Recorded to tape last night... TAPE!

[pc]

Did a session at "The Recording Workshop" last night, which is a 6-studio megaplex in Chillicothe Ohio that is a stand-alone recording school, as well as accredited through a few Ohio colleges.

My bandmates have a pal who is a teacher there, so we get called to do sessions once every few months. We go and record anything we want for free (because the students do the tracking), then our buddy mixes it for us for free.

Last night we did "Oye Como Va" with two drummers, a percussionist, bass, keys, and me--it was a blast. The best part (for me and my moderately advanced years) was that despite the fact that the studio we were in had a complete 32-track ProTools HD system and a Mackie HDR system, we wound up recording to the 24-track, 2 inch Studer tape machine, because these particular students were learning about "vintage" gear.

It was a blast. I'll try to share some audio whenever I get the mix back and check into licensing, etc.

BTW--took the Lester (duh) and the new Tele. Wound up using the Tele for all three guitar tracks I did. The engineer said, "It just sounds so much more alive than the Les Paul."

Sorry Carlos.

Sure was great to use the tape though. I love the smell of Ampex 456 in the evening. :)

[Mikey]

My oldest son went there for a while. I think hwe actually learned something and he became the sound guy for Crossfyre. He got into a lot of trouble while there, DUI etc. Now he's down in Atlanta, programming software and playing in his band. He also gets to be the sound guy for the band there too.
OH WELL..............

Nice set-up to get things recorded for free. I wish we could do that. Well, we can, we got enough equipment, but not much time.

[pc]

I'll find out who licenses this song sometime soon. I have my doubts that it'll be HFA, but maybe I'll luck out.

[fezz parka]

It's Harry Fox...Can't wait to hear it!

[pc]

Wow--thanks Fezz. I would have thought with it being an old Tito Puente thing that HFA wouldn't have it--I have bad luck with them for stuff that originated outside the U.S. Anyway, that makes it easy.

[fezz parka]

It just sounds so much more alive than the Les Paul

Gotta luv the Tele!

[pc]

Yeah man. I was like, but dude, it's got Duncan 59 pickups and Sprauge caps and 50s wiring 'n shit. And he was all, dude, whatever.

Then I was all like, dude, whatever.

[fezz parka]

[pc]

Here you go. All paperwork sent in and processed, but the form I filled out is a bit different than the ones I did in the past, and didn't seem as cross-link friendly.

So, here's the how to get it. Go to my site, jacksgroove.com, and click the music link on the left, then click "UberGroove" music and scroll down--it's at the bottom.

New ash Tele neck P-90 rhythm track, another track of lead that starts out with the same pickup and my Fulltone FD2, then switches to the bridge pickup for the second solo, through the Rat pedal. There's also a third track of lead guitar (bridge pup, Rat pedal) that fills in some power chords here and there, and also harmonizes one line of my solo.

You can hear the two drummers kits panned mostly left and right--it's really only noticeable when they take two 8 bar solos each near the end. They're both great drummers.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

[fezz parka]

That is BADASS! Hooyah!

[pc]

Thanks Fezzster!

[Cogs]

That smokes & that's about all there is to say about that!
I don't know if it's really in my ears or my head, but I think the difference tape make shows up when the drums are really pounding, & when the whole band is filling up a lot of frequencies (for lack of a better way to put it).
pc- love your playing... Teles are enough to handle about anything!

[pc]

Thanks 7. I totally agree about tape--it's been so long since I've recorded (or been recorded) to anything other than digital, and the difference is immediate. It was like hearing from an old friend.

Digital is awesome, don't get me wrong. Only with digital can a schlub like me have a 24-track studio in his basement, but when you hear some real tape tracks... ooh la la.

It's the ideal sound to me--track on tape, then mix to digital.

[BigsbyTracks]

That tape did indeed sound like an old friend - thanks for sharing it with us. You guys were cooking!! :yay And if I didn't know already, after listening to your solo I'd be wondering if the lead guitarist had a Tele with a P-90 in it or something... nice job! :ahem

[pc]

Thanks Bigs. Gotta love that P-90.

[fezz parka]

Drums and bass is where tape makes the difference. This recording is a perfect example of that!

[pc]

Thanks Spose. I am blessed to be able to play with these two drummers on a regular basis, and they are also two of the nicest, most humble guys you could want to meet. One or the other appear on all but two of the UberGroove recordings at my site.

Fezz you're totally right about the drums & bass, and I almost wish Jason had brought his 6-string bass that night, because a few of those low Ds would have been sweet too. However, I LOVE the way the engineer let Brian's B3 patch hit the tape a little hot and saturate just a pinch. What a killer sound!

Normally you'd need like 3 plugins for that. :lol