Going to the graveyard of potential percussion

Studio update

Im in the middle of mixing an album at the studio. Its a duo project. I have written the songs and a wonderful singer has written lyrics and sings on top. I have finished mixing one track and Im moving on to track number two tomorrow. Im hoping that the album will be finished in February and will be released on Roth Händle recordings this spring. We havent really discussed "the plan" just yet so Im waiting a bit before going public.

When Im mixing I am the worst version of myself. I mumble, scream and pace around the studio. I forget to drink coffee and eat. Imagine yourself constantly listening for errors and faults. And when you correct them you start listening to something else that is wrong. Things that work and sound good arent the focus. Mixing is also very much like spinning plates or a house of cards. Everything is very fragile and interdependant. I am always stressed out when Im mixing...like Im on the verge of losing something. The magic was there and I lost it. If you get the vocals up you might loose some oomph in the rhythm. If they are too low you find yourself struggling to hear what she is singing...but maybe thats mysterious and sexy....? Reverbs, distortion, eqs all struggle to have their say. Its all a mess.

So when I mix I try to take breaks and go for walks or go swimming so that when I get back I have fresh ears and can actualy "hear" the music. Today I went to a car salvage yard to look for percussion instruments. I walked around banging on things with a wrench. Al the cars were pretty beat up with parking tickets on the window, scratched CDs in the backseat. If there had been a single drum stick rolling around it could have been my car. But before I knew it I started noticing that all of the cars had blown out airbags and police stickers. Apparently most of the cars were from accidents or were "found" and all of a sudden my "fun" excursion wasnt so "fun" anymore. It just became very eerie. It felt like I was walking around in a very weird graveyard with the death causes in plain sight. Very depressing.

So I went back and finished the mix instead. Now on to the next one...!