Smooth Jazz guitar; Nils; nilsmusic; – Nils

Deadlines cost Money

nilsmusic — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 20:53:05 +0000

Deadlines are an important part of getting projects finished. I learned to embrace them rather than to fear them. But they come at a price.

Just last week I delivered my mixed master to the record company. Two months earlier they heard my demos for a new CD and they were excited. These were songs I considered mostly finished and it was decided, that my next CD should be released in August. A September release date was not available and October seemed too late to create enough momentum on a single before radio shuts off the charts for Christmas. They usually don’t increase spins or add new songs to their playlists to make room for Christmas songs, starting as early as last week of November. An August release means the CD needs to be delivered by the first week of June. This is when the record label announces the CD to their distribution channels, registers the ISRC codes that help track the songs and so forth. This way the distributors will have the CD listed in their catalogue by July and can ship the orders in August.

I thought – no problem. All I had to do is schedule a few keyboard sessions, a bass session and record lead guitars, (something I like to keep for last) and then mix it. I also was two songs short, but since I had been working on an acoustic guitar album as well, I decided to pull two songs from that project and convert them to fit this new CD. I also had an additional song ready. I like doing that just in case I am not happy with how one of the tracks turns out. So I worked this month and fine-tuned the production on all the album tracks, recorded the missing bass parts, ear-candy, like percussion and additional keyboard parts and made sure I am happy with each song. By the end of April I was pretty much set with everything, except lead guitars and mixing. The demos sounded great, I was happy with the production and the compositions. Then it hit me: this is going to be an intense month.

I usually spend about a day per song to do a lead guitar track for my own record. I take my time to find the right sound, try different amps and mic placements. Then I relearn and practice the melody from my scratch track, maybe come up with a even better way to interpret the song. I will record several takes until I get the perfect performance. With ten more lead guitar tracks to record that’s 10 days. Mixing a song takes about a day and a half. At least that’s what I spend to make sure I get it right. For 12 songs that’s 15- 18 days and I’m talking 8 – 12 hours per day. So if I work 6 days a week and do nothing else I would just make the dead line and deliver.

That’s when I realized this is going cost me. As a contemporary jazz recording artist I am not independently wealthy. Other than collecting royalties, I have to make a living by either touring, or producing and writing for other artists, and doing guitar sessions. I also teach a few lessons or give lectures here and there. But to meet my deadline I had to put everything on hold for a month. Fortunately I had a record budget that allowed me to do so.

The lesson is that you shouldn’t underestimate how much time you need to get your CD finished. Try to get songs really finished early to avoid getting under a time crunch with your deadline at the end. But if you don’t set yourself a deadline, you’ll run in the even greater danger of never getting your project finished. I know of several wonderful musicians, who work on their album for years. They just keep changing it with out getting any further to the finish line. As I like to say (and I’m not sure who I am quoting):

“a good production, as well as a good mix is never finished, it’s just abandoned at some point”

When I met Jeff Golub

nilsmusic — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 06:39:47 +0000

I was new on the Smooth Jazz Scene. Neither the fans, nor my peers (with a few exceptions) had heard of me, but I had the number one song in the country “Pacific Coast Highway”, it was 2005. The festival season had started and all the festival shows were booked, but I was offered a side stage gig at the San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival. These were my first gigs on the festival circuit, I still was working on finding the right band, getting my charts together. Before I was just producing tracks in the studio, no need for all that.
The show went reasonably well and when I got of stage my friends told me that Jeff Golub had been in the audience, checking out my set. I felt somewhat flattered. I was not really familiar with his music, but I had heard his name before. So I went and checked out his set later that day on one of the other stages. And I really loved his playing. He was a guitar player after my own heart. And I understood why he might have been interested in my set. Both of us have a blues and rock background, which we bring into the Smooth Jazz. I could feel every note he was playing and knew where he was coming from.
Six months later my wife and me were on the ferry to Catalina Island. It was the first time I was to play the Catalina Jazz Festival. On the boat was a area where all the established artist hang out. I still felt a little bit on the outside. I had a mild case of “feeling like the new kid who wasn’t allowed to sit at the cool kids table in the high school cafeteria”. But when Jeff saw me he came over and introduced himself. He made me feel welcome and part of the gang and I will never forget that. We talked about guitars, about our influences and the music biz. It felt good having a friend in this new world I was entering.

Since we lived on opposite sides of the continent, we did not have the chance to hang out as often as I liked. But did ask him to play a duet with me on my City Groove CD. I was excited when he agreed. The song is called “Soul 2 Soul”, because I felt a certain soul connection to Jeff.

The news of his passing shocked me this morning. My heart goes out to his family he left behind and all the fans who are going to miss him. Like myself.

Here is a little taste of the song we recorded together in 2012. https://www.nilsguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/10-Soul-2-Soul.mp3
My guitar is further to the right playing the first phrase, Jeff is panned further left playing the second phrase.

The Year End Rush 2011

nilsmusic — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 22:46:39 +0000

Dec 11th 2011
As we are into December now we realize there is only so much time left to accomplish what we want to accomplish for this year. I have three clients who want their projects finished before the year’s end: David, the winemaker wants to have the last 3 songs finished before Christmas. Michole, the actress, who has me working on one song for her, is pretty easy going and wants to have her song by New Year. Dov, the violinist has me working on 3 songs which are each 10 min long.

Reality Check:
Today is Sunday, the 11th, Christmas is in exactly 2 weeks. We recorded drums for David’s project at Ricky Lawson’s studio yesterday. I wanted to schedule the bass session for Monday , but David insisted to be present, and we had to move it to Wednesday. Two of the songs need still guitar (no problem) string and/or horn arrangements and all three need lead and Bg vocals. The thing that I can’t influence is the time it takes to get a good lead vocal. Once I have it, I know Clydene can do all the BG vocals in one afternoon. and I will also need 3 to 4 days to mix. So it’s still possible but it’s gonna be tight.

Dov’s project will need more work. I finished arranging the first two songs and started with the third, but I don’t think I will be able to get all the overdubs done until probably January. Especially, since he is working on a 4th song. I am going to record guitars for him this week and schedule a drum session.

Michole came to me with a Jazz tune, but I am taking into the direction of Erikah Badu, Jill Scott and D’Angelo. However she is still not happy with the drum break, she wants a two bar drum solo. So I will have to go back to Ricky and ask him to do it and send it to me. Once that is finalized, I got Alex Al stand by to do the bass and Leon for the Fender Rhodes parts.

Oh and did I mention, my friend Kathryn (composer and artist) is coming in tomorrow and have me work on the documentary she is scoring. I will be playing guitars and then mix. This has to be finished by the end of the week.
There is plenty of work, but only very little time. My problem is: “When will I have time to go Christmas shopping?”