© 2009 Michael A. Bedrosian ℗ 2009 Plutonian Music (ASCAP)
Links
The Left Hand Set
- Michael Bedrosian – Vocals, Instruments
Songs
- Totally New
- I Heard a Country Song
- Sometimes a Stone
- Please Go Home
- So Inspired
- Wreath
- Bitter Sea
- No Accident
- Make It In Color
- Pass Me By
- Dead, Not Gone
Recording
- Room – Montier Road
- Multitrack – HD24 (12 tracks)
- Mixer – Allen & Heath Scepter
- Stereo Mix – Lynx L22 (too bad the Ampex wasn’t working)
- Mastering – Bob Katz (Digital Domain)
Notes
I had to take a deep breath after the frustration of making Before and After. Probably the most important part of the work was a lightening of my mood, which somehow freed me to enjoy the writing. Many of the songs were written really quickly; several literally came to me in dreams, and had to be scribbled down in the morning. It was a wonderful thing, the kind of process you just ride without being able to control.
The recording process also needed reform. I did something you’re always supposed to do, but which I’ve always resisted: I went track by track, listening closely to drums, bass, guitars and vocals on my previous records for what I liked and didn’t like; then I swapped mics, changed locations for the instruments in the room, and replaced equipment as needed. I had built a preamp, modifying plans published by Jensen Transformers, and had used it on Before and After without much success. During Totally New I started a multi-year project to rewire this pre, eventually turning it into something I like and use regularly. I also replaced the mixer, scoring an Allen & Heath Scepter on ebay. This mattered not only because it had a more focused sound than the GL2200, but because it had only 12 channels; so it went right along with my decision to use no more than 12 tracks on new recordings (the HD24 would be used as a 96/24 12-track). Finally, I bought another bunch of cheap old compressors, different kinds for different sounds, and tested them on several instruments.
Then, just as I thought the project was wrapping up, Alicia died.