Finally got the Software to Work!!!

CUBASE ROCKS!
Now I jsut got to figure out how to use it all...

I been trying to get this up an running for a LONG time now.. and its not as easy as you'd think...

Anyway.. really excited to get it working... now I get to tinker with it to learn all the bells and whistles...




With any luck by Xmas the 'Studio' will be up an running.. I've got enough gear.. just missing the means to get sound ON to the computer..

Im hoping to buy either a Firewire interface, or a stand alone unit sometime before I retire..(liek the two pics I have here)


But with bills, and all all lifes regular events. that may take a while...

until then, I've been trying to get the room a little more organized.. I modified my old a frame stand last year... and that seems to be working out ok... but still not ideal... In my drams I'd have one of the F2 stands from Omnirax, but they are mega expensive... so Its more likely that I'd build one before I buy one...







Here's some of the stuff I've got in place so far..

I've got about 6 or 7 songs that I've started writing, but haven't finished.. Well, actually theres more, but just the 6 or 7 that I think have commercial potential.... My hope is to record them as a demo, completely arranged, with someone singing them (not me) and then see where I can push them from there...

At the least, it will be fun to finally be able to get these ideas finished so I can share them.. if they go no where, no biggie.. but if someone like one or more and records it... then that would be AWESOME... will keep you posted...

Ducat Correction

Ok.. My dad read my "Almost Famous" blog... and had to correct something..
He (they: the Ducats) did not actually back up Leslie Gore...

They were supposed to... and were ready to work.. but when she handed out the sheet music, they all looked at it.. and, well... they boys could play... but they couldn't read sheet music...

They had learned her tunes via radio.. and knew them.. But she opted instead to use session players who actually read sheet music... Bummer...

They did, however, get to met her and her brother at least, and had pictures taken.. but thats about it...

my bad....

Still Working on Stilbite

Ok... I know I've been talking about this for what seems like forever, and were still not out of the basement... but your just gonna have to trust me... it will be worth it...

Our biggest glitch so far has been scheduling... If none of us had jobs, wives, or kids... We'd likely be touring with Audioslave or something by now.... well, ok.. maybe thats just a little bit of an embellishment.. but you get the point...

I believe we've got an awesome line up of musicians... and once we get our Sh_t together.. it will be pure magic.

We've Steve Fury on lead Guitar.. Computer/Web guru by day, guitar super hero by night (and weekends) www.stevefurey.com

This is a pic of him playing Steve Vai's guitar (he met him in 05) Not just anyone gets to hold Steve Vai's guitar.. Furey's so fast on that fretboard it will make you dizzy... But he can also slow it down, and play a melodic slow riff like clapton..

Then we have Mike Lavoie on Rythem Guitar...

Mike works in Metal fabrication where he's made some really cool shit to go along with his guitar amp and pedals... But I think I should qualify the term Rythem guitarist: Mike calls Himself a rythem player... but by all accounts, he's an accomplished lead player also.. and does on occasion.. but his preference and specialty is rythem, filling in the holes, the accents.. and he also adds some Killer Harmony Vocals that can go below, at, or even above our lead vocalist...

Mike's played in like a million bands around Nova Scotia, and his wife, Brandie is also an accomplished singer/songwriter herself (I'm trying to talk her into singing with the band also.. some lead and harmony)

On the Drums we Dave Delany... He's one of those "Head Hunters" that help companies find employees and employees find companies... which is kind of how I met him, it was during an interview a few years back when I was laid off. Anyway, we naturally got to talking about music, and whadayaknow, he's a drumer... Anyway... he came to this party I had back in March of 04 (maybe 03) and we already had a drummer, so he brought his bongo's and a varied assortment of percussion stuff, and I thought 'COOL', and then later on he got behind the drum kit... and just freakin Wailed!!! it was awesome... He doesn't just play through a song and keep a beat.. he really picks it apart and gets all the little hidden nuances...etc...

Then We've got Ken Ramsey on bass....

we met Ken through Mike. He'd played ina band with Brandie, and on her CD i think... to talk to Ken, he seems very quiet, calm, collected and modest... But man.... the dude knows that fret board...

He Can play all the comlicated stuff when he needs to, but doesn't over play or try to fancy up the simple stuff when a straight beat along with the kick drum is all thats required

I'm Playing the keys again... I do love playing bass, but, well.... Im just not that good at it, especially when I listen to guys like Ken play... but I'm learning.. they may even let play play a tune or two if we do a lot of stuff that doesn't have keys... but more likely, I'll stick to what I know and maybe make up some stuff to play, or just shake a tamborine maybe for those tunes... and limit my own bass playing to the basement or house parties

I still have my old Korg T1 www.sonicstate.com/synth/korg_t1.cfm

that i used to tour with, I even found and bought back my Old Juno 106 www.sonicstate.com/synth/juno106.cfm

I can't find my old JX-10 www.sonicstate.com/synth/roland_jx10.cfm I'd sold that to a minister of some church near Einfield back in 98 or 99 when I needed the cash, and I've long since regretted ever selling it... I'd love to track it down, or one like it.. I had the optional programer, and hard shell case to go with it to, and it had some SWEET synth sounds... oh well.. live and learn...

But my new pride and joy is my Yamaha Motif ES7... http://www.yamahasynth.com/products/motifes/index.html

I originally picked up a Yamaha Motif7 and then traded up to the ES7 and man... it kicks ass... I've had it almost 2 years or more now.. and I'm still learning it.. the Korg Tritons are cool too, and they have cool hip-hop stuff and the sequencer is a little easier, BUT im not into hip-hop as much as I love the core organ, and piano sounds... and this is as close to a real Hammond/Leslise sound as I've ever heard... Not quite the real thing... but I can carry this by myself without needing help or a back brace.. .. and it sounds awesome! Integrated sampling, and layer capabilities.. and I can even integrate Midi with real audio recording..... Now If i just knew how to play the damn thing I'd be alright..... ha ha ha... But I'm learning, more now then ever that I'm motivated again.. and doing my best to keep up with these guys...

And last but not least... We've got Wayne Smart singing... www.intermediamusic.com/clips.htm

I've wanted to play in a band with Wayne since I was like 15 years old.... thats how old I was when his club band "FLIRT" came to Portauxbasques and he started dating my sister... flash forward 15 years... Waynes got 2 independant CD's released that had Modest success in Japan and Germany...(check out his site link to, worth browsing) he even opened for the


Scorpions once www.the-scorpions.com/english/
over there... And while the CD's did ok, and for a while there he had the number 1, 2 and 5 hit on Germany radio (all at the same time) it just never took off on a big scale, and not at all really here in Canada... so to make a long story short, it just didnt happen, so he kind of gave up on it, forfeited the music dream to get a day job and be with his family...

Flash forward a little while later... he and my sister are no longer together... but that happens.. She's happy now, he's doing ok, the kids are adjusting just fine and life goes on... he now lives just down the street, actually, and in addition to the Stilbite project (or hopefully "with" Stilbite), we also hope to do some writing and recording...

the intent still is not to "take the show on the road" it think that part of the music dream has passed for all of us.. but if we can have some fun, write and/or play some cool tunes, and make enough to at least pay for the gear.... that would be cool... although with the cost of some of this equipement.. that could take a while..

Our mutual goal is just to have fun playing music that we love... and none of the stuff we don't. Sure, there will be some dancable stuff to party to.. but also some lesser played, yet classic tunes that you can't dance to, but man.. they sure are cool to listen to...

If we get a bar gig that pays.. Cool.. but if we play a house party for beer... then thats ok too.. it just may take us a little longer then expected to get to that stage... Its certainly not for a lack of talent.. Just with everyones work and family obligations, coordinating schedules can be difficult to say the least...

to be honest.. I couldn't be happier... I've wanted to be in a band like this for a long time, but couldnt as I was always the guy who couldnt make a certain gig or a practice because I had a work event, or whatever... but ALL these guys are in similar situations.... so when someone calls last minute to cancel a practice... sure.. the rest of us are gonna be a little dissappointed... jamming is fun and we look forward to it, but its cool cause we understand that shit happens and the last time things got cancelled (or next) it could have just as easily been you making that call.. so it all seems to even out... and everyone's cool about it... Which as simple as that may sound... is actually a rare find...

On the Home front, I've also assembled the early stages of a home studio but I've got a long ways to go.. I've a bit more gear then what you can see here.. but its a work in progress... My biggest problem is technology.. In the late 80's early 90's when I was at this full time and knew it inside out.. but now.. the gap between what the potential is for even the gear that I have, and what I actualy know, is so huge I don't know where to start.. So if anyone reading this fancies themself a CUBASE or SONAR guru... EMAIL ME, and I can provide the Steak, beer or rum in exchange for lessons on how to get this stuff really cooking...

in the Fall I hope to add either a portable studio like the Yamaha AW2400, http://www.yamahasynth.com/products/aw2400/ Korg D32XD http://www.korg.com/gear/prod_info.asp?a_prod_no=D32XD&category_id=3 or I might go the computer route and get a Tascam FW-1884.... http://www.tascam.com/Products/FW-1884.html (if anyone has in suggestions on that stuff too... would also be greatly appreciated) but it may take longer.. depending on savings.... My wife, who is SUPER supportive of my music habit jokes that a Drug Habit might be cheaper.... I actually added up once the total cost of my Dream shopping spree at MusicStop and I got up to about 25k, and put the pen down.... maybe she has a point.. ha ha...

Someday I hope to have a detached garage with the jamspace and Bar upstairs.. I've even got plans and virtual pictures... (the CAD program doesn't have virtual drums/amps so you have to use your imagination some, but you get the jest) its not unacheiveable, but realistically... its Most likely a retirement project, if ever.. but its a carot to chase at the very least...

But hey... I think everyone has a plan for what they'd do if they one the loto... so maybe I'm not so crazy afterall... But maybe drafting the plans is a bit much...

In a dream world I'd sell one or more of my songs and make just enough to build this now and stock it with all the gear... I'd likely still have to work, and that'd be cool.. I'm actually lucky to have a cool job that I like.. But it'd be awesome to have all the gear, and to be able to jam any day/night.. and crank it as loud as you want without having to worry about waking the kids or the neighbors.... ahh well... time to get my head out of the clouds, stop daydreaming and get back to more productive persuits....

its late...and I need sleep..... I think the time on this blog site is screwed up cause its like 1am now... and I know thats not what it will say on this site when I post this in a min or two..... but I'll likely be up for a while anyway... I'm all hyper cause I just learned "One of these Nights" on the bass (its an Eagles tune, if ya didn't know already) and my fingers are RAW but its an awesome tune for the bass.. tomorrow I'll pick at the keyboard parts..... Who knows.... maybe someday I'll get to play it...

Nite for now..