November 3rd, 2008
This was a good first day for PJ. Sussing out some ideas and mapping out arrangements for a couple tunes. I’ll be sure to keep band-aids around in the studio in the future. Can’t have downtime due to split fingers, etc. Perhaps that’s the lesson you learn for putting .012’s on your electric guitar. You’re not SRV yet, buddy  Electric and Acoustic are two different beasts.
All kidding aside, this was a fun session. After a few years away from working on music together, it’s nice to have at it again with a familiar but more seasoned writer and musician. PJ and I come from pretty different musical places and we have a good push-pull working relationship that usually lands us in some interesting musical spaces. I’m excited to see where we land on this batch of songs. Once the rhythm section is locked in, the true direction of these tunes will be in site. At that time we’ll get to decide what musical colors or pallets to choose from.
With that in mind….I’d like to put a question out there for discussion. PJ’s an accomplished saxophonist and has expressed interest in using soprano saxophone on these tracks. My initial instinct is no…the instrument itself just says “solo” to me. Maybe I’m just having a hard time hearing it as a backing or accompaniment instrument. Perhaps we need to stretch the barriers of what I’m hearing? Maybe it’s time for me to get out of my box? Anyone care to comment on this one? Anyone have some good examples of tracks that use saxaphone in a “non-lead” manner? Something that extends beyond the traditional use of this instrument? I need some inspiration here.
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November 3rd, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Ah, the saxophone debate. Shirk, I thought you’d wait until at least until session 2 or 3 for that one:)
This is always a tough one… Sax is my first instrument and it’s a sound that I like incorporating into recordings, but it’s a voice that only works in select places, and sometimes not at all.
We’ll be experimenting with some new ideas this time out regarding executions, sounds and arrangements. maybe they’ll make the cut, maybe they wont. We’ll see how it goes…
but, anyone have any thoughts? Places you’ve liked where we’ve used it? Places you didn’t?
November 3rd, 2008 at 5:14 pm
One of my favorite saxophone albums (and guitar albums, while we’re at it) is the Police’s “Ghost in the Machine,” from way back in 1981. I got the tape for my eighth birthday. Check out “Too Much Information,” “Hungry for You,” etc. I guess this is more of a sax section, but it sounds great.
Just watch out for the Huey Lewis effect.
November 9th, 2008 at 7:02 am
PJ -
Go .012 or go home. I don’t know if a soprano can go anywhere but right up front, but I think alto and lower are safe bets. And, my god: flaunt it if you’ve got it. Nothing specific comes to mind right now, but I feel like Steely Dan is a good study if you’re serious about this. Say what you will, those guys knew how to arrange a track properly and mix it into total sonic submission.