Recording some guitars

Recorded all the guitars for opening track tonight. This time not in a relaxed way but seriously, kind of a test for final recording. Not sure about the guitarsound yet, but at least the recording felt good - and already this first song got some changes into guitars while recording it now seriously. That didn't surprise me; I have a feeling that there will be lots of "final shaping" while getting into recording the final guitars.

Anyway, that's enough for now. Happy 2012 !

The final drum programming session

That's how it seems at this point anyway. Just got the last 1/3 of songs worked, the machine drum parts of them. Some songs will get bit longer in this re'working process. Currently the package is about 31 min and 30 sec long - but all the songs contain 4-8 seconds extra in them so ... it's quite close to the 30 minutes with quick calculation. Without the possible / likely dark ambient / scifi soundscapes which are yet to be built, as well.

Now I'm keeping another break from the material, and start preparing guitar recording. Which is likely the next stage. Gotta find the kind of basic guitarsound I like (as well as what Timo likes, too) which is fitting for further processing then.

Advancing once more

It was an amazing evening tonight when it comes to how the drumtitudian abyss aka machinery drum sessions went. I got about 1/3 of songbases done in just tonight. Wow! Currently that means 16 songs done, 9 songs to go. I didn't expect this, but now it looks and feels like I might get this part of the work finished even before christmas.

... and them drums go on

I had few days complete break from the drum programming matters thanks to being sick (and also because of some christmas matters under works). I returned into the drumworks late yesterday and especially tonight I advanced big time. More than 1/3 of the songbases now have pretty much final drums (when it comes to machine part of them).

While advancing with this drum stage, I have a growing vibe to get into recording the final guitars ... since the songs start to sound so good with the final drum samples and re'worked drums. And I haven't yet even dived into making the final base guitar sound either ...

Drum mach... drumtitudian abyss sessions vol. 131211

I've had several smaller drum machine / programming sessions since last blog post. Have completed few more song bases, making the drums more varying and lively as well as I can. With trying to not to lose the grind edge of it all. This "machine work" is not exactly the most exciting stuff to do, but it's rewarding to hear how the song bases turn out with the work. While doing these drumworks, I've also noticed that some songs would benefit from slight re-work - and so I've done also some changes. Another factor that feels good. And it's easy to do at this stage, since the recording of final guitars & bassguitars (not to mention live drums for steel department) is all in the future.

It seems that the toms will be machinery. Why? Mainly because it would be really demanding to throw in just some tom rolls'n'fills into the drums recording them live. With these tempos the songs have. This feels like a good decision - I'm using four high quality tom samples and adding all kinds of basic (and less basic) rolls here and there, while adding some snare rolls etc too. So, ... Timo will be recording "just" all the cymbal/hihat works live when the time comes.

Why I wrote it like "just" all the cymbal/hihat, you might ask? Well, let's just say that it won't be "just", not at all. If the vision I'm having turns out in a way I dream it to turn out - there will be lots of cymbalworks! ;) ... and Timo will have some work ahead while recording them. Certainly both hands will be fully used and then some. Ha!

Drum machine session 2

There was a longer break than what I thought with continuing the drum tweaking thing with SF but ... such is life sometimes. Lots of things to do. Anyway, Tonight I finally continued the "machine drums finetuning" thing, though I only got 1 song's drums completed. As there's no deadline, not to mention rush, it's just good to have time with these things.

While doing the drumstuff, I noticed some technical things that might add more impact to the drums department: Going to separating all the samples used, yes. In past we've never bothered with that (or should I say I've never bothered), but this time it's different in this sense, too. Better make it all the best possible way when making it. Even that it's "just a hobby".

Drum machine session 1

Returned into some SF action tonight. Went through lots of drumsamples and as a result I think I already found quite likely the final main snare sample. Could be the same with bassdrum, but not as sure about that yet. Also found handful of pretty lively sounding tom samples.

I went throught the song # 1, swapped & added drum samples - and also created machinery toms there. To see how it feels. Did a quick mixdown of the song for test listening and it feels pretty good. The matter of toms is still open - it could be machinery or live. Depends pretty much on how Timo feels about that.

We have come into conclusion though, about how the drums will be done. Originally it was thought they would all be live drums (with lots of dubbing and studio experiments) but ... the tempo in these new songs is so furious (varying from 200 into 300 BPM and even above occasionally) that it would be a huge job to do it all by live drums. So, ... the idea is that I'll do the bassdrums and snare by machinery, and Timo will be playing all cymbals, hihats etc steel'y things live over the machinery drums. And the case of toms is still open as said; they could be machinery, or they could be live over the machine drums.

In any case, it's certainly making this release different and exciting, that's for sure.

There!

Just finished the 25th song, which is the longest song of them all (bit under 2 minutes) and also the slowest one. For the most part of it. It was inspired by one "evolved as one" and it should work nicely as the song ending the package.

Now gotta let it be a bit, and look into the guitarsounds and stuff (like some drumsample matters) before going into recording the real / final guitars for the the songs. That will be much harder part considering the tempo of the material, some swift fretboard action occasionally, staying in tune and me never thinking myself as guitar guy. :) ... but it's nice to have a little challenge in it, too.

Now it's time for a lil' break.

One phase soon to be finished

Didn't work on any new tunes yesterday opposite to what I thought - but as a result I did work on new material tonight. And the end section of the release is starting to take shape, too. The two songs created tonight aren't much longer (both around 1 minute and bit over or so) but musically they set the mood for the end. I'll do only one song after this - already started that last song's drums tonight and will probably work compose the song tomorrow on saturday. That song will be song # 25. So, ... it looks like the final amount of songs will be 25 in this release.

Currently the rough mix song lengths of 24 songs are about ~29 minutes or so. Perhaps 28 minutes considering each song has at least 3-5 seconds that will be cut off. So the final song will make the package quite nicely fit into the pre'planned 30 minutes overall length. Of course I don't have a clue yet, about how the dark ambient / scifi elements will go there - but I have a feeling they might not make this package much longer. That remains to be seen, as usual.

Drumtitude plans

We discussed about the drum plans with Timo recently. The idea how we are going to make it happen, took serious steps forward. It won't be all live drums (which I honestly did not think would happen beforehand, because the tempo in the material varies from really fast into inhuman!), but it looks like it's combination of my programmed drums and Timo's live drums. Won't go more into details yet, but it's a good feeling, the plan feels good and if it works as supposed - it should certainly take Scumfusion music into next level (of space). ;)

More newbies again

Got two new songbases done, again. Actually I felt like I would have had fire for third new song for tonight, but I thought to leave some of that joy for next day, too. No rush, remember? (just asking myself here, ha!)

Anyway, even that I feel like material is still coming out very nicely - I also feel that the line of new song bases is soon coming to the end. Not just because of overall length, but simply a feeling inside. Well, that suits well, since the 30 minutes is not far away. Haven't bothered to check it during last few days though.

We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Oh, and funnily it seems that recently the song bases are getting shorter and shorter. Tonight's creations are about 35 seconds and just barely a minute. Very radio friendly. NOT. ;)

The iron is glowing all red

You know how the saying goes; gotta strike while the iron is hot ...

.. well, that's exactly the case here. The iron is glowing red. Red hot.

I'm getting some really enjoyable grind riffs out of myself and it all comes so easily, not to mention naturally. As a result of tonight's sessions I have two new song bases, again. This time first of them is the shorter one (about 40 seconds of fury) and longer one is bit longer than the yesterday's "long" case - around 1 min 15 sec roughly put.

So, it seems to be going pretty much in the same vein. While laying down all these song bases, I've intentionally done some riff things here and there - certain riffin' styles appear here and there, and some songs are kind of connected musically speaking. It seems to be working nicely.

More song bases

The creative vibe continues; created two new song bases tonight again. Even that I'm still recovering from flu, I couldn't stop the process of creation. Why should I, anyway? No reason, yeah. Well, the two song bases ... hardly take even 2 minutes if put together. First one goes bit over 1 minute, while second one is really chaotic (and good piece, me likes a lot!) at just about 40 seconds.

At this stage one thing looks pretty certain; there will be over 20 songs if something weird does not happen. That's based on the fact that there are now 18 song bases which take only about 23 minutes or so. The lengths of course aren't any more exact than before, but that gives a rough idea about the package.

Two happy lil' tunes

I've been enjoying a brutal flu throughout the weekend, but tonight I feel already better - so much that I went and created two new song bases. I had drums already made for first of these two, few days ago (before the flu stroke) but other than that all the creative work happened tonight. Shorter songs, since one is around 45 seconds long, and other just over 1 minute long.

Noticed that doing the composing this way as it happens now, for about the 1st ever time (with Scumfusion anyway) - there can be weeks, even months between actual composing and final recording sessions; there's the luxury of working the tunes further if needed. That's a good thing. Though so far I haven't felt like there would be need for big changes in these song sketches, but I do feel that some tunes might benefit from shaping the structures bit more. Letting them stew some, then looking & doing some re'shaping.

Can't stop the flow

I know, I wrote that I'll take a creative break from putting down new song bases. But I seem to be on fire currently, ... even with sore throat (flu, probably that ear blockade yesterday was part of it too) I composed two new song bases tonight.

One short one (clearly under one minute, really furious piece) and one "longer" one (around 1 min 20 sec if even that). Both the songbases feel really good to me. Currently 14 new song bases overall.

G'night.

And then some

Two more new song bases done. I did the drumprogs for the first, longer one (if you can call 1 min 40 sec long) already yesterday. This morning as I woke up for work, I thought I might not be able to continue the composing tonight. Why? Because instantly as I woke up, I noticed my left ear had gone blocking itself during the night's sleep.

I spent most of the day at work half deaf, with blocked ear working as amplifier for even the smallest sounds, while the right ear was working more clearly than it normally would. The last time I experienced this was sometimes early 2000s I think, and with passing of time it's always so easy to forget how horrible that kind of situation really is.

Well, as I got off from work, I instantly used some magic liquid and laid down for 1-2 hours and as the evening came closer - I managed to get rid of the blockade. Phew. Suddenly I found myself with guitar and ... composing. Not just the one song I started yesterday, but also a new song done all tonight.

Gotta take a little creative break for now and then continue with the "rest" of the new songs to be created. At least I intend to take a little break, we'll see how it goes ... is it a day or two, or even a week? :)

Triangle of new tunes

The streak of grind burst continues. Combination of frustration and having let the ideas for songs be boiling for longer time seems to be a winning combination. Like yesterday, I'm really happy with the songs I laid down today. Perhaps even more happy today.

The song lengths can give again some kind of idea of how the songs are. First two songs, even that they are totally different by structure, ended up the exactly same length (1 min 33 sec - though there are few seconds of empty space in all the songs, rough mixes as they are). The third one is the shortest song so far, being around 50 seconds long only.

About this forthcoming SF album which is under work:

This album will not go past 30 minutes mark, quite certainly. At least that's the aim for now. There is a chance though, that the space/scifi elements might make it over 30 minutes long but that remains to be seen. At this point it feels that there won't be long space elements in this package, could be that the space soundscapes are built inside the songs, more likely. Where possible / where it fits to the content of the song musically and perhaps lyrically speaking. It looks like there will be about 20-25 songs overall if the song lengths keep staying around that 1 min 30 sec length. Currently it's over 14 minutes already with the 10 song bases - though there are several seconds extra time per song at this stage.

Also, what I've written in past, still counts; Timo quite probably has no time for Scumfusion during 2011, so this album will be fully worked during Spring 2012. Which feels fine, no need to rush for change. And it's better that way since we will be trying live drums with dubbing for extra extremity factor. We'll see what happens with that, and when. Gonna be an interesting experiment for sure.

... and the creation continues.

I felt it already at work today, that tonight some grind composing will happen. You can just know it sometimes, the gut feeling. Well, the feeling was certainly right: I composed two new song bases tonight and I'm really satisfied with how these two songs feel.

First of these two was actually just bit over 40 seconds long at first, but as I was listening the initial rough mix of it, I felt it needs to be worked bit further. It sounded (and felt!) so good. After re'working the song it's about one third longer, bit over 1 minute long. The second new song will have bassguitar opening (and perhaps some space soundscapes) to it, before launching into high speed. It's aroud 1 min 30 sec long, might turn out bit longer than that.

Also, check out the pic below.

One piece of cake more

Created one new song base tonight. This time not out of frustration feelings, but simply got inspired from old Nasum material - and the result is really nasty song base.

Funny little observation; the song lengths aren't of course in final form at this early stage, but all the five songs are pretty much the same length what I bothered to check - they all are around 1 min 30 seconds long or so. I have a feeling it could well continue in that vein because the material will be definitely more grind ('n'crust if you may) and less deathy. Partially intentional, but as much a result of "what just happens". Feels good that way.

Two more

Thanks to recent events in personal life, I had a very fitting mood for composing two new song bases for SF tonight. Both of the songs came out out of nowhere so to speak, meaning that they were composed very fast and easily. Both are rather ... well, noisy and furious. The first of the songs is full of rage with unsual break in the middle (guitar'wise speaking) while the second song might not be total grind, but then again it has very mad guitar riffs, like a storm rolling on the fretboard. I'm quite satisfied how these two new song bases came out.

Music video for "Dimension shift"

The funny little idea for making a Lego themed music video came only yesterday, but the music video was just finished. Chose "Dimension shift" (from 'a Lossidian threnody' 2010) as it's bit less chaotic song and as this video also serves as a test for more complex Lego themed video that might happen in the future. This video was done really quickly; took some ~40 pictures of Lego men (astronaut guys of course, ha!) using mobile phone, handheld - but the result is way more entertaining than I believed it could be. Even added the lyrics into the actual video itself, too.

Check it out at youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozyTCcik1uc

About creating new material - still haven't continued saving the song bases I've been toying with, but there's no rush for anything. Lots of other things going on at the moment, but you can expect update when there's something to report. In the meanwhile, go have a laugh or two with that Lego scifi grind video. ;)

Ideas rollin'

I've had some good ideas for songs & good grind vibes, but I haven't yet continued making more new song bases simply because I have a minor injury with my right arm. Can't lift heavy things and gotta take it peacefully for now - but I suppose I can continue recording the song bases as autumn goes forwards. At least playing the guitar doesn't hurt, as long as I don't lift the instrument with right hand. Ehh!

In the meanwhile, while doing some photography things I got an idea for possible music video, for forthcoming Scumfusion package. Quite funny, considering that I only have started to craft the songs. Well, the idea might be fully used, or then partially (clips as parts of a song, or this might result a video on its' own, who knows) - depends on how I'd get the video material shot for that idea. Might try shooting the material already next weekend depending on weather.

High on grind

I just finished recording guitars for another new song base, a very rough mix. Feels like a really promising and how would I say? A truly mad song. Considering that I'm using 11 years old drum samples (intentionally) for this rough mix / composing stage, and still this new song sounds like total devastation already at this stage ... this will be quite some song and it gives me amazing vibes; strengthening the vision of next album.

Something happening

Composed and recorded a rough mix of one new song tonight, guitars with drum machine. Feels like it could well be the opener of the next album, but that is pure speculation right now. Actually I was going to just create a "test song" for trying out the live drums / overdubbing / machinery combination with Timo. Instead of making just a random little test song, I got sudden inspiration and the song certainly feels like a base for something much more than just a "test song". It might take a while before Timo gets to test the drum things with this song, but that's just fine. It might as well be that now as I feel like getting into good grind mood, I'm doing some composing and probably end up having first bunch of song bases ready for later delevopment.

The idea is to create a package that is about 30 minutes long overall (or if that feels like too tight, then extreme max is 35 minutes but 30 minutes feels good limit for grind album if you ask me). Actually I don't know how long (short) the overall package might turn out, ... depends on how the material turns out. The grind factor is the number one priority in my mind. There won't be odd doom wannabe pieces anymore hanging around like in past, you can count on that in any case. It is going to be pedal to the metal from start to finish.

In the meanwhile, feel free to grind onwards. Go and try out Rotten Sound's "cursed" for example.

Thoughts for the future

Even that I'm not yet starting to record any new SF material, I've had some ideas already for the next SF release. Mainly two things which are connected to the project Mood:Doom (scifi doom metal project I'm doing with Timo). The two things are namely these:

1. The future SF material will be total grind (with scifi elements of course, though), no more short doomy pieces. As extreme as possible and what inspires. But the direction is certainly towards the very original idea when it comes to grind side of SF. More of it and with fury. Which boils down to the second point.

2. Thanks to excellent experiences with live drums in project Mood:Doom so far, I've started developing ways to do "half programmed drums" for next SF package. As SF is purely studio project, we don't have to worry if it's possible to play the material live. Which opens room for some truly extreme "half programmed / half live drums".

But we'll see how it goes, ... whenever the time comes for starting to create the next slab of scifi grind.