Pre-Mastering

So there has been some activity again over the past few weeks. Weekend of 26 Nov, Matt was down in Welli. Not sure what (if anything) we achieved. But there must have been something. Weekend of 10 Dec, J back to Auckland again. Main thing was doing some mixing, making stems and dumps for mastering. The plan is that Matt'll take a few tracks down to Mark Howden at Depot Sound and see what they can do with 'em. And then Matt's back this weekend, we'll see how we go...

Doubtful Sounds Session

Matt was down in Wellington this weekend - well we made it a long weekend and took today off as well. Probably the main stuff we did was go over the track we have so far, working out whether they were done for mixing or we needed to record more stuff. I attempted a first lead line on Where the Wind Blows - re-recorded the bass to make more space for a guitar break, so now have to record a lead line. I figure it will probably take a few weeks to write and then learn the part, then I'll be able to record it properly. Matt is going to finish up Here Right Now, which only has backing vocals but no lead. We played a bit on two new Matt songs: Small Boy and She's the Bomb; started recording an older one of mine (Preaching Jesus - off the lost & stolen demo takes) and a 12/8 chord progression that Matt called Apocalypto - "No matter what the chords are, we can always turn it in to a ballad". Matt's put some demos up on myspace.

New Music

So one of the early flying nun Mk II albums to come out will be a solo album by Robert Scott. Details here including a free download... What else I have been listening too recently:

• New album by Math and Physics club (even though their name is missing another "s").
• Several discs by The Lucksmiths
• Arch hill stuff Including the 10th anniversay sampler & Haints of Dean Hall
• The King Meets the President in Africa

In other news, umm there isn't any other news. But there might be one day relatively soon.

Theme from the Doubtful Sounds

Video is now here: http://www.myspace.com/thedoubtfulsounds

Theme from the Doubtful Sounds

Matt & Richard were both around today, so we got to play with recording in the front room of Darkest Karori. We all got a bit acoustick - Matt & Richard on guitars, me on my trusty mando (that really does need new strings - if not an upgrade). Matt overdubbed bass (see if you notice, should sound out of place if you listen hard). Then, there is the first ever real video coming soon to you-tube near you: low-res goodness in an imitable style. After that things degenerated. Matt does look cool with the Rick (but then everybody does). And Richard got to unleash his inner guitar god. (Hmm, but we didn't record any of that. Duh).

On the Move

So around 10 December we moved a kilometer down the hill. Still Dark, still Karori - if anything moreso than ever because we're right in low-lying fog by the park, now, instead of 100m above it. Frosts in Winter, yum.

And when we moved, the "studio" had to move too - but we've only just now recommissioned - starring a couple of brand new monitor speakers that really are quite lovely. Matt's down for a few days, so we're re-recording bits that need it.

The really hard decisions lie ahead: how do we go from 14 tracks at 60 minutes to about 10 tracks at somewhere between 40 and 45 minutes? And them - what do we need to re-record until we're happy with it all; how do we mix; how do we master; how do we put it out for people to get? Will anyone want it?

November in Auckland

November, we went to Auckland. Another iteration. That's (almost) all I remember.