Gary Powell, Composer/Producer

by Gary Powell 

Today we recorded the final vocal for Helen Darling’s song, “Mistake” co-written with Gary Burr.

I cut Helen with a Rode NTV through Mark McQuilken’s RNP (Really Nice Preamp). This combination of mic/mic-pre is warm and wonderful for Helen’s voice with no sibilance at all. With Helen, there was no need to compile the vocal from different takes. We have a conversation about the performance she is choosing and with a very few punches we’re done. We recorded a three/four part background vocal texture in the bridge with cascading, major 2nds added to each chord change. It offers a beautiful blue-grass voicing for those chords. None of it was parallel to the lead vocal, which we both loved. Helen has a wonderfully quick ear and is a total pro (and fun) in the studio. Thanks, babe.

Filed by Gary Powell at 6:58 pm under Recording Session Notes
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by Gary Powell
My partner, Amy, and I present a very intimate home concert experience called, “In the Studio with Gary Powell”. I had not met Tom Parish, but we had a mutual friend who informed Tom about our concert series in my recording studio. Tom shot me an e-mail and suggested I might benefit from one of his consulting specialties, Podcasting. We had a fun lunch where he taught me about blogging, podcasting and other life enhancing cyber stuff like Search Engine Optimization….hence his SEO title. I had only heard of Podcasting the week before and had only a vague knowledge of weblogs, which he encouraged me to commit to. A quick visit to Tom’s site gave me all the necessary tools and links to get started in the blogging world. We found out that we both share many interests especially in the audio world. Check out his “TALKING PORTRAITS” where Tom interviews smart and interesting contributors. It’s great to find someone who has business acumen and an active hand in the arts and communication as well. And better yet, we found out we live just across Hwy 290w from each other. Thank you, Tom, for the help. I’m glad to have an ally in the hood.

Filed by Gary Powell at 10:51 pm under Podcasting & Podcasts
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by Gary Powell, Producer 

Helen Darling writer of “Bring on the Rain” (performed by Jo Dee Messina) is in the studio today recording a publishing demo for her new song, “Mistake” co-written with Gary Burr. Helen and I have been working together in the studio since 1985! The session was recorded in Digital Performer 4.5 using GigaStudio3 with Larry Seyer’s Acoustic Bass Library. Larry is also playing the guitar, mandolin and slide guitar parts in person. Larry and I have been working together in the studio since 1978! The guitars are being cut with a stereo pair (AT4033) through Mark McQuilken’s RNP
(Really Nice Preamp).

This combination of mic and pre makes for a beautifully crisp guitar sound – no EQ needed. These are my old and good friends to say the least. And yes, Helen, we know you are 1.5 versions younger than Larry and me! Nice day in the studio.

Filed by Gary Powell at 5:23 pm under Recording Session Notes
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by Gary Powell

Ensemble: Wild Basin Winds

Recording Dates: 4/10,11,13/2005

Click Here for Session Photos

The woodwind quintet ensemble (flute, clarinet, oboe, horn, bassoon) creates a unique challenge in the recording studio. The flute speaks upward, the clarinet speaks downward, the oboe speaks downward, the horn speaks to the rear and the bassoon speaks from the middle of the instument for its middle range and speaks upward for its lower register. Sonically, in my space the horn’s warm sound permeated the room and the oboe’s lanquid sound bleeds into all the microphones. The accepted method is to record this ensemble with the classical setup of a stereo pair about 10 feet in front of the group. This traditional setup asks a lot from the room to do the mixing for you. Fine if the room sounds good, but this will not produce a sound with the kind of presence that I wanted. A quick call to engineer guru, Larry Seyer, helped me try both setups described below. Wild Basin Winds was recording Christmas arrangements by Gary Slechta. Half of these beautifully written charts were classical in nature and the other half were written in a very creative swing big band style. Amazingly enough, these players were adept in both styles.

Classical Setup: Two stereo pair. The first pair was parallel with the foward most players (oboe/flute) and about 5 feet above. The second pair was at the same height, but about 3 feet behind the rear most player (horn).

Swing Band Setup: Each player was individually mic’d in accordanced with the characteristics of each instrument mentioned above. FLUTE: (AKG414) placed 3 feet above. CLARINET: (AKG414) 1 foot below the bell. HORN: (Audio Technica 4033a) 3 feet behind the bell. BASSOON: (Audix i5) 1 foot directed mid-instrument. OBOE: (Rode NTV) 1 foot below the bell.

Using two different setups worked well because of the dual nature of Gary Slechta’s charts. However, if I had it to do over, I would choose the Swing Band setup with the invidual microphones with its ability to sculpt the mix. I also prefer the close mic’d sound, even for classical ensembles. This preference is not widely shared, however.

We also optioned many microphones and all seemed happy with the final choices listed above. My thanks to Mathew Krejci (Flute), Gary Sperl (Clarinet), Tom Hale (Horn), Daris Word Hale (Bassoon), Ian Davidson (Oboe) and Gary Slechta (Arranger) for three fun, musically inspiring days with outstanding musicians and musicianship.

Filed by Gary Powell at 4:16 pm under Recording Session Notes
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