[progressive rock] Celestine Album Preview (on line)

uncloned · February 28, 2009, 23:07:29

This is a sampling of the new album from my friend Michael Barry.

Mike and I go back a long time.... we meet in '73 and started doing John Lennon (from the imagine album) and Alice Cooper together - him on an acoustic piano and I on a very cheap electric guitar.

Unlike me, my friend did make a professional career in music and has been a part of many bands and played on many albums including most famously Yezda Urfa - a progressive rock band styled on the likes of Yes and Gentle Giant (Mike is bottom lower left of the group photo).

http://home.comcast.net/~mmiller565/yuhome.htm

Many years later now he has combined his playing and composing skill with a talented and beautiful singer, Celestine. and they have been making music together.

Please understand that Mike does not want to have these songs available for download. He has invested thousands of dollars in equipment and over 6 months recording time and 4 years composing time. He does plan on selling this material. But you can listen on line via embedded flash player.

http://tinyurl.com/cvhcag

uncloned · March 01, 2009, 06:09:26

Mike's gear

as best as I can remember

#1 toy is an Yamaha Motif - the 88 key top of the line version.
Then he has two midi chained CD quality stereo audio 8 track recorders for 16 tracks.
Then a Memory Moog - which is a better version of the famous mini Moog.
A keyboard that is a dedicated B4 organ emulator.
And a really expensive microphone that has tube pre-amps.

He is taking the tracks he made to a studio for final mastering. I imagine this entails matching the sound of the songs to each other.

Mike doesn't do anything on computer except making mp3's

Everything is performed as far as I know - the drums are performed by playing -1- drum against a click track (that amazes me) so a kit is built up in several passes using the Motif.

psishock · March 07, 2009, 08:01:01

I'm not much into "cheesy" of musics, but i really must admit that she got a very professional voice, and the pieces are arranged in the same quality level.
"Long Way From Home" oh, nice progression, these pieces are not even half that disappealing as the whole thing started out for me.

uncloned · March 07, 2009, 15:33:55

Thanks for the listen Psi - I'll direct Mike here so he can read your comments.

psishock · March 07, 2009, 15:57:52

*covers his head*

uncloned · March 07, 2009, 16:00:07

Why cover your head?

I think you said nice things. let's face it - Christian music has a hard time in the secular world. That the composition, production and performance talent get past this impediment I think is evidence of quite an accomplishment!

psishock · March 07, 2009, 16:04:40

QuoteWhy cover your head?

meant to be a joke ofc.

You know that i love talking to people with nice attitude, looking forward to hear his thoughts or additional comments.

uncloned · March 08, 2009, 04:17:56

Hi Psi,

Mike had this reply

Hey Chris, Thanks for the link. He seems like an interesting fellow...The motif is correct- (an XS8) Same with the Memorymoog. Also using a Yamaha S90.( Believe it or not, it has sounds that are not included in the Motifs 1000 plus library) The hammond sounds are actually from the XS8. They sound better than the real hammond... The mic is a Neumann U87 going into a TL Audio preamp with old Telefunken 12ax7 tubes.Recorders are 2 Yamaha aw2816's MIDI'd together for 32 tracks. Using a Waves plug in card in the master recorder for analog compression, effects etc. on the final stereo track.