Magazines I Enjoy

Tape Op

It's one of the better recording oriented magazines I've read that actually has quality articles and a limited amount of ads.

Gourmet

Not only does it have a ton of great recipes but the photography in it is fantastic. The articles tend to be pretty interesting as well.

More Intelligent Life

It's a sister magazine of the Economist but its articles tend to focus on world affairs, cultures, trends, and lifestyles.

Architectural Digest

It's one of the few home design magazines that actually has substance to it. Not only does it give exact details of which paint was used in what room by what maker, for example, but its articles are actually really insightful and the photography is great. The choice of houses and designs featured in this magazine are much, much better than any of the other home magazines.

for Kaisers and Königs

I've begun fleshing out ideas for some of my music, as well as working on some new songs. Inspiration for new songs sometimes comes from some part of an old one that was played wrong or accidentally and it ends up sounding cool. I've realized how important pre-production is in general for any recording whether it is a single or an album. The arrangement really does define the song's mix, so the better the instrumentation, then the easier it will be to get a great sounding mix.

I started getting sounds for a piano song and the recording sounded so good I may end up keeping this take and not redoing it later, assuming the arrangement stays the same. The piano itself is pretty dark and mellow tonally, so I tried to counter it by miking the hammers to get more of the attack and less of a muddy wash. I used two EV 635a's on the lows and mids, and a Rode NT1 on the highs to capture detail. I put an Avantone pencil mic in the back of the room.

Ciao.

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Austin, TX - Guadaloupe

Bryan, TX - Just down the road

Photos of Light

Even in Stormy Weather

You have made my day.

Even in stormy weather.
I'm dancing in all the rain.
Cause you make bad days

great is the way that I am unafraid when I see you.
All my fear goes away.

Bad days are coming.
Rainy days are always around.
But if I can see you, just one glance upon you, the sun comes out.
I'm always in the mood to twirl around with you while it's raining.
Even if it's a dream.
- Shane & Shane

Cool picture I took in traffic.

Parking For Studio Only

I finished class last Friday. In good spirits I decided to finally park my grey Tahoe in the reserved spot that someone so skillfully altered to read "A King or Stud Only." I found it fitting. This year went by so fast. It seems like yesterday I was celebrating the new year at the lake with so many good friends and now it's almost 2010. The times they are a'changin'. I am really looking forward to Christmas this year. It's always a much needed pause from what we think is life. Real living is found in those short moments we spend together that actually matter. People are what matter. Plus my friends and I are planning on recording some living room sessions together for fun. It seems the simplest things are the best.

Ciao.

Wakeboarding = Busted Eardrum

Enjoying the sunset on the back porch of the lake house.
Too bad the camera on my phone didn't capture much of it.

Apparently last weekend while at lake Belton I popped my left eardrum . . . . . yeah . . . . . Luckily it should heal within three months, and I can already hear somethings better than I could, but it is kind of crazy. I have started to not only appreciate my hearing more, but have begun listening differently. I analyze even more than I did before. I think this is mostly due to not being able to hear room reflections very well out of that ear so it throws off my perception of where people and things are. It's interesting, though, nonetheless. While everything sounds honky and tinny from my left side, everything on my right is having to compensate for that. Hopefully depriving the damaged eardrum of sound will force it to work harder and heal faster. Anywho, check out this artist. Beautiful voice.

Ciao.