Rainy week

Rain...Rain...Rain.....

Hi from the command deck at Skyhook Sudios, it's pouring with rain outside and I'm reflecting on a busy week here, much has been achieved in terms of housekeeping work and background preparation for the next few weeks.................

It was great to see Simon Tittley ( http://simontittley.co.uk ) and chat about engineering and mastering! We ended up checking out the Kush Audio Clariphonic which looks like a great piece of kit for the mastering process.

Kush Clariphonic

Simon Tittley

Cosmic Glue

David Ireland - Cosmic Glue

David in the Skyhook Control Room

Pre-production work continues with David towards the Cosmic Glue project. We've narrowed down to 14 songs for the album and been busily collating the recordings, sketches and samples. David has been playing through the tracks, locking down tempos and arrangements and some truly musical moments.

I've also had the pleasure of importing 24track recordings from the late 1970s made at studios in Holland, it's great to hear how well recorded some of those sessions were and lush analogue drum sounds that stand up today. This project is exciting as it spans across a few decades and I'm always touched by the emotional journey which is runs through David's work. 

Visits also from Cass and Celina who spent a worthwhile evening recording more vocal tracks and a visit from Matt Brawley too.

David Ireland with Mike Cooling performing
 in Stroud

The week finishes with tonights Stroud Blues Club gig featuring Blues master Otis Mac.

Saturday session with Cas and Celina

In Skyhook Studios for Saturday's session were  Cas Frazer and Brazilian singer Celina

Cas and Celina

Enjoyable day getting some groovy vibes going... starting with a quickly programmed drum loop using Ultrabeat.
 Laying that against Logic Pro Xs drummer Nikki on the Sunset kit.






 Next we laid down a funky guitar pattern as a guide using my Reverend Manta Ray guitar straight into the Allen and Heath's valve channels for a bit of drive.









 I plan on replacing these guitar guide tracks with a little more care at a later date.
I'll probably use my Tokai Goldstar Strat as I'm after a Nile Rodgers twangy funky disco groove for this which I'll put through my Fender Deluxe clean channel with some added compression to tighten it right up. These Dm based guitar riffs need to be extremely tight to work with the early 80s disco bassline to be added.

After a good hour in the kitchen with tea and acoustic guitar we had some draft lyrics sketched around my initial melody line... drawing inspirations from Nelson Mandela to Budda and Belgium Buns.......and more tea....

Back in the control room preliminary vocals were recorded using  our two Rode Nt 1a's which I love for their raw and gritty edge which I'm hoping will suit this funky electronica dance track we are casually baking......... to be continued......

2014 buzzing already

Hi Mike Cooling here, Skyhook Studios in-house engineer and producer...in the control room the temperature is rising, the magic's in the air, the guitar amp valves are glowing brightly and 2014 has only just begun.

Matt Brawley (Red Thread) was in yesterday doing pre-production work for his forth-coming album project. I hear snippets of punk revival, Kings of Leon and the Vaccines blended with a genuine soulfulness in Matt's songs. We can't wait to get working on the drum tracks shortly. Matt also works with Zebra Fish Media in film and video production and carries around an amazing aura of creativity.

Matt Brawley in pre-production work

This Saturday is an open creative session with Cas Frazer and brazilian singer Celina, we are just going to load up the samples, open the faders and see what comes out.... I'm thinking Daftpunk meets Caro Emerald and being a huge Nile Rodgers fan hoping to get some funky guitar grooves going.......it's a blank canvas and it's going to be fun :)

Stroud based Singer and Songwriter David Ireland is hopefully coming on board for a co-produced album as a follow up to his previous work 'A Twist of time' (available on iTunes)

here's a link to David's own website

http://davidireland.biz

David with Andy Butler (dB studios)

David in xmas video shoot 

Cosmic Glue

I love the depth and thought that David puts into his lyrics and songs from a colourful life of experience... touches of quirky comedy, observant documentary and heartfelt melancholy.... I am deeply in thought as to the sound design and recording styles we can use to help David make this next project his best....

On technical notes I'm working on Logic Pro X and getting into the nitty gritty of the software which is both brilliant and frustrating at times, it's a great match with our Allen and Heath GS-R24m console which I'm loving...... the preamps are great and the valve channels are awesome.

My own little synth the Novation Ultranova is a dream and is going to get a hammering on Saturday for some electronica vibes