Friday, August 01, 2008
My world fell apart last week, and there was nothing that could be done.
I’m admittedly a control freak, which can help in many situations. But with any moniker that includes ‘freak’ in its name, there is a dark side, and that side often hurts. Ideally not others, ideally not myself, but sometimes it’s unavoidable; especially in an emotionally weakened state brought on by extra female hormones otherwise known as PMS. Yes, it was the perfect storm.
How long have I talked about my album being mastered? Have I talked about this, or have I kept this to myself? Anyway, the short answer: about 2 months. A very kind soul that I know in L.A. uses this particular mastering person because he is great. And he is, I’ve heard many things he’s done, and they’re all great. The place uses a mix of modern and vintage equipment that gives the songs life without cleaning it out, and he doesn’t participate in the ever increasingly popular Loudness Wars. WHOSE RECORD CAN BE THE LOUDEST!!!????? THAT DISTORTED BASS IS SO FUCKING AWESOME!
Anyway, 90% of my album sounded awesome, but 10% didn’t. And it was the first 10%, which isn’t a good opening. Said vintage equipment that worked well on everything else, didn’t like the first two songs on the record. It was making this weird buzzy sound that was virtually indistinguishable to anyone but me. It wasn’t a big deal at first, this shit happens, but when additional tweaking wasn’t working we were all beginning to think that it was on the mix.
For those that don’t know how this stuff works, here’s a brief lesson. You record parts that you want on your song first (obviously), and then once you have everything there, you mix it to sound good. Sometimes, before you mix you’ll add different effects and processing to instruments, but usually the vocals go dry until you mix. Mixing one song can take anywhere from 1-3 days. Maybe for some it takes even longer, but usually you get a mix. Listen. Tweak. Repeat if necessary. Approve.
Peter and I loved the mixes for the songs, I had sent to others for second opinions, and we were clear. Until mastering.
Ok, so my album was now fucked, I might have to re-mix a song because we couldn’t figure out whatthafuck was happening, I didn’t really have the money or time afforded to remix a song, and to top it off, my friend and my masterer were now in the midst of other projects and were both really busy.
Then there was the topic of artwork. It took me a long time to decide on a photographer/photo shoot/album designer, etc. I finally did, but everyone has lives that don’t revolve around me, so people weren’t getting back to me, taking longer than expected, things weren’t in the right formats, shit wasn’t working.
To make matters worse, it was recently discovered that a bathroom in our house has to be renovated. We discovered this by tiles falling and taking the backing wall with it. I now shower with a plastic bag covering said hole.
OK, so to recap: Album fucked, Artwork not happening, no communication, can’t plan a CD release at all because I don’t have a CD, need to spend my “extra” time looking for sinks, tiles, toilets, plumbers, etc, and let me tell you I’m a particular person so this takes a long time (and it’s a bathroom. Who the fuck cares about this home shit? ), can’t plan tours, can’t plan promotion, can’t can’t can’t suck suck shit blow blow ergh. And to top it off I was showing my feminine side by menstruating.
Ok, so I had to fix something in me since I couldn’t control the world. 1st step: Cry my face off. So much was built up in me that I needed an immediate release. This started helping. 2nd step: spend some time alone. 3rd: Do something that has nothing to do with music. I cut up pictures and glued them together, and painted a terrible painting while blasting the Grinderman album. Heaven. 4th: Blast ‘Get It On’ by Grinderman at full volume while running around the house screaming, jumping up and down, jerking twitching, screaming flailing. Fucking awesome.5th: Read books. I’ve read so many books lately, that I can’t keep track. I just finished one the other day, and I have no idea what it….oh wait, yes I do. I finally read Catcher in the Rye for the first time.
More on that later.
Ok. So after step 5 things started getting better. Phone calls were made. I was assured the master was getting fixed by bringing in another piece of equipment, designer gets back to me and has amazing ideas for the record, I fix wrong formats, we find a sink and a family member that can help with the debacle. Things are moving again. I’m feeling safer. I stopped having my period. It’s amazing how all those things can happen and finish all at the same time.
Ok, so Catcher in the Rye. What is so great about this book? It’s obviously really well written, and puts you in the head of this goddamn troubled teenager who is very annoying, has ADD, but is also charming because a lot of us have been there. Plus, he has one of the best names ever in the history of literature. Holden Caulfield. I could never dream up a better sounding name. So, is this the point? Are you supposed to read this when you’re a teenager, just like you’re supposed to see Ferris Bueller’s Day Off when you’re a teenager? If you read it at any other time, it’s just not as good? It’s still a good book. It’s just not life changing. It’s not Unbearable Lightness of Being.
Ok. Also. Get the Grinderman record. I, once again, was late to the party. I love this record so much; I listen to it all the time. It’s so ballsy and crass and dirty and beautiful.
I went to go see Joseph Arthur finally. That was wonderful. I have something like grace, but that’s a different story altogether.
Sarah RabDAU and Self-Employed Assassins eponymous album out SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
Oh, I also made this little video thing from the studio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqmKz5n2AsI
I’m admittedly a control freak, which can help in many situations. But with any moniker that includes ‘freak’ in its name, there is a dark side, and that side often hurts. Ideally not others, ideally not myself, but sometimes it’s unavoidable; especially in an emotionally weakened state brought on by extra female hormones otherwise known as PMS. Yes, it was the perfect storm.
How long have I talked about my album being mastered? Have I talked about this, or have I kept this to myself? Anyway, the short answer: about 2 months. A very kind soul that I know in L.A. uses this particular mastering person because he is great. And he is, I’ve heard many things he’s done, and they’re all great. The place uses a mix of modern and vintage equipment that gives the songs life without cleaning it out, and he doesn’t participate in the ever increasingly popular Loudness Wars. WHOSE RECORD CAN BE THE LOUDEST!!!????? THAT DISTORTED BASS IS SO FUCKING AWESOME!
Anyway, 90% of my album sounded awesome, but 10% didn’t. And it was the first 10%, which isn’t a good opening. Said vintage equipment that worked well on everything else, didn’t like the first two songs on the record. It was making this weird buzzy sound that was virtually indistinguishable to anyone but me. It wasn’t a big deal at first, this shit happens, but when additional tweaking wasn’t working we were all beginning to think that it was on the mix.
For those that don’t know how this stuff works, here’s a brief lesson. You record parts that you want on your song first (obviously), and then once you have everything there, you mix it to sound good. Sometimes, before you mix you’ll add different effects and processing to instruments, but usually the vocals go dry until you mix. Mixing one song can take anywhere from 1-3 days. Maybe for some it takes even longer, but usually you get a mix. Listen. Tweak. Repeat if necessary. Approve.
Peter and I loved the mixes for the songs, I had sent to others for second opinions, and we were clear. Until mastering.
Ok, so my album was now fucked, I might have to re-mix a song because we couldn’t figure out whatthafuck was happening, I didn’t really have the money or time afforded to remix a song, and to top it off, my friend and my masterer were now in the midst of other projects and were both really busy.
Then there was the topic of artwork. It took me a long time to decide on a photographer/photo shoot/album designer, etc. I finally did, but everyone has lives that don’t revolve around me, so people weren’t getting back to me, taking longer than expected, things weren’t in the right formats, shit wasn’t working.
To make matters worse, it was recently discovered that a bathroom in our house has to be renovated. We discovered this by tiles falling and taking the backing wall with it. I now shower with a plastic bag covering said hole.
OK, so to recap: Album fucked, Artwork not happening, no communication, can’t plan a CD release at all because I don’t have a CD, need to spend my “extra” time looking for sinks, tiles, toilets, plumbers, etc, and let me tell you I’m a particular person so this takes a long time (and it’s a bathroom. Who the fuck cares about this home shit? ), can’t plan tours, can’t plan promotion, can’t can’t can’t suck suck shit blow blow ergh. And to top it off I was showing my feminine side by menstruating.
Ok, so I had to fix something in me since I couldn’t control the world. 1st step: Cry my face off. So much was built up in me that I needed an immediate release. This started helping. 2nd step: spend some time alone. 3rd: Do something that has nothing to do with music. I cut up pictures and glued them together, and painted a terrible painting while blasting the Grinderman album. Heaven. 4th: Blast ‘Get It On’ by Grinderman at full volume while running around the house screaming, jumping up and down, jerking twitching, screaming flailing. Fucking awesome.5th: Read books. I’ve read so many books lately, that I can’t keep track. I just finished one the other day, and I have no idea what it….oh wait, yes I do. I finally read Catcher in the Rye for the first time.
More on that later.
Ok. So after step 5 things started getting better. Phone calls were made. I was assured the master was getting fixed by bringing in another piece of equipment, designer gets back to me and has amazing ideas for the record, I fix wrong formats, we find a sink and a family member that can help with the debacle. Things are moving again. I’m feeling safer. I stopped having my period. It’s amazing how all those things can happen and finish all at the same time.
Ok, so Catcher in the Rye. What is so great about this book? It’s obviously really well written, and puts you in the head of this goddamn troubled teenager who is very annoying, has ADD, but is also charming because a lot of us have been there. Plus, he has one of the best names ever in the history of literature. Holden Caulfield. I could never dream up a better sounding name. So, is this the point? Are you supposed to read this when you’re a teenager, just like you’re supposed to see Ferris Bueller’s Day Off when you’re a teenager? If you read it at any other time, it’s just not as good? It’s still a good book. It’s just not life changing. It’s not Unbearable Lightness of Being.
Ok. Also. Get the Grinderman record. I, once again, was late to the party. I love this record so much; I listen to it all the time. It’s so ballsy and crass and dirty and beautiful.
I went to go see Joseph Arthur finally. That was wonderful. I have something like grace, but that’s a different story altogether.
Sarah RabDAU and Self-Employed Assassins eponymous album out SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
Oh, I also made this little video thing from the studio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqmKz5n2AsI
posted by Sarah RabDAU at
11:06 AM
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