Most Familiar

A really great interview with Phil Elverum that I didn’t do

admin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:41:38 +0000

NOTE - I was not involved with this interview, I just like it.
NOTE - The photo has nothing to do with the interview, but it was taken at dub narcotic.

I walked into the crowded DC art gallery Signal 66 not knowing what I was in for or who Phil Elvrum was. His presence came apparently clear to me when I saw a bare-footed guy in the corner of the room painting a 10’x10’ map of his life. I introduced myself and we talked for a little bit about the painting. He was an amazingly nice person and I knew that I was in for a special treat.

RJ: Can you talk to us about your new album?
Phil: It’s called The Glow Part 2, and it’s kind of long. It’s longer than the other ones have been. I don’t know why… On this album I was trying to go for a theme of fire. Like big fires, campfires, camping, the focal point that fire can be… Yeah, it’s a fire themed album, as the other albums have had other themes. Well, in retrospect they’ve had themes…Half way through making this album I was like, “Hey, a lot of these songs are about fires and glowing and stuff like that.” …I was watching all the Twin Peaks episodes for like the 4th time, and noticed that whenever they went to Pete’s house (Pete, Katherine, and Josie lived on the water) every 20 seconds there would be this ‘hoooo’ noise [Phil makes a fog horn sound.] It was so subtle, so low key, and set the mood so perfectly. And maybe because where I grew up there was that sound going…it really struck a cord with me. I wanted to make the whole album exist in that same world…as in that scene.

RJ: Were there any special recording processes, special instruments, or anything new discovered on this album?
Phil: …every song is always kind of new to me. Whatever gets me to the idea that I have in my head and how I want it to sound. I try all kinds of different things. I’d get bored if I ever got comfortable with a way of recording… like where to set the mics or instrumentation.

RJ: Do you try recording multiple takes for different sounds?
Phil: No usually I keep the first take, first or second take, but will try different ways of recording it.

RJ: Does that take a while?
Phil: I’m pretty sloppy with it. I really don’t worry about it that much. I just turn the mic up, or whatever. I turn the sound up if it’s going through an echo machine or have the mic far way. I get the sound and go for the feeling rather than the precise take.

RJ: Do you have another tour coming up?
Phil: Yeah I’m not sure what is going to happen on that tour. I’m going all by myself for 6 weeks just driving around the country… I’m pretty intimidated by the idea of it, but it seems like it could be good. I’ve only driven on a short trip by myself once. All my touring has been with at least one other person. I’m excited and scared. I’ll pick up some hitchhikers and have them join the band.

RJ: So what else is going on?
Phil: On this tour I’ve written a couple little, short, plays… that death play. I wrote it in the van on this tour because I’ve been reading a book of plays and it’s totally inspiring. I really love exploring that. So, I imagine doing some more of that. If not performing plays just writing them is really exciting….Because, in a way, I feel like the way I write songs, or think about albums, and the way they flow together,…is in terms of telling a story and different scenes and different characters coming and reappearing.

RJ: Tour highlights?
Phil: We are doing this tour in a way that we’ve never toured before. It’s sort of being presented as this thing…not just a music show. We’re playing at art galleries and theatre type places so there’s this expectation that we’re going to do something other than play our sets. And we haven’t really prepared anything. So, everyday we go into the place with preparations to do. We try to get to the place early and build a set, just kind of stake it out. Every show has been completely different. It’s totally based on getting people involved (assimilating people). That is our main focus. It was tough tonight. People seemed kind of reserved.

RJ: Have you done anything like this in the past?
Phil: Not like this. I went on this tour where it was sort of like “Wow, you mean like I don’t just have to play songs…” It was really fun and really short. But it seemed really long because everyday was so action packed. This is the first tour that’s being presented as a cool thing, or a special thing, which makes it kind of weird… I definitely don’t want to play a normal show again or not talk to the audience or anything like that. It’s just what the show is being presented as that makes this weird expectation. It’s just a different challenge.

RJ: I love the drum sound you get on your records how do you do it?
Phil: I’m really lucky to record drums at Dub Narcotic studio. It’s a huge room that has this giant sound and I really use that a lot. I also just distort the mics a lot and turn them up. I really love distorted drums. And, I also use compressors - I don’t really know how to use compressors properly. I just turned them on one day. I use them on drums and it sounded incredible. The whole drum mix goes through a compressor. The way it sounds really trippy. Cymbals and stuff are really weird sounding.

RJ: Can you talk about how you mic stuff?
Phil: There are some good mics at the studio that I feel really lucky to use. I usually just set up one mic and then record the whole song with it. I just bring the instruments to it or move it around the room rather than setting up different mics for each thing. I record so sloppily that it doesn’t matter.

RJ: Do you prefer any special mics?
Phil: Neumann U67 - really small Altec mics that are also condensers. They’re really amazing sounding. (Also) Senheisers mkh405- I recorded a lot of drums with them. Just amazing drum overheads or drum mics. I usually just record drums with overheads and a bass drum mic, unless I am doing some special thing. A lot of times I record drums…like multi-track them. I do the bass drum and the snare drum later. That way I can do like two bass drums at the same time and do stuff like… “Duga duga duga’ I really love stereo.

RJ: (General Tips)
Phil: My friend Karl gave me a really good tip when I first got my 4- track. He was like, “Have you taken it into the kitchen yet? …You have to take it into the kitchen and get out the pots and pans. It’s the best”. I did, and it was awesome. The whole idea of using every single thing… I think the first thing I recorded on eight track was just testing it out. I had a mic set up, and recorded 8 tracks of different beats on my teeth. I had different drum sounds just with my teeth. It was so fun. Turns out it sounded like a drum set. My friend Karl has taught me so much about seeing things from every angle and being able to use anything……Like being stuck in the middle of Alaska and making a drum set out of rocks and ice or whatever. Being resourceful, I guess. And trying to do things wrong…..Often produces something real interesting. Like plugging the drum set into the compressor. It was so mysterious. But now I do it all the time.

RJ: How long have you been recording at Dub Narcotic, how many albums?
Phil: I’ve been recording there for 4 years…But, probably about 10 albums including my own.

RJ: Have you ever thought about using a computer to record with?
Phil: There’s this guy who set up his computer in the studio. I’m pretty much against it through and through, but the more I think about it…..”you mean I can just like put this here and this here just like that”. [scratches chin] When I get back from these tours I’m going to mess around with it maybe. I’d have to justify it for myself by recording it on a computer then…onto the eight track or whatever and add stuff there. I am a total purist. …I want to get a sampler though, like a digital sampler. I want to do some drum loop rhythm stuff, techno music. Yeah my next album hopefully will be like techno-y not computer(ish)-mechanical-techno sounding, tons of beats and sounds. …I’ve already done an air themed album, water, and air. So, now I need to do the rock themed one. So, I‘m going to think of it as like a mountain. Mountain album– It‘s going to be sort of a fear theme album. Like scary, scary, mountain, rock, fear, techno singer /songwriter techno, open mic blues jam, singer songwriter fear techno. Analog.

Fin.

From: sweetthunder.org

Interview with Nicholas Vernhes (of Rare Book Room)

admin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:58:53 +0000

Nicholas Vernhes runs Rare Book Room, a recording studio and record label based out of Brooklyn, N.Y. He has recorded/produced a variety of bands, including: The Fiery Furnaces, Black Dice, Blood On The Wall, Animal Collective, and many others.

I initially become interested in Rare Book Room after I acquired the Living Bridge compilation, which boasts a collection of songs I can’t stop listening to, namely Telepathe’s “I Can’t Stand It” and Deerhunter’s “After Class”. (Buy it here.)

RBR Alumni :

I sent Nicholas the following list of questions which he kindly answered:

How did you get into recording?
I had a band in the early 90’s and wanted to learn how to get the sounds in our heads onto tape.

What are the origins of Rare Book Room studios? How did the label start?
The studio began as an experimental space to practice and get those sounds in our heads down.

What is your favorite piece of studio equipment?
The studio itself and what it offers, no matter what gear is inside it.

Do you usually select bands to record or do they come to you? On a similar note, do you have any particularly memorable/unique sessions?
It goes both ways, but more often bands ask me to record. All sessions are pretty memorable, but there was a case of an unnamed drummer who wanted to remove a sticker someone had slapped onto his bass drum. Nothing as working so I suggested he use some lighter fluid and rub it until the sticker came off. He tried for a bit and then got impatient and decided to light it on fire. The sticker was gone! And so was the head! We had to stop everything and go out find him a new one. That was within the first 20 minutes of him being there.

Describe your recording process. Do you usually record bands live in the studio?
Every band is different to a certain extent. Many bands record live and then redo some parts or add parts and vocals. Some bands start from scratch and delve deeper into production by isolating every instrument to get a cleaner more pop type of sound where it’s easier to control the spacial relationships between instruments.

Do you have any techniques you’d like to share? (Mic setups, equipment modifications, effects, etc. )
Nothing fancy. I don’t use stereo overheads. I don’t put a mic inside the kick. I will sometimes mic the bottom of the snare and phase reverse it to the top mic to get a different sound. I always DI the bass as well as mic it, but i start with the idea that the amp tone is more interesting, even if later i’ll use just the DI on a song if it fits better. I use an SM7 on many vocalists. or a Soundelux U99. Or both.

Do you have any insight into the analog vs. digital debate? How does that fit within the context of RBR?
I have a 3M M79 from 1973 which i still use often to track. It’s 24 tracks on 2″. Then when the tape is full, i”ll transfer to Logic through an Apogee Symphony system with AD-16x, DA-16x and Rosetta 800 and keep working in the computer to mix. At final mix, for some types of music (and there is no rule), I’ll either mix in the box or go out to the board in stems, such as stereo drums, bass, guitars, vocals, fx, etc. And this way I can get rid of the digital 2 bus bottle neck and also have faders and analog EQ’s which means I’ll mix with one hand on the vocal fader and adjust in real time in the mix.

Are there any bands that you haven’t worked with previously that you interested in recording?
Led Zeppelin. Can. Brigitte Fontaine. Broadcast. Eno. This Heat. It’s a big list. And not very realistic.

What are your future plans?
Dinner. and making increasingly confounding records.

Thanks so much!
No, thank you!

CRAB APPLE!

admin — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:56:36 +0000

Two days ago, Apple released Safari 3.1. Yesterday, I carelessly updated my Itunes and now have Apple’s browser installed on my PC.

How did this happen you may ask?

Well, Apple has now started bundling Safari for Windows with it’s Itunes updates. The browser is an optional install but is cleverly situated in the pop-up just below the Itunes updates. (See below.) Given that I am required to update Itunes often, I totally missed the Safari check box. Consequently, Safari was also configured as my default browser without my permission. Devious indeed.

(Photo Credit: CNET)

Don’t get me wrong, it’s possible I would have installed Safari without it being forced down my itunes-updated-throat. I like Apple products.

But, I don’t like companies who manipulate their consumers. So, for now at least, I am boycotting Safari for Windows.

(I will, however, continue using Itunes.)

MUXTAPE

admin — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:11:47 +0000

Muxtape is the quintessential digital mix making service. Download mp3’s and share your mix via a link. It’s easy not to mention stylish!
I love this idea. I am totally jealous. I thought up something similar several years ago and never acted on it.

Oh well.

* Note: The site is currently slow to load because it is getting out of control traffic!

DIGEST THIS

admin — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:41:45 +0000

One more thing today.

I just stumbled upon the breeders website.

I really like the design aesthetics. It has a more palpable feeling than a lot of websites/blogs out there.

I like Chris Glass’ Photos too. Particularly this one:

*Btw, Breeder’s Digest is ten times more interesting than Reader’s Digest ever was.

Digital Recording 101

admin — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:02:16 +0000

In recent months, I have become increasingly interested in home recording. Given that I have a limited amount of space and a practically non-existent budget, it was obvious that I wasn’t going to be lugging in a Otari MX-80 24-track 2″ recorder and a Toft ATB console for recording. And, although I appreciate and enjoy the richness of analog sound, I also love the ease of digital audio.

That said, I must admit I’ve been doing copious amounts of online research about what kind of equipment need and how to use it. To the beginner, digital recording can potentially be a daunting subject. Part of me just wants to plug-in and click record, but the technical obsessive in me wants to know things like: Do I need an external mixer? What audio sequencing software should I use? Where is the optimum mic location for recording from my amp? What’s the best audio interface for my price range? What kind of mics do I need and for what? Do I need an effects rack setup?
We’re talking exhausting people.

Nevertheless, I’ve made some strides. I have a list of equipment I am prepared to buy and a plethora of frequently referenced bookmarks in my browser. I’ve even got acquainted with a couple different software options. Originally, I was using Steinberg’s Cubase Sx-3, but upon experimentation, I decided to switch to Ableton Live 7. Does anyone use this software? I’m having really positive results with the recorded sound quality and it’s really intuitive to use. However, I am wondering if I should export to ProTools and mix there? If you have insight on this matter, let me know.

Here’s a screenshot I stole from google images of ableton live 7:

This is what I think I need/want for my home studio (feel free to criticize or add):

MOTU Ultralite

Behringer Eurorack

Behringer B1 Mic

Yamaha MSP5 Monitors

SXSW ‘08

admin — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:28:18 +0000

The official 2008 music schedule for South By Southwest has finally been released. Despite the fact that I have been waiting around for it for the past month or so, I apparently missed the initial frenzy, as it’s been available since February 21st. (Though quite a few bands leaked their sxsw info weeks ago.) Nevertheless, I am very excited about some of the showcasing artists, particularly the bands I haven’t been able to see live (in person) before.

FUN TIMES.

Most-excited-to-see-band-list:

atlas sound

the slits

holy fuck

telepathe

no age

the blow (portland!!!)

Have I mentioned the BREEDERS at playing? (YESSSS.)

I am fully open to your band/showcase suggestions. Seriously.

GOO-GLEE

admin — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:04:17 +0000

I wanted to discuss, for a moment, some Google tools that I frequently use that may not be known to you.
All of these applications are free, though most require a Google account.

They are:

Google Reader, also called an aggregator, is an application used to combine all of your syndicated web content (i.e. mostfamiliar.com) into one place using RSS or Atom Feeds. It’s very easy to use and you can network with other Google Reader users to share your blog favorites. The design is comparable to Gmail, as you can see from the image below:

Google Analytics: I use this application to track visitors on this blog and other blogs I manage. It generates statistical reports based on information such as: average visitors per day, pages viewed, time spent on site, and referrers. I particularly like the GeoTracking feature, which generates a detailed map of visitors by city/country. In fact, my main incentive for using Google Analytics is the visuality of it — it’s intuitively designed and interesting to look at.

Google Webmaster tools: This set of tools is very Google-centric. However, given that google dominates 60 percent of the search engine market, it’s valuable to see how visitors are finding your site (queries) and how your site is indexed within Google. Essentially, Google Webmaster tools provide another level of statistical information about websites, specifically within the realm of SEO (search engine optimization).

There’s also good ‘ole Google Talk, which I use daily as a work distraction.

And for new Google developments, be sure to check out Google Labs.

(By the way, sorry I fell off the face of the earth, I am working two jobs, learning C#, going to school, and somehow trying to fit music into my life. I promise I’ll try to be a little more consistent in posting.)

My favorite Etsy finds

admin — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:16:02 +0000

If you haven’t discovered Etsy.com yet, you really should.

The site features a multitude of attractive goods made by a variety of designers/crafters.

(Etsy operates by charging sellers a small fee for each item purchased, similar to Ebay’s method of operation. Anyone can buy or sell!)

Here is a sampling of my most desired items:

Epic Notes by Ray Fenwick

Village Shirt

Pictograph Collage

Pick-me-up!

admin — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:46:03 +0000

Let me start by saying, that at a basic level, a pickup is a device that captures mechanical vibrations and converts them to an electrical signal. In other words, it’s a transducer. (A microphone is also a transducer.)

There are several varities of pickups: magnetic, piezo-electric, hexaphonic, and optical.

Magnetic pickups: (l-r) one humbucker and two single coils!

The composition of the common (or magnetic) pickup is actually deceptively simple, a magnet is wrapped with a coil of copper wire, and then mounted in a location on the instrument where it gets the “good vibes”. The pickup location does not have to be limited to the body of the instrument, it can also be mounted on the neck, the bridge, or within the sound hole.

I should also mention, pickups are most often used for amplifying stringed instruments.

The actual process by which a pickup functions, is probably beyond my own comprehension, and probably beyond yours too. (Unless you’re an electrical engineer, in which case, I’d love to have a discussion with you.)

Essentially, the vibration of the strings influences the magnetism of the device and induces a voltage (i.e. magnetic circuit) within the copper coil. In the case of an electric guitar, the signal is carried to any amplifier (amp) or recording device via a cable.

For your benefit, I have stripped most of the technical details from the previous description. However, if you’re extremely fascinated by this topic you can further your information by researching these supplementary materials: resonance frequency, source impedance, magnetic flux, magnetic circuit, magnetic reluctance.
(Sources: How Things Work, Wikipedia.)