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Second Chance at a Dream
29 January, 2018 12:51 PM
Sometimes, names of Thoroughbreds are implanted in our psyche as if they will remain embedded there forever. It happens every year on the first Saturday in May. But in some cases those names, for whatever reason, turn out to be fleeting and soon fade from consciousness.
It was nine months ago, following a contentious Kentucky Derby trail, that it seemed the name Always Dreaming would be rolling off our tongues for years to come. At least we had the Triple Crown and beyond to look forward to, although the length of his racing career was questionable, as is the case with all 3-year-old superstars. It doesn't take long for breeding farms to attach themselves to a hotshot 3-year-old like a barnacle to a ship, getting into the fray early, usually with the intention of securing an early retirement. But no one thinks of such things during the frenzy that is the Kentucky Derby trail. It's all about now.
So, when Always Dreaming followed up his brilliant victory in the Florida Derby with an equally convincing score in the Kentucky Derby, it looked as if a new star was born with an unlimited future. We at least would be able to enjoy him through the end of the year, as we did with American Pharoah.
Always Dreaming went into the Preakness, now with the Triple Crown dreams of his owners, which consisted of Brooklyn Boyz Stable, Teresa Viola, St Elias Stable, MeB Racing, Siena Farm and West Point Thoroughbreds. Heading the ownership were the families of Anthony Bonomo of Brooklyn Boyz, his wife Mary Ellen, and Anthony's childhood buddy from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Vinnie Viola, and his wife Teresa.
There also was the emotional story of jockey Johnny Velazquez and his agent Angel Cordero Jr., who brought the young rider to America from Puerto Rico and pretty much adopted him as he would a son. It was that special relationship and Cordero's quest to make Velazquez, who didn't speak English when he arrived, a champion jockey and one of the greatest ever, that prevented Cordero from giving up on life after his wife Marjorie was killed by a hit and run driver. That quest drove him even harder, hooking him up with Todd Pletcher, and now they finally reached the pinnacle, with Velazquez and Pletcher teaming up to win the Kentucky Derby together after so many attempts.
So, it looked as if this story had everything, a fast, exciting horse who moved with both grace and power, a lifelong friendship that led two Italian kids from Brooklyn to fame and fortune, and the bonding of two souls who fed upon each other for sustenance in time of need and their relentless quest to climb the sport's highest peaks.
But even the most appealing racing scripts often go unfinished or are tossed in the trash can. Happy endings and reality often do not meld in Thoroughbred racing. And so it was that the dream of Always Dreaming ended abruptly in Baltimore, as the colt inexplicably faded badly to finish eighth, beaten nearly 14 lengths, as everyone watching in disbelief.
That ended the Triple Crown and the dream, at least for the time being. Always Dreaming returned seeking redemption in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, and although he ran a respectable race to finish third, showing some willingness to fight back in the stretch, he was beaten more than five lengths, despite appearing to be in complete control of the race on the front end, setting slow fractions.
Would he improve in the Travers Stakes, reigniting the dream, or were we looking at a shell of what once appeared to be an exciting bona fide superstar? The Travers answered that question with cruel bluntness, as Always Dreaming faded once again, this time finishing ninth, beaten 18 1/2 lengths. This time, the dream looked over for good. It was time to wake up from what had turned into an unexplained nightmare and consider sending the colt off to stud with a severely damaged reputation.
With new stars emerging, like the late-developing 3-year-old West Coast and a rejuvenated 4-year-old, Gun Runner, and America trying to get over the shocking defeats of the seemingly invincible Arrogate, the name of Always Dreaming seemed to be fading from public consciousness, his reputation tattered beyond repair.
Shortly after the Travers debacle, it was was announced that WinStar Farm had entered into an agreement to acquire Always Dreaming's 2017 breeding rights. They now had to make the best of a bad situation from a marketing standpoint - selling a stallion who had gone completely off form for no known reason.
They did<|fim_middle|> Addition to Hall of Fame
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"We are excited to add another potentially breed-shaping stallion from the dominant Unbridled line, which has proven to be today's preeminent classic sire line," said Elliott Walden, WinStar President & CEO. "Always Dreaming has all three things we look for: Looks, he was a $350,000 yearling; Pedigree, he is out of a fast, grade 1-level race mare and is a half to a grade 1 winner; and Performance, he's a brilliantly fast winner of two prestigious grade 1 races this year, including the race everyone wants to win - the (Kentucky) Derby. He represents four straight generations of a sire line that finished first or second in the Kentucky Derby."
Now came the question, do they and the owners pull the plug and move on to the next phase of his career, with so many unanswered questions hanging over their head or was there even a remote hope of redeeming his reputation in the future following a freshening at the farm?
Always Dreaming, with career earnings of over $2.3 million, was shipped from Saratoga to WinStar early on a Monday morning to be freshened and to have a complete physical examination, after which a decision would be made whether or not to stand him for the 2018 breeding season.
It was that examination by Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood & Riddle that apparently answered all the questions. Always Dreaming was found to be suffering from stomach ulcers, so severe that Dr. Steve Reed of Rood & Riddle said it was one of the worst cases of ulcers he has seen.
According to Pletcher, Always Dreaming's appetite was always good and he had been treated with Gastrogard all year, showing no symptoms of the ulcers. It was a shock to everyone at the barn.
By October, between the treatment and being turned out on the farm for a month, the ulcers were completely cleared, and now there was a fresh start to look forward to in 2018.
It is now almost four months later and Always Dreaming, on January 29, turned in his first breeze, going three furlongs in :37, moving along at an easy controlled clip.
The name that has faded from most people's minds has a second life. The Kentucky Derby winner is back, just as the sport's main star, Gun Runner, arrives as Three Chimneys Farm to embark on his new career. Yes, racing needs Always Dreaming; the Always Dreaming they cheered down the stretch at Churchill Downs and who thrilled them at Gulfstream Park.
We can start thinking about Brooklyn again, about more glory for John Velazquez and Angel Cordero, about the return of the Kentucky Derby winner. We can all start dreaming again.
Filed under: Todd Pletcher, Kentuckky Derby, Always Dreaming, Anthony Bonomo, Brooklyn Boyz Stable, Teresa Viola
My Juliet Worthy | 629 |
At Capital One, we don't only think big things—we do big things. We were the first company to develop and offer mass customization and personalization of credit card products, and we have been innovating relentlessly ever since. Today, we are a nationally recognized brand, a top 10 bank, and a scientific laboratory on a journey to become a leading high-tech company and digital innovator touching over 65 million customer accounts. Founder-led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Fairbank, Capital One has grown to $22 billion in revenue in just over 20 years.
Our associates flourish in our open culture where a meritocracy of ideas and harnessing collective wisdom trump titles and hierarchy. We proudly bring together associates with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences in an environment where they can challenge the status quo and reimagine money to inspire life.
Capital One benefits are top-notch. We're focused on helping associates live well—physically, financially, and emotionally. Our associates have access to generous medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug plans—with full coverage for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents.
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Berethelmus, Berthelmus oder Berethelm wird 762, zur Zeit Pippins des Jüngeren, als Bischof von Köln genannt. Außer seinem Namen ist von ihm nichts überliefert. Weitere Namensformen sind Berehthelmus, Bernh<|fim_middle|>Bischof (8. Jahrhundert)
Geboren im 7. oder 8. Jahrhundert
Gestorben im 8. Jahrhundert
Mann | elinus, Berterinus, Bertholinus.
Leben
Er erscheint am 13. August 762 in der hochrangigen Zeugenreihe in einer in Trisgodros ausgefertigten, wichtigen Urkunde Pippins und seiner Gemahlin Bertrada. In dem Diplom bekräftigen sie die Rechte der von ihnen 752 als karolingisches Hauskloster neugegründeten Abtei Prüm und stellen das Kloster unter ihren Schutz. Nach den verschiedenen Bischofskatalogen für Köln wird seinem Episkopat eine Länge von 10 Jahren zugemessen. Sein Todestag soll der 5. Februar sein.
Literatur
Eduard Hegel (Hrsg.): Geschichte des Erzbistums Köln. Bd. 1: Das Bistum Köln von den Anfängen bis zum Ende des 12. Jahrhunderts. 2. Aufl. neu bearbeitet v. Friedrich Wilhelm Oediger. Bachem, Köln 1971.
Einzelnachweise
Bischof von Köln
| 249 |
The "most wonderful time of the year" can quickly become the "most stressful time of the year." Budget talks. Extended family pressures. Running from one activity to the next. Not to mention the exhaustion we feel as we make Christmas "magical" for all of the people in our care. We can miss each other as a couple amid all of the tinsel and wrapping paper. The intensity of orchestrating Christmas leaves little room for relaxed alone time.
On top of that, the holiday season often amplifies low-lying conflict or highlights differences we didn't know existed. Who knew when and with whom we open Christmas presents could instigate what feels like World War III? It's enough to make husband and wife say, "See you at on New Year's" and then go about the busyness of the season.
I am convinced there is a better way to spend the Christmas season as a couple, a way that connects and reminds us that we are celebrating Immanuel, meaning "God with us." For centuries Christians have been using the liturgical season of Advent as a time of collectively preparing for the Christ child's arrival. It is a time when congregations and families reflect on the fact that Jesus wasn't always with us and that we continue to wait for His arrival today. We can use these themes of Advent — hope, love, joy and peace — to help us intentionally seek out our spouse during this busy time of year.
Christmas is an annual marker. For better or worse, it's a time when we tend to reflect on Christmases past. It's a time when grief and disappointments are heightened. It's a time when we may especially need some hope.
We celebrate Christmas every year because our hearts need to remember the "Hope of the world" (Matthew 12:21) on a regular basis. Choose to find hope as a couple. Look for where God met you individually and as a family in the last year. Talk through your hopes for the coming year. Confess places where you need the Holy Spirit's intervention and pray that for each other. Take this opportunity to encourage each other.
As you run around in the busyness of Christmas, don't forget to love your spouse in the way he or she appreciates most. This usually means some intentionality. Love can be words, it can be touch and it can be action. Remember, a kind word and tone of voice always communicate love.
Whether it is taking half an hour to give her your full attention, telling him how much you appreciate his ability to manage details or shopping for the gift that best expresses your affection, matching your efforts with your spouse's love language will make sure he or she doesn't get lost in the Christmas shuffle.
It can be difficult to find joy in a season of extra stress. From money pressures to feeling the tension of where and how much time to spend with extended family, we can experience heightened tensions this time of year. God wants us to experience joy and not just in the easy times, but in the stressful ones as well. Jesus asks us to "abide" in Him so that His "joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11).
The expectation of Advent reminds us of the Good News that God so loved the world He came as a baby. Joy springs from gratitude. Remembering as a couple what we are grateful for, both the temporal and eternal, will increase our joy. Rather than fixating on how we wish things could or should be different than they are, we can make a mental (or written) list of God's faithfulness in our lives. Remember to thank God for who He is, what He has done and what He will do for the two of you in the coming year.
In a world of noise, a culture of political conflict and a season of exhaustion, peace can feel elusive. Perhaps peace is not meant to be the absence of conflict, pain or grief, but rather the reassurance that God reigns over all circumstances. When we Christians feel anchored in who we are through Christ, we can better manage the busyness of the season. Peace is knowing that God's love is unstoppable.
As you strive for peace in your home, and more specifically in your marriage, remember your spouse is made in God's image. This person in front of you was knit together by<|fim_middle|> demeanor be different? Would there be more peace in your interactions? When you feel anchored in Christ, you can extend grace more easily. And that will certainly bring increased peace in your marriage.
To celebrate Advent together is to take to heart the themes of hope, love, joy and peace by allowing them to affect your heart. You want to offer your spouse the best version of you while celebrating Christ's birth and anticipating His return. Christmas will be more meaningful and memorable if you sit in the miracle of the season together.
Alexandra Kuykendall is the author of four books including Loving My Actual Christmas: An experiment in relishing the season.
© 2018 Alexandra Kuykendall. Originally published on FocusOnTheFamily.com.
Explore God's Word together with this devotion for couples. You'll discover that Your spouse is significant because he or she was created in the image of God. This is part of his or her identity. | the One we celebrate this time of year. What if you treated your spouse as if he or she were the person Christ came to save over 2,000 years ago? Would your | 39 |
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The University of Windsor and BlackBerry Partner<|fim_middle|> health crisis.
"The University of Windsor is pleased to partner with BlackBerry to provide learning opportunities for our students," said Rob Gordon, President at University of Windsor. "This innovative remote learning collaboration will provide students a unique opportunity to develop crucial data science skills and expertise that will allow them to excel in an increasingly digital marketplace."
"Ontario continues to lead the way with innovative partnerships that enhance the educational opportunities for our post-secondary students. I am pleased to see the University of Windsor partner with BlackBerry to provide practical training on cybersecurity, software engineering and privacy protection," said Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities. "I commend the collaborative spirit shown by BlackBerry and the University of Windsor."
"We are delighted to partner with the University of Windsor on student education and enable them to have a successful STEM career," said Neelam Sandhu, Vice President of Business Operations & Strategic Accounts, Office of the CEO at BlackBerry. "Now more than ever partnerships such as this are critical to ensure students can continue to learn remotely and prepare them to pursue careers in high-demand fields such as Data Science."
KEYWORDS: coronavirus COVID-19 cyber security education & training
University of Texas at San Antonio and Port of San Antonio partner to boost supply chain security and data innovation
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The University of Windsor and BlackBerry Limited have partnered to develop and deliver a cybersecurity curriculum for the University's Graduate Master's Program in Applied Computing.
The curriculum, called BlackBerry Bootcamp, will be taught as part of a required Network Security course, and completion of the curriculum will account for a portion of the student's final grade.
BlackBerry Bootcamp will cover a range of cybersecurity topics including digital identity protection and privacy, software engineering, the latest techniques of cybercriminals, advanced threat detection technologies and more. It will be delivered over 10 weeks starting on May 18, as a remote learning program to ensure students can continue their education during the COVID-19 | 142 |
Home News Washington, D.C. Impact of sequester cuts lost in hoopla
Washington, D.C. Impact of sequester cuts lost in hoopla
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COLUMBUS — An Ohio State University economist worries that the partial shutdown of the federal government and a fight over the debt ceiling looming in Washington, D.C. has overshadowed discussion about the potentially devastating impacts of an earlier fight — the sequestration deal that went into effect earlier this year.
Cut backs
Mark Partridge said the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal agencies all have plans to cut back or eliminate key local and county-level data sets used extensively and for which there are no alternatives.
"People have lost focus on some really damaging effects that the sequester had on beneficial government programs," said Partridge, professor of agricultural, environmental, and development economics in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Partridge co-authored an article detailing these concerns in Choices magazine, a publication of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
"The problem with the sequester was the across-the-board nature of it, without prioritizing what government programs are important," Partridge said. "This is an important topic that is currently way under the radar."
Partridge, who is also the college's Swank Chair in Rural-Urban Policy, wrote the article with fellow economists Stephan J. Goetz of Penn State and with the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, and Maureen R. Kilkenny, senior fellow with the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy.
Partridge additionally holds appointments with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, the outreach and research arms of the college.
The paper is online at http://go.osu.edu/data_sequester. The economists argue in the paper that the federal statistics on the chopping block are essential for understanding and analyzing key economic changes at the local level.
For example, the soon-to-be-greatly scaled-back Local Area Personal Income data set:
Provides the only annual comprehensive and detailed measures of county level economic activity, transfer program payments and personal well-being.
Has been the only source of consistent annual estimates at the county level covering farm as well as non-farm establishments, government and private sectors at the detailed industry-based level.
Is the only source of annual estimates of the earnings of proprietors and commuters by place of residence.
Is particularly important due to its<|fim_middle|> talking about programs that cost just pennies per person when supported by 300-plus million Americans," Partridge said. "And this is data used by small businesses, by public officials, by government watchdogs — and, yes, by economists. We rely on it both in our research and in the classroom."
Data disappearing
Having access to public data such as this has, in the past, helped to level the playing field between small businesses and large corporations,
Partridge said. When this data disappears, large businesses will be able to afford to do their own research, but small businesses will not, putting them at a disadvantage precisely at a time when the economy is relying on them to boost employment numbers and investment, Partridge said.
"My best-case scenario, at least as far as federal statistical data collection goes, would be for members of Congress to realize that they are cutting programs that are being used by all of their constituents — businesses, governments, the public and the media — and these agencies will get a restoration of funding."
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Next articleUK Ag Equine Programs to host equine showcase, breeders' short course | accuracy because it is developed from unemployment insurance, tax returns and other administrative record data, and it is the only data reconciled to state and national totals.
Private businesses use this data to understand local markets and make investment and location decisions, Partridge said. In addition, public servants use the data to project local needs for water, highways, energy and other infrastructure, and human resource experts use it to understand labor market trends and gaps.
Without this data, the economists write, it would be prohibitively expensive if not impossible for civil servants, analysts, or scientists to measure "how well are we doing" at the county level or to determine if economic development efforts are having the expected effects. Officials also use the data to identify people or businesses that are underserved, or to identify other problems such as fraud.
Making government accountable
Having such data publicly available has made government more accountable, the economists argue: Functioning democracies need accessible data in order to assess the effectiveness of their public officials.
"We're | 201 |
Fries show ends without a winner
Heerenveen – Ajax is always a great show, and the teams proved that again on Friday night. After a spectacular festival of errors which remained exciting until the last minute, no winner emerged, with a final score of 3-3. Ajax had taken a 0-2 lead, but the champion was already down by halftime, 3-2.
Frank de Boer made two changes to his line-up after the 2-1 win against Feyenoord five days ago. Ricardo van Rhijn returned into the team after his suspension – "because I'm not going to switch out players because we happened to win one time when he wasn't there"- said the coach a few days before the game. The other change was at the other back position: Daley Blind relinquished his spot to Nicolai Boilesen, who thus had his first starting spot since September 18, 2011. The Danish international has been afflicted with long lasting injuries which have kept him away from Ajax 1. After playing in the first minutes of the Johan Cruijff Plate, his aim in Heerenveen was to show that he's totally back. Blind, who was the 150th player to join the club of 100 last week, was suffering from a slight groin injury. "And we don't want to run any risks<|fim_middle|>, 3-3.
Ajax went hunting for more. Heerenveen wanted to retain at least one point, and thus the Fries team's inconstancies became fewer. When they did scatter, Ajax had the upper hand and sought out a fourth goal. But it was anyone's guess which team would score the fourth goal, and Heerenveen had the best opportunities. One time, Vermeer prevented the attack; the next, Sven Kums sent his shot just over the empty goal. Van Basten: "4-3 would have been welcome, but maybe too much to ask." When Ajax was preparing for its final attack, Vink blew his whistle to signal the end of the match. Thus Ajax suffered damage in its second away match of the season. After losing 3-2 at AZ, the score in Heerenveen remained 3-3. | , because the time will come soon enough when we really need everyone", De Boer explained his choice.
The Ajax coach was expecting an open match. The statistics told the same story, since in the last eight matches between sc Heerenveen and Ajax in Friesland, a total of 35 goals have been scored, an average of 4,38 goals per match. The fact that that average had already been passed at halftime was new, and so was the score build-up. Ajax seemed poised to enjoy an easy evening as they enjoyed a 0-2 lead early on. In the thirteenth minute, Niklas Moisander – on a corner from Christian Eriksen – sent a header into the goal, and four minutes later, Kolbeinn Sigthórsson did the same.
But Heerenveen was able to score in the 23rd minute. After a few fouls which weren't called, both teams thought that Vink had indeed blown his whistle. Heerenveen reacted alertly when it appeared that this wasn't the case. Alfred Finnbogason was launched and was able to bring the score to 1-2. Nine minutes later, Ajax made a mistake around the middle line and the Eredivisie's top scorer was once again given a wide berth, after which he promptly scored his sixth goal of the season. At the break, things got even worse for Ajax's fumbling defense. This time, it was Magnus Eikrem who brought the score to 3-2 after mistakes from Ajax's defense. "For a coach, it's incomprehensible that we gave it away like that", he sighed. "If you have someone on his knees, then you shouldn't help him back up. You get to 0-2 and then you simply give away two goals. You know what happens then. They start to believe."
The coach took action during the break. Thulani Serero, who was a main player last season with two goals and a red card, replaced Lasse Schöne. "I didn't think he was playing very well", said De Boer, explaining his substitution. "There were definitely other Ajax players who weren't playing well, but I can only make three substitutions, right?" Ajax had the initiative and the dominance in the second half, but needed to remain alert for an attack from the home team. The biggest opportunities did belong to the Amsterdam team, and Eriksen's attempt from a free kick in the 59th minute almost hit the mark. The Danish midfielder was successful six minutes later. The attack started with Moisander, who made a good pass to Bojan. The loaned out player from Barcelona saw Eriksen next to him and the Dane shot precisely into the far corner | 573 |
Hi! Im Thomas Palivos born in Athens in 1994. I love art! Im a graphic design school graduate working as an inhouse designer for an event production company. I have a two years...Read<|fim_middle|> and made changes when requested.
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It may be wonderful to be a photographer during the age of digital photography,<|fim_middle|> principle better. Select a shutter speed between 1/60th and 1/125th, such as 1/80th or 1/100th. Then, use your burst, or continuous shooting, mode to take quickly 10 available-light test images. Your goal is to have a series of real-time photos that captures the cycle of the fluorescent fixture and the slight color shifts from photo to photo. Look at all 10 test pictures together on a computer screen or as prints to study and compare.
Now, that you have acquired this bit of information, you'll know that your best shutter speeds are 1/60th, which is the equivalent of the entire 60hz cycle, or 1/30th, which equals two cycles. These shutter speed settings are not perfect matches, but they are much better than wasting time guessing and experimenting during a shoot. Another adjustment you can try if you still don't like your results is to move the fluorescent setting on your camera to warmer or cooler.
The same steps apply when the ambient light source is tungsten, or incandescent, light. The only difference is that you use a piece of CTO gel. Just as with fluorescent light, tungsten light is not steady or consistent. Some incandescent light bulbs will be warmer and some will reproduce red-orange light if they've been dimmed. Again, you may have to widen your range of acceptability because perfect color correction is not possible.
In many cases, an interior space is lit by a combination of ambient light sources: overhead fluorescent fixtures, table or floor lamps with tungsten bulbs and sunlight streaming through large windows. Remembering that tungsten and daylight balance much better than do fluorescent and every other light source, determine which is the stronger light and shoot according to it.
When fluorescent light dominants, but sunlight is also entering the room, close the blinds/shades/drapes and don't include the covered window in your frame. When large windows allow the room to be lit mostly by sunlight, don't use the fluorescent fixtures. There should be plenty of light and any subjects won't object when you tell them that fluorescent light will render their skin green. Once you've balanced your camera and flash with the dominant light, you shouldn't need to use gels. | but the principles of light haven't changed just because film is no longer the preferred medium. Different light sources (sunlight and incandescent light, for example) render the colors in your photographs differently. Part of learning how to balance flash and ambient light is "color correcting" the light with the use of pieces of gel material covering the flash face. Your flash is not a complete unit unless you also have two basic gels, Window Green and CTO, or Color Temperature Orange.
Photographic gels are low-cost materials and can be purchased at most camera stores or online. Cut the gel sheets into pieces a bit larger than the face of your flash. Then, apply adhesive Velcro to the edges. Use the hook-half of the Velcro on one side and the loop-half on the other. This makes it easy to use multiple pieces, although this technique is seldom needed. Better yet, this allows you keep them on the side of the flash in one stack. Use the loop half of the Velcro on the side of the flash unit, so you can connect bounce cards or light shields to control glare.
Fluorescent light creates a pale, ghastly, seasick green hue. Without the right piece of gel on your flash, you will have images with white subjects and that awful green color cast on whatever part of the image is mostly lit by the ambient light source. You cannot fix this disaster in editing software.
As you might guess, you should attach a piece of the Window Green gel to your flash. This gel balances the color your camera records when one of your light sources is fluorescent. There can be some variation in how well the color is balanced because of the way a fluorescent fixture works. Its light is produced from a 60hz electric sine wave cycle, which means the light is not completely consistent, changing slightly during each cycle. When your camera shutter opens during this cycle will affect the exact color balance of each image.
Try this experiment to understand this | 401 |
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Join us for the musical "big bang" of Haydn's Creation performed by Wexford Festival Singers, on Sunday 3rd November
Wexford Festival Singers will perform the Joseph Haydn's masterpiece, The Creation, for this year's Wexford Festival Choral Concert, which takes place in Rowe Street Church, Wexford on Sunday 3rd November at 3pm. The choir's musical director, Dr Kevin O'Carroll, will conduct the concert which will feature va Dodd, soprano, Andrew Gavin tenor and David Corr baritone, with the Waterford Concert Orchestra lead by Eimear Heen<|fim_middle|>La liberazione di Ruggiero' by Françesca Caccini and 'Banished' by Stephen McNeff. In October 2019, Ava will perform in a solo recital in Calary Church, Wicklow.
Andrew Gavin, tenor
Andrew completed his Masters in Music Performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin in 2016, achieving First Class Honours under the tutelage of Mary Brennan. He is also a graduate of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, where he attained First Class Honours in English Literature; he also holds an M. Phil in Children's Literature from Trinity College Dublin.
He made his Irish National Opera debut in April as Curzio in The Marriage of Figaro. In October 2017 he created the roles of Alleyne, O'Halloran and Bob in Andrew Synnott's Dubliners at Wexford Festival Opera, and later performed the work with Opera Theatre Company in Dublin. Earlier in 2017 he sang the role of Damon in Irish National Opera's tour of Handel's Acis and Galatea with the Irish Baroque Orchestra.
He made his Wigmore Hall debut in 2016 as part of Irish Culture in Britain: A Centenary Celebration. At the Kilkenny Arts Festival in 2016 he sang the role of Arbace in a concert performance of Mozart's Idomeneo, and he was a winner of the 2016 PwC Wexford Festival Opera Emerging Young Artist bursary.
Notable oratorio engagements include Rossini's Stabat Mater, Liszt's Coronation Mass, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (Choral), Handel's Messiah, Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 2 (Lobegesang), CPE Bach's Magnificat, Mozart's Requiem, Haydn's The Creation, Beethoven's Mass in C, Bach's St John Passion and the complete Mozart mass series of the Dún Laoghaire Choral Society.
David Corr, baritone
Dublin born baritone David Corr graduated with a BMus (Performance) in 2017 from the TUD Conservatory of Music & Drama where he studied voice and continues to study under Emmanuel Lawler and repetiteur Aoife O'Sullivan. He was awarded the Conservatory's Gold Medal for his recital in 2018.David is currently a member of the Northern Ireland Opera Studio for 2019/2020
David has had numerous successes in competition, including Feis Ceoil, for Italian aria, English Song and Oratorio. David won the Frank Cowle Trophy and gold medal for Baritone Solo at the ESB Feis Ceoil in 2017 and the silver medal for the Count John McCormack recital. He also won the Conservatory's Messiah Cup for Oratorio in 2014, 2017 and 2018
David has performed widely throughout Ireland at festivals and in concert. In 2018 he was selected by Irish National Opera to participate in the Young Artists' Showcase. He sang the role of Papageno accompanied by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra at Bord Gais Energy Theatre.
David's oratorio performances have included the baritone solo role in Oratorio de Noel by Saint-Saëns and the bass solo in Handel's Messiah. In February 2019 he was the bass soloist with the Belfast Philharmonic Society's event 'Come and Sing Messiah' accompanied by the Ulster Orchestra.
David recently toured Northern Ireland with the performance of a new opera for children 'The Chronic Identity Crisis of Pamplemousse' (Greg Caffrey). He also performed Jacques Offenbach's Tulipatan.
Wexford Festival Singers are a mixed voice choir whose repertoire ranges from major classical to contemporary works. Established in 1975, choir members come from the South East and include singers of all ages, backgrounds, occupations and interests. Their common bond is a love of music and a desire to share it with the community. The Wexford Festival Singers is a not for profit choir and performs at least 3 concerts each year, the highlight of which is the choral concert during the Wexford Festival. The choir has performed many of the great choral works. Its most recent choral concert featured Jubilate Deo by the contemporary American composer, Dan Forrest. Further info: Nicky Roberts, Wexford Festival Singers nicky.bella@yahoo.co.uk or from www.wexfordfestivalsingers.com
Dr Kevin O'Carroll is a choral conducting teacher and workshop leader. He has provided workshops for choirs all over the island of Ireland, Scandinavia and the US. Kevin is a conducting tutor at NUI Maynooth and the University of Limerick, and is an examiner for the Royal Irish Academy of Music. In addition to conducting chamber choir Madrigallery for over 20 years, Kevin also conducts Wexford Festival Singers and Notable Works, a large Waterford based choir. As part of his work with choirs, he has conducted Dublin Symphony Orchestra, City of Dublin Chamber Orchestra, Musici Ireland and the Wexford Festival Orchestra.
Eimear Heeney began studying violin at the age of four. A multiple prize-winner at the Dublin Feis Ceoil, Eimear was also a member of the National Youth Orchestra for 10 years and completed an MA in Violin Performance in 2007. Currently teaching violin, Budding Bows and Concert Strings at WIT, Eimear is co-leader of the Waterford Concert Orchestra and has performed with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. A soloist with The Three Tenors, Eimear has also accompanied a wide range of artists on stage and TV, including Katherine Jenkins, The Coronas and Josh Groban. | ey. Tickets €20.00 (children €10) are available from www.wexfordartscentre.com 053 9123764 or from any Wexford Festival Singers member.
Haydn's life-affirming work was greeted with great acclaim when it was first staged in 1798. The first performance was sold out and was so popular that the police were required to control the crowd. The text of this life-affirming work draws on the books of Genesis and Psalms as well as Milton's Paradise Lost. It contains some of Haydn's most inspiring and uplifting music, including magically descriptive orchestral writing, triumphant choruses, and a trio of angels (portrayed by soprano, tenor, and bass soloists) who act as narrators.
Wexford Festival Singers is a mixed voice choir whose repertoire ranges from major classical to contemporary works. Established in 1975, choir members come from Wexford, Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow and further afield, and include all ages, backgrounds, occupations and interests. Their common bond is a love of music and a desire to share it with the community. The choir performs a number of concerts each year, the highlight of which is the well known annual Wexford Festival Choral Concert.
Ava Dodd, soprano
Ava Dodd is in her fourth and final year of a Bachelor of Music Performance (vocal studies) in the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Her principal teachers are Professor Mary Brennan and Dr. Dearbhla Collins.
She recently won seven Competitions in the Feis Ceoil, 2019, including the Gervase Elwes, the Margaret Burke Sheridan, the Percy Whitehead and the Plunket Greene Cups, and qualified as a finalist in the RDS Music Bursary.
Ava also received the 'Most Promising' award in the Irene Sandford Competition 2019. In Arklow Music Festival 2018, she received the Overall Festival award and the Wadden Bursary.
Ava has performed in diverse venues including the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Birr Theatre, the RDS Concert Hall, the Peacock Theatre, Saint Anne's Church and Kilmainham Gaol. She performed in both of RIAM's productions this year: ' | 494 |
Make time to sit down and enjoy an afternoon treat. Lately life seems to go by so quickly. Life is fast paced and full of activity. For me, working long hour days, I don't get the chance to sit down and enjoy and a cup of coffee or a pot of tea with a little treat.
Having some down time is very important. It's time to collect thoughts and enjoy some quiet time. I know it's hard. Even though I sit down, I'm constantly thinking about planning our family meals for next week or what chores and events I need to attend to next weekend.
The ritual of sitting down for a cuppa is long gone but I would like to bring it back. I enjoy a cup of coffee or sometimes a pot of freshly brewed tea. I always need to accompany my drink of choice with a sweet treat. Of late, I have put aside my Sunday afternoon, even for just half an hour to sit down, enjoy a cuppa. I often read a magazine while partaking in a sweet treat.
If I can do it al fresco, it's even better.
For treats, I like scones. I've recently had the delicious range of scones from baker's delight. Or if you're up to baking up a storm to create your own special treat to enjoy, you can look here for some of my recipes.
So, how do you eat your Hot cross buns?
Do you eat it toasted with lashings of butter for breakfast at the kitchen table in your pyjamas or do you like to scoff them down with butter and jam for afternoon tea with friends? Either way, it's time to eat them now!
I was given a chance to try eating them with all kinds of spreads. Some of which I haven't even thought of. For me, I like to eat them with a thick layer of butter with a good cup of coffee. Thanks to to Baker's Delight, I was able to try them with caramel spread, honey and lemon curd.
In my house, my family eats them all different times of the day depending on when we crave them. Most of all, while they are available, they are best eaten fresh when they are still soft. We can go through so many packets during Easter. It's definitely a favourite with everyone in our house.
Whilst the kiddies like them with strawberry jam, I<|fim_middle|>.
No matter how you bake and which recipe you use, home baked bread will always be better and more satisfying than bought bread.
I've finally made it to 300 posts. It was a long road to get here.
I started back in 2006 because I wanted to share recipes with friends. Along the way, I've had many great food experiences, enjoyed eating for the sake of my blog and best of all, I've connected with lots of wonderful food bloggers. A couple of times I lost my blogging mojo when life got a little busy with work and most importantly my family. However, I got back into it. I can't stay away too long.
To celebrate, I have eaten cakes for you. I have enjoyed cakes and desserts from The Cheesecake Shop.
I thought the cheesecake shop only had cheesecakes but they offer so much more. I first discovered this at the "A Foodie Affair" event held by 360 Focus PR.
They have a variety of desserts, cakes and treats on offer. They have something for every day treats or a cake for that special celebration.
I have enjoyed the strawberry continental cheesecake. The cheesecake is so light and has a moussey texture. This was a favourite with the family.
The Rocky Road was full of marshmallowy goodness coated in dark chocolate.
The Rumballs were delicious little morsels but be carefull, these are addictive.
The Boston Mudcake was rich and full of chocolate flavour. I thought it would be dense like some mud cakes but this one was actually light.
I got "The Treasure Cake" for my dad's birthday. The cake is a chocolate Mudcake coated in chocolate frosting and topped with profiteroles and fresh strawberries.
To share in the celebration, I have 5 cheesecake shop vouchers to the value of $25 each. It is valid at any of The Cheesecake Shop outlets near you. Simply leave a comment below to enter and I will randomly pick 5 winners. The winners will be notified by email and will have the vouchers mailed out by post.
Be quick, the competition closes midnight Monday 6th February AEDST.
Unfortunately, this competition is only open to Australian residents only. | have discovered my love for caramel spread on warm hot cross buns. I have a sweet tooth, as you can tell from all the baking I do. This really hits the spot when I have my late night sweet cravings. Hubby tried the lemon curd and he loved it! He loves the combination of the spices and sweetness of the hot cross buns mixed with the sourness of the lemon curd. If you haven't tried it before you need to try!
Anyway, however you enjoy these sweet spiced buns, I hope it's shared with family and friends together filled with love and laughter this Easter.
Hope you have a blessed and happy Easter.
What is better than the aroma of freshly baked bread? Freshly baked bread coming from your own oven.
Lately I've been a little obsessed with baking bread. More specifically, Paul Hollywood's bread. I've baked a few. Some successful, some not so 😦 However, I have found one that was (extremely) successful and better still, damn delicious. There are a lot of bread recipes out there. Some are complicated and some are easy. I think this recipe falls in between. There are also some no-knead recipes out there. Check out my instagram feed for one I baked for our ANZAC day picnic or check out #ggbreadrevolution on instagram and twitter for more pics of yummy bread.
These loaves are baked with bacon pieces and cheddar cheese. These two ingredients lifts the flavour profile through the roof. It was a hit with hubby and the kiddies so it is definitely a recipe I will use again and again.
1. Tip the flours into a large bowl and add the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter and 3/4 of the water and turn the mixture round with your fingers. Continue to add the remaining water, a little at a time, until you've picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all the water, or you may need to add a little more. You want dough that is soft, but not soggy. Use he mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.
2. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead. Keep kneading for 5 to 10 minutes. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin.
4. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
5. Once the dough is risen, add the bacon and cheese to it and knead it until well distributed. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly, pushing any pieces of bacon or cheese that bounce out back in.
6. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape into ovals, tapering the ends of the loaves into points. Place the dough ovals onto trays, spacing them apart. Dust the loaves with flour and deeply slash the tops lengthways.
7. Put each tray inside a clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 1 hour or until the dough is at least doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger. Preheat your oven to 220degC.
8. Sprinkle the loaves with a little olive oil and bake for 20mins until golden brown. Eat warm | 695 |
Dua Lipa to star at Oscar AIDS fundraiser
Grammy Award-winning artist Dua Lipa will offer a stripped back performance as part of the Academy Awards pre-party on April 25<|fim_middle|>way musicals come to Dolby, Pantages theatres February 13, 2020 | .
(photo courtesy of Elton John Aids Foundation)
The 29th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards virtual pre-party on April 25 will be hosted by Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris alongside Sir Elton John and David Furnish, with a performance by Grammy Award-winning artist Dua Lipa.
For the first time, foundation supporters worldwide are invited to attend the famed Oscar party by joining a 60-minute pre-show special produced by Fulwell 73 at Rosewood London. Tickets are currently on sale via Ticketmaster.
"This year, we are bringing our Oscar Party into people's homes for the first time virtually for an unforgettable evening with David (Furnish), myself, our dear friend Neil Patrick Harris and the incredible Dua Lipa, plus many fabulous surprise names," said John, the founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "Now more than ever, we need to ensure that one pandemic does not override another, and we cannot forget the 38 million people living with HIV globally who need our care, love and support. So we hope everyone joins us for this special one of a kind Oscar pre-party."
Since the event's inception in 1992, the Academy Awards Viewing Party has supported the Elton John AIDS Foundation's efforts to raise millions for their life saving work. With its presence across four continents, the foundation is committed to overcome the stigma, discrimination and neglect prevents ending AIDS.
UNAIDS estimates that there will be an extra half-million deaths from AIDS this year alone in sub-Saharan Africa due to service disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the foundation will raise money for young people at risk and living with HIV all over the world and will work to ensure that services are accessible on the platforms that are best suited to young people.
To bring the event globally, the pre-party special will be hosted four times across regions to meet the different time zones of a region's broadcast of the Oscars, including at 4 p.m. on April 25 in the U.S., with an optional repeat at 7 p.m. on April 26. Each special per region is possible to host up to 100,000 attendees, or up to 400,000 supporters.
Fans can purchase tickets for $19.99 on Ticketmaster at shops.tickemasterpartners.com/elton-john-aids-foundation.
For information, visit eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org.
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Broad | 702 |
Pathologist Sharon Jones has described a recent three-day workshop held in Dominica by the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI), as timely.
The training which targeted farmers and agriculturists sought to introduce the participants to a new fertilizer and irrigation system, one that the facilitators believe is cost-effective.
Ms Jones says the fact that this training comes while there is a global rise in oil prices, is clear indication that farmers can still have hope and save cost, amidst these global financial crisis.
The training was facilitated by Dr Kimberly Moore and Luci Fisher of the University<|fim_middle|> (NAYA). | of Florida.
Other partners included the Florida Association of Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and the America (FAVACA), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the National Association for Youths in Agriculture | 51 |
Alice - an innovative 3D programming environment that<|fim_middle|> and statistical models. | makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game or a video to share online.
ArticuLab - studies human interaction in social and cultural contexts as the input into computational systems that in turn help us to better understand human interaction, and to improve and support human capabilities in areas that really matter.
Autolab - a course management service at CMU that enables instructors to offer programming labs to their students over the Internet.
ChemCollective - supports a community of instructors interested in improving chemistry education through interactive and engaging online activities.
Cogntive Tutor Authoring Tools (CTAT) - a tool suite that enables educators to add learning by doing (i.e., active learning) to online courses.
The Children's School - a laboratory that focuses on developmentally appropriate learning for children between the ages of three and five, rich research and practice experiences for students and constructive collaboration with researchers across CMU's campus.
DataShop - the world's largest repository of learning interaction data.
Discourse Affordances for Natural Collaborative Exchange (DANCE) - designs an extension of the edX platform to enhance instructionally beneficial discussion opportunities available to students.
IDEA - aims to improve student learning effectiveness, efficiency and enjoyment in online courses by using online learning data to provide constructive feedback to course developers and instructors.
IDeATe - connects diverse strengths across CMU to advance education, research and creative practice in domains that merge technology and arts expertise.
LearnSphere - creates a community software infrastructure that supports sharing, analysis, and collaboration across a wide variety of educational data.
PIER: Program in Interdisciplinary Education Research - an interdisciplinary pre-doctoral training program funded by the Institute of Education Sciences.
RoboTutor - has entered the Global Learning XPRIZE competition and is working to develop software that will revolutionize how children learn basic literacy and numeracy skills.
SimStudent - a computational model of human learning that allows us to study domain-general mechanisms of skill acquisition, which in turn provides us opportunities to advance theories of machine- and human-learning.
TETRAD - a program which creates, simulates data from, estimates, tests, predicts with, and searches for causal | 440 |
"I'm not flexible enough to do yoga!" In my 12 years as a yoga instructor, this is the excuse I have heard most often for why people aren't practicing yoga. My initial response is usually, "That's exactly why you should be practicing yoga!" However, I am also an assistant professor of physiology, and I know that the benefits of yoga go far beyond flexibility. Participating in yoga regularly imparts a number of benefits— from weight management to stress reduction—to our physical and mental health.
One very important side benefit of yoga that is linked to both physical and mental health is breath control. Slow, deep, conscious abdominal (belly) breathing, especially during difficult poses, trains us to use the same type of breathing in challenging scenarios off the mat, such as giving a presentation, taking an exam or performing a difficult task.
Why do deep, yogic belly breaths help us through stressful situations? Recent studies suggest that this type of breathing can decrease firing of the sympathetic nervous system while increasing activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. The spike in heart rate<|fim_middle|>. Check out a yoga class or festival near you.
← The Hispanic Paradox: Why Are Some Ethnic Groups Living Longer than Others? | and blood pressure, sweaty palms and voice tremors you might experience when you speak in front of an audience, for example, are due to activation of your sympathetic nervous system—the "fight-or-flight" response. This nervous response is great if you are running from a bear in the woods. But in real life these changes can lead to short-term memory problems and high anxiety levels that may interfere with giving a presentation or taking a test.
If you approach stressful situations with abdominal breaths, however, you help shut down the fight-or-flight reaction and increase the parasympathetic nervous response. Called a relaxation response, your heart rate slows down and your blood pressure returns to normal. Once you're relaxed, you can approach the task at hand in a calm, collected way.
Many types of yoga incorporate physical movements with deep abdominal breathing. The physical demands of these movements have the potential to cause the fight-or-flight response, but by combining these poses with yogic breathing, we learn how to control our breath in seemingly stressful situations. So the next time someone tells me they are not flexible enough to do yoga I will ask them if they can take a deep breath. If they say yes, then I know they are ready to go!
September is National Yoga Month | 253 |
With Brunei DPMM losing to defending champions Tampines 2-1 at Clementi that corresponded with Home United's 3-1 win at their Bishan base over the cellar-dwellers Harimau Muda last night, the S.League title threw wide open with merely one to two points separating the four teams at the summit.
These came after third-placed Warriors FC hit the kerb on last Sunday when they lost to Hougang United 3-2 that thwarted their chance to dethrone the Bruneians from the top of the standings and interestingly included fifth-placed Cheetahs in the title bid with only six points apart from the leaders.
The Protectors' second victory in five days (after they beat league leaders DPMM last Friday at Berakas) elevated them to the second spot of the standings that had them levelled on points but a superior goal difference ahead of their uniformed rivals.
This marked a stark contrast for Home United Coach Lee Lim Saeng who was able to have the luxury of placing regulars like Juma'at Jantan and French defender Sirina Camara on the bench, as compared to the overstretched period he endured during the start of the campaign.
<|fim_middle|> tournament my team need to play against top opponents in order to improve, since development is an ongoing thing."
Having narrowed the gap at the top of league table did not have Coach Razip's counterpart resting on his laurels, as Coach Lee stayed cautious and focused on the days ahead this win.
"After we scored three goals in the first half, our intention was to keep the ball in the second half." shared the former Korean international of his tactics after the match.
"We will be facing Hougang United this coming Friday that means we only have two days to recover from the fatigue, especially after we played in Brunei last Friday and that's why I asked my players to score the goals early in the match, keeping the possession while conserving our energies for the next game." | However, given the tight fixtures ahead that careful planning is required for the Protectors to maximize their potential on a scaled-down basis, they catered for themselves, such getting the act together as soon as possible in the game, which they did.
Barely five minutes into the match, Qiu Li's close-range header off a corner immediately put the home side on a pole position before Japanese winger Bruno Castanheira double the tally eight minutes later via a shot that driven low past Harimau Muda's custodian Ahmad Solehin Mamat.
It wasn't that long before Home United consolidated their hold of the match when Fazrul Nawaz's tap-in to finish off a ball laid to him by ex-Lions' skipper Indra Sahdan Daud from the right in the box.
Nonetheless, the 27th goal by Ramzi Sufian for the Malaysian developmental squad momentarily lifted the spirit of the team, but it wasn't good enough to see their hosts seal the all important three points in the bag.
RAZIP: "TOO MUCH RESPECT TO HOME UNITED"
Speaking to the media after their thirteenth loss of the season, Harimau Muda coach Razip Ismail cited the lack of experience and showing too much respect to Home United being some of the factors behind the defeat.
"It was a much better second half for us that we just couldn't score, but this is the kind of | 293 |
British epic power metallers DRAGONFORCE are putting the finishing touches on their new album for a tentative spring release.
Speaking to Alto Music at this past weekend's NAMM show in Anaheim, California, DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li stated about the band's follow-up to 2014's "Maximum Overload": "Crazy enough, we've been in hiding — we didn't post anything online, on Facebook or Twitter — but we've been hiding making an album. So we're actually almost finished with another one already. People can expect it in spring this year. We're just putting the final touches to the new album now."
DRAGONFORCE's forthcoming effort<|fim_middle|> get into the groove of the thing, but now he's completely, you know, doing it. He's really awesome now."
Li also talked about DRAGONFORCE's more varied musical approach on the last couple of albums compared to the band's earlier efforts. He said: "The first few albums, they were fast all the way through, and we really kind of tried to show that, yeah, we can do really melodic, really fast high-speed songs. And now we actually branched out and added more elements. And it actually made it easier for the solo sections — to not just play over fast beats all the time. We held back for so many years — concentrated on the speed and all that — [and] now adding the other elements is actually kind of refreshing, to combine the two together."
DRAGONFORCE's new album was once again recorded primarily at Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with OPETH, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, AMON AMARTH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK and SYMPHONY X, to name a few.
DRAGONFORCE released a comprehensive career-spanning "best-of", "Killer Elite - The Hits, The Highs, The Vids", last July through Spinefarm. The 22-track set contains two hours and 30 minutes of music, featuring both studio and live material, with promo clips added to the deluxe set. | will mark the band's third full-length studio release with singer Marc Hudson, who joined the group in 2011 following the departure of original frontman ZP Theart (now in SKID ROW).
Asked if it was difficult to find a new vocalist who could help DRAGONFORCE retain its core sound while enabling the band to move forward, Li said: "To be honest, yeah, it is really difficult to find a singer that can sing old stuff and new stuff at the same time. So it took quite a while for us to find Marc. And he had never been in a band before professionally; he was just, like, in a band of friends, like starting out. It took a while to | 146 |
PHOENIX (March 21, 2018) – LA<|fim_middle|>. Since 1982, LAVIDGE has specialized in discovering and communicating insights that engage, motivate and inspire – helping clients across a broad range of industry sectors reach their business goals. LAVIDGE's clients range from healthcare and technology to home building, personal care and food service and include Arizona State University, Banner Health, ISM Raceway, United Rentals and many more. Company offices are located at 2777 E. Camelback Road in Phoenix. For more information, visit the agency website at LAVIDGE.com, friend on Facebook or follow on Twitter or Instagram. | VIDGE, a full-service advertising, public relations, communications and interactive marketing agency, has been named #1 Advertising Agency—again—by Ranking Arizona among businesses with 35 or more employees.
Established in 1982, LAVIDGE also placed first for Advertising Agency in 2016 and 2017, and currently employs 75 team members in Arizona. CEO Bill Lavidge serves as its principal.
LAVIDGE is a Phoenix-based unified marketing services agency, offering advertising, public relations and digital marketing | 111 |
Partners 26<|fim_middle|> Area Newspaper Collection 1 1 The Carrollton Chronicle 2 2 The Clifton Record 5 5 Coleman County Newspaper Collection 3 3 Cotulla Area Newspaper Collection 1 1 The Dublin Progress 2 2 Electra Area Newspaper Collection 1 1 Fannin County Area Newspaper Collection 1 1 Fayette County Area Newspaper Collection 1 1 Graham Area Newspaper Collection 1 1 Ladd & Katherine Hancher Library Foundation 1 1 Honey Grove Newspapers 1 1 Hopkins County Area Newspapers 1 1 Houston Post 8 8 The Jack County Newspaper Collection 3 3 Llano Area Newspaper Collection 1 1 Mexia Newspaper Collection 1 1 Mount Pleasant Area Newspapers 1 1 Palacios Beacon 1 1 The Rockdale Reporter 1 1 Rescuing Texas History, 2013 2 2 Seminole Newspaper Collection 1 1 San Patricio County Area Newspaper Collection 1 1 Texas Digital Newspaper Program 47 47 Tocker Foundation Grant 27 27 Tulia Herald 2 2 Willacy County Area Newspaper Collection 1 1 Weatherford Herald Newspaper Collection 2 2
The Clifton Record 5 5 Houston Post-Dispatch 4 4 The Houston Post 4 4 The Jacksboro Gazette 3 3 Carrollton Chronicle 2 2 The Bartlett Tribune and News 2 2 The Daily Herald 2 2 The Democrat-Voice 2 2 The Dublin Progress 2 2 The Tulia Herald 2 2 Borger Daily Herald 1 1 Brownwood Bulletin 1 1 Coleman Democrat-Voice 1 1 Graham Leader 1 1 Honey Grove Signal 1 1 Mt. Pleasant Daily Times 1 1 Palacios Beacon 1 1 San Patricio County News 1 1 The Cass County Sun 1 1 The Cotulla Record 1 1 The Daily News-Telegram 1 1 The Electra News 1 1 The Flatonia Argus 1 1 The Grand Saline Sun 1 1 The Llano News 1 1 The Mexia Weekly Herald 1 1 The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger 1 1 The Seminole Sentinel 1 1 Willacy County News 1 1
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Type: Newspaper Decade: 1920-1929 Clear All Filters
San Patricio County News (Sinton, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 17, 1923
Description: Weekly newspaper from Sinton, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Partner: Sinton Public Library
The Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 18, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 10, 1924
Description: Weekly newspaper from Seminole, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.
Creator: Stone, Harry N.
Partner: Gaines County Library
Mt. Pleasant Daily Times (Mount Pleasant, Tex.), Vol. 7, No. 242, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 30, 1925
Description: Daily newspaper from Mount Pleasant, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Creator: Cross, G. W.
Partner: Mount Pleasant Public Library
The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, May 21, 1926
Description: Weekly newspaper from Clifton, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Creator: Baldridge, Robert L.
Partner: Nellie Pederson Civic Library
The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 33, No. 2, Ed. 1 Friday, March 18, 1927
The Cotulla Record (Cotulla, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 49, Ed. 1 Friday, February 8, 1929
Description: Weekly newspaper from Cotulla, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Partner: Alexander Memorial Library
The Daily Herald (Weatherford, Tex.), Vol. 23, No. 406, Ed. 1 Tuesday, May 15, 1923
Description: Daily newspaper from Weatherford, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with advertising.
The Daily Herald (Weatherford, Tex.), Vol. 23, No. 411, Ed. 1 Monday, May 21, 1923
The Mexia Weekly Herald (Mexia, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 31, 1924
Description: Weekly newspaper from Mexia, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Creator: Houx, N. P.
Partner: Gibbs Memorial Library
The Carrollton Chronicle (Carrollton, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 21, Ed. 1 Friday, April 18, 1924
Description: Weekly newspaper from Carrollton, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with advertising.
Creator: Whitmore, R. J.
Partner: Carrollton Public Library
The Jacksboro Gazette (Jacksboro, Tex.), Vol. 44, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 17, 1924
Description: Weekly newspaper from Jacksboro, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with extensive advertising.
Partner: Gladys Johnson Ritchie Library
The Democrat-Voice (Coleman, Tex.), Vol. 44, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, February 6, 1925
Description: Weekly newspaper from Coleman, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Partner: Coleman Public Library
The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 34, Ed. 1 Friday, October 30, 1925
Willacy County News (Raymondville, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 13, 1925
Description: Weekly newspaper from Raymondville, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Creator: Moritz, Isasdore
Partner: Reber Memorial Library
The Grand Saline Sun (Grand Saline, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 24, 1927
Description: Weekly newspaper from Grand Saline, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Creator: Proctor, Willard
Partner: Van Zandt County Library
The Tulia Herald (Tulia, Tex), Vol. 15, No. 22, Ed. 1, Friday, May 30, 1924
Description: Weekly newspaper from Tulia, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.
Creator: Engleman & Engleman
Partner: Swisher County Library
The Cass County Sun (Linden, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 23, Ed. 1 Tuesday, June 3, 1924
Description: Weekly newspaper from Linden, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with advertising.
Creator: Banger, J. E. A. & Erwin, W. L.
Partner: Atlanta Public Library
The Llano News. (Llano, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 22, 1925
Description: Weekly newspaper from Llano, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Partner: Llano County Public Library
The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, April 18, 1924
The Jacksboro Gazette (Jacksboro, Tex.), Vol. 44, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 29, 1924
The Bartlett Tribune and News (Bartlett, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 33, Ed. 1, Friday, March 20, 1925
Description: Daily newspaper from Bartlett, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.
Creator: Cates, R. F.
The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, June 27, 1924
The Jacksboro Gazette (Jacksboro, Tex.), Vol. 45, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 26, 1924
Creator: Dennis, J. R.
Brownwood Bulletin (Brownwood, Tex.), Vol. 23, No. 179, Ed. 1 Tuesday, May 15, 1923
Description: Daily newspaper from Brownwood, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Partner: Howard Payne University Library
Alexander Memorial Library 1 1 Atlanta Public Library 1 1 Bartlett Activities Center and the Historical Society of Bartlett 2 2 Nellie Pederson Civic Library 5 5 Coleman Public Library 3 3 Carrollton Public Library 2 2 Dublin Public Library 2 2 Electra Public Library 1 1 Fayette Public Library, Museum and Archives 1 1 Gaines County Library 1 1 Gibbs Memorial Library 1 1 Gladys Johnson Ritchie Library 3 3 Hutchinson County Library, Borger Branch 1 1 Honey Grove Preservation League 1 1 Hopkins County Genealogical Society 1 1 Howard Payne University Library 1 1 Llano County Public Library 1 1 The Library of Graham 1 1 Mount Pleasant Public Library 1 1 Palacios Library 1 1 Reber Memorial Library 1 1 Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library 1 1 Sinton Public Library 1 1 Swisher County Library 2 2 UNT Libraries 10 10 Van Zandt County Library 1 1
Abilene Library Consortium 4 4 Cass County and Atlanta Newspaper Collection 1 1 Borger Daily Herald (Borger, Tex.) 1 1 Brownwood Bulletin 1 1 The Bartlett Tribune 2 2 Van Zandt County | 1,869 |
/ Need Help Learning Foreign Exchange? Check Out These Tips!
Need Help Learning Foreign Exchange? Check Out These Tips!
Welcome to your new foreign exchange career<|fim_middle|> trading, including time frames. Before you start, you will need to decide on one. The shorter one hour and 15 minute charts are a good way to quickly move trades when you want to exit a position in just a few hours. A scalper, for example, might refer to the five- and ten-minute charts to complete trades within a matter of minutes.
A relative strength index can help you gauge the health of different markets. This will not be the only thing that affects your investment in that market, but it is a good way to see a quick and dirty reflection of how a market is doing. You may want to try the market that is not normally profitable, thinking that you will be the lucky one. This is a bad idea.
A stop point should stay fixed. Decide what your stop point will be before you trade, and stick with it. Moving the stop point makes you look greedy and is an irrational decision. In all likelihood, doing this will only cost you money. | ! There are many techniques and strategies, made available daily, which can help you to enter the foreign exchange market with confidence. Trading currency is extremely competitive and it may take some patience to figure out the trades that work for you. The insights in the following paragraphs will help you.
Do not choose to put yourself in a position just because someone else is there. Foreign Exchange traders, like anyone else, exhibit selection bias, and emphasize their successful trades over the failed trades. Even if someone has a great track record, they will be wrong sometimes. Do not follow the lead of other traders, follow your plan.
Use margin cautiously to retain your profits. Good margin awareness can really make you some nice profits. However, if you use it carelessly, you risk losing more than you would have gained. Margin is best used when you feel comfortable in your financial position and at low risk for shortfall.
Make use of Forex market tools, such as daily and four-hour charts. Technology makes tracking the market easier than ever, with charts in up to 15 minute intervals. These forex cycles will go up and down very fast. Don't get too excited about the normal fluctuations of the forex market.
Research your broker before starting a managed account. For best results, make sure your broker's rate of return is at least equal to the market average, and be certain they have been trading foreign exchange for five years.
Try to stick to trading one or two currency pairs when you first begin Forex trading to avoid overextending yourself and delving into every pair offered. This will only overwhelm you and possibly cause confused frustration. Rather, try and focus on major currency pairs to reduce the amount of risk in your trading strategy.
Remember that you will need help and advice from others when trading in the Forex market. Experts in the financial world have been learning the ins and outs of foreign exchange in order to master the market for decades. You are highly unlikely to simply stumble upon the greatest forex trading secrets. Learn as much as possible and adhere to proven methods.
No purchase is necessary for trying a demo forex account. You can go to the central foreign exchange site and get an account.
Entering forex stop losses is more of an art than a science. It is important for a trader to rely not only on technical knowledge but on their own instincts. It will take a lot of patience to go about this.
Products such as Forex eBooks or robots that promise to imbue you with wealth are only a waste of your money. They are unproven and untested methods that can hold out little in the way of reliable results to you. The authors make their money from selling these products, not through Foreign Exchange trading. If you want formal Forex education, you are better off working with a mentor.
The reverse way is the best way. It is crucial to have detailed plans and strategies set up to help you overcome your initial impulses.
Be certain to include stop loss orders when you set up your account. It's almost like purchasing insurance for your account, and will keep your account and assets protected. If you are caught off guard by a shifting market, you may be in for a large financial loss. Your capital can be protected by using stop loss orders.
Many trading pros suggest keeping a journal on you. Write down all of your triumphs and defeats in your journal. Your journal also allows you a place to record your personal progress and journey through foreign exchange, where you can mentally unload and process what you have experienced and learned so that you can apply it for future success.
There are a number of approaches to Forex | 720 |
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Park Inn by Radisson Florence, SC
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1729 Mandeville Road, Florence, South Carolina 29501, United States
pd_fosc@parkinn.com
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Take a break from I-95 at our convenient hotel
Unwind in style at our hotel in Florence near I-95 and Darlington Raceway
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Type the email address associated with your account to receive recovery instructions. | welcoming retreat at the Park Inn by Radisson Florence, SC. Situated minutes from downtown, Florence Regional Airport (FLO), and the Florence Center, the hotel provides a convenient location for business and leisure guests alike. Whether you're attending an event at nearby Francis Marion University, visiting a loved one at McLeod Regional Medical Center, or simply taking a break from your interstate drive, our hotel provides comfortable accommodations for an exceptional stay.
Fuel your Florence adventures with a complimentary continental breakfast, and enjoy a quiet evening in one of our 60 guest rooms with mini refrigerators and free Wi-Fi. Our on-site game room boasts adult- and kid-friendly games like pool and foosball, and our snack shop provides convenient treats throughout your stay. Before you turn in for the night, squeeze in a workout in the fitness center, take a dip in the indoor pool, or relax by our patio's fire pit.
Store your favorite drinks in the mini refrigerator in our hotel rooms
Unpack your bags and settle into one of our standard rooms with your choice of a plush king bed or two queen beds. All rooms include a complimentary breakfast and a mini fridge, ideal for storing road-trip snacks or a decadent dessert from a local restaurant.
Start your morning with a complimentary continental breakfast and fresh coffee when you book our standard room.
4 adults, 1 child
Split your travel costs with a friend in this standard room with two queen beds, free Wi-Fi, and a mini fridge.
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Whether you're attending a conference at the Florence Center, practicing your swing at Beaver Creek Golf Club, or cheering on your favorite driver at the Darlington Raceway Southern 500, the Park Inn in Florence places you close to the area's top attractions. Our convenient location off I-95 also lends easy access to Florence Regional Airport, downtown Florence, and local corporations like Otis Elevator Company. Check out these nearby favorites:
Beaver Creek Golf Club
2.16 mi / 3.47 km from the hotel
Book a tee time in advance, and test your golf skills on this popular public course.
Florence Center
3.6 mi / 5.8 km from the hotel
This 50,000-square-foot facility serves as the home of the Florence Symphony Orchestra and plays host to a variety of trade shows and performances throughout the year.
Florence County Museum
Enjoy free admission to see the permanent and rotating exhibits on 20th-century Southern art, including works by the celebrated William H. Johnson. The collection also includes interesting ancient artifacts and memorabilia from the Civil War era.
Spend a leisurely afternoon at this 18-acre park filled with nature trails, gardens, picnic areas, and tennis and pickleball courts. If you have kids in tow, let them burn off energy on the playground or climb aboard a steam locomotive from 1917.
7.46 mi / 12.01 km from the hotel
Famous among racing fans for its unique and challenging design, the Darlington Raceway is one of the most popular venues on the NASCAR circuit.
Named for South Carolina native and Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, this liberal arts university offers an impressive array of undergraduate and graduate programs.
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How to get to the Park Inn by Radisson Florence, SC
Pull off I-95 and find a relaxing stay at the Park Inn in Florence, the newest hotel property off exit 164. In addition to being 13 minutes from the FLO airport, our convenient location places you close to McLeod Regional Medical Center, local offices, and a variety of fast-food restaurants. We also offer complimentary parking to guests that arrive by car.
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VIDEO: Buveur D'Air proves too good for Samcro in Fighting Fifth showdown
The Irish Field / Racing / International Racing
The dual Champion Hurdle hero extended his<|fim_middle|>ighting Fifth Hurdle
Buveur D'Air
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VIDEO: Magic show reinforces National claims | winning run to 11 with this eight-length defeat of Samcro. 'The best won," said Gordon Elliott
DUAL champion Buveur D'Air was a hugely impressive winner of the Grade 1 BetVictor Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
Nicky Henderson's seven-year-old handed out an eight-length beating to Irish challenger Samcro, who was backed into 6/5 favourite marginally ahead of him but in the end was no match for the Barry Geraghty-ridden winner.
Buveur D'Air has therefore taken his unbeaten run to 11, dating back to April 2016 and including the last two editions of the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Pure class from a true champion - Buveur D'Air and @BarryJGeraghty win the Grade 1 @BetVictor Fighting Fifth Hurdle again! @NewcastleRaces pic.twitter.com/5k3EV0lph7
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 1, 2018
Henderson was a nervous onlooker from Newbury, where he said: "I think it was relief more than anything. After the bloody nose with Might Bite (Betfair Chase) last Saturday, I was prepared for a second one.
"That was an incredible performance. He doesn't make mistakes, then he makes one at the last, but he picked up. There is so much more improvement in him.
"Last year's Fighting Fifth was a penalty kick. They went a proper gallop, which was no surprise as they tried to stretch his fitness. They were testing me really.
"I thought it was very smooth and slick. He looked like a true champion. He is what he is – a two-time Champion Hurdle winner. Some people haven't rated him as a dual Champion Hurdle winner – I think today those are two good horses.
"He wasn't at his best in last year's Champion Hurdle, he didn't go to Aintree or anywhere else after it, it knocked him around. I don't think he was right at the time, and it's great to see him come back and do that."
Assessing future plans, the Seven Barrows trainer said: "I can't see why he won't do Christmas Hurdle, somewhere and you know where in March – the dream is still alive."
Geraghty said: "Samcro set a nice even pace and I thought he would have made it more of a test.
"He's very good – he's a dual Champion Hurdle winner, I only rode him in one of those, but any horse who wins two Champion Hurdles deserves respect and he's winning everywhere he goes. He is top class and a pleasure to ride.
"You'd like to think the wind op made a difference, it was far more of a test today, but he got into a good rhythm so it was great."
Proud owner JP McManus said: "That was pleasing. I have an awful lot of respect for Samcro, so I was hoping he'd do that. Barry seemed to be happy enough all the way.
"Nicky gave him the wind op in the summer and says that helped him enormously. I didn't back him, I was just happy to see him win.
"Istabraq was a different generation, so I wouldn't like to compare them. Istabraq was very special to me and so is Buveur D'Air. He's such an electric jumper, magic over them."
THE BEST WON
Gordon Elliott was magnanimous in defeat and said of Samcro: "The best won. No matter what tactics we tried, that would have been the result. I'm still going to train him for the Champion Hurdle, we can't back down now."
When asked how Samcro could find the eight lengths he was beaten, Elliott said: "A miracle. Listen, we'll need an awful lot of luck, but we decided we'd train him for the Champion and that is what we'll do.
"We came over here to try to take him on and he just showed how good he is. Buveur D'Air was excellent and we've no excuses."
Tom George said of the well-beaten Summerville Boy: "This time last year he was beaten at Stratford, so all is not lost yet."
Samcro
F | 916 |
Society for the Preservation of Antique Radio in Canada (SPARC) is a registered non-profit society, dedicated to preserving radio and electronic communications artifacts and history with an emphasis on the Canadian perspective. A visit to SPARC museum will provide the answers about the inventions and history behind devices we all take for granted like broadcast radio, TV, mp3 players, and DVDs. Attendees will experience almost 150 years of<|fim_middle|> is on Kerria Drive and share the "Distribution Warehouse" building with the BC Ambulance Service. They have signage around the grounds so look for "BCAS" direction signs. Parking in free. The Coquitlam Amateur Radio Society are also located in the building and have two large antenna towers in the parking lot. It's easiest for visitors unfamiliar with Riverview to turn off Lougheed Highway at the Colony Farm light, turn right and follow Holly Drive, taking Oak Crescent up the hill and then left at Kerria Drive. There is one sign pointing to SPARC and Finnies garden. | interesting exhibits.
The museum | 5 |
As I said in my presentation, I like building everything with wheels. So today, I am going to present you my newest MOC. It's an american Ford E-350 E-450 (thanks Only Sinner ;) ) ambulance,<|fim_middle|>Wow, nice ambulance! Very accurate to the real thing (Although the one in the picture is based on an E450 commercial chassis), I know as I have been a volunteer firefighter. There a few companies that build these here in my town so we see a lot of custom vehicles like this. I really like how you did the doors and lights on the rear, it looks perfect!
Hi ! It's been a while !
Thank you all for your kind replies !
Yep, you're right ! I made a mistake, I'll rename the title.
Since then, I bought chrome parts on Bricklink to replace the LBG ones. I also totally redesigned the interior, so that it's more realistic.
Hope you like this new version ! | and I was inspired by the L.A. Fire Department one.
Very accurate representation. I really like it. What are the dimensions?
Very nice, my brother-in-law is a paramedic and drives one of those (though not in LA). I've seen them many times up close as a result and that one is very spot on!
This is great, I love that design of ambulance and its nice to see it in Lego form.
Looks great and accurate! I want to do one similar but in white as that's what I drive and attend in.
This is very very nice and accurate. Awesome build.
Great model, I like it, especially the back door openings...that's a great job !
Really great work and outstanding model! I like it a lot.
Wow! To me, the grill work is what stands out and makes it look like a Ford.
Thank you all for your kind comments ! I'm really happy you like it.
Thank you Er0l ! I'm glad you like it.
Amazing details, especially on the inside. The outside looks pretty good too, though I would suggest recessing the lights on the sides a little bit, as they seem to stick out a bit much. Other than that, it looks great!
Indeed, probably the best Lego ambulance I've seen. Love all the little details, especially the interior.
| 273 |
STANY's Board
STANY Brochure
STA and Affiliates
ARTICLE I: NAME
Section 1. Name The name of this not-for-profit incorporated association shall be the Security Traders Association of New York, Inc aka STANY, hereinafter referred to as the "Corporation."
ARTICLE II: PURPOSES
Section 1. Purposes
To encourage high standards of conduct and ethical practice in the trading division of the investment, security, fintech, and banking business.
To broaden public understanding of the important functions of traders, capital markets, and financial services professionals and of their contributions to capital markets and the economy.
To conduct or cooperate in providing programs and education relating to trading, capital markets, and financial services.
To provide benefits derived from personal acquaintances and a community forum to engage members and the trading, capital markets, and financial services community on behalf of their collective interests.
To advocate on behalf of the collective interests of its members and the trading, capital markets, and financial services community.
To undertake such other functions and to cooperate with other associations or organizations in such programs and activities as may be consistent with the mission and purposes of the Corporation.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Qualifications Membership in the Corporation shall be comprised of the following classes:
Regular Membership. (a) Any person regularly engaged or employed as a securities trader in the investment, security, fintech, or banking business either currently working within or with an office in the metropolitan area of the City of New York and (b) persons who are not securities traders but who are employed by firms, government agencies, or other entities, engaging in the investment, securities, fintech, or banking business, or regulating or advising the investment, securities, fintech, or banking industry, and whose employment assists, supports or is related to securities trading currently working within, or with an office within, the metropolitan area of the City of New York shall be eligible for Regular membership in the Corporation.
Associate Membership. Any individual, who while not meeting the jurisdictional requirements of Regular Membership, none-the-less conducts business within the jurisdiction shall in the discretion of the Board of Directors be eligible for Associate membership in the Corporation. If the Associate member is also a member of another Affiliate of the Security Traders Association, the dues payable by the Associate member shall exclude those dues which are assessed by the Security Traders Association (STA) and the Associate member will not be counted in the membership rolls of the Corporation for purposes of membership in STA. These members are entitled to all privileges of membership, except they shall not be permitted to vote or hold elective office.
Junior Membership. Junior Membership is available to young members, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements of Regular Membership and Associate Membership. Age limits for Junior Membership will be determined from time to time by the Board.
Student Membership. Student membership shall be available to any student actively enrolled full-time in an<|fim_middle|> other qualifications for membership not inconsistent with these bylaws.
ARTICLE IV – FEES and DUES
Section 1. Initiation Fees. Candidates accepted for membership shall pay an initiation fee determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Dues. Annual dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Non-refundable and non-transferable. Annual dues are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Section 4. Delinquency and Cancellation. Any member of the Corporation who shall be delinquent in dues for a period of sixty (60) days from the time dues become due shall be notified in writing of such delinquency and shall be dropped from the rolls and thereupon forfeit all rights and privileges of membership, unless such suspension, at the request of the member, is waived by affirmative action of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, reinstate any such member upon such conditions as it may determine and may impose a fee for reinstatement.
ARTICLE V– BOARD MEETINGS
Section 1. Board Meetings. The Board will meet at least eight times per year. The meetings shall be held at a time and place designated by the President or CEO/Executive Director upon such notice and under such rules as the members of the Board shall determine.
Section 2. Place of Meetings. Any meeting or action of the Board may, to the extent allowed by law, be held in person or by electronic or other means.
Section 3. Special Meetings. Any Officer or any three Directors may call a special meeting of the Board for any purpose at any time.
Section 4. Notice of Meetings. Notice of the time and place of regular and special meetings of the Board shall be given to each Director by mail or written electronic transmission at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.
Section 5. Quorum.
A majority of the Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum.
A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business, despite the withdrawal of Directors. Any action taken, or decision made, must be approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for that meeting.
Section 6. Action by Unanimous Written Consent Without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board under any provision of law may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board shall individually or collectively consent in writing to such action.
Section 7. Forfeiture of Office. A Director failing to attend three consecutive meetings shall thereafter forfeit office unless a majority vote of the remaining Directors shall vote otherwise. That Director shall then remain on probation for the remainder of their term of office and if a pattern of failing to attend meetings continues without a reasonable excuse communicated in writing to the Secretary, that Director will be terminated without ability to petition and will permanently forfeit the ability to again be a Director of the Association.
Article VI – MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
Section 1. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Corporation shall be held at a time, place, and manner to be determined by the President and CEO.
Section 2. Annual Membership Meeting. An Annual Meeting of the Corporation shall be held at a time, place, and manner to be designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Special Meetings of Members. Special meetings of Members, unless otherwise regulated by statute, may be held at any time pursuant to notice, for any lawful purpose, when called by the President or by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors. Special meetings may be called by written request signed by not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the voting membership of the Corporation and delivered to the Secretary. Notice shall be given to members in writing not less than ten (10) but not more than fifty (50) days before the time fixed for a special meeting. The business to be transacted at such special membership meeting shall be stated in the notice thereof, and no other business may be considered at that time. Costs of meetings called by vote of the membership shall be borne by the members calling the meeting.
Section 4. Notice of Meetings. Notice of each membership meeting shall be given by first class mail, or electronically to each member entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten (10) days or more than fifty (50) days prior to the date scheduled for the meeting. Such notice shall specify the date, time, place, and purpose of such meeting and provide sufficient information so that Members can form a reasoned judgment as to the business to be transacted at this meeting.
Section 5. Quorum. One-tenth (1/10th) of the total number of members entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings. Members may vote in person or by proxy. If a quorum is lacking, the members present may, by the vote of a majority of those present, adjourn the meeting to a date not more three months thereafter.
Section 6. Majority Vote. All matters except those for which other provision is expressly made by statute or in these bylaws, which shall properly come before any meeting of Members shall be decided thereat by the vote of a majority of the Members present in person or by proxy.
Section 7. Electronic Voting. Annual elections may be conducted by electronic ballot. Electronic ballots are permissible in accordance with policies set by the Board of Directors and applicable State law.
Section 8. Rules of Order. At all meetings, including meetings of the Board, the most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern.
Article VII – OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers. The Officers of the Corporation shall consist of President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, all of whom shall be members. The Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting of members each year and shall hold office for a one-year term. Officers may be eligible for election to the same office for two (2) consecutive years. In the event that the President is unable to serve for any reason, the Past President shall exercise all the powers and discharge all the duties of the President until the President shall be able to resume the President's duties or the President's successor shall be chosen.
Section 2. The President. The President shall preside at all meetings of members, of the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committee, and shall exercise general supervision over the affairs of the Corporation. The President shall also serve as an ex-officio member of all committees and shall make all required appointments of standing and special committees.
Section 3. The First and Second Vice Presidents. The First Vice President and the Second Vice President shall, in the order named, perform the duties of the President in the President's absence and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated by the Board of Directors, but shall not replace the President as noted in Section 1 of this Article.
Section 4. The Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for the books and records of the Corporation. The Secretary shall give or cause to be given notice of the meetings of the members and the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall attend such meetings and shall record or cause to be recorded the minutes of the proceedings therein.
Section 6. The Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the general supervision of the financial affairs of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall perform, or cause to be performed, all the duties incident to the office and such other duties assigned by the Board of Directors or Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall report on the financial conditions of the Corporation to the Board of Directors and to the Executive Committee in such form and frequency as they may direct.
Section 7. The Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director. The Board of Directors of the Corporation may appoint a Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director of the Corporation, at such compensation and with such powers as may be determined by the Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director shall report to the President and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director shall employ and may terminate the employment of members of the staff necessary to carry out the work of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties as may be specified by the Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director shall be an Ex Officio Member of the Board, Executive Committee and all standing committees and shall be invited to attend meetings without a vote.
Article VIII – DIRECTORS
Section 1. Board of Directors. The management of the affairs, funds, and property of the Corporation shall be vested in its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall have full power and authority to put into effect the resolutions and decisions of the Corporation and to do all acts necessary or advisable in connection therewith and to adopt any rule not inconsistent with the bylaws of the Corporation or statute.
Section 2. Number. The Board of Directors shall consist of no more than seventeen (17) Directors, consisting of the President, the First Vice President, the Second Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Past President, nine additional Directors elected as provided in Article VIII, and up to two (2) Special Directors nominated at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
Section 3. The Past President. The Past President remains a member of the Board for up to two (2) years and serves on the Executive Committee. In the event the Past President is unwilling or unable to serve, the Board of Directors may appoint a former past president of the Corporation to serve the term otherwise to be held by the immediate Past President.
Section 3. Director Classes. In addition to Officers, there shall be nine (9) Directors divided into three classes to be designated Class I, Class II, and Class III, three (3) to be elected each year for a term of office of three (3) years, or until their successors are elected and are qualified. The term of office of any Director appointed or elected for less than a full term will expire with the expiration of the terms of office of all Directors in the Class of Directors to which such Director was elected or appointed.
Section 4. Special Directors. Upon recommendation by the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors is authorized by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3rd) of its members to nominate up to two (2) additional Special Directors to the Board. Such individuals shall stand for election by the Members of the Association at the Annual Meeting for terms of one-year but may be re-elected from year to year.
Section 5. Consultants. The Board of Directors is authorized by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3rd) of its members to appoint Consultants to the Board. Such individuals shall not be required to be a member of the Association or to comply with any of the conditions of Membership contained in Article III Qualifications for Membership. Such Consultants shall not have a vote and shall serve one-year terms, which may be renewed from year to year at the will of the Board of Directors.
Section 6. Directors and Consultants shall serve without compensation.
Section 7. No more than one Director shall be a member or employee of the same organization. The foregoing shall not disqualify any previously eligible Director from continuing to serve through the end of a term year during which two Directors become employees of the same organization. This provision shall not serve to disqualify the appointment by the Board of Directors of a Consultant who is employed at the same firm as a Director.
Section 8. Resignation. A Director may resign at any time by giving written notice of resignation to the Secretary.
Section 9. Removal from Office. A Director may be removed from office for cause by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors present at a regular meeting or at a special meeting called for the purpose, provided that notice thereof shall be given in writing to the Director at least thirty (30) days prior to said meeting.
Section 10. Vacancies. Any vacancies which occur on the Board of Directors may be filled for the unexpired term thereof by a two-thirds (2/3rd) vote of the Board of Directors present at a regular meeting or at a special meeting called for the purpose.
Article IX – NATIONAL COMMITTEE DELEGATES
Section 1. National Committee Delegates. National Committee Delegates and Alternates, in such numbers as may from time to time be required by the regulations of the Security Traders Association, shall be appointed by the President. A list of appointed National Committee Delegates and Alternates shall be presented to the membership.
Article X – ELECTIONS
Section 1. Nominating Committee. There shall be a Nominating Committee consisting of six (6) members. The Past President, or if unable or unwilling to serve, the last preceding President able and willing to serve, shall be chairman of the Committee and a member thereof. Any vacancy occurring because of the absence of a prior President able and willing to serve shall be filled by a vote of a majority of the Board of Directors. The additional five (5) members shall be elected at the annual meeting. The five (5) Members receiving the greatest number of votes at the annual meeting shall stand elected and the remaining nominees, in the order that each received the greater number of votes, shall serve as alternates to fill any vacancy. A Member serving on the Nominating Committee shall be eligible to serve for no more than two (2) consecutive years and shall be ineligible for nomination for any office proposed by the Nominating Committee on which such Member serves.
Section 2. Qualifications for Nominating Committee. A Member may not be elected to serve as a member of the Nominating Committee unless at the time of such election such Member has been an active Member in good standing for at least three (3) full consecutive years immediately preceding such election.
Section 3. Duty of the Nominating Committee. It shall be the duty of the Nominating Committee to nominate annually candidates to serve as Officers and Directors and eight (8) to fifteen (15) candidates for the Nominating Committee for the following year. The Nominating Committee may adopt such rules and regulations not inconsistent with the bylaws as it deems necessary and appropriate for the conduct of its business. It shall be the duty of the Nominating Committee to interview and pass upon the qualifications of candidates for elective office of the Corporation. Any Member who desires to be considered by the Nominating Committee for any such elective office shall present to the Nominating Committee, in writing, in such form as the Committee may designate, a statement of intent to seek office. Such statement of intent shall be submitted to the Committee or a designated individual thereof by a date specified by the Chairman of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee may invite any eligible member to stand for election for any office on its own initiative. Upon receipt of such written statement of intent the Nominating Committee by a quorum of at least four (4) members, shall, at the times and places designated by it, interview candidates from whom written statements of intent have been timely received and who request an interview or who are invited to interview by the Committee.
Section 4. Ballots and Slate. A list of candidates selected by the Nominating Committee to stand for election to the offices designated in Section 2 of this Article and a list of candidates selected by the Board of Directors to stand election to the offices designated in Article V, Sections 4 and 5 shall be presented to the membership in writing prior to the annual meeting. Additional nominations for Directors may be written in by a petition presented to the Secretary endorsed by ten percent (10%) of the voting members of the Corporation. Additional nominations for Officers may be written in by a petition to presented to the Secretary endorsed by twenty-five percent (25%) of the voting members of the Corporation. All nominations shall close fifteen (15) days prior to the annual meeting. Nominations may not be made at the annual meeting or otherwise than herein set forth.
Section 5. Delivery of Ballots. Upon the close of nominations, the Secretary shall cause to be sent by first class mail or electronically, to each voting member, ballots in such form as may be determined from time to time by the Nominating Committee. The ballot shall include the names of all nominees proposed for election. Ballots and proxies for other persons nominated for office permitted under these bylaws may be distributed in the manner and at the cost of the persons doing so. Members shall vote in such manner as proscribed by the Nominating Committee. Each ballot must be fully voted in order to be counted.
Section 6. Contested Elections and Conflicts. In the event that the nominees shall include two (2) or more Members who are employees of the same organization and two (2) or more of such Members shall receive such number of votes necessary to elect them to the same office, the member of such organization receiving the highest number of votes for such office shall be elected and the other member or members of that organization shall be automatically disqualified. In the event that the nominees for different offices shall include two (2 or more Members who are employees of the same organization and two (2) or more such persons receive such number of votes as are necessary to elect them to office, the Member elected to the highest office of the Corporation shall be elected and the other member or members of that organization shall automatically be disqualified. This provision shall not serve to disqualify Members from becoming candidates for membership on the Nominating Committee or nominees for National Committee Delegates.
Section 7. Assumption of Duties. The newly-elected Officers and Directors shall assume the responsibility of their office and the official exercise of their duties and prerogatives at the first Board Meeting following the Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE XI – COMMITTEES
Section 1. Executive Committee
Authority. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Past President. The Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have and may exercise all of the powers of the Board of Directors between the meetings of the Board. Any four (4) of its members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any Executive Committee meeting. Minutes of any Executive Committee meeting shall be presented to the Board of Directors at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Any action of the Executive Committee is subject to review by the full Board of Directors and subject to a vote of the Board of Directors.
Limitations of Authority. The Executive Committee shall, have all of the authority of the Board, except that it shall have no authority as to the following matters: (a) the submission to members of any action requiring members' approval under the Not-for-Profit Corporation law of the State of New York; (b) the removal or filling of a vacant term of an officer, or a member of the Board of Directors, (c) the amendment or repeal of the bylaws or the adoption of new bylaws; (d) the amendment or repeal of any resolution of the Board; and (e) the engagement, termination, and discipline of the Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director.
Section 2. Other Committees. The Board of Directors shall have the power to form and define the duties of other committees as deemed necessary and shall have the general supervision of their activities, with the exception of the Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE XII – FINANCES
Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be January 1st through December 31st.
Section 2. Financial Records. Financial statements of the Corporation, reviewed or audited as required by the not-for-profit corporation law of the State of New York, covering the fiscal year shall be made by an independent public or certified public accountant appointed by the Board of Directors. The report shall be presented at the next meeting of the Board of Directors and shall also be open to inspection by other members of the Corporation.
ARTICLE XIII – INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. Indemnification. The officers and directors shall be indemnified to the full extent permitted by law, in the manner and to the full extent authorized or permitted under the not-for-profit corporation law of the State of New York. Except as restricted by law, the Corporation may provide additional indemnification pursuant to agreement, action of the Board, provisions of these bylaws or otherwise.
ARTICLE XIV – AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments. Amendments to these Bylaws, or their repeal may be authorized by a vote of two-thirds (2/3rd) of the Board of Directors, or by two-thirds (2/3rd) of a quorum of Members, provided that notice that an amendment or repeal of these Bylaws is proposed shall have been included in the notice of the meeting at which such action is authorized.
ARTICLE XV– DATE
Section 1. Effective Date. These Bylaws shall take effect immediately upon their adoption. | accredited college or university. Student members shall not be permitted to vote, shall not be permitted to hold elected office and shall not be counted in the membership rolls of the Corporation for purposes of membership in STA unless the STA portion of membership dues are waived by STA. Upon completion of their education, student members may convert their Student membership to Regular, Associate, or Junior membership upon payment of any additional dues necessary to qualify for such membership.
Honorary Membership. Honorary Membership may be conferred upon individuals who are elected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors under terms the Board of Directors determines. These members are entitled to all privileges of membership, except they shall not be permitted to vote or hold elective office.
Retired Membership. Retired Membership shall be available upon interest which shall be communicated in writing to the Secretary. Retired Membership shall only be available by approval of the Board of Directors to members who have been Regular Members in good standing for a minimum of ten (10) years, or who have served as an Officer of the Association, and have retired from active employment in trading, financial services, or related fields, and shall remain retired from active employment in trading, financial services, or related fields. These members are entitled to all privileges of membership, except they shall not be permitted to vote or hold elective office.
Other Membership Classes. The Board of Directors may establish or disband membership classes that are ineligible to hold elective office.
Section 2. Voting Membership: The following members may vote on all matters put before the membership of the Corporation:
Section 3. Non-Voting Membership. The following members shall have no vote in the Corporation.
Associate Members (including Junior Associate Members)
Section 4. Membership Size. The number of Members of the Corporation shall be unlimited.
Section 5. Application for Membership. All applications for membership in the form as required by the Board of Directors shall be submitted for approval. No candidate shall be elected if any two (2) or more Directors shall vote their membership be rejected.
Section 6. Dues and Fees. No candidate for membership shall qualify as a member until all applicable fees and dues have been paid.
Section 7. Expulsion. A member may be expelled for any reason by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, if the member is provided with advance written notice including the reason for the proposed expulsion. The Board shall not expel a Member (i.) until after notice in writing shall have been given to such Member, (ii.) if a hearing in person before the Board of Directors is requested in writing, such a hearing is held before at least three Directors and, (iii.) any such expulsion is affirmed after due consideration and deliberation by a majority of such Directors.
Section 8. Other Qualifications. The Board of Directors from time to time may adopt such | 570 |
The Essence of Ronald Reagan
Today marks the 99th birthday of Ronald Reagan. I was attending college at the time Reagan was elected. He was elected at a time when our economy was arguably every bit as bad, in some ways worse, than<|fim_middle|>, Must Read | 379 Comments
« What we don't use, we lose How long can you sprint? » | what we currently are experiencing. He brought sincere hope and had a deep belief in the greatness of America that was truly, at least to me, inspiring.
There are many things to admire about Ronald Reagan. His economic policies lead to the greatest period of economic growth America has ever known. He brought down the Soviet Union, the greatest threat to freedom ever known, without ever firing a shot. But that is not what I admire the most about Ronald Reagan. What I found most inspiring, and something I have tried to model in my life, is his humanness. He was no respecter of persons; in other words he treated everyone the same.
This story, as told by Bill Clark, is a great example and reminds me of a similar experience I had with another politician, related further down, almost 25 years ago.
Bill Clark was one the Ronald Reagan's closest friends and advisers. His story is retold by Paul Kengor at NRO Online as follows:
At the time this happened, Clark was serving as Reagan's national-security adviser. He had previously been deputy secretary of state, and would later be appointed secretary of the interior. His driver all this time was a man named Joe Bullock, a Georgia native who had moved to Washington during the Great Depression. Joe [being black] was a victim of the cruel Jim Crow laws that afflicted the South. He went to Washington for a better life.
Joe first found employment as a mule driver. He eventually began chauffeuring various senior people in the federal government, some of whom, including a high-level figure in the Carter administration, didn't treat him well; in fact, that previous cabinet secretary didn't speak a word to Joe in three years.
Thus, Joe was taken aback when Bill Clark not only talked to him, asking questions about his life and family, but also asked whether he could sit up front. Clark rode shotgun with Joe, drawing more than a few stares and safety concerns as well, since Clark, given his influence in national security, was a target of America's enemies.
One morning, Clark's father visited Washington. He hit it off with Joe. Clark's father was a rancher, a man of the West. He gave Joe a gift: a Western-style belt, with a kind of "John Wayne belt buckle," as Clark described it. Joe loved it, proudly displaying it by always leaving his blue suit-jacket unbuttoned.
That belt soon assumed a life of its own. A state visit by England's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip was upcoming, and protocol demanded that the White House provide gifts. Clark, Reagan, and a few others brainstormed following a morning briefing. For Philip, Clark suggested a "Western belt." He had one in mind, made by Si Jenkins, a Santa Barbara friend of both Clark and the president. (Reagan, too, was a California rancher.)
"Well, what does it look like?" asked Reagan. Clark noted he had a model in the car: Joe, who was wearing the belt. "Send him up," ordered the president. They called for Joe, who entered via the door of Reagan's secretary.
Joe had worked for the federal government for half a century, but had never been within 50 yards of the Oval Office. He walked in. He saw Clark, Vice President Bush, the senior aides, and the president of the United States. He was in awe, overcome. Suddenly, this tough six-foot-four man began weeping: He had come so far since Jim Crow and the Great Depression. He was choked up.
No one in the room was prepared for that reaction. They were dead silent, uncomfortable, unable to respond — except for Ronald Reagan. The president rose, walked over to the driver, extended his hand, breathed in, and said matter-of-factly, "Mr. Bullock, I understand you have a belt to show me?"
It was an "everyman" touch. And it put old Joe immediately at ease. Business-like, Joe showed the belt, and then he and Reagan began swapping stories, chatting away like old friends.
"The rest of us just faded away," said Bill Clark, "as the two got along famously." President and driver, remembering the old days.
There have been times during my career where I have had the opportunity to spend time with Senators, Congressmen and Governors. It is pretty common for most politicians to be aloof, detached and even condescending. Others have a rather phony sincerity that, at least for me, is pretty easy to detect. I've always suspected that this is because they are not comfortable with who they are.
In my personal experience there was one exception; Mark Hatfield. At the time I met the Senator he was the chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. He was one of the 5 most powerful people in the U.S. Government and this was reflected in the office he occupied in Washington.
Several of us had arrived for a meeting and were waiting in the his conference room with a staff member. Senator Hatfield entered the room before his remaining staff arrived; very unusual in its own right. He apparently noticed that I had been looking over some documents hanging on the wall at the time he entered the room. After formal introductions were finished he took me over to tell me more about items on display all the while asking about my family and upbringing.
I had been intrigued by the bust of Herbert Hoover and the documents with his signature on them. My history wasn't great but I did know that he was often blamed as the President that led the country into the Great Depression of the 1930's.
The Senator explained that he admired President Hoovers agenda known as the Children's Charter. The Charter focused on providing protections for all children, regardless of race or gender. After what was maybe all of 90 seconds we returned to the conference table. Like Reagan, it was a sincere everyman's moment. Almost 25 years later I find myself wishing we had more leaders like Mark Hatfield and Ronald Reagan. We would be a better nation for it.
You might Also Like Mark Hatfield 1922-2011
Ted Werth | February 6, 2010 | Current Events | 1,295 |
Anderson Cooper to give his 'World View' in Tampa
By Jay Handelman , Herald-Tribune
/ Monday, July 16, 2012
Anderson Cooper, the popular CNN anchor of "Anderson Cooper 360º" and his own daytime talk show, is coming to Tampa in September for a talking on "Anderson Cooper's 360 World View."
Anderson Cooper will present his "Anderson Cooper's 360 World View" Sept. 23 at the Straz Center. CNN PHOTOS
Cooper, who has been much in the news in recent weeks since he announced publicly that he is gay, is schedule to present a talk<|fim_middle|> "Like" Arts Sarasota on Facebook for news and reviews of the arts.
Asolo Conservatory launches new summer theater program
Director builds a family with 'Streetcar Named Desire'
Cabaret Review: 'The GiGi's' offer a pleasant if bland musical survey | and participate in a question and answer session with the audience during his program at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 in Carol Morsani Hall in the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
It will likely be a return to the city after coverage of the Republican National Convention is held in August.
Cooper has worked for CNN since 2001 and became a primetime anchor in 2003 covering the war in Iraq and then closely following developments after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
He travels around the world to cover major events, including the uprising in Egypt, the earthquakes in Japan and Haiti, the BP oil spill and the current presidential campaign.
Tickets for the program start at $39.50. For more information: (800) 955-1045; strazenter.org
Jay Handelman
Jay Handelman is the theater and television critic for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where he has worked since 1984. He also is President of the Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association and a two-time past chairman of the association's executive committee. He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4931. Follow him at @jayhandelman on Twitter. Make sure to | 274 |
Not quite what I expected from one of the concluding remarks in an Economist article celebrating IBM's 100 years in business.
"in 1993 before Lou Gerstner realised that the best way to package technology for use by businesses was to focus on services". Having ideas and helping customers innovate is always a better idea than pushing tin. I remember my time in a large telecom company I worked with where it was drummed into us to think about our customers customers. Thinking in this way changes your perspective on what you provide. Less hardware and more value.
Hvaing said that it's okay to provide things (eg an Apple iPhone) but it's about wrapping them with uniqueness and value-add such that it's the service or the way it's delivered that makes a difference. The difference between the latest Nokia<|fim_middle|>eper philosphies" about what we do and grow from there. | smartphone compared to Apple's? It's certainly not the speed of the chip (hardware) but the way you interact (software/service) with your end-user that brings people back for more.
So perhaps not even being in services is safe and for longevity, we should all think about having "de | 59 |
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Ananda Tours Waiheke Island gourmet food and wine tour is true unique experience in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand. There's nothing better than fresh oysters straight from Te Metuku Bay, accompanied by a glass of carefully matched boutique wine.
Departing Auckland on Explore Direct, sailing to Waiheke Island, this guided day tour showcases the best of Waiheke Island. Visit some of the Island's top boutique vineyards to enjoy fine wines and taste locally-produced speciality foods, such as fresh oysters straight from Te Metuku Bay, wild honey and the famous local green herb spread. Visit Rangihoua Estate, an award winning olive oil mill to learn how the oil is produced and taste a range of different oils. Finish with a platter style lunch at Mudbrick Vineyard, before returning to your accommodation or departing the Island back to Auckland.
Waiheke Island is in the<|fim_middle|> is a haven for beautiful vineyards, olive groves and beaches, providing a true boutique gourmet food and wine experience.
The company's name, Ananda, is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning bliss, pleasure and happiness and that's what they strive to give all their guests.
Rangihoua Estate Olive Oil Mill is where the first olive oil in the North Island was produced. The Frantoio blend produced there has just been listed as one of the Top 20 Olive Oils in the world. | Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, a delightful 45 minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland.
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A wonderful experience! A fabulous way to see a country, learn about the people and culture. Totally hooked on cycle holidays!
Whether we were pedaling through the scattered corn fields or terraced rice paddies along the streams on a pleasantly warm day, climbing thousands of feet through the morning's cool mist into jungles of bamboo, or riding through the passes of majestic limestone karst formations that reached the clouds above, there was one beautiful common thread to every single day in Laos aside from the incredible scenery. Many, many times a day, we would pass through tiny, rustic villages, scattered with an array of stilted houses dotted along the roadside or spreading up the hillside or down towards a stream. And within almost every one of these villages were the friendliest, sweetest, and most charming people in the world. We would offer our greetings and wave as they shared their warm smiles, friendly waves, and 'œsabaidees,'� especially from the wildly excited children who flocked to the roadsides of most every village to exchange an enthusiastic 'œhigh fives,'� thereafter dancing with joy as we pedaled away smiling!
But how could we experience these wonderful days without both leaders Ken and Dermot being on top of their game the entire trip! I can only imagine there were occasions when things were not according to plan. Yet we never noticed because they did such an amazing job of taking care of business so we could thoroughly enjoy our journey.
I think I can speak for most everyone who hired a bike: the rental shop and excellent mechanics provided impressive attention to adjustments for finely tuned bikes, and that the front-suspension bikes were of very good quality! And front suspension was a must (sorry James and Tara)!
Lastly, every encounter with another person or place is an opportunity to be enriched and to give back in one way or another. In these two weeks, some of us found that in our fellow travellers, others with a simple smile or interaction with a local, and still others through donations. But I would venture to guess that we were all touched by the charm and beauty of the most hard-working, attentive, sweet, and loving local support staff that truly made our entire journey the wonderful pleasure that it was; an absolutely incredible experience!
Kop jai lai lai der!
A great trip in a beautiful country with many memorable moments. Ken, family and all the support team did<|fim_middle|> enjoyed it very much and everyone was very tolerant of my sometimes wayward behaviour!!!
I think the tour was fantastic all around even for someone who normally avoids organised group holidays. I wouldn't have gone with any organisation and redspokes and the personal involvement of Dermot made organised group travel seem appealing. It sets a great example that organised travel is possible without the negatives associated with it.
Ken was great! His beaming smile is still one of the major impressions of the trip.. He was also always approachable and willing to explain local customs and details about day-to-day Lao life. Above that he was attentive and helpful in sorting bike problems.
" Cycling in Laos was excellent as the trip combined the challenge of ridingthrough some beautiful hilly countryside, while at the same time taking inmany different cultural experiences. The homestay with... " | a fantastic job looking after us all.
Truly a step back in time, people are friendly, welcoming and take time to smile. The sence of community in the villages is something that will stay with us for a long time. Great work Dermot with the community trust fund. Thanks!
The whole trip was an incredible kaleidoscope of experiences, even though I am a well traveled person. The highlights being the home stay, the friendly Loasions, your support team (even including you Dermot!! shame about your pucking skills!!?) the suprise canoeing trip, redspokes passion for the country and their charitable sponsorship.
I could go on, but suffice to say I | 139 |
At times, I Came to see the weaknesses in my business,<|fim_middle|>nesses Will Gradually Take Care of Themselves".
Just believe it, and Act upon it. For better 2015. | in me, and also in my staffs; including everyone within my visibility. I tried and tried to overcome it and fix them, but there are no results. Some people say: Change yourself before you change others, the one need changes is you. You can't change the world.
But then, everytime I look deeper into the problems, it gets harder and has no enlightment.
And so one day I came to think of this, Why would you bother with all the weaknesses, problems that are from the inside of the people? Think from this perspective instead: What can they deliver for you? What are their strenghts that you can derived from, take full advantage from, to reach your goal and target?
Perhaps this way, we can focus on growing up better and faster. Sometimes when thinking about growing up, I always thought of getting rid of all the bad habits, bad attitude, all the lacking of these people in order to move on. But seems it is not the way.
I will try injecting more positive attitude, more positive ideas, and focus on our strengths. Hopefully in 2015 we can excel better and improve way way further than the pasts.
Just like the quotes at top of this article: "Build Upon Strengths, and Weak | 259 |
Tom Brady Assures Fans He's 'Not Going Anywhere' in Hulu Super Bowl 2020 Ad After Retirement Rumors
By Nicholas Hautman
Scratch that! After sparking rumors that he was retiring from the NFL, Tom Brady set the record straight in a Super Bowl LIV commercial for<|fim_middle|> I'm not going anywhere."
Tom Brady Hulu
Instead of announcing a career move, Brady speaks to the camera about Hulu + Live TV and explains how the video-streaming service offers live sports, cable channels and original programming.
The commercial aired three days after the football player shared a cryptic post on his Instagram and Twitter accounts: a captionless black-and-white picture of his silhouette inside his team's home stadium. Fans began wondering whether Brady, who becomes a free agent in March for the first time in his career, planned to announce his retirement or that he was leaving the Patriots for another team.
Hottest NFL Hunks
Fans became even more concerned after reports surfaced that Brady's wife, Gisele Bündchen, was spotted visiting an all-boys private school in Nashville on Thursday, January 30. However, NBC Sports Boston later debunked the rumors, pointing to a photo that former NFL executive Gil Brandt tweeted with the couple at a dinner party in Miami that night.
Brady and the supermodel, 39, have been married since February 2009. They share son Benjamin, 10, and daughter Vivian, 7, and the six-time Super Bowl champion is also the father of son John, 12, with his ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan.
Celebrities Dating Athletes
After Hulu aired its commercial on Sunday night as the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Fransisco 49ers faced off at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the company released a statement from Brady explaining his decision to star in the ad.
"Given the witty tone of the campaign, we thought this was a fun opportunity to play off all the speculation about my future," he said.
Listen on Spotify to Us Weekly's Hot Hollywood as each week the editors of Us break down the hottest entertainment news stories! | Hulu on Sunday, February 2.
Every Must-See Super Bowl 2020 Commercial
"They say all good things must come to an end," the New England Patriots quarterback, 42, says in the black-and-white ad, which shows him walking onto the field at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. "But me? | 71 |
My Friend David
On December 31, 1986 David Spielman and I sat drinking champagne in my son's hospital room. Jeremy was not doing well. David, who was married, knew this and decided to spend that evening with me. At that time we had been friends for about 10 years, although the exact start date of our friendship escapes me. You see, he is a professional photographer.
We met at Alfredo's Cameras, a very fine shop on Gravier Street in New Orleans. It specialized in Leica cameras. If you are David's friend, the word, "Leica", is always part of the conversation. The quintessential Leica is a rangefinder, built like a tank and generally costs one and a half times what a top-of-the-line Nikon or Canon does. It's made in Germany and, technology wise, is in the dark ages compared to modern digital cameras. Taking pictures with it is like hunting bear with a bow and arrow. You have to be hard headed, a good "shooter" and somewhat masochistic just to use one effectively. In David's hands, a Leica sings like a canary.
Our friendship grew as we spent Saturday mornings in the French Quarter, taking pictures. We would start with a cup of coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde. Not a lot of folks there at dawn. And then we would start out, stalking the streets, looking for that special shot. David usually found it. I suspect a fair number of those pictures now hang in his gallery, across the street from Commander's Palace Restaurant.
If you happen to go to the Spielman Gallery, you will find him there, 365 days a year. (He actually does work seven days a week.) He's dressed in starched khaki's, a starched denim shirt, shoes which often look like they came from a different era, and with a Cartier or Rolex watch on his arm. He shoots all of his personal work in black and white, the photographic medium which essentially focuses the viewer on the content of the image. David is quirky, like the Leica, an anachronism in the modern age,<|fim_middle|> with them, side by side. "Doc, why are you here? Why aren't you home in bed?" Holliday responds, "Wyatt Earp is my friend". The man responds, "Hell, Doc, I have lots of friends." The camera zooms in on Holliday's face, as he stares into the distance, and says, "I don't".
Copyright © 2020 Coleman T. Organ Photography | colemantorgan@aol.com | 504.400.4945 | Facebook | but focused, no pun intended, on the substance of life. Stated differently, he takes beautiful pictures of New Orleans.
David has travelled the world taking pictures. Egypt, Ireland, England, France, etc, etc.. He's taken pictures of the Pope and of Martin McGinnis and Gerry Adams of the Irish Republican Army. He's photographed the old men and their toddler granddaughters feeding pigeons in Paris. He stayed in New Orleans during Katrina and shot boats strewn about the municipal yacht harbor like fish after a toxic algae bloom, the picture appropriately named, "Fish Kill".
I recently reviewed his "Artist Statement". It describes the man well, but doesn't do justice to his photography. (He'll want to kill me for this.) It doesn't really convey how he has made a living as a professional photographer in New Orleans for almost half a century, no easy feat. Yes, it describes the quirks, the drive, the sense of humor and general perspective on life. But it is his work that tells the story, or almost all of it.
David was one of two major platelet donors for Jeremy. He and George Hebbler sat through many hours while their healthy runner platelets were harvested for Jeremy. When a man does that for your kid, you remember it. Every day.
I like movies and often quote memorable lines from the best ones. In the movie, Tombstone, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday help tame a bunch of outlaws. Val Kilmer plays Holliday, a gambler, gun fighter and hard drinker who came west to deal with tuberculosis. After a particularly bad gunfight with the "Cowboys", one of Earp's posse addresses Holliday, who is obviously very sick, yet there fighting | 358 |
This week we have arrived at the central moment of our mythic memory, parashat b'shalach, also known as Shabbat Shirah, the Shabbat when we sing the Song of the Sea, and cross into the wilderness to freedom and to peoplehood. Our collective memory of the crossing is euphoric, shocking in its grandeur. It is the stuff of majesty, magic, and myth. It becomes metaphor for other peoples' freedom fights. It becomes a central piece of our liturgy and year cycle.
Yet this year, it is not the grand crossing that calls my heart to listen. It is the moment right before.
We read in Shemot Chapter 14 of the Israelites on the shore of the sea. Read Exodus 14:10-12.
At the threshold of this miracle, at the moment of opening, we might expect the people to be waiting in eager anticipation of their great collective transformation. After all, they have witnessed the plagues, they have seen all the evidence that the power in this story is on the side of their liberation. Yet when they find themselves against the sea, they cry out in terror. They lash out, furious, terrified, and sarcastic.
al tira'u 1) don't fear - Rabbi Lew reads this not as an injunction against feeling afraid, but that we can stop running away from our fear, and when we do this, our fear loses its power over us.
hityatzvu 2) stand up - we can stand still, we can find ourselves in the midst of the fear, we collect ourselves.
ur'u 3) see - we can see, really see the situation we are in. We can let go of our fear-induced perceptions and imaginings.
tacharishun 4) stop talking, be quiet- we can come to stillness, a place of calm and openness within us.
And then the last step, v'yisau 5) get going - we can move forward, we can do the next thing the moment requires of<|fim_middle|> execution of a command is Pharaoh modality. But it is not our path. My partner always reminds me what he learned from his massage teacher: Awareness, Acceptance, Change. In that order. No shortcuts.
Israelite modality, the mode of living that is awake and vulnerable and moving and wrestling, is like Sam Lamott on the floor, in the dark, with his sleeping bag and his mom in the next room. We feel our fear. Scootch scootch. We inch into the darkness of the hallway. We scootch forward and back and a little more forward. Sam's hallway is the narrow birth canal of each moment, it is the narrow hallway of the Sea of Reeds. We will make it to the other side and we will still be scootching. This is the path toward awakening, towards redemption. | us, listening to the inner wisdom that comes from the previous steps.
The magnificent human work of overcoming fear - which at its core is our fear of death - is the work of moving forward in our lives and in our growth. It is not a majestic walk through walls of water. It is a disciplined process. It requires us to wake up again and again to our deepest fears and to actually feel them - not hate them or reject them, but feel them in our bodies in order to come out from under their power, to clearly see what is going on, come to a stillness within ourselves, and then move.
And even then, this progress is not linear.
One of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott, tells a story of when her son Sam was young and learning to sleep in his own room in a new house. He started by laying his sleeping bag on the floor next to her bed, and then every night scooches forward to get a few feet further toward his own room.
Like Sam, the Israelites will continue to feel fear. Over and over again in the wilderness they will complain to Moshe. The fears and resistance they felt on the shore of the sea were not quenched by the miracle. They are part of the journey itself.
We want great liberation, and we want it now. We want freedom from our mishegas, from our unhelpful habits, from our neurosis, our own sick minds. We want trumpets and the march across the sea. We want great catharsis and permanent transformation today.
The second I become aware of something I want to change about myself or the outside world, I want it done. It reminds me of the old Ten Commandments film when the Pharaoh has this repeating line: "So let it be written, so let it be done." Immediate | 372 |
# Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies®, 4th Edition
Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/homerecordingformusicians to view this book's cheat sheet.
**Table of Contents**
Introduction
> About This Book
>
> Not-So-Foolish Assumptions
>
> How This Book Is Organized
>
>> Part I: Home Recording Studio Basics
>>
>> Part II: Recording 101
>>
>> Part III: Getting Ready to Record
>>
>> Part IV: Laying Track: Starting to Record
>>
>> Part V: Turning Your Tracks into a Finished Song
>>
>> Part VI: The Part of Tens
>
> Icons Used in This Book
>
> Where to Go from Here
Part I: Home Recording Studio Basics
> Chapter 1: Understanding Home Recording
>
>> Examining the Anatomy of a Home Studio
>>
>>> Exploring the recording essentials
>>>
>>> Checking out recording system types
>>
>> Getting a Glimpse into the Recording Process
>>
>>> Setting up a song
>>>
>>> Getting a great sound
>>>
>>> Recording
>>>
>>> Overdubbing
>>
>> Making Sense of Mixing
>>
>>> Cleaning up tracks, using editing
>>>
>>> Equalizing your tracks
>>>
>>> Processing your signal
>>>
>>> Blending your tracks
>>
>> Adding the Final Touches
>>
>>> Mastering your mixes
>>>
>>> Putting your music out into the world
>>>
>>> Promoting your music
>
> Chapter 2: Getting the Right Gear
>
>> Determining Your Home Studio Needs
>>
>> Detailing Your Digital Options
>>
>> Computer-Based DAW Systems
>>
>>> Finding the right computer setup
>>>
>>> Getting the sound in and out
>>>
>>> Choosing the right software
>>
>> Studio-in-a-Box Systems
>>
>>> Taking a look at the benefits
>>>
>>> Examining some popular SIAB systems
>>
>> Portable Recorders
>>
>> Stand-alone Recorders
>>
>> Examining Analog Goodies
>>
>>> The tube stuff
>>>
>>> Tape-saturation emulators
>>>
>>> Reality check
>>
>> Exploring Sample Setups
>>
>>> Live and MIDI studio
>>>
>>> MIDI-intensive studio
>>>
>>> Live studio
>
> Chapter 3: Getting Connected: Setting Up Your Studio
>
>> Understanding Analog Connections
>>
>>> The 1⁄4-inch analog plug
>>>
>>> XLR
>>>
>>> RCA
>>
>> Delving into Digital Connections
>>
>>> MIDI
>>>
>>> AES/EBU
>>>
>>> S/PDIF
>>>
>>> ADAT Lightpipe
>>>
>>> TDIF
>>>
>>> USB
>>>
>>> FireWire
>>>
>>> Thunderbolt
>>
>> Sampling Some Studio Setups
>>
>>> Audio with some MIDI
>>>
>>> MIDI-intensive setup
>>>
>>> Live audio
>>
>> Working Efficiently
>>
>>> Taming heat and dust
>>>
>>> Monitoring your monitors
>>
>> Optimizing Your Room
>>
>>> Isolating sound
>>>
>>> Controlling sound
Part II: Recording 101
> Chapter 4: Meet the Mixer
>
>> Meeting the Many Mixers
>>
>>> Analog mixer
>>>
>>> Digital mixer
>>>
>>> Software mixer
>>>
>>> Computer control surface
>>
>> Understanding Mixer Basics
>>
>>> Examining inputs
>>>
>>> Checking out the channel strip
>>>
>>> Recognizing mixer routing
>>>
>>> Opting for outputs
>
> Chapter 5: MIDI and Electronic Instruments
>
>> Meeting MIDI
>>
>>> Perusing MIDI ports
>>>
>>> Understanding MIDI channels
>>>
>>> Appreciating MIDI messages
>>>
>>> Managing modes
>>>
>>> Taking a look at General MIDI
>>
>> Gearing Up for MIDI
>>
>>> Sound generators
>>>
>>> Sound card
>>>
>>> MIDI controller
>>>
>>> Sequencer
>>>
>>> MIDI interface
>
> Chapter 6: Understanding Microphones
>
>> Meeting the Many Microphone Types
>>
>>> Construction types
>>>
>>> Polarity patterns
>>
>> Assessing Your Microphone Needs
>>
>> Deciding How Many Microphones and What Kind
>>
>>> Getting started
>>>
>>> Movin' on
>>>
>>> Going all out
>>
>> Finding the Right Mic for the Situation
>>
>> Partnering Mics with Preamps
>>
>>> Solid-state
>>>
>>> Vacuum tube
>>>
>>> Hybrid
>>
>> Considering Compressors
>>
>> Analyzing Some Microphone Accessories
>>
>>> Microphone cords
>>>
>>> Microphone stands
>>>
>>> Pop filters
>>
>> Caring for Your Microphones
>>
>>> Daily care
>>>
>>> Storage
Part III: Getting Ready to Record
> Chapter 7: Getting a Great Source Sound
>
>> Making Sense of the Signal Chain
>>
>> Setting Optimal Signal Levels
>>
>> Understanding Pre and Post Levels
>>
>>> Interpreting the various levels
>>>
>>> Looking at examples
>>
>> Getting a Great Guitar Sound
>>
>> Creating a Killer Keyboard Sound
>>
>> Making the Most of Microphones
>>
>>> Placing mics properly
>>>
>>> Compressing carefully
>
> Chapter 8: Taking a Look at Microphone Techniques
>
>> Singling Out Spot Miking
>>
>> Detailing Distant Miking
>>
>> Assessing Ambient Miking
>>
>> Selecting Stereo Miking
>>
>>> X-Y pairs
>>>
>>> Blumlein technique
>>>
>>> Spaced pairs
>>>
>>> Stereo microphones
>>>
>>> Overcoming problems with stereo miking
>>
>> Creating Miking Combinations
>
> Chapter 9: Miking Your Instruments
>
>> Getting a Great Lead Vocal Sound
>>
>>> Making the most of the room
>>>
>>> Choosing the best mic
>>
>> Getting Good Backup Vocals
>>
>> Examining Electric Guitar Miking
>>
>>> Using the room
>>>
>>> Getting the most out of the mics
>>
>> Exploring Electric Bass Miking
>>
>>> Managing the room
>>>
>>> Getting the most from the mic
>>
>> Miking Acoustic Guitars and Similar Instruments
>>
>>> Making the most of the room
>>>
>>> Using your mics
>>
>> Maneuvering Horn Mics
>>
>>> Understanding the role of the room
>>>
>>> Making the most of the mics
>>
>> Placing Mics for a Piano
>>
>>> Harnessing the sound of the room
>>>
>>> Managing the mics
>>
>> Setting Up Mics for Strings
>>
>>> Making the most of the room
>>>
>>> Making sense of the mics
>>
>> Digging into Drum-Set Miking
>>
>>> First things first: Tuning your drums
>>>
>>> Using the room to your benefit
>>>
>>> Picking up the kick (bass) drum
>>>
>>> Setting up the snare drum
>>>
>>> Tackling the tom-toms
>>>
>>> Handling the hi-hats
>>>
>>> Creating the best cymbal sound
>>>
>>> Miking the whole kit
>>
>> Getting Your Hands on Hand Drums
>>
>> Perfecting Percussion Miking
>>
>>> Exploring the impact of the room
>>>
>>> Choosing and using the mics
Part IV: Laying Track: Starting to Record
> Chapter 10: Multitrack Recording
>
>> Understanding Multitracking
>>
>> Getting Ready to Record
>>
>>> Setting up a song
>>>
>>> Selecting a sound source
>>>
>>> Setting levels
>>>
>>> Getting the sound you want
>>>
>>> Choosing a monitoring source
>>
>> Saving Your Work
>>
>> Sharing Files with Others
>
> Chapter 11: Recording Audio
>
>> Performing Your First Take
>>
>> Punching In and Out
>>
>>> Manual punching
>>>
>>> Punching with a foot switch
>>>
>>> Automatic punching
>>>
>>> Repeated punching (looping)
>>
>> Exploring Overdubbing
>>
>> Submixing
>>
>> Bouncing
>>
>> Keeping Track of Your Tracks
>
> Chapter 12: Recording and Editing MIDI Data
>
>> Synchronizing Your Devices
>>
>>> Synchronizing two (or more) synthesizers
>>>
>>> Synchronizing a computer sequencer and a synthesizer
>>>
>>> Synchronizing a sequencer and an audio recorder
>>>
>>> Using the transport function from one device to control another
>>
>> Sequencing
>>
>>> Recording MIDI data
>>>
>>> Overdubbing
>>>
>>> Editing your data
>>>
>>> Quantization
>>>
>>> Transposing
>>
>> Saving Your Data
>>
>> Transferring Data Using MIDI
Part V: Turning Your Tracks into a Finished Song
> Chapter 13: Editing Your Performance
>
>> Understanding Digital Editing
>>
>>> Copy
>>>
>>> Cut/Delete/Erase
>>>
>>> Insert
>>>
>>> Paste
>>>
>>> Move
>>>
>>> Export/Import
>>>
>>> Undo
>>
>> Finding the Section You Want to Edit
>>
>>> Editing aurally
>>>
>>> Editing visually
>>
>> Editing to Improve the Sound of a Performance
>>
>>> Replacing a bad note
>>>
>>> Evening out a performance
>>>
>>> Getting rid of distortion
>>>
>>> Getting rid of noise
>>>
>>> Correcting pitch problems
>>
>> Creating a Performance That Never Happened
>>
>>> Creating loops
>>>
>>> Assembling a song
>>>
>>> Making composites of your tracks
>>
>> Discovering Other Ways to Use Editing
>>
>>> Adjusting the length of a performance
>>>
>>> Reversing a phrase
>
> Chapter 14: Mixing Your Music
>
>> Understanding Mixing
>>
>> Getting Started Mixing Your Song
>>
>> Exploring Equalization
>>
>>> Graphic
>>>
>>> High- and low-shelf
>>>
>>> High- and low-pass filters
>>>
>>> Parametric
>>
>> Equalizing Your Tracks
>>
>>> Dialing in EQ
>>>
>>> Starting with general guidelines
>>>
>>> Vocals
>>>
>>> Guitar
>>>
>>> Bass
>>>
>>> Drums
>>>
>>> Percussion
>>>
>>> Piano
>>>
>>> Horns
>>
>> Using the Stereo Field
>>
>>> Panning left or right
>>>
>>> Placing sound in front or back
>>
>> Adjusting Levels: Enhancing the Emotion of the Song
>>
>>> Dynamics
>>>
>>> The arrangement
>>
>> Automation, or Riding the Faders
>>
>>> Real-time automation
>>>
>>> Snapshot automation
>>
>> Tuning Your Ears
>>
>>> Listening critically
>>>
>>> Choosing reference CDs
>>>
>>> Dealing with ear fatigue
>>>
>>> Making several versions
>
> Chapter 15: Dialing In Signal Processors
>
>> Connecting Effects
>>
>>> Insert
>>>
>>> Send/return
>>
>> Controlling Loudness and Softness with Dynamics Processors
>>
>>> Introducing compressors/limiters
>>>
>>> Targeting frequency ranges with multiband compression
>>>
>>> Getting started using compression
>>>
>>> Sampling some compression settings
>>>
>>> Introducing gates
>>>
>>> Getting started using gates
>>>
>>> Introducing expanders
>>>
>>> Getting started using an expander
>>
>> Adding Ambiance with Effects Processors
>>
>>> Introducing reverb
>>>
>>> Getting started using reverb
>>>
>>> Introducing delay
>>>
>>> Getting started using delay
>>>
>>> Introducing pitch shifting
>>>
>>> Chorus
>>>
>>> Getting started chorusing
>>
>> Simulating Effects
>>
>>> Microphone simulator
>>>
>>> Amp simulator
>
> Chapter 16: Mastering Your Music
>
>> Demystifying Mastering
>>
>>> Processing
>>>
>>> Sequencing
>>>
>>> Leveling
>>
>> Getting Ready to Master
>>
>> Paying a Pro or Doing It Yourself
>>
>> Hiring a Professional Mastering Engineer
>>
>> Mastering Your Music Yourself
>>
>>> Optimizing dynamics
>>>
>>> Perfecting tonal balance
>>>
>>> Sequencing your songs
>>>
>>> Balancing levels
>>>
>>> Preparing for CD
>
> Chapter 17: Creating Your Finished Product
>
>> Getting into CD Recording
>>
>> Purchasing CD-Rs
>>
>> Recording Your Music to CD-R
>>
>>> Using different CD recorders
>>>
>>> Recording for mass production
>>>
>>> Protecting your rights
>>
>> Making Multiple Copies
>>
>>> Doing it yourself
>>>
>>> Having someone else do it
>>
>> Understanding Downloadable Music Files
>>
>>> Bit rate
>>>
>>> Mode
>>
>> Creating MP3 Files
>>
>>> Choosing encoding software
>>>
>>> Encoding your music
>>
>> Pressing Vinyl
Part VI: The Part of Tens
> Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Distribute and Promote Your Music
>
>> Marketing Yourself
>>
>> Setting Up Your Own Music Website
>>
>>> Checking out musician-friendly hosting services
>>>
>>> Designing your site
>>
>> Putting Your Music on a Music Host Site
>>
>> Engaging in Social Media Networking
>>
>> Offering Free Downloads
>>
>> Selling Downloads
>>
>> Streaming Audio
>>
>> Podcasting
>>
>> Selling Your CDs
>>
>> Connecting with an E-Mail Newsletter
>
> Chapter 19: Ten Invaluable Recording Tips
>
>> Using an Analog Tape Deck
>>
>> Layering Your Drum Beats
>>
>> Decorating Your Room
>>
>> Setting a Tempo Map
>>
>> Listening to Your Mix in Mono
>>
>> Doubling and Tripling Your Tracks
>>
>> Tapping the Input of Your Mixer
>>
>> Overdubbing Live Drums
>>
>> Pressing Record, Even During a Rehearsal
>>
>> Leaving the Humanity in Your Tracks
Cheat Sheet
Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies®, 4th Edition
by Jeff Strong
Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies®, 4th Edition
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ
Published simultaneously in Canada
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ISBN 978-1-118-10689-1 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-17754-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-17755-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-17756-3 (ebk)
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About the Author
Jeff Strong is the author of seven books, including Pro Tools All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies and PC Recording Studios For Dummies. Jeff is also the Director of the Strong Institute (`www.stronginstitute.com`) — a music-medicine research organization and therapy provider — and the founder of Brain Shift Radio (`www.brainshiftradio.com`). Jeff graduated from the Percussion Institute of Technology at the Musician's Institute in Los Angeles in 1983 and has either worked in or owned a recording studio since 1985. Every week, he records dozens of custom client CDs using the equipment and techniques found in the pages of this book. He has also released over 35 commercially available CDs, including the Brain Shift Collection: Ambient Rhythmic Entrainment 8-CD set on the Sounds True label (`www.sounds true.com`) and the best-selling Calming Rhythms, which is used in tens of thousands of schools and institutions worldwide. You can find more of his CDs at `www.stronginstitute.com`.
Author's Acknowledgments
I owe a hearty thanks to executive editor and fellow musician Steve Hayes for making this fourth edition possible. Also, my gratitude goes out to senior project editor Rebecca Huehls, senior copy editor Barry Childs-Helton, and intern Kim Holtman, who helped make an already great book even better. Thanks, as well, go to technical editor Ryan Williams for keeping me on track and up-to-date on the many technical aspects of this subject.
As always, I'm grateful to my family (Beth and Tovah) and my many friends (you know who you are) who indulge me in my obsession with recording and recording gear.
Publisher's Acknowledgments
We're proud of this book; please send us your comments at <http://dummies.custhelp.com>. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
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Introduction
If you're like most musicians, you've been noodling around on your instrument for a while and have finally decided to take the plunge and get serious about recording your ideas. You may just want to throw a few ideas down onto tape (or hard drive) or capture those magical moments that you have with your band. Or you may want to compose, record, produce, and release the next great platinum album. Either way, you'll find that having a home studio can give you hours of satisfaction.
Well, you've chosen a great time to get involved in audio recording. Not long ago, you needed to go to a commercial recording studio and spend thousands of dollars if you wanted to make a decent-sounding recording. Now you can set up a first-class recording studio in your garage or spare bedroom and create CDs that can sound as good as those coming out of top-notch studios (that is, if you know how to use the gear).
Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies, 4th Edition, is a great place to start exploring the gear and techniques you need to create great CDs and downloadable files (if I do say so myself). This book introduces you to home recording and helps you to get your creative ideas out into the world.
About This Book
Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies not only introduces you to the technology of home recording but also presents basic multitrack recording techniques. In the pages that follow, you find out about the many types of digital recording systems that are available, including computer-based systems, all-in-one recorder/mixer systems (called studio-in-a-box systems), and stand-alone recorders that require separate mixers and effects processors.
You get acquainted with the basic skills that you need to make high-quality recordings. These skills can save you countless hours of experimenting and searching through owner's manuals. Some of these skills are as follows:
You discover the ins and outs of using the various pieces of equipment in your studio.
You explore tried-and-true engineering techniques, such as microphone choice and placement.
You discover the concepts of multitracking, mixing, and mastering.
You find out how to turn all your music into complete songs and discover how to assemble and release an album.
Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies puts you on the fast track toward creating great-sounding CDs and downloadable files because it concentrates on showing you skills that you can use right away and doesn't bother you with tons of technical jargon or useless facts.
Not-So-Foolish Assumptions
I have to admit that when I wrote this book, I made a couple of assumptions about you, the reader (and you know what happens when you ASSume anything). First, I assume that you're interested in recording your music (or someone else's) in your home and not interested in reading about underwater basket-weaving (a fascinating subject, I'm sure, but not appropriate for a book entitled Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies).
I assume that you'll most likely record your music using a digital hard-drive recording system because these are the most common types of systems available. I also assume that you're relatively new to the recording game and not a seasoned professional. (Although if you were, you would find that this book is a great reference for many audio engineering fundamentals.) Oh, and I assume that you play a musical instrument or are at least familiar with how instruments function and how sound is produced.
Other than these things, I don't assume that you play a certain type of music or that you ever intend to try to "make it" in the music business (or even that you want to treat it as a business at all).
How This Book Is Organized
Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies is organized so that you can find the information you want quickly and easily. Each section contains chapters that cover a specific part of the home recording process. In Part I, you discover the tools of your auditory craft and get them up and running, while Part II introduces you to general recording practices. Part III helps you get the best sound that you can from your instruments, and Part IV digs into the multitrack recording process. Part V shows you how to turn it all into music and helps you share your music with others, and Part VI gives you tips and resources to keep your music growing.
Part I: Home Recording Studio Basics
Part I introduces you to the basics of home recording. Chapter 1 launches you into the process of home recording and explains the basic gear that you need to get started. Chapter 2 opens a huge can of worms and explores the many types of digital recording systems available to help you find the best system for your needs. This part ends with Chapter 3, which shows you how to set up a system so that it's easy to work with and sounds good. You also find out how to get your room to work well for you.
Part II: Recording 101
Part II gets into more gear talk — this time giving you a hands-on experience. Chapter 4 acquaints you with the role of signal flow in audio recording and shows you how this flow works in a variety of different systems. Chapter 5 demystifies MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and gives you practical advice on how to use this powerful communication tool to enhance your music. Chapter 6 allows you to enter the world of microphones. You find out what kinds of mics are available, how they work, and which ones work best for different situations.
Part III: Getting Ready to Record
Part III helps you dot your Ts and cross your Is (er, you know what I mean) when getting your instrument's sound into your system. Chapter 7 shows you how to set the best levels for all your instruments, whether they are plugged directly into your system or miked. Chapter 8 introduces you to the art of microphone placement and how it relates to the sound you get from your instrument, and Chapter 9 gets down and dirty with suggestions for miking a bunch of common instruments.
Part IV: Laying Track: Starting to Record
Part IV digs into the meat of recording music. Chapter 10 explains the purpose of multitrack recording and shows you how to do it to get the best sound possible. Chapter 11 helps you start recording audio tracks. This chapter gives you the specifics on every aspect of recording, including doing overdubs and replacing missed notes (or musical sections) using a punch procedure. Chapter 12 takes you into the world of MIDI sequencing, where you can record MIDI performance data and tweak the sound (and the performance later). It also guides you through the process of editing data — moving, fixing, deleting, and so on. This process can be done in two ways (visually or aurally), and you explore both in this chapter.
Part V: Turning Your Tracks into a Finished Song
Part V gives you tips to take all your individual tracks and blend them together to create a finished song. Chapter 13 helps you to clean up your tracks with editing. Both audio and MIDI editing are covered in detail. Chapter 14 shows you how to get your tracks to fit and sound good as a unit through the process of mixing. Chapter 15 explores how you can use effects, not only to make your music sound as natural as possible but also to help you create special effects that can add interest for your listeners. Chapter 16 demystifies the mastering process. You discover what mastering is and how to use it to make your music sound like it was created by a pro. Chapter 17 shows you how to burn a CD, make copies for distribution, and format your music for Internet distribution.
Part VI: The Part of Tens
A staple of every For Dummies book, this Part of Tens contains some information that you can use every day. Chapter 18 offers ten innovative promotion and distribution strategies. In Chapter 19, you find ten invaluable home recording tips.
Icons Used in This Book
As with all For Dummies books, I use a few icons to help you along your way. These icons are as follows.
This icon highlights expert advice and ideas that can help you to produce better recordings.
Certain techniques are very important and bear repeating. This icon gives you those gentle nudges to keep you on track.
Throughout the book, I include some technical background on a subject. This icon shows up in those instances so that you know to brace yourself for some dense information.
This icon lets you know about those instances when you could damage your equipment, your ears, or your song.
Where to Go from Here
This book is set up so that you can read it from cover to cover and progressively build on your knowledge, or you can jump around and read only those parts that interest you at the time. For instance, if you are getting ready to record your band and need some ideas on how to get the best sound out of your microphones, go straight to Chapter 8. If you're new to this whole home recording thing and want to know what kind of gear to buy, check out Chapters 1 and 2.
For the most part, starting at Chapter 1 gets you up to speed on my way of thinking and can help you understand some of what I discuss in later chapters.
Occasionally, technology books require updates due to changes in hardware or software. If this book does have any technical updates, you can find them at `www.dummies.com/go/homerecordingformusiciansfdupdates`.
Part I
Home Recording Studio Basics
In this part . . .
Part I covers the basics of home recording and helps you get your studio up and running. Chapter 1 offers an overview of what you need to build your studio and how the home recording process works. Chapter 2 introduces you to the many types of digital recording systems and helps you choose the best system for your needs and goals. Chapter 3 guides you through the process of setting up your studio so that it both sounds good and is easy to work in.
Chapter 1
Understanding Home Recording
In This Chapter
Exploring the components of a home studio
Peering into the process of recording
Making sense of mixing and mastering
Finishing up your project
Audio recording is a fun and exciting activity. Being able to put down your musical ideas and craft them into an album is nearly every musician's dream. The only problem is the learning curve that comes with being able to record your music at home; most musicians would rather spend their time and energy making music.
In this chapter, I help you get a handle on the basics of home recording and show you what's involved in the process. You discover the basic components of a recording studio and find out what gear you need to buy first. In addition, you explore the multitracking process and find out what's involved in mixing your tracks. You move on to exploring mastering and finding out ways to share your music with your listeners.
Examining the Anatomy of a Home Studio
Whether it's a $100 porta-studio or a million-dollar commercial facility, all recording studios contain the same basic components. Understanding these basic components is an area where many people get lost and one about which I receive the most e-mails. As you glimpse the recording world, you'll inevitably think that recording your own music will cost way too much and be way too complicated. Well, it can be. But it can also be pretty simple and cost-efficient. In the following sections, I present a list of audio recording essentials and offer insight into cost-saving and efficient systems that you can find in the market.
Exploring the recording essentials
To take the mystery out of recording gear, here are the essentials that you need to know:
Sound source: The sound source is your voice, your guitar, your ukulele, or any other of the many sound makers in existence. As a musician, you probably have at least one of these at your disposal right now.
Input device: Input devices are what you use to convert your sound into an electrical impulse that can then be recorded. Here are the three basic types of input devices:
• Instruments: Your electric guitar, bass, synthesizer, and drum machines are typical instruments that you plug into the mixer. These instruments constitute most of the input devices that you use in your studio. The synthesizer and drum machine can plug directly into your mixer or recorder, whereas your electric guitar and bass need a direct box (or its equivalent, such as a Hi-Z input in your mixer) to plug into first. A direct box is an intermediary device that allows you to plug your guitar directly into the mixer. Chapter 7 explores instruments and their connections to your system.
• Microphone: A microphone (mic) enables you to record the sound of a voice or an acoustic instrument that you can't plug directly into the recorder. A microphone converts sound waves into electrical energy that can be understood by the recorder. I detail several types of microphones in Chapter 6.
• Sound module: Sound modules are special kinds of synthesizers and/or drum machines. What makes a sound module different from a regular synthesizer or drum machine is that a sound module contains no triggers or keys that you can play. Instead, sound modules are controlled externally by another synthesizer's keyboard or by a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) controller (a specialized box designed to control MIDI instruments). Sound modules — with the exception of soft-synths — have MIDI ports (MIDI jacks) that enable you to connect them to other equipment. (Soft-synths are software programs that don't need hardware MIDI connections because the sound modules are stored on your computer's hard drive.) Chapter 5 digs into the details about sound modules.
Depending on what your sound source is, it may also be an input device. For example, an electric guitar has pickups that allow you to plug it directly into a mixer input without having to use a microphone. On the other hand, your voice can't accept a cord, so you need to use a mic to turn your singing into an electrical impulse that can be picked up by your mixer or equivalent device. You can find out more about input devices in Chapter 7.
Mixer: You use a mixer to send the electrical signal of your input device into your recorder and to route signals in a variety of ways. Traditionally, a mixer serves the following two purposes:
• To route your signals into your recorder: This allows you to set the proper level for each input device so that it's recorded with the best possible sound. Chapter 4 explores the different mixer-type devices for this purpose.
• To blend (mix) your individual tracks into a stereo pair (the left and right tracks of your stereo mix): This role of the mixer is where your vision as a music producer takes center stage and where you can turn raw tracks into a polished piece of music. Chapter 14 explores this use of a mixer.
Recorder: The recorder stores your audio data. For most home recordists, the recorder is digital. You can find out more about the different types of recorders in the next section of this chapter.
Signal processors: Most of the time, you have to tweak your recorded tracks. Signal processors give you the power to do this. Signal processors can be divided into the following three basic categories:
• Equalizers: Equalizers let you adjust the frequency balance of your tracks. This is important for making your instruments sound as clear as possible and for getting all your tracks to blend well.
• Dynamics processors: Dynamics processors are used to control the balance between the softest and loudest parts of your tracks. They have many uses in the studio to help you make your tracks sit well together and to keep from overloading your system. Chapters 7, 15, and 16 explore ways to use dynamics processors in your music.
• Effects processors: Effects processors allow you to change your tracks in a variety of ways, to create either a more realistic sound or unusual effects. Typical effects processors include reverb, delay, chorus, and pitch shifting. You can find out more about these processors in Chapter 15.
Monitors: Monitors, such as quality headphones or speakers, enable you to hear the quality of your recording and mixing. Monitors come in two basic designs:
• Passive: Passive monitors are like your stereo speakers in that you also need some sort of amplifier to run them. A ton of options are available with prices from around $100. Just remember that if you go this route, you need to budget money for an amp. This can run a few hundred or more dollars.
• Active: Active monitors have an integrated amplifier in each speaker cabinet. Having a built-in amp has its advantages, including just the right amount of power for the speakers and short runs of wire from the amp itself to the speakers (this is kind of a tweaky area that some people claim produces a better sound). You can find quite a few active monitors on the market starting at just a couple hundred dollars.
Checking out recording system types
With the long list of equipment that I present in the previous section, you may think that you need to spend a ton of money to get everything you need. Fortunately, a lot of home-recording systems are available that contain many of the components you need, so that you don't have to buy everything separately. I go into detail about these systems in Chapter 2, but here's a basic overview:
Studio-in-a-box (SIAB) systems: These are all-in-one units that have everything in them except for the sound source, input device, and monitors. For very little money (starting well under $1,000), you get almost everything you need to start recording. These types of systems are also easy for a beginner to use and are great for musicians that don't want to spend a ton of energy tweaking their setup.
Computer-based systems: These systems use the processing power of your computer to record, mix, and process your music. Computer-based systems, parallel to the studio-in-a-box system, perform many of the typical recording functions at once. When you have one of these systems, you only need your sound source, your input devices, and your monitors.
Stand-alone systems: These systems are reminiscent of traditional recording studios in that all the pieces of gear are separate. The downside is that you have to buy all your components separately, which can cost you more than buying one of the more inclusive systems (for example, the SIAB and computer-based systems). For people who already have a bunch of gear, such as a mixer and signal processors, this can be a decent option because you're buying only what you need at the time.
Ultra-portable systems: Even though the rest of the systems I describe here can be portable, ultra-portable systems are designed so that you can record nearly anywhere with little fuss. These types of systems include linear recorders and tablet computers, which I introduce in Chapter 2. Like SIAB and computer-based systems, most of what you need is included so all you have to worry about are your sound sources, input devices (or not — some come with mics already), and monitors (most often just a set of headphones).
Getting a Glimpse into the Recording Process
It's easy to focus on all the gear that's used in audio recording and think that the process must be pretty complicated. Well, it can be if you want it to, but it doesn't need to be. The heart of recording over the last 30 years or so has been an approach called multitracking. At its core, multitracking involves recording all the instruments on separate tracks so that you can mix them later almost any way you want. You can multitrack by recording everything — or at least most of the instruments — at one time, just like a live performance, or you can go to the other extreme and record each instrument separately. Either way, you need a bunch of tracks to be able to record to, and you need to understand how to blend all these separate pieces into something musical.
Setting up a song
The first step in recording your music is to set up your system to record. Because you're probably using a digital system, you need to configure your song. This usually involves setting the file type, bit depth, and sample rate. This process is one that you'll become very good at in no time. For the lowdown on setting up songs in various systems, check out Chapter 10.
Getting a great sound
Getting your sound source to sound great in your system is the most important aspect of recording quality music (well, aside from the song and the performances). This is also an area where you'll constantly be growing and learning. I've been recording professionally for over 20 years, but I still discover something new every time I set up a mic or plug in an electronic instrument. Any time you spend tweaking your mic placement or recording chain setup (configuration and levels) is time well spent, and the reward is often added clarity or at least a more interesting sound. For an introduction to the intricacies of recording high-quality source sounds, check out Part III of this book.
Recording
After you have everything set up, the actual process of recording your music properly is pretty straightforward: You enable your track and press the Record button. This is easier said than done when the clock is ticking and you know that every mistake you make is being documented. Luckily, digital recording makes it easy to redo a track without costing you anything in audio fidelity. (It will cost you time though, but because you record at home, you may have more time to get your recording right). Check out Chapter 11 for the specifics on recording using a variety of digital systems.
Overdubbing
With one track recorded, you're ready to dig into one of the most invigorating parts of the multitracking process: overdubbing. Overdubbing is the process of adding new tracks to your existing ones. This feature allows you to be the one-man band or to bring in other musicians to spice up your music. Overdubbing is easily done with digital multitrack recorders, and to get you going quickly, I cover the details in Chapter 11.
Making Sense of Mixing
For most recordists, the process of mixing is what turns their mish-mash of musical tracks into a song. Mixing involves the following steps:
Cleaning up your tracks by removing unwanted noise and performance glitches
Equalizing each track so that it blends well with all the others
Adding signal processing to enhance each track
Setting levels for each track to tell the story you want to tell with your song
The following sections offer an overview of these steps.
Cleaning up tracks, using editing
When you record, you want the best possible sound and performance for each instrument that you can get, but try as you might, sometimes you run into problems. These can include picking up unwanted sounds, such as chair squeaks, coughs, or other instruments, and can include (and often does) mistakes a musician makes that need to be cut out. In the olden days of tape recording, this editing process took time and skill to physically cut out the bad parts of the tape with a razor blade. Today, you can do the necessary editing by using the editing functions in digital systems. This is nice, but it can also tempt you into editing your tracks more than is necessary and, as a result, can suck the life out of them. To help you understand what you can do with digital recording systems and to help keep you on track with your editing, check out Chapter 13.
Equalizing your tracks
When you start mixing a bunch of instruments, you often need to adjust the frequencies present in each instrument so that they all blend without creating mush (a highly technical term). By adjusting the frequencies of each instrument in the mix, you can make sure that each can be heard. This process is simple, but it can be time consuming. To make it easier for you, I cover equalization in detail in Chapter 14.
Processing your signal
In the world of multitracking and small, acoustically untreated recording rooms (most home recordists use a spare bedroom or basement to record in and don't have a ton of money to make the room sound great), it is almost essential to process the sound with effects or dynamics processors. Doing so is usually intended to add the feel of a live concert to the recording, although many people also use signal processing to create interesting effects. Because the possibilities for processing your track using a digital system are almost limitless, this is an area where most beginners overdo it. Because this ability to alter your tracks can be used and abused, I cover the basics of processing in Chapter 15 to help you keep the abuse to a minimum.
Blending your tracks
This is also a process in which most new recordists run into problems. Properly mixing your tracks means keeping levels from getting out of hand, placing things where you want them in the sound field (left to right and front to back), adjusting EQ to blend all your instruments in a pleasing way, and using signal processors, such as compression and reverb, to make the most of each track. This process is a circular one and takes skill and patience to get right. Cutting corners always results in an end product that falls short of its potential. To help you make this process easier, I cover mixing in detail in Chapters 14 and 15.
Adding the Final Touches
After your songs are recorded and mixed, all that's left to do is add the finishing touches. These include mastering your songs, putting them all on CD, and getting them out into the world through promotion.
Mastering your mixes
Mastering is an often-misunderstood (and even unknown to many) part of the music production process that can make or break a CD (well, not literally). Mastering consists of several important steps that are intended to polish your songs so that they make up a complete collection on a CD, commonly referred to as an album. Here are the steps for mastering your songs:
1. Optimize the dynamics.
The goal here is to get the dynamic levels within and between each song to their best. It also means making your music smooth (no sharp edge to the music) or punchy (a pronounced attack) — or something in between. Unfortunately, most people are only concerned with getting their CD as loud as possible when performing this part of mastering. This isn't a good idea, as you find out in Chapter 16.
2. Adjust the overall tonal balance.
The point of this part of the mastering process is to create tonal continuity among all the songs on your CD. Because you probably recorded and mixed all your tunes over a period of months, they each can have slightly different tonal characteristics. This part of mastering is where you make all your songs consistent so that they sound like part of an album and not a bunch of disjointed tunes thrown together haphazardly.
3. Match the song-to-song volume.
When your listeners play your CD, you don't want them to have to adjust the volume of each song as it plays (unless they absolutely love a particular tune and want to turn it up, of course). The goal with this part of mastering is to get the volume of all the songs on a CD at pretty much the same level. This keeps one song from barely being heard while another threatens to blow the speakers.
4. Set the song sequence.
How your songs are arranged on your CD helps tell your story. Think about how the order of each song on your album can make the most compelling musical statement. This part of the mastering process involves not only deciding what order everything should be in but also the steps you take to make it happen.
Putting your music out into the world
Formatting your finished and mastered songs for distribution and sales is one of the most exciting parts of the recording process. At last, you have a product, a complete musical statement that you can share with (or sell to) others. Like a lot of audio recording and production, the act of making distributable and saleable music is more involved than simply clicking the Burn button in your CD recording program (at least if you want to make more than one copy) or uploading your music to a website. For CD copying, you can either duplicate or replicate your CDs to make copies to give or sell to your fans. Here's a quick rundown on the differences between these two approaches (Chapter 17 explains them in detail):
Duplication: Duplication consists of burning multiple CD-Rs from an audio file. Duplication requires very little setup, so it doesn't cost much to make smaller quantities, such as 50–200 CDs.
Replication: The replication process starts with producing a glass master from your finished CD-R. This master CD is then used to create CDs using special CD presses, just like the major-label releases. Replication costs a bit more for setup, but the cost to create larger quantities of CDs is lower than that for duplication. This is a good choice for quantities of 500 or more.
For online or other digital distribution, you have many formats and file types to choose from, although most of the time, the format you create for your CD is sufficient for online avenues as well. I cover the details of this process in Chapter 17.
Promoting your music
The final and most grueling step of recording and putting out a CD is the promotion process. This is where you either make it or break it as an independent artist. To help you along, I offer ideas and insights in Chapter 18.
Chapter 2
Getting the Right Gear
In This Chapter
Understanding your home recording needs
Taking a look at digital recorders
Understanding analog studio equipment
Exploring a few different recording systems
For many people, building a home studio is a gradual thing. You may start out with a synthesizer and a two-track recorder and add a microphone. Then you may decide to buy a multitrack recorder. Then you trade in your stereo speakers for real studio monitors. And before you know it, you've invested thousands of dollars in a first-rate home studio.
When setting up your home studio, you can go a couple of routes. You can walk into your local musical instrument store or pro audio shop without any forethought, buy the pieces of gear that catch your eye, and then figure out where you may use them in your studio. (Hey, don't laugh; I've done this.) Or, you can determine your goals ahead of time and research each piece of equipment before you buy it to make sure that it is the best possible solution for you at the best price point. I recommend the latter approach because you end up with only the equipment that you need and not a bunch of useless gear that may only ever look good sitting in your studio.
The process of choosing the right equipment doesn't have to be difficult. All it takes is a little self-assessment and some basic knowledge about the different equipment options. This chapter helps you discover these things. Here you explore a few different system configurations and begin to understand what can work for your situation. You also become familiar with some of the many analog extras that so many people who favor digital recording want today.
Digital recording technology is evolving at an incredible rate. As soon as the ink dries on this paper, the next best thing in recording gear may surpass much of the technology that I write about in this chapter. It's tempting to always look to the next great innovation before you decide on a recording system, but I caution you against this wait-and-see attitude. Digital recording technology is now at the point that what you can record in your meager home studio can sound as fat, as clean, or as (insert your favorite recording adjective here) as the best recordings that have been released in the last 20 years.
Don't be afraid to just jump in and start recording. The way to great-sounding recordings is through hours of recording experience (not to mention having great songs with which to work).
Some of the equipment that I describe in this chapter isn't on the top of the list for most home recordists. I discuss this equipment, though, because you'll likely be taken over by a disease that runs rampant in the audio recording world. Yes, I'm sorry to inform you that you're almost assuredly going to get a chronic case of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome). Don't worry; it's not terminal (unless, of course, you don't run your future purchases by your family first), but it can be uncomfortable. Nothing much is worse than having your eye on a piece of gear you just can't afford. "Let's see, food for a month or that new compressor I've just gotta have? . . . Oh well, I needed to go on a diet anyway."
The good news is that you'll never run out of new equipment to drool over and you'll never be alone in your suffering — everyone who owns a recording studio (private or commercial) suffers from GAS to some extent. The best way to keep GAS at bay is to decide on a system and buy it. Then stop looking at gear and get to work making music. After all, that's why you bought the stuff in the first place.
Determining Your Home Studio Needs
Home studios can vary tremendously. A home studio can be simple, like a handheld digital recorder with a built-in microphone set up in the corner of your bedroom. Or you can opt for something elaborate, like a multitrack digital recorder with thousands of dollars in outboard gear and expensive instruments residing in an acoustically treated addition to your house (whew!).
Whatever your budget, your first step before purchasing a home recording system is to determine your recording goals. Use the following questions to help you uncover what you truly need (and want) in your home studio. As you answer these questions, remember that most recording studios aren't built all at once — pieces of equipment are added slowly over time (a mic here, a preamp there). When getting your first home studio system, start with only those pieces of gear that you really need and then add on slowly as you get to know your equipment.
For most home recordists, the weakest link in their recording system is their engineering know-how. A $4,000 mic is useless until you gain an understanding of the subtleties of mic placement, for instance. (Check out Chapter 8 for more on such subtleties.) I recommend that you wait to buy that next piece of gear until you completely outgrow your present piece of equipment.
To get an understanding of what kind of home studio is best for you, ask yourself the following questions:
How much money can I spend on equipment? For most people, money is the ultimate determining factor in choosing their studio components. Set a budget and try to stay within it. The sky's the limit on what you can spend on recording equipment for your home studio, but you don't need to spend a ton of money. If you know your goals and do your research, you can create top-quality recordings without having the best of everything.
In fact, your skill as a recording engineer has a much greater effect on the overall quality of your sound than whether you have a $3,000 preamp. With the techniques that you discover in this book and tricks that you uncover as you get to know your equipment, you can make recordings good enough to compete in the marketplace.
Digital recording technology has improved tremendously over the last few years and will continue to improve in the years to come. Don't get sucked into the belief that you have to have the latest, greatest thing to make great music, otherwise you'll always be buying something. After all, great albums and #1 hits throughout history were recorded on lesser equipment than you can find in most home studios today. Focus on the song and the arrangement — practicing solid recording techniques — and you can get by with any of the pro or semipro recording systems available.
Is this studio just for me, or do I intend to hire it out to record others? Your answer to this question may help you decide how elaborate a system you need. For example, if you eventually want to hire yourself and your studio out to record other people, you need to think about the compatibility of your system with other commercial studios. Your clients need to be able to take the music that they record at your studio and mix or master it somewhere else. You may also have to buy specific gear that clients want to use, which often means spending more money for equipment from sought-after manufacturers that may sound the same as lesser-name stuff. If you're interested in going the commercial studio route, check out other commercial studios in your area and find out what they use and what type of equipment their clients ask for.
If this studio is just for your use, you can focus on getting the best bang for the buck on gear without worrying about compatibility or marketability issues.
Will I be recording everything directly into the mixing board, or will I be miking most of the instruments? Your answer to this question is going to dictate your choice in how much of your budget goes toward equipment and acoustical treatments for your room. If you intend to plug your instruments directly into the mixer and you only need a microphone for the occasional vocal, you have more money to spend on synthesizers or plug-ins for your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) — or you just won't have to spend as much. (DAWs are covered in detail in the section "Computer-Based DAW Systems," later in this chapter.)
Conversely, if you plan to record a band live, you must allocate enough money for those pieces of gear to allow you to do that effectively, such as having enough mics and inputs, sound isolation, and available tracks of simultaneous recording.
How many tracks do I need? The answer to this question is important if you're considering a system that has limited tracks, such as stand-alone recorder or studio-in-a-box (SIAB) systems that come with 4, 8, 16, 24 (and sometimes more) available tracks. (For the lowdown on these systems, see the sections, "Studio-in-a-Box Systems" and "Stand-alone Recorders," later in this chapter.) This question is still worth considering even if you end up with a computer-based system because, even though many recording software programs boast having "unlimited" available tracks, you're still limited by the power of your computer and the number of inputs and outputs contained in your audio interface hardware. (For more on the capabilities of computer-based systems, check out the section, "Computer-Based DAW Systems," later in this chapter.)
Having more tracks is not necessarily a better thing. The more tracks you have, the more you think that you need to fill them for every song. This can make for cluttered arrangements and hard-to-mix songs. No matter how many tracks you end up with, use only those that you need to make your recording the best that it can be.
With digital recorders, you can create submixes and bounce several tracks into one or two without losing sound quality, reducing the need for more tracks. (Find out more about bouncing in Chapter 11.) Remember that some great albums were made using just 4 or 8 tracks.
Will I be sequencing the parts or playing the instruments live? If you plan on sequencing all your music (that is, programming your part into a computer or sequencer and having it play your part for you), make sure that you get a good MIDI controller. You can also consider having less capability for audio tracks. But if you plan to play and record all the instruments live, make sure that your recorder has enough tracks for you to put each instrument on its own track.
Detailing Your Digital Options
Even with the fast pace of today's technology, one thing is for sure in the home recording world: Digital is here to stay. Digital recording has become the standard for home recordists and most commercial studios. And the format of choice is hard drive because it has many advantages over the other forms of digital recording. Not only does hard-drive recording create a great sound, but it's also relatively inexpensive, especially compared with an equivalent-sounding studio from 15 to 20 years ago.
In the sections that follow, I examine the main types of digital home studios: computer-based DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations), the all-in-one SIAB (studio-in-a-box) systems (such as the Roland V-Studios), and stand-alone recorders (like the TASCAM X-48). Each has its advantages. What's right for one person may not be the best choice for another. (Isn't it great to have choices?)
Regardless of the type of digital recording system that you like, consider the following things before buying:
Editing capabilities: Some systems allow very fine editing of audio data, while others offer less. If you want so much control that you can edit down to the waveform — which basically means being able to edit out a single note or even just a part of a note — look for a system with that capability. If such control is less important to you, take a pass on such systems.
Along with the actual editing capabilities, find out how this editing is done. Is it on a tiny LCD screen or can it be done on a large computer monitor? Of course, if you won't be doing a lot of editing, this feature may not be important to you. If this is the case, you may be able to buy a system for less money that sounds as good as the one with full editing capability. Paying for something that you won't use doesn't make sense.
Compatibility: Compatibility between the various parts of your system (the recorder and sequencer or the software and sound card, for instance) or between your studio and other studios (your friend's or a commercial studio) is an important issue for many people and one that may come back to bite you if you don't consider it before you buy a system. For example, some plug-ins don't work with certain software programs. If you just have to have a certain soft-synth (software synthesizer) or amp simulator plug-in, make sure that you buy a system that allows you to use it. (Plug-ins are extra sounds, samples, and effects that you can "plug in" to your computer-based DAW's software program to increase its capabilities.) Likewise, some sound cards don't work well with certain software programs.
Number of simultaneous tracks: Even though a recorder may say it has 16 tracks, it may not be able to actually record that number of tracks at one time. Most studio-in-a-box recorders, for example, record fewer tracks than they can play back at once. This usually isn't a problem because you will likely record only a few tracks at a time and overdub the rest. This would be a problem if you need to record all 16 tracks of a 16-track recorder, such as recording a band playing live at a club.
Realistic track count: If you end up considering a computer-based system, the number of tracks that a computer software program is advertised to record and how many tracks you can actually record with your computer are often two very different things. Find out beforehand what a realistic track count is with the CPU (processor) and RAM (memory) that you have so that you're not disappointed after you've forked over your hard-earned money. The best way to do this is to go to online forums (you can find some by typing audio recording forum in your favorite search engine) or talk to other users in your area to see what their real-world experiences are.
Sample rate and bit depth: The sample rate and the bit depth of the system determine the sound quality that it can record. (The bit depth is the size of the audio sample in binary digits, and the sample rate is how often the sample is taken per second — notated as kHz.) Most semipro and pro systems have a 24-bit resolution and the ability to record at several bandwidths — 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, and 96 kHz, for instance. The number of tracks may vary depending on what bandwidth setting you choose.
Although most pros still record at 44.1 kHz (the standard for CD audio), more people now want to record at 96 kHz (the standard for DVD audio) or even 192 kHz (the current high end of audio recording). Even with the most expensive recorder, you have to live with having about half as many tracks at your disposal when recording at 96 kHz instead of 44.1 kHz because of the additional processing power it takes to record at the higher resolution.
Expandability: As you learn and grow as a musician and recording engineer, your needs also grow. Knowing this, your best bet is to plan ahead and choose a system that can grow with you. Can you add more tracks by synching another machine or increasing available RAM? Can you easily synchronize the system with other machines? For example, if you want to record 24 tracks now and you use a stand-alone recorder, can you add another recorder and have it synch properly? Or, if you buy an SIAB and you want to add more inputs later, can the system you're looking at do that? Some can and some can't, so do your research and think about your future needs.
You'll find that almost all the new semipro and pro systems available are expandable, but explore these questions carefully if you look at purchasing used gear.
Computer-Based DAW Systems
Computer-based digital recording systems are hardware and software options that you can connect to your computer. These systems can be pretty straightforward, such as simple 2-track recording freeware that you install on your home computer using a stock sound card. Or, you can go for a sophisticated system, like built-from-the-ground-up computers optimized to do one thing and one thing only: record, mix, and play back audio. (Okay, that's three things, but you get my point.)
Mac or PC?
Whether to buy a Mac or PC is a hotly debated topic among home recordists. Most professional studios used to favor Macintosh computers for recording audio. PCs were thought to have too many bugs to work well for audio. Even if this were true in the past, it's not true anymore. Your decision between a Mac- or PC-based recording system should be based more on your personal preferences in computer platforms and the particular software that you intend to use rather than which one is more stable. Either platform may or may not be stable, depending on what you're trying to do.
Choose the software that you want to use, and buy the computer that has the best track record for running that software. Some programs are available only for one platform or another. For example, Logic Audio and Digital Performer are Mac-only programs, and Sound Forge and Sonar are only available for Windows PC users. Other programs, such as Nuendo and Pro Tools, are available for both Mac and Windows computers.
If you already have a computer or if you prefer one platform over another (PC or Mac), be sure to determine whether a program works on that platform before you buy it.
To set up a computer-based DAW, you need the following things:
A computer (preferably with a speedy processor)
A bunch of memory and dual hard drives
A sound card
An audio interface (the interface between the computer and the outside world, usually housing the converters and sometimes the preamps)
The software
Finding the right computer setup
No matter which computer platform you choose (see the nearby sidebar "Mac or PC?"), the stuff that you find inside your computer plays a major role in determining how smoothly (or how less-than-smoothly) your Digital Audio Workstation runs.
I suggest buying a computer that you can dedicate solely to recording audio, because running other types of applications (home finance software, word processors, or video games) can cause problems with your audio applications and reduce the stability of your system.
The following list clues you in on the various pieces of hardware that you find in your computer:
CPU: The CPU (processor) is the heart of your computer studio. The speed of your CPU ultimately dictates how well a program runs on it. As a general rule, for audio, get the fastest processor that you can afford. For most audio software, you need at least a dual core CPU. But honestly, these requirements are the absolute minimum that you'll need to use the software programs. If you want a system that can handle the demands of recording or mixing many tracks (24 or more), you'll need to step it up a notch or two and get a computer with a quad or multi-dual or quad core processors (Mac or PC — it doesn't matter).
Memory: Computer-based audio programs and all the associated plug-ins are RAM (random-access memory) hogs. Here's my advice: Buy a lot of RAM. Okay, that's not very specific, but how much you need depends on your recording style. If you record a lot of audio tracks and want reverb or another effect on each track, you need more RAM (and a faster processor). If you record mainly MIDI tracks with instruments that already have the effects that you want, you can get by with less RAM (and a slower processor).
For most software programs, the recommended minimum amount of RAM is around 2GB (2 gigabytes), 4GB is recommended for typical use, and 8GB or more enables the program to run much more smoothly. RAM is relatively inexpensive, so get as much as you can. I'm currently using 5GB of RAM, and I'm at the low end of what's comfortable.
Regardless of the platform that you choose (PC or Mac), keep in mind that you can never have a processor that's too fast or have too much memory.
Hard drives: To record audio, make sure that you get the right type of hard drives. Notice that I said hard drives (plural). Yep, you should get more than one if you want to record more than a few tracks of audio. You need one hard drive for all the software and the operating system and another drive for the audio data. Having this setup greatly increases the likelihood that your system remains stable and doesn't crash, especially if you try to run 16 or more tracks.
As for the size of the hard drive, bigger is better, at least for the drive where you store your music. For the core system drive, you can get by with an 80GB (80-gigabyte) drive; for the audio drive, having even 120 GB is pretty conservative because audio data can consume a ton of space. For example, a 5-minute song with 16 tracks recorded at 24 bits and a 44.1-kHz sample rate takes up about 600 MB of hard-drive space (that's about 7.5 MB per track minute). If you choose to record at 96 kHz, you can double this figure.
You may also want to add a third hard drive so you can back up your data. I usually buy a duplicate to my recording drive and transfer my work each day. As computer experts often say, "Your data doesn't exist if it doesn't exist in at least two places." If you prefer not to have a third hard drive, you can burn your data to DVDs or even use an online back-up or storage service, such as adrive.com, mozy.com, or carbonite.com. (You can find more services like these by typing online data storage into your favorite web browser.)
Choose your hard drives wisely. For the software hard drive, you can get by with a stock drive (usually the one that comes with your computer). But for the audio side, you need a drive that can handle the demands of transferring audio data. Here are the main things to look for in an audio drive:
• Spindle speed: Also called rotational speed, this is the rate at which the hard drive spins. For the most part, a 7,200-rpm drive works well for recording and playing back audio.
• Seek time: This is the amount of time that it takes the drive to find the data that's stored on it. You want an average seek time of less than 10 milliseconds.
• Buffer size: Often called a cache buffer, buffers are memory units that store data as the data is being transferred. According to the audio-recording software manufacturers, you need a buffer size of at least 2MB (2 megabytes), but I recommend that you get a drive with at least an 8MB buffer.
• Interface type: Some audio-recording programs, such as Pro Tools, don't interact well with USB 2.0–interfaced hard drives. I've also had problems with Pro Tools using a USB 2.0 hard drive, so I recommend that you go with either FireWire (400 or 800)- or eSATA-interfaced hard drives for best performance.
The track count that you get out of your system is directly related to the speed of your hard drive — the faster the drive, the more tracks you can record and play back at one time. (Of course, the type of drive you buy determines how large a role your processor plays.) My current drives are Seagate Barracudas — 7,200 3Gb/s 1.5TB with an 8.5-ms seek time and 32MB cache buffer. These currently cost about $80. I've also had good luck with Western Digital drives (such as a 1TB caviar SATA III; 7,200rpm drive with 32 BG cache; for roughly $60).
Getting the sound in and out
After you have a computer with enough speed and muscle (see the previous section in this chapter), you need the appropriate hardware to transfer the sound into and out of it. This requires a device called an audio interface. Audio interfaces are available with three types of connection methods: PCI, FireWire, and USB. Here's a quick rundown on the three types (the details are spelled out in the following sections):
PCI: PCI interfaces are inserted into one of the PCI slots located inside your computer's case.
Thunderbolt: The Intel-developed Thunderbolt interface (originally called Light Peak) is considered by many to be the future of audio and video connectivity. Thunderbolt offers speeds from 20-100 gigabits per second, which is considerably faster than PCI, FireWire, and USB options. Although no Thunderbolt audio interfaces are available as this book goes to press, expect this to change soon. Maybe as soon as you're reading this book. I wouldn't expect interfaces using Thunderbolt to be cheap, however. With all this speed, manufacturers will want to include a ton of inputs and outputs, so expect to pay for them. Still, this may be a great way to go if your goal is to record many tracks at once.
FireWire: FireWire interfaces connect to one of the FireWire ports in your computer.
USB: USB interfaces connect to your computer — you guessed it — through one of the USB ports in your computer.
PCI interfaces
PCI is the old standard for getting audio into and out of a computer and has an advantage over the other interface types because of the fast transfer speed of PCI technology. This type of interface isn't without its problems though, which are as follows:
Many computers (for example, laptops and all Macs except the Power Mac) don't have a PCI slot.
Because PCI technology is changing, all cards don't fit in all computers, so make sure that the PCI interface that you're considering can fit into your computer.
PCI interfaces come in the following varieties:
Separate sound card with no analog inputs and outputs: In this case, you need to buy separate preamps, direct boxes, and AD (analog-to- digital) and DA (digital-to-analog) converters. For most home recordists, the separate-sound-card route isn't the best solution. In fact, even for the pros, this isn't the most popular choice — so much so that this option is quickly falling from the marketplace. Figure 2-1 shows examples of PCI sound cards.
**Figure 2-1:** A PCI sound card doesn't contain analog inputs or outputs, so you need to buy separate components to use this type of card for audio recording.
Analog inputs and outputs within the card: Having the analog connection located in the card used to cause interference with the other components in the computer's housing (such as fans and hard drives), which caused low-level hums in the recorded audio. (Not a sound you would want, I can assure you.) This is generally no longer the case unless you buy a really inexpensive card, but the bad rap led buyers to shy away from this approach and it has become uncommon as a result. You can find some less expensive audio interfaces configured this way, but the higher end of the market has generally abandoned it. Figure 2-2 shows an example of a PCI card with analog connections.
Analog inputs and outputs housed in a separate box: This box is called a breakout box. Because of the low-level hum problems in the early interfaces, most manufacturers of PCI-based audio interfaces put their analog circuitry in a separate box with a cord attached to the PCI card. One advantage to this — besides eliminating the hum in early models — is that you can tweak the input and output levels without having to use a software menu. The dials for the levels are placed on the breakout box within easy reach, as shown in Figure 2-3.
**Figure 2-2:** Some PCI interfaces often come with analog connectors run from the computer.
**Figure 2-3:** A PCI interface with a breakout box for the analog components is the preferred form of PCI interface.
If you have a laptop computer but can't use a PCI-based system and you want the high transfer speed of PCI, you can buy an audio-interface card that uses the laptop's PCMCIA card slot or a PCI express port. Of course, this only works if you have a laptop that's equipped with a PCMCIA or PCI Express slot.
If you want to go the PCI route, make sure that your computer has PCI slots that are compatible with the PCI interface that you're considering. For example, Lynx Studio PCI cards don't work with the PCI slots that you find in the newer Mac Intel computers.
Quite a few PCI-based audio interfaces are available, and they cost from a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars.
FireWire interfaces
FireWire interfaces connect to the FireWire port in your computer. (Figure 2-4 shows a typical FireWire interface.) FireWire ports come in two varieties: FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 (Chapter 3 has more on the differences between these two in terms of transfer speed) are inexpensive and are available on laptop computers as well as desktops, which makes FireWire interfaces more versatile than PCI-based systems. For example, you can easily move the interface from computer to computer. If you have a laptop and a desktop computer, using a FireWire interface allows you to switch between the two computers by simply moving the FireWire cable from one computer to the other. If you want to do some location recording, this is a big plus because you can take your interface and laptop to a great recording room, record the drums, for example, and then bring the audio back home for mixing and editing in your studio.
FireWire interfaces generally come with eight to ten inputs and outputs and cost from about $500 to $1,500.
When using a FireWire interface — and if you want a lot of inputs and/or outputs — a problem can arise if you also have a FireWire hard drive to which you want to record audio. Basically, having the FireWire interface and the FireWire hard drive on the same FireWire bus is asking for trouble, because you're sure to reach the data-transfer limit of FireWire. So make sure that the two FireWire devices are on different buses (data channels).
**Figure 2-4:** A FireWire interface connects to the FireWire port in your computer.
USB interfaces
USB interfaces come in two varieties: those using USB 1.1 and those using USB 2.0 (and before too long, USB 3). These (see Figure 2-5) are handy because most computers have at least one USB port. These interfaces also represent a low-cost solution for people who need only a couple of inputs and outputs. The only problem with USB for recording audio is the relatively slow transfer speed when you use the USB 1.1 interfaces. This slower speed translates into higher latencies than those found with either FireWire or PCI interfaces. The latency is significant enough that you're likely to hear it when you record.
To get around this deficit, most USB-interface manufacturers have incorporated some sort of "no latency" monitoring option. With such an option, you can record without hearing a delay between the tracks that you've already recorded and the one you're currently recording. The problem is that with such an option, your newly recorded track gets placed out of synch with the previously recorded tracks. To correct the synchronization, you must move your overdubbed tracks within your song file. Admittedly, this process is pretty easy, but it takes time. (Check your owner's manual for details on how to do this.)
If you don't want to deal with the latency in USB 1.1 interface–based systems, you should use a PCI, FireWire, or USB 2.0 interface. In fact, given this critical issue, I don't recommend getting a USB interface with a 1.1 connection spec. Pony up for an interface using USB 2.0. I guarantee your life will be easier.
**Figure 2-5:** A USB interface connects to your computer's USB port.
USB interfaces can be found for under $200, and run as much as $1,000, depending on the manufacturer and the number of tracks and other options they include.
Choosing the right software
When setting up a recording system, I always recommend that you start by exploring the software you want to use. Whatever program you decide to use will work better on one type of computer compared to another. By choosing the software first, you can use the software manufacturer's guidelines to help you set up your computer. Most software is written for either a Mac or a PC and has been tested with a variety of hardware configurations. Unless you're very computer savvy, I recommend starting with a system that's been tested to run smoothly with the program that interests you.
For the most part, audio-production software falls into the following two categories:
Audio-recording programs: These programs allow you to record numerous tracks (the number depends on the program) and let you edit, equalize, and mix those tracks as well as add effects.
MIDI-sequencing programs: These programs allow you to record MIDI performance data (without the sounds) and edit and mix the data. The difference between audio and MIDI recording is covered in detail in Chapter 5.
Most audio-production programs offer both audio and MIDI recording and generally do a good job of both (and they're getting better all the time), but some entry-level programs allow you to only record audio or do MIDI sequencing. If your budget is limited and you want to record using both audio and MIDI, make sure that your chosen software allows you to do so. That said, choose the program based on its features and whether it fits with your working style.
Researching a program you're interested in
If you already own a computer and you want audio-recording or sequencing software to go with it, do the following research on the software that interests you:
Find out the product's compatibility with your system: Visit the software manufacturer's website for information about whether your system will work with that program as well as what additional hardware you may need in order to get the software up and running.
Find out what other users are saying: On the Internet, you can find an online discussion board for each of the major audio-recording software programs. Before you buy a program, go to the sites of the choices that interest you and see what people are saying about the program. Ask questions and explore the issues that other people are having with the program. Doing so can save you lots of time dealing with bugs in your system and allow you to record a lot more music. You can find these sites by using the product name as the keyword in your favorite search engine checking out the Internet forums.
One great way to see whether a particular program is right for you is to find out what people who play your type of music are using. For instance, a lot of people who compose with synthesizers and MIDI use Logic Audio because using MIDI and software synthesizers is quick and easy in this program. They also don't need a bunch of hardware synthesizers to get the sounds they want, which saves space in their studio and saves money, because they can bypass the hardware to get their synthesizer sounds.
Checking out some popular programs
You can choose from numerous music-production software programs, including the ones in the following list:
Apple (`www.apple.com`): Makes Logic Pro Audio and Logic Express. These programs run only on Mac systems. Logic Pro Audio has been around for a while and is one of the top programs available. The downside is that it's for Macs only. Like all the programs, Logic has its way of working — some people like it while others have a hard time grasping the way the user interface functions. (I love it.)
Cakewalk (`www.cakewalk.com`): Makes SONAR, and SONAR XL, among other programs. These are designed to run on both PCs and Macs. SONAR does a great job of recording (and editing and mixing) both audio and MIDI.
Avid (`www.avid.com`): Makes Pro Tools, Pro Tools LE, and Pro Tools M-Powered. These programs work on both Mac and PC systems. Digidesign's Pro Tools TDM systems (the company offers several versions) are arguably the standard for digital audio in pro studios, although many pro studios are using any one (or more) of the other programs that I list in this section.
Mark of the Unicorn (`www.motu.com`): Makes Digital Performer. This program runs only on a Mac. Digital Performer is a powerful program that does MIDI and audio equally well. One advantage of this program is that MOTU makes very good audio interfaces that are designed to work well with its software. You end up with a better chance of having a stable system.
Sony Creative Software (`www.sonycreativesoftware.com`): Makes Sound Forge, Vegas Audio, and ACID. These programs only run on Windows PCs. ACID is a very popular program for hip-hop and techno artists because of its strength in loop-based recording.
Steinberg (`www.steinberg.net`): Makes Nuendo, Cubase, WaveLab, and Cubasis. These programs run on both Mac and PC platforms. Nuendo is Steinberg's best program, and it is excellent for recording audio. Nuendo is not very strong in MIDI sequencing, so if this feature is important to you, this may not be the best program to use. In that case, if you like the Steinberg line, you may want to try Cubase, which is a great program that's on par with SONAR, Logic, and the others and is stronger in MIDI sequencing than Nuendo.
Most of these manufacturers offer program demos that you can download for free to see whether you like them. These demos work just like the full versions except that you generally can't save or print your work.
Some of these manufacturers also make audio-interface/sound-card hardware optimized for their systems; this hardware can generally work on other systems (check with the manufacturer to make sure). You may find an easy and great-sounding solution by choosing a software and hardware setup from a single manufacturer. If you do, you are likely to have fewer compatibility problems.
Studio-in-a-Box Systems
Integrated mixers/recorders/effects processors were once quite common (computer-based systems have over-taken them in the last few years). Cassette porta-studios, first introduced in 1970s, enabled the home recordist to compose music at home without spending a fortune on equipment. But it wasn't until the Roland VS-880 came out in 1997 that great-quality recordings could be made at home using a single piece of equipment. Okay, you still needed an instrument and microphone to plug into it, but everything else fit into this one little box, which is now referred to as a studio-in-a-box system.
Taking a look at the benefits
One of the biggest advantages of using a studio-in-a-box (SIAB) system is that you don't need to be computer literate — just turn it on and start to record. SIAB systems are also portable — you can take them almost anywhere to record, so you're not limited to your studio room. (You can get a view of an SIAB system in Figure 2-6.) Think about this for a second: If you want a big drum sound and all you have is a small converted bedroom for a studio, you can load up your SIAB system, a few microphones, and your drummer's drum set (don't forget the drummer) and go to an empty warehouse, gymnasium, or church, for example. (Of course, you can do this with a laptop computer system, too, but it'll cost you more.) In fact, with many of these recorders you don't even need to have electricity to do this. Most of these recorders draw very little power and can operate on batteries.
Early versions of SIAB systems were somewhat limited in what they offered and weren't very user-friendly when it came to adding more effects (although they're easy to synch). The new generation of SIAB systems is being designed to accept third-party effects; for example, the Roland VS machines (such as the VS-2000CD) accept third-party plug-ins. Other options, such as an expansion board, let you use a computer monitor and mouse. They can also import and export audio files in formats that you can open on other manufacturers' recorders, freeing you to transfer files between different systems.
**Figure 2-6:** A studio-in-a-box system contains everything you need to make great recordings.
Examining some popular SIAB systems
Many of the major recording manufacturers make SIAB systems. Check out these companies and compare the specifications of each unit:
Boss (`www.bossus.com`): Boss makes several basic all-in-one recorders, such as the 8-track BR-600 and the 16-track BR-1600, which are inexpensive and easy to use. These units record in 16 bits at a 44.1-kHz sample rate.
Fostex (`www.fostex.com`): Fostex has been in the hard-drive recording business for a while and Fostex has released several SIAB devices in the last few years. Currently, its SIAB system is the MR-8 MK2 8-track recorder. The Fostex units have a lot of features, but they are limited to recording at 16 bits — a real drawback for serious recording. Still, for their prices, these units are a good value.
TASCAM (`www.tascam.com`): TASCAM has been in the home recording market for a long time, first with cassette porta-studios in the 1970s and now with digital systems. You can find several units, including the DP-004 4-track recorder, which records at 16 bits, and the 2488neo 24-track recorder, which records in 24 bits.
Zoom (`http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/`): Zoom is a relative newcomer to the SIAB market and offers innovative solutions that can be used as a stand-alone studio, computer audio interface, and computer software controller. Zoom's two recording systems include the R16 and R24, sixteen and twenty-four track units, respectively. They both record in both 16 and 24 bits and integrate seamlessly with a computer. This means you can record on location and connect to a computer to overdub and/or mix.
Portable Recorders
Many systems I cover in this chapter can be portable, but if portability is your main concern, then you can choose from a few really cool options, including the following:
Linear recorders: These are two-track recorders, sometimes called voice recorders or field recorders. Many come with mics built-in, and some even have effects. The cool thing about these is that most fit in your pocket and can record with surprisingly high quality, such as 24 bits, although many are 16 bits. Check the specs of the various models if the bit depth is important to you.
Mobile devices: Smart phones, tablet computers, and other devices such as the iPod can record audio with fairly good quality. Check out the Apple App Store for software (look for the Portastudio app by TASCAM), and you'll see what devices you can use. These devices, at the time of this writing, are limited to one or two tracks of simultaneous recording. You need an interface to use one for recording. Check out these two cool ways to get the sound in: Blue Yeti USB mic and Appogee Jam guitar interface.
The other categories listed in this chapter: You can find portable options within each of the categories I list in this chapter — computer-based systems, SIABs, and stand-alone recorders. Depending on your budget and needs, these may be a good solution for you. For example, the Zoom R24 is extremely portable and can record up to 8 simultaneous tracks. A laptop with a bus-powered interface can also give you a lot of power in a highly portable system.
So, if portability is important to you, rest assured that you'll be able to find a solution that fits your needs and likely your budget.
Stand-alone Recorders
The first affordable stand-alone digital recorder to hit the market was the Alesis ADAT (which stands for Alesis Digital Audio Tape) in 1992. This machine revolutionized home recording, making it possible for the home recordist to create some pretty high-quality recordings without having to spend a fortune. Many commercial studios used ADATs as well. In fact, a lot of hit records from the mid-to-late 1990s were recorded on ADATs. The ADAT uses digital tape cartridges, which look much like VHS videotapes, and they function much like analog tapes. And like analog tapes, the digital tape cartridges have limited editing capabilities. (For more details on editing, see Chapter 13.)
Stand-alone digital recorders are the least common type of home studio recorder because they require a separate mixer and other outboard gear, such as external effects units or preamps. This makes the cost of this type of system higher than a comparable number of tracks that you get in a studio-in-a-box or computer-based system. The advantage is that you can swap out these recorders as newer models come out without having to update your whole system. This is one reason why stand-alone recorders are so popular in commercial studios and for recording live events where a live mixer is used. Figure 2-7 shows a typical stand-alone recorder.
**Figure 2-7:** A stand-alone recorder can easily be added to an existing system.
The following major manufacturers produce stand-alone hard-drive recorders:
Alesis (`www.alesis.com`): Alesis makes the 24-track HD24 and HD24XR hard-drive recorders. These units are the company's follow-up to the hugely popular ADAT recorders of the nineties.
Fostex (`www.fostex.com`): Fostex has entered the stand-alone recorder market with the DV824 and DV2424 MK2 recorders. These models record in 24 bit wave format so you can import the files into a computer for editing, though you can also do some basic editing in the recorders.
TASCAM (`www.tascam.com`): TASCAM makes the DR-680 8-track recorder and the flagship X-48 48-track workstation. The DR-680 is a basic recorder, but the X-48 is a hybrid that allows you to connect the recorder to your computer for all the editing and plug-in power contained in computer-based systems.
These stand-alone units cost from about $500 to $2,000 or more, depending on the number of tracks and other options. You also have to buy other necessary gear separately, such as mixers and signal processors, which raises the overall cost of these systems considerably.
Because these companies' product offerings are constantly changing, your best bet is to check out each of these manufacturers' websites and compare their specifications. The next step would be to try a demo of each product with the features you want, so that you can find out whether you like their sound. Also, be sure to check out the compatibility of the system with other systems, if that's important to you.
Oh, how I yearn for that analog sound
An interesting trend in digital recording is the quest for analog sound. In the marketplace, you find new pieces of gear being marketed as having warmth or a vintage sound. What exactly is this sound?
This sound is . . . (wait for it) . . . distortion. Yep, good ol' noise and distortion. Why would someone want to duplicate that now?
When the mild distortion that's inherent in good analog recordings was eliminated in digital recordings, we missed it (sigh). In analog recording, you find a technique that's used to add something wonderful and beautifully pleasing to a recording: tape saturation. This is caused by recording the sound onto a tape recorder at a high enough level that the tape becomes saturated (hence the term tape saturation), and certain aspects of the sound change.
For the most part, tape saturation adds even harmonics to the sound. Not to get too technical, but these are the tones present in the music but, for the most part, are hidden behind the main tone. Tape saturation brings out those tones just a little, and we find them pleasing to listen to. Tape saturation also mellows out the high frequencies by smearing them together a little. Without this sound, many listeners (certainly not all) find digital recordings somewhat harsh or cold. In case you didn't know, these are highly technical terms meaning, "I don't hear that thing I'm used to hearing in an analog recording."
Digital recording can't duplicate this sound exactly. (However, some units come close; see "Tape saturation emulators" later in this chapter.) If you try to use the tape-saturation technique with a digital recorder (by overriding the input levels), all you get is more harshness and a horrible clipping sound. (The sound is clipped off by the digital converters, and you hear crackles and clicks.)
Examining Analog Goodies
So you find that you gotta have that analog sound, too, but you don't want to (or can't) deal with the expense of a complete analog system. Well, you're in luck! Do I have a deal for you! You, too, can add some of the warmth to your digital recordings if you're willing to shell out the green. Yep, come on down and I'll set you up!
Seriously, you can buy analog extras to help you add a little of that analog distortion to your music. Don't get me wrong; many of these products are great and have a place in a home studio. Just don't get so hooked by the need to have warmth in your recordings that you go out and buy everything that you can to add mild distortion. This warmth is just distortion, after all.
Most of the time, people use tube gear on their instruments to get them to sound warmer. In sound recording, tube gear refers to components that still use the ancient technology of vacuum tubes to get them up and running — and up and running with all that distortion that some listeners describe as warm. Tube microphones, preamps, compressors, and equalizers are only a few of the types of products available to add some semblance of the much-sought-after analog sound.
If you want to go tubeless, look for special tape-saturation emulators on the market to give you that analog edge. See the section "Tape-saturation emulators," later in this chapter, for more info.
The tube stuff
Vacuum-tube microphones, preamps, compressors, and equalizers have been around for decades. In fact, before solid-state (transistor) technology was developed, everything electronic had vacuum tubes in it — both good-quality and bad-quality audio gear. Vacuum-tube equipment definitely had a sound to it, and tube technology definitely had its limitations — the main one being the coloration that was added to the music. This coloration is now highly sought after in today's world of digital recording (see the sidebar "Oh, how I yearn for that analog sound," earlier in this chapter), so the tube stuff has become increasingly popular.
To get the pleasing analog distortion that's so popular today, you don't need to buy gear with vacuum-tube circuitry. Some top-quality solid-state gear can get you the same sound as the vintage tube stuff. In fact, some of the most sought-after vintage preamps, equalizers, and compressors — particularly those bearing the "Neve" name — are solid state, and they still have a beautifully colored (distorted) sound. So, when you go in search of the tube sound for your studio, remember that you can get the sound you're after without having to buy actual vacuum-tube gear.
Not all "tube" gear produces a pleasing sound. Sometimes the distortion that a piece of gear adds to your music creates more noise and mud (lack of clarity in the sound) than it adds warmth. Be sure to listen to the equipment that you're interested in before you buy it. Make your purchase decision based on whether you like the way the equipment sounds for your particular music. Do your homework before adding any tube gear — or any new equipment that you spend your hard-earned money on. Read reviews and specifications, talk to people, and above all, listen to the equipment before you buy.
Many audio-recording retailers allow you a certain amount of time after you buy a piece of equipment to return it if you don't like it. Of course, you have to pay for it before you leave the store, but you usually have a timeframe in which you can return it. Ask your music retailer to be sure of its return policy before you buy.
Tape-saturation emulators
The new great thing in audio recording is the analog tape emulator, also known as a tape-saturation emulator. These units are designed to add the characteristics that you get from recording high levels onto tape, such as the mild distortion that analog aficionados love (see the sidebar "Oh, how I yearn for that analog sound," earlier in this chapter). You can find both stand-alone analog emulators and plug-ins for your computer-based system. These can be expensive (over $2,000 in some cases), but many pros swear by them. As I write this book, this technology is in its infancy, so expect the prices to drop dramatically and the choices to expand exponentially over the next few years.
A really decent tape-saturation plug-in for computer-based systems is the Vintage Warmer (`www.pspaudioware.com`). This plug-in can add pleasing distortion to your tracks for about $150. If you use it, be careful not to overdo it. Using too much saturation is easy and can ruin an otherwise good track.
Reality check
Do you need any tube or analog emulator gear in your studio? The short answer is: No, you don't. You can make great recordings without any of this stuff. All you need is an instrument, a microphone, a mixer, a recorder, and some monitors — oh, and some good, solid engineering skills.
What really counts is your music. People who listen to music don't care whether you use (insert gotta-have gear here) to record your masterpiece. All they care about is whether they like the music. So don't make yourself nuts (or go broke) over any of this stuff.
Exploring Sample Setups
In the following sections, I help you start thinking about the best system configuration for your needs. Whether you're an electronic musician who only needs a sequencer, some MIDI instruments, and a 2-track recorder, or you're a purist who wants 16 tracks of simultaneous recording and needs dozens of microphones to record your whole band live, I help you figure it out.
Because I don't know what type of recording you want to do, I outline three basic systems to give you an idea of what may work for you. You can see a system that works well for both live recording and MIDI sequencing, a system for MIDI sequencing and the occasional instrument or vocal overdub, and a live rig that contains little or no MIDI instrumentation. This is only a starting point, but as you shop around for a system, you'll be able to find a setup that best meets your needs.
You can configure your home recording system in almost unlimited ways. Part of what will influence your decisions is your initial budget and how you like to work. Look around and talk to other people who have a home studio. Join an Internet forum and discover the different ways that people are recording — find out what works for them and what doesn't. Then jump in and don't look back. The most important component in your studio is you!
Live and MIDI studio
The live and MIDI studio is your best choice if you want to incorporate both MIDI-sequenced parts and live instruments (such as guitar, electric bass, and drums). For this type of system, you need a recorder, a mixer, and a MIDI controller. You also need a few microphones and any instruments that you plan to record — generally at least one synthesizer or sound module, an electric guitar and bass, and a drum machine or real drum set. Figure 2-8 illustrates a setup that's centered around an SIAB recorder with a computer for sequencing. Of course, you could use a stand-alone recorder instead (you need a separate mixer), or you can incorporate the whole system into a computer if you choose.
You want a system with a fair amount of tracks (at least 8) that allows you to record at least 2 tracks of MIDI instruments as well as several tracks of guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.
MIDI-intensive studio
Are you a one-man band? Do you prefer to program a performance rather than to play it? If so, you may want to have a MIDI-intensive studio. The advantage of the MIDI studio is that one person can "play" many instruments at the same time. A disadvantage is that the music can sound somewhat stiff. (See Chapter 12 for advice on how to overcome this.) And you may lose touch with what it feels like to play with other musicians — which is not always a bad thing, especially if you're into that whole reclusive artist thing.
Because MIDI instruments can be programmed to play the part perfectly, with all the dynamic variations that you want, you can spend your time working on the parts (composing, setting levels, and creating effects) without actually having to record them. As a result, you can get by with fewer audio tracks in your system, but you need to have more MIDI tracks available. An advantage to this approach is that MIDI tracks take less CPU power and RAM to run compared to the same number of audio tracks. So, you can get by with a less-expensive computer (or use the one you already have) and save your bucks for more synthesizers or plug-ins.
**Figure 2-8:** This system enables you to record both audio and MIDI instrumentation.
For a MIDI-intensive studio, such as the one shown in Figure 2-9, you need a sequencer (a device that allows you to record and play back MIDI performance information) and at least one sound source. This can be a keyboard synthesizer, sound module, sampler, or a computer equipped with sounds, called soft-synths. You also need a drum machine or drum sounds in your computer if you intend to make any music other than ambient or classical-type music. In addition, you need a MIDI controller to, well, control these sound sources. This, too, could be part of the computer software, or it could be the synthesizer. Check out Chapter 5 for more on MIDI controllers. If you end up using a computer-based sequencer, you'll also need a MIDI interface.
**Figure 2-9:** A MIDI-intensive studio: Most of your recording is via MIDI with a minimum of audio tracks.
In addition to the MIDI stuff, you need some sort of recorder. Again, this can be included in your computer setup. If you plan to sequence all the parts and don't want to include any vocals, you could get by with a decent 2-track recorder. On the other hand, if you see yourself including vocals or any non-MIDI instruments — such as an electric guitar, for example — you need a microphone (for the vocals) and the ability to record more tracks.
Live studio
Thirty years ago, when a band wanted to record, the members all went into a studio together, set up their gear in one large room (with maybe a few dividers between them), and played as if they were at a concert. Then they would overdub a guitar solo, backup vocals, and maybe a few percussion instruments.
The beauty of this type of recording for a band is that you have a better chance of capturing the magic of a live performance. The disadvantage is that it takes a little more recording skill to get a good sound. (Of course, you discover many of these skills in this book.)
For the live studio, you need a recorder with at least as many available simultaneous tracks as you think you need for your band. Eight tracks are usually enough for most bands. The tracks would break down as follows:
Rhythm guitar: 1 track
Bass guitar: 1 track
Piano, organ, or synthesizer: 1 or 2 tracks
Rough vocals: 1 track
You generally record this track over again after the rest are done to get a cleaner track.
Drums: 2–4 tracks
The number of tracks varies depending on the type of sound that you want. You may need a separate mixer to create a submix of the drums if you're only using 2 tracks.
Aside from the simultaneous track count, you probably want extra tracks available to record a guitar solo, background vocals, and maybe percussion instruments. In this case, a 16-track recorder is a great solution. If you want more flexibility in getting your band's sound, you could get a recorder that can record as many as 16 simultaneous tracks.
Figure 2-10 shows a system that can work well for live recording. This setup is illustrated using a stand-alone recorder, because most stand-alone recorders can record all their available tracks simultaneously. With this system, you need a separate mixer and all the cords to connect them. (Check out Chapter 3 for more details on cords.)
**Figure 2-10:** A system for live recording.
If you're one of those many people who like to record 1 or 2 tracks at a time but still want to play all the instruments live (with no MIDI sequencing), your need for lots of simultaneous tracks is reduced. An SIAB system is probably your best solution because it costs less and takes up less space.
You can also use a computer-based system to record all the instruments live. Just make sure that you have both the inputs and available tracks that you need.
If you record all the instruments live (all at once or one at a time), you also need to have enough microphones and mic stands. And you must contend with making your room conducive to recording live instruments (I discuss this more in Chapter 3).
With the many ways to configure a home recording system, you'll probably lean more toward one type of system than another (computer-based, SIAB, or stand-alone). Then it's just a matter of weeding through the options until you find one that resonates with you (and your budget).
Chapter 3
Getting Connected: Setting Up Your Studio
In This Chapter
Getting to know the various types of connectors
Plugging in your equipment
Creating an efficient workstation
Making your room sound great (or at least decent)
Okay, so you're ready to turn that spare bedroom or basement into a recording studio. You need to unpack all your shiny new gear and get it plugged in properly, and your room needs to work for you. This involves creating an efficient place to work, but above all, it means following tips in this chapter to make your room sound good. This can be tricky; after all, pro studios spend tons of time and money so that their studios sound great. You may not need to spend a ton of money (as if you could), but you do need to spend some time.
After you decide on a space for your home recording system, the next steps involve setting up the system and preparing your space to work for you. In this chapter, I help you make sense of all those analog or digital connectors and help you plug them all in properly. You probably have experience with analog connectors and cords, such as the ones on your stereo system. But you may have never come in contact with digital connectors, unless you've plugged a DVD player into your TV or had a chance to go into a recording studio that used digital gear.
This chapter also shows you how to find the best way for you to work in your environment, with a fair measure of tips and tricks thrown in to make your room sound as good as possible.
Understanding Analog Connections
You've probably had a chance to see and use a variety of analog connectors. If you play a guitar or keyboard (synthesizer), for example, you're familiar with a 1⁄4-inch analog plug. Some microphones use an XLR analog plug. Keeping all these connectors straight can be a little confusing: Why do you have to use one plug for one thing and another for something else? And what's a TRS plug, anyway?
Read on to discover the most common analog connectors: 1⁄4-inch (mono/TS and stereo/TRS), XLR, and RCA.
The 1⁄4-inch analog plug
The 1⁄4-inch plug is the most common audio connector and one of the most versatile. These plugs come in two varieties: mono/TS and stereo/TRS.
Mono/TS
The plug on a cord that you use for your guitar or synthesizer is an example of a mono 1⁄4-inch plug. The mono part of the name refers to the fact that you have only one channel through which to send the signal. This type of plug is also referred to as a TS plug (short for Tip/Sleeve). The tip is the end of the plug, and the sleeve is the rest of the metal part. A plastic divider separates these two sections. Check out Figure 3-1 to see this familiar plug.
**Figure 3-1:** A typical 1⁄4-inch plug used for guitar and other electric instruments.
TS plugs are used for a variety of purposes — to go from your guitar to your guitar amp, from your synthesizer to your mixer, from your mixer to your power amplifier (amp), and from your power amp to your speakers. You would expect that one cord could work for all these applications. After all, a TS plug is a TS plug, right? Well, not really. The same plug can be wired differently, and it can carry different levels of power. For example, here are the differences between instrument and speaker cords:
Instrument cord (the one you use for your synthesizer or guitar): This cord contains one wire and a shield — the wire is connected to the tip, and the shield is connected to the sleeve. You need the instrument cable's shield to minimize noise. If you use a speaker cord (discussed next) for your instrument, you may end up with some noise (that is, you may hear a hiss or a buzz — or even a radio station — coming out of your amp or coming from where you've plugged in your instrument).
Instrument cords are often called unbalanced lines because of the way that they're wired. An unbalanced cord has one wire surrounded by a braided shield; the wire is connected to the tip of the TS plug, and the shield is connected to the sleeve. The signal is sent through the wire, and the shield is used for the ground. (It keeps the noise down.) You can also find balanced lines, which I explain in the next section of this chapter.
A speaker cord: This cord contains two wires and no shield — one wire is connected to the tip and the other to the sleeve. Because the speaker cord carries a lot more current (power) than the instrument cable, the speaker cord doesn't have a shield. The signal level covers noise that's present in the cord. Because you have much less current present in an instrument, you don't want to use a speaker cord for your instrument.
When buying cords with TS plugs, first be sure to look at (or ask about) what purpose the cord is designed for. Then, when you take the cord home, be sure to note what type it is so that you use it correctly. You can mark your cord in a number of ways: You can put colored tape on it (red for speaker or blue for instrument, for example), put a tag on it, or — gasp — dot it with nail polish.
You generally don't need to worry about which end of the cord you plug into your instrument — the signal can travel equally well in either direction. However, you can buy cords that are designed to send the current in one direction. (This cord has an arrow on it, designating in which direction the signal should flow.) I call these designer cords, and two of the most common brands are Monster and Planet Waves. The theory behind these cords is that they do a better job of preserving the sound qualities of the instrument for which they're designed. These cords are specifically designed for almost every instrument and application known to man.
Stereo/TRS
A stereo/TRS (short for Tip/Ring/Sleeve) 1⁄4-inch plug looks like a stereo headphone plug (take a look at Figure 3-2). The tip is the end of the plug, the ring is the small middle section located between the two plastic dividers, and the sleeve is the rest of the metal part of the plug. A TRS plug can be used for the following three types of cords:
Stereo cord: A stereo cord is used for signals that contain two separate portions: one for the right channel and the other for the left channel. This type of cord is generally wired with the left-channel signal attached to the tip, the right-channel signal connected to the ring, and the shield wired to the sleeve. This type of cord is typically used for headphones.
Balanced cord: A balanced cord is used on professional audio gear to join the various pieces of equipment (to connect the mixer to the recorder, for example). The advantage with a balanced cord is that you can have longer cord runs without creating noise.
Why are balanced cords so conveniently noise free? The balanced cord has two wires and a shield inside and has the same signal running through both wires. One signal is 180 degrees out of phase with the other (that is, their waveforms are opposite one another), and when the signals get to the mixer (or whatever they're plugged into) one of the signals is flipped and added to the other. When this happens, any noise that built up in the signal is canceled out.
Y cord: A Y cord consists of a TRS plug on one end and two TS plugs on the other, forming — you guessed it — a nice representation of the letter Y. This cord allows you to insert an effect processor — a compressor or equalizer, for example — in the line of a mixer (more specifically, into the insert jack of the mixer). Check out Chapter 4 for details on mixers. The TRS plug both sends and receives a signal. This cord is wired so that the tip sends the signal and the ring receives it (see Figure 3-3). The sleeve is connected to the shield of each cable.
**Figure 3-2:** Use a balanced (TRS) plug to connect professional audio gear.
**Figure 3-3:** Use a Y cord to send and receive a signal.
XLR
The XLR connector is used for microphones and some line connections between professional gear. This cable has a female and a male end (see Figure 3-4). The cord is wired much like a TRS connector and is balanced to minimize noise. The XLR microphone cable is also called a low Z cable because it carries a low-impedance signal.
**Figure 3-4:** An XLR connector: One end is male (left) and the other is female (right).
RCA
RCA plugs — named for good old RCA and also called phono plugs — are common on home stereos and on some semipro audio gear (see Figure 3-5). They function much like a TS plug but aren't very common in professional audio equipment. However, you find them on some mixers so that you can connect a tape deck, iPod, or other media device. They are also used for digital S/PDIF signals (see the next section for more details on these babies).
**Figure 3-5:** An RCA plug is used mainly on consumer stereo and some semipro audio equipment.
Delving into Digital Connections
If you're going to record using a digital recorder or mixer, you're going to run into digital connectors (plugs and cables/cords). Digital audio equipment is a recent invention, and as such, no one standard has emerged. Because of this lack of standardization, a variety of digital connection methods are on the market, only a few (or one) of which may be on the equipment that you own or intend to purchase. Regardless, knowing about the most common types of connectors and their purposes can help you decide what equipment is right for you.
MIDI
MIDI, short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, is a handy communication protocol that allows musical information to pass from one device to another. To allow the free passage of such information, MIDI jacks are located on a whole host of electronic instruments. Synthesizers, drum machines, sound modules, and even some guitars have MIDI jacks. And, to connect all these instruments, you need some MIDI cables. The MIDI connector contains five pins (male) that plug into the female MIDI jack (port) on the instrument or device (see Figure 3-6).
**Figure 3-6:** MIDI connectors have two male ends. The device contains the female jack.
AES/EBU
AES/EBU (Audio Engineering Society/European Broadcasting Union) cables are much like S/PDIF cables (described in the next section). The AES/EBU standards require these cables to transmit two channels of data at a time. They differ from S/PDIF cables in that they consist of XLR plugs and use balanced cables. (Figure 3-7 shows what the inputs look like on the recording equipment.) AES/EBU was developed to be used with professional audio components, hence the use of balanced cords — the kinds used in professional-level equipment.
**Figure 3-7:** S/PDIF and AES/EBU connectors look the same as analog RCA (S/PDIF) and XLR (AES/EBU) but are marked as digital on the machine.
S/PDIF
S/PDIF (short for Sony/Phillips Digital Interface Format) cables consist of an unbalanced coaxial cable (one wire and a shield) and RCA plugs. (Figure 3-7 shows what the inputs look like on the machine.) These cables can also be made from fiber-optic cable and a Toslink connector. The S/PDIF format can transmit two channels of digital data at one time. S/PDIF protocols are similar to AES/EBU standards, except that S/PDIF was originally designed for the consumer market — which explains why unbalanced cords are used. In spite of being developed for the consumer market, S/PDIF connectors are found on a lot of pro recording gear along with (or instead of) AES/EBU.
If you want to use cords that are longer than 3–4 feet when using an S/PDIF connector — or about 15 feet for AES/EBU connectors — your best bet is to use video or digital audio cables. Regular audio cables degrade the sound at longer distances because they can't transmit the type of signal that digital produces without affecting the quality of the sound. If you use audio cables for longer distances, you lose some of the sound's definition. Some people describe this sound as "grainy."
ADAT Lightpipe
The ADAT (Alesis Digital Audio Tape) Lightpipe format allows eight tracks of digital audio to be sent at once. Developed by Alesis, ADAT Lightpipe (or simply Lightpipe for short) has become a standard among digital audio products. It consists of a fiber-optic cable that uses a special connector developed by Alesis.
TDIF
TDIF (Teac Digital Interface Format) is Teac's return volley to the ADAT Lightpipe format. TDIF uses a standard computer cable with a 25-pin connector. Like the ADAT Lightpipe, TDIF cables can transmit eight channels of digital data at a time. TDIF isn't nearly as common as ADAT Lightpipe because Alesis made its Lightpipe technology available to other companies to use for free. Alesis encouraged these companies to adopt it as a "standard" because the Alesis ADAT recorders were so common.
USB
USB, which stands for Universal Serial Bus, is a common component in nearly all modern computers. In fact, your computer probably has more than one USB port. In case it's been a while since you've had to use your USB connection, take a look at Figure 3-8. As you can see, USB has the following different plugs that fit different jacks:
Rectangular connector: This is called the "A" connector and is for any receiving device, such as your PC or a USB hub.
Square connector: Called the "B" connector, this is used for a sending device, such as your USB audio interface or printer.
**Figure 3-8:** USB uses two types of connectors: the "A" connector (left) and the "B" connector (right).
Aside from having two different types of jacks and plugs, USB also has different standards, as follows:
USB 1.1: This standard (the original) can handle a data rate of up to 12 Mbps (megabits per second).
USB 2.0: Also called Hi-speed USB, this standard can handle 40 times the data flow of the earlier standard — 480 Mbps.
USB 3.0: This is also referred to as SuperSpeed USB. This connection transfers data at an astounding 5 Gbps, tens times as fast as even USB 2.0.
You'll still find some USB 1.1 audio interfaces on the market, but most have migrated to the faster, 2.0 version. At the time of this writing there are no USB 3.0 audio interfaces out yet. Expect this to change soon (possibly by the time this revision is in your hands).
FireWire
Developed by Apple, FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or iLink) is a high-speed connection that is used by many audio interfaces, hard drives, digital cameras, and other devices. Even though FireWire was developed by Apple, you can find FireWire ports on devices from many manufacturers. FireWire cables, unlike USB cables (see the preceding section), have the same connector (see Figure 3-9) on both ends.
Like USB, FireWire comes in two flavors, which are described as follows:
FireWire 400: This standard supports data-transfer speeds of up to 400 Mbps. Many audio interfaces currently use FireWire 400 as a way to connect with your computer. These interfaces can handle quite a few inputs and outputs.
FireWire 800: Yep, you guessed it — this standard can handle data-transfer rates of 800 Mbps. A couple of FireWire 800 devices are available now, but you should see many more interfaces supported by FireWire 800 soon.
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt is the fastest connectivity format to date, with speeds between 20 and 100 gigabits per second. Audio interface manufacturers are excited about this amazing speed, and many experts see Thunderbolt as the next format that the pros will embrace. But, like USB 3.0, Thunderbolt is too new for any products to be available. This may change soon, so keep your eyes open.
The interface is essentially the same as the mini DV jack found on many of the Mac laptops. As I mentioned in Chapter 2, you can expect the first units to be relatively expensive, maybe not because of the cost of the technology, but because of the number of inputs and outputs that these units will likely have. For most home recordists, however, the existing connectivity options are sufficient for doing anything you want to do.
**Figure 3-9:** FireWire is a high-speed data-transfer protocol.
Sampling Some Studio Setups
Everyone's studio setup is a little different. Because I can't come into your home to help you set up yours, I show you a few typical setups in this section that you can use to configure your system.
I outline these three systems in the sections that follow:
Audio with some MIDI: This system is designed to record audio tracks and run MIDI tracks simultaneously using stand-alone components.
MIDI-intensive setup: This setup relies heavily on MIDI, using a computer to run audio and MIDI.
Live audio: This setup optimizes live-instrument recording with no MIDI devices and can consist of a studio-in-a-box (SIAB) system.
Whenever you connect or disconnect cables within your system, make sure that the power to the equipment is turned off or that the volume on the device is turned all the way down. Otherwise you may damage your speakers or your ears.
Audio with some MIDI
The most common home studio setup includes one or two MIDI devices connected to a digital recorder and one or two microphones plugged in to record vocals or an instrument. Figure 3-10 shows this typical setup. Here, the guitar and bass may be either miked from the amp or plugged directly into the mixer using one of the following three techniques:
Use a direct box: a device that changes the impedance level of your guitar so that the mixer can process the signal.
Plug your guitar into your amp and run a cord from the line output of the amp to the mixer's channel input.
Use the Hi Z input of your mixer, if this input is available.
**Figure 3-10:** The most common home studio setup includes both live-instrument and MIDI connections.
The setup in Figure 3-10 consists of a stand-alone recorder, a separate mixer, and a computer running MIDI sequencing software. Here's how you connect the equipment in this scenario:
Plug all your instruments into the channel inputs of the mixer. For example, insert a TS plug into a 1⁄4-inch jack and an XLR plug into an XLR jack.
To connect the synthesizer to the MIDI controller (computer), run a MIDI cable from the MIDI-output jack of the MIDI interface to the MIDI-input jack of the synthesizer.
The connection between the MIDI interface and computer depends on your MIDI interface. This connection is usually made using a USB port, but you can find MIDI ports in many audio interfaces. In this case, the connection type depends on the type of interface you use. Chapter 2 has more details on audio interface connection types.
To connect the mixer to the recorder, run 1⁄4-inch line cords from the direct-output jacks of the individual channels to the line (track)–input jacks of the recorder.
Figure 3-10 shows only one cord running from the mixer to the recorder (and one running from the recorder back to the mixer), but you can have as many cords as you have direct-output jacks in your mixer or line-input jacks in your recorder. For example, if you have an 8-track recorder, you have cords running from channels 1–8 of your mixer into the track-input jacks 1–8 of your recorder. Of course, if your system consists of a studio-in-a-box or a computer-based system, you don't need to run these cords because the connections are made within the box (see the section "Live audio," later in this chapter).
To monitor the tracks of the recorder, run cords from the individual line-output jacks of the recorder back to the mixer. You would generally plug these cords into channel inputs 9–16. Again, if you have studio-in-a-box or a computer-based system, you don't need to do this.
If you connect your recorder and mixer as I just outlined, you have channels 1–8 on your mixer controlling all the inputs and channels 9–16 controlling the recorded tracks. If you don't have that many channels in your mixer, you need to jockey some cords around. The routing possibilities are almost endless with a mixer. Check your owner's manual for recommended setups and routing suggestions.
As an example, suppose that you have a 12-channel mixer and an 8-track recorder. If you don't intend to record more than 4 tracks at a time, you can use tracks 1–4 for your channel inputs from your instruments and tracks 5–12 for the track inputs from your recorder.
If you need more inputs and don't want or need to listen to the tracks as you record, you can allocate fewer channels for track monitoring and more for instrument inputs.
Run line cords from the main left- and right-output jacks of the mixer to your power amp (or powered speakers).
Run speaker cords from the power amp to the speakers. (You obviously don't need these if you have powered speakers because the connection is internally wired.)
MIDI-intensive setup
The MIDI-intensive setup has numerous MIDI devices hooked up to a mixer and a microphone occasionally plugged in to record vocals. The system shown in Figure 3-11 features a computer running audio and sequencing software as well as an audio and MIDI interface. The mixer is housed within the software program. All your instrument and microphone audio outputs are plugged into the audio inputs of the interface, and the MIDI connections are made using the MIDI input and output jacks.
The diagram shows both MIDI input and output connections on all the sound modules and synthesizers. This allows two-way communication between the MIDI controller (located in the computer) and the instruments, which gives you more flexibility with sequencing.
Because all routing is done within the computer, you don't need as many cords as you would with a stand-alone system.
Live audio
If you intend to record a live band, you are likely to use this setup. The live audio setup requires more microphone connections and rarely has MIDI devices running into it. Figure 3-12 shows how you would make the connections for this type of application.
**Figure 3-11:** A home recording system centered around MIDI. Rarely are instruments recorded live.
**Figure 3-12:** The live audio system setup. MIDI devices are rarely used.
The setup in Figure 3-12 consists of a studio-in-a-box (SIAB) system (a Roland VS-1880, for instance). Because all the routing takes place within the box, your setup is simple. All your instruments and microphones plug directly into the SIAB (most units even have one Hi-Z input for a guitar or bass). If you want to plug both the electric guitar and bass in at the same time, you still need one direct box or line output from your amp.
If you plan to use more than two microphones at once, make sure that you have enough inputs because most SIAB systems only have two XLR jacks. If you want to plug in more mics than you have XLR jacks, you have the following options:
Use a separate analog mixer for plugging in extra mics. Then run an instrument cord from the channel output of the mixer to the channel's line input on your SIAB system.
Use one or more external preamps to convert the low-impedance mic cords to high-impedance TS cords. Just plug your mic into the preamp and run an instrument cord from the preamp to the channel's line input of your SIAB system.
Use line converters, such as a direct box or an adapter. Plug your mic cord into the direct box or adapter and then plug into the channel's line input of your SIAB system's mixer. (You can find an adapter at Radio Shack for about $12 — part no. 910-0913.) This is the least expensive option, but it costs you more in terms of sound quality — it doesn't sound as good as the previous two options.
All that's left is to run line cords from the main outputs of your SIAB system to the inputs of your powered speakers. In this case, you use 1⁄4-inch instrument cords (T/S) rather than speaker cords because the input on your powered speakers is actually the input to the amplifier and not the speakers. The connection from the amp to the speakers is made internally in the speaker cabinets.
If you don't need to record with multiple tracks and are okay with mono or stereo, a ton of portable recorders (often called linear recorders; see Chapter 2) can do the trick. Some even include their own mics. You may also find that a tablet computer, such as the iPad, is useful for live recording. Again, I present some options along this line in Chapter 2.
Working Efficiently
I hope that you'll spend many hours in your studio creating great music (possibly to the dismay of the rest of your family). One important thing to keep in mind is that you need to be comfortable. Get a good chair and set up your workstation to be as easy to get around as possible. Figure 3-13 shows a classic L setup. Notice how everything that you need is within arm's reach. If you have enough room, you may want to consider a U-shaped setup instead, which is shown in Figure 3-14.
**Figure 3-13:** A classic L setup: Everything is easy to reach.
**Figure 3-14:** The U-shaped setup can work great if you have the room for it.
If you use a lot of outboard gear — such as preamps or effects processors — and you think that you need to plug and unplug a lot, invest in a good patch bay (see Figure 3-15) so that you don't have to strain to access the cords that are tucked away behind your mixer. A patch bay is a device that has a bunch of inputs and outputs that allows you to route your gear in (and out) in an almost infinite variety of ways. If you do much plugging and unplugging, you'll quickly find out that a patch bay is an indispensable item. It can save your back — and your cords (repeated plugging and unplugging wears them out quickly and produces buzzes that can be hard to locate).
**Figure 3-15:** A patch bay lets you plug and unplug gear without having to crawl behind each piece of gear.
Taming heat and dust
The number-one enemy of electronic equipment is heat. Dust is a close second. Try to set up your studio in a room that you can keep cool and fairly dust-free. Air conditioning is a must for most studios. Be careful with a window air conditioner, though, because it can make a lot of noise, requiring you to shut it off when you record. Depending on where you live, this can quickly warm your room. Regarding dust, try to cover your equipment when you're not using it, especially your microphones. A plastic bag placed over the top of a mic on a stand works well.
You can also just put away your mics when you're not using them. However, if you use a particular mic a lot, you're better off leaving it on a stand rather than constantly handling it — some types of mics are pretty fragile. (You can find more details on caring for your mics in Chapter 6.)
Monitoring your monitors
If you have a set of near-field monitors (speakers) — the kind that are designed to be placed close to you — they should be set up so that they are the same distance from each other and from you, forming an equilateral triangle (see, high school math has some real-world applications). The monitors should also be placed at about the height of your ears.
Figure 3-16 illustrates the best placement for your monitors. Placing your monitors this way ensures that you hear the best possible sound from them and that you can accurately hear the stereo field. (For more on the stereo field, see Chapter 14.)
**Figure 3-16:** Your monitors (speakers) sound best when placed at equal distances from each other and from you.
Optimizing Your Room
Your studio probably occupies a corner in your living room, a spare bedroom, or a section of your basement or garage. All of these environments are less-than-ideal for recording. Even if you intend to record mostly by plugging your instrument or sound module directly into the mixer, how your room sounds has a big effect on how well your music turns out.
As a home recordist, you probably can't create a top-notch sound room. Professional studios spend serious cash — up to seven figures — to make their rooms sound, well, professional. Fortunately, you don't need to spend near that much money to record music that sounds great. All you need is a little understanding of the way sound travels, some ingenuity, and a little bit of work.
Isolating sound
When you start recording in your home, both you and your neighbors are probably concerned about the amount of sound that gets into and out of your room. Sound waves are nasty little buggers. They get through almost any surface, and you can't do a lot to stop that from happening.
You've probably noticed this phenomenon when somebody with a massive subwoofer in his car drives by your house blasting obnoxious music. (Ever notice how someone else's music is obnoxious whereas your music never is, no matter how loud you play it?) Your windows rattle, your walls shake, and your favorite mug flies off the shelf and breaks into a thousand pieces. Well, this is one of the problems with sound.
The best (and classic) way to isolate your studio room from everything around it is to build a room within a room or to use sound isolation materials to reduce the level of sound passing through your floors, ceilings, or walls. I don't have the space to go into detail here, but you can find resources to get you started by doing a Google search with the keywords "sound isolation." Here are a couple of places to get you started:
Sound Isolation Company (`www.soundisolationcompany.com`): Aside from selling products to help you keep the sound in (or out) of your studio, you'll find useful information here about the process of sound isolation.
Netwell (`www.esoundproof.com`): Again, this company sells products to help control sound, but you'll also find good basic information here to get you started.
If you don't have the money or space to build a room within a room or to add expensive sound isolation barriers to your recording space, the best thing you can do is to try to understand what noises are getting in and getting out and deal with those noises. For example, if you live in a house or apartment with neighbors close by, don't record live drums at night. You could also consider using a drum machine or electronic drum set instead.
Another idea is to choose a room in your house or apartment that is the farthest away from outside noise (an interior room, for instance). Basements also work well because they're underground, and the ground absorbs most of the sound. Placing a little fiberglass batt insulation in the ceiling — the typical house insulation that you can find at your local home center — can isolate you pretty well from your neighbors. Detached garages are generally farther away from other buildings, so sound has a chance to dissipate before it reaches your neighbors (or before your neighbors' noise reaches your garage).
Also, keep the following points in mind when trying to isolate your studio:
Dead air and mass are your friends. The whole concept of a room within a room is to create mass and dead-air space so that the sound is trapped. When you work on isolating your room, try to design in some space that can trap air (dead air) — such as a suspended ceiling or big upholstered furniture — or use double layers of drywall on your walls (mass).
Don't expect acoustical foam or carpet to reduce the noise. Using these items helps reduce the amount of sound that bounces around inside the room, but acoustical foam or carpet does little toward keeping the sound in or out of the room.
Isolate the instrument instead of the room. Isolating the sound of your guitar amp can be much less expensive than trying to soundproof your whole room. Most commercial studios have one or more isolation booths that they use for recording vocals and other acoustic instruments. You can use that concept to create your own mini-isolation booths.
One idea for a truly mini–isolation booth is to make an insulated box for your guitar (or bass) amp. If you just have to crank your amp to get the sound that you want, you can reduce the amount of noise that it makes by placing it inside an insulated box. Check out Figure 3-17 to see what I mean.
**Figure 3-17:** An amp-isolator box reduces the amount of noise you hear from your amp, even when it's cranked.
You can also create an isolated space in a closet by insulating it and closing the door when you record, or you can put your guitar amp (or drums) in another room and run a long cord from there to your recorder. If you do this, remember that for long cord runs, you need to use balanced cords; otherwise you may get a bunch of noise and your signal may be too low to record well.
Controlling sound
After you create a room that's as isolated from the outside world as possible, you need to deal with the way sound acts within your room.
Sound travels through the air in the form of waves. These waves bounce around the room and cause reflections (reverberations or echoes). One of the problems with most home studios is that they're small. And because sound travels very fast (about 1,130 feet per second — the exact speed depends on the humidity in the environment), when you sit at your monitors and listen, you hear the reflected sound as well as the original sound that comes out of your speakers. With big rooms, you can hear the original sound and reflections as separate sounds, meaning that the reflections themselves become less of a problem. For a good home studio, you need to tame these reflections so that they don't interfere with your ability to clearly hear the speakers.
How all these reflections bounce around your room can get pretty complicated. Read up on acoustics (the way sound behaves) to discover more about different room modes: axial (one dimension), tangential (two dimensions), and oblique (three dimensions). Each relates to the way that sound waves interact as they bounce around a room. Knowing your room's modes can help you come up with an acoustical treatment strategy, but very complicated formulas are used to figure out your room's modes, especially those dastardly tangential and oblique modes.
You can find out more on room modes, as well as discover some room mode calculators, by using your favorite Internet search engine and searching for room modes. I recommend that you research these modes; this topic alone could fill an entire book.
At the risk of offending professional acoustical engineers, I'm going to share some tricks that I've been using in my studios. My main goal has been to create a room with a sound I like that gives me some measure of control over the reflections within the room. Because I (and most home recordists) both record and mix in one room, it's helpful to be able to make minor adjustments to the acoustics to get the sound I want.
The single best source I've found for sound control and acoustics information is Ethan Winer's forum at Musicplayer.com. You can check it out at `http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/24/page/1``.`
Sound control plays a major role in two aspects of recording — tracking and mixing — and each requires different approaches for you to get the best possible sound from your recordings. I cover both of these aspects in the sections that follow.
Sound control during tracking
Tracking is what you're doing when you're recording. Two things that can make a room a bad environment for tracking are not enough sound reflection and too much sound reflection.
When tracking, your goal is to have a room that's not so dead (in terms of sound reflection) that it sucks the life out of your instrument and not so alive that it over-colors the sound. The determining factors in how much reflection you need in your room are the instrument that you record and the way it sounds in the room. If your room is too dead (with not enough sound reflection), you want to add some reflective surfaces to liven things up (the room, that is). If your room is too alive (with too much sound reflection), you need to add some absorptive materials to tame those reflections.
You could buy a bunch of foam panels to catch the reflections or install a wood floor or attach some paneling to the walls to add some life, but then you would be stuck with the room sounding only one way. It may end up sounding good for recording drums or an acoustic guitar, but it would probably be too alive for getting a great vocal sound — which requires a deader space. One solution that works well is to get (or make) some portable panels that can either absorb or reflect the sound.
Figure 3-18 shows an absorber/reflector that I've used and found to work well. One side has an absorptive material (dense fiberglass insulation), and the other has a reflective surface (wood). They are assembled in an attractive frame and designed to stack easily. Even with minimal woodworking experience, you can crank out a set of them in a weekend for very little money (about $50 per panel). I guarantee that if you make them (or hire someone to make them for you), you'll find dozens of uses for them around your studio. (I outline a bunch of ways to use them in Chapter 9.)
Sound control during mixing
The following sections detail the steps that can help you control the sound of your (probably less-than-perfect) room during mixing.
**Figure 3-18:** Portable absorbers/reflectors make changing the sound characteristics of your room quick and easy.
Get a good pair of near-field monitors
Near-field monitors are designed to be listened to up close (hence the near in their name) and can lessen the effects that the rest of the room has on your ability to accurately hear them and to get a good mix.
Mix at low volumes
I know; mixing at low volumes takes the fun out of it, right? Well, as fun as it may be to mix at high volumes, it rarely translates into a great mix. Great mixing engineers often listen to their mixers at very low levels. Yes, they occasionally use high levels, but only after the mixing is almost done and even then only for short periods of time. After all, if you damage your ears, you'll end up with a short career as a sound engineer (hey, that rhymes!). I don't want to sound like your mother, but try to resist the temptation to crank it up. Your ears will last longer and your mixes will sound better.
Use panels to tame sound
Even with these two things (near-field monitors and low mixing levels), you still need to do something to your room to make it work better for you. The secret to getting a good mixing room is to tame the sound reflections coming out of your speakers. Dealing with high and midrange frequencies is pretty easy — just put up some foam panels or the absorptive side of the panels from Figure 3-18. (See, I told you that you would have a use for those panels.) Here's a rundown on how to place absorption panels in your studio:
Start by hanging two panels on the wall behind you (or by putting them on a stand or table) at the level of your speakers.
Put one panel on each side wall, right where the speakers are pointed. This positioning, shown in Figure 3-19, gets rid of the higher frequencies and eliminates much of the echo.
You may need to put some type of panel on the ceiling right above your head. This is especially important if you have a low (8-feet-high or less) or textured ceiling (you know, one with that popcorny stuff sprayed on).
**Figure 3-19:** Positioning the absorber/reflectors like this helps with mixing.
You may not want to mount one of the absorber panels over your head because they're fairly heavy. A couple of 2-×-4-foot dense fiberglass panels (the same ones that you used in the absorber/reflectors) wrapped with fabric would work perfectly. In fact, you can easily make overhead diffusers like the ones shown in Figure 3-20.
You can also place a set of fiberglass panels in the corners of your room behind the speakers. Just hang the panels at the same height as your speakers so that they cut off the corner of the room. If you don't have enough room to fit the panels at an angle in the corner, you can eliminate the backing from the fiberglass and bend the fabric-covered panel to fit right in the corner. Either approach absorbs sound that may bounce around behind the speakers.
**Figure 3-20:** Use overhead panels to get rid of reflections off the ceiling.
Use bass traps to tame standing waves
You also need to consider standing waves when mixing. Standing waves are created when bass tones begin reflecting around your room and bounce into each other. Standing waves can either over-accentuate the bass from your speakers (resulting in mixes that are short on bass) or cancel out some or all of the bass coming out of your speakers (resulting in mixes with too much bass). One problem with standing waves is that they can really mess up your mixes, and you may not know that they are there.
To find out whether you have a problem with standing waves in your studio, sit in front of your monitors and carefully listen to one of your favorite CDs. Okay, now lean forward and backward a bit. Does the amount of bass that you hear change as you move? Next, get up and walk around the room. Listen for places within the room where the bass seems to be louder or softer. You may find places where the bass drops out almost completely. If either inspection proves to be true, you are the proud owner of standing waves. Don't worry, though. You can tame that standing-wave monster with a pair of bass traps.
Bass traps absorb the energy in the lower frequencies so that they don't bounce all over your room and throw off your mixes. You can buy bass traps made of foam from some music stores or (yep, you guessed it) you can make your own out of wood and insulation. Check out Figure 3-21 for a look at some homemade bass traps.
The most common placement for bass traps is in the corners behind you when you're sitting at your mixer (see Figure 3-22). Placing a set of bass traps in the other corners of the room can help even more.
**Figure 3-21:** Use bass traps to get rid of standing waves.
**Figure 3-22:** Put bass traps in the corners behind you to eliminate standing waves.
After you place the bass traps, do the listening test again. If you notice areas where the bass seems to get louder or softer, try moving the bass traps around a little. With trial and error, you can find a place where they work best.
Try not to stress out about the sound of your room. As important as your room's sound may be, it has a lot less impact on the quality of your recordings than good, solid engineering practices. I know, I keep saying this, but it's important to remember. So do what you can and then work with what you have.
Part II
Recording 101
In this part . . .
Part II gets into more gear talk — this time allowing you to get a deeper understanding of the main parts of a home studio. Chapter 4 introduces you to the way the signal flows through different systems. You discover the role of all the knobs, buttons, and connectors in recording systems. Chapter 5 explores MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and shows you how you can harness this powerful communication tool to enhance your music. Chapter 6 takes you inside the world of microphones. You discover the three most common types of microphones for the home studio along with practical advice on which ones work best for each instrument.
Chapter 4
Meet the Mixer
In This Chapter
Understanding the different types of mixers
Deciphering channel strips
Exploring routing and busing
If you've ever been to a recording studio and watched a great recording engineer create a mix, you've probably been entranced by the way that he or she interacted with the mixing board: a dance around the mixer, a twist of a knob here, a push of a slider there. All this works to the beat of the music. It's like watching a genius painter paint, or a great orchestra conductor conduct, or a brilliant surgeon surge . . . er, operate. I'll even bet that one reason that home recording caught your interest is the chance to play with those knobs and sliders yourself. Go ahead and admit it — you'll feel better.
Well, you get your chance in this chapter. Not only do you discover what all those knobs and sliders do, but you also begin to understand all the functions that the mixer fulfills in the studio. You discover what makes up a channel strip and how it's used. You get a chance to see how busing and routing work and even discover what these terms mean. But first you start by examining the different types of mixers that are used in home studios.
Meeting the Many Mixers
For the home recordist, mixers come in several varieties: the analog desk, the digital mixer or computer control surface — with or without sliding faders and fader banks — and software mixers controlled by your computer mouse and keyboard.
Your choice of mixer mostly depends on the other equipment that you use in your studio and on your budget. Here's the lowdown for the three basic types of recording systems:
Studio-in-a-box (SIAB) system: These all-in-one units come with a digital mixer — just plug in your instrument or microphone and you're ready to go. Most mixers in these units offer quite a bit of flexibility in routing your signal, so you'll likely be able to do quite a bit with little hassle. The features of the mixer in each SIAB system vary, so look at the specs of the unit that interests you before you buy.
Computer-based system: All recording software includes a digital mixer that's controlled by your keyboard and mouse. Most of these programs also allow you to connect an external bit of hardware called the computer control surface. This gives you real knobs and sliders to tinker with as you work.
Stand-alone components: Because everything is separate in this type of system, you need to buy a mixer before you can use your recorder. Here you can choose between an analog or digital mixer, and you need to invest in the cords necessary to make the proper connections (this alone can get expensive). The type of mixer you choose will partly be based on your budget, but it will mostly be based on your working style and whether you prefer analog or digital mixing. I talk more about these mixers in the next two sections.
Analog mixer
The analog mixer, shown in Figure 4-1, enables you to route the signals within the analog domain. Analog mixers tend to have many knobs, lights, and faders — a set for each channel. If you want to change from mixing inputs (your instruments) to mixing sounds recorded on the recorder, you need to plug and unplug cords, or you need to get a mixer with twice as many channels as your recorder.
Analog mixers are quickly becoming relics of the past for most home recordists. This is because digital mixers offer more functions for the price and generally sound just as good — if not better — than their analog counterparts. That said, many commercial studios still use (and prefer) large analog desks for their mixing needs. This is because top-notch analog mixers ($100,000+ to over $1 million) have a sound that many pros prefer. They also look impressive, and many engineers are used to the workflow of an analog mixer.
**Figure 4-1:** The analog mixer has tons of knobs, lights, and faders to play with.
Digital mixer
The digital mixer, shown in Figure 4-2, is a great option for home studio owners because it can perform the same functions as a conventional analog mixer in a lot less space. Routing — the process of sending your signals to various places within the mixer — becomes almost easy using one of these mixers. You can switch between input and track channels without having to change a single cord.
**Figure 4-2:** The digital mixer performs the same functions as an analog mixer but takes up less space.
Digital mixers handle all the busing and routing tasks within the digital domain. With no cords to mess with, noise is less likely to enter the system. And if noise does enter the system, it's easier to find and eliminate.
One of the great things about digital mixers is that you can automate your mix. You can set up complex fader and effects changes to run automatically. Some digital mixers even have motorized faders, which are really fun to watch!
Software mixer
If you want the flexibility of a digital mixer and don't have an overpowering need to physically touch the faders and knobs, a software mixer (shown in Figure 4-3) may work for you. The software mixer is included with any computer audio or MIDI production software program. The advantage of a software mixer is that after you have the computer and audio software that you want, you have nothing else to buy.
Software mixers work much the same way as digital mixers. Because software mixers are digital, you have an almost infinite variety of routing choices that you can make without having to patch and repatch cables. Still, some people may not be too keen on mixing with a keyboard and a mouse instead of the more traditional knobs or slide faders.
**Figure 4-3:** Use your mouse and computer keyboard to control a software mixer.
For those of you who want the best of both worlds — high-tech computer software and tactile stimulation — you can find control surfaces that allow you to control the software's mixer using real faders and knobs, as described in the next section.
Computer control surface
If you end up with a computer-based system with a software mixer, you'll have some knobs, buttons, and faders to play around with on the computer control surface, as shown in Figure 4-4. Aside from being able to fiddle with knobs, you'll find that a computer control surface is a handy tool if you decide to use a computer-based Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and want (or need) to control the virtual mixer with some hardware.
**Figure 4-4:** A computer control surface acts like a digital mixer for a computer-based system.
These controllers send MIDI messages — messages encoded using the Musical Instrument Digital Interface communications protocol — to the computer. These MIDI messages tell the computer which parameters to change. Programming a computer control surface to work like a separate digital mixer is easily done.
Not all software works with each computer control surface, so check with the software or computer control surface manufacturer before you buy to make sure that the computer control surface is compatible with your system.
Understanding Mixer Basics
The mixer is an extremely versatile piece of equipment, allowing you a staggering variety of input and output configurations. And digital mixers (both hardware and software) are even more flexible than their analog counterparts. In fact, many digital mixers can be programmed to do almost anything you can imagine. Regardless of the type of mixer that you use, some mixing aspects are universal: the inputs, the channel strip, busing (also known as routing), and the outputs. The rest of the chapter explores these functions.
Think of a mixing board as a sort of air-traffic controller for the audio world. Just as the guys (and gals) in the towers near an airport communicate with all the planes in the air, making sure that collisions are avoided and that traffic moves quickly and efficiently, the mixer routes all the incoming and outgoing signals from the instruments, effects, and recording devices so that the signals reach their desired destination without any problems.
Examining inputs
To move your audio signal around within your mixer, first you need to get the signal into the system and then adjust the signal level. You perform these steps with the input jacks and the trim control.
Inputs
You find the following three basic types of inputs, which are generally located in the back of your system:
Microphone: This is the XLR input (the three-pin thingy). It's used for microphones and often also has phantom power as part of its connection (which generally can be turned off if you want). Phantom power is necessary for condenser mics to function; Chapter 6 has details.
Line/instrument: This is a 1⁄4-inch jack (generally TS but sometimes TRS-balanced) that accepts line-level signals from a synthesizer, a drum machine, or the line output from your guitar amp.
Hi-Z: This is an input designed for the home recordist. This type of input uses a mono 1⁄4-inch (TS) jack and allows you to plug your electric guitar (or bass or fiddle — anything with an electronic pickup) directly into your system without having to mic it or run it through a direct box first.
For more on the different connector types, check out Chapter 3.
A direct box (or DI box, short for direct injection) is traditionally used to connect your guitar or bass directly to the mixer without having to run it through your amp first. A direct box's purpose is twofold:
To change the guitar's impedance level so that the mixer can create the best sound possible (otherwise the guitar can sound thin or noisy)
To change the cord from unbalanced 1⁄4-inch to balanced XLR so that you can use a long cord without creating noise
For more on cord types and balanced versus unbalanced signals, see Chapter 3.
If you use a computer-based system, the inputs and outputs are located in your audio interface — the hardware you use to connect the analog world to the computer world. Chapter 2 has more on the various types of available interfaces.
Trim control
The Trim control is a knob that's used to adjust the level of the input signal as it enters the mixer. You usually find the Trim control at the top of the front panel of your hardware unit. On SIAB systems and analog and digital mixers, this control is generally located at the top of the mixer section for each channel, and on audio interfaces, it's often found on the front panel. The amount that you adjust the Trim control depends on the instrument that you have plugged into the channel strip. If the Trim control is set too high, you get distortion; if it's set too low, you get a signal that's too weak to record. So be sure to listen as you make your adjustments.
Most Trim controls have a switch or markings for Line or Mic(rophone) signals, with the Line level to the right and the Mic level to the left. Turn the knob all the way to the left for line sources — or slowly turn it to the right for microphone sources — until you get a nice, clean sound coming into the mixer. See Chapter 7 for more on setting input levels.
For microphone sources, you use the Trim control to adjust the level for recording. Turning the control up (turning the knob clockwise) activates an internal preamp in the mixer, which boosts the level of the signal coming from the mic. The internal preamp in pro mixers is usually fairly decent (it can sound pretty good). However, many professionals prefer to use an external preamp because it can often sound better or have a sound characteristic they want.
If you use an external preamp, check the owner's manual of your mixer to see whether you can bypass the internal preamp. Most professional mixers enable you to do this. Sometimes just turning the Trim control all the way down (to the Line marking) disengages the preamp from the circuit.
Checking out the channel strip
The mixer is composed of numerous channels through which you route your signal when you record or mix. The set of controls for each channel makes up what's called the channel strip. The channel strip contains a lot of information, and the visual position of the various functions often doesn't correspond with the actual flow of the signal. In the following sections, I explain both the elements of a typical digital channel strip and the path of the signal through this part of the mixer.
Viewing the channel strip layout
Figure 4-5 shows the channel strip in a typical analog mixer, and Figure 4-6 shows the channel strip for a software mixer. Even though the mixer may look confusing with all its knobs or buttons, lights, and sliders, you only need to understand the basic makeup of one channel to understand them all. The channel strip's job is to send the signal from an instrument or microphone to wherever you want that signal to go.
**Figure 4-5:** The channel strip in an analog mixer moves the signal through your mixer.
**Figure 4-6:** The channel strip in a software or digital mixer lets you control your signal in many ways.
Because most home recordists use a digital mixer of some sort — whether software or hardware — I explain the channel strip in Pro Tools to give you an idea of the functions of digital mixers in the channel strip window (as shown in Figure 4-6). Your mixer may have some different features (and a different layout), but the basic functions are pretty universal. These features are as follows:
Input: This is where you choose the input that's assigned to the channel strip. In most systems, making the selection is as simple as clicking the Input button and choosing from a menu that opens on-screen. You can generally choose between a physical input from your hardware interface or a bus (an internal signal). For more on routing an input, see the section "Recognizing mixer routing," later in this chapter.
Output: This button controls the output of the track — where the sound goes when it leaves the track. This can be a hardware output or any of the buses (internal signal paths) that are available in your system.
Automation Mode: In digital systems, automation means having certain channel strip parameters (such as volume, panning, mute, send level, and insert level) adjust dynamically throughout the song. Using this button, you can choose among the different automation modes. These vary depending on the type of system you have.
Track Group: This menu lets you group your track with others. This is handy for creating submixes (mixed tracks within the larger mix) such as for drums. Creating a group lets you adjust one track fader to control all the faders in the group.
Panning dial: Use this dial (or a slider in some systems) to pan your track to the left or the right in the stereo field. (For more on panning, see Chapter 14.)
Panning display: This display shows your track's panning position — its place to the left, right, or center in the stereo field.
Solo and Mute: These buttons either solo or mute the track. Solo means that all the other tracks in your song are silenced (muted). Muting means that only the selected track is silenced.
Record Enable: Pressing the Record Enable button enables the track for recording. When enabled, this button flashes red. In digital mixers, SIAB systems, and computer control surfaces, this button is located on the physical unit and not on the screen.
Volume Fader: This is the control for setting the volume of the audio that's contained in this track.
Velocity/Volume Meter: This display, located to the right of the Volume Fader, shows you the volume (Pro Tools calls this velocity) of the track as the music plays. If you have a color display, any notes above digital 0 usually show in red at the top of the display.
Track Type: This icon shows you the type of track. This is handy with systems that can record and play back audio and MIDI tracks.
Numerical Volume: This display shows you the volume of the track in decibels.
Track name: Many digital mixers allow you to customize the tracks' names so you can remember what's recorded on them. You see the name listed here. To change the name at any time, click it and type a new one.
Following the flow of the signal
One of the most important things to understand when recording is how the signal moves within your system. This knowledge lets you make the most of your tracks and helps you tailor the sound to match the music you hear in your head as you compose, engineer, or produce your masterpiece.
Using the ubiquitous Pro Tools as an example again, here's how the signal flows through the channel strip (shown from top to bottom in Figure 4-7):
Source audio or input: This is the signal that is coming from your hardware input or that is recorded to your hard drive. The signal starts here and enters the track's channel strip.
Insert: This function lets you insert effects into your track. This function is for effects, such as equalizers or dynamics processors, where you want to change the sound of the entire signal. Some SIAB systems, such as the Roland boxes, have separate EQ sections.
Send Prefader: The Send function lets you route part of your signal out to an Aux bus, where you can then insert an effect such as reverb. With effects such as reverb, you don't want to use the Insert function — as you would with a compressor — because you want to be able to control how much of the effect you hear. (Compressors only enable you to affect the entire signal, not some portion of it.)
Adjust this slider or knob to send as much or as little of the signal to the appropriate auxiliary component (Aux, get it?) for effects processing, applying as much or as little of that effect to your final sound. Turning the knob to the left produces less effect, and turning it to the right gives more effect.
Along with being able to set the Effect Send level at each channel (you can send more than one channel's signal to each effect), you can also adjust the level of the affected signal that's brought back into the mixer by using the Aux bus fader (which is described in the next section).
The Aux Send function can often be set to send the track's signal either prefader or postfader. Having this option gives you more flexibility to control the affected sound. For example, you can send the dry signal of a kick drum to a reverb (with the switch in the Pre position) and then boost the bass on the dry signal. Doing this gives you some reverb on the higher frequencies without adding it to the lower ones, which would create some mud in the final mix.
The downside to this technique is that you can't control the level of the signal being sent to the effect using the fader. (You bypassed the fader in the Pre position.) In this case, if you raise and lower the channel fader, the amount of effect that you hear in relation to the dry signal changes as well. For example, when you lower the fader, you hear more effect because less dry signal is mixed in — and when you raise the fader, you hear less effect because the dry signal is louder and the effect level is the same.
**Figure 4-7:** Sound travels through the channel strip from top to bottom.
Solo and Mute: These buttons let you solo (silence all other tracks) and mute (silence) the output of the track.
Fader: This function lets you control the level (volume) of your signal leaving the track and going to the output(s) you have chosen in the Output section of the channel strip.
Send Postfader: When you have the Pre button disengaged, your Send signal is sent from your track after it passes through the track fader. Adjusting the volume of the track also adjusts the level going through your Send function.
Pan: This control lets you adjust the amount of your signal that goes to the left or right channel of your stereo output.
Output: This is where your signal goes as it leaves the track's channel strip. This can be the master bus (connected to one of your physical outputs) or an aux or a submix bus, where it will later be sent to the master bus.
Recognizing mixer routing
After you have an instrument plugged into the mixer channel strip, you want to send that signal somewhere. This is referred to as routing or busing. (The place where the signal ends up is, conveniently enough, referred to as a bus.) Most mixers offer numerous busing possibilities, as follows:
Master bus: This is where your signal goes before it leaves your system and where you mix all your tracks.
Submix bus: This is where you can mix several tracks before they go to the master bus.
Auxiliary bus: This is where you can add an effect to your signal and then move it along to the master bus.
In the next few sections, I introduce you to some of the most-used busing options and describe some ways to make this process easier.
Master bus
The master bus is where your music gets mixed and where you choose which of the physical outputs this stereo mix goes to. The Pan knob setting for each channel strip (how far to the left or right) dictates how much signal is sent to the left or right channels of the master bus.
The master bus has a channel strip of its own where you can insert effects such as a compressor or EQ. (I'm not a big fan of this, as you find out in Chapter 16.) The master bus channel strip looks like a, ahem, stripped-down version of a regular channel strip — it doesn't have some routing options such as an input selector, sends, or solo and mute buttons. This is because it's the final stage of your signal flow, so these functions aren't necessary.
Faders for each channel control how much level is sent to the master bus and how the volume of each channel relates to the other. The master fader only determines the amount of overall volume of all channels that are routed to it (for sending out to your speakers or to the stereo mix level).
Sub (submix) bus
Sometimes you have a group of instruments (such as drums) that you want to control as a group independently of the master fader. Sending these tracks to another track and submixing them there enables you to adjust the overall volume of the drums without affecting the volume of any other instruments that aren't assigned to this channel. This is called a submix, and signals sent this way are sent (wait for it . . .) through the submix bus. When your signal exits this bus, it goes to the master bus, where your signal is blended with the rest of your tracks.
Software mixers, such as the one in Pro Tools, often don't have submix buses per se. Instead, you can simply route your signal to any of the internal buses, where you can adjust the level of all the signals coming to that bus by using the channel strip fader associated with the bus.
Auxiliary (aux) bus
The aux bus is where you send your signal when you use one of the Send functions in your channel strip. This bus often has a channel strip of its own, where you can insert the effect you want to use. From this bus, your signal goes to the master bus, where the signal is mixed with the rest of your tracks.
Opting for outputs
Most mixers have a bunch of output jacks that are located on the back of the hardware, to the left. You often find output jacks for the master bus, headphones, and monitors.
Master Out jack
The Master Out jack goes to the power amp for your speakers or goes directly to powered monitors, if you have any. This jack is generally controlled by the master fader and sends the signal that's routed through the master bus.
Phones jack
The Phones jack is for your headphones and is fed by the Phones knob on the master console. This jack carries the same signal as the master bus — only you can control the volume separately.
Monitors jack
The Monitors jack generally contains that same signal as the headphones and master outs but gives you another place to be able to plug in speakers or headphones. Oftentimes the Monitor Out jack is also used for hardware monitoring in systems that have it. Hardware monitoring, which is common on computer-based audio interfaces, enables you to monitor directly from the interface, rather than wait until the audio signal goes into the computer and back out again before it reaches your ears. This reduces the latency that is often heard when listening to yourself as you record.
Chapter 5
MIDI and Electronic Instruments
In This Chapter
Understanding MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
Getting to know MIDI ports
Making sense of MIDI data
Choosing the MIDI gear you need
My first job in a recording studio was in 1985. I can still remember the first time I walked into that studio. The owner was sitting, arms crossed, in a chair in front of the mixing console (it was called a console in those days because the mixer took up nearly the whole room). He looked at me and pressed a key on the Macintosh computer sitting next to him. Then, all of a sudden, a synthesizer started playing, then another, and yet another. This is cool, I thought. But then I heard my nemesis — the drum machine.
Drum machines made me lose my recording gigs as a drummer and drove me to expand my career to that of a recording engineer as well. However, I eventually came to love that drum machine and the many others to follow (sigh). In fact, over the years, I became so captivated by the whole MIDI/drum machine thing that I assembled a whole series of electronic drum sets using drum machines and samplers — all controlled through MIDI.
In this chapter, you find out how MIDI enables synthesizers and computers to communicate with one another — a revolutionary thing for a musician. You get your hands dirty in the world of sequencing — the process of recording MIDI performance information so that you can play your performance automatically. You also peruse a variety of MIDI-capable instruments and explore the ins and outs of controlling your MIDI gear.
Like audio recording, MIDI can be a deep subject. You can go nuts trying to understand every little nuance of MIDI. (I know some guys who are not quite the same after plunging head first into this stuff.) The reality is that to use MIDI effectively, you don't need to know every little thing about it. In this chapter, I focus on what you need to know to get started.
Meeting MIDI
MIDI is a protocol that musical instruments use to communicate with one another. They do this through a cabled connection and a language that allows each one to understand the other, regardless of the manufacturer or instrument. All that's required is an instrument equipped with MIDI ports (jacks).
MIDI data is different from an audio recording because it contains no sound as such; rather, it's limited to performance information. This includes information about various performance characteristics, including the following:
Note-on and note-off: What note is played and when
Velocity: How hard someone presses a key
After-touch: Whether the key pressure changes after the initial press
Vibrato and pitch bend: Whether the pitch changes while a key is pressed
This information allows the MIDI musician to potentially create a performance that is as rich in texture as those of the world's finest players.
Digital messages that are sent from one device to another across a cable (called the MIDI cable, of course) create MIDI data. The cable connects to MIDI ports on each device, and the messages are sent in the form of binary digits. Each instrument can understand and respond to these messages.
Perusing MIDI ports
Three types of MIDI ports exist:
The out port sends messages.
The in port receives incoming messages.
You use the thru port when you create a daisy chain to connect more than two devices. The thru port sends the messages that one device receives directly to the in port of another instrument. Figure 5-1 shows a daisy chain setup.
**Figure 5-1:** MIDI devices can be connected through the in, out, and thru ports on each instrument.
MIDI signals travel in only one direction. Data flows from the out port of a device to an in port of another device, but not the other way around. Likewise, data going through the thru port originates from the first device in the chain and not the device whose thru port is being used. The way that data flows allows a lot of flexibility in how you can connect different devices. Here are some examples:
Example 1: In Figure 5-1, three synthesizers are connected in a daisy-chain lineup. A cable connects Device A's out port to Device B's in port. Another cable connects Device B's thru port to Device C's in port. In this scenario, Device A controls Devices B and C. Devices B and C can't control any other device, because neither Device B nor Device C has a connection from its out port.
Example 2: Suppose you connect Device B to Device C by using Device B's out port instead of its thru port. In this case, Device A sends messages to Device B but not to Device C. Device B controls Device C. Device C has no control over either A or B because neither one is connected to Device C's out port.
Example 3: Now take a look at Figure 5-2. In this figure, two devices (a synthesizer and a computer sequencer) have MIDI cables running from the out port of each to the in port of the other. (The MIDI interface in this figure is necessary to make MIDI connections in a computer.) This allows the communication to go both ways. For example, a master synthesizer and a computer sequencer are frequently connected this way so that you can send performance information from the synthesizer to the sequencer when you're recording your part and from the sequencer back to the synthesizer when you want to play the part back.
**Figure 5-2:** Connecting two devices with cords going both ways allows two-way communication.
A connection to a MIDI device's in port or through a device's thru port doesn't allow the device to control another device. A MIDI device can control another device only if the cable is connected from its out port to the other device's in port.
Understanding MIDI channels
Okay, so you have a daisy chain of MIDI instruments all hooked together and you want to control them from your master keyboard or sequencer program. Now you want the drum machine to play the drum part and a sound module to play the string part. This is where the MIDI channels come in handy.
The MIDI channels allow you to designate which messages go to a particular machine. You can program each machine to receive messages on one or more of the 16 MIDI channels. For instance, you can set your drum machine to receive messages on channel 10 (the default channel for drum sounds) and set the sound module with the string sounds to receive data on channel 1. (You set the MIDI channels on your instrument by using the System Parameters menu. Check your owner's manual for specific procedures.) After you assign your channels, your master keyboard sends the performance information for both the drum machine and the sound module playing the string sounds across one MIDI cable. Each receiving device responds only to the messages directed to the MIDI channel that it's assigned to receive.
In this scenario, the sound module with the string sounds receives all the data from the master keyboard, responds to the messages on channel 1, and simultaneously sends the data from the master keyboard to the drum machine (via the sound module's thru port). The drum machine receives the same messages from the master keyboard as the sound module but only responds to those sent for channel 10.
Having 16 MIDI channels allows you to have up to 16 separate instruments playing different parts at the same time. You may use 16 different devices or 16 different parts from the same device if you have a multitimbral sound generator. (For details, see the "Synthesizer" section later in this chapter.)
You would think that each MIDI channel would be sent along its own wire in the MIDI cable, but this is not the case. Inside the MIDI cable are three wires. Two wires are used for data transmission, and one is a shield. MIDI messages are sent across the two wires using a channel code, which tells the receiving device what channel the data following the code applies to. So a MIDI channel message, called a channel voice message, precedes each performance command.
Appreciating MIDI messages
For MIDI instruments to communicate with one another, they need to have a common vocabulary. This is where MIDI messages come in. MIDI messages contain an array of commands, including the following:
Performance data messages: These messages consist of note-on and note-off, velocity, after-touch, vibrato, and pitch-bend messages.
MIDI performance data messages each have 128 different values. For example, each note that you play on the keyboard has a number associated with it (middle C is 60, for instance). Likewise, velocity is recorded and sent as a number between 0 and 127, 0 being the softest volume (no sound) and 127 being the loudest that you can play.
Control change messages: These are a type of performance data message. These messages contain data about expression, including modulation, volume, and pan.
System-common messages: These messages contain data about which channel the performance data is sent to and what sound in the sound library to play. System common messages also include information about timing data, master volume, and effects settings.
System-exclusive messages: These messages contain information that is exclusive to the system or device. The messages can include data transfers of new sound patches, among other things.
To use MIDI effectively, you don't need to know all (or many, really) of the MIDI messages that a device can recognize. If you hook up your gear and play, your MIDI devices generate and respond to the messages for you.
Not all MIDI devices recognize all the MIDI commands. For example, a sound module generally can't send performance data messages, such as after-touch messages, because a sound module doesn't have triggering mechanisms that produce these commands.
Check your instrument's manual for a MIDI Implementation Chart. All MIDI instruments come with this chart. In it, you can find a list of all the MIDI commands that the device can send or receive. The chart also includes information on polyphony, which refers to how many notes the instrument can play at once, and multitimbrality, or how many different sounds the instrument can produce at the same time.
Managing modes
Your synthesizer, drum machine, or other MIDI module has the following four operating modes that dictate how your instrument responds to the MIDI messages it receives:
Mode 1 — Omni On/Poly: In Omni On/Poly mode, your instrument responds to all the MIDI messages coming across the wires (well, except the MIDI channel data). This means that your synthesizer or other device tries to play the parts of all the instruments hooked up to your MIDI controller. In this mode, your device also plays polyphonically (more than one note at a time).
Some older MIDI devices default to Omni On/Poly Mode (Mode 1) when you turn them on. In this case, you need to reset your instrument if it's one of several in your MIDI setup. If you don't, the instrument responds to any MIDI messages sent from the controller, not just the ones directed toward that instrument.
Mode 2 — Omni On/Mono: Omni On/Mono mode allows your device to receive messages from all MIDI channels but only lets it play one note at time (monophonically). This mode is rarely, if ever, used.
Mode 3 — Omni Off/Poly: In the Omni Off/Poly mode, your device can play polyphonically but responds only to MIDI signals on the channels that it's set to. This is the mode you use most often when sequencing. I talk more about the magic of sequencing in the "Sequencer" section later in this chapter.
Mode 4 — Omni Off/Mono: In the Omni Off/Mono mode, your instrument responds only to the messages sent on the MIDI channel that it's set to and ignores the rest. Rather than play polyphonically, as in mode 3, your instrument plays only one note at a time. This can be advantageous if you're playing a MIDI controller from an instrument that can play only one note at a time, such as a saxophone.
Taking a look at General MIDI
If you compose music for other people to play on their MIDI instruments or if you want to use music from another composer, General MIDI is invaluable to you. General MIDI (GM) is a protocol that enables a MIDI instrument to provide a series of sounds and messages that are consistent with other MIDI instruments. With General MIDI, you can take a Standard MIDI File (SMF) of a song that was created on one sequencer program, transfer the file to another program, and use that other program to play the exact performance — sounds, timing, program changes, and everything else.
GM instruments contain numerous sound patches that the MIDI community has standardized. Although the quality of these sounds isn't subject to a uniform standard, their sound type and location (Acoustic Grand Piano on Patch #1, for instance) are the same on all GM-compatible machines.
Not all MIDI-capable instruments follow the GM standards. If this feature is important to you, be sure to find out whether the instrument that interests you is GM-compatible before you buy.
GM standards dictate not only the particular sounds of a synthesizer but also which drum sounds are located on which keys, how many notes of polyphony the instrument has, and how many different channels the instrument can receive and send instructions on. Here are the two levels of GM compatibility:
GM Level 1 compatibility: Level 1 protocols were developed in 1991 and consist of a minimum of 128 instrument patches, 24 notes of polyphony, receiving and sending capability for all 16 MIDI channels, 16-part multitimbrality, and a host of controller and performance messages.
GM Level 2 compatibility: Level 2 was implemented in 1999 and includes more sounds, polyphony, and features. A GM-compatible device has 32 notes of polyphony, 16-channel support, up to 16 simultaneous instrument sound patches, and a host of additional sounds (384, to be exact), including 2 channels of simultaneous percussion sounds. Also added to the GM2 standard are reverb and chorus effects.
Gearing Up for MIDI
Okay, so this MIDI thing sounds kind of interesting to you, and you want to know what you need to buy to do some MIDIing yourself. Well, I'm sorry to inform you that you can't do any of this cool MIDI stuff with your vintage Stratocaster guitar or your acoustic drum set (unless you do some fancy rigging to your gear). Here's the equipment that you need to record using MIDI:
Sound generator: This device enables you to hear the music and may be a synthesizer, drum machine, sound module, or sampler.
MIDI controller: This device controls the MIDI instruments in your studio.
Sequencer: This device records and plays the MIDI performances that are programmed into it. The sequencer allows you to program your part into the synthesizer and have it play back automatically (much like the old-time player piano).
MIDI interface: This interface enables your computer to send and receive MIDI data.
I know this sounds like a lot of stuff, but most of this gear performs more than one function in the MIDI studio. For example, nearly all synthesizers come with drum sounds, and some synthesizers even include a sequencer. In this case, this one synthesizer can do the job of a sound generator, drum machine, MIDI controller, and sequencer all in one. Or, you can get a computer equipped with sequencing software (part of most recording programs such as Pro Tools, Sonar, or Logic), a couple of software synthesizers (acting as your sound modules/generators), and an external MIDI keyboard with its own internal interface (you can find many with USB connections that plug right into your computer). This setup gets you going with as few components as possible.
Sound generators
The sound generator is the core of the MIDI studio — it's what produces the sounds you hear. Without it, you may as well skip the rest of the stuff because, of course, you can't hear any of your work.
Sound generators can come in many different shapes and sizes: You find the fully functional keyboard synthesizer, the independent drum machine, the stand-alone sound module, samplers, software synthesizers (soft-synths), and the computer sound card. Each of these devices has its strengths and weaknesses.
In the following sections, I discuss the different types of sound generators. Although you may find one piece of equipment that does everything you want, in this section, I separate all the features that different equipment may have to help you understand the function of each feature and decide how to configure your studio.
Synthesizer
A synthesizer, like the one shown in Figure 5-3, consists of not only sounds but also a keyboard on which you can play these sounds. Synthesizers come in a variety of sizes and configurations. For example, some keyboards come with 61 keys (5 octaves) while others provide as many as 88 keys — the size of an acoustic piano keyboard.
**Figure 5-3:** A synthesizer contains a keyboard and a variety of sounds.
If you're in the market for a synthesizer, you need to consider the following things:
Polyphony: This is the number of keys that sound at one time. Most decent modern synthesizers have at least 16 notes of polyphony, although ones with 32 notes are not uncommon.
Each manufacturer treats polyphony differently, and the GM standards (discussed in the section "Taking a look at General MIDI," earlier in this chapter) allow some variations on the effective use of this parameter. For instance, a synth patch may use more than one sound to create the sound that you hear. The synth patch that you love so much may, in fact, consist of four different sounds layered on top of one another. In this case, you just reduced your polyphony to one-fourth with that one patch. If your synthesizer has 16-note polyphony, it's now down to 4-note polyphony because each of those 4 notes has four "sounds" associated with it. If you use this patch, you can play only 4 notes (a simple chord) at a time, not the 16 that you thought you had to work with.
Your best bet is to buy a synthesizer (or sound module) with the highest polyphony you can afford, especially if you want to layer one sound on top of another or do multitimbral parts with your synth.
Multitimbrality: Most decent keyboards allow you to play more than one sound patch at a time. This is called multitimbrality, which basically allows you to have your keyboard divided into several groups of sounds. For example, a multitimbral synth can divide a song's chords, melody, bass part, and drum-set sounds into different groups of sounds and then play all those groups at once.
If you do any sequencing, a multitimbral synth is a must-have. Otherwise you would need a separate synthesizer for each type of sound that you want to play. Fortunately, with the GM standards, compatible synthesizers made in the last ten years have the ability to play 16 sounds at once.
Keyboard feel: Some keyboards have weighted keys and feel like real pianos, while other keyboards have a somewhat spongy action. If you're a trained piano player, a spongy keyboard may feel uncomfortable to you. On the other hand, if you have no training in piano and don't need weighted keys, you don't have to pay the extra money for that feature.
Sound quality: This is a subjective thing. Choose the synthesizer that has the sounds that you think you'll use. I know this seems kind of obvious, but buy the synthesizer whose sounds you like even if this means waiting and saving some more money before you can buy. If you buy a synth that was a good deal but you don't love the sounds, you are wasting your money because you'll just end up buying the more expensive one later anyway.
Built-in sequencer: Many keyboards contain a built-in sequencer, which allows you to program and play back your performance. These are usually called keyboard workstations or MIDI workstations because they contain everything you need to create a song. If you're considering buying one of these complete workstations, take a good, hard look at the sequencer and the user interface to make sure that you like the way it works. Each manufacturer treats the process of sequencing a little differently; you can probably find a sequencer that fits your style of working.
Drum machine
A drum machine contains not only the sounds of the drum set and other more exotic drums but also a sequencer to allow you to program rhythms. Figure 5-4 shows you a typical drum machine.
Most drum machines contain hundreds of drum sounds, numerous preset rhythm patches, and the ability to program dozens of songs. All stand-alone drum machines have pads on which you can play the part. The more advanced drum machines can give your rhythms a more human feel. Effects, such as reverb and delay, are also fairly common on the more advanced drum machines.
**Figure 5-4:** A drum machine has drum sounds and often a sequencer to program rhythms.
Sound module
A sound module is basically a stripped-down version of a synthesizer or drum machine. Sound modules don't contain triggering devices, such as the keys for the keyboard or pads for the drum machine. What they do contain is a variety of sounds (often hundreds) that a master controller or sequencer triggers. The advantage of sound modules is that they take up little space and cost considerably less than their fully endowed counterparts, especially in the case of software synthesizers (generally called soft-synths).
If you already have a master keyboard, adding sound modules can be a cost- and space-effective way to add more sounds to your system.
Samplers
A sampler is a sound module that contains short audio samples of real instruments. Most samplers come with sound libraries that contain hundreds of different types of sounds, from acoustic pianos to snare drums to sound effects. These sounds are often much more realistic than those that come in some synthesizers.
The real purpose of a sampler is to allow you to record your own sounds. For example, in the '80s, it was cool to make a drum set out of unusual percussive sounds. A snare drum could be the sound of a flushing toilet (don't laugh; I actually did this) or breaking glass. Tom-toms could be grunts set to certain pitches. You would be amazed at the strange stuff that people have turned into music — all with the help of a sampler.
Another common use of a sampler is for recording short sections of already-recorded songs. This can be a melodic or rhythmic phrase, a vocal cue, or a single drum or synth sound. Sampling other songs is common in electronic music, rap, and hip-hop (be careful of copyright issues before doing this, however). If you're into electronic music or hip-hop, you may find a sampler a necessary addition to your studio.
Soft-synths
If you've chosen a computer-based system for running your home studio, your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software enables you to produce great sounds by using soft-synth plug-ins. Soft-synths are basically software equivalents of stand-alone synthesizers, sound modules, or samplers. As you can see in Figure 5-5, a soft-synth's graphical user interface (GUI) is often designed to look just like a piece of regular hardware, complete with buttons and knobs.
**Figure 5-5:** Computer-based DAW users can choose soft-synths to create their synthesizer sounds.
Of course, soft-synths have advantages and disadvantages, as follows:
Advantages: Soft-synths cost less than stand-alone units because no hardware is involved.
Disadvantages: Unlike regular synthesizers, soft-synths need a computer to run and require quite a bit of processing power to work effectively. This can slow your computer system and prevent you from recording as many audio tracks or applying as many effect patches as you would like. It may also introduce some latency into your system, depending on what audio recording program you use. Most offer ADC (automatic delay compensation) to deal with this, so don't let this stop you from using soft-synths.
Countless soft-synth plug-ins are available for most DAW programs. The best way to find the soft-synths for your DAW program is to visit an Internet newsgroup or message board that covers your software. Then do a search for soft-synths or ask the other members what software they use.
Sound card
Most sound cards that you can install in your computer (or that come with a computer) have General MIDI sounds in them. Depending on the quality of your sound card, the sound may be decent or border on the unbearable.
To find out whether the GM sounds in your computer's sound card are any good, play a MIDI file on your computer. First, do an Internet search for MIDI files (just type MIDI in your favorite search engine). Some sites require you to pay to download a song — especially for popular or familiar tunes — but many sites allow you to choose a song to listen to without downloading or paying a fee. Click a song and it should start playing automatically. You'll immediately know whether you like the sound of your sound card.
If you bought a new sound card for recording audio, you'll generally find that the sounds are pretty good. And with your audio program, you have access to soft-synth patches.
MIDI controller
A MIDI controller is a device that can control another MIDI device. MIDI controllers come in many different formats. In fact, a MIDI controller can be anything from a synthesizer to a drum machine or a computer to a xylophone.
When MIDI first came out, your controller choice was limited to a keyboard, but now you can choose among keyboards, wind controllers (for saxophones or other wind instruments), guitars, and drums. So even if you don't play piano, you can find a controller that resembles an instrument that you know how to play. Look around, and you may find one (or more) MIDI controllers that allow you to create music your way.
Sequencer
Although you can get stand-alone sequencers and sequencers integrated into a synthesizer, you probably want a computer-based sequencer for your home studio. The reasons for this are many, but the overriding factor is that you can have your MIDI and audio tracks in one place, and a computer-based sequencer gives you more-powerful editing capabilities than a sequencer that's contained in a box and that uses a tiny LCD screen.
Of course, if you want to do only a minimal amount of MIDI in your studio, you don't necessarily need all the power of a computer-based sequencer program.
For example, imagine that you have a drum machine and an 8-track recorder that has synchronization capabilities (your owner's manual describes whether the recorder can synchronize with other devices) and that you play guitar-based music. Being a guitar freak, you want to use six tracks for your guitars and two for your singing. With a MIDI connection from your drum machine to your recorder, you may be able to synch these two machines and wait to record your drum parts until the final mix. This effectively gives you a lot more tracks — one for each drum sound that you're using because you can adjust the volume, pan, and sound of each instrument in your drum machine. This setup is similar to recording each instrument on a separate track in your recorder.
MIDI interface
The MIDI interface allows you to send and receive MIDI information from a computer. Many sound cards have a MIDI port, but if you end up doing a lot of MIDI sequencing and use more than one sound module or external controller, you need a separate MIDI interface, such as the one shown in Figure 5-6.
**Figure 5-6:** You need a MIDI interface to connect your instrument to a computer.
MIDI interfaces come in a staggering variety of configurations, so you need to consider several things when you buy a MIDI interface. The following questions can help you to determine your needs:
What type of computer do you own? MIDI interfaces are usually configured to connect to your computer using either a USB port or an audio interface, and audio interfaces use one of three available options: PCI, FireWire, or USB. (Chapter 3 has more details on audio-interface connection types.) You determine which option to use by the type of port(s) you have in your computer. For example, most Macs have a USB and FireWire, whereas a PC may only have a USB port (though you can add FireWire ports if you like). Having said all that, most dedicated MIDI interfaces use USB ports, which come with nearly all computers nowadays.
How many instruments do you intend to connect? MIDI interfaces come with a variety of input and output configurations. Models are available with two ins and two outs, four ins and four outs, and even eight ins and eight outs. You can also buy "thru" boxes, which have one or more inputs and several outputs. If you have only one or two instruments, you can get by with a smaller interface (in this case, a 2×2 interface — two ins and two outs — would work great). If you have many instruments that you want to connect, you need a larger box.
Chapter 6
Understanding Microphones
In This Chapter
Discovering the various type of microphones
Positioning microphones for the best sound
Exploring a variety of preamps
Understanding how to care for your microphones
A microphone's job is generally to try to capture, as closely as possible, the sound of an instrument. But you can also use a microphone to infuse a specific sound characteristic into a performance. Likewise, a preamp, which boosts the signal of a microphone as the signal travels to the recorder, can be used to accurately represent a sound or to add texture and dimension to it. Microphones and preamps are the center of the sound engineer's palette. Just as a painter has his paints and brushes, you have your microphones and preamps. And just as a painter can create a stunning variety of visual textures with his tools, you too can make your creative statement with the judicious use of these two pieces of equipment.
In this chapter, I explore the two most versatile tools of your auditory craft. You look at the various types of microphones and preamps, and you gain an understanding of each one's role in capturing a performance. You also discover what types of mics and preamps work for particular situations. To top it off, this chapter guides you through purchasing and caring for your precious new friends (the mics and preamps, that is). You can find out how to use your mics in Chapter 8, where I discuss specific mic placement options.
Meeting the Many Microphone Types
When you start looking at microphones, you basically find four different types of construction methods (condenser, boundary, dynamic, and ribbon) and three basic polarity patterns (omnidirectional, cardioid, and figure-8). The following sections explore these various constructions and patterns and help you make sense out of them.
Construction types
Whether a microphone is a $10 cheapie that has a cord permanently attached to it or a $15,000 pro model with gold-plated fittings, all microphones convert sound waves to electrical impulses that the preamp or mixer can read and the recorder can store. Each of the three construction types captures this auditory signal in a different way, and as such, each adds certain characteristics to the sound. Here's how the different mics affect sound:
Condenser: This type tends to have a well-rounded shape to its frequency response and a fast response, allowing it to often pick up high transient material, such as the initial attack of drum, very well. These mics can sound more natural, but they can also be somewhat harsh if placed too close to a high transient source.
Boundary: Boundary mics are like condenser mics in that they can capture a broad range of frequencies accurately. Because these types of mics rely on the reflection of the sound source to a flat surface they are attached to, you need to make sure that this surface is large enough to reproduce the lowest frequency you want to capture. (Remember, sound waves get longer as the frequency gets lower.) Otherwise, you lose the low frequencies.
Dynamic: Dynamic mics tend to accentuate the middle of the frequency spectrum because the thick diaphragms (relatively speaking when compared to a condenser mic) take longer to respond.
Ribbon: Because the ribbon mic is relatively slow to respond to an auditory signal, it tends to soften the transients (the initial attack of an instrument) on instruments such as percussion and piano. The high end isn't as pronounced as with other construction types, so these mics tend to have a rounder, richer tone.
I detail these aspects in the following sections. In most cases, the type of construction dictates the general cost category in which the mics fit.
Condenser microphones
The condenser microphone is, without a doubt, the most popular style of microphone used in recording studios (home or commercial). Condenser mics are sensitive and accurate, but they can also be expensive. Recently, however, condenser mics have come down in cost, and you can buy a decent one for about $200. Very good ones start at about $500.
The condenser microphone has an extremely thin metal (or metal-coated plastic or Mylar) diaphragm (the part that senses the signal). The diaphragm is suspended in front of a metal plate (called a backplate). Polarizing voltage is applied to both the diaphragm and the backplate, creating a static charge in the space between them. When the diaphragm picks up a sound, it vibrates into the field between it and the backplate. This produces a small signal that can then be amplified. Figure 6-1 shows how a condenser mic is constructed.
**Figure 6-1:** A condenser mic consists of a very thin diaphragm suspended parallel to a backplate.
Condenser mics need a small amount of voltage (from 9 to 48 volts) to function. If you use a condenser mic, make sure that either it has its own internal battery or you have a preamp or mixer equipped with phantom power, which is described in the nearby sidebar.
Phantom power
Phantom power is a term used to describe the small amount of voltage that is applied to a condenser microphone when it's connected. This power enables the mic to function properly. In most cases, the phantom power comes from your mixer or preamp and is sent to the microphone through one of the wires in the XLR cable. (I cover XLR cables in Chapter 3.) Some condenser mics have an internal battery or separate power supply that provides this power.
A switch, usually located on the preamp or mixer, enables you to turn phantom power off and on. Even though dynamic microphones don't use phantom power, this small amount of voltage doesn't damage them.
Here are a few additional decisions you need to make when selecting a condenser mic:
Tube or solid-state? Condenser mics can be made with either vacuum tubes or transistors (known as solid-state). As with all the tube or solid-state gear, base your decision on the sound characteristics that you prefer. For the most part, tube condenser mics have a softer high end and a warmer overall tone. Solid-state mics, on the other hand, are often more transparent — they capture the sound with less coloration.
Large- or small-diaphragm? Condenser mics come in two broad categories: large-diaphragm and small-diaphragm (see Figure 6-2). Large-diaphragm mics are more popular than their smaller-diaphragm counterparts, partly because large-diaphragm condenser mics have a more pronounced bottom end (low frequencies). Large-diaphragm mics also possess a lower self noise — that is, noise created by the microphone.
Before you buy only large-diaphragm mics, consider this: Small-diaphragm condenser mics often have an even frequency response and can more accurately capture instruments with a pronounced high-frequency component (violins, for instance).
**Figure 6-2:** Condenser mics can have either large or small diaphragms.
Boundary microphones
A boundary microphone is essentially a small diaphragm condenser mic mounted in a housing that directs the diaphragm parallel to the surface onto which it's mounted. You can see a diagram of a boundary mic's setup in Figure 6-3. The parallel setup allows the mic to pick up the sound that is reflected off the surface that it's mounted to, such as a wall or table.
**Figure 6-3:** Boundary mics are mounted on a flat surface to pick up the sound.
The advantage of a boundary mic is that it can pick up sounds accurately in reverberant rooms and can capture sounds from multiple sources. For example, if you were recording people talking in different parts of a room, one boundary mic could record everyone; you wouldn't need to use multiple mics.
Boundary mics are often mounted on the floor of a stage, a table in a conference room, or a lectern of a church or large hall. Because it's hard to find a surface large enough to vibrate to the lowest frequencies, it's more common to use these mics for vocals, pianos, and other instruments that don't have a super low pitch. If you do record something like a kick drum with a boundary mic, you'll likely need to dial in some EQ on the lower frequencies. (Chapter 14 has more on EQing your music.)
Boundary mics can be found in many of the same polarity patterns as condenser mics: omnidirectional and cardioid. These mics are fairly inexpensive and start under $100, though you can spend several hundred or more if you want.
The Boundary microphone employs a condenser microphone diaphragm mounted parallel to the mounting surface to capture the reflections of the sounds off the surface the mic is mounted on (see Figure 6-4). As the sound hits the surface that the mic is mounted to, it picks up the vibration, and the diaphragm creates an electrical charge that is sent to the preamp. These mics require phantom power to operate.
**Figure 6-4:** Boundary mics place the diaphragm parallel to the surface to which it's mounted.
Dynamic microphones
You've probably had the chance to use a dynamic mic. The hugely popular Shure SM57 and SM58 often characterize this type of mic. Dynamic microphones have several qualities that make them unique. They can handle a lot of volume (technically known as SPL, meaning sound pressure level), which makes them perfect for extremely loud signals, such as drums, amplifiers, and some rock vocalists. Dynamic mics are also not as transparent (they don't accurately represent high frequencies) as condenser mics, so they often impart a "dirty" or gritty" sound to the signal.
The dynamic microphone uses a magnetic field to convert the sound impulse from the diaphragm into electrical energy, as shown in Figure 6-5. The diaphragm is often made of plastic or Mylar and is located in front of a coil of wire called a voice coil. The voice coil is suspended between two magnets. When the diaphragm moves (the result of a sound), the voice coil moves as well. The interaction between the voice coil's movement and the magnets creates the electrical signal.
**Figure 6-5:** Dynamic mics pick up a signal using a magnetic field and a voice coil.
The sound of a dynamic mic can be described as somewhat boxy, meaning that these mics don't represent the highest or lowest frequencies of your hearing spectrum accurately (not necessarily a bad thing). Dynamic mics are also durable. Rough treatment probably won't damage them much, aside from the diaphragm, and a tough metal screen protects it. Dynamic mics are typically used for live shows. These mics are often very inexpensive to buy and maintain; you can get a good dynamic mic for about $100.
Ribbon microphones
A ribbon microphone produces its sound in much the same way as a dynamic mic. The diaphragm is suspended between two magnets. The ribbon mic differs from the dynamic mic in that it uses a thin ribbon of aluminum instead of plastic or Mylar (see Figure 6-6). Ribbon mics were popular from the 1930s through the 1960s but have, for the most part, now taken a backseat to condenser mics in today's studios. This is mainly because ribbon mics are fragile and expensive and aren't as transparent as condenser mics. In fact, a gust of wind or a strong breath blown into the diaphragm is all it takes to break an aluminum ribbon in one of these mics. (It's not the end of the world, though; ribbons aren't that expensive to replace — they generally cost $100 to $150.)
Ribbon mics are experiencing a renaissance because of the number of recording engineers who are searching for an old, vintage sound. Ribbon mics have a unique sound that is often described as silky or smooth. This essentially means that the high frequencies tend to roll off slightly (gradually reduce) and the lower frequencies smear together a bit.
Ribbon mics used to be fairly expensive (at least $1,000), but as interest in them has increased from digital recordists, you can now find some decent ones for just a few hundred dollars.
**Figure 6-6:** Ribbon mics use a ribbon suspended between two magnets to create their signals.
Polarity patterns
Microphones pick up sounds in different ways, which are known as polarity patterns. Here's how the various patterns work:
Omnidirectional mics can capture sounds all around them.
Cardioid (or directional) mics pick up sounds just in front of them.
Figure-8 (or bidirectional) mics pick up sounds from both the front and back.
The polarity patterns on microphones are represented on a chart that often comes with the microphone (or is part of its spec sheet). This chart is often called a polar graph, and the graph shows how well the microphone picks up various frequencies in front of or behind it.
Omnidirectional
The omnidirectional mic can pick up sounds coming from anywhere around it. Omnidirectional mics are useful for situations where you want to capture not only the source sound, but also the sound of the room that the source is coming from. You can find omnidirectional mics used in stereo pairs for drum overheads and groups of acoustic instruments, such as orchestras.
Omnidirectional mics are not generally used for close miking — when you place the mic less than a foot from the sound source — because they tend to catch too much background noise. You can see the pickup pattern of an omnidirectional mic in Figure 6-7. The round pattern shows that the mic picks up sound from all directions.
Cardioid
Cardioid microphones pick up the sound in front of them and reject sounds that come from behind. Cardioid mics are the most common types for live bands because you can control the sound that they pick up. If you have a cardioid mic on the tom-tom of a drum set, the mic picks up only the sound of that drum and not the sound from the other instruments around it.
The three types of cardioid microphones are cardioid, super-cardioid, and hyper-cardioid. The differences among the types of cardioid patterns of each mic aren't that great. Check out the graphs in Figure 6-8 to see how the polarity patterns of cardioid microphones differ.
**Figure 6-7:** The omnidirectional mic picks up sounds from all around it.
**Figure 6-8:** The three types of cardioid mics have similar polarity patterns.
Generally, you don't need to think about the minor polarity-pattern differences among the types of cardioid mics when you buy or use a microphone. You won't notice the practical differences in the way these three types of mics work.
Cardioid mics all produce more bass when they are close to the sound source. This is called the proximity effect. Essentially, the closer the mic is to its source, the more bass the mic picks up. You don't find the proximity effect in omnidirectional or figure-8 mics. Many cardioid condenser mics have a bass roll-off switch that allows you to eliminate added bass that may occur from having the mic close to the source.
Figure-8
Figure-8 mics (also called bidirectional mics) pick up sound from both the front and back, but not all the way around. If you look at the graph in Figure 6-9, you can see that sound is not effectively picked up from areas on the sides of the microphone.
Figure-8 mics are often used to record two instruments simultaneously. For example, you can place the microphone between two horn players with the side of the mic perpendicular to the players. This allows you to capture both instruments while eliminating any sound in front of the musicians.
**Figure 6-9:** Figure-8 microphones pick up sound from both front and back, but not the sides.
Most figure-8 condenser mics have the same frequency response for both the front and back sides, but some ribbon mics produce very different responses, depending on whether the sound is coming from the front or the back. For instance, a Royer r121 mic picks up more high frequencies from the back side of the mic than the front. You can use this to your advantage when recording an instrument. If the sound has too many low frequencies, just turn the mic around a little or a lot, depending on how many high frequencies you want to add (more on this in Chapter 9).
Multiple-pattern mics
Some condenser microphones can switch among various pickup patterns. These are generally large-diaphragm mics. These mics have a switch that allows you to choose from cardioid, omnidirectional, or figure-8 (refer to the left image in Figure 6-2). These mics can do this because they generally contain two sets of diaphragms and backplates, which are positioned back to back. You may want to have at least one of these types of microphones around to give you more variety in microphone positions.
The omnidirectional pattern in a multiple-pattern microphone works (and sounds) differently from a true omnidirectional mic. So, for critical applications (recording an orchestra, for instance), the multiple-pattern mic may not be a fair substitute for an exclusively omnidirectional mic.
Assessing Your Microphone Needs
Buying microphones is, without a doubt, one of the most critical decisions that you make when setting up your home studio. Using the right microphone for the job can mean the difference between recording okay tracks and truly spectacular ones.
A decade or so ago, you had to choose between inexpensive dynamic mics (what most home recordists could afford) and expensive condenser or ribbon mics (what the pro studios had). But, as luck would have it, you've entered a time in home recording where you have many more options. In fact, a whole line of project studio mics has recently emerged. This is relatively a new market in the long history of microphones that manufacturers have found to be hugely profitable, so the choices are expanding almost daily. In some cases, a $500 project studio mic can rival a $2,000-plus pro mic — at least for the home recordist's purposes.
So the question that you're inevitably going to ask is, "What microphones should I get for my home studio?" Good question. And the answer is, "Well, it depends on what you need." So before I go into detail about what mics may be best for you, you should spend a minute assessing your needs. The following questions may help you in your assessment:
What type of music will you record? If you play rock or pop music, you should probably start with dynamic mics because they're inexpensive and their limitations in high or low frequencies don't matter as much as if, for example, you wanted to record your string quartet. In this case, a pair of condenser mics would do the trick.
What instruments will you record? Loud amps, drums, and screaming singers beg to be recorded with dynamic mics, whereas light percussion, vocals, and stand-up basses shine through with large-diaphragm condenser mics.
How many mics will you use at once? If you need to record your whole band at once, budget constraints may dictate your choice between dynamic and condenser mics or a condenser or ribbon mic for vocals. If you need only a couple of mics to record the occasional vocal or instrument, you can invest more in each mic.
Deciding How Many Microphones and What Kind
You will likely build your microphone collection over time rather than buying all your mics at once. This is the best way to buy mics, because it gives you time to develop an understanding of what you can do with the microphone that you have before you plunk down your money for another one. You're better off having a few mics that best fit your situation than having a whole bunch of mics that just sorta work for you.
If you're like most people, your budget dictates how many mics you can buy and what kind they may be. In the following sections, I try to help you get the best mics for your recording needs and guide you through the process of slowly accumulating microphones.
Before you buy a ton of mics, know this: Many digital systems have an effect called a mic simulator. The mic simulator allows you to use a relatively inexpensive mic and get the sound of a much more expensive one. If your system has a mic simulator program (you can find out by searching through your system's effects patches), I recommend that you get a basic dynamic mic first. You may find that you like the way the mic simulator sounds and discover that you don't need as many mics as you thought.
Getting started
A basic mic setup consists of a couple of dynamic mics for drums, guitar amps, or other loud instruments and a decent large-diaphragm condenser mic for vocals or other acoustic instruments. The next sections lay out the mics that I would consider if I were starting out on a budget.
Dynamic mics
A Shure SM57 is hands down the best choice for your first dynamic mic. This is a great dynamic mic for very little money — about $80. This mic works well for miking amps and drums and the occasional gritty vocal. Everyone should have at least one of these mics.
Large-diaphragm condenser mics
Your choice here depends on your voice and the acoustic sound that you're looking for. For economical options, I would check out the following mics:
Studio Projects B1: This inexpensive mic is a good choice for your first large-diaphragm condenser mic. You can find one for about $80.
MXL 990: This mic has a slightly different sound than the Studio Projects B1 and costs about the same ($70 to $80). Buy the mic that sounds better to you.
MXL V63M: This mic is a step up from the MXL 990 — its street price is about $100 — and you may like this one better than its less expensive brother. Again, only buy the more expensive mic if you think it sounds better.
Blue Spark: This mic is more expensive than the previous three — about $200 — but it's several steps up from the others and worth an audition. Blue makes some awesome mics, and this is one of their least expensive ones.
Audio Technica AT3035: This mic is about the same price as the Blue (about $200), but if you can afford it, check it out because it has a different flavor (sound) than the Blue Spark. Some people prefer the sound of this mic over that of the other mics.
A large-diaphragm condenser mic is the first condenser mic for most home recordists. These good all-around mics can work well for a lot of applications.
Movin' on
After you have your basic mics, you can start to add a few more. If you intend to record your band, you need to at least mic the drum set (four mics can get you around the set). In this case, you can add a couple more dynamic mics and perhaps get one or two that are designed for particular applications. For instance, mics are made to work best on the kick drum of a drum set. At this point, you can also get a second condenser mic — maybe a small-diaphragm condenser mic this time or a large-diaphragm tube condenser mic. You may want to choose one that sounds different from the one you already have — or, if you love the one that you have, you can get a second one just like it to use as a stereo pair.
Dynamic mics
For additional dynamic mics, I would add one or two more SM-57s and try one of the following:
Sennheiser e609: I like Sennheiser mics; these are some of my favorite (and inexpensive) amp or kick-drum mics. The e609 has a different sound than the venerable SM-57 and doesn't cost much more — a little over $100 — so adding one of these lets you cover some more bases.
Audio Technica ATM25: This is a pretty good kick-drum mic for not a lot of money — about $200 — although it is more costly than some other dynamic mics. If you record drums live, this mic is worth trying.
Large-diaphragm tube condenser mics
If you're on a budget (and who isn't?), try out the following inexpensive large-diaphragm tube condenser mics:
Rode NTK: This is an awesome mic regardless of price, but for about $400, it's one of the best deals available. This mic is good for vocals and acoustic instruments. I've even used a pair for the overheads on a drum set.
Studio Projects T3: This mic has an advantage over the Rode NTK because it has a variable polar pattern selector, allowing you to choose among cardioid, figure-8, and omnidirectional patterns — and patterns in between. The NTK is cardioid only. This variability gives you more options when recording and increases the versatility of the mic, making this $600 mic worth checking out.
Small-diaphragm condenser mics
Though not sexy to most recordists, small-diaphragm condenser mics can come in handy. Here are a few inexpensive ones that are worth checking out:
Octava (Oktava) MK012 (MC012): This mic is a great buy. It's inexpensive (under $100) and sounds good on many types of acoustic instruments — guitars, violins, cellos, double basses, drum overheads, and percussion. The only drawback to this mic is that quality control has been known to be, shall we say, variable. You need to try out each mic carefully before you buy it because some just don't sound good.
Rode M3: For a relatively inexpensive small-diaphragm condenser mic (around $200), the Rode M3 is pretty nice. I find that Rode offers overall very good mics for the money, and this mic is no exception.
Going all out
As your mic collection grows, you'll probably start looking for a vocal mic that works best for you. In this case, you may look at large-diaphragm tube condenser mics or even a ribbon mic.
Choosing a vocal mic is a personal thing. If you're a singer, audition a bunch of mics by using your voice to see what sounds best to you. If you record more than one singer and each has a different type of voice (tenor or soprano, for instance), you may need to look for more than one vocal mic.
After this, consider buying a stereo pair of small-diaphragm condenser mics for drum overheads (mics placed over the drum set) or other multi-instrument applications. You may also want to start adding some higher-quality (and more expensive) mics to your collection. The following sections detail mics that offer a good bang for the buck.
Dynamic mics
Here are a couple of higher-end dynamic mics that I use:
Sennheiser MD421: This is arguably the industry-standard tom mic. It's been used on tons of recordings over the years. If you intend to record drums with more than the basic 3- or 4-mic setup (see Chapter 9 for more details), having a couple of these tom mics is a necessity. They aren't cheap — at about $350 each — but for their purpose, they are worth every penny.
EV RE20: This is a common kick-drum mic that is also used for amps and some vocals. You can get this mic for about $400 to $450.
Large-diaphragm condenser mics
You can find a ton of good large-diaphragm condenser mics, and the sky's the limit on how much you can spend on them. That said, consider the following reasonably priced options:
Shure KSM-44: I really like this mic. It's a multipattern mic that offers cardioid, figure-8, and omnidirectional configurations. The sound is pretty neutral by today's standards — many manufacturers like to boost the top and bottom ends of their mics to make them sound "sexy." The KSM-44 doesn't have this feature, and as a result, the mic is very versatile. I often use one for drum overheads and other acoustic sources such as big percussion instruments (like surdos, congas, and djembes) and acoustic string instruments — and even as a room mic for ensembles. This mic costs about $650.
AKG C414B: This is another industry-standard mic that sounds great on a lot of sources — vocals, acoustic instruments, drums, and others. Like the KSM-44, this mic has selectable polar patterns. In this, you have five choices: omnidirectional, cardioid, wide-cardioid, hyper-cardioid, and figure-8. This mic sells for about $800.
Soundelux U195: This is an awesome mic for a lot of sources, including many vocalists, percussion, and drums. (I love to use this as a room mic placed 6 to 8 feet in front of the kick drum.) This mic isn't cheap — at about $1,200 — but you'll never need to upgrade it.
Ribbon mics
Ribbon mics used to be very expensive and required a great preamp with lots of clean gain (volume) because they don't produce a very strong signal. This is changing. You can now find a ribbon mic for just a few hundred dollars, and if you don't have a high-gain preamp, you can find a mic that produces a stronger signal (called an active-ribbon mic). Here are some ribbon mics that I recommend:
Octava ML19: This is the least expensive ribbon mic available, and it sounds pretty good, especially for the price (roughly $400). For the budget-minded recordist who needs a ribbon mic, you can't go wrong with this one.
AEA R84: This is one sexy mic. It looks gorgeous and sounds great. For classic "silky" vocals or to take the edge off instruments such as trumpets and other horns, this mic is awesome. Of course, awesome doesn't come cheap — about $1,000 plus a good high-gain preamp. Still, if you like the vocals sound that you can get only from a ribbon mic or if you record a lot of horns, you need to try this mic.
Royer Labs 122: This is the first active-ribbon mic. It has electronics that boost the mic's signal, so you don't need a super high-gain preamp to get a good sound. Royer Labs' ribbon mics are known as great mics, and this one costs about $1,500.
Small-diaphragm condenser mics
If your budget allows you to get a pair of great small-diaphragm condenser mics, the following two provide good value:
Josephson C42: I can't recommend this mic highly enough, especially the matched pair (model no. C42mp). A pair of these mics is great for drum overheads and almost every acoustic instrument I've tried them on. I love to use a single mic on double bass, a pair on piano, and a pair on a live ensemble. These mics run about $475 each, but you would be hard-pressed to find a mic at double the price that sounds better.
Peluso CEMC6: The CEMC6 mic is a nice unit, especially for under $300 each. These mics rate almost as highly as the Josephsons. But if you're on a tight budget, try one or a pair of these mics.
You won't find either of these mics at the big music retailers, so if you're interested in them, you'll need to look around a bit. I suggest doing a search on Google (`www.google.com`) to find an Internet retailer. You can find a bunch of reputable dealers who carry them.
Finding the Right Mic for the Situation
Certain mics work better than others for particular situations. In this section, I present some typical applications to give you an idea of what types of mics are traditionally used for various purposes. (You can find more ideas about mic usage in Chapter 8, where I discuss specific miking techniques.)
When you consider a mic, think about the frequency spectrum that the instrument encompasses. If you use a dynamic mic for a symphonic orchestra performance, for example, you'll be disappointed by the results because it lacks an accurate high-frequency response. On the other hand, using a small-diaphragm condenser mic on the tom-toms of a drum set makes them sound thin and is a waste of money because you can get by with a much less expensive dynamic mic for this purpose.
Microphone choice is fairly subjective. The following list contains basic suggestions based on what is typically used:
Vocals: Most people prefer the sound of a large-diaphragm condenser mic for vocals. If you have the budget, you may also want to audition some ribbon mics for your voice. A dynamic mic is best when you're going for a dirty or raw sound (excellent for some harder rock, blues, or punk music) or if your singer insists on screaming into the mic. A small-diaphragm condenser mic is rarely the first choice for most singers, but it's not out of the question for some vocalists if you don't mind a bright, present (high-frequency) sound.
Electric guitar amp: A dynamic mic or a small-diaphragm condenser mic works well on an electric guitar amp. Some people use large-diaphragm condenser mics on guitar amps and like the added low frequencies that can result. A ribbon mic can sound great, but take care in placing the mic so that you don't overload it and blow the ribbon. Move the mic back a bit or off to the side and you should be fine.
Electric bass amp: Your first choice when miking an amplified electric bass is either a large-diaphragm condenser mic or a dynamic mic. Either one can capture the frequency spectrum that the bass guitar encompasses. Small-diaphragm condenser mics aren't a good choice because of their inherent high-frequency focus. I like ribbon mics for electric bass, but you need to take the same care as you would with a guitar amp.
Acoustic guitar and other stringed instruments: A large- or small-diaphragm condenser mic or a ribbon mic works well in most instances. A dynamic mic has too limited a frequency response to create a natural sound (but may create an effect that you like). Choose the large- or small-diaphragm type based on the overall frequency spectrum of the instrument. For example, to capture the depth of a guitar's tone, choose a large-diaphragm mic, but for an instrument with a higher register, such as a violin or mandolin, a small-diaphragm mic works great. I'm partial to small-diaphragm condenser mics for these instruments because I can get more clarity and I don't have to fight the low-end bump that often occurs with a large-diaphragm condenser mic.
Horns: I'm partial to ribbon mics for horns. These types of mics can soften the tone slightly and make the horns sound more natural, especially if you mic closely (within a couple feet or so). My second choice is a large-diaphragm condenser mic in a figure-8 or omnidirectional pattern placed off to the side of the instrument a bit. For this, you need a large-diaphragm condenser mic that has multiple patterns, such as the AKG C414B or the Shure KSM-44. Some people like a tube condenser mic, so if you're on a budget, the Studio Projects T3 is a good place to start.
Piano: Both large- and small-diaphragm condenser mics are generally used for piano. Your choice depends on where you place the mics and how the room sounds. For example, a great-sounding room begs for a pair of omnidirectional small-diaphragm mics placed away from the piano a bit. I'm not a fan of ribbon or dynamic mics for this instrument.
Drum set: The tom-toms, snare drum, and kick (bass) drum all sound good with dynamic mics because they don't contain high frequencies. You can also use large-diaphragm condenser mics, but be careful where you place them because if your drummer hits them, they're toast.
Cymbals: For the cymbals of a drum set, a pair of small-diaphragm condenser mics works well, although some people prefer to use a large- diaphragm mic instead. A ribbon mic also sounds pretty good and can take some of the harshness of cymbals when recorded digitally. A dynamic mic would lack the high-frequency response to make the cymbals shine through in a mix.
Miscellaneous percussion: Now, here's a broad category. By miscellaneous, I mean shakers, triangles, maracas, and other higher-pitched percussion toys. For these instruments, either small- or large-diaphragm condenser mics can work well. If it's a very quiet instrument, a large-diaphragm mic would be preferable because of the higher self-noise of the small-diaphragm mic.
You may choose a different type of mic, especially if you try to create a certain effect. For instance, using a ribbon mic on a metallic shaker rather than a small-diaphragm condenser mic softens the highest frequencies of the instrument and gives it a mellower sound.
If you intend to record loud instruments — drums, amplified guitars, or basses, for example — look for a mic with a high SPL (sound pressure level) rating. This is a rating of how much volume (listed in decibels) the microphone can handle before distorting. A high SPL is above 130 decibels.
Some professional condenser mics have a pad switch that allows you to reduce the sensitivity of the mic, thereby increasing its ability to handle high sound pressure levels.
Partnering Mics with Preamps
One of the most important relationships in your home studio is the one between your microphones and the preamp — the nice bit of hardware that boosts the mic's signal so it can be recorded. The greatest microphone in the world run through a cheap preamp won't sound good. By the same token, a cheap mic plugged into a great preamp sounds only as good as the bad mic.
If your mixer includes XLR inputs (low-impedance microphone inputs), you already have internal preamps in the channels with the XLR jacks. For the most part, these preamps are of lesser quality than the external variety, but they may work for you. For instance, some home recordists swear by the internal preamps in the Mackie VLZ-Pro mixers.
Plug in your mic and listen to the sound that you get. If you like it, you may not need to buy external preamps right away. If not, you may have to allocate some of your gear money for an external preamp.
You can find three types of preamps in the marketplace — solid-state, vacuum tube, and hybrid — and each has its own characteristics. In the following sections, I explore preamp styles and discuss how each relates to the sounds that are produced by the types of microphones I discuss earlier in the chapter. This can help you understand the relationship between the microphone and preamp in your studio.
Solid-state
Solid-state preamps use transistors to boost the level of the microphone. These preamps can be designed to produce as clear and detailed a sound as possible (often referred to as "transparent") or can be designed to add a pleasing level of distortion (warmth) to your music. Solid-state preamps cost from a couple hundred to several thousand dollars.
A clean and clear solid-state preamp (such as the Earthworks or GML brands) is a great choice if you want as natural a sound as possible on your recording of an instrument or if you are using a microphone that has a sound quality that you want to hear as clearly as possible. For example, I particularly like the way that a solid-state preamp works in conjunction with a tube condenser or ribbon mic. The warmth and smoothness of these types of microphones shine through clearly with a clean solid-state preamp.
On the other hand, a more aggressive (warm or pleasingly distorted) solid-state preamp, such as those modeled after the classic Neve designs, can add just a touch of "grit" to certain instruments. These types of preamps are great with dynamic, ribbon, or condenser mics, especially when recording drums, guitar, and some vocals.
Vacuum tube
These preamps use vacuum tubes to process and amplify the microphone's signal. This generally adds some coloration to the sound of your mic (how much and what kind of coloration depends on the particular preamp). As you've undoubtedly discovered after reading any other chapter in this book, digital recording aficionados love the sound of tube gear, especially tube preamps. The advantage of a tube preamp is that it can add a warm sound to your mics. The disadvantage is that you often can't get rid of this colored sound. Professional recording engineers often have several tube preamps in their studios to give them different coloration options.
The preamps that are included in your mixer are solid-state. If you find that you want the colored sound of a tube preamp, you need to buy an external one.
Tube preamps are great for imparting a subtle low-frequency addition to the sound of the microphone signal. Tube preamps also seem to slightly soften the higher frequencies. If you're like most people, you'll like the addition of a tube preamp, especially if you intend to record rock, blues, or acoustic jazz music. The downside is that all-tube preamps are expensive, with the least expensive costing about $1,000 (the Peavey VMP-2 — no longer made but you can find them used) and most running several thousand dollars (brands like Manley Labs, for instance).
I prefer to use tube preamps with drums and any "woody" instrument (acoustic guitar, for instance). In this case, I often reach for a large-diaphragm condenser mic, and in extreme cases, I may even use a large-diaphragm tube condenser mic with the tube preamp (for an extra dose of "tubiness").
Hybrid
A hybrid preamp contains both solid-state and tube components to boost the mic's signal. Most of the inexpensive (under $1,000) "tube" preamps that you find in the marketplace are actually hybrids. An advantage to this design approach is that the preamp can often be adjusted to have varying degrees of that warm tube sound. The disadvantage is that these relatively inexpensive tube preamps don't have as clear a sound as a great solid-state preamp, and they don't have quite the same pleasing character as an expensive all-tube preamp.
For most home recordists, this type of preamp offers a lot of flexibility and can allow you to get either the fairly clear, open sound of a solid-state preamp or the warm, colored sound characteristic of a classic tube preamp. If you can afford only one external preamp, one of these hybrid versions may be right for you.
The countless hybrid preamps on the market vary widely in price and sound quality. (In fact, most of the hybrid preamps are marketed as tube preamps.) Your best bet in choosing a hybrid — or any preamp for that matter — is to do some research. Talk to people, read reviews, visit Internet forums, and then audition the two or three that stand out to you. Choose the one that you think sounds best for your needs.
Considering Compressors
A compressor enables you to alter the dynamic range (that is, the difference between the softest and loudest sound) of an instrument. Along with the microphone and preamp, the compressor is often added to the signal chain before it goes to the mixer. The advantage of using a compressor in the signal chain before it hits the mixer is that you can control the transients and have a hotter (higher) signal level going into the converters or recorder. This hotter level used to be necessary when recording at 16 bits, but with 24-bit recording, you don't need to worry as much about getting the highest signal into your system. I discuss setting optimal levels in more detail in Chapter 7.
If you record a lot of vocals or real drums, a decent external compressor may be a good idea — just go easy with it (again check out Chapter 7). You can find some great-sounding compressors for as little as $200. My favorite is the FMR Audio RNC-1773 (a really nice unit for the money).
As long as you're looking at preamps and compressors, take a look at some channel strip devices, which are integrated preamp, compressor, and equalizer combos. For some people (and maybe you), a channel strip device is the way to go. It allows you to have just one unit, reducing the amount of cords, and it's designed to make the three parts function well together. Quite a few great-sounding channel strip devices are available for under $500.
Analyzing Some Microphone Accessories
Along with your new mics, you're going to need a few accessories. These include mic cords, mic stands, and pop filters.
Microphone cords
Microphone cords can cost from about $10 to several hundred dollars. You're probably asking yourself, "Is there really a difference between a $10 or $20 mic cable and one that sells for hundreds of dollars?"
My answer is, "Supposedly — but chances are, you'll never hear it." Let me qualify this answer a little. Unless you have a very good mixer, recorder, microphones, preamps, analog/digital and digital/analog converters, monitors, and ears, you're wasting your money on expensive microphone cords. I know only one sound engineer (not me, though — I've spent too many years behind the drums) who claims that he can hear the difference between an average mic cord and one of the expensive ones. And even he says that the difference is very subtle. (It would have to be; otherwise I would hear the difference, too.)
Don't waste your money on an expensive mic cord (or any cord) until the cord is the weakest link in your signal chain. By then, spending a couple hundred dollars on a cord will seem trivial because you'll already have invested tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars in top-quality gear.
Microphone stands
A sturdy mic stand is essential for your studio. Mic stands are relatively inexpensive, so resist the temptation to buy a flimsy one. A good mic stand has a sturdy base and can securely hold your mics.
Good mic stands cost about $30 and have either a round cast iron base (great for getting into tight spaces) or a tripod base. Either one works well.
Pop filters
A pop filter is a nylon screen that eliminates the "pops" (technically called plosives) that singers make when they sing. Plosives are the result of sudden bursts of air projected into the mic (from singing words starting with Ps and Ts, for example). If you record vocals, a pop filter is a must-have.
Pop filters are relatively inexpensive (starting at about $20), but if you want to make your own, use a pair of tights or panty hose and a coat hanger. Bend the coat hanger into a circle and stretch the nylons or panty hose over it. You can attach the coat hanger to the mic stand by using duct tape. Adjust the coat hanger so that the pop filter is 4 to 6 inches away from the microphone, and then have the vocalist sing through it. Check out Figure 6-10 to see a homemade pop filter.
**Figure 6-10:** You can make a pop filter out of a coat hanger and a pair of tights or panty hose.
Caring for Your Microphones
After investing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in microphones, you probably want to know how to take care of them properly. Caring for or storing your microphones isn't rocket science. Just follow the general guidelines and ideas that follow, and you'll keep your mics in tip-top shape.
A good microphone lasts a lifetime. Take care of your mics, and they'll give you years of service.
Daily care
The most important thing to keep in mind when using your mics is to resist the temptation to blow into them. I know you've probably seen someone on stage blow into a mic and yell "Test" to see whether it is working. And you figure that's how the pros must check their mics. Well, it isn't. Blowing into a mic is a sure way to literally blow out the diaphragm in some mics, especially those expensive ribbon mics. To determine whether a mic is working, just speak into it in a normal voice.
You don't need to blow or yell into any mic unless, of course, your singer's style is to yell into the mic and you're trying to set the input level. In this case, offer him or her your trusty dynamic mic and keep that expensive ribbon mic hidden.
Another thing to remember when handling your mics is that they can be fragile. Condenser and ribbon mics don't survive rough handling well. In fact, if you drop a condenser or ribbon mic, you may break it (this is another good reason to have a sturdy stand). Dynamic mics, on the other hand, are more durable, which is why they are often used for live applications and on drums. (It's not uncommon for an overzealous drummer to whack them by accident — as a drummer, I know about this firsthand.)
Try to keep your mics away from dust and high humidity. Dust is probably the number one enemy of a microphone because the dust can settle on the diaphragm and reduce the sensitivity of the mic — and even alter its frequency response. Always cover your mics or put them away when you're not using them.
Storage
Most professionals have mic lockers, where they can safely keep their mics when they're not in use. Mic lockers come in several varieties. You can make a special locked box fitted with foam padding that has a cutout for each mic, or you can keep your mics in their pouches or cases (if the mic came with a case) in a closet or cabinet.
Regardless of the type of storage cabinet you have, try to handle your mics as little as possible. In fact, if you have a mic that you use a lot, I recommend leaving it on a secure stand rather than repeatedly dragging it out of its case or storage cabinet.
If you do leave your mic out on its stand, cover the mic with a plastic bag and close the open end around the mic when it's not in use (see Figure 6-11). This keeps out the dust.
Humidity can also be a problem for microphones. If you live in a humid environment, store your mics with a bag of silica gel next to them. (Silica gel, which absorbs moisture, is the stuff that comes in the packaging of a lot of electronic gear.) You can find silica gel listed as desiccant packets online.
If you do an Internet search by typing desiccant packet or desiccant sacks/sachets into your favorite search engine, you'll find a lot of options.
**Figure 6-11:** Covering your microphone with a plastic bag keeps out the dust.
Part III
Getting Ready to Record
In this part . . .
Part III helps you get the best source sound, from instruments that are plugged directly into your system to acoustic instruments that you mic. Chapter 7 explores the process of setting the best levels for both plugged-in and miked instruments. Chapter 8 shows you the fundamentals of microphone placement and introduces you to common approaches. Chapter 9 digs into the specifics of microphone placement for a variety of common instruments to give you a leg up on getting nice-sounding tracks.
Chapter 7
Getting a Great Source Sound
In This Chapter
Setting levels properly
Making your guitar sound great
Getting the best sound from your keyboards
Keeping your microphones from overloading your system
The quality of your recording relies heavily on two things: how your instruments sound and how well you get that sound into your computer without messing it up. The problem is that anyone can easily mess up the sound or at least fall short of getting the best possible sound.
This chapter gives you the knowledge to keep bad sound — or sound that's not as good as it could be — from happening. In this chapter, I describe signal flow and the role that it plays in shaping the sound of your instrument. I also give you tips on how to get great guitar sounds and killer keyboard sounds without hassle. To top it off, I spend a few pages getting you up to speed on miking effectively.
Making Sense of the Signal Chain
The signal chain is the path that your sound travels from its creation (your guitar, keyboard, or voice) to your recorder. This path often includes several steps — and pieces of gear — that need to be optimized so that you don't end up with too much or too little sound going to your system. I cover the flow of various signal chains in detail in Chapter 4, but here's an overview of the process. Figure 7-1 shows the straightforward signal chain for a mic going into a studio-in-a-box recorder.
**Figure 7-1:** The signal chain is the sound-data highway.
In this example, the sound originating from your voice enters the microphone, travels to a preamp-equipped input in your device where it's amplified, is converted into digital information within the device, and finally gets sent into the recording software section of your recorder and the hard drive, where it's stored.
The key to a good instrument or mic sound is getting each signal in the chain set to its optimal level. This particular signal chain involves just two places where you can make adjustments to your signal levels, as follows:
The source: In the example shown in Figure 7-1, the microphone's placement has a huge effect on the signal level that goes into your computer. Moving the mic just a couple of inches can have a significant impact on your signal level at the preamp. A good, solid level keeps you from having to crank up your preamp too far, which causes noise. If the level is too hot, though — hot in the sense of a solid signal between –12dB and –6dB — you risk getting distortion at the mic. This same concept holds true for keyboards or other electronic instruments, as well as guitars plugged directly into your interface.
The preamp-equipped input: You adjust this level to get the right level in your recorder. I discuss the optimal signal level for different systems in the next section.
Setting Optimal Signal Levels
Getting a sound signal to the recorder takes several steps. The path that the sound takes from the instrument or microphone to the recorder is called the signal chain (see the previous section). You need to be aware of the signal level at all these steps to get the best sound possible. Too much gain at one stage forces you to reduce the gain at another. Likewise, too little gain at one point may require you to overdrive (bump up the gain) during the next stage.
Incorrect gain structuring results in a signal that's too low, which creates noise, or a signal that's too high, which causes distortion. In fact, with poor gain structuring, you can have a signal that is both too quiet and distorted.
How you set the levels that you record to disk has a lot to do with how good (or bad) your performance sounds. The key to getting good recording levels is to get as hot (high) a signal as you can without going over the maximum that the converter or recorder can handle. If you use analog tape, you have some leeway in how hot your signal can get, but if you record digitally, you don't have that luxury. Anything over the baseline of 0dB is going to clip — a nice recording term that means distort. 0dB, by the way, doesn't mean "no sound." Instead, it refers to the highest level that a digital system can handle without clipping the signal.
How hot is hot enough, you ask? Well, it depends on who you talk to and at what bit depth you record. Because you're reading my book, here's my take on the best levels at which to record:
16-bit systems: By this point in the book (assuming that you've read other sections on digital recording), you know that I'm not a fan of 16-bit recording. This is because to record with enough headroom, you need to turn the incoming level down so much that you start to lose sound quality; that is, you're using fewer than 16 bits and lowering the resolution of your system. In this case, I usually recommend setting your level higher in a 16-bit system than in a 24-bit system — usually with peaks no higher than –6dB. This allows some room for transients (check out the section "Making the Most of Microphones," later in this chapter) while preserving as much resolution as possible.
24-bit systems: Because plenty of bits are available, you have more wiggle room before you start to lose sound quality. For 24-bit systems, I suggest that you record with your peak level at or below –12dB. This gives you enough room for transients to sneak through without clipping your system.
When you set your recording levels (do this by playing a section of your song), keep the following points in mind:
Keep an eye on the clip light on your preamp/input. Not all inputs have a clip light, but if yours does, it's most likely located next to the trim knob. Sending too hot a signal through your preamp/input is the first way you can create distortion. Your clip light should illuminate only faintly once in a while, if at all. If your clip light is glowing red, your signal is way too hot and you may end up with distortion. (Check the owner's manual for your preamp to see when the clip light is set to activate. Some clip lights are set to go off at –6dB, others illuminate at –3dB, and still others light at 0dB.)
Use the meters as a guide. Both your mixer and recorder have meters that show you the level of the signal going in. Both of these levels are important, so keep an eye on them. Make sure that the meters never go above 0dB and that they peak out at a maximum of –12dB to –6dB. Also, be aware of whether you're monitoring pre or post levels, which I discuss in the next section.
Trust your ears. Even with the clip light and meters, you still need to listen carefully to the signal. Many of the level meters on digital recorders are fairly slow to respond and can often miss sudden, extreme transients. If you hear any clipping or occasional harshness in the sound, turn down the level, regardless of what your meters tell you.
When in doubt, turn down the level. If you can't tell whether the sound is clean, don't be afraid to turn down the level a little. Recording at –16dB instead of –12dB isn't going to ruin your track, but a clipped note can.
The straight-line rule
Most professional engineers are taught to record by using the straight-line rule. This rule comes from the old days of analog recording. Following this rule is considered not only good engineering practice, but also a courtesy to any other engineer who may handle your tracks.
The straight-line rule basically involves setting up your input levels so that they roughly match the levels that you want when you mix the song. You do this by setting your channel fader at 0dB (also marked as Unity on some mixers) and adjusting your input gain (the trim knob on your mixer or preamp) until you have a clean signal (no distortion) on the recorder's meters. The signal's level needs to be approximately the same as the level of the instrument in the final mix. For some instruments, such as a snare drum, the level peaks close to 0dB, but on other instruments, such as the string section, the level may be near –10dB. If you follow the straight-line rule, when you're ready to mix your tracks, set all your faders at 0dB — and you'll have a rough mix.
The courtesy is that if someone then takes your recorded tracks to another system with another engineer, that engineer only has to set the faders at 0dB and everything is ready for final adjustments.
Understanding Pre and Post Levels
Most digital systems provide several options for monitoring meter levels. You can have prefader input levels, postfader input levels, prefader track levels, postfader track levels, and master bus levels (see Figure 7-2). Even with the same signal, different kinds of levels (prefader, postfader, input, track master bus, and so on) may end up showing different readings on your meters.
Interpreting the various levels
I try to clear up what all these different levels mean in the following list:
Prefader input levels: The prefader input level shows you the level of the signal going into the mixer's channel strip before the signal hits the EQ or fader (hence the term prefader). Your sound source and trim adjustment (either on the mixer or a separate preamp) control the level shown on this meter.
If your signal is too low or too hot and you don't have a separate preamp, adjust the trim knob on your mixer. If you're using a separate preamp, adjust the trim knob on your outboard preamp. You can also make adjustments to this level at the sound source. This could be either the output level of your instrument or the placement of your microphone.
**Figure 7-2:** Most recording systems allow you to monitor your signal levels at various places in the signal chain.
Postfader input levels: The postfader input level shows your signal level after the signal has traveled through the input channel's channel strip — that is, after the EQ and fader settings.
This level is different from the prefader input level only if your fader is somewhere other than unity gain (or 0dB) or if you've made some adjustments to the EQ. To be specific, if you've removed any frequencies with the EQ or set your fader below 0dB, your postfader level is lower than the prefader level. Likewise, if you've added frequencies with the EQ or placed your fader above unity, your level is higher than it was going in.
Prefader track levels: This is the most important level of your input signal chain (that is, if a most important level exists). This meter shows you what is actually recorded to the hard drive of the recorder.
If you're using an analog mixer and a stand-alone recorder, you see this level on the recorder, not the mixer.
This level matches the level of the postfader input channel routed to the recorder channel. If you have more than one input channel routed to a recorder track, this level is generally higher than each of the individual input postfader levels. This is because the signals combine to produce a higher overall level (called summing). If this is the case and the prefader track level is too high, you need to adjust the levels on all the tracks that are routed to this channel to drop the level coming in (the submix fader level, if you have these tracks run through the submix bus).
Postfader track levels: The postfader track level shows you the level after you make adjustments to the track channel's fader or EQ settings. Like the postfader input level, the postfader track level is different from the prefader track level if you've made adjustments to either the EQ or the channel fader settings.
Master bus levels: This level shows you the sum of all the levels being routed to the master bus. Unless you have only one channel going to the master bus, this level is different than any of the individual levels going to it because all levels from all the instruments are taken into account (summed). This is the level that is most important when you're mixing because this is the level that the 2-track master records.
Not all types of systems have all these level-monitoring options. For example, if you have an analog mixer, you may not have meters on anything except the recorder (prefader track level) and the master bus (master bus level).
Looking at examples
You can use the various monitoring sources to find out where in your signal chain you may be introducing distortion or where you need to boost the signal. If you find the source of the signal problem, you don't have to overcompensate at a different part of the signal path. For example, perhaps you connect a microphone to an external preamp and set the trim on the preamp for a good, hot signal. The prefader track level going to the recorder, however, is too low. In this case, you can check the postfader input level to see whether something is squashing your signal. The fader may be set too low, or some EQ may be set to reduce some frequencies. To fix the problem, you can either raise the fader or adjust your EQ until your level at the prefader track meter is where you want it to be.
Another scenario is when your recorded track has even levels (as seen on the prefader track level) but you're getting distortion at the master bus (master bus level). In this case, check the postfader track level to see whether it looks different than the prefader level. It most likely will, and you can fix the problem by adjusting either the fader or the EQ until the level is tamed. If both the prefader and postfader track levels look the same, the combined levels that come from more than one track to the master bus are probably causing the distortion. In this case, you need to reduce the levels from all the tracks going to the master bus to bring the master bus level down a bit.
Don't get too stressed about your levels. Use your ears and trust yourself. If you get noticeable digital clipping (distortion), just record the part again. One of the great things about digital recording is that you can erase and re-record a performance as many times as you want without compromising sound quality.
Getting a Great Guitar Sound
Do you wanna know how to get the absolute best, richest, most engaging guitar sound? Well, I wish I could tell you — but alas, I can't. This is something you need to figure out by listening as you tweak your gear. That said, you can record sound into your computer in four ways, and each way has its plusses and minuses, as I describe in the following list:
Directly from your guitar into your instrument input: The instrument input in your system could be located in your analog mixer (stand-alone systems), your recorder (SIAB systems), or your audio interface (computer-based systems). This assumes that your instrument input can handle a direct connection from a guitar. (Most can, but check to make sure that the one you have or want has this capability. If it doesn't, you need to get a direct box to put between your guitar and your instrument input. I talk about direct boxes in Chapter 1.) By using this method, the sound you get from your guitar is pretty much the same sound you're going to get recorded.
You may not like the sound — in fact, I'll bet you won't. The solution to this unfortunate state of affairs is to use a plug-in (or more than one) in your recording program to get the sound you want. This is a common way to get a guitar sound, and tons of good plug-ins can help, including plug-ins for providing distortion, delay, chorus, and even special amp simulators that are designed to sound like popular guitar amplifiers. One advantage to this approach is that you can tweak the sound of your guitar as much as you want after it's recorded. The disadvantage is that you can easily become afflicted with indecision disorder and be unable to pick the sound you want. Also, many guitar-tone connoisseurs feel that getting the sound this way isn't as good as miking up an amp with the sound you want.
From your guitar to an amp simulator and from the amp simulator into your instrument input: Amp simulators are like the plug-ins that you can get for your software, only they're stand-alone units that already have the various sounds in them. A bunch of stand-alone amp simulators are available on the market, and most offer decent simulations of the most popular guitar amps. This can be a good solution for many people, but the disadvantage of doing this — instead of adding your effects in the computer — is that after you record your sound through an amp simulator, you're stuck with that sound. Of course, if you often get hit with indecision disorder, this may be a good solution for you.
From your guitar into your amp and from your amp's line output to your instrument input: Recording a guitar this way is great for people who have an amp that they like the sound of but who don't want to mic a speaker. When you follow this approach, you have three volume controls to adjust to get your level into your recorder — your guitar, your amp, and your interface. You may have to take time tweaking these settings to achieve the best possible sound.
From your guitar into your amp with a mic picking up the speaker's sound: This is the old standby approach because you get to record the actual sound you're used to hearing coming out of your amp. With this method, having the right mic and mic placement makes all the difference in the world. I offer some specific guitar-amping mic techniques in Chapter 9.
There is no single way to get a great guitar sound. Don't be afraid to experiment. You may just come up with a sound that really moves you.
Creating a Killer Keyboard Sound
They key to getting a killer keyboard sound is making sure that you get the sound into your system without messing it up (no pressure here). Depending on your gear, keyboard sounds can be brought into your system in one of the following ways:
Using the analog outputs in your keyboard: For an external keyboard that contains the sounds you want to record, plug an instrument cord from the main outputs of your keyboard to the corresponding number of inputs in your system. Turn your keyboard volume up between 1⁄2 and 3⁄4 or until you get a decent signal to register in your recorder. If your instrument input has a volume (gain) control, adjust it and the volume of your keyboard until you get a solid sound without distortion.
Follow the guidelines that I list in the section "Setting Optimal Signal Levels," earlier in this chapter, to get your best signal levels.
Recording MIDI data and adding the sound later: If you have a MIDI-capable keyboard and a MIDI sequencer, you can record your musical performance as MIDI data and assign the sound later. In this case, connect your keyboard to your MIDI sequencer. This can be done using a MIDI cable connected to MIDI ports in each device, or it can be done with a USB connection if you have a USB-equipped keyboard and MIDI sequencer (such as a software program in a computer). Chapter 5 explains how to make the connections for this.
Because you're recording MIDI data instead of an audio signal, you don't need to worry about setting the record level. Chapter 12 explains the process of recording MIDI sequences in detail.
Making the Most of Microphones
Finding a great sound from a mic is key to getting a great-sounding recording. To do this, you need to use the best mic for the application and place it where it can sound its best. This requires not only knowledge of the different types of mics (see Chapter 6), but also an understanding of how these mics are used for a variety of instruments (see Chapter 9). In the following sections, I give you a quick tutorial on setting optimal levels of your microphones to help you get the most out of the mics and techniques I present in the other miking chapters.
The most difficult part of getting a good sound by using a microphone is dealing with sudden, extreme increases in the sound signal. These blips are called transients, and they regularly happen when a drum is first struck, when a vocalist sings certain syllables (for example, those that begin with a P), and when a guitar player picks certain notes. In fact, because you can't always control the amount of force that you apply to an instrument, transients can happen at any time, with any instrument, and without warning. (Highly trained musicians produce fewer extreme transients because they have a greater mastery over their muscular movements.)
In digital recording, all it takes is one slight, unexpected note to cause clipping and distortion, ruining what may otherwise be a perfect musical performance. Believe me, nothing is so heart-wrenching as listening to the perfect take (recorded performance) and hearing the unmistakable sound of digital distortion. Although you can't eliminate transients (they are part of an instrument's character), you can tame extreme transients that often cause clipping (distortion). You can do this in the following three ways:
Set your levels with enough headroom to handle these transients. I cover this step in the section "Setting Optimal Signal Levels," earlier in this chapter.
Minimize transients with proper mic placement. I explain this process in the next section.
Run the signal through a compressor when recording. The section "Compressing carefully," later in this chapter, gives you the lowdown on this process.
Placing mics properly
A microphone that's placed too close to a loud sound source or pointed too directly toward the point of attack can easily pick up extreme transients. In most cases, you just need to pull the mic away from the instrument a little or turn it ever so slightly to avoid a signal that's too high. I don't go into detail here because I cover mic placement thoroughly in Chapter 9.
The main thing to keep in mind when placing your microphones is to experiment. Don't be afraid to spend time making small adjustments. After all, the track you save could be your own.
Compressing carefully
Compressors are processors that allow you to control the dynamics of a signal — and boy, are they ever versatile. You can use compressors on the front end while tracking (recording) instruments to make sure that you don't have stray transients. You can use them to level off an erratic performance. And you can use compressors to raise the overall apparent level of a mixed song. In the following sections, I discuss the first use of compression: the control of transients. (You can find out about the other ways to use compression in Chapters 14 and 15.)
If you have an SIAB (studio-in-a-box) system or a computer-based system, you probably have a compressor included with the effects in the unit. Although you can record tracks with this compressor, your signal has to go through the A/D converter first. (The A/D converter changes your signal from analog to digital form.) Because these systems are digital, the A/D converter is the first in line after the preamp. This often defeats the purpose of using a compressor to control transients because the A/D converter is where you often get your first dose of distortion. If you're serious about using compression on the front end to tame transients, you may want to insert an external preamp into the signal chain before the A/D converter.
Getting to know compressor parameters
Compressors have a series of dials that allow you to adjust several parameters. They are as follows:
Threshold: The threshold setting dictates the level that the compressor starts to act on the signal. This is listed in decibels (dB). For the most part, you set the threshold level so that the compressor acts only on the highest peaks of the signal.
Ratio: The ratio is the amount that the compressor affects the signal. The ratio — such as 2:1, for instance — means that for every decibel that the signal goes over the threshold setting, it is reduced by two decibels. In other words, if a signal goes 1dB over the threshold setting, its output from the compressor will only be 1⁄2dB louder. The ratio is the one parameter that varies considerably from instrument to instrument because the level of the transient varies.
Attack: The attack knob controls how soon the compressor starts, well, compressing. The attack is defined in milliseconds (ms), and the lower the number, the faster the attack. For the most part, you're trying to control transients, and they happen at the beginning of a note. Therefore, you set the attack to act quickly.
Release: The release parameter controls how long the compressor continues affecting the note after the note starts. Like the attack, the release is defined in milliseconds. Because transients don't last for very long, you usually use a short release time when using compression on the front end.
Gain: The gain knob allows you to adjust the level of the signal coming out of the compressor. This is listed in decibels. Because adding compression generally reduces the overall level of the sound, you use this control to raise the level back to where it was going in.
Hard knee or soft knee: Most compressors give you the option of choosing between a hard knee and a soft knee (or they do it for you based on the setting that you've chosen). Hard knee and soft knee each refer to how the compressor behaves as the input signal passes the threshold. More detailed descriptions are as follows:
• Hard knee applies the compression at an even rate, regardless of the level present over the threshold. So if you choose a compression setting of 4:1, the compressor applies this ratio for any signal over the threshold limit. Hard-knee compression is used for instruments like drums, where you need to quickly clamp down on transients.
• Soft knee applies the compression at a varying rate depending on the amount the signal is over the threshold setting. The compressor gradually increases the ratio of the compression as the signal crosses the threshold, until it hits the level that you set. Soft-knee compression is used on vocals and other instruments where the signal doesn't have fast peaks.
Creating compressor settings
When you use a compressor to keep transients at bay, you only want to compress the highest transient levels — the ones that would overload your system or eat up your headroom — and you want to do this so that you don't hear the compressor kicking in. Even though every instrument contains different levels of transient signals and each person who plays an instrument creates different amounts of extreme transients when he or she plays, keep the following points in mind as you choose your settings:
Keep the threshold high. With a high threshold setting, your compressor only kicks in as the signal gets close to distorting. For most instruments, I would use a setting of about –6dB. Some instruments with very high transients, such as percussion and drums, can handle a setting like –10dB. Set your threshold so that when the extreme transient happens, it triggers the compressor only a couple of decibels, and the nontransient material (the main sound of the instrument) doesn't trigger the compressor.
Adjust the ratio to the material. For high-transient material (such as drums and percussion), choose a higher ratio, and for lower-transient material (like strummed or bowed string instruments), choose a lower ratio setting. Try to use a ratio that relates to the level of the transient over the nontransient signal. Because percussion instruments have initial signal peaks (transients) that are much stronger than the body of the instrument's sound, you can compress this peak without affecting the main sound of the instrument. By matching the ratio to the degree of the transient this way, you can create a more even level without changing the sound characteristics of the instrument.
Use a short attack. Transients happen at the initial attack of the instrument. This means that if you want to compress the transient, the compressor must kick in right away when this signal happens. A setting of 1 millisecond or less is optimal.
Use a short release. Transients happen quickly, and they last a very short amount of time. When you try to control these signals during tracking, you only want to catch the transient itself — and no other part of the instrument's sound. Setting a short release time — start with about 10 milliseconds — ensures that your compressor doesn't linger on to affect the body of the instrument's recorded sound.
Don't mess with the gain. Because you're only catching the highest transient signals and you're only compressing them a tiny bit, you don't need to add or reduce any of the signal that's going through the compressor. Leave the gain control at 0dB.
When using a compressor during tracking, keep the following two points in mind:
You can always add compression to a recorded track, but you can never take it away. If you're not sure how much compression to apply to a particular situation, you're much better off erring on the side of too little because you can always run the sound through another compressor later.
If you can hear a change in the sound of your signal, you probably have the compressor set too high. The reason that you use a compressor on the front end is to eliminate extreme transients, which you can't hear when you play. If your compression setting changes the sound, you should slightly reduce the compression setting (unless you're going for that effect. I talk more about the effects compressors can make in Chapter 15).
Chapter 8
Taking a Look at Microphone Techniques
In This Chapter
Exploring spot miking
Discovering distant miking
Examining ambient miking
Exploring stereo miking
Combining miking techniques
To record acoustic instruments — that is, any instrument that doesn't have an electronic output — you need to use a microphone. The resulting sound can vary considerably based on where you place the mic in relation to the instrument and the room that you record in. I spend quite a bit of time — three chapters, in fact — talking about microphones because they're so important to the quality of your final recordings. See Chapters 6 and 9 for more miking details.
In this chapter, I take a look at some of the most common microphone techniques that are used in professional recording. You get a chance to see, up close, how spot miking works. You also get a broad view of distant miking and take a look at the big picture on ambient miking. As well, this chapter explores common stereo miking techniques, and explains what to look for when combining these various approaches.
Regardless of the style of microphone that you use or the type of instrument that you record, you can use one or more of the following mic-placement techniques to capture the sound that you want:
Spot (or close) miking: Put your microphone within inches of the sound source.
Distant miking: Pull your mic back a few feet from the sound.
Ambient miking: Place your mic way back in a room.
Stereo miking: Set up two mics at various distances from one another.
Combined miking: Use a combination of the four traditional placement strategies listed here.
This chapter introduces you to the four traditional mic-placement strategies that are used in recording. You discover the characteristics and purposes of each of these four methods and gain an understanding of how each relates to a particular tonal or sound quality. I also discuss how you can combine these strategies.
Singling Out Spot Miking
Spot miking (also called close miking) involves placing your microphone within a couple of feet of the sound source. Home recordists use this technique most often because it adds little of the room (the reverb and delay) to the recorded sound. Figure 8-1 shows the close miking placement.
Spot miking tends to create a less natural sound and can compromise the quality of your recordings if you're not careful. It can also offer advantages if you record multiple instruments in one pass or if your room doesn't sound good. Here are some things to consider when using spot miking:
Transients are more extreme. Distance from a sound source tames the initial attack of an instrument. Spot miking picks up more transient material, which can make the sound of the instrument seem harsh and can overload your mic, preamp, or converter without your seeing it on your level meters. You need to listen closely to your recorded sound to make sure that you don't have distortion. A solution to this problem is to move the mic back a bit or point it slightly away from the instrument.
The room isn't part of the recording. This can be good or bad, depending on the sound of your room:
• On the plus side, it can keep a bad-sounding room from ruining the sound of your track by putting it so far in the background of the recording that it isn't really heard on your tracks.
**Figure 8-1:** Spot, or close, miking involves placing the mic within a couple of feet of the sound source.
• On the downside, you lose the natural ambience of an instrument that gives it its character, so if you have a nice-sounding room, this technique may not be the best choice (depending on how many instruments are playing at once — see the next bullet point).
You can isolate each instrument. Spot miking can help you keep multiple instruments separated in your tracks, so if you record your band live, you can create some isolation among instruments. (This assumes that you use a microphone with a cardioid polar pattern. Chapter 6 has more details on this.) This makes mixing a lot easier. Because of the downside that I list in the previous bullet, I'm a big fan of using room mics (using the ambient technique described in the section "Assessing Ambient Miking," later in this chapter) in conjunction with spot mics to create a more realistic sound.
Even minor adjustments in mic placement can have a huge impact on your recorded sound. Because the mic is so close to the sound source, small adjustments to the mic's placement make a noticeable difference, and the mic may not capture the complete sound of the instrument. Finding the spot that sounds the best may take you awhile.
The closer you put your mic, the more bass you record. I mention this in Chapter 6, but it bears repeating here. As you move a mic with a cardioid polar pattern in close to the sound source, the mic picks up more bass energy. This is called the proximity effect. It can be an advantage for some applications — rounding out the sound of a vocal, for instance — but it can also cause problems with some instruments such as acoustic strings, where you don't want the extra bass muddying the sound. To counter this effect, use an omnidirectional or figure-8 mic or move the cardioid-pattern mic away from the sound source until the bass is more manageable. (See Chapter 6 for a rundown of the different types of mics.)
Detailing Distant Miking
When you use distant miking, you place mics about 3 or 4 feet away from the sound source, as shown in Figure 8-2. Distant miking enables you to capture some of the sound of the room along with the instrument. An example of a distant-miking technique is the overhead drum mic. With it, you can pick up the whole drum set to some extent. Coupling the distant mic with a few select spot mics, you can record a natural sound.
Distant miking has its plusses and minuses. Here are some things to remember if you use this technique:
You can get a more natural sound. By moving the mic back a few feet from its source, you give the instrument a chance to breathe a bit and allow the sound to blend a little with the room in which it's played. You also eliminate the impact of the proximity effect (see the previous section) and correct the balance between the body of the instrument's sound and the transient from the initial attack. This often creates a more pleasing, natural sound.
Other instruments may bleed into your track. If you record more than one instrument at the same time, distant miking increases the bleed of other instruments into the track of the instrument that you want to record. The solution to this is to use the spot-miking technique instead, move the instruments farther apart, adjust the mics so that the blind spot of the mic is facing the instrument you don't want to record, or place gobos (acoustic baffles) between the instruments.
The sound of the room is important. With the mic farther away from the instrument, more of the room sound is picked up in relation to the instrument. As a result, you hear more of the room in your tracks. This can be nice if your room sounds good, but it can get in the way if your room doesn't.
**Figure 8-2:** The microphone is placed 3 to 4 feet from the instrument in the distant-miking technique.
Multiple mics can cause phase problems. Whenever you use more than one mic on a source such as a band or drum set, the relationship of these mics to the source and to one another plays a significant role in the sound you get. If the mics are not placed properly, some frequencies may drop out. Called phase cancellation, this is the result of the recorded waveforms reaching each mic at slightly different times. The section "Overcoming problems with stereo miking" and the section "Creating Miking Combinations," later in this chapter, explain this phenomenon in more detail.
Assessing Ambient Miking
Ambient miking is simply placing the mic far enough away from the sound source so that you capture more of the room sound (the reverb and delay) than the sound of the actual instrument (see Figure 8-3). You may place the mic a couple of feet away from the source but pointed in the opposite direction, or you may place it across the room. You can even put the mic in an adjacent room, although I admit this is an unorthodox technique. The distance that you choose varies from instrument to instrument.
Ambient miking definitely has its place, but using this technique requires forethought. Consider the following items when you use this technique:
**Figure 8-3:** Ambient miking involves placing the mic so that it picks up more of the room's sound than the instrument's sound.
You lose the attack of the instrument. Because the mic is so far from the sound source, it picks up more of the ambience of the room than the attack of the instrument (hence the name of the technique). To counter this effect, use distant or spot mics for the instruments that you want to have a more pronounced presence and blend these mics with the ambient mic when you mix.
You need a good room. Ambient miking relies on the sound of the room to create a pleasing ambience. If your room doesn't sound great, you're better off using a closer miking technique instead. On the other hand, if you can find a great room in which to record — a church or auditorium, for instance — setting up a mic in the middle of the room (you must listen for the best placement by walking around the room as the music plays) can give your tracks that extra something that can set them apart from the run-of-the-mill home recordings.
Placement is key. Just as each instrument has a sweet spot, each room has a place that sounds best. Take your time finding this location and put your ambient mic there.
Watch for phase problems. Because an ambient mic is typically used in conjunction with another mic or two (or more), you must keep the relationship among the mics correct; otherwise, you'll have problems with the phase of the recorded waveforms. (I introduce the concept of phase cancellation in the preceding section, "Detailing Distant Miking.")
Ambient mic placement works well in those places where the room adds to the sound of the instrument. The sound that you record is ambient (hence the name). If you mix an ambient mic with a spot mic, you can end up with a natural reverb. So if your room doesn't add to the sound of the instrument, avoid using an ambient mic. You can always add a room sound by using effects in the mixing process (see Chapter 15 for more details).
Selecting Stereo Miking
Stereo miking involves using two mics to capture the stereo field of the instrument. You find a variety of stereo-miking techniques and some pretty complicated ways of using two mics to record. The three most common approaches are X-Y (coincident) pairs, the Blumlein technique, and spaced pairs. You can also find stereo mics that do a good job of capturing the stereo field of an instrument.
Stereo miking has the advantage of capturing a fairly natural stereo image, though not as good as what your ears capture. When you listen to performances that were recorded with well-placed stereo miking, you can hear exactly where each instrument performed on the stage. Of course, such wonderful stereo miking is an art. You can't just set up a couple of mics in a room and automatically get a good stereo sound. Capturing a stereo image with two mics requires careful planning.
X-Y pairs
X-Y (coincident) stereo miking consists of using two mics that are placed right next to each other so that the diaphragms are as close together as possible without touching one another. X-Y stereo miking is the most common type of stereo mic setup and the one that you'll likely use if you do stereo miking. Figure 8-4 shows a basic X-Y setup. Notice how the mics in this figure are attached to a special mounting bracket. This bracket makes positioning the mics easy.
**Figure 8-4:** The X-Y stereo mic approach uses two matched microphones placed close together.
When you record using the X-Y technique, keep these points in mind:
The stereo image (the placement of the instruments in the sonic environment) isn't as wide or realistic as it is in real life. The X-Y technique is easy to set up and results in a decent sound, so (as with all things in life) you have to deal with the compromise this ease creates. No solution to this exists, so if a wide stereo image is important to you, consider using a different stereo technique, such as the spaced pair or perhaps a Jecklin disk. (See the section "Overcoming problems with stereo miking" for more about using a Jecklin disk.)
Don't use two mics when one is enough. After you get a pair of nice mics for X-Y miking, you'll want to use them on everything. A stereo- mic approach to a classical guitar composition is nice, but honestly, recording the acoustic guitar in a rock ballad with five other instruments playing isn't necessary and just makes life more complicated when you mix the song (see the section "Creating Miking Combinations," later in this chapter).
Keep some distance between the mics and the sound source. The X-Y technique has no benefit over a single mic if you place your mics within a couple of feet of the sound source.
You simply don't have enough space for a stereo image to develop until you're at least 6 feet from the instrument or group of instruments. In fact, I would be at least 10 feet from the sound source before I use the X-Y stereo miking approach.
Blumlein technique
The Blumlein technique is named after Alan Dower Blumlein, who patented this approach in 1931. Blumlein stereo miking involves placing two figure-8 mics in much the same way as the X-Y pattern (at right angles to one another with the diaphragms as close together as possible). The two mics are mounted on separate stands, one above the other. Figure 8-5 shows this technique.
The advantage of this technique is that the figure-8 mics pick up signals from both the front and back. This produces a natural sound. You also don't have to contend with proximity effects (enhanced bass response due to being close to the sound source) because figure-8 mics don't produce these effects. Here are some suggestions for when you should use this technique:
**Figure 8-5:** The Blumlein technique uses two figure-8 mics placed at right angles to one another.
The room sound is important. Because the Blumlein technique uses figure-8 mics that can pick up the sound on the other side of the mics than your instruments, you end up recording quite a bit of room sound with your instruments. This is one of the reasons that this technique sounds as good as it does, but your room must add to the quality of your sound, not hinder it.
Find the best place in the room. Take some time to find the best place to put the mics. The placement may not be in the center of the room or the front of the band. Instead, it may be off to one side or closer to the back or front. This advice holds true for all miking, but with the Blumlein technique (or when using omnidirectional mics with the other techniques), correct mic placement can make the difference between a decent recording and a truly awesome one.
Get a sturdy stand that can handle both mics. Using two stands to hold both mics makes moving them around (to find the sweet spot in the room) a real pain in the you-know-what. You can easily find mic-stand adapters that hold both mics. These can be an invaluable investment.
Spaced pairs
Spaced-pair stereo miking involves placing two mics at a distance in front of the instrument(s) that you want to record and at a distance from one another. This approach can work well if you record an ensemble that takes up a lot of room. Figure 8-6 shows a top view of a typical spaced-pair stereo mic setup.
**Figure 8-6:** To use the spaced-pair approach, place two mics away from the sound source and apart from one another.
Keep the following things in mind when using the spaced-pair stereo-miking technique:
Follow the rule. One of the most important things to consider when stereo miking with spaced pairs is that you will experience phase problems if you don't space the mics properly. Fortunately, experienced recordists have discovered a basic guideline that makes it easier to place the mics. Called the 3:1 rule, this guideline says that you should place the mics three times farther apart than they are from the sound source. Doing so minimizes potential phase problems.
Break the rule if necessary. As handy as the 3:1 rule is, it isn't foolproof. At times, this rule doesn't produce the best sound. In the next chapter, I offer one of these instances for placing drum overheads in a three-mic technique. Use the rule as a guide, but trust your ears to determine the best place to put a spaced pair of mics (or a single mic, pair, or group of mics).
Stereo microphones
If you want to record an instrument in stereo and don't want the hassle of learning how to set up stereo pairs, you can use a stereo mic. Stereo mics have two diaphragms in them and use a special cord that allows you to record the output from each diaphragm on a separate track. An inexpensive stereo condenser mic is shown in Figure 8-7. This type of microphone acts like an X-Y pair, so follow the guidelines and suggestions that I offer in the section "X-Y pairs," earlier in this chapter, when using one of these.
**Figure 8-7:** A stereo microphone can do a good job of capturing a natural stereo image.
Overcoming problems with stereo miking
When you do stereo miking, watch out for phase cancellation and poor stereo imaging. I describe these thorny issues and a simple solution in the following paragraphs.
Phase cancellation
Phase cancellation happens when the two microphones are placed so that they each receive the sound at slightly different times. When this occurs, you don't hear the bass as well because the low frequencies drop off. Improper mic placement or two mics that are out of phase with one another can cause phase cancellation.
Most digital recorders have a phase switch that allows you to reverse the phase of the signal (even after it's recorded). To test whether two mics are out of phase, just reverse the phase on one mic (don't do both) and listen to see whether the low frequencies become more apparent:
If they do, you've corrected the problem and you're good to go.
If this doesn't correct the problem, try changing cords on one of the mics because some mic cords are wired differently than others. If this doesn't work either, you need to adjust the relationship between the two mics. Just move one mic around a little and listen for changes in the bass response. When the missing bass appears, you know you've solved the problem.
Poor stereo imaging
Poor stereo imaging occurs when you can't tell where things fall from left to right (or right to left, if that's the way you think), or when you can't hear a clear center point in the sound. Poor stereo imaging is a little more difficult to correct than phase cancellation, but you can fix it.
The solution depends on the stereo-miking technique that you use. If you use the X-Y technique, you've probably placed your mics too close to the sound source. If you use the spaced-pair technique, you've probably placed the mics too close to one another in relation to the distance from the instruments. In either case, adjusting the placement of your mics should clear up the problem.
A Jecklin disk is a simple device that can make dealing with these issues much easier (and give you a pretty realistic stereo image for not a lot of money). A Jecklin disk is a 1⁄4-inch-thick round plate, approximately 12 inches in diameter, with 1⁄2-inch foam attached to both sides (see Figure 8-8). Omnidirectional small-diaphragm condenser mics are placed on either side of the plate at precise locations and this entire unit is directed to the sound source. To learn more about the Jecklin disk, do an Internet search and you'll find plenty of hits — including some plans to build one for under $30.
**Figure 8-8:** A Jecklin disk can make stereo recording easy and capture an awesome, natural sound.
Creating Miking Combinations
Often you'll want to use more than one mic. The possible combinations are almost limitless: You can use several spot mics on one instrument, you can use a spot mic and an ambient mic, you can have a distant mic and a spot mic, or . . . well, you get my point. As exciting as these possibilities can be, keep the following points in mind to get the best sound when you combine multiple mics:
Be aware of phase relationships. Each mic interacts with all the other ones when you record, and you need to take the time to set up each mic so that it doesn't interfere with any others. This means honoring the 3:1 rule for stereo mics (see the section "Spaced pairs," earlier in this chapter). The only way to ensure that your phase is good is to record a snippet of a song (or a whole song if you want) and then listen to your tracks.
Listen to each mic individually and then together to see whether any frequencies drop out. If frequencies drop out, finding the problem mics will take some detective work. You need to play pairs of mics that you recorded until you find the problem; then you need to adjust each mic until the problem goes away. If you do this enough, you'll get pretty good at placing mics and making phase relationships work.
Be aware of bleed between mics. This is mainly for bands that want to play together while still maintaining as much isolation as possible. A string quartet rarely needs isolation because all the instruments blend well together live; this blending is integral to the overall sound. However, a rock band with miked amps usually needs enough isolation so that you can do some tweaking to each instrument when you mix.
As well, a band that plays well together and can nail the performances can have more bleed — whereas a band with a marginal player or two (you know whether you have one in your band) who has to perform additional takes or punch-ins to fix a weak performance requires much more isolation. Doing a punch-in to a live, bleed-filled performance (for instance, if your bass player flubbed a few notes) can sound wrong in the mix.
Use only as many mics as you need. Every additional mic that you add to your setup complicates your recording process considerably. To keep things simple, use as few mics as possible to get the sound you want.
If you're using a digital recorder, it probably has a phase switch that enables you to fix the phase problems later if you missed them as you recorded. This isn't as optimal as recording without this problem, but it may allow you to save an otherwise-good set of tracks.
Chapter 9
Miking Your Instruments
In This Chapter
Exploring microphone techniques
Miking amplified instruments
Miking acoustic instruments
Miking drums
The location of a microphone in relation to your instrument or a singer has a huge impact on the sound of your recording. In fact, just a movement of an inch or two — or even a slight turn of the mic — can bring out different characteristics in the sound. The art of placing mics is one that you will undoubtedly spend a lifetime discovering.
In this chapter, you discover the fundamentals of using microphones to get a good source sound. You explore tried-and-true miking methods along with practical miking tips and tricks that you can use right away. You also examine the use of compression and mic placement to control and eliminate transients — the usual peaks in the instrument's sound.
In Chapter 7, I present ways to get the best sound from your mics and to keep extreme transients from ruining an otherwise-nice recording by overloading your inputs and clipping your audio, so check it out if you haven't done so yet.
Just remember, you don't need to use a compressor when tracking — simply keep your levels low enough to leave room for these unexpected signals. If you do decide to use a compressor during tracking, keep the attack and release times short (Chapter 7 has more on this). You only want to catch the initial signal and not mess with the rest of the instrument's sound. If you want to use a compressor to sculpt the sound of your instruments, you can do that easily during the mixing stage of producing your song. I cover this approach in detail in Chapter 15, where I offer a bunch of sample settings to get you started.
Getting a Great Lead Vocal Sound
Regardless of the type of home studio you have or the style of music that you record, you'll probably record vocals at some point. And unfortunately, vocals are one of the most challenging sounds to do well. You have to find the right mic for the person who's singing, and then you need to try different approaches to get the best sound out of him or her. Fortunately, you're in luck. In the following sections, I lead you through the (sometimes complicated) process of getting good lead vocal sounds.
Making the most of the room
To get the best possible recording of vocals, you need a dead room, which is another way of saying a room that has no reverberation. (Chapter 3 has tips on how to deaden your room.) Recording vocals in a dead room gives a sense of "presence" and allows you to add compression to the vocals without making them sound distant (this is because the compressor raises the level of the background noise, particularly the reverberation from a live room).
The easiest way to deaden your room for vocal recording is to hang curtains, carpet, or blankets around the room or to use the absorbent side of the reflector/ absorber panels that I discuss in Chapter 3. Try to cover the front and both sides of the vocal area with absorbent materials. If you use the reflector/absorber panels that I describe in Chapter 3, you need to raise them off the ground, because the panels are only 4 feet tall.
Choosing the best mic
You have a lot of options for miking vocals. The type of mic that you use dictates where you place it.
Dynamic mic
Dynamic mics sound best when you place them close to the singer's mouth. The effect that you get is gritty. Huh? Okay, by gritty I mean dirty. That's no help either? Let me see . . .
Sound: Dynamic mics produce a midrange sound (the high frequencies aren't reproduced well). When someone sings with the mic right in front of her mouth, the sound lacks even more high frequencies due to the proximity effect (an enhanced low-frequency response at close range). The result is a deep, bass-heavy sound that's often described as gritty or dirty. This type of sound can be great for some styles of rock and blues music.
Setup: To set up a dynamic mic for this purpose, just put it on a stand so that the singer can get his mouth right up against the windscreen.
Large-diaphragm condenser mic
Large-diaphragm condenser mics are the most common types of mics for vocals.
Sound: These mics can clearly reproduce the entire audible frequency spectrum and slightly accentuate the low-mid frequencies (200–500Hz) at the same time. Their sound is nice, warm, and full-bodied (that sounds like I'm describing a wine). The proximity effect (how close the singer is to the mic) determines how nice and warm-bodied the sound is. The closer the singer, the deeper and richer the tone.
Setup: When you set up a large-diaphragm condenser mic for vocals, you need to place the mic so that nasty sibilances (the sound from singing s and t sounds) and pesky plosives (pops from singing p syllables) don't mess up your recordings. To deal with plosives and sibilance, you can either use a pop filter (see Chapter 6) or have the singer sing past the mic. If you want the singer to sing past the mic, you can do one of the following things:
• Place the mic above the singer and set it at an angle pointing away from him (Figure 9-1, left).
• Put the mic off to the side and face it toward the singer (Figure 9-1, center).
• Set up the mic below the singer and angle it away from him (Figure 9-1, right).
**Figure 9-1:** You can place the mic at different angles to control sibilance and plosives.
Small-diaphragm condenser mic
The small-diaphragm mic won't be your first choice in a vocal mic, unless you are recording a female vocalist with a soprano voice and you want to catch the more ethereal quality of her higher frequencies.
Sound: The small-diaphragm condenser mic creates a much more bright or airy sound than the large-diaphragm mic. This means that it doesn't contain the low-mid (200–500 Hz) warmth of its larger- diaphragm counterpart.
Setup: You set up the small-diaphragm mic in the same way that you set up the large-diaphragm mic.
Ribbon mic
The ribbon mic is a good choice if you're looking for a crooner-type sound (think Frank Sinatra).
Sound: The ribbon mic is thought to add a silky sound to the singer's voice. By silky, I mean a slight drop-off in the high frequencies (not as severe as a dynamic mic, though). To my drum-abused ears, ribbon mics have a kind of softness that the large-diaphragm condenser mics don't have. The sound is more even, without the pronounced low-mid effect.
Setup: If you use a ribbon mic, you can set it up in the same way that you set up a condenser mic. Just be more careful about singing directly into a ribbon mic because the ribbon can break if you sing, speak, or breathe too hard into it.
Many digital studios (the SIAB and computer-based systems, especially) contain mic simulator programs as part of their effects packages. Mic simulators allow you to use a relatively inexpensive mic (a Shure SM57, for instance) and make it sound like a much more expensive vocal mic. The mic simulator doesn't match the sound of a great mic perfectly but does give you more options, especially if you don't have the bucks to buy a handful of top-notch vocal mics.
One of the great things about using a mic simulator is that you can choose the exact sound you want after you've recorded the vocal part. This way, you can spend less time trying to choose the perfect mic and get down to the business of recording before your singer gets worn out.
Getting Good Backup Vocals
To record backup vocals, you can either track each part separately by using the same mic-placement techniques that I describe earlier or you can have all the backup singers sing at once into one or two mics. If you do the latter, you can either use a stereo pair of mics, a figure-8 mic, or an omnidirectional mic.
If you use a stereo pair of mics, I recommend setting them up in a coincident X-Y pattern (introduced in Chapter 8). Have the vocalists stand next to each other facing the mics at 3 or 4 feet away. Either large- or small-diaphragm mics work best for this setup. Check out Figure 9-2 for a neat top view of this arrangement.
**Figure 9-2:** The X-Y stereo miking pattern can work well for backup vocals.
If you choose to use a figure-8 mic, the singers can stand on opposite sides of the mic (Figure 9-3). The advantage of this setup is that the singers can look at each other while they sing.
**Figure 9-3:** Backup singers can stand on either side of a figure-8 mic and see each other.
An omnidirectional mic can also work well for backup vocals. In this case, the singers stand in a circle around the mic, as shown in Figure 9-4.
**Figure 9-4:** Singers stand in a circle around an omni- directional mic.
Examining Electric Guitar Miking
Miking your electric guitar is a personal thing. It seems to me that every guitar player spends a lot of time getting his or her "sound" (although I don't play guitar, so what do I know?). If you're a real guitar player, you undoubtedly take great pride in recording your sound exactly right on tape, er, disc. You likely spend countless hours tweaking your amp and adjusting the mic to get the sound just right. On the other hand, if you're not a real guitar player, you may just want to record the part and get it over with. Either way, you can start looking for that perfect guitar sound by placing your mics in one (or more) of the ways that I describe in this section.
Guitar miking involves mostly spot mics, so your only consideration when recording a guitar using an amp is how your neighbors feel about noise, er, your most-excellent guitar playing.
Using the room
Whether you play through a small jazz chorus amp or power-chord your way through a six-foot-tall Marshall stack, the room that you play in has less impact on your sound than it does if you play drums or sing. For the most part, look for a room that is fairly dead — a room without natural reverberation. You can always add effects later.
Getting the most out of the mics
The type of mic that you choose largely depends on the type of sound you're looking for. For example, if you're looking for a distorted rock guitar sound with effects, a dynamic mic works just fine. If you favor a clean sound, a small-diaphragm condenser mic may work better for you. If you're going for a warm, full-bodied sound, try using a large-diaphragm condenser mic.
No matter which type of mic you use, you get the best sound from your amp speakers by putting a mic about 2 to 12 inches from the cabinet, with the mic pointing directly at the cone of one of the amp speakers (the cone is located in the center of the speaker). You can see this positioning in Figure 9-5.
You may want to experiment with how far the mic is from the amp and the angle at which you point it. Sometimes just a slight movement in or out, left or right, can make all the difference in the world. You can even try pointing the mic at different speakers if your amp has more than one, because each speaker has a slightly different sound.
I know some engineers who disconnect all but one speaker in the cabinet (assuming that you have more than one speaker) to lower the volume and still have an intense, distorted sound. This can be especially beneficial if you have one of those amp stacks with a volume knob that goes to 11, and you need to crank the amp to get your "tone" (come on, rockers, you know who you are). This way you don't overdrive the mic — creating distortion — and you can still get that nasty sound you're looking for.
**Figure 9-5:** Start by placing a mic near the cone of a speaker in your amp.
If you can't quite get the sound that you want from your amp with the one mic pointed at the speaker cone, try adding a second mic 3 or 4 feet away. You also point this mic directly at the speaker cabinet for a more ambient sound. This may also give your sound more life, especially if you have a room with natural reverberation. If you add a second mic, remember to watch for phase differences between the mics and make adjustments accordingly. (I discuss phase cancellation in Chapter 8.)
Are you sick of the same old sound coming out of your amp? Do you wanna really shake things up (and I mean this literally)? Well, put your guitar amp in a tiled bathroom and crank it up. You can put a mic in the bathroom with your amp (a couple of feet away) and maybe another one just outside the door (experiment by how much you close or open the door). The effect is, well . . . try it and find out for yourself.
On most digital recording systems, you can use an effect called an amp simulator to give your guitar a variety of sounds. The amp simulator can make your guitar sound like it was played through any number of popular amplifier setups. This can save you the hassle of trying to mic your guitar amp and keep your neighbors happy. Just plug your guitar into the Hi-Z jack in your mixer. If you don't have a Hi-Z jack, you can use a direct box or the line-out jack of your amp (more on this in Chapter 4).
Exploring Electric Bass Miking
When you mic an electric bass, getting a good sound can be a real bear. Your two adversaries are muddiness (lack of definition) and thinness (a pronounced midrange tone). These seem like almost polar opposite characteristics, but they can both exist at the same time. I outline the best way to avoid these problems in the following sections.
Running your bass guitar directly into the board — via a direct box, your amp's line-out jack, or a Hi-Z jack on the mixer — gives the guitar a punchier sound. Some recorders have amp-simulator programs for bass guitar as well as guitar. So don't be afraid to skip the amp and go directly into the mixer. Or if you're bold and have the available tracks, try using both a mic and a direct connection and mix the two mics to taste.
Managing the room
The sound of an electric bass guitar can quickly get muddy. Your best bet is to choose a room that doesn't have a lot of surfaces that reflect sound (for example, paneled walls and wooden floors). A dead room is easier to work with. Don't make your room too dead, however, or it just sucks the life out of your amp's tone. If you can get your amp to sound good in your room, placing the mic properly is easy.
Don't be afraid to be creative and to try recording your bass in different rooms. Look for a room with a warm sound to it. One thing though — the bathroom amp trick that I mention earlier in this chapter doesn't work well on bass guitar (but it can be fun to try anyway).
Getting the most from the mic
Because the bass guitar produces low frequencies, a dynamic mic or a large-diaphragm condenser mic works well. I avoid small-diaphragm condensers and ribbon mics for the electric bass, but try them if you want. Who knows — you may end up with an awesome bass track.
Mic placement for the electric bass is similar to the guitar: You place a single mic 2 to 12 inches away from one of the speakers. Sometimes with bass, angling the mic and letting the speaker's sound kind of drift past the diaphragm produces a great sound. For a bass, skip the distant mic, which generally just adds muddiness to the sound.
Miking Acoustic Guitars and Similar Instruments
At the risk of offending banjo, dobro, harp, or ukulele players, I'm lumping all strummed or picked string instruments together. I know, they all sound and play differently, but the microphone-placement techniques for all these instruments are similar. Allow me to explain.
Because all these instruments have a resonating chamber, you can pretty much use the same mic placement for any of them. You use different types of mics for different instruments, and I get to that in a minute.
Making the most of the room
Because these are acoustic instruments, the room plays a role in the sound that you end up recording. Unless you have a great-sounding room, you want to minimize its impact on your instrument's sound. You can do this by recording with spot mics or by placing absorber/reflectors in strategic places around your room. Put the absorber side out if the room is too live or the reflector side out if the room is too dead.
For example, if your home studio resides in a spare bedroom with carpeting and that awful popcorn stuff on the ceiling, you can put a couple of the reflector panels around your guitar player and the mic. This adds some reverberation to your guitar. Any unwanted reflections from the ceiling or walls are shielded from the mics, because the absorber sides of the panels are facing the rest of the room.
Using your mics
I often prefer to use condenser mics when recording acoustic instruments. The type of condenser mic you use depends on the overall tonal quality that you want to capture or accentuate. For example, if a guitar has a nice woody sound that you want to bring out in the recording, a large-diaphragm condenser mic is a good choice. On the other hand, if you're trying to capture the brightness of a banjo, a small-diaphragm mic is a better choice.
You can position your microphone in a variety of ways, and each accents certain aspects of the instrument's sound. Even a slight adjustment to the mic can have a significant impact on the sound. You may have to experiment quite a bit to figure out exactly where to put a mic.
To help with your experimentation, listen to the instrument carefully and move the mic around (in and out, left and right) until you find a spot that sounds particularly good. You need to get your ears close to the instrument to do this.
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
Put the mic 6 to 18 inches away from and 3 to 4 inches below the point where the neck meets the body of the instrument. Then make minor adjustments to the direction in which the mic points. Pointing it toward the sound hole(s) often gives you a richer, deeper tone. (This can translate to muddiness on some instruments.) Turning the mic more toward the neck brings out the instrument's brighter qualities. See the image on the left in Figure 9-6.
Place the mic about 3 feet away from the instrument and point it directly at the sound hole. At this distance, you capture the rich sound from the sound hole and the attack of the strings. See the center image in Figure 9-6.
Put the mic about 6 inches out from the bridge of the instrument. Try pointing the mic in different directions (slight movements of an inch or less can make a huge difference) until you find the spot that sounds best to you. See the image on the right in Figure 9-6.
Set up the mic at about the same distance and angle from the instrument as the player's ears. Point the mic down toward the instrument so that the mic is a couple of inches away from either side of the musician's head. This is an unorthodox approach that I like because the player adjusts his playing style and intonation to correspond to what she is hearing when she plays. With this technique, you're trying to capture exactly what the musician hears.
**Figure 9-6:** Positioning the mic in these ways can produce a good acoustic-instrument sound.
Maneuvering Horn Mics
There's nothing like the sound of a skilled horn player. Sure, you can use a synthesizer or sampler to play horns, but it's not quite the same. Luckily, horns, such as trumpets, trombones, and saxophones, use similar miking techniques, so if you want to mic horns, you don't have to understand a ton of different techniques.
Understanding the role of the room
Because of the high volume levels of most horns and the fact that you mic them fairly closely, you don't get a ton of impact from the acoustics of the room. Unless your room sounds really bad (for example, a small spare bedroom with carpeting and a low ceiling), you can deal with any room sound that bleeds into the mic.
If you have a small room that adds an unwanted sound to the instrument, surround the horn player with acoustic panels; the setup is similar to what I describe in the section "Getting a Great Lead Vocal Sound," earlier in this chapter. You can experiment with using either the reflective or absorptive side of the panels to record the sound that you want. Generally speaking, err on the side of a more dead room — you can always add reverb later.
Making the most of the mics
For most horns, a decent condenser mic — large- or small-diaphragm — works well. If you want a richer tone, a ribbon mic is the way to go. In fact, whenever I mic horns, I pull out a ribbon mic first, and it usually stays out until the session is over.
You can place the mic from 3 inches to a foot or more from the instrument, depending on the instrument and the sound you're looking for. For example, a trumpet, because of its high sound-pressure levels (SPLs, or volume), would sound best with the mic a little farther away than the placement for a tenor sax. This is especially true with ribbon mics, because too much pressure can blow the ribbon.
Most horns generally sound better if the mic is placed just to the side of the bell (the part where the sound comes out). This keeps the SPL that the mic picks up low enough to avoid distortion and not blow your precious ribbon. For some of the louder instruments, choose a condenser mic with a high SPL rating and/or a pad switch, or move the mic away from the instrument a bit. (A pad switch reduces the amount of sound — usually by 10–20dB — that the mic's internal circuits process, allowing you to have a louder signal without distortion.)
If you want to record more than one horn instrument at a time (a couple of trombones, for instance), you can use a figure-8 condenser mic and position each horn player on either side of the mic. As an alternative, use one or more mics a couple of feet away from the players.
Placing Mics for a Piano
If you're lucky enough to have a real piano to record, you'll probably want to record it live rather than use a piano patch on a synthesizer. The following sections give you suggestions on how to effectively mic a piano.
Harnessing the sound of the room
Pianos can be tough to record if your room doesn't sound great. Because of the size of the instrument — especially if it's a grand or a baby grand piano — you need a large room with a high ceiling to get the best sound. If you have an upright piano in a living room, for example, you may find it easier to just record a piano patch (sound) on a decent synthesizer.
If your room doesn't add to the sound of the piano, use a closer mic placement than you would if your room sounds great.
Managing the mics
Condenser mics are a must for recording piano. Either small- or large- diaphragm mics work well. Your mic placement depends largely on the sound you want. Here are a few examples:
Funky rock or ragtime sound: Place your mic close in toward the hammers. In this case, I would use two mics — one over the higher register and one over the lower, 6 to 12 inches away from the hammers.
Natural classical-type sound: Move the mics out from the instrument — 2 to 6 feet is usually good, depending on how much room sound you want in the mix. The farther you move the mics outside of the lid, the higher you should place the mics because the sound moves up as it goes out. A good reference is to use the lid as guide.
The farther outside the instrument you put the mics, the more room sound you pick up.
If you don't want to use a traditional condenser mic or if you want to try another approach to piano miking, you can use a boundary mic. A boundary mic is an omnidirectional mic that attaches to the instrument. You can find a decent-sounding boundary mic for about $50 from Radio Shack (Cat. #33-3022) or for a few more dollars from most other microphone manufacturers. Just mount the boundary mic to the underside of the piano's lid (consult your mic's manual for details on mounting it) to get the best sound. You can also use two boundary mics — one over the lower register and one over the higher one.
Setting Up Mics for Strings
Stringed instruments — violin and fiddle, viola, cello, and acoustic bass — can be a lot of fun to mic. They have a rich tone and produce an almost unlimited variety of textures. Each instrument has a different tonal spectrum, but because they all have the same basic shape and design (f-holes, strings, bows, and so on), they can all be thought of similarly. You can try any of the techniques that I describe for one of these instruments on the rest of them. For example, try the mic technique from the cello on the fiddle and see what you think. Your options are many, so experiment and use what you like.
Making the most of the room
As with any other acoustic instrument, the room can have profound impacts on the sound that you capture. Unless you have a really nice-sounding room, try to isolate the instrument from the room's sound. In this case, spot miking is the best choice. On the other hand, if you have access to a great-sounding room or concert hall in which to record, by all means add room mics or use a stereo-miking technique.
Making sense of the mics
My favorite type of mic for classical string instruments is a small-diaphragm condenser unit, although on occasion I reach for a large-diaphragm condenser mic. A dynamic mic may produce an interesting effect, but it doesn't capture the most natural sound.
You can place the mic for each of the string instruments as follows:
Violin, fiddle, and viola: These all sound great with a mic placed 1 to 2 feet above and behind the instrument and facing down at the instrument's body.
Cello and double bass: For these instruments, place the mic several feet away from the instrument (between 4 and 8 feet) and point it toward the f-hole in the instrument. This allows you to capture the sound of the entire instrument. The only drawback is that you also get a fair amount of the sound of the room. If you don't want the effects of your room recorded, you can place acoustic panels on either side of the mic.
Ensembles: Ensembles sound best when miked with a stereo pair placed between 8 and 20 feet away. You can use any of the stereo-miking techniques that I describe earlier in this chapter. If you are miking soloists, you may also need to add a spot mic or two for their instruments. If so, follow the recommendations that I provide earlier in this list and watch for phase problems.
Digging into Drum-Set Miking
If you're like most musicians, getting great-sounding drums seems like one of the world's great mysteries (you know, along the lines of how the pyramids were built or how to cure cancer). You can hear big, fat drums on great albums but when you try to record your drums, they always end up sounding more like cardboard boxes than drums. Fret not, for I have solutions for you.
What type of drum set?
If you want to buy a drum set for your home studio, here are some guidelines that have worked for me:
Smaller drums can sound bigger. At one point, I had two top-notch Gretsch drum sets in my studio. One was a rock kit that had a 24-inch kick; 13-, 14-, and 18-inch tom-toms; and a 61⁄2-inch-deep metal snare drum. The other was a small jazz kit consisting of an 18-inch kick, 10- and 14-inch tom-toms, and a 5-inch deep-wood snare. Guess what? Even for the hardest rock music, the small kit sounded much bigger. You can tune the small drums down a bit and they just sing!
Choose your heads wisely. Not all heads are equal. Some sound great on stage while others are better suited to the studio. Because the heads that come with a kit are most likely not the ones that sound the best on a recording, invest some money in testing different drumheads on your kit. I prefer either Remo pinstripes (great for rock and R&B) or coated Ambassadors (great for jazz) on the top and either clear or coated Ambassadors (I choose based on aesthetics) on the bottom of the drum.
Use cymbals with a fast decay. Cymbals that sound great on stage are different from those that sound great in the studio. Stage cymbals often have long decays and slow attacks. This causes bleeding, especially through the tom-tom mics, and correcting the problem can be a headache. If you buy cymbals for your studio, choose those that have a very fast attack and a short decay.
More expensive isn't always better. For recording, my favorite drum sets are used kits from the late '60s and early '70s. My all-time favorite recording set is a late-'60s Gretsch jazz drum set with an 18-inch kick drum, a 10-inch mounted tom-tom, and a 14-inch floor tom. For a snare, I love old 5-inch wooden snare drums (for example, Gretsch, Ludwig, or Slingerland). The last one of these sets that I bought cost $350, including all the mounting hardware and the snare drum. It wasn't pretty, but it sure sounded great.
First things first: Tuning your drums
The most important part of getting killer drum sounds is to make sure that your drums are tuned properly and that they have good heads on them (okay, those are two important things). Seriously, if you spend time getting the drums to sound good in your room, you're halfway to the drum sound of your dreams. I don't go into detail here, but if you want specific drum-tuning guidance, you can do an Internet search or check out my book Drums For Dummies, 2nd Edition (Wiley).
You're looking for a clear, open tone on your drums. Resist the temptation to apply duct tape or other dampeners to the drumheads. Drums that are deadened and don't ring clearly definitely sound like cardboard boxes when you record them.
After you tune your drums as well as you can, the next step is to take care of rattles that may be coming from the stands or mounting hardware. Tighten any loose hardware and move any stands that may be touching one another. You may need to make small adjustments to the pitches of your drums if they are causing hardware to rattle.
If you still have ringing or unwanted overtones, you can damp them slightly. Cotton gauze taped lightly on the edge of the head (away from the drummer) is often enough. If you want a real dry sound on your snare drum, you can use the wallet trick: Have the drummer place his wallet on the head — the drumhead, that is. (Use the drummer's wallet because it probably doesn't have any money in it.)
When your drums have been tuned perfectly, you're ready to start placing microphones. You can choose from an unlimited number of miking configurations, only a few of which I can cover here (it would take a whole book to cover them all).
Using the room to your benefit
The room influences the drums' sound more than it influences that of other instruments. If you're looking for a big drum sound, you need a fairly live room (one with lots of reflection).
I know, you're thinking, "But I just have a bedroom for a studio, and it's carpeted." No worries, you can work with that. Remember, you have a home studio, so you potentially have your whole home to work with. Here are a couple of ideas to spark your imagination:
Buy three or four 4-by-8-foot sheets of plywood and lean them against the walls of your room. Also, place one sheet on the floor just in front of the kick drum. The plywood adds reflective surfaces to the room.
Put the drums in your garage (or living room, or any other room with a reverberating sound) and run long mic cords to your mixer. If you have a studio-in-a-box or laptop-computer–based system, you can just throw it under your arm and move everything into your garage or, better yet, take all this stuff to a really great-sounding room and record.
Set up your drums in a nice-sounding room and place an additional mic just outside the door to catch an additional ambient sound. You can then mix this with the other drum tracks to add a different quality of reverberation to the drums.
Picking up the kick (bass) drum
When recording a kick drum, most recording engineers choose a dynamic mic. In fact, you can find some large-diaphragm dynamic mics specifically designed to record kick drums.
No matter where you place the mic, you can reduce the amount of boominess from the drum by placing a pillow or blanket inside it. Some people choose to let the pillow or blanket touch the inside head. I prefer to keep it a couple of inches away from the inside head, but I find it can be beneficial to let it touch the outside head.
That said, you can place your mic in several ways:
Near the inside head (see Figure 9-7, left): If you take off the outside head or cut a hole in it, you can put the mic inside the drum. Place the mic 2 to 3 inches away from the inside head and a couple of inches off center. This is the standard way to mic a kick drum if you have the outside head off or if a hole is cut in it. This placement gives you a sharp attack from the beater hitting the head.
Halfway inside the drum: You can modify the preceding miking technique by moving the mic back so that it's about halfway inside the drum. In this case, place the mic right in the middle, pointing where the beater strikes the drum. This placement gives you less of the attack of the beater striking the head and more of the body of the drum's sound.
Near the outside head (see Figure 9-7, right): If you have both heads on the drum, you can place the mic a few inches from the outside head. If you want a more open, boomy sound (and you have the drum's pitch set fairly high), point the mic directly at the center of the head. If you want less boom, offset the mic a little and point it about two-thirds of the way toward the center.
**Figure 9-7:** You can place a mic in several places to get a good kick-drum sound.
If your drum sounds thin after trying these mic-placement approaches, you can try these two things:
Tune the drum slightly up. In your quest for a deep bass tone, you may have tuned the drum too low. (This is especially common if you have a large bass drum.) In this case, the drum's fundamental tone may be too low to be heard clearly. Raising the pitch a bit usually solves the problem.
Create a tunnel with acoustic panels. Putting the mic in the tunnel often helps if you have a room that's too dead. Place two of the panels on their sides (reflective surfaces facing in) with one end of each panel near the outside of the drum. Angle the panels out so that, where they are farthest from the drum set, the distance between them is just under 4 feet. Then lay the other two panels (reflective surface facing down) across the side panels to create a tunnel. You can also place a piece of plywood on the floor under these panels to further increase the resonance. Place the mic halfway into the tunnel, facing the center of the drum.
Setting up the snare drum
The snare drum is probably the most important drum in popular music. The bass guitar can cover the kick drum's rhythm, and the rest of the drums aren't part of the main groove. A good, punchy snare drum can make a track, whereas a weak, thin one can eliminate the drive that most popular music needs.
Because the snare drum is located so close to the other drums, especially the hi-hats, a cardioid-pattern mic is a must. The most common mic for a snare drum is the trusty Shure SM57. The mic is generally placed between the hi-hats and the small tom-tom about 1 or 2 inches from the snare drum head (see Figure 9-8). Point the diaphragm directly at the head. You may need to make minor adjustments to eliminate bleed from the hi-hats. This position gives you a nice punchy sound.
If you want a crisper tone, you can add a second mic under the drum. Place this mic about an inch or two from the head with the diaphragm pointing at the snares. Make minor adjustments to minimize leakage from the hi-hats.
If you have the available tracks, record each snare mic to a separate track and blend the two later during mixdown. If you don't have the available tracks, blend them until you have the sound you want.
**Figure 9-8:** The proper placement for the snare drum mic.
Tackling the tom-toms
The tom-toms sound best when using a dynamic mic. For the mounted toms (the ones above the kick drum), you can use one or two mics. If you use one mic, place it between the two drums about 4 to 6 inches away from the heads. (Figure 9-9 shows this placement option.) If you use two mics, place one above each drum, 1 to 3 inches above the head.
If you want a boomy sound with less attack, you can place a mic inside the shell with the bottom head off the drum.
Floor toms are miked the same way as the mounted tom-toms. Use the following setup:
Place a single mic a couple of inches away from the head near the rim.
If you have more than one floor tom, you can place one mic between them or mic them individually.
If you want to apply compression to the tom-toms, start with the settings that I listed for the snare drum in the preceding section.
**Figure 9-9:** Miking the mounted tom-toms with one mic.
Handling the hi-hats
The hi-hats are generally part of the main groove, and as such, you want to spend time getting a good sound. You may have problems with a few other mics on the drum set picking up the hi-hats, particularly the snare drum mic and overhead mics. Some people don't bother miking the hi-hats for this reason.
I like to mic hi-hats because, to me, these cymbals often sound too trashy through the snare drum mic. If you mic hi-hats, make sure that the snare drum mic is picking up as little of the hi-hats as possible by placing the mic properly and/or using a noise gate (a dynamic processor used to filter unwanted noise).
You can use either a dynamic mic or, better yet, a small-diaphragm condenser mic for the hi-hats. The dynamic mic gives you a trashier sound, and the small-diaphragm condenser mic produces a bright sound. You can work with either by adjusting the EQ. I usually add just a little bit (4dB or so) of a shelf EQ set at 10 kHz to add a little sheen to the hi-hats.
Place the mic 3 to 4 inches above the hi-hats and point it downward. The exact placement of the mic is less important than the placement of the other instrument mics because of the hi-hats' tone. Just make sure that your mic isn't so close that it hits the instrument.
Creating the best cymbal sound
You want to know one secret to the huge drum sound of Led Zeppelin's drummer, John Bonham? Finesse. He understood that the drums sound louder and bigger in a mix if the cymbals are quieter in comparison. (I'm guessing this is true, because I never really talked to him about this.) So he played his cymbals softly and hit the drums pretty hard. This allowed the engineer to raise the levels of the drums without having the cymbals drown everything else out. Absolutely brilliant.
Because having the drums bleed into the overhead mics is inevitable and the overhead mics are responsible for providing much of the drums' presence in a mix, playing the cymbals softly allows you to get more of the drums in these mics. This helps the drums sound bigger.
Ask (no, demand) that your drummer play the cymbals quieter. Also, use smaller cymbals with a fast attack and a short decay. Doing these things creates a better balance between the drums and cymbals and makes the drums stand out more in comparison.
Small-diaphragm condenser mics capture the cymbals' high frequencies well, though many digital recordists like the way a ribbon mic mellows the cymbals. You can mic the cymbals by placing mics 12 to 18 inches above each cymbal or by using overhead mics set 1 to 3 feet above the cymbals (see the next section).
Miking the whole kit
Most of the time, you want to have at least one (but preferably two) ambient mics on the drums, if for no other reason than to pick up the cymbals. Assuming that you use two mics, they are called overhead mics, and as the name implies, they are placed above the drum set. The most common types of mics to use for overheads are large- and small-diaphragm condenser mics because they pick up the high frequencies in the cymbals and give the drum set's sound a nice sheen (brightness). You may also want to try a pair of ribbon mics to pick up a nice, sweet sound on the overheads.
To mic the drum set with overhead mics, you can use either the X-Y coincident technique or spaced stereo pairs. Place them 1 to 2 feet above the cymbals, just forward of the drummer's head. Place X-Y mics in the center, and set up spaced stereo pairs so that they follow the 3:1 rule (for example, the mics should be set 3 to 6 feet apart if they are 1 to 2 feet above the cymbals). This counters any phase problems. Point the mic down toward the drums, and you're ready to record. Figure 9-10 shows both of these setups.
**Figure 9-10:** Overhead mics capture the cymbals and the drums.
Getting Your Hands on Hand Drums
Hand drums can be anything from the familiar conga to unusual drums, such as the North African tar. Because you may encounter many types of hand drums, this section gives you general guidelines when recording any hand drum.
Your selection in mics depends on the type of drum and its tonal characteristics. For example, conga drums occupy the middle of the frequency spectrum and produce a loud sound that a large-diaphragm condenser mic can capture well. Or, if you want a tighter, drier sound, you can use a dynamic mic. If you choose the dynamic mic, the mic colors the sound of your recording.
If you want to record any of the smaller, higher-pitched hand drums, use either a large- or small-diaphragm condenser mic and skip the dynamic mic altogether.
Mic placement also varies considerably among the various hand drums. Listen to the sound of the drum, and find a place where you like what you hear. For the most part, placing the mic from 1 to 3 feet from the drum creates the fullest sound. If you want a lot of attack, you can place the mic closer. You lose some of the drum's depth, however, when you place the mic closer than a foot.
Perfecting Percussion Miking
Miscellaneous percussion instruments, such as shakers and triangles, are nice additions to many styles of music. These instruments sound best with a good condenser mic. I choose a large- or small-diaphragm mic, depending on the characteristics that I want to pick up. For instance, a shaker can sound great with a large-diaphragm mic because this mic slightly brings out the lower frequencies of the instrument and softens the overall sound a bit.
Exploring the impact of the room
Most of the time, the room doesn't have a huge impact on percussion instruments because you mic them closely. If your room does get in the way, use the acoustic panels in much the same way that I suggest for vocals earlier in this chapter in the "Getting a Great Lead Vocal Sound" section (partially surround the mic and musician with baffles).
Choosing and using the mics
Both large- and small-diaphragm mics work well for percussion. When recording percussion instruments, the main thing to remember is that they can have a high SPL (sound-pressure level, or just plain volume), so you may need to pad the mic, move it back, or turn it sideways from the sound source.
I like to put a single mic from 6 to 36 inches away from percussion instruments, depending on the size of the instrument and on how much room I want in the sound. For example, because maracas are loud, I put the mic back a bit (18 inches), whereas with an egg shaker, I find that 6 to 8 inches often sounds best. But when I record an agogo bell or an Afuche, I like to have a little room in the mix to give the instrument more depth. In this case, I mic from a couple feet away.
Part IV
Laying Track: Starting to Record
In this part . . .
Part IV gets you started recording your music. Chapter 10 explores the role of multitrack recording in modern music making and helps you get a song set up in your system. Chapter 11 walks you through the process of recording audio tracks, from the first track to overdubs, to punching in and out (you even discover what these terms mean). Chapter 12 gives you the lowdown on recording MIDI sequences and takes the mystery out of this often-misunderstood technology.
Chapter 10
Multitrack Recording
In This Chapter
Understanding multitrack recording
Setting up a song to record
Monitoring your mix
Saving and sharing files
As recently as the 1960s, when someone wanted to record a song, he or she had to assemble a band, rehearse, and then perform the song live. If one of the musicians made a mistake, the whole band had to start over and record the song again. Not so anymore. You're lucky enough to record in an age where you can not only write the song, but also record it yourself and play all the instruments. If you like, you can make lush, layered music without involving anyone else. In other words, you can multitrack.
In this chapter, I introduce you to the basics of multitrack recording, a process that enables you to assemble a song by recording one part at a time. You discover how to set up a new song in a variety of systems, and you find out how to set up the monitoring source and sound to help you inspire a great performance. This chapter also walks you through the process of saving files and transferring data between systems.
Understanding Multitracking
Multitrack recording is the process of recording each instrument (or group of instruments) individually and keeping those performances separate until a later date. Consider the CD or cassette player that you have at home or in your car. All the instruments are contained on a pair of stereo tracks. You can adjust the volume or equalization of these tracks, but you can't adjust the sound qualities of the individual instruments contained on these two tracks. The multitrack recorder, on the other hand, allows you to keep all these instruments separate (see Figure 10-1). Multitrack recording lets you do the following things:
Make adjustments to the sound of the instrument on each track
Adjust the levels (volume) of the instruments in relation to one another
Assemble a "performance" that never happened
**Figure 10-1:** Multitrack recording lets you keep all the instruments separate, unlike a CD.
Getting Ready to Record
Before you can press the Record button on your system, you need to set up a few things. First, you need to find and choose the instrument or sound that you want to record, then you need to set the optimum volume level going to the recorder, and last, you need to decide what you want to hear while recording your performance. These steps are covered in detail in the following sections.
Setting up a song
If you're using a digital recording system, you need to open a new song file. When you do this, you may be asked (or prompted) to choose the sampling rate and resolution of this new song. (Some systems have you provide this information when you choose a track to record to rather than when opening a song file.)
You generally have the option to choose a sampling rate, which is the number of times every second that the digital recorder or converter takes a snapshot of the sound (check out Chapter 2 for details on sampling rates). Your options may include 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, or 192 kHz. Some digital recorders don't allow you to make a CD if you record with anything but a 44.1-kHz sampling rate. Check your owner's manual if you intend to eventually put your music on a CD.
Some systems may also let you choose the bit depth — the size, in binary digits, of the sample that the converter or recorder takes — that you want to record in. For this parameter, I usually choose the highest bit depth available to capture the best sound possible. If you choose 20 or 24 bits, you need to convert the final mix to 16-bit if you want to put your music on a CD, but the advantages you gain from recording at a higher bit depth far outweigh the conversion factor. (Go to Chapter 2 for more on bit depth.)
Finally, name your file, and you're ready to select a source signal to record.
Selecting a sound source
When you select a sound source, you simply set up your instrument or microphone so that it records to the track of your choice. Here's how to select a sound source:
1. Turn the input trim knob and fader on the channel strip of your mixer all the way down to avoid hearing an unpleasant noise or potentially damaging your monitors.
2. Plug your instrument or microphone into the appropriate input jack of your system.
For a microphone, this may be a separate preamp or the internal preamp in your mixer, SIAB system, or audio interface. For an electric guitar or bass, use the Hi-Z input or a direct box, and for a keyboard or other electronic instruments (such as a drum machine or sound module), use any of the instrument inputs.
3. Choose the track that you want to record the signal to.
This procedure varies from system to system. Here's how to route the signal in the following systems:
Studio-in-a-box (SIAB) systems: In many SIAB systems, you can route the signal from any mixer input to any recorder track by pressing a button. For example, on the Tascam 2488, just press and hold the Input button for the input channel your instrument or mic is connected to until it flashes. Continue holding the input channel's button and press the Select button for the track channel that you want to route that instrument or mic through. Release the Status button, and you're all set.
Computer-based systems: You need to open the Input window to choose your input source. This process is pretty simple and is similar for most programs. Here's how you do it in Pro Tools:
i. Choose Display⇒Edit Window Shows⇒I/O View.
The I/O section of the Edit window appears, showing the inputs and outputs for each of your tracks.
ii. Click and hold your mouse button on the Input selector until the Input menu pops up.
iii. While still holding down your mouse button, move the mouse over the Input menu until it rests on the input listing you want.
iv. Release the mouse button to select the input listing.
This menu closes, and the input you've selected appears in the Input selector.
Stand-alone systems: If you have a stand-alone recorder with a separate analog mixer, you need to connect a cord from the input channel that your instrument is plugged into to the track that you want to record to (use the direct line outputs from the input channel).
4. Arm the track that you want to record to (that is, set it to the Record mode).
This procedure also varies from system to system. Here's how to arm the track on the following systems:
Studio-in-a-box systems: A Selector button glows various colors, depending on the mode that the channel is in. Press the button on the track number that you're recording to until you see a red glow. This means that the track is ready to record.
If you are using an SIAB system and want to record to a different track number than the input channel you're plugged into, make sure that you arm the track that you want to record to and not the track associated with the input channel. If you don't do this, you either record your music to the wrong track (and possibly erase something else) or you don't record anything, depending on the routing of your system.
Computer-based systems: Arm the track within the software by clicking the Record Enable button in the main window of your program. In Pro Tools, for example, this button is located in both the Edit window and the Mix window for each track.
Stand-alone systems: Press the Track Selector button located near the Track Level meter on the front of the machine until the button blinks red.
Setting levels
Getting a sound signal to the recorder takes several steps. The path that the sound takes from the instrument or microphone to the recorder is called the signal chain (or the gain structure). For example, if you want to record your voice, you first capture your voice with a microphone and then you feed that signal to a preamp. From the preamp, you send the signal to the channel strip of your mixer, which sends the signal to the analog/digital (A/D) converter and then to the recorder. (Chapter 7 has more on signal flow.) The signal chain may have all or just a couple of these steps, however. For example, a synthesizer is connected to the mixer, which is in turn connected to the recorder.
You need to be aware of the signal level at all these steps to get the best sound possible. Too much gain at one stage forces you to reduce the gain at another. Likewise, too little gain at one point may require you to overdrive (bump up the gain) during the next stage. See Chapter 7 for more on setting optimal signal levels.
Getting the sound you want
After your levels are set, you can concentrate on fine-tuning the sound of the instrument before you record it. Here you can either adjust the EQ or apply effects to your sound.
EQ
I reserve EQ for getting rid of any seriously unwanted frequencies that I'm picking up in a mic. For example, I generally cut some low midrange frequencies on the bass guitar and kick drum because I know that these frequencies will be a problem later. Otherwise, I pretty much leave the EQ alone when tracking.
Don't get too wrapped up in perfecting the EQ of a recorded instrument at this point. All you want is a good, clean sound that approximates what you want in the final mix. You have another chance to make adjustments to the sound of your recorded instrument in the mixing phase.
Check the levels going to the recorder after you've made adjustments to the EQ, because the levels may change.
Effects
The question of whether to record effects — reverb, delay, chorus, and so on — along with an instrument is a long-debated topic. Professional recording engineers caution you against recording your instruments wet (with effects) because this limits your options when you mix the song. On the other hand, by recording an instrument with an effect, you can use that effect processor on another instrument during the mixing process. Ultimately, you have to decide whether adding an effect to an instrument on the front end (before recording) is the way to go. (I describe effects in greater detail in Chapter 15.)
If you record using a computer-based system, adding an effect during tracking may stress your computer's processor to the point that it affects your recording. This can cause audio dropouts, pops, clicks, or other unwanted inter-ruptions or corruptions to your audio data. If you have a slower computer or if you record a lot of tracks at once, you may find that you can't record with effects. In this case, your headphone mix while you track has no effect added to the sound, but you can still add effects during the mixing process (as described in Chapter 14).
If you're sure about the sound you want, you can add the effect on the front end. If you're not sure, you're probably better off waiting until later. You can always print (record) the effect during a bounce procedure, a neat trick where you rerecord one or more tracks to another track. Bouncing is a common procedure if you don't have enough tracks in your system to record each of your instruments to its own track. I cover the bounce process in Chapter 11.
If you decide that you want to record your instrument with effects, you need to route the instrument through the effect processor and route the effect to the recorder. If you have an SIAB system, this is pretty easy. For example, to do this in a Roland VS-1880, follow these steps (most SIAB systems are similar):
1. Select the input channel that your instrument is plugged into and route the channel to the track that you want to record to.
If you have a computer-based system, you need to use the Input menu on your screen to do this. On an SIAB system, your manual spells out the specific routing procedure.
2. Arm the recorder's track (press the recorder's Status button until the button blinks red).
3. Select the effect that you want to use and assign it to one of your effects buses.
Go to the Effect A menu by pressing Shift+F3. Choose Effect 1 from the menu. Next, scroll through the Effects list and highlight the effect that you want to use. Press the Select button. Your chosen effect is now assigned to Aux Bus 1.
4. Choose prefader or postfader on your Aux Send and turn the knob until you have the right amount of the instrument's signal sent to the effect.
You do this by going to the channel mixer settings menu on your screen.
5. Route the effect return to the track channel that you want to record to.
Press and hold the Status button for your track until the Routing menu pops up (this takes about 3 seconds). Next, while still pressing the Status button, press the Effect button for the effect number (1, 2, 3, or 4) that you want to use. Note: This step may not be necessary on some systems.
6. Start recording.
See Chapter 11 for the lowdown on recording.
On some systems, if you want to hear your recorded track, you may have to "unroute" the effect from that track. Your owner's manual spells this out for you.
Adding an effect in a computer-based system, such as Logic Pro, involves these steps:
1. Select one of the buses from the Send selector in each track's channel strip that you want to route to the effect.
You can view a track's channel strip in the Environment window (choose Windows⇒Environment if the window isn't open) or in the Arrange window. To open a track's channel strip in the Arrange window, click the track name in the Arrange window to highlight it. The channel strip appears on the left.
When you release your mouse button after selecting the bus, the bus is listed, and a trim pot (knob) appears next to the bus number.
2. Adjust the trim pot to a moderate level.
I usually start with about –15dB.
3. Double-click the bus number.
You're taken to the Bus Channel strip in the Environment window, where you can choose the effect to insert into the bus.
4. By using the Insert selector pop-up menu in the Bus Channel strip, select the effects plug-in that you want to use from the Inserts pop-up menu.
The Effect Plug-In window opens. Here you set your parameters, such as predelay, reverb time, and room type (for a reverb plug-in, for example).
5. Play your track by clicking the Play button in the Transport window.
Your session plays, and you hear the effect of your plug-in on your track. You can then tweak the plug-in parameters or the send level for your track as your song plays to get the sound that you want.
To record an effect with an analog mixer and a stand-alone recorder, you have to route things differently. You can do this one of two ways: by running cables from the master output of your mixer to the track input of your recorder or by creating a submix and connecting the recorder's track input to the submix output on your mixer. Your owner's manual should clearly explain these procedures.
Choosing a monitoring source
To record effectively, you need to hear what you're doing. This requires you to set up your monitoring source so that you can hear what you want to hear. You want to monitor the sound that's going through the recorder. This way, you can hear any distortion that may be present. Here's how monitoring works on the following systems:
Computer-based systems: Set the output for your track(s) to the output that you have your monitor speakers plugged into. If you use the main outputs in your interface, these are usually assigned to outputs 1 and 2 in your system. (You can assign them however you want — check your manual for the specifics on doing this.) Set your outputs to channels 1 and 2 and turn on your monitors.
Studio-in-a-box (SIAB) systems: Because SIAB systems have fader banks, make sure that you designate the track channel to monitor rather than the input channel. After you've chosen the track channel that you want to listen to, bring up the fader to a level that allows you to hear what's going to disk.
Stand-alone systems with an analog mixer: You need to have the track output from the recorder connected to an input channel of your mixer. Check out your owner's manual or go to Chapter 4 to find out how to do this.
Saving Your Work
After you record a track that you want to keep, you can save the song. Stand-alone recorders automatically save a track after you record it (much like a tape recorder). If you use an SIAB system or a computer-based system, however, you need to save the file just like you save a file when you're working in a computer program. And like other files in other computer programs, it's a good idea to save your work often so that you don't lose any of the music that you worked so hard to record. Check your owner's manual for your system's procedures.
In addition to basic file-saving commands, most digital systems (computer-based and SIAB) allow you to save individual "scenes" or "snapshots" within each song that contain things such as mixer and effects settings.
Sharing Files with Others
Because your music is stored on a hard drive, you can transfer the data to other systems. The advantages of file sharing are far-reaching. You can collaborate with other people without ever being in the same room together. In fact, I'm working on several projects where I've never sat down with the other musicians. One such musician is even across the country from me. We just create CDs with our parts on them and send the CDs back and forth.
The disadvantage of file sharing is that there isn't yet a single standard for saving data. Some recorders use proprietary file formats that only a system from the same manufacturer can open.
If you're concerned about being able to transfer data from one system to another, look for a system that can import and export WAV or AIFF files. Nearly all computer-based programs and stand-alone systems are compatible with these file types. SIAB systems may or may not have this capability.
All is not lost if you have a system that has a proprietary file format. All digital recorders have jacks in them that enable you to transfer the data from one system to another. This means that you can send your file from your system to a computer and then use software to convert the file into a format that another person's recorder can read. (The software that you choose varies depending on the systems that you want to transfer the files to and from.) If you're doing a lot of transferring, this can be time consuming, but for the occasional transfer, it's no big deal.
If you work with a system that can save files in the WAV or AIFF format, you don't have this problem, and you can easily transfer your stuff from one machine to another. Also, if you're transferring songs from one system to another system of the same type (a Zoom `R24` to another Zoom R24, for instance), you don't have to worry about file conversion either.
Chapter 11
Recording Audio
In This Chapter
Recording your first track
Punching in and out
Exploring overdubbing
Recording a submix
Using a bounce to consolidate tracks
Keeping your tracks organized
Okay, you've plugged in your instrument, set up your routing the way you want it, gotten the levels just so, and chosen what you want to hear while you play. Congratulations, you're ready to record. Now the fun begins. . . .
In this chapter, I walk you through the process of recording tracks for your song. You start with your first take, move on to overdubbing by adding more tracks, and punch in and out to redo some parts. You also explore the process of submixing to record multiple instruments into just a couple of tracks.
Performing Your First Take
Your palms are sweaty, your pulse rate is up, and your hands are shaking as you get ready to press the Record button. I know the feeling; I've been recording for over 25 years and still get a little tense when the tape, er, disk starts to roll. There's something about knowing that what you're about to play is for keeps (or at least could be).
Relax. Take a deep breath and remember that you're both the artist and the producer. You can take as many "takes" as it takes you to get a good "take." (Sorry, I couldn't help myself. A take, by the way, is an attempt at a performance.) Anyway, it's normal to get a little nervous when you know the recorder is capturing every sound that you make.
To do your first take, follow these steps:
1. Cue the beginning of the song.
Press and hold the Stop button while pressing Rewind on a Zoom R24 or click the Stop button twice in Logic or Cubase, for example.
2. Arm your track by pressing the Record Enable button or, in the case of a Zoom SIAB system, the Status button until it blinks red. Next, arm the recorder by pressing the Record button until it flashes red, and then press the Play button (or the Record button again in the case of the Zoom).
Presto, you're recording.
3. When you're done, press the Stop button and then press 0 or the Stop button again to rewind.
4. To listen to your recorded track, you need to disarm the track that you recorded to and set it to play. You accomplish this by pressing the Track Status button until it turns green (or by deselecting the track — just click the track bar).
Now you're in playback mode.
5. Now, adjust your channel fader on the track channel that you recorded to and press the Play button.
Well, how does it sound? Good? Then you're ready to record a different track. If you don't like the sound, you can record the part over again by rewinding, rearming the track (press the Status button until you get the red blinking light again), and pressing the Record button followed by the Play button. If you're like I am and make lots of mistakes, you'll figure out how to do this procedure at lightning speed.
Depending on your system and the recording settings you have selected, you may be able to keep each take and decide later which one to use for your final song. This may be in the form of virtual tracks (as in the case of the Roland SIABs) or regions list (in the case of Pro Tools). I recommend checking your manual for the specifics on how to do this in your system.
Punching In and Out
Punching in and out refers to being able to overdub a section of a performance (that guitar lick you keep missing, for example) while keeping the part of the performance that you like. Punching in and out can be pretty simple: Play the track and press the Record button when you want to start. Then press the Stop button when you're done. At least that's how it used to be done.
Multitrack abuse
You have a recording system with 16 or more audio tracks, a couple dozen MIDI tracks, and countless virtual tracks (additional tracks in a digital system that are hidden behind the main tracks for recording variations of a part). What do you do? Well, you do what anyone else in your shoes would do — you try to fill all your available tracks with instruments. After all, that's how you get really lush recordings, right?
Yeah, sometimes, but this could also be a recipe for a bunch of mud. In fact, you can end up with a super-lush recording by using just a handful of tracks. Lushness is a product of the song's arrangement (how all the parts fit together) rather than just the number of tracks.
One of the most difficult things about multitrack recording is knowing how to use your tracks most effectively and having the discipline to quit when the song is done, regardless of whether you've used all your tracks. So remember that just because you have the tracks available to you, you don't need to use them all.
With a digital recorder, you can set up the system to punch in and out a number of ways. You can punch in and out manually either by using a nimble finger to punch buttons or by using a foot switch. You can also program the recorder to punch in and out automatically. If you go the automatic route, you usually set up your system to punch in and out once, but in some cases, you may want to rerecord over the same part of the song a certain number of times — a process known as loop recording.
Manual punching
Manual punching in and out is exactly what it sounds like: You manually press the Record button when it's time to start the punch, and you manually press the Stop button when you're done. This is the type of punch you do if you have enough time between when you press the Record button and when you need to start playing, as well as when you stop playing the part and when you can get to the Stop button. You may also do manual punching if you're acting as the engineer and someone else plays the instrument.
Punching with a foot switch
On most recorders, you can use a foot switch to punch in and out. This frees your hands so that you can play your instrument while you do the actual punching in and out.
Automatic punching
Automatic punching in and out is one of the many gifts from the digital recording gods. This process allows you to fully concentrate on getting your part right without having to worry about getting the punch right. With automatic punching, you can replace very small passages or get into really tight places with your punch.
For example, suppose you have one bad snare drum hit (I've been there many times) that you want to replace. With automatic punch in/out, you can set it to start recording right before that bad note and stop immediately after it, leaving the rest of the notes untouched.
Even though each recorder is a little different in its autopunch procedure, all recorders follow these basic steps:
1. Select the track you want to punch in and out of.
2. Arm the track by pressing the Select button until you get the red blinking light.
3. Locate the punch-in point on your recorder.
You do this either by playing the song until you get to the point that you want to punch in or by keying in the numbers for that section of the song.
4. Press the In Point (punch in) button on your recorder.
5. Locate the punch-out point on your recorder.
You do this either by playing the song until you get to the point that you want to punch out or by keying in the numbers for that section of the song.
6. Press the Out Point (punch out) button on your recorder.
7. Press the Auto-Punch button on your recorder.
8. Rewind the recorder to just before the punch-in point.
9. Press the Record button followed by the Play button (some recorders don't require you to press the Record button first).
10. Play your part.
When you're done, your newly recorded part is neatly placed in the song.
Repeated punching (looping)
If you have a tricky part to record and you know it will take you a few tries to get it right, you can use the repeated punching (also called loop recording) function. During the repeated punching procedure, the recorder keeps repeating the section within the loop until you press the Stop key, so you can try recording your part as many times as you want without having to set up the punch in and out procedure again.
This procedure uses the same basic steps as the automatic punch in/out procedure, except that you also need to choose the section of the song that the recorder plays before and after the actual punch times (called the loop start and loop end points). For some systems, you can do this the following way:
1. Locate the place where you want to start the loop on your recorder.
2. Press the Locator button.
This stores the location point you chose in Step 1.
3. Locate the place where you want the loop to end.
4. Press another Locator button to store this value.
5. Press and hold the Loop button.
6. While still holding the Loop button, press the Locator button that you used to store the loop start point (Step 2).
7. While still holding the Loop button, press the Locator button that you used to store the loop end point (Step 4).
8. Follow the steps for the automatic punch in/out that I list in the previous section of this chapter.
Exploring Overdubbing
After you record one usable track, you can move to the next step: overdubbing. Overdubbing is simply adding another track to an already-recorded one. Overdubbing is the heart of the multitrack recording process for most home recordists and is a technique that you will undoubtedly use and occasionally abuse.
The overdubbing process is pretty straightforward. You simply follow the procedures for recording a take while making sure that you're monitoring the recorded tracks you've already made.
When you record an overdub, hearing certain parts that you recorded earlier may throw you off. If this becomes a problem, you can turn down certain parts in a mix and only listen to those parts that help you perform the overdub. For example, if you're overdubbing the lead vocal and a dobro part breaks your concentration on your lines or on hitting a note correctly, just slide the fader for the dobro's channel down a little (or a lot).
Submixing
At times, you may want to record a bunch of instruments, such as the drums of a drum set, to one or two tracks. In this case, you need to create a submix of the inputs before you commit them to disk.
Submixing is essential if you have a recorder with fewer tracks than you have instruments. The advantage of creating submixes is that you can get by with fewer tracks. The disadvantage is that you can't make many changes to the sound or volume of the individual instruments after you record them.
Recording by using submixes presents challenges that overdubbing doesn't. Here are some points to keep in mind:
Make sure that each instrument sounds the way that you want it to sound on the final mix. You can still make minor adjustments to EQ and effects, but only to the entire submix group.
Before you record, make sure that each instrument's volume is where you want it to be relative to the volume of the other instruments.
Decide where in the stereo field you want each instrument. This is called panning, and it determines how far left or right each instrument can be heard. Panning is discussed in more detail in Chapter 14.
This can take time to set up, but if you're limited on available tracks, you can record a lot of instruments on few tracks.
If you're not sure exactly how you want the final submix to sound, you can record more than one version onto separate tracks and use a bounce procedure (see the following section) after you've recorded. This gives you more time to experiment with alternate versions of your submix.
Bouncing
Bouncing is like submixing, but you do bouncing after you record the tracks. For instance, you can record all your drum mics onto separate tracks initially and then, later on, bounce (or combine) all those tracks onto one or two tracks. In most cases, you want to bounce to two tracks rather than one so that you can maintain panning information in your final mix.
Bouncing has advantages over submixing. You can take your time getting each instrument to sound good before you group them together. On the downside, you may not have this option if you are recording live and can only put the drums on two tracks initially. In this case, you need to create a submix.
If you have the space to record the instruments to separate tracks initially, here's how you bounce the tracks down to two:
1. Decide which tracks you want to bounce, and route these tracks to the tracks that you want to bounce to.
2. Adjust the EQ of each instrument to get the sound you want.
3. Adjust the panning of each instrument — use the panning knob located above your mixer's channel fader — so that the instrument is where you want it in the stereo field.
Remember that you need to bounce to two tracks for panning to work.
4. Set the levels of each instrument relative to one another.
5. Add any effects that you want to record with the instruments.
6. Press the Record button.
You can use virtual tracks (see the next section) to record several different versions of your bounce. This gives you options later when you're mixing. For example, set the track levels differently for each bounce — raise the snare drum in one, change the EQ of the hi-hats in another, and so on.
Keeping Track of Your Tracks
One of the great things about digital recording systems is the number of tracks that are often available. Computer-based systems, for example, often have unlimited numbers of tracks (or obscenely high numbers), and many SIAB systems offer virtual tracks. Virtual tracks are additional tracks that are hidden behind the basic tracks of the system. They allow you to record various takes of a performance on separate tracks, but only one virtual track can be played at a time. Virtual tracks are great when you're not sure whether you like a particular take but it's not bad enough to record over.
Having all these tracks is great except keeping (ahem) track of them all can be daunting. My recommendation: Use track sheets to document all your tracks. Track sheets are forms where you enter basic information for each of your recorded tracks, such as what instrument, take, and performance section are included. This gives you a visual representation of your song's components and makes it easier to choose which performances to include in your final mix. Here are some Internet resources to get you started:
Ultimate Track Sheet (`www.ultimatetracksheet.com)`): This page offers track sheets for 8- to 48-track sessions for $1.00.
VS-Planet "User Track Sheet" Collection (`www.vsplanet.com/Pages/UsersArea/Downloads/index.html)`): This page is part of The VS-Planet, which is a site dedicated to Roland VS-series recorders. Scroll down the page until you get to The VS-Planet User Track Sheet Collection. You can also find studio-organizing forms on this page (located just below the track sheet downloads).
Chapter 12
Recording and Editing MIDI Data
In This Chapter
Synchronizing MIDI devices
Recording your performance
Editing MIDI data
Saving your work
Transferring MIDI data between systems
Recording and editing MIDI tracks are similar to the process you undertake with audio. The main difference is that MIDI tracks contain performance data instead of sound. This offers the advantage of being able to choose what sound or instrument "plays" your data after you've finished recording. Of course, this also provides the temptation not to make a decision on your sound.
In this chapter, I get you started recording MIDI by walking you through the process of synchronizing a variety of MIDI devices. Then I give you the lowdown on recording your tracks, adding to them with overdubs, and editing it all in some of the many ways that most sequencers allow you to. To top it off, I offer a little advice about saving and transferring MIDI data.
Synchronizing Your Devices
To create any kind of music with MIDI, you need to synchronize your devices to one another. The first thing you have to do is decide which device is going to send the MIDI commands (called the master) and which devices are to receive them (called the slaves). The process for synchronizing MIDI devices varies slightly from configuration to configuration. You can get a glimpse into a few possibilities in the following sections.
Synchronizing two (or more) synthesizers
In this first scenario, you synchronize a synthesizer and a sound module (or another synthesizer). In this case, your keyboard is the master because this is the instrument that you actually play. Start by attaching the MIDI cable to the out port of the keyboard and to the in port of the sound module. Figure 12-1 shows the setup for two synthesizers. If you have more than two devices, you can run a cable from the thru port of the second device to the in port of the next one, and so on. You can connect up to 16 devices this way.
**Figure 12-1:** Synch- ronizing two synthesizers involves connecting the MIDI cables as shown.
The next steps involve configuring each device in the chain so that each device recognizes its place and responds only to those messages that you assign to it. Keep in mind that all devices operate differently, so I can't walk you through the exact steps for your instruments. Be sure to read your owner's manual for your device's specific procedures. The following steps give you a general idea of the process involved in synchronizing two synthesizers:
1. Go into your master keyboard's system parameters and choose Master.
This is generally a dialog box located within the software of your device.
2. Choose Slave for each of your other devices.
You usually do this by going into the MIDI synchronization menu in your software.
3. Make sure that each device in your chain is set to mode 3 or 4, depending on whether you want polyphony.
4. Assign a MIDI channel for each device that's down line (connected to the out port) from the master.
You can find channel assignments within your device's system parameters. For example, in a ddrum4 sound module, you press the System button until the light next to the word MIDI illuminates. You then use the dial to choose the MIDI channel that you want to use.
You can choose from 16 channels (1–16), but if you have a drum machine, set it to channel 10 because this is the default drum channel for GM (General MIDI) devices.
5. Play the master keyboard.
This makes your other MIDI devices play the appropriate sounds (hopefully). If you don't hear anything, make sure that you have the appropriate MIDI channel selected.
Synchronizing a computer sequencer and a synthesizer
If you're using a computer or sequencer and want to synchronize it to a sound module or synthesizer, you need to go through some additional steps. These are as follows:
1. Connect your synthesizer to the MIDI interface, and connect the MIDI interface to your computer.
Run the appropriate cable from the MIDI interface to the appropriate jack of your computer. For example, this can be a USB cable if you have a USB computer and USB MIDI interface.
2. Connect the MIDI interface to your synthesizer.
You do this by connecting a cable from the MIDI out port of your synthesizer to the MIDI in port of the interface. Then connect another cable from the MIDI out port of the interface to the MIDI in port of the synthesizer. This allows the MIDI communication to go both ways, as shown in Figure 12-2.
3. If you're using a synthesizer to play your MIDI sequences from your computer, you need to set your synthesizer to local off mode. Then enable the thru function in your sequencer program so that the MIDI information that you send from the keyboard to the sequencer is sent back to the keyboard.
**Figure 12-2:** A computer sequencer and synthesizer are synchronized using these settings.
Local off mode disables the keys from the sounds and makes the sequencing process go much smoother. Enabling the thru function in your sequencer program enables you to hear what you're playing while you record your part.
If you don't set your synthesizer on local off, you create a feedback loop. In a feedback loop, both your synthesizer's keys and the sequencer are sending the same messages to the sound generator in your synthesizer and causing it to play each note twice. The best that can happen is that you trigger each note twice and use up your polyphony faster. The worst that can happen is echoed or stuck notes and possibly jammed messages, which may cause your system to lock.
4. After you connect all the cables, be sure to choose the MIDI channel that you want the track recorded to and set both the sequencer and instrument to that channel.
You can find the MIDI channel selector within your device's software. Sometimes, the MIDI channel selector may be a key command, such as repeatedly pressing the System button in a ddrum4 sound module. Other times, the MIDI channel selector is a pull-down menu that you access from the top of your computer screen. In Cubase, the channel selector for the sequencer is located just to the right of the track name.
After you have your channel setup and local off business out of the way, you can play your synthesizer, see it register in the sequencer, and hear it play. If you don't, check all your settings.
Synchronizing a sequencer and an audio recorder
If your system does the sequencing inside the computer and your audio tracks are recorded on either a stand-alone recorder or an SIAB (studio-in-a-box) system, like the Tascam 2488, you need to synchronize them. In this case, your devices use timing data rather than communicating/responding with the help of performance data.
Both your sequencer and your recorder need to recognize the same timing data, which you ensure by determining which device is the master and which one is the slave.
The process that I describe in this section also works if you're connecting a synthesizer to a drum machine. Select the sequencer as the master device and the drum machine as the slave.
You can choose either device to be the master. In this example, I outline setting up your system with the SIAB system as the master and the sequencer as the slave, as shown in Figure 12-3. You may be able to set up your system the other way around (particularly if you have a stand-alone recorder connected to a sequencer), but I chose this way because doing so allows you to use the faders and transport functions (play, record, stop, and so on) in your SIAB system. With some systems, you may be able to use your sequencer's transport and automation functions with this setup as well, which I discuss in the section "Sequencing," later in this chapter.
**Figure 12-3:** A system with a separate sequencer and audio recorder is set up this way.
After you've chosen which device is the master and which is the slave, you can start synchronizing your systems. These steps help you get going:
1. Choose Internal Synch in your master device's Synchronization dialog box.
Each device has a different procedure for this, so read your device's manual to find out how to choose the synchronization mode. In a Tascam 2488, press SYNC/MIDI. A dialog box appears. Choose Source⇒Internal. Click the YES/ENTER button to accept this setting and return to the main menu.
2. Choose External Synch in your slave device.
This can be a dialog box within the MIDI synchronization menu. For example, in Cubase, choose Options⇒Synchronization from the main menu on the top of your screen. The external or internal synch choice is in the upper-left corner of the dialog box.
3. Choose either MIDI Time Code (MTC) or MIDI Clock for the timing method.
In Cubase, for example, this option appears directly below the external or internal synch option.
You ultimately want to choose the timing method that you prefer and the one that works best for your gear. You can find out about these timing methods in the nearby sidebar "MIDI Time Code, MIDI Clock, huh?"
4. If you chose the MTC mode, you need to choose a frame rate to go with it.
For this example, set your frame rate at 24 fps (frames per second). You should be synchronized at this point.
5. If you chose MIDI Clock in Step 3, you need to choose between tempo map and synch track.
For more on these options, see the nearby sidebar "MIDI Time Code, MIDI Clock, huh?"
6. Press the Play key in your master device to see whether your slave device responds.
If it does, you're set to go; if it doesn't play, double-check your settings. Your timing settings probably aren't exactly the same.
MIDI Time Code, MIDI Clock, huh?
When you try to synchronize two devices using MIDI timing messages, you're met with several choices. One is between MIDI Time Code (MTC) and MIDI Clock. The other is frame rates and tempo map or synch track. This can be confusing, so this sidebar contains a brief overview of these options.
MIDI Time Code uses absolute time in its messages (the actual time on the clock from the beginning of the song or reference point in hours, minutes, seconds, frames, and subframes). This data can then be translated into SMPTE messages (the kind of synchronization data used in film and television). If you choose MTC, you also have to decide the frame rate for the time code. Several frame rates are available, and each is associated with certain mediums. They are as follows:
24 fps (frames per second): This rate is mainly used for films.
25 fps: This is for audio, video, and film equipment used in Europe and other places that use the SECAM or PAL formats.
29.97 fps: This is for color televisions used in the United States, Japan, and other places that use the NTSC format.
30 fps: This rate is used for black-and-white television or used working with audio only in the United States (Europe's black-and-white TVs use the 25-fps rate).
If this isn't confusing enough, both the 29.97- and 30-fps rates also have either drop frame or nondrop frame formats. This gets pretty technical, but drop frame formats basically drop two frames every minute, except for the tenth minute, so that the timing data matches the clock exactly. These are generally used for live video feeds.
MIDI Clock is different from MTC in that it tracks the time of a song in beats and measures rather than in minutes and seconds. MIDI Clock messages are generally sent every 1⁄24 of a beat, but you can set most sequencer programs to much higher resolutions than that. Cubase VST version 5 can be set as high as, get this, 1,920 PPQ (pulses per quarter note).
When you choose MIDI Clock, you need to choose between using tempo map or synch track, as follows:
Tempo map: This is basically a layout of the tempos and time signatures used in a song. To use a tempo map to synchronize your SIAB system and sequencer, you need to create the map itself. Every system is a little different in this procedure, so I don't go into detail here.
Synch track: A synch track is a track (at least was a track on analog recorders) that follows along with the tempo and measures of a song. To use a synch track, you need to first record one. If you have a digital recorder, you most likely don't need to take up an actual track to do this.
So which do you choose? Unfortunately, that question doesn't have a clear answer. The equipment that you have dictates part of your answer. (For instance, the Roland VS-1680 SIAB system can send MIDI Clock and MTC messages, but it doesn't always effectively respond to those messages.) The goals you have for your music dictate the other part. If you're composing music for film or TV, your choice is clear (24 fps and 29.97 fps, respectively).
If your equipment and musical goals don't limit your choice, choose what you like. Just make sure that both machines have the same settings.
Using the transport function from one device to control another
Another aspect of synchronization can enable you to use the transport function (play, stop, record, and so on) from each device to control the other. This is the MIDI Machine Control (MMC) function. The MMC function is located within the Synchronization menu of your device's software. (You can find this in the same place as the MTC synch in most systems.) MMC allows you to send machine control messages from the slave device to the master device. For example, in the setup shown in Figure 12-3, you can set the sequencer to send MMC messages and the SIAB system to receive them. Your sequencer must be set as follows:
MTC slave–External synch
24 fps
MMC master
Your SIAB system in turn must be set as follows:
MTC master–Internal synch
24 fps
MMC slave
These settings enable you to use either device's transport functions to control the other. The MTC master sends the timing data, but each device sends control messages to the other. Check your system's manuals to see whether you can do this with your gear.
Sequencing
Sequencing is the heart of most home recordists' MIDI studios because sequencing allows you to actually record your instrument's part and play it back. If you're like most people, the sequencing part of MIDI is what excites you the most. With sequencing, you can play as many instruments as your room can handle (or more, if you have long cords).
Sequencing is not unlike audio recording: You have the same transport functions (start, stop, record, rewind, and so on), and you have the ability to record each instrument on a separate track. This is where the similarities between audio tracks and MIDI tracks end, however. As I've mentioned before, MIDI sequencing deals with performance commands and not audio waveforms. This opens a few doors that can come in mighty handy in the following situations:
If you aren't the greatest player in the world
If you're not sure what key you want the song to be in
If you don't know (or haven't decided) what sounds you want to use
With MIDI sequencing, you can make a whole host of changes to your performance after you've recorded it. You can change the placement or volume of individual notes, you can change the song's key, and you can change the instrumentation (for example, you can have a brass ensemble play a part that you originally wrote for the strings). Another great thing about MIDI sequencing is that you can capture a performance that you don't have the chops (skills) to pull off live.
Recording MIDI data
You can record a MIDI track in one of the following ways:
Real-time recording: Play the part as you would for a regular audio recording.
Step-time sequencing: Manually input the music one note at a time. Step-time sequencing is a great tool if you don't have the skills to perform that part in real time.
The MIDI tracks in most sequencer software programs look virtually the same as the audio tracks except for a small icon. Logic, for instance, has an M icon, and in Cubase, you find a small musical note. Each icon is located to the left of the track name. You generally engage the track that you want to record to by clicking it once.
Preparing to record
Before you start to record a MIDI track, you need to make the following adjustments to your setup:
Make sure that your MIDI gear is synchronized. For details on how to do this, check out the section "Synchronizing Your Devices," earlier in this chapter.
Set your levels and the patch (sound) that you want to hear. Setting levels simply means setting the volume that you hear through your monitors at a comfortable level.
To choose the sound that you want to hear, you can select the sound in your synthesizer, in which case the sequencer recognizes this setting, or choose the sound within the sequencer program. This process is done differently for each type of sequencer, but most of them have a track menu located to the left of the screen that applies to the track you have engaged.
Set your metronome to the tempo that you want to record to. You do this by opening the Metronome Settings menu (which is often located on the Options menu). Choose the tempo and time signature for your song, and you're set to go.
Within the Metronome Settings menu, you can also choose the MIDI note that the metronome sounds on, whether you have a count in before the song actually starts (called a pre-roll), and more.
You don't need to set the tempo for a song ahead of time. You can always adjust this later. In fact, you can set the tempo slower than the final version so that you can play the part slower and get the notes right. This can be especially beneficial if the part is difficult or if you're not the greatest player in the world. Just be sure to set the tempo to its final speed before you start recording audio tracks, because you can't change the tempo of the audio tracks later like you can with MIDI tracks.
Real-time recording
If you're recording in real time, just press the Record button and start playing. You can find the Record button on the Transport Bar if you use a computer-based software program (this can be found on the Windows menu in Logic, for example). On a Roland VS-1680, the Record button is the red button on the lower left of the device. (Don't forget to wait until the pre-roll is finished if you have that function engaged.)
If your recorded performance is the way you want it, you can move on to another instrument's part. Just set up a new track to record the sound that you want on the MIDI channel you prefer. If you don't like your performance, you have the following options:
Rerecord your part from the beginning.
Rerecord only those sections that don't sound right. Rerecording parts of a performance is generally referred to as punching in and out. This involves setting your recorder to just record a section of your performance, as I describe in Chapter 11.
Edit the performance. I discuss the details of editing in the section "Editing your data," later in this chapter.
Step-time sequencing
Step-time recording involves entering your part one note at a time. This can take a long time to do, especially if it's a part with lots of notes. But step-time recording may be your only option if you don't have the skills to play the part live.
Most sequencer programs include a step-time recording mode. Select this mode and then click the Record button. You enter your part by selecting the note value (eighth note or sixteenth note, for example) for the first note or chord. Then when you play the note on your keyboard, it is entered into the sequencer. Choose your next note, press the key(s) you want to record, and so on.
Some sequencers enable you to enter notes in a score window. If you can read music, this can be much easier and faster than the traditional step-time mode. Just choose the note's duration from the menu bar and click the place where you want that note to be. After you get the hang of this method, step timing can be pretty quick. Check your sequencer program's manual for details.
Overdubbing
After you record some MIDI performances, you can easily add to or change them. The time-honored name for this kind of recording is overdubbing. Overdubbing MIDI performance data is similar to overdubbing your audio data. Most programs allow you to overdub in several ways: manually punching in and out, punching automatically, and loop punching. In addition, because MIDI is strictly performance information with no actual sound, most recording programs allow you to either replace or merge existing MIDI data when you overdub.
Using MIDI Merge/Replace
When you overdub to a MIDI track, many MIDI recording programs offer you the option to either replace existing material or add new data to it. For example, in Pro Tools, you make this selection by clicking the MIDI Merge/Replace button. This button is located in the Transport window, as shown in Figure 12-4. Here's how it works:
When the Merge/Replace button is engaged (MIDI Merge mode), new material is merged with existing MIDI data on the record-enabled track(s).
When the Merge/Replace button is disengaged (MIDI Replace mode), new MIDI data replaces existing information on the record-enabled track(s).
**Figure 12-4:** Add new data in a sequencer program without erasing what's there.
To engage MIDI Merge in Pro Tools, follow these steps:
1. Open the MIDI controls section of the Transport window by choosing Display⇒Transport Window Shows⇒MIDI Controls.
The Transport window expands to include the MIDI controls section.
2. Click the MIDI Merge button.
The button becomes highlighted.
Most MIDI sequencers have a similar function, but by default, any overdubs you do are placed in a new sequence — leaving the original intact.
Punching in and out
If you like some of your initial take and want to record over only part of it, you can set points at which to start and stop recording within the session. This is called punching in and out.
As is the case with audio tracks, most programs allow you to punch into MIDI tracks in several ways. These include punching in and out manually, automatically, and repeatedly (looping). With the exception of being able to choose to merge your punched data with your original performance or being able to replace it, punching into and out of MIDI tracks is the same as punching into and out of audio tracks. I detail the exact procedures for performing these punches in Chapter 11.
Editing your data
The editing capabilities for MIDI tracks are quite extensive. Not only can you perform the typical cut, copy, and paste functions, but you can also quantize (adjust the timing of a note)<|fim_middle|> keeps the dynamic range of the original section.
Next, take a look at Figure 13-6. This shows what happens when you choose the quietest section to normalize. As you can see, the relationship between the various notes has changed dramatically. Played back, this passage now sounds unnatural, and the original performance is altered beyond recognition.
**Figure 13-6:** Choosing a quiet section of a song and normalizing it alters the dynamic range of the music.
You can use normalization to change the emotional content of a piece of music — even its meaning — by changing where the emphasized (accented) notes are located. For example, take the phrase "I love your music" (a phrase that I hope you hear a lot). Depending on which word of the phrase is emphasized, you get a slightly different meaning:
I love your music.
I love your music.
I love your music.
I love your music.
These are slight variations but ones that can alter how the listener perceives something. In the same way, by changing the level of a note or phrase, you can change the emotion of the performance. This isn't something that you want to do often because re-recording the part (if you can) is probably easier. But knowing that this is something you can do will hopefully open your mind to other possibilities.
Getting rid of distortion
In Chapter 10, I am adamant about setting your levels so that you don't get digital distortion. Even if you follow my advice and are extremely diligent in making sure that you didn't get any digital clipping, one note may have snuck through anyway. Well, it may not be the end of the world.
If you have a system that allows you to adjust the individual waves of a waveform, just reduce the level of the single clipped note. You do this by zooming in as close as you can to the distorted note and choosing only that one note to quieten. (Your system's manual should clearly explain this procedure.) If you can't adjust the waveform, you need to replace that note with a good, undistorted one (if you can find one) or reduce the level of that note until the distortion is hidden.
If this is the lead vocal, you probably don't have the option to reduce the level, and replacing a bad note in a vocal part generally sounds unnatural. If you can replace the section with another phrase from the song, this is your best bet. If you don't have that option and you can't rerecord the part, you can mask the distortion by adding a little distortion as an effect to the entire vocal track — a procedure that's performed more often than you may expect.
If the performance is top-notch and if messing with it will take away some of the magic, you can always leave well enough alone and leave in the clipped note (distortion). After all, the performance is the most important part of any song.
Getting rid of noise
No matter what you do when recording, you're going to end up with extra noise, such as a chair squeak, a cough, or too much breath from the singer. To get rid of the noise, just select the noise and follow your system's procedures for erasing or silencing a selection. When you do this, be sure that you don't have a Snap function engaged; you don't want the material following the erasure to move.
Some computer-based systems also have sophisticated plug-ins (additional software that you can add to your recording software) to reduce noise within a track that has other material, such as the hum of an air conditioner behind a vocal track. All you have to do to reduce or eliminate this noise is choose the section of a track (or an entire track) and apply the plug-in.
Correcting pitch problems
It used to be that if you sang or played an out-of-tune note, you had to record it over again. If your singing is mediocre (like mine on a good day), you could spend hours trying to get every note just right. And after all these hours of fixing out-of-tune notes, you're often left with a performance that lacks "feel" (emotional impact). Well, those days are behind you. You can now edit your sour notes using a pitch-correction program. You can find pitch correction on nearly all digital recording systems that include effects processors (computer-based and SIAB systems in particular).
To correct pitch, choose the note or notes that you want to correct and then choose the pitch-correction option on your editing menu. In the dialog box that appears, choose the amount of change that you want. You may need to experiment a little to find just the right pitch.
Some devices, such as Antares Autotune, make the correction for you automatically. (Antares Autotune is available as both a stand-alone processor and as a plug-in for a computer-based system. You can find these components at most major musical instrument retailers.) And some pitch-correction programs, such as the one in Logic Audio, allow you to adjust not only the change in fundamental pitch but also the pitch change of that note's harmonics. This can produce a much more natural sound.
Unless you're going for a particular effect, be judicious in your use of pitch correction because it can suck the life out of a performance. Sometimes the slightly out-of-tune notes are what give a performance its character.
Pitch correction is often part of the system's editing functions, but it can be used as an effect as well. Check out Chapter 15 for ways that pitch shifting can add depth to your music.
Creating a Performance That Never Happened
Editing can be much more than just fixing a bad note or phrase — editing can consist of assembling a performance that never really happened. In the following sections, I walk you through the often-timesaving process of putting together a song from small parts: one- or two-measure loops, single sections such as verses and choruses, and parts of separate performances from virtual tracks (called a composite take). Doing these procedures has advantages for you as a recording engineer. For example:
By creating loops, you don't have to play the same 1- or 2-bar phrase over and over again for the duration of the song.
By assembling song parts, you can alter the song's structure any way that you want.
By making composite takes, you can create a performance that you could never play in one pass.
Creating loops
Loops are repeated phrases within a song. Looping has been around since the beginning of multitrack recording. You used to have to make an actual loop of tape containing the music that you wanted to repeat — thus the name loop — and load the loop into an analog tape deck to play repeatedly. This tape deck was then connected to the multitrack deck, and the looped performance was recorded onto that deck.
Now all that looping can be done digitally. You can make loops of any instrument, but the most common ones involve drum rhythms. For example, each section of a song usually contains a short 1- or 2-bar rhythm that repeats many times. By using loops, you can just play the drum part once and make copies of it for the rest of the measures in that section. This saves you from having to play for the whole song. Looping can be a great feature if you play an instrument live and if keeping the part steady is fairly difficult.
Making loops is easy: Just select the section that you want and copy it to the end of your existing rhythm for as many times as necessary. Keep the following points in mind when looping, however:
Make sure that your beginning and end points are accurate. If you start with beat 1 of the measure, end with beat 1 of the next measure (that is, if you want a 1-bar loop). If you're off just a little bit, this affects the feel and timing of the rhythm.
Choose a point in the rhythm with a sharp attack. An example is the downbeat with the kick drum or the snare drum backbeat on beat 2. This helps you find the exact beginning and ending points for your loop.
When you record the part, set a metronome (click track) in your system and play along to it. This creates a clear point from which you can find your edit points.
Give your looped music a more human feel. To do this, overdub fills and embellishments onto another track (Chapter 11 covers overdubbing in detail). Then either adjust the mix so that you mute the main groove when the fill happens or place your fill directly into the groove track (Chapter 14 has details on mixing). Some songs and styles of music can work well if you let the fills and the groove happen at the same time, so experiment and use the approach that you prefer.
Assembling a song
Okay, you've recorded all the parts for your new song and have the arrangement and structure the way that you thought you wanted it. But suddenly (or maybe not so suddenly), you wonder what the song would sound like if you started with the chorus instead of the first verse. (I know this isn't common, but go along with me here.) All you have to do is choose the chorus from all the tracks in the song and copy or move the tracks to the place where you want them to be.
Today, many musicians play just a portion of a song and assemble the song from there. For instance, except for the lead vocal, you can just record one verse and one chorus on each instrument. You then go into your editor palette and put the song together. This lets you alter the song's structure quickly and easily.
This procedure is pretty simple: Just choose your musical section and then cut, copy, or paste it to where you want it to be. If your system doesn't have the Cut and Paste functions, you can use the Copy and Move functions instead. (All these functions are described earlier in the chapter.)
Making composites of your tracks
If you used your digital system to record several versions or takes of a part onto different tracks (also known as virtual tracks in some systems — tracks hidden behind a main track), you can use the editing function of your system to blend the best parts of each performance into one perfect track. Take, for example, a lead guitar part that may be used throughout the song to act as a counterpoint to the lead vocal. Now assume that you weren't sure when you recorded the part what you wanted to do for each phrase. In this case, you would have recorded several versions of this guitar part onto different tracks in your system (or onto several virtual tracks of one track). I explain this procedure in Chapter 15.
To make a composite track of the best parts of your various lead guitar takes, choose the parts that you want to use and move them all onto one more track (assuming that you have another empty track or virtual track to put them on). Keep in mind that you need to move each of the good parts one at a time because they're each on separate virtual tracks.
You can move your guitar parts in one of the following ways:
Click and drag your selection to the new virtual track.
Use the Move function in your recorder to simply move the part from one virtual track to another.
Use the Cut and Paste functions to cut the part from one virtual track and paste it to another.
When you're done assembling all the parts of one track, such as the lead guitar track, you can make adjustments to volume differences between the various assembled pieces using the Normalize or Quieten functions (described earlier in the chapter, in the section "Evening out a performance").
Discovering Other Ways to Use Editing
Aside from being able to fix problems in your tracks or to make changes to the structure of a song, you can use editing to simplify your other work. The following sections cover a couple of ways that the editing capabilities of your digital system can be used outside the box, so to speak.
Adjusting the length of a performance
Time compression and expansion allow you to make small adjustments to the length of a section of music. This can be useful if you're trying to match your music to a video or if you want to change the feel of a vocal performance. For example, you can slow the last word in a phrase for a more crooner-type sound, or you can match certain words to rhythmic accents in the music. You can also fix a poorly performed drum fill (one that speeds up or slows down).
To compress or expand a section, you use a function called — at least on some systems — Time Machine. To use it, select the music that you want to edit and fill in the parameters in the Time Machine dialog box.
Reversing a phrase
Being able to change the waveforms of your music can open a lot of possibilities for experimentation. I'm sure you've listened to a recording and been told that a subliminal message was hidden within the music. Of course, The Beatles were famous for putting reversed vocals in the back of the mix, and you can do this easily as well. Just record a vocal phrase like "Buy Jeff Strong's CDs," select it, and then choose Edit⇒Reverse. Presto, you have a subliminal message. (Sit back and watch my CD sales go through the roof!)
Reversing a musical phrase can be used in many more ways than to peddle my sorry music, however. For example, you can add a reversed drumbeat or cymbal crash to add anticipation. This was overused in the '80s, but I think it can still be effective, depending on the style of music that you play.
To do this procedure, follow these steps:
1. Select a drumbeat (be sure to get the initial attack) and copy it to an empty track.
2. Place the end of your selection where the drumbeat that you want to anticipate begins.
3. Choose Edit⇒Reverse to reverse the phrase.
If you play both tracks, you hear a reversed snare go right into a regular snare hit. Both attacks should happen at the same time. If they aren't exact, just move the reversed one over until the attacks are the same.
Chapter 14
Mixing Your Music
In This Chapter
Understanding mixing
Using EQ effectively
Understanding the stereo field
Using reference CDs
After all your tracks are recorded, edited, and cleaned up as much as possible, you're ready to turn those individual parts into music. This is the act of mixing. Mixing involves setting levels, setting EQ (equalization, or adjusting the frequency response of your tracks), using stereo panning (placing your instruments from left to right in your mix), and adding effects so that your song tells the story you want it to tell. How you mix your song has as much impact on the way it sounds as each of the individual parts that you've recorded — more so, in fact. Even minor adjustments in the relationship among the various instruments in your song can have dramatic impact on how the song affects your listeners.
In this chapter, I introduce you to the process of mixing your music. Discover how to take advantage of neat tools like the aforementioned EQ, effects, and stereo panning to make all your instruments fit in the mix. You find out how to reference your music to other people's recordings and how to train your ears so that your mix "translates" to different types of playback systems.
Mixing music is a subjective thing. How you have one instrument relate to another can be done in an almost infinite variety of ways. You may find that several mixes work equally well for your song. Allow yourself to experiment, and don't be afraid to record several different mixes.
Understanding Mixing
Think about all the time it took you to record all the tracks for your song. You spent countless hours setting up mics; getting good, "hot" (high, but not distorting) levels on your instruments; and making sure that each performance was as good as you could get it. You would think that most of your work is done. Well, on the one hand, it is — you no longer have to set up and play each instrument. On the other hand, you still have to fit together all the parts that you recorded. This process can take as long as it took you to record all the tracks in the first place.
Your main tool during the mixing process is the mixer. Figure 14-1 shows a basic mixer setup in a software mixer program. The screen shot on the left shows the main mixer menu — with faders for each of your tracks. The screen shot on the right shows the channel strip section of the mixer. (For details on how the mixer functions, check out Chapter 4.)
Mixing involves making sure that each instrument can be heard in the mix — the recorded whole that's the result of blending all your recorded parts — without covering up something else or sounding out of place. You do this in the following ways:
**Figure 14-1:** Left: The main mixer menu in a software mixer. Right: The channel strip section of the mixer.
Choose the recorded parts that add to the emotional impact of the music and build intensity throughout the song. Also, don't use parts that are unnecessary or that clash with parts that have a greater impact.
Set the levels (volume) of each of the instruments relative to one another so that nothing is buried so far back in the mix that you can't hear it and no instrument is so loud that it overpowers the other instruments.
Adjust the equalization (EQ — frequency response) of each instrument so that each leaves room for the other instruments in the mix. This means getting rid of any frequencies of an instrument that clash with another or adding certain frequencies that define the sound of that instrument so that it can be heard clearly in the mix.
Take advantage of stereo panning to put each instrument in its proper place in the stereo field — left or right — where it can either sound as natural as possible or can produce an effect that you want. Also, stereo panning allows you to make room for each instrument in the mix, especially those that have similar frequency ranges.
Add effects, such as reverb or delay, to the instruments in the mix to either place them in front or in back relative to other instruments or to create a desired sound.
The mixing process is where you can get really creative in crafting your song. The stress of capturing great performances is over — you now have to massage all the parts of your song into a cohesive whole. Don't be afraid to try new things. Experiment with different EQ, panning, and effect settings. Take your time and have fun. The great thing about mixing is that you can make as many versions as you want, and you can always go back and try again.
Getting Started Mixing Your Song
Before I start to mix a song, I do a few things to prepare myself for the process. My goal before I mix is to get in the headspace of mixing. This often means taking a step back from the song and approaching it as a listener rather than as the musician who recorded the tracks. Start the mixing process by following these steps:
1. Determine the overall quality that you want from the song.
This can be defined as a musical style or a feeling. You probably don't need to think about this too hard because, when you started recording, you probably had a definite sound in mind. In fact, most composers hear a song in their heads before they even start recording.
2. Listen to a song or two from a CD that has a similar sound or feel as the song you're trying to mix.
Listen on your studio monitors if you can, and try to get a sense of the tonal and textural quality of these songs. Listen to them at fairly low volume and be careful not to tire your ears. All you're trying to do at this point is to get your ears familiar with the sound that you're trying to produce in your music.
3. Set up a rough mix using no EQ or effects and listen through it once.
For this listening session, don't think like a producer; rather, try to put yourself in the mind-set of the average listener. Listen to the various parts that you've recorded and see whether anything sticks out as being particularly good or bad. You're not listening for production quality. You're trying to determine whether some instruments, musical phrases, licks, melodies, or harmonies grab you as a listener.
4. Get a piece of paper and a pen to jot down ideas as you work.
As you listen through the song, take notes on where certain instruments should be in the mix. For example, you may want the licks you played on the lead guitar throughout the song to be muted during the first verse. Or maybe you decide that the third rhythm-guitar part that you recorded would be best put way to the right side of the mix while the other two rhythm-guitar parts may be closer to the center. Write these ideas down so that you can try them later. You're likely to have a lot of ideas as you listen through the first few times.
After you follow these steps, go through the song and adjust the EQ, panning, and effect settings until you get all the instruments to fit nicely together. I outline these procedures in the following sections.
Exploring Equalization
The most useful tool that you have for mixing is equalization (EQ). Equalizers allow you to adjust the various frequencies of your instruments so that you have enough room for each of them in your stereo tracks. Four types of equalizers are used in a recording studio — graphic, shelf, filter, and parametric. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, which I outline in the following sections.
Graphic
The graphic EQ has a prescribed number of frequencies that you can adjust. Graphic EQs generally have between 5 and 31 frequency bands, each affecting a small range of frequencies. (The manufacturer determines the range, which can't be adjusted.) Graphic EQs are useful for eliminating an offending frequency from the signal or for making other adjustments to the tonal quality of the source signal. You probably won't use a graphic EQ much in the mixing process because the parametric EQ can do what the graphic EQ can do — and a whole lot more.
High- and low-shelf
A shelf equalizer affects a range of frequencies above (high-shelf) or below (low-shelf) the target frequency. Shelf EQs are generally used to roll off the top or bottom end of the frequency spectrum. For example, you can set a shelf EQ to roll off the frequencies below 250 hertz (Hz) to reduce the amount of rumble (low-frequency noise) in a recording. You generally use the shelf EQ for the lowest and highest frequencies and the parametric EQ for any in-between frequencies when you mix.
High- and low-pass filters
Sometimes your track just sounds better if you eliminate a few carefully chosen frequencies. You just need to know which ones to target. That's where another type of EQ can help with the needed audio acrobatics: low-pass (ducking the high frequencies that you don't want) and high-pass (jumping over the low frequencies that you don't want).
This type of EQ is called a filter because, um, it filters out frequencies either higher (low-pass) or lower (high-pass) than the target frequency. A low-pass filter eliminates unwanted high frequencies, and a high-pass filter gets rid of unwanted low frequencies. In Pro Tools, the low- and high-pass filters are designated with the icons seen here in the margin. The low-pass filter is the downward slope (top), and the high-pass filter is the upward slope (bottom) art in the margin.
Parametric
The parametric equalizer allows you to choose the frequency that you want to change as well as the range of frequencies around that frequency. With a parametric EQ, you dial in the frequency that you want to change and then you set the range (referred to as the Q) you want to affect.
The Q is a number that signifies the number of octaves that the EQ affects. Generally, you can adjust the Q setting to affect frequencies between 1⁄2 and 2 octaves wide. Not all parametric EQs use the same reference numbers for their Q settings. Some have ranges from 0.7 (2 octaves) to 2.8 (1⁄2 octave), while others, such as Pro Tools, use numbers from 0.33 to 12 without indicating what the numbers relate to in terms of octaves. The one constant among parametric EQs is that lower numbers affect larger ranges of frequencies than the higher numbers do.
The fact that each brand of parametric EQ uses slightly different numbers to reference its Q settings shouldn't matter much to you, because you choose your Q setting based on what you hear in the mix. Just as you can experiment with different frequencies to adjust in the mix, you can also try different Q settings to find the best possible frequency range to use.
The beauty of a parametric EQ is that you can take a small band (range) of frequencies and boost (increase) or cut (decrease) them. This capability enables you to fit together the various instruments in a mix. (This technique is called carving out frequencies.) When you're mixing, the parametric EQ is the most useful equalizer because you can adjust the frequency response of each instrument so that the other instruments can be heard clearly in the mix. One downside to parametric EQs is that some systems don't offer you many bands (sometimes just one with the addition of a couple of shelf EQs), so you have to make your EQ decisions based on the type and number of EQs you have to choose from. Another downside is that parametric EQs need processing power to run. If you have a lot of EQing to do, you may end up stressing your system pretty hard.
Equalizing Your Tracks
Only so many frequencies are available for all the instruments in a mix, and if more than one instrument occupies a particular frequency range, they can get in each other's way and make the mix sound muddy. Your goals when equalizing (EQing) during the mixing process are to reduce those frequencies that add clutter and/or to enhance those that define an instrument's sound. To do this, make a little space for each instrument within the same general frequency range. You do this by EQing the individual tracks as you mix. The following sections explore this process in detail.
Dialing in EQ
Before you start EQing your tracks, you need to know how to find the frequencies you intend to adjust and how to make those adjustments. Figure 14-2 shows an EQ plug-in for Logic Audio. Although each EQ will look a little different, they all end up performing the same basic function. In this section, I walk you through Logic's Channel EQ.
**Figure 14-2:** The EQ section of a mixer's channel strip allows you to adjust the frequencies of your track.
Logic's Channel EQ is an 8-band EQ with four parametric bands, one high-shelf EQ, one low-shelf EQ, one high-pass filter, and one low-pass filter. As you can see in Figure 14-2, the EQ types are listed at the top of the graph, but the adjustments for these bands are located under the main graph.
Logic's (and some other recording program's) EQ has a really great feature where you can see the frequency response of your track. This function is engaged by clicking the Analyzer button on the left side of the plug-in window. This is handy because, with the Analyzer button engaged, you can actually see the changes you're making to your track as you make them. This is also a potential problem because many people rely on their eyes instead of their ears. Be careful not to let what you see affect what you hear.
Using parametric EQ
The parametric EQ is the go-to EQ when mixing because it allows you to adjust specific frequencies to get each of your tracks to sit nicely in the mix. (I give you guidelines for doing this later in this chapter in Tables 14-1 and 14-2.) To use the parametric EQ, click the Peak EQ button (it looks like a circle with a line coming from the left and right sides) in the EQ plug-in window you have open. You have three settings to adjust:
Gain: This is the amount of boost (increase) or cut (decrease) that you apply to the signal. In Logic and Pro Tools, to get your boost (gain) amount, either you can point your mouse over the parameter and click and drag up or down, or you can click in the EQ graph above the parameter controls and drag up or down. In Pro Tools, you can also type in the amount in a text box.
Freq: This frequency is the center of the EQ. You select the range of frequencies above and below this point by using the Q setting (see the next bullet). In Pro Tools, you can either type the frequency in the text box on the left or use the slider to make your adjustment. In Logic, to get the desired frequency, you can either point your mouse over the parameter and click and drag up or down, or click in the EQ graph above the parameter controls and drag left or right.
Q: This is the range of frequencies that your EQ will affect. The higher the number, the narrower the range that gets EQ'd. In Pro Tools, you adjust this setting either by moving the knob or by clicking in the text box and typing a value between 0.33 and 12. In Logic, you can point your mouse over the parameter and click and drag up or down to get the Q value you want. Your settings can be anywhere from 0.10 to 100.
Using low-shelf/high-shelf EQ
Low-shelf/high-shelf EQ is good for enhancing or reducing high or low frequencies, such as adding a sense of presence to cymbals (add a few dBs at 10 kHz). In the context of EQ, shelf means that the EQ effects are on the frequencies above (high shelf) or below (low shelf) your setting (called the corner frequency). To use low-shelf/high-shelf EQ, click the Low Shelf and High Shelf buttons in the EQ plug-in window. These buttons look like sideways tuning forks located second from the left and second from the right above the EQ graph in Figure 14-2. When you use low-shelf/high-shelf EQ, you have three parameters to adjust in both Pro Tools and Logic:
Gain: This is the amount of boost or cut that you apply to the signal. In Pro Tools, you can either type in the amount in the text box next to the shelf button or use the knob to the right. In Logic, to set the boost (gain), you can either point your mouse over the parameter and click and drag up or down, or click in the EQ graph above the parameter controls and drag up or down.
Freq: This is the starting frequency for the shelf. In Pro Tools, you can either type the frequency in the text box or use the knob to make your adjustment. In Logic, to set your desired frequency, you can either point your mouse over the parameter and click and drag up or down, or click in the EQ graph above the parameter controls and drag left or right.
Q: This is the steepness of the shelf of your EQ. The higher the number, the steeper the shelf that's applied — meaning that the range of frequencies affected to get the gain change of the shelf is narrower. To adjust this parameter in Logic, you can point your mouse over the parameter and click and drag up or down to get the Q value you want. Your settings can be anywhere from .10 to 2. In Pro Tools, you adjust this setting either by moving the knob or by clicking in the box and typing a value between .1 and 2.
Using low-pass/high-pass EQ
Here's where you tell your plug-in which frequencies to avoid in the course of adjusting the EQ. (So when you apply low- or high-pass EQ, you're telling the mixer to pass on certain frequencies.) The low- and high-pass buttons are located at the far left and far right above the EQ graph in Figure 14-2.
To use the low- or high-pass filter, click the appropriate button in the EQ window. In Pro Tools, you have two options: Freq and Q. The Freq setting is the frequency that the filter begins filtering. Any frequency below (high-pass) or above (low-pass) the setting is removed from the track. You can either type the frequency in the text box or use the knob to make your adjustment. The Q is the range of frequencies that your EQ will affect. With these filters, you can select among 6, 12, 18, and 24 decibels (dB) per octave. The higher the number, the more severe the filter. In Logic, you have the same three settings — frequency, gain/slope, and Q — as the rest of the EQ types. And as with the other EQ types, you adjust the settings by pointing your mouse over the column of the setting and clicking and dragging the parameter that you want to adjust. With the high-pass and low-pass EQ (filters), the gain/slope parameter adjusts the slope of the filter (how quickly it totally cuts off the frequency).
Deciding which frequencies to boost or cut
Here's a good trick to use when initially trying to decide which frequencies to boost or cut:
1. Solo the track(s) you're working on by clicking the Solo button in the track's channel strip and set your parametric EQ to a narrow Q setting (a high number).
2. Turn the boost all the way up (turn the EQ knob all the way to the right) and sweep the frequency setting as you listen (to sweep, just turn the EQ knob's frequency dial to the left and right).
3. Notice those areas where the annoying or pleasing sounds are located.
This can help you better understand the frequencies that your instrument produces.
4. After you find a frequency to adjust, experiment with the Q setting to find the range that produces the best sound and then adjust the amount of boost or cut to where it has the effect that you want.
After you determine the frequencies that you want to work with, do your EQing to the individual track while the instrument is in the mix (not soloed). You're trying to make that instrument fit as well as possible with the rest of the instruments, and to do this, you need to know how your instrument sounds in relation to all the stuff (music) going on around it.
When making adjustments in EQ, your goal is to make all the tracks blend as well as possible. In some instances, this means making some radical EQ moves. Don't be afraid to do whatever it takes to make your mix sound good, even if this means having cuts or boosts as great as 12dB.
Starting with general guidelines
Although some instruments call for specific EQ guidelines, you should consider some general issues when EQing, regardless of the instrument involved. When it comes to the audible frequency spectrum (which is generally about 20 Hz to 20 kHz), certain frequencies always have certain characteristics. Table 14-1 describes these frequencies.
You're generally better off cutting a frequency than boosting one. This thinking goes back to the early days of analog EQs, which often added noise when boosting a signal. This can still be a factor with some digital EQs, but it is much less of an issue. I still try to cut frequencies before I boost them just out of habit, and I recommend that you do the same (not out of habit, of course, but because if a noise difference exists between cutting and boosting, you may as well avoid it).
The exact frequencies that you end up cutting or boosting depend on the sound you want, the tonal characteristic of the instrument, and the relationship between all the instruments in the song. In the following sections, I list a variety of frequencies to cut or boost for each instrument; Table 14-2 shows an overview. You may not want to follow all the suggestions. Just choose the ones that help you meet your goals.
Vocals
For most popular music, the vocals are the most important instrument in the song. You need to hear them clearly, and they should contain the character of the singer's voice and style. One of the most common mistakes in mixing vocals is to make them too loud. The next most common mistake is to make them too quiet. (This is especially true if you're the singer and are even slightly self-conscious of your vocal skills.) You want the lead vocals to shine through, but you don't want them to overpower the other instruments. The best way to do this is to EQ the vocal tracks so that they can sit nicely in the mix and still be heard clearly. The following guidelines can help you do this.
Lead
You can use several techniques with the lead vocal, depending on the singer and the style of music. For the most part, I tend to cut a little around 200 Hz and add a couple dB at 3 kHz and again at 10 kHz. In general, try following these guidelines:
To add fullness, try adding a few dB at 150 Hz.
To get rid of muddiness, cut a few dB at 200–250 Hz.
To add clarity, boost a little at 3 kHz.
For more presence, add at 5 kHz.
To add air or to brighten, boost at 10 kHz.
To get rid of sibilance, cut a little between 7.5 and 10 kHz.
Backup
To keep backup vocals from competing with lead vocals, cut the backup vocals a little in the low end (below 250 Hz) and at the 2.5- to 3.5-kHz range. To add clarity, you can boost a little around 10 kHz without getting in the way of the lead vocal.
Guitar
For the most part, you want to avoid a muddy guitar sound and to make sure that the attack comes through in the mix.
Electric
Electric guitars can often use a little cutting below 100 Hz to eliminate muddiness. A boost between 120 and 250 Hz adds warmth. A boost in the 2.5- to 4-kHz range brings out the attack of the guitar, and a boost at 5 kHz can add some bite to the guitar.
Acoustic
Acoustic guitars often do well with a little cut below 80 Hz and again around 800 Hz to 1 kHz. If you want a warmer tone and more body, you can try boosting a little at 150 to 250 Hz. Also try adding a few dB around 3 to 5 kHz if you want more attack or punch. A few dB added at 7 kHz can add a little more brightness to the instrument.
Bass
This instrument can get muddy pretty fast. The mud generally happens in the 200 to 300 Hz range, so I either leave that alone or cut just a little if the bass lacks definition. I rarely add frequencies below 100 Hz but boost some between 100 and 200 Hz if the instrument sounds flat or thin. Adding a little between 500 Hz and 1 kHz can increase the punch, and a boost between 2.5 and 5 kHz accentuates the attack, adding a little brightness to the bass.
With the bass guitar, one of the most important things is to make sure that it and the kick drum can both be heard. You need to adjust the frequencies of these two instruments to make room for both. For the most part, try cutting frequencies from the bass that you may add to the kick.
Drums
The guidelines for EQing the drums depend on whether you use live acoustic drums or a drum machine. (The drum machine probably requires less EQ because the sounds were already EQ'd when they were created.) Also, the type and placement of your mic or mics also affect how you EQ the drums. (You can find out more about mic placement in Chapters 8 and 9.)
Kick
You want the kick drum to blend in with the bass guitar. To do this, reduce the frequencies that the bass guitar takes up. For example, if I boost a few dB between 100 and 200 Hz for the bass guitar, I generally cut them in the kick drum (and maybe as high as 250 Hz). To bring out the bottom end of the kick, I sometimes add a couple of dB between 80 and 100 Hz. The kick drum can get boxy-sounding (you know, like a cardboard box), so I often cut a little between 400 and 600 Hz as well to get rid of this boxiness. To bring out the click from the beater hitting the head, try adding a little between 2.5 and 5 kHz. This increases the attack of the drum and gives it more presence.
Snare
The snare drum drives the music, making it the most important drum in popular music. As such, it needs to really cut through the rest of the instruments. Although the adjustments that you make depend on the pitch and size of the drum and whether you used one mic or two during recording, you can usually boost a little at 100 to 150 Hz for added warmth. You can also try boosting at 250 Hz to add some depth and cutting at 800 Hz to 1 kHz if the drum sounds too boxy. A little boost at around 3 to 5 kHz increases the attack, and an increase in the 8- to 10-kHz range can add crispness to the drum.
If you used two mics during recording, consider dropping a few dB on the top mic in both the 800-Hz to 1-kHz range and the 8- to 10-kHz range. Allow the bottom mic to create the crispness. I generally roll off the bottom end of the bottom mic below, say, 250 to 300 Hz. Depending on the music (R&B and pop, for instance), I may add a little sizzle to the bottom mic by boosting frequencies above 10 kHz with a shelf EQ.
For many recording engineers/producers, the snare drum sound is almost a signature. If you listen to different artists' songs from the same producer, you'll likely hear similarities in the songs' snare drum sound. Don't be afraid to take your time so the snare drum sounds just right. After all, if you become a famous producer, you'll want people to recognize your snare drum sound, too.
Tom-toms
Tom-toms come in a large range of sizes and pitches, but for mounted toms, you can boost a little around 200 to 250 Hz to add depth to the drum. A boost in the 3- to 5-kHz range can add more of the sticks' attack, and for some additional presence, try adding a little in the 5- to 8-kHz range. If the drums sound too boxy, try cutting a little in the 600 Hz to 1-kHz range.
For floor toms, you can try boosting the frequency range 40 to 125 Hz to add some richness and fullness. You may also find that cutting 400 to 800 Hz can get rid of any boxy sound that the drum may have. To add more attack, boost the 2.5- to 5-kHz range.
Hi-hats
Most of the time, the hi-hats are pretty well represented in the rest of the mics in the drum set, but depending on which mics are picking up the hi-hats, you can use the hi-hat mic to bring out their sheen or brightness. To do this, try boosting the frequencies above 10 kHz with a shelf EQ. You may also find that cutting frequencies below 200 Hz eliminates any rumble created by other drums that the hi-hat mic picked up.
Cymbals
With the cymbals, I usually cut anything below 150 to 200 Hz with a shelf EQ to get rid of rumbling that these mics may pick up. I also drop a few dB at 1- to 2-kHz if the cymbals sound kind of trashy or clanky. Adding a shelf EQ above 10 kHz can add a nice sheen to the mix.
Overhead mics
If you used overhead mics to pick up both the drums and the cymbals, be careful about cutting too much low end — this can just suck the life out of your drums. Also, if the drums coming through the overhead mics sound boxy or muddy, work with the 100 to 200 Hz frequencies for the muddiness and 400 Hz to 1-kHz frequencies for the boxiness.
Percussion
High-pitched percussion instruments, such as shakers, sound good when the higher frequencies are boosted a little bit — over 10 kHz, for instance. This adds brightness and softness to their sound. You can also roll off many of the lower frequencies, below 500 Hz, to eliminate any boxiness that may be present from miking too closely (see Chapter 8 for more on mic placement).
Lower-pitched percussion instruments, such as maracas, can also have the lower frequencies cut a little — use 250 Hz and lower. Try boosting frequencies between 2.5 and 5 kHz to add more of the instrument's attack. To brighten them up, add a little bit in the 8- to 10-kHz range.
Piano
For pianos, you often want to make sure that the instrument has a nice attack as well as a warm-bodied tone. You can add attack in the 2.5- to 5-kHz range, and warmth can be added in the 80 to 150 Hz range. If your piano sounds boomy or muddy, try cutting a little between 200 and 400 Hz.
Horns
You find a variety of horns, from tubas to soprano saxophones, so to offer blanket recommendations for all of them would be ridiculous (although I'm no stranger to ridiculous). So with this thought in mind, I often start the EQ process for these instruments by looking at the 100 to 200 Hz range to add warmth to thin-sounding instruments. Next, I approach the 400 to 800Hz range to get rid of any muddiness that occurs unless it's a really low horn like a tuba. In this case, I often look for the muddiness a little lower — say, in the 200 to 400 Hz range. To add some more attack to a horn, you can tweak the 2.5- to 5-kHz range a bit, and to add some of the breath of the instrument, look toward the 7- to 9-kHz range.
Using the Stereo Field
When you're at a live concert and you close your eyes, you can hear where each instrument is coming from onstage. You can hear that certain instruments are on the left side of the stage, others are on the right, and still others seem to come from the center. You can also generally discern whether an instrument is at the front or the back of the stage. Put all these sounds together, and you have a stereo field.
The stereo field consists of placement from left to right and front to back. When you mix a song, you can set your instruments wherever you want them on the "stage" that's created by your listeners' speakers. You can do this with panning, which sets your instruments from left to right, and you can use effects, such as reverb and delay, to place your instruments from front to back in your mix. When you mix your song, try to visualize where on-stage each instrument may be placed.
Some people choose to set the panning and depth of their instruments to sound as natural as possible, while others use these settings to create otherworldly sounds. There is no right or wrong setting when panning and adding effects to simulate depth — just what works for your goals. Don't be afraid to get creative and try unusual things.
Panning left or right
You adjust each instrument's position from left to right in a mix with the panning knob. The panning knob is generally located just above each channel's fader. This can either be a knob that you turn left or right or it can be a slider that you move to the left or right. Panning for most songs is pretty straightforward, and I outline some settings in the following list:
Lead vocals: Lead vocals are usually panned directly in the center.
Backup vocals: Because backup vocals are often recorded in stereo, they are panned hard left and hard right. If you recorded only one track of backup vocals, you can make a duplicate of the track and pan one to each side, just as you can with stereo tracks.
In addition to tracks panned to each side, some mixing engineers also have a third backup vocal track that's panned in the center to add more depth. Your choice of doing this depends on how you recorded your backup vocals and how many tracks you have available for them.
Guitar: Lead guitar is often panned to the center (or just slightly off- center if the sound in the center of the stereo field is too cluttered). Rhythm guitar, on the other hand, is generally placed somewhere just off-center. Which side doesn't matter, but it's usually the opposite side from other background instruments, such as an additional rhythm guitar, synthesizers, organs, or pianos.
Bass: Most of the time, the bass guitar is panned in the center, but it's not uncommon for mixing engineers to create a second track for the bass and pan one to the far left and the other to the far right. This gives the bass a sense of spaciousness and allows more room for both the bass guitar and kick drum in the mix.
Drums: As a general rule, I (and most other people) pan the drums so that they appear in the stereo field much like they would onstage (but this doesn't mean you have to, too). The snare drum and kick drum are typically panned right up the center, and the tom-toms are panned from right to left slightly. Hi-hat cymbals often go just to the right of center, the ride cymbal just left of center, and crash cymbals sit from left to right, much like the tom-toms.
Percussion: Percussion instruments tend to be panned just off to the left or right of center. If I have a shaker or triangle part that plays throughout the song, for instance, I pan it to the right an equal distance from center as the hi-hat is to the left. This way, you hear the hi-hat and percussion parts playing off one another in the mix.
Piano/synthesizers/organs: These instruments are usually placed just off-center. If your song has rhythm guitar parts, the piano or organ usually goes to the opposite side. Synthesizers can be panned all over the place. In fact, it's not uncommon for the synths to be actively panned throughout the song (that is, they move from place to place).
Some mixing engineers like to keep their instruments toward the center of the mix, while other engineers prefer spreading things way out with instruments on either end of the spectrum. There's no right or wrong way to pan instruments. In fact, no one says that you have to leave any of your instruments in the same place throughout the entire song.
Placing sound in front or back
As you probably discovered when you were placing your mics to record an instrument, the quality of sound changes when you place a mic closer to or farther away from the instrument. The closer you place a mic to the instrument, the less room ambience you pick up, thus making the instrument sound close to you, or "in your face." In contrast, the farther from the instrument you place your mic, the more room sound you hear. As a result, your instrument sounds far away.
If you've ever stood in a large room and talked to someone, you have seen (well, heard, actually) how this relationship works. When your friend stands close to you, you can hear him clearly. You hear very little of the reflections of his voice from around the room. As he moves farther away from you, the room's reflections play an increasing role in the way that you hear him. By the time your friend is at the other side of the room, you hear not only his voice but also the room in which you are talking with him. In fact, if the room is large enough, your friend probably sounds as if he were a mile away from you, and all the reflections from his voice bouncing around the room may make it difficult to understand what he says.
You can easily simulate this effect by using your reverb or delay effect processors. In fact, this is often the purpose of reverb and delay in the mixing process. With them, you can effectively place your instruments almost anywhere that you want them, from front to back, in your mix.
The less reverb or delay that you use in conjunction with your instrument, the closer it appears on the recording, whereas the more effect you add to an instrument, the farther away it seems from you.
The type of reverb or delay setting that you use has an impact on how close or far away a sound appears as well. For example, a longer reverb decay or delay sounds farther away than a shorter one. In Chapter 15, I go into detail about the various effects processors to help you understand how best to use them. I also present settings that you can use to create natural-sounding reverb and delay on your tracks, as well as some unusual settings that you can use for special effects.
Adjusting Levels: Enhancing the Emotion of the Song
After you have a rough mix and have your EQ and panning settings where you want them, your next step is to determine which parts of which tracks are used when — and sometimes, whether a part or track is used at all. If you're like most musician/producers, you try to get all the wonderful instrumental and vocal parts you recorded as loud as possible in the mix so that each can be heard clearly all the time. After all, you didn't go through all the time and effort to record all those great tracks just to hide them in the mix — or worse yet, mute them — right?
Well, I feel your pain. But during the mixing stage of a song, you need to take off your musician's hat and put on the one that says producer. A producer's job is to weed through all the parts of a song, choose those that add to its impact, and dump those that are superfluous or just add clutter. Your goal is to assemble the tracks that tell the story that you want to tell and that carry the greatest emotional impact for the listener.
This can be the toughest part of mixing your own songs because you aren't likely to be totally objective when it comes to determining what to use. Try not to stress out. You aren't erasing any of your tracks, so you can always do another mix later if you just have to hear the part that you muted before.
One of the great joys when listening to music (for me, anyway) is hearing a song that carries me away and pulls me into the emotional journey that the songwriter had in mind. If the song is done well, I'm sucked right into the song, and by the end, all I want to do is rewind it and listen to it again.
What is it about certain songs that can draw you in and get you to feel the emotion of the performers? Well, aside from a good melody and great performances, it's the way that the arrangement builds throughout the song to create tension, release that tension, and build it again. A good song builds intensity so that the listener feels pulled into the emotions of the song.
Generally, a song starts out quietly, becomes a little louder during the first chorus, and then drops in level for the second verse (not as quiet as the first, though). The second chorus is often louder and fuller than the first chorus, and is often followed by a bridge section that is even fuller yet (or at least different in arrangement than the second chorus). The loud bridge section may be followed by a third verse, where the volume drops a little. Then a superheated chorus generally follows the last verse and keeps building intensity until the song ends.
You have two tools at your disposal when crafting your song to build and release intensity. They are dynamics and instrumental content (the arrangement).
Dynamics
Dynamics are simply how loud or soft something is. Listen to a classic blues tune (or even some classical music), and you can hear sections where the song is almost deafeningly silent and other sections where you think the band is going to step out of the speakers and into your room. This is an effective and powerful use of dynamics. The problem is that this seems to be a lost art, at least in popular music.
It used to be that a song could have very quiet parts and really loud ones. Unfortunately, a lot of modern CDs have only one level — loud. This often isn't the fault of the musicians or even the band's producer. The radio stations and record-company bean counters have fueled this trend because they want to make sure that a band's music is as loud as (or louder than) other CDs on the market. (You can read more about this trend in Chapter 16.)
Try recording a song with a lot of dynamic changes. I know this bucks the trend, but who knows, you may end up with a song that carries a ton of emotional impact. Also, as you mix your song, incorporate dynamic variation by dropping the levels of background instruments during the verses and bringing them up during the chorus and bridge sections of the song. You can always eliminate your dynamic variation by squashing your mix with compression during the mastering process.
The biggest mistake that most people make when they mix their own music is to try to get their song as loud as commercial CDs. This is the mastering engineer's job, however, not yours, so don't worry about it. Get your song to sound good with a balance between high and low frequencies and loud and soft sections. Let the mastering engineer make your music as loud as it can be. He or she definitely has gear that is better designed to raise the volume of a recording without making it sound squashed or harsh. (More on mastering in Chapter 16.)
The arrangement
Building intensity with the arrangement involves varying the amount of sound in each section. A verse with just lead vocal, drums, bass, and an instrument playing the basic chords of the song is going to have less intensity (not to mention volume) than a chorus with a wash of guitars, backup vocals, drums, percussion, organ, and so on. Most songs that build intensity effectively start with fewer instruments than they end with.
When you mix your song, think about how you can use the instruments to add to the emotional content of your lyrics. For example, if you have a guitar lick that you played at every break in the vocal line, think about using it less to leave space for lower levels at certain points in your song. If you do this, each lick can provide more impact for the listener and bring more to the song's emotion.
Automation, or Riding the Faders
When you have the levels of each instrument set so that you can hear each of them when the song plays, you would think that you can pretty much leave the levels that way during the whole song. Well, you can, but that often limits the amount of dynamics in your mix.
Rarely do you set the levels of each instrument at the beginning of the song and not move the various instrument levels up and down throughout the song. For example, you may find that you want the rhythm guitar parts louder during the chorus, or maybe you have a short guitar lick in the second verse that you want to bring up a little in the mix.
To adjust levels during the song, you used to need several hands (or at least one more person to help), and you jumped from one fader to another and constantly made changes to the effect settings while you recorded the final mix. One mistake and you had to start recording over again. This is no longer the case for most digital recorders because most of them have an automix feature. Automix enables you to record the fader moves and effects changes that happen throughout the mix so that you don't have to actually move the faders when you record to two tracks.
Depending on your system, you have one of two types of automation features (or both): real-time automation and scene or snapshot automation.
Real-time automation
Real-time automation is also referred to as dynamic automated mixing. This feature allows you to record the fader, panning, effects settings, and other things in real time to each track as the song plays. The advantage of this type of automation is that you can seamlessly get volume changes, and you can record these changes while the song plays.
The disadvantage of real-time automation is that it takes you a while to do, especially if you have a lot of tracks to automate. Real-time automation can also take up a lot of hard-drive space and can tax your processor if you have a complicated mix with lots of tracks, effects, and mixer-setting changes.
Snapshot automation
Snapshot automation involves saving the mixer data at intervals rather than throughout the entire song. To do snapshot automation, just set your mixer (levels, EQ, effects, and so on) the way you want it for a particular section in your song (the verse, for instance) and take a "snapshot" of it. Whenever you make a mixer move, you take another snapshot, and so on. Snapshot automation can be useful if you have a song without a ton of complex mixer changes. The advantage of snapshot automation is that it takes up a lot less hard-drive space and requires less processor power. The disadvantage is that it can take much longer to automate the song (you have to program each instance into the mixer), and any complex mixer moves, such as fade-ins and fade-outs, may not sound as smooth.
If you're going to mix your music and have more than eight tracks, get a system that enables you to do automated mixing (I say eight tracks because, for the most part, you can handle mixing up to eight tracks the old-fashioned way). Research the automation features of the system that interests you before you buy it. For example, a given system may offer real-time automation, but it may tax the system's processor and add to your song's file size so quickly that using it becomes more hassle than it's worth. Likewise, some systems (the Roland VS-1680, for example) don't allow you to change the effects patch during automation. The more you know about your mixing needs, the better you can tell what automation approach will work for you.
Tuning Your Ears
To create a mix that sounds good, the most critical tools you need are your ears, because your ability to hear the music clearly and accurately is essential. To maximize this ability, you need a decent set of studio monitors and a good idea of how other people's music sounds on your speakers. You also need to make sure that you don't mix when your ears are tired. The following sections explore these areas.
Listening critically
One of the best ways to find out how to mix music is to listen to the way music that you like is mixed. Put on a CD of something similar to your music (or music that has a sound that you like) and ask yourself the following questions:
What is the overall tonal quality or texture of the song? Notice how the frequencies of all the instruments cover the hearing spectrum. Does the song sound smooth or harsh, full or thin? Try to determine what you like about the overall production.
How does the song's arrangement contribute to its overall feel? Listen for licks or phrases that add to the arrangement. Notice whether the song seems to get fuller as it goes on.
Where are the instruments in the stereo field? Notice where each instrument is, from left to right and front to back, in the mix. Listen to see whether the instruments stay in one place throughout the song or whether they move around.
What effects are being used on each instrument? Listen for reverb and delay lengths as well as the effect level compared to the dry (unaffected) signal.
What tonal quality does each instrument have? Try to determine the frequencies from each instrument that seem dominant. Pay particular attention to the way the drums sound, especially the snare drum.
Do you have any phase cancellation messing with your tracks? Phase cancellation changes the sound of your mix by reducing certain frequencies. These can cause serious problems with your mix. (Check out Chapter 8 for more on phase cancellation.) Test your mix in mono (turn off the stereo panning on your master bus). You should be switching from mono to stereo often as you mix, especially if you're adding tracks to a mix or making big EQ adjustments.
Even if you're not mixing one of your songs, it's a good idea to occasionally sit down and listen to music on your monitors to get used to listening to music critically. Also, the more good music you hear on your monitors, the easier it is for you to know when your music sounds good on them, too.
A good mix should sound good on a variety of systems, not just through the speakers in your studio. Before you decide that a mix is done, copy it to a CD and play it in your car, your friend's stereo, and a boom box. In fact, try to listen to your music on as many different kinds of systems as you can. As you listen, notice whether the bass disappears or becomes too loud or whether the treble becomes thin or harsh. Basically, you're trying to determine where you need to make adjustments in your mix so that it sounds good everywhere.
Unless you spent a lot of time and money getting your mixing room to sound great, you have to compensate when you mix so that your music sounds good on other people's systems. If your room or speakers enhance the bass in your song, the song will sound thin on other people's systems. On the other hand, if your system lacks bass, your mixes will be boomy when you listen to them somewhere else.
Choosing reference CDs
A reference CD can be any music that you like or that helps you to hear your music more clearly. For the most part, choose reference CDs that have a good balance between high and low frequencies and that sound good to your ear. That said, some CDs are mixed really well, which can help you get to know your monitors and train your ears to hear the subtleties of a mix. I name a few CDs in the following list. (Disclaimer: I try to cover a variety of music styles in this list, but I can't cover them all without a list that's pages long.)
Steely Dan, Two Against Nature
Lyle Lovett, Joshua Judges Ruth
Norah Jones, Come Away with Me
Sting, Brand New Day
Ben Harper, Burn to Shine
Leonard Cohen, Ten New Songs
Beck, Mutations
Peter Gabriel, So
Sarah McLachlan, Surfacing
No Doubt, Return of Saturn
Los Lobos, Kiko
Marilyn Manson, Mechanical Animals
Depeche Mode, Ultra
Bonnie Raitt, Fundamental
Macy Gray, On How Life Is
Pearl Jam, Yield
Metallica, S&M
Dr. Dre, 2001
All commercial CDs have been mastered. This is going to affect the sound of them a little — most importantly, they will be louder than your music. If you toggle back and forth between your mix and a reference CD, adjust the relative levels so that each sounds equally as loud coming through your speakers because the louder song always sounds "better." And remember: Don't try to match the volume of your mix to a reference CD.
Dealing with ear fatigue
If you've ever had a chance to mix a song, you've probably found that you often do a better mix early in the process, and the longer you work on the song, the worse the mix gets. In most cases, this is because your ears get tired, and when they do, hearing accurately becomes harder. To tame ear fatigue, try the following tips:
Don't mix at the end of the day, especially after doing other recording. Save your mixing for first thing in the morning, when your ears have had a chance to rest.
Keep the volume low. I know you'll be tempted to crank the volume on your song as you work on it, but doing so only tires your ears prematurely and can cause damage, especially if you have monitors that can get really loud.
Take an occasional break. Just 10 or 15 minutes of silence can allow you to work for another hour or so. Also, don't be afraid to walk away from a mix for a day or more.
Try not to mix under a deadline. This suggestion fits with the preceding one. If you're under a deadline, you can't give yourself the time you may need to rest and reassess your mix before it goes to print.
Making several versions
One great thing about digital recording is that it costs you nothing to make several versions of a mix. All you need is a little (or a lot of) hard-drive space. Because you can make as many variations on your song's mix as your hard drive allows, you can really experiment by trying new effects settings or trying active panning in your song. You may end up with something exciting. At the very least, you end up discovering more about your gear. That's always a good thing.
Print (record) a mix early on. Most of the time, your best mixes happen early in the mixing process. Print (or save) the first good mix that you make before you try making creative ones. This way, if you get burned out or run out of time, you have a decent mix to fall back on.
Chapter 15
Dialing In Signal Processors
In This Chapter
Using effects
Understanding dynamics processing
Exploring signal processing
Unless you record your songs using a live band in a perfect acoustic environment, your music will sound a little flat without the addition of some type of effects. Effects allow you to make your music sound like you recorded it in just about any environment possible. You can make your drums sound as if they were recorded in a cathedral or your vocals sound as if you were singing underwater. Effects also have the ability to make you sound better than you actually did. For example, you can add harmony parts to your lead or backup vocals, or you can make your guitar sound like you played it through a number of great amplifiers.
In this chapter, you discover many of the most common signal processors used in recording studios. (Signal processors are the neat hardware behind all the effects you can achieve in a recording studio.) You discern the difference between insert (line) and send/return effects, dynamics processors, and effects processors. You also get a chance to explore ways of using these processors, with recommendations for using reverb, delay, chorus, pitch shifting, compression, noise gates, and expanders.
All effects have presets. Presets are factory settings that enable you to dive right into using the effects processor without having to know how each parameter works. Presets are a good place to start when you're not really sure how to get the sound that you want. Most presets are named, and the name may give you a hint about where you may use it. For example, a reverb with a preset called vocal plate lets you know that it may be worth trying on vocals. After you choose a preset, don't be afraid to tweak it a little to get the sound you're after. Most decent effects processors allow you to save any changes that you make to the preset.
The best way to discover how to use effects on your music is to experiment. The more you play around with the different settings, the more familiar you'll become with how each effect operates. Then you can get creative and come up with the best ways of using effects for your music.
The Bypass button on your effects processor is your friend. With a press of this button, you can quickly turn off the effect to your signal. Use it to check your effect settings against your original signal. Sometimes you'll like the original sound better.
Connecting Effects
For an effects processor to work on your sound source, you need to connect the processor properly. Regardless of the type of signal processor or recording system you're using, you have the option of connecting your processor directly into the channel strip (called a line or insert effect) or routing it through your aux bus (a send/return effect).
Insert
Insert (line) effects are placed in the signal path so that all of the instrument's sound passes through the effect, as shown in Figure 15-1. Line effects alter the entire signal of the instrument and don't allow you to mix the amount of effect that you have with the original dry (unaffected) signal at the mixer. (Some insert effects allow you to adjust the balance of dry and affected signal using a Mix dial.) Line effects are generally dynamics processors like compression or gates, which are great for evening out signal levels and getting rid of noise on your tracks, but they can also be the useful new effects, such as amp or microphone simulators, that are available to the home recordist.
Send/return
Send/return effects, such as reverb, delay, chorus, and flange, allow you to mix both the affected and unaffected sound separately. The send/return effect is connected to the aux bus in your mixer (through the aux jack), as shown in Figure 15-2, and as a result, you can adjust both the dry signal and the affected signal separately. This enables you to do the following things that you can't do with a line effect:
Run as many instruments through the same processor as you want. For example, you can have your snare drum, kick drum, bass guitar, and backup vocals all run through the same reverb.
Have as much or as little of the affected sound in your music as you want. This can be an advantage if you want just a little reverb on your vocal track, for instance.
Pan the dry signal to one side of the mix and the affected signal to the other side. This can add depth to an instrument and can be used for a variety of cool effects.
**Figure 15-1:** Insert effects go in the signal path and affect the entire sound of the instrument.
**Figure 15-2:** A send/return effect allows you to have both affected and unaffected signals.
Controlling Loudness and Softness with Dynamics Processors
Dynamics processors allow you to control the dynamic range of a signal. The dynamic range is the difference between the softest and loudest signals that a sound source produces. This range is listed in decibels (dB). The larger the dynamic range, the more variation between the softest and loudest notes.
The three types of dynamics processors are compressors/limiters, gates, and expanders. The following sections give you the lowdown on each item, but suffice it to say that, with the help of dynamics processors, you can do a number of important things to your music. You can add punch or smooth out an instrument's sound, you can eliminate noise from a track, or you can even out an erratic performance.
Figure 15-3 shows the dynamics processors section of a popular computer-based recording program. Although each dynamics process works a little differently, they all use some of the same controls. In this figure, you use the dials at the bottom of the window to control the different parameters for the processor. The left section's level meters show you how much processing of the dynamic range that you're doing.
**Figure 15-3:** Dynamics processors allow you to control the levels of your signals.
Introducing compressors/limiters
The compressor's job is to compress the dynamic range of the sound being affected. The compressor not only limits how loud a note can be, but also reduces the difference between the loudest and softest notes (it compresses the dynamic range).
The limiter works much like the compressor except it limits the highest level of a sound source. Any signal above the threshold is chopped off rather than compressed, as with the compressor.
Compressors/limiters are used for the following three main purposes (although other purposes certainly exist as well):
To keep transients from creating digital distortion during tracking: This is common with drums that have a very fast attack (initial signal) that can easily overload the recorder (or converters or preamps).
To even out a performance that shows a high degree of unwanted dynamic variation: You do this during either the mixing or tracking stage. An example is a singer who has poor mic control (moves constantly in front of the mic), and as a result, some recorded passages become loud while others are very quiet.
To raise the overall apparent level of the music during mastering: For example, listen to a CD recorded ten years ago and one from the last year or so, and you'll notice that the newer CD sounds louder than the older one.
I cover purpose 1 in Chapter 7, and I explore purpose 3 in Chapter 16. So that leaves purpose 2 to explore with sample settings later in this chapter.
In Chapter 7, I explain the purpose of the various parameters of a compressor, but to keep you from having to flip through the book to find that information, I present those parameters here as well:
Threshold: The threshold setting dictates the level that the compressor starts to act on the signal. This is listed in dB (decibels). This setting is often listed as dB below peak (0dB). In other words, a setting of –6dB means that the compressor starts to act when the signal is 6 decibels below its calibrated 0dB mark. (In digital systems, 0dB is the highest level a signal can go before clipping.)
Ratio: The ratio is the amount that the compressor affects the signal. The ratio, such as 2:1 for instance, means that for every decibel that the signal goes over the threshold setting, the signal is reduced by a factor of 2. In other words, if a signal goes 1dB over the threshold setting, its output from the compressor is only 1⁄2dB louder. With ratios above 10:1, your compressor starts to act like a limiter.
Attack: The attack knob controls how soon the compressor kicks in. The attack is defined in milliseconds (ms), and the lower the number, the faster the attack.
Release: The release parameter controls how long the compressor continues affecting the signal after it has dropped back below the threshold setting. Like the attack, the release is defined in milliseconds. The lower the number, the faster the release time.
Gain: The gain knob allows you to adjust the level (volume) of the signal going out of the compressor. This is listed in decibels. Because adding compression generally reduces the overall level of the sound, you use this control to raise the level back to where it was going in.
Hard knee or soft knee: Most compressors give you the option of choosing between a hard knee and a soft knee (or they do it for you based on the setting that you've chosen). Hard knee and soft knee refer to how the compressor behaves as the input signal passes the threshold. They are defined as follows:
• Hard knee applies the compression at an even rate regardless of the level present over the threshold. So if you choose a compression setting of 4:1, the compressor applies this ratio for any signal over the threshold limit. Hard-knee compression is used for instruments like drums, where you need to clamp down on any transients quickly.
• Soft knee, by contrast, applies the compression at a varying rate, depending on the amount the signal is over the threshold setting. A soft knee setting gradually increases the ratio of the compression as the signal crosses the threshold until it hits the level that you set. Soft-knee compression is used on vocals and other instruments where the signal doesn't have fast peaks.
Some two-channel compressors have a link function that allows you to connect the two separate channels and control them from one set of controls. Having the two channels linked ensures that you end up with the same settings on both channels. This is useful when you want to compress a stereo signal.
Some compressors have a sidechain option. Hardware compressors generally have a jack located on the back panel. Software compressors often have a sidechain section somewhere in the compressor's control section. Regardless of where it's located, the sidechain option allows you to insert an equalizer into the signal path of the compressor (you use a Y cord). The sidechain option is used to "de-ess" vocals (get rid of the nasty s sounds of sibilance).
Targeting frequency ranges with multiband compression
Multiband compressors allow you to designate the frequency range that you want to compress. Most multiband compressors have three or four bands. The four-band versions have low-, low-mid-, high-mid-, and high-band versions. The three-band versions have low-, mid-, and high-band versions. You often get to choose where your frequency ranges are.
Multiband compressors are used most often during the mastering process, but they can be handy on individual tracks as well. The main advantage of these types of compressors is that you can compress a specific frequency range without affecting the sound of the rest of the track. This can be helpful if you have an instrument that's either buried or is overpowering a mix. You just add a little (or a lot) of compression to the bass, for example, to bring it up in the mix, without affecting the higher-frequency instruments.
Getting started using compression
The compressor is one of the most useful — and one of the most abused — pieces of gear in the recording studio. The most difficult part of using compression is that every instrument reacts differently to the same settings. So, instead of presenting specific settings for you to use, I offer you some guidelines and ideas for using the compressor effectively. (You can find sample settings and more ideas in the next section of this chapter.)
The following steps show you one good way to get familiar with the compressor:
1. Dial in a high setting (an 8:1 to a 10:1 ratio), and set the threshold all the way up by turning the dial fully to the right.
2. Slowly turn down the threshold, watch the meters, and listen carefully.
As you dial the threshold down, notice where the meters are when you start hearing a change in the sound of the track. Also notice what happens to the sound when you have the threshold really low and the meters are peaked (the sound is very different from where you started).
3. Slowly dial the threshold back up again, and notice how the sound changes back again.
After you get used to how the sound changes as you adjust the threshold, try using different attack and release settings and do this procedure again. The more you experiment and critically listen to the changes made by the different compressor settings, the better you understand how to get the sound that you want. The following guidelines can also help you get the sound you want:
Try to avoid using compression on your 2-track mix while you mix your music. This is the job for the mastering phase of your project. If you compress your stereo tracks during mixdown, you limit what can be done to your music in the mastering stage. This is true even if you master it yourself and think you know what you want during mixdown.
If you hear noise when you use your compressor, you've set it too high. You're compressing the loud portions enough to make the level of the softest sections of the music (including any noise) much louder in comparison. To get rid of the noise, turn down the ratio or the threshold settings.
To increase the punch of a track, make sure that the attack setting isn't too quick. Otherwise, you lose the initial transient and the punch of a track.
To smooth out a track, use a short attack setting and a quick release time. This evens out the difference in level between the initial transient and the body of the instrument and results in a smoother sound.
When using limiting to raise the volume of a track or mix, only limit 2–3dB at a time. This way, the limiter doesn't alter the sound of your signal; it just reduces the highest peaks and raises the volume.
Less is more when using compression. Resist the temptation to dial too much in — it just squashes your music. On the other hand, if that's an effect that you're going for, don't be afraid to experiment.
Sampling some compression settings
Because compressors are used and abused so frequently, I thought it might be helpful for you to have some basic settings to get you started. This will hopefully save you the headache of ruining a few tracks before you get the hang of this powerful tool.
Lead vocals
Some recording engineers think compression is a must for vocals. It evens out the often-erratic levels that a singer can produce and tames transients that can cause digital distortion. You can use compression on vocals to just even out the performance and to create an effect.
If you use a compressor to even out a vocal performance, you don't want to hear the compressor working. Instead, you just want to catch the occasional extremely loud transient that would cause clipping. A good compression setting has a fast attack to catch the stray transient, a quick release so that the compression doesn't color the sound of the singer, and a low ratio so that when the compressor does go on, it smoothes out the vocals without squashing them. Typical settings may look like this:
Threshold: –8dB
Ratio: 1.5:1–2:1
Attack: <1 ms
Release: About 40 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain.
If you want to use a compressor that pumps and breathes — that is, one that you can really hear working — or if you want to bring the vocals way up front in the mix, try using the following settings. These settings put the vocals "in your face," as recording engineers say:
Threshold: –2dB
Ratio: 4:1–6:1
Attack: <1 ms
Release: About 40 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You need to add a fair amount of gain at this setting.
As you can see, the two parameters that you adjust the most are the threshold and ratio. Experiment with these settings and check the effects of them by toggling between the affected and unaffected sound (use the Bypass switch on your compressor).
Backup vocals
What about compressor settings for backup vocals, you may ask? I recommend a setting that's midway between the invisible compressions and the pumping and breathing compressions that I describe in the previous section. Such a setting brings your background vocals forward slightly. Your settings may look like this:
Threshold: –4dB
Ratio: 2:1–3:1
Attack: <1 ms
Release: About 40 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need to add too much gain.
Electric guitar
Generally, electric guitar sounds are pretty compressed. You don't need additional compression when you track the guitar unless you use a clean (undistorted) setting on your guitar. If you want to use a little compression to bring the guitar forward and give it some punch, try these settings:
Threshold: –1dB
Ratio: 2:1–3:1
Attack: 25–30 ms
Release: About 200 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain.
The slow attack is what gives the guitar a bit of punch. If you want less punchiness, just shorten the attack slightly. Be careful though, because if you shorten it too much, you end up with a mushy sound. (Sorry . . . ahem . . . the guitar has no definition.)
Electric bass
Another way to get a handle on the potential muddiness of the amplified bass guitar is to use a little compression. Compression can also help control uneven levels that result from overzealous or inexperienced bass players. Try these settings for a start:
Threshold: –4dB
Ratio: 2.5:1–3:1
Attack: 40–50 ms
Release: About 180 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain.
When using compression on bass, make sure that your attack setting isn't too short or the sound becomes muddy.
Strummed or picked acoustic stringed instruments
You don't generally need a lot of compression on acoustic stringed instruments, especially if you want a natural sound. You can use the compressor to even out the resonance of the instrument to keep the main character of the instrument from getting lost in a mix and to avoid a muddy sound. These are good settings for strummed or picked acoustic instruments:
Threshold: –6dB
Ratio: 3:1–4:1
Attack: Around 150 ms
Release: About 400 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain.
The release is set very high because of the amount of sustain that these acoustic instruments can have. If you play an instrument with less sustain, like a banjo, you may find that a shorter attack and release work just fine. In this case, try the following settings:
Threshold: –6dB
Ratio: 2.5:1–3:1
Attack: 40–50 ms
Release: About 180 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much, if any, added gain.
Horns
It's rare that I use a compressor on horns. The only time I may use one is if an unnatural variation exists in levels due to poor playing (although I usually prefer to ride the faders to even the levels instead of trying to fix the problem with compression). Still, if I were to use a compressor, I would start with these settings:
Threshold: –8dB
Ratio: 2.5:1–3:1
Attack: Around 100 ms
Release: About 300 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain.
Piano
As with other acoustic instruments, I don't often use compression on a piano unless I'm going for a specific effect or I want to even out an erratic performance. Settings for effect can run the gamut; just dial in some settings and see what you get. Using compression to even an erratic piano performance takes a little more finesse. In this case, start with these mild settings:
Threshold: –10dB
Ratio: 1.5:1–2:1
Attack: 100–105 ms
Release: About 115 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much, if any, added gain.
Classical strings
For the most part, adding compression to string instruments played with a bow isn't necessary. However, you will find that using a compressor on a plucked acoustic bass and fiddle can bring them out in a mix.
A starting point for compressor settings for a fiddle would be as follows:
Threshold: –4dB
Ratio: 2:1–3:1
Attack: 40–50 ms
Release: About 100 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much, if any, added gain.
Try these settings for the acoustic bass:
Threshold: –6dB
Ratio: 5:1–8:1
Attack: 40–50 ms
Release: About 200 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You need a bit of added gain here.
Kick drum
The kick drum responds well to a compressor when tracking. For the most part, you can get by with settings that allow the initial attack to get through and that tame the boom a little. Sample settings would look like this:
Threshold: –6dB
Ratio: 4:1–6:1
Attack: 40–50 ms
Release: 200–300 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain.
Snare drum
Adding compression to the snare drum is crucial if you want a tight, punchy sound. You have a lot of choices with the snare. The following settings are common and versatile:
Threshold: –4dB
Ratio: 4:1–6:1
Attack: 5–10 ms
Release: 125–175 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain.
Hand drums
Compression is usually a good idea with hand drums because the drum can produce unpredictable transients. For most hand drums, start with the following settings:
Threshold: –6dB
Ratio: 3:1–6:1
Attack: 10–25 ms
Release: 100–300 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain.
Percussion
Because percussion instruments have high sound levels and are prone to extreme transients, I often like to use a little compression just to keep these transients from eating up headroom in the mix. Here are good starting points:
Threshold: –10dB
Ratio: 3:1–6:1
Attack: 10–20 ms
Release: About 50 ms
Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You need a bit of added gain here.
Introducing gates
A gate is basically the opposite of the limiter. Rather than limiting how loud a note can get, the gate limits how soft a note can get. The gate filters out sound below the threshold while allowing notes above it to pass through unaffected.
Gates are useful to filter out unwanted noise that may be present in the recording environment. A classic place to use gates is when you record drums. You can set the gate to filter any sound (other drums for instance) except for the sounds resulting from the hits to the particular drum that you have miked.
The following settings are similar to the ones for compressors/limiters:
Threshold: The threshold sets the level (in dB) at which the gate opens (stops filtering the signal). The gate allows all signals above the threshold setting to pass through unaffected, whereas signals below the threshold setting are reduced by the amount set by the range control.
Attack: As with the compressor/limiter, the attack time sets the rate at which the gate opens (in milliseconds). Fast attacks work well for instruments with, well, fast attacks, such as drums, whereas slow attacks are better suited for instruments with slow attacks, like vocals.
For the most part, try to match the gate's attack time with that of the instrument you're gating. If you don't do this well, you may hear a click when the signal crosses the gate's threshold. This is generally a result of having the attack set too slow for the instrument. Adjust the attack time until this click goes away.
Hold: The hold setting controls the amount of time that the gate stays open after the signal drops below the threshold. After the hold time is reached, the gate closes abruptly. This parameter is listed in milliseconds (ms). The hold parameter allows you to get the gated drum sound that was so popular in the 1980s (Phil Collins, anyone?).
Release: The release setting dictates the rate at which the gate closes after the signal hits the threshold (listed in milliseconds). Unlike the hold feature, the release setting doesn't close abruptly; rather, it slowly closes (according to the release setting). This produces a more natural sound. You should set the release time so that it matches the natural decay time of the instrument. Otherwise, you can get a clipped-off sound. (If you want the clipped-off sound, use the Hold feature.)
Range: The range is similar to the ratio setting on the compressor except you choose the amount (in dB) that you want the gate to attenuate (reduce) the signal. For example, a setting of 40dB drops signals below the threshold setting by 40 decibels.
Getting started using gates
Noise gates can be extremely useful in getting rid of unwanted noise. The most common use for a gate is to eliminate bleeding from drum mics. For example, your snare drum might bleed into your tom-toms mics. When using noise gates, keep the following tips in mind:
When the threshold is reached, the gate allows the signal through. If your background noise is high enough, when the gate opens, you still hear not only the intended sound but also the background noise. This can be a problem if you're using gates to eliminate the noise of your hard drive fan or other room noise. Your best bet is using acoustic panels to eliminate the noise rather than using gates.
When gating drums, be sure to set the attack very fast. Otherwise, the initial transient is lost, and you end up with mushy-sounding drums.
Take your time setting the release time of the gate so that it sounds natural and doesn't clip the end of your instrument's sound.
Only set the range high enough to mask unwanted noise. If you set it too high, the sound becomes unnatural because the natural resonance of the instrument may be filtered out.
Introducing expanders
The expander is to the gate what a compressor is to a limiter — instead of reducing the volume of notes below the set threshold by a specified amount, the expander reduces them by a ratio. In other words, with the gate, you set a certain amount, in dB, that a signal is reduced, and with the expander, you reduce the signal by setting a ratio. The ratio changes the signal gradually, making the affected signals sound more natural.
You use an expander when you want to subtly reduce noise from a track, rather than just filtering it out completely. A classic example is when dealing with the breath sounds from a singer. If you use a gate, the resulting track sounds unnatural, because the gate filters out the breaths completely. However, you can set the expander to reduce the breath sounds just enough to be less noticeable, but still leave a little of the sound so that the singer sounds normal. (Everyone has to breathe, right?)
Again, the following settings sound familiar from my previous discussion of compressors and gates:
Threshold: The threshold in an expander works the same way as with the gate — anything below the threshold is affected and signals above the threshold pass unaffected.
Ratio: The ratio dictates how much the signal is attenuated by the expander. When using a ratio of 2:1, for instance, the expander reduces signals below the threshold by a factor of 2. In this case, a signal that is 10dB below the threshold is reduced to 20dB below it; likewise, a signal that's 2dB below the threshold would be reduced to 4dB below it.
Getting started using an expander
Because the expander works much like a gate, you can use the same basic starting points. Choose the gate or expander based on the type of overall attenuation of the signal you want. For example, the expander is a good choice if you have an instrument that contains sounds that are too loud but that you don't want to remove completely (you just want to reduce them a little).
A vocalist's breath is the perfect situation for using an expander over a gate. In this case, you can set the expander's threshold just below the singer's softest note and start with a low ratio (1.5:1 or 2:1, for instance). See whether the breath sounds improve, and if they don't, slowly dial up the ratio until you get the effect that you want. Be careful not to overdo it though. If the breath sound drops too far away from the vocal, the vocal sounds unnatural.
If you use a high ratio in your expander (6:1 or above), the effect you get is similar in sound to that of the gate, only you end up having less control of the sound because you don't have the hold or release parameters to adjust. So, if you have to use a high ratio on a signal, a gate may be a better choice for that situation.
Adding Ambiance with Effects Processors
Effects processors can be used as either send/return or insert effects. In both cases, you can work with both the dry (unaffected) signal and the wet (affected) signal separately. If you use the effect in a send/return routing, you can adjust the wet and dry signals with the Aux Send and Aux Return knobs. If you use the effect in a line configuration, the effect has a Mix parameter on it, where you can adjust the wet/dry balance. Because most people record in a studio with a fairly dead environment, acoustically speaking, effects are necessary to make the music sound more natural. The purpose of effects processors is to mimic real-world situations or to add a supernatural feel to the music.
You have quite a few choices in effects processors, and many more show up every year. The most common effects processors are reverb, delay, chorus, flange, and pitch shifting, all of which I detail in the following sections.
Introducing reverb
Reverb is undoubtedly the most commonly used effects processor. Reverb is a natural characteristic of any enclosed room and is the result of sound waves bouncing off the walls, floor, and ceiling. A small room produces reflections that start quickly and end soon, whereas larger rooms, halls, or cathedrals have slower start times and the reflections last longer.
This room effect enables you to place your track from front to back in the mix. You do this by varying how much of the affected signal you include with the unaffected one. For example, mixing a lot of reverb with the dry signal gives the impression of being farther away, so your instrument sounds like it's in back in the mix.
You can adjust several parameters when using reverb, which gives you a lot of flexibility. Check out Figure 15-4. This shows what the reverb processor looks like in a popular computer-based system.
**Figure 15-4:** Reverb allows you to add ambience to your instrument, giving it a more realistic sound.
The following list explains how the parameters, most of which you can see in Figure 15-4, affect the sound of the reverb:
Algorithm: Whether you use a reverb patch within your recording system or a separate outboard reverb unit, you can choose the type of reverb that you want to use. You have the option of a room, hall, or plate (a type of reverb that uses a metal plate to create its sound). In addition, you can choose the size of the room (in this case, small, medium, and large). You may also be able to choose from a large pop-up menu of options, including algorithms created from samples of actual rooms (often called convolution reverbs).
Decay: The decay is the length of time that the reverb lasts. Larger or more reflective rooms produce a longer decay.
Predelay: A sound reaches your ears before the sound's reverb does, and the predelay is the amount of time from the sound's beginning to the start of the reverb, which is described in milliseconds (ms). Because reverb is made up of reflections of sound within a room, the sound takes time to bounce around the room and reach your ears. By then, you've already heard the sound because it came directly to you. Predelay helps to define the initial sound signal by separating it from the reverb. This parameter is essential in making your reverb sound natural.
A small room has a shorter predelay than a large room. Predelay times generally range between 10 and 50 ms.
Density: The density parameter (not shown in the reverb plug-in in Figure 15-4) controls the level of the early reflections (the first few milliseconds of the reverb sound). Because the early reflections take less time to reach your ear than the main body of the reverb, you hear a thinner reverb sound to begin with, followed by the main reverb. The density parameter enables you to simulate different room sizes because the main section of a reverb takes longer to reach you in a larger room. The higher the density setting, the larger the apparent room size. Not all reverbs have this setting.
Some reverb processors don't have a density setting (as is the case for the processor shown in Figure 15-4). In such a case, this parameter is usually factory set and varies based on the type and size of room parameters that you choose.
Diffusion: Diffusion affects the density of the reflections in the main section of the reverb sound. A higher diffusion setting results in a thicker sound. Think of the diffusion parameter as a way to simulate how reflective the room is. More reflective rooms produce a much higher diffusion. To simulate a less reflective room, use lower diffusion settings.
Like the density setting, some reverbs don't have a diffusion parameter; instead, it's factory set and depends on the room type/size parameter that you choose.
Hi Cut and Low Cut filters: These filters allow you to control the rate at which the high and low frequencies decay. Most of the time, the high frequencies decay faster, so being able to control this effect can result in a more natural-sounding reverb.
Getting started using reverb
Reverb is like garlic: The more you use, the less you can taste it. Just as the new chef puts garlic in everything (and lots of it), many budding sound engineers make the same mistake with reverb. Go easy. Remember: Less is more.
Here are some other points to keep in mind:
Mixes often sound better when you use reverb on only a few instruments instead of them all. For example, it's common for just the snare drum of the drum set to have reverb on it. The rest of the drums and cymbals remain dry (unaffected).
Think about how you want each instrument to sit in the mix when you choose reverb. Make sure that the type and amount of reverb fit the song and the rest of the instruments.
Try putting the dry sound on one side of the stereo field and the reverb on the other. For example, if you have a rhythm guitar part that you set at 30 degrees off to the right of the stereo field, set the reverb 30 degrees off to the left. This can produce a nice effect.
To keep the vocals up front in the mix, use a short reverb setting. A vocal plate is a great choice because the decay is fast. This adds a fair amount of the reverb to the vocal without making it sit way back in the mix.
Experiment with room types, sizes, and decay times. Sometimes a long decay on a small-room reverb sounds better than a short decay on a large-room or hall reverb.
Introducing delay
Along with reverb, delay is a natural part of sound that bounces around a room. When you speak (or sing or play) in a room, you often hear not only reverb but also a distinct echo. This echo may be short or long depending on the size of the room. The original sound may bounce back to you as a single echo or as multiple, progressively quieter delays.
Several types of delay effects exist, including a slap-back echo, tape delay, and multiple delays, and each of them is designed to add dimension to your instrument. To create these various effects, you adjust several parameters, as the following list and Figure 15-5 make clear. Different delay processors have different parameters, but the three most universal and useful parameters are time, feedback, and mix/effect level, as follows:
**Figure 15-5:** A delay effect processor allows you to create various echoes.
Gain: This lets you set the signal level going into the delay.
Mix: This parameter controls the output level of the effect. The higher you set this parameter, the louder the delayed signal is relative to the original signal.
LPF: The low-pass filter (LPF) lets you filter out some of the high frequencies from the delay.
Delay: This parameter controls the amount of time between the initial signal and the repeated sound. The time is listed in milliseconds (ms) and can be as short as a few milliseconds or as long as several seconds.
Depth: This parameter lets you add modulation to the delay so that you can create a chorus effect. (See the "Getting started chorusing" section, later in this chapter, for more on chorus and flange effects). The higher the level on this setting, the greater the modulation.
Rate: This setting lets you adjust the amount of time that the modulation takes to go one time through its cycle.
Feedback: The Feedback parameter controls how many times the echo repeats. A low setting makes the echo happen just once, and higher settings produce more echoes.
Getting started using delay
Delay is used a lot in contemporary music, and many times you don't hear it unless you listen carefully. Other times, it is prominent in the mix, like the snare drum in some styles of music such as house, dub, or reggae music. Here are ways that you can use delay in your music:
Use delay as a slap-back echo on vocals. A slap-back echo consists of one to three repeats spaced very closely together, which fattens the sound of the vocals. You generally want to set your time parameter between 90 and 160 milliseconds. Set the level so that you barely hear the first echo when your vocal is in the mix and adjust it from there until you like the sound. In pop music, a slap-back echo and a vocal plate reverb are commonly used on lead vocals. (This technique was really common in the 1950s.)
Use the tempo match feature to have your delay echo in time with the music. This can add some depth to the mix without creating a muddy or cluttered sound. Be careful, because if you use this too much, it can make your music sound annoyingly repetitive.
To create special effects with delay, try using the pan or shift controls to move your instruments in the mix. This can be a lot of fun on background instruments, such as rhythm guitar and synthesizers.
Introducing pitch shifting
Pitch shifting allows you to change the pitch of a recorded instrument. This gives you a number of different options when you mix. For example, you can run your backup vocals through a pitch-shifting device to make them sound fuller. Or you can create backup vocals from the lead vocal track by multing (making a copy and putting it on another track or two) the lead vocal and subjecting it to a pitch shifter.
Using a pitch shifter is pretty easy: Open the program and choose how much you want to change the pitch either up or down. To use the pitch shifter to fill out a vocal, just change the pitch (up or down — it doesn't matter) a few semitones until you like the sound. You can either create a subtle effect that sounds like two or more people trying to sing the same pitch, or you can create harmonies by changing the pitch one or more steps.
Chorus
Chorus takes the original sound and creates a copy that is slightly out of tune with the original. Unlike the pitch shifter — an effect that remains constant — the chorus's shifted pitch varies over time. This variance is called modulation, and the result is an effect that can add interest and variety to an instrument. Chorus is used extensively to add fullness to a sound, particularly guitars and vocals.
Most chorus effects give you several parameters with which to work, as the following list makes clear:
Rate: The rate dictates how fast the modulation happens. This parameter is described as a frequency (usually 0.1 to 10 Hz). The frequency actually doesn't refer to a pitch; rather, it describes how many times per second (Hz) the oscillation happens. The oscillation is controlled by the depth parameter.
Depth: The depth parameter controls the amount of pitch modulation that's produced by the chorus. The settings are often arbitrary (you can get a range of 1 to 100). This range relates to a percentage of the maximum depth to which the particular chorus can go, rather than an actual level.
Predelay: The predelay setting affects how far out of time the chorus's sound is in relation to the original. This setting is listed in milliseconds, and the lower the number, the closer the chorused sound is to the original in time.
Feedback: The feedback control sends the affected sound from the chorus back in again. This allows you to extend the amount of chorusing that the effect creates. This setting can also be called stages in some systems.
Effect Level: This could also be called mix in some systems. The effect level controls how much effect is sent to the aux return bus. This allows you to adjust how affected the sound becomes.
Getting started chorusing
If reverb is like garlic, chorus is like cayenne pepper. You may get away with adding a little too much garlic in your food, but if you add too much cayenne, you run the risk of making your food inedible. Such is the case with the chorus effect. Used sparingly, chorus can add a lot to your music, but if it's overdone, it can wreak havoc on a good song. Here are some tips for using this effect:
To fill out a vocal track, try setting the rate at 2 Hz, the depth at about 20 to 30, and the predelay at 10 to 20 ms. Keep the feedback level low.
Use a chorus on backup vocals to make them fuller and allow you to use fewer tracks.
Pan the chorus to one side of the mix and the dry (unaffected) signal to the other. This can be especially interesting on guitars and synthesizer patches.
Along with chorus, your system may have other modulating effects, such as flange and phase shifting. These two effects work much like chorus, except they alter the original signal in time (flange) and in sound-wave position (phase shifting) rather than pitch. The parameters you have for such effects are similar to those that you find for chorus effects. You can use the flange and phase shifters in many of the same applications as the chorus if you're going for a different effect.
Simulating Effects
Recently, effects have emerged that allow you to alter your original signal so that it sounds like it was recorded using a different technique or source. These are simulator effects, and the two most common are microphone and amplifier simulators (modelers). Both of these effects are intended to be line effects, but on some systems, you can use them as send/return effects to create interesting . . . well . . . effects.
Microphone simulator
As its name suggests, the mic simulator alters your signal to make it sound like it was recorded through a different microphone than the one you used (obviously). The great thing about the mic simulator effect is that you can have a bunch of microphone sounds available to you without buying a bunch of expensive mics.
The only real drawback to mic simulator programs is that they don't sound exactly like the mics that they're trying to model. I mean, making a $100 dynamic mic sound like a $3,000 large-diaphragm condenser mic is pretty hard, no matter how much computer processing you do. But this is no big deal, because all you're trying to do with a mic simulator is to expand the options that you have with a given mic. So even though the modeler can't exactly match the bigger-buck mic, it can provide a pretty decent sound for your inexpensive mic.
The other possible drawback to using a mic simulator program is that the mic that you used to record the part in the first place may have an impact on how well the simulator sounds. Most mic simulator programs designate which mic was used to model the initial sound and which mic the simulator is trying to sound like. For example, in the Roland V-Studios, as you scroll through the various mic simulator patches (effects), you see them listed with one mic name followed by another ("SM57 – U87," for instance). If you want to get a sound like the second mic listed, you need to use the first mic listed.
If you use a different mic than the one listed first, you get a different sound, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing; it's just different.
Amp simulator
The amp simulator effect allows you to essentially have access to a whole roomful of top-notch amps without having to buy, maintain, or store them. One of the great things about amp simulators is that they allow you to plug your guitar directly into your mixer (or direct box), and you can eliminate a lot of noise that miking your guitar amp can cause. You also get to choose the sound that you ultimately want after you've recorded your part. This gives you more flexibility during mixdown.
The downside to amp simulators, as with mic simulators, is that they may not sound exactly like the amp they're trying to model, but this shouldn't matter as long as you get the sound that you want. Another downside is that amp simulators use processing power, and if you have a ton of tracks with a bunch of effects and other plug-ins, you may find your computer getting bogged down a bit. The remedy for this is to print (record) the effect onto a separate track before you mix the song. This frees power for other uses.
There are dozens of amp simulators on the market. Here are some worth checking out:
Guitar Rig by Native Instruments: Guitar Rig comes with 15 different amp/cabinet combos, a Control Room function that lets you mix a handful of different miked amp simulators together. Go to `www.native-instruments.com/#/en/products/guitar/guitar- rig-4-pro/?page=945`.
AmpliTube by IK Multimedia: Several versions of AmpliTube are available, from a free version to one with 160 gear models. Find out more at `www.ikmultimedia.com/Main.html?guitarbasssoftware/index.php`.
Amp Room by Softube: This program contains three vintage amp models with almost limitless virtual mic positioning. You can get a 20-day demo license to try it before you buy by visiting this web page: `www.softube.se/vintage_amp_room.php`.
ReValver by Peavey: This software includes 20 amp types, almost 800 speaker configurations, stomp box, and other effects. You can do a lot with this software. Check it out here: `www.peavey.com/products/software/revalver/`.
Chapter 16
Mastering Your Music
In This Chapter
Understanding mastering
Knowing when to master your music yourself
Knowing when to send your music to a mastering house
Taking a turn at mastering your music
You've spent a lot of time getting all your tracks recorded using the best mics that you can afford (mics you've carefully set up following the guidelines in Chapter 9, I hope!). You adjusted your levels just right, EQ'd, panned, and added effects to each instrument with great care so that they fit perfectly in the mix. Now you have awesome-sounding music. So all that's left is to burn a CD, create cool cover artwork, and make copies to distribute — and you're ready to go platinum, right?
Well, you could do that, but you would be missing one of the most important steps in getting your music to sound its very best. This is the mastering process. Mastering can turn your already-good music into a truly great CD. The only problem is that most people have no idea what mastering is. It's been presented as mysterious voodoo that only people who belong to some secret society and have access to a magical pile of gear can do.
This isn't the case. Mastering is, in fact, a pretty simple process that involves pieces of equipment that you've already used. Mastering does require specialized skills, but you don't need to go through strange initiation rites to understand them. All it takes is an idea of what to do, decent ears (you've got a couple of those, right?), and a dose of patience while you work your way through the process.
In this chapter, you get a chance to understand the "magic" that is mastering. You discover what's involved in mastering your music. You explore ways to master your music yourself and discern when it may be best to find a professional to do the job for you.
Demystifying Mastering
The mastering process of recording involves preparing your music for duplication. Several steps are involved in taking your songs from individual, mixed tunes to part of a whole album. First, you need to optimize the dynamics and tonal balance of each song, and then you need to process the songs so that they are matched in volume to each other. These steps usually involve doing some EQing, compressing, limiting, and sometimes expanding to the songs.
You also need to sequence your music so that you have the songs in the best possible order and you have the appropriate amount of time between each song. Your last step is to put your mastered music onto a format that enables you to duplicate it. (This is usually a CD. I describe this process in detail in Chapter 17.)
Processing
No matter how well you recorded and mixed your music, you still need to do some processing during the mastering stage. This usually consists of adjusting levels with compression, limiting, and EQing and using additional processing if necessary.
The purpose of the processing stage is to balance the overall tonal characteristics of each song and optimize the dynamics of each song so that the songs are at their best overall volume. You can achieve these goals by using the following tools:
Compression: Some music sounds best when it's smooth, and other music is much better when it has a punchy quality to it. Judicious use of compression can produce either of these effects. (I give you suggestions for compressor settings in the section "Optimizing dynamics," later in this chapter.) A good mastering engineer knows when and how to make music punchy or smooth. (Sorry, you can't have both at the same time.)
Adding compression to the mastering process is an art. Too much or the wrong type of compression makes your music sound flat. Too little, and your music may sound weak.
Limiters: If any instruments are too loud in comparison to the rest of the mix, a limiter can tame them so that the difference between the song's peak level and average level is optimal. This difference varies depending on the style of music, but it should never be less than 6dB and is usually between 12dB and 18dB.
EQ: Because you recorded and mixed each of your songs individually over a period of time (often a long period of time), each song probably sounds a little different. Some may be brighter than others and some may be heavier on bass, but one thing's for sure — each has a different tonal quality.
For your compilation of songs to work as a unit, the songs' tonal quality needs to be somewhat consistent. The songs don't have to all sound the same, but they do need to work well together. The mastering engineer uses multiband EQs on each song to make them work as separate songs and gel as a complete artistic statement.
Sequencing
Sequencing involves putting your songs in the order that you want and setting the blank space between each song so that the CD flows well from one song to another. Because a CD is supposed to represent a cohesive body of work, this is one of the most important aspects of mastering.
Leveling
A crucial aspect of mastering a CD is getting the levels of all the songs to be the same. After all, you don't want your listener to have to adjust the volume of his stereo from one song to another. Having consistent levels from song to song helps with the cohesiveness and flow of a CD. This is done with simple gain adjustments, compressors, and/or limiters.
Getting Ready to Master
When mastering your music, you can save yourself a ton of time and energy if you keep a few things in mind during the mixing stage. When you're wearing your Mixing Master hat, the following reminders can make the mastering process go a bit more smoothly:
Check your levels. Listen to your mix quietly, and you can tell whether one instrument stands out too much in the mix. Also, burn a CD of your mixed song to test on other systems (your car, a boom box, or your friend's stereo system). Listen carefully. If the bass drum is even slightly too loud, it eats up the headroom of the rest of the instruments, and you can't get the volume of the song very high.
Check your EQ. Even though the mastering engineer EQs the entire song, make sure that you spend the time getting each instrument EQ'd as best as you can in the mix. If you don't get your EQ just right during the mixing process and the bass guitar sound, for example, is muddy and needs to be EQ'd during mastering, you lose some of the low end on all the instruments. This makes your mix sound thin. If your bass is EQ'd properly in the first place, you don't have to make this adjustment to the entire mix.
Test your mix in mono (turn off the stereo panning on your master bus). This helps you hear whether any instrument's volume or tonal characteristics are seriously out of balance with others. I never consider a mix finished until I monitor it in mono.
Apply compression to your mix before you record the 2-track mix just to see what your music sounds like compressed. Don't record the compression, though. Leave that for the mastering engineer. By testing your mix with some compression, you may hear whether certain instruments are too loud in the mix because this becomes more apparent when the mix is compressed.
Listen for phase holes. Phase holes occur when you record an instrument (for example, piano or backup vocals) in stereo and the two tracks are out of phase. To listen for phase holes, pay attention to how the instrument sounds in the stereo field. You have a phase hole if you hear sound coming only from the far right and far left and nothing seems to be coming from the center of the stereo field. If you have this problem, just reverse the phase on one of the two channels for that instrument.
Even though a lot can be done to your music in the mastering stage, don't rely on mastering to fix problems in your mix. Get your music to sound as good as you can during mixing. If you do this, the mastering engineer has an easier job and can make your music sound even better. If you don't, you're stuck with a bunch of compromises in the mastering stage.
Paying a Pro or Doing It Yourself
Whether to master your music yourself or to hire a professional may be one of your toughest music-making decisions. If you master your music yourself, you can have complete control from start to finish and save yourself some bucks. On the other hand, if you hand your mixed music to a skilled professional, you have the added benefit of another person's ears and advice, and you can end up with a finished product that far exceeds your expectations.
So how do you choose? Well, your first consideration is probably based on economics — do you have the money to spend on professional help (for your music, that is)? Mastering can cost from a couple hundred to thousands of dollars. A midline mastering engineer often charges around $500 to master your CD (about ten songs). This may seem like a lot of money, but if you find the right engineer for your music, it can make the difference between a decent CD and a truly world-class one.
Another consideration for hiring out your mastering is how well you know your equipment and how capable it is of performing the mastering procedure. To do mastering, you need at least one good (well, preferably great) multiband compressor, a limiter, and a great multiband parametric EQ. You also need to have a CD burner of some sort and the software to create a Red Book CD master (more about this in Chapter 17).
Before you decide, take a look at other benefits of hiring a skilled professional to do your mastering:
You get a meticulously tuned room and top-notch monitors. This enables you to hear what your music actually sounds like.
The professional has equipment that's specifically designed to handle the process of mastering. The EQs, compressors, and other gear that the mastering house uses can tweak your music so that it can sound its best.
You get a fresh set of professional ears that may be able to hear things in your mix that need fixing. You may be so close to the project that you have a hard time hearing your mix objectively. You may not even know what adjustments to make to your music so that it sounds its best.
Hiring a Professional Mastering Engineer
If you decide to use a professional mastering engineer, the following tips can help you choose one for your project:
Ask around for referrals. If you know local bands or musicians whose music you like and whose CD sounds great, ask them who mastered their music. Call local studios and find out who they recommend for mastering in your area. Also check out Brad Blackwood's forum at ProSoundWeb.com (`http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/ index.php/f/31/0`) and Recording.org's mastering forum (`http://recording.org/home-studio-mastering/`).
Listen to other recordings that the mastering house has done in a style of music similar to yours. You're entrusting your artistic vision to someone else, and you need to be sure that this person is the right person for the job. If you like what the prospective mastering engineer has done on other people's music, you'll probably like what he does with yours. On the other hand, if he has never worked with music similar to yours or if you don't like the way he mastered someone else's music, he's probably not the right person for the job.
Clarify the fee for your project before you start working together. Most mastering engineers charge by the hour and can give you a pretty good estimate of how many hours they will need to do the job. You'll also be expected to pay for materials (reference CDs, for example).
If you don't like the way the engineer mastered your music, you'll probably be charged the hourly rate to redo it. Some engineers may redo your project for free, but don't count on it. Be sure to discuss this possibility before you start the project so that you're not met with an unwanted surprise.
Many mastering engineers can do a demo of one or two of your songs so that you can hear what kind of job they can do to your music before you hire them. Ask whether the mastering engineer you're interested in offers this service. This can save both you and the engineer a lot of time and energy if he or she isn't right for the job. It can also help you determine whether your mixed music is ready for mastering or whether you need to go back and make adjustments.
After you choose the mastering engineer that you think will work well for you and your music, you can make the process much easier and less stressful for both you and the engineer if you follow these guidelines:
Discuss your expectations and desires. This is the best way to ensure that your mastered music turns out the way you want. People who are unhappy with the job that the mastering engineer does usually aren't clear about what they want or don't understand what is possible in the mastering process.
Take a few CDs whose sound you like with you to the mastering session. Talk with the engineer about how you can get your music to sound similar. A skilled engineer can let you know right away whether the sound you want is possible.
Try to be present at the mastering session. Many people send their music to a mastering engineer and expect him or her to do the job without their presence in the studio. Try to go to the studio, but if you can't, be sure that the engineer clearly understands your desires and expectations.
If you're in the studio during the mastering process and things aren't going the way you want, talk with the engineer and try to get things on track again. If you're unable to communicate with the engineer, stop the session, have him burn a ref (reference copy), pay for the time that you've used, and listen to the ref at home. If you don't like what you hear at home, you may be better off going somewhere else with your music.
If you're at the mastering session and the mastering engineer insists on working on your music while listening at really loud levels (although occasional checks at high volumes are okay), grab your mix CD and run, don't walk, from the session. This is a true sign of an inexperienced (or incompetent) mastering engineer. Mastering needs to be done at low to moderate levels because the tonal balance of music changes at high volumes.
Mastering Your Music Yourself
If you decide that you just have to do the mastering yourself, or at least you want to try it once before you decide to spend the money on a pro, following some guidelines can increase your chances of mastering success. I describe them in this section.
In other chapters, I present specific techniques and settings to get you started. Unfortunately, I can't do that when it comes to mastering. There are just too many variables and too many ways to mess up your music when trying to master it. What I can (and do) help you with in the upcoming sections is to walk you through the process of mastering and show you the tools to use for each step. When reading these sections, keep the following points in mind:
Less is more when mastering. Do as little as possible to your music. If you find that you have to make a lot of adjustments, you may want to go back to the mixing process and try again. When you master your music, you only need to optimize the dynamics and tonal balance of each song, get the levels between the songs even, and sequence your songs.
Mastering is all about compromise. Each adjustment you make to your mixed music affects all the instruments. If you use EQ to get rid of muddiness on the bass guitar, you affect not only the bass guitar but also every other instrument in the mix.
Don't try to master a song right after you mix it. Give yourself time and space from that song before you do anything. In fact, I recommend that you take a few days away from any of the songs for your album between the mixing and mastering stages. A little time to reflect and rest your ears can do wonders for your ability to hear what your music needs.
You can only master music if your monitors and monitoring environment are great. Without a good reference for how your music sounds, trying to EQ or dynamically process your music does no good. The music may sound good through your speakers but probably doesn't through others'. Before you master, make your room sound as good as you can and get to know the strengths and weaknesses of your monitoring environment by listening to a ton of commercial CDs that have the sound you're trying to emulate.
Optimizing dynamics
Okay, this is where the magic in mastering happens, where you can make your music shine or where you can royally mess it up. (How's that for adding a little pressure?) Before you get tense (okay, breathe), remember that you can always go back and try again. Oh, did I mention that you should make backup copies of your individual tracks and your final mix? Well, if you haven't already done the backing-up business, now would be a good time to do that. I'll wait.
Are you done? Okay, now to the job at hand — getting your music to be as loud as possible. (I'm just kidding; see the nearby sidebar "Turn it up!") Seriously, optimizing the dynamics of your songs doesn't mean getting it as loud as you can, but rather giving it life and emotion. And, yes, this also means getting it loud enough to sound good.
The style of your music and the arrangements that you use determine how you optimize the dynamics of your music. For example, classical music has a much broader dynamic range than rock music, and the infamous "wall of sound" type of arrangement has a narrower dynamic range than a song with sparse verses and thicker choruses.
When you're optimizing the dynamics of your music, be sensitive to the song and try not to get sucked into the idea that you need to get the most volume out of your music. I know I'm beating this volume thing into the ground, but you would be surprised how seductive it is to try to get just a few more dB out of the song (no, wait; you'll soon find out).
You have two main tools to use when you work on the dynamics during mastering — a compressor and a limiter — and each has its purpose. For the most part, if you're trying to add punch or smoothness to your music, a compressor does the job nicely. On the other hand, if you're trying to squeeze a little more volume out of a song and you don't want to change the song's sound quality, a limiter is your best choice.
Here are suggestions that can help you use compression and limiting (also covered in Chapter 15) most effectively during mastering:
Use a mild compression ratio (between 1.1:1 and 2:1) to keep from overcompressing your music.
Apply only 1–2dB of compression or limiting at one time. If you need more than that, chain more than one compressor together and use these small amounts on each. If you compress or limit more than 1 or 2dB at a time, you end up with artifacts (audible changes to your music caused by the compressor or limiter).
Work with your attack and release times. An attack that's too short takes the punch out of your music by cutting off the initial transients. Likewise, a release time that's too long doesn't recover quickly enough, and the dynamics of the vocals disappear. In contrast, if the release time is too short, you hear distortion.
Set the threshold so that your compressor's meters dance (bounce) to the rhythm of the music. Only the loudest notes (snare drum or lead vocal accents, for example) should trigger the meters and then only by 1 or 2 dB.
Use a multiband compressor to bring out individual instruments in the mix. For example, if the bass drum seems to be getting lost, you can apply mild compression to the lower frequencies (around 80 to 100 Hz). This brings the instrument forward in the mix slightly.
When you're not sure that what you're doing sounds better, don't use the processor. Any dynamics processing is going to affect the quality of your song's sound to some extent. If adding this processing doesn't improve the overall sound, you're better off not using it.
A song without a significant difference between its softest and loudest notes quickly becomes tiring to listen to. Always keep the difference between the average level and the peak level greater than 6dB. In fact, try to have a peak-to-average ratio of 18 to 24dB if you can. Your music will have a lot more life in it and sound much more interesting.
You can get a good idea of the peak-to-average ratio of your song by watching your meters and noticing where they max out and where they seem to stay most often. Some systems allow you to switch your meters between Peak and Average settings. (To find out whether your system has this option, check your owner's manual, which should be clear about your metering options.) Play the song and make note of the highest peaks using the Peak metering setting. Then listen to your song again using the Average setting on your meters and make a note of this level. When you're done, compare the two. More scientific ways to do this exist, but this technique gives you a good idea of your peak-to-average ratio.
Turn it up!
Everyone wants his or her music to be as loud as possible. Louder sounds better. In fact, test after test has shown that when people listen to two versions of a song, they nearly always prefer the louder one (regardless of whether it actually sounds better). Musicians, producers, and engineers seem to be in a competition to see who can make the loudest CD. If you compare a CD made about ten years ago with one made this year, you'll notice that the newer one is much louder. Give them both a good listen. Does the louder one really sound better?
You can test this by setting both CDs to play at the same volume and then switching back and forth. (You need to turn the volume up a bit on the older CD to match the volume of the newer one.) One way to do this is to record both songs into your DAW and set the levels of each so that they're the same. At the same volume, which song sounds better to you? I'm willing to bet that nine times out of ten, you'll prefer the older song. This is because older recordings have more dynamic range than newer ones. The variety is pleasing to listen to, whereas the song with only a small dynamic range quickly becomes tiring.
Do yourself and your listeners a favor, and resist the temptation to compress the dynamic variability out of your music. Your mix will be much easier to listen to and have a lot more life and excitement. You can always turn the volume up on your stereo if it's not loud enough, but you can't add dynamic range after you've squashed it out.
When you're testing your compression or limiter settings (you do this by comparing the processed and unprocessed versions), be sure to have the volume of both versions exactly the same. Any difference in volume defeats the purpose of side-by-side comparison because people almost always prefer the louder version, regardless of whether it sounds better.
Perfecting tonal balance
The tonal balance of a song is how the various frequencies of the music relate to one another. You're not concerned with how each instrument sounds in the mix (that's the job for the mixing stage); instead, you're looking for an overall balance of frequencies within the hearing spectrum.
For the most part, a tonal balance consists of an even distribution of frequencies from 20 Hz to 10-kHz with a slight drop-off (1–2dB) from 10- to 20-kHz or higher. That's great, you say, but what does that sound like? Well, listen to a number of great CDs, and you'll hear it.
When you master your music, you want to constantly compare the sound of your song to that of other CDs whose sound you like. In Chapter 14, I list a variety of excellent reference CDs for mixing. These CDs work just as well for mastering, so check them out.
When you adjust the overall tonal balance of your songs, listen carefully for frequencies that seem too loud or too soft. You can find these frequencies by listening to the instruments in the mix or by using a parametric EQ and sweeping the frequency spectrum. To do this, set your Q fairly wide (0.6, for instance) and turn the gain knob all the way up. Start with the lowest frequency and slowly raise the frequency as the song plays. Adjust annoying frequencies by cutting them by a couple of dB to see whether your overall mix improves.
Follow these general EQ guidelines:
If your mix sounds muddy, add high frequencies (above 10 kHz) or cut low ones (200 to 400 Hz). Likewise, if your mix is too bright (common with digital recording), try reducing the frequencies above 10 kHz by using a shelf EQ or a Baxandall curve.
To use a Baxandall curve, use a parametric EQ and set the threshold at 20 kHz with a Q setting of about 1. This gradually cuts frequencies above around 10 kHz. You can adjust the Q to reach as far down as you want. Your EQ graph shows you what's happening.
Use the same EQ adjustments for both the right and left channels. This keeps the stereo balance intact and doesn't alter the relative phase between the channels. For example, if you add some bass frequencies (100 Hz, for example) to the one channel and not the other, you may hear a wavering or pulsating sound around this frequency that goes back and forth between the speakers.
If you used a multiband compressor on specific frequencies, you may need to make some EQ adjustments to them. Compression tends to mess with the frequency response.
If you need to adjust the EQ of certain instruments in the mix (the snare drum is buried, for example), note the overall effects of your adjustments on the rest of the mix. If your adjustments aren't fixing the problem, go back to the mixing process and make your adjustments there. You'll be glad you took the time to do this.
Any adjustments you make to the EQ during mastering impact more than just those frequencies; the adjustments alter the entire frequency spectrum and the relationship among all the instruments. So listen carefully as you make adjustments, and back off the additional EQ if you don't like what you hear.
Some people check the tonal balance of their songs against that of their favorite CDs. You do this by recording a favorite-sounding song into your mastering program and taking a look at its frequency response by using a spectral analyzer. (Some programs have a built-in spectral analyzer, but you can also buy one as a plug-in for many systems.) Then do an analysis of your song and compare it to the spectral analysis of a CD you like. This technique seems to work for many people (not me though; I like using my ears instead — but alas, I'm old-fashioned).
Sequencing your songs
Sequencing your songs consists of choosing the order of the songs on the CD as well as the amount of silence between each song. When you wrote and recorded your songs, you probably had an idea about the order in which you wanted them to appear on your CD. If you don't know how you want to arrange your songs, here are some things to consider:
Consider each song's tempo in the sequencing equation. Some CDs work well if songs with a similar tempo are placed together, while others work best when contrasting songs follow one another.
Think about a song's lyrics and how they relate to the lyrics from the other songs on your CD. If you want to tell your listener a story, consider how the order of the songs can best tell that story.
Think about the chords that you used in each song and how they relate to another song that you may want to place before or after it in the sequence. The ending chord of one song can conflict with the beginning chord of another.
Aside from having to decide how your songs are ordered on your CD, you also have to think about how much time you put between each song in order to create the most impact. Many people assume that you use a set amount of time between all the songs on each CD. This isn't the case. You can put any amount of silence between each song that you feel is appropriate to set the mood that you want. Sometimes you may want just a second or two; other times, four or five seconds is more appropriate.
For example, if you have a mellow ballad followed by an upbeat song, you may want to leave a little more time between these two songs so that the listener is prepared for the faster song (try leaving a space that's 4 to 6 beats long at the slower song's tempo, for instance). Or, if you want two tunes to flow together, you can leave less time in between them. Use your ears and think about how you want your listener to respond when going from one song to another.
Balancing levels
For a truly professional-sounding CD, you want all your songs to be at nearly the same relative level so that your listeners (I hope you have more than one) don't have to adjust the volume on their stereos from song to song.
Balancing the levels of your songs to one another is pretty easy. In fact, in most cases, you have very little to do after you EQ and optimize the dynamics of each song. You balance the levels from one song to the next by playing one song, then the next, and listening for significant volume differences. (Didn't I say that it was easy?) You can also look at your master bus meters to see whether each song is at the same level, but your ears are a much better judge.
If you notice any differences, just raise (or better yet, lower) the levels until they are all roughly the same. Don't get too finicky. Some variation from song to song is okay. In fact, minor differences can help to make your CD more interesting to listen to. When you're balancing levels, just make sure that any differences aren't enough to make the listener run to his or her stereo to adjust the volume knob. If one or two songs seem to be much lower in volume than the rest, you may want to go back to the volume-optimizing stage and raise those songs a bit to make them more consistent with the rest of the songs on the CD. This way, you don't lower the volume of the entire CD based on one or two quiet songs.
Preparing for CD
After you have all your songs optimized, balanced, and sequenced, it's time for the final step. This last step involves saving your music in a format that enables you to duplicate the music. Generally, duplication plants can take your mastered music in several formats, but the most popular and easiest is a Red Book audio CD-R. If you go to a professional mastering house, whoever you work with will put your mastered music on the format that they prefer (or you can ask for the format of your choice). If you're mastering your music yourself, you're most likely doing this with a hard-drive recording system, so you'll use a CD-R to make a Red Book CD master.
To make a CD master, you need to get your music files to a 16-bit, 44.1 kHz format. If you're using any of the newer hard-drive recording systems, you probably recorded at a higher resolution and possibly higher sampling rate than this. (You would have set these parameters when you set up your song. If you can't remember, check your owner's manual to find out how to determine a song's settings.) If this is the case, you need to translate your music from the higher rates to the CD rates. This is called dithering.
Don't worry; dithering is easy to do — a heckuva lot easier than the recording, mixing, and mastering steps you've done so far. In fact, you just set your mastering software to dither for you, and you're set. Before you take your master to be duplicated, be sure to listen to the dithered and undithered versions to make sure that they sound the same (or close enough, because you lose some audio quality when you dither down).
If you're prepping your music for audio download or online streaming I recommend using the CD format I mention earlier. The choice stores like iTunes and `Amazon.com/mp3` or radio like Spotify or rdio.com won't take your music unless you are with an established record label or have a distributor, and all the distributors want CD quality files. You can learn more about getting a distributor for your music and online distribution in Chapter 18.
Chapter 17
Creating Your Finished Product
In This Chapter
Putting your music on CD
Encoding your music to MP3
Preparing your music for vinyl
Once you have your music recorded, mixed, and mastered, you're ready for the final steps to putting it out into the world. There are essentially two ways to do this: put it on a physical medium or make it available digitally. In this chapter I cover both these options. I encourage you to do both.
First I walk you through the process of recording your music to CD whether it's for you to sell or for you to hand off to a manufacturer that creates retail-ready packages for you to distribute. This process is pretty easy, and by following a few simple steps, which I lay out in detail for you, you end up with a product that you'll be proud of.
Also in this chapter, you explore the process of creating MP3 files to use for any kind of digital delivery option. This allows you to not only offer samples of your music online, but also lets you put your music on iTunes and Amazon.com. I walk you through the process of determining the right way to encode your MP3 files and preparing them for online submissions.
Last but not least, I offer insights into a niche market — vinyl records — that is gaining awareness for the musician who wants to use a retro technology to make a splash. You discover a few tips for making your music ready for vinyl and choosing a company to press your record.
Getting into CD Recording
Today, one of the coolest things about audio recording is that you can create music in your home and put it on the same medium that the biggest record companies use. When I first started as a recording engineer, the best you could do was put your music on a cassette for other people to listen to; pressing vinyl was expensive. But now, anyone with a computer, a CD recorder, and a few inexpensive CD-Rs can put his or her music on the same format as all the best albums in the record store. You gotta love it!
You probably have a computer with a CD-R or CD-RW drive. If so, you also have software that you can use to record your CDs. Most CD-recording software works fine for putting your mastered music onto CDs. If you don't have a recorder and want to add one to your existing computer, check the system requirements for the recorder that interests you to ensure that your system is capable of using it. For audio CDs, you can use just about any CD recorder on the market (as long as it's compatible with your system, of course).
If you have an SIAB (studio-in-a-box) system or a stand-alone system, you can record CDs in one of these three ways:
Connect your recorder to a computer and transfer your music files to the computer to record your CDs.
Get a CD recorder that's designed to work with your recorder. All SIAB systems have a CD recorder option. This option is generally mounted inside the box.
Get a stand-alone CD-recording system. Stand-alone CD recorders come in a variety of types, from real-time recorders that function like a cassette recorder to hard-drive-based recorders, such as the Alesis Masterlink.
Regardless of the CD recorder you get, make sure that you can create a Red Book CD. I know this sounds mysterious, but the Red Book term means only that the CD is an audio CD, not a CD-ROM. Red Book is a standard that affirms that the data is in an audio CD format. This ensures that your CD can play on all audio CD players. Your CD recorder clearly states whether it can record audio — or Red Book — CDs.
Purchasing CD-Rs
A staggering variety of CD-Rs are available. You have silver, white, green, blue, gold, even black-colored CDs, and you have data and music CDs. So which ones are best? Well, that depends.
Unless you have a consumer CD recorder from a few years ago, you can record your CD onto any data CD-R. You can find these just about anywhere, and they can cost as little as $0.10 to $0.15 apiece if you buy in bulk. If you have an older consumer CD recorder (pre-2000 — check your user's manual to see what yours is), you have to use music CD-Rs. These CD-Rs have a code in them that allows older consumer recorders to actually record. These CD-Rs cost a lot more, not because they capture music any better, but because a royalty, which goes to the recording industry, is figured into the price of the CD (don't get me started).
So, if you have a recent CD-R recorder connected to your computer or SIAB system, or if you have a professional-grade CD recorder, you can get by just fine using run-of-the-mill data CD-Rs.
As far as which of the countless CD-R brands to use, they're all pretty much the same. I always go with the least expensive; the worst thing that can happen is that an error occurs and you have to record again. Keep in mind that some CD-Rs work better on some recorders, and the only way to find out is to try them. When you find a brand that works, try to stick with it.
Recording Your Music to CD-R
Recording a CD is easy. Just open your CD-recording software and follow the prompts. A few things, however, can be helpful to know to get the best sound and to create a CD that you can duplicate. I cover these topics in the following sections.
Using different CD recorders
If you're using a computer-based system, recording a CD is as simple as opening your software and following the program's directions for making a CD. If you have an SIAB system, you follow similar procedures, but your UI (user interface) looks much different. If you use a stand-alone recorder, things are going to be even more different.
Some systems, such as computer-based programs, allow you to dither your mix separately, before you record your CD. (Dithering is described in the section "Preparing for CD," in Chapter 16.) I highly recommend this approach because it gives you a chance to hear the dithered music before you commit it to disc. If your system doesn't support this approach (SIAB system users, take note), make sure that you compare your disc with the original mix file. (Actually, you should always check your recorded CD to make sure it plays properly and sounds good.) You'll hear a slight difference in sound, but that's what happens when you go from the 24-bit to the 16-bit format.
Computer-based systems
If you have a CD recorder program, such as Toast, Jam, Wavelab, or CD Creator, recording your CD is easy. Recording a CD with any of these programs gives you quite a bit of flexibility in organizing your songs and placing space between them.
You generally just click the Add Track button on the main screen and select the track you want to add. You may also be prompted to choose any silence that you want to place before the track as well as ISRC codes (unique identifiers for each song on your CD) and PQ subcode information. (A PQ subcode is additional information added to the CD data that includes start and stop times for each track, among other things.) When you have all your tracks assembled, you can record your CD. Pretty simple, huh?
SIAB systems
Studio-in-a-box systems often contain a CD recorder as one of their options. This can be convenient because you can do everything in the SIAB system, including preparing your master CD for mass production. On most SIAB systems, making a CD is pretty easy; the only problem is that you often end up having to do things differently than with a computer-based or stand-alone system.
For one thing, you can't dither your file and check it before you record the CD. The dithering is done during the recording process. This isn't a big deal because you're going to double-check your finished CD before you send it out or sell it, anyway, right?
However, before you enter the CD-recording program, you often need to assemble and sequence your songs. This can be a lot more work than doing it in a computer-based system, as the following steps show. Here I walk you through the procedure for assembling, sequencing, and recording a CD in a Roland SIAB system (other SIAB systems have similar procedures), just to give you an idea of the process involved (which can go pretty quickly after you get the hang of it):
1. Create a new "song."
This opens a new file for you to put all your mastered songs into. You end up with a "song" that consists of all the songs on your CD.
2. One by one, import your mastered tracks into the new "song" (follow the track import procedures for this).
You get to the track import menu by holding down the Shift key while pressing the Track key on the unit. Next, press Page once to bring up the Track Import function. Press F5 and follow the prompts to import a track.
The assembly process works best if you work out the order of the songs beforehand and import each song in succession.
3. Place the amount of space you want to have between songs, well, between the songs. Use the Track Insert function to insert the space.
You access the Track Insert function by holding down the Shift key while pressing the Track key on the unit. Next, press F5 and follow the prompts to insert space in a track.
4. Place markers for the beginning of each track.
You do this by holding down the Shift key while pressing the Tap key on the unit (VS-1680) or holding down the Play key while pressing the Tap key on the unit (VS-880, 890).
5. Open the CD write menu and choose the "song" file that contains the sequenced songs and tracks on which you imported these songs.
6. Choose Disc at Once mode and 2x write.
7. Press Enter.
Stand-alone CD recorders
A variety of stand-alone CD recorders are available, and they all work differently. Some record the CD the same way that a cassette player records — you connect the input of the CD recorder to the output of the device that contains your music and press the Record button on the CD recorder while pressing the Play button on the device with the music. The CD is recorded in real time. Other stand-alone CD recorders, such as the Alesis Masterlink (the CD-recording standard for many pro studios), work more like computer software programs than cassette recorders.
With the Masterlink, you need to first copy the music files from your recorder's hard drive to the Masterlink's hard drive. From there, you can edit, sequence, and even dynamically process each song before you record all the songs to a CD-R. When you're happy with the order of the songs and the spacing between them, you can then record your CD.
If you want to do dynamic processing to your music in the Masterlink, be sure to send your files to the machine undithered. You can dither in the Masterlink after you make your changes — this improves the sound of your final CD. If you're only sequencing your songs, you can send the files dithered if you want.
Recording for mass production
If you intend to send your CD-R to a duplication or replication company to have it mass produced, keep the following suggestions in mind:
Check for physical defects to the CD-R before you try to record to it. Scratches, fingerprints, smudges, and other imperfections on the mirror side (bottom) of the CD-R can cause errors in the data. Be sure to use a clean and unblemished CD-R for recording your master.
Always write your master CD by using the Disc at Once mode. This allows the CD to be read as a Red Book audio CD. Your other option when recording a CD is to use Track at Once. Track at Once records one song (track) at a time and produces more errors than Disc at Once, which records the entire CD at one time. Because of the errors present on CDs that are recorded using Track at Once, a mass producer's equipment can't read — and therefore summarily rejects — CDs that people produce with this method. (In fact, many older CD players for homes and cars can't read these CDs either.) So be sure that you use Disc at Once whenever you make a CD of your mastered music.
If you can, use an error-detection software program to check for errors in your recorded CD. If you don't have access to an error- detection program, check the back of the CD for any blemishes (just like you did before recording onto it).
Listen carefully to your entire CD after it's been recorded. Compare it with your original file and make sure that the CD is perfect. Also, spend time reevaluating the order of the songs. Make sure that they flow well together.
Use a felt-tip marker to label your finished CD master, not a ballpoint pen or an adhesive label (paper or plastic). A ballpoint pen can damage the surface of the CD. Adhesive labels can slow the rotational speed of the CD and can cause errors in the duplication or replication process. They have also been known to come off inside a duplication machine, clogging the works (and irritating the duplication technician).
Label the CD master with the name of your album and all your contact info. Use a felt-tip marker, of course, and write on the top (non-mirror side) of the disc. Your contact information should include your name (or your band's name), your phone number, and the date the master was made.
Make three CD-Rs of your mastered music. Keep one copy safe in your studio and send two to the duplication or replication company. This ensures that, if one of the two CDs that you send for mass production has an error, you don't waste time sending the company a replacement because they'll already have a second copy.
Prepare a PQ subcode log. PQ subcodes are additional information written on the CD that provides time code information, such as track numbers and start and stop times of each track. If your CD recorder software doesn't support PQ subcodes, make a list of the start and stop time of each track (referenced from the start of the CD) on a separate piece of paper — as well as the track number and length of each track — and send it along with your CD masters. If your software program can generate a PQ subcode log, print it and send it with your CD master.
If you're recording a CD for a major record label or if you want to make your music available as digital downloads, you need to supply ISRC codes with your CD. ISRC stands for International Standard Recording Code, and it contains information about the CD, such as the owner of the song, country of origin, year of release, and serial number. You enter ISRC codes into a dialog box on most CD-recording programs, and the information is placed on the disc. You can find out more about ISRC codes by going to the following website: `www.ifpi.org/content/section_resources/isrc.html`.
You can register yourself as a record label and be able to create your own ISRC codes by going to this site. Registering takes time, so be sure to do this before you're on a deadline to get your CD printed. If you don't want to go through the steps to set yourself up as a label to generate your own codes, many of the larger CD replicators (check out the section "Making Multiple Copies," later in this chapter) can create codes for you.
Protecting your rights
Before you put your music out into the world, get it copyrighted. Getting a copyright on your music is easy and relatively inexpensive, so there's no reason not to do it. Just fill out an SR (sound recording) form and send it to the U.S. Copyright Office at the Library of Congress. You can find the SR form at `www.loc.gov/copyright/forms`, or you can call the Copyright Office at 202-707-9100 and ask to have it mailed to you. Choose (or ask for) the Form SR with Instructions. The current cost for filing the form is $65, but double-check this fee before you send in your form, because the fee has been known to go up (hey, it's the government). You can fill out one form for each CD, so the cost per song isn't very high.
The form is pretty easy to fill out, but if you find that you have difficulty, you can call an information specialist to help you out. The number is 202-707-3000. Be prepared to wait on hold for a little while (again, it's the government).
Send your completed form, the fee, and a copy of your CD to the address listed on the form. You'll receive a certificate in the mail, but you can consider your music copyrighted as soon as you mail the form (as long as you sent it to the correct address). If you're especially protective of your music (paranoid?), you can wait until your check clears your bank. At this point, you can be almost certain that your form is being processed. If you can't sleep at night unless your music is copyrighted, it's best to wait until your certificate arrives in the mail before you start selling or distributing your CD. (This is a good reason to file for your copyright early.)
Making Multiple Copies
When you have a CD that you want to copy, you can either make the copies yourself or hire someone to make the copies for you. If you do them yourself, you have to record CDs one at a time, just like the first one. This can cost less but it takes a lot of time (as you undoubtedly found out when you recorded your first CD).
Doing it yourself
Well, you've done everything else yourself, so why not add the copying process to the list? If you have more time than money and only need a few CDs, making them yourself may be a good option.
To make saleable CDs yourself, you need not only the CD recorder but also a graphics design software program and a printer to print the CD labels and cover material (the CD sleeve and tray card). Even with this equipment, your package won't look as professional as the package that a CD duplication or replication company can create, but what you create is probably good enough for you to sell a few copies to your friends and acquaintances.
Having someone else do it
Depending on how many copies you want, you can either have them duplicated or replicated. Either process can provide you with a professional- quality product that you can sell alongside major releases. Your choice between duplication and replication depends on how many copies you plan to have made.
Duplication
Duplication involves making copies of your master CD-R the same way you made the CD-R in the first place. The only difference is that duplication companies use CD recorders that enable them to make more than one copy at a time. Duplication is great if you want to make a small number of copies — from 50 to 300. CD-duplication companies often provide one-color printing on the CD and either a vinyl sleeve or a jewel case to hold the CD. Some companies can prepare retail-ready packages, which look like other commercial CDs and include CDs with printing on them, jewel cases with color-printed inserts, and shrink-wrap. You can expect to pay $3 to $5 for each CD, depending on the quantity that you order.
An advantage to having your CDs duplicated is that they can usually be done quickly. Many duplication companies can provide you with a finished product in as little as a few days (although seven days seems to be the average). The disadvantage is that you usually pay considerably more for each CD than if you do it yourself or go the replication route.
To have your CDs duplicated, you need to provide a CD-R master — that is, a CD-R that was recorded as an audio CD. If you want the duplication company to create retail-ready packages, you also need to provide artwork that's laid out to the company's specifications.
If you're interested in going the duplication route, here are a few resources to get you started. You can also do an Internet search for more places by using the search term CD duplication.
CD Works, 93 Park Street, Beverly, MA 01915; phone: 800-CDWORKS; website: `www.cdworks.com`.
DiscMakers, Main office: 7905 N. Route 130, Pennsauken, NJ 08110; phone: 866-707-0012; website: `www.discmakers.com/music`.
Oasis CD Duplication, 12625 Lee Hwy, P.O. Box 214, Sperryville, VA 22740; phone: 888-296-2747; website: `www.oasiscd.com`.
Replication
Replication is used for making commercial CDs and involves recording a glass master — the master disc from which all your CD copies will be made — from your master CD-R. The glass master is then used to transfer the data onto CD media. Replication is designed for larger runs of 500 or more copies. Quantities less than 300 aren't cost effective because the glass master often costs between $100 and $200, and the film needed to print the CD, sleeve, and tray card can cost several hundred dollars more.
UPC barcodes
If you make a CD that you intend to sell through major retailers, such as music stores or Internet retailers, you need a UPC barcode. A UPC barcode is a string of numbers that identify your product. Every CD has its own unique barcode. You can get a barcode in one of two ways: register with and pay $750 to the Universal Code Council (UCC) or pay $0 to $50 to a CD replicator or distributor.
Unless you intend to release more than 35 CDs, your best bet is to buy a barcode from a replicator or distributor, who can provide barcodes for a small (or no) fee with your CD order. Here are additional places where you can get a UPC barcode:
Discmakers: `www.discmakers.com/music`
Oasis CD Duplication: `www.oasiscd.com`
CD Baby: `www.cdbaby.com`
CD replication usually comes with printing on the CD in one to four colors and a tray card and sleeve that are often printed in four colors. Most CD replication companies have retail-ready CD package deals that cover everything from the layout of your artwork (some do and some don't, so be sure to ask first) to printed CDs, jewel boxes, and shrink-wrap. You can expect to pay between $1,200 and $2,000 for 500 to 1,000 copies from most manufacturers.
If you want to go the replication route, you need to provide the replication company with a master audio CD, artwork set to the company's specifications, and a completed order form. Oh, and you probably need to pay half the money up front before the work can start (bummer).
After people at the manufacturing company receive your order form, the CD, and artwork, they make a reference CD and proofs of your finished printed material. Be sure to look over the art proofs carefully and listen to every second of the reference CD. Any mistakes that you don't catch are your problem, so take your time and compare the reference CD very closely with the master recording. (You did make a copy of your master CD before you sent it out, right?) The master and the reference CD should be identical.
Having your CD replicated is a stressful thing. You're spending a ton of money and getting quite a few copies that you need to be proud enough of to go out in the world and sell them. So choosing a CD-replication company is an important task. Quite a few companies are out there, so choose the place that makes you feel the most comfortable and that makes a high-quality product. Following is a list of the larger CD-replication companies. For more possibilities, input the terms CD replication or CD duplication in your favorite Internet search engine.
Disc Masters, 2460 5N279 Wooley Road, Maple Park, IL 60151; phone: 888-430-DISC; website: `www.discmasters.com`.
Oasis CD Duplication, 12625 Lee Hwy, P.O. Box 214, Sperryville, VA 22740; phone: 888-296-2747; website: `www.oasiscd.com`.
Groove House, 5029 Serrania Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91364; phone: 888-476-6838; website: `www.groovehouse.com`.
DiscMakers, phone: 866-468-9353; website: `www.discmakers.com/music`. Main office: 7905 N. Route 130, Pennsauken, NJ 08110.
Many CD-replication companies can provide you with great resources, information, and even opportunities for promoting your work. Take advantage of these opportunities if you can, but don't choose a company based on its promotional promises. Choose a company because of its customer service, price, and the quality of its product.
Be sure to ask for referrals — or at least a list of satisfied clients — before you choose a duplication or replication company. As always, your best bet when entrusting someone with your precious music is to ask friends for recommendations. Also, take timing estimates with a grain of salt — I've had a couple of occasions where a company promised to finish my CDs by a certain date and the company missed the deadline. So leave plenty of time between when you print your CDs and when you need them.
Understanding Downloadable Music Files
I'm sure you've heard about MP3s or maybe AAC. In fact, I'm willing to bet that you've already downloaded a few MP3s or AAC files from the Internet and experienced firsthand the immediacy that these types of files offer. You go to a website and choose a song to download. After only a few minutes, you have a copy on your hard drive that you can listen to anytime. You can even put that song on a CD or portable player and take it with you.
With all this convenience and immediacy comes a downside. That digital-file song doesn't sound as good as one that was mastered to a CD. For most people, this is a small price to pay for the ability to download a song. After all, most people play their music on less-than-stellar stereos (iPods come to mind). If you're one of the lucky few with a stellar (or more-than-stellar) stereo system, you're going to hear the difference, which may prompt the following question: "Why doesn't a song in MP3 or AAC format sound as good as one mastered to a CD?" The answer: lossy data compression.
What do you mean near-CD quality?
You may have heard the term near-CD quality when referring to MP3 or AAC sound. This is a marketing term that means, "It doesn't sound as good as a CD, but we'll make it sound like it's pretty darn close, and maybe the buyer won't notice." If you sense a note of cynicism in my writing, you're right. Don't delude yourself into believing that the song you start with is going to sound the same after this lossy conversion.
The difference between a song on a CD and a song that's near-CD quality is like the difference between playing a CD in your car and then hearing the same song on the radio. You lose some high end and the bass is thinner. You may even lose the stereo image, depending on the conversion mode you choose, and you definitely lose some of the dynamic range. Overall, the song has a little less life to it.
This is not a huge difference for most people, but is noticeable nonetheless. The good news is that most people don't seem to care (or are at least willing to accept it).
Lossy compression is a process that shrinks the file size of your music so that it takes up less hard-drive space. Data compression is a necessary evil in this process. A regular CD music file can take up 30–40MB (about 10MB per minute). That same song can take up only 3–4MB in MP3 or AAC format. This is important because, if you're going to do any promoting of your music on the Internet, a 30–40MB file is way too big to download or to stream on the web (even for people with broadband Internet connections).
Although compression causes your digital download file to lose fidelity as well as megabytes, I think this loss of quality is an advantage. Because your MP3 or AAC doesn't sound as good as your mastered CD, you give listeners just a taste of your music. By giving people this taste, along with the opportunity to purchase a CD, you help them to decide whether they want to buy the high-quality version.
Other file compression formats being used, such as FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Coding) and AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), have improved the sound quality of MP3 and are being used by some delivery systems, such as AAC on iTunes, so you may find that encoding your music into one of the other file types works better for you. Some of the encoding software I mention later in this chapter can encode into these file types as well as MP3. You may want to try one of these on your music to see what you think works best, just make sure whatever file format you choose can be played by the people you want to hear your music.
Bit rate
The bit rate determines the quality of your encoded music. When you encode your music, you have to choose your file's bit rate, as shown in Figure 17-1. Bit rates range from 20 to 320 Kbps (kilobits per second). The higher the bit rate, the better the sound quality. The downside is that higher bit rates create larger files. When you convert your music to MP3 format, you're constantly balancing quality with file size.
The bit rate that you ultimately choose depends on how you plan to use your MP3 or AAC file. For example, if you want to put your music on a downloadable music host site (an Internet site that makes people's MP3 or AAC music available for download), you most likely need to choose the 128-Kbps rate because this is what many host sites require for download. For Hi-Fi mode you may choose 192 Kbps or even 256 Kbps, depending on the provider. On the other hand, if you want to stream audio on the web, and you want anyone, regardless of their connection speed, to hear it you're better off choosing a lower rate, such as 96 Kbps or even lower, depending on your host's requirements.
**Figure 17-1:** MP3 encoders allow you to choose the bit rate of your MP3.
Variable bit rate (VBR) is an option that many MP3 encoders offer. VBR allows the encoder to change the bit rate as it compresses the file. The advantage to this approach is that sections with fewer instruments or less data can be compressed further than sections with more critical information. The result is often a better-sounding MP3 file that takes up less space. The only drawback — and it's a big one — is that not all MP3 players can read a file created with VBR. So, you're probably better off not using this approach for your web-based files.
If you're making MP3s to listen to through your own player and it supports VBR playback, using VBR keeps your files smaller. If you do choose VBR, you are prompted to choose an average bit rate or a minimum and maximum bit rate. Try them both and choose the one that sounds best to you.
Mode
Modes essentially refer to whether your file is in stereo or mono; however, your choices include more than just plain stereo and mono. You have the option to choose mono, stereo, joint stereo, or sometimes, force stereo (also known as dual mono), as shown in Figure 17-2. Again, choose the mode based on your music and how you prefer to balance quality with file size.
**Figure 17-2:** MP3 encoders have several modes from which you can choose.
Here's a look at the various modes and how they relate to quality and file size:
Mono: Mono takes up little room because all the stereo data from your CD is contained on one track. The sound quality can be good, depending on the bit rate that you choose, but you lose all stereo-imaging data. Choose mono mode if the loss of the stereo image won't adversely affect your song or if the overall sound quality is more important to you than the stereo information.
Stereo: Stereo mode consists of two mono tracks. With stereo mode, you retain all your stereo information. The drawback is that your two tracks are at half the bit rate as the mono track that uses the same bit-rate setting. For example, if you encode in stereo at 128 Kbps, each of your tracks is only encoded at 64 Kbps. So, if you want each track to be at 128 Kbps, you need to encode at 256 Kbps. This creates a file that's twice as large as the mono file at 128 Kbps but has the same sound quality.
Stereo mode is a good choice if you have a song with complex stereo panning effects that you just can't live without and you don't mind a sound quality that's slightly lower.
Joint Stereo: Joint stereo mode is a cross between mono and stereo. This mode consists of creating one track of audio information and one track of information that tells the player to send certain sounds through one speaker or the other (called steering data). You get most of the stereo information with only a slightly larger file size than with mono mode.
For most songs, the difference between regular stereo and joint stereo is indistinguishable as far as the stereo image goes, but you end up with a higher-quality recording with joint stereo because the higher bit rate is used. You may find that this option works better for you than the regular stereo mode. Experiment and see whether you can hear a difference.
Force Stereo: Force stereo (or dual mono) mode is essentially the same as the mono mode — one track of audio data is recorded and the stereo panning information is lost. The only difference between mono and force stereo is that force stereo makes sure that the mono data is sent through both speakers of the player. You choose force stereo mode if you don't mind your music being in mono but you want to ensure that it plays through both speakers.
Creating MP3 Files
To create MP3 files, you need MP3 encoding software and a CD or audio file of your music (well, you need a computer, too). To create an MP3 file of your music, just choose the song to convert and let the encoder do the rest. Certain variables can make your MP3s sound their best — such as which encoder you use and what parameters you choose. I cover these variables in the following sections.
Choosing encoding software
You have a lot of MP3 encoding software choices. Some software encodes from various file formats as well as from a CD, whereas others don't encode directly from a CD. Not being able to encode directly from CD isn't necessarily a bad thing, however, because the process of lifting music from a CD (also known as ripping) can cause audible artifacts (noise, clicks and pops, and so on). If you encode from a WAV or an AIFF file, you can first make sure that the sound going into the encoding process is as good as possible.
If you get an encoder that doesn't encode from CD and you use a stand-alone or SIAB system that doesn't support file importing (or you don't have your recorder connected to a computer), you need CD ripping (copying) software as well.
A few popular MP3 and AAC programs that both encode and rip are as follows:
iTunes (`www.apple.com/itunes`): iTunes is free and can rip from CD into MP3 and AAC formats equally easily. It's simple to use and, if you have an iPod or if you buy music from the iTunes store, you already have it loaded onto your computer.
Switch Audio Converter Software (`www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html`): You can download the basic version for free, which allows you to play, rip, record, and convert MP3s and audio CDs. This program works with Windows PCs and Macs. There is also a plus version available for more encoding options that costs $30.
Toast Titanium (`www.roxio.com`): This is the most common Mac-based program. This program costs about $100 and allows you to not only create MP3s, but also record your mixes to CD — plus a lot more.
A lot of MP3 encoders are available, so if you're looking for a little more variety, I suggest doing a search for MP3 encoding software. You'll get a lot of options.
If you record using a computer-based system and you use one of the more full-featured, popular programs such as Pro Tools or Logic Audio, you can probably create MP3 files without getting additional software. Most decent programs offer this capability.
Encoding your music
The actual encoding process is pretty simple. Just open your MP3 encoding software and choose the parameters that you want for your file. I can't list step-by-step details here — every encoding program is a little bit different — but keep the following points in mind when you encode your music:
To ensure that you get the best sound quality possible, encode your downloadable digital files from a WAV or AIFF file instead of directly from your CD. The process of ripping a song from a CD can create problems in sound quality. So, by converting your CD to WAV or AIFF files first, you get a chance to hear your ripped song and to correct problems that ripping may have caused before your music goes to MP3.
Import your WAV or AIFF file into a sound editor. Sound editor programs, such as Sound Forge or Wave Burner, work fine. (You can find sound editors by doing an Internet search using your favorite search engine.) When you have your file in the editor, use the Maximizer plug-in to raise the overall level of your song. You lose some dynamics, but they may not come through with the MP3 or AAC file anyway. If you recorded your music to your computer, you can use the recording software instead of a separate sound editor to do this procedure.
Choose the Stereo or Joint Stereo modes for a better sound. Most online music hosts require a stereo file. Choosing the Force Stereo option is fine if your encoder supports it.
If you want to put your music on the web, choose the 128-Kbps bit rate because it covers you for most situations. If you are encoding for specific providers, check to find out what bit rate they prefer.
Experiment with different modes and encoding engines. Some sound better than others on certain types of music.
Pressing Vinyl
There is a trend for musicians to create compelling packaging to try to entice listeners into buying a physical product rather than just taking a free download. (Whether you offer a free download or not, chances are your music will be available for free somewhere through P2P sharing.) One of the ways artists are distinguishing themselves is to offer vinyl records.
This retro format is a viable option for breaking through the noise and getting your music heard (I cover more ways to "premiumize" your music to help with promotion in the next chapter). If you are interested in putting your music out on an old-fashioned record, here's what you need to know:
It takes a lot longer to make a vinyl record than a CD. Expect to wait close to 8 weeks for your finished record.
Not everyone has a record player. In fact, as attractive as it may be to put your music out on vinyl, the vast majority of your fans will not have the proper equipment to play it. So, when you print keep this limited market in mind. The average independent artist only prints a few hundred records at a time.
A vinyl record doesn't hold a lot of music. You may need to cut songs from your CD to fit the constraints of the vinyl. A 12-inch 33 1⁄3 rpm record only holds about 18 minutes per side and a 7-inch 45 rpm record holds about 4 1⁄2 minutes per side.
You may lose some fidelity. If you are mixing your music with the modern style of having pretty heavy bass, you may need to dial that back to accommodate the limitations of the vinyl medium. You may also find that the high frequencies also drop as you move to vinyl. You can deal with this and make an excellent-sounding record if you have the special know-how. Here is an article on how to prepare your music for vinyl: `http://www.customrecords.com/prepare_music_for_vinyl_record.html`.
Most vinyl record pressing companies will include a download card in your record's packaging so that your listeners can download your music to a portable device. This allows you to offer the best of both worlds.
If a vinyl record interests you, check out these resources for the many options and prices:
Groove House, 5029 Serrania Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91364; phone: 888-476-6838; website: `www.groovehouse.com`.
Untied Record Pressing, 5 453 Chestnut Street, Nashville, Tennessee 37203; phone: 866-407-3165; website: `www.urpressing.com`.
Recordpressing.com. 475 Haight Street, San Francisco CA 94117; phone: 415-462-1992; `www.recordpressing.com/``.`
Rainbo Records. 8960 Eton Ave., Canoga Park, CA 91304; phone 818- 280-1100; `www.rainborecords.com/`.
Most CD duplicators and replicators also have recommendations for vinyl pressing companies that they work with regularly. So if you have a CD manufacturer that you like and you want a vinyl record, ask the manufacturer for a referral.
Part VI
The Part of Tens
In this part . . .
The Part of Tens is a staple of every For Dummies book. This Part of Tens contains information and resources that you can use every day. Chapter 18 contains ten great promotion and distrbution ideas as you begin to share your music with the world. Chapter 19 provides ten tips that you can use in your studio to improve the quality of your recordings.
Chapter 18
Ten Ways to Distribute and Promote Your Music
In This Chapter
Marketing yourself
Utilizing social networking
Making the most out of your Internet presence
Congratulations, you have a final product to sell. The hard . . . oops, I'm sorry . . . the easy part is behind you. I'm sure that you don't want to be stuck with boxes of expensive coasters, so now you have to work on getting people interested in buying your music. You've just gone from being a musician-composer-engineer-producer to being all those plus a record- company-owner-businessperson (exactly how hyphenated can a person get, anyway?).
Your friends and some acquaintances will probably buy a few copies, but after you've sold a CD to all of them, you need to promote your music to the broader world. This can be tricky. After all, you're now competing with the big boys and, face it, you don't have nearly the resources that they do. Traditional channels of distribution and marketing are pretty much out of the question for you. So, to succeed in selling your music, you need to try some alternative approaches.
In this chapter, you explore a variety of ways to get your music out to the masses. From basic promotional ideas to Internet distribution, this chapter covers a lot of ground. You discover how to find web hosting sites, how to encode your music for Internet distribution, and how to make a few bucks from music downloads.
Throughout this chapter I list a lot of music promotion services that you can get involved in. Many of them are free, but others charge a fee. These fees can add up so I recommend sticking with the free plans until you know whether the fee-based service can add to your bottom line. Also keep in mind that if you have your music in a lot of places, it's easy to lose track of or be unable to keep up with updating your music.
Marketing Yourself
I'm no marketing guru, but I have managed to create a nice niche for myself and my music. So trust me; you can do the same. All it takes is a little imagination and a lot of hard work. In the following list, I present a few ideas that have worked for me and other enterprising, independent artists:
Take yourself seriously. What I mean by this is take the job of promoting and selling your music seriously — treat it as a business. Getting people to notice and buy your music is a lot of work, but it doesn't have to be a drag (if it is, you're better off getting someone else to do it for you).
Get organized. Get your new business off on the right foot by developing a habit of keeping track of your sales and developing a contact list. One of the best investments that you can make is to get a contact management database (Act! is a good one for Windows and Now Contact is great for Mac users) to keep track of promotion contacts (newspapers, radio stations, and clubs), CD sales, and fans. Also, do yourself a big favor and keep meticulous records of your income and expenses; you'll be grateful that you did when tax time comes.
Create a mailing list. This is one of the most cost-effective and powerful ways that you can start to develop a following. Make a sign-up sheet for your mailing list available at every public appearance. (Ask people to include not only their postal mail address but also their e-mail address.) Then enter those names into your database. You can then either send out snail mailings or e-mail notices whenever you play or do anything worth mentioning. I talk more about e-mail lists later in this chapter.
Get out and be seen. This one is pretty straightforward. Get out in the world and let people know about your music. This can mean playing gigs or talking about your music. I have a good friend who releases an album each year. He prints a thousand copies, which he sells at his gigs, and every year he sells out. (Hey, that's an extra ten grand a year after expenses — not bad.) He also uses his albums as his calling card to get more gigs.
Look beyond the music store. It's nearly impossible to compete with the labels — indies and majors alike — in the music store. Unless you live in a small town or know of a music shop that has a section devoted to local bands and can sell your CDs, you need to think of other places to put your music. For example, another friend of mine has his CD at quite a few of the local businesses in his neighborhood around the holidays. Every place, from the local pack-and-ship to the video store, has a countertop display with his CD. He creates a small poster that fits on the counter describing him and his music. He sells quite a few CDs and gets a handful more gigs each year this way.
Capitalize on your style. Another one of my friends composes folksy, New Age music, and he managed to get his CDs into a handful of New Age, gift-type shops. He often puts them in the stores on consignment and checks each store once a week to refill the countertop display and collect money that the store took in (minus the store's cut, of course). Going into the stores every week helps him to develop a relationship with the store owners, many of whom have arranged for him to do performances in their stores, increasing exposure and sales.
Try something different. Years ago, I teamed up with a local author and played at her book signings. (This is before I wrote books myself.) She read a passage from her book, and then I played for a few minutes. I always ended up selling a few dozen CDs at these events.
Don't be stingy. Give away your CD. I usually count on giving away about 10 to 15 percent of the CDs that I print. These can be for reviews, to try to get gigs, or for any purpose that may spread the word about your music. Giving out your CD as a promotional tool is an inexpensive way to let people know what you're doing.
I'm sure you can come up with dozens more ways to promote and sell your music. Think outside the box and use your imagination. Don't be shy. Do whatever you can to get your music out into the world.
Setting Up Your Own Music Website
No matter what else you do, you need to have your own website. A website is your calling card — a place where you can showcase yourself and your music. With your own site, you can provide a lot more information for visitors to read. You can also offer more products that may make you more money than your CDs — T-shirts for instance.
Having your own website is not without challenges. For example, you have to design and maintain the site, which can take a lot of time. You also have to pay for things like hosting (that is, a service that will host your site files on its servers so that people who visit your web address can see your site). If you intend to sell products on your site, you need to provide online ordering, which you can do with simple options like adding a PayPal or Google Checkout button (which charge a small fee for each sale) or, for large sales volumes, by setting up a merchant account with a credit card company. In all, having a website can be time consuming and costs money, so be prepared to do a fair amount of work if you really plan on making money from your website.
Checking out musician-friendly hosting services
Some hosting services make it easy to create a website for you or your band and allow you to offer downloads or streams of your music, CDs, and other merchandise. All the following sites are geared toward musicians. The one you choose will likely depend on the fit for you or your band. Here are some options:
Bandvista (`www.bandvista.com`). Bandvista's plans start at $15/month, and it has hundreds of templates to start your design.
Bandzoogle (`http://bandzoogle.com`). Bandzoogle has plans starting at $10/month, though if you want to create a design of your own (not from a basic template) it'll run $15/month.
HostBaby (`www.hostbaby.com`). HostBaby has one plan ($20/month or $199/year — your unique domain name is another $12/year) and offers five free CD submissions to CD Baby, so it's pretty competitive with the other sites.
Rock Web (`http://rockwebhosting.com`). Rock Web has hosting plans starting at $10/month and offers pretty much the same options as other sites for the money, but their templates are somewhat limited for a band or musician. Still, you can be creative and set up a site quick and cheap. And like all the other sites, you don't need to know HTML or any other web code.
Each of these sites offers slightly different features for the money. Take a close look at their plans and keep in mind that, while all offer free trials, you're unlikely to move from one host site to another, so choose the site that you feel best about and whose features most closely match your needs.
Designing your site
Your first step in getting a website up and running is designing it. When you design your website, keep the following points in mind:
Make your site easy to navigate. Make sure that your visitors know where they are on your site at all times. It's often a good idea to have a menu bar on each page so that they can at least return to the home page without having to search for it.
Consider mobile devices in your design. Smart phones and tablet computers are a growing segment of online users, and many of them don't support Flash technology. So, I recommend skipping the fancy flash intro and jumping right into the meat of your site.
Make ordering your CD (or other stuff) easy. Put a Buy My CD button or link on every page.
Double-check all your links. Nothing is worse for a web surfer than clicking on links that don't work. If you have links on your site, double-check that each one works. And if you have links to other people's sites, check the links occasionally to make sure that the page you're linking to still exists.
Test your site. Before you sign off on your site design, check it from a slow connection and multiple devices if you can (or have your web developer do this for you). You instantly get a sense of whether your site's download time is speedy. If it's slow to load or confusing to navigate, keep working on it until it works. You may also want to check your site using different Internet browsers and screen resolutions to make sure that your site still looks good.
Make your site your browser's home page. Years ago, before I knew better, I had a site down for weeks because I didn't have it set as my default site in my browser. I didn't find out until I got a call from a friend who told me it was down.
For more tips and tricks on creating a great website, check out Web Sites Do-It-Yourself For Dummies, 2nd Edition, by Janine Warner (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.).
When your site is live on the Internet, techniques such as search engine optimization (or SEO, which makes your site appear higher in search results) and social media networking can help your site and your work get noticed. SEO techniques are constantly evolving and beyond the scope of this book, but you can check out Search Engine Optimization For Dummies by Peter Kent (also from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) to find out details. You find a brief introduction to social media networking later in this chapter.
Putting Your Music on a Music Host Site
An Internet music host site is a website that allows you to add your music to its list of available music downloads. Putting your MP3s on a host site can give you exposure that you wouldn't otherwise be able to get. You can direct people to the site to listen to your music and also benefit from traffic that the site itself, other musicians, and the site's fans generate. For some of the larger sites, that can be a lot of potential listeners. Although MP3 host sites are constantly changing, a few have managed to hang around for a while.
Internet music host sites are always coming and going. To find out what sites are currently available and what they offer, check out `http://www.indieguide.com/category/view/Music_Hosting_Sites` for a comprehensive list.
Be sure to read and understand the contracts (often called agreements) that each of these sites requires you to agree to. Make sure that you don't sign away your rights to your music. If you're not sure that you like a particular agreement, don't sign up for the service. You can find plenty of other places to put your music on the Internet.
AudioStreet.net
``www.audiostreet.net``
AudioStreet.net is a free music site, offering free music hosting and downloads. You can upload your songs, create a blog, and join the forum to connect with other musicians and your fans. Of course, beyond the basic free plan (which gives you up to 3 songs, 20 pictures, a calendar for you to list your upcoming gigs, and some other basic services), you can enroll in comprehensive plans that go from $10 to $20 per month.
iLike.com
``www.ilike.com``
iLike promotes itself as a "social music discovery service" (whatever that is) and allows you to create and maintain a presence on several social media outlets by managing one account on its site using its Universal Artist Dashboard. It's free so, check it out and see if you like the concept.
Last.fm
``www.last.fm``
Last.fm is a streaming radio service with a dynamic community. You can put your music on the site plus offer links to your CDs and downloads. You can also sign up for a plan that pays you for the streaming, but it won't amount to much unless you have a ton of plays (check out the Terms and Conditions for details).
MySpace.com
``www.myspace.com``
MySpace.com used to be the place to be on the Internet for musicians. Originally just a place to hang out for a few lonely souls, it became a cultural phenomenon and then became a cautionary tale for anyone wanting to promote themselves online due to the bad publicity surrounding privacy and safety for its members. Not to mention that many MySpace users' "friends" were just other bands wanting as many "friends" as possible and who had no real interest in other people's music. Of course, with the pace of the Internet and the recent sale of MySpace to Specific Media, MySpace could experience a renaissance and become popular again (stranger things have happened). Regardless, tons of people still go to MySpace.com, so it's worth keeping an eye on to see if it turns around.
Engaging in Social Media Networking
People are atwitter (sorry, I couldn't help myself) about social networking as a way to promote themselves. I'm personally still a bit cool on the actual sales that can be made using Twitter, Facebook, and the other social networking sites, but I won't deny that these sites generate a lot of activity, and activity is always a good thing. So I'm not really going out on a limb to suggest that you join the social networking world, too. It can be a great way to connect with your fans (and possibly attract new ones).
Aside from the music hosting sites I list earlier in this chapter, there are some general social networking sites musicians are using. Here is a list of the most popular ones (as of mid-2011 anyway — chances are that this list will be out of date before too long):
Facebook: Facebook is the new MySpace. That is, it's the largest, most active community on the Internet. With its size and reach it's not going away anytime soon. So, if you're not already on Facebook you really need to get to it. Because of its size, many of the other musician-centric sites, such as Reverbnation, have apps that allow you to connect your account to your Facebook page. This gives you the best of both worlds and makes it easier to manage your social networking.
Twitter: Twitter lets you share news and links in 140 characters. And for some reason this type of blogging (called micro-blogging) has become popular. I'm willing to bet you're already using Twitter, regardless of how many tweets you actually create or if you just follow others. If you're not, you should at least try it out and see if you like it.
Google+: Google+ allows you to connect with your social circle in a myriad of ways, most of it centered on sharing in new and unique ways. Given that this is Google's creation, there is a good chance it will become popular, and if it becomes popular you're probably going to want to engage in it in some way.
There have been a lot of complaints and concerns about privacy and content ownership with these social networks. If either of these are an issue to you, make sure you read and understand the user agreements that you are bound by when you sign up and use these sites. If you're unsure whether you have privacy or if you give up any rights to your music by posting it on these sites, you're better off erring on the side of caution and limiting what you share.
Offering Free Downloads
Offering a freebie can be a good way to get people interested in your music and a way to turn people into fans. Online promotion of your music almost requires you to make downloads available to your potential fans. You can talk about your music all you want, but what people want is to hear your music. The purpose of the free download is to get your listener excited enough about your music that he buys your CD or comes to see your show.
Turning a freebie listener into a buyer isn't that difficult. My company offers a variety of free download demos, and we have found that over 10 percent of the people who take a free demo end up buying a CD or program from us. This is an inexpensive way for us to get new customers and a very good return on investment. On top of that, by allowing our customers to try our recording first, we receive fewer requests for a refund (contrary to most music creators, we offer a money-back guarantee on all our CDs and programs). So, you won't be surprised to hear me suggest that you should offer free demos/downloads of your music. (I won't suggest a money-back guarantee unless you're doing something therapeutic like I am.)
Give people a taste of your music and sell an upgrade — other tracks, CDs, vinyl records, boxed sets, CD and T-shirt packages, tickets to a live concert stream — anything that turns a casual listener into a fan. There are some good models out there for monetizing your music if you look around.
I'm not a fan of making all your music free to download as a way of generating buzz. I see a freebie as a teaser. I believe that if you offer your fans something, they will buy it. Even if you're "not in it for the money," charging for your music says that you value what you do. And if you value it, your fans will, too.
Selling Downloads
People are downloading music at a growing rate and feel comfortable purchasing their music in a digital format (don't let anyone tell you that people won't pay for it — just look at the success of iTunes, for example). When my company made our CDs available as downloaded files, it took less than five months for our download sales to overtake our physical CD sales. Now downloads account for almost 80 percent of our generalized recording revenues. And the best part is that we don't have to print or ship anything.
Tons of sites can host your music downloads, for free or at a cost to your fans. These sites include iTunes, Rhapsody, and Amazon.com. Depending on the online music provider, you may or may not be able to put up your music yourself. Here's a short list of the more popular online music sites:
iTunes (`www.itunes.com`): iTunes is the most popular download music site, so I recommend you make your music available there. The problem is that, unless you have 20 professionally manufactured albums with ISRC codes for each track (Chapter 17 explains ISRC codes), iTunes won't take your music. The good news is that iTunes will accept your music, even just one CD, if you use an approved aggregator, such as CD Baby or TuneCore.
Amazon.com (`www.amazon.com`): Yes, you can sell your music on Amazon.com. Boasted as the world's largest online retailer, Amazon.com offers two categories — Professional seller and Individual seller — so you will find a category that fits you. Go to `www.amazonservices.com` for more information. To sell downloads on Amazon, your CDs need to be online, and you need to set up an artist page. If you don't have a physical CD on Amazon.com, you can still get your MP3s on the site by using one of the aggregators I list in this section.
CD Baby (`http://members.cdbaby.com/whatwedo/default.aspx`): CD Baby is an online music store that specializes in independent artists. Aside from allowing you to sell your physical CD, you can also sell your digital downloads. In fact, CD Baby not only enables you to sell CDs on its site easily, but as an aggregator, can also help you sell your downloads on other sites, such as iTunes, Rhapsody, and Amazon.com. And CD Baby takes only 9 percent of your revenue for the trouble.
TuneCore (`www.tunecore.com`): TuneCore is an online music distributor and, as such, helps you make your music available in a lot of places. These include Amazon.com, iTunes, eMusic, Spotify, and others. TuneCore charges $50 per year for each CD/album you upload.
Music Host Network (`www.musichostnetwork.com`): Music Host Network is an online music distributor, like TuneCore, and offers pretty much the same service at the same price ($50 per year). You can try Music Host Network for free, although a free account has very limited digital distribution.
This is a very short list of online options. Look around for other places to sell your digitally formatted music. There are a ton of them and more showing up every day.
Streaming Audio
Streaming audio is basically an audio file that begins playing without actually downloading to your listener's computer. The advantages are that it greatly reduces the amount of time your listener has to wait to hear your music, and it keeps your listener from being able to steal your music. The downside is that the quality of the audio can be lower.
You don't have to know any of this if you go with a website host that is set up for musicians, such as those I list in the "Setting Up Your Own Music Website" section at the beginning of this chapter. These hosts take care of creating the appropriate code for you.
You always want to make the process of navigating your site and listening to your music as fast as possible. This provides a much better experience than having to wait. The less time a person has to wait, the more likely he or she is to return. The more repeat visitors you get, the better the chance you have for selling CDs.
You can create streaming audio in a number of ways, but the most common is with an MP3 file. The process is the same with either method, except that your filenames are going to be different. Note that you need an encoder that can create a RealAudio file if you want to go that route.
The following steps walk you through the process of getting your MP3 file to stream on your site:
1. Create an MP3 file, using a bit rate of 128 Kbps.
2. Save the MP3 file so that you can identify it.
The easiest way to do this is to save your file as `songname``128.mp3` (the 128 stands for 128 Kbps).
3. Create a pointer file and name it `songname``64.m3u`.
A pointer file is a file that directs your visitor's audio player to the song so that it plays without waiting for the entire song to download. This file contains directions to your MP3 file. For example, your file would contain the following text: `http://www.``YourWebSiteAddress``/ ``songname``128.mp3`.
You can also use the M3U file to create a playlist — that is, have more than one song play without making your visitor go to another page on your website. To do this, simply add another song on another line. Adding two more songs would then look like this:
www.YourWebSiteAddress/songname128.mp3
www.YourWebSiteAddress/anothersongname128.mp3
www.YourWebSiteAddress/yetanothersongname64.mp3
The M3U file plays the songs in the order they are listed in this file.
Keep in mind that if your visitor doesn't have an audio player, he can't listen to your music. It's a good idea to put a link on your site to another site where your listener can download an audio player.
4. Create a hyperlink on your web page to the `songname``128.m3u` file.
For example, you can put the hyperlink in some text, like this: `Check out our new song, ``songname`; then link the text to the file. Or, you can place the hyperlink in a picture or graphic (or both).
5. Upload your MP3 file, your pointer file, and the new page with your hyperlink to your website.
6. Go to your website and test how the streaming audio works.
Make sure that your site-hosting service has its MIME types configured for MP3. Otherwise, your audio files won't work. (Don't worry. The people who work for your hosting service will know what you're talking about when you mention MIME types. That's their job.)
If all this sounds like too much work, you can just create a link to the streaming files on your MP3 host site. This way, people can still hear your music, even if it isn't available on your site.
Podcasting
Podcasting is another way to offer audio online. Typically, podcasts are media feeds that your visitors can subscribe to and get updates automatically as they are published. If you regularly update your music or if you want to have an audio blog (or video blog) that your fans can listen to (or watch), this can be a great way to keep them involved in your music.
The process of creating a podcast starts with recording the content and then putting it in an MP3 format (if you're doing audio). You have this book, so you can create audio content easily. Just follow the steps outlined throughout the book to record and convert your music. Next, you need to host it or have a podcasting site host it for you. This process can get pretty complicated, so I recommend checking out Podcasting For Dummies, 2nd Edition, by Tee Morris, Chuck Tomasi, Evo Terra, and Kreg Steppe (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). You can also check out these sites to learn more about podcasting:
The Apple podcast page (`www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/specs.html`): This page on the Apple website contains tons of information on creating a podcast and publishing it. This is a good place to start.
The Dummies.com podcasting series (`http://etips.dummies.com/rss/podcastingfde.xml`): Here is a great podcast series describing how to podcast, brought to you by the authors of Podcasting For Dummies.
Podcast.com (`http://podcast.com`): Podcast.com has a ton of information about podcasting, both from a subscriber's and a creator's point of view. This is a good site to get you up to speed on what podcasting is and what you need to do to get started. The site doesn't offer the tools and steps to create your podcast, but after you have the content and your feed information, you can post your podcast on this site.
Podcasting Tools (`http://podcasting-tools.com`): As the URL suggests, this site has information, links, and tools for creating a podcast. This is a good place to find quality information.
If you're ready to get started podcasting, here are several sites worth looking into:
`www.hipcast.com`: Hipcast is an easy-to-use site that lets you create and publish your audio or video blogs. This site offers a 7-day free trial period, with plans starting at $5 per month. You don't find a lot of information on this site about podcasting, but if you're ready to give it a try, this is a good inexpensive option.
`http://mypodcast.com`: This site offers free creation and publishing of your podcast. Free is good, but when you record your podcast, MyPodcast.com inserts advertisements into your audio. If you're strapped for cash and don't mind the advertising, this might be a good option.
`http://podhoster.com`: podHoster, as the name states, hosts podcasts. With this service, you record your audio and podHoster hosts it. This is a good option for musicians who record their own music and know the ins and outs of the audio-creation process (that would be you after you've read this book). podHoster offers a 30-day free trial, with monthly plans starting at $5.
Selling Your CDs
Regardless of whether you have your own site, you can always sell your CDs on the Internet through other outlets. An advantage to selling your music through other online stores is that you can capitalize on the traffic that the store generates. A number of online retailers are out there, but the following list gives you the lowdown on some of the major players:
CD Baby (`www.cdbaby.com`): CD Baby puts your CD on its site for a small setup fee ($35). For this, you get a web page (which the people at CD Baby design) with pictures, bios, MP3s, and streaming audio. The site sells your CD for any price you set, takes $4 from the sale, and gives you the rest. You even receive an e-mail whenever someone buys one of your CDs. Signing up is easy; just direct your browser to `www.cdbaby.com` and click the Sell Your CD icon. The instructions are clear, and helpful articles on the site can help you to, well, sell your CD.
Bandcamp (`www.bandcamp.com`): Bandcamp is a way for you to sell, not only your CDs online, but also merchandise such as t-shirts, coffee mugs, and so on. Bandcamp doesn't charge a monthly fee but does take a cut — 15 percent or less, depending on how much you sell and the prices you set.
Amazon.com (`www.amazon.com`): If you want to sell your physical CD on Amazon.com, all you need is a "retail-ready" package (professional manufacturer and with a UPC code on it). To join, point your browser to `www.amazonservices.com/` and follow the prompts.
Because the Internet is constantly changing and growing, you may find other sites that allow you to sell your music online. Use your favorite search engine to search for the phrase sell your CD. This gives you a ton of other places to consider when selling your CD online.
Connecting with an E-Mail Newsletter
An e-mail newsletter is an inexpensive way to keep your music on people's minds. Try to send newsletters to your subscribers somewhat consistently, but don't just send out the same message on a regular basis. Give your subscribers new information, such as a press release about where you're playing next or a link to a new song that you've just uploaded.
Don't send your newsletter to anyone who hasn't asked to receive it. This is called spamming, and it's illegal.
To build a subscriber list, encourage people to sign up for your mailing list at your gigs and on your website. Or, offer them a free download when they sign up on your website, and put a subscription form on every page. (Check out my day-job website to see this in action at `www.stronginstitute.com`.) Always provide an easy way for users to unsubscribe from your list.
If you're serious about sending out an e-mail newsletter, an e-mail service provider (ESP) can collect and manage addresses and send out your messages. The advantages of using an e-mail service provider include ease of use, but the most important is that a good ESP will help your messages get to your subscriber. Sending e-mails directly from your e-mail account can get your messages blocked — and if the e-mail host (such as Gmail or Yahoo!) labels you as spam, they will ban your messages. The rules on this get pretty complicated, and trying to keep up with changes and be compliant is a fulltime job.
Your best solution to make sure your messages go through is to use an experienced ESP. Here are a few I recommend:
AWeber (`www.aweber.com`). AWeber has been around a long time (I've used them for the last five years) and has the best customer service I've come across in this industry. You can actually get someone on the phone. In fact, they encourage it. Their plans start at $19/month (for up to 500 subscribers). You can try AWeber for a month for only a dollar and they offer excellent e-mail marketing advice (through a newsletter, videos, and blogs).
Constant Contact (`www.constantcontact.com`). This is a popular ESP that is easy to use and offers a 60-day free trial. Their basic (500 subscriber) plan is $15/month. Plans with more subscribers cost about the same as the other providers I list here. I haven't used Constant Contact, but I have friends who are very happy with this provider.
MailChimp (`www.mailchimp.com`). I also use MailChimp, and what I like about this ESP is that it is super easy to use and their data tracking (clicks and what-not) is very good. What I don't like is that they will not get on the phone with you if you have problems. You're stuck with instant chat or e-mail (not the worst thing but kind of annoying if you have a complicated problem). They have a free account option that allows you to try them out and see if you like them. Once you get to a couple of thousand subscribers their cost is about the same as everyone else in this list.
You can find a lot more by doing an Internet search using "E-mail Service Provider" or "e-mail marketing" as your search term.
If you choose a music-centric company to host your website (check out the "Setting Up Your Own Music Website" section earlier in this chapter), you may find that your blast e-mail needs are taken care of and you don't need to hire a separate ESP. However, if you end up with a lot of fans, you may find the features offered by a dedicated ESP useful.
Chapter 19
Ten Invaluable Recording Tips
In This Chapter
Improving the sound of your recordings
Making your room look and sound good
Making edits easier
Capturing and preserving an artistic performance
Throughout this book, I suggest things that you can do to make your recordings as good as possible. In this chapter, I present you with more simple and effective tricks that you can use to improve the quality of your recordings. You find ways to add more of that sought-after analog sound to your music, fatten up your tracks (add more depth), and increase the overall feel (artistic interpretation) of your performances. You also discover a couple of tips to help you improve the sound of your room, make the editing process easier and quicker, and double-check your mix before you call your song finished.
Using an Analog Tape Deck
If you have a digital recorder and yearn for that analog sound, you can run the tracks out of your recorder, into an analog tape deck, and back into the digital recorder. You can do this for drum tracks or even the final two-track mix. By blending the tape-saturated tracks back in with the original ones, you can add as much or as little of the distorted analog sound into your clean digital tracks as you want and reverse anything that you've done later.
This procedure is really simple. Just bus (route) the outputs of your recorder to the inputs of your analog tape deck, and run cords from the outputs of your tape deck back into two empty tracks in your digital recorder. You can then mix these two new tracks with your originals.
A slight time delay (a few milliseconds) occurs between the original tracks and the returned ones. If you have a graphical editor, you can eliminate this time delay by following these steps:
1. Choose a single snare drum or bass drum stroke on both sets of tracks.
2. Enter the waveform graphical mode and compare the two waveforms to see where they differ; you can use your cursor to determine the distance between the two beats.
See Chapter 13 to find out more on editing.
3. Cut that distance from the front of the tape-returned tracks.
4. Double-check your work by listening to both sets of tracks.
If both beats play at exactly the same time, you're done. If not, just click the Undo button and try again.
If you don't have a waveform editor, you eliminate the time delay by listening. You can start by picking a time, 20 ms for instance, and deleting it from the front of the tape deck–enhanced tracks. Listen and make any adjustments from there. With a little experimenting and a dose of patience, you can find the right amount to cut. Make a note of this amount because this number will be the same the next time you do this procedure.
Layering Your Drum Beats
If you use a drum machine or an electronic drum set to play your drum rhythms, you can make these rhythms much fatter by layering one sound on top of another. Likewise, you can use this technique to add sampled drum sounds to your acoustic drum tracks to fatten them as well.
If you recorded your drums using MIDI, just duplicate the drum tracks that you want to add to, select the drum that you want to duplicate, and change its patch number to match a sound that you want to add. Depending on your drum machine's polyphony, you may need to record the original tracks to audio before you play the second set of drum sounds. (You can find out more about using MIDI in Chapter 5.)
If your original tracks are from an acoustic drum set, you have to trigger the sound from the drum machine by hand (press the trigger pads in time to the music) or, if your audio software has the capabilities (Logic Audio, for example), you can create a MIDI file from the audio track. Then just choose the instruments that you want to have triggered from the new MIDI track.
Decorating Your Room
When you set up your studio, think about the types of materials you use for furniture, floor, and wall treatments. You can improve the sound of your room simply by using materials and furniture to absorb or reflect sound. For example, you can use a couch to catch some of the room's reflections or a bookcase placed on the wall behind you to deflect some sound waves. Carpet on the floor or curtains over your windows absorb sound. In contrast, wood floors and bare walls add reflections and give your room a more live sound.
If you think about how the furniture and decorations in your studio affect sound, you can save time and money when you optimize your room for recording.
Setting a Tempo Map
Before you start to record, set a tempo map of the song within your system. You do this by entering the number of measures (on some systems), the time signature, and the tempo for each section of the song in the Tempo Map or Metronome dialog box in your system. Then, when you record, play to this metronome.
When it's time to do your editing, just choose the section(s) of your song that you want to edit by cueing the measure and beat that you want to work with. This enables you to choose edit points much faster and more accurately and makes quick work of producing loops or assembling a song from parts.
Listening to Your Mix in Mono
After all the effort that you put into getting each instrument to sit exactly where you want it in the stereo field, the last thing you probably want to do is to listen to the song in mono. Doing so, however, enables you to see your mix differently and to hear whether any of your instruments are crowding out the others. Even if you like to have stuff moving in the mix, listening to your song in mono can help you to find problems in the arrangement.
If it sounds good in mono, it generally sounds great in stereo.
Doubling and Tripling Your Tracks
If a track sounds thin to you in the mix, just make a copy of it onto an empty track (if you have one) and use both of them in the mix. Doubling or tripling a track is called multing and is especially useful for vocals, particularly backup vocals.
If you don't have the tracks to spare, make a copy of the track you want to mult onto a separate virtual track and then combine those two tracks by using a bounce procedure, which I explain in Chapter 11. You can do this as many times as you want with digital recorders because you don't lose sound quality in the process. If you want, you can mult dozens of times and end up with really thick tracks (don't overdo it though — lots of thick tracks added together can create a muddy mix).
Tapping the Input of Your Mixer
Tapping the input of your mixer means eliminating the mixer's circuitry from the signal. Depending on your mixer, this may provide you with a better sound going to disc. If you have an analog mixer, you may be able to tap the inputs when you record. Tapping the inputs involves using a Y cable. The TRS plug of the Y cable connects to the mixer's input jack, one of the TS plugs goes to your preamp, and the other TS plug goes to your recorder. Check your owner's manual to see whether you can tap the input of your mixer.
The downside to tapping the inserts on your mixer is that your EQ or fader doesn't affect the signal, so make sure that you get the best sound you can from your instrument and get the levels going into the mixer exactly how you want them going to tape.
Overdubbing Live Drums
If you're like most home recordists, you record most of your drum tracks with a drum machine or electronic drum set. You may find them thin-sounding or a bit stiff. A good remedy for both the thinness and stiffness can be over-dubbing (adding separate tracks) some real drums or cymbals to add to the electronic ones.
For example, you can add real hi-hats to a rock song. Eliminate the drum machine hi-hats, keep the electronic kick and snare, and play the hi-hat part to the other drums. In many cases, the variable nature of the hi-hats is what creates the feel of the drumming. I discuss overdubbing in detail in Chapter 11.
Pressing Record, Even During a Rehearsal
Get your instruments, mics, and levels set before you start to rehearse your part. Then when you start to practice, press the Record button. You may be surprised when you catch the perfect performance before you plan to record a serious take.
Leaving the Humanity in Your Tracks
Along the same lines of recording your rehearsals, don't be so hooked on getting every note just right that you miss the feel of a performance. Listen to some of the greatest records ever made and you can hear little mistakes. In fact, it's those little mistakes that often make those records so great. So before you go Autotuning and editing the life out of your music, give it a good listen and see whether that note you want to fix is what gives the part its character.
To access the cheat sheet specifically for this book, go to www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/homerecordingformusicians.
Find out "HOW" at Dummies.com
| and transpose (adjust the pitch of a note), which I cover in the sections that follow. Heck, you can even fix a single bad note if you want to.
In most newer sequencer programs, you have the following three ways of performing edits:
Piano-roll graphic window: This is the most common way to edit MIDI performances. Look at Figure 12-5. In this window, the horizontal bars in the center are the MIDI notes recorded on the track. Each of these notes can be lengthened, shortened, and moved. The top of this window contains navigation tools, editing options, and quantization values (the note value used to adjust the timing of a performance). Just select the note, and you can use any of these editing functions.
You can also view detailed note data including the note's start time and length, pitch, velocity (volume — both on and off), and MIDI channel by double-clicking a note in the grid.
Score window: If you read music, the score window may be your choice for editing. This window looks just like a piece of sheet music (as shown in Figure 12-6). Within this window, you can move notes around in much the same way as the piano-roll window. The only difference is that you can see the musical score as you edit your performance. Some sequencers allow you to print the score as well. This can be handy if you're composing music that you want other people to play.
**Figure 12-5:** The piano-roll window lets you do a variety of editing functions.
**Figure 12-6:** The Score menu shows you your MIDI data in musical score form and allows you to edit them.
Quantization
Quantization is simply allowing the sequencer to fix your rhythmic timing. Say you recorded a drum pattern, and because you played it on your keyboard, the timing kinda stinks. The bass drum missed the downbeat, and the snare drum is inconsistent. Don't worry — you don't need to rerecord your part. You can just move all those notes into their proper places — and you don't even have to touch each note to do it. Just choose the quantization value and click a button.
The quantization value determines the subdivision to which the quantization feature moves the notes. For example, if you choose a quantization value of 16, all your notes are moved to the nearest sixteenth note. With most sequencers, you can choose a number of quantization values, including eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and thirty-second notes.
Most new quantizers also allow you to assign a percentage to the quantization value. For example, a setting of 50 percent moves the note halfway between where you played it and the next quantization point designated by your quantization value. The higher the number, the closer to the actual quantization point your note will go. This feature is essential in keeping quantized music from sounding stiff.
Double-check your track after you've quantized it because it may have moved a misplaced note in the wrong direction. This happens if your note is farther away from where you want it to be and closer to another quantization point. If a note has moved in the wrong direction, select that note and move it to where you want it.
Transposing
Imagine that you write a song you plan to sing, but then you meet someone with a great voice who wants to sing it. The only problem is that you already recorded all the parts and this great singer's voice is in a completely different range than yours. The song would sound so much better if it were raised a couple of keys. Well, if your recorded tracks are MIDI, you simply go to the Options menu, choose Transpose, and type in the change of key. Presto, your whole song has changed key, and you didn't have to rerecord a single part! Try doing that with your audio tracks.
Saving Your Data
For the most part, saving data in your sequencer program is like saving data in any computer program. Yep, you need to click the Save button (or press +S if you have a Mac). Don't forget to save your work regularly, lest your computer crashes and you lose several hours' work.
The main thing to know about saving data in a sequencer program is that most programs have their own proprietary file format. You generally can't take a saved file from your program and play it on another one.
If you want to play your MIDI tracks on another sequencer program or make it available on the Internet for other people to play, make sure that you save your music as an SMF (Standard MIDI Format) file. Nearly all sequencer programs allow you to save in this format. Some even do this by default. Check your owner's manual to see how to do this. Then you can give your MIDI tracks to anyone who can play an SMF file, and if you recorded your stuff by using a GM standard, it sounds just how you intended it to sound, regardless of the listener's gear.
Transferring Data Using MIDI
Another great thing about MIDI is that you can use the cable and ports to send more than just MIDI performance information. Many manufacturers allow you to send sound patches through the MIDI connection by using system-exclusive messages. This can be a great tool. In fact, I own an electronic drum set; its sounds can be changed and updated by connecting a MIDI cable between the sound module (brain) and my computer. I can store gazillions of sounds on my computer without cluttering up (or overloading) my drum set's brain. But wait, it gets even better. This manufacturer makes new sounds available on its website to download for free! Yep, I can add new sounds to my drum set without having to buy anything. You gotta love it!
Performing a data transfer via your MIDI connection is easy. Just connect your device to the MIDI interface on your computer, open the data-transfer software provided by the manufacturer, and follow the directions.
Part V
Turning Your Tracks into a Finished Song
In this part . . .
Part V helps you to take all your individual tracks and turn them into the best song possible. Chapter 13 explores the process of editing audio and MIDI data to help you clean up your recorded tracks or to create new arrangements of your songs. Chapter 14 demystifies mixing: the process of blending all your individual tracks into a cohesive whole. Chapter 15 explores how you can use signal processors to add interest and dimension to your music, and Chapter 16 introduces you to the most misunderstood part of the recording process: mastering. With mastering under your belt, you can add the final touch to your album so that it can compete with the albums you find at the music store. The final chapter in this section, Chapter 17, shows you how to put your music in its final format for distribution, both on the Internet and as a physical CD.
Chapter 13
Editing Your Performance
In This Chapter
Understanding digital editing
Editing aurally
Editing visually
Correcting flaws in your performance
Combining your best performances from several virtual tracks
Even after you put in all the time needed to get the best sound and performance, you most likely will want to make changes to your tracks. You may want to get rid of some noise or clean up a few bad notes. Well, you can do this with editing. And if you have a digital hard-drive system, you can edit to your heart's content without sacrificing sound quality and without losing your original tracks.
In this chapter, you discover the joys of fixing a performance with editing. I cover the basics and try to help you find out whether your editing style is visual or auditory. You also explore the ways that you can use the editing capabilities of your digital system to create a performance that never happened by creating loops, assembling song sections, and making composites from virtual tracks.
The way you edit your tracks depends on your digital recording system. Some systems, such as computer-based DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations), use tools similar to those in word processing programs. Other systems, such as stand-alone systems and SIAB (studio-in-a-box) systems, base their editing methods on traditional audio approaches. I can't possibly cover all the variables that exist in the many types of systems, but I can show you the basics so that you understand what possibilities exist. Hopefully you get enough of a glimpse into the world of audio editing that you can apply these skills to the system that you own.
Some people never do any editing of a recorded performance except to get rid of unwanted noise. What they record to disk is what they use. I rarely do any editing except for making the occasional loop and/or deleting a stray bad note. You may be like I am and have little use for the amazing tools available in most digital systems' editing menus. That's okay; don't feel like you have to use every capability of your system. On the other hand, if editing fits your style, don't be afraid to pull out all the stops and get creative.
Understanding Digital Editing
In the old days of analog tape, you needed to break out the razor blade and adhesive tape to do audio editing. Cutting out a performance was exactly that — physically cutting the performance from the tape that contained the audio. The problem was that after you finished the cut and taped the open ends back together, you couldn't reassemble the original performance. (Well, I suppose you could try to peel that tape off the new joint and tape the part you cut out back in again.)
And it got even worse. If you wanted to edit a single track, you had to cut a little window in the tape where that part was, but only in the track you were working on. You were left with a hole in the tape.
And then consider this: While you were cutting and taping the tape, you were touching it with your fingers and getting oils all over your precious tracks. The result: sound degradation. In all, analog tape editing was messy work that introduced unneeded stress on the tape (and perhaps the recordist) and degraded the sound of the music.
Lucky for you, there's a better way — digital editing. You can edit digitally by using your hard-drive recording system. Digital hard-drive recording allows you to do a staggering variety of things to your recorded tracks. You can cut, copy, delete, erase, insert, move, and paste your music, among other things. And the best part is that you can do any of these procedures and still change your mind when you're done.
This aspect of digital editing is called nondestructive editing, which means that your original recording is kept intact (the recorder often makes a copy of the original data before it makes the edits or it simply points to the data to be played and ignores the data you chose not to have play). On the other hand, the no-returns policy of analog editing is referred to as destructive editing, and after it's done, you're committed to the results, regardless of whether you like them.
Editing can be done in a variety of ways, and almost every recording system does it a little differently. In the following sections, I list many of the basic editing functions that a digital hard-drive system can perform.
Copy
The Copy command is universal in digital audio and does exactly what you think — it makes a copy of a selected performance. Here's how the different systems generally work:
Computer-based systems: Copy can work much like the Copy function of your computer's word processing program. A copy of your selection is made and put into a clipboard section of your system. You can then take that copy and paste it somewhere else in the song.
Stand-alone or SIAB systems: These systems don't necessarily place copied material on a clipboard. Instead, you're prompted to choose a place to paste your work before you make the copy.
Many systems also allow you to choose how many times you want to copy the part and choose whether you want to override the existing material where you copy it or insert the new material into that section instead. If you insert the copy, the existing material moves over and makes room for the copied section.
Cut/Delete/Erase
The Cut, Erase, and Delete commands all do the same thing to the selected section — it goes away. The difference is what happens to that material after it disappears and what happens to the remaining material on the track; Figure 13-1 illustrates these differences. Here's the lowdown on the commands:
Cut: Lifts the selected audio section and puts it on a clipboard so that you can place it somewhere else. On some systems, such as the Cubase VST, the rest of the audio track stays put, leaving an empty space where the cut section was. On other systems (Logic Audio, for example), the existing material is brought forward to fill the space left by the cut material, similar to the way that your word processing software deals with the Cut command. Some systems, such as Cakewalk, allow you to choose whether the existing material moves forward.
Delete: Eliminates the selected material, keeping you from placing it anywhere else. Delete acts like an analog audio cut-and-tape procedure: The material following the deleted section is brought forward to fill the empty space. The Delete command is common among stand-alone recorders like the Akai DR-16Pro and among some SIAB systems such as the old Roland units.
Most computer-based systems, such as Pro Tools and Logic, have a Snap option that can treat existing material the same way as Delete, depending on how you have set your preferences. In this case, the Snap option snaps existing material back to fill any space left by a cut section.
Erase: Like Delete, Erase gets rid of the selected section and doesn't allow you to put the section anywhere else. Unlike Delete, Erase leaves a hole in the audio where the selected section used to be. The remaining audio stays put.
Most computer-based systems have a Silence procedure that acts just like Erase. When material is "silenced," an empty space is left where the material used to be.
**Figure 13-1:** Cut, Delete, and Erase are each treated differently in digital recording systems.
Insert
The Insert function is common among stand-alone and SIAB systems. It allows you to place a selected piece of music in a track (or multiple tracks) and moves the music that exists after the insert point so that there's room for the inserted material (see Figure 13-2). This is a handy feature that lets you add to a section without losing data.
**Figure 13-2:** Insert pushes existing material back to make room for the inserted music.
For example, say you have a bridge section of a song that you wrote and recorded to be 8 bars long, but after you've finished the song, you want to add a guitar solo to the bridge and 8 bars just isn't long enough (you guitar monster, you!). You want the bridge to be 16 bars long instead. Well, rather than having to rerecord the entire song with the new bridge section, you can copy the 8 new bars that you have for the bridge and insert them at the end of the existing bridge section, making the bridge 16 bars long. This takes only a second to do, and you don't have to plug in any mics or play any instruments.
If you have a computer-based system that doesn't have an Insert function, just select all the music immediately after the current bridge section and move it over 8 bars by using your mouse. This leaves an 8-bar space that you can then fill using the procedure I described previously.
If you have a song with a lot of tempo changes and you use a tempo map (a function that allows you to set the tempo and time signature for each section of the song), make sure that you double-check your tempo map after you've made your edits because the tempo map won't adjust automatically. For example, if you add 8 bars to the bridge (like I describe in the earlier example), you need to add 8 bars to that section of the tempo map to make sure that the rest of the song remains accurate.
Paste
As obvious as this may sound, pasting is just placing your selected music somewhere. Like the Cut and Copy functions, this function is a staple for computer-based systems, but it isn't common among stand-alone or SIAB systems. In many cases, Paste overwrites the existing material where you put it, as shown in Figure 13-3, unless you have an Insert option and you use it as well. Some computer-based systems treat Paste like a word processing program does — the existing material moves over and makes room for the pasted section.
**Figure 13-3:** Paste places your selection over existing material.
Like all computer Paste functions, whatever you put on the clipboard stays there until you replace it with something else. So you can paste the same selection as many times as you like.
Move
Nearly all digital recording systems have a Move function. In most cases, you can just choose the audio section that you want to move and choose a destination for it. If you don't have a Move function key, your system probably has the Cut, Copy, and Paste options that you can use the same way. Cut and Paste can move your music just as effectively as the Move function.
Moving audio data can be performed several ways depending on the system, but you probably move data by using a Move menu or by clicking and dragging. On the Move menu, you designate the section to be moved and where you want to move it to. This can be within a particular track or from one track to another. Within this menu, you may have the choice between overwriting the material at the destination point with your selection and moving the existing material to make space for the stuff that you moved. The latter is sometimes called a Move/Insert procedure.
If you have a system that uses a large video monitor, a mouse, and a keyboard, you may have the option to just click and drag the selection where you want it. In most cases, your moved selection overwrites the existing material in its new place, effectively erasing it (although it may still be hidden underneath — but you can't hear it when you play back the track). In other systems, the moved material is inserted in its new place, moving existing material in the process. Your system's owner's manual should spell out how this procedure is treated.
Export/Import
Exporting and importing involve moving music from one song file to another. Some systems enable you to import a single track from another song, whereas on other systems, you have to import everything in a song file.
If you can import only a whole song file but you just want a single track, just make a copy of the song that you want to import and erase everything you don't need from that song. Then when you import the song file, you import only the stuff that you want. Doing it this way rather than importing the whole song file and then erasing the unwanted stuff afterward is quicker because the computer doesn't have to import more than you need.
Undo
Undo is the most important key/function that you have in your digital system. It allows you to, well, undo what you just did. Without it, you may as well be trying to edit with analog tape, a razor blade, and adhesive tape.
How much you can undo depends on your system. Most systems give you at least 99 levels of undo — that is, you can make 99 consecutive edits and reverse them all (or just some of them). Some systems even go as far as giving you 999 undos. How's that for insurance? So edit at will, because you can always change your mind later.
On the other hand, some systems, such as older versions of Logic Audio, have only one level of undo. This isn't a deficit, however, because this program gives you the option of saving your selection before you make the edit. If you choose to do this before each edit, you are essentially allowed as many undos as you want, as long as you have the hard drive space to store all those copies of your audio track.
Some systems, such as the Roland V-Studios, have a Song Optimize function. Song Optimize enables you to save the song and throw away junk that you don't think you need, thus reducing the size of the song file. This is a nice feature except, after you optimize your song, you lose the ability to undo anything you did before you optimized. So, if you think that you may want to undo something you've done, don't click that Song Optimize button!
As you can see by all the different ways that various programs use and define editing procedures, you need to read your owner's manual and be familiar with your program to use these functions properly.
Finding the Section You Want to Edit
To use an editing function, you need to find the section of music that you want to change. The musical section can be the whole song from one track, a short musical phrase from several tracks, or even a single note. You can find the beginning and end of the section that you want to edit in two basic ways: editing aurally and editing visually.
Each method has its advantages, and you'll probably prefer one method over the other for your working style. I'm from the old school and much prefer editing by listening to the section I work with. I trust my ears much more than my eyes. You may find that the opposite is true for you. But chances are that you'll use a little bit of both approaches for your music.
Editing aurally
The traditional way to perform an edit is to play the song on the tape deck until you reach the general area of the music that you want to edit. You then stop the tape and manually rock it back and forth against the play head to find the precise place to make the cut. You mark the back of the tape with a wax pencil and go looking for the next edit point. This process requires careful listening, and finding the exact spot to edit often takes quite a while.
For pre-digital people, such as myself, the manufacturers of digital systems make this process similar to editing analog tape (yeah). Finding an edit point aurally is often a two-step process: First you need to find and mark the general section that you want to edit using a marker (also called an anchor point), and then you need to identify the exact spot for your beginning and end points. You do this with the Scrub function, as detailed in the following steps:
1. Listen to the song and place a marker (sometimes called an anchor point) on the fly as the section you want to edit passes.
Do this by clicking the appropriate Marker button (the Insert key on a Tascam 2488, for instance). Mark both the beginning and end points as accurately as you can. Your markers will be a little off, but don't worry about that now. Your next step involves honing those points using the Scrub function.
2. Use the Scrub function that's associated with your system to zero in on the spot you need.
The Scrub function works much like analog tape where you can "rock" the music back and forth (this is called scrubbing, hence the name) to find the precise spot that you're looking for. In some systems, such as the Tascam 2488, you can scrub using the Jog wheel. Start from the marker points that you set on the fly and dial the wheel back and forth until you find the exact spot to edit. This may take a while, so be patient. Do this for both the beginning and end points for your edit.
Other systems, such as the Roland VS-1880, don't allow you to scrub like analog tape. Instead, the Scrub function uses a short loop — from 25 to 100 milliseconds. The overall process of scrubbing is the same, except you have a couple more steps to follow. The Scrub feature on most digital recorders works pretty well; each just works a little differently and one approach may work better for you.
Not all digital recorders have a Scrub feature that works as well as the old analog tape rocking technique. So if being able to scrub is important to you, be sure to test this feature on the systems you're looking at before you buy.
If you have a computer-based system, you may find a scrub-type feature on the Tool palette. In Cubase, for instance, the Scrub tool uses an icon that looks like a small speaker. Look at your system to see whether you have this function.
Editing visually
Digital recording systems, especially those that use large video monitors, enable you to edit your music visually. This can be a great asset when you want to edit sounds down to the waveform level or if you don't want to hassle with aural searching.
In visual editing, you choose your edit points by viewing the audio waveform of a track on-screen. The audio waveform shows the amplitude (volume) of the sound that's recorded to disk. Check out Figure 13-4 for an example.
**Figure 13-4:** The waveform editor lets you see the music, making editing pretty easy.
You can use the waveform as a guide to show you where a particular sound is located. For example, if you pull up the waveform of a drum rhythm and set the track to play, you can see where the various sounds of the drum set (snare drum, kick drum, and so on) are located. Then just put a marker on the fly or stop the playback roughly where you want to be. As you get used to hearing the music and seeing the waveform pass by on your computer screen, you'll be able to tell by looking at a waveform where a sound starts and stops.
Take a look at Figure 13-4 again and find the cursor that's located just before the third large waveform. This is a snare drum note. You can select that section in the following ways (some systems offer you several ways, while others just have one):
Click and drag to create a box around the section you want to edit. This is generally the easiest way to choose a section of audio.
Choose the numerical location points. On SIAB systems, which typically don't have a cursor or mouse to work with, you can do this quickly by finding the point in the waveform and clicking a button (called the Now button in the Roland SIAB systems). The data is entered into the box, and you don't have to type the numbers.
Type the beginning and ending edit points in the appropriate dialog box. This is an option if you have a computer-based system. If you have a keyboard and you're a fast typist, this may be the most efficient way for you to choose edit points.
On most systems, you can zoom in or out on the waveform graphic for a better look. You can often increase both the height (amplitude) and width (time frame) of the image of the waveform that you see.
With most instruments that have slow attacks — a slow initial sound, as with vocals or guitars — you can see the start of the sound by looking at the waveform. The beginning in the rise of the waves matches the beginning of the sound. But on drums and other instruments with very fast attacks, the attack of the instrument happens before the rise in amplitude. In fact, if you look again at Figure 13-4, you can see a vertical dotted line just to the left of the snare drum's part in the waveform. This is where the attack starts for that drum sound. If you were to rely only on your eyes and choose the waveform part that you see, you would miss the initial point of the stick hitting the drum (and all the character that it contains). What you would hear is a mushy-sounding snare drum.
Many computer-based programs have a function that allows you to find the start point of your audio with a simple keystroke. In Pro Tools, this is called Tab to Transient. In this case, all you need to do is enable this function, move your cursor to a point just before the section you want to find, and press Tab. The cursor moves to the beginning of the audio data. This feature is handy for making edits quickly and accurately. If this type of function is important to you, be sure to look closely at the computer program before buying to see whether it can do this.
Even though you use the waveform screen to do editing, you still need to find the beginning of that sound by using the Scrub function (described in the preceding section). Just search the space before your drum note until you hear where the attack starts. It's usually about 40 to 50 milliseconds before the waveform jumps up.
Editing to Improve the Sound of a Performance
To edit your music, you need to know a couple of useful skills. These include being able to edit individual notes and phrases, finding and replacing notes that are too loud or too soft, getting rid of noise and distortion, and correcting pitch problems.
Replacing a bad note
Replacing a bad note is one editing procedure that I use frequently. Here's an example: A few weeks ago, I played the drum part of a new song for the band I'm currently recording with. I really got into the groove — the feel was right, I made all the changes, and I even did some really cool fills and stuff. When I listened to the part after I finished recording, it sounded fine, so I went on to record other parts. But when I listened to it again a week later, I heard one snare drum hit in which I caught the rim, and it sticks out in the mix like the proverbial sore thumb. I could just punch in a new snare drum note, but I'm lazy. Besides, I had already put away my mics, and there's no way I could set them up the way I did the day I recorded the drums, not to mention tuning the drums exactly the same way I had them that day.
Well, here's a time when I'm thanking my lucky stars that I have a digital system that allows me to make minute edits (just try slicing a single snare drum note out of an analog tape). Hopefully you won't have to do this procedure, but if you do, follow these steps:
1. Copy the track that you want to fix.
This way, you can reference the original track.
2. Place the copy on a track or virtual track that allows you to hear both the original and the copy at the same time.
3. Listen for a snare drum hit that you especially like and select it by using one of the techniques that I describe in the section "Editing aurally," earlier in this chapter.
4. Make a copy of the selection.
5. Find and mark the bad note.
6. Place the copy of the good note right where the bad note is.
The procedure for this varies depending on your system.
Make sure that the Insert function is turned off. Otherwise, you add an extra note and move the bad note over, along with the rest of the music from that track.
7. After you have the good note in the place of the bad one, turn up the volume of both versions of your track and listen to them again.
You should hear an exact copy of the track, except for that one note. Listen carefully at the place of the replaced note for any timing problems. The two tracks should match perfectly. If they don't, just use the Undo function and try again. Also, check the rest of the song after that note to make sure that you didn't accidentally insert the note rather than replace it.
If your system doesn't allow you to make such a fine edit or if you can't successfully select a single note, you can replace a whole measure instead of just the single note. Just follow the same steps and use a larger phrase instead of the one note.
Evening out a performance
Evening out a performance means making adjustments to the levels of a note or phrase within the song. Sometimes it can also mean changing the emphasis of certain notes to change the meaning or "feel" of a part. This section covers these areas using two functions called Normalize and Quieten. (Some systems call the Quieten function Gain Change.) A track often contains a stray note that is either much louder or much softer than the rest of the notes around it. In this case, you don't need to cut it out and replace it with another note, like I did in the example in the preceding section. Instead you can just make a change to the volume (or level) of that note, as follows:
To raise the volume of a note: Select the note that you want to change and choose Edit⇒Normalize. In most cases, Normalize allows you to choose the maximum dynamic level (in dB) that you want the section to be, the amount below clipping (0dB) that you want, or the minimum headroom that you want to have left (also in dB). These last two options are essentially the same thing.
To lower the volume of a note: Select the note that you want to change and choose Edit⇒Quieten (or Gain Change). This lowers the amplitude of the selected section by a predetermined amount. On some systems, you can choose this amount.
If you know where your levels are in decibels (dB), you can also choose Edit⇒Normalize to reduce the level of a note. In the dialog box that appears, choose a value that's lower than the peak of your selected note. For example, if you have a drumbeat that is too loud — right at 0dB — and the surrounding notes are at –6dB, you can then choose 6dB for either the minimum headroom you want to have left or the amount below clipping. This drops your signal by 6dB — the level of the rest of the notes. If you don't know where your levels are in dB, you can experiment until you get the level where you want it. Using the Normalize function to reduce the volume of a note may be better than using the Quieten function if you want to control exactly how much quieter you want the note to be and your system doesn't allow you to set the value used by the Quieten function.
You're not limited to making adjustments to single notes. You can also use Quieten or Normalize to adjust the levels of short phrases or an entire track.
Normalize and Quieten only adjust the levels of the section that you choose to work with. So when you use these functions, be aware of how your edits relate to the music in and around your edits. For example, if you normalize or quieten a section of the waveform, the softest notes increase in volume only by the level that the highest note increases. For example, Figure 13-5 shows a percussion line before and after normalizing to maximum dB. The view on the left shows the levels before normalization. The one on the right is after the normalization procedure. The notes were raised a bit, and the overall dynamic range remains the same.
**Figure 13-5:** Normalizing | 7,293 |
We'll be in Hays<|fim_middle|> special about Kansas and how they work on building trails, so it was unexpected and awesome to be contacted by KCUR Central Standard 89.3 FM for an interview about Kansas trails and the Kansas trail guidebook. | at the Hays Public Library at 1pm this Saturday, July 30. Our presentation will include just what you can find on the trails of Kansas if you take the time to get off the highway.
Far more than a flyover state, Kansas has plenty of trails for those on foot, on wheels, and on horseback. We'll tell you our favorite spots around the state, give you some information about writing the book, sign books, and books will be available to buy a $24.95.
Michael Pearce, another Kansas Notable book author, wrote an article on us for the Wichita Eagle. Read it here: Book takes a fresh look at Kansas hiking, biking | The Wichita Eagle.
Check out this article from the Topeka Capital-Journal online about the 2016 Kansas Notable Books, and they got in touch for a quote – read here: Kansas Notable Books list announced by State Library of Kansas | CJOnline.com.
We're a 2016 Kansas Notable Book!
Two days after National Trails Day, it is official. The Kansas Trail Guide is on the 2016 Kansas Notable Book List! See the full list here.
We've reached out to others to talk to them about what they find | 261 |
You are here: Home / Michalopulos Blog / The Apostolic Mission of Bishops: A Short Reflection
The Apostolic Mission of Bishops: A Short Reflection
November 28, 2012 by Gail Sheppard
Dr. Bradley Nassif
The following essay by Dr Bradley Nassif is as profound an exegesis on the episcopate as I have ever read. It's clarity is stark. What did I get out of it? How much we Orthodox are missing the mark. If you're not sure if your bishop (and the people he pastors) are upholding the standards, ask yourself a couple of basic questions:
1. What is your jurisdiction's mission statement? Is there clutter on its website about history, obscure canons, or historical oddities?
2. Has your jurisdiction succumbed to institutionalism and if so, has it become legalistic while overlooking the weightier aspects of the Law?
3. Is your bishop a real pastor who reguarly visits the parishes assigned to him? Does his jurisdiction have an active program for the creation of more dioceses?
4. When he does come to visit, does he preach the Gospel to the extent that you remember his words and can hardly wait for his next visit? Does he appear to be a normal man who is merciful but personally moral? Is he at the very least blameless?
5. Finally, does he put on airs or does he appear to be a real servant-leader?
These questions are a good start. I'd welcome others to submit their own. Regardless, I think you'll enjoy Dr Nassif's essay.
Source: Antiochian Orthodox Church
by Bradley Nassif, Ph.D.
The purpose of this brief, and incomplete, reflection is to focus on the centrality of the gospel in the ministry of a bishop. It is not intended to promote a partisan perspective on any issue facing the contemporary Orthodox Church – Antiochian, Greek or O.C.A. It simply spotlights what the calling of a bishop is to be.
I want to be clear that this article is not a response to the recent discussions of the Antiochian bishops or the Holy Synod. It is a timeless reflection — a positive statement — of what the primary work of a bishop should be, regardless of his geographical location or the time of history in which he lives. It is vitally important that we understand the bishop's calling because the gospel of Jesus Christ lies at the very center of his ministry among us.
The Bishop's Apostolic Mission
The apostolic mission of a bishop in the Eastern Orthodox Church can be summarized in five points.
1. Preach the Gospel. All bishops are to proclaim and interpret the gospel of Christ to the church and to the world.
Bishops should be elected largely on the basis of their knowledge and ability to skillfully communicate the Holy Scriptures. St. John Chrysostom is the prime example of such a bishop.
All bishops are to faithfully keep the gospel clear and central to their ministries.
What is the gospel? The gospel is the "good news" that God became human in Jesus Christ, took upon himself our fallen humanity in order to restore it into communion with God, conquer sin and vanquish death. This he did pre-eminently through Christ's life, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. This "good news" must be at the very core of every life-giving action in the church – the sacraments and throughout every liturgical season of fasting and prayer.
Bishops need to preach and teach this message to all their priests and parishioners. They need to boldly call people to repentance and faith and not make the fatal assumption that everyone is a Christian just because they happen to be inside the walls of an Orthodox Church.
I have said this for the past four decades, and I will continue to say it until I die: The most urgent need in the Orthodox world today is the need for an aggressive internal mission of converting our nominal Orthodox people to personal faith in Jesus Christ. Bishops should be teachers, preachers and evangelists of the gospel first and foremost. That is their main apostolic function (see point 2 below).
This requires that we lay people give them a large degree of freedom from administrative and managerial functions. Managerial duties must be done by them, but whenever those duties occupy more attention than the preaching of the gospel, we the people have committed a great sin against our bishops. It is our duty to support our bishops in their apostolic calling by freeing them to focus on preaching, teaching and evangelizing others with the Word of God.
2. Administer the Sacraments of the Gospel.
Bishops are to oversee the celebration of the Eucharist and ensure the sacramental integrity of its parishes. This is a heavy subject so I will forego an extensive theological commentary on it. Suffice it to say that all Orthodox sacraments are sacraments of the gospel.
We speak much about the Eucharist (and rightly so) but we sometimes forget that the Eucharist is rooted in the gospel. "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes" (1 Cor. 11.26). The death, resurrection and Second Coming of Jesus Christ lies at the very heart of this sacrament, and that is what the bishop is called to preach and to celebrate. He is to be a herald of the good news of God's love given supremely through his Son, Jesus Christ. Every life-giving sacrament of the Church communicates this good news in one way or another, and it is the duty of the bishop to faithfully make that gospel clear and central to his flock.
The failure to intentionally keep the gospel clear and central is the main reason why so many of our young people are "religious but lost". They know about God but have seldom been asked to make the Church's faith their own, even though they have attended Church all their lives. Bishops (as well as priests and lay people) are to do the work of an evangelist.
3. Guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the church.
Maintaining the unity of the church today requires acts of courage and risk taking. Guardianship of the gospel does not mean simply "holding the traditional line." It also means preventing spiritual decay and ignorance.
Just the other day an Orthodox Christian out of state asked me if the book of Ephesians was in the Bible. I was saddened to have even been asked such a question. All this person needed to do was to open the Bible and look inside the table of contents. But that is the level so many of our people are at in the Orthodox world today. No wonder St. John Chrysostom declared, "The lack of Scriptural knowledge is the source of all evils in the church."
4. Be a moral example of holiness and wholesomeness.
This implies the usual exemplary personal conduct and spirituality that is the vocation of every baptized Christian — bishops, priests and laity alike.
Another aspect of episcopal modeling would be for bishops to renounce work-a-holism. Compulsive work habits destroy one's spiritual and mental health and that is simply not a Christian thing to do.
5. Diminish the distance between bishops and their flock.
The worldly values of the Byzantine Empire crept into the episcopal ministry after the Fall of Constantinople (1453). Under the Ottoman Turks, bishops began wearing the literal crown of the fallen Byzantine Emperors as political and spiritual leaders of their millet (Christian sub-cultures). Honorific titles such as "Despot" and "Master" began to be used. The ordination of a cathedral bishop came to be described as an "enthronement". All this is tied to the legacy of Byzantine politics.
Today we find ourselves in a quandary. We have a strong desire to honor and respect our bishops; yet we do not want to unwittingly perpetuate a worldly and politicized gospel. What would Jesus say about such practices if he were alive today? He once said, "For he that is greatest among you shall be the servant of all" (not an enthroned Despot or Master). Is there a more Christian way to express our desire to hold bishops in high regard?
The true calling of an episcopal ministry requires that the gospel be kept clear and central in the life of the Church. Perhaps we should examine historical accretions that have attached themselves to the office of bishop and which mislead the flock about the servant nature of Christian leadership.
The five points I have outlined above, admittedly incomplete, are shared in order that we might keep our eyes on the ball. That ball is nothing less than the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the life of the Church. If the goal is the gospel, then a vital means to that end is to keep the gospel clear and central to the apostolic mission of an Orthodox bishop.
Dr. Bradley Nassif is a Professor of Theology, North Park University in Chicago, and a member of Holy Transfiguration Antiochian Orthodox Church in Warrenville, Illinois.
Fr. Peter Preble says
Thanks for posting this again. I remember reading this when Dr. Nassif first wrote it and the words ring true today. The take away line for me in all of this is the following:
The most urgent need in the Orthodox world today is the need for an aggressive internal mission of converting our nominal Orthodox people to personal faith in Jesus Christ.
I am constantly amazed by the lack of knowledge of our Orthodox people. This falls right at the feet of the clergy who are not teaching their people the "true faith." We spend too much time talking about nonsense and not enough time preaching Jesus Christ! We need to get back to the basics. We need to convert our own hearts before we can ever lead others to the Church.
Father, I understand what you say and why you place the responsibility on the clergy, but I have to disagree to a point. It is the responsibility of each person to prepare his own heart to receive the word and cultivate it. No other person, even the most gifted, can do that for another.
Those who want the truth will find it. Those who want a fraud will find that. Those who love nothingness wil find that also even if they be standing next to each other at each Divine Liturgy.
If enough people long for the truth and seek Him with all of our hearts He will be revealed even though the priest or bishop is corrupt and bloated with maggots and even though the priest ignores Him.
As we call the biships to a higher standard and to repentance, we do great harm to our own souls if we do not repent even more deeply and make amends (as possible) to anyone we have harmed.
That is one of the prime points I have learned from having been graced to be an unworthy member of +Basil's Catherdal parish.
Ivan Vasiliev says
"We need to convert our own hearts before we can ever lead others to the Church".
Some things never change! This has always been true and always will be true. In many ways, our "crises" today are simply replays of a very old tape. All the saints knew this which is why they give us advice like that of St. Seraphim of Sarov: 'Acquire the Spirit of peace and thousands around you will be saved'
Archpeiest John Morris says
An excellent article. Every Bishop should read it.
Tymofiy Hawrysh says
Every bishop is to keep the gospel clear and central in the life of the Church. Every priest as active hands of the bishop in a city is to keep the gospel clear and central in the life of his parish. Every baptized Christian is to keep the gospel clear and central in his/her life and the life of each family and parish. What a light will shine when we all do this together. Let's not talk about it. Let us all love the Lord and live the gospel. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Can't speak for anyone else, but my bishop, His Grace Bishop Basil scores high on all of these. He spends Advent and Lent with us at his Catherdral. the rest of the time he is on the road visting his other parishes and attending to his other duties.
If you are in the heartland, you can easily find out by visitng any of the Antiochian parishes and asking about him.
Pat Teague says
Michael, the exact same thing came to my mind and heart. EVERY time we hear Bishop Basil preach, we yearn to hear and learn more.
Bishop Basil and Metropolitan Jonah were two of the best examples of Jesus Christ centered bishops I have ever known.
NMMom says
Were you blessed to have known, or ever stood or sat in the presence, of the Blessed Archbishop DMITRI? Where ever he was, he preached the Gospel, at the ambom, at coffee hour, traveling by car to visit the faithful in his diocese. And where he was, we were all gathered in the love of Christ which he taught us and brought to us just by his presence.
OCAmember says
Here's another example of a very good Bishop who also got himself forcibly retired (apparently) from the OCA. Wonder why he doesn't appear on the list of retired Bishops of the OCA on the web site?! (Anybody know the background on that?)
http://everyday-saints.com/eminence.htm
Lola J. Lee Beno says
He died several years ago. That's why he doesn't appear on the list of the retired Bishops – this list only lists those who are living.
Thanks, Lola! That makes sense. Probably if I'd given it more thought, I would have figured that out, too. (I'd like to think so anyway! LOL!)
13 years ago.
http://www.bishop-basil.org
Thank you so much, Mitrich, for that resource. I look forward to perusing it.
Bishop Basil 10th Anniversary Service says
http://vimeo.com/7938548
also see discussion of Bishop Basil by Metropolitan Jonah: http://youtu.be/UZIzw2eBs6c
Quite right, Mitrich. The linked article is not telling the truth when it states, "Bishop Basil undertook a new journey to the United States, where he converted thousands of Protestants, Catholics, and atheists to the Russian Orthodox faith."
That's just plain ridiculous. I believe you can count the number of Protestants, Cathollics and atheists in
America whom Bishop Basil converted on the fingers of one hand, at MOST>
Your Grace, I can well believe YOU can only count those he converted on the fingers of one hand. Only God knows in reality. In any event, technically we members of the Church convert no-one. Christ alone through the Holy Spirit works conversion (occasionally allowing some of us to participate through our witness). I suppose it would be more accurate to say that he had an influence (through the Holy Spirit's use of his radio preaching ministry) and thus a hand in the conversion of thousands.
I am actually more interested to know if the article was telling the truth when it asserts that Bp. Basil found himself up against a "powerful lobby" promoting "non-Orthodox practices" in the OCA when he came to the U.S. and which led to his being forced into early retirement?
OCA member! That's not what the article you referenced said at all! It said this "Bishop Basil undertook a new journey to the United States, where he converted thousands of Protestants, Catholics, and atheists to the Russian Orthodox faith." Where i went to school, "he converted" does not mean he played a part in conversions," "
Here is an example off Bishop Basil's apostolic, missionary conduct as ruling bishop of the Diocese of the West, OCA:
He "disciplined" the parish of the Myrrh-Bearing Women in Bryte (West Sacramento), California by directing that all parishioners come to Confession and Communion at a Liturgy. AFTER that Liturgy, he directed them all to the Parish Hall where he performed a service of EXORCISM on them, requiring all those people who had partaken of the Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ to 'breathe and spit" on the Devil! There are several clergy still serving in the OCA who were in the Diocese of the West at that time who may attest to the verity of my account. I don't see where this fits the Nassif paradigm at all.
Bishop Basil was also a widower; nevertheless, when telling us of how wicked the parishioners of that same parish were, in that they had hit and knocked down Archpriest Dragoliub Krapcevich's WIFE, he said, in the same breath, "But she had it COMING: she had a terrible mouth!"
I don't see where that fits the Nassif paradigm at all.
I'm not one to say that Bishop Basil had the airs of a (Ethyl) Barrymore down pat as so many did. What an idea! I've heard nothing but positive things about his ministry after he got out of diocesan administration, which can be a terrible trial and temptation for any believing man..
Your Grace, you write:
That's not what the article you referenced said at all! It said this "Bishop Basil undertook a new journey to the United States, where he converted thousands of Protestants, Catholics, and atheists to the Russian Orthodox faith."
Just to clarify, if you will notice in my comment, I said "I suppose it would be more accurate to say he had an influence . . . " Never anywhere do I assert the article said anything other than what you have quoted.
Heracleides says
What a wonderful testimonial. Truly, the joke that is the OCA was/is not worthy of such Bishops as Basil and Jonah. Lord have mercy.
I have a sneaking suspicion that in order to be a saint, you have to be abused by Syosset.
That was lovely. OCAmember. Thank you for sharing it. I, too, would like to know more about the history of this saint of God.
Jim of Olym says
I knew several people who knew Bp. Basil. they regarded him highly. I do too.
Ryan says
Bishop Basil served for many years at St Nicholas, the OCA primatial cathedral in D.C. where Metropolitan Jonah chrismated me last December. My godmother was Vladyka Vasily's personal assistant for many years, and he was her spiritual father who received her into the Orthodox Church. She has told me so many wonderful anecdotes and stories about him which have deeply touched my soul. I believe he is among the saints in heaven. Many of my young friends pray to him.
Fan of your website says
Dear Ryan,
I hope you can write down some of those stories and put them on your website for those of us who have never heard those stories and never gotten to know this Bishop Basil, perhaps a saint of the twentieth century. It seems an important thing to do, to recount his life in detail.
May you have many years as an Orthodox Christian and may I congratulate you on the anniversary of your chrismation! May God bless you, Metropolitan Jonah, and your godmother and godfather!
Yes, Bishop Basil (Rodzianko) served on and off several times a year at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, D.C. He also served in the little home chapel he had in the apartment where he lived: : full hierarchical with dikiri and trikiri, eagle rugs, the whole bit! Ryan's godmother must be Marilyn Swayze (sp?) a most devoted handmaiden of Bishop Basil's after her conversion. Everyone remembers how much she adored him, God bless her! Ever-memorable Father Dimitry Grigorieff also used to report on his activities from time to time, though usually in not such an "acolytish' way..
ChristineFevronia says
Is this the same Bishop Basil who the current OCA's liasion for External Affairs Kishkovsky tried to get committed due to a supposed mental illness that Kishkovsky tried to put on him?
colette says
I believe that's the one!
M. Stankovich says
ChristineFevronia,
Vladyka Basil (Rodzianko) is a Saint. I spent hours in his presence, never uttering a word, only listening to him tell me of his loving relationships with his friends (can you imagine!) St. John Maximovitch, St. Nikolai Velomirovich, and St. Justin Popovich. His wife was healed in a miracle attributed to St. John Maximovitch, and considered in the canonization process of St. John. He experienced indescribable suffering in Serbian prison camps, his cassock torn from his body & his beard torn from his face; he was released only by the direct intervention of the Archbishop of Canterbury, after ministering & comforting fellow political prisoners in the harshest of conditions .
The greatest ministry of his life was broadcasting, daily, on the the Voice of America, from recordings he made in a single-bedroom apartment that he fashioned into a chapel, a "production studio," a study & space to receive his many visitors, and the smallest of spaces to sleep (and he was a tall man!). "Vladyka Vasilii" was known to countless numbers in the Soviet countries over the years, who later flocked to meet him personally. He was embarrassed but so amused to tell the story of casually speaking with a man in Russia about the man's "spiritual father," and when Vladyka asked who this "father" might be, the man said "Vladyka Vasilii on the radio!" And the crown was his invitation by Patriarch Alexy II to deliver the "Holy Fire" from the Holy Sepulcher, in a procession through the streets of Moscow that the press described as an event not seen since before the revolution. I have written of many of these events of his life – and it only scratches the surface – and you can find them by searching my posts.
ChristineFevronia, I ask you, please, to leave Vladyka Vasilii (Rodzianko) out of any discussion that is unworthy of the Saints. Venerable Bishop Basil, pray to God for us!
MS, I envy you that you knew Vladyka Basil. Why then are you not appalled that the same people that molested him here in America used the same program to so hurt Metropolitan Jonah? Even if the latter is unworthy the fact remains that the Syosset Putschists prided themselves about using the "Rodzianko file" in order to remove His Beatitude. Do you not see the irony? Leaving aside your personal distaste for His Beatitude, how can you praise the very malefactors who hurt Bishop Basil and their disciples who looked upon their evil ways with awe?
That's a pretty serious charge, ChristineFevronia! Please tell us what evidence supports your claim about Archpriest Leonid Kiskhovskly trying to have EVER-memorable Bishop Basil (Rodzianko) committed! My understanding was that there was a barrage of letters and phone calls from concerned Laity and some clergy in the Diocese of the West that caused the Holy Synod to offer Bishop Basil an honorable retirement unless he elected to try and hold on to the Diocese of the West, in which case, canonical proceedings would be undertaken. I've known Father Leonid since 1965. He is not a conniver nor a manipulator, like the cabal that went after Metropolitan Jonah in Santa Fe. He's not perfect, but who is. This charge of yours sounds very much like something planted by the mother of "Voices of Russia!" In fact, Father Leonid is one of that site's greatest and most often cited villains. Just say 'Lyonya" and the site will begin secreting vile and miasmic imprecations and vilifications. The only suggestions I ever heard relative to Bishop Basil's mental balance during his incumbency in the West, came from both Fathers John Meyendorff and Alexander Schmemann. Surely, if Bishop Basil was one-half the Saint that some hangers-on claim him to be, one must ask where THEY, Father John and Father Alexander, were when he lost the Diocese. What did THEY have to say; after all, Father John was related to him! If I'm not mistaken, both of them stated they regretted the part they had played in bringing him to America! And just because Mark Stokoe, back then, tried very hard to "get" Bishop Basil, doesn't necessarily say anything positive about Bishop Basil. Perhaps such a file, if it exists, would be his private file, no?
You come across as a tad jealous Bishop. Is it perhaps because Bp. Basil is now a saint and eventually will be declared as such whilst you (and your pal Nikolai Soraich) are not even in the same league much less ballpark?
I don't believe I was ever jealous of Bishop Basil of blessed memory, Herarcleides. What an idea! You're entitled to it, of course. No doubt you knew him better than i? How did that come about?
I'd like to correct another idea that Heracleides expressed. Bishop Nikolai (Soraich), who came into the OCA some time after Bishop Basil (Rodzianko) had left for DC,, also supports the idea that the OCA Holy Synod mistreated Bishop Basil, and that is one of the many areas where my good friend, Bishop Nikolai, and I differ. Bishop Nikolai also uses the case of Metropolitan Vladimir (Nagossky) as an example of a hierarch wrongfully persecuted by the OCA Holy Synod. This difference of opinion of ours has not adversely affected our friendship and mutual respect. It's my personal conviction that neither hierarch, Bishop Basil or Metropolitan Vladimir, was mistreated by anyone at any time. My opinion is that the action of today's Holy Synod relative to Metropolitan Jonah is entirely unprecedented. I am jealous, perhaps, of a few people: Protopresbyter Rodion S. Kondratick, because of his virtues, abilities, and wonderful wife, Bette, whom I refer to as 'Her Pulchritude," a finer example of a Priest's helpmeet I do not know. I'm also sometimes jealous of Bishop Nikolai's ability to give people, especially erring clergy, a break or a second chance. As a life-long bachelor, I am basically a selfish man and I suppose I may envy Bishop Basil (and other widower-hierarchs) because, unlike me, they married and had a family life, sharing everything. I am also jealous of Father Alexander Lisenko, now a monastic with the name Alexei, at Manton, because he and his spouse, Emilie, adopted two sons. I consider the adoption of orphans to be the highest of virtues. Likewise, I am jealous of Archpriest Basil Rhodes and his spouse, Joanie, who also adopted a son and a daughter. I think if I spent more time, I could provide Heracleides with a real multitude of people whom I envy–am jealous of. This does not, though, alter my conviction that Bishop Basil of blessed memory made a mess in his administration of the Diocese of the West, but was never mistreated, as Metropolitan Jonah was. In fact, the discretion with which the Holy Synod back then handled Bishop Basil's case is remarkable compared to the total lack of discretion in the matter of Metropolitan Jonah's pre- and post-retirement treatment by them.
And I'm surprized that anyone would consult Bishop Basil's personnel file (Every member of the clergy has a file). The most accessible file in a matter of the disciplining of a Hierarch would be that of Ever-Memorable ARchbishop Dimitri (Magan), who was removed from his See as a disciplinary measure based, according to the published minutes of the Greater Sobor of Bishops (Holy Synod) of the Metropolia at that time , on his making disparaging remarks about the First Hierarch then, Metropolitan Leonty.
What is the source of this improbable story about "consulting the Rodzianko file?" is it not Stan/Barbara Drezhlo? It sounds so much like it. The same paranoid, conspiracy-seeking style and willingness to imagine rather than prove.
Bishop Tikon: "This does not, though, alter my conviction that Bishop Basil of blessed memory made a mess in his administration of the Diocese of the West…"
THIS coming from you??? Lol – I definitely need a new keyboard.
Seriously, what other revisionist Snake Oil are you peddling now? Attempting to slap lipstick on Lefty Kishkovsky of NCC infamy is one thing; trash-talking, no matter how subtle, a reposed and highly regarded Bishop (especially by those outside of the OCA) is quite another matter.
I think this calls for a new graphic.
You're right, "Heracleides!" I don't consider "those outside the OCA" to be at all qualified, as we were in his own diocese, to comment on or evaluate ever-memorable Bishop Basil's service in THE DIOCESE OF THE WEST, i.e., the ONLY place where his mettle as a diocesan bishop was tested. I know only what the other clergy and faithful of his diocese know about his service there, while you know nothing, just like Sgt. Schulz, "I know NUTHING, Herr Kommandant" would be a good slogan to put up under a cartoon of the brave "Heracleides", posting "Cartoons from the Underground, i.e., Sewers!"
"Heracleides" never knew the man at all. Actually, "Heracleides" doesn't find Bishop Basil all that interesting or likeable; rather, what caused the old mucilage in his (or her) veins to start flowing like water, was an opportunity to once again try to get under Bishop Tikhon's hide! Give it up, my boy (or my girl), I've gone up against industrial strength wiseacres, and after service as a sergeant in the US Army and a Captain in the US Air Force, i've held leadership positions and dealt with a multitude of leadership situations soldiers and airmen for many years. No one flourishing as a cartoonist-with-a-pseudonym in the backwaters of an Orthodox blog is going to have much success 'scoring!" May he (or she) keep banging his (or her) head against the wall until it clears up!
Is it true that Archbishop Benjamin keeps enlarged copies of "Heracleides's" cartoons on his office wall and uses them to show "the high moral and Orthodox tone of Monomakhos?" I understand he's fondest of the ones featuring him personally. Good luck!
Considering that Bp. Benjamin is your protégée, I'm not at all surprised that you know what is hanging on the walls of his boudoir. As for my bits of satire – funny how you approved when you passed along the booking photo of your pal Bp. Benjamin for my use… but then you are an OCA bishop – nuff said.
The "Voices of Russia" blue ribbon for imitation goes to……"Heracleides"! Same judgments; same spirituality; same sense of "humor"; same crudities (not vegetables, by the way); and, above all, Same Bogeymen!
Shouldn't "Heracleides' expressed surprise that I DIDN'T know what was hanging in His Eminence's office? I asked…
"Heracleides" also wrote, "Nuff said." Let's start our stopwatches….
I've only managed to slog my way as far as this howler: "Bishops should be elected largely on the basis of their knowledge and ability to skillfully communicate the Holy Scriptures. St. John Chrysostom is the prime example of such a bishop."
One (1): Where may we find evidence that St. John Chrysostom was "elected? " Where may we find evidence that he was elected "based on (his) knowledge and ability to skillfully communicate the Holy Scriptures?" If no such evidence for his election can be found, how can his APPOINTMENT by the Basileus serve as any example for us Americans?
Two (2) How is it that the great Apostle Paul of our Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church never gave us advice lke this man's? Especially when he seems to have given us OTHER standards?
Why should I read further? The writer seems to be some sort of fabulist, going by the quoted sentence. Or else he's incredibly careless and undisciplined in his thoughts and teaching….
How regularly did St. John Chrsysostom visit the parish churches subordinate to the Constantinopollitan see? Who were some of his clergy?
What did St. John Chrysostom (or any of the Cappadocian Fathers) teach about Church Growth? Were they concerned with it? Or did they leave that to the Emperor and his armies? Who were the missionaries of St. John Chrysostom's missionary department? Besides sermonizing against the sins of the Empress ("Jezebel") (and "the Jews" ) during the Divine Liturgy, what were some of his other pastoral exemplary accompllishments?
Your Grace:
You completely miss Dr. Nassif's point. Why do you think that we call St. John Chrysostom which means "Golden Mouthed." We do so because of his preaching of the Gospel and homilies on the Holy Scriptures. He became Patriarch of Constantinople because of his reputation as a preacher. How he became is a technicality that Dr. Nassif was not really addressing.
Carl Kraeff says
Your Grace–On the one hand, I agree with Dr. Nassif. On the other hand, I also agree with your criticism. It was very sloppily written indeed, which is surprising in that he is a professor of theology.
PdnNJ says
Sounds like Carl is "speaking out of both sides of his mouth" to me.
St. John is perhaps not the best example, maybe St. Martin of Tours? Wasn't he the one dragged from hiding in a barn by the people who wanted him for their bishop?
Church growth is either the real product of the Holy Spirit in which we cooperate or the fake product of modern marketing and ethically deficient sales techniques. We don't really need a bunch of people that as St. John also noted, "…are as a millstone around the neck of the Church."
Still, can't help but feel you response is a bit grumpy. Hope you are feeling OK (really).
If memory serves, Chrysostom was kidnapped from Antioch by the people of Constantinople and forced to be their bishop.
Chrysostom was kidnapped by "the people" of Constantinople? I don't believe it. He was, rather, kidnapped by some agents hired by higher clergy-bureaucrats in Constantinople, then as now, worried about all threats to their primacy.
Try to imagine "the people of Constantinople" migrating to Antioch, grabbing a helpless cleric out of his cathedral and then migrating back to Constantinople!
And did the people of Antioch institute legal/canonical proceedings? What were they, chopped liver? Was there no Archpriest Morris in the Antiochian Church then?
Perhaps they established a day of fasting and mourning in the Calendar to commemorate the invasion of Constantinopolitan Faithful?
Archpriest John W. Morris says
Back then one did not disobey the Emperor, not even the people of Antioch. St. John Chrysostom became Patriarch of Constantinople due to the influence of the eunuch Eutropius who was the real power in Constantinople. St. John had to leave by night to avoid arousing the ire of the people of Antioch.
Why do you feel it necessary to make such sarcastic attacks against me? It is unbecoming for an Orthodox Bishop to attack other Orthodox, even a priest like myself. I have tried to be as respectful as possible, but find it very difficult to deal with your constant personal attacks. I am really no interested in getting into a constant spitting match with you or anyone else. Let us call a truce and when we disagree discuss the issues as mature adults and with the respect due one Orthodox Christian to another without personal attacks or sarcasm.
The Very Rev. John W. Morris
George Osborne says
Dear Your Grace, Bishop Tikhon:
Whevever I see the words "church growth" in a sentence (especially if it seems they should be boldened and underlined based on context as I believe yours would be), I begin to shudder, involuntarily wince and look for someplace to hide. In the way back when, I graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. Say what you want about the Baptists, but I'll tell you one thing, when you got out of the program with a M.Div. or M.Th., you knew the Bible in the original languages! Maybe nothing else, but you did know the Bible.
However, my point was I attended during the sad heyday of the church growth movement popularized by Wagner et al at the Claremont Seminary in your neck of the woods. That movement was most unfortunate as it lead directly or at least indirectly to the "growth at all costs" school of thought via popularization and "relevancy." Er, the same warmed over tripe the OCA is feeding parishes now. Relevant youth programs, blah, blah, blah. I mean no disrespect at all…far from it actually…but I was there on the Omaha Beach of the church growth movement, saw it in action, and say the dismal and unedifying failure as it unraveled in the light of experience versus naive enthusiasm.
Whatever Dr. Nassif's actual seniments may be, there really is such a thing as, shall we say, "New Testament" or perhaps Apostolic" evangelism. It is not Claremontian church growth, formulistic and over mathematical, but something I fear Orthodox are afarid to ask today and that is if a person has a relationship with the Lord. No, I can hear the tsk tsk in the background "Oh another konvert decieved by prelest, blah, blah. But the entire question of evangelism is simply doing whatever is necessary to present the claims and personhood of Jesus Christ to everyone in the world. The Liturgy and the Mysteries sustain us but there is and must be inevitably a work of the Holy Spirit that opens the eyes of the soul. Frankly, this means evangelism is most noticibly silent, I think. As Francis of Assissi said "Preach the Gospel. Everywhere. At all times. To Everyone. In every circumstance. And if absolutely necessary, use words!" Perhaps this is what Dr.Nassis is saying– and this time we will use St. Paul– A bishop must be apt to teach…..when necessary, using words if all else fails.
Thank you George Osborne for your thoughtful words. I never thought I'd hear the name Wagner and Claremont Seminary coming up in a discussion of "Church Growth" and the Orthodox Church. One thing that Wagner did suggest that perhaps we might pay a little attention to, although it would be a mistake to put too much weight on it, is that numbers do count. There are reasons people attend certain churches, Orthodox churches, and reasons they do not attend other churches. If a church is growing, there are reasons for it. If a church is not growing, then likewise there are reasons for this as well.
In the forty years since I converted to Orthodoxy I've attended a variety of Orthodox churches, depending on where I have lived (mostly, but not entrely OCA and Antiochian). Often I have driven past closer Orthodox churches to attend one that was farther away, but one that I was able to grow in, find a spiritual home in and enjoyed more. Again, there are reasons parishoners attend certain Orthodox communities and avoid others.
It is my humble thinking that suggests that we need to be more self-critical, within our own parishes, to see what we are doing that is working, that is opening the doors to those who seek Orthodoxy and Orthodox Christian truth, and what we are doing that is closing the doors to Orthodoxy. It is a joy to my heart and soul to attend certain Orthodox churches that are so alive and spirit filled, while it pains me greatly to attend a church that is slowly dying, for obvious reasons that no one cares to see.
I served with Dr. Bradley Nassif on the North American Orthodox Lutheran Ecumenical Dialogue. I found him to be a staunch defender of Orthodoxy. He has one major advantage. He knows his Bible and can quote chapter and verse back at Protestants.
PG 64 – St. Chrysostom, On the Priesthood:
Book II, 8: "For had I accepted the office, I do not say all men, but those who take pleasure in speaking evil, might have suspected and said many things concerning myself who had been elected and concerning them, the electors."
[Ὅτι καὶ μέμψεως αὐτοὺς ἀπηλλάξαμεν διὰ τῆς φυγῆσ Ταῦτα καὶ πλείονα [much/many] τούτων λέγειν εἶχον ἄν, δεξαμένων ἡμῶν τὴν ἀρχήν."]
Book III, 2: "But, as it is, the greater part of the Church does not know me even by name: so that even my refusal of the office will not be manifest to all, but only to a few, and I am not sure that all even of these know it for certain; but probably many of them either imagine that I was not elected at all, or that I was rejected after the election, being considered unsuitable, not that I avoided the office of my own accord.
[ Ὅτι οὐδὲ διὰ κενοδοξίαν ἐφύγομεν Εἰ δὲ πρὸς δόξαν ὁρῶντας τοῦτο πεποιηκέναι φασί, περιπίπτοντες ἑαυτοῖς ἐλεγχθήσονται καὶ μαχόμενοι φανερῶς· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἶδα ποίους ἂν ἑτέρους πρὸ τούτων ἐζήτησαν λόγους, εἰ τῶν τῆς κενοδοξίας ἡμᾶς ἠθέλησαν ἀπαλλάξαι ἐγκλημάτων.]
Now, as near as I can tell, our "τα ευρισκόμενα πάντα" John appears to believe he was elected; therby suggesting there is, indeed, reason to plod on – Marchons ! Marchons ! Qu'un sang impur! Abreuve nos sillons!, for the French – if further impetus is needed.
Of equal interest is what our Father John has to say as corollary to the brief essay of Dr Nassif: what is a Bishop to do if his flock is rife with anonymous gossiping, accusing, naysaying, two-faced, arrogant, and self-righteous rodents and hounds? Defend yourself as best you can in the image of St. Paul, bear up, and continue on. Justice belongs to the Lord. Can you imagine? Now there are few sweeter words to have been uttered, or more comforting divine advice to live by, no?
I always enjoy Your Grace's writings, even when I don't agree with them. It is difficult to go back in history and pick-and-choose this bishop of that bishop based on their accomplishing one aspect of what Dr. Nassif suggests (ex. St. John … a great preacher). What we tend to want today, in our bishops,<|fim_middle|> it hard for others to enter thereafter since a scarce resource is more valuable than one which is more common. But t one of our jobs as pastors is teach holiness by word and authentic example and then to train and equip those who are becoming saints for the work of ministry/service so that we ought to be intentionally developping an increasing number of men, young and old, to become acolytes, readers, subdeacons, deacons and, yes, monks bishops and women to become nuns and deaconesses to the young and other women. It ought to be a priorty that no parish have no fewer than two deacons and a priest-curate or -vicar to assist its pastor. Systemmically, this has become accepted as unimiportant however, and this is a conclusion borne out by the facts, that by far and away most parishes have a pastor only and no deacon at all.
A ready solution is to hand provided the apostolic misson of the Church be put front and center and proper priorities put in place to carry it out.
lxc
Patrick Henry Reardon says
Excellent presentation, as Dr. Nassif has already given us—over the years—ample reason to expect of him.
Prosit!
Jmical says
I have had the opportunity to engage with only two men elevated from the priesthood to the episcopacy: Archbishop Benjamin and our former Metropolitan, Jonah. I will not comment on #4 – but both are, in my estimation, very good examples of 1, 2, 3, and 5. As we all know, there has been a severe argument between them regarding #3.
Too, I remember most of Bishop Benjamin's sermons from visits to our church or to the monastery, some going back several years. They are memorable, poignant, and to the point. The priests he's worked with feel comfortable with him, enjoy his company, and he is almost always available to them. He also visits parishes often.
The main thing I remember about Bishop Jonah is how much he was always there for me, and as far as I can remember, every priest who ever asked for his help.
I simply cannot fathom the private war that went on between Benjamin and Jonah, because at one point they were very close friends, and Bishop Benjamin was a nurturing presence in Jonah's life. You have never heard that in these pages; but I was there, I saw it first hand. That's why I have been stunned, shocked by what happened.
The only reason I began posting on this site was my beloved friend seemed surrounded on all sides by wolves; too, priests that he had once concelebrated with seemed to abandon him because the shifting sands under their feet told them he was going to be persona non grata. He was alone in no-man's land and I wanted to aid him.
What a pity that the only thing to unanimously unite our synod in decades was maybe their antipathy towards their young metropolitan.
Maybe I've got this all wrong, but I have learned to trust my experience with people, and getting along with others in a professional context has been the main focus of my career. It's absolutely essential. I know how to do that, I sincerely do. Because I saw a professional culture antithetical to the nurture and support of his administrative work, I felt duty-bound to speak up.
A leader cannot lead without support. It's that simple. Delegation is the name of the game. Subordinates become your hands reaching out to the world, doing for you what you do not have the time to do, and with your blessing too.
Imagine what happens when at every turn you are not able to do that? Everything grinds to a screeching halt. Internecine warfare is the worst possible outcome for an organizational structure. Everyone engaged in such a struggle becomes an equal-opportunity loser. That's why I made comments previously about this kind of conflict being inspired by the devil, because it so destructive as it takes no prisoners. The combatants become everything they once eschewed and get stuck in the web, like the tar baby in the Uncle Remus Tales. It starts at the top.
In most cases the apple does not fall far from the tree, but in some cases it does fall far – very far – from the tree. The mystery of what "actually" happened in 2011-12 will one day work itself out. I do know that ROCOR has a home for Bishop Jonah if the OCA will ever release him.
I think the main thing – and George poignantly alluded to this in his comments concerning Laurie Paffhaussen – is that politics is people at its root. When we speak about someone we admire and want to emulate, someone we have a relationship with, we are not attracted to them because they play their cards like Machiavelli. We are attracted by their love.
I once went to a funeral at a distant church. The two bishops (above) were there, and a friend dear to both of them lay in the casket. With infinite tenderness, the then Metropolitan Jonah laid his omophorion over her face, forgave all her sins past and present, and said good bye. The spiritual grace, the completeness of it, flowed from every atom of his being. Yes – at the gateway of death – her spiritual father was there for her and now she was going home under his sail. It took place in only a few moments. It was an exceedingly beautiful thing to watch. And it wiped away everything I had had on my mind up to that time, because the incontrovertible presence of the Holy Spirit was there.
As you read through the pro and con arguments on this website regarding the truth of all the whodonits, remember that love is what first brought us to the church, and love is what brought the Son of God to you. I have a favorite passage from a Herman Hesse book upon which I often reflect when it comes to the church
"He was overwhelmed by a feeling of great love, of the most humble veneration. He bowed low, right down to the ground, in front of the man sitting their motionless, whose smile reminded him of everything that he had ever loved in his life, of everything that had been of value and holy in his life."
True contact with God brings humility, and with it, all the things we value most.
Notice from St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Washington, D.C. says
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
Please be advised that on Friday, November 30th, His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah of the OCA will give the first in a series of talks on Holy Scripture. We will gather for his talk in the new library on the upper floor of the parish hall at 7:30 pm.
The children's choir will rehearse in the church and not in the upper living room, as was first announced. We don't want their singing to interfere with the Metropolitan's talk. The rehearsal will begin at 7:30 pm.
The dance group will rehearse as usual in the main parish hall at 7:00 pm.
The Holy Kursk Root Icon will arrive on Saturday at 4:00 pm, in time for the start of the English Vigil.
In XC,
Fr. Victor
directions: http://www.stjohndc.org/Russian/info/e_title.htm
4001 17th St. Northwest, Washington, D.C., 20011
All jurisdictions of Orthodox and Orthodox enquirers welcome. Blessedly long question and answer period. Bring bible in English, Greek or Slavonic or other language of choice. The Orthodox Study Bible is useful.
Try to eat a little something before coming. Prepare by reading I Corinthians, chapter 4.
Victor Potapov
Please be advised that on Friday, November 30th, His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah of the OCA will give the first in a series of talks on Holy Scripture. We will gather for his talk in the new library on the upper floor of the parish at 7:30 pm.
preferred bible: Orthodox Study Bible or King James in English, bibles in Slavonic, Russian, Greek, and Arabic also welcome. Question and answer period. This week: I Corinthians, chapter 4.
Try to eat a little something before coming. Open to all jurisdictions Orthodox and Orthodox enquirers.
Fr. Victor, I cannot express the depth of my thankfulness to both you and that of all ROCOR for your welcoming embrace of Met. Jonah in these dark days. There is much more I would like to say beyond this, but am unable to properly frame it with mere words. May our God and Savior bountifully bless you and ROCOR for your ongoing Christ-like witness.
Notice from St John says
Dear Heracleides,
Father Viktor's email is vpotapov@me.com
You can email him with your good feelings.
Photius says
What kind of an idiot recommends the KJV.
Nikos says
Well, +Archbishop Dmitri, of thrice-blessed memory recommended the KJV. So I guess you think he was an idiot. You Photius should apologize.
Most people who actually study the Holy Scriptures will have several different versions of the Bible at their disposal, including, if one is fortunate enough, also in different languages. If one only has the English language to rely on for their study, then several different translations are essential, of which the KJV is one.
No English translation of the Bible is perfect, thus the more at your disposal the better, and for liturgical purposes, the KJV offers a level of presentation that can be uplifting to the heart of the listener.
But then again, maybe you prefer the Good News Bible with those nifty line-drawings.
I loved the Archbishop, and of course knew of his love for it, and of course we all know about his very nice liturgy book. No man is perfect, and His Eminence had many flaws, some not yet exposed thank God. Just because a beloved Hierarch promoted and approved of its usage does not make him right. Generally speaking we are piss poor on biblical scholars in the Orthodox Church here in America, and no priest in the OCA can possibly be called on to rule on scripture translation, they are not qualified. There are many excellent translations out there and most are flawed, but the popular KJV is not among them. You don't have to assume that all non KJ users automatically default to the Burlap Bag Chrome Plated Hot Rod Push-up Bra Victoria Secret Bible, but it does seem that in the Orthodox Church in the US, increasingly an odd element does clings to the KJV like Dogma in a boiling pot of heresy.This element is usually far of the mark of a (+)Dmitri Royster, for whom there is deserved respect and love.
So, com'on brothers and sisters, burn that KJV today!
Photius, Invective is not a convincing argument. You can do better.
Seraphim98 says
When we have a better translation that is liturgically sound, accurate, and can match or better the music and majesty of the language of the KJV, maybe. Until then…no way. The KJV sounds like church the way incense smells like church, and icons and domes look like church.
Jesse Cone says
Photius kindly asks,
Archbishop Dmitri of blessed memory.
During the bible study, often the Greek New Testament and various of our Holy Fathers are used to be illustrative of the text. Most people bring the Orthodox Study Bible but some people in the group have specialist knowledge of various texts and translations and bring that with them for the discussions. The Metropolitan has suggested reading the passages three times, praying before reading, and coming with questions or comments after that to the bible study. There are also children there sometimes asking very wonderful questions. And monks.
I was just mentioning what some people bring. The Metropolitan's suggestion was the Orthodox Study Bible.
Someone who comprehends the natural lyricism of English.
Oh please, that old tired excuse. What percentage of your parish is that? You are not doing your people any favors Father.
Mikaela says
The Orthodox Study Bible uses the NKJV as its' text for the New Testament.
It does because the NKJV is based on the text used by the Greek Orthodox Church. The Old Testament is a translation from the Septuagint used by the Orthodox Church rather than the Masoretic Hebrew text used by the Protestants. The Septuagint is actually several hundred years older than the Masoretic text.
JamesP says
Idiot? Tsk, tsk. OCA DOS, OCA DOW, and ROCOR among others recommend KJV.
See, I told you!
Uggh says
One that can read English
Sasha says
What kind of an idiot recommends the KJV?
An "idiot" akin to our beloved Archbishop Dmitri (Royster) the first and former Bishop of Dallas and the South.
Now go find some lye soap and wash out your mouth.
Despite its outdated language, the King James Version is based on the Greek version of the New Testament used by the Greek Orthodox Church. What must be avoided is something like the New Revised Version, which is not an exact translation, but has been modified to change the language to so called "inclusive language."
Archpeiest John Morris says (November 30, 2012 at 8:15 pm):
Like most people who take this tack, Fr John Morris is mistaken here.
The fact is that the four-hundred-year-old language of the KJV ('Authorised Version') is inappropriately EXCLUSIVE in its usage, where 'men' is identified not only with the semantic field of 'male human beings' but of 'people' as well. This results in great distortions of meaning in addition to the KJV's other errors of translation.
Diction, no. Nobody can seriously challenge the sonority of the KJV. It's just the translation which is often bad. There are many examples of this, in bothe the Old Testament and the New, and it doesn't matter that the KJV's translators had Constantinople's standard text at hand. They still blew it in several important locations. Reading the translators' letter to their readers tells us just how inferior they considered our greek text to be. They were wrong.
Errors of this sort, informed by earlier errors in translation, have found their way into our english-language service books.
Just as one egregious example (there are many others) of the problem, I adduce kai pantOn kai pasOn at the end of the Anaphora of the Divine Liturgy.
The first word here is of grammatically masculine gender, the last of feminine gender. The phrase means 'all men and women', unistakeably exclusive language.
The church-slavonic translation misses this, as does every single one of the translations of the DL into English, including the greek team at Holy Cross seminary, Archimandrite Ephem Lash, Bp Basil Essey, and the OCA.
When I pointed this out in a conversation among theologians, I was accused of being 'politically correct'. You'd have to know me better, I suppose, to appreciate the absurdity of the charge.
Since we need accurately rendered liturgical texts, we must prioritize efforts to produce accurately rendered scriptural texts, since we pretty basically sing the Bible in church.
And altogether, I consider the NRSV (especially in the New Testament) a very respectable effort at representing the Bible in English. But then, I know the difference between appropriate and inappropriate 'inclusive language' and I make the necessary adjustments as I study the text with several versions in English and the original languages at hand.
It would be good if everyone could do that before expressing an opinion on the subject.
Monk James, "man" traditionally subsumes both sexes just like "cow" does for cattle and "geese" does for those birds. I don't pretend to be the linguist that you are (and I am mightily impressed by your erudition so I'm treading on thin ice here) but the Greek word "anthropos" is not indicative of the male sex but it is masculine in gender: ho aner (the man), he gynai (the woman), ho anthropos (the human), not to anthropos (neuter). The English of the KJV was not as sophisticated as Attic Greek to be sure but it is still correct in its own context IMHO.
George Michalopulos says (December 1, 2012 at 9:18 pm):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George Michalopulos is very confused here, so it's good that he kindly offers only a humble opinion.
With a capital M, 'Man' is inclusive as a species; 'men' is inevitably of masculine gender now, and hasn't meant 'people' for a good long time. 'Cow' is inevitably feminine, 'bull' is inevitably masculine while 'cattle' and 'kine' are inclusive, or of both grammatical genders.
In English grammar we have only natural gender: creatures of the female sex are of feminine gender, and those of the male sex are of masculine gender. This includes not only human beings and animals, but also plants which depend on sexual reproduction.
Then we ackowledge that there are four grammatical genders in English: masculine, feminine, neither, and both. This last gender is also known as inclusive, and it was just as operational in the 17th century as it is now, although a little more consistently now that we have a much higher rate of literacy in the anglosphere.
In rare and unusual pockets of dialect, English retains 'man' with the meaning of 'person'. Fr Ephrem Lash in England recounts his observing someone shouting at a woman to get out of the way of an oncoming truck: 'Step back, man!' In North America, this would be perceived as very strange.
In the same way, if the KJV (like Shakespeare sometimes) needs footnotes and translations/explanations on every other page, it would seem to have lost its place as the preferred vehicle of the scriptures in English, no matter the cachet it once enjoyed when it more closely resembled the patterns of the spoken word.
I may be wrong, but I believe that at the time it was published the OCA forbade the use of the NRSV because of its inclusive language. We have allowed a few feminists, especially women English professors in the Modern Language Association, to take control of our language and make it mean something that it never really meant. When we speak of mankind, we include all humans, not just those of the male sex. In the creed "for us men and our salvation…." was never understood to exclude women, but was a generic term used for mankind. It is a feminist myth that the use of generic terms like men and mankind were used to oppress women.
Antonia says
"Men" has two meanings. One refers specifically to males, the other refers to human beings of both genders. "Mankind" does not refer solely to males, but to all human beings. I do not know where Monk James was raised; however, it may have been in some rare and unusual pocket of dialect.
I relate only an impression, but it seems to me that man-eating sharks also have not yet gotten the message.
Where I'm from it's not that rare at all….and the he/she silliness just puckers a face up like a big bite of fresh quince.
Ladder of Divine Ascent says
"In rare and unusual pockets of dialect, English retains 'man' with the meaning of 'person' "
Monk James, only in rare and unusual pockets does anyone think that this has changed. My daughter's neighborhood girlfriends use "guys" to describe what their group of friends are doing, even when the group is entirely female, "Lets go guys!," etc. Meanwhile, all the classic works of English are still around with the original and correct meanings, while the mass influence of "his/her" and other politically correct butchering of the language is mostly confined to English 101 classes. In popular culture almost everyone has read Tolkien, and/or seen the movies based off his works, and/or the computer games based off them like LOTRO (a MMO, a "Massive Multi-player Online") which has hundreds of thousands of players per server. Only once in my over two years of playing LOTRO has a "newbie" player ever being briefly confused by all humans, male or female, being labeled "man" in the game, something like "Was that a man or hobbit burglar" (the only two races that can be burglars, and information useful for tracking them in order for monster players to kill them) and the response was "No it was a woman."
To this moment I grieve the loss of Fr. John Meyendorff, my confessor, counselor, and confidant, who told me of his desire to one day conclude his life in the mission of translating the writings of the Patristic Fathers not available to us in English. Obviously his sudden death was a tremendous loss on many levels, but the loss of his abilities and scholarly contribution to the body of Patristical literature is notable. May his memory be eternal.
Thus, I have no appreciation for this frivolous, pointless waste of energy as to what someone may "adduce" regarding translation. Is there theology at stake in the matter of kαὶ πάντων καὶ πασῶν? Aristotle used the specific phrase in his Politics: «μάλιστα δὲ καὶ τοῦ κυριωτάτου πάντων ἡ πασῶν κυριωτάτη», referring to "the inclusion of all others."; Plato's Law (626e) used the two words interchangeably to describe the best "of all" and the most shameful "of all"; and PG 20, the 12th Command of the Shepherd of Hermas includes the phrase, "πάντων καὶ πασῶν τῶν ἐτολῶν τούτων κατακυριεῦσαι" meaning, "every one of these commandments," meaning all-inclusive. Did anyone need to know all this to get the point of "And all mankind?" Egregious? You waste my time.
As near as I can tell, there is one scholarly translator in this place, and that is Mr. Papoutsis, who quietly goes about his business, occasionally informing as to his progress and providing some very helpful, very satisfying commentary as to the state of the current field of translation, scriptural & liturgical. I tip my hat to him and am grateful for both his work and his commentary. It would seem considerably more reasonable and prudent to me to encourage true scholarship, rather than being scolded by someone playing bible word trivia. "ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρός ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν." (Matt. 6:21)
Peter A. Papoutsis says
Thank you for the kind word Michael. Usually I get the opposite. Although personally I am in the shadow of greater men then me when it comes to translation, and personally identify with Ronald Knox in regards to the grief that poor man received while he was translating the scriptures. I am no Knox, no Tyndale, nor a Fr. Pat who's pastoral reflections give me such an insight to the scriptures that I feel wholy inadequate to read and understand them let alone translate them.
However, you reminded me of something very significant that just occured in the field of Greek New testament textual studies. in September of this year the NA 28th Edition of the Greek New Testament came out and will be available for purchase here in America after Dec. 15 via Amazon. In this current edition of the Greek New Testament new NT papri were discovered in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East that has caused a great upheval in the Catholic (Universal) Letters of the New Testement. For example in Jude 5 it used to read:
"Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, how that he, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not."
This the textual scholars told us was the original reading of the text. Well, NOT SO anymore. the new reading that the Nestle-Alan Greek New Testament institute is saying is the original reading is:
Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, how that Jesus, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Did you catch it? the NA28th Edition of the Greek New Testament is stating that it was JESUS that saved the Children of Israel from the Land of Egypt and afterwards destroyed them. If the original reading is JESUS and it was JESUS that led the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt what is Jude 5 saying about JESUS? That Jesus was, is and always has been GOD! This is an amazing admission coming NOT from any Christian confession, but from pure textual critics. This is incredible to say the least. That a canonical book/letter of the New Testament Equates Jesus with God in regards to Jesus' Divinity and that this was the original reading of this epistle. WOW is an understatement.
Take that Bart.
I recently was told of this New and Modern English Translation of the Septuagint from my friend and fellow translator Michael Asser. Here is the link:http://www.kevinmayhew.com/christian-books/the-bible/the-old-testament-volume-1-the-pentateuch-hardback.html
I have yet to inspect the text, but will be odering the several English Translation Volumes of the Septuagint for review and will let you know what I find, but for now I do urge all English-Speaking Orthodox Christians to support all efforts to translate our Old Testament into English. Its been far to long and it seems that the floodgates are finally giving. Praise be to God.
Peter A. papoutsis
To Monk James.
As everyone knows any English translation is only a translation. We all know that we must turn to the original Greek text when interpreting the Bible. I do disagree with you on one point, until very recently men or mankind was generic and did not exclude women. It is only the demands of the feminists who dominate the English department of most of our universities and the Modern Language Association who have made an issue where there really is no issue. To me humankind and all the efforts at so called inclusive language do violence to the English language and are are artificial. When the choir sings "And of all mankind." at the end of the Anaphora it was never meant to exclude the female sex.
There are some legitimate linguistic concerns with some of our translations. Our liturgical texts come from male monasteries. Thus we pray for our fathers and brothers, which I am sure originally meant the fathers and brothers of the monastery, not our biological fathers and brothers as it would in a parish. It should read "our fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters'" in a parish non-monastic setting. We have the same sort of problem with memorial services for the Saturdays of the Souls. Thus, I would not object to tweaking some of our texts to make them more gender inclusive.
Agreed. New solutions are needed.
V.Rev.Andrei Alexiev says
If we wish to be gender inclusive,perhaps we could adopt Hungarian or its distant cousin,Finnish?Not only,does neither language have a masculine or feminine gender,but there is one pronoun for "he","she,"or "it"; o" in Hungarian,"han",in Finnish.The same holds true for all the Uralic languages.I admit to having dabbled in the above two languages,but sad to say,not very successfully,same with the New Testament Greek I studied at st.Tikhon's or the Modern Greek I studied in Houston.
Father Victor!
Please give Metropolitan Jonah my warmest regards! We miss him at St Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas.
And please remember my parents, Anatole and Maria Slepuchow in your prayers.
Fr John Hennies says
So His Grace the irascible Bp Tikhon has spoken again, putting us all in our place with his implacable correctness. His caustic gracelessness entirely misses the point of the fine piece of writing he criticizes.
I thought that LoveBT had flown the coop. So, your ba ack????
The daft bishop never left – he just retired to the attic for a short period.
My first good laugh of the day, thank you Heracleides! ROFLOL.
Hey, "Photius!" Why do you refer to me as LoveBT?
Can't answer any of the questions i asked about that rather problematic bit of writing, eh, Reverend Hennies? I didn't find Nassif's essay to be a fine piece of writing at all, but, then, i read a LOT.
Fr. Philip says
The OCA's Archdiocese of Canada covers the entire country, a landmass larger than the continental U.S.; in terms of square miles (sorry, still don't do metric), it's the largest diocese in the world, yet has only one non-retired Bishop. The EP has two Bishops (both over 70) to cover the same territory; the Serbs, one; the Ukrainians, three ruling Bishops and (I believe) two vicar Bishops; the Bulgarians, none resident in Canada; the Antiochians, one; ROCOR, one; the MP, one vicar Bishop. Including the UOCC vicar Bishops, that's 11 resident in Canada. Yet each jurisdiction has to spend God-alone-knoweth how many thousands of dollars each year for episcopal travel and baggage fees for the episcopal regalia, and each Bishop has to spend God-alone-knoweth how many hundreds of hours per year in flight time, just getting to and from the airport, and (what with security measures) just sitting around in the airport. We are spending a huge amount of money which would be more properly spent on real witness and mission work at the parish and diocesan level, and killing our hierarchs with schedules no human should have to meet. Why?
Because we collecively refuse to take seriously the administrative unity mandated by the Sacred Canons, starting with Apostolic Canon 34, and the fundamental unity mandated by the Lord Himself in John 17:20ff. In my cranky opinion, it's long past time for the people paying the bills to not only pray for the proper canonical order of the Church in North America but to start demanding it of their hierarchs. Why should we continue pouring hard-earned money into any diocesan moneypit if it's going to be wasted so needlessly? In Canada, right now we have enough Bishops to have at least one in each Province; in the U.S. there are even more Bishops.
So had we but the will to be obedient, we could fairly quickly (within five years) re-align ourselves into one administrative body, and re-align diocesan structures, so as to enable more effective witness and mission, more frequent episcopal oversight of parishes and clergy, and far better stewardship of resources. Instead, however, we quibble over the definition of "barbarian lands."
There are days when I utterly despair. The rest of the time I have to laugh to keep myself from going postal.
Fr. Philip
Fr Philip,
Bless!
Isn't it high time for the Archdiocese of Canada to unite with Canadian Orthodox Churches and leave the OCA? There is no pension for your clergy to worry about, you have government health care already, you can't send money over the border to the USA, etc. Talk about sending the right message, the OCA Archdiocese of Canada could be a model for unity in Orthodox Canada by joining with the MP and eliminating at least one redundant jurisdiction.
Joseph I. says
Yes, it's amazing how much time is spent doing homage to the idols of ethnicity and nostalgia. You cannot serve God and idols.
My Gosh Father! You make perfect sense! Change your name and move, you could be defrocked for practical sanity.
God bless ya!
Reader John says
"If Jesus were alive today"????? He is!
Greggo says
"Mission Statement?" Let's get rid of the 1980s buzz words. The New Testament spells out the mission statement. "Blameless bishop?" Only one man was/is blameless. He never made Himself bishop. Chances are pretty good that Orthodox and Oriental jurisdictions will just have to settle for human beings to serve in the office of overseer.
"Blameless" is one of Paul's criteria. It doesn't mean perfect, only that the candidate in question can't be blamed for X, Y, or Z.
pelagiaeast says
I caught the video of our new Metropolitan. Metropolitan Status Quo. No agenda, no vision except….
sigh. Not expecting any waves from this one.
Lord, have mercy.
Greggo asks, "Blameless bishop?"
Yes, blameless.
Whatever it means, "blameless"is the right word—see First Timothy 3:2, where it is listed as the first qualification.
In our current OCA context, I've often reflected on whether or not "blameless" means "pure" or "hasn't been caught yet!"
jckstraw72 says
i didnt read this article, but i find it hard to have much respect for Bradly Nassif, the Greek Orthodox "theologian," after i saw him, in a newscast, call for bishops to "do their job" and excommunicate Elder Ephraim and his monasteries if they didn't divulge where they got every single penny for building their monasteries. what a load of phooey.
jckstraw72,
This weird antagonism for traditional monasticism, or traditional anything, is the hallmark of modernism which is the terminal disease of American Orthodoxy. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that Elder Ephraim's got committed spiritual children who don't mind that he doesn't do a podcast on AFR?
Notice how the saintly Athonite never responds to his critics, just like His Lord. Meanwhile, he's the spiritual father for half of Mt. Athos, a disciple of Elder Joseph the Hesychast, and truly, truly a just man. I just don't think one Elder Ephraim is enough to silence all the modernistic remaking of Orthodoxy into Eastern Anglicanism. God gave him to us poor Orthodox who are fed up with the wind-baggy academic conferences with boomer prematurely-ordained converts with the holy chrism still dripping off their ears.
Sure, we've got Fr. Josiah in Riverside, monks in Platina, monks in West Virginia, some very good Greek priests from the homeland, and ROCOR, but as far as air-time and English publications, the modernists continue their advance in America, which frankly sees through them and isn't convinced to look further when our priests dress like Lutheran pastors. We don't need an academic conference, we need to hear about how Christ will save us from our sins. Learning the traditional teaching about the holy commandments of God might help, too.
Isaac,
I have to agree with you. I had the opportunity to meet the elder 12 years ago in Chandler, AZ. My roommate there translated for us. His wife had previously been healed of cancer through Elder Ephraim's prayers.
When the elder and Fr. Paisios spoke to my wife, they already knew at a glance the most intimate details of our lives; and as he said to me at the time (3:00 AM in the morning) "Wherever I am, Paisios is; wherever Paisios is, I am".
I had heard about Elder Eprhaim 10 years earlier from a nearby parishioner visiting St. Tikhon's in Pennsylvania. When someone can read your soul in such a manner, it is a God-given grace, a highly valuable and unforgettable experience. An elder is not someone who gives "good advice". It's something much much more than that.
I read recently about the deposition of a Greek Archbishop in 2000 – Spyridon – who now lives in Lisbon. The circumstances sounded eerily like the deposition of Metropolitan Jonah in 2012, and somewhat like what happened in Ben Loman to the church there in the 1990s; and to what happened recently in Manton, CA. These were once thriving, happy communities.
You hear the same kind of stuff about Elder Ephraim.
The truth? Dark forces intercede in the affairs of men. Bishops and clerics with little mind-control (and maybe a high opinion of themselves) become hypnotized and hyper-focused on the faults of a colleague. Their group-mind is irresistibly led to remember every little detail of fault and miscue – every dislike and unsuccessful interaction with the protaganist – and this fantasy of resentment is gathered into a cloud. It hovers like a swarm of stinging-bees around the bishop or metropolitan being attacked. It wounds the wounders too, as well as the wounded. It's a terrible thing to become complicit in the spiritual torment or death of a soul.
If you read through the reports and listen carefully, you'll hear, "He didn't do this. He didn't do that. He let us down here. He let us down there". Ad infinitum. That's why none of this stuff has ever held up in a court of law. It's all believable, but only real if you want it to be so, not because it's actually so.
Holy men used to attack holy men. How ingenious. Who would have thought? Deeply disturbing. I just wonder how they'll feel when they realize they've been had. We should all know better than to participate in such tragedy. As someone said elsewhere on this thread, humility and self-justification don't mix.
I think that's why the ancients said that if you wanted a battle royal, just commit yourself to your cell. Look no further than the door. Archbishop John of Shanghai & San Francisco alluded to this struggle when he was asked what was "behind" the attacks that dragged him into a San Francisco court room.
I love traditional Orthodox monasticism (well, let's say I'm extremely spiritually edified by it–my flesh doesn't love it, that's for sure). The most treasured books in my library apart from my Bible and prayer books are those that recount the lives and wisdom of our holy Elders/Eldresses or people's real-life contemporary encounters with them.
That said, there are some very disturbing accounts I have read that have the ring of truth to them according to analogous experiences I have had in other contexts (unfortunately), not about Elder Ephraim himself, but around the attitudes and behavior of a few of his spiritual children (including one of his Abbesses).
This is what I take away from all that. For all their gifts and holiness, our Elders are not God, and we ought not to confuse them (even in their clairvoyance) with God! They will be the first to tell you that they are fully capable of sin and error–indeed, they understand themselves as the greatest of sinners. What you say about the powers of darkness working hardest where the Light is strongest is certainly true, therefore, we ought not assume because Elder Ephraim is a holy man, that he or especially one of his spiritual children could never make a mistake–and one that the evil one is likely to work especially hard to exploit with very destructive consequences.
Finally, I would like to ask you and Isaac to also consider this account:
http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2012/03/controversial-end-time-prophecies-by.html
and this astute observation and good advice from Elder Paisios:
http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2012/10/elder-paisios-christian-must-not-be.html
May God have mercy on all of us. Forgive me, a sinner!
Gee, Isaiah, you seem a bit angry here. Tell us more how you actually feel, please!
Is the modern world with hot and cold running water, flush toilets, granite counters et all, going to hell in a hand basket? Please let us know so we can recapitulate the Holy Mountain. I've been to St. Anthony's and they seem to have had modern conveniences all over the place.
Jim, contemporary life isn't the problem, and being "non-Athonite" isn't either. It's the cold intellectualism of unbelief that comes to infect and then kill living, spiritual Orthodoxy, where the Faith becomes little more than a Greek or Galician, or an American, Country Club.
Modernism sees the Church as a merely human institution that must be changed, particularly by shortening services, concocting new services, never talking about hell or judgment, doing away with fasting and ascetical disciplines, throwing doubt on the lives of the saints, poo-pooing piety, encouraging laxity and lack of seriousness. Modernism is all about this world, comfort here, achievements here. It is a forgetting of eternity and comes from despair. It is ready to compromise Orthodoxy with foreign religions because it fails to comprehend the heights of our Faith and the utter lowliness and pale shadows that heterodox Christianity possesses. Modernism, despite its protests, is vehemently clericalist– if you do not have a doctorate or some high-level ordination, you can't be taken seriously. They have forgotten that it is the very people of God who are charged with the keeping of the true faith (see the Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs from 1848). Modernists tend to dislike reading the saints, but own all the works of Fr. A Schmemann and certain other living contemporary writers.
Forgive me– I am naturally a judgmental person and its something from which I need God to save me. I know American Orthodoxy is stronger than modernism and will survive it, by God's grace. I did not intend my last post to sound like I hate people in American Orthodoxy.
Jmical laments, "our priests dress like Lutheran pastors."
Not all of them, surely.
Some of them dress exactly like Iranaian Ayatollahs.
Patrick, you have the wrong person for comments on Lutheran clergy dress attire. See Isaac Crabtree.
Ah, thank you.
Senility is so embarrassing.
I like this joke, Fr. Patrick. One recent Greek elder has called the rassa (not sure whether he means inner or outer) "the flag of the Church of Christ."
We met years ago at a conference in St. Louis, and while your talk was good, I noticed something later in your books: you tend to call post-schism Roman Catholic saints with that honorific– "Saint So-and So" and you even call "Bonaventura," biographer of Francis of Assisi, the "Seraphic Doctor." I know you're Orthodox, Father, I know that. Do you really believe that these people should be called by the same title as the saints of the Church? I know you write for a broad audience, but I just wonder if perhaps that could confuse people into thinking that Orthodoxy was compatible with Roman Catholicism?
Isaac Crabtree comments, "I noticed something later in your books: you tend to call post-schism Roman Catholic saints with that honorific– 'Saint So-and So' and you even call 'Bonaventura,' biographer of Francis of Assisi, the 'Seraphic Doctor.'"
This is common practice in secular historical works, encyclopedias, etc.
It is encouraging to learn that someone reads my books.
Thanks for your response, Father.
For some reason messages are not being threaded like they used to be on this site.
This is in response to the comment that some Orthodox priests look like Lutheran clergy.
I do not know of any Orthodox clergy who wear dresses. The trend in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and all other Protestant sects that have gone for women's ordination is that fewer and fewer men are going into their ministries. Very soon the vast majority of mainline Protestant clergy will be women ministering to congregations which are mostly women. Men are being driven out of mainline American Protestantism because they cannot stomach the feminist theology being preached by many women clergy. That alone is reason enough to oppose women's ordination.
No, none of our clergy dress exactly as do Iranian Ayatollahs or any other Ayatollahs , Father Patrick, no, not one. Their outer robe, for example, is open from top to bottom with no closure near the neck at all and is frequently of a sheer grey color. The Orthodox Riassa or Rason is actually a variation on the classical philosopher's robe.
Most Americans do not know that. In the part of the country in which I live people would not know the difference between what a Irianian cleric wears and what an Orthodox priest wears.
I believe that you have made an historical mistake. The Rasso, or Jibby, as we call it comes from the judges robe in the Ottoman Empire, because under the Turks Orthodox clergy had a judicial function within their communities. That is one way that the Melkite Uniates gained followers. They were not as strict as Orthodox officials when enforcing Ottoman law. At one point an Orthodox Bishop could sentence someone to be a galley slave. The Uniates also gained a following because their fasting rules during Great Lent were not as strict as the Orthodox rules. .
You mean that Father Patrick thought our rason was identical to the outer robe of an Ayatollah because he's an American?
And now you claim that the Ottoman judges also wore a robe derived from the classical black philosopher' robe? But the Turks must have invented something. Any ideas? And where was my "historical' mistake, by the way?
Just what do you mean by modernism? What doctrine or dogmatic decision of the Ecumenical Councils or writings of the Holy Fathers does any person in a responsible position in the Orthodox Church in any jurisdiction reject? I am tired of being called a modernist because I wear a clerical shirt when I go to the grocery store. I believe and teach every doctrine of the Orthodox Church without exception. I totally agree that if any Bishop or Priest denies any teaching of the Orthodox Church they should be given the opportunity to repent of their heresy and if they refuse they should be deposed immediately.
I just wrote this above, so forgive me quoting myself, Father. Here's what I think modernism is:
As you define it, I totally agree with your rejection of modernism. However, I do not know anyone who is doing what you describe as modernism. The Church is not a human institution. The Church certainly must not change to conform to modern secular society. The Church is the Body of Christ. and is led by the Holy Spirit. However, you cannot ignore history. There has been development throughout the history of the Church. At one point a Bishop wearing a Saccos and Crown was an innovation. At one point the iconostasis was an innovation. For the first 300 years the Church did not use incense because it was associated with pagan worship, but no one today could even think of an Orthodox Divine Liturgy without incense. Even the fasting times developed over time. The celebration of the Nativity of Christ was not introduced until the time of St. John Chrysostom. The procession with the Cross after the fifth Gospel during the Service of the Passion Gospels is a 19 th century development, yet I cannot think of Holy Week without it, although I understand that this procession is not a part of the Russian tradition. I may be wrong, but I believe that in the Russian tradition the priest does not throw bay leaves around the Temple following the Epistle during the Liturgy on Holy Saturday. Originally the Divine Liturgy began with the Little Entrance, which was the actual entrance into the temple. The people waited in the Narthex until the Bishop arrived and then entered and began the Liturgy. The Antiphons were a later development. The Great Litany was chanted after the Gospel, not at the beginning of the Liturgy as we do it today. Therefore, one must be intellectually honest and recognize that the Holy Spirit has led the Church to make minor changes in how we live the unchangeable Holy Tradition of the Church. However, we do not make radical changes or change for the sake of change. Some of the things that we do no longer have the original meaning. A couple of years ago Holy Trinity Press published a a book on the Divine Liturgy. The author stated that the reason why we hold the veils and Aer over the incense is to drive the bugs away from them. It is well known that the reason we wave the Aer over the gifts during the Creed is also to keep the bugs away. I do not have a problem with bugs, but I still hold the veils and Aer over the incense and wave the Aer over the gifts during the Creed for the simple reason that that is what we do. On theory is that we began to put zeon in the chalice because it was cold in the mountains of Cappadocia and the wine was freezing. We have a furnace in my Church and the wine will not freeze, but I still put the zeon in the chalice, again because that is what we do in the Orthodox Church. All our liturgical texts evolved over time. The Triodion, Pentecostarion and Menaion were not used during the first centuries of the Church. What does not change is the dogma of the Church, but even with dogma the Church found it necessary to clearly define its dogma at the Ecumenical Councils. There is no room for change or modernization in the Orthodox Church, but there has been evolution and enrichment. There is also room for local traditions to differ from one country to another without violating the Holy Tradition of the Church. We certainly do not need a Vatican II bastardization of our services.
I just +1'd your response, Fr. John. Organic development, and even unfortunate turns, are part and parcel for Church history. Have you ever heard about how the Russian Church used to have different choirs chant different Psalms *simultaneously* during the all-night vigil (until the Ecumenical Patriarch corrected this abuse)? In my own limited knowledge this organic development and pastoral changes based upon differing circumstances includes many, many, many more examples that mainly touch upon the outward life of Christians– the monastic tonsure, the "tongs" for lay communion, penitential canons, fasting disciplines, musical settings. Amen to all of your post, and I hope you don't think I'm arguing that we go back to the 1st Century, or even to the 19th Century, in terms of those practices the Church's conscience has thought best to change.
I have heard about the aer thing, although I would just mention as far as those "practical" origins, that's hardly the whole story. The Church isn't dumb– it retained those practices because they conveyed something spiritual, something eternal, as I'm sure you would agree. You no longer necessarily need to keep flies out of the chalice (although I've heard of occasional ones having to be consumed by deacons over the years), but you do it now for the spiritual realities it symbolizes. As when you pour in the zeon and say something like "the warmth of zeal, full of the Holy Spirit."
Modernism takes this same information, however, and concludes differently than you do. Modernism believes in change for the sake of change. I know, for instance, of a priest in a big cathedral who does not do many of the inaudible prayers– AT ALL. It's not that he does them out loud, or absolutely silently… He doesn't do them. That's modernism.
I know of priests who think that laity can come to Holy Communion without any kind of serious preparation or a relatively recent confession. That's modernism. Bishop Thomas of the Antiochians had a very good sermon on that subject in WV.
A priest at one of the parishes I attended told us that the recently departed wouldn't want us to pray for them. Yikes. I don't know what that is.
Not believing in the traditional understanding of the departure of the soul and the intermediate state wherein it awaits resurrection and judgment, the necessity of prayers and commemorations for its repose, the fearful encounter with angels and demons mentioned by the hymns– this appears to be rampant in the U.S.– is probably a form of modernism.
Modernism is this-worldly and doesn't call us to anything higher. Modernism is what took over the ECUSA, where now many of those left within are people who like the aesthetics of the services, or who put those first beyond any of the moral or dogmatic compromises of their hierarchy.
You and I are in basic agreement. I agree with every point that you have made. If those sort of things are being done, the Bishop needs to step in and stop them. I actually have no idea how long it takes me to serve the Divine Liturgy, because once I begin the Liturgy, I tune everything out including time. I once had to take over for my bishop who got sick and was literally on the floor of the altar. That was quite an experience, to be praying the Anaphora and see the bishop on the floor. But nothing is more important than the Divine Liturgy. I say all the prayers. Some of them are meant to be said in a low voice, but they are there to be said. I do not think that reading them silently or scanning them quickly is really praying them. I was taught that the people in the Altar should be able to hear the priest pray the prayers. You cannot serve the Orthodox Divine Liturgy if you do not pray the prayers. Of course it is easier when you have a deacon. It is always difficult to come in from the Great Entrance, put the gifts on the Holy Table cense and have to begin the Ektenia of the Prothesis and try to find a place to say the Prayer of the Prothesis. It is also difficult to find a place for the Prayer before the "Our Father…" if one has to chant the Litany before it. The Liturgy of St. Basil is also difficult to do without a deacon.I usually begin the Anaphora in a low voice and then when the choir has finished singing, I raise my voice and complete the prayer. I preach about Confession and proper preparation for Holy Communion. I cannot imagine any Orthodox Priest telling people that the departed do not need our prayers. Of course we pray for the departed. We only do Memorial Services for Orthodox, but we do them on the 40th day and yearly anniversary and have general Memorial Services on the Saturdays of the Souls.
I would not compare us to the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church is and always has been Protestant. It lacks the grace that is present in the Orthodox Church. I firmly believe that God will not allow the Holy Orthodox Church to fall victim to rampant heresy.
Actually, I did go through a time when I had to wave the aer to keep small flies away. For about a month there were dozens of small flies flying around the Altar. We finally found that someone had left a pan of kibbie ( a sort of Lebanese meat loaf) in an oven in a stove we only use once a year for our annual Lebanese dinner for a year. Once we cleaned that up the flies went away.
Please be assured that despite my clerical shirts, pews and Evening Diving Liturgies, I would be the first person to physically fight any effort to "modernize" the Liturgy or other services of the Orthodox Church or to compromise our doctrine. To quote Metropolitan Philip, "I am dogmatic about the dogma of the Church."
This is how I understand and serve in it-
"The celebration of the Lord's Supper is always an 'eschatological' event in which the eschaton, the Age to Come, breaks in upon this present age: and so, although occurring in time, it transports the participants to a point altogether outside of time–to the 'heavenly places' where there is no past, present, or future, but only the eternal Now.'
(From The Festal Menaion, STS Press, 1998, pg. 40.)
One final note. No, I do not believe that the Church is dumb, but I even if I do not understand why we do everything, I do what is in the service book. One example suffices to show what I mean. Normally during Daily Vespers we move the Ektenia after "Gladsome Light" to the end of the service. I have yet to read any explanation why the Church made that change, but the Church knows more than I do, so I follow the service book. My belief is that we must do what the Church does even if we do not know exactly why we do it. The Divine Liturgy is an ascent to Heaven and is beyond our comprehension. It is a mystical experience of God, not something that we can or should try to explain rationally
The following has been posted on the Antiochian web site:
It is with great sadness that we report that His Beatitude Ignatius IV (1920-2012), Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, fell asleep in the Lord today, December 5th, 2012, at St. George Orthodox Hospital in Beirut Lebanon, after having suffered a stroke earlier this week. There are no details yet available regarding services or the funeral, but these will be announced as soon as they are known.
It is with great saddness that we hear and receive this news that His Beatitude Ignatius IV has fallen asleep in the Lord. His service to the Church was immense and from what I know, from the few Lebanese friends that I have here in Chicago, was truly a saintly hierarch and man of God. May his memory be eternal and may God receive him and place him in a place of light and refreshment where God's eternal glory delights all.
I shall pray for his Beatitude tonight in my prayers, and that a worthy successor be found to lead the Antiochene Orthodox Church after him. Yet, there was only Beatitude Ignatius IV and he will be missed. Glory to God and to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the repose of his soul.
Please remember the faithful Orthodox Christians of Damascus as they gather next week for the funeral and burial of His Beatitude. As everyone knows, the fighting between the opponents of Assad and his supporters has made Syria a very dangerous place. At least two of our priests have been martyred. The insurgents are infiltrated by radical Muslims who went door to door in Homs telling the Christians to leave. The insurgents have fired upon Assad's forces from Christian neighborhoods so that Assad's people will shell the homes of Christians. Our fellow Orthodox Christians in Syria are in great danger of being forced to live under Sharia law and Islamic persecution. Please pray that our people will be safe during the Memorial Services for our Patriarch and for the Holy Synod of Antioch which will soon meet to chose a new successor to the throne of Sts. Peter and Paul the founders of the Church of Antioch.
I have heard that His Beatitude's services in Beirut were very well attended. Even the Ecumenical Patriarch came and presided along with representatives of all the autocephalous Orthodox Churches. Please pray that all goes well in Damascus when they have the final services for His Beatitude at the Patriarchial Cathedral which as we all know is in the middle of a war zone.
I have read press reports that all went well in Damascus and that there were no problems caused by the civil strife in Syria during the services. Thanks be to God.
Possible Positions for Metropolitan Jonah says
Many OCA bishops and archbishops are doing double and triple duty to cover existing bishoprics. And that is before we consider major Metropolitan centers that ought have their own bishop with his own administrative staff and parish visitation schedule. Shouldn't each state and state capitol or largest city in a state have a cathedral with a bishop. Are we serious about the Tomos of Autocephally and growing a single Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America free of all foreign bishops and not considered a Diaspora? Here are bishoprics that need a bishop:
Diocese of Detroit – with traditionally large populations of numerous ethnic groups, this Diocese could certainly be separate from the Romanian Episcopate, especially as the Romanian Episcopate churches have been in danger of leaving for the Romanian Patriarchate abroad.
Diocese of New England (and why is there no separate Diocese of Boston? New England is large!)
Diocese of the South – a growing archdiocese
Diocese of Alaska – the heart of American Orthodoxy should go vacant?
Diocese of Western Pennsylvania – traditionally separated from the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania
Diocese of Washington, D.C. – I know, I know, the Synod of shrinking bishops came out with a statement to the effect that this diocese is umbilically, if recently, connected to the office of OCA Primate, but it really wasn't always and, quite frankly, has been treated as a spot for very occasional spot visits on those days that the Nativity and Pascha Christians show up or when it doesn't interfere with the Primate's preferred schedule. Jonah was an exception, both spiritually and locally, and those who would not like to sing eis polla too terribly often or come under frequent scrutiny just didn't like this. My suggestion is to provide the overworked and understaffed Primate du jour with only the stavropegal, i.e. monklike institutions to administer and to allow him otherwise to keep a national visitation schedule befitting a national Primate I.e. Let's get real about the Tomos
Diocese of the Midwest Lotsa Orthodox in the Midwest, enough for a bishop per state, so, nuff said. Howsabout a Bishop of Chicago alone?
Why not regional, geographical Archbishoprics, bishoprics of heavy populous cities and capitals, and a more central Primatial spot, hopefully in a lower rent, centrally located, high unemployment area with an established number of Orthodox churches? Why not take a look at bishoprics we have had in the past. Howsabout a Bishop of Baltimore. In getting real with the Tomos, why not establish archbishoprics and bishoprics in all the places where our Greek Orthodox brethren are keeping ancient bishoprics and metropolitanates alive, gracing each of these with a get real American name?
FINALLY – Metropolitan Jonah could be one or another of these archbishops. We could give him a whole administrative staff instead of just a driver this time so he could concentrate on one or another of those little things that our church needs, for example, teaching the FAITH. Have we no vision?
Basil says
Why not? I admire your enthusiasm, PPML, but 1) where are the bishops going to come from? & 2) where is the money going to come from? Try to answer those questions and you'll soon see "why not" at this particular juncture. Further, some would suggest that the OCA needs to get its moral house in order before embarking upon missionary expansion (Matt 23:15).
The 'bad guys' in our OCA's Holy Synod have already made it clear that they will not work with Met. Jonah in ANY way short of keeping him in administrative chains.
The only way for MetJ to be honorably restored to episcopal responsibilities in our OCA is for the 'bad guys' to be overcome by the 'good guys' in our Holy Synod.
Short of a few well placed funerals, resignations, or retirements, this is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
But God is good, and our OCA is our Lord Jesus Christ's own body, as are all of the orthodox churches together.
Let us all hope and pray for God's grace, mercy, and peace.
Ukaz says
Ukaz No. 362
The Resolutions of His Holiness the Patriarch [Tikhon], of the Sacred Synod and Higher Ecclesiastical Council of the Russian Orthodox Church
20/7 November 1920
With the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch [Tikhon], the Sacred Synod and the Higher Ecclesiastical Council united together, have deliberated concerning the necessity, supplementary to the instructions already given in the encyclical letter of His Holiness the Patriarch in case of the cessation of the activity of the diocesan councils, of giving to the diocesan bishops just such instructions in the event of the severance of relations between the diocese and the Higher Church Administration, or the cessation of the activity of the latter and, on the basis of past decisions, we have resolved:
By an encyclical letter in the name of His Holiness to give the following instructions to the diocesan bishops for their guidance in necessary cases:
1). In the event that the Sacred Synod and the Higher Ecclesiastical Council for any reason whatever terminate their ecclesiastical administrative activity, the diocesan bishop, for instructions in directing his ministry and for the resolution of cases in accordance with rules which go back to the Higher Church Administration, turns directly to His Holiness the Patriarch or to that person or institution indicated by His Holiness the Patriarch.
2). In the event a diocese, in consequence of the movement of the front [during the Russian Civil War], changes of state borders, etc., finds itself completely out of contact with the Higher Church Administration, or if the Higher Church Ad ministration itself, headed by His Holiness the Patriarch, for any reason whatsoever ceases its activity, the diocesan bishop immediately enters into relations with the bishops of neigh boring dioceses for the purpose of organizing a higher in stance of ecclesiastical authority for several dioceses in similar conditions (in the form either of a temporary Higher Church government or a Metropolitan district, or anything else).
3). Care for the organization of a Higher Church Authority as the objective of an entire group of dioceses which find themselves in the position indicated in paragraph 2, is the indispensable obligation of the senior bishop of such a group.
4). In the case of the impossibility of establishing relations with bishops of neighboring dioceses, and until the organization of a higher instance of ecclesiastical authority, the diocesan bishop takes upon himself all the fullness of authority granted him by the canons of the Church, taking all measures for the ordering of Church life and, if it seem necessary, for the organization of the diocesan administration, in conformity with the conditions which have arisen, deciding all cases granted by the canons to episcopal authority, with the cooperation of existing organs of diocesan administration (the diocesan assembly, the diocesan council, et al., or those that are newly organized); in case of the impossibility of constituting the above indicated institutions, he is under his own recognizance.
5). In case the state of things indicated in paragraphs 2 and 4 takes on a protracted or even a permanent character, in particular with the impossibility for the bishop to benefit from the cooperation of the organs of the diocesan administration, by the most expedient means (in the sense of the establishment of ecclesiastical order) it is left to him to divide the diocese into several local dioceses, for which the diocesan bishop:
a). grants his right reverend vicar bishops, who now, in accordance with the Instruction, enjoy the rights of semi-independent bishops, all the rights of diocesan bishops, with the organization by them of administration in conformity to local conditions and resources;
b). institutes, by conciliar decision with the rest of the bishops of the diocese, as far as possible in all major cities of his own diocese, new episcopal Sees with the rights of semi-independent or independent bishops.
6) A diocese divided in the manner specified in paragraph 5 forms an ecclesiastical district headed by the bishop of the principle diocesan city, which commences the administration of local ecclesiastical affairs in accordance with the canons.
7). If, in the situation indicated in paragraphs 2 and 4, there is found a diocese lacking a bishop, then the Diocesan Council or, in its absence, the clergy and laity, turns to the diocesan bishop of the diocese nearest or most accessible to regards convenience or relations, and the aforesaid bishop either dispatches his vicar bishop to administer the widowed (i.e. vacant) diocese or undertakes its administration himself, acting in the cases indicated in paragraph 5 and in relation to that diocese in accordance with paragraphs S and 6, under which, given the corresponding facts, the widowed diocese can be organized into a special ecclesiastical district.
8). If for whatever reason an invitation from a widowed diocese is not forthcoming, the diocesan bishop indicated in paragraph 7 undertakes the care of its affairs on his own initiative.
9). In case of the extreme disorganization of ecclesiastical life, when certain persons and parishes cease to recognize the authority of the diocesan bishop, the latter, finding himself in the position indicated in paragraphs 2 and 6, does not relinquish his episcopal powers, but forms deaneries and a diocese; he permits, where necessary, that the divine services be celebrated even in private homes and other places suited therefore, and severs ecclesiastical communion with the disobedient.
10). All measures taken in places in accordances with the present instruction, afterwards, in the event of the restoration of the central ecclesiastical authority, must be subject to the confirmation of the latter.
© 2012 Protection of the Mother of God Church
A Parish of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
http://www.pomog.org/index.html?http://www.pomog.org/ukaz.htm
The Ukaz, on the surface and underneath the surface is almost obsessively addressed to the problems of diocesan bishops and the measures they may take in their dioceses to address those problems.
The Ukaz would apply, for example, to the existing dioceses of Paris and New York and their bishops, but also to the Dioceses of Kiev and Kishinev. However the elected and enthroned Bishops of Kiev and Kishinev, Antony (Khrapovitsky) and Anastassy, respectively, both had LEFT their dioceses and had nothing further to do with them, or the dioceses with those hierarchs, at all. Therefore, the Ukaz granted no authority whatsoever to the bishops taking refuge in Constantinople or Yugoslavia, but did so to the bishops of New York and of Paris, etc. IN their dioceses. Amazingly, the bishops in Yugoslavia simply ignored one of the fundamental conditions of the Ukaz and usurped authority and privileges ILLICITLY.
This fact helps explain St. Tikhon's command to dissolve the Church Administration in Yugoslavia and placing all the European Bishops and parishes under Metropolitans Eulogios of Parisand Eleutherios of Lithuania. it was through the extraordinary KINDNESS of Metropolitan Eulogios that he obeyed the orders of St. Tikhon and then, almost immediately personally RE-constituted the Synod in Yugoslavia!
Are there any 'good guys' there?
Joseph I says
No….. so it seems.
Defend the Faith says
Heracleides says:
Heracleides,
In as much as Bishop Tikhon gave Bishop Benjamin (and for that matter Bp. Nikolai too as Chancellor) every chance to succeed, giving him several chances to overcome his additions, I suppose you can "blame" them for not being tough enough with Benjamin. Metropolitan Herman wanted his deposed. But his hand was stayed by +Tikhon, Nikolai and Kondratick. They should have retired him when he got his DUI in Las Vegas. He should have entered treatment sooner. It is ironic isn't it that +Nikolai was branded a harsh and even mean bishop by the usual OCA suspects, Kondratick a "machiavellian" character, yet the new OCA leadership has displayed in spades the actions they accused their nemesis of doing in their rise to power.
But the face of the new OCA is not these retired bishops and clergy but +Benjamin and the others. His actions against +Jonah and others is now the reality of the OCA; and I say, well, you wanted to run the Church, so now you are, +Benjamin, Jillions, Wheeler, Kishkovsky, Hopko et. al.. It is your proven track record that continues to diminish the OCA under your leadership.
The new Metropolitan is now under the direction, not just of the synod and MC but the OCA legal team. Lawyers dictated to +Tikhon just a couple of weeks ago what his role is and isn't as Metropolitan. The told him that he can't make a move without consulting with them. This is the Church of Best Practices, a fully controlling Metropolitan Council. This is the new way of OCA leadership. The is the brand of Orthodoxy being peddled by the OCA.
So now we watch and see. We comment on their actions. They have no one to blame for their mistakes, the litany of which George and Jesse and others have detailed shines upon them. We have seen a Church that was respected by the Russians and at the least tolerated by the Greeks because they believed in the leadership of those who once ran the OCA. We have seen all of that vanish. Their role in the ACOB is one of polite indifference.
Folks like Carl K. and our dear Michael S. have hitched their wagons to this new OCA. They dream of bygone days of Fr. Alexander and Fr. Meyendorff. Jillions quotes them ad nauseam in his embarrassing diary, a useful exercise into the pompous adulation of her new leaders. But what those two historical figures dreamed of was in fact on its way to being accomplished. But now, hardly. Both Fr. Alexander and Fr. John saw the OCA as a fully engaged Church here in America, and it was. But now, it is a laughing stock domestically and internationally. Rebuffed by her biggest supporter, Russia, now leaders like +Benjamin have to figure out a way to rebuild the OCA. However so many trusts have been broken, I hardly see an aging Hopko or Kishkovsky even coming close to the reputation of the greats of SVS and STS past. In the parlance of today's kids, "they don't have the juice!"
The new history of the OCA is being written everyday by our new leaders. Another case in point of how poorly things are run is that the little "special" AAC in Parma lost money. Delegates left there uninspired and feeling taken advantage of by a tightly controlled atmosphere in which their questions and input as delegates in the OCA brand of a conciliar church, were ignored and rebuffed.
The old bugaboo about Syosset was that it controlled things, but if it did it did so at least with respect for others and a chance for them to speak and air their concerns and differences. It had a heart for second chances, but today, Jillions rifles through clergy files looking for dirt on others. Talk about Machiavellian! But those days are gone and never to return. We have new leaders, including the wise Bp. Mark Maymon who is trying his best to return to the Diocese of the South as their bishop. A man that Metropolitan Philip reorganized his entire Archdiocese to get rid of but the OCA (big mistake by Jonah) took in no questions asked. Yes, +Jonah believed in second chances, but +Mark Maymon bit off +Jonah's hand as quickly as Santa Fe, just weeks after being saved by +Jonah and brought into the OCA. And +Philip just shakes his head and says, "he is not my problem any longer." If this is the type of man the Diocese of the South wants, and he is certainly the type the synod wants there, well then he will be your problem and further evidence of how far and how fast reason and sound judgement has escaped those now in charge.
The census figures in the OCA will continue to fall, the income will continue to dry up. People will continue to leave, Orthodox Churches will distance themselves from the OCA, but the "righteous remnant" will be there, the usual OCA suspects in charge, who will be the last to know that they were good at tearing things down but unable to build things up. And that will be their legacy.
The spiritual lifeboats for those who wish to escape and save themselves from what has become the OCA are at the ready. It will be difficult for clergy to leave, but some have already and others are looking to leave. It will be easier for the laity. They are leaving and will continue to leave and we will never know how many would have considered the OCA as members, but who went elsewhere because the OCA brand of Orthodoxy was not what they were seeking.
I can't find one thing you've written above with which to disagree. About the only quibble I might have would be in regards to Bps. Tikhon & Nikolai and their protégée, Bp. Benjamin. Benjamin didn't spring from the ether; he was nurtured step-by-step towards the episcopacy by Tikhon and Nikolai and one only has to look at their records to see that the fruit didn't fall far from the tree(s). That their hand-raised viper has turned on them is unfortunate – not for those two – but for everyone remaining in the OCA.
It is indeed true that both I and Bishop Nikolai were overly tolerant of and/or oblivious to the extent of Bishop Benjamin's ingratitude and vanity. We both have said so publicly and have repented of our misguided generosity. The expression, "Lend a dollar and lose a friend" was demonstrated very dramatically in his case. It reminds me very much of the vicious and murderous attitude of so many who were given helping hands from Protopresbyter Rodion S. Kondratick and Metropolitan Theodosius. But "Heracleides" is wrong to even hint that either Bishop Nikolai or I cultivated Benjamin's vices and sometimes thug-like behavior since he was elected to rule the Diocese of the West. I feel that Bishop Benjamin's behavior in no way resembles my behavior of Bishop Nikolai's behavior and that "Heracleides" has just got a chip on his shoulder. He's an echo of Barbara/Stanley Drezhlo in idiom and style…
Archbishop Benjamin has not followed ANY examples of my or Bishop Nikolai's behavior, contrary to "Heracleides's" claims. It is, rather, "Heracleides" who follows the examples of Barbara/Stanley Drezzhlo"s behavior, for which may God be merciful towards him, whoever he or she is.
I don't look for any major developments in Metropolitan Jonah's life until possibly as late as Pascha. There's really not much to be said here on that topic, it seems to me. If, of course, Metropolitan Jonah decides to take a public position on ANYTHING relative to his calling, there might be something worth discussing. For all we know, however, EVERYTHING expressed in his favor by Helga, George, et al may be actually alarming to him!
Your Grace, as for "alarming" Jonah, I'm afraid you may be right. I was told last year that going each morning to the computer and seeing what was on Monomakhos gave heartburn to the Synod, Jonah included. In retrospect, I don't think I made the Primate's job any easier. After all, he was on the Synod too and had to work with them.
Are you perhaps hearing "Voices from Russia" in your head, Bishop? Or is it simply that you and Stan-the-Man share a similar sartorial fashion sense? You certainly seem fixated upon the pitiful bloke as of late.
Seriously though, what you're attempting to do in reference to me, i.e. trying to link me with your man Stan, is straight out of Saul Alinsky 's playbook, Rules for Radicals. No doubt you were a huge fan of his during your 1960's glory days. Being a master level social worker who was compelled to study the works of Alinsky as part of earning my degree, I must tell you professionally that you're efforts in this arena are rather weak and transparent – something which undermines your entire effort. That said, it is always best to address deception, no matter how inept, head on: I am not Stan Drezlo – never have been, never will be. If he happens to find you as distasteful as I and scores of others do, it's purely coincidental.
Now, start your silly stopwatch, and we'll see if you're up for some public accountability.
Jane Rachel says
George, the Holy Synod, including Metropolitan Jonah, should have heartburn over this mess. (I include Metropolitan Jonah because he made a public statement that the OCA was "raped," and we all know what he meant.) What is the tactic called when the blame is shifted from the culprit to the person who protests? The Holy Synod caused the mess, didn't they? King David cleaned up the mess he caused, so why aren't they following his example? Much truth has been said here on Monomakhos. Several people who comment here know what happened, and who was lying, and why they were lying. I am convinced Father Kondratick is not guilty of the accusations made against him. I suppose that wrong will never be made right. And he is not the only one to have been thrown under the bus to protect the Almighty Image.
Defend the Faith,
I would suggest that prior to undertaking a further spectacle of publicly gorging yourself on, as the Fathers have described, "returning to vomit," you clarify – in no uncertain terms – that you have said nothing about the Faith. Yours is a verbose, hot-breathed, re-working of the same old story, unchanged & unchallenged by corroboration or any semblance of verification, but make no mistake, it has nothing to do with the Faith. In all fairness and honesty, you would better represent yourself as "Defend the Story." Wear the medallion proudly, as bitterness becomes you.
In that your "observations" regarding history, the actual dreams and strategy of the architects of the Orthodox Church in America, and your appreciation for the enormity of the sacrifice and effort of those who literally suffered persecution to deliver the Faith to you is so dramatically shallow, only a jackass could not discern it. And you certainly would know.
MS, the only people that have "suffered persecution to deliver the Faith" to us have been men like Bps Basil, Innocent, and now Jonah. If anything, it's been Syosset that's done the persecuting.
Johann Sebastian says
Let's remember the early history of the OCA, aka The Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in North America. The early architects consisted, on one hand, of White Russians fleeing Bolshevist persecution. On the other, there were Carpatho-Russians who had maintained a sort of crypto-Orthodoxy as Uniates under the Austro-Hungarian crown, and weren't received particularly well by the Latin bishops they were required to report to upon coming to America.
These groups suffered intense persecution, maybe not to deliver the Faith, but certainly for their maintenance of it. The former group was fleeing an emergent situation and the latter had fled centuries of suppression, only to be confronted with more persecution in this country.
Johann Sebastian,
What an essential point you make! These laid the groundwork for the Church in America, establishing much more than a "crypto-Orthodoxy," but a path set by the Saints – notably St. Alexis (Toth) – into the fullness of the Church. The OCA was fashioned and formed on their foundation, and there simply is no question. It is impossible to appreciate the richness of Orthodoxy in America and ignore the role of the ROGCC in continuous generations.
George.I don't believe you can provide a shred of evidence to support your bizarre declaration that Bishop Basil or Bishop Innocent "suffered persecution fo deliver the Faith to us", ok?
I was present at the meetings of the Holy Synod when the case of homosexual sexual abuse by Bishop Innocent (Gula) in Alaska was presented to the Holy Synod. The leaders the impetus, the muscle and the leadership within the Holy Synod in suspending Bishop Innocent were our senior Hierarchs; Archbishop Peter, Archbishop Kyrill, Archbishop Dmitri, and Archbishop Gregory, while Bishops Job, Seraphim, and Mark (Forsberg) contributed little to the discussion but exchanging headshakes and alarmed glances. Vladyka Dmitri was in full possession of ALL his faculties then, as he was when he led the charge against Bishop Basil. Vladyka Dmitri knew the Diocese of the West rather well, having been Archbishop John (Shahovskoy)'s Vicar as Bishop of Berkeley while living in Menlo Park, He was the trusted friend that the clergy and faithful besieged by phone and letter to do something about Bishop Basil's show-off persona which caused him to issue numbered "Ukazes" by the bushel basket and to cause Faithful to be exorcised AFTER (not before) being communed with the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Vladyka Dmitri knew and trusted the witness of parish lay leadership in that Diocese and of its clergy. As far as non-Hierarchs leading the charge, they were Archpriests George Benigsen, Nikolai (Vieglais), Boris Simeonoff, Alexander Schmeman, John Meyendorff, as well as the Americans: Archpriests Michael Prokurat, Thaddeus Wojcik (diocesan chancellor then), Seraphim Gisetti, Joseph Hirsch and others.
i find your tacit implication that Vladyka Dmitri joined up with other senior hierarchs of the OCA to 'PERSECUTE" either Bishop Innocent Gula or Bishop Basil Rodzianko to be dishonoring his memory. if YOU, George, are that willing to reach, reach, reach, no matter whose memory you "throw under the bus," I feel I must regretfully take a truly FINAL departure from this forum, and not in order to strike out at you or anybody, even "Heracleides Drezhlo". In fact, I apologize for not really understanding the spirit at work here, and that is a fault of my understanding, reflecting on none of you.
+Tikhon, Bishop, retired–OCA.
Bets as to how long the Bishop's "final departure" will last this time? I'm thinking he'll be posting again well before the end of Janurary.
Heracleides says, "Bets as to how long the Bishop's "final departure" will last this time?"
Whether or not we agree with what they have to say, it is incumbent upon all of us, especially those of us who are Orthodox, to speak of and address our clergy with the respect accorded them by their orders.
StephenD says
By January 15th,,,,you are on….
Stankovich,
Who the heck are you to lecture anyone? You are some side line hack who pops in here to try and make sense out of your life with your holier than thou comments. You are irrelevant to the OCA discussion since you are not a member, just a commentator who happens to be friends with the architects of its demise. Get back to your own parish, if you even have one and work out your own salvation. Yours is the dream life when you can try and justify the murderous actions of your friends. You are just plain warped.
Madonna mia, pal, I live for these moments: some anonymous fragonard, without the slightest acknowledgement of irony, asks "who the heck are you?" You have single-highhandedly restored my faith in… well, nothing.
As near as I can tell, you qualify as nothing more than an indistinguished caller, stuck on hold & listening to the interminable voice of your Jonah saying, "Please don't hang up. Your symbiosis call is important to us." And the punch line: he will never answer. Never, ever. And that, in total, is your gig: complaint, castigation, conjecture. You are void of the simplest insight, strategy, direction, and hope for the future, yet you would suggest that I am irrelevant? Pal, you should be pulled from your cowardly "shadows" and made to answer for what you are so shamelessly arrogant, yet for which you are so blatantly ignorant. "Surely you also are one of them; for your speech betrays you." (Matt. 26:73)
I recall reading a memoir of cathedral & seminary life immediately prior to the Russian revolution, and the lament of the Rector of a Moscow seminary that the "despair runs so deep that it has invaded the very walls, which must be torn down for us to go on." My thought is if you and your stagnant "complaint line" are indicative of the future of the OCA, let it die. By the "wisdom of men and the Grace of the Holy Spirit," the Church, however, has orphaned you into a moot, pointless minority "discussion."
So, I suggest considering a wisdom, suitable for framing, delivered to us from the rooms of a God-given program: "Take the cotton out of your ears, and put it in your mouth." Σοφία· Ὀρθοί!
You continue to amaze me with your pompous self-love. Your sad attempts to make yourself important only confirms to me the sad reality that you are a constituency of one. Enjoy reading your own press clippings. Not sure who is more full of themselves, you or Stan/Barb? It is a real toss up.
Since you are not a member of the OCA, why should anyone really listen to what you have to say about it?
M. Stankovich! The expression, 'returning like a dog to his vomit" applies to an act of apostasy; to the return of a convert to his former delusions. Its use by you is quite bizarre in the context into which you inserted it. | is that they fulfill ALL of the requirements, and when they fall short in one area, then we become unduly hostile critics (when have we ever heard anything about St. John's administrative capabilies, or how often he visited the parishes of his diocese?). More than anything else, I want my bishop to preach the gospel, visit the parishes, lead a moral Christian life and have a vision of establishing new churches and a vision for converting the people of America. That would be terrific!
Fr. Hans Jacobse says
As Francis of Assissi said "Preach the Gospel. Everywhere. At all times. To Everyone. In every circumstance. And if absolutely necessary, use words!" Perhaps this is what Dr.Nassis is saying– and this time we will use St. Paul– A bishop must be apt to teach…..when necessary, using words if all else fails.
St. Francis never said this.
The truth is the Gospel cannot be comprehended unless it is first spoken. How shall they hear without a preacher? So, no, it's not "if all else fails." It begins with the preaching. Peter preached, and then the Lord added to the Church those that would be saved.
And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly[a] received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them (Acts 2: 40-41),
The Gospel constituted the Church in the beginning and it constitutes it anew in every generation. That's why it must be preached.
Even our liturgical forms affirm this. The Gospel is read and taught (preached) before the antimension is unfolded.
I'm shocked by the above response of Bishop Tikhon to the essay by Dr. Nassif.
Not only does he vehemently disagree with Dr. Nassif,
but he also indicates that he doesn't think much of St. John Chrysostoms' episcopate either.
Perhaps he will enlighten us here as to just what would have been correct in both cases.
Will Harrington says
Your Grace, that word, elect, it does not mean what you think it means. Words have more than one meaning and, I suspect, it is only because democracy is so prominent in our culture, that you jumped to the conclusion that election must mean selection by popular vote. It does not. Even Webster's, that quintesentially American dictionary lists, as the first definition, "to pick out or choose". Dr. Nassif was quite correct in his usage of the word.
Isaac Crabtree says
Vladyka, Chrysostom is the model bishop, the model priest, the model monk. You are absolutely right about Nassif's article, here. If Chrysostom is and should be our example, most of his external things he mentions, while they might be nice, are not necessary.
If Chrysostom is really our model bishop, then I argue the list should be something like this:
1) Attain illumination of the heart through obedience to the commandments of the Gospel and the monastic tonsure.
2) Show others the unpolluted Tradition of internal and external piety and devotion, encourage the study of real spiritual books, starting with the Gospels, the Epistles, the Psalms, and their classic commentaries like The Herald.
3) Always teach the Christian to have his four "best friends" with him: Death, Judgment, Paradise, and Hell. And warn the flock against spiritually destructive trends in society and in our lukewarm Church– especially against education "falsely so-called."
4) Encourage REAL monasticism– not monks with iPads seeking groupies, not Byzantine-themed gay bars, not bishop wannabes. Such a thing in our day will require heavy reliance upon the "old world."
5) Bishops are "fathers" but also monks. A monachos is one who is alone with God. Part of that is a separation and concealment of inward life.
6) Show us how to live, suffer, and die as real Christians.
Above all– we don't need programs or silly trite phraseology like "actualizing the Gospel." We don't really even need a bunch of unbelieving academics who want to cut up the Tradition of the Church into what they fancy and what they don't.
We need bishops to be saints. We need a life infused by the spiritual power of Christ, so that we can open their graves and find myrrh, recognizing such to be the same myrrh that flowed into our hearts during his lifetime by his grace-giving words and example.
Thanks, Isaac!
I rather suspect that if our bishops were saints most parishes would be empty. Saints are not warm and cuddly. How many parishoners are able to bear the Gospel that saints would preach?
Isaac, I believe you misunderstand Dr. Nassif's article if you think what he is advocating negates the traditional role of a Bishop to preach and teach the gospel with his life as you have described it. It seems to me there is a lot of overlap between what Dr. Nassif says and what you describe as the role of the Bishop in your points above.
I've mentioned it before, but for a real life example of a Bishop such as you describe and for an inspiring story of the salvation of a regional church from devastation after decades of scandal and corruption, see this book:
http://www.svspress.com/beauty-for-ashes-the-spiritual-transformation-of-a-modern-greek-community/
Some of the things Bp. Meletios, the subject of this story, did (such as organizing regular gatherings for youth and others at a local community center for spiritual education) may similarly be construed as "nice, but not necessary" since they also fell outside the parameters of what you state, but they were integral to the fulfillment of his mission in that place. Similarly, I believe Dr. Nassif's insights of how a Bishop's preaching the gospel in our current American context among nominal Orthodox should look are perhaps not exhaustive, but nevertheless pretty much on target as far as they go.
Being personally acquainted with Dr. Nassif, I know he is speaking from experience here. Dr. Nassif (like the Archbishop of the Antiochian Archdiocese to which his parish belongs) is perhaps weak on the advocacy and appreciation of the role of traditional Orthodox monasticism as a foundation for healthy Church life. Since he was raised in the Orthodox tradition, I'm quite sure Dr. Nassif is aware of how corrupt monastic practice can sometimes become (even the traditional monastic literature warns of these ever-present dangers). It's unfortunate that encounters with hypocrisy and a Pharisaical "Orthodox traditionalism" and triumphalism in one's impressionable years can be very hard to overcome, and such experiences are perhaps more common among cradle Orthodox like Dr. Nassif than we'd like to think. In fact, the pastor of my parents' Evangelical church was baptized Orthodox, as were his parents and grandparents before him, but his parents eventually left their Orthodox Church in discouragement when they found their Priest was repeatedly insensitive to and alienating their son (now the Evangelical pastor) when he was a youth, but that the Evangelical church down the street was reaching out to youth with the message of Christ in a way they could connect to and which made them feel cared for and want to grow in their faith! I also know that it was an encounter with the vibrant faith of some Evangelicals in his young adult years that rekindled and deepened Dr. Nassif's faith in Christ and ultimately restored his interest and participation in his own Orthodox Christian tradition.
We can brag on the wonderful truth, depth and sobriety of our Orthodox tradition including our monasticism (with good reason) and trot out our apparently more precise and expert knowledge of our own Orthodox tradition and history for display in forums like this, but if there is a dearth of Christ's love somewhere in that mix, it's all for naught (1 Corinthians 13). In fact, it's worse than that–it's destructive of the communion for which Christ died and rose again.
I really enjoyed the Antiochian monastery's article regarding his heresies.
Isaac, can you clarify who is the subject of "his heresies?" Also, do you have a link to the article you liked?
To Isaac Crabtree:
There are lots of monks in America with an Antiochian background. Our Archdiocese has just bought a land with buildings for a women's monastery. There are also plans to establish our own monastery for men. However, I wonder if we should compete with other jurisdictions just so we can have our own monastery. Is it not better for us to send our potential monastics to help build up the monasteries that other jurisdictions have already established but need monastic vocations? After all we are all members of the same Church. When I was in Canton, all the Orthodox the area supported St. Gregory Palamas Monastery, which is under the Greeks. All the Antiochians in West Virginia support Holy Cross Hermitage which is under ROCOR. Ideally all the Orthodox should support the local Orthodox monastery. We should also support each other's missions. When I was in the Houston area, we had an extra epithios that we gave to a local ROCOR mission.
Good points, Father. I agree.
I asked Dr. Nassif shortly after my conversion if he knew why there was only one monastic (an elderly nun) at that time under Met. Philip, while there were several monasteries for both men and women under the other jurisdictions. That was when he made a comment (the details of which I don't recall) something to the effect that Met. Philip had had some experience and/or concern about corrupt monastic practice and so had apparently been reluctant to push in that area. I have since read comments to this effect about Met. Philip from others as well.
Judging from Dr. Nassif's article about the Desert Fathers, I would say he has quite a deep appreciation for healthy monastic practice and the legacy of our holy monastics. To be honest, I don't think it was necessarily accurate for me to imply in my comment to Isaac that Dr. Nassif shared Met. Philip's attitude, as he described it, about corruption in contemporary monasticism. I have never actually discussed that with him. I was thinking in Dr. Nassif's case of the story he told in one of his AFR podcasts how as a boy (of about 10 years at the time) who lost his own father early in life, he had eagerly anticipated having pizza at Pizza Hut with his parish Priest. (In a tribute to his mother here:http: //www.feastoffeasts.org/node/33, Dr. Nassif has also alluded briefly to another aspect of the privation of his early life as one of four kids raised by a widow on a waitress's wages.) The special time that he was so joyfully anticipating with his spiritual father became a painful and crushing experience when his Priest used the opportunity to chastise him for ordering a sausage pizza on a fast day. His Priest's strong disapprobation of his youthful mistake made a deep impression–unfortunately, just not one that spoke to the young Nassif of the reality of Christ's unspeakable kindness and mercy. I can contrast this experience of Dr. Nassif's with the memory shared in an article by Serge Schmemman about his own father (Fr. Alexander) whose quiet modeling (not forced imposition) of reverence, prayer, and keeping the fasts of the Church had a deep and positive spiritual impact on his son.
Dear Karen:
Until fairly recently we had very little healthy monasticism in this country. The monastery that portrayed itself as the prime example of Orthodox monasticism in this country was the source of a major scandal the details of which I will not go into. There have been other scandals involving monastics, which I also will not go into. All too often monasticism in this country was associated with Old Calendarism, not the use of the Old Calendar, but the belief that Orthodox who use the New Calendar are grace less heretics.
Now we have healthy monasteries like Holy Cross Hermitage in West Virginia that have excellent relations with the local Antiochian parishes. That changes everything. The Antiochian Archdiocese recently made an offer on a piece of land with buildings that can be turned into a monastery for women. There are also plans to establish a monastery for men that will bear fruit in a few years.
The Metropolitan wants real healthy monasticism led by an experienced monastic knows what what he is doing. All too often in American groups of men have gathered without proper guidance from an experienced monk and formed monasteries that proved to be dysfunctional or suffered from spiritual pride by acting to undermine the position of the parish clergy.
In the meantime, a significant number of Antiochians have joined already existing monasteries. I wonder if we should compete with struggling monasteries by established competing monasteries or support already established monasteries by sending those with monastic vocations to monasteries under different jurisdictions who need additional vocations. Why duplicate the efforts of others if we can experience the spiritual blessings of monasticism and support monasticism by supporting a monastery under ROCOR, the OCA or the Greeks?
Samn! says
I think that the Church of Antioch has provided a unique type of monastic witness in the Middle East, one marked by a special sort of openness and hospitality. It is a shame that the Antiochian Archdiocese has not attempted to follow this model– and especially the model of Deir el-Harf here in North America….
Thank you for that background, Father. The Abbess, Mother Alexandra, of St. Thekla's Monastery being founded under Met. Philip's omophorion, is a former member of my parish. She recently visited and we learned she is expecting her first two novices in the next several months. We should pray for all of them.
lexcaritas says
Dr. Nassif's essay is most encouraging to me. I hope I will have the honour of meeting him someday.
Thank you for publishing it here, George. And thank you Dr. Nassif for writing it. This is the approach to episcopacy that was demonstrated by +Dimitri of Dallas and +Basil of Wichita and +Jonah of Washington, DC and, I think, +Isaiah of Denver. It–and the Gospel which it proclaims–that brough our house into holy Orthodoxy.
I agree with Dr. Nassif's warnings about inflatedf imperial titles and ceremonial crowns and sceptres. Holy Father might be enough of a title that says more than other abstract and stentorious epithets, and it would be better to reserve crowns for liturgical use only and avoid them in posed photographs and non-liturgical ceremonies. Otherwise, we inflict occasions of tempation on our servant -shepherds and encourage them to forget their true calling.
George's third question strikes home for me: <> It would be better if the Church were structured to allow this. Frankly, there should be enough bishops and smalle enough dioceses to allow each to visit each ofhis parishes at least four times a year. In other words, no diocese should be larger than about dozen parishes and none should be further from the Cathedral than can be reached by car in 4-6 hour drive. We have been commended by Christ to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all things that He commanded His own disciples. There was a sense of urgency which is generally lacking today. We have other priorities and a host of canons, useful in some contexts and at some times and circumstances, but not all of them always. Episcopal celibacy and monachism is an example. It is a worthy ideal that was insituted at a certain era for good reason. But it ought not be the principal criterion or sine qua non. Between two otherwise equally worthy candidates, it ought to be deteminative; but before that we ought to be focussing on those qualities set forth by Dr. Nassif in his brief article and by the original Apostles and Evanglists themselves in the Scriptues and the Apostolic Fathers.
Furthermore, having been in hierarchical communities all of my life, I note the danger of clericalism. As in any profession, the temption of those who have been admitted and licensed to practice, there is a temptation to make | 3,451 |
Our eye-opening tour of the highlights of Georgia explores the fascinating current and ancient capitals of Tbilisi and Mtskheta, dramatic mountain scenery along the renowned Georgian Military Road, ancient citadels and churches in breathtaking locations, the unbelievable cave-city of Vardzia, the fruitful Kakheti wine region where ancient techniques are still used with modern methods, and so much more. Just over half the size of England, tiny Georgia boasts millennia of fascinating history, legacies of powerful civilisations from two continents, and spectacular landscapes certain to inspire wonder in even the most seasoned travellers. Georgia has often been at the vanguard of world history yet remains little-known to modern-day travellers. Nestled at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, it played an important role as a stop along the ancient Silk Road. It is bordered to the west by the depths of the inky Black Sea, and to the north and south by the sky-piercing Caucasus mountains, which dramatically define the landscape and serve as natural boundaries with Russia, Turkey and Armenia. With eternal snow and glittering glaciers, the highest peaks stay silver-white year-round and shield much of the country from the harsh cold.
At the end of the 18th century, an alliance with the Russian Empire marked the start of Russian influence till the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite these past conflicts, Georgia has upheld a long history of religious harmony, with groups of different faiths living together peacefully for centuries. Ancient pagan temples, Catholic cathedrals and remote monasteries can be found along with incredible Orthodox churches, mosques and synagogues. Every bit a revelation is Georgian cuisine and Russias beloved father of literature, Pushkin, was said to have enthused: Every Georgian dish is a poem. Here, this saying couldnt be truer: enter as strangers, leave as friends.
The price of this holiday is per person, based on two people sharing a twin room. Single rooms are subject to availability at a supplement from £479 per person. The price includes return flights, eight nights' accommodation* with breakfast, three lunches and five dinners, all local taxes and transfers, all tours and entrances as mentioned and the services of a Riviera Travel tour manager.
* Due to flight times, arrival will be in the early hours of day two.
Take your late-afternoon or evening flight to Tbilisi via Istanbul, Warsaw or Munich.
We arrive in Tbilisi in the early hours and transfer by coach to the four-star Mercure Tbilisi Old Town Hotel, four-star Biltmore Hotel or four-star Radisson Blu Iveria. Included with your stay are breakfast daily and dinner on the first night at a local restaurant. After time to rest, we begin discovering Georgia's irresistible capital this afternoon on a walking tour. Set in the deep valley of the Mtkvari River, which flows through the old town, Tbilisi has blossomed under the watchful gaze of its founder, King Vakhtang Gorgasali – or rather, his statue, which stands near the 13th-century Metekhi Church and the rakishly perched clifftop houses of the Avlabari quarter. Across the river is the hive-like Abanotubani, the sub<|fim_middle|> most popular shopping streets lined by elegant 19th-century buildings. Spanning the Mtkvari river is the eye-catching Bridge of Peace, whose wavy canopy of glass and steel adds a touch of modernity to the historic centre. We take the funicular railway to Mtatsminda Park at the top of Mount Mtatsminda, which is crowned by a 210-metre high TV tower, for spectacular views over the city. For a deeper dive into Georgia's past, we visit the National Museum of History to see its treasure trove of artefacts going back to the 3rd millennium BC.
Transfer to the airport for your return flight. Some dates depart in the early morning. | terranean sulphur baths where literary greats, Dumas and Pushkin, once took a dip. The eclectic skyline is dominated by the imposing Narikala Fortress, which was established in the 4th century as a Persian citadel and offers glorious city views. At the foot of the hill is Jumah Mosque, a unique sanctuary where two sects of Islam worship side by side. In peaceful proximity are a 13th-century Armenian church, a medieval Georgian Orthodox Church and a late 19th-century synagogue – all worth a peek for their beautiful interiors. As we wind our way through narrow lanes, we'll see traditional wooden houses painted in ice-cream colours, with elaborately carved balconies and vine-covered pergolas. Tucked into a side street is one of Tbilisi's most unusual gems: a haphazard clock tower, supported by a steel beam, threatens to topple over at any minute. Fortunately, it's a modern creation attached to a puppet theatre, with its own miniature display twice a day. Charming shops enliven the streets with wares spilling out to catch the eye, from souvenirs and fresh fruit to intricately patterned carpets. Look out for the strings of 'churchkhela' – often mistaken for sausages, they're actually a Georgian speciality of walnuts coated with concentrated grape juice. It's fascinating to think that just a few centuries ago, caravans of camels, donkeys and horses brought exotic merchandise along the historic Silk Road to Tbilisi's bazaars. The city's caravanserais, once inns for traders and their animals, now house museums, galleries and apartments. Tonight's dinner at a local restaurant provides the perfect opportunity to try some delicious Georgian dishes.
Today is dedicated to the discovery of Georgia's 8,000-year-old tradition of viticulture, now protected by UNESCO. Archaeological finds reveal that wine has been produced here since 6000 BC, making Georgians the first to conquer the common grape. During Soviet times, local wines were the Russians' preferred choice and production had reached 881,000 tonnes in 1985. We drive east through vast plains to fertile farmlands and vineyards dotted with tiny villages and churches, protected by the peaks of majestic mountains. As we travel through the villages, it's not unusual to see roadside stalls laden with colourful produce for sale. Countless vineyards hug the Alazani River, which flows through the valley and nourishes the land. Scenic Kakheti is Georgia's premier wine region, where villagers still make their own wine in traditional 'qvevri' clay jars stored in cellars. On special occasions, wine is served in 'kantsi' or drinking horns twice the size of a normal wine glass! We visit the splendid estate of the princely Chavchavadze family in the village of Tsinandali, which was once Georgia's cultural centre thanks to Prince Alexander Chavchavadze. He was an influential general in the Russian army and a patron of the arts, and his efforts as a pioneer of European winemaking in Georgia can be seen in the estate's cellar, where some 16,000 bottles and vintages over 150 years old are kept! The estate's English-style gardens are set in a lush park filled with mature trees, such as magnolias and sequoias. As we tour the palace's elegant rooms furnished with antiques, the story of this illustrious noble family comes to life. Afterwards, we visit a nearby winery to discover Georgia's unique wine-making process, which blends the best of ancient and modern European techniques. Of course, we'll sample its excellent wines along with an included lunch. We then visit the pretty fortress town of Sighnaghi, set on a hill overlooking green Alazani valley. The charming red-roofed buildings bear the appearance of an Italian town, but the brightly coloured balconies and ornate latticework are very much Georgian. There's free time to wander the cobbled streets and take in the incredible panoramas over the valley to the Caucasus beyond. In town, you'll find hand-knitted goods for sale in traditional patterns and all colours of the rainbow.
This morning we leave Tbilisi and take a short drive towards the former capital, Mtskheta, situated in an extraordinary location where the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers meet. Georgia's religious heart and the scene of its conversion to Christianity, Mtskheta is home to several UNESCO-protected monuments which we visit today. Crowning the hilltop overlooking the town is the 6th-century Jvari church, perhaps Georgia's most sacred monument for its holy cross, which is said to have been built by the evangelist who converted the king. We also visit the 11th-century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, an outstanding example of medieval ecclesiastical architecture and another important pilgrimage site, as Christ's mantle is said to be kept within its beautiful frescoed walls. We continue to Gori, birthplace of Stalin, to tour its famous Stalin Museum, which opened in 1957 and remains largely unchanged since the days of the USSR. Explore the intriguing halls of memorabilia, which include his eerie death mask, and follow Stalin's journey from his schooldays to his death in 1953. You can also see the tiny house where he lived during his first four years, preserved under a temple-like structure. Next, we head west to the picturesque resort town of Borjomi, nestled in a deep gorge of the Lesser Caucasus surrounded by coniferous forests. The picture-postcard scenery, mineral springs and crisp air attracted the attention of Georgians as well as the Russian Romanovs, who had a summer palace built nearby. We stay two nights, with breakfast and dinner, at the four-star superior Crowne Plaza Borjomi, just a few minutes' walk from the entrance to the park.
After breakfast we drive through the Kura River Valley till we come to a magnificent 14th-century structure perched precariously atop a rocky crag. Khertvisi's impregnable fortress, first built in the 2nd century BC and reputedly destroyed by Alexander the Great, is a marvel and we stop to admire it. Then we continue to a highlight of our day: the extraordinary cave-city of Vardzia is a cultural symbol of Georgia and, astonishingly, a working monastery! Nothing can prepare you for the jaw-dropping sight of this multi-storeyed rock dwelling across the sweeping valley. Impressively hewn from the steep side of a deep canyon, Vardzia was built in the 12th century as a fortress before it became a holy city home to 2,000 monks. During our guided tour, we explore this mind-boggling architectural wonder and see impressive murals including one depicting Queen Tamar the Great with her father. While a reasonable level of fitness is needed to navigate the uneven terrain, you can still admire Vardzia and the stupendous views from the viewing platform. Lunch is included at a family-owned restaurant, whose dishes are made with locally grown ingredients, before we journey back through the valley to Rabati Castle in Akhaltsikhe. Meaning 'new castle', the citadel was actually founded in the Middle Ages and rebuilt by the Ottomans. During our guided tour of this impressive fortress, complete with a gold-domed mosque and 17th-century madrasa, it's easy to imagine life under Persian rule. Our visit includes entry to the castle museum, which displays a fascinating collection of artefacts from 4000 BC to the 19th century. After a wonderful day of discovery, we return to Borjomi.
This morning we visit Borjomi's beautiful national park to take the air, as Georgians have done for centuries, and taste the refreshing mineral waters known for its healing properties. Then we head east, stopping for an included lunch at a local restaurant. Resuming our journey, we retrace the path of ancient traders along the famous Georgian Military Road, an ancient passage that winds across the Caucasus mountains to Russia. Before the road was constructed in the 19th century, travellers had to contend with treacherous conditions, wild animals and fearsome bandits. As we venture north, the dramatic mountains draw closer and the road hugs the turquoise Zhinvali Reservoir. The dazzling lake provides a marvellous backdrop to the impressive Ananuri fortress, seat of the dukes of Aragvi and where we stop to take in the superb panoramas. From here the road follows the Aragvi river, growing steeper and narrower while the landscape becomes even more spectacular: crystal-clear streams appear along the road, remote villages dot the forested valleys and pristine waterfalls can be seen. Look out for locals selling fluffy sheepskin hats, and roaming herds of cattle, goats and sheep with their shepherds close by. As we climb above the tree line, the lofty peaks of the High Caucasus begin to close in around us. We arrive in Gudauri, a picturesque ski resort skimmed by clouds and crowned by serrated green peaks. Our overnight stay at the four-star Marco Polo Hotel includes breakfast and dinner.
After breakfast we continue on the Georgian Military Road to Jvari Pass, which peaks at 2,395 metres, before our descent leads us to the strikingly situated village of Stepantsminda just 10 miles from the Russian border. Still commonly known by its old name, Kazbegi, the village nestles in a verdant valley at the foot of snow-dusted Mount Kazbek, one of the six peaks of the Caucasus over 5,000 metres. Our destination is the iconic Gergeti Trinity Church, built in the Middle Ages and perched unbelievably on a hilltop over 2,000 metres above Kazbegi. In times of trouble, its isolated and almost inaccessible location made it the ideal sanctuary for Georgia's precious relics from Mtskheta. Historically the only way to reach it was by hiking the steep trails through the mountains; thankfully these days we have 4x4 vehicles, which we take with an experienced driver who can expertly navigate the rugged and somewhat bumpy track. Once at the top, the fresh air and awe-inspiring views make this one of the most memorable moments of our trip. As we return to Tbilisi along the Georgian Military Road, we have another opportunity to admire the scenery. We stop at Château Mukhrani, a French-inspired winery set in a castle once owned by the Bagrationi royal family. Prince Ivane introduced the wine château concept to Georgia, complete with vineyards, gardens and cellar housing 60,000 barrels of wine! We'll taste delicious local wines and take a cooking class to learn how to make traditional Georgian favourites. For our final two nights, we stay at the four-star Mercure Tbilisi Old Town Hotel, with breakfast. Tonight's dinner at a local restaurant provides the perfect opportunity to try some delicious Georgian dishes.
This morning we discover more of Tbilisi with a local guide, starting with a visit to Sameba, the outstanding Holy Trinity Cathedral and symbol of modern Georgia. The granite and marble structure is a lavish expression of Georgian architecture, rivalling the great cathedrals of the Middle Ages. We'll stroll along Davit Agmashenebeli Avenue, one of the city's | 2,400 |
Integració de Models de Maduresa de Capacitats (de l'anglès Capability Maturity Model Integration o CMMI) és un model per a la millora i avaluació de processos per al desenvolupament, manteniment i operació de sistemes de programari.
Models CMMI
Les millors pràctiques CMMI es publiquen en els documents anomenats models. En l'actualitat hi ha tres àrees d'interès cobertes pels models de CMMI : Desenvolupament, Adquisició i Serveis.
La versió actual de CMMI és la versió 1.3 la qual correspon a CMMI - SVC, alliberada l'1 de novembre de 2010. Hi ha tres constel·lacions de la versió 1.2 disponible :
CMMI per al Desenvolupament ( CMMI - DEV o CMMI for Development ), versió 1.2, alliberat l'agost de 2006. S'hi tracten processos de desenvolupament de productes i serveis.
CMMI per a l'adquisició ( CMMI - ACQ o CMMI for Acquisition ), versió 1.2, alliberat el novembre de 2007. S'hi tracten la gestió de la cadena de subministrament, adquisició i contractació externa en els processos del govern i la indústria.
CMMI ( CMMI - SVC o CMMI for Services ), està dissenyat per cobrir totes les activitats que requereixen gestionar, establir i lliurar serveis.
Dins de la constel·lació CMMI - DEV, hi ha dos models:
CMMI-DEV
CMMI-DEV + IPPD (Integrated Product and Process Development)
Independentment de la constel·lació/model a la que opta una organització, les pràctiques CMMI s'han d'adaptar a cada organització en funció dels seus objectius de negoci.
Les organitzacions no poden ser certificades CMMI. Per contra, una organització és avaluada (per exemple, usant un mètode d'avaluació com SCAMPI —Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement—) i rep una qualificació de nivell 1-5 si segueix els nivells de Maduresa (si bé es comença amb el nivell 2). En el cas que vulgui l'organització, pot agafar àrees de procés i en comptes de per nivells de maduresa pot obtenir els nivells de capacitat en cadascuna de les àrees de procés, obtenint el «Perfil de Capacitat» de l'organització.
Avaluació (Appraisal)
Moltes organitzacions valoren poder mesurar el seu progrés duent a terme una avaluació (appraisal) i guanyant una classificació del nivell de maduresa o d'un nivell de capacitat d'assoliment. Aquest tipus d'avaluacions són realitzades per diferents raons, per exemple, per determinar com de bé els processos de l'<|fim_middle|> per proveir punts de referència de sistemes de qualificació en relació amb els models CMMI. SCAMPI s'usa per identificar fortaleses i debilitats dels processos, revelar riscos de desenvolupament/adquisició i determinar nivells de capacitat i maduresa. S'utilitzen ja sigui com a part d'un procés o programa de millorament, o per a la qualificació de possibles proveïdors. El mètode defineix el procés d'avaluació constant de preparació; les activitats sobre el terreny; observacions preliminars, conclusions i valoracions; presentació d'informes i activitats de seguiment.
Vegeu també
ITIL
Enllaços externs
CMMI Institute (en anglès)
Informàtica | organització es comparen amb les millors pràctiques CMMI i determinar quines millores es poden fer.
Les valoracions de les organitzacions utilitzant un model CMMI s'han d'ajustar als requisits definits en el document ARC (Appraisal Requirements for CMMI). L'avaluació s'enfoca a identificar oportunitats de millora i comparar els processos de l'organització amb les millors pràctiques CMMI. Els equips d'avaluació usen el model CMMI i un mètode amb ARC per guiar la seva avaluació i report de conclusions. Els resultats de l'avaluació són usats per a planejar millores en l'organització. Hi ha tres classes d'avaluació: Classe A, B, C. El Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI) és un mètode d'avaluació que compleix tots els requeriments ARC. Una avaluació de classe A és més formal i és l'única que pot resultar en una classificació de nivell.
SCAMPI és el mètode oficial SEI (Software Engineering Institute) | 296 |
IBM is preparing to offer a service that gives access to (and use of) a powerful, universal quantum computer, via the cloud, thereby enabling users to solve complex problems and innovate.
The service, which will be called IBM Q, will be the first time that a universal quantum computer has been commercially available.
The big advantage of quantum computers is that they are exponentially more capable than existing 'classical' computers and they are able to solve highly complex problems.
Dramatically speeding up the process of discovering new and innovative drugs and materials by providing the ability to work through large amounts of complex molecular and chemical data, formulae and variables.
Advancing<|fim_middle|> simulations on the quantum computer.
The use of a quantum computer will give businesses and organisations of all kinds a chance to solve many of their most complex problems, develop new and innovative potentially industry-leading products and services and perhaps discover new, hitherto unthought-of business opportunities. If IBM Q lives up to its promise, it could offer businesses to chance to develop products that could provide real competitive advantage in a shorter amount of time and at much less cost than their traditional computer architecture and R&D practices previously allowed. | the development of artificial intelligence (AI) features in products and services.
Solving complex supply chain logistics problems.
Modelling financial data and multiple global risk factors to enable better investment choices.
Applying the laws of quantum physics to computer systems could improve security.
IBM are currently reported to be at the stage of introducing the application programming interface (API) that will enable developers to begin building the interfaces that will be necessary for a five quantum bit (qubit) cloud-based quantum computer to talk to traditional computers. The company has also recently upgraded the IBM Quantum Experience simulator.
A software development kit on the IBM Quantum Experience is scheduled to be released in the first half of this year. The kit will enable users to build simple quantum applications and software programs, connect to IBM's quantum processor through the Cloud, study the tutorials, and start running algorithms, experiments and | 170 |
Afi Film in the Can!
Well, I'm back in Lagos after a 15 day shoot at Pandrillus Drill Ranch up at Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in Cross River state, Nigeria, and I'm proud to say I think I've got the rushes to potentially make a pretty good film! After changing my story a bit from being more about the importance of engaging local communities in conservation (it turns out that's quite a difficult subject to really do justice in 10 minutes) to being more about the attempted release of <|fim_middle|> important event. We also had the pleasure of sharing our location with the guys from Red Rock Films – watch out for what I'm sure will be an awesome film on Animal Planet around September/October time – so even if my film doesn't turn out that well we've made some great contacts and friends in the industry and had a great time. If you haven't been doing so already, follow my Twitter feed for tweets and photos showing what an amazing time we had (on the right hand side) or equally on Instagram at tomrichardswildlife. Thanks very much Jason Mulvaney and Aditi Rajagopal for helping me film – I'm very grateful!
This entry was posted in Blog and tagged Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Animal Planet, Cross River state, drill monkey, Drill Ranch, filmmaking, natural history, Nigeria, Pandrillus, Red Rock Films, Wildlife. | 200 endangered drill monkeys back into the wild, we managed to get some great footage that I hope shows what an incredible experience it was being at Drill Ranch for such an | 35 |
Q<|fim_middle|>y. But if this is the case then why
-1 == true //returns false
But also
-1 == false //returns false
Can someone shed some light? I would appreciate it.
A: When using the == operator with a numeric operand and a boolean operand, the boolean operand is first converted to a number, and the result is compared with the numeric operand. That makes your statements the equivalent of:
-1 == Number(true)
and
-1 == Number(false)
Which in turn are
-1 == 1
and
-1 == 0
Which shows why you're always seeing a false result. If you force the conversion to happen to the numeric operand, you get the result you're after:
Boolean(-1) == true //true
A: No, a boolean is either 0 (false) or 1 (true) like a bit.
Here is an example:
console.log(0 == false); // returns true => 0 is equivalent to false
console.log(1 == true); // returns true => 1 is equivalent to true
console.log(-1 == false); // returns false => -1 is not equivalent to false
console.log(-1 == true); // returns false => -1 is not equivalent to true
A: Any non-zero number evaluates to true and zero evaluates to false.
That is not the same as being equal to true/false.
Executing the code here below (and substituting -1 with different values) could help you understand this:
if (-1) {
true;
} else {
false;
}
A: In addition to the @James Thorpe answer, if you want to identify zero and non-zero numbers you can use the following code:
console.log(Math.abs(-1) > 0);
console.log(Math.abs(0) > 0);
console.log(Math.abs(1) > 0);
| : Javascript Truthy / Falsy Operation I have a question regarding javascript truthy / falsy
As far as I know, any non-zero number including negative numbers is truth | 35 |
CWL and BeGreen Dunbar are delighted to donate £500 towards the charity 5 in 5 Marathons for<|fim_middle|> those in need. CWL and BeGreen Dunbar would like to say a massive well done to everyone involved in the 5 in 5 challenge, raising a fantastic amount for fantastic causes. | Mum, and would like to congratulate all those involved in achieving their amazing total of £16,254.26.
The 5 in 5 challenge was created by the family of a lovely local lady, Elaine Simants, who sadly passed away in September after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. The money that was raised will be split equally between Maggies Centre at The Western Hospital in Edinburgh, and Belhaven Hospital Ward 2 in Dunbar which were a huge support to the family.
The 5 in 5 team challenged themselves to running the John Muir Way, a 134 mile trail from Helensburgh to Dunbar, in just 5 days – roughly a marathon a day! Alongside this, friends and family also contributed by running half marathons and cycling the distance from Helensburgh to Dunbar.
BeGreen Dunbar attended a fundraising event in August at Hallhill in Dunbar on the 6th August to present the cheque donation, with the event itself raising over £1000. The cheque was presented to Bobby Peters, who commented "Thank you so much for this generous donation. When I heard that Community Windpower and BeGreen Dunbar were going to give us £500 I couldn't stop smiling. It makes the cycling miles in front of us seem that little bit easier when we have so much support".
Anouska Woods from BeGreen Dunbar said "This is such an amazing thing that everyone is doing. Having lost my mum to cancer and knowing the support that the Maggies Centre provided throughout, this is a charity that is close to my heart too. I would like to wish everyone a massive good luck with everything, you are all an inspiration".
The team managed to raise a fantastic £8,127.13 for both the Maggies Centre and Belhaven Hospital Ward 2 for all of their hard work and effort, which will ensure that these places can continue providing brilliant family support to | 404 |
New population of immune cells could play a role in multiple sclerosis
PHILADELPHIA - Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder that develops as immune cells attack the nervous system. T cells are a critical part of our immune system, with a complex array of subtypes - some drive the autoimmune response, while others try to suppress it.
A team of investigators at Thomas Jefferson University have characterized a new population of T cells called ThGM cells that produce granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a chemical that contributes to the autoimmune response. They had previously shown that increased numbers of ThGM cells are found in the blood and brain of MS patients, indicating that these cells may contribute to the development of autoimmunity. However, very little is known about the genetic properties and function of ThGM cells, making it difficult to understand their role in MS. The team has now uncovered key defining features of these cells and how they behave in an animal model of MS, paving the way for future studies and potential therapies. The study was published in Science Immunology on October 23.
The researchers first sought to characterize the ThGM cells in healthy human subjects and in an animal model of MS. Using various genetic and biochemical techniques, they found that the ThGM cells were abundantly present, but interestingly, lacked the characteristic markers of other populations of T-cells.
"We found that the ThGM cells have a distinct genetic profile compared to other subsets of T cells," says senior author Abdolmohamad Rostami, MD, PhD, professor and Chairman of the department of Neurology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College - Thomas Jefferson University and Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience - Jefferson Health. "It appears that ThGM cells are coming from a distinct lineage or origin, and therefore we've been able to define a set of criteria for identifying these cells."
The researchers also found that in a mouse model for MS there are increased numbers of ThGM cells in the nervous system, similar to findings in human disease. They also found that the ThGM cells induced endephalomyelitis, or inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, a sign of disease development in this model of MS, lending further evidence that ThGM cells contribute to autoimmunity.
The team is now working on further characterizing the ThGM cells in humans. "Our findings have already given us important clues on what genetic markers and chemical profile make this subset of T cells unique," explains Dr. Rostami. "This could allow us to develop therapies that selectively target this population of T cells, while leaving other T cells intact and avoiding widespread immunosuppression."
"This study was made possible by a talented group of scientists, especially Javad Rasouli, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab, and Bogoljub Ciric, associate professor of neurology here at Jefferson," says Dr. Rostami.
The work was supported by NIH grants R01NS048435 and<|fim_middle|>W scientists report.
New therapeutic options for multiple sclerosis in sight
Strategies for treating multiple sclerosis have so far focused primarily on T and B cells.
Diet has an impact on the multiple sclerosis disease course
The short-chain fatty acid propionic acid influences the intestine-mediated immune regulation in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
The gut may be involved in the development of multiple sclerosis
It is incompletely understood which factors in patients with multiple sclerosis act as a trigger for the immune system to attack the brain and spinal cord.
Slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis
Over 77,000 Canadians are living with multiple sclerosis, a disease whose causes still remain unknown.
7T MRI offers new insights into multiple sclerosis
Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital have completed a new study using 7 Tesla (7T) MRI -- a far more powerful imaging technology -- to further examine LME in MS patients
How to improve multiple sclerosis therapy
Medications currently used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) can merely reduce relapses during the initial relapsing-remitting phase.
Vaccinations not a risk factor for multiple sclerosis
Data from over 12,000 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients formed the basis of a study by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) which investigated the population's vaccination behavior in relation to MS.
Read More: Multiple Sclerosis News and Multiple Sclerosis Current Events | 5R01AI124386.
By Karuna Meda
Article Reference:
Javad Rasouli, Giacomo Casella, Satoshi Yoshimura, Weifeng Zhang, Dan Xiao, James Garifallou, Michael V. Gonzalez, Alice Wiedeman, Anna Kus, Elisabeth R. Mari, Paolo Fortina, Hakon Hakonarson, S. Alice Long, Guang-Xian Zhang, Bogoljub Ciric, Abdolmohamad Rostami, "A distinct GM-CSF+ T helper cell subset requires T-bet to adopt a TH1 phenotype and promote neuroinflammation", Science Immunology, 2020
Karuna Meda
karuna.meda@jefferson.edu">
karuna.meda@jefferson.edu.
Related Multiple Sclerosis Articles from Brightsurf:
New therapy improves treatment for multiple sclerosis
A new therapy that binds a cytokine to a blood protein shows potential in treating multiple sclerosis, and may even prevent it.
'Reelin' in a new treatment for multiple sclerosis
In an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), decreasing the amount of a protein made in the liver significantly protected against development of the disease's characteristic symptoms and promoted recovery in symptomatic animals, UTS | 266 |
It's been 11 days since Headsweats Sr. Account Manager, Lisa Maloney, and her husband, TR, completed the first full IRONMAN in Boulder. It was an amazing feat and we are so proud of what they accomplished. Here's a recount from TR of the rigorous trainging and day of event, enjoy.
My first Ironman event was back in 2009, and once I could walk up<|fim_middle|> Luckily the crowds on the course were picking up and the screaming and fun signs lifted my spirits to keep at it. During the hardest climb of the day, I was greeted by the Headsweats crew and I can honestly say it is the only time I have ever smiled on that climb.
Off the bike and into the running shoes is when the real shock came. There were SO MANY PEOPLE CHEERING ON THE PATH! It was insane! I knew Boulder would come out pretty strong but this was like nothing I have ever seen. All racers have their names printed clearly on their number and soon I had what seemed like 5,000 fans.
With the 3-part out and back two-lap course I knew I would see Lisa soon. This was the whole goal of the training and picking Boulder Ironman as our event. We would see each other multiple times throughout the day. Speedy Lisa was 8 minutes behind me when I saw her running down the path. We slapped hands and kept going. Soon I would see her again and we would yell words of encouragement.
During the run my stomach started giving me trouble and I knew I would miss my goal but at that point I didn't really care. I saw so many friends that I decided to make the last 6 miles a party and started jumping in photos with friends and stopping to give my step-daughter a sweaty hug. At one point, I even ran up to a cooler and grabbed a beer. Boulder knows how to party and Ironman is no different.
Running down the finishing chute I heard the words all Ironman competitors want to hear from Mile Reilly – "You are an Ironman!" Not only did I hear them I was there to hear them for Lisa. Our journey was complete. We dreamed together, trained together, were tired together and finally raced together. Congrats Boulder for putting on a great race. The scenery, the tough course and the amazing Boulder community made it a special day that we will never forget. | and down stairs again I swore I would never do another one. You know, "one and done." Late in 2013 there were rumblings about an Ironman in Boulder. My wife works at Headsweats, so sporting news is common at the dinner table. She and I began talking about the event that night, and before I knew it we were both signing up for the big day.
Other couples thought we were nuts. It's bad enough having one tired and cranky IM athlete in the house…why would you want two? We brushed aside those thoughts knowing that we make as great a team as we do a couple.
Long before the last snow we were prodding each other out of bed at 5am to make our way to the pool for morning swims. We rode together and ran together whenever we could. Most of all we recovered together and made sure the other was eating right and stretching.
Before we knew it the race had arrived and we were ready to go. We woke up, had breakfast together, grabbed our race bags and headed out the door. There we were, ready to go and sitting in the car looking at each other as the engine would not start—more drama for race morning!
After remedying our car issues, we were there at the start of Boulder's first Ironman, marked and ready to enter the water. We held hands and strolled down the ramp and wished each other well. As soon as Lisa's foot crossed the timing mat she was gone! She entered the water so fast I thought she was being pulled by a jet-ski.
The swim seemed to take forever! I know Lisa wanted to get on her bike (her strength) and I wanted to get on the run (my strength). Before we were even out of the water we both had our issues to deal with, she had to deal with broken goggles and I took a nice kick to the face and sternum. Seeing the exit arch was pure heaven.
After a quick trip through the transition tent, I was on the bike wondering if Lisa was ahead or behind me. Little did I know, she was a full 6 minutes ahead of me! Even with broken goggles full of water, she dominated on the swim.
Once we were on the St. Vrain out and back, I caught a glimpse of her and we both smiled from beneath our dorky shaped helmets and went back to work. It wasn't until mile 80 that I finally caught her. She was having a great bike leg and it was impressive watching her pass guy after guy. Finally I pulled up next to her, cheered her amazing effort and made my way forward.
Right around mile 85 the heat began pressing on us and I was pushing the pace to finish the bike. It was then that I realized the insanity of hurrying a 112-mile bike to run a marathon. | 588 |
Meet the York City schools' new AD
Jessica Schladebeck
505-5438/@JessDispatch
Members of the York City School District community are invited to the board's upcoming meeting to hear about the district's future plans<|fim_middle|> some recent sports highlights and where he is looking to take the program moving forward.
He told the board during a planning meeting earlier this month that he hopes to implement a mandatory tutoring and study hall program that connects student athletes with a peer who can help them with their studies. Coursey added he hopes to engage athletes whether they're currently on a team or in training for an upcoming season.
Coursey is also looking to improve the sports program's community outreach and said he is in the process of building relationships with local colleges and the York Revolution and other athletic directors in the county.
He also told the board he is hoping to have an applicant to recommend to the board to fill the football coach position, and once that hiring process was complete he would move forward on seeking out a new basketball coach.
— Reach Jessica Schladebeck at jschladebeck@yorkdispatch.com. | for its sports teams and meet the new athletic director.
Ronald Coursey, who was hired by the district in January, will be giving a presentation during the school board meeting that begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Meetings are held at the York City District Administration Offices, 31 N. Pershing Ave.
Coursey said his presentation will include the current status of sports in the district, | 85 |
Le Rolladen-Schneider LS7 est un planeur monoplace de classe FAI standard qui fut produit par Rolladen-Schneider Flugzeugbau GmbH entre 1988 et 1993.
Histoire
Le LS7 a été développé comme le successeur du LS4.
Restant dans la philosophie de conception du LS4, Rolladen-Schneider a conçu le LS7 comme une machine sans compromis pour la compétition, recherchant le meilleur rendement avec les dernières technologies de l'époque. Le concepteur Wolf Lemke a utilisé un profil radicalement nouveau de type laminaire et une aile à fort allongement. La fibre de carbone et le Kevlar ont été intensivement employés dans la construction pour assurer la tenue structurale.
Les bielles de commande des ailerons ont été entièrement intégrés dans les ailes, seuls 30 mm dépassant de l'intrados.
Le prototype du<|fim_middle|> queue se trouve dans la dérive verticale pour permettre d'ajuster le centrage.
Photos
Sources
LS-Flugzeugbau website
Flight report by F Formosa
Sailplane Directory
Modèle de planeur
Classe standard
Avion construit en Allemagne
Aéronef Rolladen-Schneider
Premier vol en 1987 | LS7 effectua son premier vol à l'automne 1987 et la production commença en 1988. Le LS7-WL, une évolution avec winglets, arriva en 1991 et de nombreux LS7 ont été convertis à ce standard. La production fut arrêtée en 1993 après seulement 164 exemplaires construits.
Le LS7 n'a pas eu un succès commercial ni sportif pour les moyens avancés. Sa vitesse élevée en vol thermique s'est avérée être un handicap en compétition.
Le LS7 a été remplacé par le LS8, lequel est toujours fabriqué par DG Flugzeugbau. Le LS7 reste un planeur estimé parmi les propriétaires privés pour son excellente exécution et ses caractéristiques de vol.
Description générale
Ailes : longeron constitué d'un mélange de fibre de verre et de fibre de carbone
Ailerons : mélange de Kevlar et de fibre de carbone. Les ailerons s'étendent sur 7 m, soit la moitié de l'envergure.
Gouverne de direction : pièce composée de fibre de carbone.
Profondeur : pièce composée de fibre de carbone et Kevlar.
Branchement automatique des ailerons, des aérofreins, de la profondeur et des valves des ballasts.
Etanchéité intégrale de toutes les gouvernes avec du Teflon et de toutes les trappes de contrôle avec du Mylar.
Système de ballast : un réservoir par aile situé devant le longeron, chaque valve de réservoir se trouve à l'emplanture. Un ballast structural de | 386 |
An Athens-based celebrity chef recently said diners shouldn't fear fermented foods.
"We in America are clinically fearful of food now," chef Hugh Acheson said during the latest installment of the Athens Science Cafe series at the Georgia Botanical Garden.
"Many Americans don't understand fermentation, so they're uncomfortable with it," he said.
A reminder that we eat fermented foods all the time may help assuage some fears.
Fermentation, like curing, is a form of preservation and is partially dependent on osmosis.
However, fermentation takes it a step further and encourages the growth and development of good bacteria, or probiotics that boost the amount of lactic acid in the product, while preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.
Beer, sauerkra<|fim_middle|> turnip greens, collard greens, kale, or other hearty leafy greens rather than the traditional Napa cabbage. You can add it to rice or noodle bowls, garnish eggs with it, or really, just eat it on its own, straight from the fridge.
Rinse the cabbage and quarter the heads lengthwise. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the kosher salt over the cabbage, place it in a large pot or bucket, and set aside for an hour.
Rinse the cabbage under cold running water and pat it dry. Cut the cabbage into 1-inch pieces, add them to a large bowl, and toss with the remaining 3 tablespoons kosher salt. Let sit for 2 hours.
Drain off the accumulated liquid and lightly rinse the cabbage again. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage with all the remaining ingredients and toss well. Transfer the mixture to a large crock, cover it with a lid and store it in a cool, dark place for 3 days to ferment and mature.
Once the kimchi tastes all kinds of yummy, transfer it to jars (I like to store it in quarts), cap them, and store in the fridge (which will inhibit further fermentation) for up to a week. | ut, vanilla extract, many bread and pizza doughs, coffee beans, and kimchi are all examples of fermented foods.
Kimchi can be made at home, and Acheson encourages you to make it your own.
Try using | 47 |
Day schools taking measures to prevent swine flu's spread
B'nai Mitzvah
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The Times of Israel
By Gil Shefler and JTA August 20, 2009, 4:23 pm 0 Edit
NEW YORK — Some schools are pouring bleach over desks. Others are stocking bathrooms with anti-bacterial soap.As summer vacation nears an end and students set to return to classrooms, Jewish schools throughout the United States are adopting new health safety measures out of concern for potential outbreaks of swine flu in the fall.
"We are very proactive," Jill Kessler, head of the Pardes Jewish Day School in Phoenix, Ariz., told JTA. "Two nurses will be on the premises for the first few days of school to keep an eye open for any signs of illness among the children. We have asked every student to bring in wipes and hand sanitizer, and we will ensure that all of the teachers are washing tables with bleach to get the germs off the tables. Our environment has been very clean and we will try to keep it as germ-free as possible. "
While the spread of swine flu, known as the H1NI virus, has slowed since it appeared last spring, health officials are concerned about a second major wave of infections once flu season begins.
Of the 45,926 confirmed swine flu cases in the United States, 436 have been fatal, according to the World Health Organization.
"We certainly do expect the flu to return in the fall," said Dr. Michael Serlin, chief of infectious diseases at North General Hospital in New York. "H1N1 doesn't seem to be any more virulent than any other flu, but because it hasn't existed until now there's no vaccine and that's why it's spread very fast."
Scientists around the world are racing to develop an effective vaccine in time for flu season.
Meanwhile, concern over the potential spread of the disease has increased at Jewish schools after a number of swine flu cases were reported at Jewish camps across the United States this summer. In one instance, more than a dozen children and staff members at a Jewish summer camp outside Houston, Texas, were placed in quarantine after they came down with the virus.
In nearby Austin, Bernice Tabak, head of the Austin Jewish Academy, said her staff was preparing — but not panicking.
"We have issued several memoranda issuing the guidelines we have gleaned from different health sources," Tabak said. "We run a flu clinic and we encourage all our faculty to participate."
California has been among the areas most affected this summer by influenza. A spate of cases of common flu and a number of H1N1 fatalities have led to the state's inclusion on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control list of places where the virus is widespread. Maine, Alaska and Puerto Rico also are on the list.
Dalia Orion-Oz, principal of the Los Angeles Hebrew High School, said her staff would brief parents on the risks of the disease.
"At the beginning of the semester we will send out a letter to our families that children should not be sent to Hebrew High if there is any chance the child has a communicable infection," Orion-Oz said. "We will have anti-bacterial soap always present at our branches, and we will also encourage parents to be mindful of swine flu."
Rachel Zebrak, the school manager of the Doris and Alex Weber<|fim_middle|> to deal with a patient on the school premises and to continue learning from home online."
Get The Jewish Chronicle Weekly Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up | Jewish Community High School in Atlanta, also said sanitizer is one of the main weapons in the war on germs.
"We have switched to anti-bacterial soap in all of our restrooms, we have signs around the school and we will be speaking to the kids about sanitation," Zebrak said. "We have just received this week brochures and will be asking kids who are sick to stay home. We're just being very careful and following CDC guidelines."
The CDC maintains a Web page with advice on how to prevent the spread of influenza at schools. Children are advised to cover their mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and to wash their hands regularly.
In Miami, school officials said their experience dealing with hurricanes has informed them on how to cope with a potential mass outbreak of disease.
"We live in a hurricane area, so we have contingency plans for pandemics," said Rabbi Seth Linfield, head of the Lehrman Community Day School. "That planning includes monitoring in advance, remaining updated on health information, knowing how | 210 |
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My boss, two co-workers and I stood behind the hard plastic seats. We were in the front section, on the first-base line at Shea Stadium, home of the New York Mets. We were so close to the infield, there<|fim_middle|> Eddie and Chris. Sadly, at a very young age, their mother left forever. Ed had to raise his two sons alone.
With the strength he learned years ago at St. Joseph's, Ed took on the task. He taught his sons to be strong.
With his two sons at his side, Ed started a new life, at the place he holds so dear and with the woman who captured his heart.
I sat in shock. Could it be? I mailed Chris back and told him about the seats we couldn't use that rainy night. He confirmed that his father was the man who provided those unused seats.
Chris told me later, "They are the first couple in the 80 year history of the stadium to have the honor of marrying there."
"What is your story? Pick up your oar and start rowing...find something that gives you purpose and pour yourself into it."
"Don't ask yourself, 'What does the world need?' Instead ask,'What makes me come alive?' then do that. What the world needs is people who have come alive." | was a protective net over our heads.
I was new to the New York City area and had never been to Shea Stadium. These were dream seats. My heart pounded with excitement.
"Steve," I asked my boss, "How did you get such great seats?" "They came from Ed at the office. His dad is a blind sports writer and has a long- standing relationship with the Mets and Yankees."
Years have passed since that rainy night. Old friends back in Canada often ask me, "Mike, have gone to a baseball game in New York yet?"
Whenever this happens, the memory of that night comes flashing back. I wonder about the blind sports writer. What was his story? It had to be special.
I opened the email. It was from a gentleman sending me a clip of a story written by Steve Rushin for Sports Illustrated.
Ed became depressed. His mother, Rosanna, took matters into her own hands and took Ed to a Newark, New Jersey men's store. There, she introduced him to Phil Rizzuto, a part-time employee of the store and a Yankee star. Phil befriended Ed.
Rosanna wasn't done yet. She wrote the Giants Manager, Leo Durocher, about her son. Leo asked her to bring Ed to, what was then called, the Polo Grounds.
On June 14, 1952, young Ed sat in the clubhouse with the members of the Giants. It was the beginning of a special relationship.
Ed enrolled in St. Joseph's School for the Blind in Jersey City. The nuns were demanding. Ed learned to make his bed and match his clothes.
If he whined about being blind and not being able to do what other kids could, Sister Anthony Marie was quoted saying, "Isn't that a shame? We're all in the same boat here, Ed. Pick up your oar and start rowing !"
Ed enrolled in the local university to study communication arts. He worked hard. He knew no other way. The nuns had made sure of that.
He graduated in 1962 and became a regular in the Shea and Yankee Stadium press boxes, where he interviewed the players.
Years later, a young Mets rookie, Ron Swoboda, took Ed by the hand. Together they walked the warning track around the field.
Ed traced his fingers along the outfield wall. His fingers, sensitive to reading Braille, seemed to read the history of the park. Every dent, scratch and chip he touched meant something to him.
Later that year, Ed married. He and his wife had two sons - | 530 |
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Equestrian portrait of Maria Kazimiera Sobieska, painting by an unknown author, after 1685; collection of Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanow
Queen Marie Casimire was born the daughter of Henri de La Grange, Marquis d'Arquien, and Françoise de La Châtre. The date and place of the Queen's birth are not entirely certain. Michał Komaszyński, author of the best of her biographies, assumes that Marie Casimire must have been born in 1641; a precise date—28 June 1641—is mentioned in the papers of Prince Jakub, but there is no way of ensuring its validity, and neither the Queen herself nor her father had confirmed it. Upon her departure for Poland in 1646, Louise-Marie de Gonzague took the girl—one of several siblings—along in hope that it would improve her parents' financial situation. A while later,<|fim_middle|> of Marie Casimire Sobieska
Anxiety associated with an unrecognised and inscrutable future has accompanied mankind for years. Concerns about health, maintaining proper relations with …
Marie Casimire's Palace (Marie Mont) in Warsaw
Marie Casimire had her residence raised in the village of Pólkowo located in the vicinity of Warsaw. Initially called Marie …
"Festa" and music in Marie Casimire's court in Rome
This article is a fragment of book published by Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanow in 2012 Introduction When Marie …
Tales about people
Marie Casimire Sobieska – not only the King's wife
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✓ I understand | Marie Casimire returned to France to finish her education in a monastic school.
The lady reappeared at the Polish royal court as a teenager, celebrating many triumphs thanks to her remarkable beauty. Hoping to ensure her beautiful pupil a brilliant future, Louise-Marie wed her to the immensely rich Jan Zamoyski, grandson of a Grand Chancellor. During the Deluge, the magnate remained independent from both Jan Kazimierz and Charles X Gustav, and Queen Louise-Marie hoped the marriage would dissuade him from joining the Swedes. In spite of her good will, conveyed in her letters, Marie Casimire did not become intimate with her husband and their union proved unfavourable. She was bored in Zamość, where her husband expected her to remain even during his frequent sojourns beyond the city.
Searching for enjoyment and emotional relief, Marie Casimire drifted toward Jan Sobieski, who had met her before at the royal court and is often thought to have fallen in love with her at first sight—although a lot seems to suggest that this is merely a beautiful legend. The few extant historical accounts suggest that his relationship with Lady Zamoyska began in a rather tempestuous and unromantic manner. However, these initial difficulties were eventually surmounted and the mutual feelings between the two developed and fascination turned into love. In 1661 Jan Sobieski declared that he would not marry another woman and the pair began to picture a future together. Sources indicate that Marie Casimire proceeded cautiously due to her marital status. Trips to France may have been designed to help her escape the tension into the safety of her family.
Zamoyski died rather unexpectedly in the Spring of 1665. The subsequent actions of both Marie Casimire and Jan Sobieski still seem ambiguous, and contemporary scholars believe an element of foul play may have been involved. Nevertheless, the pair married; in fact, they took vows twice—first in secret, and then during an official ceremony, sparking a wave of gossip and disaffection, as Marie Casimire did not respect the required year-long period of mourning. At the time, Jan Sobieski was a crucial figure at the court and received many high promotions.
A while after the wedding, Marie Casimire departed to France to save her health and pregnancy. The sojourn at the Seine improved her well-being to the extent that she would appear less likely to fall ill as time went by. The son she gave birth to at the time, Jakub, was the healthiest and most long-lived child of the royal couple. The partings of the Sobieskis, caused both by Marie Casimire's trips (she visited France again, and also travelled across Poland, tending to her husband's properties) and Jan Sobieski's responsibilities away from his wife, bore fruit in the shape of an abundant correspondence between the couple. Of the husband's letters, only those that express his deep love and longing for his wife remain; at his most emotional, he could even accuse her of lacking in reciprocity, giving some scholars a pretext for portraying Marie Casimire as a cold-hearted manipulator. In fact, an in-depth analysis of the letters, as well as accounts from the court and remaining letters from Marie Casimire to her husband and others, do not justify this assumption. Even if the Queen did not match her husband's exaltation, she could hardly be accused of the egotism that he often exhibited.
Marie Casimire was pregnant with her second husband over a dozen times, giving birth to seven children, of whom four survived into adulthood. The children were the subject of their father's adoration—expressed in his letters—but also of their mother's constant care. Her pursuit of suitable spouses for her offspring ended in success in two instances—Jakub and Teresa Kunegunda married people of an appropriate rank, members of ducal families. The Queen did not manage to couple her younger sons before her husband's demise, but her pursuit of adequate spouses continued unabated. She also wished that her granddaughters marry well, hoping to see them ascend European thrones. Until the end of her life, her actions were persistently geared toward securing the well-being of her entire family. She despaired that the famous and venerated line of Jan III would die out, but never reproached her daughter-in-law, Jakub's wife, for not giving him a healthy son.
After Jan Sobieski's election, some attempted to thwart the coronation of Marie Casimire, but eventually both spouses were crowned in February 1676. The Queen's role in shaping her husband's policies remains unclear. It seems that the couple discussed common aims and means, and Marie Casimire stood up for Jan III. In time, after her husband's death, the Queen seems to have been inclined to claim a greater part in the politics of his era regardless of the facts, seeking to insure her own position and continue to support her sons. Typically, historians recognise her overwhelming influence on Polish politics in Jan III's twilight years, going so far as to call Marie Casimire a regent. It can generally be assumed that the ailing King, despondent after losses in Moldova and troubled by the activities of the opposition, cut down on his own public presence. Compared the tensions and sudden, though politically justified, shifts, and particularly in view of the achievements of the first period of his reign, Sobieski's later years were not only much less eventful, but most of all burdened with failures. One might think that the fixation on the Queen's influence on her husband in that period is really indicative of a desire to clear Jan III of responsibility for these complications. Marie Casimire came to be compared to Louise-Marie, and, just like her fellow French-born Queen, condemned for her extensive—or even excessive—activity, often perceived as detrimental to the Polish cause.
The Sobieskis doubtless continued to share the dream of securing the throne for their son, Jakub, throughout Jan III's reign. Sources give no support to the charge that the Queen favoured Aleksander as heir to the crown. At the same time, the Sobieskis' incessant activity at home and abroad suggest that they had harboured doubts about their son's chances in the election from the very beginning.
Marie Casimire acted as protector for her family. When Jan Zamoyski was still alive, she summoned her brother, Count de Maligny, to Poland, hoping to further his military career. However, her first husband wanted no part of that. Jan Sobieski, on the other hand, did his best to help his brother-in-law to please his wife. From that point on, the Count accompanied Sobieski in military expeditions. When the Sobieskis ascended to the Polish throne, Marie Casimire summoned her sister, Marianne, to the Commonwealth and had her marry Jan Wielopolski, the future Grand Chancellor of the Crown. The Queen's other sister, Marie Louise, also came to Poland as the wife of Marquis de Béthune, Louis XIV's envoy to Poland. Marie Casimire sought to give the couple's two daughters away to suitable suitors. The court of Jan III was also visited by Henri de La Grange, Marquis d'Arquien. The Queen was later accused of surrounding herself with her own family and caring more for its lot than that of her own children, a claim that finds no support in extant sources. One of the most oft-repeated legends about the Queen states that she had convinced Jan III to break ties with France and ally himself to the Holy Roman Emperor purely on a whim, seeking revenge on Louis XIV for failing to grant her father a ducal title and peerage. Yet, the decision was clearly justified by the political circumstances of the period, the threat posed by the Ottomans, and Sobieskis' dynastic interests.
Marie Casimire also inspired the formation of a theatre at the court of the Sobieskis. Looking back to a tradition dating back to the Vasas, the Queen offered support to Italian troupes which performed musical plays during important events at the court. She was also treated to French plays authored by the finest playwrights, performed by courtiers and ladies-in-waiting. The garden at Yavoriv often served as a stage for these performances, and great attention was devoted to costumes—the Queen is said to have even borrowed her own jewellery to the actors. Among the performers, one would also find the children of the Sobieskis, who followed in the footsteps of their mother: as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Louise Marie, Marie Casimire had also performed in plays.
During Jan III's twilight years, the Queen engaged in a search for a medicine to cure his ailments. She believed in the beneficial influence of water cure, and considered travelling to Bourbon or Aachen, famous spas of the period. Marie Casimire personally attended to her ill and pained husband; she had a folding bed placed in his bedchamber and spent nights by his side, often giving up sleep altogether. She also tried to improve her husband's condition with broth she cooked herself.
After Jan III's death, in spite of the initial tensions between the Queen and her eldest son, she promptly engaged in actions designed to ensure Jakub's electoral success. For a while, she considered her son-in-law, Maximilian Emanuel, a more promising candidate, but he rejected his mother-in-law's offer, opting not to stand election for the Polish throne.
After the electoral failure, Marie Casimire attempted to establish positive relations between her family and King Augustus II, but it quickly transpired that there was no longer any room for the Sobieskis at the royal court. This prompted the monarch to decide to leave Poland; she decided to visit Rome, a city she wanted to go to already during the interregnum, at the invitation of the Pope's nephew, Don Livio Odescalchi. Under the pretence of a jubilee pilgrimage, the Queen left the country in 1698 with the new monarch's blessing. She took her father along, a still lively man despite his ninety years, whom she had successfully recommended for the position of a cardinal when Jan III was still alive. The Queen was also accompanied by her eldest and favourite granddaughter, Maria Kazimiera, who remained with her grandmother until the latter's death. The Queen spent years searching for a properly elevated suitor for her granddaughter, trying her luck even with the Stuarts exiled from England. At one point, even the Pope became involved in the struggle to improve the young lady's prospects.
The trip through Italy became a major triumph for Marie Casimire and her entourage. Her arrival was greeted with solemn ceremonies and displays of gratitude for Jan III's part in saving Christendom and Europe. In Rome, the Queen enjoyed widespread popularity and was widely revered. Cardinals stopped their carriages to let her coach pass and took off their hats when they met her. The monarch sat before His Holiness at official audiences with her granddaughter on her lap. On the anniversary of the triumph at Vienna, she arranged masses for Poles who died in the battle. That day, the Square of the Holy Trinity (Piazza della Trinità dei Monti) was illumined and participants in the festivities donned Sarmatian-Oriental suits, capturing the attention of the viewers. Incidentally, Marie Casimire's servants wore similar clothing every day. A bust of the Queen was placed at the Capitol and a commemorative plaque was installed in place of the monument to Jan III that Marie Casimire had been working to establish, to no avail. As part of her consistent efforts to preserve the memory of 1683, Marie Casimire commissioned panegyrics and plays devoted to the victory at Vienna.
Following the example of Queen Christina, Marie Casimire wanted to become a patron of the arts. Theatre once was her passion, so she organised performances as an introduction to balls thrown at the palace where she lived. From 1704 on, the Queen's secretary, Carlo Sigismondo Capece, contributed by preparing musical performances, to be replaced by performances of the so-called piccolo teatro, based on street folklore. At the turn of 1710 the Queen's theatre functioned on a regular basis thanks to the involvement of Prince Aleksander. The Sobieski theatre caused a scandal because it staged plays even in the off season. This was not to the liking of the authorities—the Pope sought to keep the development of theatre in check, often resorting to outright bans, but the Queen did not always honour his judgement. Instead, she became deeply involved in her artistic undertaking and engaged in open rivalry with the theatre of Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. She also stressed that, though Venice in her view boasted a more formidable machinery, performances at her palace were more accomplished, and also more popular. She also rejected the idea of ticketing the performances, likely sparked by the financial problems that her family came to face. The idea itself was not foreign to contemporary stages. Aside from her own artistic pursuits, the Queen became an honorary member of the Roman Arcadia as 'Amirisca Telea'. Her patronage was a major contribution to the operation of the institution.
Though far away in Italy, Marie Casimire did not forget about Poland. She continued to follow the events in the country. When the Great Northern War broke out, she expressed sorrow over Poland's fate and the havoc wrought by foreign forces marching through the land. Obviously, she was thrilled by the prospect of raising Jakub to the throne. She tried to advise her sons on their conduct in view of that goal. Eventually, she engaged in correspondence with Karl XII of Sweden. She was overjoyed at the prospect of her son's ascendancy and the return of her family to power.
News of the arrest of the princes shocked her enormously. She immediately addressed the Pope with pleas for aid in freeing them, and also called upon Louis XIV and Leopold I, and particularly Empress Eleonor. She was even prepared to travel to Silesia to be close to the prisoners and at their disposal, but she was denied access to the Habsburg territories. Receiving no support in Rome—the Holy See did not want to antagonise Augustus II, a recently acquired convert—Marie Casimire decided to damage the King's standing in the Eternal City. She persistently spoke of Poland's agony under his rule, and pointed out the monarch's conduct as injurious to the country as well as the Church.
Immediately after the arrest of her sons, the Queen thought they would be freed if Aleksander laid claim to the crown. Thus, when he informed her of his decision to decline that prospect, she reprimanded him on the assumption that this meant the Sobieskis would never regain the rule. Still, she probably knew of Stanisław Leszczyński's promise of returning the crown to Jakub, and was angered by his failure to follow up on it.
She demanded to see her freed sons and invited them to Rome. Together with her granddaughter, she prepared a special performance for their arrival. The Queen also wanted them to join the rest of the family in a pilgrimage to Loreto, which she had vowed to make during her sons' imprisonment. Apart from that, she thought that summoning them to Rome would prevent another arrest. She was convinced that, as potential candidates to the throne, they would always remain in danger, regardless of their personal attitudes or actions.
Longing to see her children, the Queen travelled to Venice to meet Teresa Kunegunda, who had separated from her husband. The relations between mother and daughter were never particularly close, and years of separation made it impossible for them to find a common ground. Dejected, Marie Casimire returned to Rome and sent an invitation to her daughter, a forced exile from Bavaria—to no avail.
Amid these adversities and sorrows, and mired in debt, the Queen—now less and less noted and honoured in Rome—began to dream of a move away from the city. She asked Louis XIV for permission to return to France, which was granted in 1714, and immediately set about preparing for the trip. She believed that the air of her native land would bring her back to health, but she also hoped to visit Versailles and meet the French King. These plans were thwarted by her ill health and the death of the monarch. In turn, she was visited by Maximilian Emanuel, a long-time correspondent.
Marie Casimire died in Blois on 30 January 1716. The task of guarding her remains and dissolving her small court fell to her granddaughter. In her will, the Queen expressed the wish to be buried beside her husband, but left the final decision on the matter to her children. It was to Jakub that she owed the absolute dedication to fulfilling the requirement. Since the Queen was deep in debt, creditors attempted to prevent the extraction of her remains from France in the hopes of forcing the princes to settle her accounts. However, in their infinite cleverness, the envoys from Oława smuggled the Queen's body to the Capuchin church, the burial place of Jan III and Prince Jakub's son. In 1734, in accordance with the Polish tradition—which stipulated that the previous monarch should be buried immediately before the new ruler was crowned—the bodies of the three Sobieskis and Augustus II were transported to Cracow in a sumptuous procession and laid in crypts inside the Wawel Cathedral. This was the last royal burial in the history of the Commonwealth.
Translation: Antoni Górny
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The Book of Kabbalah | 3,852 |
Fancy a virtual Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim this year?
The 56th Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim has had to make some changes due to the pandemic and current restrictions.
Previous Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim. Picture by Owen Richards.
Submitted by Lisa Wilson
Despite this unusual year, the Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim will still go ahead - but virtually - to raise funds for the Wales Air Ambulance and other local organisations.
Rather than cancel the event, which is in its 56th year, the organisers were determined the Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim (PCMS), in Glamorgan would still happen, but it will be slightly different this year – it won't be on the beach!
The organisers want to make 2020 a year to remember and they're asking for your help to join in with the virtual fun.
The theme for one of Porthcawl's finest traditions is 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'<|fim_middle|> you to the Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim for playing its part in keeping our helicopters flying and saving lives in Wales."
You can share your pictures and videos via the PCMS Facebook page or Twitter.
The committee hopes that the Christmas day swim will be back on Sandy Beach in 2021. | in recognition of the hard work of all our key workers, whilst also looking forward to the future. Current restrictions mean that there cannot be a mass swim at Sandy Bay this year, but with the help of the public they want to make this year's virtual challenge unforgettable for all the right reasons.
Organisers are asking people to 'Splash for Cash' by thinking of exciting and imaginative ways to complete their own Virtual Christmas Swim, between December 1 and 25.
Chair of the Porthcawl Christmas Swim, David King MBE, said: "This year we are delighted to be supporting Wales Air Ambulance as our headline charity. They really do provide such a valuable service to our communities in Wales. On average they respond to 15 calls a year in Porthcawl. Wales Air Ambulance is hoping to start 24-hour flying soon and this will provide even more support to our communities.
"We also support many local charities and organisations who, like all good causes, have seen a big reduction in funds raised this year. The Christmas Morning Swim has become a big event in the town's calendar and it seems that longevity is the name of the game. In our 56th year, how could it not go ahead?!
"Our Committee hope that the response to our virtual swim will be as successful as always. On behalf of the Committee we thank you all, those that participate, spectators, sponsors, advertisers, supporters and everyone that helps to put the event on. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happier New Year."
The Wales Air Ambulance's South Wales Fundraising Manager, Mark Stevens, said: "We're delighted to have been chosen as the headlining charity for this year's Christmas morning swim. The organisers have come up with a fantastic way that people can still take part in the annual event virtually. I'm sure the public will come up with their own fun and entertaining ways to make this event extra special and a one to remember. Thank | 402 |
Jonathan Bush
A Cloud For Every Industry — Real Estate, Health Care, & Beyond
Brian Feinstein & Trevor Oelschig | VB News | January 29, 2015
Industry cloud software companies have largely been ignored by the investment world because of the assumption that the markets they serve are too small to support billion-dollar outcomes. We think that's misguided — and a quick look at some of the numbers shows why...
A Digital Shift on Health Data Swells Profits in an Industry
Julie Creswell | New York Times | February 19, 2013
But today, as doctors and hospitals struggle to make new records systems work, the clear winners are big companies like Allscripts that lobbied for that legislation and pushed aside smaller competitors. While proponents say new record-keeping technologies will one day reduce costs and improve care, profits and sales are soaring now across the records industry...
Athenahealth Announces Acquisition Of RazorInsights
Press Release | Athenahealth, RazorInsights, Bluff Point Associates | January 14, 2015
athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of cloud-based services and mobile applications for medical groups and health systems, today announced it will acquire RazorInsights, a leader in cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) and financial solutions for rural, critical access and community hospitals...
Athenahealth Chief Technology Officer Appointed To HIT Standards Committee
Press Release | athenahealth | March 4, 2013
Jeremy Delinsky named by HHS Secretary Sebelius to fill "innovator" seat on national HIT standards-setting panel Read More »
athenahealth CMO: Our Big Moonshot for 2017<|fim_middle|>16), taking place February 29 - March 4 in Las Vegas. During the session, "How Future-Proof HIT Infrastructure Supports Data Sharing," Bush and Halamka will observe the interoperability landscape, exploring challenges and benefits of health information exchange, as well as identifying opportunities and imperatives for providers to participate amidst the industry shift to accountable care.
Athenahealth's Jonathan Bush: If I Were a Hospital CIO…
Arundhati Parmar | MedCity News | September 19, 2016
Jonathan Bush, the forever loquacious, occasionally foul-mouthed and mostly unscripted CEO of cloud EHR company athenahealth, got the audience cracking up at the annual Stanford Medicine X conference in Palo Alto, California when he took the stage, declaring: "Shit, I have nothing visceral or profound for you." He was referring to the unenviable position of having to follow the moving presentations of patients and artists that preceded his keynote on Saturday...
Cerner, McKesson Lead Alliance To Let Doctors Share Data
Alex Nussbaum | Bloomberg | March 4, 2013
Cerner Corp. (CERN) and four rival providers of electronic medical records said they will ease barriers preventing doctors and hospitals from sharing data, a potential breakthrough in the effort to get U.S. physicians to better coordinate patient care. Read More »
Cerner, McKesson, Allscripts, Athenahealth, Greenway And RelayHealth Announce Ground Breaking Alliance To Enable Integrated Health Care
Press Release | CommonWell Health Alliance, Cerner, McKesson, Allscripts, athenahealth, RelayHealth, Greenway Medical Technologies | March 4, 2013
Top health care information technology (HIT) companies Cerner, McKesson, Allscripts, athenahealth, Greenway Medical Technologies® and RelayHealth announced today the launch of the CommonWell Health Alliance™, planned to be an independent not-for-profit organization that will support universal, trusted access to health care data through seamless interoperability. Read More »
Cloud-based EHR Interoperability Takes Front Stage
By Edmund Billings, MD | March 31, 2015
Because our industry is still in diapers, we focus on the lack of basic interoperability and ruminate on why EHR vendors struggle (aka, refuse) to share even basic patient data. But we must take heart, health IT friends, stiffen our upper lips and look to trends and examples that create optimism (i.e., help get us out of bed in the morning): 21st century interoperation is happening in health IT. In a recent interview with Healthcare Dive, Athenahealth CEO Jonathan Bush laid out a vision for how the cloud is the disruptive technology to bring healthcare into the Internet age. He describes "level three interoperation," where two cloud-based systems connect once and support multiple interoperations that accomplish more than just data sharing.
EHRs Inflict Enormous Pain on Doctors. It'll Take More Than Stopwatches to Learn Why
Jonathan Bush | STAT | September 6, 2016
Electronic health records slow doctors down and distract them from meaningful face time caring for patients. That is the sad but unsurprising finding of a time and motion study published in Tuesday's Annals of Internal Medicine1. A team of researchers determined that physicians are spending almost half of their time in the office on electronic health records (EHRs) and desk work and just 27 percent on face time with patients — which is what the vast majority of doctors went into medicine to do. Once they get home, they average another one to two hours completing EHRs...
Halamka's Dispatch from HIMSS
By John D. Halamka, MD | March 4, 2016
Every year I walk the HIMSS floor and speak at HIMSS events with the hope that I can distill the conference sensory overload into a few key themes. In the recent past, big data, interoperability, personalized medicine, population health, and wearables were buzzwords in every booth. This year, the buzzwords were replaced by one overarching concept - providers and vendors must innovate or die. In the next 24 months we'll see an accelerating evolution of fee for service into alternative payment models fueled by MACRA and MIPS
Health 3.0: A Vision to Unbreak Healthcare
Dave Chase | Forbes | September 26, 2016
Healthcare is broken. Few argue this point. Dr. Zubin Damania (aka "ZDoggMD") is releasing an anthem to unbreak healthcare – it's a parody of Eminem's critically acclaimed Lose Yourself, with a call to build Health 3.0. ZDoggMD has become an Internet sensation with his musical parodies and characters such as Dr. House of Cards and Doc Vader approaching 100 million views on Facebook and YouTube. Many consider Lose Yourself to be one of the greatest hip hop songs of all time.
Health Care Leaders Gather To Address Challenges, Opportunities Of Open Health Data At Health Datapalooza 2014
Press Release | Health Data Consortium | May 16, 2014
The Health Data Consortium (HDC),a non-profit advocacy and membership organization dedicated to mobilizing health data to transform the U.S. health care system, announced keynote speakers for Health Datapalooza 2014, being held at the Marriott Wardman Park on June 1-3 in Washington, D.C... | is EHR ROI
Tom Sullivan | Healthcare IT News | December 19, 2016
Almost every healthcare CFO signed off on a big check to implement electronic health records software in the past six years. Not because they knew it would bring the same financial return as a shiny new MRI machine or building to house a slick surgery center, but instead because the federal government said they must. athenahealth chief medical officer Todd Rothenhaus, MD, made that assertion in a pre-HIMSS17 interview...
AthenaHealth's Plan To Fix Health Care Hinges On Tiny Hospitals
Christina Farr | Fast Company | June 29, 2016
Edmund Billings spends about three weeks out of the month living out of a suitcase. He racked up 20,000 miles on the road in the past nine months, while driving to some of the most rural and remote parts of the country. Billings is a traveling salesman of sorts, but his business isn't vacuum cleaners or encyclopedias. It's health software. Billings is the associate chief medical officer for acute care at AthenaHealth, an IT company with a market cap of more than $5 billion that provides software and mobile apps for patient care and billing, including a cloud-based electronic health record...
athenahealth's CEO Jonathan Bush to Headline HIMSS16 Views from the Top With Dr. John Halamka
Press Release | athenahealth | February 25, 2016
athenahealth, Inc....today announced that Jonathan Bush, athenahealth CEO, and Dr. John Halamka, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) CIO, will headline a Views from the Top session on the benefits of a future-proof, interoperable network at the 2016 HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition (HIMSS | 393 |
Edward J. 'Babe' Heffron, of 'Band of Brothers' fame, dies at 90
By Karl de Vries, | Fox News
Sept. 18, 2007: Edward J. "Babe" Heffron speaks during an interview with the Associated<|fim_middle|>'t consider himself a hero, just a guy who did his job."
As a paratrooper in Company E, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Private Heffron joined Easy Company shortly after the Normandy invasion and participated in some of the war's fiercest battles, including the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. He received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
After the war, Heffron returned to south Philadelphia, his hometown, where he found work at a whiskey distillery and later checked cargo on the Delaware River waterfront.
Like many veterans of his era, Heffron never spoke about the war, and if it wasn't for Ambrose's book, his family might never have learned about his service.
But after the book -- which documents Easy Company's harrowing engagements and prominently features several soldiers, including Heffron -- was published in 1992, and especially after the miniseries aired in 2001, Heffron became something of an icon for a generation that went to war. He was featured in interviews for the miniseries (in which he was portrayed by Scottish actor Robin Laing) and participated in a 2008 USO tour to the Middle East.
Along with one of his comrades, William "Wild Bill" Guarnere, and journalist Robyn Post, Heffron also wrote a 2007 memoir called "Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends."
Walking around Philadelphia in his airborne jacket and hat, Heffron would often be stopped by people thanking him for his service, Zavrel said. Heffron made regular appearances at local schools, where he would spend hours with children telling stories about the war and general "life lessons," Zavrel added.
As news of Heffron's passing spread early this week, many paused to offer their condolences.
Actor Tom Hanks, who co-executive produced the miniseries, posted a photo of the 101st Airborne's "Screaming Eagle" patch on his WhoSay account.
"In honor and memory of Babe Heffron and Earl McClung," said Hanks, the latter a sergeant who served alongside Heffron in Easy Company who passed away last month. "Farewell, Brothers. Hanx."
Heffron is survived by his wife, Dolores Heffron, and their daughter, Patricia Zavrel. Funeral arrangements will be private, and some of Heffron's former comrades were expected to attend.
The family is "holding up as well as can be expected," an emotional Ed Zavrel said. But in following Heffron's example, they're intent on making sure "Babe" is properly honored.
"Babe didn't want any fanfare," Zavrel said. "He was never one for tears. He said you got to do what you got to do." | Press in Philadelphia. (AP)
To the end, Edward James "Babe" Heffron insisted that he wasn't a hero, that his service in World War II was simply part of an obligation to serve his country in a time of need.
But when fame followed him in the wake of Stephen Ambrose's book "Band of Brothers" and its HBO miniseries, Heffron, who died Sunday at the age of 90 after a short battle with colon cancer, used it to praise the sacrifices made by countless men and women during America's most trying times.
[pullquote]
"He felt the heroes were the moms who sent their kids off and the guys who never came back," Ed Zavrel, Heffron's son-in-law, told FoxNews.com Tuesday night. "Babe didn | 166 |
Great food<|fim_middle|>. | , terrific activities and a fantastic environment for personal development and building friendships.
"Forest Edge"- Just over an hour away from Perth...strategically placed for all ages to take advantage of spectacular views and a challenging landscape.
Are you up for possibly the greatest challenge of all activities at Forest Edge?
As you climb an 8 metre pole which wobbles, and stand upon a mini platform, your heart will start to race... then get ready- and jump out to catch a trapeze.....or maybe not. We lower you with care, to the ground on a safety line controlled by the qualified instructor.
You may smile, laugh or cry, but either way you will feel the greatest sense of acheivement for yourself and each of your team mates.
Great message for meeting our challenges in life.
Why call it the pamper pole , you will find out!!!
PLEASE NOTE: We require a minimum booking of 60 for catered with accommodation, and a minimum of 14 for activities only bookings.
© 2019 Forest Edge Recreational Camp. All Rights Reserved | 220 |
Q: String building recursively Consider a Class DataHolder
Attributes:
*
*Name: data name
*Value: value (comma separated)
My input is a list of DataHolders.
eg:
List of DataHolder:
DataHolder1: name:A, value:1,2
DataHolder2: name:B, value:X
DataHolder3: name:C, value:a,b,c
I want to build a list of strings like this from the data:
1<|fim_middle|> }
}
My code works and it produces the expected output.
1Xa
1Xb
1Xc
2Xa
2Xb
2Xc
is there a better way to do this other than the recursive method?
| Xa
1Xb
1Xc
2Xa
2Xb
2Xc
I came up with a logic using reccursion.
void formString(List<DataHolder> dataHolders, int currentIndex, String formedString, int size){
if(currentIndex == size){
// store formedString in a list and return
}
else{
1. get value from dataholder
2. String tokenize the value
3. iterate over the tokenized value and for each tokenized value call
formString(dataHolders, currentIndex + 1, formedString + tokeizedValue,
size)
| 134 |
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Lee Nissan in Auburn, Maine, is your Maine Nissan Dealer. Our Nissan sales staff has many years of experience in satisfying our customers' vehicle needs. Feel free to browse our inventory of new and used Nissan vehicles online. You can also request more information about vehicles, set up a Nissan test drive or inquire about our many financing options!
Our friendly sales staff is ready to help you find your next new Nissan. Click on Directions<|fim_middle|>, Auburn, Portland, Bangor, Brunswick and Augusta with an extensive selection of new and used cars, truck, vans and SUVs.
At our Lee Nissan location in Auburn, we carry New Nissan Vehicles as well as the best selection in Maine of all makes and models of Used Vehicles. We feature a state-of-the-art Nissan service facility, a fully-stocked Nissan parts store, and a professional auto detailing and reconditioning facility. See why more Mainers will buy their next car from Lee than from any other car dealer in Maine! | for interactive driving directions to our showroom at 793 Center Street, Auburn, Maine. We look forward to serving you!
Lee Nissan is part of the Lee Auto Mall family of automotive dealerships, which has served customers throughout Maine since 1936. Our 19 convenient locations throughout Maine allow us to serve the surrounding cities of Lewiston | 72 |
The National Honor Society Chapter establishes memberships that are based upon a student's outstanding performance in the areas of scholarship, leadership<|fim_middle|>15 hours of community service during the school year and 8 hours during the summer. For additional information, please contact Mrs. Elizabeth Dorris. | , service, and character. The criteria for selection form the foundation upon which the organization and its activities are built. In order to be considered for National Honor Society membership, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.9 as a Junior or 3.8 as a Senior. Once a student meets scholastic requirements, a faculty evaluation is completed to determine if the candidate meets the requirements of leadership, service, and character. The Faculty Council (a team of five teachers appointed by Mrs. Dorris) will review the faculty evaluations to determine which candidates are invited into membership. An induction ceremony will take place in the Fall of each school year. All students must complete | 139 |
So I did it, today I got up early, despite a rather disturbed night; I put on my face and squeezed into some less slouchy clothes. The aim of this experiment was to gauge the reactions of others; do others treat you differently according to how you look? Fleetingly my husband comments 'oh, youre wearing a dress today' and the baby has a fab time rummaging in the make-up bag….. but that's the extent of the day, I kid you not,<|fim_middle|> I did think she was waving to me at one point but I suspect her yummy mummy friend was behind me. The man who delivered the milk, continues on his way without a passing glance and the lorry drivers rolled past, not even a 'wow you made an effort today' beep! | making an effort with your appearance increases your own self confidence and I must admit I felt more empowered today, that might be because it was such a sunny afternoon though, blue skies do put you in a better mood, But the mums you chat to normally make the same efforts and the lady down the road who sneers at you each morning, still sneers at you….. | 75 |
Packed with indispensable information on a vital aspect of drawing, this time-honored manual offers expert guidance on how to draw shirts, pants, skirts, gloves,<|fim_middle|> enjoyable to read, it is sure to become a well-thumbed guide. | hats, coats, and undergarments on the human figure. Step by simple step, artists will discover how these garments fit and drape the body at rest and in action. Abundant with detailed illustrations, photographs, and diagrams, Drawing Drapery from Head to Toe familiarizes readers with the properties of cloth and how it moves; it also examines the origins of folds in relation to the figure, the effects of pull and crush, action folds, creasing, and more. The result: a keen development of the essential techniques for creating realistic, masterfully rendered drawings of the clothed figure.
One of few books on the subject of drawing drapery, this volume was written by a noted artist and instructor. Easy to follow, full of fascinating advice, and highly | 157 |
Dave & Maggie's Wedding Day.
Early on in the month of September we had the opportunity to shoot our first out of state wedding. The<|fim_middle|>Dave and Maggie, congratulations once again! We are super thankful that you had us along for your special day, and in such a beautiful place. | location, Maine. More specifically, Peaks Island, just off the coast of Portland. Dave and Maggie were the two wonderful people that invited us along for their wedding weekend. Let me tell you that these two were the most compassionate and free spirited people we've been fortunate enough to work with. Their affection shined throughout the day, not just for each other, but towards friends and family alike.
We arrived in Portland that Friday afternoon. Our arrival was early because this little city has won our hearts over a handful of times already, so it was only right that we visited our favorite spots for lunch and some drinks. Now while we got to spend the entire wedding day with them on Saturday, we were also able to hop on board their rehearsal dinner cruise Friday night. Close friends and family gathered for what was a scenic cruise in and out of the harbor and its islands, topped with some epic speeches by parents and friends during one beautiful sunset. More drinks and good times ensued back on shore throughout the many bars downtown.
Their wedding day continued on with this wonderful trend. The ceremony taking place on the beach under a make shift alter made from drift wood. The dinner and reception held under the night sky, and inside, at the Lions Club. Dave and Maggie's vision for their day came together beautifully and without any sort of hitch. The love, smiles, tears, laughs, and cries are all the ingredients to make for one special wedding day.
We'd like to extend a special thanks to Gus and Ann. Family friends of the groom who accommodated our stay on the island and welcomed us into their home for two nights. Come to find out that Gus is a former native, right from our home town of Berlin, CT! This is one small world. No wonder we felt right at home with them.
| 362 |
Intelligent barcode solution enables full use of MFPs and laser printers, improves workflow and saves time<|fim_middle|> software tool 'Config Tool', you can install and manage all licensed MFPs and laser printers remotely, from one central workstation. In short: this package guarantees the most complete barcode and OCR solution available. | .
By delivering full support for most common barcodes with built-in check digits and start/stop characters automatic insertion, the Intelligent Barcode & OCR Package optimises the return on investment in your multifunctional products and laser printers. This intelligent barcode solution enables the full use of the built-in printing capabilities of Gestetner MFPs and laser printers such as paper tray selection, double-sided printing, stapling and hole punching. As this Intelligent Barcode & OCR software installed inside your MFPs also support the industry standard 2D barcode PDF417, it allows you to improve your workflow, save valuable time and maximise efficiency.
This software based barcode solution is available in two modes, offering you the opportunity to try the package before buying a license for each supported model. With the included | 159 |
The first thing we will look at in Starbucks'financial review is a funnel chart showing a summary of SBUX's income statement. The funnel chart provides a graphical summary of SBUX income, expenses, taxes and profits/losses.
Starbucks is sitting on a net profit margin of 13.82%. So essentially for every $100 they receive they make $13.82 in profits after paying all expenses and taxes. That is pretty strong net profit margins for someone operating in the retail food industry. No doubt a bit of a premium is charged thanks to their brand name which has been built up over many many years.
Cash generated by operating activities for the 3 months amounted to $3266.9million (or roughly $2.85 a shares). Showing SBUX is a very strong cash generative business (as most of their sales are cash based) and no real purchasing on credit takes place. Cash and equivalents at then end of the three months amounted to $2462million (or $1.68 a share).
From the pie charts above it's clear that SBUX earns the majority of their revenue in the Americas (around 79% of revenue in fact). China and Asia pacific brings in only around 17.4% of revenue and EMEA around<|fim_middle|>'s current price it is close to being fully valued and would suggest that value investors look elsewhere if they bargain hunting. Still a great stock to hold, but we suggest looking to buy at levels below or around our valuation mark at $52. SBUX shares have been pretty flat for the last 12 months reflected by the flat and slightly lower income and revenues earned during the period. But the strong increase in dividends for SBUX shareholders should be encouraging and makes SBUX shares more attractive using the Dividend Discount Model (DDM).
The graphic above shows our valuation and the current share price as at the time of writing this piece. | 3.2% of revenue. The split in revenues per region are reflected in the operating profit too, with operating profit contributions being very similar to that of the revenue.
Based on SBUX's current financial results we value them at between $52.52 and $52.68 We therefore feel that at it | 67 |
Approximately 90sqm, our fully furnished apartment will provide you the best location in Herzliya Pituach for your your holiday.
Located on the ground floor of an impressive building, you will first of all be impressed with the quality of the entrance and lobby area. The building includes a gorgeous swimming and very good standard of gym facilities. Adjoining the swimming pool is a large sun terrace with an unrestricted sea-view.
We have everything inside the apartment you would require including; Large living area, dining table and chairs, fully fitted kitchen, new crockery and utensils, brand new central air-conditioning, excellent wi-fi connection, cable tv with plenty of channels.
A special bonus is a huge 20-25 sqm private balcony with a sea-view.
The master-bedroom has been recently decorated and also includes private access to the apartment balcony. The 2nd bedroom includes<|fim_middle|> also a small utilities area including a washing machine and dryer.
Ask anyone where you want to be located in Herzliya Pituach and i'm sure they will tell you the Lagoona apartment area would be hard to beat! | a small en-suite toilet and shower area. There is also a full family bathroom with a 2nd shower.
There is | 25 |
WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT (NZ), 18 March 1846
DREADFUL MURDER IN GIBRALTAR. - A most atrocious murder was committed at Gibraltar on the 21st May. About one o'clock, while a party of convicts were at work in the house that is now building for Sir John Sinclair at the south, one of them, named Thomas Anson, was reprimanded by the overseer, Mr<|fim_middle|> is."
The jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against Thomas Anson, the convict who was afterwards conveyed to the Provost prison to await his trial at the ensuing sessions. The prisoner is a short, square-built young man, about 22 years of age, and is at present undergoing a second transportation for burglary, and firing at a policeman while endeavouring to apprehend him. The unfortunate deceased has left a widow and ten young children in Devonport, to deplore his melancholy fate. He was universally esteemed in the establishment, and much respected by the other convicts for his humane treatment of them.
Site Publisher: Macquarie University, Sydney Australia | Last Updated: Friday, 27 March, 2015 | . Samuel Walter, for neglect of duty, and told that if he was not more attentive he should be reported to the chief superintendent Mr. Armstrong. On hearing this the convict followed his victim some yards, with a knife in his hand, seized a small crow-bar, with which he struck the overseer a severe blow on the back part of the head, which extensively fractured the skull and produced instant death. The villain then rushed out in an excited state, saying to his fellow-prisoners, "I have killed Mr. Walter, and would serve any other fellow in the same manner that would dare to scold and collar me like Walter did," at the same time he held up a glazier's putty knife covered with blood.
He was immediately secured and conveyed to the convict-yard, where he was placed in safe custody to await the coroner's inquest, which took place at four p.m., and then adjourned to one o'clock the next day. The evidence at the inquest went to show that there was a wound at the back part of the head, on the left side, about fourteen inches in length, and about one and a half to two inches broad, penetrating the brain; while on the forehead there was an other wound evidently inflicted by a different instrument to that on the back part of the head. The bone was fractured and slightly depressed. It was the opinion of the surgeon (Mr. Campbell, of her Majesty's ship Scout, who was in attendance, the surgeon of the establishment being in England,) that the wounds were inflicted by a blunt instrument, such as a crow-bar, especially the one at the back part of the head, and must have produced instant death; but neither of the wounds could have been inflicted by the knife produced, nor could that knife at any time have been introduced into the wounds. Other witnesses went to show that the prisoner had said, "I have killed Walter, by G-d; and if you don't believe me, come and see. There he | 409 |
In 1969, the TAG<|fim_middle|> both online and in TAG Heuer boutiques. | Heuer Monaco was released as the first ever square automatic chronograph in horological history. And it's a piece that has aged well: its equilateral peers have fallen in and out of favour with collectors over the years, but yet the Monaco remains a classic go-to piece.
Now, fans can rejoice further. To celebrate 50 years at the fore of popularity, TAG Heuer is to release a new limited edition model in tandem with a coffee table book.
While details remain light on the piece itself, the manufacturer hinted at the Monaco 50 with an Instagram video that traces roots from Geneva on the cusp of the seventies, to a well-earned endorsement from Steve McQueen.
The coffee table book element, named Paradoxical Superstar, touches upon the Monaco's status as a prestige piece, and how tradition was trounced with the introduction of a sports-led square dial. Notable Monaco wearers have also contributed their own anecdotes for the book, and a special foreword has been written by H. S. H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Prospective collectors don't have long to wait. The Monaco 50 is set for a May 2019 release | 243 |
Hyenas aren't<|fim_middle|> Africa is Wayside Brahman Stud run by three generations of the Munger family.
This well-known family name has been breeding both the red and grey Brahman cattle for more than 30 years, gaining a good reputation for quality stud and commercial stock.
Wayside Brahmans hosts an on-farm auction of their pedigree cattle every year with animals selling to new farms, both locally and internationally.
Started by Keith Munger, the farm is now run by son Rowland and grandson Rowly who focus heavily on breeding the best cattle they can from the best available genetics.
The farm runs 100 red Brahman cows and another 100 grey Brahman cows in the stud. It also runs up to 500 commercial cows and another 1,000 cattle in the feedlots.
Nine dams across the Munger farm collect water that is then pumped to troughs around the fields and to the farmhouses via solar-powered pumping stations.
Rowland says the farm is a diversified operation that along with beef cattle also includes a game farm, holiday chalets and an 18-hole golf course. Brahman cattle have a good fit for their operation.
"After years of experimenting with many other breeds we found the Brahman was the only breed that could handle the harsh Botswana conditions," he says. "Brahmans are hardy, adaptable, fertile, virile, heat tolerant, disease resistant and require low levels of maintenance. So they can take everything our climate and farm can throw at them."
The Mungers produce pedigree Brahman cattle for stud and also commercial cattle for the meat markets. "Our goal is to produce meat for export as this attracts a premium price for us."
Breeding through artificial insemination increases the genetic potential of their breeding herd and bulls for sale with semen from South Africa and America as well as from their own genetics.
The main goal is to sell about 40 bulls from the stud farm each year, 20 of each colour, plus breeding females.
At the most recent pedigree auction at the farm in February one of their grey bulls, 3-1/2-year-old Wayside Mr Energy, sold for 180,000 Botswana Pula (US$16,755) to a buyer in South Africa and a red bull, seven-year-old Wayside Mr Express, sold for 120,000 Pula (US$11,170) to a farm in Zimbabwe.
Extensive land base
The farm covers about 13,000 hectares of which 10,000 are used for cattle and the remainder for game, although there is opportunity to adjust these areas if required.
While the pedigree side of the business is quite lucrative, the commercial beef production is also in high demand.
Both the pedigree cattle and the commercial cattle are fed the exact same ration consisting of maize bran, roughage such as hay, concentrates and bush vegetation that is finely chopped — all make an excellent ration for cattle.
"We cross the Brahman with Simmental or Charolais in the commercial herd," Rowland says. "This gives us an excellent animal for the feedlots and to supply the beef market.
"The export market demands a 200- to 300-kilogram carcass (440-660 lbs.) so we aim for a finished animal weighing around 385 kgs to 576 kgs working on the assumption of a 52 per cent yield rate at slaughter."
To set this into perspective, cattle produced for the local beef market are worth around 30 Pula per kilogram (US$2.79). If suitable for export, meat then it attracts another four Pula per kilogram at 34 Pula (US$3.17).
Weaner cattle destined for the feedlots sell for on average 15 Pula (US$1.39) per kilogram live weight.
However, in order to qualify for the export premium the beef must adhere to European regulations.
"It is worth producing beef for export and we in Botswana would like to export more beef at the higher price," says Rowland. "There are strict guidelines that we must stick to in order to ensure the beef passes the export requirements. Carcass weight is very important but also traceability and disease control programmes need to meet the standards."
One of the most important requirements is that the cattle be fed a GMO-free ration and that can pose a problem. Most of the feed in Botswana is imported from South Africa where the use of genetically modified crops is popular.
"Our records need to be transparent and show we do not use any GM material in the beef production," says Rowland.
Rowland and his team vaccinate the cattle each year against anthrax, botulism, blackleg and lumpy skin diseases. Foot and mouth disease is another problem in Botswana, which is carried around by buffalo and can easily get into a cattle herd.
"While there is no vaccination for foot and mouth disease, we are based in a green export zone which means we are good to export," Rowland says. "We meet all the export regulations so it really is up to the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) to be more proactive in getting us into more export markets.
"BMC is state owned and levy funded but there have been calls in the past to privatize it," he says. "Perhaps if the current president of Botswana, who has been in the job less than two years, can survive the next election he can sort this out for us. So far he has been showing a great interest in agriculture and he knows exactly how vital the sector is to the economy of Botswana."
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Canadian Cattlemen
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Short duration, Mafia-style grazing
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By Chris Mccullough
Beef Cattle, Cattleman's Corner
Rowland Munger and his son Rowly are the second and third generation producing Brahman cattle for breeding and meat markets. Photo: Chris McCullough
Just outside Francistown in eastern Botswana, South | 111 |
The Jim Thorpe Memorial Trophy was an American football award presented by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) to the most valuable player (MVP) of the National Football League (NFL) from 1955 to 2008. It was the only NFL MVP award whose winner was chosen by a poll of NFL players. By 1975, the Jim Thorpe Trophy was described by the TimesDaily as "one of the pros' most coveted honors." In 1983, the Del Rio News Herald called it the "highest professional football award, period." Earl Campbell was the first player to win the award in consecutive seasons, capturing three straight from 1978 to 1980. Quarterbacks Charlie Conerly (1959) and Roman Gabriel (1969) won the trophy despite not being voted to the NEA's All-Pro first team in their respective seasons—Johnny Unitas was named to the first team over Conerly, while Sonny Jurgensen got the nod over Gabriel.
The award was founded by Murray Olderman, a sportswriter and cartoonist for the NEA. It was named in honor of Jim Thorpe, a professional football pioneer who was a player and the first president of what became the NFL. At the award's inception<|fim_middle|> recipient of the Jim Thorpe Trophy was Harlon Hill of the Chicago Bears, who was presented the trophy by NEA sports editor Harry Grayson in a televised halftime ceremony from the 1956 Pro Bowl in Los Angeles. In addition to Pro Bowl halftimes, subsequent years also saw the presentation televised on the final regular season weekend in either a pregame or halftime event. It was even on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1958. The presentation moved to the pregame show for the NFL championship game starting in 1961. In 1967, the winner was presented the trophy in a party at CBS Television City in Los Angeles for NEA's All-Pro selections, which was filmed and shown nationally during halftime of the Pro Bowl. In subsequent years, CBS aired a half-hour special before the Pro Bowl featuring the Jim Thorpe Trophy winner along with the All-Pros. After years of holding an awards banquet in New York, the ceremony was discontinued around 1980. Olderman and the NEA sought a sponsor. The Jim Thorpe Association of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, took over the presentation of the trophy in 1987, presenting it at the existing awards banquet for their Jim Thorpe Award, which honors the top defensive back in college football. The NFL trophy was redesigned that year to feature a bronze statuette of Jim Thorpe.
See also
List of National Football League awards
References
External links
Newspaper Ent. Assoc. NFL Most Valuable Player Winners at Pro-Football-Reference.com
National Football League trophies and awards | , Olderman sent ballots to every player in the league. Coaches joined the players in the voting process in 1975. Starting in 1987, the award became a joint project between the NEA, Jim Thorpe Association, and National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). Olderman also left the NEA that year and ended his association with the award. The NFLPA took over the balloting and added Pro Football Hall of Fame members to the voting panel in place of coaches.
The first | 106 |
Natural Rubber Trigger Point Ball.
Purpose: Helps to Relieve Knots<|fim_middle|>. | in Your Muscles that are also known as Trigger Points, which Lead to Myofascial Pain Syndrome. Great tool to help release and achieve melting of minor aches and pains to muscular tissue.
It's like foam rolling; however, it allows for a more targeted and more precise relieve to aching muscles.
Please note that this trigger point ball is not meant to medically treat not does it claim any health benefits.
Please keep in mind that if you are new to using a trigger point ball you need to be willing to explore various positions and moving the ball slowly around your desired targeted areas, until you've found just the right spot. Make it a point not to rush into the position.
This Trigger Point Ball is beneficial in targeting muscles of the back, neck, hips, thighs, hamstrings, calves, chest, piriformis and gluts: targeting of these muscles is best done when you lie down on the trigger point ball, pitching it between the desired targeted muscle and the wall or floor. It will take a bit of practice to figure out how best to maximize pressure effectively to muscles and the relieve of muscular tension.
The main objective in applying pressure is to achieve the release of muscular knots by applying just the right amount of pressure without causing a shock to your nervous system. It's key to be able to relax into the massage and maintain the appropriate amount of focus as you gently apply pressure.
Once you have found the right location and applied just the right amount of pressure remember you should feel a clear and muscular sensation. The sensation should feel like the release of muscular pressure. Relax into the sensation and wait for the sensation to fade to about seventy percent of the original intensity you first experienced.
The key to achieve the desired melting of the muscular knot is for you to relax into the ball and experiment with different positions.
Its key to focus on only a few knots at a time. It helps to start with the muscles that have the greatest amount of tension first, which usually tend to be bigger muscles such as hamstrings and quads; however, it is not always the case.
Make sure to stretch after the release of each knot and drink plenty of water.
If you can apply heat to the muscle before your treatment, such as a hot towel, it will go a long way into helping achieve the desired release or melting away of the muscular knot.
Is best to allow the muscle to relax for 24-48 hours after the release and to hydrate your body with electrolytes.
Please keep in mind that the release can be only temporary, meaning that you will need to be disciplined about repeating the process.
Please use the following sketched images as a guide to help you achieve the desired melting away of muscular knots.
Enjoy and wishing you the best in health and well-being | 560 |
Electrical Power System Structure
Introduction to electrical energy and hydroelectrical energy
About steam power plants and nuclear power plant
Transmission and distribution of<|fim_middle|> electrical engineering, understanding an electrical power system is essential because all power is generated somewhere. And that somewhere is a complex grid.
To be able to answer questions based on the structure of electrical power system, you must take this course. Let your technical rounds go smoothly as you prepare yourself in advance.
Introduction to electrical power system
Hydroelectric power plant
Introduction to steam power plants
Nuclear Power & Non-Conventional Power Generation
Overhead Line Insulators
Symmetrical Components of 3 Phase System & Types of Fault
Relays & Circuit breakers
Evaluation Test 01 – Power System | electric power
Types of transmission line
Jaspreet Kaur has an M.Tech in Computer Science and has been teaching Quant and Computer Science for more than 5 years. Many of her students look to her for guidance and help as she has the ability to teach numerous topics with precision and clarity. With half a decade of experience in campus placements, Ms. Kaur is in the unique position of guiding many students toward their future goals and professions.
Anna Vinocha
Anna Vinocha has a B.Tech degree in Electrical and an M.Tech in Power System. She has a teaching experience of 5 years and has also been an Assistant Professor at a reputed University. Ms. Vinocha has been mentoring learners at our organisation with a lot of dedication and sensitivity and she goes out of her way to make her study material all inclusive and learner friendly.
Generation, transmission, distribution and utilization of power are broadly categorized structures of an electrical power system. When revising the basic concepts of | 202 |
HRPA Eastern Conference
Starts:09/20/2018 8:30 AM
Ambassador Hotel & Conference Centre
1550 Princess St
HRPA Members:
$300+ Taxes
Student Members:
Join HRPA Now
Book a room at The Ambassador Hotel before August 27 to receive a preferred rate $119. When making reservations quote HRPA Conference.
The Magic of HR
Win a $1,000 Travel Voucher – and Go Anywhere You Want!
This year, there will be a special giveaway at the HRPA Eastern Conference. One lucky delegate will receive a $1,000 travel voucher, redeemable for any travel experience you choose. Redeemable with itravel2000.com, the voucher applies to travel deals, airfare, hotels and more – with no blackout dates. Check your next trip off your bucket list with us!
September 19 - Make Some Magic at Our East-Side Social!
As a conference attendee, you get the added benefit of an invitation to attend our inaugural East-Side Social.
Skip the arduous trip to Toronto and discover the vibrant, thriving HR community in Eastern Ontario. Network with your HR neighbours, and build invaluable connections right in your own backyard.
Share some gourmet hors d'oeuvres with new friends, some career ideas with new mentors, and some laughs with close-up magician BryTheMagicGuy, who will be on hand to entertain and delight!
This is a complimentary event. Please select "With Networking" option to indicate your attendance when registering online.
September 20 - Conference Sessions
Keynote:Resilience
Orlando shares how to use the unexpected challenges that life can bring as fuel for new beginnings. When the game is on the line, it's not about the acknowledgement of the fact that we will all face challenges. It's all about taking the energy from those challenges and channeling them in a way that positively affects ones environment.
Speaker:Orlando Bowen
Morning Breakout:
From Overwhelmed to Flourishing: Lessons from Neuroscience
Stress is part of our life, how do we keep it under control? We will work on the understanding of what happens to our multiple brains when we are overwhelmed and the implications for our working life. We will learn how to recognize the overwhelmed state in time and practical ways to get us out of it.
During this session, Dr. Davidovich will share:
How the different "brains" contribute to the feeling of being overwhelmed.
How to recognize when you are overly stressed and what you can do about it.
The impacts of stress on emotions and the physical body.
How to recognize your internal rhythms and use them to your advantage.
The seven steps to flourishing and thriving.
Learn how the different "brains" contribute to the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Understand the implications of being overwhelmed to both your health and well-being.
Understand how to quickly recognize when you are overwhelmed and what to do about it.
Speaker: Carlos Davidovich, Optimum Talent
LGBTQ & H&S in the Workplace
There is a clear business case for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) inclusion. There are numerous studies that have proven that inclusion of LGBTQ people creates productivity and profitability for an organization and enhances employee engagement. This session will show you how to create a positive workplace for LGBTQ staff and provide strategies and best practices to address transgender rights in the workplace.
Speaker: Colin Youngman, Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP
Panel: Cannabis in the Workplace
A panel of experts will be discussing the use of cannabis in the workplace as Canada approaches full legalization in 2018. This session will provide an update on the legalization of marijuana and medical prescriptions, the employer's duty to accommodate an employee's disability requiring the use of medical marijuana and more.
Moderator: Sherry Bennett, Bayview Concierge
Panelists: Alan Whyte, Cunningham Swan; Dr. Tanny Raz, Apollo Research; Bryan Hendin, Apollo Research; Dr. Ronald Walsh, Walsh & Associates
Transforming Performance Management - The Evolution of Employee Voice - 2018 Trends
Our companies are constantly striving for greater customer satisfaction and product or service improvement, so why aren't we giving the same vital attention to our strongest asset—our employees? The workforce is becoming more modern in all areas, and Employee Voice is a crucial area deserving of both ingenuity and attention. In<|fim_middle|> their soul to the profession to one degree or another"
"What I intend quite frankly is to speak to its full refundability, and assured safekeeping."
His combined publications, including "I Have A Cure, A 30 Year First Responder's Lifesaving PTSD Treatment Revealed " are set for release in late 2021.
Panelist Dr. Tanny Raz
Dr. Tanny Raz
Dr. Raz is the Director of Medical Business Development at Apollo Applied Research Inc. (Apollo). Apollo strives to better understand the impact of medical cannabis by fully educating patients on the proper use of medical cannabis, and tracking the clinical outcomes of different strains of cannabis on various medical conditions in order to validate their efficacy and improve outcomes.
Dr. Raz obtained her Bachelor of Biochemistry and Bachelor of Science degree before continuing her education to achieve her Doctorate of Medicine in 2012 from Windsor University School of Medicine.
Dr. Raz began her work with cannabinoid therapies in 2014 for a Health Canada approved licensed producer of medical cannabis. She helped to develop an educational program which she than taught to physicians of various disciplines on the proper utilization of medical cannabis by their patients.
Dr. Raz is also an integral part of Apollo's educational sector informing and instructing both medical doctors as well as members of the legal community dealing with personal injury on the proper use of medical cannabis for patients who require it, as well as the potential medical benefits reported to date.
Dr. Raz was an integral member of a medical team conducting drug interaction studies at the Autistic Treatment Centre as well as Northwest Memorial Hospital in the Department of Urology. She conducted the literature review of accepted Guidelines for the Management of Brain Metastases at the University Health Network Department of Neurosurgery. She prepared educational material for medical residents to support their understanding of complex medical diagnosis for the Department of Hematology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Raz has been a long time community volunteer and most recently ran for both the Chicago and Toronto Marathons to raise funds and awareness for Cancer.
Panelist Dr. Ronald Walsh
Dr. Ronald Walsh
Dr. Walsh, the President of Walsh & Associates Occupational Health Services, Ltd., is a full time Occupational Physician with over 25 years' experience in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. He holds a Medical Degree (MD) from Queen's University in Kingston; a Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) from McMaster University; and is a Fellow of the Canadian Board of Occupational Medicine (FCBOM). Dr. Walsh is an acknowledged expert in Occupational Disability Management and is frequently involved in teaching, policy and program development, and conducting presentations for major corporations and health and medical associations. Dr. Walsh is a member of multiple medical associations, both in Canada and in the United States, and presently is the Delegate to the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) in Occupational and Environmental Medicine and serves as a Member of the Medical Examination Committee of the Canadian Board of Occupational Medicine.
Speaker Rob Catalano
Rob Catalano
Rob Catalano is passionate about helping companies succeed – by leveraging technology to make employees successful. With his unique experience in HR Technology as a founding employee at Achievers, Rob co-founded WorkTango – software that helps give employees a voice and leaders actionable insight.
He has recently been named as a 2018 Top Global Employee Engagement Influencer and loves the opportunity to connect with passionate HR leaders across the globe. He is an avid hockey and volleyball player, traveller, and in his own terms a 'pointaholic' – he collects loyalty points for everything and anything!
Keynote Kate Davis
Kate Davis has the unique ability to find humour in any situation and offer creative solutions to defuse frustrations in both the workplace and at home. A five-time nominee for the Canadian Comedy Awards who has opened for the likes of Bill Clinton and Barbara Walters, as well as the star of many television comedy specials, Kate's generous insight and hilarious presence is a powerful combination in helping organizations empower their staff with effective tools for managing stress and sustaining motivation.
A 12-time Canadian Comedy Awards nominee, which includes a nomination for the prestigious Phil Hartman Award, Kate was also the star of her own hour-long comedy special on CTV and the Comedy Network. Additionally, she has appeared on Breakfast Television, Star TV, Toronto 1, Prime, WTN, TVO and CBC Radio's The Debaters.
On stage, Kate has performed at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Just For Laughs, and the Hubcap Comedy Festival. During the 2008 season of Last Comic Standing, Kate's sense of humour endured and carried her into the finals in Canada. She has also just filmed an episode of Rogue for The Movie Network.
As a writer, Kate has been published in Today's Parent and Mom and Caregiver magazines. Kate's first book, The Breast Feeding Diaries, won the iParenting media award.
Speaker Shawn Mintz
Shawn Mintz, President
Shawn Mintz is the President of MentorCity™ which offers comprehensive, easy-to-use and cost effective online mentoring software for companies, schools and associations. Shawn has over 10 years' experience in the career and employment services sector. He has created award-winning mentoring initiatives that have helped thousands of people to achieve greater success. In recognition of his efforts, Shawn has received George Brown College's Career and Work Counsellor Crystal Award for Innovation and been profiled in Canadian Newcomer Magazine as a Canadian who has demonstrated commitment to helping new Canadians succeed. He has also published an eBook called MentorCity: How a few minutes with the right person can change your life.
Speaker Jodi Zigelstein-Yip
Jodi Zigelstein-Yip, CHRP, CHRL, Chief HR Innovator/Founder
Jodi Zigelstein-Yip is a nineteen (19) year leader and veteran in the HR community and is the Chief HR Innovator/Founder of Enliven HR Consulting Inc. Jodi plays a major role in her client's businesses by delivering innovative, sustainable and strategic HR programs and solutions designed to unleash leadership potential, drive performance, increase organizational effectiveness and steer business results.
Her expertise is in the creation of unique leadership development and high-potential development initiatives including executive coaching and action-based learning initiatives, succession planning and talent assessment programs. Jodi engages small, medium and large national and multi-national clients in a variety of industries.
Jodi is a seasoned and dynamic facilitator, recognized by the Canadian Society for Training and Development for the design and facilitation of a multi-faceted leadership development program.
Jodi has been featured in the HR Professional Magazine, Canadian Employment Law Today and the Globe and Mail. Jodi is often asked to facilitate programs through the HRPA including the Authentic Coaching Leader Program. Jodi also MC's semi-annually the Toronto Entrepreneurs' Conference. Jodi was the President of the HRPA York Region Chapter from 2011 – 2015. During her term the Chapter was awarded eleven Chapters of Excellence Awards.
Speaker Stuart Rudner
Stuart Rudner, Lawyer
Stuart heads a boutique employment law firm that works with both employers and employees. They are able to see every situation from both sides.
Having been trained in Alternative Dispute Resolution techniques, Stuart often acts as a mediator in Employment matters.
He chairs and teaches at conferences, and he is the founding Program Director of Osgoode Professional Development's HR Law for HR Professionals course, and the co-founding Program Director of their Advanced HR Law for HR Professionals course. He is also a media source for comment on matters relating to Employment Law.
Stuart supports a number of worthwhile causes including 360Kids, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, United Way, One Voice Network, Job Skills, Family Education Centre, Lawyers International Food Enterprise (LIFE), and Volunteer Lawyers Network.
He also believes in giving back to the professional communities that he is part of. Since the beginning of his career, he has been actively involved in the Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations and has held several leadership positions. He has also volunteered countless hours leading sessions on HR Law topics and serving on committees for HRPA. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the International Association for Human Resource Information Management (IHRIM).
With two active children, much of Stuart's time is spent in dance studios and hockey arenas (and, of course, driving them to and from games, practices, tournaments and competitions).
Speaker Debbie Kassirer
Debbie Kassirer
Debbie Kassirer is an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Practitioner and is the Principal of Beyond Conflict, a consultancy dedicated to resolving and preventing conflict in the workplace. Using conflict management coaching and mediation, as well as pre-mediation coaching and facilitation, Debbie helps employees, managers and executives build their conflict competence, turning negative disputes into more productive opportunities for a positive outcome. Among the bottom line benefits of Debbie's work are improved organizational productivity, reduced absenteeism and disability costs, as well as a reduced risk of litigation.
Debbie has her Qualified Mediator (Q.Med) designation from the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario, a designation that recognizes practitioners who have completed sufficient mediations and recognized dispute resolution training to be qualified to practice. She obtained her ADR training at York University in the Certificate in Dispute Resolution program and the Advanced Certificate in Dispute Resolution program.
Debbie brings to her practice a depth of understanding about a broad range of organizations, from non-profit to large multi-nationals, gained from her extensive work experience across a wide span of industries and companies. This is coupled with her exceptional relationship and communication skills honed over more than 30 years working within the fields of social work, marketing and ADR.
In addition to her ADR training, Debbie holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Toronto and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from York University (now Schulich School of Business).
Keynote Mike Lipkin
Mike Lipkin, President
Mike Lipkin is president of Environics/Lipkin, a global research and motivation company based in Toronto. He is also an international strategic coach, facilitator and catalyst for high performance.
Mike combines his learning from talking to a million people in forty-three countries with the insights from the Environics Social Values research to offer clients the best of all worlds: a powerful blend of ideas and principles that help them achieve remarkable results.
He founded Environics/Lipkin in 2001. He has written seven bestselling books on personal leadership and effectiveness. He is renowned for his ability to blend humor with content that inspires people into action.
Keynote Orlando Bowen
Orlando Bowen, Game Changer and Motivational Speaker
When it comes to building teams, creating momentum, and employing winning strategies, Orlando Bowen is the real deal. For the past nine years, Orlando has used story-telling, fitness activities, and cognitive exercises to teach resilience, leadership, and teamwork to over 300,000 people. Empowering others to overcome adversity, to find their passion, and to use their gifts to serve is the reason Orlando breathes. This mission has placed him on hundreds of stages and boardrooms throughout North America, while also garnering him many distinguished awards.
Ten years ago, Orlando thought he was about to die. Pinned to the ground and enduring a savage beating, the then-CFL linebacker had been jumped by two plainclothes police officers, an injustice which was the first of many laid against him at the hands of the police force. "In that moment, knowing my life was about to end, I'm thinking, 'I didn't give everything I had to make a difference. There's more I could've done,' " he says. Later completely exonerated of any wrong doing, Orlando—incredibly—has publicly forgiven his perpetrators and has dedicated his life to inspiring others to pursue excellence in all they do.
Born in Jamaica, Orlando came to Canada as a child and grew up excelling in sports. He earned a full scholarship to Northern Illinois University where he secured a business marketing degree and a Master of Science degree in Information Technology Management. He spent five seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Argos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, before the concussion he suffered at the hands of the police forced him to quit the sport.
Orlando is now the founder and executive Director of One Voice One Team Youth Leadership, which empowers youth to utilize leadership skills and talents to better themselves and their community. He has been repeatedly recognized for his incredible work. He was selected as one of the 2012 Diverse-City Fellows; is a recipient of a 2012 African Canadian Achievement Award; was bestowed with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013; and was the national 2014 Harry Jerome Award winner for community service. | order to maintain a workforce environment where employees can be engaged and perform successfully, a new approach to hearing and acting on the voice of employees is being adopted by innovative organizations.
Why focusing on a better Employee Voice strategy is important
The evolution of Employee Voice, and why certain methods are outdated and no longer adequate on their own
Proven effective methods and practical solutions to supporting a inspirational future of Employee Voice
Examples of companies that are doing it well
Speaker: Rob Catalano, Work Tango
Keynote: Building Relationships
In "Connectivity," Kate Davis shows the audience how to establish, cultivate, and keep connections that lead to productivity and success both in business and our personal lives. Whether it's a CEO connecting with their staff, a client connecting with their customer, or departments connecting with other departments, good communication and rapport within an organization is the source of a flow that leads to creativity, quick resolutions, and a deeper understanding among staff of the overall business purpose. Staying connected to colleagues keeps things on track and is one of the most important elements to an organization's success.
Speaker: Kate Davis
Afternoon Breakout:
Moving Forward with Mentoring
Mentors and mentees were promoted five to six times more often than those not in a mentoring program (Gartner). Now it's your turn. Join this interactive session that will help you take your career to the next level by establishing game-changing mentoring relationships:
What mentoring is and its impact.
How you can benefit from being both the mentee and mentor.
Mentoring program best practices that you can bring back to your organization.
How the HRPA's MentorCity works throughout your career journey.
Tips and exercises to enhance your mentoring skills.
How to integrate the valuable lessons gained into your life.
Speaker: Shawn Mintz, MentorCity
Transitioning from HR Professional to Leader
Organizations of today are transforming at lightening speed. Everywhere we turn, there are organizations evolving, innovating and redesigning the way they do business. With this evolution, comes the need for the traditional HR practitioner to evolve alongside their organizations. The evolvement of organizations are forcing HR practitioners to think differently, challenge effectively, create strategy and direction, provide thought leadership and know the businesses they work within. This practical and hands-on session will focus on how you can begin your journey of upping your game as an HR professional and evolving into an HR leader who is sought after for your strategic mind. Build your leadership brand and create a legacy for yourself where you are inspiring and engaging others and yourself while transforming your organization in remarkable ways.
Decipher between the concepts of professional and leader
Identify key characteristics that allow you to be a successful HR leader
Define your key stakeholders and their evolving needs
Recognize the functions in HR that need to progress for you to be seen, as a true HR leader
Determine strategies to build your personal HR leadership brand and effectiveness as an HR leader
Speaker: Jodi Zigelstein-Yip, EnlivenHR
Employment Law 101
This program will provide an overview of key employment laws, explain the legal obligations of employers towards employees, and will provide employers with some best practices to ensure they use employment contracts and policies in a strategic manner.
Understanding the legal obligations of employers towards employees during the employment relationship, "from hiring to firing"
Gaining knowledge of the latest developments in employment law
Learning some best practices in implementing strategic initiatives such as employment contracts, policy and procedure documents
Speaker: Stuart Rudner, Rudner Law
Difficult Conversations with Employees
Stressful work environments often come with an assortment of difficult conversations. Whether it's giving feedback to staff or confronting a colleague, these interactions can be challenging. This session will provide you with strategies for handling stressful situations and creating agreement through fostering open dialogue around emotional or high-stake topics.
Speaker: Debbie Kassirer, Beyond Conflict
Keynote: Dancing with Disruption
With great opportunity comes great uncertainty. Whatever sector you're in, the possibilities are hugely exciting. New technologies are creating massive breakthroughs – and disruption cannot be avoided. Disruption demands an acute sensitivity to opportunity combined with a fierce commitment to execution.
Mike Lipkin is uniquely qualified to coach you on how to dance with disruption. He not only studies disruptors for a living, he works with them. He talks to hundreds of them every year. Together with his fellow wizards in the Environics Group, he also researches the trends that are defining the new realities.
In this session, Mike will coach you on how to adapt, navigate and pivot in a way that inspires, delights and thrills others. He will reveal the seven secrets to thriving on massive change so the most desirable people want to work only with you. Mike illustrates each secret through people and companies that have changed the rules of the game, created new markets and radically redefined the future.
Speaker: Mike Lipkin
Speaker Carlos Davidovich
Carlos Davidovich
For over 15 years, Carlos has been coaching internationally supporting the development of leaders and management teams alike. Originally from Argentina, he has been living in Toronto, Canada and working with Optimum Talent since 2013, working as an executive coach, facilitator, and is certified in Optimum Talent's SuccessFinder Career System. Carlos has expertise in NeuroManagement, and NeuroMarketing. He draws on his skills as a medical doctor plus his twenty years of experience as executive in the pharmaceutical industry to deliver insights to both organizations and executives about neuroscience and leadership. Carlos received a psychology degree in Spain, a medical degree in Argentina, an MBA in Switzerland (Roche internal program) and coaching credentials from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council. He is a professor of Neuromanagement in the MBA program at the University of New York in Prague (UNYP) and a guest lecturer for the EMBA program at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto. He is also a member of the Neuroleadership Institute, the NMSBA (NeuroMarketing Science & Business Association) and faculty of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School affiliate.
Speaker Colin Youngman
Colin Youngman, Lawyer
Colin Youngman is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley's Kingston office. He advises and represents both unionized and non-unionized employers throughout Eastern Ontario. He is regularly engaged in wrongful dismissal litigation, occupational health and safety matters, labour arbitration cases, Ontario Labour Relations Board proceedings and human rights proceedings. Colin also advises clients with respect to information and privacy matters including data breach response. Colin emphasizes proactive and creative solutions to workplace issues and disputes. Prior to entering law school, Colin worked as a Social Worker at the Frontenac Children's Aid Society in Kingston. Colin is an active member of the Pittsburgh Community Benefit Fund Board of Directors and is also a member of the Pladec Day Care Centre Board.
Panel Moderator Sherry Bennett
Sherry Bennett, Founder/Managing Director
Sherry Bennett is the Founder and Managing Director of Bayview Concierge. She has lived through significant trauma and has met adversity with equanimity.
Sherry has volunteered at hospices, women's shelters and funeral homes, assisting countless women and girls during recovery from a personal emergency or traumatic situation. She is strong advocate for Mental Health First Aid.
Her logistics and care-giving expertise inspired Sherry to launch Bayview Concierge in 2012 to make life and living easier for those living with pain, anxiety or symptoms of Post Trauma. Her company organizes nursing care, personal support workers, accompaniment to medical appointments and unique requests as long as they are within the confines of the law. (Bayview Concierge receives referrals from medical and legal professionals, as well as recommendations from clients).
The direction of Sherry's life (and business) changed when several of her clients asked for help to get legal access to medical cannabis.
Sherry quickly learned that patients face a constellation of obstacles when trying to access their medicine. So she delved into the research, interviewed many cannabis professionals and patients and chose to take cannabis herself to treat her own symptoms of PTSD.
By drawing heavily on her own research, personal experience, and the anecdotal stories of her clients and trusted advisers, she now guides others through the process of obtaining safe, dignified access to medical cannabis.
In these changing times, her strong belief is that education is crucial. Sherry has found that most people are keen to learn more about this highly stigmatized topic. With the intention of educating the corporate world, and the general public, Sherry has gathered a team of subject-matter specialists and created "Let's Talk Cannabis™" a series of presentations and panel discussions. These educational forums feature a diverse team of professionals; all with a mission to create a culture of responsibility. www.letstalkcannabis.ca
Panelist Vincent Lefaive
Vincent Lefaive
Sgt Vincent Lefaive (ret ) has served as a decorated 30 year municipal front line police officer. Having joined the Durham Regional Police Service on Toronto's East border at 18 years of age, he has effectively committed his entire adult life to policing. He is married with two adult daughters. In his 2016 manifest "A Letter To My Doctor" you will closely experience the quantity and quality of his very personal ghosts and their decades long grip on his soul. The manifest reveals the raw and consistent torture that first responder PTSD can represent, and speaks eerily to his future health predictions. His immediate medical treatment saw him entering into a fully supervised clinical cannabis study with Toronto based Apollo Applied Research.
Now completing his second year as a successful cannabis patient and first responder, Sgt Lefaive has had to "come out" as such, and is currently an advocate for his fellow first responders under this treatment to speak up.
In early 2018 he fell ill with what can be described as the ravages of a PTSD related bleeding disorder and is currently on medical leave.
Calling this effort at his own education, and spreading the evidence-based results in reclaiming his whole health, is his own personal pride flag on the field.
Experiencing coverage denials and red tape at the hands of his insurance providers, his goals include inclusive health care coverage and any opportunity to disarm the stigma surrounding this medicine. "I believe that by the very nature of the calling, first responders sell | 2,114 |
Martin Luther King Jr. made a big difference working peacefully with others to make our country a better place for everyone. He changed society and the way some people look at others who are different than themselves.
It is the same thing in volleyball. If you can't work well with your teammates, you're most likely going to lose.
The score is 24 to<|fim_middle|> goes over the net and BINGO, your team gets a point. Your team ends up winning because you were able to work together with someone you don't like.
Imagine if you didn't help your teammate and the other team won. Your whole team would be devastated and you would feel really bad about letting your team down. When you think about it, that girl is just as important as any other person on your team.
Who cares if she looks sort of weird and doesn't hang out with the same kids as you do? On the inside, she's the same as everybody else. She tried just as hard as you to win the game. She was a good sport and didn't get mad because she made a mistake.
Volleyball reminds me how Martin Luther King Jr. gave his life to help people see through the eyes of others. He cared more about people's character than he did their appearance. The amazing thing is that he did this all peacefully. He thought that fighting was not the right way to solve a problem. Instead, he united people in marches to show that black and white people are equal and should have the same rights. It doesn't matter what the color of their skin is. What matters is what is inside.
Working together is very important in a volleyball game as well as in everyday situations. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted equality, justice and peace.
Only by everyone working together can this country become the best it can be. | 20 and the other team is winning. It is the championship and this game means everything to your team. The ball zooms toward the last person you'd want to help. She hits it straight up instead of to a teammate.
Should you let your team lose a game this important just because you don't like someone? Of course not! You dive at the last second and hit the ball. It | 82 |
Hagge Castle is one of the greatest fortresses in the Northern Realms, through the ages owned by each of the Four Kingdoms. Less than forty years<|fim_middle|>ar Valley and established the ongoing Aedirnian-Temerian border.
It is where a meeting was held by Demawend of Aedirn, Foltest of Temeria, Henselt of Kaedwen, Vizimir of Redania and Meve of Lyria, intended to take strategic decisions on the Nilfgaard offensive.
" Vizimir, Foltest, Demawend, Henselt and Meve, repeated the marshal. They met in a secret council in Hagge Castle on the Pontar. They conferred in privacy.
How symbolic, said the slender, black-haired man wearing an elk tunic marked with the imprints of armour and rust stains, without looking around. After all, it was at Hagge, not forty years ago, that Virfuril defeated Medell's armies, strengthened his control over the Pontar Valley and established today's borders between Aedirn and Temeria.
Hagge is placed close to the border with Temeria in the world map for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. This placement issue was addressed for the Pontar Valley map.
This page was last edited on 13 September 2017, at 17:44. | ago King Virfuril of Aedirn defeated here Medell's armies, which strengthened Aedirnian control over the Pont | 28 |
Q: Michelson interfreometer with removed mirror The beamsplitter in Michelson interferometer influenced the light, going through respectively being reflected by 90°.
Image source: Wikipedia
Has somebody of you ever see<|fim_middle|> one is just plate glass, because I wanted to show the image that returns to the laser too. If I block either mirror the interference patterns go away. I hope this helps.
| what shape has the spot from a laser source on the observation screen if one of the mirrors is not installed?
Edit: There is a comment:
I have not and I no longer have access to a Michelson interferometer. If you have observed fringes then they might be due to the multiple reflections from the top and bottom of the beam splitter and the compensator.
A: Yes I have blocked the light from one of the mirrors. The image on the screen is simply the light from your laser projected onto the screen. The interference pattern goes away. The setup below produces the two images that you see. I have two beam splitters, | 132 |
Mounting Systems Germany has been supplying Egypt's first solar tracker project in Benban with the Sigma Tracker of the second generation for the last six months.
In cooperation with ib vogt, the two Berlin originated companies installed a<|fim_middle|> where high demands are made on statics and dynamics.
Do you need a competent partner for your project? | project scope of over 64 MWp respectively 828 Sigma Tracker systems.
The Sigma Tracker was developed for operations under extreme weather conditions and was selected for the Benban project for this very reason.
The technological advantages of the Sigma Tracker especially show in accordance to service life, the application of standard industry components and in the simplicity of the installation.
One of the key factors that influenced the investors is the long-time experience of Mounting Systems and its partners acting in the background.
The Zech Group doesn't only guarantee financial stability, but also delivers extensive knowhow in the sectors of mobile mechanical systems | 121 |
Best Place To Travel Alone In Usa . Taking a trip alone isn't simply encouraging– it's likewise, say numerous, more improving. Without the barrier of a fellow traveler, there's a heightened immediacy to experiencing new lands as well as cultures.
In the United States, take your pick of the solo experiences: you can travel with wilderness, eat your means around the world at gourmet international restaurants, then alleviate into the night over jazz– occasionally all in the same 24-hour span.
From cities to national parks to popular territories, here are our pick of the best place to travel alone in USA.
Calling all solo adventurists: Stone is the best place to park your treking boots. Being in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, this is an outdoor town with plenty of year-round activities that you can handle solo, from snowboarding to cycling.
After dark, the fun proceeds, with a buzzing night<|fim_middle|> as well as once you've treked the trails, take in a typical bath at Buckstaff Baths.
Searching for at Sedona's famous red rocks as they glow under the setup sunlight is an unforgettable experience– and even more so when you're alone. The location's amazing tranquility is ideal taken pleasure in without any friend chatter.
When you're ready to sign up with others, there are lots of methods to do so, such as the First Friday Art Walk (initial Friday of the month), which circulates through the top galleries around.
Thanks for reviewing the article "Best Place To Travel Alone In Usa". | life– look into the brew bars of Pearl Street– as well as a diverse array of economical global restaurants, where you could pleasantly (as well as inexpensively) wine as well as dine alone.
Trick West isn't simply different from Florida– it's various from the whole country. The southernmost point in the US, Key West is as well-known for its warm shores when it comes to its unique, anything-goes, wild as well as spirited side.
Solo travelers are enthusiastically welcome right here, with all kind of inclusive events, from outdoor shows to unscripted ceremonies to dive coastline bars where, after a few drinks, everybody recognizes your name.
The San Francisco spirit can be summed up in two words: be yourself. This is a city that accepts solo vacationers, with complimentary summer season shows and celebrations– dance on the turf at the lively Stern Grove Event– to Bay Area Bike Share, which makes it very easy and also affordable to pedal around the city.
And also, most of San Francisco's dining establishments have welcoming bar seating for one. And also, of course, there are the wire automobiles: hop on, hang on, as well as see the city with the wind in your hair.
Leave Yellowstone and also the Grand Canyon to the hordes of summer family travelers. Rather, trek with America's lesser-known pockets of wild like Hot Springs National forest, which is one of the tiniest and also earliest national forests in the United States.
Make your base in the community of Hot Springs, which creates part of the park, | 313 |
'The decision was pretty easy' - Mikolaj Oledzki's joy after new Leeds Rhinos contract
The England international has put pen to paper on a new contract extension with the club.
Matthew Shaw
Leeds Rhinos prop Mikolaj Oledzki debuted for England against France.
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Mikolaj Oledzki says he didn't think twice after signing a contract extension with Leeds Rhinos.
The prop has extended his contract by an additional year, which will keep him at the club until the end of 2025.
It comes after a fantastic year for Oledzki, who established himself as a key member of Richard Agar's side before earning his England debut.
He will now look to kick on after signing a new deal, one that came without much thought.
Leeds Rhinos' fifth signing Richard Agar believes can be most important of all
Twenty Super League stars off-contract at the end of the season as clubs plot next recruitment moves
"I am really happy to have got the deal over the line however the decision was pretty easy for me," he said.
"For the last few years, I've really<|fim_middle|> I've been here since I was a junior. I've really enjoyed my time and am really excited about what the next four years will bring.
"I am fortunate to play alongside some quality players in the middle of the team and they help me develop my game. That was a factor in my decision to remain at the Rhinos because playing alongside these lads for the last few years has helped me develop my game massively.
"It was an important decision for me and my family as well. We love living in and around Leeds, it's a great city, a great, family-friendly club. My little one loves everything about Leeds: she loves coming here to the stadium and she loves Ronnie. That was another factor as I can't be selfish, it has to be a decision that we make together."
It's the latest piece of retention done by the club in recent weeks, with more expected in the coming weeks.
"Mik thoroughly deserves this new contract," Agar said.
"As a club, we have a policy of rewarding success and Mik's form over the last two years certainly warrants that. He has become one of the leading forwards in Super League, earning a place in the England side and is at the core of our senior players and performers here at the Rhinos on a consistent basis which has secured his status in the game."
England Football Team
Leeds United's mystery second transfer target, Brenden Aaronson limit and Bielsa's vision for him
Leeds United FCYou sent your Leeds United questions to our Whites writer Beren Cross on all the topics important to you on the first half of the season, transfer window strategy or Marcelo Bielsa's future | enjoyed going through the process we have been through as our squad has transitioned. We have signed a lot of great players to compliment the young lads coming through and I've really enjoyed being part of that building process. | 44 |
Soul Therapies Massage and Beauty School's Spray Tan Training course is for beginners and existing technicians (salon or mobile) who would like to add this 'must have' treatment to their menu.
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£80.00 (Includes a manual containing everything you need to know). | natural-looking glow that makes them look and feel gorgeous. Thanks to the unique moisture-rich formula and unique time-release ingredient, now even the fairest skin can enjoy a natural-looking tan. Easy to apply, and with a gorgeous fresh fragrance, it goes on smoothly and fades evenly, for a flawless finish every time. With Xen-Tan you can achieve the beautiful tan you love, without putting your skin, or your health, at risk. In fact, thanks to Xen-Tan's skin-nourishing formula and rich moisturisers, using it actually helps care for skin, to keep it feeling fabulous.
Xen-Tan products have already received a stack of prestigious beauty awards, including Harpers Bazaar's Best Self-Tan, Elle Beauty's Best Ever Beauty Buys and Handbag.com's Best Self-Tan. And, it's fast becoming the brand of choice for fake tan lovers and celebrities alike, along with leading beauty experts from the fashion, TV, music and film industries.
Spray tanning is increasingly popular more now than ever. It is simple and quick to carry out the treatment, giving therapists a great opportunity to maximise earning potential.
This entry Level Beauty Therapy Course will enable you to give your clients a healthy and natural all year tan.
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This is a one day practical training | 290 |
"Creativity is contagious, pass it on"
Our workshops are ideal for local events and schools. We encourage children to express their creativity in a fun and relaxed atmosphere and at their own pace. We can provide tailor made packages to suit your needs and to fit in with any themes required.
This summer we ran workshops in mandala designing, colouring in / doodle sessions and mixed medium designs. More workshop themes will be added to the list in due course.
A mandala is a circular figure representing the universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism. We run through the step by step process of how to create a simple mandala design, encouraging the children to<|fim_middle|> am also available for school author / illustrator visits to read the children my book Animania. This book is an animal alphabet book with a twist... the twist being that these are not your usual animals! The books is all done in rhyme and utterly ridiculous. Guaranteed to be a fun and lighthearted experience.
After I have read the book I then play the popular Animania game which encourages the children to help me create a new Animania character by mixing animals up. We will name our character, discuss their unique characteristics, the sillier the better and then I shall draw a quick sketch of our character for them. To top the workshop off there there is a competition at the end where they can win a signed copy of the book, a cuddly mouse and a copy of the colouring book by designing their own Animania character. | express their own creativity in creating a unique design that reflects their soul. The process of mandala designing is incredibly therapeutic and has proven to be a very calming and enjoyable activity for all levels of ability.
We will run through the process of creating some simple mandala designs which you can then transfer to a sun catcher to decorate.
Our coloring in and doodle workshops are another light hearted way of encouraging creativity. We understand that not everyone feels confident when it comes to drawing and want to break away from the stigma of you having to be a good "artist" to express yourself creatively. We give the option of either colouring in one of our many designs created for mindfulness or let you create your own design, ensuring that all abilities can enjoy the experience.
The Zentangle method is another fantastic way of exploring mindful art. It is an easy to learn, relaxing and fun way to create beautiful images.
Studys prove that it increases focus and creativity, provides artistic satisfaction along with an increased sense of well being.
Zentangles are created by using a series of repeating patterns. We will go through some of the most commonly used patterns and shapes to create the designs, but we encourage you to explore you own creativity and make up the patterns that feel right for you. You can work with simple black and white patterns or you could be creative and add colour, the beauty of this art form is that there is no right or wrong way of creating them, you just let your hand and pen do the work to fill in the blank spaces on the paper.
I | 313 |
Jay had little chance to think that morning. The first five hours at Ed's were relentless, the patrons moody in the way a town could get when a storm drew near from off the coast. Breakfast bled into lunch. In the moments between moments, when Jay's mind could settle, it lit on Ira Glass — on the strange fixation the cop seemed to have on him. It ran behind all of his thoughts, an uneasy current.
He pushed it out of mind; or tried to. There was little to gain from worry, though it was easier to think so than to make it stop.
Not till one thirty did he catch his breath and mop the sweat from his brow. After a morning of dishwashing there was scarce a dry inch on his body, which was still sore from his night on the bare floor of the ruined house. He sank into a corner table, groaned, let his plate clatter down before him. Jay stared at it, nearly too tired to eat.
Who was Rumor, anyway? Jay wondered. What made her so anguished?<|fim_middle|> contented, as if she could find the strength for another day, hard as that could seem on autumn nights like these.
She crossed the lonely road and made straight for home, the only building on Sea Cloud Way that did not seem a mansion to her eyes. She didn't go inside, only threw the leftover scraps of chicken neck to the dogs and leaned the hand net against the rail by the back door. She set the buckets down. Stared in at the jostling blue bodies.
How much could she eat in a week? How much could she spare?
At this time of year, with the crabs thick in the river, she only ever kept a week's worth of food. In the past she had thrown back the rest, but that was no real option now. End of the week, she could always go back for more.
It was no chore to her. To sit by the water in her folding chair and stare out at the bends in the marsh. To listen to the fiddlers swarming up the bank. It was a pleasure, one of the few real ones she still took. It was something real, something pure. A distraction from the weight of her worry.
Cee packed what she could spare in the passenger seat of her grey Accord, and headed for Sixty-one. Her mind drifted, thoughtless, barely took in the old ruined house on Coffin Road, nor any other sight till she pulled into the cramped lot at Ed's.
She wondered how often she'd made that drive. Too many times. She sighed, turned off the car, grabbed the two buckets.
Ed's was slow, but not dead. She'd seen it dead, and she'd seen it packed in her day. Wasn't sure if slow was a good sign or not. A slower day meant Ed might have time for her, but if business was too slow he might not want to buy what she had.
"Uh, no — I want to see if I can talk to Ed real quick." She held up one of the buckets in her hands. The man glanced inside, frowned.
Cee wondered who the new guy was. She hadn't been in since late June, but still it was unlike Ed to hire new staff on a whim. The diner seemed no busier than it ever had. Not a single patron glanced up her way. It bugged her. She drank in their brisk, carefree air and felt her displeasure grow. Cee had never liked the diner. Its acrid smell, the ghost of the old guard embedded in the glossy wood tables and walls.
There was something else in it, though, that unsettled her more. Touched closer to home. An air of impermanence, maybe.
"You know I do." Her words were bold, confident, but she felt none of it. Ed grimaced and shook his head, frown lines deepening.
The old man eyed her, angled his jaw. She didn't blink. Finally he gave a grudging nod.
Cee said nothing as Ed retreated again. She would have thanked him, but it would only make him surlier.
"Number threes!" she shook her head. They were bigger than threes, or some were, anyway. She peered sidelong as the young man crouched and grasped the buckets. He started to walk away, then halted. Turned and looked her sheepishly in the eye.
"Cee's my name," she said warily.
He looked her over again as if sizing her up, or trying to decide something. "What?" she drew back.
Cee frowned deeply, almost glared.
That was different. She'd suspected the worst at her brother's mention, but that was different. No telling what Mosquito might be up to, not till he showed at her door for a meal and a night or two on the couch, and that was rare enough. But that girl, she was the one thing Cee could trust him not to hold cheap.
Jay frowned, nodded, then vanished into the kitchen with her buckets, appearing a moment later with her money. She took it, flinching when their hands almost touched, and folded the bills, and held her clenched hand to her breast.
"Sorry, honey." She turned and left.
Cee climbed in the Accord and winced, looking down at her palm as her fingers folded and unfolded. The line of her mouth slackened a bit. She wondered what the new man knew about Rumor. No more than she did, she guessed, eyes narrowing.
But if Mosquito had really come for him when the girl needed help? Well. He couldn't be all bad.
She started the car and drove away east down Sixty-one, eyes lighting on the worn-down weeds at the roadside. She missed the summer when they were tall and thick and luxuriant, a thing that no one, she was sure, spared thought for but herself. She drove slower. Cars passed her when no traffic could be seen coming the other way. People had so little time for anything, but time was what you made of it.
To an extent. Of course, time couldn't always be what you made of it. She knew that same as anyone. There were moments when it pressed in on her, made it hard to breathe, demanded something she wasn't sure she had to give.
Cee had returned to the Lowcountry after five years in Pittsburgh, even after swearing to never set foot in the South again, when her mother got cancer. The house had felt hollow and empty when her mother died, then even more so when her father followed soon after.
It was a sorry place to live. Sad and old, a shack compared to the new developments all around it. They hadn't been here when Cee had left, but she wasn't surprised. The land her family once owned had been sold off, bit by bit, and now rich white people lived where she once played.
She used to hate it, this house on Sea Cloud Way, so near to the plantation where her foremothers once worked. Their blood, sweat, and tears were literally in its soil, mingled with that of sharecroppers and overseers. Her eyes, then, had seen only the cruelty of the past.
Up north, though, she found that cruelty had followed her, though people hid it better, perhaps even from themselves. And she missed home. She'd tried to shake it off, to deny it, but it clung still. A cobweb caught in her hair. When she finally came back, just before her parents died, it felt like her lungs opening after years of holding her breath.
Sure, it was hard with the land values being jacked up, having to sell spare crab to save up to pay the property tax. But that was true everywhere here, now, and it was not nearly as bad as on the islands.
But there was nothing for it. It was cut into her heart, the marsh and the river; they wandered in her blood. The light of evening in the Spanish moss, the crepe myrtle's smooth limbs and its tiny sprigs of white like lace. The clattering of shrimp in the river at low tide. All was beauty in the midst of decay.
Cee was home again. Her resentment hadn't died, perhaps never would, but it was worn away now by time and water, and by the soul of this place itself. Worn to a dull ache. The grain of sand in a pearl.
She was home again, and home in this world meant taking the bad with the good, finding peace in the struggle. | What did it mean that she had "spells"?
Jay set down the half-eaten sandwich, scanned the dining room for his boss. He stood and ambled toward the back of house.
He found Ed ill-humored, telling off one of the servers. Jay turned to go, but the man had already spotted him. "What is it?" he snapped.
"Nothing," Jay stammered. "I was just thinking… What do you know bout that homeless man came in last night?
Ed gave a dour look, but that was nothing new. "More'n I should," he grumbled.
Jay had a word or two he could say to that, but thought better. He needed to know what the old man knew.
"What?" Ed growled defensively. "Think you can change his life? Make him want to work? Buy him a nice home? Be my guest. I done all I can for that man." He turned to the server and scowled, daring her to say a contrary word.
Jay too held his tongue. Sighed, walked away. Through the windows he could see moss-draped oaks stir in the wind, calling out to him from far away.
If only he could heed them. The day sat heavy on his shoulders, and there were still hours left to go. He would have to find another way.
Cee Gadsden gathered up her things: buckets, line, scraps of week-old chicken in a small plastic tub. The creek had swelled with crabs today, so both buckets were full; and anyway it was quitting time. The tide had gone slack and would soon roll out.
The boardwalk creaked as she trudged shoreward. It was near evening and the sky was pale, the kind of pale with a glow behind it. Not a radiant, summery glow, but a dull blaze under white skies. It made her weary, but calm as well, | 399 |
Category Archives: Norway
Norwegian Coastal Cruising: PART II (Uvår to Kristiansand)
Thursday-Saturday, May 25-27
UDVÅR
After three nights tied to a pontoon both we and JUANONA yearned for another anchorage. Mandal had provided the perfect location for provisioning, walking, catching up via the Internet, and conversing with others; but, dropping the hook in a secluded cove surrounded by mom nature offers a welcome balance to the hustle and busyness of towns and cities.
This entry was posted in 2017 05 NORWAY - Southeast Coast, 2017 Summer Cruising, COUNTRY, Europe, Norway and tagged Fort, Norwegian Island, Sculpture on June 7, 2017 by margaretlynnie.
Norwegian Coastal Cruising: PART I (Selor to Mandal)
I'll just preference these summer posts with an overall impression: southern Norway provides an extremely different cruising experience than our adventures on the west coast during the summers of 2015 and 2016. There, we found dramatic scenery and sparse harbors, whereas here brings to mind a Maine summer with shared anchorages and bustling towns. Case in point: we've seen and met more yachties in our first week in southern Norway than we did in our previous two summers combined.
Each type of cruising provides memories we hold onto, and in both, those memories remind us once again how lucky we a
Friday – Saturday, May 19 – 20
SELØR
We cast off our lines from Farsund where we landed two days prior from the Netherlands.
This entry was posted in 2017 05 NORWAY - Southeast Coast, 2017 Summer Cruising, COUNTRY, Europe, Norway, SUMMER CRUISING and tagged Hille, Lindesnes, Mandal, Marina, Nielsen, Norwegian Island, Olav, Sculpture, Selør, Tidemand, Vigeland, Viking on May 28, 2017 by margaretlynnie.
PART IX: Max's Norwegian Family
Our last day in Norway turned out to be another amazing adventure; and, it all began with a simple postcard….
To find out just how amazing, the story unfolds in a letter Max sent to his immediate and extended family…
Our Norwegian Family
Where do I start to describe how lovely is the family we met in Norway. Just spectacular folks.
To briefly recap the Geneology, our great-great-grandfather Peter Christian Assersen (PCA) was born on the island of Midbrod on the SW coast of Norway. The last of twelve children, he left home fairly young and made his way to the US. He eventually became a Rear Admiral in the US Navy. But he never forgot his roots, and anytime a friend from Norway visited him in the US, he always asked about his family back home, and about an old girlfriend he once had, and always asked whether a teetering rock they had tried to roll down the mountain was still there.
PCA's parents were Malene Rasmusdatter and Asser Johannessen (hence Peter took the last name "Asser-son though it's spelled -sen here in Norway. And Malene's father was named Rasmus Christensen, hence her last name Rasmusdatter – Rasmus' daughter. To add further context, people sometimes took the name of the farm or island where they lived). There is quite a story about Malene – an adopted daughter – not marrying her foster brother as was the wish of the significant people in her life. Instead she blazed her own trail. (A trait that seems to run in the family!) Malena lived to age 102.
A "Malena Midbrod" is portrayed in a 1998 magazine article standing on the seashore holding a rifle with an accompanying article describing her heroics in the Napoleanic Wars. It's not clear if this is PCA's mother or grandmother, but it is definitely one of the family according to the local historian who wrote the article. In the early 1800s Norway got dragged into these wars. The Norwegians captured a British ship which was full of valuable rope and tar, and hid it amongst the islands around Midbrod. The British sent a powerful gunship to rescue it, but the English ship was too big for the shallow channels. So they sent their troops ashore in smaller boats. Many of the Midbrod men were out fishing, but Malena rallied enough of a force to take on the British troops and send them packing. So there is a Joan of Arc in the family (The article is in Norwegian so hopefully we'll get it translated one day).
PCA had a daughter also named Malene, who married William B. Fletcher (who also became a Rear Admiral). He is my great-grandfather; Lynnie and I live in the house he purchased in the 1920s; and we named our boat "Juanona" after the gaff-rigged sloop he sailed for 30 or 40 years and which I sailed on as a young boy. It makes PCA seem not that very distant.
Fast forward to the last few weeks. Lynnie and I have just sailed from Holland to Norway, making landfall at Egersund, a town on the SW coast. I knew PCA was born on the nearby island of Midbrod and nothing else. Lynnie and I go to the local town office to see what we could find out about his life. The woman there sends us to the old church, thinking they might have some records. Their records didn't go back far enough, but the woman graciously prints out the names and addresses of the four Assersens in the phone book.
We send four postcards, and lo and behold got a nice email back from one of the four. They weren't related to us, but their daughter married someone who was. By then Lynnie and I had sailed further north, but we started communicating with the cousins and made plans to meet on our way back through. It was with considerable excitement that we awaited the family last Tuesday (July 12).
They arrived aboard "Juanona" with a tray of gingerbread and within ten minutes it felt like we had known them well, pretty much forever.
Bjorn Skadberg is one generation younger than me. His wife Sylvie Assersen Skadberg (and oddly enough, Sylvie doesn't think she's related to us) and their children Antonia and Kelly are the nicest folks you will meet. Due to our uncertainly with weather we had only given them a couple days notice of our arrival, but they both took a day off from work and planned a most memorable day for us. (Incidentally, they told me Norwegian family members travel to the US from time to time and they've always wondered if there any relatives around, so they are excited to make these connections too!)
Our first stop was to see the Lundardviken beach, where Malena had gone to clear her head after being thrown out of the family for failing to marry her foster brother as was the wish of her foster parents (they were their only children, and marrying each other would have preserved the family house and given each child some economic security).
Next we met up with Bjorn's father, 78 year old Oddbjorn Skadberg, a most wonderful gentleman who still fishes and occasionally tends the lighthouse, and who remembers a lot of the family history. Oddbjorn has done winter fishing in the Lofotens, north of the Arctic Circle, where he sometimes had to sleep in his boat with no heat, and otherwise impresses me as someone with a toughness that you don't find much anymore – but with a very gentle soul. He and I share a common grandmother five generations back.
We drove to the lot where the PCA's childhood house once stood.
And then to the house where PCA's mother lived with her foster parents, and from which she was thrown out.
Incidentally, Midbrod Island is stunning, and it's a Unesco geological park as it contains the same rock as is found on the moon. This hill, named Lunnarviken after the rock, was PCA's childhood playground.
Next we went to a house now owned by Tonnes Tonnesen, who is another cousin. The house has been in the family since the 1600s and it could be a museum, with many original artifacts, as well as being chock full of maritime photos and memorabilia.
One picture shows one of our ancestors (in the lower right) and the crew from a rowing race. They had to row all the way from Midbrod to Bergen, a distance of about 130 miles, just to get to the starting line. They then proceeded to win the race, from Bergen to Haugesund, something like 65 miles. I don't think they were rowing modern, lightweight shells. Like I said, people grow up tough around here!
Unbeknownst to us Bjorn and Sylvie and OddBjorn had planned a picnic. But first we took a trip in Oddbjorn's fishing boat – the same one he had shipped on a freight train to the Lofoten fishing grounds.
We visited the lighthouse, completed in 1854, that young PCA had helped haul the bricks for. You can't imagine how many bricks it would take to build this, and then the whole thing was encased in a protective cast iron frame. The winter storms are brutal around here, but it looks like this lighthouse will stand for many more years.
Oddbjorn has served as lighthouse keeper on occasion, and had a key to let us inside. Climbing the steps you pass by a small window with a long vertical shaft leading far below. Before electricity the lighthouse keeper had to manually wind up a mechanism to keep the light turning – like a giant grandfather clock. At the top we found not only magnificent views, but we got a ride on the turning light itself.
Next was a cookout with hot dogs, lamb, and salmon caught that day by Oddbjorn and finely seasoned by Sylvie. The two daughters are Antonia (L) and Kelly (R). Antonia is about to enter senior year and hopes to study geology. Kelly is a few years younger, and both are lovely young women.
We also learned that Oddbjorn was giving us another salmon for our upcoming passage to Holland.
We ended the day at their lovely home north of Egersund, where Bjorn has a couple antique cars in very good condition.
Finally, this area being blessed with fertile soil, fresh water, and easy access to the ocean, it became an important Viking stronghold. Right across the street from their house is a field still known as "Fighting Island." Vikings sometimes settled disputes by tying the arms of two warriors together, giving them each a weapon in the other hand and letting them go at it.
There are Viking remnants all over the place, including a nearby site only recently discovered – with large fire pits suggesting an important gathering place for the Vikings.
I can't begin to tell you how special it was to make this connection with our Norwegian family. Lynnie and I will almost certainly be sailing back to Norway next summer, so will be seeing them again. And we are hoping to host them in the US anytime they are there.
All I can say is thank you to everyone who has befriended two American sailors with such warmth. How can we not fall in love with your countries?
This entry was posted in 2016 07 NORWAY - South, 2016 Summer Cruising, COUNTRY, Europe, Norway, SUMMER CRUISING on July 28, 2016 by margaretlynnie.
PART VIII: Stavanger
After our stop at Utstein Kloster, we leisurely motor-sailed down a beautiful waterway called the Mastrafjorden to meet up with Paul whom we had surprisingly connected with in Skudneshavn two weeks earlier. Approaching the harbor to Norway's 4th-largest city we spotted the oil rig we'd seen walking across the water a few days prior. Yes, believe it or not (and, at first I didn't when Max exclaimed it was moving) this behemoth mechanical contraption can self-propel by virtue of the two underwater pods it floats upon, and travels at a surprisingly high speed.
Not really a surprise to see it sitting in Stavanger's waters considering this city became the base for Statoil, Norway's ticket to prosperity beginning over four decades ago. And, there's a stunning museum documenting this Norwegian fortune.
There's actually a marina in front of the Norse Oljemueum Museum (Petroleum Museum); and, it was our rendezvous point with Paul;
but, checking out the docking we found it a bit too tight for JUANONA due to the holiday boaters. Paul said the Stavanger Sailing Club across the harbor was a good alternative, so we motored over and located a perfect spot for our weekend visit.
And, from that point forward we were in the hands of our gracious host. Whisking us to his house, we had a delicious dinner of sea trout (which I had mistakenly thought was salmon and was just as delectable), baked potatoes (a rarity for us due to amount of propane it takes to cook them) and asparagus. Then, a Maine campfire treat
marshmallows! The first of our summer season :)
Due to the hour we ended up staying at Paul's where I had also been tempted to catch up on laundry after he suggested we bring it with us.
The sun shined in a warm blue sky and we were off to a tour of Stavanger. Like many of the cities we've visited in Norway, Stavanger existed as a fishing village, eventually building a cathedral in the early 12th-century. In 1425 the king Eric III (1381/82-1459) made Stavanger a market town, a designation benefiting the local populace through monopolistic trading privileges and the government by providing an easy way to capture taxes on goods and services, while building a population center for defense. Yet, it wasn't until herring flooded the offshore waters in the 19th-century that this town began its climb to wealth.
But the real ride to riches began with striking oil in 1969, prompted by the discovery of gas ten years earlier at Groningen. The Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) became the Fort Knox for this country as more oil was found in subsequent drilling, the first being Ekofisk, the largest offshore oil field at that time, discovered by Phillips Petroleum.
One of the smartest moves of Norway was proclaiming that the King – basically, the government – was in charge of the natural resources. In 1972 Statoil came into existence, with the country as its sole owner. Another strategy was the contractual agreement that Norway would own 50% of each production license awarded to individual companies.
But, it can be difficult to handle an explosion of immediate riches, and, not surprisingly, Norway suffered from this 'boom' mentality; yet, they learned from their mistakes, and in 1990 the country established the Government Pension Fund. In 1996 the fund's first deposit ($200 million) was paid into its coffers, growing to what now is $870 billion, the world's largest sovereign fund. The purpose is to provide financial security for current and future generations even when the oil runs dry. Such a wise decision that sadly, oh-so-few countries even contemplate. (Interestingly, this year Saudi Arabia announced a $2 trillion investment in a similar fund to wean its country off of oil dependence by 2020. I wonder how transparent management will be of that fund.)
To gain an overview of this vital Norwegian industry we began our tour at the Norse Oljemuseum. Paul, being a geologist, became our expert guide. He obviously was a frequent visitor to the Museum since he was greeted by name by the staff with one of<|fim_middle|> slumbered off.
We managed to get some sun when we first landed in Bergen (a rarity as we discovered it is true that you'll get two days of rain for every one day of sun here). Immediately we walked to the Tourist Information (TI) office and became part of the crowd of tourists inquiring about sites, bus routes, and special events. We purchased the Bergen Pass, opting for the 48-hour one, which would cover our planned two-days sight-seeing.
Bergen was founded in 1070 c.e. by the King of Norway, Olav Kyrre, who happened to be the son of King Harold Hadrada who died in England at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. Nestled into an arm of a small fjord it was the largest town in the late 11th century and the capital of a region encompassing Iceland, Greenland, and parts of Scotland (the Shetland Islands use to be part of Norway, which is why some say it's more Norwegian than Scottish).
Thanks to the exporting of the incredible resource of stockfish (what we saw drying and stacked in pile upon pile in Lofotens last summer)
Bergen continued to prosper even after Oslo became the capital in 1299. And, it was this rich trading period that became our focus during our first day in this city.
We made a beeline for the Bryggen (Wharf) Area across the harbor from the Tourist Office.
Here the medieval German enclave was built by and for the German traders representing the wealthy Hanseatic League (aka Hansa, which comes from the Gothic word for 'gang' or 'band or men'). I was eager to learn more about this merchant guild after our spring touring of some of the Netherlands' ports featuring the Dutch East India Company, the Hansa's rival and later successor in monopolistic trade.
The Hanseatic League formed out of German merchants' desire for safe shipping routes while negotiating favorable importing/exporting pacts with key towns and cities. Bruges, London, and Bergen became prominent trading posts or Kontors with local rulers agreeing to grant the Hansa special privileges.
For example, in 1266 Henry II allowed the Hansa to trade at fairs throughout England while giving those merchants toll-free access to London. Of course the favoritism shown to these foreign merchants irritated their English peers; and, in 1597 Elizabeth the First expelled the League from London; but, that's after 300 years of surely a sizable profit for the Hansa guys.
With foreign rulers insisting on segregating the Hansa merchants, these German enclaves became their own little city-states with lodging, churches and warehouses all following strict guidelines established by the guild: the 'Law of Lubeck' (Lubeck, a German city, became the dominant player in the league by the late 13th century, overtaking the town of Visby located on the Gotland Peninsula.)
We wandered through Bergen's Hanseatic neighborhood, where we saw their church, St. Mary's,
and obtained a sense of how these ex-pats lived in Bergen, absorbing the medieval atmosphere.
We peered skyward as we walked through the narrow alleys separating the trading houses, all crammed together facing the harbor. Today they've been renovated and/or rebuilt, but even with a great coat of paint, I'd get claustrophobic.
Part of the trade pact with the city's ruler prohibited the German traders from fraternizing with the locals except when negotiating deals. Additionally, they were prohibited from bringing their girlfriends, wives or families to live with them in this foreign outpost. Talk about a tough winter…
As an all-male population the schotstuene or assembly room became the focal point for all sorts of activities. Functioning as a gathering place, the schotstuene served as a dining hall, place of festivities, an office, a court, and a school for the apprentices.
In Bergen we toured one of these establishments comprised of original and reconstructed buildings where Germans congregated during the Hanseatic years for approximately 400 years beginning in 1360.
Yucky initiations occurred here as well with the poor newbies, i.e., apprentices, hazed by the older members during the "Games". One of these initiations involved hanging the apprentices upside down over a smoking fire where tanning waste (from curing hides) were being burnt. Sounds horrific, but, there's more: As these poor lads were suspended head down, the better to inhale the foul smoke, they had to answer questions while being beaten.
We saw the room where this occurred. Nice, huh?
The schotstuene was a popular place to congregate because it also was the only building where an open flame was allowed in the entire enclave (!). (Like most towns and cities in Norway, Bergen had a history of going up in flames multiple times over the centuries due to their timbered structures.) This meant the trading houses and warehouses where the merchants, their journeymen or overseers, and apprentices worked and slept did so without the benefit of candles or heat. And, no, they weren't allowed to sleep at the schotstuene. And, this is in NORWAY where it can get mighty cold. AND, they weren't allowed female companionship. Definitely, a tough winter.
But, money is money, and up to 2,000 Germans lived in Bryggen. Merchants, the top of the pecking order, were required to purchase a house here; yet, they usually returned home to Germany leaving a manager (a promoted journeyman) to carry on the business. Bergen's Hanseatic Museum located in one of German merchant's houses offered a fascinating look into this world.
We walked through the storerooms, offices
and living quarters,
one room showing the beds for the apprentices (no flash allowed so not the best pics).
The league remained a loose federation of merchants as opposed to becoming a centralized political alliance. Not to say they didn't have power. Anyone familiar with US politics understands the relationship between money and decision-making. In short, you're screwed if you don't have money to throw at the feet of those in power; or, really, if you can't toss it to those who are paid to influence those in power.
Eventually over 100 municipalities were members of the Hansa with its first Diet or assembly held in 1356. As in Bergen and other Hansa ports, these German merchants established tariff agreements, including setting the prices of goods. The League used both the carrot-and-stick approach to business: guaranteeing a profitable market for a trading partner's goods (stockfish in Bergen's case) while threatening to withhold critical delivery of goods (such as grain) if there appeared an unfavorable glitch in the negotiations.
In the 15th century the forming or reviving of nation-states created an opposing force to the Hansa whose power was derived from alliances with much smaller and less powerful city-states. The Dutch exemplified this evolution with Bruges, Antwerp and Holland becoming one country, the Duchy of Burgundy. They were able to circumvent the trade routes of the Hansa by trading directly with non-Hansa towns, charging lower freight costs. Additionally, the Dutch began to poach the Hansa's shipbuilding market, which Lubeck and Danzig had cornered over over the centuries.
By the 16th century the Hansa had weakened considerably and limped. By 1669 only three member cities remained (Lubeck, Hamburg and Bremen). Those three cities remained members until 1862 when the Hanseatic League ended.
The museum was fascinating and offered much more detail than I've shared here–the process of receiving, preparing, and sorting the stockfish for export, the lives of those sailing on the ships, the elaborate city seals used for official business, for example. Well-worth an extensive visit.
After immersing ourselves in the Hanseatic League we ventured out of this sub-city where we heard the sound of marching feet. Quickly we located the source as a group of uniforms past us in unison on their way to the main square.
We followed this rhythmic centipede to where this military group, the Hans Majestet Kongens Garde (His Majesty's the King's Guards) had set up for a noon concert.
The crowd loved it, as did we. The music added a greater element of festivity to our first day in Bergen. That, along with some hair I spotted. If I were a lot younger, I think I'd try out this color myself. It's glorious!
After hearing the band and munching on our picnic lunch we returned to the waterfront where we scouted out a chandlery for a fuel additive (the same one the Coast Guard Organization gave Max in Egersund), then returned to the Bryggens area to visit the Bryggens Museum.
Here we saw the archaeological findings from early settlements including a cross-section with evidence of several fires, the first occurring 1170/71,
one of the largest collection of runic inscriptions in the world,
and a sobering exhibit on the great fire of Bergen on January 15, 1916, when a candle flame ignited a bale of oakum (tarred fibre used as ship caulking).
Exiting the museum we headed for the harbor entrance where we poked around Bergenhus (Bergen's Castle). We stepped inside the royal apartments housed in a building constructed by King Haakon Hakonsson between 1247 and 1261.
Haakon's Hall is the largest, secular medieval building still standing in Norway. Destroyed in 1944 by a German ammunition ship, which left only the outer walls standing, this beautiful hall was rebuilt and restored a second time. And, it is beautiful.
Next door is the 400-year-old Muren (Wall Gate) known as the Rosenkrantz Tower. Built in the 1560s by the governor, Erik Rosenkrantz, this stone structure existed as a fortress and residence. (FYI: He was an ancestor of Ludwig Rosenkrantz, who, with his Norwegian wife, built the only Barony in Norway, Rosendal, 100 years after Eric erected his tower.)
Several interesting stories are attached to this Renaissance building. One involves the Battle of Vagen on August 2, 1665. I won't go into details but it's a fascinating tale of how this city got stuck in the middle between two maritime powers, the Netherlands and England.
Another historical footnote is the trial of Anne Pedersdatter on March 21, 1590. Accused as a witch she was subsequently found guilty and executed by fire. Gruesomely, they tied witches to a ladder and placed it on the bonfire to ensure they died by the flames versus by smoke inhalation. The thought was the fire would cleanse the soul and improve the convicted's chances in the afterlife. Frankly, I'd prefer death by smoke and to hell with the afterlife bit.
Finally, both her name and Rosenkrantz's may sound familiar since both have been used by playwrights, one being William Shakespeare who paired Rosenkrantz with Guildenstern in "Hamlet".
With our heads filled with the history of Bergen and bodies a bit soaked from some occasional bursts of rain
we called it a day and returned to Os.
Bergen Day Two coming up :)
PART IV: The Magic of Os
We left Rosendal and motored further north to Os via a narrow passage way
in the wispy, blue-gray morning light.
Speaking with Marit and Even at our last port we were still unsure about docking opportunities; yet, online information mentioned a new, guest mooring site so we decided to check it out. We knew we could always sail on to another harbor if Os' was too exposed to the winds.
But, it seemed fine when we approached and hunted down a free slip. Now, though, we wanted to do our usual repositioning, which meant both of us getting off the boat and man-/woman-handling of lines to set up JUANONA for an easier departure out of a tight space.
While performing our rope gymnastics with JUANONA serving potentially as an unruly steed part of me was hoping that no one was watching this example of seamanship; yet, another thought was what a great photo op of a watery rodeo act :)
Well, there was someone seeing our docking technique as he appeared about ten minutes later on the pontoon. We started talking and invited him aboard.
And, that was the beginning of one of the most treasured times we've had in Norway.
Gunnar, a retired Fluid Mechanics Engineer, and his wife Elisabeth, a retired teacher and art historian, took us under their wings.
Mentioning that these pontoons actually belonged to the condominium complex looking over the harbor,
Gunnar assured us we were fine as the owner wasn't using the slip we were in. So, not only did this kind Norwegian welcome us to his home port but also removed any anxiety we had leaving JUANONA in a private mooring.
Later that day we stopped in at their condo (second building from the left, top floor) where we met Elisabeth, who graciously ushered us into their light-filled home.
What a beautiful and inviting space it was, filled with stunning art, a lot of it being Elisabeth's. She creates amazing fabric pieces including several that were quilted pillows featuring Cirque du Soleil performers, capturing their tumbling grace. Prints and paintings adorned the walls as well as some intricately woven baskets.
I only wish we had our camera with us to show here just how wonderful it was sitting amidst such enchanting surroundings.
After enjoying some coffee (nice and strong) and delicious treats such as some Norwegian strawberries (if a warm summer day could be tasted, it would be the sweetness of those berries), Gunnar offered to give us a tour of Os.
He drove us across the harbor to the Oselvarlaget, a workshop established to preserve the oselvar, a traditional vessel found on the west coast of Norway. (The name is derived from its origin–"Os" or river mouth–and the person–"Oselva"–who began building these traditional vessels 250 years ago.)
The oselvar, a rowboat one can sail, is built using a method from the 3rd or 4th century: the clinker technique where the edges of hull planks overlap, a type of construction the Vikings also used; so, there's no question of how seaworthy these crafts are.
Gunnar volunteers here, and it was obvious he loves it. He helps keep these beautiful wooden boats in shape while also taking young people sailing, thus giving others the opportunity to appreciate this traditional craft.
After touring the workshop and the clubhouse, we drove around the city and then out to the countryside.
We soon realized Os was a magnet for artists as we passed by statues created by the Norwegian sculptor, Arne Maenad, a friend of Elisabeth and Gunnar's, who thoughtfully places his artwork in public areas for all to enjoy.
Our final stop landed us on the island of Lepsoy at Vedholmen Galleri, a fine-art gallery owned by two artists, Vibeke Harild and Peter Marron.
And, what a delightful environment that gallery is! I immediately thought of all of my artistic friends knowing they'd be spellbound as much as I was perusing the art.
Recognizing some ceramic boats we had also seen in Elisabeth and Gunnar's home, Vibeke explained how the popularity of those pieces of art (created by her husband) enabled them to open a gallery, earning a living exhibiting and selling unique work.
No surprise as all of the art was stunning.
But, soon it was time to return to Os and JUANONA–Gunnar, to get ready for a dinner engagement, Max and I, to prep for Saturday's touring.
Saying good-bye to Gunnar we arranged to keep in touch over the weekend with him and Elisabeth as we bussed in and out of Os to explore Bergen, only 40 minutes away.
I've said it before and I'll mention it again: the real gift of cruising isn't the landscape with its flora and fauna, or the culture found in buildings and plazas. It's the people one meets.
Here, we had sailed into Os in order to tour the historic port of Bergen, a destination we had been enthusiastically anticipating since landing in Norway two weeks prior.
Yet, the splendor of our travels lies in spontaneously connecting with folk like Elisabeth and Gunnar, strangers who became friends thanks to their hospitality to two salty cruisers.
Fortunately, we had several more days to enjoy their company, so more to come with Gunnar and Elisabeth!
We've felt the magic of Os and we are most definitely under its spell.
PART III: Man-made & Nature-made Beauties
We left Moster the next morning to continue our cruising north; but first, we walked up the short hill with coffee and digital items in hand where we could check weather and email using the amphitheater's wifi. All clear for sailing to Rosendal, a town noted for both a barony–the only one in Norway–and being an easy port to visit Norway's third largest glacier.
Another easy water crossing to the mainland while passing a humorous head left by a creative soul.
And, another hammerhead (end of a pontoon) made it easy to dock (we love those types of docking). Soon we were in the local tourist office. The woman there gave us loads of information beginning with the must-see site–Baroniet Rosendal–and ending with the bus timetable for the glacier.
Since the Baroniet was only a 15-minute walk we opted to explore that site before it closed. Under a sprinkly sky we headed up the road eventually following a beautiful winding drive surrounded by well-tended gardens, the most spectacular being the Renaissance one laden with roses perfuming the air. The estate (and subsequent town) was called Rosendal, which made perfect sense considering the choice of floral cultivation.
I stuck my nose into a lot of them where, fortunately, no bumblebee was gathering its daily nectar. I tend to do that often, inhaling wonderful scents; and, if you live/lived on a boat, you would appreciate something other than 'boat smell' as well.
Being a bit early for the guided tour we wandered around the grounds, all very green (the beneficial aspect of lots of rain, something we've gotten fairly use to this summer), and circumnavigated this gem of a home.
Constructed in 1665, this Renaissance Palace was the home of a power couple: Danish aristocrat Ludvig Rosenkrantz, the highest-ranking administrator in the fiefdom of Stavanger and Norway's war commissioner; and, Karen Mowatt, one of Norway's wealthiest heiress. They married in 1658 and were given the farm Hatteberg, then proceeded to build a house out of stone due to Rosenkrantz's preference for that over the traditional wooden structures.
The King made Rosenkrantz a baron in 1678, hence the name Baroniet Rosendal, which is displayed over the gate guarding the small courtyard and entrance. You can see a pretend lord of the manor below. Alas, he didn't actually have the title (or keys) of ownership…
The tour lasted roughly 25 minutes and was given by a young man who led a group of us, both Norwegians and non-Norwegians, into the stairwell and up to the second floor.
During his walk-and-talk he'd provide a long-winded description in Norwegian then a short, staccato explanation in English (by the way, his English, like so many Norwegians we've met, is almost better than ours).
After 15 minutes of trying to gleam what he was saying so spectacularly in his native tongue, one of the non-Norwegians diplomatically asked him to give us the same amount of information in English. This amounted to at least five more words tacked on to the two-sentences.
To be fair this was close to the last tour of the day, and he must have been quite tired of giving the same spiel over and over. It just would have been nice to hear more descriptions, not only about the few rooms we saw and the decor but also about the families who inhabited this lovely dwelling.
One interesting tidbit we did receive was the Londeman family, who purchased this in 1743, appeared to be aware of the social strata separating the wealthy from the not-so-wealthy. They treated their servants well and even had portraits made of them, which lined the walls outside one of the main rooms. This family lived here until 1927 when they donated the estate to Oslo University.
One of the elements that made this house so unique was the family respected the history enclosed in these walls, thus keeping certain rooms 'as is'. No photos were allowed but we did remember some key components such as pictures of Napoleon Bonaparte of whom at least one family member was enamored and one room decorated with Roman statues due to another's fascination with Pompeii.
Ushering us quickly outside to end his tour we took a few moments to snap more photos of the greenery
and to pose for photos with a friendly Dutch couple we had met while waiting to go into the house (the wife was the one who graciously asked our guide to give us non-Norwegians equal time on the descriptions).
The barony was a lovely destination and one definitely worth visiting. With a wistful last glance at this fairy tale setting and a final sniff or two of the roses, we strolled back down the driveway towards the town.
On the way back to the marina we decided to take the high road to pass by another of Norway's spectacular stone churches, Kevinherad Kirke. This Gothic church from 1250 could have been the wedding site of the original Rosendal owners. It was certainly large enough and probably splendid inside (no, we didn't get in but did try a few doors).
And, just look at the view! Makes one just want to sit on a rock and gaze upwards.
Looking down we could spot JUANONA (last boat on the left)
and realized if we had only looked up from JUANONA we could have spotted this church (which we did before we left for another port).
But, that was two days after our tour so let me go back to the day after the Baroniet Rosendal.
Another bus stop–only this time we made sure we knew its location–where we caught the bus to a small town an hour north.
From there we'd be able to take the 1.5-hour walk up to a lake where the Folgefonna glacier offered a view of its icy magnificence. If you look up from the center of the National Park to where it says "Sunndahl" on one arm of the fjord, that's where we started, ending up a the lake just below a wee bit of the glacier.
As promised it was an non-challenging stroll up a well-marked road, wide enough to walk side-by-side. As we climbed up rushing water boiled down, accompanying us most of the way up
with Max testing out the temperature.
With sheep mowing the grass all around us there were signs on gates with instructions for visitors. I had to take a snapshot of one of them for the illustration is from the British, clay-animation comedy series, WALLACE AND GROMIT, which is a great show our friend Robbie introduced me to a long time ago.
Pretty soon we were at Lake Bondhus (Bondhusvatnet) located at the edge of Folgefonna National Park, inaugurated in May 2005 by Queen Sonja. Looking across and up the mountains we saw where the glacier was sticking out its icy tongue.
It reminded us of the one we saw last summer, the Svartisen glacier, only this time we didn't get that close except with the zoom lens.
The road up to the lake was known as the "ice road". In the mid-1800s locals use to carry ice from the glacier down to be exported. It was then exported to parts of Europe, the first time in 1822 when the ice was carried down on the harvesters' backs (!) before the road existed. At that time the glacier extended almost all the way to the lake.
In the late 1800s the glacier attracted tourists and, since then, this trek up to the lake has been a popular way to see one of Mother Nature's magnificent creations. And, what a view.
A sign documented some history with photos of some ice-gatherers and tourists
as well as the retreat of the ice (top taken in 1997, bottom in 2004).
Scary to realize how quickly the ice is melting.
We pulled out our packed lunch at one of the convenient granite picnic table and benches,
while ensuring Dolly Doughnut (for Gracie :), also enjoyed the view.
As we were munching away (I always perk up around food) a mother and her daugther strode by. A conversation was started about the glacier and other sites; and the mom shared some information about the dangers of getting too close to glaciers. Evidently it's fairly common for people unfamiliar with ice behavior to not heed the warnings resulting in horrible endings. Such as falling ice crushing two parents in 2014 with their children nearby.
They then showed us a picture on the mother's phone from their hike yesterday with the daughter posing with a friend at Keragsbolten, a famous rock suspended between two cliffs. They mentioned another famous landmark, Pulpit Rock (Prekestolen). Tragically, a young Australian woman fell off last summer when trying to step around some posing tourists.
Holy moly. Stuff from horror stories.
Both are located along Lysefjorden, one of the prettiest in Norway and one where we're planning on going. Now, all I can think about are the poor souls who lost their lives up there and if I'll be able to tamp down my fear of heights to claw my way up to those famous landmarks.
However, all were good reminders of giving Mother Nature and Norway's beauty full respect, and I appreciated the woman's advice, which we fully intended to heed.
We did go part way around the lake but then turned around to make sure we caught one of the very few buses back to Rosendal.
Which we finally did after waiting for an hour or so entertaining ourselves with crossword puzzles.
Well, somewhat entertaining ourselves.
And, yes, he's alive. I poked him.
On the ride back we were treated to the careful maneuverability of sharing the roads around here with the bus backing up to give a tractor-trailer space enough to pass (there's a good reason why seatbelts are supplied on these buses for most times you are jerked to upright due to sudden braking; no fault of the driver, just necessary when navigating one-lane roads for two-way traffic).
We The bus also passed a company that produces those bullet-shaped life boats we see on ships.
Testing them must be exhilarating. I don't know if I'd have my eyes open or closed. But, I do know I'd be hollering all the way down. At an extremely loud volume.
Thursday-Friday, June 30-July 1
With Thursday being a rain day with wind in the wrong direction we stayed for another 24 hours and were rewarded with an arching rainbow that evening.
as we prepared the next morning for leaving.
I said goodbye to Marit, who with her husband Even shared with us local information. We're only sorry we weren't able to spend more time with them but they had friends aboard, one who was launching a book at a local gallery.
We untied, pushed off,
then looked back at Rosendal,
yet another lovely port for exploring more of this beautiful country.
Next, a magical Os.
PART II: Heading North
A sunny day and we were off to catch the bus north to Avaldsnes, home of a royal estate from 870 to 1450 c.e.
We played our usual 'where is the bus stop?' game; and, after asking three different people, we finally located it down the road apiece. We always assume we'll be able to find a bus stop easily, and so leave little time for actually doing so. Thus the necessity to play the game since it adds excitement and sweaty bodies when running to the actual location. Then we can relax and strike the pose of a leisurely tourist while quietly wondering if the bus might have already come and gone.
The bus arrived, we jumped on, then played the next game: "Can you help me pick out the correct change?' Luckily all bus drivers know this game because they deftly start selecting the coins from our upturned palms. That settled we had an easy hour ride up to the NE corner of the island.
Five minutes after disembarking from the bus we walked over a rise and spotted St. Olav's Church constructed by King Hakon Hakonssen around 1250 c.e. This was actually the third church on the site. Previously, King Olav Tryggvason built the first church between 995 and 1000 c.e. Soon after, King Olav Haraldsson (aka St. Olav) built the second church.
Standing alone, this impressive site served as a beacon for pilgrims who arrived from the east by foot and from the south by boats. Those with money got rooms in Avaldsnes and those with not so much stayed in a hostel, which, by the way the Hanseatics burnt to the ground in 1368 (more on those guys when we visit Bergen).
The church, like most from oh so long ago, stands on grounds held sacred by earlier pagan believers. Some of the remnants were standing stone pillars erected in the third century. One standing over 23 ft. and called Virgin Mary's Sewing Needle (supposedly based on a story that she dropped a needle from heaven…) leans pretty close to the north wall of the St. Olav's as you can see below:
And, now me as the pencil for scale…
Carved on the Needle are runes spelling out 'Michael next after Mary'. The inscription relates to Archangel Michael sounding his trumpet to signal the end of the world, aka Doomsday. King Hakon Hakonsson had great respect for Doomsday so he built his church ensuring that the wall was angled away from that threatening needle.
Legend has it that doomsday will occur if it touches the church. Considering how close the pillar is (less than 4 in.) it's said precautions were taken by some priests who cut off some of the stone just in case. There are visible marks on the top, which fits the tale nicely.
It was a beautiful church on the outside. We couldn't get inside (not for a lack of trying several doors, one with a unique knocker).
Several excavations around the church have turned up Iron Age artifacts, a Viking coin and in July 2012 an entire royal manor from the Middle Ages, built between 1240 and 1320. They've since covered any dig sites back up to protect them.
However, just down the walkway is the Viking Museum cleverly situated underground so as not to detract from the site views surrounding St. Olav's Church.
There we met two young people, one extremely knowledgeable about the Viking period (she grew up around here and feels quite a kinship to the history) while the other guide had studied Christianity and its role during Norway's early history.
Being the only two people there we attracted all of their attention and they were only too willing to answer questions we had. A short film and an audio guide helped explain most of the displays.
Now bear with me because with the help of other resources I'm going to whip through some of Norway's early history, and, since it was in Norwegian (no English on the signage) coupled with a lot of kings running around named 'Hakon', I may get it a bit mucked up.
Here goes…
Stone Age and Iron Age artifacts, such as the ones close to the church, point to early settlers in this area of Norway. Where Norway's history becomes a wee bit familiar to me is when the guys with those horned helmets start showing up, those hunkie Vikings. Their phase of notoriety begins with the documented raid in 793 c.e. on the island of Lindisfarne, home to one of England's earliest monasteries.
The usual pillaging and slaughtering occurred resulting in no one wanting to see those ships on the horizon other than the Vikings' wives. Well, most of them I imagine.
Some monks weren't killed but were brought back as slaves, resulting in a Christian influence on their owners. And, if anyone has seen the HBO series "The Vikings", that storyline reflects a pretty accurate accounting of those times (I asked the young woman and, trust me, if anyone would know, she would).
In addition to their pillage-and-plunder routine the Norse women seemed to be better off than in other parts of Europe. That's not saying much as they were still subjegated to men's authority; so, for some, it must have been a joyous occasion to stand on the shore waving to their men as the latter sailed off to raid, trade, and invade.
9th & 10th centuries
And, the Vikings did sail all over, reaching from the Americas to Greenland to Spain to the Caspian Sea. In short, they got around. Documented evidence shows they overwintered in Dublin (841), sacked Hamburg and Paris (845), colonized Iceland (870), settled in England (876), founded Normandy by Chieftan Rollo (911), and reached the Caspian Sea (912). Not too shabby for guys running around in ships shaped like dragons and wearing horns on their heads.
During this time the Battle of Hafrsfjord was fought in Stavanger in 872. And, our first Hakon appears: Hakon Harfagre or Hakon (aka Harold) the Fair-hair. He had been one of the many kings, each having their own little kingdoms. Hakon won the Battle, crushing several kings who opposed him. Thus, Hakon the Fair-Hair is said to have united Norway.
Back to Norway… All seemed to be fine as Hakon the Good, the younger son of Hakon with the hair, took over. But, boys will be boys, and fighting broke out resulting in the king who, in late 10th ce./early 11th ce., ushered in Christianity, Olav Tryggvason, coming to power. And, it's this dude who built the initial church on the pagan sites (and also dug up old pagan burials to place Christian symbols in them). He, in the gentle name of Christianity, killed any one who refused to convert.
Just a sidetrack to mention some supposedly dissidents during Olav Tryggvason's rule: Erik the Red left in a huff and settled in Iceland, then tried his hand at Greenland (995). Exploring ran in the family for his son, Leif Ericsson, landed in America five years later, which is how a Viking settlement was discovered in northern Newfoundland.
After King Olav T. we get Olav Haraldsson who was declared king in 1015. But, due to his avid Christian beliefs and efforts to convert all of the populace he made enemies, who decided to side with King Canute of Denmark. Long story short, he fled when Canute showed up 1028 only to return in 1030 to fight and lose his life at the Battle of Stiklestad.
However, he had the last laugh for when (and why they did, who knows) they exhumed his body after a year, it wasn't decayed and, voila, a saint was born. Hence the name of the church on the hill here.
And, another sidetrack: at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066 the Vikings were defeated by King Harold of England who then had to march from York to Hastings (on the southern coast) to fight William the Bastard who became William the Conqueror. Just think, if the Vikings had won, who knows who'd be sitting on the English throne today?
12th, 13th and 14th centuries
Fast forward to 1130 with civil war resulting in Sverre Sigurdsson winning and whose son, (yes, another Hakon…) Hakon Hakonsson (1217-63) was crowned king in 1247. Fast forward again to 1319 when the death of Hakon V Magnusson (1270-1319) started weakening the lineage. His grandson's, Hakon VI Magnusson's, death in 1380 meant the end of Norway as an independent nation (Hakon VI had married the Danish Princess Magrete, and their son Olav became King of Denmakr in 1375 and inherited the Norwegian throne when his dad died.).
I have to mention one really interesting story involving King Hakon Hakonsson. We have friends with the surname of Birkinbine; and, their ancestors, the birkebeiner party or the Birchlegs (they used this bark as part of their stockings) saved this king when, as a baby, the birkebeiners carried him through a winter storm from eastern Norway to safety in the west. Love it.
During the 14th ce. the Black Death decimated Norway's population in 1349 by half, which makes it easy for the Hanseatic League (a powerful merchant trading guild originating in Germany) to set up its monopoly over Norway's stockfish trade (more of that when we're in Bergen).
From then you have a mix of Norway, Denmark and Sweden until Norway declared its independence on May 17, 1814.
Before I move on from this history another really interesting fact is the similarity between a grave uncovered here (possibly Hjorleif the woman-lover's, so called due to marring multiple times… god knows what happened to all the wives) and the one in Sutton Hoo in England; however this ship-burial grave is dated around 790-95 while Sutton Hoo's is thought to be 100 or 200 years earlier.
With that we finished our walk through early Norwegian history and began the pilgrimage to a lunch spot
and a Viking Village with replicas of Viking structures…
MOSTER ISLAND
After a rainy Sunday we left for another historical site, Mosterhamm. Passing under the bridge connecting Karmoy to the mainland at Haugesund we spotted another legendary site involving more standing pillars. These were also erected around 300 c.e. forming a star-shaped burial site representing the world tree Yggdrasil.
The tale here is that five women waved at St. Olav as he was retuning to Avaldsnes from a trip up north. Evidently he wasn't in the mood and cursed them, crying out 'Now stand there and turn to stone until I come back again.' Hence, the 'Five Foolish Virgins' who were turned to stone.
Our next destination involved another stone church, this one constructed in 1050 at a site where King Olav Tyrggvason held an assembly in 995 or 998 establishing Christianity as the national religion.
We made it just in time to have a wonderful guided tour by another young woman.
With a key to unlock the 'new' door (from the 1600s),
We entered the church and Max snapped a photo only to be told no photos allowed.
But, what amazing decor. I did pull one off of the Internet. It was taken looking east towards the altar from the loft, which was added to accommodate more parishoners:
What really set off our visit here was the young woman who unexpectantly sang a lovely haunting chant as she walked up the aisle to begin our guided tour. Now that would have been spectacular if I could have captured it via video.
In the early 1600s some murals depicting four phases of the bible beginning with Adam and Eve and ending with Christ on the cross were added, and we could still see most of the outlines of the original paintings. These had been covered with chalk, which had been removed with bread (!) when renovating the church.
At the entrance there were two small enclosures on the left-hand side. Our guide explained they were for women who had just given birth and, therefore, considered unclean (of course…) and for baptizing babies, also needing purification before entering the sanctity of the church (goddesses give me strength).
Outdoors she led us to a stone with a hole in it. Because most folk were illiterate, deals were agreed upon verbally and physically when witnessed at this stone.
After the church we crossed back to the reception area where she then led us through some history of the pagan religion involving Odin, the God of Wisdom and Magic, and ending with Christianity. Finally we descended to an old limestone mine that had been converted to a small outdoor amphitheater.
One last connection: another person joined us on mid-tour who turned out to be from Woodbridge. She and a group of her friends had taught in Ipswich, which is where we wintered on JUANONA the past two years. Small, small ball is our world as our friend Steve K. says.
And, with that we were saturated with Hakons and Olavs and were ready for some playing, which we did by heading to Rosendal the next morning :)
This entry was posted in 2016 07 NORWAY - South, COUNTRY, Europe, Norway, SUMMER CRUISING on July 5, 2016 by margaretlynnie. | them being his pupil in the Master's program he teaches at the local university.
As we wove our way through numerous exhibits, we learned about the various drill bits used
(some looking like a sci-fi creature that chased Sigourney Weaver in ALIENS),
the coatings of pipes (one of Paul's recommendations),
the various platforms pumping the oil – some sitting on the seabed
and some floating,
even seeing how men actually worked in a bubble waaaaay below the surface (no, thank you very much).
However, one of the more interesting exhibits featured the evolution of non-corrupt use of all this money pouring in, the sovereign fund mentioned earlier. Not only is it the world's largest but also the most transparent. If only other governments would use this model. Dream on.
The fund may have seen its peak years because the government actually withdrew monies for the first time in 2016. And, thanks to pressure from environmental groups the directors also began divesting the fund of coal companies this year based on a 2014 strategy. Another decision was to use some of the fund for environmental investments.
After lunch we completed our tour with a walk-through of a simulated oil platform complete with a marvelous invention of an effective and low-cost escape tube, which I was tempted to try but didn't want to get stuck in.
The next stop was another small harbor where the herring fishery dominated in the 1800s; and, we also spotted random imprints of some Noble Peace Prize-winners' feet (this guy, a social activist, 'pioneered the concepts of microcredit and microfinance'). A bit more impressive than those of stars' hands in Hollywood.
Right on this plaza stood the Domkirken or cathedral whose first bishop was an Englishman from Winchester in the 1100s.
A fire destroyed the cathedral in 1272 resulting in a rebuild with additions throughout the centuries
with a magnificently pulpit carved and painted in the North German baroque style by Andrew Smith, a Scottish immigrant in the 1658, reminding me of the one we saw at Utstien Kloster.
Along the walls were wealthy families' memorials. The one below illustrates how the artist managed to portray each person as an individual, versus all having the same expressions; and, he had a lot of opportunity considering this guy and his wife had over 16 kids.
(I had to laugh when I clicked on this photo in my photo program… :)
A short trip up the hill took us to a street that could have been from a small country village yet existed in the middle of an urban landscape. This was where those involved in the herring industry had lived and worked, and now is part of Stavanger's historical preservation.
We had been driving around in Paul's electric car, which was fascinating to see how easy it was to plug in for recharging at parking spots.
There's a huge incentive to drive these cars: no 100% excise tax on the purchase like other vehicles have; free parking regardless of where you're parked in Norway; and, no tolls (although on ferries you pay for the passengers). Plus, there's a good infrastructure of charging stations (Paul's needs to do so every 100-150 miles). With a pledge to ban all gas-powered vehicles by 2025 this country already has managed to migrate 25% of drivers to Plug-In Electric Vehicles (PEVs), which included hybrids (PHEVs).
Norway is also encouraging people to cycle more, and we saw evidence of that infrastructure off of a bike path. In the background behind the first tree you can just make out a digital sign that informs passing cyclists of his/her speed and other stats. In the foreground is a great little mechanical shop for emergency bike repairs.
But, the purpose of this stop wasn't the biking but the 1983 monument honoring the Battle of Hafrsfjord fought and won by Hakon Harfagre (Harold the Fair Hair) in 890 (some say 872), uniting three different districts under one king. These bronze swords stood approximately 30-feet tall, which you can't necessary tell from this photo; but, as Paul indicated, this was a much more dramatic view.
With a brief stop at an early settlement of Stavanger dating from the iron age we headed back to Paul's for a meal Max cooked and an early bedtime in preparation for Sunday's hike.
LYSEFJORDEN AREA
Up and out we left for Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock, a hike we had been planning on doing since landing in this part of Norway. Along the way we stopped at the small dock where Paul keeps his boat (about 30-40 minutes from his home)
then continued via ferry where both Paul and I thought one of the attendants looked a heck of lot like Christopher Lloyd in the movie BACK TO THE FUTURE.
Arriving at our destination amidst the carloads and busloads of other hikers and visitors we found ourselves in a drenching rain storm. Thankfully a lodge served up excellent coffee as we waited out the deluge.
However, it never cleared up
so we decided to shelved the hiking plans and opted for a leisurely drive back to Stavanger. Fine by me considering the thought of being so high up with practically a 2,000-ft drop straight to the fjord below makes my palms sweat, especially with a bunch of other hikers crowding the path to/from and the 'pulpit' being a slab with no guard rails as one of the numerous tourist photos shows:
On our drive Paul introduced us to some beautiful lakes nestied in Norway's mountain valleys, scenic and serene pools of water just begging for some quiet perusing via a small boat or, in today's weather, sitting in a cabin with a cozy fire.
We also enjoyed hearing about the geological formation of this magnificent country. Bringing to mind our friend Joanne who's also a geologist, Paul would recount the stories these rocks tell; and, like Joanne, being a natural teacher, Paul's explanations were fascinating. I tried to retain as much as possible with Max, I believe, being the better student.
Regardless of the history in the rocks, the fjord and landscape were spectacular; and, Paul kindly took a picture of us enjoying the day and company.
Returning to Stavanger we invited Paul for a sleep-over aboard JUANONA as well as joining us for dinner with a fellow Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) member, Eoin Robson, who also served as the OCC port captain for Stavanger. (FYI: For anyone who's planning on/doing/done some blue water boating OCC is a wonderful organization.)
Having met Eoin at the OCC annual meeting in England last spring we looked forward to having him aboard. His story of applying for the British Royal Navy made my stomach ache from so much laughing. Just as an example, during one of the initial interviews (there are numerous steps one has to go through in order to join this military branch) he was asked by the interviewer about his family household–how many, their ages and occupation.
Well, when Eoin got to the last family member, his over-100-year-old grandmother, he was a bit startled when the interviewer asked one of the absolutely stupidiest questions I've heard, and I realize no question is supposedly stupid, but I have to say this one comes might close: 'And, what, may I ask, is her occupation?'
Just writing this I have to laugh imaging Eoin's expression hearing those words uttered by what should be an intelligent person. After realizing that, yes, he had heard correctly, Eoin responded 'retired'. :)
Next morning Paul left saying he'd see us in Tanager, only a 25-minute drive from Stavanger and a wee bit longer by boat. We found a spot at the marina where another sailor helped us dock, did a quick provisioning stop, then had Paul stop in for dinner.
It was another early night for the next day we were off to another adventure with a hint given below… :)
PART VII: Turning South
With a fond farewell to Elisabeth and Gunnar and a photo he took from their deck over the weekend (JUANONA's in the third slip from the end on the middle pontoon with the blue mainsail cover)
we left Os with a wee bit of rain (nothing our Norwegian rain hats couldn't handle)
for an anchorage at a nearby island, a favorite of many cruisers, Norwegian and foreign alike. This would be our first anchorage in Norway this summer, actually our first anchorage in 2016. Unlike last year's cruising when dropping the hook far outnumbered mooring at a town quay or in a marina, the majority of this spring and summer involved fenders and dock lines vs. anchor chain.
For me, there's always a wee bit of anxiety attached to the first anchoring of a season. Thankfully, though, it is a bit like riding a bike: the procedure does come back handily once I stare at all the bits and pieces, mentally reviewing the steps.
And, all went well when three hours later we entered and plopped the anchor down in an idyllic cove at Lysoen. A small motorboat hanging off a buoy left soon after we arrived leaving us the sole occupant in this mini-paradise.
This island, though, offers more than a lovely spot for sitting at anchor. It also happens to be the former summer home of violinist Ole Bull (1810-1880). He along with Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)–whom Bull encouraged to attend the Leipzig Conservatory at age 15–are considered two of Norways most famous composers.
With a footpath leading from the water's edge we easily found our way to Bull's summer home, one he constructed in 1872 and named his 'Little Alhambra' with its own moorish tower.
There's some discussion regarding Bull's musical technique but there's no question regarding this artist's talent (he played solos with the Bergen Harmonic Society at age 9) and the love he felt for his country and its folk music. Touring extensively throughout Europe and the United States he entertained thousands. In one season (1836-37) he played 274 concerts in England and Iceland!
In addition to his music Bull experimented with establishing a Norwegian settlement, called Oleana, in Pennsylvania where he had purchased over 11,000 acres in 1852; the settlement didn't last mostly due to his lack of business acumen.
However, he did end up spending many of his last winters in the States after marrying for a second time an American, Sara Chapman Torp (1815-1911), in 1868. She was devoted to him and was with him when he died at Lysoen, where they would return each summer.
Interestingly, I also discovered they had ties to Maine. They spent the summer of 1871 in West Lebanon, Maine, and it's where their only child together, a daughter Olea Bull (1871-1911), was born and his grandaughter, Sylvia Bull Curtis (1907-1988) lived. Furthermore, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a friend and used Bull as the fictional narrator in Longfellow's "The Saga of King Olaf" written in 1863.
The young tour guide did an excellent job conveying pertinent details about Bull as we walked through the several rooms open for display:
the main living area, where they still hold concerts,
and his small bedroom with a view to the mainland.
We easily could have spent more time peering at photographs and the artifacts Bull had collected over the years, but the guide ushered us through quite quickly and before we knew it we were being led to the exit; however, we did stop in the gift shop where another young guide, who also knew an amazing amount of information about Bull, graciously answered questions as we poked about.
Leaving the house we picked one of the many paths ribboning this small island returning for our fourth of July, celebratory meal: ribs and a bottle of red wine :) All at this gorgeous anchorage.
A beautiful, still morning and lilting birdsong greeted us as we rose causing us to ponder: to go or not to go?
To give you and idea of how perfect it was sitting at anchor, below is one photo, rightside up and upside down:
(The top one is the upside-down version :)
But, as tempting as it was, there were other places we wanted to explore. We turned on the thank-god-we-have-one windlass (a motor in the anchor locker), which began winching up the chain attached to our oversized, 55 lb Rocna anchor and where we found a surprise gift at the end.
We recognized it as one the little fishing nets used by children catching sea critters, such as crabs. Deciding it would be a nice gift for some little tyke, we hauled it out of the water and stowed it for a future give-away.
Our next island was Sotra where we planned to dock at Kleppavika in order to visit a museum we had read about in our guidebook.
For anyone who doesn't know the history of the Shetland islands and Norway during WW II, I highly recommend the book THE SHETLAND BUS by David Howarth. Thanks to the recommendation of fellow cruisers Max and I read this book last summer, and both of us were amazed at what occurred along this coastline during those years.
The author, who oversaw the British side of the operations, tells of the heroic feats performed by many Norwegian fishermen in ferrying refuges out and resistance fighters in to Norway… during the fall/winter (!)/spring. With the Germans, including the SS, occupying the cities and towns, you can imagine how careful one had to be when trying to sabotage the enemies' positions. And, the horrific consequences if caught.
Televag, a town on Sotra, did pay the price for a foiled resistance plot.
Briefly, Lauritz Telle, a 63-year-old fisherman, and his son Lars participated in the Shetland Bus operations beginning in 1940, just after Norway was invaded by the Germans. All worked well until April 26, 1942, when the Germans led by two officers arrived at the Telle's home. They'd been alerted by an undercover agent for the Gestapo that the Telle residence was a safe house for people planning to escape/infiltrate the German occupation.
What the officers found were two secret agents, recently arrived, asleep upstairs.
A fire fight ensued with one of the agents and two of the Nazi officers being killed.
In retribution the Gestapo took Lauritz, his wife Marat and their 13-year-old son to Bergen. There they were interrogated and tortured. Lars and 18 other men thought to be involved with the clandestine activity were taken to a camp in Oslo. All other men from Televag between the ages of 16 and 60 were marched down to a ship for eventual transportation to Sachenhausen, a concentration camp outside of Berlin.
A prisoner's camp outside of Bergen is where the remaining women and children were sent. (Of the 60-70 men transported to the concentration camp, approximately 50% died along with another 18 randomly executed at another camp.)
Then, Televag was destroyed. Completely. Similar to the burning of the town in France, Oradour-sur-Glane, which we visited with my sister Betsy in December 2014. Being so near to a connection with the history that had awed us when reading Howarth's book, we felt we should see this village.
Arriving just an hour from Lysoen we found a spot along one of the quays in the small harbor then began looking for a way to reach the other side of the island where Televag's North Sea Maritime Museum was located.
With no wifi and no one about to tell us of any public transportation we began walking to the main road where we hoped to either spot a bus stop or hitch a ride. We found one bus stop but no posted schedule.
Realizing we could be waiting for hours and knowing it was about seven miles, we started walking. Our strategy was to hop from one bus stop to the next with one person always standing at a stop while the other one caught up, giving us two opportunities to hail a passing bus while making our way on foot.
And, we lucked out by catching a bus, and then some: after telling us we needed to change buses to reach our final destination, the bus driver then said she was going off duty and would be happy to drive us to the museum since it'd be another two hours between buses!
Her name was Hildegunn Telle, and she was delightful. Once again we mentally shook our heads at the kindness shown to us, two strangers, by these warm Norwegian folk. Makes one believe the world can be okay if only we practiced such acts of acceptance. If only.
On the drive over Hildegunn told us her Grandfather had been sent to Sachenhausen and her father had been interned In Bergen. Other family members were also affected.
The museum was small but offered a detailed account of the event and the effect on the islanders. In addition to the Televag tragedy, the North Sea Maritime Museum also featured others who were part of the Shetland Bus resistance movement, such as Leif Larson. And, there was a room for anyone interested in researching this part of Norway's history.
Later we also heard from the young museum receptionist that his grandfather had been executed by the Nazis. Stark memories and family history so immediate to this small island village.
As we stood outside the museum and looked out over the town of Televag (the Telle's house was located on the other side of the harbor)
and later walked to sites where homes once existed, it was difficult to imagine the horror and sorrow that occurred in such a beautiful spot. And, in the event one forgot, a memorial listed the names of those men who were murdered . We noticed quite a few "Telles" who must have been related to Hildegunn. Another sobering jolt.
Timing our visit with the return bus schedule we headed back to JUANONA and an early night contemplating the courage of those who stood up to noxious bullies.
ESPEVAR
From horror to whimsical we continued our sail south, this time to an island noted for a different type of visitor… aliens.
We had a wonderful sail under bright sun, then threaded our way into a small harbor we found one of the few places to moor. With the wind behind us, the docking was a bit tricky; but, with the help of the other boat on the quay, we quickly tied up and hopped off to search for the UFO site.
Thirty minutes later we found ourselves in the opening where SUPPOSEDLY an alien spacecraft landed, marking a circle that EVIDENTLY never goes away.
Of course, a rumor has it that school children are marched out there during the spring and help keep the grass down.
As much as I believe in ETs, I think human feet tracing the circle is a wee bit more believable than aliens landing.
And, I think others feel the same way, especially when seeing some of the other sights here…
On a much more sobering note, we saw yet another reminder of the sacrifice these islanders made during WW II we we walked back to JUANONA.
Vestre Arsvagan
Sailing back through the Karmsundet (the "North Way" channel for which Norway is named) and our next, and last, Norwegian anchorage. And, yes, I love it :)
Max tried his hand at fishing (but with no luck),
so it was another boat meal (usually means part, if not all, comes from cans and dried goods… and, they're pretty good. I just don't look at the meat , if we're adding it, when it comes out of the can…)
Another sunny morning, which meant I could partake of another one of my favorite activities: lounging in a quiet anchorage with a book and java :)
But, we wanted to get to Stavanger where we had arranged to meet up with Paul, our Maine friend whom we met serendipitously when first heading north two weeks earlier.
As we were hauling up the anchor a small skiff came by, and we started talking. We discovered he had befriended some American sailors a few summers ago who had also anchored here. Come to find out it was Ernest Godshalk whom we knew through sailing circles.
Dag, who had his summer cabin nearby and had been checking his crab pots, invited us up for coffee. We so would have loved to have joined him but had to leave. However, we said we'd most likely be back next summer and hoped to see him then. Yet, another reason to return to this marvelous country.
Before we reached Stavanger where Paul lived we stopped to visit another site, Utstein Kloster, a medieval abbey sited on a former royal residence of King Hakaon Harfagre (the Fairhair guy). (He was the one who united Norway after the Battle of Harsfjord in 872.)
We pulled into a harbor where we'd read we could dock in front of a hotel. After a bit of scratching our heads pondering exactly where we could dock (the place was completely empty of boats and people), we took our chances, tied up and then found someone who said we could stay there as the hotel was closed for the season.
Then, we began the one-mile walk to the abbey where it was primarily just us and the sheep. We also saw that sheep rule the road as one visitor slowed to a crawl behind an unperturbed sheep.
Coming up over a slight rise we saw the abbey, and it was as if we'd stepped back in time. Sitting in pastoral splendor, it looked out over green hills and the water.
The monks were of the Augustinian Order and most likely came from Britain and Denmark. Since the exact date of when Utstein Kloster became an abbey is unknown, historians think it may have been when another abbey, Halsnoy, was founded in the mid-12th century. Whatever the date, the place is beautiful.
Again, we were only one of five or so folk wandering around, which allowed us to absorb the peacefulness as we gazed at our surroundings. I wish I could express how taken I was with this site. I don't know if it was the solitude in which we toured or just the loveliness of the buildings and setting, but imagine finding oneself at peace with the world and this is it.
Entering the church via the tower (which was centrally located), we looked to the east towards the Nave
and then west towards the Chancel.
A 17th-century, elaborately painted pulpit stood off to one side,
and from there we walked through the chapter house, the medieval kitchen and the two eating halls, one for monks and the other for the servants.
Of course there were holes in the ancient stone walls that required an inspection…
and then a more complete one.
They believe only 12 monks and 14 or so staff actually resided here, yet it was a very profitable estate. The monks made medicinal herbs as well as ink and colors for their manuscripts. The lay brethren handled the food crops (fruit and vegetables) along with hemp and flax. And, there must have been sheep from the looks of how they tend to roam the lands now.
The richness and subsequent power of the abbey created a rivalry between the abbot of Utstein and the Bishop of Stavanger (nearby town/city). This resulted in the abbot being seized and imprisoned by the Bishop's soldiers while the abbey was robbed in 1515. Almost 50 years later the abbey was robbed again by "the Pirate", Christoffer Tronsson Rustung.
Until 1700 Danish kings used the estate to reward various noblemen who rarely visited it. The abbey came back to life when Johan Frimann from Bergen purchased it, and his grandson, Christopher Garmann (1720-1779), modernized the building, converting the 2nd floor into elegant living quarters, which we also toured.
Eventually, the family had to sell land to maintain the property until the Depression after WWI when they sold the abbey buildings and the park within the abbey walls. However, a female descendent now owns one of the largest farms in SW Norway; and, we, as tourists, can walk where monks oh so long ago trod. Pretty neat, eh? Another reason to explore this part of Norway.
A look around the exterior to show the scale of these walls, my serving as the pencil,
we walked back to JUANONA for the sail down to Stavanger. But, not without an inner sigh of leaving such a peaceful oasis. A peace of heaven.
PART VI: BERGEN DAY TWO
A repeat of the day before with catching the bus and heading back to Bergen for more exploring, this time the KODE.
Many of Bergen's art museums are on the south side of Lille Lungegardsvann (a beautiful oasis in the town center, which the previous day we strolled by under blue skies).
Today, though, we quickly sprinted through rain after grabbing some fresh, scone-type pastries for breakfast (like road trips and passages, morning bus or train trips serve as my excuse to splurge on some food items… a life-long habit instilled, no doubt, as a toddler on our family's 11-hour car rides north to Nana's house and carefully nurtured over the years. And, yes, we had managed to feast on those pastries the day before :)
The Bergen Kunstmuseum, or KODE, houses three main collections in two buildings:
Vestlandets Nasjonalgalleri (Vestlandet's National Gallery), a collection of 19th- and 20th-century Norwegian and European visual art;
the Stenerson Collection featuring modern art including work by Picasso, Miro, Klee, and, Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (Rolf Stenerson was a personal friend of Munch's);
the Rasmus Meyer Collection showcasing Scandinavian artists between 1760 and 1915.
With our 48-hour Bergen Card (good deal for visiting multiple sites) we entered the first building we came to, which featured the first two collections mentioned above. So began my immersion into some beautiful and interesting art.
And, I have to put a caveat here: If I have identified any of the following paintings incorrectly, please let me know. Honest! I won't take offense!
In spite of my love of art, I'm a neophyte with regards to any formal education about it. The downside of this approach to perusing fine art museums is not having any background in which to understand the artist's approach. However, the upside is there's always the thrill of yet-undiscovered creativity awaiting me whenever I step into the art world. Walking into theses galleries of Scandinavian painters offered yet another opportunity to be entertained and intrigued. But, I'll try to refrain from going on and on, like I can, when it comes to art museums…
Our first exploring took us to one of Norway's most famous artists, Nikolai Astrup (1880-1928), who also happens to be a particular favorite of Elisabeth's (of Elisabeth and Gunnar). We discovered later they had a personal connection to this artist since Gunnar grew up around Jolster, the artist's native village.
But, before we explore Astrup's work I'll mention "The Big Three", some Norwegian artists who influenced him along with many others during the late 1800s and early 1900s. (FYI: before I knew these as the big kahunas in Norwegian art, I had been drawn to their work, taking photos of their paintings and only later reading about who they were, so I understand why they earned that designation.)
Harriet Backer (1857-1914), a painting instructor…
Christian Krohg (1852-1925), a principal of the national art academy…
and, Eric Werenskiold (1855-1938), a popular illustrator of Norwegian folktales.
Now, back to Astup…
Unlike so many pretentious write-ups of museum art causing me to mutter under my breath while figuratively–sometimes literally–rolling my eyes skyward, this curator wrote refreshingly direct explanations of an artist's work. The curator described Astrup as one who "positioned himself between two opposing art movements of the period: academic landscape painting and modernism's focus on the artist's individual impression of nature. His aim was to to create art that was genuinely felt–and imbued with human atmosphere".
Astrup believed "an artist should see nature as a child would". Interestingly, when gazing at Astrup's paintings I noticed the landscape first and then spotted a human figure.
I particularly liked his woodblock prints.
His still-life interiors, not as much as the others.
But, art is subjective, and I only see it through my eyes.
Not many artists received recognition early in their careers or, for that matter, when living; but, Astrup did. Invited by Erik Werenskiold to participate at a Norwegian Art Exhibition in Copenhagen, Astrup was identified "as one of the most promising artists of the younger generation".
This information along with other factual nuggets, such as his being a student of Harriet Backer's, were featured in a timeline.
Another interesting tidbit was his trip to London to study John Constable's art. Constable lived in the Ipswich area where we've been wintering the past two years; and, several times we had been to a local exhibit of his landscape paintings. Love that 'world-is-a-small-ball' discovery :)
Leaving Astrup, we each began exploring other rooms. I wandered into one featuring "Norway's first world-class painter", J.C. Dahl (1788-1857). His romantic view of his country's landscapes are said to have influenced today's current marketing of Norway as a tourist destination.
Conscious of an appointment Max and I had made, I fast-tracked through numerous other rooms, stopping here and there when a painting caught my eye, either due to the artwork or the artist's name. I'll run through some of these quickly stating the reason why I snapped the picture:
Because of her expression…. By the Swiss-born German painter Anton Graff (1736-1813) and purchased by J.C. Dahl in 1833. Evidently "in female portraits, Graff emphasized the woman's decolletage, that is, her cleavage" [See what I mean about the museum's curator(s) being plain-speaking? Got to love it :)]
Recognized the artist's name… By the German painter Lucas van Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) who also did portraits of his friend Martin Luther and whose works we saw in Wittenberg, Germany, in Fall 2014 (another small-ball-world connection).
The possible story-telling found in each vignette… By Hendrick Avercamp (1585-1634), a Dutch painter whose detailed capturing of little vignettes appears similar to the allegorical vignettes we've seen by the father-son painters, Pieter Brueghel the Elder and the Younger.
Thought we had seen his work in the Frans Hall Museum in Haarlem, but checking later, that painting was by Pieter Saenredam (1597-1665)… By Hendrik van Steenwijk the Elder (1580-1649 ), a Flemish Baroque painter of architectural interiors, and whose work we had seen in Haarlem.
The expressive tilt of her head… By Pietro Rotari (1701-1762), an Italian artist whose patrons included royalty such as Catherine II of Russia.
Intrigued by whatever event was unfolding here even though I couldn't read the Norwegian… By Norwegian artist, Adolph Tidermann (1814-1876)
Two collections featured work by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944). Only knowing Munch's famous "The Scream" painting, I enjoyed seeing more of his art and learning a bit about his background (such as taking instruction from Christian Krohg, one of those Big Three mentioned earlier in this post).
Like many artists he explored various techniques while his focus changed from "painting external reality to depicting moods and psychological depth."
Both Max and I ended up selecting a favorite of what was exhibited.
Mine simply due to his choice of colors and reminding me of a picture I remembered from childhood
Max's because the tree's form reminded him of the hand's holding the head in "The Scream".
A few others artists' work caught my eye in this collection:
I had read how this artist and his wife (Frieda Kahlo) were involved with the Leon Trotsky during his exile from Russia By Mexican artist Diego Rivera (1886-1957)
I was drawn, again, by the color, only this time due to the stormy strokes By Danish artist Asger Jorn (19114-1973)
At this point we needed to meet someone at one of the museum's cafes several doors down; and, how this came about was due to our meeting Marit back in Rosendahl (she's the one we said good-bye to on the pontoon when we left for Os).
In that post I had mentioned she and Even had some friends aboard, one of whom had written a book marrying poetry and knitting. In mentioning I was interested in seeing her book, Marit put me in touch via email with the author, who lived in Bergen. Which is how Max and I came to meet Irene Nygardsvik.
With a background and career in finance, Irene found herself questioning the role of creativity in successful businesses. During the next hour we discussed the evolution of her book, WORD BY WORD, ROW BY ROW.
In addition to her writing, her knitted throws are lovely in their blend of colors and simple elegance. She could sell those along with her book, as has been suggested by others as well!
Meeting her was yet another gift during our Norwegian summer, one we'll fondly remember. Plus, her book is gorgeous (http://www.spekulatoriet.org).
After an hour we left, she for home and Max and I for one more quick dash into Munch's world.
Knowing we could spend tons more time but aware, too, of needing to get back to JUANONA, we retraced our steps back to Os where we had a totally unexpected surprise.
We had kept in touch with Gunnar and Elisabeth with Gunnar stopping by later early evening. He arrived with a ribbon-tied bag, handing it to us as he stepped aboard.
As we unwrapped it, he said this was the most natural gift to give someone visiting Os.
And, we were stunned. It was one of those lovely, ceramic boats by the Scottish artist whose gallery we had visited several days before.
What could we say? I think I can speak for both Max and me in that we were speechless. All we could do was say they must come to Maine to see their gift hanging in our home.
And, it's not that we have such a beautiful reminder of our time in Norway. It's ever so much more. Our time here was magical, one we'll never forget.
PART V: Bergen Day One
For yachties Bergen is a lovely harbor to sail into; however, we'd heard from several other cruisers that it's also a huge party place, especially on the weekends. One boat said they had people stomping over their boat throughout the night and wee hours of the morning while blasting music in spite of quietly asking them to turn it down a bit at 3:00am. The response was even more galavanting across their deck and increasing the volume of their music.
So, we were extremely glad not to be experiencing that, especially since we never would have met Elisabeth and Gunnar in Os if we had continued sailing to Bergen.
The bus was an easy jaunt where we met a woman who had brought her dog aboard. When I said he looked a bit tired, she said he was missing his morning sleep. The pup just rolled his eyes at me then soon | 7,759 |
Tag: All Memories Great and Small
All Memories Great and Small
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
Here is an article from the Darlington and Stockton Times. Costume designer, Janice Rider and make-up artist, Vivien Oldham travelled up to the north east to attend the 'All Creatures' book signing event.
"SCORES of people attended an author event and book signing for the recent second edition of "All Memories Great and Small" by Oliver Crocker, last Saturday.
The book is about the making of the original, and much loved, BBC television series "All Creatures Great and Small", based on the<|fim_middle|> – http://bit.ly/2d7p5ts
All Memories Great and Small – part 8, Maggie Thomas
Maggie Thomas make-up artist on 'All Creatures Great and Small'
Excerpt from "All Memories Great & Small" by Oliver Crocker.
Memories from Maggie Thomas (Make-up Assistant, and later Make-up Designer):
'Television was still in its infancy in comparison to what they can do today. We didn't have mobile phones on location, they hadn't been invented then, the AFM had walkie talkies, but they could only be used a short distance within the crew – we were totally on our own once we were out on location. It was too late to make any important changes once you left Pebble Mill, so you had to make sure you had everything you needed in your kit before you left for Yorkshire, because it was something like a four hour journey from Birmingham up to Darlington to the unit base, so you had to do a lot of preparation behind the scenes before you hit the road.'
60 cast and crew have shared their memories for this new book, which is available to order now from Miwk – http://bit.ly/2d7p5ts
All Memories Great and Small – part 7, Carol Churchill
Photo of All Creatures Great and Small set in Studio A, by Tim Savage. No reproduction without permission.
Here is the latest excerpt from "All Memories Great & Small" – by Oliver Crocker.
This time, it is the memories of Carol Churchill (née Ganniclifft) (Make-up Artist):
'I'd joined the BBC in 1973. I had heard they were looking for make-up artists at Pebble Mill and I thought it sounded interesting so I applied and I got the job – though when I applied, I really had no idea what it was! My mother had a hairdressing salon, so I had that skill, because in television you needed to do both. They sent me to London for a course for three months and then I was up and running. I feel very sad for the girls today because it is so hard to get into it and they have to pay for their training now, which for the same course I did is about £9,000, so not everyone can afford it.'
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Richard Burn: 'Great to see this set again, first programme I ever worked on in television. I did the pre-production sign design for Darrowby and packaging and signage for the Dispensary, I had never heard of set dressing before then.'
Andy Frizzell: 'Ha! First studio drama I ever worked on. Bob Gell was TM1 (lighting director nowadays) the hands on the clock in the hall were held on with blue tack.'
All Memories Great & Small – part 2
Memories from Mike Duxbury (Film Editor):
'I'd got a job as an Assistant Film Editor at the BBC in Pebble Mill in 1976 and spent most of my time assisting Henry Fowler. He was one of the senior Film Editors there and edited most of the high quality dramas. I was twenty-eight and Henry must have been in his fifties and we got on great. I had assisted him on a couple of series of Gangsters and I learned so much from him then. Henry had been editing for all of his career and by this time was becoming a little jaded. He lived in Tewkesbury which was a fifty minute drive down the motorway and he used to find the flimsiest of excuses to come in late or go home early – his favourite being "Fog on the motorway."
Thanks to Oliver Crocker for sharing this excerpt.
The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Roy Thompson: 'Remember Henry Fowler so well from his, and my, time at Wood Norton. He taught me so much about film production.'
Henry Fowler, film editor. Photo by Ian Collins, no reproduction without permission. | James Herriot books of Thirsk vet Alf Wight.
Channel Five have recently remade the show, and the second series is mid-way through its run.
From the original series, Mr Crocker brought along Ali Lewis, who played a young Rosie Herriot, Paul Lyon, who was young Jimmy Herriot in series four, and Jessica Sewell, who was Mary, granddaughter to Thora Hird in two episodes, to the signing at White Rose Books in Thirsk. Accompanying them were costume designer Janice Rider and make-up artist Vivien Oldham. In support was Alf Wight's daughter, Dr Rosie Page, who gave valuable information to the author for his book.
Mr Crocker thanked the White Rose Books for hosting the signing event and told everyone present about the writing of the original edition and the revamped and extended version.
Visitors from around the country, who had travelled long distances in some cases, were thrilled to meet members of the cast, the real life Rosie, and the author. At the end of the afternoon the whole party walked over to Kirkgate, to the Herriot Museum to chat with Dr Page."
https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/19634434.creatures-great-small-visitors-thrilled-herriot-book-event/?fbclid=IwAR0pwKMgwzQX-euPl2c0i7DfIcbMxvZmWYQVV1Az9HYVwHUGsL6-YRqZTOw
All Memories Great and Small – Part 9, Alex Christison
Alex Christison recording film sound on the Asian show: New Life. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
This is the final excerpt from "All Memories Great & Small" – by Oliver Crocker
This time it is memories from Alex Christison (Film Sound):
'The main problem on All Creatures was that we are talking about the days before multi-mic radio microphones were available – so you couldn't just scatter personal mics around each actor and mix accordingly. We were also recording in mono audio, so I didn't even have another track to play with like the dramas do these days with split track. Basically, I relied on my boom swinger to get my sound. We'd done away with the old sync lead by then, thank God, which meant I wasn't joined up to the camera – the boom mic would be connected to my Nagra mixer and would be recorded separately to picture. The clapperboard really did concentrate the minds in those days because it was quite a costly process if you got it wrong.'
60 cast and crew have shared their memories for this new book, which is available to preorder now from Miwk | 573 |
Back when I was training for my first half marathon I struggled quite a bit to find the motivation to do my long runs and harder workouts. Mostly because a lot of that stuff was relatively new to me and my body was still adjusting to the harder work load. So to amp myself up before these harder workouts that were all new and unfamiliar<|fim_middle|> clients. | to me, I'd get onto YouTube and search for "running motivation" and watch a few of the videos that came up. That usually got me excited to get out on the road and made the first step of just getting out of the door that much easier.
I actually haven't done that in a while though, but getting up at 5 am to get a run in before it gets too hot is kinda draining a lot of the fun out of running for me. So early this morning while I was getting ready to do my run, I thought I'd go revisit some of my favorites and then share them with you guys!
This one is actually my all time favorite! All of those quotes and the epic music gets me every time! I like it so much that I ripped the audio from the video and uploaded it to my phone so that I can listen to it while I run haha.
This entry was posted in Friday Fives, Running and tagged fitness, lifestyle, motivation, motivational videos, run, runner, runner girl, running, running motivation, youtube on June 16, 2017 by Ashley Dailey.
Dude these totally look cool but I wasn't able to access them. Kept getting error message.
Huh, that's really strange…I just checked and they're all working for me.
These are freakin awesome..thanks for sharing them. I may use them for my groups to light a fire under my | 293 |
Advertising Director/Blue Agency Co-Founder Christophe Lambert Keynotes at MIPTV 2009
Paris, 22 December 2008 - Christophe Lambert, advertising director and
co-founder of the<|fim_middle|> download a picture of Christophe Lambert and logos from
Reed MIDEM markets
Note to the editors:
ABOUT REED MIDEM
Founded in 1963, Reed MIDEM is a leading organiser of professional,
international tradeshows. Reed MIDEM events have established
themselves as key dates in professional diaries. The company hosts
MIPTV, MIPDOC, MIPCOM, and MIPJUNIOR for the television and digital
content industries, MIDEM for music professionals, MIPIM, MIPIM Asia,
MIPIM HORIZONS and MAPIC for the property and retail real estate
sectors.
Reed MIDEM is a division of Reed Exhibitions, the world's leading
events organiser Reed organises a wide range of events, including
exhibitions, conferences, congresses and meetings. Its portfolio of
over 500 events serves 47 industry sectors. In 2007 Reed brought
together over six million industry professionals from around the world
generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held
in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and
Asia Pacific, and organised by 39 fully staffed offices.
For further information about Reed MIDEM visit www.reedmidem.com
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Published in Press releases
More in this category:« The European Independent Film Festival 2009 submission deadline is January 15 Fifth Berlin Panorama for Europa Cinemas Label » | Blue agency with director/producer Luc Besson, will
give the Creative keynote at MIPTV 2009 on branded entertainment.
The 46th MIPTV entertainment content market will take place in Cannes from
30 March to 3 April 2009.
"MIPTV is the opportunity to demonstrate to the world's television
creatives, producers and executives that branded entertainment is
alive and well in Europe. By offering a strong collaboration between
producers, a brand and good screenwriters, you can produce
entertaining programmes of prime-time quality and offer a valuable
alternative to traditional advertising, which viewers are now
rejecting," said Christophe Lambert.
Paul Johnson, Director of Television at Reed MIDEM, added: "Christophe
Lambert is a Branded Entertainment Ambassador of the next generation.
He is part of a small and prestigious group of
ad-execs/directors/producers who are building the bridges between
brands and channels in an age when the funding of television is the
object of intense debate. His creative keynote will examine how best
the next generation of TV production will be financed and consumed."
The keynote, organised in partnership with Euronews, will be held on
Tuesday 31 March in the Palais des Festivals, within the framework of
the MIPTV 2009 conference programme.
Christophe Lambert joined forces with Luc Besson in autumn 2008 to
form the first French "advertainment" agency, Blue, which specialises
in the production of multi-platform entertainment content designed for
brands. Before moving into production, Christophe Lambert began his
career in advertising, becoming one of the most sought-after ad-exec
for agencies and brands both in France and abroad. He invented the
slogan "Ask for more" for Pepsi while at BBDO, where he oversaw other
international accounts such as Total and Fedex. In 2003, he became
President of Publicis Group in France and member of the executive
committee of the Publicis Worldwide network. Christophe Lambert also
worked for McCann Paris where he began his career in 1984, BDDP and
RSCG, before creating his first agency, Opera, in 1992.
For the latest information on MIPTV 2009 please go to www.miptv.com
Click here to | 503 |
Since his debut single in 1989<|fim_middle|>, CMA, K*Chele. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment. | , Alan Jackson has become one of the most dependable hitmakers in the Country format. Consistency has been a cornerstone in his personal and professional life, but in the past two years the soft-spoken Georgia native has faced major changes — one of his own choosing and another that no one ever wants to confront.
After weathering the devastating news in late 2010 that his wife, Denise, had cancer, Jackson is pleased to report that she's healthy and life has returned to normal. He's back at work and excited about his new album, Thirty Miles West, his first since his departure from Sony Music Nashville's Arista roster.
Of course, since Jackson joined that roster, Dungan has moved over to UMG Nashville. Not to worry, though: "I feel like we'll all end up on the same family tree eventually," Jackson said, with a sly smile.
The new album mixes the heart-searing ballads and lively up-tempos that have populated Jackson's career. He wrote six of its 13 tracks by himself, with Shawn Camp, Guy Clark, Terry McBride and Chris Stapleton among the others who landed songs on the project.
His daughters — Mattie, Alexandra and Dani — inspired the new upbeat tune "Her Life's a Song." "They've got their iPods and they'll be blasting through the speakers out by the swimming pool. One minute it will be some old Country thing; they might even play one of my songs every now and then," he said, with a smile. "And next it will be some rap thing and then some pop thing. They just listen to all that stuff. That's pretty much the way a lot of the young people are.
Jackson's own musical history includes 13 studio albums, three greatest-hits collections, two holiday albums and a multi-Platinum gospel album, Precious Memories, released in 2006 and recently reissued. His combined sales are nearly 60 million albums worldwide, which have included 60 Top 40 tunes on the Country chart. Among those, 51 have hit the Top 10, 48 have climbed to the Top 5 and 35 went all the way to the summit. He has earned 16 CMA Awards and been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Even with all he has achieved, Jackson maintains his place in the front ranks of contemporary Country headliners. His recent single, "So You Don't Have to Love Me Anymore," resonated with radio and fans. Written by Jackson's nephew Adam Wright and Jay Knowles, the poignant ballad whetted appetites for fans anxious to hear the new album. Other standout tracks include the beautiful love song "Everything but the Wings" (written by Jackson) and the Southern anthem "Dixie Highway" (Jackson), which inspired the album's title as Jackson grew up 30 miles west of the Dixie Highway in Newnan, Ga.
Posted on June 19, 2012, in Country Music Association, K*Chele Magazine, Music News and tagged Alan Jackson | 645 |
Pune: Bishop's School, Camp and St Vincent's High School won the Under-19 and Under-17 titles of<|fim_middle|> it 2-0 in favour of the hosts. Shiva Pandey struck in the 24th minute to score his second goal as the final score read 3-0.
In the Under-12 category, St Vincent's High School defeated Symbiosis International School 4-0 to enter the semifinals. Aaron D'Souza from St Vincent's scored thrice in the third, fifth and seventh minutes while Justin Arland added one goal to the tally in the 21st minute.
Under-17: St Vincent's High School 1 (Lakshya Harplanai 35th) bt Loyola High School 0.
Under-19: Bishop's School, Camp 3 (Shiva Pandey 1st, 24th, Akshay Maid 6th) bt St Vincent's High School 0.
Under-12: St Vincent's High School 4 (Aaron D'Souza 3rd, 5th, 7th, Justin Arland 21st) bt Symbiosis International School 0; Bishop's co-ed School, Undri 2 (6th, 17th) bt Bishop's Co-ed School, Kalyaninagar 0.
Under-14: Vidya Bhavan High School 3 (Khitij Kokate 9th, 26th, SWaraj Sakpal 14th) bt Bishop's Co-ed School 1 (Rohan Rajguru 16th); Bishop's School, Camp 2 (Akshay Patil 4th, Sannidhya Singh 18th) bt Bishop's Co-ed School, Undri 1 (Aitritya Rao 20th). | the Bishop's Invitational Football Tournament being played at the Jeejeebhoy ground in Camp on Friday.
In the Under-17 final, St Vincent's beat Loyola 1-0. Lakshya Harplanai scored the lone goal for St Vincent's in the 35th minute.
In the Under-19 battle, Bishop's School, Camp defeated St Vincent's High School 3-0 to emerge victorious. Hosts Bishop's took an early lead when Shiva Pandey scored the first goal in the first minute.
Akshay Maid scored the second goal in the sixth minute to make | 126 |
Today Cornwall Live is joining Surfers Against Sewage to launch Plastic Free Cornwall as a rallying cry to every town, business and individual in the duchy to help us win the war against plastics.
SAS want to create 125 Plastic Free communities by 2020 and as part of the Plastic Free Cornwall campaign, we want to see every town in Cornwall working this status, by appointing a leader and working up an action plan.
SAS chief executive Hugo Tagholm has been leading the fight against plastics and today has also launched a Plastic Free Parliament campaign to rid Westminster of the two million unnecessary single-use plastics they use each year.
He said: "We want to see Cornwall reduce its plastic footprint.
"We are already leading the way and our exposure to marine litter is one of the things that has driven it. SAS has built the campaign from Cornwall, promoting this campaign in Westminster and on a global scale.
"In Cornwall, we live and work and see the effect of plastic manifest itself every day so we are sensitised to it. We see the effect on our environment all the time and we see that juxtaposition of nature and pollution so clearly.
"To see the whole of Cornwall taking action to reduce its plastic footprint would be great. We have to accept that we may not eliminate single use plastic but to see a dramatic reduction in straws and water bottles and to see more refillable water stations would be fantastic.
"Plastic Free Cornwall should be part of galvanising our plastic free communities. We want to keep it simple. We are encouraging all communities in Cornwall to follow the five step plan to bring together communities and appoint leaders to work towards plastic free status.
Cornwall Live Editor Jacqui Merrington said: "The rising tide of plastic is something we see every day in Cornwall and it's a huge threat to our coastlines and our marine ecosystems.
"As momentum gathers behind the campaign to rid the country of single-use plastics, Cornwall is leading the way both in reducing plastic waste and in the clean-up operation.
"This is our chance to have a huge impact on the environment and rid Cornwall of unnecessary single-use plastics for good and we want to provide the leadership and the tools to help make that happen.
"Plastic Free Cornwall is about encouraging every single person to cut down on plastic waste, our shops and businesses to cut down on plastic packaging, our council to encourage better recycling rates and all of us helping to clean up the mess that's left to make Cornwall and the country a better, cleaner place to live."
The problem was clear for all to see after Storm Eleanor hit Cornwall earlier this year. Beaches were left looking like 'plastic war zones' as the worst wave of plastic pollution in four years was washed up.
The coast was covered with plastic debris, broken fishing nets , pieces of Lego and everything from plastic straws and bottles to shredded bags and polystyrene .
Huge ghost nets were removed from Perranporth beach while Constantine Bay, Crooklets and Newquay were among some of the worst affected beaches.
SAS said the good news was that plastic pollution was increasingly at the front of people's minds and more and more volunteers are both reporting plastic pollution incidents and doing their bit by picking up plastic from beaches.
Claire Wallerstein, organiser of Rame Peninsula Beach Care, said the condition of beaches at the time in South East Cornwall was "pretty horrendous".
Mary James, in a bid to raise awareness of the "enormity of the problem" around plastic pollution, has been spending her free time kayaking along the Truro River through Malpas to complete litter picks on the water.
On one of her most recent picks Mary collected six black bags full of plastic. She told us: "If you look closely at the shoreline, it is absolutely covered in plastic.
"The most common plastic pollution is food wrappings. You see a lot of chocolate and sweet wrappers and a lot of bottles and beer cans.
"The problem is that plastic doesn't degrade, we know that. I found a Marathon bar wrapper the other week. They stopped making Marathons in 1990, which means that that wrapper has been in the river for at least 27 years."
Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), based in the Wheal Kitty Workshops at St Agnes, is one of the Duchy's biggest success stories.
From a grassroots movement, the marine conservation charity has grown into one of Britain's most active and effective environmental charities.
Set up by a group of surfers back in 1990 by a surfing community appalled by the dreadful and completely unacceptable state of water pollution, 28 years on it has grown into so much more.
These days the UK and Cornwall now enjoy some of the cleanest beaches in Europe. In 1990 only 27% of England's bathing waters would have passed the Bathing Water Directive's minimum standards; in 2016 98.5% of the waters secured the status.
However, the Cornish charity now says "Plastic is the new sewage."
12 million tonnes of marine litter and plastic enter the oceans every year.
That is why SAS recently launched its 'Plastic Free Coastlines' initiative.
Penzance has achieved national and international praise since it became the first place to receive the SAS Plastic Free Coastlines status.
Led by Rachel Yates, support has flooded in from an impressive band of residents, businesses and organisations – from an outdoor theatre and cafes to an outdoor swimming pool and shops.
The first mission for the voluntary team was to spend five hours in the sun during Penzance's Pirates World Record Attempt, making sure thousands of plastic cups and containers did not blow straight into the sea.
From then they starting welcoming Plastic Free Champions - businesses that have made an<|fim_middle|> to spread the word by way of my art from recycling the plastics off the beaches.
Some of the ways people have been cutting down on single-use plastics in Cornwall have inspired hundreds, if not thousands, more to get involved.
But where do you begin? Firstly there are some really simple things you can do to start, that you may not have thought about before.
For example, using glass instead of plastic bottles? Or making your own smoothies or yogurts instead of buying them from a shop?
Rachel, Hugo and the rest of the Surfers Against Sewage will of course be on hand to help. They have a whole list of tips and life hacks on their website and details on how you can join up with or create a Plastic Free Community in your area.
We'll be sharing hundreds of tips and ideas for how to get involved on Cornwall Live as part of the Plastic Free Cornwall campaign over the next few weeks and months.
Thanks to the actions of the SAS team, public demonstrations and of course David Attenborough's Blue Planet - people are finally waking up to the problems.
It has been truly inspiring to see how Cornwall has come up with answers and actions needed in the fight against plastic. The tide seems like it is on the turn. | effort to cut out plastic use - and meeting with schools and other organisations.
"It's a really exciting project", said Rachel, who also spoke of her love for the town she lives in. "For Penzance to become the first Plastic Free Coastline in the UK, it's just amazing.
"It's a really positive advert for the town. As people are more aware of the issues they are looking to support places that are environmentally conscious.
The 'Plastic Free Penzance' spirit has caught on like wild fire. Plastic Free Perranporth has just been awarded the Plastic Free Coastlines status.
Vanessa said: "It's terrible lately as the storms have brought the truth out there onto our beaches for all to witness our waste. I want | 153 |
Ms. Uma was very helpful throughout. Siva Shankar was the key person in making necessary arrangements for transportation, registration of the apartment , keeping us updated throughout the project. They are very professional and efficient. Looking forward towards future business with you.
Excellent job by then entire team at Hiranandani parks.Though a long wait, you have finally delivered the apartment. Thanks to the brand Hiranandani which we relied on.
As I drive towards Oragadam, New Chennai, I witness the role FDI has had to play in the changing horizon of this place. My car whizzes past the fast developing auto and ITeS corridor and am able to witness the dynamic economic development and changing geographies of south-west Chennai! The reasons - location, amenities and infrastructure; these three key factors are important for any successful development.
Blessed with a wealth of art and culture, Chennai's rapidly developing economy is driving the demand for quality residential, retail and commercial space for a perfect lifestyle. Today's real estate buyer has high expectations when it comes to quality and service, along with the best social and civil infrastructure.
As I drive further, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, I see the skyline change. Magnificent and statuesque towers, palatial structures, wide open roads, landscaped gardens, roundabouts with fountains serenade me. I feel a sense of peace as I drive.
I have entered Hiranandani HIRANANDANI PARKS, Oragadam, New Chennai - a community spanning across acres of luxury living for today's modern families. HIRANANDANI PARKS<|fim_middle|>, sustainable green living - all in HIRANANDANI PARKS.
Watch Mr and Mrs. Siddharth Bhatkal describing about their dream home at Hiranandani Fortune City, Panvel. | casts its bewitching charm on you the moment you enter this haven. Modern palaces, with an array of world class amenities, make this the perfect real estate choice. The township has been conceived keeping in mind the needs and aspirations of the new age buyers. Peace and tranquillity, open green spaces, a well equipped clubhouse, a resort-style golf facility, for residents, guests and golf aficionados of Chennai. And the biggest advantage is the workplace – which is just a 5 to 10-minute drive. No wonder this is the choice for expats working in Chennai and Oragadam.
I see people from different nationalities – German, Japanese, French and Korean. No wonder, many expats have chosen to lease out apartments and live here.
What amazed me is the fact that the wide tree-lined roads, open green spaces, abundant water supply, dependable power, modern telecommunications network, sanitation and green technology, are all in place.
A walk through the sample apartment and a ride up the towers showcased spacious and elegant apartments with big balconies overlooking verdant landscapes. Coming from the cramped city, I really appreciated the importance of having nearly a third of the township dedicated to green open spaces. Many apartments are occupied by owners of these palaces, with many more being spruced up for handover in the next few months.
Lovely homes, open green space, amenities & infrastructure | 282 |
home | shows | artists |<|fim_middle|> | eflash | contact | credits
BLONDES BUY MORE PEROXIDE
November 23rd - December 6th. 2002
1 000 000mph Project Space, London, E2
Isha Bøhling, Juan Bolivar, Hiroe Komai, Kirsten Lyle, Sheena Macrae, Hiroaki Morita, Pam Richardson & Kevin Smith
click here for images
During the last days of Guns and Roses we had a visit by two very animated-Canadians, Kate Grieve and Dallas Seitz. They were starting a Project Space in Bethnal Green and wanted us to curate a show after having seen Guns and Roses.
Opportunities like this do not fall into your hands every day and they tend to fade away without a prompt response. So we started working on an idea for a show the following day.
The idea of TRAILER being a nomadic gallery was starting to develop. But we had never set out to establish an artists collective or to represent artists. TRAILER was an opportunity for artists to exhibit their work and participate within a critical debate. Because of this, the shows so far had been staged in a theatrical manner to act as 'showcase' of current contemporary art practice by London based artists, but we felt that our approach this time had to be more focused.
1 000 000mph Project Space itself once used to be a betting shop, now transformed with a simple neo minimalist layout. From the outside the space still retains aspects of the former betting shop but on the inside it could quite easily be a designer furniture shop like the ones that now appear overnight in Columbia Road and Brick Lane. Rather than disguising this fact we decided to use this sense of ambiguity to choose and set the work in a way that echoed this ambivalence.
In order to convey this idea of how 'first impressions' are formed, much of the work had a strong emphasis on the way that 'surfaces' carry meaning and reveal as well as conceal information. We also managed to borrow some lights from Habitat to give the space a softer atmosphere which would complement the general aesthetic of the show. In the 1 000 000mph Project Space you absorbed most of the experience as soon as you walked in.
We were very grateful for the freedom and opportunity provided by Kate and Dallas to invite us to do this show. We had met some new artists and TRAILER was beginning to feel like a 'snowball', with artists from previous shows in the centre and newer artists being gathered in its path.
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© TRAILER 2005 | 552 |
And So it Begins & Not Alot Has Changed
Coming back from Cali I thought I was in pretty good shape but then the weather and another trip has left me in familiar territory....I SUCK!!!! On Wednesday evening I rode up Thresher and Thornwood in Granville 16 times to try to regain some form and then headed to the Thursday COP ride out of New Albany to build on that. Arriving in the parking lot, I noticed a somewhat familiar car......could it be........
.....yes, Crazy George is back....sort of.....maybe a shadow of his former self but that's ok, one of the great characters of the peloton is back. I gave the greeting a cinematic kick of the leg to add to the image. Geez, my legs are really skinny. Maybe that helps explain my weakness.
Flyin Tuna was there too, along with 52+ others for a great evening for cycling. What's this???? Flyin Tuna found a T-shirt that says "Tuna" on it. I like the fact that she has embraced her nickname so lovingly. What's next, maybe Farmer Mike dragging a plow behind him.
Steve O drove up from Canal to see if he could hang with the A group while riding his cross bike in tennis shoes. As many have observed, he rides this machine faster than his road bike, or so it seems. Alas, as strong as he is, he could not keep up but more on that later.
Good turnout of A's and B's and even C's. The Little Diesel came up with a good route of 36 miles. I intended to ride with the B's but was goaded into starting with the A's that was comprised of Mick, John Morgan, Jon the dentist, Marty, Steve O, Style King (see the pink tires with pink bike), Tim Tyler & Lisa, Jeff S, Doug M, and 5-7 others who I did not recognize but appeared to be the real deal. Also there were Recumbent Dude, Mark V, SuperDave, Gary, Green Caboose, etc...
We headed out old #161 and soon the speed picked up but it appeared the head wind quickly took the starch out of anyone who put their nose into it to pull. Meanwhile, I drafted comfortably and when we reached #310 with a 21.6 average, I was in good shape but of course, so too were the 12+ others in the A group. We headed down Jersey Mill and I was having major problems. The wind was coming out of the NE and I could not get behind anyone to avoid it. The guy in front of me assiduously avoided going left of the white line and I was left exposed...damn him...that's my spot!
I had to work too hard to hang on but we finally arrived in Alexandria with a 22mph average. I anticipated a drop in the pace going through Alexandria but damn,<|fim_middle|> and finding out where everyone dropped or hammered the helpless.
WARNING:this could happen to you if you do not attend the rides regularly. That should be enough to get everyone out!
Just wanted to let everyone know that thanks to Nate I was able to get back into my car. Luckily he had AAA. I won't make this mistake again!!
Recumbent Dude
Headed back to India here in a couple weeks. Hoping to train with my old pals on the Indian Recumbent Cycling Team. I hear they have a new member who's a real ox. No really... literally areal ox. I'll try to get a picture.
The Super Bees came in at 20.5 MPH and also claimed the full mileage. I hurt today though. Might have to try for a noon recovery ride.
A real ox?!... this should be interesting.
The less than super A's finished the full route with a 21.6 avg.:)
P.S. Why do they call him "Satan Mick"? Seems like a great guy
Because Mark named him; doesn't require any reasoning.
I did not name Mick "Santan Mick". Someone else did because he used to wear a bright red helmet and rode fast. He told me that he does not like that nickname so I stopped using it. He is a great guy. Satan is a nickanme I am reserving for someone else. So far, Oxley comes closest to qualifying.
Here is the "real" Satan Story. About 16 years ago there was a ride out of Hoover. We had a regular cast of characters who rode together (about like we have now). Out comes this guy riding a red bike wearing a red jersey and a red helmet. About 1/2 thru the ride this guy bursts out of the pack and sprints away. We organize to try to catch him but the gap continues until he is out of site. Someone in the group shouts out "who the H_ll is that guy" to which another cries out "H_ll is right he must be Satan". We never told Mick that we named him Satan and only used it when he wasn't around. That changed when one of the women in the group went up to him and asked him if he was "Satan Mick"? He just gave her a funny look. He is a great guy and a very strong rider! | they kept riding hard....I anticipated turning left into the one-way turn onto Raccoon Valley Road while the group went slightly farther before making the official turn but damn....they too broke the law and turned into the one-way turn. My last card to play was drifting back through the peloton, recovering slightly and catching on to the last cyclist, which I did but damn.....gaps started developing and I was done. Dennis too was there and soon we hooked up with Jeff S. I could see ahead that Steve O had dropped back with someone and other gaps appeared. Someone was driving a hard pace up there.
We reached the left onto Hardscrabble and caught up with another dropee and now had a decent working group to...... work behind Jeff, who rode strongly up the hill. He allowed me to take a small pull toward the end but quickly banished me to the rear. At the foot of that long series of ramps and false flats I could see Steve O and Lisa maybe 100 yards ahead but we had no success closing the gap. We finally reached Northridge and continued on to Concorde where I pleaded with Jeff to cut the route short but he insisted on hanging a right onto Castle and following the route. We completed the north loop by making a left on Northridge, a left on Nicols Lane and then back to Concorde and in to Johnstown. Here we caught up with another dropee and our group was five as we rambled down a fairly uneven Caswell. Here, I took advantage of the moderate pace to go to the front and put in another ceremonial pull.
Our average was down to 20mph but now we had a bit of a tail wind and we hit Green Chapel and Clover Valley at a good clip and then turning right on Jug, picked up the pace a little more and rolled into the parking lot with a 21mph average, 36 miles and 1100' of climbing. The parking lot was the usual mix of checking out what time to ride MOC on Sunday (9:00am) with most of us doing the 100 route, helping George figure out what alternative sport he ought to pick up (curling) | 455 |
Sharks' attraction to undersea fiber-optic cables has been well-documented over the years.
The Internet is a series of tubes … that are sometimes attacked by sharks.
Now it seems Google is biting back. According to Network World's Brandon Butler, a Google product manager explained at a recent event that the company has taken to wrapping its trans-Pacific underwater cables in Kevlar to guard against shark bites.
It makes sense that Google would be investing in better ways to protect transoceanic data cables. Over the years there have been several<|fim_middle|> so perhaps they're attracted by the current. Alternatively, a shark expert from Cal State-Long Beach suggested to Wired, they may just be curious. Anyone with a dual expertise in chondrichthyan behavior and electrical engineering is warmly invited to offer a more compelling explanation in the comments below.
Forget Google vs. Apple, Google vs. Amazon, and Google vs. Facebook. My new favorite tech rivalry is Google vs. shark. | instances in which damage to undersea lines resulted in widespread disruptions of Internet service. Dependable network infrastructure has become increasingly essential to Google's business, which relies on ultra-fast transmissions of information between its data centers around the world.
On Monday, Google infrastructure czar Urs Holzle announced that the company is helping to build a new trans-Pacific cable system connecting the United States to Japan at speeds of up to 60 Tbps. "That's about 10 million times faster than your cable modem," Holzle noted. Google's partners on the project include China Mobile and SingTel.
Why are sharks attracted to undersea data cables? Unclear. Several outlets have pointed out that sharks can sense electromagnetic fields, | 145 |
Home Gender
The Beth<|fim_middle|>.
The impasse did not end soon. Members and families parked cars and trucks along the TransCanada Highway to block access to the home, and truckdrivers were warned by CB radio not to make their usual stops at Mill Cove. Injunctions later limited the picket line to six people and two cars, and the community settled in for a long siege, supported by small strike pays and contributions from the Federation of Labour and other supporters.
Meanwhile, sworn affidavits concerning irregularities in financial practices and nursing care at the home were submitted to Premier Richard Hatfield by the workers as well as by a doctor and by a registered nurse who had previously worked at the home. Following an inspection, Minister of Health Brenda Robertson ordered the home closed, and the 100 residents were relocated by ambulance to hospitals.
The Federation of Labour and CUPE called for expropriation of the home. Instead, the province arranged for a purchase by new investors, and the new Mill Cove Nursing Home reopened in September 1982. It took a full thirteen months on the line, but the workers finally had a contract.
In this local battle, a small group of workers helped consolidate the place of unions in the province's nursing homes. They also demonstrated that unions could succeed in winning public support and respect for low-paid women workers. As Phil Booker, who regularly stood on the picket line from midnight to 8 a.m. later recalled, "This local, from the time it started, I think, as a crew had probably more guts than I ever saw in people in a local before or since."
David Frank is professor emeritus in Canadian history at the University of New Brunswick.
Tags: Bethel Home StrikeDavid Franklabourlabour historyNew Brunswicknursing home workersslider
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From the Margins: Prisoner labour and unionization [audio] | el Nursing Home Strike in 1981-82
by David Frank
A historic strike at the Bethel Nursing Home in 1981-82.
Nursing home workers in New Brunswick fought long and hard to win the right to negotiate their wages and working conditions. They also forced the province to ensure better standards of care and safety for residents. The following excerpt from Provincial Solidarities: A History of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour describes the historic strike at the Bethel Nursing Home in 1981-82.
Women who worked in the province's nursing homes, which were funded by public monies but privately operated, were also joining unions. By 1981, workers had won union certification at more than 20 of these establishments across the province. One employer resisted the union with a lockout, but otherwise there had been no strikes.
In rural Queens County employees faced unusually extreme conditions at the Bethel Nursing Home at Mill Cove. When Jean Moss and other workers invited Canadian Union of Public Employees organizer Joan Blacquier to meet with them, Blacquier recalled that "the air was blue" with stories of long hours, low wages, little training, missed pays, paternalism, intimidation, and abusive treatment. They also told her about practices that endangered the health and safety of the residents. All this was taking place under the aegis of an independent evangelical minister whose family owned and operated the nursing home, the gas station, motel, restaurant, and general store as well as a funeral home.
To Blacquier's surprise, it took only a few days for the women to collect more than enough signed union cards to organize CUPE Local 2464 and apply for certification in January 1981; a vote was held in February and a certification order issued in March. Signing a contract was another matter, and the local went out on strike at the end of August | 396 |
This is more of a burrito plus.
Moving to a new place is never easy. Driving habits and living habits have to change, but more importantly, eating habits have to change. This can be easy for some, but when you have a meat blog it can be<|fim_middle|>'t quite perfect. It still definitely needed the salsa from the salsa bar, because the steak itself wasn't the most seasoned. I could definitely see where making the burrito wet would have made experience even better.
So, did I find a replacement for Taco Bell? No, but no real Mexican food can truly replace Taco Bell. Instead, I found a pretty great burrito in a really great location. I can't wait to go back and try out their wet burrito, because I have a feeling that cheese and sauce will make Taco Plus and A+.
Sorry for the terrible pun, but you have to expect that when you name your restaurant that way. | tough to say goodbye to the Taco Bell that once resided across the street. But it is also an opportunity to try new things, so as I woke up on my first real weekend in my new place, I realized it was time for a stroll around the area in search of food. Quickly, I found Taco Plus.
Yes, I had driven by Taco Plus countless times in my life, but there are so many little nondescript taco places in LA, they all blur together eventually. Taco Plus is now no longer a blur to me, and is instead a local taco reality. But was that reality any good?
I ordered an old classic, the Burrito de Carne Asada. At $6.35, the price was competitive with the likes of Chipotle and I hoped the flavor could be even better. It came with the steak, beans, rice, cilantro and onions. As always, I ordered mine without onions to keep away from the veggies. I also noticed they had the option to turn the burrito wet for a buck or so more, but I wasn't ready to eat so heavy with my first meal of the day. While waiting, I loaded up with some salsa from their salsa bar and after a couple minutes the burrito was ready.
I bit right in and quickly found myself with a mouthful of steak. And good steak too. I could tell it had just been sliced up and wasn't sitting in a tub somewhere waiting to be served. Plus, it was loaded with meat. This wasn't some small dollop of steak, topped with a load of beans and rice for filler. This was a burrito made for a carnivore, with beans and rice just hanging out to enhance the experience. Yet, with all the meatiness, it wasn | 362 |
Barbara Keeley MP Member of Parliament for Worsley and Eccles South and Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Social Care
What local people say about Barbara
Use<|fim_middle|> MP, Children's Minister, and his Conservative colleagues in the Education Department.
First Floor, 37 Manchester Road, Walkden M28 3NS
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Join my campaign team
Update on the Save Our Outstanding Nurseries campaign
5th October, 2018
There will be a rally on Saturday 27 October at 12pm on the lawn in front of the Civic Centre (Chorley Road, Swinton M27 5DA).
I will be attending this rally and we need as many people to attend as possible to show support for our nurseries and to pressure the Government to provide funding so that we can keep them open.
I hope to see you at the rally on 27 October.
More widely on this campaign – I am very pleased that so many Labour MPs showed their support for our five outstanding nurseries at Labour Party Conference in September. Tracy Brabin MP, Shadow Early Years Minister, is supporting this campaign and Julie Cooper MP will now be leading a group in Parliament specifically focussing on local authority nurseries. We will be requesting a debate with an Education Minister. It is important that we have as much support in Parliament as possible so that we can put pressure on Nadim Zahawi | 226 |
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