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Anyone out there using ProTools 12.1 having issues with bouncing to mp3 where its tilting the low end into the stratosphere? If so, have you found a work around yet?
Hi Bryant, Sorry that you're having issues with your ProTools; hope that you can resolve those issues, and that all is well with you and yours!
Hi Cindy, Making a little bit of progress I hope, someone on another forum of sorts suggested I try a Sonnox product that lets you A/B a mix using several different codex in real time. I got it, tinkered a bit and now I'm trying to get thru the manual without my eyeballs spinning in circles like a cartoon character. Other than that, the fam's doing well, everyone's getting on about their little adventures. Hope you and the pups are enjoying the waning days of Summer and all your musical endeavors are enjoyable! Good to hear from you.
If you get a chance could you please listen to "New Toys".. been working on studio space, this is my first remix after this round of improvements. Still get weird results though when I convert to mp3, its as if it adds a low shelf of about 3db and the low mid 'barrel' sound... makes me scratch my head. Any way tried to tweak that stuff out of the mp3 bounce. Aggrevating not to be able to post the mix coming out of my nearfields though.
Just finished and posted a piece called "New Toy". Hope you'll check it out.
Gorgeous production Bryant; "New Toy" is a lovely mixture of contemporary sounds, and ancient melodies. Lovely piece, really! Good to see you on here, and glad that you have some new work. Hope all is well with you and your family!
Hi Cyndi! Your comments always cheer me up! You got it! Ancient melodies, layered in multiple voices and rhythmic figures. Every one here is moving along with life, and doing well, thank you so much for asking after them.
Glad to hear that all is well my friend!
Thanks Cyndi for the 5 star, you're an awesome cheerleader! I guess its pretty clear I don't do music for that kind of stuff, but it sure doesn't hurt when it happens. Thanks again
Morning Bryant, Lovely birthday present to your father, "Fiddlin' with Ferdnando". Your wonderful eccentric "take", on the classical side of life, is so greatly appreciated; a part of your unique style! Best wishes on this, and all your musical meanderings! Peace and blessings, Cyndi
Thanks Cyndi! When I was little, my dad was a Marine Corps officer with a hard core military bearing....and when he practiced classical guitar a different side of him could be glimpsed from time to time. (He made great guitar-faces) So this piece is one of the studies he worked really hard on or at least in my mind this is one he worked on often. So I added the strings thinking about those faces and the contrast/conflict between the two different people I observed in the same man. So I'm writing all this in part because of your choice of words, with a grin on my face, because back in those early years for him to make guitar faces or any other 'face' was indeed eccentric... and I did try to convey the spirit of that in the composition. Hopefully I didn't go to far over the top with it.... even if I did, I'd still be grinning right now. Thanks for the encouragement, you rock! Bryant
Nice to hear the back story on this piece Bryant. The dynamics we humans sometimes hide, only to find them openly displayed when the right music is created/played, can sometimes be such an epiphany! How you must treasure those memories.......:-)
Hi Bryant --I just put "Engage" on a CD of music that I sent to a friend. That is an amazing piece of music!!! It's in the goosebumps class. I'd love to know more about how you recorded that--is that you on electric guitar? Jeff
Hi Jeff, Is that me on electric guitar? Yes and no. Yes its me playing a Brubaker (little known custom guitar maker from Md) direct in to an eleven rack but the audio track was then used to create a midi track and the midi track sent through various sample players and tweaked. I'm using Omnisphere (Spectrasonics) and Play (East West) most often during the time that was recorded. If memory serves there were so many tracks just for that guitar it had its own aux buss to sum everything, and that buss probably had a compressor like Waves C-4 in paralell to pull up various freqs to thicken the sound. I'm thinking thats the info you wanted if you want more specifics I'd have to get the back up out and load up the session. I had started to loose the feeling in my hands about a year before that project so was looking to branch out into other ways to create music. Getting sound out of sample players is easy... music? not so easy. Good news though, I had wrist surgery two weeks ago, so here's hoping I can be back in guitar land sooner than later. Otherwise, Engage was the second of three pieces that were supposed to be backing tracks for a video short that was never finished. In order the pieces are "Its a New Day", "Engage", and lastly "Leaving Sol" Hope your friend enjoyed the CD and hopefully it had more of your stuff on it than any one elses. And on a different note: Would you be interested in collaborating on a piece? I got rolling on the sample player route and wound up stepping up my gear with a small Vienna Instruments package called Dimension Strings. Still learning how it all works so I'm trying to stick with some music that I'm really familiar with. To that end I decided to use classical guitar studies as a starting point to build the string sections around. Currently I'm using a Sor study and I could desperately use a live player. I recorded an audio track but it was so bad I trashed it and tried to use a sample player and now I'm wishing I had the audio track still. I'll be on the mend for a couple of months and then I'm guessing it'll be a couple of months more (at least) to get some chops. Want to play?
Hi Bryant, Hope all is well with you and family; getting prepared for the colder temps, heading our way. Just thought that I would drop by and say 'hello', since it's been a while since we've 'spoken'. I'm heading out to AZ on Sunday for a couple of weeks, to visit friends, who are family, HS reunion, and parties! I'm so excited to reconnect to wonderful, dear friends, whom I've not seen in so long. "No More....." is on Latin-Tango and Peavy Top Ten! Take care my friend, Cyndi
Hi Cyndi, We're slowly moving forward, think cave man era wagon on a road made out of boulders..... yep.. that's the picture. We should have the warm and dry part of things taken care of for this year and all the canning is done, gutters and roof repaired. Added to the growing space for next year... here about's a garden must be built like a fortification because the local deer gang is a pretty rowdy bunch. They like to tear down fences. My music time has been spent trying to learn some new software. I picked up some deals earlier this year on a couple of packages for mixing and others for networking pc's for the sample libraries. Its a slog but I'm enjoying the challenge. The best news is that the music is still in my head.... still working though on finding a way to get it out in a manner so that it sounds the same in the real world. I hope you have a fantastic time in AZ. Good news on No More... Postle Pete's part 2 been ready for tracking, torn apart and rebuilt no less than three times since we spoke last.. it's bein' ornry' but I'm still working on it. Likewise High Heels remains a work in progress. Its one of those that I'll come up with something I'm in to one night, but the next time I come to work on it... not so much. OK too wordy as usual so I'm signing off. Have fun. Thanks for thinking of me. Bryant
Morning Bryant, So good to hear from you, and happy for you to have been able to get those important tasks done, before the winter bears down. I understand about getting bogged down in all the day to day activities. However, I did have the reprieve with my AZ trip, and had a fantastic time, seeing dear friends who are family, and just partying, dancing, visiting, laughing my tail end off, so to speak, and feel so fortunate to have been able to make the trip. This morning, I'm sitting here drinking coffee, and just enjoying the peace and quiet. Happy to have "gained" an hour back, this am too, since I've been trying to re-acclimate to the time difference, since AZ does not do DST....... Glad to hear the you are learning some new software; hey, that is always a work in progress for me. I have only the bare basics, but seem to learn something new, daily; enjoy that too. I would love to take an audio production class.........yea, in between everything else:-) Looking forward to doing the "High Heels", whenever you're to that point. Again, I do understand how that goes. Have been doing some writing, recording, as well as come collaborations, so always have lots of lovely, (and thankful for it), projects, on which to work! All the best to you and yours. Peace and love, Cyndi
Hey Cyndi, Re Audio Production Class. Email me if you want to pursue that, I can point you at a couple of reputable sources. Otherwise check out MOOK classes online. Several great opportunities there, many are free with the option of certifications or college credit with minuscule fees relative to the costs you'd incur by attending in person. Lots of interesting stuff out there and not just audio. Great news to share: wrist surgery was a big success, I can actually play guitar for longer than a couple of minutes at a time now, and its getting noticeably better. (insert GINORMOUS sigh of relief Here) I think the next thing I post will be the work I was asking a fellow broadjammer to collaborate on only instead of someone else's instrument it'll be me. Really glad to hear that your AZ trip was enjoyable and that it lived up to your expectations, its always nice when that happens. Thanks for your wishes, Peace and love.... back at you, filled to the brim and running over. Bryant
Congratulations Bryant, on "No More.......", making the Latin and Virginia Top Ten! Hope all is well with you!
Thanks Cyndi. Little baby steps over this way. The raw materials for some acoustic treatment arrived today. Will be switching hats to go into handyman mode again. In a couple of months there'll be space for me to unpack all the old analoge gear and hook it back up. Working in the box has opened lots of possibilities and new learning.... but I miss my blinky lights. Hope you're doing great enjoying all your adventures.
Baby steps are better than none at all! Glad to hear that you are still forging ahead with your spatial projects, and will soon have space for all of your equipment. Blinking lights are always fun, but then, it will be all the sweeter, once you've finished your projects.....:-) Things are fine here; spring has sprung, thankfully, and I'm doing some spring cleaning, then will fly out in three weeks, back to Arizona for a little visit. Hope that warmer weather has found your part of the world too!
Well spring has sprung here too.... but in a taunting/teasing sort of way. The minute I go out to clean up or try to plant something a storm blows in.... I'm not falling for it again.
Well, we too have had some intermittent set backs with different fronts moving in here as well; fickle spring!
'Classical' is a period label that no longer really applies, but I'd say Peter's Pub is whatever the Art Music that used to be Classical is called now. I guess they call it Classical unless you fit in one of the brackets like 12 Tone Serialism, etc. Electronic Music is probably the best fit. This is kinda like Pierre Moerlen and Gong, but I'm outta my element here.
OH, and it also happens to be in the "Damn Good" category! =)
Thanks Jeff!
Congratulations on "PostlePete'sPartOne", making the Virginia Top 10!
Thanks Cyndi... woohoo half off on licenseing submittals.... maybe
Woohoo!
Reloaded my latest posting 'Postle Pete's Pub Part One' I found that I had squished the dynamics out of it in my attempt to master it... major 'doh' considering I spent quite a bit of time and effort during composition and mixing in order to create a decent sonic space and no small amount of dynamic changes. Fortunately some of that is now restored.
Just listened to your restored "Postle Pete....." again Bryant, and I can hear the 'space' much more clearly now, and it is such a beautiful piece! Really think that you restored it very nicely, and eager to hear your part II; I can see it as a passage soundtrack. Hope all going well for you and yours!
Hi great soundtracks here!! The productions are amazing!!... Esp. Loved" Monday" so unique and loved the electric guitar sandwiched in there!!..... Blessings... Julia:)
Hi Julia, thankyou so much for your kind comment. What a pleasant unexpected note. You are indeed a 'blessing'
You are most welcome!!! Yup I love " unexpected notes"...... Hey that sounds like a cool song/ soundtrack title!!:)))
Bryant, Postle Pete is another ambitious piece and very well done! I particularly like the last minute or so, where the percussion gears up and the music bed sounds celestial. Great job my friend! I feel that this would be in the soundtrack category, and for a very unique film. Best to you!
Well thanks Cyndi.. I'm calling this part one, cause there's so much more. It got to be rambling... which kind of works for the film concept of having several short acts one after the other but from a composition perspective it was too much to weave together. Part two has a good start on it.. the classical guys will take a seat... they've performed so its beer-thirty.. (hey they're German) and its time for some other 20th century guys to have a go at the open mike.. after all there's all you can eat ribs at stake here.. I've heard rumors even that there might be some vocals in the next bit... just sayin.
Hahaha! I love it! I can see the scene changes. I learned to enjoy the experience of warm beer when I lived in Pirmasens, Germany, if that counts! Love all your plots within plots! Your compositions are rarified! :-). We'll be waiting for Part II!
Absolutely counts! Are you kiddin' me... totally essential element. (I was a part of the Berlin Brigade for a few years) Besides which the Apostle Peter runs a "Pub" here in this scenario..... Oh yeah! Could heaven exist with the absence of some decent german beer? I think not.....
I totally think not! Ha!
...... And besides, I love the feel of high heels, especially while downing some nice, warm German beer! Prost!
Right on Cyndi.....
Hi Bryant, Hope you are able to get your ProTools up soon; know how frustrating that all is. "No More......." still on Peavy, and will vascillate off and onto Latin Top 10. I really appreciate all the work that you did on this, and each time that I listen, I hear some passage that winds it's way around some lyric or phrase, that I hadn't quiet heard before! Hope you and family are well and warm! Cyndi
Hi Cyndi, Its good to hear from you. PT is up... sort of. Fits and starts. Its a process to get it tweaked. A part of my upgrades was to add an additional computer that's main function is to run the Virtual Instruments when I'm composing. The recent big snow delayed delivery on the last of the parts, but they're sitting here on my desk as I write this. Soon. 'Postle Pete's Pub is coming along between crashes. Currently if I'm rehearsing on the keyboard when it autosaves I hard crash I managed to run down all the other PT problems but that one's left me scratching my head. In my typical fashion... its way too busy, but I'm finally on the guitar part where the vocal might go. I trashed the first two attempts.... actually I saved them for a future project and I'm trying to put something in now that'll flow better with what comes before and after. That's the goal anyway.
Sounds great; hope it all goes well. At work now, will write more later:-)
I love all of your tech rants! I can learn stuff just listening to you notes!haha! Seriously..... Well, hope all goes well with that; I was so frustrated my rel. new Zoom with I first got it, and that ain't nuttin, compared with a real, professional recording layout. Eager to hear what you up to this time, and I'm sure that it's brilliant! Just returned home from work, so will say goodnight, and off to the .....not the hot tub, but just the old tub with the hot water! Later and Peace! Cyndi
Bryant, Congratulations on "No More Will The Night Be Too Long" reaching the Latin Top10! My Best to you!
woohoo!!!!
Woohoo!!!! back atcha!
Just finished uploading a new piece. Its been a while and I was surfing around Bjam and checking out the pro reviews..... Son! I want a job doing that! Where do I sign up?..... Oh Roy, Roy, are you there?
It sounds really great Bryant! A joy working with you, and hope for more project in the future! Happy New Year!
Wheeee (no...... really) More projects is a must!
Absolutey!.........and, hope Roy is listening to you about the job......(no......really)!
Hey Bryant. After Jeff Roberts mentioned your song, Engage, I listened to it. Great work with that. Very impressive and creative. Made me think that this might have been what Jeff Beck would have done if he'd continued in that direction from the Blow by Blow / Wired era. Meaning that as a BIG compliment.
Wow Robert. "High Praise" Thanks so much. All your stuff just plain motivates me...... or just plain depresses me depending on my guitarist state of mind. Meaning I wish I still had chops like you. Thanks again for the encouragement!
Just re-visited "Engage" again Bryant, having had it on my playlist for sometime now, and really, such great energy. I can see why Robert made reference to Beck. Keep at it, and please don't get depressed; your gifts are many!
Thanks Cyndi... I'm getting back up with PT11 running still working on getting VI and plug ins back though. Its getting there... long night.
I have to go with Cyndi on that Bryant. You have no reason to be depressed. On the contrary, you have something extremely rare in your abilities to conceive, create and perform. To be honest, when I was listening to that piece, I was thinking - wish I would have done that.
Thank you Robert
It is very interesting isn't it? We all have our own "voices" and abilities, and we often times hear in others' work, that which we would like to create, when at the same time, they often are feeling the same. Another chance to say "Viva la differ'ence"! Hey, it's all good and the music is the result of our lives as reflected through our prisms of experience and emotion. A salute to you both, Bryant and Robert!
Hey Bryant, I just listened to Engage again (on my "love it" playlist). MAN that's a great composition!!!!!!!! Jeff
Thanks Jeff. Your timing is great.
Hey Bryant, Hadn't heard from you in a while, hoping all is well. Did you get your studio back up with everything like you wanted? Blessings!
Hi Cyndi, I did for a little while. One of the reasons Jeff's timing was so good is that I just recovered from the most recent blue screen of death fiasco (For the time being... still not all sorted out) Waiting on UPS to deliver some bits from Newegg and Sweetwater.... if that doesn't work.. I'm probably starting over with new hardware. Good to hear from you, hope everything is well with you n yours.
Gee, so sorry to hear that. Hope that the new stuff works out for you. All is well here; awaiting a huge Artic front moving in on Thursday. Keep in touch!
Good morning Bryant,...Wow! Your C'burg Concereto in Bb is fabulous! Rich in a contemporary sonata with your signature surprises in melodic twists & turns, and posessing that lovely minor strain with the emotional tug of the senses, of more traditional passages. I knew that you were a very talented musician, but this really showcases your ability of style, musicianship, technique and the very outpouring of your heart and soul. Congratulations!......and, thank you for sharing your music with us all. Genius!
Music is such a powerful expression... Sometimes we forget that others occasionally need bridges to find that relatable sensation that music can often provide to the individuals of this world. We forget that our own vision doesn't always line up with the vision of others. Often... I have, as a producer, learned this lesson the hard way more and more with time. So often... Most of us are so driven to share our own vision with the world that we forget to provide the world with just enough of an olive branch to actually relate to what we, as producers, put out into the world. We forget to remain approachable, comfortable to the common listener, we forget to actually relate while caught up in our own little hurricanes of twisted emotion and expression. We all look into our shattered mirrors... Seeing the brilliant reflections of fractured light, and forget that not everyone can see the beauty in our menageries. Finding that common thread is often the most pain staking process many of us will go through in an attempt to find that coveted validation in our work. Today... I'd like to remind broadjam members that "your HD television would not have been possible had someone not first developed tube television." The people that developed the tube never saw what was coming decades from now... But they built those tube televisions by utilizing the discoveries in science that came before them. Black and white became color, color became High definition, and so forth. Music is no different. You can look centuries into the past and see the building blocks of everything we have today. Even the most overlooked genre "trance" utilizes the most fundamental building blocks of what we know as musical theory. I don't know about you... But when I think about musical theory I think about the great minds like Beethoven, Bach, or even a few modern heroes like James Horner or Thomas Newman. Truth be known... The tools and knowledge that make their work so spectacular is at all of our fingertips. Many of you will say things like "I'll never sell out" or "I refuse to be anything less than original." Well... I'll pose this question. Is HD TV cool? Its better than all the stuff that came before it right? That tech was developed by standing on the shoulders of men and women that developed the science that came before it. Music is no different. Its a science. It has rules... Guidelines... and plenty of opportunities for innovation. Learning from those that came before you isn't a bad thing. Implementing formulas that work into your productions isn't a bad thing. Its how you develop the science and progress it thats important. Forget about being original for now... Learn how to do what works... And then grow as a producer from there. Trust me when I say this... They've had centuries to figure out what works. Build from that. Don't fight the tide... N
Interesting and truthful thoughts, N. You pose a great discussion. Yes, some bounds of theory just cannot be broken. Certain notes simply cannot go with certain chord progressions.
Beautifully stated Nathaniel. Day to day, a learning process, and some are much more advanced than others, but all a "work in progress". Pray we all search for those "opportunities for innovations", while keeping to expressing what's in our hearts & souls!
Salt Panic wrote "Certain notes simply cannot go with certain chord progressions" I respectfully disagree with such an absolute statement. When and how is more the nature of the beast. Another observation would be the nature of music theory to provide insight towards breaking the rules it sets for itself if that makes any sense. I'll grant you that its less common in pop music but when I listen to the guys who composed the work that the authors of the music theory books used as source material... those guys broke the rules often when getting from one tonic to the next. Its usually cleverly masked... but they did it I think. Just my 2bits.
Just remember, it's called Music Theory and not Music Law for a reason ;) And it doesn't have to take a highly skilled musician to break new boundaries either. That's the beauty of the art. Too bad there's no Theory of Gravity... that would be killer!
There are no rules... Only guidelines.
Bryant Johnson, you can certainly disagree with me. It's all good! I think my statement did come out a little more absolute than I intended. What I meant to say was something along the lines of a series of notes, or scale, could clash musically with a chord progression. It goes with the adage, you must first know the rules before you can break them, because rules can be broken. Absolutes are there when you have somebody who does not understand music and they are playing seriously out of tune or offbeat. It's like when you get a bunch of people at a concert and they can't clap their hands with the snare. Or you have a rhythm guitar player jamming in Em and the lead guitar is a quarter tone flat and tone deaf! I "try" to avoid absolute statements on the internet! Yet, there is always somebody who catches me! :) Jason
Absolutely :)
Positively!
Some complex thoughts from Nathaniel and those with comments which followed. I agree with some of that, and disagree with other. It's axiomatic that artists in all fields copy or build on the form and style of previous artists to the point where they find their own voice, or mode of expression. Whether we need to have our vision line up with the vision of others is entirely dependent on our objective as artists. That objective falls somewhere on the scale between the absolutely pure artistic vision of the artist and what is sold as commercial. Right or wrong (correct or incorrect) form and content aligns closely with commercial artistic expression; not so much with art for art's sake. Is John Cage's 4 33 as valid as Beethoven's Eroica? In the commercial arena, no. As art, maybe.
Great dialog gentlemen... If anyone needs any resources in theory... Let me know. I've recently been fortunate enough to get a crash course in some really great fundamental tools that have improved my methods greatly. Good producing all. And happy Easter. N
I really do like this. Aren't there others you want to update? Dad
working on a piece now that utilizes modulating synth patches in combination with organic samples as background and solo instruments in an orchestra setting. Trying to build on what I've learned thus far. I'm kinda slow. Cyndi Corkran and I have emailed recently and sent some tracks back and forth so I expect to revisit this piece again to add vocals sooner than later.
Bryant, Sitting here listening to your Christiansburg 1st Concerto and Bad Is Coming, while watching the raining morning, and enjoying, as always, the depth of your music; you never disappoint the senses! Will get back to you after today, with hopefully, some good tracks! Have a blessed day.
Hey thanks Cyndi. Going to have another crack at Bad is coming, having been away from it for a minute while working on Cburg piece I can hear some goofy phrasing. Probably due in part to some last minute editing, but you get so used to hearing the same thing over and over while working on a piece the 'goofy' parts sometimes become the norm. I still want it to be somewhat off-kilter during the changes but... well I'll tweak it and let you know when I repost. Thanks hope you're having much success with stuff and things. Blessings
I just listened again to the re-edited "Bad Is Coming", and it is such a great mixture of sounds & textures with a deep, rich sound. Love the melodic strain that you have going on, as well as the string section, diving in and out. Your talent never ceases to amaze me. I'm still sitting here, having my coffee, but have "fired up the studio", and will get to the wavs shortly. ;?)
Awr shucks. I'm glad you like the blend. Thanks as always for your support and kind words. Blessings
Modal Dream Instrumental - Are you still working on this? What happened to the lyrics? Will the completed piece be posted here?
Not my cup of tea. Your description of the song is necessary to understand it. There's plenty of pain and suffering and lost-ness in life, no need to amplify it. Let your music lift people up. In this case the uplifting part comes too late in the song and it confuses what you're really trying to get across.
I'm so glad you've included this in your public body of works. I liked the original but I like the remix just as much.
Also, congrats on the Top Ten Virginia with Gypsy Jazz Pie!
You're work is fabulous, once again Bryant! I love this piece; just full of joy and all surprises wonderful. As always, best wishes! I hope to return to our project soon.....
Really nice tune Bryant & Gary! Great groove and sweet, jazzy feel. Best wishes!
Thanks Cyndi! Hope your feeling better.
I'm beginning to feel better; swear, I've never had this to linger as it has, but so many have had the cold/flu. I'm still a little congested, but on my third round of different antibiotic, so starting to come around..........good grief. Happy New Year!
That is: Regarding the remix of "Lift Up Your Eyes"
Love the music and the lyrics but I do think the voice needs to be revised/experimented with
Thanks for commenting. I added this piece as a 'hangover' entry for the six pack contest. Most of my early recordings are packed away currently and I think this is off a disc which was made to check for translation during the mixing process some eighteen years ago. That's probably not the vocal take that stuck. Even so, considering its a guitarist filling in for a non-existant vocalist, the vocal take that stuck probably wasn't much better.
Bryant, I just listened to "I like it BJ remix", & I like it BJ! Very nice finger picking & lovely, melodic meanderings; really nice!
Thanks Cyndi! I played way better versions of it once upon a time but that's the only recording I can get my hands on right now. Not bad for one take and no punch..... still there's one take some where that has a 'flight of the bumblebees' bit happening in the middle which is pretty cool.
Just finished a better mix for Jesu Joy of Mans Desiring Full O and reposted it.