Mekong Pirates Recording Sessions

Been over a year here...

2011-10-05T22:07:00.001+07:00

and the rats are winning but taking heavy casulaties.

I Love the Mekong Pirates....

2011-05-07T14:07:00.001+07:00

The beast returns - give it a listen...

2011-04-23T17:56:00.000+07:00

http://soundcloud.comjomrarn

Full Circle- what's next in the City of Ghosts?

2011-04-15T10:24:00.003+07:00

Angel spotted in the City of Ghosts.

I am back in Cleveland and back on E-bay looking for more gear. The next chapter began quicker than I thought. My luggage again will be packed with gear for doing audio but this time for live sound- the way music is supposed to be! My fist CD project was a borderline snafu. Next adventure will be producing great live CDs from at a club called Equinox in Phnom Penh. Look for a whole new set of live recorded music in the next few months. Oh, and the 2 spin off bands from the Mekong Pirates, one is to be called "Cyclo-Sonic" and the other, I dubbed, "Kampong" but they have not officially adopted the name. Ok, this the penultima entry in the blog, please shut off your TVs and go out dancing to live music with someone you love- trust me on this one... ;-)

And to those who helped me on this journey, here is the missing text:

Special thanks and eternal gratitude to my mother Sylvia, Vin Khoem,
Marco & Richie @ Equinox, Paul @ The Chinese House, John @ Aqua, Mac's
Curry, Jaik & Kim @ Martini's, Ted & Donna Leist, Srai Doang, Golden
Bridge Hotel, Mike @ Opal Divine's, Bruce Fox, Frank & Flannery,
Roxanne Lee, Dr. Dennis Dunn, Ken & Verena Wilson, Cambojam, Kevin
Weiser, MotoFun, Polo, Los Poporks, Ritha, RUPP, The Dealbreakers,&
the beast within.

Fat lady is singing...

2011-04-11T10:55:00.000+07:00

OK, not much to say. It took 7 months out of my life and left few good memories. CD is complete and will be handed over to the band soon. I get a two week holiday in the States for Khmai New Year. Guess I have to laugh at it all and I am ready to start a another project...

Wham bam, thank you mam!

2011-03-15T23:12:00.000+07:00

Finished the 3 remaining tracks which were somehow not recorded. Just about finished but working full-time, which in Cambodia means 72 hours/week. Mastering should commence soon enough...

The last part of a marathon is the hardest...

2011-02-28T13:25:00.001+07:00

Just about finished with the CD. Honest, just a few things here and there and it'll be done. I figure 2 to 3 weeks more. But will artwork be ready?

With the demise of a few local bands, recent shows by Octopus Brass Band (wildly fun) and Penhstock (yawn) have kept the music scene alive here in Phnom Penh.

"I got a get out of this city..."- The New Bozo the Clown

2011-02-23T16:14:00.000+07:00

Why? Phnom Penh is a great place for the terminally insane. Don't ask. Well, the band listened to round 4 of the drafts and approved my modifications according to their comments of round 3. hWorking on round 4.5 soon with final touches on the bass guitar, lead vocals, and kick drum. What's really shocking is the math- 15 players, 1 bicycle, 650 tracks, 13 songs, and 31.1Gb of audio files. Yep- that's what is taking so long. Maybe the name of the album will also be the name of lead track and that name is... you really think I was going to tell you? OK, look for a Mekong Pirates CD Release Party, possibly at Equinox #3A Street 278 Phnom Penh, Cambodia just before Khmer New Year's celebration.

Funny ain't it?

2011-02-17T10:48:00.001+07:00

Down to the wire with version 4 drafts. One more round of editing and its history. Burned out is an understatement- recording 13 songs with 14 people that did seem to be on the same page. Oh well, it's all digital now...

Yo Miss Thang - Version 4 Drafts Issued

2011-02-14T14:11:00.001+07:00

Life goes on here in PP with street vendors selling roses for a holiday they know nothing about. Been busy editing the songs after a group listen/skirmish at Club Kossamak. Well, the ship is sinking quick and rats jumping overboard everywhere...

Eminent Surender or a Khmer Funeral?

2011-01-30T09:26:00.001+07:00

"Did you pick the colors for the stage? No, why do you ask? Well, it looks like a Khmer funeral and people are mourning. Oh, I thought the white cloth was the signal to surrender."

Last night's CCF concert with the Mekong Pirates & Dealbreakers , was well, a technical clusterfrick. Ah, but the emphasis was not on the quality of the audio production but more on visual effects and getting that "feeling". The planned 3PM soundcheck, as are any planned soundcheck times in Cambodia, is the time when the electricty gets turned on and the most crucial part of the sound system arrives. Well, the night went OK. The Dealbreakers did their typical rock solid set as one would expect from American musicians. The audience all through the night looked pretty bored with themselves , I guess when you act cool this will happen. Enjoy the pics from the show, because I sure didn't...

Last Supper

2011-01-30T09:11:00.002+07:00

Life goes on as normal as can be. Another rehearsal entrenched between the (I)Maginot Line left everyone feeling secure. Well, it was more of a jam session with everyone being cool. Hey, why take art seriously?

CAMBODIA: Go crazy, go native, or get the hell out!

2011-01-26T19:42:00.001+07:00

Personally I recommend the third suggestion. But alas most people turn to abusing alcohol to deal with reality here. Today all the recording was completed. A long overdue clarinet solo has been accomplished leaving us with just dealing with the ever-so-Jerry-Lewis-loving-vain sons of Vercingetorix and the final mix.... oh well! NATO doesn't need 'em for a reason....

It's Cambodia- nobody gives a shit!

2011-01-20T15:58:00.002+07:00

Round 3 of the MP3 draft songs have been issued to the band but reality seems to be a forgotten concept... Don't forget to catch the upcoming Mekong Pirates show at the French Cultural Center (CCFF- not sure why it is called a cultural center as it is just a library and coffee, art gallery, and coffee shop) Cultural Center on Saturday the 29th of January. It may be a long, long time before one can see them again.

Yepper buddy boy, that's seven, count 'em Khmers on a motorbike!

Kep- Hurry Up and Wait!

2011-01-17T10:37:00.002+07:00

Taking a small break from the 3rd round of upcoming daft MP3s, the mekong Piartaes headed down to the brown and boring coastal city of Kep. Overall an interesting gig. Here are pics of of the stage and electrical generator. The Chinese manufactured generator was water-cooled which in Cambodia means no radiator cap nor coolant in the system. Somehow it chugged along long enough to keep the show going as the main electrical grid in Kep is prone to frequent failure.

And Super Kudos to the American band, El Dealbreakers, who performed a fantastic set that would make any Texan homesick indeed. Do yourself a favor and see one of the shows in Cambodia in the next few days.

My Arse and Eyes are Burning!

2011-01-10T10:20:00.000+07:00

Two members of the Mekong Pirates spent tyhe weekend with me sipping tea and mxing down tracks. Time flys by and its fun work. Side effects include a sore bottom and strained eyes. Fours months ahve gone by quickly and everything is nearing completion as only three more tracks need tweaking. Only hard part is working that I don't use Linux for the recording software and hours of preciosu time are wasted defragging the hard drives. One hour a day is wasted looking at this screenshot. Next project needs to be done in Linux to speed the processand ensure safer data storage.

Human- 2, Rats- 0, MP3s- 13

2011-01-06T11:31:00.002+07:00

The monthly rat stopped by but met is match in dealing with the human race. Cambodia has the most ghoulish metal rat traps. But crackers and peanut butter will lure any hungry rodent to it death. A quick toss over the railing on to a local roof top and in afew minutes, a ferral Cambodian pussy cat has a free lunch. Just all part of the life recycling here in the Buddhist Kingdom of Cambodia.

Back to real news: the 13 draft MP3s are completed and with probably two more rounds of edits it will be mastering time...

Time Out for a Belgian/Cambodian Wedding

2011-01-01T06:41:00.002+07:00

Now only two more songs to edit and draft MP3s will be ready. However, a special event caused a day's delay. The singer for the Mekong Pirates was married on Thursday December 30th in small village 35 kilometers outside of Phnom Penh.. What an event, a sound system and thumped and remarkably had mid-range speaker (not just 18 inch woofers and tweeters), the beer flowed, the food was piled high, and everyone danced to Western and Cambodian songs into the star filled night. The morning after was rough but a swim in the Mekong River provided relief.

Only 3 more songs to go...

2010-12-29T19:19:00.000+07:00

Operations have been moved from the storage room/recording study to my apartment/flat in the central city. Recent security upgrades mean I am completely enclosed in a cage keeping the local climbing bandits out. The great part of being home is access to food and using every spare moment to edit the 500 tracks of recorded music. Only 3 more songs to go in the diting process and we will have a draft product!

Welcome Christmas

2010-12-25T07:59:00.002+07:00

Merry Christmas from the Kingdom of Cambodia! Or rather "Welcome Christmas" says the sign down the street. Better yet, "Mer Chri Mah", as spoken in Khmer -English.

Wait doesn't the man in the photo usually play trumpet. The Mekong Pirates are a versatile bunch and a few extra guitar parts were added a few nights ago. 1st time I have seen rusted guitar strings! The humidity here is very rough on musical gear. And a side notes a Pirate is heading back home to France, Mum just had here baby! So we will have 3 new members to replace the 2 departing. Sad but true, life carries on in the Kingdom of Wonder.

The beat goes on...

2010-12-19T14:51:00.000+07:00

FYI: Yes, I am working on another audio project. In the oven is a possible live CD from Los Poporks. The last two shows, Equinox and Chinese House, were recorded digitally. But yes, of course we are still working as hard as Santa's elves to finish the Mekong Pirates new CD. Here's a few pics from a Los Porks show in Siem Reap. In the crowd was spotted the the guitarist from the Mekong Pirates.

Guess I need an AK!

2010-12-16T11:45:00.000+07:00

I have a new telephone number, please email me if you want it.. Last night, some Khmegro scaled up to my 3rd floor balcony and reached in with a stick and coat hanger to grab my pants out a window. I never leave money in it but must have put my phone in a pocket. So I am out a telephone, pants, and worst of all a belt. I have to laugh at it all, losing the bike and phone in 48 hours. Today will be spent investing in building traps, barriers, and acquiring an arsenal for home defense against intruders. So they want to mess with the barang.

Get your motor running!

2010-12-15T07:15:00.001+07:00

OK, fear not. The official rock and roll transport vehicle of Phnom Penh has been replaced. This wonderful model has all the same features: transports two crew members and basket for microphones, cables, and recording equipment. Throw the laptop bag over your shoulder and your ready to rock! The last model needed new brakes and tires so having it stolen wasn't so bad. This model has improved brakes, larger capacity basket, more comfortable seat AND white sidewall tires- totally styling.But alas, the bell I liked so much and was recorded on the song Angkouhn has is gone forever. Look for it parked at the next rockin' show!

Listening Party

2010-12-14T08:11:00.000+07:00

All good pirates rallied round the computer awhile ago to emjoy the current status of the 13 songs for the upcoming CD. Opinions swayed back and forth over the raw recording but overall everyone is content with what the heard.

Pee Wee's Big Adventure Revisited

2010-12-13T20:04:00.000+07:00

Gone Daddy Gone! Just when things were picking up, someone picked up my bicycle and rode off with it when it was parked 1 meter from the security guard. I wlaked into a music store to ask the price of a pair of bongos and hadn't locked my bicycle becuase of the supposedly working guard. Anyone have a used bike for sale cheap here in Phon Penh? As Mr. T sayas, "I pity th fool...", I hope I don't catch up with the glue sniffing Cambodian(as described by the security guard) as I may be a bit "ballistic".

Heavy Load

2010-12-12T12:22:00.001+07:00

Seems the blog has gone to sleep? Fear not! Updates soon. Moved the process of mixing to my home, working a lot of concerts, and finally a few moments to enjoy life.

It's almost Christmas!

2010-11-29T11:24:00.001+07:00

Santa Claus came early last Friday night! Sure Mrs. Claus was dissappointed but hey, he got to the studio in time for the perfect gift. Since we have been good pirates all year we were blessed with a trombone solo completed perfectly in one take. We celebrated with Christmas cookies and joyful for not having to spend countless hours in the studio late into the night!

City versus Countryside.

2010-11-29T11:17:00.002+07:00

We were adding a few keyboard parts to a song and it took up almost 3 hours. We even tried using two keyboard players, one highly educated and well trained from the city and the other illiterate and from the most remote rural area of Cambodia. The city slicker tried 99 times to get it right, the fellow from the countryside got it first try!

East meets West

2010-11-26T11:46:00.000+07:00

Two excellent Khmer musicians came in to lay down ancient rhythms on 3 songs. The tro (Khmer violin) and the chapei (2 string guitar) added incredible textures to the song. Additonally, some flute was recorded with the musician free to play anything he wanted. This is going to be one amazing recording!

Trumpet Solos & Mandolin Completed

2010-11-24T17:59:00.000+07:00

Two trumpet solos and mandolin on two songs gets us closer to the finsih line. It was a late night but fun and productive. Only hurdle a broken string.

Raide : Glue Sniffing in the Streets of Phnom Penh

2010-11-23T19:33:00.004+07:00

It's cheap, easy to get, and easy to use- it's glue. Put a little in a plastice bag and away you go. The Mekong Pirates song "Raide" is about young Cambodians such as the one pictured. They are not a violent bunch but the first time you walk past a pack of them, you definitely keep up your guard. Real trouble is they drag other childen into their world on the streets.

And on a sadder note, as I came to the studio today there were coffins lined up here and being loaded from yesterday's stampede at the Water Festival. Remeber how lucky you are to be born when and where you were...

Ship of Fools

2010-11-22T11:44:00.001+07:00

A big break in the recording action for three days with the boat races on the Tonle Sap this past weekend. Seems all the wise Mekong Pirates sailed down to the coast to escape the millions of people who came into Phom Penh for the Water Festival. I can say I did it once and witnessed apocalyptic gridlock of traffic and humans. A very intense fireworks display at sundown and surprise fireworks show later at around midnight. Not fun to be awoken to, especially in a city with a history of incoming rockets...

Here we go again! Mekong Pirates at the Equinox Saturday 27th November 8:30PM Showtime

2010-11-20T11:46:00.001+07:00

Your Unlucky Number is...

2010-11-18T16:18:00.002+07:00

32! Yes sir, it took 32 takes to get a 1 minute percussion part recorded. What a fool I was thinking would get some extra sleep. The party next door had no music so it did not disturb the extended recording session. Long nights here make the bicycle ride home across Phnom Penh a real drag. Not much in the way of recording this weekend but we will most likely finish up next week. That is of course if the horns are....

What is in a name?

2010-11-17T16:10:00.002+07:00

What to call it? What is it? Shall it be named "Mr. Sunshine? Or is "Mr. Thumbs Up" a better description? Is in the sun or an orange? The artwork here on the walls outside the studio is something else... And the album, what shall we call it? Currently it is over 500 tracks in 14 songs taking up 24.1 GigaBytes of harddisk space. And then the artwork needs to be designed... oh the decisons yet to be made!

OK, anyone want to give a title for the upcoming 14 song (max.) Mekong Pirates album?

I repeat myself when under stress, I repeat myself when under stress...

2010-11-17T15:47:00.000+07:00

Here we go again- the wedding 100 meters west of us is over and done. Now 50 meters east of us another weddings party is setting up. This one has a lot of police on the perimeter and I have to guess the event is tonight. I emailed the people coming in tonight to record that it may not be possible due to the noise generated from those elegant and exotic Khmer weddings.

OT JONG BAAN TAY!

2010-11-16T17:13:00.002+07:00

OT JONG BAAN TAY! (I don't want!) Yes, this seems to be high season for Cambodian weddings. The event your ears dread. Blaring music and monks chanting all day and through the night. It has a magic all it's own but when it's 100 meters from your not-so-soundproof recording studio, it is an annoyance. Luckily tonight we are doing the electronic keyboards so it won't affect us . Well, unless the drunk patrons from the wedding party some how find out we are here and have microphones...

FCC: It is what it was...

2010-11-15T10:23:00.000+07:00

YEs, that is a grasshopper on the hi-hat stand.

XB-18S Modification- Takin' It to the Streets!

2010-11-12T12:00:00.000+07:00

In Cambodia there is one essential business tool for the mobile vendor- A Portable Musical Speaker of Big Power Model XB-16S. It's features include a megaphone, musical jingle, and the ability to record up 7 seconds of voice which is mission critical in advertising your motorbike with sidecar approach laden with bread or BBQ eggs. Its battery is rechargeable and the unit is manufactured in China by a company called "BS" (poor choice for a name).

I am pround to announce the release of the updated model dubbed the XB-18Sic ("ic" is for input connector). When you plug in a cable, the microphone turns off and you have a portable amplifier. One can use it to amplifier an instrument or media player. Plug in your guitar, keyboard, MP3 player, or even mobile phone and let the world know you exist by blaring out obnoxious sounds from this fabulous device. It's great for getting the attention of sleepy wait staff in a Phnom Penh restaurant. One can even transfer 7 seconds of any sound byte for a custom announcement giving your mobile business an edge over the other 10,000 vendors selling the same damned thing you are. Why settle for earning a dollar a day, with the XB-18Sic, your income can increase by pennies a day. This is the one item one needs to escape poverty, order yours today for only US$13.69. Discounts for volume orders. This week's special offer: one XB-18Sic in an even trade for your water buffalo horn (sneng). Offer ends November 31st, 2010.

Just a little bit more...

2010-11-12T11:23:00.000+07:00

The third percussion session lasted 4.5 hours with 2.5 songs completed. So it looks like next week we will put the finishing touches on things. What took so long was creating the parts as there was no standards on these last three songs. A definite exercise in having patience. Working all day on only a bowl of soup for breakfast was a bit rough and the bicycle ride home long and boring. OK, time to pack up all the gear for tomorrow's concert at the FCC .

Helping Hands- Percussion on 10 of 14 Songs (well, not really)

2010-11-11T16:09:00.002+07:00

2nd session of the percussion recordings started strangely. The percussion said he was not happy, with what I asked? He said "EVERYTHING!" Yikes- can you be more general than that. Seems he justs wants to play and play regardless of what is happening in the song. So the drummer gave helping hands on when to play and when to stop playing. It took the pressure off the percussionist and everything went smoothly. So we have 10 of the 14 songs completed with congas, bongos, and derbuka. How could we possibly record on ten songs in two sessions? Easy, he doesn't play on every song so I can count them as completed.

Tonight we have four more and then it is just the Khmer traditional instruments, then a whole lotta listening to do...

You'll notice by the pictures it is impossible to get the percussionist to relax for a milisecond.

Oh, next blog entry I will reveal my new creation, a modified mobile amplifier that is rechargeable and can be used with voice or instruments. It is really weird invention but hey, it's Cambodia!

Pit Bull on the Percussion

2010-11-10T09:11:00.002+07:00

Finally in the the last week or two of recording. The percussionist came in like a tornado. Luckily a few band members came in to assistance keeping him in line. Live he is a dynamo, in the studio we needed a bit mpre finesse. And indeed as a team we accomplished this and completed 4 songs the first session. So we have two more evening sessions to finish the percussion on 10 songs.

ASSISTANCE NEEDED: Marshall ASR80 Amplifier Power Supply

2010-11-09T09:30:00.007+07:00

OK, I opened up the Marashall ASR80 Guitar Amplifier to look at the power supply. Currently it is tapped for 120volts AC. I want to resolder the wires to see if I can get it to operate on 220 volts AC. I failed to find a wiring diagram on th Internet. So here's a picture- anyone familiar with this power transformers configuration? The Brits use numbers instead of labeling with what voltages to apply where.
PRIMARY WINDINGS TAP CONFIGURATION:
17 *18 * 19 20 21 22 ~23~ 24

*18* 110VAC Blue Wire & has a jumper to 22.
~23~ Neutral Brown Wire & has a jumper wire to 19.
17, 20, 21, & 24 are open.

Becoming a blurrrrrrr...

2010-11-08T20:29:00.002+07:00

It's all a bit fuzzy, hours wearing headphones editing files, and doped up on antibiotics has me constantly wanting to sleep. The quick naps are great on a rice sack and kroma pillow but aren't enough. So this weeks adventures is trying to remember what happened. The accoustic guitar stopped in to add a solo here and there. The three (or was it four?) sessions with the electric guitar started slowly as we attempted to get the right sound. I put two micropones different distances from the amp but there was just too much room noise. The electric guitar sounded too distant. So in true Cambodian style I did a technical no-no. I isolated two mics from each other on each speaker of the stereo amp with a piece of carpet. Yes, they are two different mics but this is Cambodia and anything goes. So its imitation stereo with reduced room noise- go figure. OK, time to go home, I am attempting to get atleast 8 hours sleep for one week in a row. We just have the Khmer musicians and percussion parts to add. I did discover a big truck singing harmony on one vocal track. The studio is not exactly soundproof so occasionally we get street noises that would drive the average audio engineer crazy, here we just laugh it off.

Pirates on the Right Bank of the Tonle Sap

2010-11-06T14:29:00.003+07:00

VICTORY IS AT HAND!

Electric guitar twangs out 14 tracks in 4 sessions.

Details soon come mon!

Frickin' Funky Phnom Penh / Ring My Bell!

2010-11-02T16:41:00.003+07:00

The last vocal track was completed today by the two singers. Last song was Funky Phnom Penh that was magically recorded in three takes. A few grammatical adjustments gave the lyrics a smooth flow for a non-native English speaking singer. The female vocalist had to sing in Khmer (her native tongue) and French, she was a real trooper and wouldn't quit until she reached perfection. Last night we layed down the saxophone solos on Funky Phnom Penh and Las Ballade, along with a guest appearance by my bicycle. The song Angkouhn now ends with a bicycle bell. OK, being completely exhausted and a throat full of swollen lymph glands means it is time to stop for the day. I am departing 6 hours earlier than usual.

The beat goes on...more vocal tracks.

2010-11-01T18:15:00.000+07:00

Most of the male vocal tracks are completed (with some exciting new parts) so it was time for the female vocal tracks to begin. Tension has been high due to the fact the Mekong Pirates songs are in three languages. The weather here has been crazy- cold and windy, so it has made everyone's throats a little scratchy. All in all, with hard work, about 70% of the vocal tracks are finished. Later tonight the saxophone solos will be recorded.

Soul Salvation

2010-11-01T10:24:00.000+07:00

Next up- the vocal parts. Half of the males vocals are completed and Mekong Pirate fans are in for a treat as not only were the recording superb but some creative parts were added. If you don't know the lyrics, the songs are deep and powerful. If you don't speak French of Khmer, it looks like we will have to translate the lyrics for you.

Viva La Accordian!

2010-11-01T10:15:00.003+07:00

Long live the accordian! It has been the easiest to record. Why? Well, someone praticed, practiced, and practiced. We finished 5 of 7 songs which have accordian parts. Afterwards we went to a open bar / open birthday party at the Equinox for fun and of course free beer. Needless to say it made for a long night of scilaizing when we all should ahve been resting.

Hi-tech Clarinet

2010-11-01T10:14:00.002+07:00

The keyboardist doubles up playing clarinet. A new synthetic reed arrived from Euroue and the tone was fabulous. Wind instruments are very dependent on the reed so we were extremely satisfied with the new reeds performance. But alas, flexibility is necessary in the studio and we went back to the old natural reed on one song. We did a lot of takes on the clarinet which will give us more options in creating uniques sounds at mix down time.

Helping Hands- Horns Revived!

2010-11-01T09:57:00.007+07:00

Helping Hands- Towing Cambodian Style

Surviving in Cambodia is about teamwork, the little efforts we all make to help difficult times easier to bear. The horns sound files were too much for me to edit due to fatigue and little time, So one of the trumpet players who is computer literate (Linux user of course) was given DVDs of all the song tracks to go through and choose which horn parts to use. It definitely saved me 8 hours of work! Sometimes it is rough working 80 hours a week and the little things friends do for me make me "sopbai na"! A ride home late at night or the sharing of a snack makes all the differense in the world. Even equipment is shared with 3 band members bringing in headphones. Now with 11 hours of sllep last night, I am ready to continue...

A ride home on a HONDA XLR600
.

A family of headphones.

Mashed and cooked corn with sugar and grated coconut.

3rd Horn Session... coming up short.

2010-10-30T10:20:00.002+07:00

Thumper: He doesn't walk very good, does he?

Mrs. Rabbit: Thumper!

Thumper: Yes, mama?

Mrs. Rabbit: What did your father tell you this morning?

Thumper: If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all.

Honk if your Phnom Penh Horny!

2010-10-27T09:28:00.001+07:00

Locked in three more songs with the Phnom Penh Horns plus one (saxophone). As per usual, the session was powered by red wine and an occasional mishap. Somehow I was able to patch together five headphone outputs using a 2 channel mixer and 2 instrument amplifiers. One amp's headphone jack was loose, therefore a Chinese Solex lock was used to ensure a good connection. Typically these locks give a signal NOT to break into a room. Why? No one in their right mind would protect anything valueable using Sinotechnology. My new definition for the prefix "Sino"- Surely inexpensive, not operational". So enjoy the the pictures, there was a lot of hard work done past midnight last night. A special thank you to the families of the Phnom Penh Horns for letting them stay out so late.

Keys Please!

2010-10-26T10:04:00.000+07:00

Things are finally getting easier. The keyboardist stopped in, we quickly plugged in two channels for stereo sound, and in two hours had finshed three songs. Oh I wish everything was so simple. Tonight five horns arrive for an all night brass orgy of soulful sounds.

Cambodian Microphone Tree

2010-10-25T15:52:00.001+07:00

One can get by by creativity and effort, but time is one thing we don't have. The Phnom Penh Horns arrive and there is little time for experimentation. I had no choice but to inevnt the"Cambodian Microphone Tree". Now I can record 5 channels at once and decide which sounds the best later. The V-shaped carpet sound deflector as a background is definitely required but with all these optional microphones, what could go wrong?

Oh, I forgot to mention: It was "National Clean the Airconditioning Units without any Warning Day". Two days ago a crew of non-English speaking Khmers arrived to use a high pressure hose to clean the cooling fines on the units above all the electronic equipment. I speak some Khmer but when you see folks clinbing on top your gear with a water hose, one forgets a lot of the recently learned vocabulary. As fast as I could move gear, they encroached. It was like a Japanese TV show: move or get zonked. All in all it worked out and they were very meticulous about not getting everything wet- hurray!

Phnom Penh Horns / Get a Job?

2010-10-25T15:14:00.003+07:00

The "About to be World Famous" Phnom Penh Horns arrived for their first session. I attempted to record using 3 channels, a pair of condenser microphones and a PZM mounted on the back wall. It failed due to too lively of a room. Instead e put up on ST51 large diaphram condenser and surrounded it with the drummer's carpet in a V-shape to reduce room reverberation. It worked well and still allowed some of the "room" to be heard. After various. takes we bagged three songs.

It was fun to set up four headphones with the limited access I have to equipment. Actually, we have the capacity to set up 5 headphones but currently with one mix. I used the PZM wall mic to record and add to the headphones mix. I do plan to add more microphone and give us a nice preference of sound to choose from. Only 5 weeks left to complete the recording project... which brings us to our next topic: Get a job.

Anyone need a dynamic, educated, experienced, mutil-talented and multi-lingual individual on a project in Phnom Penh? Yes, I am available. Please leave a comment on this post and I will send you my resume and references. Help me change from, "Get a job!" to "Got a job!" I would love to stay in Phnom Penh and have more time to finsih this fabulous recording project.

Uptown Ting, I Gotta Swing!

2010-10-25T10:49:00.005+07:00

A Mekong Pirates Party!

Life here is not all just 12+ hours in the recording studio editing sound files. The live music scene in Phnom Penh, along with the recent numerous birthday parties, keeps the energy flowing. Recent gigs by the Cambodian Space Project, Phnom Penh Hippie Orchestra, and Eastern Jazz Brigade at the the beautiful and exotic Le Jardin, have recently enhanced the evolving music scene. All the upward energy creates a backlash, the need for sleep! I took a day off for sleeping avoidng the "four things to do in Cambodia" syndrome.

This weeks odd question which I was asked: "Why has no one from Mongolia logged onto my blog?"

1 Take Wonder & 2 Hours Sleep

2010-10-20T12:07:00.001+07:00

Whew! The rhythm guitar parts are completed. He really did a great job preparing, new strings and batteries and he had practiced a lot. Almost every take was perfect the first time. Tired hands were the order of the day playing 6 minutes songs on an accoustic guitar with nylon strings. Finally have fun! A special thank you for the snacks brought along, a real surprise. It took 3 sessions. Today we started at 9:30AM and complted 4 songs by 11:15PM. I walked in after only 2 hours sleep last night but feel fine, just time for a quick nap and then editing gigabytes of files in preparation for the keyboardist/clarinet player. So the blue chair is awaiting its next session here in funky Phnom Penh,

10 of 14 Rhythm Guitar Tracks in the Box!

2010-10-19T22:41:00.001+07:00

Tonight must have been a special holiday. It was either "Please Honk Your Horn And Dirupt Our Recording Session" or "Drive Down a Road Very Fast and Make Lots of Noise" night. About 10 motorbikes per minute drove by as well as garbage trucks and loud talking people strolling down thw street. We had perfect clear sound last night using the microphones. Tonight we will have to settle for the direct input line. If it can go wrong, this is the country, I mean kingdom, for it to happen. Discipline ruled, we kept a standard distance from the mics every song and dealt with the aggravation from all the noises beyong our control. Time to go- it's BEER:30PM!

Get Riddim! Good Bye Blues...

2010-10-18T21:54:00.004+07:00

No problems (finally).First night of recording the rhythm guitar wnt smoothly. Using two condenser mics in an XY pattern pointed at the body and neck and through a tube preamp. Also a direct line from the bridge pickup through a tube direct box. I may add a piezo pickup near the bass E string to get more low end frequency response. At first I had the XY microphones to close and one could hear the guitarists breath. So we back the the mics up from 120mm to 240mm. Two songs completed as we had only two hours to record. The Yamaha keyboard has been losing power so I pulled the power circuit board and resoldered the connection. Somehow I think the male input plug is a bit dodgy but I will check and change everything. The keyboard player walked in when I had the keyboard opened up and he was a bit surprised. Why ask just do it I say! (Update: Keyboard successfully repaired!)

Living on Chinese Rocks!

2010-10-18T11:42:00.001+07:00

Back in the studio after working 24 hours over the weekend. The Chinese House concert was superb. Tonight the rhythm guitar comes in to begin recording. Time is running out but the pressurre adds to the fun of it all!

Big Show Tonight / The Bitch is Back!

2010-10-16T12:58:00.001+07:00

Yippie, after weeks of being locked in basically a storage room, we have a show tonight. All our vital gear travels in the best road cases Cambodia has to offer- rice sacks. Today, after lending it out a few months ago, my faithful bicycle is back in my possession. Sure riding a bike in Cambodia is nuts, the heat, humidity, and insane traffic, but that's the fun of it. OK, if your in Phnom Penh- we'll see you on the dance floor tonight at the beautiful Chinese House! NOTE: 8PM showtime.

Third Day of Hell

2010-10-15T17:08:00.000+07:00

For 3 days there has been nothing but problems trying to record the bass. It took 3 hours today to eliminate the electrical noises that appeared. When we set up everything, it was perfect, cleanest sound yet. So we grab a cup of coffee come back and everything has gone haywire. We have only 2 more hours before the bass player must depart for a show tonight. So you want to be a rock and roll star? Stay in a country that has an modern electrical grid!

Get Ready! Khmer Additions.

2010-10-15T10:34:00.000+07:00

Round 2 Bass Guitar : Run dem mout(h)

2010-10-15T10:27:00.001+07:00

Get Higher Baby! 3 Hours To Get It Right.

2010-10-14T20:48:00.005+07:00

The white bass guitar had bad volume controls so you won't here it on the recording. The new bass guitar did not materialize so we tried to use the one with a cracked headstock. The signal was low and distorted and upon insoection we found the output jack was corroded beypoynd repair. I took the output jack from one of the preamps I built and put it into the old bass guitar. Instantly we gained 12db+. Other small issues with old amplifiers hummimg and a few odd phantom noises made it a busy day. I wish I had a month to rebuild all the power supplies in the amps that are laying arouind the studio.

Slavic earth grounding. Bye bye hummmmmmmm!

Rode hard and put away wet.

2010-10-11T14:14:00.007+07:00

Rainy season in Cambodia is nice, the weather cool and everyone is less miserable. On the way to the studio a torrential downpour of rain left me a bit drenched so I am here typing wrapped in a kroma. Tonight we are recording the bass guitar tracks but first I am editing down the 16 gigabytes of recording and renaming all the files. It seems that a double CD set may be in the works as we are recording 14 songs. We are using a recording software named REAPER and it was a bit challenging at first. The nomeclature on the menus just doesn't match with the typical words I use in audio production and computers. OK, my clothes are drying and I await the bass player who is bringing a new guitar today. We were supposed to record yesterday but his gutiar had a crack in the headstock. It was blessing in disguise as we were able to listen to all the recorded drum tracks done last week in a relaxed atmosphere. It seemed everyone had foggy hangovers from the recent P'chum Ben holiday. AND we have a show this Saturday, 16th October at the Chinese House!

UPDATE:

AAARGH! Too much rain, so second attempt at recording the bass guitar tracks have been cancelled. Wet and hungry for "nada"!

Ready to lay down the bass guitar tracks!

A Sign of Things to Come

2010-10-07T22:28:00.004+07:00

It's easy to find the studio, just look for the "sign" and it's two buildings straight ahead. Two more sessions have 9 songs with the drum tracks completed. So if the drum tracks are finished in two more sessions, we will be one day ahead of schedule.

The room proved to be too loud and the kick drum hitting one wall produced a heartbeat effect when recording, thump-thump, thump-thump, thump. A piece of carpeting and a pillow to deflect the reflection has helped. Now it is time to go out and have a cold beverage after another night's work. Phnom Penh is a city of ghosts but this week is a holday and the rainy streets are void of the usually crowds. Luckily, a few of Mekong Pirates come in as a support crew and help us deal with the long lonely hours in the studio.

4 Meters of Scotch in 6 Hours & Clueless

2010-10-04T11:56:00.005+07:00

We are 6 hours into the "real" recording and have nothing accomplished. Two 3 hour sessions were spent working on the drum sound. All the tape I pulled off the drums was put back on by the drummer. Only 4 meters of masking tape are being used. The French use the word "scotch" for "tape", I could have used a real shot of scotch the other night. The challenge of course has been the kick drum, or bass drum, depending on your English, be you a subject of a king or a freeman. After 3 microphones, it has come down to a Realistic PZM , from the 1970's. A suitable pillow was located along with 2 rag rugs to muffle the beast. The walls of the recording area reverberate a bit but doesn't seem to reduce the quality of the recording. I am limited to 6 channels for the drums. All 3 tom toms are wired into a small mixer. I am using tube (valve) preamps on the kick, snare, and tom toms.Only trouble so far as been latency of mixing in the live armed recording mics in reference to the recorded reference tracks. Certainly if I play around with the EMU DSP patch software, the delay can overcome. Luckily the amplifier being used for a headphone amp has 3 inputs and then the signal can be added before passing through the computer if need be.

So today I am making backups and playing around with the recording software. It's nice to have a day alone and regroup my thoughts. The drum tracks need to be finished in the next 4 sessions... OK, some photos of all the mayhem. Big news, the US$300 barrier has been broken. Hopefully the entire project will stay under US$500 so we have money left over for champagne. ;-)

Yawning: "Is it working or not?"

2010-09-30T19:45:00.002+07:00

Good news- all the reference tracks are recorded, drums set up, and all recording equipment is ready to go. Bad News- After 6 months of notice, the drummer is changing his snare drim heads (skins) at beyond the last minute. The extra condenser microphone brought from France wasn't stored properly and makes a nice "crackling" sound. Hmmm, didn't I mention proper storage techniques in an email... oh as empires fail so does everything else.

All the gear is cleared to one side of the room and the other side is left open in hopes of having decent acoustics. Only thing dependable so far has been my internet wireless connection. I built a small parabolic antenna, a Windsurfer, and brought my own mylar from the States. It's my only connection to reality these days. Maybe something will be accomplished tonight in the recording department!

ROCK ON! 12 out of 14

2010-09-27T14:59:00.007+07:00

Somehow through all the mess that is Cambodia, 12 of 14 reference tracks have been recorded in three (3x) 3 hour sessions! In one more session the refeence tracks should be completed and I can dismantle the electronic beast I have created.

The havoc of Chinese connectors and Japanese equipment is easily solved by weighting the cables with a vise grip to ensure a good contact (see picture). Electricity has stayed on but the sound of the rain on the roof can be heard in the studio. Luckily no rain whenever recording is happening. Whoever is sending us good luck/karma, please continue to do so... and of course the microphone dual mount made from a microwave oven rotating tray worked perfectly!

Le Coc Infantile and Vomiting

2010-09-24T15:03:00.001+07:00

Not the best but we have 5 reference tracks recorded. I added compression to a few channels as I am watching 7 machines patched together which are going through 2 software programs. Yes, there is occasional distortion. As we have no daily discussions on what needs to be done and everything is rushed or over debated, real communication is at a minimum. Oh well, have another beer...

The wonderful antibiotics have a side effect that is so Cambodian- vomitting. I am not a big drug fan and this is why. A small price to pay to eliminate the pus in my skull and lungs.

I have mixed down the 5 tracks to stereo MP3s panning the horns and instruments to opposite sides. This will give the band an opportunity to have some control when studying and rehearsing at home. Time to make backups of everything and keep praying.

Not so fast homeboy!

2010-09-24T10:53:00.003+07:00

A little disaster or two struck; the keyboard amp used as a vocal monitor/headphone amp decided to fritz out agan and using a new (for me) recording program, I lost the first track we recorded. Anyone what to compile a copy of Audacity for me in Windows XP with the Steinberg ASIO SDK drivers please?

My sinus infections was uncurable using Khmer tradiotional medicines and I am jacked up on antibiotics now. Feel better but naseau is really tremendous. Only two more days of little white pills...

I opended the troublesome amp and resoldered some solder points on the 17 year circuit board. So far it is working. Also going to add the click track to the recording. We are laying down the the reference tracks using 6 channels; vocals, instruments, horns, drums, bass guitar, and click track. We styaed late last night and I was too tired for a celebratory beer. I did get rid of the massive Captain's chair the Khmer satff gave me. Bless their hearts for giving me one so comfortable you could sleep in it, but the darn thing squeeked like mad and had no use in a recording studio. Oh, the trials and tribulations of Ramshackle Studios. I was wise enough to burn some incense before we began, just to let the gods know we need them now more than ever.

DAY WHATEVER: Electricity and the Soviet Mir Space Station

2010-09-20T17:54:00.006+07:00

We have electricity. Today was spent putting up empty rice sacks to reduce the reverberation in the room. The bags are everywhere in this rice growing nation so it is a cost effective measure (free). Good news- there are few Mekong Pirates shows in the near future, a really good reason to come to visit the Kingdom of Wonder. Speaking of wonder- guess what went wrong today? The Fender keyboard ampilfier that is being used as a vocal monitor and headphone amp decided to go into a feedback loop. If you know Cambodia then you know the fix was easy. Just open the problem unit, find the most complicated connector inside, unplug it and then reconnect it. Problem solved. Seems the humidity and grime in the air here reaks havoc on electrical and electronic connections. Why use an expensive cleaner, you can't find it in the stores here anyways.

What the the difference between the Soviet Mir Space Station and the ramshackle studio that has been pieced together? None, well, except the Soviets had better microphones. The old and new equipment running on three different supply voltages (100, 120, 220VAC), with cables going every directions with Slavic modifications. It will work comrade! Here's an example of the modification to make the keyboard amplifier a dual purpose vocal monitor speaker for the band to here AND a headphone amplifier for two vocalists. I tapped into the amplifier output, reduced the power with some large resistors and two pairs of headphones are running through a set of alligator clips and 2 or 3 line adapters. It's mono but it works loud and clear.

Khmer Fire Drill: Inventory! Two chairs were being used here in "Ramshackle Studios" and have been for days. Suddenly a knock on the door, two smiling non-English speaking Khmers walked in and pointed at the chairs. I knew they wanted them as they had replacements in hand. The two being used were small and perfect for the conditions here. One was being used for my command and control center and also to lock my laptop to it for security. The other was accross the room with a small amp and machine to make click tracks. I had to make a choice, let them grab the the chair cabled locked to my laptop which would have pulled the laptop computer crashing to the floor and tearing expensive cabling and damaging other recording devices; or let them thunder through the room after the far away chair? You were right, I opted to save the laptop. They did knock one item a bit and started rearranging things a little, but the computer survived. When they departed they took a glance at the PZM microphone and just shook their heads and smiled. Now in this limited space, we have this beautiful full-sized "El Presidente" office chair. Guess I am the head honcho of Ramshackle Studios now as the chair displays my high status! Oh, the Kingdom of Wonder... OK, taking tomorrow off as I need to repair an electronic drum kit at the Equinox Bar.

Two Free Gifts with Every Visit to Phnom Penh

2010-09-20T17:16:00.002+07:00

Unbelievable? It is true, after passing through the exit doors at Pochentong Airport, the city of Phnom Penh (PP) offers two free gifts! 1) Free music. 2) A Sinus Infection. Let's talk about number one, like your music gritty, in your face, and packed with energy- go see a band performing in PP, most local band shows are free! On Friday night we went to listen and enjoy the Cambodian Space Project at the Alley Cat. A real good time but I was battling a sinus infection. But to hell with troubles, a good time was had by all! On five visits here I have had sinus trouble upon arriving, and yes, others say the same. For relief you have two options; antibiotics for about US$20 or traditional Cambodian medicine for free. I opted for the free stuff- only hurts for about five minutes and feels the same as getting a tattoo.

Let's pray the electricty comes back on so I can finish a few tasks and solve the remaining problems. Luckily, I obtained an apartment in the central part of the city at a reasonable price considering the location. My accomodations for sleeping are a rice mat or Yucatan hammock (I brought along), an electric fan, a bathroom, and abosulely no appliances (hot water, airconditoning, refrigerator). Only household item I have is a spoon I have been traveling around the world with for the past 30 years. I did not have the fan the first night and as per usual in Cambodia, one goes to bed perspiring and wakes up shivering cold.

DAY 7: Moo-ay tee-ut (One more)

2010-09-17T11:49:00.000+07:00

Another day of rearranging things and improving accoustics. I am going to take the weekend off and start fresh on Monday. Hopefully next Wednesday we will be in full swing.The no smoking, no drinking, no cellphones signs went up today. When people send and receive text messages inside the studio one can hear static in all the gear that is not grounded.

DAY 6: Getting from bad to worse...

2010-09-17T11:46:00.000+07:00

If you recognized the title than you are obviously a Burning Spear fan. Still running off a generator but we went ahead and lset some recording levels for the references tracks. A few disasters to start but a shell game with amplifiers and microphones produced surprising good results. Removing all of the tape from the drum skins/heads made the tone sweet and clear. I still don't have a recording program selected as the one I have chosen, Audacity, needs to be compiled with special drivers. Using Windows is not fun. There is a program that interfaces with my EMU 1616 that is designed for Windows and the company will not release it in a Linux version. I tried to compile it my self but following laid out step by step instructions proved impossible. Just no time to deal with it... now I need to read a 400 page manual for a program called Reaper, seems like a grim prospect. Electricty may be restored next week. The generator has been dependable but it is Cambodia an d anyhting can happen.

DAY 5: Delayed because of rain.

2010-09-15T19:21:00.000+07:00

Heavy monsoon rains have caused a problem with the electrical system at the complex. So we cancelled tonight's sessions (very easy by text message0. They were supposed to power down at 6:30PM but never did. Well guess what, I was ready and not. I want to use one program to record but need to compile it to work with the current system. Since I have never compiled in Windows and am a Linux user, I am having trouble, well, just constatnt hurdles dealing with MicroSoft Products- aaaaargh! Well everything else is operational.

DAY 4: Took a day off... so here's a few pics.

2010-09-15T19:17:00.001+07:00

DAY 3: What the @#$%!

2010-09-14T10:35:00.005+07:00

Took a close look at the bass drum-- ouch! Totally unusable in it's setup. The entire drum cavity was stuffed with studio foam. The Khmer girls love padding their bras but this was too much, a regular Jane Russell of kick drums. Mind boggling. I pulled it out and it seemed like it was not going to stop. Of course I was doing while the band was rehearsing to get the shock & awe factor going. Front drum skin was warped and rattling. I pulled it off and warmed it in the tropical sun. Checked the lugs and one was broken. Don't worry I did not forget to bring along some epoxy. Warming the drum skin removed the warps and functioning tuning lugs made the front head usable. I used just enough studio foam and two rag rugs, result: nirvana!Thumpity thump... pics soon to come.

DAY 2: Test one two

2010-09-12T16:04:00.002+07:00

The Eagle has landed. All the basics function and no major glitches. As long as the power stays on and no construction is done on the building were in; recording will commence on Wednesday. Luckily, I have airconditioning and internet access whcih brings the joy of Texas Radio to my ears. Found a piece of metal for a grounding rod so we are ready, steady, go!

DAY 1: Fix Bayonettes! (whoops- where did I put it?)

2010-09-11T16:37:00.000+07:00

OK, here we go but a moment of sadness. The storeroom was cleared before I could get a picture of it but no big deal. The band effeciently set up for rehearsal and I tended to unpacking all the gear. What a mess trying to find everything. One success and failure today, The device I built to use the powered mixing board as a headhone amplifier worked great. Problem: the unit has acooling fan that is too loud for use in the studio. I did intsall a earth ground wire but need to put a steel rod in the ground soon. I am using three voltages to power all the equipment; 100, 120, & 240- only in Cambodia. No electrical nosies yet but I am sure iin the City of Ghosts we are in for surprises. I guess everything is going so well because I did burn some incense before doing anything- a necessity here. All in all too much to do and happiness is just an illusion!

HAPPY MOMS

2010-09-08T12:14:00.002+07:00

Pochentong airport has a glitch. At 8PM the French Management departs and the fun begins. I guessed coming in late would have a tired staff very inattentive... I was wrong. Arriving from Korea on Asiana Airlines the plane was loaded with "Happy Moms". A priority service for traveling mothers. Well the Khmer moms with foreign husbands were all pulled aside by Customs. With all the officers busy I easily slipped in to the Kingdom of Wonder... whew!!!

The recordings are going to use traditional sounds of Khmer culture. One of my favorites is the sneng, a water buffalo horn. Not only to play a song or tune, one can also call to elephants in the jungle. OK, soon the studio will be constructed. I am hoping to have a webcam installed. Has any studio ever allowed the world to watch a recording session? It is very exciting to be back in all the chaos.

FYI: me not type so good and the keyboards here are $!#@!

ROCK ON!

2010-09-02T07:36:00.001+07:00

Yee haw! My "primo" arrives Saturday and there is a rock show at the Memphis Pub that evening. Typhoon rains have let up here in South Korea and my 14 hour layover is going well. The security in the US part of my domestic flight was a cakewalk, did not bat an eye. All female security was ready to go as I was the last person through and then their line shift ended. They split before I left the area. Note: Israelis took out the Egyptian Air Force during a war back in the 1960's during a pilot shift change. Good to know our government running things on time as a preference to quality of service. At LAX they wanted to reexamine my external hard dirve a few times... and in Korea the all-female security did not pat me down (sad) but were fascinated with the microphones. Probably thought I was a karaoke spy sent by Kim Jong Il.

Story in today's Phnom Penh Post online- A man who liked to play around with UXO was at a party and singing into a B40 rocket like it was a microphone. Yes, it detonated. Now another good reason not to give a Khmer a microphone- watch out my friend it might explode! Bang your head. So ya know, after a Khmer gets a microphone and has had a beer, they like to talk a lot!

SPY versus SPY (220V vs. 110V)

2010-08-28T00:36:00.001+07:00

The Kingdom of Cambodia is 220 volts AC 50 Hz, voltage may vary ;-), and my Behringer dual channel preamp requires 110 volts. On close inspection I noticed that the voltage requirements on the back of the unit were just a paper sticker. After removing the sticker text stating 220 volts was revealed. Bingo! I opened the unit and sure enough the power transformer could be tapped to operate on 220 volts also. So no need to by a stepdown transformer and another US$5 saved.

All Power to the Soviets!*

2010-08-27T21:23:00.001+07:00

So what are the odds of me finding a spare vacuum tube (valve- Brit-English) in Phnom Penh? A Chinese version might be found, the price would be high because I am a "barang", and if it did not work, certainly no returns. That is not even considering the audio quality...

I went to our former world domination opponent (as opposed to our current one) and obtained a Sovtek 12AX7. For fun I swapped this with the tube in a preamp and yes, what a differnce. The Behringer "hand selected" tube ( technically all tubes have to be selected "by hand" to be installed) did sound different than the Sovtek. And the kicker- I liked both sounds produced. The Behringer tube had interesting upper frequency harmonics and the Sovtek was smoother overall. Luckily changing the tube is a 5 minute process.

Here's an idea for companies producing tube preamps- why not put multiple tubes so users could select different sounds created? And if you jump on the idea, please put a space on the outside wher one could mark which tube was in which respective socket.

* V.I. Lenin

GOING NATIVE: What's wrong with this picture?

2010-08-23T09:41:00.002+07:00

Cambodia's version of the "Blues" is accompanied by the "chapei". A simple two-stringed, very long-necked guitar. One shall be used during the sessions but how shall we obtain the optimum recording?

So what's wrong with this picture? If you guessed microphone placement- you right. Two Chinese copies of Shure SM58s are just tossed in front of it on tall boom stands. FYI- there are no short boom stands in use in Cambodia, trust me on this, it would make things complicated...

My idea is to certainly use microphones better suited for this instrument (and correctly placed) but also put a pickup (piezo element) on the guitar body. How can I justify spending US$50 for a decent pickup and preamp for just one song?

Easy, I found a Barcus Berry pickup on eBay for US$6 and built a preamp for another US$4. OK, I am cheap man ;-)

Today I built a Mint-box Piezo Buffer designed by Scott Helmke for use as a preamp. It functions great and gives a full sound, better than I have ever heard with stick on piezo pickup.

“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” *

2010-08-21T17:25:00.001+07:00

Old school- that's the way we're going to record this CD. Sure a computer and A/D interface will be used to record, but the magic is in pre-amplifying with tubes (valves in Brit-English). My favorite songs for quality of production are definitely from the Motown Era. Go back and listen to the clarity and warmth. Let's not reinvent the wheel, I am no Fripp, Eno, or Lilywhite so it's K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid) all the way!

* I. Newton

Borrowed Technolgy: Websurfing for ideas

2010-08-20T18:59:00.000+07:00

The internet is a nice borg of information. Two money saving ideas are the homemade pop filter and microphone shock mount. The pop filter is the top half of a plastic jar with pantyhouse covering it fastened with electrical tape. The shockmount is airduct using used BMW motorcycle o-rings to suspend the microphone.

SLAVIC ENGINEERING: Part 2 - XY stereo microphone bracket

2010-08-20T00:03:00.002+07:00

One can easily construct a XY stero mic bracket with a US$1 bracket, pipe insulation foam, and a few hose clamps. I had the foam and clamps sitting around the garage, so this was an easy build. Save another US$11!

Next home made device: The "pop" filter & shock mount combo.

SLAVIC ENGINEERING: Microwave oven recycled

2010-08-19T20:35:00.000+07:00

"Your a cheap man!" my last Cambodian gal would always say. As she went to school, watched TV, started drinking a lot, and gaining weight, I wondered where and the world she was coming from as I went off to work everyday feeling like a walking skeleton.

So I have mastered living in a recession before it happnes. One of my newest creations is the dual microphone adapter. Often at gigs in Phnom Penh the stages are tight for a 12+ musician band, and the recording studio soon to be built is no exception.

So rather than spend US $12 plus shipping, I decided to make this lightweight, heat resistant dual microphone adapter for the cost of a US$ .67 clamp! The y-adapter is the part of a microwave oven on which the glass plate rests and rotates. It has yet to be tested... but if you interested in the production technique, post a comment.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

2010-08-19T04:34:00.002+07:00

Location, oh so important in real estate markets but on a stage it is "extension cords, extension cords, extension cords!" Sure the voltage in Cambodia fluctuates from 220 down to 186 volts, and there is no earth ground for safety or to prevent equipment from humming. So why did I build and am packing my own extension cords for the recording?

Answer the riddle: How do you make an electrical plug fall out of a socket in Cambodia? Look at it! The outlets here are either from the Lon Nol era (early 1970's) or are Chinese crapola. I have bought power strips brand new in Cambodia and when I opened them, I was horrified at the poor quality and how unsafe the items were. I would have to rebuild anything I bought in Phnom Penh anyhow- so why not just do it right the first time. Oh what a novelty, real American gear I can show off.

For inspiration I am going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and then going to watch "Standing in the Shadows of Motown", the documentary about the Funk Brothers. Fix bayonettes, thriteen days until departure.

Technologies collide! 15 days until departure.

2010-08-16T20:34:00.007+07:00

Camdodia isn't that bad, it's rather entertaining. It is fun to watch daily life as this Kingdom of Buddhists go about life with a total lack for personal safety, but when technologies collide- look out! The Khmer are a stubborn bunch and do it their way. So what is "their" way- just copy what everyone esle is doing. Great for consistency, but hell to deal with as a Westerner. Expecting everything will be sub-standard and most of your time will be spent sipping beer while waiting for technical troubles to be resolved is the status quo. Here are two prime examples of audio systems used at events. As long as there is more bass frequencies louder than a lightning strike, the audio system then is deemed "professional". Please note: the bare electrical wires attract young Khmer kids like flies to honey.

DON'T TOUCH MY BAGS IF YOU PLEASE MR. CUSTOMS MAN *

2010-08-08T19:05:00.014+07:00

Having extensively searched thorugh the electronic and music stores in Phnom Penh, I can say they have a large variety of sound equipment. Problem is they all have the same Chinese copies and not anything that is useful. Those items which are necesssary form meeting a basic audio standard in live sound or recording production, are a complete mystery to the Khmers. Music shops are the same everywhere, staff ignores you and give you the impression they can't figure out why you came in the place. Customer has a question, get a standard answer- "Ot mien" (don't have).

To remedy this I have become an eBay addict spending 3 to 4 hours a day looking for equipment So lets see what I have so far for around two ben franklins...

e-MU 1616 Computer Recording Interface
Behringer Tube Ultra Gain T1953 2 channel preamp
80gB external fire wire hard drive
Shure Omniriectional Dynamic Cardoid

MXL 993 - small diaphragm condenser

MXL 991- small diaphragm condenser

Stering Audio 51- large diaphragm condenser

Realistic lavalier mic (vintage)

Realistic PZM mic (vintage)

Barcus Berry transducer pick up

CBI Direct Inout Box

Samson dual channel phantom power supply

Ultragain Mic100 Tube Preamp
Mintbox Piezo Buffers

New this would cost over US$1000, so not too bad for a start into the unknown. My only concern is not having a good microphone that can handle the high sound pressure level of the bass guitar amplifier, bass kick drum, and various horns, especially the trombone. Anyone want to sell cheaply, or donate an EV RE20 or EV D12E to this project? I would borrow one but I have no clue what it will be like going through customs in Phnom Penh. It will be my 5th trip and haven't been pulled out of the line yet.

* A.Guthrie

THERE'S ONLY 4 THINGS TO DO IN CAMBODIA...

2010-08-08T09:34:00.002+07:00

And now there is five! Welcome to the adventure of a lifetime. Follow the journey as I document what it's like to build a recording studio out of a hospital store room using the internet as a resource. Did I metion I am starting from 9,000 miles away. Soon I will have bags packed and if I didn't get it ahead of time, I will need miracles to find things in Phnom Penh. So start taking bets if this gets accomplished as I have 3 months to record 14 songs with a dozen+ musicians. So what are the four other things?