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"Listen, be quiet... I'll hear you when there is no noise." |
Credits: Written and performed by Mwah (J. Pekka Mäkelä) |
Story Behind the Song
I donā€™t remember when the lyrics were written ā€“ probably sometime in winter 2002. I came across the lyric sheet in June 2002. I had just programmed a new 35 meg soundbank for my Isis soundcard and re-programmed the drumkit to the Korg DRM-1, so I was searching for a starting point for a new song. So in June 13th, 2002 I started fooling with the Band in a Box to write the chords. That went on exeptionally smoothly and I had this rather simple, bluesy chord structure done in about an hour. It took another 15 minutes to find a suitable style (ā€¯Boardwlkā€¯) as the starting point and for the drums. I also took the drum track from another style for the ā€¯other percussionistā€¯.
The recording process:
14th June 2002
* Went through the midi files and merged them, did groove quantization and other little edits. All in Cakewalk Pro Audio 4.0.1. Then imported the midi file to n-Track Studio 3.0.5.
* This is the first project I have been doing with 48 kHz sample frequency. My soundcard, the Guillemot Maxi Studio ISIS, can only handle 16-bit audio, but changing the files to 32 bit (with Cool Edit) works just fine with the n-Track.
* Frame drum: Homemade ISIS .94B soundbank thru Behringer MX2004A mixer to ISIS. Blended effects from Korg A3 (Studio card preset 84, ā€¯Kick Rmā€¯).
* Drumkit and Bass drum (one stereo track for the kit and one mono track for the BD): Homemade Korg DRM-1 and Isis drumkits blended in Behringer, same A3 effect preset.
* Guide harmony - just to help with singing and the song structure: this was a few channels from the original BIAB file, with some A3 smoothing. Actually added a backwards reverb in Cool Edit, sort of nice as it now anticipates chord changes, but made the track a bit blurry.
* Screechy chorus/middle section sound: Actually, the original Isis sounds were the string section and some human voices. Mixed in effects from the A3 (a Leslie sim) and from the Zoom GM-200 modeling guitar preamplifier (ā€¯Modern leadā€¯, tremolo, ā€¯Wideā€¯). During recording I manipulated the tremolo control continuously to get some life into the track.
* Sratchy noise for the middle section. Originally sampled human voices, a similar signal path as the sreechy sound.
* Finally, rather satisfied with what I got in the can, I did a straightforward temp mix.
15th June 2002
* The guide vocal. This is just as a sort of placeholder and guide for recording the instrumental tracks. Anyway, I was pretty satisfied with the sound. Behringer ECM-8000 measurement mic thru ART Tube MP preamp to Isis. Two takes.
* Dobro. ECM-8000 thry ART to ISIS. Three takes.
* Temp Mix. This time I added some fades and effects where they seemed appropriate. So far, pretty satisfied with how the project has went on.
17th June 2002
* Electric bass guitar. Modified fretless Rickenbacker 4001 ā€™74 to ART Tube MP to Isis. Four or five takes.
* Electric rhythm guitar. Modified Squier Strat to GM-200 (ā€¯Class A Comboā€¯) to Hughes & Kettner Red Box II to Isis. Took three or four takes.
* Slide solo part for the middle section. Similar signal path as with the rhythm guitar. Took several takes (Iā€™m not much as a lead player), finally settled for a very simple, repeating figure.
* Temp Mix.
18. June 2002
* Lead vocal. Signal path as with the temp vocal: Behringer ECM-8000 to ART Tube MP to Isis. Only three takes. Not perfect, but usable.
* Whisper. One take. Same signal path.
* Back-up vocals. Two takes, different harmony each time. Same signal path.
* Several tentative mixes. Dropped off the Screechy part, dropped off the electric rhythm guitar, until there are basically only the dobro (doubled octave up) with the rhythm section and the vocals, and the electric lead for the middle section (dobro muted). Too much delay on the dobro, needs to be taken off.
19th and 20th June 2002
* Various attempts at mixing. Realized the guitar solo donā€™t work after all, used the BiaB soloist to create a weird vocal sound thing. Recorded it (effects by A3), then mixed and mastered the thing after several versions. (the computer has not enough horsepower, so every mixing round has to be done offline, which means about 15 minutes of waiting). Was finally satisfied. So far...
Lyrics
(Rough translation:)
Let the radio stay off
No records, no noises
Turn the telly switch to off
Turn of the rattly tube
Listen (be quiet)
Listen (not a word)
Listen (not a sound)
Listen (shhh)
Iā€™m not talking anymore today
Plan to be quiet
Iā€™m not making any more noises
I am trying to hear
Listen...
Feel the veinsā€™ pulse
Blood noise on the ears
Iā€™m listening to you when
There is no sound
Listen...
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