5.25.2010
The planets have finally aligned, and recording sessions with Burning Tide are underway. I got hooked up with this band through their drummer, Wayne, who use to play in Sutter Cane. We've been looking to work together for a few years, and just never managed to cross paths at the right time. Their first track "Done Dreaming" was tracked last Sunday. Draft mix should be ready to go out for artist reviews later this week. Glad to have Wayne, Taz, "Thor" :-), and Roxy in the studio this summer!
12.19.2009
Round two with Grimstone is underway and going well. Should have some new material out for these guys in January. Also working on scheduling some sessions with Don Platt. We'll be laying down some old-school bluegrass, so I'm expecting that will be a fun change of pace to kick off the new year.
07.31.2009
New sessions with Kelly Daniels have wrapped up, and I'm looking forward to my friend Russ' band coming in on August 22nd. Should be a good time to find out what tracks they'll be laying down.
02.08.2009
The website updates haven't been forthcoming for quite some time, but thought I'd better post out here to let everyone know we're still open, busy, and ready to work on your next recording! Right now we're gearing up for the annual flurry of Spring activity. New bands and plenty of shows are right around the corner--as soon as everyone shakes off this winter weather. By the way, new in the studio this year, we've got a great Tama drumkit ready to go. This thing sounds super tight, and is perfect for hard rock and metal tracks. Come out and test drive the toys anytime before your next session!
04.11.2008
Well, Spring is finally here and it's long overdue. Time for me to come out of the cave and get back out to see some shows. If you're looking for some new talent in town, check out some of the bands on Jim Kilroy's Club Wars bill. It's been interesting to hear how the post-grunge rock of Kansas City's past is starting to resurface in a lot of the new music. Some phenomenal young musicians are working their way up through the ranks, so be sure to take a trip out and show your support.
01.20.2008
January is already turning out to be a fun warm-up for St. Patrick's Day. Singer/songwriter John Erangey is in the studio this month working on a new full-length CD of traditional Irish music. We've completed about half of the tracking so far, and mixdown is underway. In addition, John has pulled out some truly vintage tracks he recorded at Blarney Studios in Ireland about thirty years ago. I'm cleaning them up from the stereo recordings right now. You might see a couple of these tunes make it on the the disc as well.
01.04.2008
Heads up local music fans--Dora Dank's "Sunflowers & Sinners" (recorded right here at Afterburn Recording) has been nominated for a Heavy Frequency Award for album of the year. Show them some love, and vote for the Dank boyz at www.heavyfrequency.com.
11.11.2007
Time flies when you're having fun. Been a long while since my last update here. Mostly because the studio has been really busy. Fall and Winter are definitely the prime seasons around here. Just wrapping up sessions with Grace LaJoy on her new Christian poetry album entitled "Poetic Empowerments". Finished product should be pressed, printed, packaged, and ready to go before Christmas.
A lot of inquiries from bands looking to lock in dates through December and January already, so give me a ring quickly if you've been on the fence waiting to schedule your sessions. In case I don't make it back to the blog soon enough--Happy Holidays everyone, and keep on making music!
8.14.2007
Great sessions with the Black Oblivion guys on 8/4. I don't want Eddie's head to get too big, but great drummers with good kits make my life easy. (And the rest of the guys ain't too shabby either!) Go see them play live at the Kurt Halupnick Memorial Show at the Beaumont Club on September 28.
7.30.2007
Mixes for Rithem are out the door tomorrow and Black Oblivion is headed in to start recording on Saturday. Time to kick out some big rock.
7.29.2007
Just a reminder--keep your eyes on your social liberties kiddos. Midtown clubs in Kansas City continue to restrict entrance to certain patrons based on the assumption that what you wear and the music you listen to defines your behavior. It's all under the guise of "protecting their business", but watch carefully to see where that line of control is drawn. Avoid the bigots, whether racial, cultural, or economic. Support establishments where your individuality is appreciated.
7.12.2007
Applebutta's "Good Times Bad Times" is just about complete. We tracked vocals last Thursday, and the final mixdown is in progress this week. Also had some great sessions with KC/St. Louis rap & hip-hop artists Rithem on Saturday. You can check out a clip from "Get Out Tha Way" on our Clients page soon.
Afterburn Recording has finally hit the world of MySpace. It's long overdue, but after getting the site set up, I can't stay off of the silly thing. It's turning out to be an easy way to keep on top of the local scene. Amazing how many past clients and acquaintances have gotten reconnected with the studio this way. Click on over to www.myspace.com/afterburnrecording and post your comments!
6.07.2007
Lots of new work shakin' in the studio this summer. We're putting the finishing touches on Dora Dank's CD next week. Their official release party is scheduled for 8/24 at the Hurricane. Some remix work is underway for Stefan Soltero in preparation for his live shows in July and August. And as referrals are always appreciated, a big thanks to Stefan for sending his friend Adrian to Afterburn. For young performers and those new to the studio environment, Afterburn is still by far the best environment in KC to get started. Spend some time in the trenches here, and you'll be well-prepared to work the "big guys" when your moment hits.
Another interesting project is in the works. An artist named Michael Tucker contacted me and is looking to record a holiday-themed song in the style of Transiberian Orchestra. It requires a full rock band, plus a contingent of strings, woodwinds, and operatic-style vocals. He probably has the rock band covered, but we're in need of some orchestral musicians. I typically let the artist and studio musicians negotiate their own deals with each other, so if you're an interested violinist, cellist, flutist, or vocalist send me an e-mail or call. I'll hook you up with Michael and you can hear more about the project and negotiate rates.
And finally--Rockfest is here on Saturday. Best $30 you'll spend this year. Even with the lame ass Ticketmaster fees.
6.04.2007
The world record attempt was a success! 1683 guitars playing "Smoke on the Water" was something to see. Cheers to 99.7KY for putting on this event. I was down in the crowd near a gold-suited Elvis-inspired participant with one of my old bandmates. If you missed the big event, you can find plenty videos on YouTube.
5.22.2007
The online store is now open! The Afterburn jerseys are the first items in stock, but more items are coming soon. For your convenience, you'll also be able to pay for your studio sessions, deposits, and mastering project costs via credit card, e-check, or PayPal.
5.16.2007
We're off to a good start with the Applebutta gang. Track cleanup is underway, and their draft mix is just about ready. Singer Freddy Fred is prepping with the music tracks before coming in for the final vocals sessions.
Dora Dank stopped by to check out their final mix. The guys seemed pretty pleased. Keep your eyes open for a big release party this summer.
Spring Club Wars note: The band "Afterburn" is in no way related to the studio. Congratulations to the guys for winning the Spring show, and also on your good taste in choosing a band name. ;-)
Finally, some new merch in the house. In addition to the good old black t-shirts, Afterburn now has brand new baseball jerseys available. These are top of the line--the exact same quality that the pros wear. Most sports apparel stores (and the major league online stores) charge upwards of $150 for these shirts. For a limited time you can pick these up for much less. For now these are only available for purchase at the studio, but a new web store is in the works. For more information on how you can customize your jersey with your personalized player name and number call us at 816-522-7718.
4.14.2007
Spring is here and there's snow on the ground again. Can we please skip to the sunny 80s and be done with this? At least the extra time in doors has given me time to do some studio housecleaning and technical upgrades.
Tomorrow Will Horine is returning for a quick acoustic session. And later on this month the band Applebutta is coming in to try out the studio. I ran into these guys last year at the Afterburn-sponsored UMKC Battle of the Bands. They've got an old school, straight-up rock sound that should be a lot of fun to record.
3.23.2007
A few weeks late, but congrats go out to the "award winning" Clint Shelton from Dora Dank! Clint picked up his honors as KC's Best Front Man at the Banzai Awards show in early March.
For all of you guitar players out there, don't miss your chance to be in the history books--or at least the Guinness book. Sign-up for 99.7KY's world record-breaking event here. They're shooting for 2000 guitarist to join in on Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water". Listen to Max and Tanna in the mornings for details. I'll pass along any new info I find out right here as well.
Sounds like they'll have a full band setup to lead everyone, but if you want to plug in, you'll need to bring your own battery-powered amp. Tanna e-mailed me back today and confirmed that the logistics required to provide 2000 power outlets and extension cords is a bit beyond the scope of this event. No matter--this should be a blast no matter what! I'll be there rockin' the mini-Marshall. Rally the troops and come join the party!
2.20.2007
Afterburn's old friend Sedated is starting up on new material. I'm running some test masters for them before they proceed with their recording. Sedated's engineer, Scott, is trying out a new approach using good old-fashioned reel-to-reel tape to capture his source material before converting to digital. From what I've heard so far, the results are promising. With his 24-bit samples, the digital "sharpness" is pretty much non-existent. Should make for a good mastering project.
On another note, if you haven't been to a concert at Harrah's Voodoo Lounge, I'll tell you it's worth the trip. Last week's Army of Anyone concert demonstrated that room has some of the best sound in town. Easy floor access and their GA ticket policy lets you get as close to action as you want. My only gripe is the super-high cheese factor of everyone with their digital camcorders and picture phones swarming the front row. Yes, the band loves to mug for your camera. If you're lucky, they'll even take it from you and make a trip around the stage with it. Just stop bitchin' if you get bumped or your precious device gets knocked around. You're at a rock show baby, not shooting a National Geographic special. ;-)
2.07.2007
We had a really good session last weekend with Tiffany Miller. Tiffany brought in a song to have the vocals removed, and then laid down brand new leads, harmonies, and ad libs over the whole thing. Great voice--wishing her success in the biz. For something a little different check out a sample of her vocals-only track.
I also want to offer some technical advice to artists and producers who need vocals removed from a song. First of all, if you can avoid it, please do. Starting with a clean stereo instrumental track is always better than trying to process out someone else's voice.
Second, be aware that the process can only reliably remove audio that is panned dead center in the mix. Backup vocals are usually panned out wide left and right. There's little I can do to scoop these out without damaging the music. This also means your kick drum and bass may end up weaker than the original recording.
Clean source material makes for clean results. When in doubt, I'll be happy to setup a quick appointment to review your songs before we start recording.
1.31.2007
New stuff from Dora Dank is posted on the clients page. Enjoy!
1.28.2007
Stefan Soltero's headed back in to the studio this week, and this time he's bring a friend. We're going to knock out a quick acoustic session for a song his buddy is working on. Check out Stefan's new tunes over on his MySpace. Best of luck to you in your new endeavors Stefan!
1.20.2007
It's been a busy month. The Dora Dank sessions are all wrapped up and mixes are almost out the door. Likewise, all of the King James material has been delivered. Just waiting on a few sound effect samples from the guys to mix in. Winter is always a busy time around here. Everyone's gearing up for the Spring--gotta make sure they've got music ready to sell at their shows.
Coming up this month we've got a new singer coming in. This will be Kim's first time ever in a recording studio. Looking forward to a great session. For those of you on the fence about recording, Afterburn is really a great place to start. It's a laid back atmosphere, but we do get a lot of work done. Since we don't typically do hourly work, you can forget about watching the clock. Just relax, shake off the nervousness, and do your thing. No one's perfect all the time, so we'll work with you until each line of your song is just right. And all of the post-tracking tuning and cleanup is there to help you out "just in case".
1.01.2007
Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a great holiday. We just finished up some great sessions with King James and his boys, and the next three tunes from Dora Dank are in progress. Still some vocals to track for Ms. Dank this week, but the rest of the mix is coming together nicely. If you're needing to book any time in January, call me asap--the next available date right now is 1/20.
Here's something new that may interest some of you as well. Gordon Schroeder at www.Video2dvdmagic.com is looking for bands that want to document their studio sessions on video. You can include it as part of your press package or music submissions, or just have a really cool memento from your time at Afterburn. Gordon will put together a pretty slick package for you with all of the editing, titles, and post-production work. You can contact him directly at his website for pricing and availability.
12.06.2006
KC rapper King James is coming into the studio to mix and record a few songs over the holidays. He stopped by to deliver his beats over the weekend. I'm taking a few days this week to get the music polished up before vocal tracking starts. Hopefully we'll have everything recorded before Christmas. As much as I love the holiday season, it sure makes it difficult to schedule.
In other news, the website revamp is still in progress. The new section on mastering is coming next, followed by some miscellaneous goodies. A lot has changed over the past few years, so new studio photos are also on the way. Maybe I'll even pull out that old Fox 4 News story on the Rock the Park shows. Now that's some "vintage" Afterburn for ya!
In case I don't get another update out this month--Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, or just have a great December! (depending upon your personal spiritual preferences). See you in the new year!
12.04.2006
Alright, so as usual I helped out at Jim Kilroy's big "Cover Wars" finals event at the Beaumont on Friday. Two words, folks. Stop whining. No, the show isn't fixed. Fan votes and judges ballots determine the final combined ranking. No one person can really skew your score that much with this year's system. What's more, the regular crew of judges have quite a bit of experience. With all of the shows I attend (including Spring, Summer, and Fall Club Wars, indie gigs,and national shows), I probably see over 200 bands a year perform. It's getting really easy to pick out winning talent.
I'm not knocking any band or group of fans in particular. But just like any competition, if you want to come out on top, you better bring your "A" game every time. Good bands move on--others don't. Whether it's Club Wars or an audition for BMG Music, practice like you mean it, play hard, and learn from those who beat you out. Come back stronger the next time.
11.21.2006
Dora Dank is officially confirmed for round two in mid-December. Looking forward to having these guys back in the studio. I'm expecting a couple of long days, but it should be a lot of fun.
11.13.2006
I worked on some pre-production work for Kansas City rap artist, Mahry this weekend. This first round in the studio was in preparation for some upcoming shows--trying out some new ideas to see how the final arrangements will fit together. I've posted some short clips of the rough mixes on the Clients page, but look for the real releases further down the road. You can check out some of her other stuff (recorded elsewhere) on MySpace.
Most of you know I'm definitely more schooled in the rock world, but I'm a big fan of many styles of music. You'd be surprised how similar the production and mixdown process is for rap vs. rock. On Mahry's tunes, we used a pre-recorded beat for the foundation. No surprise there--it's an obvious parallel to bass and drums in a rock band. The really interesting part is how you use the vocals. We kept up to eight tracks of vocals per song. The main "melody" and lyrical lines were panned center and heavily doubled. At least one version of the lead vocal dub was improvised slightly or performed with different inflection. This creates a nice separation, and creates a chorused melody that acts like another instrument in the mix. Think about a keyboard line that floats just underneath a band's lead vocals, but still echoes the theme. Now for the color. Secondary vocals lines were recorded with responses or "callbacks" to the primary lyrics. Spread out wide in the stereo field, these phrases fit in between the lead line to give the song that back and forth conversational vibe. They sit a little lower in the mix, and really act like rhythm guitars--filling out the mix and adding punctuation to the song. Finally the flash. Ad lib tracks, often performed by the "hype man" on stage are your lead guitars of the rock world. Verbal riffing can be every bit as cool as a raunchy guitar lick.
Next time you're hear a style of music that may not normally fit in your daily listening agenda, stop and take a deeper listen. You may find something there you didn't really think about before. Peace out rockers!
11.07.2006
So I've survived another Halloween...barely. Hats off to Harrah's Voodoo Lounge for throwing one helluva bash. Check out some pictures over at www.shotbee.com, in their "My Shots" section. Code is Harrahs. Look under "Harrahs-party monster" in the list. Unfortunately, no shots of the Batman (yours truly) or my lovely Catwoman made this site. Blame it on bad lighting--or maybe my uncanny ability to disappear into the shadows without a trace...whatever. Use your powers for good, not evil. ;-)
Anyway, in recent studio news, we're expecting Dora Dank back in the studio in December or January. Very much looking forward to building on the recent success of our previous sessions. And a blast from the past today--Wayne, the drummer from Sutter Cane, called me up today looking to book a session or two as well. If you don't know Wayne, imagine Tommy Lee trapped in Captain Jack Sparrow's body. Now turn that up to 11. Sutter Cane is part of what I'm calling the "rebirth of Southern Rock", ala Shinedown, Silvertide, etc. The band was signed by an indie label awhile back, and it sounds like they're making some big strides out there. Great to see some more local boys getting a break!
10.21.2006
I went out to Shooters on Friday night to deliver the draft mixes to Dora Dank. A little bit of Christmas in October for those guys--sounds like they are very satisfied! I'll have some clips from the final results up on the site sometime this week. You'll be able to find them on the Clients page.
Mynera and The Burning Fifteen were playing the same night. It had been awhile since I'd seen B-15 and I'd forgotten how much I like this band. Straight up hard rockin' stuff. Mynera's got some ambitious songs and they usually do a great job at pulling them off. With a small crowd of mostly friends and other bands though, I think the free shots got the better of them this time. Been there, and done that a time or two myself. :-) Best regards to all of the bands--hope to catch another show soon.
10.13.2006
Dora Dank is on their way into the studio this weekend. We're setting up drums and getting a lot of the pre-work out the way Friday night. It always makes for a more productive Saturday to get the busy work out of the way earlier. Looking forward to some good sessions. With all of the local focus on the hardcore and metal, it's great to hear a band that purposefully steps outside of that restrictive space. Dank has a really cool grinding alternative groove--still heavy as hell at times, but with emotive vocals that really add power to the songs.
On a totally different note, there's a very cool new addition to the studio gear this week. Visiting the family last weekend, one of my uncles finally parted with his 1959 Vintage Gibson GA-18 amplifier. The tremolo is shot and the amp probably needs a complete cap job, but man does this thing sound sweet! All original, all tube. Three different inputs, each with varying amounts of gain. Crank the volume and those tubes start breaking up with pure vintage overdrive. Can't wait to dig in and start fixing this thing up.
FYI, here's a little electrical engineering tip for you--be careful with amps that still use the old two-pronged power cords. I was plugged in with a guitar strapped on, and giving my daughter some bass lessons. Every time I touched the fretboard on the bass she was holding, I got a low-level tingle from that ungrounded amp. Not as strong as grabbing an electric fence, but an uncomfortable twinge to say the least. New power cord is going on the Gibson right away.
9.27.2006
Welcome to the new and improved Afterburn Recording Studios website! We're in our third year of operation now, and I want to thank all of you who have helped make the studio a success during that time. A lot of changes have occurred since the first musicians walked through the door at Afterburn. New tools, new toys, and new friends in the local music scene, but one thing remains the same: We're still cranking out the same great quality work at the best value you'll find anywhere!
With our new look comes some great new offerings for you.
Check out our demo packages. Whether you're an acoustic solo performer or have a full band behind you, there's an option that will fit your budget. Like all of our recording projects, everything from tracking to mixdown to mastering is included in one fixed price. No hassles, no hourly pressure.
I'm particularly excited about our engineering classes. With the proliferation of home studios, I continued to receive more and more requests to provide structured training. Well, you asked for it, you got it! Regularly scheduled training sessions will be offered every 2-4 weeks. You can also call and request any of our courses on a date that fits your schedule. In addition, custom one-on-one sessions can be tailored to fit your band's specific needs. Need to get your home recording sounding like the big boys? I'll show you how.
Finally, we're an equal opportunity studio--didn't record your stuff here? No biggie. Deliver your tunes to Afterburn and let us trick out your CD with our one-of-a-kind mastering process. New per disc pricing is available through November. If you're submitting music to A&R companies or duplicating for the masses, please, please, please don't skip this step! I'll tell you why in future blogs.
Keep checking back here for updates on the studio, Kansas City music events, and other industry updates from yours truly.
-Bryan