#audio | MidiMike

Posts Tagged ‘#audio’

Encourage Creativity!

Posted: March 6, 2015 in Opinions and Observations
Tags: #audio, #band, #digital, #dreams, #guitar, #keyboard, #lyrics, #Midi, #motivation, #music, #musician, #performance, #recording, #singer, #song, #songwriter

Through these posts, I am not trying to cement chronological events into their proper place in time or to accurately credit performers and contributors. Some names will be changed to protect the stupid and I will name names with regards to privacy as the series continues. I am not drilling down to details as I share experiences, songs or events I have been involved in.

Many comments touch on sharing similar passions and the need to stare resistance in the eyes and push past it to practice, perform, write and blog. No matter where we are on the paths we have chosen, we can positively affect those around us. We can benefit from their experience as we grow from our own. It is the big picture that is difficult to see sometimes, and I hope to bring up topics that will help add a different perspective.

There are a lot of conversations to be had in our world. So much of sound reinforcement, songwriting, live performance and related arts appears to be magic to the casual observer. On the other hand, so much of it is science and that can scare off a lot of interested people. Thank goodness there are those like you out there that can shape the form out of chaos! You are the masters that can combine the art and the science and make it breathe on its own. You have a special way to communicate….. to others, yes; but more importantly to yourself.

One area I hear a number of discussions where people have a good feel for music, but do not understand the science or the art of it is in music theory. More on this in later posts and I will have a few friends chime in as well as we discuss scary topics like, scales, key, modals and rhythm. But to start this off at an easy pace think of this; in our (Western scales) there are only twelve notes to deal with!

Per request – Lyrics to “Our Bodies Move.”

Posted: March 5, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #band, #digital, #DollyParton, #dreams, #fan, #guitar, #KennyRodgers, #keyboard, #love, #lyrics, #motivation, #music, #musician, #recording, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #stage, #studio

Our Bodies Move aka FOR THOSE WHO WAIT” ^(c) 12/1987

Lyrics Michael Kennedy

Music by Ric Ahlers

So many people look for love and affection

Think they’re heading in the right direction.

They go searching through the heat of the night

Alone again in the morning light.

I’ve seen a lot of selfish devotion

Hopelessly lost in mixed up emotion.

Opening; then closing every door

Never know what they’re looking for.

CHORUS: I’ve never felt a woman feel this good before.

I’ve never listened to her whispers

Or knock upon the door.

Nothing to hide, nothing to prove,

Its love that makes our bodies move.

In the beginning there were many pretenders

Holding on ‘til everyone surrenders.

Strangling the love they create.

Love is For Those Who Wait.

CHORUS: I’ve never felt a man feel this good before.

I’ve never listened to his whispers

Or knock upon the door.

Nothing to hide, nothing to prove,

Its love that makes our bodies move.

Co-Authors and Distant Dreams

Posted: March 3, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: # mixer, #audio, #band, #demo, #digital, #DollyParton, #dreams, #drummer, #drums, #family, #guitar, #KennyRodgers, #Liveband, #livesoundreinforement, #love, #lyrics, #Midi, #motivation, #music, #musicequipment, #musician, #performance, #recording, #retro, #runningsound, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #Soundengineer, #soundman, #speakers, #stage, #studio, #studioengineer, #tech

Performing with other musicians requires a deeper channel of communication than normal language. When creating in this environment, every nuance has a meaning. Every motif can create musical ripples. Sometimes, two thoughts are better than one. Co-writing can take a piece further than you would have thought possible on your own. Try it. You might like what comes out of it. Over the years I have worked with a group of songwriters. Each writer diving in to show off the latest and greatest. While in one of those small traveling bands from hotel to hotel, I was playing in Corpus Christie TX. We played a lot of different music for three people, and one of us did not play any instruments. We wanted to come up with something with a bit more country flavor, and the lead guitarist was working on some soft ballad type chords during practice. I told him I had written some lyrics that might fit. I had finally given myself the title of songwriter as you know, so a while back I challenged myself to write a country song. I had something specific in mind.

I write a lot of songs. I write a lot of lyrics that never become songs (not yet anyway). I write a lot of poems that may never become lyrics. I write a number of songs and I might not even have a recording of it, even though I love to archive and preserve original performances. Some songs I write for others and do not have a real interest in recording myself. Maybe because I already have a good idea of what the song is supposed to sound like when a real performer/band records it. I am not putting myself down here. I simply do not have the talent or resources of famous stars. You might laugh, but when I was writing the lyrics below, I wrote them as a duet for some famous country music stars at the time; Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Parton!

I have only one recording of this song and I will share it with you, Kenny and Dolly you too if you’re listening! I am singing the male part on this recording. Not sure if this was ready before we moved on from Corpus Christie to another hotel, but it fell together quickly with the ballad chords at practice, so we performed it live to the more country leaning southern audience. We were surprised that it went over so well and people in the hotel/audience that were regulars, were singing the words after a few nights in town. So, I will probably never record this song. It has always been a distant dream to one day hear others recording this as their own. I have already heard in my mind what it sounds like with them performing, but this live two-track recording is not too bad for a working representation.

Live Sound Reinforcement Series Chapter 4 – Stage

Posted: March 2, 2015 in Live Sound Reinforcement Series, music technology, technology
Tags: # mixer, #audio, #band, #digital, #guitar, #keyboard, #livesoundreinforement, #Midi, #music, #musician, #performance, #recording, #runningsound, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #Soundengineer, #soundman, #stage, #studio, #tech

You have seen a million and one videos of live bands or performers. The stage set-up is fairly common for most band configurations. We usually do it like they do because it almost always works. If you have a typical band or act, use the standard stage set up to start with and correct if you need to make adjustments. Some band or act members will play instruments, some will sing or do both, some will jump off stage and some will be too drunk to walk on their own. Keep your eyes open and stay close to the volume fader!

I usually turn the volume down on the main amp and the monitor amps before the band starts arriving on stage. Always make sure to turn the main and monitor volume faders down completely before connecting OR disconnecting any cables to the mixer or snake. The snake should already be connected in numerical order before the band is there as it is needed to set up the monitor signals we tested in the last LSR series.

I know a lot of sound guys that do not do the following suggestion or piece of advice I will give you. But if you are just starting to do LSR or have been doing for a while and sound checks are not fun and people get angry (with you sound gal and band/act), fire up the sound system this way.

Connect all cables to the snake in an orderly system. You can use your own rules as needed by the performers or the event to number them, but try to use a system that is easy to remember and easy to repeat, I will have some suggestions and tips coming in future posts.

Usually, performers will show up at different times. I try to take advantage of that and direct them to the proper position on stage. Connect their instruments and microphones to the snake. Connections can be made simple too as you will see in other topics. Test their signals from the sound board and make sure to get good working levels (NOT practice levels!) (More on ‘Gain Staging’ in future posts) Listen through headphones if necessary to get a good tone and strong signal. Add player to monitor send(s) as needed. Now you can talk to performers and have them help you get their levels set. As each player arrives, the other players will encourage same process; get into position, plug in instruments, check levels, if applicable add signal to the monitor mix(s) as needed.

I do all this without turning the Mains volume faders up at all. For the most part, the audience (and the host that represents the people that paid you and your group for the event!) will not hear much at all, especially as the venue or room for the vent gets larger. The sound check stage volume should not be enough to bother most people in a club or hall unless they are very close to the front of stage. After testing each performer’s input signals and getting a good monitor mix, it is time to have the performers do a song or section of the performance that has all members if possible playing. Do a song or two without the mains turned on to get the feeling of the sound on stage. Do not rely on the house speakers for this part. Check with your headphones. Solo ‘channels‘. Adjust the monitor mix for each player as needed…….. This is an art of its own and has a bit of science and magic thrown in.

At that point I am ready. I have good signals, I have tested the Mains and they work as designed and sound good. The monitor levels are right and during the sound check the performers and players settled in and all players could hear themselves and other performers in proper balance. If you are lucky, it is time for you and the band to take a break and get ready for the performance and the energetic crowds. If desired or requested, you can play audio or sound tracks during break through the house system (never the monitors unless specific need) at a moderate level to set the mood.

Miracle In Your Hand – A Guy and His Guitar

Posted: February 27, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #band, #guitar, #love, #lyrics, #Midi, #music, #musician, #performance, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #studio

A reason is such a small thing,

Can’t you give me one?

Seems to me you were holding out,

Were you really just holding on?

The things we did won’t mean a thing,

The memories drift away.

The things you said hang in the air,

Like a light that will not fade.

CH: You’re alive one day with miracles in your hand,

Then you’re heading for a wall, drivin’ fast as you can.

I settled down uneasy, I’m just waiting for tomorrow to come.

When the answers seem so distant,

Questions lose their fun.

You thought that I was shutting up,

I was really just shutting down.

It’s time we found the meaning,

In the games we have made.

And a reason makes the difference,

When the last trick must be played.

CH: You’re alive one day with miracles in your hand,

Then you’re heading for a wall, drivin’ fast as you can.

I settled down uneasy, I’m just waiting for tomorrow to come.

After a break-up some of these lyrics just poured out. Seeing the same thing and coming to opposite conclusions. Having an early exposure to poetry first, I try to keep those ideas reflected in many of the songs I write. The chorus was an idea I had been playing with lyrically for a while and it seemed to immediately fit with the loss described in the verses. What would you do if you held a miracle in YOUR hand? What if that couldn’t save you?

This is a fairly early recording of this song. The recording was low tech. I have an Ovation 12-String acoustic/electric guitar. This was so long ago I don’t remember which microphones I had. But I don’t have any fancy microphones even now. I took the guitar line out and recorded that on track one, and a microphone (Audio Technica ???) positioned at the sweet spot in front of the guitar and sent that to track two. After recording the guitar tracks I played them back and used the same microphone to record the first vocal on track three. Then I played all three tracks back (through headphones and in a different room, but more on that stuff later), and recorded the second vocal on track four. I am now officially out of tracks, by the way.

For the mix I panned the guitar track one (electric jack out…) all the way to the left and the guitar track two (microphone) is panned all the way to the other side. The 12-String is full by itself, but this separation on both levels tricks the ear into thinking there are more than one guitar performances being played. At the other end the vocals are attempting to duplicate or double each other to make them sound full, but with one vocal track.

You can check out the rest of the album at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/michaelskennedy

All Night Long – The Tale of Two Singers

Posted: February 25, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #band, #digital, #livesoundreinforement, #lyrics, #Midi, #motivation, #music, #musician, #performance, #recording, #retro, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #sound, #studio

While this is not the first song I wrote I will use the same lyrics, the same instruments, the same arrangement, the same studio and recording gear to show how differently the same words can be interpreted. In this case the only difference is going from a male lead vocalist to a female lead vocalist…… but the outcome is totally different. No, I am not the lead vocalist, so that will have to wait a little longer. I am playing my favorite 12 string acoustic/electric guitar and a rhythm electric track. Writing lyrics is a powerful tool. Maybe because they can be interpreted in various ways.

Now the only change is the lead vocalist. The song has added controversy if you will, and maybe the subject has more acceptance now than in the past, but it changes how the lyrics are interpreted. All Night Long took me about fifteen or twenty minutes to write. I wanted a simple R&R theme. Most of my songs are not main stream. I do not pretend to be commercial. The other reason I wanted to introduce you to this song now is because it is not like any of the others I have written. Throughout my life I have searched out unusual artists and creative ideas. Art, poetry, sound engineering, acting, I have been drawn to and inspired by some amazing people. So this is more cookie-cutter. Predictable song with the usual topic and repeating lyrics. I still have fun with it!

As I was practicing my wife did a mic check to set levels and she started singing the song. I thought immediately that was IT! It totally changed the song’s meaning. So changing the vocalist in effect took it off main stream and cookie-cutter. The subject material was not so acceptable back then……..

I entered a few of my recent songs into a local radio band contest. Too much to go into now, but at this point, my wife had never really performed in front of an audience. She is a bit shy in that area. It was a total shock when one of the songs we submitted was played on the air and a runner in the contest and another song I submitted for another friend of mine was selected to a battle of the bands in a large venue to compete for title and prizes. We were jazzed…..

But there was one little detail missing; He did not have a band! His song was picked and we (we, because it was my bright idea to enter his song into the contest!) were to compete against other bands in less than three weeks from the day we were notified. We worked in the same music store at the time and we quickly merged members from three different local bands. Each band would bring 2-3 songs to be added to the set list. We had to play for about an hour! That is how All Night Long was performed for the first time; live, to a packed house. My wife will have to give you her thoughts of that evening. I cannot do it justice. All Night Long is added to the set list and we all agree that my wife should sing…… She is terrified. We practice for two weeks learning the other band’s songs…

On stage now and good crowd. We knew they were not here to see us, because until two weeks ago, there was no US! We also figured there was no way to win, but we were going to go up there slamming. We set up and play the first songs on the list. When it is time to start All Night Long, my wife….. A little bit nervous to say the least, walks up to me and says, “if nothing comes out of my mouth, START SINGING!”.

She did great and it was a blast. I will encourage all of you to push the comfort zone a little. Be prepared to take advantage of the feedback and be ready to change and adapt. Work with other artists you appreciate. Encourage them to adapt if needed and support them when they do. My friend would never have submitted a song on his own and he even had me pick out which songs to enter. My wife’s big ambition was not to sing in front of a crowd, but we all remember that event to this day. Fortunately, a friend of ours was in the audience with one of those hand-held video recorders and got the whole thing. WE didn’t win, but they knew who we were… we were NRSB!

You can check out the rest of the album at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/perigee

Introduction to My Tunes

Posted: February 25, 2015 in MUSIC, My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #band, #digital, #keyboard, #livesoundreinforement, #lyrics, #Midi, #motivation, #music, #musician, #performance, #recording, #retro, #singer, #song, #songwriter, #soundman, #studio

As the Live Sound Reinforcement Series (LSR) continues, I would like to share some of the events that allowed or inspired what I refer to as captured creativity. Let’s address a couple things now; the most amazing show/event with powerful and talented performers has little meaning if no one is in the audience. The performers will feel great and energized, but if there literally is no audience (even in the form of recordings), it will be lost. The other obvious reality check is no matter how talented and smart you are – or think you are – will NOT make you loved and famous. Touching on my daughter’s gracious note to me, some of the most talented musicians out there we will never hear. You will not find them in a search and no one will point you in their direction. But they just keep on creating. Soloists, artists, groups and garage bands.

I know that thrill. I understand the communication link that HAS to happen when you perform with someone. I first got that thrill in my preteens when I put some of my brother’s poetry to music. In truth, I exaggerate; I played on bongos and sang a rough melody line with his poetry still intact for the most part. I would get another type of thrill when I began to write lyrics and finally a bunch of ideas became a song.

We also knew right away that I was not the best singer out there. I never really excelled while playing various instruments but over the years I got pretty good at a few of them. But at least I was a songwriter and I knew I had a powerful tool. I love to teach by sharing. Or is it the other way around?

A Message From My Daughter

Posted: February 24, 2015 in family, MUSIC, Opinions and Observations
Tags: #audio, #digital, #family, #keyboard, #love, #lyrics, #Midi, #motivation, #music, #recording, #runningsound, #sound, #soundman, #studio

It all started with my dad. I grew up with a recording studio right below my bedroom. He produced and recorded hundreds of original songs at home. The whole family got involved. We sang on tracks and gave our input, but mostly we just supported him, which encouraged him to keep producing music. I learned how to use his equipment, how to play the instruments, how to run sound, which eventually lead me to start my own booking agency to help unsigned bands/artists release albums, go on tour and have their music heard by as many people as possible.
I hate that it all comes down to money. I hear shitty bands being played on the radio every day, but these amazing bands are struggling to gain fans one at a time, go on tour with very little money, stay in shitty hotels, and do it all for the love of their passion. In my dad’s case, he barely had that chance. He put his music career on hold to raise a family. I wish I could give him back the time he lost. I look at him now, years later, still in the studio, still making music and struggling to have that music heard. All he wants is to share his art with others.
I’ve never really stopped to tell him how amazing and unique his music is and how much it has truly changed my life. It isn’t about the money, popularity or fame, it is about connecting with others, reaching people with his words and being able to do something that he is passionate about. If you have someone in your life like this, please take a moment to stop and tell them how you feel. Thank them for inspiring you, support them, and don’t let them give up. The worst feeling in the world is that you are fighting for something alone. Dad, this is for you. I love you and I will always believe in you.

Live Sound Reinforcement Series Chapter 3 – Equipment and Set-Up

Posted: February 23, 2015 in Live Sound Reinforcement Series, music technology, technology
Tags: # mixer, #audio, #digital, #equipment, #keyboard, #livesoundreinforement, #lyrics, #Midi, #music, #musicequipment, #musician, #performance, #recording, #runningsound, #sound, #Soundengineer, #soundman, #studio, #studioengineer, #tech

Now that you have the gear you need (or more likely what you could get your hands on), we can assemble it as we carry the gear in. Do not carry this heavy and bulky stuff anymore than you have to – bring it in and put it where it goes. So, as mentioned in earlier in this series, scope out the venue so you have a plan of attack. Even if it is 15 minutes after you arrive, take a quick look around…. Where is the best place for the sound board? How is the best way to run the long snake cable? Where are the electrical outlets… can they handle our system power requirements? Are there any doors or emergency exits you need to be aware of? Where will the audience be? Where should you set up the drums, keyboards and monitors? Sometimes you will not have any choice at all and the host of the event will have their own layout. Roll with it.

I try to get the main system and all cables run before the band gets there. I have monitors in-place on stage based on my understanding of the performance/band/event. I connect the mixer and all house cables.

Then I test entire system;

Turn on mixer and plug in talk-back mic or any mic into a channel on the mixing board. Make sure levels work.

Send Talk-Back signal to each of the affect inputs to make sure signal is going to proper effect box or internal effect, and make sure it returns to the input or ‘bus group‘ you will use for that effect. Make sure headphones and ‘solo’ function works properly. Yes……….. Bring your own headphones and (ear plugs too!) make sure they are good quality closed type.

Turn on stage monitor amplifiers. Turn up each monitor send (can be one to four monitor sends from the board) and use Talk-Back mic to send signal to each monitor. Turn all others off and listen to one at a time to make sure you are controlling the right monitor. Do not overlook this step. The on-stage mix is critical, and the mixer – sound engineer is not able to hear the speakers on stage once the mains or house speakers are kicking in.

Make sure all mixer sends to the main amps are turned off all the way before turning on the main amplifiers. This can save you and the event host a lot of headaches. Plug in an audio player to the mixing board ‘tape’ or other stereo input and set the levels. (**) Slowly turn up the mains with the audio source playing and the signal strength can be seen on the input indicator. Give it some gas but no need to rattle the windows now. Keep at a good level and make sure each speaker (or cluster/group) cabinet is connected properly and working. Walk around the club/venue and listen to your test music. Hopefully something you know very well. Try to find areas where the sound collects in corners (sometimes the bass can build up in an area and become very boomy while the rest of the area you cannot hear the bass at all….) or where the sound ‘drops out’ and gets softer or thin sounding. (this can be from improper phasing due to room acoustics or other audio timing issues. Try slowly turning main speakers at different angles toward the audience to correct). Make sure it sounds good everywhere, or at least know that particular areas will sound different and in a number of venues it will sound totally different as you walk around.

It is not unusual for the sound board to be placed in the worst acoustic piece of real-estate in the club! Make sure it sounds good standing in the audience, even if it does not sound so great where you are mixing the board.

Now, we are ready to bring in the band or performers.

MIDI – The end of the Series.

Posted: February 18, 2015 in Midi Series, music technology, technology
Tags: # mixer, #audio, #digital, #keyboard, #livesoundreinforement, #Midi, #music, #musicequiptment, #musician, #performance, #recording, #runningsound, #sound, #Soundengineer, #soundman, #studio, #studioengineer, #tech

Not only do we have 16 channels of MIDI available (per cable…. Other cables can carry 16 more channels as you expand) but we also have 128 steps or individual notes that can be assigned to each channel or voice. (again, if your device counts zero as a number, you will have 0 – 127) This is particularly important for triggers and non-sound system controllers. For example, if you are playing a MIDI keyboard, sax or reed controller as Master, you are not normally trying to redirect a C# to an F, though there are reasons for doing this in some special circumstances. You just want to perform your song on the Master Controller and have your performance represented as you played it – for better or worse!

However, for drum kits and other triggers it is crucial to set up in advance the sounds that will be played when a specific trigger is hit. Usually you can change this in the Master Controller itself. Pick the channel and the specific pad/key you are editing and go to the Menu Options page. Select MIDI Note Number options. There are too many ways today’s gear will get you there or what they call it so it is hard to make this specific to all, but that is what the owner manuals are for! As your Master Controller is connected properly to the receiving tone generator or receiving device, hit the pad or key or button you are trying to edit. You should be able to see the note number the current pad is assigned to. Continue to raise or lower this number one digit at a time or enter the KNOWN MIDI Note Number and then Enter. Once you are triggering the correct sound, sampler or other gear, go to the next pad in a similar mode until all assigned pads correctly trigger the intended receiver. Save everything and pat yourself on the back! Keep in mind you can do this over and over depending on project, recording or performance needs. Most devices will allow you to store and recall a large number of performance templates or basic ‘kits’. Take advantage of this tool! Once you set them up, you can use them forever and make your set up time amazingly quick.

As a keyboard player in a progressive rock band, I used specific keys or notes on my keyboard(s) that were outside the range of the cover or original tune we were playing and assigned them to trigger internal drum sounds like claps or cowbells, effects like record scratching and anything from applause to choir back-up notes. I never used a sampler that would ‘play’ parts, I just added to the layers by using on-board sounds as a split keyboard arrangement or as real-time triggers to other devices.

I used to play in the days when you had to have a different keyboard for each sound group you wanted. If you wanted an electric piano, you played the Rhodes piano.

If you wanted an organ sound you carried around a Hammond or other organ. If you wanted to use synthesizer sounds, you brought in a Moog or Arp and played two sounds at a time ……. and it felt glorious!

MidiMike

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

MSK original Songs

Posts Tagged ‘#audio’

Encourage Creativity!

Per request – Lyrics to “Our Bodies Move.”

Co-Authors and Distant Dreams

Live Sound Reinforcement Series Chapter 4 – Stage

Miracle In Your Hand – A Guy and His Guitar

All Night Long – The Tale of Two Singers

Introduction to My Tunes

A Message From My Daughter

Live Sound Reinforcement Series Chapter 3 – Equipment and Set-Up

MIDI – The end of the Series.

Archives

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

MSK original Songs

Posts Tagged ‘#audio’

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