Hello! All of us at Recording Magazine
are pleased to present SPOTLIGHT.
Featuring one reader’s outstanding
song submission each month, SPOTLIGHT will delve into the gear and recording
techniques used by the artist. SPOTLIGHT will give you the opportunity
to read (and hear) how fellow recording musicians made a good song sound
great.
We hope you enjoy SPOTLIGHT. Here’s to making great
recordings!
Songs featured in SPOTLIGHT are chosen from the pool of entries sent
to Marty Peters for our Readers' Tapes column. Because the point of
Readers' Tapes is to teach readers how to improve their recordings,
in the past there was no place to discuss submissions that were so
good Marty had no criticisms for them. These submissions are now being
set aside for SPOTLIGHT. Marty will also use this newsletter
on occasion to showcase a particular piece that's a good example of
an unusual or important recording technique worth hearing in detail.
“My
Surprise ”
Wisdom
Listen to song
Equipment: Roland
VS-1680 w/internal effects crds, Avalon VT-737 mic preamp, Neumann TLM103
and Shure Beta 57A mics, Lexicon MPX1 effects (for guitar), TC Electronic
Finalizer Plus, Mackie HR824 monitors, Mackie 1202-VLZ mixer, TASCAM
CD-RW750 CD burner, Sony A6 DAT recorder.
Instrumentation: Paul Reed Smith Custom 22 and Fender
Eric Johnson Strat guitars, MESA/Boogie Triaxis and 20/20 power amp with
4 x 12 rectifier cab, Warwick Corvette FNA bass, Roland V-Drums, Yamaha
Motif ES6 keyboard.
Music: “My
Surprise” is a male vocal rock song done by Kevin Dalton and Mark
Sloan, who play, write, and record music under the band name Wisdom.
Kevin sang the lead vocal and played lead and rhythm guitar, drums and
keyboards. Mark played rhythm guitar and bass. He also sang background
and harmony vocals and co-wrote the tune with Kevin.
Recording: This month’s SPOTLIGHT track manages to succeed
in an area that has been historically problematic with Readers’ Tapes
submissions. Can anyone venture a guess?
Well, if you guessed “dynamics,” you would be correct.
Over the years we have received hundreds of songs that start with long, suspense-filled
introductions that give way eventually to, well, not so much. Thankfully, that
is not the case here. Yes we have the (slightly Pink Floyd reminiscent) piano/synth
intro, but it actually gives way to a tight groove that establishes a foundation.
This is essential because at 2:05 seconds, the track explodes with an expansive,
powerful chorus that takes it to a higher level. Now the formula is set, and
it’s all shadows and light from here on out, kiddies, and that is a good
thing indeed.
Summary: Well done, gentlemen!
More From:Wisdom (Mark Sloan and Kevin Dalton), Somerset,
KY. http://www.musicexe.com.
