"Rude Immunity" is the first song on Mutation
I've talked about it a lot already... no... I've talked about creating all the CDs and stickers that go along with the release of the Rude Immunity's CD single. I'll have a list of posts related to Rude Immunity at the end of this post.
Song Details:
Rude Immunity is a 2, 5, 1 in C for the entire songs. If one wanted to recreate this arrangement, it would be best to give musicians a lead sheet. To make this lead sheet, one would be happy to know that the draft lead sheet can start with about 98.1 measures at the Tempo of 91 BPM. The entire original album release is three minutes and fifty two second long.
(I've also created other versions that are longer.)
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it's considered a "drop 3" type of beat. While performing the song I would count 1,2,3,4 like in 4/4 time signature, but listen for the kick/snare to be on beat 3.
A good drummer knows how to interpret a request like, "Please, play a Rock steady, drop three reggae." I'm probably mixing it up, but a good drummer will listen well and play something groovy with the kick and snare/cross stick on beat 3. Variations on this are fine and abundant. I could also tell the drummer to play a slow ska beat.
Opinions on these nuances are welcome. I'm a student too.
PSA: "NOT ALL REGGAE IS THE SAME."
Creative Approach
I modeled Rude Immunity after a Dandy Livinstone song called, "Rudy, A Message To You." Click on the title to hear the version on Trojan Records' channel.
Eventually, The Specials created this fun version of, "Rudy, A Message to You" Click on the link to hear that version.
I jumped back and forth between m project and the version by The Specials. Lyrics are inspired by changes in COVID and Family type events. I sulk enough in here as it is so I'll just say. It looked like my love was going to leave on a potentially dangerous journey from which a return would take years. In the end, I tell my self to just accept the time together now and save at the same time.
RECORDING TIP: "Sit on it. Let it rest. Sleep on it. Own it the next day."
#TheBrokenYellowGuitar
I used #TheBrokenYellowGuitar on all of Mutation's songs. I always record it acoustically with my iPhone 7... well, maybe with a C1000, but very rarely. The guitar is broken. It was functional once. I used it in a fun band called CHLORINE. I'm afraid to open it up. I did once... long ago... needs to earn the money for parts anyway.
The guitar part is playing what's considered a "skank" rhythm. It's mainly playing on beats 2 and 4. It drives the pulse along with the other rhythmic instruments by filling in the main gaps and leaving beat 3 open.
There is more than one guitar playing in this recording. I do over dubs, doubles, and punch-ins. IDGAF, just focus on rhythm and get the job done. I come from a splurge and 3 Hour recoding project background already. Been doing it since I was a kid with a Ghetto blaster (Boombox). Anyway, I also try to play guitar parts the way through in the beginning and then sometimes again at the end. I might make that full play though the loudest track when I balance for mix down.
Yes, I do all the... "engineering" myself.
I have that training, worked in a studio, didn't like people coming in unprepared. I also got tired of chasing gear and connection standards/dongles... blah, blah, dumb and idealistICKY long story. So, now I'm doing the same with better tech and less money.
Tetrahedroseph favors high fidelity with abundant and low production approach... sometimes!!!
Take a look at all these complicated tracks in the screen shots below.
The first two tracks are noises, and then the next two are drums and percussion, followed by bass and keyboards.
The screen shot below reveals the flute and horns. I recorded a real wooden POS little flute. I also used midi and shredded samples to create a horn section.
After the horns and in bright red colors, we see the steem drums. My friend played the tenor pan parts for me when the COVID-19 started up. I could do it, but he will sound better easier and faster. Thanks friend.
Notice, there are two types of steel drums on the track image icons above. One icon represents the tenor pan and the other represents my weird bass pans. You can see the weird bass pans in an old cat video. Click here: "Dusty Cat Pan" 02/25/2015" Did you see that same weird flue POS I referenced earlier in the video? Look again.
Finally we can see that skank ass known as #TheBrokenYellowGuitar. Six tracks of worth of #TheBrokenYellowGuitar. WHY!? Seriously, it's kinda messy sometimes. Most of it gets lower and spread around the mid and upper frequency spectrum when we mix. (Yeah, I said "upper"... you better respect your instruments role in the mix.)
RECORDING TIP: "Don't let guitars chew up all your headroom. You don't want too much bass from the guitar unless you are doing something specific (metal?). Carve it out and let the bass be bass. This ain't some rehearsal lockout volume contest."
The screenshot above shows all the vocal tracks. Big boys would probably need more. Tetrahedroseph is low production and I don't have the time or money to do 52 takes of every vocal phrase. ALSO, the song I am modeling has a men's-choir type of sound to it. It should sound a little rough. (Maybe not as rough as the guitar, but that's just the way it is.)
Vocals are hard to record. Auto tuning is everywhere. I don't think I used it in GarageBand. I usually save it for stuff like thats crazy flute. I can't do that modern robot sound. I come from a time when it was not normal to fake singing. I've used that auto tuning stuff to fix people and then watched them bathe in the falsely acquired admiration. My ears are trained to get alarmed when I hear the auto-tunning/Melodyne kick-in too hard. In the "old days" I would have done something to hide it. How long before the Samurai used guns? Crossbow?
Rhythm and production dollar rule in this world. Do what you need to do to pay the bills. I don't know shit. Eat well and be happy. I also want to be flowing. I'll stick with a Samurai's longbow for now (or an Uzi with a silencer).
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Before moving on to the next section of this post, I want to mention the brown/orange colored tracks in the image above. If you care to know, those are stems. I bounced groups of instruments into a single files and then imported them into the project again. This makes my life easier for mixing and "mastering."
PSA: "NOT ALL REGGAE IS THE SAME."
Rude Immunity BTS and DIY Adventure In CD duplication:
My list below shows the previous posts and videos related to Rude Immunity. Links below feature HIVE blog BTS, DIY adventure in CD, design, printing, label creation, label design, jewels case design and more. (Don't try this at home.)
1️⃣ Musical Co-Creation: Choose the cover for my new single. @steemseph/musical-co-creation-chose-the-cover-for-my-new-single
2️⃣ DIY Music R&D: Designing grass fed and handcrafted CD Labels for Tetrahedroseph's Rude Immunity. @steemseph/diy-music-r-and-d-designing-grass-fed-and-handcrafted-cd-labels-for-tetrahedroseph-s-rude-immunity
3️⃣ DIY Rude Immunity CDs Part 1 Jacket by Tetrahedroseph @steemseph/aygcsegz
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4️⃣ Tetrahedroseph DIY LaminateCut CD Covers RudeImmunity Lrg @steemseph/aoslrmtq
5️⃣ DIY Music Compact Disc Label Redesigned Rude Immunity Lrg 08012020/@steemseph/bxldqykt
6️⃣ Music DIY Label R&D AGAIN?! USEING THE KITCHEN's JUNK DRAWER to Redesign overly grass-fed and re-handcrafted CD Labels!?/@steemseph/music-diy-label-r-and-d-again-useing-the-kitchen-s-junk-drawer-to-redesign-overly-grass-fed-and-re-handcrafted-cd-labels
PSA: "NOT ALL REGGAE IS THE SAME."
This image above and a few others that printed with the CD cover's image will be used as stickers.
Click here to purchase some previously release and currently available DIY STICKERS!!!
1️⃣ Look for more posts about creating merchandise for Rude Immunity. It's a completely different look than the rest of Mutation, but I'm not stopping this ball rolling. DIY Sticker post show must go on! Ya'll gonna trip on my light box techniques too. The biggest bottle neck is me and these long-ass posts.
2️⃣ Look for a video or two featuring more of that city life/#steeldrumlife stuff. The video's usually have music from Tetrahedroseph's Mutation in them.
3️⃣ Look for the continuation of this series with blog post titled something like,
"DIY MUSIC: Songs On Tetrahedroseph’s album Mutation: 02 COVID Family Circus Act 1"
STATS!!!
Thanks for the support. Upvotes are very appreciated. I've been cashing out some converted HIVE. I don't want to powering down. I want to make music for people that like Tetrahedroseph. I want them to pay and feel more than compensated.
Please tell your weird friends about subscribing to Tetrahedroseph on BandCamp. Not weird? I agree. Tell them about the music too.
Have fun.