Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Equipment File #22: Shure SM-58 mic

Shure SM-58 microphone

Equipment File 22

This is the microphone that replaced the Shure SM-57 microphone in the late 90's. It has mainly been used to record vocals. It is still in use at the Studio today.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Blog News: 300th Post

This is post #300!!!

300

It is rapidly approaching the one-year anniversary of this blog. Not bad for originally hoping to keep it going for at least 2-3 weeks. And when I first started, I expected to post 2-3 times a week. In doing the math, I have ended up averaging more than twice that many! So I can certainly say that this blog has been a success in my mind.

As for future content... there's more to be had. And I have no doubts that I will soon be typing up #350. See you there.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Ethical Travels #3: Antikythera Mechanism

Ethical Travels continues with "Aerikythera Mechanism"

Click here to enter. . .

This Day in Studio History

It was on this date in 1996 that Metal XOR-B Studio was taken down. After nine months of use it was time to move the Studio once again. It was moved back to a prior location, the same place where Circle IX Studio had existed a couple of years earlier.

For more information on Metal XOR-B, click here to read the Studio Chapter feature that gives a detailed account of that Studio.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Web Log #9: Posts 201-225

This ninth entry contains posts #201-225.

Read this document on Scribd: Web Log 09 (201-225)

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Equipment File #21: Shure SM-57 mic

Shure SM-57 microphone

Equipment File 21

This is the microphone the Studio used starting back in 1990 with the Mune Mud debut album. It was mainly used for vocals, but occasionally it was used to mic the guitar amp for a fuller sound. It was used until the late 90's when the Studio finally got a Shure SM-58 microphone.

This mic is still in storage and ready to be used again.

Monday, July 21, 2008

This Day in Studio History

It was on this day in 1998 that Isthmus released Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 1.

Isthmus - Parabolic Dish Festival Vol 1

It's been a fast ten years!

Single #12: Ocean Body

Song name: "Ocean Body"
Album name: The Search for Metropolis
Release date: January 1, 2002

12 Single - Ocean Body

Tracks
1. Ocean Body (album version)
2. Ocean Body (demo)
3. Ocean Body (instrumental)

Song History
This was the second single from the 2001 Mune Mud album The Search for Metropolis.

The original version of the song, now referred to as the demo, was recorded in August of 1995. It was recorded during the NueroMud Nine Days Wonder sessions, but ended up being a Mune Mud song when re-recorded in July of 2000. The newer recording is what was used for the album. The album version was longer than the original, there was an extra verse after the solo and the end was longer. The song was recorded about a friend who had taken a vacation to California.

Track Breakdown
The first track is the version that appeared on the album.

The demo version of the song was actually the first version recorded five years prior to recording the album version. The ending on the demo was cut short because the 4-track master tape ran out. It was never used on an album because it didn't seem finished, but it was good enough to be the b-side to the newer complete version of the song.

The third track is the instrumental version of the album track.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Ethical Travels #2: Caravan of the Wilds

Ethical Travels continues with "Caravan of the Wilds"

Click here to enter. . .

Friday, July 18, 2008

Web Log #8: Posts 176-200

This eighth entry contains posts #176-200.

Read this document on Scribd: Web Log 08 (176-200)

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

This Day in Studio History

It was on this day in 1996 that the Mune Mud album Monograph was released.

Mune Mud - Monograph

Happy 12th Anniversary!!!

Equipment File #20: Vega wireless system

Vega wireless system

Equipment File 20

The story of this wireless unit can be read in a recent post here. To summarize, in 1994 this wireless unit was accidentally purchased where I work and they had no use for it. So I bought it from them for $25. I attached the belt back to the back of my electric guitar to make the guitar wireless, but since I have always done most of my playing sitting down in the studio I soon removed the unit and continued using a cord.

This unit is in Studio storage in case it is ever needed again.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Single #11: From Cousin B

Song name: "From Cousin B"
Album name: The Search for Metropolis
Release date: December 4, 2001

11 Single - From Cousin B

Tracks
1. From Cousin B (album version)
2. Camilla
3. From Cousin B (instrumental)

Song History
This was the first single from the 2001 Mune Mud album The Search for Metropolis.

This song is a very strange mix of themes, all pulled together to tell a very strange story. The first source was from Jason's job. Doug Fleenor is a brand of lighting equipment they use where he works. The second source was from the 1953 movie The Long, Long Trailer starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. This has always been one of Jason's favorite movies, so there are lines and sound clips taken from the movie for this song. And the third source came from a Beatrix Potter story called "The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher". In fact, the title of the song comes from the way Beatrix Potter dedicated the book.


Track Breakdown
The first track is the version that appeared on the album.

Jason, his sister, and his cousin used to hunt for ghosts in their house when they were really young. His sister once had a nightmare about white mannequin people haunting their upstairs, so after some investigating they came to the conclusion that one of the ghost's name was Camilla. This song was written about Camilla and their ghost hunts. It was recorded during the Metropolis recording sessions but not used on the album.

The third track is the instrumental version of the album track.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Ethical Travels #1: Moon Spell

Ethical Travels begins with "Moon Spell"

Click here to enter. . .

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Collector's Corner #26

This is the advertisement that was emailed to promote the 2002 Mune Mud Underwater Problem Factory 10th Anniversary Edition CD Extra.

Read this document on Scribd: Collector's Corner 26

It was also included on the CD as part of the bonus content.

There was never a paper version printed so this ad will live forever in the digital domain.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Web Log #7: Posts 151-175

This seventh entry contains posts #151-175.

Read this document on Scribd: Web Log 07 (151-175)

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Article: Album of the Week Summary

The weekly Album of the Week feature that has appeared every Sunday since the beginning of the blog has come to an end with Album of the Week #45. As new albums are released you can expect a new Album of the Week post to be made. Below is a complete list of the albums in the order they were featured.

#1. Mune Mud Mune Mud (debut album)
#2. Mune Mud Olympus
#3. NueroMud ...Libra 971
#4. NueroMud Nine Days Wonder
#5. NueroMorgue Devis Tortura
#6. NueroMorgue E. Phantasmata
#7. Binary Pipedream Binary Pipedream
#8. ORC Purging the Great Abyss
#9. Harry and Jason The Vintage Years Volume 1
#10. Isthmus Electric Field Donut
#11. Isthmus Lambskin Temple
#12. Isthmus New Mexico Igloo
#13. Isthmus Ideas
#14. X-Selsior One Way
#15. Isthmus Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 1
#16. Isthmus Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 2
#17. Nikki and Jason Love Songs
#18. Mune Mud Underwater Problem Factory
#19. Mune Mud Pryme Material
#20. Mune Mud Devaulted
#21. Mune Mud Monograph
#22. Mune Mud Equation of Time
#23. Mune Mud Sleep State F
#24. Mune Mud The Search for Metropolis
#25. Mune Mud Hobson's Choice
#26. Mune Mud Hobson's Second Choice
#27. Mune Mud Singles Collection
#28. The Two-Tones Heimlich Maneuver
#29. Paige Watson My First Album
#30. Mune Mud Mune Mud (re-release)
#31. --- Merry Christmas to Me
#32. --- The Deuce
#33. --- Diversity au Troi
#34. --- Quardaphonic
#35. --- Songs to Enjoy
#36. --- Best of Harry and Jason
#37. --- Best of Harry and Jason II
#38. --- Best of Darrin and Jason
#39. Mune Mud Olympus 10th Anniversary
#40. Mune Mud Underwater Problem Factory 10th Anniversary
#41. Mune Mud Pryme Material 10th Anniversary
#42. Mune Mud Equation of Time 10th Anniversary
#43. Mune Mud Sleep State F 10th Anniversary
#44. Isthmus Parabolic Dish Festival 10th Anniversary
#45. Mune Mud Precursory 33
Update
#46. ORC Thru the Vent
#47. Equinox Dulcet Ethical Travels on a Green Planet

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Equipment File #19: Josef Bremen violin

Josef Bremen violin

Equipment File 19

This violin was purchased for $50 in the mid 1990's by the Studio. It was to eventually replace the string sounds used from the keyboards but never quite achieved that much use. In fact, it was only used in one recording, "Intercostal Communication", from the 1999 ORC album Purging the Great Abyss.

It still rests in Metal XOR Storage in case the Studio needs a real violin sound again.

This Day in Studio History

It was on this day in 1996 that the first Isthmus album, Electric Field Donut, was release.

Isthmus - Electric Field Donut

Happy 12th Anniversary

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Studio News: New Host Found

I reported last month that I was having problems with the site that hosted all my audio and document files. I'm glad to announce that the problem has been solved. I have found a new site to host my files. I had to try a few different sites to find one that met my requirements, but it has been found.

Over the last week I uploaded all the files to the new site and fixed all the links that had become broken when the last host closed. So all links are back and working properly.

And in all the new linking I found a new MP3 "jukebox" for this site. It can be found in the sidebar on the right side of the page. You can play every song that has been featured on this site in the Listen Online feature. The player is too wide for the bar so it cuts some of the song titles off, but I will address that some time in the future.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Single #10: Reflection

Song name: "Reflection"
Album name: Sleep State F
Release date: November 18, 1997

10 Single - Reflection

Tracks
1. Reflection (album version)
2. One Second
3. Reflection (instrumental)

Song History
This was the second single from the 1997 Mune Mud album Sleep State F.

Jason had just watched a documentary on TV about prophecies and predictions about the end of the world. After the show finished he got up, turned the TV off, and recorded this song. The bridge in the middle of the song was taken from an unused NueroMud song from 1995 called "Midnight at ____ Bridge".

Track Breakdown
The first track is the version that appeared on the album.

Jason stayed at some relatives' house for a week while they were on vacation. He took his 4-track recorder, his guitar, his delay pedal, and a microphone and recorded four songs that week. They were basic and recorded quickly. Two of them, "Contact" and "Overfed", appeared on Sleep State F. "One Second" was one of the two unused tracks, the other being "Sepia". This was the first place this song was made available.

The third track is the instrumental version of the album track.

This Day in Studio History

On Wednesday, July 6, 1994, I found out we had a wireless microphone beltpack at work that was ordered by mistake and could not be used. I asked about it and was told I could buy it.

The next day, which was fourteen years ago today, I bought the unit for $25. I brought it home and attached it to the back of my electric guitar and used it as a wireless unit for my guitar. In theory it worked great, but since I was doing most of my guitar playing sitting down in the Studio, I took the unit off and put it in storage for future use.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Ethical Travels #0: Introduction

When I took two weeks off from work in September of 2006 for the birth of our son, I used my spare time (when he was sleeping) to record some new music. It was different than anything I had recorded before. But once the two weeks were over and I got back to real life, I lost the free time I needed to complete a new album.

The songs have been in the computer for almost two years. I don't want to wait until I eventually have time to finish the album, so I have decided to release one of the seven completed songs each Sunday for the next seven weeks in the form of a Sunday blog feature called Ethical Travels. The new music project is called Equinox Dulcet. After all seven songs have been released they will be compiled on a CD and it will be the first Equinox Dulcet EP, titled Ethical Travels. Hopefully in the future I can complete the project and release the full-length album in its entirety, titled Ethical Travels on a Green Planet.

Equinox site

I have set up a new site to document Ethical Travels and Equinox Dulcet. Click here to visit the site. Each Sunday this blog will have a link to a new song and story at the other site.

This Day in Studio History

It was on this day in 1998 that the Studio first used the audio editing software Cool Edit. With this program the songs could now be mixed down from the 4-track master into the computer and be edited with effects, cleaned up, or re-arranged. Once the songs were finished in Cool Edit they were put in a play list and the cassette copies of an album were made from that list.

Prior to this software, once a song was recorded on the 4-track master it was finished, it just needed mixed down. But now songs, or parts of the songs, could be changed after they were recorded. This new process was first used for the Isthmus album Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 1 which was released in July of 1998.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Studio News: Equinox Dulcet

Metal XOR Studio is proud to introduce

Equinox Dulcet logo

This is the newest music project at the Studio. It is a solo project from Jason that uses nothing but instruments and sounds from within the computer. The songs are new age flavored and each one sounds like it has its origin in a different culture. This project is the basis of the new weekly Sunday feature called Ethical Travels. This Sunday will be an introduction to the new feature and details how Equinox Dulcet music will be presented.

This is an exciting new project that has been in the works for nearly two years. Now is the time to share it with the world. Come back Sunday for the unveiling of this new endeavor.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Just For Fun #12

Happy July 4th


Just For Fun 12


From all of us at Metal XOR Studio

Web Log #6: Posts 126-150

This sixth entry contains posts #126-150.


Read this document on Scribd: Web Log 06 (126-150)

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Equipment File #18: Swanson flutophone

The Swanson Tonette

Equipment File 18

This instrument belonged to Jason's dad who bought it over 50 years ago when he was in grade school. Jason ended up with it in an early incarnation of the Studio and it has traveled with the Studio to all locations since.

It has only been used in two songs. The first was "Nightspell", which was on the 1996 Mune Mud album Equation of Time. The second was recorded on December 19, 1998, for the song "Cheese, You Lying Sack", an outtake from the 1999 ORC album Purging the Great Abyss.

Although it has been almost ten years since its last use, it still resides in the Studio as a permanent fixture and is always on-call to be used if the need should arise.

This Day in Studio History

It was on this day in 1998 that the publicity poster for the Isthmus album Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 1 was released.

Collector's Corner 13

You can read details about the poster here.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

State of the Studio #11: July '08

Summer is here! And I'm enjoying the air conditioning.

It seems like there is always something new starting up at the Studio. And this month is no exception. A new feature will begin soon to replace the Album of the Week. This is a sad occasion because the Album of the Week is the only weekly feature that has been around since the very beginning of the blog. But I knew this day would eventually come because there is a finite number of albums that have been released. And to tell you the truth, I had NO idea it was 45 of them!!! WOW! But the new feature to replace it is a very exciting one...

The new feature is called Ethical Travels. I won't go into details about it here, but as a teaser I will say that it will be about an entirely new music project and include new music to listen to. Watch for it in the upcoming weeks.

The Equipment File will continue. It will move into the stranger instruments that have been used.

The Singles feature will end later this month with the twelfth Mune Mud single that was released. It is hard to believe this feature ran for three months, but as with the Album of the Week I knew it would have an end for there were only twelve single released.

And the Web Log feature will come to an end at the end of the month for it will have caught up to the posts that have been made. But as each 25 new posts are released, the next volume of Web Log will also be released. And watch for an article around mid-month explaining what the Web Log Omnibus is.

And as was hinted at in last month's State of the Studio, there may be some HUGE Isthmus news coming up soon...

Meet me here in 31 days and let's see what's going on in the Studio.