#ShibbCast - Episode 10 ...a pure finale...
#ShibbCast – Episode 10
…a pure finale…
I know it’s not sunday – as written here unfortunately I was not able to publish the finale on regular schedule. I’m sorry but here it finally is:
This is it. The #ShibbCast’s Melting Mind Sessions are done! And this Episode is not only my favourite one in terms of listening to – it is the one I am most proud of in terms of the arrangement. Productionwise, this is kind of the ‘purest’ result I have been producing so far. This Episode only consists of 6 guitar DI tracks – with no effects on them. I just took the original signal of the Splashbird and did not even put an amp-emulation on it. No EQing, no effects, no frills. The only thing I have been adding to this was iZotope’s Vinyl free plugin – you should definitely check that out. It added a nice warmth to the track. Apart from that the only “production” I have been doing on this, was mastering the track – subtle compression on the fulltrack to add more warmth and slightly sculpting the general stem with a little EQing to make it a little more transparent.
This track was recorded late at night more two months ago (yes – plot twist: The finale was already done before I even started broadcasting the #ShibbCast). For this track, recording and composing were happening at the same time. I just set myself a ¼ clicktrack and started recording – no timing pattern gave me the opportunity to change the central timing pulse according to what I felt sounded right. Most of the track carries a 6/8 bar, but sometimes it changes to something slightly out of rhythm. Since there is not even a beat underneath it, the notes just flow over each other – and this is the reason for the choice of the video. Actually it really captures what I had in mind for it. Even the duck flying away in the end is a perfect match: Not only for the composition itself, but as the end of the first season.
Not setting a certain central timing pulse was not the only thing I have done this time which was completely new to me: I have never recorded a track consisting only of guitar DI signals and not shaping them with at least a clean amp simulation. So this is the time to say thank you again to AlexArts, who has been building my Splashbird in 2015 – I love this guitar ever since and no other guitar I have been holding in my hands since then feels and sounds as good as the Splashbird does to me. (Of course I’m biased. It’s my signature model. I love it. I’m not telling other guitars are not as good as this one!) This guitar lets me discover so many facets I’ve never been tapping into before – like composing a track with only DI-Signals. My main guitar before having the Splashbird was a Schecter S-1 Elite model (not in production anymore, link goes to most similar model) – a pretty good sounding financially feasible guitar. But I know that this track would not have sounded as warm, mellifluous and transparent with the DI-Signals of the Schecter.
The progress of the Melting Mind Sessions was very satisfying to me. It started out as a challenge to myself, if I was actually able to publish a track once a week, that does not sound like last week’s track and still is satisfying to me. I failed at that challenge with the last step ‘cause my computer broke down – haha BUT: I discovered that it’s doable and I already thought of a concept for season 2 of the #ShibbCast, which will be coming in a few weeks time – promised!
So for those of you being curious how I would describe the Episodes of the Melting Mind Sessions, here’s the list:
- Episode 1: Progressive, experimenting with “not-genre-like-atmospheres”.
- Episode 2: Pretty straight forward with a good level of energy in it.
- Episode 3: Painting a sketch with one crunchy main guitar and adding colour with additional instruments.
- Episode 4: Creating loops with samples and guitars and arranging a song out of bricks.
- Episode 5: Trying to write something heavy (tuned way too low) but feeling to relaxed to actually go brutal.
- Episode 6: Experiencing discomfort, cold and the unbearable feeling of screaming inside.
- Episode 7: Going home too late at night, happily exhausted. (I’d say this is the most “Berlin-Sounding” episode of this season.)
- Episode 8: Basically metalcore with tech-elements and accompanying ambience guitars. This really stimulates my imagination.
- Episode 9: Straight forward no-frills hardrock with ska elements. Although I love complexity in music, sometimes easy and straight is more than “good enough”.
- Episode 10: Purity & warmth.
As you can see, even short descriptions of the track differ pretty much from each other, which was part of the goal: As mentioned above, I wanted to create a set of 10 episodes that do not sound too much alike. I am happy, because I think I succeeded. And this thought is proof for me:
The Melting Mind Sessions are indeed a success.
I have been learning a lot, working relaxed, working under pressure, encountering different difficulties and overcoming them. …and actually discovered my surroundings from a different point of view. Setting me this challenge was a cool thing. And I hope you did enjoy it as much as I did. Since all the episodes are on YouTube and will remain on my channel I do even look forward to going back to them sometimes, listening, enjoying and letting my thoughts drift.
Thank you so much for following the Melting Mind Sessions.
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