Like spun glass in sore eyes

Downloaded the demo of AD plugs - you only get bass hh cymbals and snare - no toms or anything but it's still fully usable. AD is pretty sweet, I'm definitely going to get it. Messed around some more in Logic, learned about sidechaining - a mixing technique that gets mentioned a lot in the Logic literature - turns out it's something that's used extensively in techo music, I probably won't use it. Also learned about how to make the stock string samples in Logic sound better using multipressor + space designer and tweaking velocity sensitivity esx24, so maybe I won't have to buy a string sample plug. It's really easy to get caught up in the sequencing at the expense of songwriting I think - but I have to learn at least some of this stuff if I want to make decent sounding demos. I probably don't need to become the next Squarepusher or anything.

K. really liked the stem I played her yesterday - a variation on Pacbel's Canon in D, which sounds really nice. I feel bad that a. it's mostly tweaked loops and b. that it's Pacbel's Canon melody so it's not very original although it sounds really cool. Don't know whether I should pursue this stem or not, but I'll just keep it around.

Drinking in the last days

Spent basically the entire weekend working on music but not finishing anything. Looking back, I did get a lot of stuff done though - I learned a lot of stuff, and I actually have some usable tracks. Did a lot of reading about production techniques, mainly automation and mixing stuff. Had a couple of days where I was rethinking the issue of whether to switch to Live but decided against it. I spent so much time learning Logic, it would be silly to let that knowledge go to waste. Later on I can use Ableton rewired with Logic as a host - but will I really need to do that just to be plugged into the hippest new software? Logic is much more powerful, and if you organize your workflow right Ableton doesn't offer much that Logic can't do - plus the quality of the stock plugs in Logic. The one thing that had me really on the fence was the fact that Ableton Suite has everything you need - high quality drum and synth plugs, and a sampler, etc. for around 500 - but all of those third party apps will cost a ton in Logic if I buy one at a time. Ah well. I think a lot can be done just working with the stock plugs - you can certainly come up with believable strings and drums if you put in the work. Actually drum programming is too much of a pain in the ass and I'll probably spring for Addictive Drums in a couple months.

Anyways, music. I tried some songwriting - I have another skeleton of a song - basically chord progression and a beat with no lyrics or fixed melody. I feel like I'm almost there, all I really need to do is make a decision about these song skeletons and finalize their arrangements. Been thinking about writing lyrics first - I initially thought that I wouldn't do that but now it seems like if I have a set of lyrics I really like it would be fairly easy to come up with a melody and chords, I can come up with those fairly easily. I feel like this long process of learning, getting my chops up to my standards, getting familiar with the process, etc. is drawing to an end, not that you ever stop learning. But every day I write music or work on music related stuff - it feels good, I'm kind of obsessed with it, I feel like I'm getting better at it. I feel like soon I'll see a breakthrough and the songs will start coming, then the real fun will begin. 12 hr

Logic vs. Ableton

This guy pretty much sorts it out in his post on idmforums - I think Ableton rewired through Logic is the ideal setup

I primarily use Ableton Live for my production. This is more out of necessity than choice though. I think that if one were to look at the applications side-by-side and undertake an honest, unbiased comparison then they would agree that both applications are just as valuable as each other.

A few observations I've made:

Logic's audio engine is better than Ableton's
This is without a doubt and it comes from 15+ years of digital audio development

Ableton Live's time-stretching (called "Warp" in Live) and other sample manipulation functionality is more accessible than Logic's
Clip envelopes, looping, sample swapping, time-stretching and whatever else are all readily available to the user in Live. Logic's functions are more powerful, to say the least, but are much harder to find and learn.

Ableton Live allows non-destructive sample editing
This is a big plus when you're playing around with ideas. Through the use of clip envelopes, warp markers and whatever else you can get your hands on it's possible to make a large amount of edits to a sample without ever having to re-sample the results. Sample editing in Logic is destructive (somebody correct me if I'm wrong here). BUT the trade-off is, once again, more powerful and high quality re-sampling.

Logic's MIDI functionality is much more comprehensive than Ableton Live's
Logic provides complete MIDI documentation for every control available in a device. Live only provides the first 128 in most cases.

Live's MIDI assignment is global, Logic's is local
Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

GLOBAL MIDI assignment means that I make MIDI control assignments on one MIDI controller that span device controls across a number of tracks within a project. The advantage is that I can simultaneously make control changes on multiple tracks. The disadvantage is a MIDI controller with multiple device control assignments will make control changes to EVERY device control to which it is assigned.

LOCAL MIDI assignment means that I can make MIDI assignments for device controls on each track independently. I can assign device controls for each track to the same MIDI controller and then operate them on their own. To start making control changes to an assigned device control in a given track, I just need to click into the track itself and it will start listening for MIDI. The disadvantage is the opposite to global assignment in that I can only control one track's device controls at a time with the same MIDI controller.

Both are a trade-off as far as I'm concerned.

Ableton Live's work-flow is much more fluid but less functional than Logic's
It's very easy to collect and create source material to work with in Live. The session view allows for us to store information that we're not necessarily committing to in our final arrangement. We can then easily recall this later on and so on. Not only that, but we don't even need to consider an arrangement while we're coming up with ideas. By contrast, Logic only functions on a flat timeline which means that we have to commit to some sort of arrangement before being able to hear a particular part in context to those around it.

Logic's work-flow is more conducive to productivity
Creating and collating material in Live is a much quicker, and more enjoyable process for this reason. However, once the material is collected and ready to be arranged into a product, then Logic provides a great deal more functionality than Live - more automation features, mix groups, project views and so on.

Logic's workspace is more customisable than Ableton Live's
Although it lacks the features of Live's session view, Logic still provides more options for viewing a project. It's possible to save multiple mixer windows and recall them when needed. For instance, you may have a mix window set up containing only your return tracks and your master outputs, then one containing only your MIDI channels and another containing only your audio channels and so on. It's also possible to save an entire workspace (arrangement, mixer and any open devices) for easy recall at the push of a button.

My choice
If I had the luxury of both, I would use Live for creating material and developing a composition. Then when it was ready for mixing, I'd fly it over to Logic and complete the mix there.

I'd also point out that you don't need to use the same software as someone else to collaborate with them. File formats are the same across all production suites meaning it's possible to exchange material - and ideas - regardless of your peers' production platforms.

Because noone wants to die alone

Made a lot of progres in the past couple of days. Finished first song, the ambient shoegaze one - added a nice acoustic guitar solo to the end of it and some cool spoken word samples. Started skeleton of new song - drums and some effects, and recorded the guitars already. It's going to be a simple rock tune, but with a cool bridge and a lot of effects. Learning a lot about Logic and mixing lately, too. Really excited about music. The music that's coming out of me is not the type I intended to write and record, at least so far - but I'm just happy that I'm writing and recording, and it sounds cool to me. Note to self that aside from sounding cool, a good title implies the subject matter of a song if only in the way you associate the words with subjects in your life.

The face of the assassin

Made a lot of progress on my first Logic composition that actually seems like a 'keeper' - an ambient sound collage I was using to teach myself automation and creating samples in ESX24. I like it - I think it just needs some more sequencing and some guitar and voice overdubs now. I have an idea of writing an album with dreamlike hallucinatory sequences like Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, mixed with passages of formally structured songs featuring acoustic fingerpicking. So this is an example of the first type of song, obviously the second type of song is more difficult - but it doesn't have to be so difficult. I'm really liking the idea of stream of consciousness writing, like how BC created his album by composing each song in order and taking only a few hours to do each song. Also remember how Lennon and McCartney would limit themselves to 2-3 hour songwriting sessions.

Sleep tonight

Trying to write songs, focused on alternate tunings. Came up with some stuff that seemed to have potential at the time but lost interest in them later on - probably because I didn't record them right away, I should have. I will record these ideas at least the next time I practice - I probably won't be able to tonight due to having to go to my mom's tonight. There are two to three ideas - fingerpicking in full step down standard on the fifth fret to the chord progression of Atlantic City transposed to a different key, which is fun to play, strumming shoegazerish song inspired by the Dodos Fools in open G tuning, then a vocal melody I came up with to a vamp on a fingerpicking pattern based loosely on That's The Way in open G. Vocal melodies are still hard to come by, the ones I come up with are droney and uninteresting. Need to always have the iPhone around to record ideas while brainstorming for ideas. I also played around with my recording equipment, especially my new condenser mic, by trying to record some covers. Had some problems with gain levels recording fingerpicking songs and singing - I still have to work these problems out. Had problems recording a semi difficult fingerpicking cover while singing - it always takes me so many takes to record anything decent and I don't have much time to record usually. I have to record while the wife and baby are out or when everyone's asleep. It's really inconvenient, I don't know what to do about it. I mean I could set up a room in the basement or something but I'd feel bad about going downstairs to record and leaving the wife with the baby for more than a half hour or so, or renting out a practice space and going away for hours to work on my music. This is a hobby after all. If I was younger and a single guy I'd be able to record all day. I'd probably write different songs too. Anyway, that's my problem. If I want to have a lot of videos on my youtube channel and a good set of songs for an EP this year then I'm going to have to find a way to do it. I shouldn't spend more than an hour recording at a time anyways, if it takes more than an hour then I need to rehearse more.

Artificial insemination

Had a pretty good week working on music. When we went to visit the in laws last week the stupid cat scratched my thumb so I didn't play guitar for the first half of the week because I was letting my finger heal. Instead I read some songwriting books and worked with the four track recorder iPhone app to try and come up with some melodies for this one song I'm working on. On Friday my finger had healed up, and I got back into playing again. I stayed up late Friday night, trying to record a decent version of Thirteen which didn't go so well. First of all, I decided not to record using the built in iSight camera from the side as I don't like my profile much. Also, I couldn't get a good recording despite the fact I had both mics going at once. I blame this later on for bad levels on the Duet interface, and also the MXL 2001 condenser mic just being crappy in general. I got really frustrated with this mic and I eventually wound up ordering an MXL 990 - which is cheap but gets really good reviews as a vocal an acoustic guitar mic. I'm going to try recording again when I get the 990 later this week. And probably my biggest problem - vocal problems due to my trying to sing the song lower so that it fits comfortably within my 'range'. I realized some songs are meant to be sung just slightly above a singer's comfort level as it gives the vocal performance a bit of an 'edge', so long as the singer can control his voice the majority of the time. My voice isn't really that far off from E. Smith anyways - and also, if you're going to go down an octave then the shakiness of the really low notes becomes the problem. On Saturday and Sunday - I played a *lot* of acoustic, and I was able to sing a lot of the time. Excited at how my singing and playing seems to have improved, and how I'm getting more comfortable with it. Also excited about how the time off seems to have helped my playing - sometimes it's good to take some time off from playing - anyways, playing was good. I made up for the practice time lost the past couple weeks during the holidays and I even added a bunch of new songs to the repertoire.

To hold you in time

The doctor gave me some strong medicine, I'm finally feeling better. The eating rampage that was Christmas in the UP is over and I've started my 20 week marathon training regimen over, and I'm starting to shed the stupid 10 pounds I gained over the holidays - this week I lost 3-4 pounds, which is good. The stupid cat at my in laws house was playing with me and she accidentally scratched my finger, so I've been holding off from playing guitar. I've been writing a lot, I wrote one song and it sucks. Songwriting is an art form that may take me a while to master, I don't want to just record stuff just to have an album out - even though there's a good chance not many people will hear it I want it to be stuff that I'm proud of. I read that REM wrote 40 songs in the first two months they were together and only two of them got recorded - it may work out like that for me. I probably won't try to produce a 'finished' recording until I have something I really like. It's really all about the vocal melody - I'm still amazed at people who can write great ones, mine always seem droney or derivative. I did stumble across some good advice in my googling the other day-

I have a technique that can help with a pedestrian melody. I don't know where you're at in your development so this my be a little... advanced? Nah. It's not. OK...

I can spit out decent melodies all day long. They're completely run of the mill but very decent, diatonic melodies. Bleh. Who cares? Static is not inspiring. One day I read a very good analysis of The Beatles writing and the author pointed out something that you don't hear a lot in most pop writing... but you do in the GREAT pop writer's works.

Using a non-chordal tone on the main beat of the melody line. Stay with me...

Take McCartney's Yesterday. We all know it's in F, but let's pretend it's in C for the sake if illustration.

On a C chord...
Yes(D) ter(C) day(C)

He starts with a D, not a C, not an E, not a G, the notes of the chord. But with a D. Then he quickly resolves to the C. It's the simplest thing, but very, very powerful.

This isn't to say they do it all the way through the song, but keep it in mind. When you've got a cool, workable melody, check to see if you can SUSPEND things every now and then by using non chordal notes in places of importance. Down beat to verses, choruses, etc. then resolving in a place of lesser importance. It keeps them interested.

On a C chord
Take a sad song and make it Be(A) ter(G) er(F) er(E)

The first syllable of better Be(A) is a non chordal tone right on the 1!

Advanced Beginner Marathon Training - 20 week program

Here's the schedule I'll be following to train for the Chicago Marathon. I've already done it once - it was hell, especially in the cold weather. I'll be doing it again this spring and once more in the summer and fall before the marathon. Today is the first day of a new cycle.

Advanced Beginner Marathon Training Schedule
Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1 Rest 3 mi Rest 3 mi Rest 4 mi 3 mi EZ
2 Rest 3 miles 2 mi 3 mi CT or Rest 5 mi 3 mi EZ
3 Rest 3 mi 2 mi RP 4 mi CT or Rest 6 mi 3 mi EZ
4 Rest 3 mi 2 mi RP 4 mi CT or Rest 7 mi 3 mi EZ
5 Rest 4 mi 2.5 mi RP 4 mi CT or Rest 6 mi 3 mi EZ
6 Rest 4 mil 2.5 mi RP 4 mi CT or Rest 8 mi 3 mi EZ
7 Rest 4 mi 3 mi RP 4 mi CT or Rest 10 mi 3 mi EZ
8 Rest 4 mi 3 mi RP 5 mi CT or Rest 8 mi 3 mi EZ
9 Rest 4 mi 3 mi RP 4 mi CT or Rest 12 mi Rest
10 Rest 4 mi 3 mi RP 5 mi CT or Rest 14 mi 3 mi EZ
11 Rest 4 mi 3.5 mi RP 4 mi CT or Rest 16 mi 3 mi EZ
12 Rest 5 mi 4 mi RP 5 mi CT or Rest 10 mi 3 mi EZ
13 Rest 5 mi 4 mi RP 5 mi CT or Rest 18 mi 3 mi EZ
14 Rest 4 mi 4 mi RP 5 mi CT or Rest 12 mi 3 mi EZ
15 Rest 4 mi 4.5 mi RP 5 mi CT or Rest 18 mi Rest
16 3 mi EZ 5 mi 4.5 mi RP 6 mi CT or Rest 14 mi 3 mi EZ
17 Rest 4 mi 5 mi RP 6 mi CT or Rest 20 mi 3 mi EZ
18 Rest 4 mi CT 4 mi CT or Rest 12 mi 3 mi EZ
19 Rest 3 mi 30 minutes RP 3 mi CT or Rest 8 mi 3 mi EZ
20 Rest 2 mi 20 minutes Rest Day 20 minutes Race Day! Rest Day!

New Year

Spent the past couple of days visiting with the in laws, gorging myself on food, drinking, watching our babies play together. It was entirely satisfying, but didn't get any songwriting done. Thought about it a lot though. Watched this video with Nellie McKay on All Songs Considered - she's given 3 days to write a song and she writes a really complicated 1920's musical theater pastiche that's really impressive and intimidating http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89287187 . Anyways she's brilliant, just the fluency on the wide variety of instruments, the theoretical knowledge, the comfort around studio technology - it's all intimidating. I'm amazed by anyone who can do this, as I've not proven myself capable yet. Came home, had to clean the house, threw two loads on laundry in, had to put the baby to bed, it's almost 10 o'clock right now and I have to stay up until the clothes are dry and I totally don't want to go to work tomorrow. I'm not sure how I can fit songwriting into my life, it's just too hectic. Been thinking of the partial song that I wrote over the past few days - it's way to poppy and 'teenagey', like something Weezer would write. But maybe I just need to write a whole bunch of really bad songs that aren't what I want to achieve at all just to get the process down, before I start writing songs that I feel proud of. I'm prepared to do that, I guess. There's no time limit but it would be nice to have something to show for all this effort in the next couple years.

Recording an album in 2010

I took piano lessons as a kid starting around age 6 to like sophomore year in high school. By the time I quit piano lessons I was playing classical pieces at a very high level, but I was also really sick of playing piano. What I always wanted to do was play guitar, but I never got the opportunity because I was so focused on piano. It was only until much later, in 1999, when I decided to learn guitar. I had a roommate at the time that let me play her acoustic and taught me a few basics. I eventually bought myself an electric guitar and amp, and started to take lessons with a Jazz guy. My focus at this time was to improve technically, and I mainly played classic rock and metal cover songs with complicated solos. I quit playing the guitar for about 2 years, I think this was around 2003-2005 - when I was really busy with graduate school. After graduate school, I got back into playing guitar - but I was still mainly playing hard rock covers.

About a year ago I started playing a lot more acoustic - I had always been a fan of acoustic players like Nick Drake and Elliott Smith, and I set out to learn the fingerstyle techniques used in my favorite acoustic songs. I think I decided to try to write and record songs about a year ago, after hearing a friend's band's album - I wanted to express myself in my own way. For the last year I think I've been preparing myself for writing and recording. I've been practicing a lot on the guitar, I think I'm finally at a level where I think I can play some cool sounding stuff that doesn't sound too amateurish. I've also been buying gear and teaching myself how to use software like Logic Studio. So 2010 will be the year I write and record my album. I plan to post my progress in this blog, I'm a good guitar player, not great, but good enough. I'm bad at singing, but I think I can work on my voice. I know that I can write great lyrics, I've just always been good at creative writing. I know how to work recording software and equipment. I'm still a decent piano player, although my awesome chops are mostly gone, the best thing I think I took away from my piano experience is all the music theory and the ability to sight read.

I'm not sure I can write a good vocal melody, I think I can. I've certainly spent my life listening to music, digesting different styles. We'll see. I actually think the ability to write a good vocal melody is the most important skill of a songwriter - you can always hire session musicians and producers anyways, and there's plenty of songs out there with dumb lyrics. Anyways, that's where I'm at. I'm in Michigan for NYE weekend at my in laws, no guitar with me. So I'm just thinking about songwriting and reading up on using the Songframe software. So far I have the beginnings of a pretty good song if I can finish it. The chord progressions, melodies and lyrics need a little tweaking but I'm starting to get excited about it.