Sounds like a good move Marco.

#1 for 2015:
I'm preparing to produce two pop tracks for a promising talent with a good buzz going. I just met with the manager and it looks like the beginning of the year is when I will begin.
Other than that, more mixes for people and more experimenting with summing.

Finishing up a friend's album - he has MS, so there are okay days and not-so-okay days. Now, that's all depending on whether I can learn how to actually mix again. I've been so disappointed in myself lately in that regard...

I know you guys may find this hard to believe these days, based on what I've posted recently, but there really was a time when I actually was very good at it.

DonnyThompson, post: 422233, member: 46114 wrote: Now, that's all depending on whether I can learn how to actually mix again. I've been so disappointed in myself lately in that regard...

Admitting the problem is the first step to resolving it (I think I heard that somewhere) ;)
Not that I think you have a problem Donny, not at all !
You did some gear changes and it takes time to adapt and relearn how to do things. Doing a fair amount of tests and A/B is the best thing you could do!

You can send me pre-mixes anytime if you want a second pair of ears !

DonnyThompson, post: 422233, member: 46114 wrote: Finishing up a friend's album - he has MS, so there are okay days and not-so-okay days.

I recorded a band in which the bassman had cancer a few years back. He left us not long after the album started to sell.
Working with him was inspiring and touching. Hope it will go well for you.

Thanks, Marco.

Besides being a client, he's also a very close friend, whom I've known for over 30 years. He's an incredible musician, and a wonderful person. Working with him is one of the most spiritually fulfilling things I've ever done.

Donny, I lost my brother in September to MS, it's a rough way to go.. I wrote a song for him in 1998 called Through Faded eyes. I would love some day to have others record it properly with me. It was re-recorded by two different artists too, so it must have been ok :). 2015 is the year I will be putting this newly built studio to work. First for me, I have an EP ready of 5 songs based around my Minstrel theme, Leigh (wife) and I wrote over the last decade. BTW, performed them, along with their story last night here in Conroe, they always get great reception, so, I am hopeful (fingers crossed).

Cheers

DonnyThompson, post: 422233, member: 46114 wrote: Finishing up a friend's album - he has MS, so there are okay days and not-so-okay days. Now, that's all depending on whether I can learn how to actually mix again. I've been so disappointed in myself lately in that regard...

I know you guys may find this hard to believe these days, based on what I've posted recently, but there really was a time when I actually was very good at it.

You are being way too hard on yourself, which is why you have been in business this long lol! I have some insight which I hope helps.
I go through stages like this too. Its part of our learning threshold. You are pushing all the mistakes and mashing it all up again. I do regularity and the odd time you get lost in the curve.
I know exactly what you are suffering with right now. You are going to click in again. Its how we learn.

Makzimia, post: 422248, member: 48344 wrote: 2015 is the year I will be putting this newly built studio to work. First for me, I have an EP ready of 5 songs based around my Minstrel theme, Leigh (wife) and I wrote over the last decade. BTW, performed them, along with their story last night here in Conroe, they always get great reception, so, I am hopeful (fingers crossed).

That's great, I hope you will share some of your work with us !

audiokid, post: 422261, member: 1 wrote: You are being way too hard on yourself, which is why you have been in business this long lol! I have some insight which I hope helps.
I go through stages like this too. Its part of our learning threshold. You are pushing all the mistakes and mashing it all up again. I do regularity and the odd time you get lost in the curve.
I know exactly what you are suffering with right now. You are going to click in again. Its how we learn.

I guess the hardest thing when we've been recording for many years is to adapt. Basics stays but sound evolves. Just drum tunning is very different from 20 years ago !

pcrecord, post: 422297, member: 46460 wrote: I guess the hardest thing when we've been recording for many years is to adapt. Basics stays but sound evolve

A lesson I was taught long ago. The past got us here but don't let it drag you down either. Times change and little has to do with just talent or the perfect sound. Our success and what makes something special is always part of a package deal. Group, fashion, part of a song, band, marketing ""

Grunge is a great example. Who'd ever think clipping converters would add such awesome character to the sound of such great music? And so it goes. I'm still trying to find out what's so special about this generation. EM and vocals in your face. Wow. :sleep:

And my kids just love it all.

So, I am preparing to write and produce EM for someone shortly. I am going to pull everything I have from the past and launch her into the future.

This year I want to make a drastic change.
My background to be brief is in electrical engineering. I have been working in aviation for the same firm for 8 years and the last 3 have been spent managing a group of about 20 engineers. On weekends I play in a band and I look forward to shows because I get to mix. A little while back, I purchased an all in one Multi track recorder, the Korg d3200 and recorded my band's demo with it. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome and quickly hit the limits of the board. Since then, my passion for mixing has ventured towards recording as I only get to mix when we have a show and that wasn't satisfying my desire.

So I started reading plenty of sound on sound articles, downloaded their podcasts to listen to, researched various topics and I joined recording.org where I have been reading the forum posts. I've always wanted to follow my passion and I used to love my job, but now I'm realising that all day long, I'm thinking to myself: "what I am going to learn/practice about recording tonight".

Since all of this, I have made some purchases and decided to give it a try on the side for starters. My wife is being supportive and we are beginning plans to renovated the basement to have a proper studio there.

This is a lot more long winded than I originally intended, but it's my project for 2015. I would like to get a studio up and running, book clients and hopefully do well enough to move to a commerical space. For now, I just want to get it off the ground. I am excited and who knows where this will take me.

Matt, post: 422306, member: 48561 wrote: My wife is being supportive and we are beginning plans to renovated the basement to have a proper studio there.

Thats the best part right there. :love:

It's great to hear what others are up to.

I'm also lucky enough to have a better half who's supportive enough to indulge my less than sensible ideas.

I spent 2014 turning my 92 year old basement into a modest but functional project studio. Through some projects with friends, I'm getting good practice at tracking and mixing. I still have a long way to go, but I'm having fun doing it. I have some more projects I'm looking forward to this year, and am looking forward to honing these skills.

I also caught the DIY bug in 2014. It started with the physical build and treatment of the space, then moved on to gear when I modded an Apex 460 mic. This led to the project I'm in the middle of now, which is sort of a new take on the 1176.

Recording for me is a hobby that's been expensive in terms of time and money invested, but I'm learning a lot and am finding it rewarding.

My other project for 2015 is planning a music festival with local musicians, where I'm also getting married. I'm excited about that one, too.

Reverend Lucas, post: 422309, member: 48050 wrote: I also caught the DIY bug in 2014. It started with the physical build and treatment of the space, then moved on to gear when I modded an Apex 460 mic. This led to the project I'm in the middle of now, which is sort of a new take on the [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.uaudio.c…"]1176[/]="http://www.uaudio.c…"]1176[/].

Still waiting on that release date... ( tapping foot, looking at my watch ).... ;)

Matt, post: 422306, member: 48561 wrote: Since all of this, I have made some purchases and decided to give it a try on the side for starters. My wife is being supportive and we are beginning plans to renovated the basement to have a proper studio there.

Building a studio is very demanding but exiting and rewarding at the same time. Good for you Matt !

Reverend Lucas, post: 422309, member: 48050 wrote: This led to the project I'm in the middle of now, which is sort of a new take on the [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.uaudio.c…"]1176[/]="http://www.uaudio.c…"]1176[/].

I'll be following your progress Lucas, this is a great project !

DonnyThompson, post: 422311, member: 46114 wrote: Still waiting on that release date... ( tapping foot, looking at my watch ).... ;)

Ha. I'm going to say 2015, and probably won't commit to much beyond that.

pcrecord, post: 422316, member: 46460 wrote: Building a studio is very demanding but exiting and rewarding at the same time. Good for you Matt !

I'll be following your progress Lucas, this is a great project !

Thanks, Marco.

audiokid, post: 422215, member: 1 wrote: #1 for 2015:
I'm preparing to produce two pop tracks for a promising talent with a good buzz going. I just met with the manager and it looks like the beginning of the year is when I will begin.
Other than that, more mixes for people and more experimenting with summing.

#2 for 2015

Its confirmed. My analog chain is under attack by the worst plug-in hater I know :eek:. He loves :love: analog gear so much that he has been driving us all bonkers around here for years.
We have a few Apollo 16's on their way. 2015 is going to be all about incorporating UA Apollo's with the uncoupled DAW system. This should be interesting.

Have fun doing all the testing !! ;)

Great to hear all you guys focused on expansion and Improvemt for the new year!

#1 for me is to maintain and increase, the positive lifestyle changes I've made, which include a better diet, sleep (win some lose some), less party substances, and actually exercising. I've noticed an improvemt in my work just from this alone, and I'd like to keep it up!

#2 finish what I started in 2013,2014. I Cannot go to a friend house, studio, or gig, and NOT find a pile of varying size, of s**t to do. No new projects, until all my current stuff is done! It's stressful and dissapoi ting, and I've been listening to some scientists and intellects on some podcasts, and their finding out just how bad stress is, it really does kill humans, really it affects all kinds of stuff in out physiology.

#3 more organized documentation of work. I've built studios, recorded CDs, and don't even have copies of the finished products, or very well document before and after pics. This is our lives, and our careers, it's important for me to be more disciplined to make sure I do a better job at this.

#4 hear something I've recorded on a broadcast. College radio, pandora, local talent music hours, I've never heard anything I've recorded, for myself or others, played back to me that way. It remains not so much a goal that I pursue, but a milestone of sorts, so I hope it's in my path this year, as I have for a long time.

I dunno if the ua stuff is the best out there, but together, w there plugins, it's tough to beat for all but eh most well funded. They are at the top of the emulation pluggin heap, an only a matter of time till there originals are competing w waves. So even w conversion that hovers around standard, the eqaution adds up to incredible value, when the processing is considered. So it may not be fair to compare other converters that don't offere dsp, in the real world they are at the same price, and co petting directly. Ua is tough to beat on that front. I'm in the market for a brand new daw setup, including interface, So ill be watching close.

kmetal, post: 422595, member: 37533 wrote: #1 for me is to maintain and increase, the positive lifestyle changes I've made, which include a better diet, sleep (win some lose some), less party substances, and actually exercising. I've noticed an improvemt in my work just from this alone, and I'd like to keep it up!

This sounds like the best long term goal yielding the most positive results! Good for you.

I've noticed the recording, mixing and mastering business can be very sedimentary. A large percentage of people in this industry appear to end up in poor physical health. I for one, put my health and diet first, this business secondary. Of the three main fields, the Recording side is better because you are at least moving around more.
This business is evolving into a workflow no different than a guy sitting in front of a computer at an office. Make time to stay fit. Healthy body, healthy mind... and so it goes.... :whistle:
I plan to follow Kyle's outlook too.

My home studio (used more for creating and producing) used to be sitting at "standing level". When the chair was removed and I had to stand to see everything, I found I was less Fat lol. I keeping thinking I should do that all again.

My girl friend and I built a deck with roof this summer, I kind a stopped training. I work behind a computer all day so getting fat is part of the deal.
3 weeks ago I had enough of if and started elliptical trainer again. I guess with my age, I can't stop exercising for too long..

Oof, I been eyeing an elliptical for a while now... Good call PC!

kmetal, post: 422674, member: 37533 wrote: Oof, I been eyeing an elliptical for a while now... Good call PC!

The elliptical is the only machine I found that works lower and upper body at once. I placed a TV in front of it and get going 3-4 times a week. ;)

My main plan, as it has been for quite awhile now, is to remain sober. If I can't do that, then everything else in my life - music, relationships, occupation, etc. - will suffer, and suffer greatly... to the depths of which I can't even begin to explain. ;)

I'm also debating if I'm gonna stop playing live for a local promoter.
Those shows are really great to play in but we made only two this year. Because there is so much time between them I need to rehearse alone like crasy the 2 weeks before to get in shape. For those I play drums, manage the midi files and sequencer, follow a click and give the cues to the main artists. Of course I always have to bring my kit to and from the car with no help, rush to install and do soundchecks and dismount alone at the end...
But this is not the worst part.
What I don't like is that the promoter is a very nervous person and always drain my energy the days around the show. He can't keep to himself the negociations with the clients and everytime all the fun about the live experience is drained down. Then after the show, he always continu to demine the product and how people might have perceive it.

Some will say that 350 CAD for the night is a good but with the 2 weeks of preparation, moving stuff and pressure. it's hard work !

Here's a link to some of the live videos, (sound is horrible but it gives an idea of what I would be missing..)
http://spectacleflashback.com/videos.html

Pcrecord, You're from mtl? I'm wondering if I've ever seen any of your shows as I worked in the live music business for a while. Are the usually in Mtl and for a particular client/event?

I'm not far from Montreal (Salaberry de Valleyfield is the name of the city) ;)
We played for a few corpo in montreal but been to the casino of Hull and other places. Sadly the show has not been promoted enough to take off.
I would not think of quiting if there was at least a show per month...

I guess it would be an easier decision if I had other gigs...
But I'm not mad about the idea to concentrate on the studio

I hear you, it's a lot of work which wouldn't exist if the gigs were more frequent to keep everything fresh in your head. I'm working on setting up my home studio, maybe I'lol swing by your studio at some point to get some ideas.