dro
Well-Known Member
HERE WE GO AGAIN
NOT TRYING TO UPSET OR HURT ANYBODY'S FEELERS SO PUT YOUR RUBBER BOOTS ON.
This is just a sort of documentation of my journey through MY musical experience.
Don't believe I have to add a disclaimer here, but it seems in today's world It's against the law to voice one's opinion.
My first studio session was in the late 70's. I was amazed and intrigued about the entire process. All the equipment. all the mic's. Playing a "basic track" and adding the icing, with different parts, and then vocals, harmonies, then the mixing process. And in the end, the final product could be transferred to a Cassette Tape that could be played in your car. Remarkable.
As time went by, through the years. And refinements in audio equipment. Some good, Some not so good. At first the home recordings, done on a 4 track Teac reel to reel. After a time the 4 track became a small Yamaha cassette version. I still see some of those around today. With those, we could iron out our tunes and get them ready for "Studio".
Working with audio pro's getting your music down on tape. Tape, a 2 " magnetic reel, costing a good amount of money. Mounted on a Studer Machine. Still have some of those tapes. And technology grew and grew. And equipment became smaller. Remember ADAT? We thought that was the stuff (for about a minute). Next came the Alesis HD24. Finally a system that could be installed in a small room or home studio. Only problem was, digital converters were still in their infancy. And losing the warmth of analogue was the cost. In the meantime, digital rack units became the norm for stage use. For ease of setup and decent fx.
But recording those digital systems became extremely stale. Enter the boom of low budget tube preamps. And then finally. Finally, for me anyway. A dedicated computer based recording system that I set up in the rehearsal studio. I would hit record and just let it run. we would capture things that, in the past were always lost to time. Mixing to Redbook CD, on an Alesis Masterlink recorder.. Made some of the best recordings we had ever done.
Our first major, home based, or rehearsal studio based project was, as most people. A cover album. That Album, was what prompted more spending.
Had gone back in time from the lighter ss amps and more compact digital fx units. Back to the old tube amps and analogue fx, to bring bac some of the tones that I had grown up with. Found Radial DI's. And Mogami Gold cabling.
Next came the the tansition, from the rehearsal studio. to building a proper studio at the house. A two year ordeal. Working every day and night. Having a heart attack right in the middle. But was driven. I always thought I didn't want my music, and my home life in the same place. As it had never been in the same place before. I had kept my home for family. And the music stayed at the studio. When I got my new studio running, I couldn't believe the freedom. I could wake up at 2 or 3 am with an idea. Walk about a hundred feet. Flip a few switches and I was up and running. Close my doors, and I was isolated from the rest of the house. And the world. I could do pretty much anything I wanted.
Still working full time. My first order of business, besides relearning the system that I haden't used in two years. Was mixing the completed songs that were in the computer. Replacing iffy parts. Cleaning up vocals and adding harmonies. I was in bliss. And getting some good work done.
Through all this, I only converted my first CD, to MP3. When I did that, the music fell flat on it's face. Cars still had CD players, So I kept mixing to Redbook CD.
Went along happily for one year. Then came the first big news that hit like a ton of bricks. My wife came in, and said her company was closing down operations in CA, and had offered to relocate us to the Midwest. Wow
She said I could retire, if I agreed to make the move. Which sounded really good. AS my auto painting job, though lucrative, was killing me.
I have deleted the rest of this post as it had gotten off track. Just wanted to share some of my story.
Bottom line though. All my gear is still packed up in cases. My files are still raw tracks, other than my CD's. My laptop has no CD player. I've got recordings I'd like to share. But at this point in my life. My drive has kinda turned to park.
I am thankful for this forum, where I can at least still remember my Glory days. Due to unfortunate circumstances, these are the only pictures I have left of my studio. Today it's almost like it never existed.
I miss my studio, Don't even have any pics of the iso booth, or drum land.
Thank for your time. If you chose not to back out of this thread.
NOT TRYING TO UPSET OR HURT ANYBODY'S FEELERS SO PUT YOUR RUBBER BOOTS ON.
This is just a sort of documentation of my journey through MY musical experience.
Don't believe I have to add a disclaimer here, but it seems in today's world It's against the law to voice one's opinion.
My first studio session was in the late 70's. I was amazed and intrigued about the entire process. All the equipment. all the mic's. Playing a "basic track" and adding the icing, with different parts, and then vocals, harmonies, then the mixing process. And in the end, the final product could be transferred to a Cassette Tape that could be played in your car. Remarkable.
As time went by, through the years. And refinements in audio equipment. Some good, Some not so good. At first the home recordings, done on a 4 track Teac reel to reel. After a time the 4 track became a small Yamaha cassette version. I still see some of those around today. With those, we could iron out our tunes and get them ready for "Studio".
Working with audio pro's getting your music down on tape. Tape, a 2 " magnetic reel, costing a good amount of money. Mounted on a Studer Machine. Still have some of those tapes. And technology grew and grew. And equipment became smaller. Remember ADAT? We thought that was the stuff (for about a minute). Next came the Alesis HD24. Finally a system that could be installed in a small room or home studio. Only problem was, digital converters were still in their infancy. And losing the warmth of analogue was the cost. In the meantime, digital rack units became the norm for stage use. For ease of setup and decent fx.
But recording those digital systems became extremely stale. Enter the boom of low budget tube preamps. And then finally. Finally, for me anyway. A dedicated computer based recording system that I set up in the rehearsal studio. I would hit record and just let it run. we would capture things that, in the past were always lost to time. Mixing to Redbook CD, on an Alesis Masterlink recorder.. Made some of the best recordings we had ever done.
Our first major, home based, or rehearsal studio based project was, as most people. A cover album. That Album, was what prompted more spending.
Had gone back in time from the lighter ss amps and more compact digital fx units. Back to the old tube amps and analogue fx, to bring bac some of the tones that I had grown up with. Found Radial DI's. And Mogami Gold cabling.
Next came the the tansition, from the rehearsal studio. to building a proper studio at the house. A two year ordeal. Working every day and night. Having a heart attack right in the middle. But was driven. I always thought I didn't want my music, and my home life in the same place. As it had never been in the same place before. I had kept my home for family. And the music stayed at the studio. When I got my new studio running, I couldn't believe the freedom. I could wake up at 2 or 3 am with an idea. Walk about a hundred feet. Flip a few switches and I was up and running. Close my doors, and I was isolated from the rest of the house. And the world. I could do pretty much anything I wanted.
Still working full time. My first order of business, besides relearning the system that I haden't used in two years. Was mixing the completed songs that were in the computer. Replacing iffy parts. Cleaning up vocals and adding harmonies. I was in bliss. And getting some good work done.
Through all this, I only converted my first CD, to MP3. When I did that, the music fell flat on it's face. Cars still had CD players, So I kept mixing to Redbook CD.
Went along happily for one year. Then came the first big news that hit like a ton of bricks. My wife came in, and said her company was closing down operations in CA, and had offered to relocate us to the Midwest. Wow
She said I could retire, if I agreed to make the move. Which sounded really good. AS my auto painting job, though lucrative, was killing me.
I have deleted the rest of this post as it had gotten off track. Just wanted to share some of my story.
Bottom line though. All my gear is still packed up in cases. My files are still raw tracks, other than my CD's. My laptop has no CD player. I've got recordings I'd like to share. But at this point in my life. My drive has kinda turned to park.
I am thankful for this forum, where I can at least still remember my Glory days. Due to unfortunate circumstances, these are the only pictures I have left of my studio. Today it's almost like it never existed.
I miss my studio, Don't even have any pics of the iso booth, or drum land.
Thank for your time. If you chose not to back out of this thread.
