Happy Halloween!

Episode 10 - Rick Shriver Interview Pt. 2, Plus Trivia Prize Announcement!

Professor Rick Shriver

This is episode 10 of The Metal Shop Podcast! In this episode, I talk with Professor Rick Shriver about studio overkill, portable recording, and more!  Rick Shriver is my former professor at Ohio University's Zanesville branch campus, and is the head of the Electronic Media Department.

TRIVIA PRIZE ANNOUNCEMENT:
I've decided on a prize for the trivia questions in the show!  The winners will now recieve a digital copy of my Solo Album!  Check out my web site to preview the entire album!

Enjoy the show? If you like it, write me at metalshoppodcast@yahoo.com, or check me out on myspace at myspace.com/metalshoppodcast. Don't forget to check out the Youtube channel at youtube.com/metalshoppodcast!  And you can now keep up with my daily behind the scenes activities by reading the Metal Shop Myspace Blog at blog.myspace.com/metalshoppodcast!  And finally, you can discuss all things Metal(shop) over at the Metal Shop Forum, which is over at metalshoppodcast.myfastforum.org/!

[All music in this episode was original music that I, Brandon S. Hire, had a hand in writing and recording.  The music bed at the beginning and end of the show was created specifically for this podcast, while the music bed at the beginning and end of the Rick Shriver Interview is a song called Blinded, and was recorded by me at OU's multi-track lab in 2003-2004!]           

[Download Mp3]

Equipment used on Siddius session.

I'll try to get a list from Siddius of their equipment so I can tell you all what they were running through, but here's a list of what I used to record the band last night.

Drums:

Kick Drum - Shure SM7B
Snare - Shure SM57
Floore Tom - Shure PG57
Two Rack Mounted Toms - Audio Technica AT2020
Overhead - Shure KSM27

Bass Amp:

Direct Line Out Of The Bass Head
15" Speaker - Sennheiser E906
15" Speaker (from about two feet back - Shure KSM27
10" Speaker - Shure SM57

Guitar Amp 1:

Top Left (4x12 Cab) - Shure SM57
Bottom Left (4x12 Cab) - Audio Technica AT2020

Guitar Amp 2:

Top Left (4x12 Cab) - Shure SM57
Top Right (4x12 Cab) - Sennheiser E606

Vocals:

Track 1 - Shure SM7B
Track 2 - Sennheiser E606
Track 3 (the evil laughing track) - Shure KSM27

It was all recorded onto the BOSS BR1600CD.  The bass was an Ibanez, but I don't have the model number.  The guitars were both Jackson guitars. Guitar amp 1 was a peavy, but I don't have the model number.  Guitar amp 2 was a marshall MGD100 head and cab.  The distortion came from a BOSS floor processor, but I don't have the model number.

Can't wait to get some tracks from it up for you guys.

Siddius Recording Session

I just finished recording a song for a local metal band called Siddius.  These are great guys, all very talented, and the recording process was a lot of fun.

I recorded the song using the BOSS BR-1600CD as part of my review of the item.  Killing several small pigeons with one massive piece of flint, I also tried out some of the mics that are on loan to me for various applications.  For instance, the Shure SM7B works great for a kick drum mic!  The Sennheiser E606 works great when combined with the SM57 for a heavy guitar tone, and it also works great for backup vocals when using a windscreen!  And the Shure KSM27 is a killer mic for getting a room full of doofuses all laughing histarically for a song atmosphere element!

The session was also a good lesson in how to get around your limitations!  I only had one overhead on the drums (KSM27), and I only had one mic for the two rack mounted toms (AT2020).  My PG57 was taped to an old cymbal stand (due to lack of mic stands) and put on the floor tom.  The SM57 was used on the snare, and the SM7B on the kick.  The whole reason for the funky configuration was a lack of available mic stands and cables, but there are ways around those limitations which I'll discuss on the show down the road!

I had fun.  The BR-1600CD held up really well.  I found a few things I didn't like about it, but you'll hear them in my future podcast review of the item.

Rock on, and keep a weather eye on the horizon for episode 10 of The Metal Shop!

Finally - A Prize For The Metal Shop Trivia!

I've decided on a prize to give out for The Metal Shop's trivia question.







.....









......






Well you don't expect me to ruin the surprise now do you?! I mean, hell you can wait til the next show to come out! Hahahahaha!

Episode 10 coming soon. Yeah, Already!

I know that since episode 4 I've been lucky if I could get an episode out once a month.  But that's the beauty of having the Rick Shriver interview edited already!  I just have to cut into the show the part I wanna use, and add the beginning and end banter!  I'll try to get it done within a week of last week's show.

Keep it Metal!

No rest for the wicked!

Yes, that's right. I posted episode 9 just earlier today, and I'm already editing down the second segment of the Rick Shriver interview.

Speaking of the interview, I hope you all enjoyed it. Neil-O-Mac said he sounds like an interesting chap (Neil's from Scotland), and I agree. He was fun to study under.

Keep tuned in. More to come soon!

Thanks again to Niel-o-Mac's Music Attack!

Neil-O-Mac's Music Attack included the promo I made for The Metal Shop in their latest episode! So thanks Neil MacDougal for helping promote the show.

Check out the attack right here!

New video on the youtube channel, thanks to Niel-O-Mac!

Neil-O-Mac sent me this video. It's not really showing anything other than Dream Theatre playing the song in the lab, so maybe I'll make a playlist for videos shot in the studio. For now, it's in the "Bands In The Lab" playlist. But it's pretty cool to watch the band perform it, considering that all the processing has already been done to everything. Enjoy!

One thing I really liked seeing that I want to point out is that at the end of the song, the bassist switches from using his fingers to using a pick. The reason I point this out is that it changes the bass tone, helping to create a wall of bass sound that really fits with the guitars and drums at that point in the song.

Episode 9 - Rick Shriver Interview Pt. 1, Plus Pandora Mixes!

Professor Rick Shriver

This is episode 9 of The Metal Shop Podcast! In this episode, I talk with Professor Rick Shriver about recording, podcasting, microphones, and Malaysia. Rick Shriver is my former professor at Ohio University's Zanesville branch campus, and is the head of the Electronic Media Department.

Rick mentions samples of Malay instruments that he recorded while spending a year in Malaysia. He's offering the recordings up to you for use as samples, or whatever else you can come up with. He asks that if you use them, please give him credit and please write to me at metalshoppodcast@yahoo.com to let he and I know about it. We'd like to hear it after all!

- Click here to go to Rick's website and download the sampled audio! - The audio doesn't play in Firefox on my PC, so if you have problems, try Internet Explorer. They worked there for me.

Rick sent me this picture of the mic he's using in his home studio.

We also hear from Uncle Bonehead, who has submitted 4 mixes of Pandora. He tells us how he did it and what he used in an audio comment! You'll only hear snippits of the mixes in the show, so check out this flash player to hear all 4 mixes from start to finish!

And don't forget to listen to The Unkle Bonehead Show!

Enjoy the show? If you like it, write me at metalshoppodcast@yahoo.com, or check me out on myspace at myspace.com/metalshoppodcast. Don't forget to check out the Youtube channel at youtube.com/metalshoppodcast! And you can now keep up with my daily behind the scenes activities by reading the Metal Shop Myspace Blog at blog.myspace.com/metalshoppodcast! And finally, you can discuss all things Metal(shop) over at the Metal Shop Forum, which is over at metalshoppodcast.myfastforum.org/!

[All music in this episode was original music that I, Brandon S. Hire, had a hand in writing and recording. The music bed at the beginning and end of the show was created specifically for this podcast, while the music bed at the beginning and end of the Rick Shriver Interview is a song called Hiding, and was recorded by my band Day Nine in 2006 at Audition Studios in Circleville Ohio!]

[Download Mp3]

Episode 9 Update!

Episode 9 is so close I can practically taste it. Sit tight folks. Just a few more touches on it.

The Scoop On Episode 9 Regarding My Server Issues.

So episode 9 will be posted on both podomatic.com and gcast.com.  No matter which feed you're subscribed to, it'll be sent to you.

However, after that I'm going to change the feedburner feed to reference gcast.com instead of podomatic.com.  Then I'll post a notice on podomatic.com in the form of an audio file.  The notice will be your alert that you're on the wrong feed address.  I'll also post one on gcast.com telling you that you've got it right, and you don't need to do anything to keep getting the new episodes of the show.

So either way, you'll know if you need to change feeds.

Best thing to do is cut it off at the pass and make sure you're feed address is feeds.feedburner.com/themetalshop.

Rock on!

Episodes 9, 10, and 11.

In the next three episodes, I'll be playing parts of the interview I had with my former professor from OU-Z, Professor Rick Shriver.  Episode 9 is almost done, so sit tight.  Episodes 10 and 11 won't be hard to put together because most of the interview is already edited together.

Oh, and Episode 9 will feature 4 listener mixes of Pandora, the song I recorded for episode 6.

After that, I'll be posting the episode on recording acoustic guitars.  I wanna space that segment out away from Home Recording Odyssey's current episode on the same topic.

Sit tight.  Keep it metal!

The DEN Timeslot Info

Looks like The Metal Shop Podcast, as well as other music industry podcasts that join the roster later on, will be played on The Doogz Entertainment Network weekdays at 7:00 eastern time!  So far, episode 1 of The Metal Shop was played at least once on The DEN!  Episode 1 will be replayed each night this week at 7:00 eastern, and you can tune in by heading over to Doogz.net

For those of you who just are scanning this for a quick link to The DEN:

Tune In To The DEN!

Fuck Podomatic.com!

For any of you who may have tried to download episodes of The Metal Shop over the last coupla days, I apologize.  The fact of the matter is that I ran out of bandwidth for the month on podomatic because of each and every one of you awesome listeners downloading the show!  SWEEEEEEET!

Anyway, podomatic extended me a 7 day grace period, but it ended two days short of my bandwidth being reset.  Think they coulda maybe helped a brother out with two extra days?  lol.

So anyone who downloaded the show before last night at midnight would've received a recording of a British man trying to get you to donate to my show so I could afford more bandwidth!

Well, now I'm back up and running.  Another episode is in the works too.  And I'm going to be switching to another server, as I've discussed in my blog before.  So keep tuned in for changes.

Oh, if you subscribed using the podomatic.com rss feed, you may wanna make sure you re-subscribe using the gcast.com feed address that's listed on themetalshop.info!

Rock on, and keep it metal!

Tune In To The DEN!

The Metal Shop Podcast will soon be syndicated on The Doogz Entertainment Network (The DEN) at doogz.net!  The station is run by a friend of mine, and he's looking for podcasters to include in a timeslot dedicated to the music industry.  You'll remember the DEN promo that I played in the last Metal Shop episode, well I made that promo for him.  the promo mentions that he's also looking for DJ's, so if you've ever wanted to be a DJ without the limitations of the FCC, this is your chance!  You can fill out the DJ application over at doogz.net, like my frien Uncle Bonehead did!  he may be on the DEN soon!  And it looks like PSN may also be syndicated on The DEN along with The Metal Shop!

More details on timeslots will be coming soon!  Keep it metal!

BOSS BR-1600 CD

Roland US just sent me their BOSS BR-1600CD for a 30 day period. I've been waiting for this one! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! lol!

Shure Mics and 2008!

Ok, it's October, which means my 90 days with the Shure Mics ends on the 28th.  So I wrote to the guy who sent them asking him if that matched his records (I don't wanna be charged for them after all!  lol).

Well, he just told me he'd give me til the end of the year with them.  Don't know why, but don't care.  lol.  SWEET!

Brainstorming For New Show Ideas.

I recently started working on a mix for a song called Hiding.  It's from my band Day Nine.  I just may use an example or two from this recording in a segment about mixing drums.  I also may use it to showcase the free plugins I use.

That's just a couple of ideas in the works.  Tell me what you wanna hear!

Rick Shriver Interview In The Editing Phase!

I've just finished chopping down my 1:42:00 conversation with my former professor Rick Shriver into 3 different show segments. I've also edited all the mistakes out of the third of those segments. Maybe tomorrow, I'll be able to get to the other two. But in the mean time, rest easy knowing that the next string of shows is on your heels!

The Metal Shop To Be Sydnicated On The DEN!

The Doogz Entertainment Network, official sponsor of The Metal Shop Podcast, will be syndicating The Metal Shop on it's internet radio station! Time slot information is still in the works, as Doogz.net is looking for more podcasters to syndicate. They are hoping to have a show focusing on music industry tips, and will play various podcasts (such as The Metal Shop) that deal with areas of the music industry!

Keep tuned in to this blog for details, and Tune In To The Den at doogz.net!

Update on my monitor situation.

Weird.............

I had uplugged the left monitor that was fried.  I took it off the desk and set it aside for a few days.  Just now, for the hell of it, I plugged it back in.

IT WORKS!  HELL YEAH!  Hoping it doesn't shut down again. lol.

Looks like I’ll be using headphones til I can afford new monitors! lol!

Fortunatly, the monitor of mine that fried was the one on the left. That one is completely passive, getting it's signal from the right monitor, as well as it's power. I've still got the right monitor. Maybe I can find a lefty on ebay?!

Either way, the right one still works so I can use that for quick reference. And.......it has a headphones input so I can mix through my headphones IN STEREO! I'm not totally fucked! YAY!

Hopefully I've finished with a mix I've been working on for a client. If so, I'll get to work on the next string of episodes. Keep it metal!

Monitor Troubles

My left monitor on my Roland MA-8's just went out on me. FUCK! This is really bad because I have a mix to finish that I've been working on for a while (but keep hitting roadblocks like pc problems, illness, ect). And furthermore, I have no money to go spend on monitors. This sucks.

Well, I'll be considering my options. Anyone know of any insane deals?

Updated Blog Appearance

FYI, I've customized the blog look and feel.

Files Are Up On Gcast!

So I've uploaded the shows to G-cast.com.  Turns out they do give you a page for your show, unlike what I previously thought, but you don't have any editing control over it and it's pretty bland.  I think I'll keep my web site.

But if any of you care enough to do this, feel free to go over to gcast and listen to the show there.  Let me know if you notice any downgrade in the audio quality.

Here's the link.
http://www.gcast.com/u/hiremedia/themetalshop

Rock on!

Have The Myspace Spammers Run Out Of Ideas?

Come on, you can do better!  

New episode update.

Just so you all know, I'm working on this bandwidth issue, as well as a few other things not involving the show directly, and when that's all said and done I'll get to work on another show.

I'm brainstorming though. Keep it metal.

Bandwidth, and a possible change in servers.

As mentioned in a previous blog, the show has eaten up all the free bandwidth that Podomatic.com would give me.  This came as a direct result of my simul-podcast with Big Al from PSN, as I got quite a few new subscribers after that.

It's kinda funny, cause Podomatic.com hasn't cut off my feed yet.  I've used 16.1 gb of my 15gb of bandwidth this month, and it doesn't reset for another 8 days.  I'm checking it often to see if they pull the plug on me, and in the mean time I'm uploading the files onto a backup feed over at g-cast.com.  They don't charge, have unlimited space and bandwidth restrictions, and are easy to use.  BUT, they don't offer stats.  However, since my feed would be re-directed from them to feedburner.com, no one would have the g-cast feed url, and feedburner would keep track of my stats for me.  For that reason, I'm thinking about making the switch back to g-cast.  I used them for my old "Music Industry Tips" podcast, and I really liked them.  We'll see what happens with podomatic.

Website Updates.....

I'm working on some new idea's for the web site.  Anyone have any ideas that would be cool?  Even if you read this one year from now, but have a cool idea, let me know about it!  I may implement it!

Here's what I've got so far, as far as idea's go.  I'm surfing other podcast websites to get these, btw.  Seems like some good ideas being used elsewhere, may as well give them a shot here.

Meet The Host
This would be ny bio page, where I list my other activities and tell a little about me.

Contact
Well Duh.  This page would include links to contact me at Myspace, The Metal Shop Forum, Email, and maybe eventually a number for fans to leave phone messages.

Forums
This page would contain a direct link to The Metal Shop Forum, and maybe a couple of other forums that I hang out at like the HRO forum.  Not sure yet.

Promote the show
This page would include promotional goodies for the fans, including links to download mp3 promos of the show for use on other podcasts and such, as well as codes for html banners, and codes for html flash players that play individual episodes of the show, or the entire feed.

Behind The Scenes
This would be a link directly to this blog so that people can read the behind the scenes happenings.

That's all I've got so far.  Let me know if you have any good ones.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who's subscribed to the blog.  You rule!