| Author | Message | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 734 Registered: 2-2005 |
Howdy folks... I finished what I was working on when I posted the thread in January worrying about the sketchy input jack on my Alembic. It's still sketchy, but hopefully I'll hear back from Mica soon. Anyway, here's what I was working on: the new HB3 album. It's done, unmastered here, but anyone who's interested can check it out: https://soundcloud.com/hb3/sets/ragnarok It's very bass heavy, divided up into stuff with piccolo bass and stuff with the Alembic. The stuff with the Alembic is tracks 5, 6, and 7. But if you're interested, do check out the whole thing. A lot of work and emotion went into this, and I think it makes some serious musical claims. I don't know how long I'll leave it up, but it's there for the time being. Again, unmastered, so the volume levels aren't matched from track to track. But you'll get the idea. Alembic -- the bass, the company, the community -- continues to be an inspiration. Thanks. | ||
| slawie
Senior Member Username: slawie Post Number: 512 Registered: 8-2002 |
I happened to listen to your music last night. It is just a coincidence that I jumped on soundcloud. Really nice work! Can you post here the feffects used? I am really lovin' this latest addition of material you've posted Hugh. slawie | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 735 Registered: 2-2005 |
Oh yeah, how did you find that? Here's the breakdown. First, the album was designed as an LP -- tracks 1-4 make up "side 1," while 5-8 make up "side 2." Side 1 is piccolo bass oriented, side two Alembic "regular" bass, except the last track, "The Remnant," which switches back to the style of track 1. Besides the clean tone w/ reverb on the piccolo bass, I use an EHX Hog and Moog phaser quite a bit, and the Strymon delay. The Alembic stuff is through a couple of Tech 21 pedals -- the "British" pedal on track 5 and the VT pedal on track 6; OMFG, as they say. Straight up clean tone through reverb and delay on track 7. (Message edited by hb3 on April 25, 2013) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11055 Registered: 5-2002 |
Very nice Hugh! My favorites are numbers 4 and 7. | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 736 Registered: 2-2005 |
Thanks, Dave! :D I'm probably only going to leave these up for a few days.... | ||
| slawie
Senior Member Username: slawie Post Number: 513 Registered: 8-2002 |
Hugh you are one of the people I follow on soundcloud. I have been listening to stuff you post for about a year. Slawie | ||
| artswork99
Moderator Username: artswork99 Post Number: 1847 Registered: 7-2007 |
Listening to it this AM, nice Hugh! Your web site's pretty cool too. | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 737 Registered: 2-2005 |
The web site...oh, Christ, I've got to update that. It's flashed-based, so it's pretty outdated. There's so much to do, but I keep getting preoccupied w/ the music.... | ||
| artswork99
Moderator Username: artswork99 Post Number: 1848 Registered: 7-2007 |
"preoccupied w/ the music" - a good thing! Album name reference? | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 738 Registered: 2-2005 |
Yeah, for sure. "Side 2," or tracks 5-8, tells the story of Ragnarok. Metaphorically, the tracks represent: threat, war, aftermath, and rebirth. Aw, yeah! | ||
| pauldo
Senior Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 968 Registered: 6-2006 |
Hugh, Damn it man! I really, really dig the ambience of your material. Your Solo Piccolo piece and now this are both very enjoyable to chill out to. Nice job! | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 739 Registered: 2-2005 |
Yeah, you know what I've noticed, even when it's aggressive it's still kind of relaxing. ;) | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2884 Registered: 5-2009 |
Hugh ___ your music is therapeutic ! Thanks Alembic Brother ! | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 740 Registered: 2-2005 |
Thanks Wolf! :D | ||
| pauldo
Senior Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 969 Registered: 6-2006 |
ok - sorry, I wrote my "review" while listening to the first track. . . doh! Ain't nothing like Solo Piccolo. I still stand behind my first statement Damn it man! - that is a great album. Is that you on drums also? The whole thing is great - Three Hearts & Three Lions and Nightwind are two standouts for me. | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 741 Registered: 2-2005 |
That's me programming the drums, yes. ;) My thinking was somewhere along the lines of this: drum parts (and the other instrumentation in general) simple enough that I could get away with playing solo with backing tracks, but complex enough so that it could also be performed with other musicians...so, it could be played either solo, as a duo, or as a trio. | ||
| oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 277 Registered: 7-2008 |
Hugh, REALLY cool on several levels. Did you see the movie, "Book of Eli"? You do starkly beautiful ambient stuff that would be perfect for big-budget movie soundtracks in a similar vein. Great stuff and thanks for sharing. | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 743 Registered: 2-2005 |
Thank you! I really appreciate that. I haven't seen that film, but I know what you mean. And yes, the idea of film scoring has come up before. I definitely want to get out and collaborate more. | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 744 Registered: 2-2005 |
Mastering in progress...holy crap, big difference. | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 1259 Registered: 1-2005 |
I enjoyed the pre-mastered versions - looking forward to the mastered ones! Are you mastering them yourself or having someone else do it? | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 748 Registered: 2-2005 |
I'm getting someone to help...I only have limited objectivity at this point. It's an interesting process. My rule here is "do no harm." | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 750 Registered: 2-2005 |
Pump up the bass. I mean, if you had to choose between less and more, you'd choose more, right? | ||
| byoung
Senior Member Username: byoung Post Number: 1435 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hugh, I listened to it about 1/2 dozen times today, and must say that it's perfect coding music; very trance-y. Bradley | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 751 Registered: 2-2005 |
Awesome. By the way, those aren't the pumped up ones. I've been listening to the pumped up ones in my car, and....wow. That API 550 is really something. Probably the ones you heard have had some significant work on them cleaning up the frequencies, though. I was about to take them down, but maybe I should wait.... | ||
| byoung
Senior Member Username: byoung Post Number: 1436 Registered: 12-2004 |
Lay it on me, man! I'm ready for the mixed versions. Bradley | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 752 Registered: 2-2005 |
I think the official release date will be June 1st. The masters should hopefully be done this week. Working on artwork now. I have no idea what "releasing an album" even means anymore, but I wrote it as an album, so what the hell. "It is what it is." Sonically, it's on track to be the best thing I've ever done. If I had to pick three albums to give someone, it'd probably be this, The Veldt, and HB3 Plays the Piccolo Bass. "Magic Circles" is a neglected dark horse, though. (Message edited by hb3 on May 11, 2013) | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 753 Registered: 2-2005 |
Ok, I think it's pretty much done. Updated version here: https://soundcloud.com/hb3/sets/ragnarok  | ||
| hankster
Advanced Member Username: hankster Post Number: 323 Registered: 6-2004 |
That is totally, totally cool. R. | ||
| byoung
Senior Member Username: byoung Post Number: 1439 Registered: 12-2004 |
Fav track so far: Nightwind. It's huge. | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 754 Registered: 2-2005 |
Oh yeah? Right on. That one was hard. It's meant to be sort of a combination of the theme from Doctor Who and "The Chase" by Giorgio Moroder. |
