Man With A Plan

     I enjoy the hands on work of building. There's something about working with tools and wood, starting with nothing and making something that's profoundly satisfying. But before driving the first nail making a plan is equally fulfilling.

     Over the last few weeks I've been spending time with a notebook, drawing sketches and making materials lists. My intention is to be as efficient as I can and have the whole project figured out before I start. There are a few jobs that have to be done to prepare the space, including moving a door and insulating the walls and ceiling. This will involve cutting into an existing wall and blowing in insulation, and making an access hatch to get into the ceiling. This will help with sound isolation and also with air conditioning. At that point I'll begin the actual studio construction.

    The goal in a studio is to minimize the effects of the room and hear the sound from the speakers as clearly and transparently as possible. Any solid surface will reflect sound waves and depending on the distance from the source will create an echo from the returning wave. These waves interact, with the result adding frequencies to the sound that aren't actually there. There are two ways to deal with this. One way is to alter the source sound to compensate for the echoes, using an equalizer, and the other is to "treat" the walls with materials that both absorb and disperse the various frequencies. Some math is involved beginning with room geometry. 

A room has a fundamental frequency determined by it's volume. It's calculated using the formula f = v/2*L where v is the speed of the sound wave, and L is the length of a tube or device the wave is traveling through. For this space that is 57Hz, which is just about the frequency of a bass subwoofer. Now if I wanted to control a frequency that low I'd have to add a considerable amount of mass to absorb the energy, so I'll use an equalizer to lessen it. This is only partially successful and I also have to deal with the multiples as well; 114Hz, 228Hz, 556Hz, and so on up to 17.7Khz (17,000Hz). Relatively small rooms like mine are especially tricky because the walls are closer together and parallel so middle frequencies, which include vocals, can be muddied up by uncontrolled reflections. The way to deal with this is with baffles, and tuned absorbers as well as a combination of hard and soft surfaces. The majority of techniques I'm planning to use will mostly be absorptive. Lower numbers will require some carpentry, and higher numbers will be handled with soft materials that diffuse higher frequencies. Even then the clearest sound will be at the mixing position, in the engineer's chair right in front of the speakers.

    These sketches show the two layouts I'm considering. One is at the end of the room, and the other is on one side. There are advantages to either, and for the moment I'm leaning towards the side option. This puts the speakers in front of the exterior wall which is more absorptive of bass so it will be somewhat easier to control. Also, if I'm working with someone in the room I can see them, making communication easier. 

    So I'll be finalizing the plan soon, next is budgeting and materials.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms. 

His records: "Limited Edition", "Home for Good", and “Loveland” are available on Spotify and other streaming platforms. His new recordings, "Astronomy" will be released later this year.

LOVELAND ON SPOTIFY

If I Had a Hammer...

    I'm looking forward to starting a new project. It's not music exactly, "Astronomy" is still on hold, but I'm hopeful that the planets will align in our favor and I'll be able to put it out soon.

    As I've noted before I have built several recording studios, from small four track rooms to world class facilities with every bell and whistle. My experiences as a studio engineer are some of my most rewarding. It's intense exacting work, yet full of opportunities for creative surprises, what we call "happy accidents". One thing that's very important is the recording environment be supportive and lend itself to a smooth workflow, including having equipment that allows the artist to  hear exactly what he is playing.

    Lately I've been listening to some of my older recordings and it's really interesting to hear the difference between them and more recent work. If I could make one broad observation I'd say that recording now can be extremely precise in capturing the realism of a performance, much better than when I started in the '70s. But along with that there is a lot of experimentation as well, mixing in electronic sounds with natural sounding instruments. Sometimes I hear producers using older techniques as effects in tracks as well, and vintage equipment is very much in vogue.

    All this plays into my new project. I recently moved into a new house that has a space I'm going to convert into a home studio. It's a blank canvas, just a storeroom with open stud walls so I'll begin by putting up sound treatments I've learned about to create a transparent listening environment where the room doesn't overly "color" the sound. It has a high ceiling and an alcove for a drum set so it's really perfect for the vision I have.

    Traditionally recording studios have been divided into two basic spaces; a studio where the musicians played and a control room where the engineer and the equipment were isolated so he/she could hear on speakers. This required a thick wall between the two rooms with a glass window so everyone could see each other. I'm not doing that, I don't have quite enough space, so I'm opting for the "all in one" design with everyone together, wearing headphones. This has some limitations but once the room is "dialed in" I can be assured I'm getting accurate results.

    So for the next few months I'll be showing progress on the construction; I'm planning on being done before the end of the year. I have some new songs I want to record so the goal will be a new record around the first of the year. More on that coming up also.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms. 

His records: "Limited Edition", "Home for Good", and “Loveland” are available on Spotify and other streaming platforms. His new recordings, "Astronomy" will be released later this year.

LOVELAND ON SPOTIFY

A Pet Peeve...

I try to not write simply opinionated posts. But this month I'm going to go on a tangent and rant a little about something I personally find objectionable...

As an aspiring performer I have spent many hours to learn the songs I play for audiences. It involves a lot of memorization and practice. I have to pick material that suits my voice, and my guitar skills, as well as  songs that I can emotionally interpret. There is a lot of trial and error, playing songs for a time to see if they fit and whether they hold my interest. Often, I abandon something I really liked because it just didn't "feel right". Maybe it was better for a band and playing it as a solo wasn't working, or maybe there's just one part that I can't nail down, but most often I can't find a connection for me and I move on. 

    One example of this is "Girl From Ipanema". It has some complex chords and I spent a lot of time getting comfortable with the fingering and rhythms, and enjoyed learning it, but so far I don't feel I am playing it well enough to perform in public. Considering the amount of effort that goes into my repertoire I don't want to have anything interfering with my performance. By the time I'm playing a song in public my goal is to hardly need to think about my playing or singing and can concentrate on putting as much expression into the performance as I can.

    So I want to say that I believe that having a music stand in front of me is just about the worst thing I can do to sabotage my performance.

    

    It was my experience in Nashville, at the many "writer's nights" that occur all over the city, that it's considered amateur if a songwriter walks onstage with a music stand, especially if they are trying out original material. They would have a stigma to overcome before they hit the first note. Usually, it was the less proficient writers who had this crutch in the first place, so even if the song was acceptable it would have to be really good to get a positive response. I literally have been in songwriter shows where you could feel the room vibe change when a performer walked up with a stand. The clubs in town always provided a PA and lights, but I've never seen a "house" music stand.

    To me what it really means is that the person is too uncommitted to bother to memorize the song and doesn't respect the audience. Can you imagine Mick Jagger or Taylor Swift with a music stand? It shows a certain arrogance in that they don't feel like they have to make the effort to perfect their performance by at least memorizing the songs.

    A couple of exceptions: It's acceptable in classical music where the musicians can read the score and are so accomplished that they can interpret the nuance and emotion intended by the composer. However, even then you often find virtuoso musicians who memorize long complex compositions in order to have that extra edge. (I can read music, but not well) Another is when songwriters are accompanying each other in an improvisational setting, so a lead sheet can keep everyone on track, but even then the person leading should know his own song.

    Entertainment is a competitive business, and I don't think we need amateurs lowering the bar especially when they expect to be paid. For me, watching a singer struggle through a song reading off a cheat sheet on a music stand is a painful experience, guaranteed to have me heading for the door.

    Anyway, just my opinion. Maybe I'm in a minority that's bothered by this, but there you go.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms. 

His records: "Limited Edition", "Home for Good", and “Loveland” are available on Spotify and other streaming platforms. His new recordings, "Astronomy" will be released later this year.

LOVELAND ON SPOTIFY

Moving On

 I'm selling my turntable. 

...and my albums.

    It's been something I've been thinking about for some time. In a post some months back I wrote about how streaming and digital distribution have made CDs virtually obsolete. New cars don't even have CD players anymore, so the LP, despite a resurgence of interest in vinyl as a novelty, really is an artifact of another time.

    A couple of years ago I looked at my three boxes of records and my turntable, which were on a shelf in the garage, and decided to bring them in the house. I bought a new cartridge and calibrated the turntable and set aside some time each week to revisit my favorite albums. I found I was listening with a different point of view, informed by all my experiences as a performer and producer. Along with the nostalgia and memories associated with the music I enjoyed the ritual of taking the records out of their sleeves and placing the needle. It's something like driving a vintage car, kind of clumsy but satisfying as well. 

    I have a lyric in a song of mine, "Classic":

                "I bought this record when I was eighteen

                  And when I drop the needle it's a time machine"

     It was great, but lately I find I'm doing it less and I've come to the conclusion that it had run its course, I've also been on a mission to simplify and focus more on my own more recent music and gigs. In a way I was paying my respects to all that great music from those amazing bands and artists, and now it was time to pass them on to someone who might appreciate them as much as I have. It's not about money, records are only worth a couple of dollars unless they are pristine and unplayed and these are certainly not that. I took good care of them, but they are, to be kind, "well loved". I'll put them on Craigslist and see if I can get a few dollars but I may just give them away. 

Records for Sale

    I don't think of myself as overly sentimental, certainly not a hoarder. My attitude is that material things have value if they are useful, and used. This applies to guitars, pa and recording equipment, which is pretty much the extent of what I own. If I don't use it I don't have it. The records were an exception, one that bothered me at times, but the associations with those memories embodied with them were powerful. But there does come a time when one realizes that the past is just that, past, and the present (and future) has much to offer. Perhaps letting these go will generate some energy for a new adventure and it's necessary to travel a bit lighter to make that journey.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms. 

His records: "Limited Edition", "Home for Good", and “Loveland” are available on Spotify and other streaming platforms. His new recordings, "Astronomy" will be released later this year.

LOVELAND ON SPOTIFY

Not Yet

I had planned to release “Astronomy” on April 20th. 

I’m going to wait.

    It’s all ready to go. When releasing a project in the internet age you announce a release date and then upload the tracks to the distribution service. Usually this is around a month before the release date which allows for the tracks to be sent to all the streaming services. So I would have needed to get the files out around the end of March.

    However in February,  after weeks of threats, Russia invaded Ukraine. The bottom line is that for me it’s impossible to pretend that this is not something that can just be ignored and I can’t in good conscience put out this work when there is this much turmoil in the World. When it began there was some hope that there would be a quick resolution, but now it looks like this is going to go on for a while.

“Astronomy” can wait. It's ironic to me that this project, a musical celebration of the natural world, is symbolized by an image of the vast and awe inspiring reality all around us. Yet, at this moment we find ourselves held back by a singular evil and the worst impulses of mankind. 

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms. 

His records: "Limited Edition", "Home for Good", and “Loveland” are available on Spotify and other streaming platforms. His new recordings, "Astronomy" will be released Spring 2022.

LOVELAND ON SPOTIFY

The View From Earth

 I think everyone should spend a few minutes at the end of every day looking up at the night sky.

    Our days are so full, doing all the things we need to do, the obligations we have to meet and sometimes we lose sight of the bigger space we live in. This is the perspective that inspired "Astronomy". 

    The more we learn about the Universe the more mysterious and compelling it is. Wise philosophers have for millennia tried to wrap their minds around the scale and meaning of this enormous and powerful reality that surrounds us and stretches beyond our ability to see, forcing us to use our imaginations to try and understand its purpose and our place in it. Art is a part of that effort. Art is how we attempt to express and connect with the unknowable and overwhelming reality we inhabit, even as we recognize that at this point in time there are no answers, only questions.

    One thing we have observed is that all things are in motion, from the smallest atomic particle to stars and galaxies. It has been suggested that the fundamental frequency of the Universe is 432Hz, and that our bodies resonate in harmony with it. Take a listen:

    Maybe so, and maybe all music, from Bach to Beatles, comes from some connection to this basic tone. We do know that we respond to sound and rhythm; we can't help it.

    For instance, the song "Earthbound" from "Astronomy" pulses with steady rhythm that hopefully evokes the sensation of moving across a peaceful landscape. The melodies repeat in a hypnotic cycle that accentuates this graceful movement. The improvisations include a section that with soaring fluid lines using a distorted guitar tone. This sound is created by overdriving the volume of an amplifier so that the frequencies and harmonics all blend together and is unique to modern music, only possible after the invention of electronics. It's remarkable that this invention has contributed much to expanding our knowledge of the Universe.

    There's a moment in a child's life when they ask; "Where do the stars go in the daytime?" If you are fortunate to answer them by saying, "They don't go away, we just can't see them because the sun is so bright. They are there all the time", you will see that realization dawn on their face, and perhaps the beginning of an appreciation for the wonder that is all around us.

Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms. 

His records: "Limited Edition", "Home for Good", and “Loveland” are available on Spotify and other streaming platforms. His new recordings, "Astronomy" will be release Spring 2022.

LOVELAND ON SPOTIFY

"Astronomy" Release Date

     "Astronomy" will be released on April 20th.

 I'm in the final stages of finishing up the six tracks on "Astronomy" and each of them have a few details I'm working on. It's a moving target. 

    At this point the process becomes one of working on a track, making a minor change then taking a break for a day or so and then coming back with "fresh ears" to see if indeed the recording is "final". It could be a one of three things I call "TTT" (Tuning, Timing, Tone). It's always a matter of hearing something that doesn't sound quite right that bothers me, first just a little, but then after a while it becomes so glaring that I have to see if I can do something else. 

I've learned two things about this:

1. Nobody else hears it, and in fact if I ask a friend, especially a musician friend, to listen they invariably either don't notice it or point out something else entirely, which of course sets me off in that direction. 

2. I usually find something that I like better and replace the part with something that stretches my skill a bit further. I'm going to get in the weeds a bit to explain how this works.

A "Punch"

    An example of this is in the song "Andromeda Run". Towards the end, right after the saxophone solo there is a repetitive guitar theme that had one note that was just a little off time (right, nobody noticed but me) so I set out to fix it. The way this is done is called "punching in", a term that refers back to when recording was done on tape. An engineer could manually hit the record button on the machine while it was running. It was a skill that allowed a very short section to be recorded without changing what was before and after it. In this way even a single note could be corrected without having to redo the entire part. It was a matter of professional pride if an engineer could perform a punch cleanly, and it required perfect synchronization between him and the musician to make the fix. Now with digital recording all I need to do is highlight the section I want to replace, and the whole process is automated.

    For this particular fix I started by trying to simply play the same part with better timing, and played it about 10 times trying to do that, but it still wasn't sounding right. Then on the next take I not only got it perfect, but actually added an embellishment, completely unthought, that caught me by surprise. Now when listen, not only is it fixed, but it has something added that takes the part up a notch and that's what makes the whole process fun and fulfilling. 

Now on to the next one!

Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms. 

His latest record “Loveland” is available on Spotify and other streaming platforms.

LOVELAND ON SPOTIFY