Sunday 11 September 2016

EP1 revisited.




2016 is the 10th anniversary of EP 1.   Earlier in the year I had some time to reflect upon its release and to actually dig out the recorded files and see what state the projects are in, given the advancments of software in the last 10 years

I tried this at the beginning of the year with, but our recording software (Cubase)  that has been updated many times, in the intervening years and some of the plugins would no longer run.

I knew the latest Cubase wouldn't open the project file from 2006 directly, since that format in no longer supported.  I did have a converted copy, but wanted to go back to the actual last used version that we created the wav files to mastered from.


So I had to go and find the version of Cubase we were using back in 2006.    This was a little troublesome and meant I spent several hours in the loft looking for the original disks.

This initally failed to install, due to the copy protection mechanism being updated.  Luckily Steinberg (makers of Cubase) provide a new installer that bypasses the old copy protection on installation.

 We were also missing some virtual instruments and synths and some effects, or (and this is the frustrating one), the latest version of the virtual instrument had changed filename, so would not open nor tell me which patches it used.

So I have spent quite a few hours over the last two months (and on and off for the last two years), trying to track down all the old versions of virtual instruments and effects I used back in 2006 / 2007 when we recorded the first couple of EPs.

I think I am pretty much there now.  I have managed to open all four tracks from EP1.   I am still missing one effect, but think I can get by with out it.

It has been an interesting exercise for me.  Looking at the original files and seeing how it was recorded and mixed.    It is interesting to see how naive we were putting it together and how far we have come in both our production  techniques as well as how we organise songs.

So the idea now is to render out the individual tracks for each song, to preserve them in a non proprietry format, just in case we ever decide to remix them.

Then work through all the other EPs.

Saturday 3 September 2016

2, 4 , 8, 9


Finally, we have re-released EP2 (via Ninja Kitten Records) into the streaming media world.

As well as Bandcamp, it is now available at Amazon,Spotify (see below), iTunes, Napster, Deezer etc.





Here is a very rare live outing of the lead track "Shorewards".



So that just leaves EP4 that isn't available everywhere.  The plan is to re-release it soon.

The summer, is usually a bit of downtime for us.   Holidays, festivals, the odd day of sun and other complications, means we generally don't record much in August.  This year was no exception.

We are reconvening this coming week, to drink tea and take stock of the current state of EP8 and EP9.

EP8 has been 99.9% recorded (just needs something adding to one of the middle 8's) then it will be ready for mixing.   I think we will be looking for an early November release for this.

EP9 we have three instumentals in various states of completion.  At them moment, it looks like we will break with tradition and release an all instrumental EP.

We shall see when and how the final track progresses.

More soon....