The Way You Wear Your Heart

[FrankAxtell]

The Way You Wear Your Heart




http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10147298



The Way You Wear Your Heart



Hold on the waves are getting higher

we're getting ready for a real rough ride

Hold on to the love inside your heart now

the love that no one can deny

watch for signs and see which way the wind blows

know the warning signs are all around

there no time for fear just understanding

look out a storm is in the skies



the way you wear your heart



hold the days are getting darker

we're getting ready for a real rough ride

hold to the love inside your heart now

the love no one can deny


the way you wear your heart



I know our time is almost gone

the universe welcomes in the coming dawn

I know that it's on it's way

your far away and you're feeling alone

and when the moon is right

it's time to look to the wondrous light

and now that the night is gone

your on your way home



© 2011 Frank Axtell ® All Rights Reserved.
__________________

[otaypanky]

That sounds great Frank. I like the way the guitar explodes in to the song on that first note.
I'd love to be able to compose a tune or two and record it doing everything myself. I have a recording program or two but never gained any proficiency with them beyond being able to capture an idea, do a gear demo, or record a practice.
It would be great if you could share with us some of the steps you go through putting something like that together.

[FrankAxtell]

That sounds great Frank. I like the way the guitar explodes in to the song on that first note.
I'd love to be able to compose a tune or two and record it doing everything myself. I have a recording program or two but never gained any proficiency with them beyond being able to capture an idea, do a gear demo, or record a practice.
It would be great if you could share with us some of the steps you go through putting something like that together.

Thanks so much. I use Logic pro 7...on this tune I started with programing a drum groove, usually an 8 bar section. From there I record my strat using two marshall half stacks using sm 57's...just jamming around until I get something that grooves, in this case the verse section. Then I work out a complimentary bass part using my keyboard controller into logic's bass section. As I do all this I'm constantly eqing and mixing using both compression and bass preamp , that way the solid fat groove is established. That is day 1. to be continued....

[FrankAxtell]

Thanks so much. I use Logic pro 7...on this tune I started with programing a drum groove, usually an 8 bar section. From there I record my strat using two marshall half stacks using sm 57's...just jamming around until I get something that grooves, in this case the verse section. Then I work out a complimentary bass part using my keyboard controller into logic's bass section. As I do all this I'm constantly eqing and mixing using both compression and bass preamp , that way the solid fat groove is established. That is day 1. to be continued....

Day 2...From there I developed the chorus. Since the verse was a static ostinato, I decided the verse should have a more harmonic movement. First a descending harmonic progression (using the parallel aeolian and dorian triadic harmonizations in whole note values to contrast the syncopation of the previous verse section) and then contrasted by an ascending progression. This was further developed by layering with a B3 organ. At this point I just start singing what ever comes to mind spontaneously which at times can just be babble and then later I just work out the lyrical content. Once the chorus vocal was completed, I sang harmony in thirds in paned stereo with eq, compression and limiting all supplied in Logic. to be continued....

[marnold]

Frank, thanks for taking the time to give us some insight into your recording/composing process!

As far as the track itself went, when the first solo ended, I was really hoping it would continue. I thought the part of the song where you sang the last part of the lyrics above (I'm not sure what the technical term is for it) seemed unlike what you typically do. It surprised me. I don't mean that in a bad way. It's just that it definitely struck me.

[Robert]

Thanks Frank for mentioning your process. Great info!

Good track too, I really enjoyed it.

What kind of tweaks, eq, plugins, etc do you use on your guitar tracks, normally? I'm curios to hear what you do to your recorded guitar tracks.

[otaypanky]

I'm keeping an eye out on this thread ~ :thankyou

[Tig]

Wow!

[FrankAxtell]

Day 2...From there I developed the chorus. Since the verse was a static ostinato, I decided the verse should have a more harmonic movement. First a descending harmonic progression (using the parallel aeolian and dorian triadic harmonizations in whole note values to contrast the syncopation of the previous verse section) and then contrasted by an ascending progression. This was further developed by layering with a B3 organ. At this point I just start singing what ever comes to mind spontaneously which at times can just be babble and then later I just work out the lyrical content. Once the chorus vocal was completed, I sang harmony in thirds in paned stereo with eq, compression and limiting all supplied in Logic. to be continued....
Day 3 Logic has many built in eq and compression settings, preprogrammed for specific tasks such as clean rhythm guitar eq etc, which I either use without altering or at times experiment tweaking until the desired result is achieved and bring the instrument out in the mix. At this stage in the recording, I spend considerable time programming the drums, which include making sure the fill work is placed properly in the mix. I also spend time with bass guitar fills. The A section of the tune has two verse sections divided by a Jon Lord type B3 solo, considerable time was spent auditioning B3 patched in Logic after I played it, to get the right tone against the rhythm section. I then decided to add an extended introduction which started with substitution chords in aeolian minor over a droning pedal, which was layered using various synthesizer patches. This was done by doubling and tripling tracks using various pre-auditioned synthesizer sounds. In addition, a sixteenth note arpeggiated piano part with a moving bass was recorded to create more momentum and establish the time feel. To this was added a short guitar solo for a variation in instrumentation and add drama and a sense of anticipation. Finally I added the falsetto vocal parts to the very beginning for a dramatic musical build up prior to the piano's entrance. This vocal part was panned from left to the center using one of a mutitude of Logic's automation features. To be continued...

[otaypanky]

I had noticed when listening that the drum track fills were nicely executed

[FrankAxtell]

Thanks Frank for mentioning your process. Great info!

Good track too, I really enjoyed it.

What kind of tweaks, eq, plugins, etc do you use on your guitar tracks, normally? I'm curios to hear what you do to your recorded guitar tracks.

I use two Marshall half stacks. A Silver Jubilee 2555 and a 1976 JMP 2204 50 watt, both with 4x12 with 25 watt greenbacks. I boost the signal slightly with an Xotic RC Booter for a bit of a gain boost on the solos. Shure SM 57's are used for miking the amps. Stereo reverb and compression is used along with synchronized tape delay in Logic. A slight eq boost around 1.5k is applied sparingly if needed. The rhythm tracks are sometime treated with a stereonizer for more of a spatial effect.

[Robert]

I use two Marshall half stacks. A Silver Jubilee 2555 and a 1976 JMP 2204 50 watt, both with 4x12 with 25 watt greenbacks. I boost the signal slightly with an Xotic RC Booter for a bit of a gain boost on the solos. Shure SM 57's are used for miking the amps. Stereo reverb and compression is used along with synchronized tape delay in Logic. A slight eq boost around 1.5k is applied sparingly if needed. The rhythm tracks are sometime treated with a stereonizer for more of a spatial effect.

Thanks Frank, interesting to hear. Do you normalize each guitar track too? Or do you use the gain plugin, in case the guitar track volume is lower than bass and drums?

I have had problems with clipping when recording my amps - sometimes I've played hard on the low E string, and then I find later that caused some nasty clipping. No fun.

I've heard some people use some hardware that prevents this from happening when recording, but I don't know what that would be.

[FrankAxtell]

Thanks Frank, interesting to hear. Do you normalize each guitar track too? Or do you use the gain plugin, in case the guitar track volume is lower than bass and drums?

I have had problems with clipping when recording my amps - sometimes I've played hard on the low E string, and then I find later that caused some nasty clipping. No fun.

I've heard some people use some hardware that prevents this from happening when recording, but I don't know what that would be.

I just make sure my levels are not clipping when I record the guitars...nothing worse than digital distortion. I use the Presonus Firepod which has excellent preamps built in. so I really haven't had any problems with that issue...just make sure you don't record the guitars to hot.

[FrankAxtell]

Day 3 Logic has many built in eq and compression settings, preprogrammed for specific tasks such as clean rhythm guitar eq etc, which I either use without altering or at times experiment tweaking until the desired result is achieved and bring the instrument out in the mix. At this stage in the recording, I spend considerable time programming the drums, which include making sure the fill work is placed properly in the mix. I also spend time with bass guitar fills. The A section of the tune has two verse sections divided by a Jon Lord type B3 solo, considerable time was spent auditioning B3 patched in Logic after I played it, to get the right tone against the rhythm section. I then decided to add an extended introduction which started with substitution chords in aeolian minor over a droning pedal, which was layered using various synthesizer patches. This was done by doubling and tripling tracks using various pre-auditioned synthesizer sounds. In addition, a sixteenth note arpeggiated piano part with a moving bass was recorded to create more momentum and establish the time feel. To this was added a short guitar solo for a variation in instrumentation and add drama and a sense of anticipation. Finally I added the falsetto vocal parts to the very beginning for a dramatic musical build up prior to the piano's entrance. This vocal part was panned from left to the center using one of a mutitude of Logic's automation features. To be continued...
Day 4 At this point in the production I realized I need a bridge to break up the repetition of the verses and chorus hook. I thought I'd bring the dynamics down and also attempt to create a more musical contrast. At first I thought I'd record an instrumental bridge, but after a few unsatisfactory attempts I decided I'd go with a vocal lyric. This way there is a more completed idea of the story or lyric of the song. The bridge the is in two parts...the first part with the arpeggiated moog suggesting the implied relative major scale harmony along with synthesizer pad accompaniment and whole note bass movement. In the second half the vocal harmonies build with ornamentations in the bass guitar and chord inversions that build the harmony to a more dramatic conclusion. The bridge ushers in the final guitar solo as the song builds to a crescendo. Finally after many remixes, I finally add limiter and exciter on the main output to add a bit punch to the final mix, leaving head room for mastering later. Now I'll give it a rest and put it under a musical microscope in the ipod as I drive to work and back...I may add more vocals later and still do a bit of remixing before I master it...we'll see... this kinda stuff never ends...Hope that helped to give you some insight as to how I produce a musical work...feel free to ask questions...cheers FA

[Jimi75]

I think I have already mentoined that your vocals remind me of Craig Erickson, the phrasing is very similar. Well this song has a very good 80's touch to it. The add lips in the refrain really add a lot of atmosphere and the line and melody are very catchy. Guitar sound is as always brilliant, but this time I have to utter some compliment for the keys, too. Especially in the first half of the song there are some real good key lines. As always, great music, something I could listen to over and over. :applause

[Robert]

You are so productive Frank. What is your main occupation?

Thanks again for sharing all this info. Very interesting to read how you go about recording.

[oldguy]

Check out Frank's soundclick page. Very cool stuff.

"Frank Axtell 2009

With over two decades in the music industry, Frank Axtell is a renowned guitarist, composer and teacher and is a major contributor to the south Florida jazz-fusion scene. He performs with his own jazz ensemble, The Frank Axtell Quartet. He toured extensively in the mid 80s along the Atlantic coast and Europe & has recorded on the West Coast at San Franciscos The Record Plant. Thankfully he has decided to make south Florida his home.

Frank attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has always taken his continuing course of musical evolution seriously, learning from prominent guitarists Vincent Bredice, Joe Diorio, Scott Henderson, and Jack Wilkins. In 1990-91 Frank served on the faculty at Miami Dade Community College. He has performed guitar clinics and teaches guitar and electric bass at Digital Soundscapes Studios, West Palm Beach. Currently, with over 40 private students, Frank owns and operates his own multimedia recording studio, Digital Soundscapes where he produces many local artists in addition to composing and engineering his own projects."

[Katastrophe]

Great work, Frank! You knocked it out of the park with this one!