We Get Technical

So Saturday is the big day – we will be putting together what the band members have been coming up with. Camille (harmony) and Tag (piano) can’t be there, so we wil give them recordings to work from.

Jeff has emailed all of those involved and we hope to put this together in a 6 hour session at The Root Cellar this Saturday. Jeff’s Plan:

“During our Bull Run session, I am hoping to turn the stage of the Bull Run into a recording studio with the following guidelines:

1) Low or no monitor stage mix

2) Low house P.A. volume

3) Quiet and orderly audience participation

4) Condenser mikes with phantom power only

5) No piezos

6) Carefully selected wide positioning of players to optimize acoustic isolation

These are guidelines only and I will arrive early and have this all set up prior to the performance.”

Jeff and Ira have been exchanging emails about the set up. Jeff had hoped to replace the normal cartoid microphones with condensers but that won’t be possible., so Ira will place his recording gear on the side of the stage so Jeff can feed him the lines from the condensor mikes directly. Jeff wants to use two microphones on each instrument. He thinks there will be plenty of audio signal bleeding through the stage mike.

Jeff has already told me that he prefers to go with microphones on the instruments. The only direct input will be for the keyboard.

Says Jeff to me , “Jane, I'd like to go with two sets of mikes. You'll sing up close into the SM58 dynamic mike and the large diaphragm condenser mike, KSM32, will be placed behind it such that it is about 6" behind just like we do in the studio.

The SM58 will act as the wind screen.Using the large mikes will also clue the audience into the fact that they are part of a recording session.

And Ira says to Jeff” Jeff, you may want to bring your own tripod style mike stands in addition to the mike holders. The stage is kind of bouncy and in past recordings, sometimes transmits a lot of noise up the stands into the mikes.”

And I just say “I put myself in your capable hands.”

And Jeff says, “It’s gonna be great!” which reminds me why I like to work with him.

So there it is in a nutshell all you techies out there.

The great Jeff Root

So here is a little post on the wunderkind of Westminster, Massachusetts, the fantabulous Jeff Root. Without Jeff, I am sure that I would not have had the nerve to do this project.

Jeff is fine musician, a multi-instrumentalist and talented songwriter who has 6 albums of original music to his credit. You can find out more about him at www.jeffroot.com.

More than anything, I trust Jeff for the sensitivity of his ears. The man can hear music deeply in a way that few people can. When you play a song for Jeff he might suggest a specific instrument. For my song "Heaven Can't Help You" from the "Gemini Rising" release, he immediately heard his friend Rob Carlson on lapsteel. Brilliant. We we recorded the cello for the title track, Jeff could lean over to the keyboard and say "try this harmony" and play it. My friend Rick Cooper just told me that one of his rockin' numbers Jeff got inspired to add a Jerry Lee Lewis piano part and just did it!

I've known Jeff for several years. We met at local open mics, and little by little I became aware that Jeff was producing folks at his studio, The Root Cellar. He encouraged me to let him try to produce a song or two for me; I was dubious because he seemed to be a little on the "rock n roll" side and I was a stuck up folkie. I wondered if he could give my music the sound I wanted. WRONG! Now that I have worked with Jeff, I am amazed at his facility to latch on to, and produce any genre. When working on an old-timey tune, Jeff smiled a bit as he wrapped his guitar playing around it saying it wasn't his usual style - but then he played a great part. He just had to get those magical ears focused and he was good to go.

Many of us in the Massachusetts/New Hampshire music scene owe a great debt to Jeff Root. He understands more than some folks the value of what he does. He brings to fruition the hopes and dreams of musicians both big and small (in terms of experience and goals) and delivers an artistic product that brings a small shiver of joy to any musician's heart.

In addition, he is just a great guy. He collaborates well with people and brings a sense of fun and joy to all he does. Jeff is playing guitar for me on the Seven Songs Project and I couldn't be happier to have him. He is so enthused about the project that he went out and bought a "Recording" light so that the audience will know when we are in production! He is going to place it on one of his famous mannequins that adorn his office space.

So, come on down to The Bull Run on Oct 14th for fun and frolic, courtesy of the Rootman! I know I intend to!