Christmas comes a bit early

Yesterday, I got a new audio interface for my studio - an M-Audio (Avid) 8R. This sexy unit has 8 audio inputs (both XLR with phantom power and 1/4 phone in), 8 outputs, 4 separate mix outputs, to dual independent headphone monitors, basic MIDI, and - the main reason I got it - S/PDIF input and output. So now the signal path from the Motif to the computer and out to the monitors is a pure digital path. No more noise from layering dozens of tracks of audio. And it works perfectly, unlike my experience with a Tascam unit I tried last week. Yay!

Installed it last night and played with it a bit and the comparison to what I had before is quite dramatically better. So now I can bounce those scrubbed midi tracks to audio tracks and start sculpting and mixing them. Still have a ground loop / shielding issue with the monitors themselves. I'll work that out somehow.

Now my only fear is running out of CPU power. There are a bunch of tricks I can use to manage that, so I think it's full steam ahead now.

Oh... and...

I've decided how to begin that the whole Ceastra suite now. I didn't want to just jump right into the tune cold, and was drawing a blank as to how to intro to it. It came to me in a trance. And it will be just right for the feel of the piece.

But, as life goes on, and the holidays start, my time constraints are tightening more and more. I need to carve out more time daily to record and mix.

Lord I need a stay-cation...

-

So - here's the track list of the album "Ceastra" as it has firmed up now:

1. Ceastra Suite:
- Wonder
- Ceastra I
- FCTM
- Autumn Again
- RB’s Who
- Of My Dreams
- Comfort
- Ceastra II
- Memento Mori

2. Symphonia Obscura

3. Awakening – Return to Ceastra

BuzBuzBuzz... BuzBuzBuzzz...

So…

It seems there is a bit of buzz going on about the upcoming album… cool!
People want to know more. So here’s more:

The title of it is Ceastra. It is a concept album, the concept being a life-journey. Self discovery, reflection, and some musical interpretations and representations of events in my life that shaped me.

There are three tracks – the first being a 20 minute long epic that contains all the most common compositions that I’d done from when I was 3 years old until recently. As for style or genre, think Mike Oldfield meets Igor Stravinski meets Todd Rundgren. Is that vague enough? To put style to those names, it is a string of electronic instrumental musical vignettes with classical influence, each with its own character and story to tell. It’s a little new age-y, a little ambient, and a little unusual. In reality (i.e. iTunes) it will be classified under Indie Spotlight.

I’ve secured the URLs for the artist (JERENCE.COM), album (CEASTRA.COM) and studio (ORPHEUSMUSEWARE.COM) and they will all come online as soon as this solidifies to a releasable state.

Speaking of the studio, it has finally reached critical mass, at last able to realize the creation of this work, without a constant barrage of technical and physical limitations. The hardware and software are playing nice with each other. The space is playing nice with my head. The planets are aligned.

I’m right in the heart of recording currently, and finding that as I record, the pieces are truly evolving to a really nice listening experience – much better than I had hoped. It’s all working really well. At times I don’t know where this is all coming from – I didn’t know I had it in me…

The sounds are hybrids of an assortment of new computer-based creations, industry-standard rack and keyboard hardware units (Yamaha/Korg/Alesis, etc.), assorted acoustic percussion and just about every other instrument I can get my hands on... Some deep VST instruments too – and of course Reason and Ableton come in to play along also. It’s all being pulled together by Digital Performer 7.2, which is beyond awesome.

I’m totally on my own with this project, and that does make for a long bit of work and somewhat unpredictable release point. This summer sounds like the most likely timeframe for it to be ready. I’m putting as much of my free time into this as I can, and even making some “free time” by not doing some other things I really should (!), but it is going to be worth it in the end – at least for me.

So that’s all I want to add for now. Back to work.
But before I go, a quick “pre-thank you” to the people that are the basis of this work:

Scott, Scott, Scott, Greg, Gregg, Rhonda, Vern, Mike, Chris, Mom, Marge

Much love to all

Jer

Album progress

The album is moving along. It takes a lot of time and effort to be a one-man show, recording wise; I have to handle all hard and software issues, do the recording, editing, arranging, mixing, drinking, all by myself, so it's like each finished minute takes a good days worth of work.

But I'm loving it.

Can't wait to get to that last song. It's 4U. Clips to come SOON!

It is coming

It'll be here soon.

I'll be bringing it.

And throwing it out as soon as I can.

It's all I got.

Be kind.

It will heal.