One Mic....

[trashy]

...or: I'm unemployed and have a lot of time on my hands.

I was cleaning out a closet the other day, and I found a little mic labeled "Sony Dynamic Microphone". It has a 1/4" jack on the end. It was one of the mics I used to use when I was like 14, and used to record into my stereo. It made me nostalgic for those days when I would just record and not fret about it. I would just throw up a mic and record. It was great.

So I decided to record the way I used to, without having to worry about every little thing. I used my computer to record into, as my old four-track cassette recorder has gone to lo-fi heaven. But I didn?t use my nice sound card/audio interface, which would require me to set up my mixer and all that jazz. I just went direct into the little microphone in on my computer.

Anyway, I recorded two songs, which I wrote as I was recording them. It was so much fun; the most fun I have had recording in a long time. I highly recommend it.

Check them out. The first song is rockin?, and the second is not so. It was a lot of fun.

No Ordinary Girl
Soldiers

(edit: removed links, still not working. just download from my briefcase. Thanks!)

(edit: the mic has an 1/8" jack not a 1/4". Which just shows how awesome it is.)

[Bear]

I love recording like this. Me and a friend who have seperate, fairly serious projects get together about twice a year and record an "album" in one sitting, with two mics (one for each person), and most of it is improvised and thoroughly ridiculous. It's a lot of fun, even if we're the only two people who could ever enjoy the result.

Oh...the song just came on...

Man, those drums sound great on "no ordinary girl" (love the triple tracking). I can't really hear the vocals, but so what. This is an awesome recording in the tradition of, say, Nation of Ulysses. Excellent.

[trashy]

Nation of Ulysses, eh? Great! That's EXACTLY who I had in mind when I was recording it. One time I recommended a good pie place to Ian. That's my story.

Obviously, the second song had other influences....

[Abe]

By FAR my favorite song I've EVER heard on this message board (no ordinary girl)

Modern Lovers meets Gato Salsa Experience. sorta.

keep it up!
a

[trashy]

By FAR my favorite song I've EVER heard on this message board (no ordinary girl)

Modern Lovers meets Gato Salsa Experience. sorta.

keep it up!
a

Holy geez, thanks! I guess I wear my influences on my sleeve.

I'm actually feeling a little embarrassed about that song right now. It's pretty silly.

Anyway, thanks!

[zentatonic]

Dude - this stuff is badassed!
It sounds a lot like the Red Stripes - meets - the Doors to me.
I love it.

[DUC]

I could only download the first minute 'cos your board kicks me off knowing that I'm on a dialup, cheap-bastard connection.

Nice drums. Whenever I get my studio together, it's pretty much going to be a one mic deal too.

[bobbydj]

Fuck, piss and shit. I really want to hear this stuff so bad. It's exactly how I record stuff all the time. Except I go down to stereo cassette through a 1604. Oh and use loops and keyboard. So not like it at all, probably. Except that I just get going on something, often writing it there and then - including the words too.

So yeah.

BOLLOCKS!!!!!!!! Dial up my ring-piece.

[zoetrope]

Soldier On:
I like the accordian drone behind it all, and the swinging 3/4 feel. Reminds me a little of Bedhead in that I feel like I'm in a room when I listen to this. That's a good thing.

No Ordinary Girl:
This song should be listened to while looking at this emoticon
Reminds me a little of Louie Louie in that can't hear the lyrics but who cares way. Again, I get the feel of being in the practice room with a band that's just getting deeper and deeper into a cool jam that's perpetually on the edge of spinning out of control. I love this kind of musical energy.

Overall you're so on the right track with both approach and results. Keep it simple. I record a lot of stuff on my little Zoom PS-02 even with my computer and nice mics sitting right there, simply because I can turn it on and record without any fuss. Get the vibe and ideas recorded before they fizzle away. Good stuff!

[trashy]

Fuck, piss and shit. I really want to hear this stuff so bad. It's exactly how I record stuff all the time. Except I go down to stereo cassette through a 1604. Oh and use loops and keyboard. So not like it at all, probably. Except that I just get going on something, often writing it there and then - including the words too.

So yeah.

BOLLOCKS!!!!!!!! Dial up my ring-piece.

Yeah, I'm thinking about posting the songs somewhere else, but I'm not sure if that would help the dial-uppers. The Dial-Uppers is going to be the name of my next band. I have a dial-up and can download this fine, and I have two friends in the same boat that have been able to download the songs as well. So.... I don't know. They are pretty hefty files, are you sure you're waiting around long enough? Maybe I'll post smaller versions of the songs...

maybe...

[trashy]

oh, and thanks for the feedback, guys!!! I'd love to hear your one crappy mic recordings....

[wing]

yo, where'd they go?

[trashy]

yo, where'd they go?

I pulled them off to post Beat Union songs! Ha Ha!

[joeysimms]

Put 'em back up if you can. Please?

[bobbydj]

Yeah - what Joseph said. I am totally going to persevere with it this time Phil. Bung 'em the heck up there dude.