RPM Challenge 2015

Danny G · January 26, 2015, 02:19:55 PM

Anyone participating this year?

This will be my 7th year. Last year I was traveling for half the month, and while I didn't finish by the actual deadline I did manage to complete an album in 15 days flat.

Curious to see what comes out this year.

http://www.rpmchallenge.com

eyeprod · January 26, 2015, 08:15:13 PM

I think that I'll do it again this year. Either with my new band, which would be too easy, or more likely some solo drone stuff. 30 minutes is no problem with my current methods.

Corey Y · January 27, 2015, 11:32:08 AM

I think I may do RPM this year. I've been planning to start working on a solo album in the near future, nothing like a deadline to get things done.

Muffin Man · January 31, 2015, 12:08:29 AM

I've registered for the challenge. Gonna take a swing at it. The big blockage for me is DAW learning curve, learning Kontakt instruments for keys and then gotta get my canned drums working (loops). I guess I might buy Logic. Or Cubase. Hope I can get a routine, a "method" as eyeprod mentioned, real quick.

edit; aaack! I just looked at the countdown clock. 23 hours to go.

Danny G · January 31, 2015, 04:24:07 AM

I already know I'll be doing superbowl festivities feb 1, so I'll either start midnight feb 1 or just start bright and early feb 2

Danny G · February 02, 2015, 01:59:44 AM

Came up with 5 quick song ideas earlier today.

See how they sound tomorrow morning when I start the bulk of the work

Danny G · February 05, 2015, 10:21:25 AM

11 ideas in the can of varying quality.

Since I have the whole month, this year I will try to come up with more than is needed to complete the album length requirements, and choose only the strongest material to be on it.

In years past I put everything I came up with in the order it was written.

Also this year is different than the past 6.

I'm in a better place than I've ever been, emotionally and financially. Also, I now have a band in place to play this music, so I'm not having the same sense of frustration and urgency -- this isn't my only time to do my own music, and then wonder what the hell to do with it, if anything.

That, and having a band now isn't affecting the material I'm putting together. Rather than keeping Ocean of Stars in mind with everything I write, I'm just writing music.

Some might make it to Ocean of Stars, some wont. And that's fine. Ocean of Stars is already choking on available music, so it's not like we need more songs.

Will be cool to have these RPM solo albums be totally different entities from the live band assembled to play said material.

Danny G · February 05, 2015, 10:27:04 AM

Oh, and there's already been some shitty slide playing. But I'm getting better haha

And this album will mark the first appearance of my repaired LP Studio on the roster.

Danny G · February 12, 2015, 11:24:56 PM

12 ideas in the can 53 minutes of music. Already seeing what can be left off the full album, can cut 2-3 songs if need be.

Secured a location to record drums. Already set up and did scratch tracking on a few songs to test the mix/try out beats.

Traveling for a gig tomorrow so will be listening to what I got and taking notes. Going back in Monday and maybe Tuesday to officially track.

Will post demos to soundcloud and post them here when I can

Danny G · February 15, 2015, 10:49:31 AM

Demos on soundcloud. Will post links at some point.

Will be tweaking the drum sounds when I reconvene tomorrow. Initial mix was very rough, but can already tell the kick needs to come down and overhead mic needs to come up.

Will also adjust the cowbell mount. It's sitting at a weird angle. If I can't fix it, may just track it separately and "explore the space" hahaha

Yes there will be cowbell on this album \m/,

Danny G · February 15, 2015, 04:03:09 PM

Just redid the scratch guitar for aforementioned cowbell song, used a Creepy Fingers Harikiri Fuzz I traded Brad a pedalboard for several years back.

Never really found a use for it in my main guitar rig but I never forgot about it.

This tune sounds even more bad ass now \m/,

Tried to dial in the drums sounds more when quick-mixing it down right now. It's getting there.

Danny G · February 16, 2015, 12:57:26 PM

Here's the fuzz/cowbell track:

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/dannyg-music/01-fuzztone-cowbell-1?in=dannyg-music/sets/rpm-2015-demos[/soundcloud]

Drums are my late 70's Slingerland kit. Guitars are my Epiphone Valve Standard 15w combo. Wah track is was one take on the initial run through. Perfect as is \m/,

I drop sticks twice, and totally lose the click in the double time/bridge part. I'll be re-recording the drums today haha

Danny G · February 17, 2015, 10:10:52 AM

Productive day on drums yesterday. Reconvening today at 3pm to hopefully finish them.

Still need to listen back/mix down what I got. Planned on doing that last night but was dead tired from playing drums for several hours. #outofshape #haventplayeddrumssincelastfebruary

Danny G · February 18, 2015, 01:20:08 PM

Think I'm done on drums. Will listen back here in a bit and find out.

I hope I'm done. I already packed them up and put them back into storage...

Danny G · February 18, 2015, 02:58:34 PM

Listening back and doing some rough mixes. So far so good.

Danny G · February 19, 2015, 11:04:48 AM

Burned a CD with rough mix with possible song order yesterday. 10 songs and 1 bonus track, 50 minute run time. Longest one I've attempted thusfar (that's what she said).

About to do quick run-throughs for scratch bass lines. Have today and part of tomorrow before a weekend of gigs.

Trying to budget next week very carefully. Will have at least two rehearsals, gigs that Friday and possibly Saturday.

Would like to track guitar using my stage rig (Epiphone at home sounds great except for the loud BUZZ from dirty power) but that will require a location as I can't track stage volume here (aforementioned buzz rather than loudness concerns)

I'll drag my power conditioner out of the van and see if that helps.

Danny G · February 19, 2015, 04:12:15 PM

Spent the day recording scratch bass. Straight into the 8 track using my Dietz DI box. Not too shabby.

However I had to take an extended break before the last song. Playing bass is really hurting my back at the moment. Shit.

Tunes sound good, really coming together.

Here is demos/rough mixes with drums but before bass:

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/dannyg-music/sets/rpm-2015-demos[/soundcloud]

Danny G · February 24, 2015, 09:21:04 PM

Spent the day retracking guitar. Getting close to being done with that. 4 songs that still need touchups or extra shit.

And gotta retrack all the scratch bass.

Still need to name the album, and most of the songs. And come up with album art.

*gulp*

Danny G · February 24, 2015, 10:39:36 PM

Ok. Just cleaned up the choruses and bridge for the last song on the album (not done with said album tho haha ugh). Now there's a subtle but noticeable change in the guitar tones, but hey! the choruses and bridge aren't unusable piles of steaming train wreck shit \m/,

Back to work tomorrow am.

Danny G · February 25, 2015, 05:52:59 PM

Finished up guitars on two more songs. Two more to finish, time permitting. Will be tracking bass (and hopefully finishing tomorrow)

Have rehearsal tonight, a rehearsal tomorrow, gig Friday night and busy most of the day w/a gig in Houston on Saturday.

AND still need to name most of the songs, the album, and come up with art...

Gonna be close.