the Second Story

Working on Arrangements

Wade Baynham — Thu, 12 May 2011 03:43:10 +0000

I was working on stuff for the new Emmaus Way project… a follow up to Rite 7, and was thinking about how I’ve refined my work on arrangements over the years. I’ve been recording since my college days, and in those 20-plus years, I’ve kind of found a rhythm of working on things that I’ve needed to arrange when I haven’t had a band or other players handy. When I started recording multiple parts myself, I felt like I needed to come up with the most ripping parts for everything before I could began; and I would be really frustrated. I am almost never the guy with the ripping parts.

But, I ran across and interview with Brian Eno where he mentioned that he would rather make a record with good musicians, who were barely able to play the instruments they were recording with–rather than their instrument of greatest skill, because they were more prone to play the simplest thing they could play that also worked on the song.

It got me thinking, and I realized, while listening to a lot of arrangements of the folk/rock/pop music that I liked, that this was a window into how these great records were arranged. And many times the simplest arrangements were the most brilliant– it was only later that I learned how hard it can be to create a brilliant arrangement with the most simple parts : )

I’m certainly not discounting a great performance or solo, but for the bulk of what’s in a song, the meat and potatoes really is more what you need, and ‘simpler’ stays out of the way of other parts more easily. Your ear can only take in so much at one time, and a solid, simple part gives the spotlight a chance to make it’s way around the arrangement, and it makes mixing a whole lot easier.

So today, I worked on bass, guitar, dobro, mando, violin and vocals; and every time I started to feel bad about not having some killer idea, I tried to remember Mr. Eno and his very helpful advice.

working on podcasts

Wade Baynham — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:52:09 +0000

I’ve just had the pleasure of uploading a podcast from easter at Emmaus Way, where the music included Dale Baker, Tim Carless, Sarah Busman and Mike Garrigan, along with me for the service. The recording was done in Cubase off of a small 8 channel board and a stereo rode mic in the room. You can check it out at emmausway.net under podcasts for April 24th. I did the editing and mastering here at the Second Story, and was really happy with how it came out. These folks are a pleasure to hear play!

Mark Williams

Wade Baynham — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 01:54:28 +0000

Also played a bass part for the upcoming record from Mark Williams… don’t know if it will make the cut but you all will like it!

Recording with Shannon Baynham Geiger

Wade Baynham — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 01:51:38 +0000

I had the pleasure to work on a version of ‘by way of sorrows’ by julie miller with my sister last week… guitars, upright bass, and mando along with vocals. lots of fun!

Kris Hixson and Chiefs of Staff

Wade Baynham — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:19:25 +0000

had a really good week of working on mastering for the new kris hixson record. kris is an executive producer with i-40 films, and has been working on these songs for several years; he is really looking forward to getting these songs shined up and out in the world. i’m really happy to have been a part of this project along with mark williams, dale baker, mike garrigan, jamie mcfarland and others.

also, had a chance to get the chiefs of staff back into the studio again, working on their release for 2011. east chapel hill high school has some talented folks who do a capella music and put out their own releases every year. you can look for their’s and the alley cat’s in the spring!

‘We’ the new record by Wade is up on amazon, itunes, etc.

Wade Baynham — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:03:14 +0000

Hey Folks,

Wanted to let you know that we are live, and up at your media outlets of choice! Thanks for all of your support of ‘We’ and thanks to Tim Carless for a great time on his radio show yesterday on WCOM 103.5 Carrboro : )

On WCOM with Tim Carless tomorrow Dec 10

Wade Baynham — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:29:01 +0000

Hey Y’all,

I’m going to join Tim Carless tomorrow, Friday Dec. 10, on his weekly radio show on WCOM Carrboro 103.5 FM, wcomfm.org. His show is from 9 to 11, and I’ll be joining him from 10 to 11, where I’ll play a song live, and discuss some of my influences with Tim. He is a long-time DJ, and a walking encyclopedia of music. He’s also a great producer, musician and writer, if you don’t know him. It should be fun!

Working on Strings this Week

Wade Baynham — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:31:49 +0000

I’ve had the pleasure of working on cello and violin parts all week for a great-sounding project that Mike Garrigan has been producing. Sight reading after so much improvising and playing by ear for projects has been a stretch for me and my back , but it’s been a lot of fun as well. I hope to do more of it…

Emmaus Way A Rite for Advent

Wade Baynham — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:29:39 +0000

Hey Y’all, If you haven’t had a chance to check out this new record that we just finished for Advent, head on over to emmausway.bandcamp.com to listen to the tunes and download the songs. We had some incredible local folks jump in on the recordings; and the songs are meant to care for you in all stages of Advent this year. We recorded it at the Second Story, in our big room, and had a lot of fun with everyone dodging cables, mics and music stands. I am really grateful to these folks for their talent and availability to make this happen this year.

It’s really been a dream come true for me to be able to make a record like this. If any of you are interested more in the nuts and bolts of how we recorded this project from mics to preamps to plugins, I’d be happy to bore you with the details : )

Contact: studio@wadebaynham.com

Wade Baynham — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:03:17 +0000

Wade has been producing, engineering, and a performing artist for more than 20 years. He would love to talk with you about your original project.