Archive
Studio Diary - 01/11/2001 (Day #5: The Studio)
Neal Morse:Day 5 01/11/2001
We're actually in the studio now. This place is amazing!! So much windows and light and horses and nice things like that. I think we're driving the engineers a bit crazy with all the little things we require. Mike's getting them to record from a video camera they have set up direct to VHS, Pete's sending them out for batteries and God knows what else and I'm saying "where can I plug in my lap top?". I think they've got drum sounds now so we should be starting in soon.
I think the 1st thing to record is a reworked piece of mine originally called "Hanging in the Balance" but now? I somehow doubt it. We'll see. The end we've come up with that we were working on yesterday is guaranteed to make you weep! It's huge and tender at the same time. I think you're going to like it.
Gotta go....
Neal
Pete Trewavas:
Hi I have a few minutes here as Mike gets his drum sound together. We are installing ourselves at Dark Horse studio Nashville which is an amazing looking place. It has the look of an old fortress. and we will be hear for the next week doing drum and bass tracks for Transatlantic II. we have some great music arranged for yours and our benefits, and I can't wait to get started. Once again I am useing my Warwick bass, and some Laney Backline which has very kindly been arranged for me by Laney UK( thanks Simon).
I'll write more when I have a few more minutes
Pete
Mike Portnoy:
OK...now the real work begins!
First of all, this studio is really very nice.
We are in the smaller of the 2 studios, so it's a little tight (I'm spoiled by DT's recording budgets!) but it has a real cozy vibe to it...
The surroundings outside are really cool....alot of horses (deaf horses I assume?)
No hovercrafts anywhere in sight....
Neal made the wise choice of sending out for Macaroni Grill for dinner and I must say it was the highlight of my day! (You know you are settling into a session when you no longer are thinking about the music and are more concerned about where you're going to order the evening's dinner from!)
OK...as far as music goes, we start off with the "Hanging in the Balance/Stranger in your Soul" piece...I end up getting about half the song tracked before we decide to quit for the night..
The recording of this record is slightly different because we are having the benefit of entering the studio with a few days of writing behind us...(and in this case 2 huge completely arranged pieces of music). When we did SMPTe, we wrote and arranged as we went along...meaning that we did it in pieces as we wrote it. When we started laying down tracks, we didn't neccesarilly know where exactly we were going to go in the next section!!
This time around, we've had time (a big whopping 2 days!!) to reflect on the entire arrangements and I'm finding that maybe that's not the best way for this band to function!! : ) There are way too many writers/leaders in this band and everytime we stop tracking for a minute, somebody wants to change something!!!! I THINK I'M LOSING MY MIND!!!!!!!!! arrrggghhhh!!!!
HELLLLP!!!!! somebody come SAVE ME!!!!!!!!!
im ok now...
c-ya tomorrow,
mp
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