Okay finally found this forum again! Some nice sessions have come up and one with a "Wonderful" surprise (yes I'm milking this story to build the suspense a little). I met a writer/producer a few years back and started doing so sketch writing with him. Excellent music, I get to use my full potential as I like to call it, meaning I'm asked to do whatever I want. So my newest is to run the NS/Stick strings 5678 mono and 1234 with stero effects to 'excite' the higher frequencies when I ride up in to that range.
I'm speaking generally of creating the bass foundation of the tune I'm given. Nice when you go up high and the tone 'spreads' and speaks 'melodically' then comes back down to the earth shaking bass tones to the bass side. Great contrast and I usually send two tracks off the whomever the session is for:
1. bass part mono 2 stereo high strings with instructions that it is one complete part of two tracks that work and depend on each-other. I don't know who will be arranging/mixing so a little instruction goes a long way to understanding the part.
So "low and behold" even if the writer/producer didn't tell me who was on 'harmonica' his playing tone and style was like having his picture right there in front of me.... Ladies and gentleman non other than Stevie Wonder. My jaw dropped I was floored 1. because it was him... 2. because it sounded just like him and 3. Because it was him!!
From 12:am to 5:am I played into that session and then sent my tracks off... feelin' very satisfied and proud.
Who knows what will become of the track but for me it will be a bench mark in ' a super wonderful day in the studio'.
Okay so that was last weeks session, next week "Monday" I'm in the studio and Gregg Bissonette will be tracking drums
http://greggbissonette.com/ (currently on tour with Ringo Star) and Tim Pierce
http://www.timpierceguitar.com session guitarist super star recorded with Christina Aguilera, Seal, Bruce Springsteen, to name a few highlights.
I just got a text a few hours ago from the producer for Mondays session: "Just wanted to be sure you bring your NS/Stick" ...... Of course I was even if I wasn't asked. Like I've posted for 'years' regarding recording on sessions with the Sticks in general. "Just bring it and play it" if you wait to be asked good chance since time is money in the studio you won't get the chance as they pretty much know what they want prior to you getting there and not up for just playing around to see. At best ya get 5 minutes in that situation. SooOoOoo to hedge my bet I would bring it out first as if I was gonna just play bass. Then "SURPRISE".
So from doing that, now the "Surprise" is on me as it just gets to be expected that I bring it and intend to use it. Even if it is just a simple bass part, the tone is that magic.
ANy way, now days most of my sessions are from home and I send tracks out with a little note to the engineer saying what I played and to please list it as such in the credits.
And lastly in case I haven't gotten around to boring every last one of us with this last home made video I'll yet again see if it posts here. What I like about it is if you actually get through all of it it shows a lot of techniques back to back. Ya got your tappin' ya got your pluckin, a got your tappin while pluckin while slappin'.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/cg6X-qjH_JM[/youtube]
and if that link didn't work so swell here a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg6X-qjH_JMWell fingers crossed all this came out okay on this forum page! I couldn't be more prouder of this community and to be a part of it.
/Don
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