Creative Caffeine: Nashville Recording Studio

We recently had The Gaddis Girls in the Studio with producer Hart Steen to record overdubs for the song “The Price of Peace,” a moving tribute to soldiers at war, from a daughters perspective.

(the following from ThePriceOfPeace.org)

The “Price of Peace” was written in early summer of 2008 by Alyssa Gaddis after a discussion she had with her father, CW5 Jim Gaddis. The discussion revolved around the large number of Soldiers that were deployed overseas while their families were left behind. Alyssa realized that it was probably as hard on the families as it was on the deployed Soldiers. Her dad gave her a pad of paper and told her to write down how she felt and the lyrics of The Price of Peace were born.

The family knew that the lyrics had merit so they enlisted the co-writing assistance of a Nashville writer, Hart Steen. Hart added the music and recorded a basic track to the lyrics. After a few discussions with some members of the IL Employee Support of the Guard and Reserves about the song, State Farm agreed to sponsor the recording. State Farm provided funding for the recording and production of the song.

(more…)

We were please to have Taylor Swift in the studio this week to record some voiceovers for an upcoming ad campaign.  Taylor is wonderful to work with in the studio and is very easy-going and focused.  She spoke into our Telefunken U47 and her speaking voice sounded beautiful.

Look for Taylor’s new album “Fearless” which will make it’s debut on Nov. 11.  For more info on Taylor visit her website at TaylorSwift.com.

(more…)

This article makes me feel much better for Chris and mandolin players everywhere… I’m sure he’ll never set that mando down again.  Thanks to the Bluegrass Blog and Sam Ash Music in Nashville!

From the Bluegrass Blog:

Those of us who work in and around the music business recognize instrument thieves as among the most degenerate scum prowling the earth. We share the frustration and anger that accompanies the story of a professional musician finding their instrument stolen, and can likewise experience the elation when it is recovered and returned to its owner.

Here’s a happy ending to a story we reported just after IBMA. Chris Harris, mandolinist with Junior Sisk and Rambler’s Choice, realized that someone had taken his Steffey model mandolin from the Renaissance Hotel in the wee hours of the morning following the IBMA Awards Show.

Brance posted information about the stolen instrument on October 6, and yesterday we received news that the mandolin had been identified by a Nashville music store, and will soon be back in Chris’ hands.

Here’s a note we received yesterday from Clay Rigdon:

“I am the store manager of Sam Ash Music in Nashville, TN. I came in contact with an item that was stolen from an individual at the recent IBMA convention. I wanted you to know that, because of a blog that was posted on your site, we were able to start the process of getting it back into the hands of it’s rightful owner.”

Great news all around, and hats off to Clay and Sam Ash Nashville for the due diligence. If you are a Nashville-based musician, please make a point to thank Clay for his work in returning Chris’ mandolin.

Sam Ash Nashville
1647 Gallatin Pike North
Madison, TN 37115-2151
615-860-7475

The Bluegrass Blog » Stolen mandolin recovered: bluegrass music news

Originally I was excited to attend the music production lecture given by Darrin Vincent, long time Ricky Skaggs bandmate and member of IBMA winning group Dailey and Vincent. I want to be clear that Darrin is extremely talented as producer, musician, and an artist. Dailey and Vincent are very deserving of their recent awards.

Darrin made alot of good points against basement and bedroom studio recording, but I quickly became disapointed when he began talking recording formats.  He talked about how important they are and proceeded to list them… pro tools, nuendo, radar, etc… everything was mentioned but analog tape.  This is very surprising in the bluegrass genre and I immediately spoke up… “what about analog?”  He dismissed the notion like it was a long gone thing of the past and quickly moved on. Very disapointing!

This is very puzzling to me, being that Darrin’s longtime former band leader Ricky Skaggs records to analog tape.  Ricky, unpleased with the sound of digital recording, quit using certain Nashville studios when they switched to digital in the 90’s.  Ricky’s own studio now records to a 16 track analog machine and trasnfers into iZ Radar.

Darrin then spoke of producing the Cherryholmes band.  He mentioned that at times Jere Cherryholmes was not satisfied with the sound, asking why it didn’t sound like Ricky Skaggs’ album he brought in as a reference. Darrin explained that without the expensive guitars and such, it simply could not sound the same… which I suspect is only partially true.

Obviously it’s going to be hard to sound anywhere near as good as Cody Kilby,  but… considering that Ricky’s album would have been tracked to tape, this may have been much more of a factor that an inferior guitar.  Although I have been unsuccessful at finding out what recorder was actually used and I regret not asking Darrin at the time, I would guess that Jere Cherryholmes was missing that extra magic tape can add to your tracks… especially acoustic bluegrass tracks.  He was missing the warm tone and smooth dynamics that properly driven tape can give… not to mention the overall blend of instruments.

Contrary to popular belief,  tape is still available and some studios are still using it frequently and understand the benefits.  Combined with the new tools digital has given us creates one of the most powerful set of tools engineers have ever had.  Track in analog and mix in Pro Tools… The best of both worlds!  The difference is worth it.  Shocking in the bluegrass world to find a bass player who dismisses analog in front of a room of bluegrass industry professionals.

The following from bluegrassblog.com… makes me sick to even think about.  Chris is a great player and I was admiring his mandolin during his official showcase.   You can’t hide that mando for long, let’s find this petty theif!  Help spread the word.

 IBMA is mostly an old family homecoming, but there are a few bad apples in the barrel, so to speak. It seems one of them was wondering around the Renaissance Friday morning.

Chris Harris, who plays mandolin with Junior Sisk and Rambler’s Choice, is reporting that someone stole his Gibson Adam Steffey Model mandolin Friday morning around 5AM. The instrument was stolen from the 18th floor of the Nashville Renaissance Hotel.

The mandolin is a limited edition, number 29 of 50.

Chris has the Bill of Sale, Certificate of Authenticity, and has filed a police report with the Nashville authorities. The instrument is not only expensive, it carries a great deal of sentimental value as well.

If anyone has any information or spots this instrument for sale, please contact Chris immediately at 336-613-6998.

The Bluegrass Blog » Stolen Instrument: Gibson Adam Steffey #29: bluegrass music news

Bands concerned for the ongoing commercial viability of albums are adding to the pressures on iTunes, says Brian Boyd

The previously unremarkable rap-rocker Kid Rock had a huge worldwide hit this summer with the single All Summer Long. The album it came from, Rock’n'Roll Jesus, has now sold more than two million copies.

It didn’t escape the attention of his record label, Warners, that Kid Rock’s career-high sales have been amassed without the single or album being available on Apple’s iTunes music store.

Full Article:
iTunes under threat as bands take their business elsewhere - Telegraph

“I see an artist pictured with her best friend. The friend is her manager and webmaster. The caption congratulates them for a Gold Click Award from Amazon.com for 500,000 play events.

“The two gals don’t mention the RIAA, Best Buy or any label. They are thanking Facebook. They are thirteen years old.”

Full Article:
Rocking or reeling? Record labels adapt to a world of online music - CNN.com

It’s no secret that the music industry has not made an ideal transition into the digital era.

Album sales are falling, P2P file sharing is rife, and a plethora of new artists are using the Internet as a platform for gaining international exposure.

With the introduction of MySpace Music, three major record labels — Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group — are hoping to launch a counter-strike to the technological developments and online activities that have rocked their industry.

Full Article:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/09/25/music.debate/index.html?eref=rss_latest

Many Metallica fans are overjoyed at the newest offering from the band - awesome music, insane solos, killer riffs, everything is there! Now there’s just one problem - digital distortion present on the record makes even the best speakers sound like they’ve just blown up! Apparently, most of the brick wall limiting applied before it went to mastering.  What idiots!

Original Digg:
Digg - Metallica & Death Magnetic - Loudness War Claims Another

The final nominees for the 2008 CMA Awards are:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Sugarland
Keith Urban

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Rodney Atkins
Lady Antebellum
James Otto
Kellie Pickler

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Eagles
Emerson Drive
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
The Wreckers

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer)
“Don’t Blink”
Kenny Chesney
Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
BNA Records

“Gunpowder & Lead”
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Columbia Records

“I Saw God Today”
George Strait
Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
MCA Nashville

“Stay”
Sugarland
Produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles
Mercury Nashville

“You’re Gonna Miss This”
Trace Adkins
Produced by Frank Rogers
Capitol Records Nashville

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer)
Carnival Ride
Carrie Underwood
Produced by Mark Bright
19 Recordings Limited/Arista/Arista Nashville

Cowboy Town
Brooks & Dunn
Produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks
Arista Nashville

Good Time
Alan Jackson
Produced by Keith Stegall
Arista Nashville

Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
Kenny Chesney
Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
BNA Records

Troubadour
George Strait
Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
MCA Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Songwriter and Primary Publisher)
“Good Time”
Alan Jackson
EMI-April Music/Tri-Angels Music

“I Saw God Today”
Rodney Clawson/Monty Criswell/Wade Kirby
Big Red Toe/Extremely Loud Music/Steel Wheels Music/Blind Mule Music

“Letter To Me”
Brad Paisley
EMI-April Music/New Sea Gayle Music

“Stay”
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles Publishing

“You’re Gonna Miss This”
Lee Thomas Miller/Ashley Gorley
EMI Blackwood Music/New Songs of Sea Gayle/Noah’s Little Boat Music/Songs of Combustion Music

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
(Award to each Artist)
Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood
“Another Try”
MCA Nashville

Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney
“Every Other Weekend”
MCA Nashville

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
“Gone, Gone, Gone”
Rounder Records

Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen
“Life In A Northern Town”
Mercury Nashville

Kenny Chesney (duet with George Strait)
“Shiftwork”
BNA Records

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Director)
“Don’t Blink”
Kenny Chesney
Directed by Shaun Silva

“Good Time”
Alan Jackson
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

“Stay”
Sugarland
Directed by Shaun Silva

“Waitin’ On A Woman”
Brad Paisley
Directed by Jim Shea

“You’re Gonna Miss This”
Trace Adkins
Directed by Peter Zavadil

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas – Dobro
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Dann Huff – Guitar
Brent Mason – Guitar
Mac McAnally – Guitar