I've spent the last few days in the studio with New Hampshire artist Amy Petty helping to navigate the production of her new record. I'm not sure if it's that I'm tired or that I'm getting my first dose of sunlight in what feels like months but something has me mulling over the process of record making. It's been a few years since the release of 'Mystery Keeps You'. Last Spring, Amy and I started toying with the idea of embarking on her second record. Directionally, our biggest concern was that the new record not be a remaking or re-inventing of 'Mystery'.
Fast forward almost a year, skip over the week I spent in New Hampshire wading through Amy's catalog of material to me sitting at my console, listening to possibility. I'll be honest, here - making records from scratch takes a strong stomach. It's not a job for those uncomfortable with uncertainty and being uncomfortable. Even after steering dozens of records to completion, I still find the process a bit unnerving.
While a great amount of care is taken to select and then tweak the source material (songs) , each tune must still endure quite a bit to reach completion. The right part, played by the right instrument, performed by the right player, captured by the right microphone positioned at just the right place all impact the end result. A well written song aside, the above things are what make or break a song's ability to elicit an emotive response from the listener.
At the end of the day, about all that comforts my record making anxiety is the team of people surrounding me. I am at best, an average musician with a few good ideas. My strength has always been in surrounding myself with amazing musicians; selfless players that aspire to make great, emotive records. I like to call them all 'ultimate character actors' in that while each of them is brilliant, skilled and accomplished in their own right, they choose to play whatever roll necessary to further the story. They truly play for the song.
Beyond their art, they are all easy people. As session drummer Joe Meyer told me once: "We make records here. If you are here, the expectation is that you can play. From there it's all about donuts and coffee. Can you sit and make your client feel at ease and as if everything is under control? Can you hang?"
Instead of trying to remove discomfort from the process, my new goal is to get more comfortable being uncomfortable. After all, great art is born at the fray of normalcy; reaching into the unknown is always a bit scary. And too, have the courage to let other people (the right people) into the process. It's difficult to create something new and other worldly when creating in a vacuum. And most important (most obvious and often overlooked) let the team know and feel their value.
It's an honor and a privilege, guys. It really is.
Making records is often a very cathartic experience for me. Working on a full length project from the ground up is always such a humbling and grounding experience. There's something about taking a record from infancy to fruition that is demonstrative of how important PROCESS is in life. I realize while making records how much time of my life is spent wanting to be somewhere other than where i am. I often wish I was farther; wish I had this or that. It's often easy to overlook the importance of each brick in a wall; each step along a path. Making records is one aspect of my life where I see this, clearly. A good idea, the right people/ideas bolstered by the right intent and will builds things of relevance and beauty.
After a writing trip in Cincinnati with artist Javier Mendoza, we set up in the studio to begin tracking. Contributing massively on the record are the usual suspects - Drummer Joe Meyer, Bassists Eric Grossman and Logan Detering, Pianist David Aholt, Multi-instrumentalist R. Scott Bryan, Guitarist Jim Peters and of course Javier Mendoza. I've actually played very little on this record but have found my role to be more concept directive than in past; it's a different but great role to play.
What I am most proud of really - is Javier's willingness to let his songs be pushed and pulled by PROCESS. In some ways, his songs have been reworked several times, now. First in Cincinnati where we rifled thru the best ideas and reworked them and then in the studio where we really started assessing chord voicing, tempos, etc. Javier has been so gracious in this often difficult process. Too, I am so honored to work and play with a group of such consummate and giving musicians. Their dedication to music and craft is second to none.
This record is a new turn for Javier - the songs, the arrangements and the playing are all a leap in a new direction which I think you all will love. We plan to mix and master a tune next week which will be uploaded for you all; I hope it effects you like it does me.
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Almost a month ago, now - I participated in an amazing show the historic Sheldon Concert Hall. On the bill were four of my favorite artists: Kevin Bilchik, Amy Petty, R. Scott Bryan and Javier Mendoza.
Having worked with all these artists in the studio and being completely immersed in their material, it was so unreal to see them all on one stage with nothing separating them from the audience except an acoustic guitar. Oddly, despite knowing the songs front to back, I felt like I 'heard' the material in a new way. During one of Kevin Bilchik's songs, I noticed each on of the artists attentively listening and smiling after cool emotive moments. This compounded with an audience that was so focused and attentive, made the evening one (of many, I hope) I will always remember.
I have the coolest job. For this I am so thankful.
A few weekends back, Drew Johnson and I embarked on the journey of making his new record. As I have been talking with Drew about this project on and off for quite a long time, it was really great to finally get everyone in one room and start hashing our way through ideas and material.
The beginning of every record is always hard; it's always a bit scary. As a producer / engineer, I am always a bit shocked and bewildered that an artist would entrust me to make their record?!? At times it's overwhelming - juggling so many ideas, personalities and most of all, managing the environment in which the songs are crafted. Of all the things I've come to learn (which extends far beyond faders, knobs, eq's and even performance) it's that interpersonal environment is everything when making a record. Great work happens when artists - both songwriters / artists and session players - feel safe to explore. Great recordings are made when people trust and have faith that the process will not fail them.
For those of you that know me, you've heard me talk about and might have even heard snipets or rough mixes of my work with artist Amy Petty. For those of you that don't know me and are snooping around my page reading my blogs, you should know artist Amy Petty. Really, you should. Amy's songwriting and voice are truly stunning and a 'must listen' in my book.
I worked on 'Mystery Keeps You' for about 5 or 6 weeks in total. However given that Amy hails from the east coast, our work together tho concentrated, spanned the course a year. Final mixes were completed early summer 2008, mastered by mastering engineer M. Brad Sarno and released on the east coast mid-July. Release dates for the mid-west are slated for early fall.
Beyond featuring brilliant songwriting and stunning vocal performance(s), 'Mystery Keeps You' offers outstanding supporting contributions from singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist R. Scott Bryan, drummers Joe Meyer and Dennis Stringfield and J. Christopher Hughes, bassists Eric Grossman, Logan Detering and of course my long time friend and brilliant pianist David Aholt. Being a part of making this record, with these people was a truly amazing experience for which I am so grateful.
And get this - not only is this record special because it was made with so many special people (except Joe Meyer, he's a totally different kind of special) 'Mystery Keeps You' is ultra special in that it represents the second release for Red Pill Entertainment - an indie label focused creating ethically driven, creative partnerships with musicians.
The record will be available for download very, very soon on CD baby, iTunes and all the other usual download places. Here's the catch, tho - in order to keep making great records, we have to sell lots of them. If you are interested in grabbing a copy or two, or three - send me an email. If you're good I could even get your copy autographed. Thanks for reading - and thanks in advance for supporting independent music.
Multi-instrumentalist Jacob Detering entered the music business both as a songwriter and performer. After performing on stage and in the studio, Detering ultimately settled into the role of producer, engineer and mixer for a myriad of local, national and international talent(s). Logging thousands of hours in the studio, Jacob yields strong command of large format analogue mixing consoles, and tape and digital recording formats.
Beyond all things technical, Jacob brings a sense of comfort and ease to the recording process allowing the artist to safely explore unchartered creative territory.
I've spent the last few days in the studio with New Hampshire artist Amy Petty helping to navigate the production of her new record. I'm not sure if it's that I'm tired or that I'm getting my first dose of sunlight in what feels like months but something has me mulling over the process of record making. It's been a few years since the release of 'Mystery Keeps You'. Last Spring, Amy and I started toying with the idea of embarking on her second record. Directionally, our biggest concern was that the new record not be a remaking or re-inventing of 'Mystery'.
