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Kaleidoscope Heart...

Thank you!!!

I think it's really lovely, and I'm very proud. It's an earnest, well-conceived document of great songs, that was performed as an ensemble with a lot of dedication and heart.

JMJ
 
Thank you!!!

I think it's really lovely, and I'm very proud. It's an earnest, well-conceived document of great songs, that was performed as an ensemble with a lot of dedication and heart.

JMJ

Being the MD were you responsible for selecting the players? I believe Matt Chamberlain played on this one.....and the combo of you two is just brilliant!

Well done sir!

As MD what goes into selecting players for the session?
 
Thank you so very much!

MD typically doesn't refer to the recording process in my world. The players in that instance were chosen by Neal Avron and Sara B.

My MD work w/ Sara is for her shows. Band interaction, tightness, effective rendering of the sounds, feels, textures on the record, bv rehearsals,FOH approach, staging, etc. etc.

Best,
JMJ
 
Thanks, FatherDH.

Ooowee! Getting around that left hand was a big challenge! I love it though. And I confess to having a good deal of experience with that via three Tori Amos albums and two Charlotte Martin albums as well. :) Tough stuff, but a worthy pursuit.

JMJ
 
Thanks, FatherDH.

Ooowee! Getting around that left hand was a big challenge! I love it though. And I confess to having a good deal of experience with that via three Tori Amos albums and two Charlotte Martin albums as well. :) Tough stuff, but a worthy pursuit.

JMJ

Sounded like most (if not all) of the record was with flatwounds. Do you find that they give you a better place in a mix that doesn't step on a piano's low range? Ever since I've moved to mostly flats, I've found that fitting my tone in with pianos is a little easier.

Of course, open-spaced and well-chosen basslines certainly help as well!
 
Jerose: I would DEFINITELY concur that flats or half rounds fit better with the piano. The piano, with a heavy left hand, has just too much harmonic information sometimes to allow space for rounds, and vice versa. I used flats on about 60-70% of the record, probably. Then there's all the o/d's I did (keyboard-esque, guitar-esque noise/ambience) which are only rounds.

Tieftonservices: I agree on Matt...so good. Matt and Victor both completely SLAYED drum-wise.

We're having a record release party tonight to get the whole gang together, which will be a delight. Having a #1 is really quite a thrill.

JMJ
 
There's always a way. Just listen, listen, listen. You will find a path through that monstrous, rumbling cacophony.

There's no secret, except an almost religious devotion to listenership and very hands-on, trial and error problem solving with the bass.

You will also find that sometimes you will best enhance the music by being a complete slave to the pianist's left hand, whereas on other occasions, you may actually see an opportunity to beat that hand into (willing) submission by force of will on your part. Usually the former. :)

JMJ
 
I grabbed the album a couple days ago and didn't realize you played on it until just now...I even watched the "Making of" videos on Youtube and didn't realize it was a hairless you.

I noticed in one of the videos you had a bass cheat sheet. Called Bass Fixer where you had measures and notes of fills to do. Does that mean you first record a "basic" bass track and then later go back and punch in ear candy?