Ryan Calder Band » recording

Behind the Song: Hide Away

Ryan — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:58:58 +0000

It’s not often that I get to just sit and play guitar, but on this particular Saturday afternoon, I was strumming the chords that would become this song when Tam walked into the room and started singing spontaneously.

I remember we’d both been pretty busy and it was nice to just be at home, with no agenda for the day. Tam walked in, heard the chords and said, “Hmmm, that’s nice!” and then proceeded to sing “Run away…”

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

That was the catalyst for this song which found its roots in Psalm 63. I love David’s yearning, his complete desperate dependence in the words “my soul clings to you”. I cohere with that at least three times a week.

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This song was tracked and recorded fairly liberally, and I’m not convinced we got the full measure out of this song, even though I still really like the version on the album. This was the first song Tammy recorded on vocals, and she keeps saying she wasn’t fully warmed up and she can hear it. To be honest I think there’s an authenticity in the vocal tracks of this song which is what I like about it.

On a technical production note, Roberto’s bass solo in this song ended up with a bit too much compression for my liking in hindsight. What makes his bass playing so unique is the raw funk tone he gets when he’s playing live, which isn’t there in this song. Be that as it may, I still think the mood is captured perfectly and the sentiment in this song, with its 6/8 timing and lazy rhythm, aligns quite nicely musically and lyrically.

Introducing Marlon Hemmero

Ryan — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:54:25 +0000

Marlon runs a studio in Pietermaritzburg where the Ryan Calder Band has put together its second album.

To be honest, it feels like a lifetime ago that I arranged to go and visit Marlon. I feel like I’ve known him for years and years. But I remember that particular night clearly – sitting down talking life and music with him, and how we would go about putting together the new RCB album. I remember his passion, his insight and a quiet awareness in his ability as a creative force.

Marlon Hemmero

The man is a consumate musician. What I enjoy about Marlon is not so much his ability (which needs no mention – he is an unbelievable musician), but his willingness. In my mind, that’s a true mark of a professional right there – someone who will take his level of proficiency, his gifts, abilities and everything else he is good at, and willingly offer them to this project.

It’s worth mentioning at this point that every member of the RCB has this attitude, and I love that about them. They’re all far, far better musicians than I am, and yet they support me and give of themselves easily. We need more people like that in this world.

So you’ll hear a guitar solo or two from Marlon here and there on the new album. But as an engineer he also got stuck into me, encouraging me and showing me how to improve and get better at my craft. I have emerged out the past five weeks more inspired than I’ve ever been at being better. At everything.

I like that Marlon is irritated by untidyness. In an industry where the orderly gives way to the creative, it’s been nice to arrive to a clean studio every night. I joke with Marlon and ask him how he would rate his obsessive compulsive disorder on a scale of 1 to 10. He’s probably around a 7… borderline for an artist!

For this project we used Logic 5.5.1, a RØDE microphone and a few items from his Roland keyboard. What more do you need?

Not much, in my view, but Marlon ordered additional microphones for this project (at his own cost), worked with me until late into the night every night for five weeks, and ordered his younger brother Kyle to make me coffee often. (Kyle is another blog entry all on his own!)

Life has been busy, but it’s so been worth it, just to spend time with this guy.

The album now goes to Brent Quinton at Sesalos Studios where it will go through the final mixing and mastering process. Brent has over a decade of experience as a professional, having worked on many prominent South African artists’ albums – Tree63, The Finkelstiens and Nibs van der Spuy to name a few. I am looking forward to hearing what he does with our humble tunes.

Stay tuned…

Ryan Calder Band Album Production #5

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:29:19 +0000

Recording more bits and pieces… bass, keyboard and other lesser known evils…

Ryan Calder Band Album Production #4

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:29:17 +0000

Recording more bits and pieces… piano, keyboard, guitars, vocals…

Ryan Calder Band Album Production #3

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:29:13 +0000

Ryan and Rudi still sloggin away, recording drums.

Ryan Calder Band Album Production #2

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:29:01 +0000

Ryan and Rudi hard at work, laying the tracks for the RCB’s second album, On The Edge.

Ryan Calder Band Album Production #1

admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:05:55 +0000

The Ryan Calder Band at work on recording the second album, On The Edge.