Where's the book?

[Mike Jasper]

Just went to your site and read this tease for about the fifth time:

"But like I said earlier, mixing is not as difficult as it first appears... AND if you could find someone who was willing to show you each of these tricks, which aren't tricks after all - just simple techniques. Then you could be way ahead of the game, and more importantly spend less time being frustrated with your results, and more time simply satisfied with your music.

Now, if only you could find that someone...

...stay tuned."

Charles, i've been staying tuned -- ever since your last visit. Is it a book your planning? A course? Seminars?

Jasper

[Charles Dye]

My site is in desperate need of an update--I know, and I hope to get to it soon. But the tease your referring to was for my Hard Disk Life column in DIGIZINE which debuted the following month.

Re the book. I still plan to do it, I just haven't had the time.

[Mike Jasper]

Ahhh. I do believe I read every Hard Disk Life in Digizine.

But I want more! More!

Jasper

[Charles Dye]

I'm baaaaack...

And here at your disposal. Since you've read HDL do you have any questions that we can talk about to extend what you learned from the column?

[Mike Jasper]

Charles -- Give me a couple of days on this. Maybe a week. I'm rereading the columns and taking notes, so when I do have questions they'll be informed. I'm pretty much treating April as a Charles Dye seminar. I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Jasper

[Charles Dye]

Mike,

If you'd like, when you're ready, post a mix you are or have been working on and let's discuss it.

[Mike Jasper]

Charles, I'm cool with that, as long as you know you're asking the fat kid with the water wings and the nose plug to do a cannonball.

Jasper

[Charles Dye]

bombs awaaaaaay... then.

I'm ready + looking forward to hearing it.

[Mike Jasper]

Bombs away it is...

I do so-called Americana music or what Rusty Wier and Steve Fromholz calls the folkin' rockin' blues.

This is more on the countryish side of the genre. Blue Tonight (Copyright 2004 by Mike Jasper. I guess it's not necessary to include the copyright notice anymore, but I'm old school.)

Blue Tonight

Jasper

[Charles Dye]

Mike,

Can you tell us more about your mix? What were your goals? What were some of your sonic influences? So we can give our ears some context when listening.

Thanks.

[Mike Jasper]

Okay, I'll give it a shot.

First, I wanted to keep it simple for the most part, with the exception of the chorus, where I wanted big background vocals. I'm originally from California, so whenever I think background vocals I think Beach Boys. Right or wrong, I do.

Overall arrangement, I was thinking Dylan's Blond on Blond. Again, simple, so the words get across. The synth B3 in the chorus underlines that sound. A 70s sound, I guess. I get a lot of criticism from other musicians for writing and producing 70s sounding music, and I suppose they're right, but that's what I seem to do.

One thing I did -- which some of my friends wish I hadn't -- was to use a Gibson Chet Atkins solidbody acoustic-electric for the lead guitar. I like the sound, even though I'd normally advise against going direct (you have no choice other than to go direct using this guitar). But to me, it's a unique sound, kind of trumpety sounding, not quite acoustic, not quite a Tele.

After rereading what I just wrote, I'd say the sonic influences include Dylan, Eagles, Beachboys, Neil Young, Crosby Stills and Nash. All sixties and seventies, it looks like.

I could talk about what equipment I used, but it might be better to save that for a later post.

My lead vocal is me. I really don't have any influences in my head any more when I sing. Well, rarely, anyway. My goal is to get the words over with some passion and try not to slur. With that in mind, I tend to focus more on consonants than vowel sounds. If that affects intonation, so be it. I ain't-a gonna autotune.

I guess this post kind of rambles, but I'm not sure I've consciously thought about these questions before. I think the questions are more important than the answers, in this case.

Jasper

[Mike Jasper]

...but I should have considered these questions consciously. I just reread them in Hard Disk Life. Good thing I'm going back over the old material, huh?

[nikki-k]

Hi!
Actually, something I would love to see would be video of a "pro Tools Master" at work. Using a control surface, just keyboard and mouse, and a combo of the two.

A nice post narrative would be cool.

Picture is worth a thousand words sometimes...

[Charles Dye]

Mike,

Not forgotten you either. Thanks for responding to JZ_FM's thread. I liked your mix. I'll post tomorrow with more.

Thanks.

[Charles Dye]

nikki-k,

Thanks for the compliment, and I'd like to do that someday. I had a great time touring around doing the master classes for digi. Something like that on video would be cool.

[Mike Jasper]

Yesterday and today, I went back and re-read all the Hard Disk Life Archives. And I took some notes, although it only boils down to three or four questions, since you were so thorough in your descriptions.

Thing is... I realized something today that I don't think I've ever mentioned before:

You're a damn good writer.

Jasper

[Charles Dye]

Originally posted by Mike Jasper
Thing is... I realized something today that I don't think I've ever mentioned before:

You're a damn good writer.

Mike,

Thank you very much. A lot of care went into writing that series. I really enjoyed the time I spent on it, and I do hope to find the time to develop it into a more expanded version as a book.

[WinterRae]

Mike,

I like the changes in this song - very nice. I would like to hear a hi hat driving along with the acoustic and also the rim shot to have more presence.

There is something about the reverb in the chorus that might seem too muddy to my ears.

Again, the changes in the verse catch my attention enough that I listened to it again. Very rare for me.

Regards,

Thomas

[Mike Jasper]

Thomas -- Thanks for the reply. Those are some good suggestions. Especially the hihat idea.

I guess I can experiment with a brighter verb in the chorus, too.

Jasper

[picksail]

Sorry, for the intrusion - Mike check your PM box.

Stewart