Showtime!

         I intended to take off the cold months this year and work on writing and recording, but some calls came in for a couple of dates in December and January, including my first New Year's gig since before the turn of the century.  Playing outdoors on a balmy day can't be beat, and hauling equipment and performing when it's cold, even indoors, is, let's just say, not ideal. 

75° and Sunny!

    But now I'm looking forward to playing and glad the dates are on the calendar. You see, I practice every day and invariably while I do something comes up that adds a new or different twist to a song.  For instance, while working on the Frank Sinatra standard, "Young At Heart", a song I admit is challenging for me even though I've been playing it for some time now, I came up with  a simpler chord in one part of the song. My music theory expertise is a moving target and it's using a chord that I understand works after the fact, but not something I'd know intuitively if my theory was A+ rather than a C, and that's being generous. So, cool, something new and something that is easier to play and sounds good. Win Win! Now I'm looking forward to performing the song for an audience. 

    But wait! Nothing scheduled for a month.

    Not acceptable. Also I recently jammed with some friends and picked up a new song for the play list and that's waiting in the wings. Even though practicing is its own reward, performing something new in public is another level, and it isn't until I successfully get past that hurdle do I feel that I've really internalized it. At that point another process takes over and I have the freedom to expand from there depending on how I'm feeling at a particular time. This can be as simple as changing the tempo, or, like doing something unexpected, like my reggae version of "Lean on Me" (Bill Withers).

   

    It might be cold, raining and dark these next few months, but I'll load up the car and head out, thankful I have an opportunity to do something I enjoy that provides me with a new set of challenges every time I do. I'll just wear a warm coat.

    

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

Plan B

    Two things happened to sabotage my master plan. First, rain and cold weather descended on us overnight making it not much fun to be working on outside projects around the house, so all that work is on hold for the time being. Then I got a call from a client wanting to work their project, on hold since COVID.

    So, I decided to go ahead and set up my recording equipment in the unfinished space. Actually, I first tried to set up part of it in our spare bedroom, but that quickly proved to be unsatisfying and awkward, though I did accomplish a long overdue upgrade to my recording software. 

The Vision

    This is an example of being flexible and adaptation. I had fully intended to completely  rehab the space, one reason being that with my construction background I have a natural aversion to unfinished rooms, but there was also an element of perfectionism. I had a vision. Having spent a lot of my career in beautiful finished world-class studios, I wanted to create that in my home. 

And I will, but later. 

    

OK, first I took all the equipment out and moved it into the garage, displacing the car for a while. Then, I laid out the carpet and tacked up the felt wall covering which immediately dramatically deadened the room. With its high ceilings and cement floor had been like a shower stall. Next, I had to place the foam absorbent wedges. I put a couple up somewhat randomly, and then got the idea to line them up around the room, which both works to disperse sound and looks great. When I redo it next Spring I'll repeat this design.

    With that done, which took a couple of hours, I started moving equipment back in. The JBL speakers, vintage 1990, dominate the layout since they are actually intended to be installed in a bigger space requiring a louder volume. If I turned them up all the way, the bass would be so dominant as to be unusable, but with some attenuation they will be perfect. Another feature is a parabolic reflector that floats above the desk. It does have some acoustic function, but is mostly decorative. The power amplifier with its noisy fan lives out in the garage proper, so the result is a very quiet room, part work space and part sanctuary. 

    So I'm up and running, not exactly as I planned, and the next challenge will be to take it all apart and do it again next Spring. I don't mind saying that next to being onstage, I feel most a home in a recording studio.

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

Stuff

 It isn't until you see it all piled in one place that the magnitude of all your "stuff" becomes evident. I have come to the conclusion that humans have more in common with pack rats than chimps.

    Recently I took down my home studio and packed everything in boxes and moved them to our new house. Like any move, this one has some home improvement projects besides my studio so for the time being it's all stacked in the space. It will have to be moved into the garage when I start construction after some other chores around the house are done.

    One thing I realized is that I have two of almost everything, kind of an audio Noah's Ark. One of the things about using vintage equipment is that it's a bit more prone to failure so having a spare on hand is prudent. This is an old habit from when I was doing more projects and couldn't afford downtime. My system used to be more complex, with more processing done outside the computer so this is less of an issue now. The fact is, with some updating, I could dispense with almost all of the outboard equipment I use, but I still like to twist knobs, something that makes me keenly aware that the most vintage thing in my studio is me.

The First Mic

    For the record I have six guitars of various types, which is actually a low number compared to others. Guitar collecting is a occupational hazard, along with microphones, an even worse fetish. With extensive therapy I have curbed the guitar hoarding urge, but microphones...that's been a steeper climb. "Mics" were invented in the late 1800s along with the telephone and all the other technological marvels of that age. While they all function more or less the same there is a plethora of forms and I consider them functional works of art. Basically, the more sensitive they are, the more expensive and aficionados can appreciate subtle differences, not unlike the differences between fine wines. At any rate, I have 28, including a few pricey models, which is more than enough for my needs. 

"Stuff"

    It's one thing to collect things for their own sake, like souvenir spoons for instance, and I've never been acquisitional in that sense. The psychology of collectors is a curious thing to me, the need to surround oneself with a multitude of a particular thing seems like a way to fill a void, and somewhat obsessive. I do get it, though. Given the means I can't say I'd ever have enough mics.

    It's a truism that the quality of a workman's tools reflect the quality of his work. The way I look at it, the room full of "stuff" are the tools of my trade, just like hammers and saws are to master carpenters. Everything I have is for the purpose of making the best recordings I can, and when it's all put together it's my "workshop", where I do my best to be a craftsman worthy of my implements. And the most important thing is that tools are meant to be used, not just arranged for display.

So for now all my stuff is sitting quietly waiting to be put back to use, hopefully very soon.

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

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