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Jim Alfredson

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Posts posted by Jim Alfredson

  1. A Great New Album, by a guy named Jim Alfredson!

    in Recommendations

    Posted

    I bought it as a download-- I need instant gratification-- but can't figure out where the download button they refer to is. (Thought I'd post this here as well as on the website in case Jim reads it here first. )

    Had a gig tonight and didn't get your email until late. There should be a download link the email from Big O that serves as a receipt. If not, please let me know.

  5. Death of the iPod (Everyone's buying vinyl)

    in Audio Talk

    Posted

    I believe it was Stefan Wood who was recently arguing with me that you can't build home studios that rival, or at least come adequately close enough, to professional studios. I know folks who have done it, and have read about many others. If you have the time, patience, and money it can be done.

    Honestly, it doesn't even take that much money these days. It used to be you had to spend $3000+ just to get ONE good condenser microphone. None of the mics I use cost more than $500 new and I certainly didn't pay retail for any of them. And do-it-yourself acoustical treatment is dirt cheap.

    I am lucky to be good friends with a local studio owner (Glenn Brown) who has all the great outboard analog toys that make everything sound amazing and the ears to use them. I've learned everything I know about engineering from him. But we didn't really use much of that expensive outboard gear on THEO. I mixed it "in the box" (computer) and he used his regular mastering chain on it. That was it. There were a couple of things we fixed in the box and I had to purchase some plug-ins to do it right, but he guided that process and the results speak for themselves. The record sounds amazing. All dynamic processing, all the effects, all the EQ was done in the box except for the final mastering compression and limiting.

    Even the piano is "in the box". I've had so many people ask me what piano I recorded and it's actually the Pianoteq plug-in.

    BTW, Scott... we've talked before about Roger Waters and Amused To Death. Knowing you dig that album, I think you'd like THEO.

  6. Death of the iPod (Everyone's buying vinyl)

    in Audio Talk

    Posted

    You made a Prog record in your basement.

    Yeah, I know. It's crazy. The drums sound HUGE and they were recorded in a 12ft x 20ft 1970's wood-paneled rec room with 7ft ceilings. It's amazing what you can do if you have the patience and knowledge. A lot of it was recorded on the road in hotel rooms as well and all the bass was done by Gary in either Los Angeles or Florida on his laptop with a cheap two channel interface and ProTools LE.

    Don't get me wrong, I like listening to vinyl but I recognize it's really only about nostalgia and not sound quality. I think surround sound is much more engaging and exciting and even regular digital stereo sounds far superior.

    R.I.P., Mr. Alfredson...

    ;)

    If that comment doesn't have the wolves chomping on your ass it's only because they fear you as the owner of this site.

    *edit*

    Didn't mean to discount the rest of that excellent post, but I need to think a little more on the subject before offering up anything intelligent in response.

    Suffice it to say, I share your concerns.

    Nobody needs to fear having an opinion about sound. However, as subjective as sound is the specs for modern digital don't lie.

  7. Death of the iPod (Everyone's buying vinyl)

    in Audio Talk

    Posted

    If the end user is still listening to the music and thoroughly enjoying it, does the consumption habit somehow change the entire dynamic?

    For the content creators it certainly has, yes. You cannot make a living on streaming royalties, even if you're Pharrell.

    http://mediaor.com/post/104921631679/martin-bandier-us-streaming-rates-are

    John Legend’s All Of Me, which has a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance, was streamed 55 million times on Pandora during the first three months of 2014, said Bandier. That generated $3,400 in publisher and songwriter royalties.

    Meanwhile, Pharrell Williams’ Happy had 43 million Pandora plays over the period, and $2,700 in publisher and songwriter royalties.

    We live in an amazing time where someone like me can produce an album like THEO (which strained my capabilities in many regards... musically, technically, technologically, etc.) in a basement studio. That's incredible and inspiring to me. But there's the flip side; who is going to hear it? And more to the point, who is going to pay to hear it? I am not only competing with my contemporaries any time I release an album but I'm also competing with 90+ years of recordings by long-dead artists (or artists long past their prime) and all the other entertainment choices that compete for people's hard-earned money. And when making the decision to spend money a lot of people opt for free streaming or paying the miniscule monthly fees.

    Vinyl at least presents a revenue source, even though the format should have died. Don't get me wrong, I like listening to vinyl but I recognize it's really only about nostalgia and not sound quality. I think surround sound is much more engaging and exciting and even regular digital stereo sounds far superior.

    I certainly don't know what the answer is. And I don't even know if more consumption is a good thing. The reason I know a handful of albums backwards and forwards is because they are all I had for years and years. The intimacy from those experiences definitely shaped who I am as a musician. Does endless consumption lead to endless dilution? Is that a good or bad thing? I don't know.

  10. Death of the iPod (Everyone's buying vinyl)

    in Audio Talk

    Posted

    Though, the term "devaluing" may be a bit strong. It's almost akin to saying that recording and mass distributing music devalued it back in the day. But did it? It changed consumption habits, to be sure. I'd think there were a bunch of curmudgeons sitting around back then saying, "these goddamn kids and their fancy phonographs don't appreciate the value of hearing a live performance!"

    Well, there is some truth in that these days.

    I do think music is devalued due in part to the ease of access and also to the fact that it is ubiquitous. Everywhere you go, all the time, there is music constantly. Ubiquity breeds complacency?

  20. organissimo t-shirts

    in Forums Discussion

    Posted

    Yes, it's finally happening.

    After 14 years together as a band and 11 years of this forum, I'm finally making organissimo t-shirts for the first time ever.

    The price is $20 each plus $3 shipping to the continental US. Folks outside the US add $8 for shipping, please.

    Pick your color. Black or Slate.

    post-2-0-51636100-1416476724_thumb.jpg
    black.jpg

    post-2-0-66037900-1416476734_thumb.jpg

    grey.jpg

    This is a high-quality polyblend t-shirt that runs on the small side. I ordered these same shirts for my THEO project and they are really high quality and feel great. We can do women's as well, black or dark blue (the design works best on darker fabrics).

    post-2-0-64798200-1416476983_thumb.jpg

    black_lady.jpg

    post-2-0-24951400-1416476992_thumb.jpg

    blue_lady.jpg

    If you would like one, Paypal me at b3groover@hotmail.com and state your gender and size in the message, please. If you can send as a gift, that would be swell because then Paypal doesn't take the fees.

    Or if you don't use Paypal, PM me here and I'll send you my address for a check. You can also go through the Big O Store: http://www.big-o-records.com/zen-cart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2

    I'd like to place the order by the end of next week so we can have them in time for Christmas.

    Here's a link that illustrates the sizes: https://www.customink.com/items/sizing/15000_lineup/standard.htm

  21. AAJ forums

    in Forums Discussion

    Posted

    Welcome to the AAJ refugees.

    The way to help maintain a vibrant community is to attract new members and to utilize social media to help drive traffic over here. So don't forget to use the social media buttons that are at the bottom of every thread to share threads you deem worthwhile on your own social media pages. Encourage folks over there to join the discussion here.

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