Well it’s been awhile since my late-night heartfelt musings about finishing recording…almost three months later I’m ready to report on the rest. To be very honest, the past several months have been unexpectedly stressful, but I will cautiously divulge that I’m beginning to feel some satisfaction as a result of our hard work and financial investment and am hopeful for some successes as a result of our efforts. In a cosmic sense, of course, the greatest reward comes from our devoted fans, who have somehow incorporated our music into the soundtrack of their lives. So many stories have come our way of how the music has been influential to people, and it has been wonderful to provide amusement, therapy, diversion, or background music to the day-to-day existence of friends and strangers alike. But…we’d also like to make our money back one day, play more above-decent paying gigs, and have opportunities come from this that will allow us to continue to write songs, develop our sound, improve and grow both as a recording and performing ensemble. So there is a lot on the line.
The Final Mix
After we finished the recording, our engineer Russell Anders and producer Jon Stickley began to mix the songs one by one. They spent a few weeks mixing levels, adding and cutting fills, choosing the breaks to be inserted, and other technical details that I don’t even understand. That was a good use of time, since each band member has a slightly different idea of how each song should sound. Jon and Russell were able to get everything very close to being finished, and we got a 3-week break from the music. We distributed their mix among the band members and then sent our comments around by email (i.e. there’s a weird buzz at 0:23 of Climbing Devils Pass, etc.). When there were differences of opinion (mostly regarding backup), majority ruled, although I can’t live with something trumped the majority. This was surprisingly efficient at achieving a group consensus without much consternation.

For me, the mixing stage was difficult for two reasons. First, the mix sounded different on every sound system, and listening that closely to the music, I practically went crazy trying to discern whether or not certain details needed attention. What sounded great on playback in the studio sounded completely different in my car or on my home stereo or computer speakers. Secondly, the mix sounded very different than a mastered CD that you might otherwise pop into your stereo, and not knowing ahead of time exactly how the mastering process would change the mix, it was really difficult to figure out which details should change within the mix and which things mastering would address. And with no time or money available for going BACK to the mix after visiting the mastering studio, it just felt incredibly overwhelming to finalize the mix.

One of my favorite albums back in the early Seventies was “Mike Auldridge Dobro,” just a wonderful collection of songs and primo pickers on the old Tacoma label. It’s one of those albums that literally got played until the grooves pretty much wore out — at least to the point where the high-frequencies eventually disappeared.

I had always been a bit fascinated by the sound of a Dobro, mainly through the playing of Josh Graves on my Flatt & Scruggs LPs and listening to Bashful Brother Osward backing up Roy Acuff on the Grand Ole Opry broadcasts….

Anyone who has followed The Bankester Family from its very beginnings will appreciate the title of the family band’s new CD, “Somewhere In Between.”

Family patriarch Phil Bankester gives a good insight in the liner notes where he mentions “‘Somewhere in Between‘ is indicative of where we find ourselves at the present time. We have no idea where we’re headed, or even how we got here …”

If you love bluegrass — nothing but bluegrass (Newgrass, acoustic and Americana don’t count; I said “nothing but bluegrass.”) — and you have a limited amount of cash in this brow-beaten, rag-tag economy to buy CDs this year, take my advice: Pick up a copy of Audie Blaylock and Redline.

If true unblemished bluegrass were part of a mountain scene, Blaylock’s new CD on the Rural Rhythm Records label would be the pure, clear stream bubbling through the middle of the picture….

Let’s be fair — and honest here.

I really enjoy Special Consensus, the band. I firmly believe the band’s moniker doesn’t lie. It, indeed, is special. Special in song selection and special in delivery. And, I should tell you before I ramble into my somewhat skewed critique, I’m also acquainted with members of this band. They’ve broken bread at my table and we’ve sipped some nectar of the gods together….

The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco has posted a lengthy lineup, including several bluegrass acts, for its October run, but a performing schedule has yet to be posted on the festival’s Web site, http://www.strictlybluegrass.com.

The festival, headed into its ninth year, is gaining in popularity on the list of mega music events around the country….

Bowling Green, Ky. – The world’s first International Newgrass Festival will take place August 21-23, 2009 at Ballance MotoX on the Historic Ballance Farms just north of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Headlining the three-day festival will be the surviving members of the band that started it all, the original New Grass Revival. Sam Bush, John Cowan and Curtis Burch will each perform with their new bands alongside many newgrass performers who have followed in their footsteps….

Flat Rock, NC – The 14th annual Flat Rock Music Festival is gearing up for another festival season in the Blueridge mountains, and this year’s fall lineup is going to bring plenty of people and musicians back to the mountains. Music Lovers from all over the Southeast make Camp Ton-A-Wandah their fall destination spot where they can always find good friends, great music and a family filled weekend at the Flat Rock Music Festival.

Golf carts on parade?

At the world famous bluegrass festival in Bean Blossom, Ind.?

On Bill Monroe’s hallowed ground?

You bet! Golf carts are the preferred method of traversing the large festival grounds in south central Indiana, so it just seemed a natural to put them on display. Thus, the first annual Bean Blossom Golf Cart Parade is born….