With A Voice Like This

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Day 18 – Sometimes I forget…

When I’m in the middle of a project like this or I’m singing a lot, like the Christmas caroling work, sometimes I forget to listen to music. I’m not one of those people who can have music playing in the background when I’m doing other things, there are some exceptions to that rule, but not many. And a part of me sometimes wishes I could, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, if I had the choice.

I used to explain away with my music education, always having to analyze and critique but it’s really more than that and part of the reason I got involved in music at all. Music grabs my full attention… it doesn’t wait for me to listen and pay attention, it takes it. And that’s what appeals to me about it. And it works for listening to or making music.

The reaction is different for different pieces. Sometimes it’s being moved to laughter, sometimes to tears and sometimes to that slight smile of something remembered. Sometimes to dancing, sometimes to silence and sometimes to awe. And sometimes…To everyone and everything around you disappearing.

It’s not always dramatic, but it’s always something…It’s always there. And that’s why, especially when all the music is flowing out from me, that I have to stop and remember to listen to music, to get some of that back.

Episode 013 – Day 17 – Weekend Update and Coder’s Challenge

Day 17 topics:

First Caroling gig of the season, the idea of a “Gig Map” for this blog where I’m appearing and here’s the Coder’s challenge:

Using the Google Maps API and an XML file ( basically, an adapted KML file) that would list the gig’s information in a chronological order with aging map markers and a indicator of some type of whether the gig was a public gig or a private gig, with these parameters.

Markers

  • Over thirty days away – first type (color) of marker
  • one week to thirty days away – second type of marker
  • Under one week away – third type of marker
  • Day of gig – fourth type of marker
  • Past gig – drops off the gig map

Two types of gig

  • Open to the Public – shows address in list
  • Private performance – only shows Gig date and time, no address in list

Here’s an example of my XML [Edit:file was removed from MediaFire site] File I built, it contains actual gigs performed two years ago, as an example of the type of information for the map.
I have

  • A better guide for the song Christmas Angel
  • Two shock mounts for my condenser microphones purchased.
  • A new e-mail address [email protected]
  • A much better way to lay down tracks that makes it easier for me to sing
  • A way of being able to do post production that makes sense to me
  • A way to remix the song A Round for the Holidays
  • A computer issue I get to work out or see if it simply disappears (not a bad thing, just something to be done)
  • Some advice on how to resolve the issue and keep it from happening again
  • A renewed appreciation of equipment that works with no issues
  • Resolved the memory issue with my computer from yesterday
  • An interview tomorrow night on the Indigo Room: Creating Our Reality

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-61099.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 011 – Day 16 – Interview part 1

The first part of my Guest stint on The Indigo Room: Creating Our Reality with Sydney Chase and Diana Kessler. Original air date November 16, 2007.

My background and experience, My Holiday performances and other shows, Common Time: The Aural Report, My education in music, publicity, The first verse of Christmas Angel (at approx. 14:50), Overview of the “With A Voice Like This” and the Christmas project, an abbreviated daily update, motivation and inspiration, How this interview came about.

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-61097.mp3″]

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Episode 010 – Day 15 – Recording Underwater

Well, I got my memory issue resolved… Yay! Now to tackle the sound quality issue that developed as well. I talk about the frustrations of that and everything I tried to resolve it. If anyone has any suggestions or recommendations for things I either didn’t try, didn’t think of or just didn’t know after listening to the podcast, drop me a line at either [email protected], leave a comment in this blog or a voicemail at 630.492.0487, I’d appreciate it. I use analogies galore in explaining the quality (or lack thereof) in the recorded sound, what I’ve done and what I’m going to do. Comments from the Podcast Gallery that are helpful and bring some new insight and more excitement about tomorrow’s appearance on The Indigo Room: Creating Our Reality with Sydney Chase And Diana Kessler and their exciting news about streaming their show in Second Life.

I have

  • Resolved the memory issue with my computer from yesterday
  • An interview tomorrow night on the Indigo Room: Creating Our Reality

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-61095.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 009 – Day 14 – Project, Meet Wall

Today was a day full of hard to identify (for me) computer issues. A frustrating day simply because I had so much planned for the day. Getting Christmas Angel done and edited and uploaded to Podsafe Music Network… but the system had a different idea. Ah,the joys of being your own tech support, and stories from my own help desk experiences. Then a note or two about an upcoming performance, and a link with pictures for the carolers, an update about my Friday appearance on The Indigo Room: Creating Our Reality and Comments from the Podcast Gallery.

The Merry Maskers Carolers, DeVar Creative, Inc.

I have

  • A computer issue I get to work out or see if it simply disappears (not a bad thing, just something to be done)
  • Some advice on how to resolve the issue and keep it from happening again
  • A renewed appreciation of equipment that works with no issues

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-61094.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 008 – Day 13 – A Touch of Sound

This update goes deeper into my views of sound overall, Acoustic vs. Electric vs. Electronic, and how my understanding of it helped me help myself when laying down tracks and making it easier for myself when it comes to post production editing. The things that made it past just a general knowledge into an understanding I didn’t have before. then a word about personal appearances, reviewing With A Voice Like This on iTunes, playing a new version of Christmas Angel and, of course, comments from the Podcast Gallery.

I have

  • A much better way to lay down tracks that makes it easier for me to sing
  • A way of being able to do post production that makes sense to me
  • A way to remix the song A Round for the Holidays
  • A goal of finishing Christmas Angel and playing the finished product tomorrow night

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-61093.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 007 – Day 12 – Changing the Same Changes

Topics covered:

  1. Implementing changes in my scheduling
  2. Changes Christmas Angel
  3. Succumbing to urges
  4. Business Branding items?
  5. A Recap of the entire project
  6. Comments from the Podcast Gallery
  7. Personal appearances
  8. iTunes Review! You write them, I’ll accept them. (c;
  9. More shameless self-promotion

I have

  • A better guide for the song Christmas Angel
  • Two shock mounts for my condenser microphones purchased and on their way to me.
  • A new e-mail address [email protected]

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-61092.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 006 – Day 11 – Weekend Wrap up

Wrap up Topics:

  1. With a little help from my friends
  2. Working the Internet setup
  3. Branding and Logo
  4. Revisiting my schedule and tasks
  5. Comments from the podcast gallery
  6. Upcoming personal appearances and surprises
  7. Q&A

I have:

  • My first Personal Hall of Fame moment – Susan Reynold’s Tweet about me
  • My New Logo
  • A knowledge that I should avoid recording on Thursdays
  • A song posted out at the Podsafe Music Network
  • A new idea on how to do the weekend updates.
  • A better understanding of how my surroundings affect the recording I’m doing.
  • A new method for recording
  • A new Feed for the website and podcast
  • The method for making sure I get over my cold as quickly as possible
  • A TalkShoe account
  • A SellMusicDirect.com Pro account
  • A Podsafe Music Network account
  • A fairly well laid out plan
  • My first complete podcast episode

I think I’ll add the tagline to my website’s title… (c;

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-59413.mp3″]

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Day 10 – I had a secret

…And I didn’t even know it. I need shock mounts for my condenser microphones, or at least so the articles say. I thought all I had to do was keep from bumping them and it would be fine… little did I know about the insidious metallic ringing due to sound conduction by the microphone clip and as soon as I read that, I could hear it in everything I’ve recorded. Yeah, that’s it, it’s not my barely neophytic engineering skills, oh no, it’s not my fault at all. So now, I need them, they’re the answer to all my current and future recording problems, the holy grail of home recording, no…really. And no matter how hard I try to resist, I’ll end up buying them. I know I will.

Oh and today’s one quick bit of shameless promotion. If you read the blog and listen to the podcast, like it and have iTunes, please review the podcast this week, if possible, it will rank the show as high with multiple reviews in a short time span and get it bumped up to the front page of the Music area, so sayeth my friend who hasn’t been wrong yet.

Episode 005 – Day 09 – A Can of Red Bull and Thou, O Interwebs

Topics covered in this episode:

  1. My Personal Hall of Fame
  2. My Twitter accounts
  3. My new Logo (It’s cool, don’t you think?)
  4. Buying domains
  5. Sleep deprivation
  6. My computer/my friendQ&A
  7. Sleepcasting

Podcast links, etc.
Susan Reynold’s Tweet about me from about Midnight CT last night:

Susan Reynold’s blog Case Notes from the Artsy Asylum

I have

  • My first Personal Hall of Fame moment – Susan Reynold’s Tweet about me
  • My New Logo

Things heard after the Podcast:

“There’s your new tagline for the show ‘With A Voice Like This: Over 60% Mouth'”

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-59409.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 004 – Day 08 – Optimus Podcasterus Transform!

Topics covered:

  1. Forced flexible work schedule
  2. ID3 tags
  3. My first song posted at Podsafe Music Network
  4. Shameless self promotion on my blog (aka it’s pretty, Click it!)
  5. What I didn’t know today
  6. Scope Creep

Links for podcast:

My Podsafe Music Network profile [edit: service and site no longer exist]

With A Voice Like This on iTunes – subscribe to the podcast and leave a review for me.

Softpointer AudioShell – ID3 tag editor shell extension

  • Freeware
  • MS Windows Explorer Shell
  • Edits tags for multiple formats (e.g. mp3, mp4, wmv, ogg, etc.)
  • Adds cover art for your file

I have

  • a knowledge that I should avoid recording on Thursdays
  • a song posted out at the Podsafe Music Network
  • a new idea on how to do the weekend updates.

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-59408.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 003 – Day 07 – Pictures of Sound

Here are the promised pictures of most of my equipment I use to record (click to enlarge). From left to right – The Popscreens and music stand I use, Oktava MK-319 condensor microphone, Marshall MXL-2001 condenser microphone, Yamaha MG 10/2 mixer, Sonar Home Studio 4XL, M-Audio Studiophile BX8 Monitors:

 

After discussing my setup and the conditions of recording in an apartment, a discussion of reverb settings took place including playing ‘A Round For The Holidays’, an original song of mine, with different reverb settings applied, to compare and contrast and also the new vocal guide track for another original song of mine “Christmas Angel”.

I have

  • A better understanding of how my surroundings affect the recording I’m doing.

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-59406.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 002 – Day 06 – Lessons Learned, Questions Answered

Topics covered in this podcast include:

  1. How I deal with recording with a cold
  2. Being my own recording engineer
  3. Sundown: This time of year’s Kryptonite
  4. Thoughts on Studio singing vs. Live singing
  5. Contacts in the virtual world

I have

  • A new method for recording
  • A new Feed for the website and podcast
  • The method for making sure I get over my cold as quickly as possible

Q & A Session

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-59405.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 001 – Day 05 – Part Deux

The inaugural Podcast with a brief overview of the Christmas Project and how this all came about.

I have

  • A TalkShoe account
  • A SellMusicDirect.com Pro account
  • A Podsafe Music Network account
  • A fairly well laid out plan
  • My first complete podcast episode

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-55183.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.

Episode 000 – Day 05 – Part Un

Today is the first live recording of With A Voice Like This and so I thought I’d prerecord a brief message on how you can interact with my show and blog, so here are a few thoughts and the prerecorded blurb.

  • Call and leave a voice mail for me at 630.492.0487
  • Send an e-mail to [email protected]
  • Call into the live recording of the show
    • Go to www.talkshoe.com
    • In the search box, type 52008 and press Enter
    • Click the title With A Voice Like This
    • Find the time of the next live show
    • Call 1.724.444.7444
    • At the prompt enter 52008 # on your telephone keypad
    • Then enter 1 # on your telephone keypad

    Then you’re live on the Podcast recording.

[audioplayer file=”http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-52008/TS-59592.mp3″]

Listen above or download by right clicking and saving.