Monday, June 28, 2010

Great Progress With Promotional Materials!

Andrew has created some great designs. We have a slightly new look for the business cards and the blog banner. He is getting a large vinyl banner made I can display at shows. The CD Jacket and label are all set. The actual CD will show the new banner background which is a shot of the ocean off the Oregon coast that he took two weeks ago. The jacket will be black and white with the Last of the Troubadour "branding". The song list for the CD is set and I am reviewing the masters. That will be complete tonight. We have a T-Shirt design we are uploading to ReverbNation.com which can be ordered through my web site there.

It will all come together. By Friday everything should be done. We will be duplicating 25 CDs as a pilot for the show this weekend. I also have 50 magnet cards to give away.

Now all I have to do is practice for the show!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Pat's BBQ - I'm not telling her to shut up!

Nancy and I had some great pork and I played a few songs at Pat's BBQ last night. There's always some good talent there. Richard Parkinson played one of his songs that almost made Nancy cry. There is a young girl that has a nice voice which we had seen before (I should know her name). She has a song called "Shut Up" so when they told her she could play just one more I yelled out "Shut Up" and everyone around me just thought I was mean nasty and rude. What kind of person heckles a performer at an open mic with "shut up"? Anyway, she did not hear me and played something else. We talked to her afterwards, laughed, and she will play it for us the next time we are there at the same time.

So I performed "Peace Will Come", "She Cries", "Sweet Celebration", "Reason To Believe." My performance was OK except for the last song. I should always end with something I have down pat. I KNOW this but I guess I don't, because I played "Reason To Believe" without practicing and I had not touched it since recording on May 31. Doh!!! Boy, was it ragged, almost embarrassing. But good practice. Now all of my focus will be on the July 3 day in the park in Ashton ID!!!!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Great show at Summer Solstice Gathering!

To hear songs go to www.reverbnation.com/stevewalker

Played two sets of mostly covers. I played "Must Be Love" to close out the first set. Nancy took some photos and we had a lot of fun with some of our friends. A good time was had by all.




Monday, June 14, 2010

New Song Post And Mix

I recorded "Forever and a Day"  and mixed it last Thursday before work. I posted it on  my reverb nation site so you can listen to it. This is the song I wrote for Mike and Cathy's wedding. I already have recordings of my other songs I wrote for my other children's weddings. I need to remix "Today" but I'd like to get all four on my cd.

to hear this song go to http://www.reverbnation.com/stevewalker

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

PWOP studio to the rescue!

My good friend Carl Franklin over at PWOP studio in New London, CT (http://www.pwop.com/) has remixed "Reason to Believe" for me and it sounds so much better. I am still working on remixes of some of the other tunes and this one will help me get there.

Also recording "Forever and a Day" this morning. It's just guitar and vocal with a second guitar coming in at the bridge and through to the end. But the guitar needs to be played start to finish without a mistake; it can't be punched in because the guitar is constantly moving throughout. I have a really good take with just one flub. When I try to clean it with a punched in dub it sounds like a stutter. Well, all the greats in the early days like Elvis and Johnny Cash, they and their bands had to play everything perfect all the way because it was being mixed and mastered all at the same time. When they finished they has a record. It's even more amazing with guys like Frank Sinatra because they had to do it perfect with a huge orchestra all at the same time. So I shouldn't complain that I have this one part that has to be played straight through. I'll try it again in the morning.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Created web page at ReverbNation.com

I created a new web page www.reverbnation.com/stevewalker It has a music player so those of you who have not been able to download can hear some of the songs!

I also spent some time working on a drum track for "O Freedom" and playing around with amp effects for the electric guitar. More to come on that one.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

More Mixing - plus a song post!

Mixed "Don't Let Me Down" tonight. This is a full band mix. Check it out! ---> Song Catalog

I am very happy with the sound on the guitars. I had a wee bit of help from Branson as an extra voice on the last chorus. I also remixed Reason To Believe because it still sounds a bit "boxed" to me. I experimented tonight with "ambience" settings on the voice. This new mix is what you get now if you link to the song.