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 

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