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Year: 2011

Blog Post music

Country and African, Fall 2011 project update

3 min read
Miking the bass section

Once again, fall has proven to be a very busy time here at DRR&P. Since the first week of October I have produced 2 shows for Disney Theatrical, a junior version of Peter Pan and a definitive recording of Tarzan (great music by Phil Collins), SeaWorld Orlando’s new Christmas spectacular, “O Wondrous Night”, recorded and mixed an album for vocal trio, The Marshalls, and tracked an album for up and coming Ecudoran singer, James Febris. All tracking was done at The Tracking Room, Nashville and at my studio, My Space Recording. (more…)

Blog Post music

This Indie Life: Part 1 Understanding Rights And Licensing

6 min read
Indie guide to licensing
Licensing explained for Indie artists and labels

I spend most of my professional life helping artists, bands and other clients through the process of music production. Like most of the people I work with, my love of making music is why I do what I do but it’s foolish to forget that we have business to take care of as well, so here are some thoughts and tools for rounding out your plan for Indie (or even Label) domination.

7 Steps To A Glorious Future

Yes, there is more to making a record than just production. This is why, for decades, people gladly signed over most of their profits (and most of their rights) to Record Labels, because they handled all the dirty work (leaving rock stars free to be rock stars). Let’s look at a rough sketch of the steps involved in making a successful master recording. (more…)

Blog Post music Theme Park

This Business Is Full Of Animals

3 min read

Producing music for theatrical productions presents many challenges you don’t often face when doing record, film or tv work. Whether for a Broadway style show or, in the case of “Shamu’s Rockin’ Creepshow”, a multi-media, live animal production, there are dialog, SFX, natural animal noises and odd playback systems to contend with. I find that a first-hand knowledge of the end use and venue can really informs my composition and production decisions for each project. (more…)

Blog Post music

Music for whales and the Equinox Jazz Orchestra

2 min read
Equinox Jazz Band
Recording the Equinox Jazz Orchestra with members of the Nashville Jazz Orchestra

Last week, I recorded two very different, very exciting projects. First, Equinox Jazz Orchestra leader Jeremy Davis came to town with conductor Tommy Brinson, arranger/co-producer Bach Norwood, and singers Clay Johnson and Adam Jones. Recording for their new CD took place at Sound Emporium Studio A with members of the Nashville Jazz Orchestra filling the chairs. (more…)

Blog Post Game Audio music

Software review – Audio Impressions’ Notatation Switchblade

8 min read


I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Audio Impressions’ Notatation Switchblade, here’s what I found:

Making accurate, readable score parts from DAW midi tracks takes a bit more know-how, elbow grease and time than most people are willing to devote. Among the biggest challenges from session to page are the optimum stemming of notes (the grouping of sub-divided beats to be most easily readable), dynamic markings and articulations. And when working with a copyist, any vagaries in your midi file can add up to extra charges while the copyist verifies all instrument, mute and articulation changes.

Enter Audio Impressions’ Notation Switchblade. The company claims that Switchblade can save you time by interpreting your midi data and simplifying some of these chores for you. Switchblade reads standard midi files (.smf) and outputs Music XML (MXML) for importing into score preparation apps like Finale and Sibelius. (more…)

Blog Post Game Audio music

Are You Leading or Following?

6 min read

Dan Rudin recording live score

How to make useful tempo maps for recording sessions, Part 2

Click tracks are often used in music recording, keeping ensembles playing tightly together and helping ensure that specific musical events happen exactly when they need to, as when scoring to picture. As discussed in part 1, a good tempo map will generate an audio click track that leads musicians easily and musically through performing a piece of music. (more…)

Blog Post music Pictures

Tracking for San Luis

1 min read
Tracking San Luis at Myspace Recording, Nashville

Recently, Producer Iker Gastaminza came in from Miami with two of the founding members of Venezuelan pop sensation Voz Vies. Santiago and Luis Castillo are finishing production of their first release under the new group name San Luis. Part of the new sound they were looking for was the synergy of great musicians tracking live, something done less and less often in latin pop music. Toward this end Iker suggested coming to Nashville to work with myself and arranger Chris McDonald. (more…)

Blog Post Game Audio music

Midi: Four letter word or composer’s best friend?

8 min read

Orchestra session using tempo maps

Preparing and using midi files and tempo maps for live recording

If you’re a composer today, you’re often tasked with twice the work you once were. Not only are you composing a score, but also creating an elaborate virtual instrument mock-up (or even final master recording) of the composition at the same time. When you add all of the hybrid musical styles used in scoring for games or picture, you end up with an almost infinite number of combinations of work-flow, software, and virtual/live instrumentation to manage – all within the allotted time and budget.

If only there was a tool that could allow you to successfully manage all these tasks, from composition to final audio master.
(more…)

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