NAPOLEON WASHINGTON: one (hopefully) original project... please comment

Washington · 11th January 2010

Hi everybody!

I'ts been four years since I started this project, and I am happy (and a bit amazed) to see it completed. It came from a reflexion about the present state of the industry, and it's as a personal experience to try and cope with the situation. I'm totally independent.

You can access to the whole thing here : Napoleon Washington's Mud & Grace. You may stream it from the site, and it's available for download in aiff, wav, mp3, aac and mp4 (for the videos).

"Mud & Grace" is my third album. It consists of 12 original songs, one cover and over 45 minutes of motion graphics. I recorded and mixed it in a studio I built for that very purpose, then the summing and mastering were done in another facility by a fellow engineer. The starting point was to ask myself "What am I doing in this field?", and to my surprise, the answer did not come in the form of "I am making music" but rather as "I'm trying to communicate, to open a little window on a personal universe". From there on, it struck me that I was not limited to using audio exclusively, but that there were a bunch of other things to try.

I financed it mostly by working in video as a compositing engineer. It's been my part-time dayjob for many years, but I always kept music and graphics strictly compartmentalized. For once, I wanted to see if I'd be able to mix both disciplines and try to come up with something personal.

I'd be very happy if anybody would care to comment on the project and the music, and I'll be glad to answer any questions - technical or not. Thank you very much in advance.

nw

Oh, one last thing... I know some don't like to be redirected to another website. I understand that, but I have a particular case here... The project includes a dynamic booklet that I cannot upload in a post. Below are a few screenshots to give you a first idea.

Gilli C · 12th January 2010

Due to the stink ass broad band in the country I live in, i can only listen and view short bits of your awesome virtual CD.

Love the graphics & design. I listened to a small bit of the first & 2nd tracks - the drum sound really appeals to me. kind of dark & open at the same time. Going to have to down load it, to satisfy my curiosity! Care to share some techie details ?

G

EDIT downloading just the single now....

Washington · 12th January 2010

Thanks !

Drums were miked with a fairly simple setup in a very live room. Most importanlty, overheads were either an old Telefunken SM2 in MS (and a Sennheiser 8020 mono room mic roughly 6ft away) or a pair of Senn 8020 (with a Gemini as mono room). Kick was AKG D-112 and Senn 421, and snare was SM57 (top) and Senn 441 (bottom). Preamps were Millenia HV-3D and API 3124. Some kicks were replaced here and there, but that's all.

Outboard comp were mostly Distressors, Summit and custom LA-2A. Everything went through UAD Neve 88RS and was then summend through a Shadow Hills Equinox.

Glenn Kuras · 12th January 2010

Only listening on laptop speakers

but it sounds GREAT. I will download this when I get to the office and listen on the studio gear.

Hats off

joelpatterson · 12th January 2010

Wooo-hoo-hoooo!

henryrobinett · 12th January 2010

I'll check it out at my earliest opportunity! Thanks for thinking of me. Probably won't be till tomorrow though! Good work. I can tell.

Dark Smile · 12th January 2010

The web is amazing. One of the best band's webs I've ever seen. I also liked the songs. Not much my style, but they sound very deep and emotional.

Timur Born · 13th January 2010

Sounds dirty, looks polished, I'm jealous!

henryrobinett · 13th January 2010

Great!! I haven't heard it all but I love it! Great music and the marketing - the website is brilliant. And the music is great. REAL musicians. I love it. Great voice. Great guitar. Love the grit i the songs

spaceman · 13th January 2010

Je n'ai pas eu le temps de tout voir/entendre , mais le site web est vraiment superbe, impressionnant , et la musique superbement bien enregistrée et intreprétée. Je regarderais le tout plus tard en détail. Du très beau boulot, bravo

[ENGLISH/] It's great ! [/ENGLISH]

blippo · 14th January 2010

sounds really fresh!

vettloffah · 15th January 2010

this is cool stuff! really enjoy it. seems a little heavy on the bandwith (keeps buffering) but i will download it.

Washington · 16th January 2010

Quote:

Sounds dirty, looks polished

... great one-liner!

About the bandwidth : we limited streaming to 1Mb/sec, which - when you did spend so much time making the music and the graphics - was not an easy idea to get used to. It's a very delicate compromise between what's the average connexion, what it will be in one or two years and the quality you aim for.

Thanks a lot to all of you who took the time to check it out and comment. Keep 'em coming ! Questions welcome.

Adda Audio · 17th January 2010

Yup fantastic work sir

u b k · 26th January 2010

Extremely well done. All the time and energy you invested in this project comes shining thru, it's top notch in every way and pushes the edges of what the web can offer in terms of beautiful, simple, effortlessly immediate and deeply personal art. That's no small thing, if you ask me.

My hat is off. thumbsup

Gregory Scott - ubk

rectifier · 28th January 2010

The whole thing (music and presentation) is just superb, hats off - congratulations.

Washington · 28th January 2010

Thanx a lot to everyone. The response on the net has been amazingly great so far, and since it was a bit of a gamble and not exactly a picnic to put up, it feels really good. Best to y'all.

FarWestWrenchCo · 31st January 2010

To tell you the truth, I found the virtual booklet a little distracting (looks good though

), but the music sounds absolutely gorgeous - congratulations!

brooklynhero · 1st February 2010

I just downloaded. donated $5. i wish I could give more - but Unemployement is prohibitive.

but wow that great art!

BTW - my favorite song is far and away

"It'll Be Poison" that's what made me reach in my pocket and grab a finn.

And that's some crazy accent you got there.

bebopxx · 2nd February 2010

Very cool site, design, layout, graphics are superb (love the cd booklet thing)

Completely enjoy your music (sounds like it came from deep with-in your soul.. so organic & real)

Just brilliant Napo!!! Kudos

avflamenco · 19th June 2010

You are an amazing artist! Very smooth, everything! I'm honored that I sold you the Aurora 16 you used on this great recording!

Unrealworld82 · 19th June 2010

Absolutely stunning.

All around, raised the bar!

Through the roof!

This is the future of music delivery!

Washington · 20th June 2010

Guys, I am very touched by such nice comments. Your kindness goes a long way, as I'm sure you know this extended project wasn't done in one day. In times of doubt, which arise sometimes and are just a normal part of the journey, I'll keep this in mind.

Quote:

Originally Posted by avflamenco

You are an amazing artist! Very smooth, everything! I'm honored that I sold you the Aurora 16 you used on this great recording!

Wouldn't you have been willing to deal with a buyer overseas, and been so smooth in the transaction (trust don't come easy, and I would have understood if you'd have been worried - which you weren't), things might have been different. Thanks again, I owe you a cold one.

If anybody cares, the web distribution ended up being signed and released by a respectable label in Europe. There's a modest thread about it here, feel free to ask any question there (or here) and I'll try my best to answer.

My best to all,

nw

AfterViewer · 20th June 2010

SUPEREXCELLENCE! You've pushed the envelope to new parameters.

Mike Brown · 21st June 2010

Great job! Truely excellent!

FredYeah · 21st June 2010

Although im not particulary fond of your style of music, I can see the awesomeness in it. For that I applaud you. Sadly it won't go on my Ipod, but you're an amazing artist.

And of course, the whole web interface is simply stunning.

blacklight_uk · 22nd June 2010

That's the whole package right there. Sounds absolutely unreal - so many interesting sounds and textures. Truly inspiring stuff.

While I don't normally listen to this kind of music, this is going straight on my playlist. Website looks incredible too. Congratulations man!

ionian · 22nd June 2010

The little videos with the lyrics for each song are phenomenal. Great job!

Frank

idylldon · 22nd June 2010

The music is excellent and the website is perhaps the best I've ever seen. I'm downloading the CD now and, yes, I did make a donation.

Cheers,
--
Don

CeretoneAudio · 22nd June 2010

great music and

that website is amazing

this is what i cauld see digital music delivery becoming - imagine that virtual booklet on an ipad tablet thing controlling your HIFI system ......

11th January 2010	#1
Washington Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 972 Thread Starter	NAPOLEON WASHINGTON: one (hopefully) original project... please comment Hi everybody! I'ts been four years since I started this project, and I am happy (and a bit amazed) to see it completed. It came from a reflexion about the present state of the industry, and it's as a personal experience to try and cope with the situation. I'm totally independent. You can access to the whole thing here : Napoleon Washington's Mud & Grace. You may stream it from the site, and it's available for download in aiff, wav, mp3, aac and mp4 (for the videos). "Mud & Grace" is my third album. It consists of 12 original songs, one cover and over 45 minutes of motion graphics. I recorded and mixed it in a studio I built for that very purpose, then the summing and mastering were done in another facility by a fellow engineer. The starting point was to ask myself "What am I doing in this field?", and to my surprise, the answer did not come in the form of "I am making music" but rather as "I'm trying to communicate, to open a little window on a personal universe". From there on, it struck me that I was not limited to using audio exclusively, but that there were a bunch of other things to try. I financed it mostly by working in video as a compositing engineer. It's been my part-time dayjob for many years, but I always kept music and graphics strictly compartmentalized. For once, I wanted to see if I'd be able to mix both disciplines and try to come up with something personal. I'd be very happy if anybody would care to comment on the project and the music, and I'll be glad to answer any questions - technical or not. Thank you very much in advance. nw Oh, one last thing... I know some don't like to be redirected to another website. I understand that, but I have a particular case here... The project includes a dynamic booklet that I cannot upload in a post. Below are a few screenshots to give you a first idea. Attached Thumbnails __________________ . A musician's attempt to cope with the state of the industry (instead of being sorry for not getting rich)

12th January 2010	#4
Glenn Kuras Gear Guru Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 10,950	Only listening on laptop speakers but it sounds GREAT. I will download this when I get to the office and listen on the studio gear. Hats off __________________ Glenn Kuras GIK Acoustics USA GIK Acoustics Europe 770 986 2789 (USA) +44 (0) 20 7558 8976 (UK) See the NEW Soffit Bass Trap

12th January 2010	#6
henryrobinett Gear Guru Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 10,217	I'll check it out at my earliest opportunity! Thanks for thinking of me. Probably won't be till tomorrow though! Good work. I can tell. __________________ All the best, Henry Robinett http://soundcloud.com/henry-robinett

12th January 2010	#7
Dark Smile Gear maniac Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Madrid (Spain) Posts: 173	The web is amazing. One of the best band's webs I've ever seen. I also liked the songs. Not much my style, but they sound very deep and emotional. __________________ http://www.darksmilemusic.com

13th January 2010	#10
spaceman Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Paris Posts: 940	Je n'ai pas eu le temps de tout voir/entendre , mais le site web est vraiment superbe, impressionnant , et la musique superbement bien enregistrée et intreprétée. Je regarderais le tout plus tard en détail. Du très beau boulot, bravo [ENGLISH/] It's great ! [/ENGLISH] __________________ "Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he isn't. A sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is." Francis Bacon

12th January 2010	#2
Gilli C Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Wellington NZ Posts: 164	Due to the stink ass broad band in the country I live in, i can only listen and view short bits of your awesome virtual CD. Love the graphics & design. I listened to a small bit of the first & 2nd tracks - the drum sound really appeals to me. kind of dark & open at the same time. Going to have to down load it, to satisfy my curiosity! Care to share some techie details ? G EDIT downloading just the single now....

12th January 2010	#5
joelpatterson Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Albany, New York Posts: 9,034	Wooo-hoo-hoooo!

13th January 2010	#8
Timur Born Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,427	Sounds dirty, looks polished, I'm jealous!

14th January 2010	#11
blippo Gear interested Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Sweden Posts: 22	sounds really fresh!

15th January 2010	#12
vettloffah Gear interested Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 14	this is cool stuff! really enjoy it. seems a little heavy on the bandwith (keeps buffering) but i will download it.

17th January 2010	#14
Adda Audio Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: UK Posts: 277	Yup fantastic work sir

26th January 2010	#15
u b k Gear Guru Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: The Land of Sunshine Posts: 10,980	Extremely well done. All the time and energy you invested in this project comes shining thru, it's top notch in every way and pushes the edges of what the web can offer in terms of beautiful, simple, effortlessly immediate and deeply personal art. That's no small thing, if you ask me. My hat is off. thumbsup Gregory Scott - ubk __________________ • Introducing UBK-1: Motion Generating Character Compressor • • Finally... Plugin Compression with Vibe, Color, and Authority • ____________________

28th January 2010	#16
rectifier Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Belgica Posts: 1,745	The whole thing (music and presentation) is just superb, hats off - congratulations.

1st February 2010	#19
brooklynhero Gear nut Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 139	I just downloaded. donated $5. i wish I could give more - but Unemployement is prohibitive. but wow that great art! BTW - my favorite song is far and away "It'll Be Poison" that's what made me reach in my pocket and grab a finn. And that's some crazy accent you got there. __________________ RE20/MJE K47H -> 5Fish X12 w/JLM Fet DI -> Duet

2nd February 2010	#20
bebopxx Gear nut Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 107	Very cool site, design, layout, graphics are superb (love the cd booklet thing) Completely enjoy your music (sounds like it came from deep with-in your soul.. so organic & real) Just brilliant Napo!!! Kudos

19th June 2010	#21
avflamenco Gear Head Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sedona Posts: 36	An Amazing artistic accomplishment! You are an amazing artist! Very smooth, everything! I'm honored that I sold you the Aurora 16 you used on this great recording!

19th June 2010	#22
Unrealworld82 Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 388	Absolutely stunning. All around, raised the bar! Through the roof! This is the future of music delivery!

20th June 2010	#24
AfterViewer Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Great lakes State, U.S.A. Posts: 851	SUPEREXCELLENCE! You've pushed the envelope to new parameters.

21st June 2010	#25
Mike Brown Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Minneapolis MN Posts: 3,188	Great job! Truely excellent!

21st June 2010	#26
FredYeah Gear addict Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 478	Although im not particulary fond of your style of music, I can see the awesomeness in it. For that I applaud you. Sadly it won't go on my Ipod, but you're an amazing artist. And of course, the whole web interface is simply stunning. __________________ ====================================== esse est percipi aut percipere

22nd June 2010	#27
blacklight_uk Gear addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Posts: 497	That's the whole package right there. Sounds absolutely unreal - so many interesting sounds and textures. Truly inspiring stuff. While I don't normally listen to this kind of music, this is going straight on my playlist. Website looks incredible too. Congratulations man! __________________ Josh McArdle

22nd June 2010	#28
ionian Lives for gear Join Date: May 2010 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 1,392	The little videos with the lyrics for each song are phenomenal. Great job! Frank

22nd June 2010	#29
idylldon Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Idyllwild, CA Posts: 2,567	The music is excellent and the website is perhaps the best I've ever seen. I'm downloading the CD now and, yes, I did make a donation. Cheers, -- Don __________________ "What is essential is invisible to the eye." -- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

22nd June 2010	#30
CeretoneAudio Lives for gear Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 648	great music and that website is amazing this is what i cauld see digital music delivery becoming - imagine that virtual booklet on an ipad tablet thing controlling your HIFI system ......

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