perfect amount of color, and mood, that I was aiming for. The front cover display is now complete ! The most challenging part will be to capture the perfect picture. I don't want to have any camera flashes showing up in the photo, so I will have to take the pictures outside. One of the local parks will serve as an excellent location for this endeavor. I think it is cool that the front cover for this Cd is going to be a picture of an actual artwork that is entirely handmade (rather than a bunch of computer generated graphics). The voodoo dolls, beads, background and stencil work all make for a very unique cover design. All together they present an artsy, freaky and nostalgic vibe which compliments the songs perfectly. (7:00 p.m.) Ooops ! I tried to take it too far and messed up. With many of my collages and paintings, I like to put a coat of clear gloss (or glaze) over them when they are finished. Well, I tried this on the lettering areas of my Cd cover display and it didn't go too well. It was way too hot outside and the gloss didn't set right. I ended having to redo both lettering sections (name and Cd title). On the brighter side, prior to this mishap, I did go out and take some more pictures. I think I have about 4-5 that turned out excellent. I will visit Kinko's tomorrow and have them printed out, in black and white, to a 20" x 20" dimension. There is a good chance that some of them will be used on this Cd.
6-24-10 (4:00 a.m.) After a good workout, I finished redoing the lettering parts for the Cd display. They are pretty much identical to the first ones I did. Lesson learned .... keep it simple ! (3:00 p.m.)I just got back from Kinko's. 2 of the prints turned out excellent. I will now cut out the pictures and paste them to poster board. After that I will take pictures of them. With these photo's and my front cover display, the trick is to get the best pictures possible. Once I have all these pieces worked out, I will hit the park and photograph them. With the 2 new photo's, one will be used on the back cover and the other will be used somewhere inside the Cd. All together there are 7 spaces that need to be filled (4 for the front cover sleeve, one for the back cover and side slot, one under the Cd tray and the actual top of the Cd disc). So far, I have 3 of them worked out. (8:30 p.m.) I ended up taking a ton of pictures (inside the apartment) of the new photos and the cover display. The results were awesome. I am positive that I have captured the right pictures for the front cover, and the back panel. How about that ... no need to go to the park. After looking over my last Cd "Like The Freak You Are", I realized that there are only 6 spaces that need to be filled (there wasn't an open space under the actual Cd). I need to contact the business that replicated my previous releases, to see if they have a template that I can download. It will make things that much more easy when I go in to have the new Cd replicated.
6-28-10 (3:00 a.m.), I have spent the last few days experimenting with different front covers. I have opted to use the computer for the lettering, instead of the stencil work I did on the display case. I am still using photographs of the voodoo dolls with the black and white cemetery picture in the background. The computer generated lettering is much more professional. (11:00 p.m.) I have almost completed the back panel for the Cd (except for the lettering on the side flaps). The black and white photo I used is actually taken from the back side of the one used on the front cover (behind the trees that the coyote ran into). Basically, I photographed the same wooded area from exact opposite vantage points. For the back panel, I used the same "chiller" lettering that I used on the front cover with a turquoise color (for the front cover I used an off yellow color). The song titles, on the back, are done with a light gray silvery color. When put on top of the black and white photo they have a bit of a ghostly effect. The turquoise color represents the nostalgic vibe of "Best Days Of Your Life" The cemetery approach ties into the songs "Sweet Adelaide", "Doppelganger Blues" and "Simple Minded" (one of lyrics is "and to all our dear departed .."). The black and white effect used in the photos goes along with "Where's The Sun", "Horrible End" and even "Wilderness Of Mirrors". The voodoo dolls represent "Same Old Troubles". "Downtown" and "Hard Times" are kind of cop and robber tunes (not sure how to tie them into the graphic design yet). "Under The Weather", "Coming For You" and "Nothin" are songs about relationships (not sure what to do with them either). I have another black and white photo that I am probably going to use on the back of the front cover sleeve. The photo was also taken from the same vantage point as the one used on the back panel, just a bit farther up the path. For the actual top of the Cd, I am contemplating using an old vintage record approach. This would also tie into the nostalgia of "Best Days Of Your Life". Maybe I will even take it step farther and make it look like a gold record.
6-30-10, I pretty much have the entire graphic design worked out, except for the actual disc. Being the perfectionist that I am I will probably end up tweaking a few things, but for the most part the general layout is worked out. On the inside of the front cover sleeve I kept things very simple. I wrote down the address for this blog, my home website, my art studio (where the copies will be sold from), ReverbNation, MySpace, You Tube and Twitter. I also included a picture of me giving the thumbs up. This is the first time that I have included I picture of myself in a Cd. An interesting aside, I hid 5 small "Foxman" insignia's within the forest pictures. In black coloring they blended in very well with the tree branches. It will make for an interesting trivia question some day.
7-3-10, Yesterday I went to a local park and took some more pictures of the front cover display, and the black and white background photos. A couple of the pictures turned out real well. I spent most of today working on the pictures using the same general layout approach I used on the other pictures. They turned out excellent ! I am positive that I came up with some keepers. I am still going to experiment with front cover some more. The design I am going to use on the actual disc is that of an old vinyl record. I have the perfect picture for it. I just don't know how to cut out circles with my editing tools. More than likely, I will work that out when I go into Total Media to have the Cd's replicated.
*** Just to make things a bit more fun. I intentionally hid 7 small "Foxman" logos within the Cd's graphic design. With all the limbs and branches in the pictures, it was an easy thing to do. I am not going to give away any clues, so you'll have to see if you can find them on your own.
7-4-10 (7:00 p.m.) Well, I might ass well make it official ... on the 4th of July ! I am positive that the graphic design is complete. I experimented with some different cover ideas, but I keep going back to an original one I did about 1 week ago. All of the new panels I worked out 2 days ago are perfect ! All that is left is the top of the actual disc, which I will do when I get the Cd replicated. I thought this whole process was going to take a while, but it all came together rather quickly (less than 2 weeks). Luck is still on my side. Hopefully it will stay that way throughout the mastering and replication process.
8-21-10, I have been rethinking my approach for the graphic design on top of the actual disc. I was going to use an image of an old vinyl record, to capture the old school vibe. Instead, I am thinking of using an image from one of my art works. The art work is actually a collage that features a whole bunch of American coins, dating from the founding of our country to current times. The new approach should add a "pot of gold" vibe to the release. Hopefully, it will also make my fans feel as if they have found something rare and collectible. When I get a chance I will take some photo's and go from there.
8-29-10 (5:00 a.m.) I have spent the last 3 hours putting the finishing touches on the graphic design. For the actual disc, I am going to use a format similar to the Cd's back sleeve. I don't have the actual dimensions, or a usable template, for the actual disc. As a remedy I cut a disc sized circle in paper and put that over the image on my PC. When I get to Total Media, I am sure that Dan will help me cut out the image so it fits on the disc properly. I do, also, have 2 alternate versions for the disc. One is the vinyl record, and the other is a photo of the voodoo dolls with the lettering in yellow chiller text (same text on the forest version). I am almost positive that I will go with the forest version because of financial reasons. The printing on top of the disc can get very expensive if too many colors are used. The forest version is mostly black and white with yellow in the text. The voodoo dolls have just about every color imaginable. I saved all these images down to a memory stick so that I am ready roll when the time comes. Later today, when I wake up, I am going to record 6-7 "master" Cd copies.
9-14-10, the lesson I have learned with this release is to make sure that my digital camera is set to the JPEG format, for the best resolution. I found out that I had inadvertently set the camera to a lower resolution for all the pictures used on this Cd. They all ended up being alright and the slight blurriness ended up adding a perfect mystique to the graphic design so no harm is done. On future projects I will make sure to have the camera set to the JPEG format.
9-16-10, The Cd was sent out for replication today, so I am officially finished with this post !
UPDATE (2-16-14): All song from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
Best Of The Foxman !!!
I just decided that I am going to elevate this Cd to a whole new plateau. What I am going to do is to add 6 songs from my previous 2 Cd releases. The songs I am considering are: "Shake For Me Now" (stripper song), "Have Another Cigarette", "Black Cat Saloon", "City Streets" (underground love song), "Shadows" (ominous instrumental) and "Sunday Morning". "Sunday Morning" is from my debut release "Songs From The Gallery", all the rest are from my 2nd release "Like The Freak You Are". These 6 songs would give me a total of 20 tunes for my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd. I also think that this will make original copies of my first 2 Cd's collectibles. 20 songs on one Cd release !!! That will definitely put this release in the running to be groundbreaking. In a way it would be a "best of" release ... and that's cool. When you have nothing left to lose, why not fire all your cannons at once. The record industry, and avid listeners, will have no other choice than to take notice. In a Rock-n-Roll kind of way, I guess I am all about the kill shot !
6-17-10, I have thought this approach through for a while, and I have decided to bypass the idea. It would be cool to have a 20 song Cd which includes some of my past hits, but I also think it would be a step backwards. My previous Cd's were all recorded on a BR 8, this Cd was done on a BR 1600. There would definitely be a difference in sound quality. Not to mention, it would also take away from the importance of my prior releases. Maybe 20 years, or so, down the road I will consider doing a "best of" release. Until then, it's all about moving forward !
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
6-17-10, I have thought this approach through for a while, and I have decided to bypass the idea. It would be cool to have a 20 song Cd which includes some of my past hits, but I also think it would be a step backwards. My previous Cd's were all recorded on a BR 8, this Cd was done on a BR 1600. There would definitely be a difference in sound quality. Not to mention, it would also take away from the importance of my prior releases. Maybe 20 years, or so, down the road I will consider doing a "best of" release. Until then, it's all about moving forward !
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Mastering and Final Mixes
I might as well get this post set up and ready to roll. I still have about a month, or so, until I begin doing the final mixes. I have never used the BR 1600's mastering tools, but I am excited about learning. Everything else with this recorder has been amazing and easy to use, I'm sure the mastering and CD burning process will be the same. My goal is to start doing the final mixes by July
6-17-10, These are the songs, in the correct order, as they will appear on my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd. The song themes are written in parenthesis. I have also included the date that the final Cd ready mix was recorded and the length of the song.
1. Nothin (wine and romance) (7-17-10) (3:14)
2. Best Days Of Your Life (nostalgia) (8-5-10) (5:10)
3. Same Old Troubles (voodoo) (8-2-10) (3:43)
4. Under The Weather (bad relationship) (8-5-10) (3:35)
5. Sweet Adelaide (haunting) (8-24-10) (5:12)
6. Hard Times (mafia) (8-12-10) (2:43)
7. Horrible End (suicide) (7-18-10) (4:22)
8. Doppelganger Blues (folklore) (7-15-10) (2:56)
9. Where's The Sun (vampires) (7-29-10) (4:08)
10. Downtown (cat and mouse) (7-14-10) (2:49)
11. Wilderness Of Mirrors (CIA) (8-13-10, Friday the 13th) (4:11)
12. Coming For You (love) (8-18-10) (4:40)
13. Simple Minded (faith) (8-28-10) (5:24)
* For the mastering process I will record multiple copies/versions of each song. I will then listen back to all the recordings, through various Cd players, and pick out the best versions of each one. Once I have the best version of each selected, I will burn them to another Cd in the above order. The mastering process is all about experimenting with different approaches. My goal is to capture the perfect moment and make it immortal.
7-5-10 (3:30 a.m.) I have been spending some time online searching for advice on mastering. This is a very, very important step ... and I want to get it right. I have read good things about the BR1600's "Mastering Tool Box", and it doesn't sound like it will be too difficult to figure out. The main things that I am reading up on right now are compression and EQ settings. I think I am already pretty good at balancing/panning the various inputs. Setting the reverb is just a matter of experimenting, and finding what sounds best for each song. The compressor and EQ, on the other hand, can't be taken so lightly. They are both very powerful tools, and there is definitely a method behind the madness. I think I have a pretty good grasp on how to approach the compressor. Basically, I follow these 3 steps for each instrument:
1. set the threshold
2. adjust the ratio
3. configure the attack and release.
Of course the settings will be different for each instrument. I have read up on all the instrument and I now have a pretty good idea on how to adjust the settings for each (I don't want to give away all my secrets). The EQ is also going to be fun ... and challenging. Each instrument has it's own unique tonal quality, and different frequencies affect each in different ways. I found a few cool websites, that outline which frequencies apply to each instrument. The #1 rule, when mastering, is that the vocals are the most important instrument. If the vocals sound good everything else will fall into place around them. If I can come anywhere close to nailing these final mixes, I am positive that I will earn some respect from the major label recording studios.
7-7-10, I put some of my new knowledge to the test today. My monitors finally came in. After I got home from picking them up, I had to give them a test run. Everything went very well ! The compressor is an amazing tool. I can't believe the amount of clarity, definition and punch, that it adds to the mixes. I can also say, with moderate certainty, that I managed to resurrect a previously disregarded song from the graveyard ... and that's all I am going to say about that. You will just have to listen to the Cd all the way through to know what I am talking about. Today was a very inspiring day !!!
7-11-10, Yes ... I did it !!! The lead guitar track for "Simple Minded" is complete. This means that all of the recording for this Cd is finished. All that is left now is the mastering and replication. It is going to be a bit tricky to document my progress during the mastering process. Basically what I am going to do is to burn a whole bunch of versions of each song down to Cd. I will then listen back to them through various Cd players and pick out the best ones. My first major concern is to get the levels right. I have packed away all my instruments so there won't be any distractions while I work on the final mixes. I am now in sound engineer mode !
7-12-10 (Monday), I decided to take it easy today. It is such a welcome relief not having to spend every moment thinking about recording. Their are 13 tunes on the Cd, and each song has approximately 6-7 recorded tracks (bass, vocals, guitar, keys and drums). This means that I have had to think out between 78-91 different tracks. That's approximately 13-15 different tracks per month running through the ol' melon. I am, however, spending a little time reading up on the "Mastering Tool Kit" in the BR1600's owner's manual. The season premiere of "The Closer" is tonight at 9:00 p.m. As a build up, they are playing last season on end right up until the premiere. It's not "24", or "The Soprano's", but it still a pretty good show. Kyra Sedgwick is a very unique actress, and does an excellent job in the lead role. Well anyway, this will help me keep my mind off of work for most of the day.
7-13-10, I spent most of the day messing around with final mixes. The BR1600CD is one amazing recorder ! It took me a little while, but I eventually got a grasp on using the "Mastering Tool Kit". The first 2 songs I experimented with were "Downtown" and "Sweet Adelaide". I think everything went well. I have to wait until tomorrow, though, so I can listen back with fresh ears. Well ... off to the gym I go, I need a break.
7-14-10, And that is just plain hilarious ! LOL !! I spent all of yesterday burning down a bunch of versions of the 2 songs, only to find out today that I messed up and used a CD-RW instead of a CD-R. Of course the CD-RW won't play in a Cd player. Despite the blunder, I still had a good first day with the final mixes. I now understand how to use the "Mastering Tool Kit", and burn Cd's. (8:00 p.m.) I went back at it and recorded about 12 versions of "Downtown". There is one recording that I think is exceptionally noteworthy (I am hoping it is Cd worthy). I will have to wait until I have the CD-R filled up before I can listen to it. It makes no sense to finalize the disc now, when there is so much empty space left to record on. I figure if I can get lucky enough to walk away with 1 Cd worthy recording per day, then I am doing very well. The more familiar I get with everything, the easier it will be. Since I am now wearing my sound engineer hat, I also have to try to adjust my sleeping schedule. Being that I live in an apartment complex, it's just not possible to have the monitors running after 5:00 p.m. So basically, I will be working somewhat normal business hours like 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Monday-Friday. When I first wake up I will go get a coffee, and plan out my day. When I get home I will spend about 1 hour checking up on my computer sites, then ... it's off to work. I will also have to get used to going to the gym earlier too. So much for being a night owl.
7-15-10, That figures ! I really did try to wake up at 9:30 a.m. The only problem was that it was raining, and thundering, like crazy. I definitely don't want to have my recorder plugged in during nasty storms. The only thing that made sense was to wait it out and go back to sleep. I guess it is inevitable that when the weather passes I will work on "Sweet Adelaide" (thunder and wind effects).
7-16-10 (5:30 a.m.), I ended up spending most of yesterday (and this morning) working on "Doppelganger Blues", and "Coming For You". I am very proud to announce that everything turned out well with the CD-R I recorded on. Once the disc was full, I finalized it and listened back to it through my computer. Everything sounded excellent. I am positive that I have "Downtown" and "Doppelganger Blues" finished. I also learned another lesson ... in mastering mode start recording at zero. I always leave a gap of 20 seconds before every song I record, just in case. Well in mastering mode it recorded that extra 20 seconds before every song ... oops. No major setback, when I burn the keeper versions I'll just omit the extra time at the beginning.
7-17-10, I spent most of the day working on final mixes for "Under The Weather" and "Nothin". I feel very good about both of these songs, and I really think they both have the potential to be very popular songs. The mixes, for both, turned out very well. They are both relationship songs, so I guess things are happening in 2's again. I think the next song I am going to work on is "Horrible End". I think I have 4 tunes that are Cd ready ("Downtown", "Doppelganger Blues", "Under The Weather" and "Nothin"). I desperately needed a break, so I bypassed my workout and went and hung out at Jimmy Iguana's. Thank you to my new friends Sarah and Nina for being cool and down to Earth ... I had a fun night !!
7-18-10, Yes ! "Horrible End" is also finished and Cd ready. The next tune I am going to work on is "Best Days Of Your Life". I already have the tracks polished up and ready to roll. I will probably wait until tomorrow to record it, because my ears are a bit worn out right now. This song is a melancholy rockabilly ballad with a very catchy chorus. The lyrics and lead guitar give it the potential to be a classic. I definitely don't want to tackle the final mix with tired ears.
7-19-10, I am going to take a break from the music for a bit to help some friends paint their house. It is a sizable project and will probably take about 1 week to finish, I am very glad the opportunity came along, because my ears are totally worn out. I was starting to get the point where I was having trouble identifying tones. Kind of a scary thing for someone like me ! I should be back in about a week to resume the final mixes.
7-28-10, I've spent the last 8 days helping a couple friends paint their house. It ended up being a rather sizable project, but nothing I can't handle. I still have about 2-3 days of work left. The cool part, is that today, I had some spare time to work on some final mixes. It's a big home, with 3 levels, so vantage points for listening to the mixes are endless. My friends both work during the day, which is also perfect (I don't want to bore them with the monotony). Today I worked on "Same Old Troubles", "Hard Times" and "Coming For You". I feel pretty good about all 3 of them (whether they are Cd ready will be determined later). If all goes well, tomorrow I will work on "Where's The Sun" and "Sweet Adelaide". Both of these tunes are big compositions, so I am thankful that I have a big house to work with. I still have touch up work to do in 2 bathrooms, and possibly one bedroom left to paint. There is also some clean up work left to do. The good news, is that the majority of the hard work is completed. I guess it's safe to say that I am multitasking. Anyway ... I'm tired, I'm sore and my bed is calling me.
7-29-10, Yes another successful day ! I got the counter, and backsplash, grouted. I also finished up with my painting and recorded final mixes for "Sweet Adelaide" and "Where's The Sun". Thanks again to my friends Shawn and Kristen McKee. I think the only tunes I have left for final mixes are "Wilderness Of Mirrors" (needs a vocal edit) and "Simple Minded" (I have to redo the outro solo/too much delay). Hopefully, my 10 day vacation to visit my brothers in California, will be coming up before too long. I guess there is an outside chance that I will have the Cd completed by then. I still need to find somewhere, where I can listen back to the final mixes and pick out the keepers. Other than my computer, I don't any other Cd player here at the apartment (I used to have a real nice stereo setup, but I ended up selling it before I lost my house). A rock star releasing his 3rd Cd, who doesn't own a stereo or guitar amps ? It's fun being me !
7-31-10, Unbelievable luck ! My Cd player in my jeep usually won't play Cd's, but I had no trouble at all playing mine. This is awesome news because I now have a reference point for my final mixes. I listened back to everything I have recorded, so far, and I am positive that about 4-5 tunes are Cd ready ("Downtown", "Doppelganger Blues", "Nothin", "Horrible End"). I will probably have to redo "Best Days Of Your Life" and "Under The Weather"). Most of the mixes I did at Shawn and Kristens didn't turn out so well ... maybe it wasn't such a good thing having a big house to work with. I still haven't finalized the Cd-R with "Sweet Adelaide" and "Where's The Sun", so there is a chance that I still might have something to show for my efforts. All I need is for one of them to be a keeper to make it a successful endeavor. With the first CD-R I recorded there ("Same Old Troubles", "Hard Times" and "Coming For You"), 85% of the recordings were good to go. I did save the settings, so all I will have to do is go back and tweak a few things to make them happen. The biggest error I made was not having the vocals loud enough. I knew that doing the final mixes was going to be a grueling process when I started, so I am not discouraged by the set backs. If I don't feel close to 95% sure that a song is Cd ready I will go back and redo it until it is right. I guess that is the perfectionist in me taking over.
8-1-10, I was contemplating purchasing a dual deck Cd recorder through eBay, instead, I have downloaded the AVS Audio Editor to my PC. I have 2 major concerns to address. The first is to erase the 20 second plus silence gaps at the beginning of every tune, the second (of course) is the capability to save and burn the Cd ready tracks in the correct Cd order. I tested the new download and it will be no problem at all to erase the silence gaps. As far as saving the tunes goes, I will have to call Dan at Total Media to find out what format the Cd needs to be in for the replication. The download has all kinds of Cd enhancing features. The challenge for me is going to be avoiding the temptation. Once I listen to the tracks in my jeep and decide which ones are Cd ready ... that is it, no more tinkering is allowed. My focus with the new download is just the silence gaps and nothing more. I am very encouraged right now with this new find, and I am hopeful that I will have no problems whatsoever with the saving/recording process. This is a new approach for me with my songwriting. With my previous Cd's I used the BR-8 to record the music, I saved it to a zip disc (the recorders format), then recorded it to Cd. Now, I am saving the songs to CD-R, running them through the audio editor and saving them to my song library, then (hopefully) burning them down to another Cd (in the correct format and correct Cd order). This is the beginning of a new month (my 8th for this Cd release), my goal (of course)is to finish all the final mixes and have them ready for replication by September.
* Ok, so I did some research on the web and find out that WAV (Windows) and AIFF (Mac) are the 2 formats that support 44.1 Khz, 16 bit, stereo audio (the standard audio specs used by audio Cd's). Both are also encoded with pulse code modulation (PCM), which is the same encoding used by Cd audio tracks.
* "Red Book Audio" is the set of specs created by Philips and Sony, in 1980, to define the essential parameters for Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA). This creation formed the foundation for ALL other compact discs standards. The Red Book specs, as mentioned above, are 44.1 Khz and 16 bit.
8-1-10 (cont.), Sometimes it's the simplest things that get overlooked. Well, as far as the 20 second plus silence gaps at the beginning of every song go, I think all I have to do is erase the bounce track up to the point where I want the tune to begin. Of course this will be permanent in the following final mixes, so I want to make sure I leave about 2-3 seconds (3 seconds is standard) before and after each tune. If this works, then I may not need to use the AVS Audio Editor. I would then be able to upload the songs directly to my library and burn them, one at a time in Cd order, from there. Sounds like a much simpler approach !
8-2-10, It looks like I am back to my old routine. I just got home from a good workout and it's 3:00 a.m. I spent most of the day listening to final mixes. It took me a few listens, but I am positive that I have a Cd ready version of "Where's The Sun" (recorded while working on the McKee's home). After my first listen, there were a couple parts that I wish I could tweak just a bit (bass and lead vocals). After a couple more listens I realized that it rocks the way it is ! It is a much heavier song then the others, that are Cd ready, so an up front vocal approach wouldn't have worked. Besides if I use the same final mix approach with every tune, the Cd will lose its crossover appeal. All the vampire freaks are going to love this one !!! I now have 5 songs that are Cd ready. The others are "Downtown", "Doppelganger Blues", "Nothin" and "Horrible End". Over the next couple of weeks, I definitely need to finish the final mixes for "Under The Weather", "Same Old Troubles", "Best Days Of Your Life", "Hard Times", "Coming For You" and "Sweet Adelaide". Once they are finished I will tackle "Wilderness Of Mirrors" (needs a vocal edit)and "Simple Minded" (redo end solo without the delay and slide). Now that I have my jeep to use as a reference point, things should work out more quickly.
8-3-10 (3:00 a.m.), I spent yesterday and the early hours of today working on final mixes for "Same Old Troubles" and "Under The Weather". I am positive that I have a Cd ready version of "Same Old Troubles" (that makes 6 Cd ready tunes). I was having trouble getting it to play in my jeep (humidity, too much data, stubborn Cd player ... who knows ?), so I played it on my PC and everything sounded perfect. "Under The Weather" proved to be a bit more elusive. My earlier versions all ended up being too tinny, and high end, sounding. I ended up making some low end adjustments, and recorded about 10 more final mix versions. After the disc gets finalized I will listen back and see how they sound. Hopefully I will find a keeper. The next tune on my hit list is going to be "Best Days Of Your Life". This song is going to be track #2 on the Cd, so I have to get it right. (9:00 p.m.) I am still going to need to do some tweaking with "Under The Weather". I am very close to having it nailed, its the tinny sound from the guitar and dulcimer blending together that keeps bothering me. I also want to give the vocals a bit more presence. This song and "Best Days Of Your Life" are very similar in their arrangements (one lead instrument, bass, guitar, drums and vocals). Once I find the secret for making the vocals pop, it will work with both tunes. If I can finish these 2 songs this week, then I will have 8 Cd ready tunes. 2-3 tunes per week is probably a reasonable goal for me. That will give me plenty of time to lock into the nuances of each song, and get the mix right.
* One thing I haven't tried using yet, or needed, is the EQ in the Mastering Tool Kit. This EQ applies to the entire mix, and not just the individual instruments. I will keep this is mind as I move forward. It might just provide the extra touch that I am looking for.
8-6-10 (6:30 a.m.), Well ... hopefully final mixes #13 will be my lucky disc. I think I did a good job with "Best Days Of Your Life", "Under The Weather" and maybe even "Sweet Adelaide". I just finalized the disc and haven't had a chance to check it out yet. If all 3 work out, then that will give me 9 Cd ready tunes, with only 4 to go. I'm having one of those can't fall asleep nights (or should I say mornings). I guess I have a lot on my mind. Around the end of the month, or early September, I am going to take a vacation and visit my brothers in California. I am very excited about that ! This Florida heat is an absolute drain, and I really need a break. I also got another small painting job in St. Petersburg, for some other friends. It's mostly baseboards and trim work around the doorways, and should only be a 1-2 day project. I am finding out, with the final mixes, that my ears get worn out after about 2 days of recording. It's cool that I have these side projects to keep me occupied, because it gives me a chance to recover. I am very excited about this Cd ! Everything is going very smoothly, and I only have about 3 weeks until the entire project is ready for replication. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that these 3 songs are Cd ready. If so, I will move on to "Coming For You" and "Hard Times". (10:00 a.m.) Yes !!! (Of course I am still awake) I decided to pull out the boom box and give the tunes a listen ... and they rocked ! The dulcimer is a bit loud in "Under The Weather", but I don't care ... it makes the song unique. One of the backup vocal tracks is me humming during the chorus. In this mix, I turned the track up a bit and it worked like a charm (it is a fun melancholy tune). "Best Days Of Your Life" is absolutely perfect. The mix even has a bit of an old school retro vibe. "Sweet Adelaide" is going to require a few more attempts. I recorded it last night, with just the headphones, which explains why it sounded flat and lifeless. I will definitely need to use the monitors to get it right. For some reason the vocal track, in this song, has been my nemesis. I think I am trying to too hard to make it stand out. It is, by far, the softest vocal track on the whole Cd. I don't want to sacrifice the texture of my lower end voice, in favor of high end presence. If I can get the low voice to creep out in the mix, it will add to the ghostly/haunting effect of the song. The other trick is to get the wind track right. If I want those winds howling I will probably need to add a healthy dose of reverb. Now that the other 2 songs are Cd ready, it will be fun to focus my attention on this tune. Once again ... Yes !!! I needed "Best Days Of Your Life" and "Under The Weather" to rock ... and they do ! All those long grueling hours paid off.
8-7-10 (12:30 a.m.), I listened back to "Simple Minded" and the good news is that I will not have to redo the guitar outro. I figured out a way to smooth out the bad delay problem in the outro, by actually applying more delay with a lesser attack time. In this case the 2 negatives did create a positive. I also have the edit worked out for "Wilderness Of Mirrors". The problem here, was that I slurred a couple words in the first chorus (the error is way too noticeable to overlook). To remedy the situation I am copying the same words from a later chorus, to that chorus. Now that these 2 distractions are out of the way, I can press forward with the final mixes. Later tonight, I am going to go check out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice with mom. Everything is free and it should be a good time. I am also going to get tickets to watch Social Distortion in St. Pete on Nov 12. My brother Shawn brought up the show while visiting today. Hell yeah I want to go ! Mike Ness rocks ! They also have a new album release coming up in November. Can't believe I am talking about November already. By that point in time I will be 1 month into my Cd release.
8-8-10 (Sunday), Awesome news ! Just found out I'm going to visit my California brothers (Kevin & Mike) for one week in September. I'm taking it easy today, my ears are still worn out from this weeks recordings. Tomorrow I start another small paint job for my friend Jay (should only take about 2 good days to finish). I will probably resume my final mixes on Wednesday. I did mess around with some mixes for "Coming For You" late last night after we got home from the Bucs practice. The disc hasn't been finalized yet, so I will just have to wait to see how they turned out. Who knows, maybe I got lucky and nailed a keeper track. That's the thing about final mixes, you just never know. The trick is to record as many versions as possible, then find the one that stands out. Well, I'll be back in a couple days.
8-11-10, I finished up with the Fortunato's house last night, today I took it easy. Tomorrow it's back to work with the final mixes. 3 weeks to go, and 5 songs left. It's time to get it done !!! Both houses I worked on look awesome ! I am definitely looking forward to the house warming parties.
8-13-10 (4:00 a.m.), I had an interesting recording day yesterday. At first I had my focus set on "Sweet Adelaide", well, that didn't go so well. I even dropped my recorder on the floor at one point. This resulted in tracks 3 and 4 somehow becoming interconnected and I could no longer make adjustments to each track individually. Luckily I had the song on protect, so I don't think the odd occurrence is a permanent thing (at least I hope not). After the mishap, I ended up moving on to "Coming For You" (my nemesis) and then "Hard Times". I am absolutely positive that I have 2 versions of "Hard Times" that are Cd ready !! I will check it out again, when my ears are back to normal, before I make my final judgment. "Coming For You" is still a pain in my ass, but I am getting closer. Well anyway, this now means that I have 9 tunes that are completed !! Only 4 more to go. For a change of pace, I think I might try "Wilderness Of Mirrors" or "Simple Minded tomorrow.
* Yikes ! Today is Friday the 13th !! "Wilderness Of Mirrors" definitely fits the mood. I will start working on it as soon as I wake up.
8-13-10 (cont), "Hard Times" is an excellent recording ! I have 2 tracks to choose from, and both rock. I had a very good recording day with "Wilderness Of Mirrors" (2 versions have Cd ready potential). Being that I am a perfectionist, there are still a couple of things I wish I would have done just a bit differently (just like with "Where's The Sun"), but all in all ... it still rocks ! My ears are a bit dead right now, so I am sure that when I listen back to it again, everything will be perfect. I took a couple more shots at "Coming For You" but came up empty again. I now have 10 songs that are Cd ready, with only 3 left to conquer. The mishap I had with "Sweet Adelaide" ended up being just a freak occurrence. When I went back to check out the tune, everything was fine with tracks 3 & 4 (whew !). Well it all comes down to "Coming For You", "Sweet Adelaide" and "Simple Minded", and I still have about 2 weeks to work with. I can do this !!!
8-14-10, I did some rough draft recordings of "Simple Minded" during the day and went to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino later at night. The casino is an absolute racket ! I only gambled away $20. I decided it was more fun to have a few drinks and do some people watching (you see all types at a casino). They have some really cool Rock-n-Roll memorabilia (signed guitars, sheet music, clothes, etc.) hanging on the walls there. Most people are so caught up in their gambling I don't even think they realize it's there. Well anyway, the bad news is that the CD-R with the "Simple Minded" versions got stuck in my jeeps Cd player and now it won't eject. Oh well ! I will survive. Thankfully it wasn't a CD-R with a keeper track that got stuck in the player.
8-15-10, Yes !!! A much needed day off. Tomorrow it is back to the recording. I think I might need to do another version of "Wilderness Of Mirrors" with the vocals a tad higher.
8-16-10, Another wise investment ! I went out today and bought a new JVC stereo for my jeep. My PC and the boombox are alright for what they are, but nothing beats driving around in the jeep and listening to my own music. I ended up getting a very simple $80 stereo. There was no need for something overly flashy and my budget is a bit limited. After checking out a few tunes I realized how much of a handcuff my old stereo was. This one is like having a brand new set of ears ! I will have to go out later and listen to a bunch of my previous recordings, because it is possible that I already have some Cd ready versions of the final 3 songs. It is also possible that I might have better versions of the mixes that I already thought were Cd ready. Tomorrow is moms BD, so I am going to take a break from the final mixes and spend the day with her. Earlier today I do some mixes of "Wilderness Of Mirrors". The earlier versions were very good, and luckily I did save all the settings. The only thing that bothered me was that the lead vocals needed to be a bit louder. Hopefully these mixes will work out.
* Everything sounds absolutely awesome !! The only track I am iffy about is "Best Days Of Your Life". There seems to be a tad too much middle tones ... but it still rocks. I might take one more shot at it, if I come up empty then I will roll with what I've got. The mix might actually add to the nostalgia element of the song. This Cd is going to be groundbreaking !!! Being the perfectionist that I am, it is sometimes hard to step outside everything and hear it for what it is. The new stereo gave me this opportunity. It is cool because each mix is unique to each song and their different styles. What more could I possibly ask for ?
8-17-10, I was driving around with mom today (dinner and a movie for her BD)listening to the radio, when Tom Petty's "Running Down A Dream" came on. What was cool about this song was it's mix. This is the exact recording levels, and approach, I need to use for "Coming For You" to happen. I will use this song as a reference next time I work on my tune. (11:00 p.m.), I listened back to my most recent batch of final mixes. I have about 4-5 versions of "Wilderness Of Mirrors" that are all excellent. My only gripe about my previous mixes was that the vocals were just a bit low, well, that problem has been remedied. I also recorded a pretty good version of "Simple Minded", which surprised me ! The levels were all very good. The only thing I might want to tweak just a bit are the tones. On this tune a lower toned vocal approach may work out the best. Over the next couple of days I will give this tune another shot and see what I can do.
8-18-10, I did some recordings of the final 3 songs today, then drove around and checked them out later. It is possible that I may finally have a good version of "Coming For You". There is also another version of "Simple Minded" that is pretty good. The thing that seems to be holding me back now, is allergies. My whole body feels weak. What really sucks is that my head gets all plugged up and it is hard to hear things as they are. I am thinking that this would probably be a good time to take a break from the final mixes. I am hanging out with some friends in a couple days. Maybe I will spend tomorrow relaxing. I'll be back in a couple days.
* Interesting aside: I just began recording on my 20th CD-R (80 minutes each). The final mix process is definitely grueling !
8-20-10, I drove around today and checked out some final mixes ... with fresh ears. I have versions of "Coming For You" and "Simple Minded" that are very good. It will take a couple more listens before I decide if they are Cd ready. The "Coming For You" mix is almost perfect. I got the right tonal bite on the guitar and the bass/drum levels are right where I want them. The only concern with this tune is that the vocals are a bit high (how's that for a 360). The vocals seem to work with the song, so I may just decide that they are good enough. The mix for "Simple Minded" is also almost perfect. Since this tune is a different genre than the others (rockabilly/southern rock), I needed to capture a unique mix. The slide guitar is definitely up front and noticeable, yet it balances well with the other instruments. The vocals are at a good level too. Actually the only concern I have with this mix is that the final chorus seems to be a bit louder (and just slightly out of key) than the others. I am contemplating making a vocal edit, using a previous chorus. More than likely, I will just accept this song for what it is and roll with it. It is impossible to be perfect, and what I am hearing as being out of key may just be my overly critical side sneaking out. The bottom line is ... it is a very unique tune to end the Cd with. When I resume my recordings on Monday, I will focus my efforts on "Sweet Adelaide". With this song, I may have to go back to square one and put all the EQ settings back to zero. I think I have been trying too hard to make every track stand out. I need to find a good balance, with the levels/tones, so that the vocals won't have to struggle to be heard.
8-21-10, Yes ! I had a prosperous night. The AVS Audio Editor I downloaded was supposed to be free. Well, it was for 18 days ... then the free period expired and I was given the option to pay for it. I ended up uninstalling it from my PC. I then searched around and found a 100% free Power Sound Editor download. After installing it in my PC, I decided to take it for a test run. I found that erasing the silence gaps is going to be no problem whatsoever. Saving the tunes, and burning them to Cd (in Cd order)is also going to be no problem. I just have to make sure that I have plenty of open space in my C Drive. I also learned a few lessons along the way. The first is to watch the frequency levels ! I don't want the peaks flat lining at any point in the song (or at least kept to a bare minimum). The second is make sure I listen to the song all the way through before saving it. My Windows Media Player has to know how long the song is, or else it won't allow me to burn it. The last lesson is to pay close attention to the edited silence gaps. When the media player burns the Cd it automatically adds a 2 second gap between songs. The accepted silence gap standard (before and after the song)is 2-3 seconds. I think my goal will be to keep my silence gap edits to about 2 seconds (or a tad less) before and after each tune. I will have to check out a few other major label Cd's to see what the professionals do. This new experience was a very welcomed relief. I now know, that once I finish my final mixes, it will only take me 1 good day to burn down all the keeper tracks to the master Cd. It will also be very easy to burn multiple versions of the master Cd (3 for the copyrights, 1 for the replication and 2-3 for me). Whew !!! This was a very good day for the Foxman.
8-22-10, It has taken some patience, but I was finally able to burn down the 10 Cd ready tunes (in Cd order) to an audio CD-R. This is what it is all about ! After all this work I can finally sit back, listen to the songs, and get a feel for how the finished product is going to sound. The frequency levels on 9 out of 10 tunes are perfect (no flat lines at all). The only one that was just slightly high is "Horrible End", but the flat lines are so minimal that it isn't worth worrying about or changing. On the other hand, I may have to find slightly louder versions of "Under The Weather" and "Wilderness Of Mirrors". If I can't find good versions in my final mix Cd's, I might be able to boost the levels through the Power Sound Editor. The vocals in "Same Old Troubles" seem to be just a tad stuffy, so I may also try to find a better version of that tune. Once the final songs are finished, I will attempt to remedy all these matters. My major task at hand right now is to finish the remaining final mixes. There is still a very good chance that I will have the entire Cd ready before my vacation to California (in 10 days). If that is the case, then I will visit Total Media when I return and send the Cd out for replication. This means that the Cd should be available for purchase around the 2nd week in October ... just in time for Halloween (10:00 p.m.) I just couldn't wait, for "Wilderness Of Mirrors" and "Under The Weather" I used the Power Sound Editor to amplify the mixes a bit. It worked perfectly and the problem was remedied. With "Same Old Troubles", I found another version that was perfect. After this I burned down a new CD-R with all 10 tunes in Cd order. I listened back to the Cd in my jeep, before heading to the gym, and it rocked !!!
8-23-10 (5:00 a.m.) Another late nighter ! I took my 2 best versions of "Coming For You" and ran them through some effects, and enhancements, in the Power Sound Editor. The 2 versions were almost Cd ready as they were, so maybe the few adjustments I made will be all that is needed. I also took a shot at a couple more final mixes for "Simple Minded". The last chorus wasn't out of key, it was just a bit too loud. If these 2 tunes work out, and are Cd ready, I will be ecstatic ! This would mean that all I have left is a final mix for "Sweet Adelaide". As soon as I wake up, this afternoon, I will begin working on this tune. (3:00 a.m.) I don't know ? I kind of like one of the tracks, but I still think I can do it better.
8-24-10 (6:00 a.m.) Up and at it again ! I spent yesterday (after I woke up) working mostly on "Sweet Adelaide". It is such a tricky song ! On my way to the gym, I drove around and checked out the mixes. All in all, they were much better than my previous efforts on the song. After my work out, I came back home and went at it again. I recorded about 3 more versions, which sounded awesome through the headphones. I'll have to wait until later today to hear how they sound through my jeep stereo. I've decided that I am still going to take a couple more shots at "Coming For You" and "Simple Minded". That perfectionist in me wants to get it right. (10:00 p.m.) I did 3 more versions of "Sweet Adelaide". I just got done driving around and listening to them. The setback is that my ears are dead again, so things tend to sound a bit flat. That aside, I have one version that is very good. I used a bunch of reverb on the lead vocals which gives it a ghastly effect. The mix, overall, seems to be on the low end, but that might just be my ears. The levels are perfect and all the edits were right on the money. I'll have to wait a day, or so, and see how it sounds with fresh ears. Regardless, this is my best effort to date with this song. The settings are all saved, so if I have to tweak a thing or two it won't be a problem.
*Ok, Ok ... I'll let you in on a secret. I have decided to put "Won't Be Home Again" on the Cd has a hidden 14th track. Over the last couple of days, I have recorded a few versions of this tune that are excellent. The vocals in this song are a perfect example of poor microphone technique (I was way to close), but they still work. I did a good job of selling the drama, and I actually come across like I am repenting. It is a great fit as the last song on the Cd (after the religious tune).
8-25-10, YES !! I have a perfect Cd ready version of "Sweet Adelaide" ! I worked my butt off on this tune. The softer vocals, with the heavy reverb, ended up being the secret ingredient that made the song happen. As mentioned above, I also have a Cd ready version of "Won't Be Home Again". This now means that all I have left to tackle (final mix wise) is "Coming For You" and "Simple Minded". I do have very good versions of both songs, but I think I can make them better. I'm going to rest today and enjoy my successes. Tomorrow, and Friday, I will resume the final mixes. My California vacation is just 6 days awa. If all goes well I will finish the final 2 mixes Friday night, then burn down a bunch of "master" Cd's over the weekend. On Monday I am going to send out the copyright package (Form SR w/lyric sheets and 2 "master" Cd's) to the Library Of Congress ($75). I am also going to do a poor man's copyright and send one copy to myself. The 2 copyrights should cost around $120. On Tuesday afternoon (day before I leave) I am going to join ASCAP ($35), so that my tunes will have the potential to be played on the radio. While in California, I will be able to play my Cd for my brothers, which will serve as my final sound check before I move forward with the replication (when I return). YES !! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. (10:00 p.m.) It's always something ! I was trying to burn down copies of the Cd, in the correct order, with all the songs. For whatever reason my PC wasn't finalizing the disc ? To remedy the situation, I took the disc and used my BR1600 to finalize it. I now have a complete "master" copy of the entire Cd. I am still planning on redoing the 2 songs, but it is a huge relief knowing that I have 1 completed copy (just in case). I also spent part of today getting my copyright paperwork together. I have copies of all my lyrics, and Form SR is already filled out. All I need is 2 official "master" copies of the Cd and it is ready to be mailed out. I also got the paperwork for ASCAP, printed out. It was a good day and I spent a very minimal amount of time with the headphones on. Tomorrow I am going to start rocking the "Simple Minded" final mix. I have plenty of blank CD-R's so there is no need to worry about filling them all the way up before finalizing them. I will record a few versions of the song, finalize them, then check them out on my jeep stereo. I will repeat this process until the Cd ready version emerges. I will also use the same approach with "Coming For You".
8-26-10 (2:30 a.m.), I just got back from a good workout. I listened to my temporary "master" Cd, and I am very happy with the results. It is an awesome feeling of accomplishment hearing all the songs in the correct Cd order. Some tunes seem to be just a bit louder than others, but I am not going to worry about it because I know all the levels are consistent throughout. I did discover that the reason I was having trouble with my PC finalizing has to do with the song "Won't Be Home Again" not saving correctly into my media player (it wouldn't play at all). All I will have to do is to save the tune again, from the Power Sound Editor, and the problem will be remedied. After hearing "Coming For You" played in its correct spot on the Cd, I am thinking that the song might just be good enough. It is a bit of a punkish tune, so the slight imperfections probably won't be judged too harshly. It worked out real well as a cool change of pace after "Wilderness Of Mirrors". My focus right now is entirely on "Simple Minded". If I can get this song right, this Cd will be an absolute classic. Once that song is done I will focus a bit more on "Coming For You" and make my final decision.
8-27-10 (1:45 a.m.) I spent most of yesterday, and today, working on mixes for "Simple Minded" and "Coming For You". I was having a ton of troubles with allergies, and my head was congested, so it's hard to say how things are going to turn out. If nothing else I have the settings saved on both, so all I will have to do is listen to the recordings in my jeep then come back home and make the adjustments. Hopefully tomorrow will be my final day of working on the final mixes. I would like to be able to spend Saturday, and Sunday, putting together the "master" copies. Monday will be my day for mailing out the copyrights. Tuesday ... I start packing for my vacation !
8-28-10, (5:00 a.m.) I just can't get these dang songs to work out. It is driving me absolutely nuts ! I will just have to take a few more shots at it later today. Maybe I am trying too hard ? (11:00 p.m.) Well you have to take the good with the bad. I am having problems with my vehicle overheating and I think that my radiator has a leak. I had to pull over tonight in a church parking lot and wait for it to cool down. The irony is, that while I was sitting there (in the church parking lot) I came across my Cd ready version of "Simple Minded" (religious/faith song). I can't say it is perfect, but it is very good ! As far as signs go, it doesn't get any more obvious than that. I listened to it again, through the boom box, and it sounded good to go. At about 5 1/2 minutes, this is the longest song I have ever written. In an odd, bitter sweet, moment I guess the powers that be gave me their nod of approval. I just hope that it isn't at the expense of my jeep. I am going to take a few more shots at "Coming For You". If I can't come up with a better version, I will go with what I've got. Tomorrow is definitely the day that I am going to put the final Cd "master" versions together. Monday, or Tuesday, I will find a way to make it to the post office to mail out my copyrights. Wednesday, I am off to California. The problems with my jeep are just going to have to wait till I get back. Come hell or high water, this Cd is getting released.
8-29-10 (5:00 a.m.) Instead of working on "Coming For You", I put the finishing touches on the Cd's graphic design. I got the images all saved down to a memory stick, so they are ready to roll when the time comes. When I wake up I will listen to the keeper version of "Simple Minded" (my jeep's stereo still works), with fresh ears. After that I will have to check out all the versions of "Coming For You" to find the best one. I may also take one last shot at recording one. Once I find a Cd ready version, then the first thing I am going to do is to put the BR1600 back in its box and store it away in the closet. I have spent a good majority of this year sitting behind that thing and I am tired of looking at it. After that is finished, it is "master" time ! I have got to get it done ! (8:00 p.m.) YES !!!! I did it ! I ended up going with the "Coming For You" version that was completed on 8-18-10. All I was doing was spinning my wheels trying to come up with a better version. I decided to eliminate all the stress and go with what I had. It took me quite a while to work out the "master" copies. For whatever reasons my PC was only burning the first 13 tunes and omitting the hidden track "Won't Be Home Again". I ended up have to use the BR1600 to finalize all the copies. I also dropped the PC's recording time from fastest to fast, to allow the computer more time to read the tracks. This approach must have worked because I ended up with enough "master" copies (with all 14 songs) to get the job done. I put together both copyright packages, and I will walk to a post office outlet tomorrow and mail them out. Unfortunately my jeep is KO'ed and needs a new radiator (the proof is on the ground underneath it). I will have to deal with that problem when I get back home. It is such a relief to have the mastering phase finished ! It has been both a draining, and rewarding, experience. The hardest thing about being a perfectionist is letting go. All in all, I would have to say that my recording/mixing work merits a solid A- (nobody's perfect). The frequency levels on all 14 songs are very consistent and there are no flat lines whatsoever. I think the pro's would even give me a hearty pat on the back for my efforts. As far as the songs go ... they Rock !!! This is, by far, my best Cd effort to date. I am very excited to hear all the fan feedback. YES !!! I did it !
9-15-10, I've spent a lot of time driving around and listening to the Cd, and .... it sounds excellent !!! The mixes are unique for each song and the Cd has a very contagious natural flow throughout. It's kind of like listening to a collection of short stories. YES !!!!
UPDATE (2-16-14): All song from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
6-17-10, These are the songs, in the correct order, as they will appear on my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd. The song themes are written in parenthesis. I have also included the date that the final Cd ready mix was recorded and the length of the song.
1. Nothin (wine and romance) (7-17-10) (3:14)
2. Best Days Of Your Life (nostalgia) (8-5-10) (5:10)
3. Same Old Troubles (voodoo) (8-2-10) (3:43)
4. Under The Weather (bad relationship) (8-5-10) (3:35)
5. Sweet Adelaide (haunting) (8-24-10) (5:12)
6. Hard Times (mafia) (8-12-10) (2:43)
7. Horrible End (suicide) (7-18-10) (4:22)
8. Doppelganger Blues (folklore) (7-15-10) (2:56)
9. Where's The Sun (vampires) (7-29-10) (4:08)
10. Downtown (cat and mouse) (7-14-10) (2:49)
11. Wilderness Of Mirrors (CIA) (8-13-10, Friday the 13th) (4:11)
12. Coming For You (love) (8-18-10) (4:40)
13. Simple Minded (faith) (8-28-10) (5:24)
* For the mastering process I will record multiple copies/versions of each song. I will then listen back to all the recordings, through various Cd players, and pick out the best versions of each one. Once I have the best version of each selected, I will burn them to another Cd in the above order. The mastering process is all about experimenting with different approaches. My goal is to capture the perfect moment and make it immortal.
7-5-10 (3:30 a.m.) I have been spending some time online searching for advice on mastering. This is a very, very important step ... and I want to get it right. I have read good things about the BR1600's "Mastering Tool Box", and it doesn't sound like it will be too difficult to figure out. The main things that I am reading up on right now are compression and EQ settings. I think I am already pretty good at balancing/panning the various inputs. Setting the reverb is just a matter of experimenting, and finding what sounds best for each song. The compressor and EQ, on the other hand, can't be taken so lightly. They are both very powerful tools, and there is definitely a method behind the madness. I think I have a pretty good grasp on how to approach the compressor. Basically, I follow these 3 steps for each instrument:
1. set the threshold
2. adjust the ratio
3. configure the attack and release.
Of course the settings will be different for each instrument. I have read up on all the instrument and I now have a pretty good idea on how to adjust the settings for each (I don't want to give away all my secrets). The EQ is also going to be fun ... and challenging. Each instrument has it's own unique tonal quality, and different frequencies affect each in different ways. I found a few cool websites, that outline which frequencies apply to each instrument. The #1 rule, when mastering, is that the vocals are the most important instrument. If the vocals sound good everything else will fall into place around them. If I can come anywhere close to nailing these final mixes, I am positive that I will earn some respect from the major label recording studios.
7-7-10, I put some of my new knowledge to the test today. My monitors finally came in. After I got home from picking them up, I had to give them a test run. Everything went very well ! The compressor is an amazing tool. I can't believe the amount of clarity, definition and punch, that it adds to the mixes. I can also say, with moderate certainty, that I managed to resurrect a previously disregarded song from the graveyard ... and that's all I am going to say about that. You will just have to listen to the Cd all the way through to know what I am talking about. Today was a very inspiring day !!!
7-11-10, Yes ... I did it !!! The lead guitar track for "Simple Minded" is complete. This means that all of the recording for this Cd is finished. All that is left now is the mastering and replication. It is going to be a bit tricky to document my progress during the mastering process. Basically what I am going to do is to burn a whole bunch of versions of each song down to Cd. I will then listen back to them through various Cd players and pick out the best ones. My first major concern is to get the levels right. I have packed away all my instruments so there won't be any distractions while I work on the final mixes. I am now in sound engineer mode !
7-12-10 (Monday), I decided to take it easy today. It is such a welcome relief not having to spend every moment thinking about recording. Their are 13 tunes on the Cd, and each song has approximately 6-7 recorded tracks (bass, vocals, guitar, keys and drums). This means that I have had to think out between 78-91 different tracks. That's approximately 13-15 different tracks per month running through the ol' melon. I am, however, spending a little time reading up on the "Mastering Tool Kit" in the BR1600's owner's manual. The season premiere of "The Closer" is tonight at 9:00 p.m. As a build up, they are playing last season on end right up until the premiere. It's not "24", or "The Soprano's", but it still a pretty good show. Kyra Sedgwick is a very unique actress, and does an excellent job in the lead role. Well anyway, this will help me keep my mind off of work for most of the day.
7-13-10, I spent most of the day messing around with final mixes. The BR1600CD is one amazing recorder ! It took me a little while, but I eventually got a grasp on using the "Mastering Tool Kit". The first 2 songs I experimented with were "Downtown" and "Sweet Adelaide". I think everything went well. I have to wait until tomorrow, though, so I can listen back with fresh ears. Well ... off to the gym I go, I need a break.
7-14-10, And that is just plain hilarious ! LOL !! I spent all of yesterday burning down a bunch of versions of the 2 songs, only to find out today that I messed up and used a CD-RW instead of a CD-R. Of course the CD-RW won't play in a Cd player. Despite the blunder, I still had a good first day with the final mixes. I now understand how to use the "Mastering Tool Kit", and burn Cd's. (8:00 p.m.) I went back at it and recorded about 12 versions of "Downtown". There is one recording that I think is exceptionally noteworthy (I am hoping it is Cd worthy). I will have to wait until I have the CD-R filled up before I can listen to it. It makes no sense to finalize the disc now, when there is so much empty space left to record on. I figure if I can get lucky enough to walk away with 1 Cd worthy recording per day, then I am doing very well. The more familiar I get with everything, the easier it will be. Since I am now wearing my sound engineer hat, I also have to try to adjust my sleeping schedule. Being that I live in an apartment complex, it's just not possible to have the monitors running after 5:00 p.m. So basically, I will be working somewhat normal business hours like 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Monday-Friday. When I first wake up I will go get a coffee, and plan out my day. When I get home I will spend about 1 hour checking up on my computer sites, then ... it's off to work. I will also have to get used to going to the gym earlier too. So much for being a night owl.
7-15-10, That figures ! I really did try to wake up at 9:30 a.m. The only problem was that it was raining, and thundering, like crazy. I definitely don't want to have my recorder plugged in during nasty storms. The only thing that made sense was to wait it out and go back to sleep. I guess it is inevitable that when the weather passes I will work on "Sweet Adelaide" (thunder and wind effects).
7-16-10 (5:30 a.m.), I ended up spending most of yesterday (and this morning) working on "Doppelganger Blues", and "Coming For You". I am very proud to announce that everything turned out well with the CD-R I recorded on. Once the disc was full, I finalized it and listened back to it through my computer. Everything sounded excellent. I am positive that I have "Downtown" and "Doppelganger Blues" finished. I also learned another lesson ... in mastering mode start recording at zero. I always leave a gap of 20 seconds before every song I record, just in case. Well in mastering mode it recorded that extra 20 seconds before every song ... oops. No major setback, when I burn the keeper versions I'll just omit the extra time at the beginning.
7-17-10, I spent most of the day working on final mixes for "Under The Weather" and "Nothin". I feel very good about both of these songs, and I really think they both have the potential to be very popular songs. The mixes, for both, turned out very well. They are both relationship songs, so I guess things are happening in 2's again. I think the next song I am going to work on is "Horrible End". I think I have 4 tunes that are Cd ready ("Downtown", "Doppelganger Blues", "Under The Weather" and "Nothin"). I desperately needed a break, so I bypassed my workout and went and hung out at Jimmy Iguana's. Thank you to my new friends Sarah and Nina for being cool and down to Earth ... I had a fun night !!
7-18-10, Yes ! "Horrible End" is also finished and Cd ready. The next tune I am going to work on is "Best Days Of Your Life". I already have the tracks polished up and ready to roll. I will probably wait until tomorrow to record it, because my ears are a bit worn out right now. This song is a melancholy rockabilly ballad with a very catchy chorus. The lyrics and lead guitar give it the potential to be a classic. I definitely don't want to tackle the final mix with tired ears.
7-19-10, I am going to take a break from the music for a bit to help some friends paint their house. It is a sizable project and will probably take about 1 week to finish, I am very glad the opportunity came along, because my ears are totally worn out. I was starting to get the point where I was having trouble identifying tones. Kind of a scary thing for someone like me ! I should be back in about a week to resume the final mixes.
7-28-10, I've spent the last 8 days helping a couple friends paint their house. It ended up being a rather sizable project, but nothing I can't handle. I still have about 2-3 days of work left. The cool part, is that today, I had some spare time to work on some final mixes. It's a big home, with 3 levels, so vantage points for listening to the mixes are endless. My friends both work during the day, which is also perfect (I don't want to bore them with the monotony). Today I worked on "Same Old Troubles", "Hard Times" and "Coming For You". I feel pretty good about all 3 of them (whether they are Cd ready will be determined later). If all goes well, tomorrow I will work on "Where's The Sun" and "Sweet Adelaide". Both of these tunes are big compositions, so I am thankful that I have a big house to work with. I still have touch up work to do in 2 bathrooms, and possibly one bedroom left to paint. There is also some clean up work left to do. The good news, is that the majority of the hard work is completed. I guess it's safe to say that I am multitasking. Anyway ... I'm tired, I'm sore and my bed is calling me.
7-29-10, Yes another successful day ! I got the counter, and backsplash, grouted. I also finished up with my painting and recorded final mixes for "Sweet Adelaide" and "Where's The Sun". Thanks again to my friends Shawn and Kristen McKee. I think the only tunes I have left for final mixes are "Wilderness Of Mirrors" (needs a vocal edit) and "Simple Minded" (I have to redo the outro solo/too much delay). Hopefully, my 10 day vacation to visit my brothers in California, will be coming up before too long. I guess there is an outside chance that I will have the Cd completed by then. I still need to find somewhere, where I can listen back to the final mixes and pick out the keepers. Other than my computer, I don't any other Cd player here at the apartment (I used to have a real nice stereo setup, but I ended up selling it before I lost my house). A rock star releasing his 3rd Cd, who doesn't own a stereo or guitar amps ? It's fun being me !
7-31-10, Unbelievable luck ! My Cd player in my jeep usually won't play Cd's, but I had no trouble at all playing mine. This is awesome news because I now have a reference point for my final mixes. I listened back to everything I have recorded, so far, and I am positive that about 4-5 tunes are Cd ready ("Downtown", "Doppelganger Blues", "Nothin", "Horrible End"). I will probably have to redo "Best Days Of Your Life" and "Under The Weather"). Most of the mixes I did at Shawn and Kristens didn't turn out so well ... maybe it wasn't such a good thing having a big house to work with. I still haven't finalized the Cd-R with "Sweet Adelaide" and "Where's The Sun", so there is a chance that I still might have something to show for my efforts. All I need is for one of them to be a keeper to make it a successful endeavor. With the first CD-R I recorded there ("Same Old Troubles", "Hard Times" and "Coming For You"), 85% of the recordings were good to go. I did save the settings, so all I will have to do is go back and tweak a few things to make them happen. The biggest error I made was not having the vocals loud enough. I knew that doing the final mixes was going to be a grueling process when I started, so I am not discouraged by the set backs. If I don't feel close to 95% sure that a song is Cd ready I will go back and redo it until it is right. I guess that is the perfectionist in me taking over.
8-1-10, I was contemplating purchasing a dual deck Cd recorder through eBay, instead, I have downloaded the AVS Audio Editor to my PC. I have 2 major concerns to address. The first is to erase the 20 second plus silence gaps at the beginning of every tune, the second (of course) is the capability to save and burn the Cd ready tracks in the correct Cd order. I tested the new download and it will be no problem at all to erase the silence gaps. As far as saving the tunes goes, I will have to call Dan at Total Media to find out what format the Cd needs to be in for the replication. The download has all kinds of Cd enhancing features. The challenge for me is going to be avoiding the temptation. Once I listen to the tracks in my jeep and decide which ones are Cd ready ... that is it, no more tinkering is allowed. My focus with the new download is just the silence gaps and nothing more. I am very encouraged right now with this new find, and I am hopeful that I will have no problems whatsoever with the saving/recording process. This is a new approach for me with my songwriting. With my previous Cd's I used the BR-8 to record the music, I saved it to a zip disc (the recorders format), then recorded it to Cd. Now, I am saving the songs to CD-R, running them through the audio editor and saving them to my song library, then (hopefully) burning them down to another Cd (in the correct format and correct Cd order). This is the beginning of a new month (my 8th for this Cd release), my goal (of course)is to finish all the final mixes and have them ready for replication by September.
* Ok, so I did some research on the web and find out that WAV (Windows) and AIFF (Mac) are the 2 formats that support 44.1 Khz, 16 bit, stereo audio (the standard audio specs used by audio Cd's). Both are also encoded with pulse code modulation (PCM), which is the same encoding used by Cd audio tracks.
* "Red Book Audio" is the set of specs created by Philips and Sony, in 1980, to define the essential parameters for Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA). This creation formed the foundation for ALL other compact discs standards. The Red Book specs, as mentioned above, are 44.1 Khz and 16 bit.
8-1-10 (cont.), Sometimes it's the simplest things that get overlooked. Well, as far as the 20 second plus silence gaps at the beginning of every song go, I think all I have to do is erase the bounce track up to the point where I want the tune to begin. Of course this will be permanent in the following final mixes, so I want to make sure I leave about 2-3 seconds (3 seconds is standard) before and after each tune. If this works, then I may not need to use the AVS Audio Editor. I would then be able to upload the songs directly to my library and burn them, one at a time in Cd order, from there. Sounds like a much simpler approach !
8-2-10, It looks like I am back to my old routine. I just got home from a good workout and it's 3:00 a.m. I spent most of the day listening to final mixes. It took me a few listens, but I am positive that I have a Cd ready version of "Where's The Sun" (recorded while working on the McKee's home). After my first listen, there were a couple parts that I wish I could tweak just a bit (bass and lead vocals). After a couple more listens I realized that it rocks the way it is ! It is a much heavier song then the others, that are Cd ready, so an up front vocal approach wouldn't have worked. Besides if I use the same final mix approach with every tune, the Cd will lose its crossover appeal. All the vampire freaks are going to love this one !!! I now have 5 songs that are Cd ready. The others are "Downtown", "Doppelganger Blues", "Nothin" and "Horrible End". Over the next couple of weeks, I definitely need to finish the final mixes for "Under The Weather", "Same Old Troubles", "Best Days Of Your Life", "Hard Times", "Coming For You" and "Sweet Adelaide". Once they are finished I will tackle "Wilderness Of Mirrors" (needs a vocal edit)and "Simple Minded" (redo end solo without the delay and slide). Now that I have my jeep to use as a reference point, things should work out more quickly.
8-3-10 (3:00 a.m.), I spent yesterday and the early hours of today working on final mixes for "Same Old Troubles" and "Under The Weather". I am positive that I have a Cd ready version of "Same Old Troubles" (that makes 6 Cd ready tunes). I was having trouble getting it to play in my jeep (humidity, too much data, stubborn Cd player ... who knows ?), so I played it on my PC and everything sounded perfect. "Under The Weather" proved to be a bit more elusive. My earlier versions all ended up being too tinny, and high end, sounding. I ended up making some low end adjustments, and recorded about 10 more final mix versions. After the disc gets finalized I will listen back and see how they sound. Hopefully I will find a keeper. The next tune on my hit list is going to be "Best Days Of Your Life". This song is going to be track #2 on the Cd, so I have to get it right. (9:00 p.m.) I am still going to need to do some tweaking with "Under The Weather". I am very close to having it nailed, its the tinny sound from the guitar and dulcimer blending together that keeps bothering me. I also want to give the vocals a bit more presence. This song and "Best Days Of Your Life" are very similar in their arrangements (one lead instrument, bass, guitar, drums and vocals). Once I find the secret for making the vocals pop, it will work with both tunes. If I can finish these 2 songs this week, then I will have 8 Cd ready tunes. 2-3 tunes per week is probably a reasonable goal for me. That will give me plenty of time to lock into the nuances of each song, and get the mix right.
* One thing I haven't tried using yet, or needed, is the EQ in the Mastering Tool Kit. This EQ applies to the entire mix, and not just the individual instruments. I will keep this is mind as I move forward. It might just provide the extra touch that I am looking for.
8-6-10 (6:30 a.m.), Well ... hopefully final mixes #13 will be my lucky disc. I think I did a good job with "Best Days Of Your Life", "Under The Weather" and maybe even "Sweet Adelaide". I just finalized the disc and haven't had a chance to check it out yet. If all 3 work out, then that will give me 9 Cd ready tunes, with only 4 to go. I'm having one of those can't fall asleep nights (or should I say mornings). I guess I have a lot on my mind. Around the end of the month, or early September, I am going to take a vacation and visit my brothers in California. I am very excited about that ! This Florida heat is an absolute drain, and I really need a break. I also got another small painting job in St. Petersburg, for some other friends. It's mostly baseboards and trim work around the doorways, and should only be a 1-2 day project. I am finding out, with the final mixes, that my ears get worn out after about 2 days of recording. It's cool that I have these side projects to keep me occupied, because it gives me a chance to recover. I am very excited about this Cd ! Everything is going very smoothly, and I only have about 3 weeks until the entire project is ready for replication. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that these 3 songs are Cd ready. If so, I will move on to "Coming For You" and "Hard Times". (10:00 a.m.) Yes !!! (Of course I am still awake) I decided to pull out the boom box and give the tunes a listen ... and they rocked ! The dulcimer is a bit loud in "Under The Weather", but I don't care ... it makes the song unique. One of the backup vocal tracks is me humming during the chorus. In this mix, I turned the track up a bit and it worked like a charm (it is a fun melancholy tune). "Best Days Of Your Life" is absolutely perfect. The mix even has a bit of an old school retro vibe. "Sweet Adelaide" is going to require a few more attempts. I recorded it last night, with just the headphones, which explains why it sounded flat and lifeless. I will definitely need to use the monitors to get it right. For some reason the vocal track, in this song, has been my nemesis. I think I am trying to too hard to make it stand out. It is, by far, the softest vocal track on the whole Cd. I don't want to sacrifice the texture of my lower end voice, in favor of high end presence. If I can get the low voice to creep out in the mix, it will add to the ghostly/haunting effect of the song. The other trick is to get the wind track right. If I want those winds howling I will probably need to add a healthy dose of reverb. Now that the other 2 songs are Cd ready, it will be fun to focus my attention on this tune. Once again ... Yes !!! I needed "Best Days Of Your Life" and "Under The Weather" to rock ... and they do ! All those long grueling hours paid off.
8-7-10 (12:30 a.m.), I listened back to "Simple Minded" and the good news is that I will not have to redo the guitar outro. I figured out a way to smooth out the bad delay problem in the outro, by actually applying more delay with a lesser attack time. In this case the 2 negatives did create a positive. I also have the edit worked out for "Wilderness Of Mirrors". The problem here, was that I slurred a couple words in the first chorus (the error is way too noticeable to overlook). To remedy the situation I am copying the same words from a later chorus, to that chorus. Now that these 2 distractions are out of the way, I can press forward with the final mixes. Later tonight, I am going to go check out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice with mom. Everything is free and it should be a good time. I am also going to get tickets to watch Social Distortion in St. Pete on Nov 12. My brother Shawn brought up the show while visiting today. Hell yeah I want to go ! Mike Ness rocks ! They also have a new album release coming up in November. Can't believe I am talking about November already. By that point in time I will be 1 month into my Cd release.
8-8-10 (Sunday), Awesome news ! Just found out I'm going to visit my California brothers (Kevin & Mike) for one week in September. I'm taking it easy today, my ears are still worn out from this weeks recordings. Tomorrow I start another small paint job for my friend Jay (should only take about 2 good days to finish). I will probably resume my final mixes on Wednesday. I did mess around with some mixes for "Coming For You" late last night after we got home from the Bucs practice. The disc hasn't been finalized yet, so I will just have to wait to see how they turned out. Who knows, maybe I got lucky and nailed a keeper track. That's the thing about final mixes, you just never know. The trick is to record as many versions as possible, then find the one that stands out. Well, I'll be back in a couple days.
8-11-10, I finished up with the Fortunato's house last night, today I took it easy. Tomorrow it's back to work with the final mixes. 3 weeks to go, and 5 songs left. It's time to get it done !!! Both houses I worked on look awesome ! I am definitely looking forward to the house warming parties.
8-13-10 (4:00 a.m.), I had an interesting recording day yesterday. At first I had my focus set on "Sweet Adelaide", well, that didn't go so well. I even dropped my recorder on the floor at one point. This resulted in tracks 3 and 4 somehow becoming interconnected and I could no longer make adjustments to each track individually. Luckily I had the song on protect, so I don't think the odd occurrence is a permanent thing (at least I hope not). After the mishap, I ended up moving on to "Coming For You" (my nemesis) and then "Hard Times". I am absolutely positive that I have 2 versions of "Hard Times" that are Cd ready !! I will check it out again, when my ears are back to normal, before I make my final judgment. "Coming For You" is still a pain in my ass, but I am getting closer. Well anyway, this now means that I have 9 tunes that are completed !! Only 4 more to go. For a change of pace, I think I might try "Wilderness Of Mirrors" or "Simple Minded tomorrow.
* Yikes ! Today is Friday the 13th !! "Wilderness Of Mirrors" definitely fits the mood. I will start working on it as soon as I wake up.
8-13-10 (cont), "Hard Times" is an excellent recording ! I have 2 tracks to choose from, and both rock. I had a very good recording day with "Wilderness Of Mirrors" (2 versions have Cd ready potential). Being that I am a perfectionist, there are still a couple of things I wish I would have done just a bit differently (just like with "Where's The Sun"), but all in all ... it still rocks ! My ears are a bit dead right now, so I am sure that when I listen back to it again, everything will be perfect. I took a couple more shots at "Coming For You" but came up empty again. I now have 10 songs that are Cd ready, with only 3 left to conquer. The mishap I had with "Sweet Adelaide" ended up being just a freak occurrence. When I went back to check out the tune, everything was fine with tracks 3 & 4 (whew !). Well it all comes down to "Coming For You", "Sweet Adelaide" and "Simple Minded", and I still have about 2 weeks to work with. I can do this !!!
8-14-10, I did some rough draft recordings of "Simple Minded" during the day and went to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino later at night. The casino is an absolute racket ! I only gambled away $20. I decided it was more fun to have a few drinks and do some people watching (you see all types at a casino). They have some really cool Rock-n-Roll memorabilia (signed guitars, sheet music, clothes, etc.) hanging on the walls there. Most people are so caught up in their gambling I don't even think they realize it's there. Well anyway, the bad news is that the CD-R with the "Simple Minded" versions got stuck in my jeeps Cd player and now it won't eject. Oh well ! I will survive. Thankfully it wasn't a CD-R with a keeper track that got stuck in the player.
8-15-10, Yes !!! A much needed day off. Tomorrow it is back to the recording. I think I might need to do another version of "Wilderness Of Mirrors" with the vocals a tad higher.
8-16-10, Another wise investment ! I went out today and bought a new JVC stereo for my jeep. My PC and the boombox are alright for what they are, but nothing beats driving around in the jeep and listening to my own music. I ended up getting a very simple $80 stereo. There was no need for something overly flashy and my budget is a bit limited. After checking out a few tunes I realized how much of a handcuff my old stereo was. This one is like having a brand new set of ears ! I will have to go out later and listen to a bunch of my previous recordings, because it is possible that I already have some Cd ready versions of the final 3 songs. It is also possible that I might have better versions of the mixes that I already thought were Cd ready. Tomorrow is moms BD, so I am going to take a break from the final mixes and spend the day with her. Earlier today I do some mixes of "Wilderness Of Mirrors". The earlier versions were very good, and luckily I did save all the settings. The only thing that bothered me was that the lead vocals needed to be a bit louder. Hopefully these mixes will work out.
* Everything sounds absolutely awesome !! The only track I am iffy about is "Best Days Of Your Life". There seems to be a tad too much middle tones ... but it still rocks. I might take one more shot at it, if I come up empty then I will roll with what I've got. The mix might actually add to the nostalgia element of the song. This Cd is going to be groundbreaking !!! Being the perfectionist that I am, it is sometimes hard to step outside everything and hear it for what it is. The new stereo gave me this opportunity. It is cool because each mix is unique to each song and their different styles. What more could I possibly ask for ?
8-17-10, I was driving around with mom today (dinner and a movie for her BD)listening to the radio, when Tom Petty's "Running Down A Dream" came on. What was cool about this song was it's mix. This is the exact recording levels, and approach, I need to use for "Coming For You" to happen. I will use this song as a reference next time I work on my tune. (11:00 p.m.), I listened back to my most recent batch of final mixes. I have about 4-5 versions of "Wilderness Of Mirrors" that are all excellent. My only gripe about my previous mixes was that the vocals were just a bit low, well, that problem has been remedied. I also recorded a pretty good version of "Simple Minded", which surprised me ! The levels were all very good. The only thing I might want to tweak just a bit are the tones. On this tune a lower toned vocal approach may work out the best. Over the next couple of days I will give this tune another shot and see what I can do.
8-18-10, I did some recordings of the final 3 songs today, then drove around and checked them out later. It is possible that I may finally have a good version of "Coming For You". There is also another version of "Simple Minded" that is pretty good. The thing that seems to be holding me back now, is allergies. My whole body feels weak. What really sucks is that my head gets all plugged up and it is hard to hear things as they are. I am thinking that this would probably be a good time to take a break from the final mixes. I am hanging out with some friends in a couple days. Maybe I will spend tomorrow relaxing. I'll be back in a couple days.
* Interesting aside: I just began recording on my 20th CD-R (80 minutes each). The final mix process is definitely grueling !
8-20-10, I drove around today and checked out some final mixes ... with fresh ears. I have versions of "Coming For You" and "Simple Minded" that are very good. It will take a couple more listens before I decide if they are Cd ready. The "Coming For You" mix is almost perfect. I got the right tonal bite on the guitar and the bass/drum levels are right where I want them. The only concern with this tune is that the vocals are a bit high (how's that for a 360). The vocals seem to work with the song, so I may just decide that they are good enough. The mix for "Simple Minded" is also almost perfect. Since this tune is a different genre than the others (rockabilly/southern rock), I needed to capture a unique mix. The slide guitar is definitely up front and noticeable, yet it balances well with the other instruments. The vocals are at a good level too. Actually the only concern I have with this mix is that the final chorus seems to be a bit louder (and just slightly out of key) than the others. I am contemplating making a vocal edit, using a previous chorus. More than likely, I will just accept this song for what it is and roll with it. It is impossible to be perfect, and what I am hearing as being out of key may just be my overly critical side sneaking out. The bottom line is ... it is a very unique tune to end the Cd with. When I resume my recordings on Monday, I will focus my efforts on "Sweet Adelaide". With this song, I may have to go back to square one and put all the EQ settings back to zero. I think I have been trying too hard to make every track stand out. I need to find a good balance, with the levels/tones, so that the vocals won't have to struggle to be heard.
8-21-10, Yes ! I had a prosperous night. The AVS Audio Editor I downloaded was supposed to be free. Well, it was for 18 days ... then the free period expired and I was given the option to pay for it. I ended up uninstalling it from my PC. I then searched around and found a 100% free Power Sound Editor download. After installing it in my PC, I decided to take it for a test run. I found that erasing the silence gaps is going to be no problem whatsoever. Saving the tunes, and burning them to Cd (in Cd order)is also going to be no problem. I just have to make sure that I have plenty of open space in my C Drive. I also learned a few lessons along the way. The first is to watch the frequency levels ! I don't want the peaks flat lining at any point in the song (or at least kept to a bare minimum). The second is make sure I listen to the song all the way through before saving it. My Windows Media Player has to know how long the song is, or else it won't allow me to burn it. The last lesson is to pay close attention to the edited silence gaps. When the media player burns the Cd it automatically adds a 2 second gap between songs. The accepted silence gap standard (before and after the song)is 2-3 seconds. I think my goal will be to keep my silence gap edits to about 2 seconds (or a tad less) before and after each tune. I will have to check out a few other major label Cd's to see what the professionals do. This new experience was a very welcomed relief. I now know, that once I finish my final mixes, it will only take me 1 good day to burn down all the keeper tracks to the master Cd. It will also be very easy to burn multiple versions of the master Cd (3 for the copyrights, 1 for the replication and 2-3 for me). Whew !!! This was a very good day for the Foxman.
8-22-10, It has taken some patience, but I was finally able to burn down the 10 Cd ready tunes (in Cd order) to an audio CD-R. This is what it is all about ! After all this work I can finally sit back, listen to the songs, and get a feel for how the finished product is going to sound. The frequency levels on 9 out of 10 tunes are perfect (no flat lines at all). The only one that was just slightly high is "Horrible End", but the flat lines are so minimal that it isn't worth worrying about or changing. On the other hand, I may have to find slightly louder versions of "Under The Weather" and "Wilderness Of Mirrors". If I can't find good versions in my final mix Cd's, I might be able to boost the levels through the Power Sound Editor. The vocals in "Same Old Troubles" seem to be just a tad stuffy, so I may also try to find a better version of that tune. Once the final songs are finished, I will attempt to remedy all these matters. My major task at hand right now is to finish the remaining final mixes. There is still a very good chance that I will have the entire Cd ready before my vacation to California (in 10 days). If that is the case, then I will visit Total Media when I return and send the Cd out for replication. This means that the Cd should be available for purchase around the 2nd week in October ... just in time for Halloween (10:00 p.m.) I just couldn't wait, for "Wilderness Of Mirrors" and "Under The Weather" I used the Power Sound Editor to amplify the mixes a bit. It worked perfectly and the problem was remedied. With "Same Old Troubles", I found another version that was perfect. After this I burned down a new CD-R with all 10 tunes in Cd order. I listened back to the Cd in my jeep, before heading to the gym, and it rocked !!!
8-23-10 (5:00 a.m.) Another late nighter ! I took my 2 best versions of "Coming For You" and ran them through some effects, and enhancements, in the Power Sound Editor. The 2 versions were almost Cd ready as they were, so maybe the few adjustments I made will be all that is needed. I also took a shot at a couple more final mixes for "Simple Minded". The last chorus wasn't out of key, it was just a bit too loud. If these 2 tunes work out, and are Cd ready, I will be ecstatic ! This would mean that all I have left is a final mix for "Sweet Adelaide". As soon as I wake up, this afternoon, I will begin working on this tune. (3:00 a.m.) I don't know ? I kind of like one of the tracks, but I still think I can do it better.
8-24-10 (6:00 a.m.) Up and at it again ! I spent yesterday (after I woke up) working mostly on "Sweet Adelaide". It is such a tricky song ! On my way to the gym, I drove around and checked out the mixes. All in all, they were much better than my previous efforts on the song. After my work out, I came back home and went at it again. I recorded about 3 more versions, which sounded awesome through the headphones. I'll have to wait until later today to hear how they sound through my jeep stereo. I've decided that I am still going to take a couple more shots at "Coming For You" and "Simple Minded". That perfectionist in me wants to get it right. (10:00 p.m.) I did 3 more versions of "Sweet Adelaide". I just got done driving around and listening to them. The setback is that my ears are dead again, so things tend to sound a bit flat. That aside, I have one version that is very good. I used a bunch of reverb on the lead vocals which gives it a ghastly effect. The mix, overall, seems to be on the low end, but that might just be my ears. The levels are perfect and all the edits were right on the money. I'll have to wait a day, or so, and see how it sounds with fresh ears. Regardless, this is my best effort to date with this song. The settings are all saved, so if I have to tweak a thing or two it won't be a problem.
*Ok, Ok ... I'll let you in on a secret. I have decided to put "Won't Be Home Again" on the Cd has a hidden 14th track. Over the last couple of days, I have recorded a few versions of this tune that are excellent. The vocals in this song are a perfect example of poor microphone technique (I was way to close), but they still work. I did a good job of selling the drama, and I actually come across like I am repenting. It is a great fit as the last song on the Cd (after the religious tune).
8-25-10, YES !! I have a perfect Cd ready version of "Sweet Adelaide" ! I worked my butt off on this tune. The softer vocals, with the heavy reverb, ended up being the secret ingredient that made the song happen. As mentioned above, I also have a Cd ready version of "Won't Be Home Again". This now means that all I have left to tackle (final mix wise) is "Coming For You" and "Simple Minded". I do have very good versions of both songs, but I think I can make them better. I'm going to rest today and enjoy my successes. Tomorrow, and Friday, I will resume the final mixes. My California vacation is just 6 days awa. If all goes well I will finish the final 2 mixes Friday night, then burn down a bunch of "master" Cd's over the weekend. On Monday I am going to send out the copyright package (Form SR w/lyric sheets and 2 "master" Cd's) to the Library Of Congress ($75). I am also going to do a poor man's copyright and send one copy to myself. The 2 copyrights should cost around $120. On Tuesday afternoon (day before I leave) I am going to join ASCAP ($35), so that my tunes will have the potential to be played on the radio. While in California, I will be able to play my Cd for my brothers, which will serve as my final sound check before I move forward with the replication (when I return). YES !! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. (10:00 p.m.) It's always something ! I was trying to burn down copies of the Cd, in the correct order, with all the songs. For whatever reason my PC wasn't finalizing the disc ? To remedy the situation, I took the disc and used my BR1600 to finalize it. I now have a complete "master" copy of the entire Cd. I am still planning on redoing the 2 songs, but it is a huge relief knowing that I have 1 completed copy (just in case). I also spent part of today getting my copyright paperwork together. I have copies of all my lyrics, and Form SR is already filled out. All I need is 2 official "master" copies of the Cd and it is ready to be mailed out. I also got the paperwork for ASCAP, printed out. It was a good day and I spent a very minimal amount of time with the headphones on. Tomorrow I am going to start rocking the "Simple Minded" final mix. I have plenty of blank CD-R's so there is no need to worry about filling them all the way up before finalizing them. I will record a few versions of the song, finalize them, then check them out on my jeep stereo. I will repeat this process until the Cd ready version emerges. I will also use the same approach with "Coming For You".
8-26-10 (2:30 a.m.), I just got back from a good workout. I listened to my temporary "master" Cd, and I am very happy with the results. It is an awesome feeling of accomplishment hearing all the songs in the correct Cd order. Some tunes seem to be just a bit louder than others, but I am not going to worry about it because I know all the levels are consistent throughout. I did discover that the reason I was having trouble with my PC finalizing has to do with the song "Won't Be Home Again" not saving correctly into my media player (it wouldn't play at all). All I will have to do is to save the tune again, from the Power Sound Editor, and the problem will be remedied. After hearing "Coming For You" played in its correct spot on the Cd, I am thinking that the song might just be good enough. It is a bit of a punkish tune, so the slight imperfections probably won't be judged too harshly. It worked out real well as a cool change of pace after "Wilderness Of Mirrors". My focus right now is entirely on "Simple Minded". If I can get this song right, this Cd will be an absolute classic. Once that song is done I will focus a bit more on "Coming For You" and make my final decision.
8-27-10 (1:45 a.m.) I spent most of yesterday, and today, working on mixes for "Simple Minded" and "Coming For You". I was having a ton of troubles with allergies, and my head was congested, so it's hard to say how things are going to turn out. If nothing else I have the settings saved on both, so all I will have to do is listen to the recordings in my jeep then come back home and make the adjustments. Hopefully tomorrow will be my final day of working on the final mixes. I would like to be able to spend Saturday, and Sunday, putting together the "master" copies. Monday will be my day for mailing out the copyrights. Tuesday ... I start packing for my vacation !
8-28-10, (5:00 a.m.) I just can't get these dang songs to work out. It is driving me absolutely nuts ! I will just have to take a few more shots at it later today. Maybe I am trying too hard ? (11:00 p.m.) Well you have to take the good with the bad. I am having problems with my vehicle overheating and I think that my radiator has a leak. I had to pull over tonight in a church parking lot and wait for it to cool down. The irony is, that while I was sitting there (in the church parking lot) I came across my Cd ready version of "Simple Minded" (religious/faith song). I can't say it is perfect, but it is very good ! As far as signs go, it doesn't get any more obvious than that. I listened to it again, through the boom box, and it sounded good to go. At about 5 1/2 minutes, this is the longest song I have ever written. In an odd, bitter sweet, moment I guess the powers that be gave me their nod of approval. I just hope that it isn't at the expense of my jeep. I am going to take a few more shots at "Coming For You". If I can't come up with a better version, I will go with what I've got. Tomorrow is definitely the day that I am going to put the final Cd "master" versions together. Monday, or Tuesday, I will find a way to make it to the post office to mail out my copyrights. Wednesday, I am off to California. The problems with my jeep are just going to have to wait till I get back. Come hell or high water, this Cd is getting released.
8-29-10 (5:00 a.m.) Instead of working on "Coming For You", I put the finishing touches on the Cd's graphic design. I got the images all saved down to a memory stick, so they are ready to roll when the time comes. When I wake up I will listen to the keeper version of "Simple Minded" (my jeep's stereo still works), with fresh ears. After that I will have to check out all the versions of "Coming For You" to find the best one. I may also take one last shot at recording one. Once I find a Cd ready version, then the first thing I am going to do is to put the BR1600 back in its box and store it away in the closet. I have spent a good majority of this year sitting behind that thing and I am tired of looking at it. After that is finished, it is "master" time ! I have got to get it done ! (8:00 p.m.) YES !!!! I did it ! I ended up going with the "Coming For You" version that was completed on 8-18-10. All I was doing was spinning my wheels trying to come up with a better version. I decided to eliminate all the stress and go with what I had. It took me quite a while to work out the "master" copies. For whatever reasons my PC was only burning the first 13 tunes and omitting the hidden track "Won't Be Home Again". I ended up have to use the BR1600 to finalize all the copies. I also dropped the PC's recording time from fastest to fast, to allow the computer more time to read the tracks. This approach must have worked because I ended up with enough "master" copies (with all 14 songs) to get the job done. I put together both copyright packages, and I will walk to a post office outlet tomorrow and mail them out. Unfortunately my jeep is KO'ed and needs a new radiator (the proof is on the ground underneath it). I will have to deal with that problem when I get back home. It is such a relief to have the mastering phase finished ! It has been both a draining, and rewarding, experience. The hardest thing about being a perfectionist is letting go. All in all, I would have to say that my recording/mixing work merits a solid A- (nobody's perfect). The frequency levels on all 14 songs are very consistent and there are no flat lines whatsoever. I think the pro's would even give me a hearty pat on the back for my efforts. As far as the songs go ... they Rock !!! This is, by far, my best Cd effort to date. I am very excited to hear all the fan feedback. YES !!! I did it !
9-15-10, I've spent a lot of time driving around and listening to the Cd, and .... it sounds excellent !!! The mixes are unique for each song and the Cd has a very contagious natural flow throughout. It's kind of like listening to a collection of short stories. YES !!!!
UPDATE (2-16-14): All song from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
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