Music is....

[musikwerks]

amazing.

I've been working on an album, on an off, for the past 2 and a bit years. Working when I have money to continue, often with long breaks between sessions. Along the way I've hooked up with Shania Twain's guitar player, who did a bunch of tracks for me, a production team in LA that did some more guitar tracks and vocals and another vocalist I have admired since I was a teenager, who did some BV's for me in London. Suddenly the best players in the world are not as out of reach as I thought.

I wanted to have some strings on 3 songs so I asked around and eventually found a chap in Nashville who has worked with a lot of my musical heroes. This morning I opened my inbox and found one of the songs waiting there with the most lush, emotive, beautiful strings over what I think is quite possibly the best song of the album... and it just blew me away.

Getting bogged down in the process of making music is not nearly as inspiring as actually making it. Worrying about which pre or compressor to use versus just playing what the song requires. I have no idea what gear was used on any of the sessions but it seriously doesn't matter to me anymore.
[/i]

[TimS]

Its always that feel good thing about when it comes back
I've been working on a track that has a lovely melody and we go a guy to do some mandolin on it.
Came back sounding great and although I edited it to create the hook for the song, it still sounds super..
Didnt even worry me to think if he'd changed his strings - I was very happy with the overall sound and feel..
Glad to hear that you happy with your project Kristian.
:-)
PS who was the gtr player? Randall Waller?

[musikwerks]

Yep, Randall. I've known him for a while as well as his brother who I used to play on stage with. Great guy and introduced me to some cool techniques too.

[Ryan Collings]

Sounds exciting. Post up some links to have a listen if u get a chance. Interesting idea about "outsourcing" your string section... I'm interested to hear more about the process involved in the recruiting, composing, negotiation of rate etc. That was involved in that. Also I'd particularly like to hear that track. I'm working on my own album with the goal of completion in 09 and strings would sound beautiful on some of my tracks...

[musikwerks]

I'll post some links once it's all mixed and mastered.

In the course of looking for an orchestral solution I came across another guy who regularly travels to Budapest, Prague, London, Berlin, Nashville etc, etc with about 30 or 40 songs for various clients. He books a block of time with the orchestras and studios and just hammers out all the songs in a few days. He can either arrange for you or you can use your own arrangements. But the cost is significantly cheaper than if you tried your own dedicated session, particularly as you're gaining access to the finest orchestras in the world.

For my project I knocked up a very simple midi track to show the kind of thing I was after, as well as sending some mp3's of other songs I liked. Mostly, I only had an idea here and there and the arranger filled in the gaps and made it something truly cool. Negotiating the fee was pretty straightforward. Just two emails to sort it out. When I sign off on the recordings I send the payment and then I get my hi-res stems.

What has amazed me the most in all of this is how open the big players are to working with some guy from Sydney. I took a punt on the first session and asked and he said yes and then I just kept asking.... so far no one has said no.

[Ryan Collings]

Very interesting. I look forward to hearing it!

Would it be possible for you to PM me with some kind of ballpark figure or point me in the direction to find out? Budget is obviously an issue for me for my album, but I really want to do it right.

[geareyes]

"Getting bogged down in the process of making music is not nearly as inspiring as actually making it"


The reality of that line never escapes me,and nothing ever proves it different!

The feeling you get when you've stumbled upon creating something out of thin air and you play it back to youself.....Nothing in this world quite exercises the skin around my smile like this does :) :)

You know,when i havent written anything for a litttle while and the part of me that is semi gear obsessive rears its head,it always pulls out all stops to flood me with a satisfaction that disguises its authenticness.....You begin to think,yeh this feels real good,like just after a new gear purchase.

Its not untill you get creative again and sink your ears into something you've just written or how magically the parts of a song weave themselves together, almost on their own, that you realise..........

Every other feeling is an imitator......Music makes you feel from where it matters.....Always.

Mike

[ChrisW]

What has amazed me the most in all of this is how open the big players are to working with some guy from Sydney. I took a punt on the first session and asked and he said yes and then I just kept asking.... so far no one has said no.

That's the good news and the bad news.
The good news is you are working with the best. I'm all for that, the world is shrinking and the internet means you can contact and communicate with heroes you could never get through to before.
The bad news is, the top studios are available and offering deals. The top players aren't so busy they wont get out of bed for less the five grand any more, and they return your emails and phone calls straight away instead of programming an automatic response message stating they are booked for 2009, but if you'd like to hire them in 2010 and can afford their premium rates.....etc