Cover tracks from the depths...

About 3 1/2 years ago, Jennifer and I embarked on a project to record a CD full of songs to give away as a wedding favor. We did have a good recording session with drummer Scott Pirk where we managed to knock out four tracks in one evening. As the wedding approached, though, we became too busy with wedding planning, buying/selling houses, moving, etc. to finish ever the CD. While poking around on the studio computer last weekend I found the original Sonar project files, did a bit of re-mixing, and viola... have now got four new (old) tracks to share.

• Barracuda (Heart)
• Heartbreaker (Pat Benatar)
• Magic Man (Heart [again])
• Sweet Child O' Mine (Guns N' Roses)
  

The "full gear report" is a bit tricky, since it's been awhile, but here's what I used to the best of my memory...

Guitars: PRS Custom 24 or McCarty Rosewood --> Ibanez WD7 wah --> Randall RM4 preamp (Blackface, Top Boost, SL+, Recto, and Ultra Lead modules) --> TC G-Major in series FX loop --> Randall RT2/50 power amp --> Avatar 2x12 cabs (one open back with G12T75's, one closed back with V30's) --> each mic'd with an SM57 --> ART Tube Channel preamps --> M-Audio 1010LT --> Sonar 2.2XL

Everything else: either mic'd (Nady DMK7 kit for drums, CAD GXL1200 condenser for acoustics, Nady SCM900 condenser for vocals) or ran direct (bass through Trace Elliot head, acoustics direct from onboard preamps) --> ART TPS preamps --> Behringer compressor --> M-Audio 1010LT --> Sonar 2.2XL

Enjoy!

--B

Today's recording project - Never Be Free

Here's the latest from the depths of the studio... I came up with this chord progression a couple weeks ago, the lyrics came to Jennifer pretty quickly, yesterday I did a quick scratch track using Line 6 Gearbox, and today we got a chance to record everything in a "proper" fashion.

The new track can be downloaded here: Never Be Free

And, of course, it wouldn't be complete without a discussion of the gear used...

- Left rhythm guitar - PRS McCarty Korina into Egnater JTM45 head
- Right rhythm guitar - G&L ASAT Classic into Hughes & Kettner Edition Tube 20 combo
- Lead guitar - PRS McCarty Korina into Mesa Studio preamp + Randall RT2/50 power amp
- All of the above - through V30-loaded Randall R212C cabinet mic'd with Cascade Fat Head ribbon and Blue "The Ball" dynamic into Presonus DigiMax FS
- Acoustic guitar - Takamine EF-385 12-string mic'd with Kel Audio HM-1 and Audio Technica AT2020 condensers into Presonus DigiMax FS
- Bass guitar - G&L Tribute L-2500 direct into DigiMax FS
- Vocals - Studio Projects C1 condenser into DigiMax FS
- Drums - Drums on Demand

--B