Great North - Organ

Oh I missed a day! I was caught up in Pedal Steel excitement! The Saturday before we tracked Pedal Steel Hayden added the piano part to the new version of Spring Tide and then we recorded the Organ for the whole album.

I realised that the Leslie cable I have on the back of the organ is crazy long so I managed to put the Leslie speaker in the hallway as an isolation room so lounge noises didn't interrupt recording too much. I also set up a mic next to Hayden and a mic next to me so we could easily talk to each other seeing as we had lots of organ to record and it would be easier than coming back and forth to discuss parts (just like in a real studio with 2 rooms and a talkback)

Great North - Pedal Steel

Yesterday Matt Hutching came over and added some Pedal Steel to a few tracks to make the Great North album extra country. Its such a beautiful and complicated instrument. I want one. Matt played through a Fender Blues Jr, which I recorded with both my Nady Ribbon and an MD421. I'll probably use the MD421 as the main mic in the mix. I chose it over the over an SM57 because it tends to sound slightly scooped in the mids and has a smoother high end that the pedal steel requires.

Also I borrowed this lovely 12 string from Hollie (aka Tiny Ruins) to add as another layer on the song we recorded banjo for the other day. Theres only a few more parts to do before we finish this album, which is good news because its being released soon!

Great North

One of the many recording faces of Hayden Donnell. He had just re-recorded guitar and then vocals for a song for the album that had a little timing issue, but we decided it would be better to start again with it. Then we doubled some guitars on a couple of other songs.

Hayden is obviously really excited about the prospect of more recording this weekend.

Great North - Banjo Recording

This is Steph, wife of Strahan from Great North and recent owner of a banjo. I thought banjo might sound nice in one of the songs so got her to have a play around and she came in and recorded her part yesterday.

Its funny how one part can completely change a song. Lead me to the light had been dragging a bit, but now the Banjo gives it momentum and makes the chords more ambiguous.