In Stores today!

[Stick]

Hey all,
A record that I've recently produced for Rocketown Records in Nashville, hits stores today. The artist's name is George Rowe and you can check him out at www.georgerowe.com.

Pretty fun to see the "Produced, Programmed, Recorded and Mixed by" yours truly credit on the back... first time for me.

George's first single off the record is "Everlasting". It's currently up to #5 on the Radio and Records Christian Inspo chart.

I did the whole record in Logic and ProTools Mix+++... yup, in the box.

Let me know if you check it out... love to hear some feedback.

Peace,
Brian Steckler
"Stick"

[e-cue]

I'll pick it up tommarow!

[guisquil]

Brian,

Did you mixed in your home studio? (pictured at "Mix Pix" Topic)

Nestor

[Stick]

Yep. Not too fancy, but got the job done.

Actually, after looking at all those pictures in that thread, I'm feeling a little insecure about it, but I've been getting good responses on the mixes. Of course, most of those people aren't like the experts that hang around here...

-stick

[guisquil]

I know what you mean about those pictures, I'm going to keep concentrating more on the song-writing part of the business I think I have a better chance there... the chairs at some of those pictures are more expensive that all my home studio ...

Did you mixed in Logic?

I'll try to order the CD this week...


Guis

[Stick]

It's not exactly a "home" studio. It's a pretty cool rental space in Sherman Oaks. Not the best acoustic shape or sound proofing, but nice windows, and good location. Too bad the building is being torn down in a couple months. I'm getting desperate trying to find someplace else.

I agree with the songwriting angle. I actually wrote a lot of the record with George too. I guess there are three tunes I didn't write at all on. It's fun to be able to go from start to finish on the songs.

And yeah, I keep telling myself... "it's not what you've got, but how you use it." HA! Then I tell myself, "but think how much BETTER it would be with some more toys!" Oh, well. I used a bunch of the budget to upgrade to this point (new CPU, farm cards, flat screens, Lucid clock, soft synths, etc.) I think next "big budget" (in quotes, because a big CCM budget isn't what most think of as "big"), I'll spring for some better input and output conversion, and maybe some Distressors or something like that.

I did all the track programming and arranging in Logic (mostly soft synths and EXS24 sampler) and then moved it to ProTools to track guitars and vocals, and then mix.

Let me know what you think of it when you get it... all opinions welcome.

Peace,
stick

[e-cue]

Ameoba *not in stock*

I hope that means it's sold out, and not just bad distro.

[JFernandez]

Good Job!

[Stick]

Originally posted by e-cue
Ameoba *not in stock*

I hope that means it's sold out, and not just bad distro.

They should have it here:

http://www.familychristian.com/shop/...sp?ProdID=9607

I haven't looked at stores around here to know who carries any CCM besides the "big artists". I'll look at Tower today and see, they usually have a decent section.

Thanks for looking...

[guisquil]

Thats great that you are a songwriter also, having the talent to do a song from start to finish is really a plus.

My local bookstore does not have it, but I was able to order from this guys:

http://www.grassrootsmusic.com/

Guis

[Stick]

Guis,
Thanks for ordering... every sale helps!

Yeah, I think it's as much that I can't decide what I really want to be when I grow up. I love the technology and the detail part of engineering and mixing, but also love the creative side of writing and arranging. Writing songs is cool, especially when they turn out saying something in a cool way.

Peace,
stick

[guisquil]

Stick,

I now exactly what you mean... We got a endorsement from Emagic late last year so I got Logic and installed it at home... I know now how to use the program, but I noticed that all this year I have not been as productive song-writing wise, as I was before I had Logic at home, when it was just me and my guitar. the original idea I had was to use Logic to be able to present better "demos", but I guess the Geeky part of me won... I'm now trying to dedicated more time to the creative process of writing, instead of trying to find the hidden secrets of Logic's Environment :-) ...

Guis

[cajonezzz]

Nice looking website for that artist BTW. tracks sound nice!

[Stick]

Originally posted by cajonezzz
Nice looking website for that artist BTW. tracks sound nice!

Thanks for the compliment...

And yeah, I really like how they did the website. Classy. Not really sure if a web site generates sales, but I guess you have to have one.

[Stick]

Originally posted by guisquil
Stick,

I now exactly what you mean... We got a endorsement from Emagic late last year so I got Logic and installed it at home... I know now how to use the program, but I noticed that all this year I have not been as productive song-writing wise, as I was before I had Logic at home, when it was just me and my guitar. the original idea I had was to use Logic to be able to present better "demos", but I guess the Geeky part of me won... I'm now trying to dedicated more time to the creative process of writing, instead of trying to find the hidden secrets of Logic's Environment :-) ...

Guis

Yeah, Logic is sort of like that. It can suck you in. I've sort gotten to the point that I don't mess around with it much, and just do what I do the way I figured out, even though I'm sure there are better cooler ways to accomplish things.

That's cool you got an Emagic endorsement... how does one go about getting such a thing?

[guisquil]

Finally I got the CD, it sounds like a "record" to me, good job!

We were able to get the endorsement through a friend that had one also, but a couple of months ago they put a standby to their VIP department since Apple bought Emagic, I guess now is "we have your phone number, we will contact you!" kind of a thing.

Guis

[2leod]

I've heard George Rowe's "Everlasting" in a couple of rotations at one of the local stations here in the Pacific Northwest... props to both of ya!

[Stick]

Ah, well... it's nice to hear it's playing... and thanks for the compliment.

[BrianT]

Hey man,

Congratulations. Sorry I'm late to the party; I just found this thread. Enjoy hearing yourself on the radio.....you know you worked hard to get there. The mp3 sounds good on the computer speakers. Funny, but that might be the most important venue these days, eh?

I hope you had a good experience working with Rocketown. Smitty is one of the good guys in CCM, and I hear (and really hope) that his organization is the same way.

I don't do much in the CCM industry these days, but after all the time I put in years back, I guess some things are like riding a bike. You don't forget.

I say that because 5 seconds after I clicked "Everlasting" having no idea what was singled or anything else about the project, I said to myself "That's a top 10 single, no doubt". Nice job.

BTW, do you know a friend of mine in LA. Steve McKeever? Just curious. In any event, congrats, again. Good on you..


Regards,
Brian T

[Stick]

Brian-
Thanks for the encouragement. Yeah, they're still not playing it on the CCM station out here yet, so I've yet to hear it on the radio. I've been told it's made it to Fish XM... that's pretty cool.

I'm really hoping this leads me to some more CCM work, but so far no bites. When I did my Nashville schmooze trip in November, the label people I met with made it sound like me being in LA wasn't an issue, but I'm not so sure. Maybe it has as much to do with still being relatively unknown... guess I'll have to wait and see if the single climbs all the way up...

I don't know Steve... what's his gig?

Again, thanks... and I always enjoy your posts...

stick

[tunesmith]

Stick -

I am in your neck of the woods (Agoura Hills) and I have a few friends who have extensive insight into the CCM bizzz... and I also happened to grow listening to it... scarred me deep.

Just wanted to know how you managed to get a major label CCM gig to come to L.A. Good for you, I think CCM needs to move back to it's roots, but that's another thread.

Anyways. GJ... keep it hip and I'll go take a spin through that disc.

Peace...

tunes

[Stick]

Yeah, it was an interesting process to get Rocketown to agree to me working here. I've known George for years... he worked at Pepperdine and met my wife there. I did a couple of indy records for him to sell at his local shows and whatnot. Then George got signed on some demos I did with him, and he was pretty adamant to them about keeping me in the loop. It worked out well, so hopefully I'll be doing his next record as well.

And I'd love it if there was more CCM out here... I know there are a few artists that live here, but not much label stuff. But if I do get to continue to work in that world, my plan is to do as much as I can from here. I did the Nashville thing (doing jingles though) for 3 years, and didn't really fit in. We (meaning my wife and I) really like it here.

[Stick]

Sorry... had to share... "Everlasting" is up to #2 on the CCM Inspo chart and #20 on the bigger AC chart... woo hoo!

[2leod]

!

[tunesmith]

Stick -

Congrats again. LIstened to some of the demos online and I must say that even on my crapola Powerbook speakers I can tell that it doesn't sound like the 'Ville.

So good on ya.

Tunes

[BrianT]

Originally posted by Stick
Sorry... had to share... "Everlasting" is up to #2 on the CCM Inspo chart and #20 on the bigger AC chart... woo hoo!

Told ya'

I think you'll get to single digits on AC. It's weird, but my batting average on picking singles in that genre is stupid good. I've won many a bet. I really don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

But in any case, I'm happy for you. Well, ,unless you're a really lame person and we just haven't figured that out yet


Regards,
Brian T

[Bob Olhsson]

Stick -

Congratulations!

Brian-

I like to think the "5 seconds and you KNOW" effect is a good thing. I've always been able to spot other people's big records the first time I heard them. The first bet I ever won was on Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly." I knew it was a smash during the first five seconds and could never understand why some of my friends couldn't hear what I thought seemed utterly obvious.

[smoothmoniker]

Stick

You, Tunesmith, Doug_HTI and I should go grab a Marzen sometime. There aren't too many of us working that side of the aisle on the left coast.

-sm

[Stick]

Yeah man, count me in. Always good to hang with cohorts and swap horror stories and whatnot.

[tunesmith]

we're working on it...