Studio update

On Dec 7th 2008
We started setting up for drum tracking at 6pm till 10pm
and did a few test tracks for mic placement reference.

Dec 8th
We started working on the track at 3pm but had to deal with a few tech issues,
so after we worked out the problems at about 5:30pm we were ready for tracking.
Ace knocked out 12 drum tracks (12 songs) in 5 hours (5:30pm-11:00pm)

Dec 10th through Dec 14th
I start mixing and cleaning up drum tracks in my studio,
on average about 8 hours a day.
So a total of about 37 hours of drum work including the 5 hour drum tracking.

Dec 15th - Dec 17th
Checking my guitar tone, fingers start bleeding ... about 10 hours of just fucking with
mic placement, EQs, checking final tone at the mastering stage.

Dec 18th - Dec 19th
Henry comes over with Ace!
Me and Henry start setting up Bass for Tracking at 8:00pm.
We had a few tech issues but resolved them at about 10:00pm,
So official tracking from 10:30pm and worked all night till 6:00 am.
Session from 8pm-6am, Seven and a half hours of bass tracking for 12 songs.
It was a long night but time just flew by, Very fun.


Studio work hour break-down: about 47 hours! :( Still have to edit bass, Track my guitar
and Monstars guitar, Main Vocals, Chorus vocals, Backup vocals, and mixing and mastering.
Cutting a 12 song album and doing all the mastering/mixing/engineering/editing
by myself takes up alot of time, but well worth it especially when working with awesome people.
This is about the journey not the destination, but luckily the journey leads to a full-length album :P




Dec 19th
Writing this blog to keep you all updated with whats going on with us.

Im going to need to take a couple of days before i start editing the bass tracks
and start guitar tracking. Ear fatigue... fingers almost healed... guitar tracking very soon.


Well another blog without all the filler, just basic robot information.
I would like to elaborate on the experience of the session but as you just read,
i have been very busy.

Back in the studio tracking!

Back in my studio!
Well today we start test tracking drums and start working on the album tomorrow.
So for the next 3 weeks or so, ill be engineering and i plan to be mastering in early January. Everything should be done (Manufacturing wise) in Feb so if you would like to get information on Pre-Orders sign up on our e-mailing list on www.hellnightrecords.com




Info on the album.
Guitar and Vocals: Ray Treason (Ray Mena)
Bass second vocals: Henry T
Second Guitar and back-up vocals: Monstar
Drums: Ace Hernandez

Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by: Ray Mena A.K.A Ray Treason

All songs writen by: Ray Mena

Official Website: www.hellnightrecords.com

Kick Start Devils Show! Thursday Dec 4th: [ $1.00 Draft beer!]

Just wanted to let you know that we will be performing at The Hippodrome (321 Alvarado St D Monterey, California 93940) on Thursday Dec 4th, doors open at 9:00pm. Also, it's dollar drink night. Draft beer and well drinks are only $1.00, So bring all your friends and have a good time!

You can check out some of our music on our myspace or on our official website at www.hellnightrecords.com for more music.

-
Kick Start Devils
myspace.com/kickstartdevils
hellnightrecords.com

Why i have been M.I.A on this blog.

It's been awhile since i've had time and the desire to post a new blog.
So, since my last update i've been doing a few things. I've been trying out some new studio programs for multi-tracking and wave editing. For my home studio/mastering set up i have always used adobe audition (back in the day CoolEdit) since i first started using PC music editing back in 1999. I've tried protools and some other popular studio tracking/editing/mastering software, but they just dont feel right compared to CE/AA. YES! I can feel software! I'm sure all of you that have spent atleast 800 hours plus know what i'm talking about.

So the past week i've tried close to about 10 programs for tracking and about 5 of them were completely free, no charge, and the rest were trials. Only one of them came close to the feel and set up to CE/AA, not going to mention which one because it was still wasnt very good. External editor FOR THE LOSE! So there was a huge problem with the software not being able to work in a non-destructive environment.

So why am i blogging this?
Because! in early to mid December we will be back in my home studio tracking an album. We are planning to track drums at Henry's house and the rest at my house.

I just bought a Sennheiser kick drum mic and cant wait to play with it. I've never used a Sennheiser for tracking or even used one at any of our shows, but from what i've read it delivers a nice clean fat sound toward the bottom end of the Hz. Unlike the whore of the kick industry (AKG D112) which is an amzing kick mic, it doesnt have a slight boost @ 4khz. BUT RAY! that helps get the click in the mix! and helps the kick sit in the mix... Yeah i know, thats not the point, I love a fat thump kick that sits in the mix and doesnt turn the kick into a cardboard box. I like tracking the kick, not a bag of popcorn.
I'm not saying that AKG is sub-par in any way cause its an amzing kick mic, i just wanted to try something different.
I wanted a kick mic that has a good low end natural sound. I can't wait to fuck with this mic, i just hope its not a let-down...


So i've been planning out the session...

Tracking, Mixing, and Mastering should be done by Feb 2009, so get ready cause we will be offering pre-orders as soon as the album is Mixed and Mastered. We will send out pre-orders as soon as we get the CDs from the factory. Release date will be set sometime after our tour, so pre-orders get them ahead of time of the release date. (subject to change)

I've also been working on the Album's Artwork, no one has seen it yet (referring to the band members), waiting till it's complete before i show them cause why waste their time looking at something thats incomplete.

Also, i'm planning on venturing into the film production sector. I've been looking at tons of digital video camcorders and software film editors. Found some really low cost cams that i'm planning on buying. It would be great to get more live footage from the shows we play and upload them to our Youtube channel. Not sure what song we will be shooting a video for yet, but it will be whatever is picked to go on our radio promo. I've been thinking about what song we will be recording and what the video would look like. Tons of ideas, but since i have no idea what song will be picked i haven't sat down to story board it.

I've been planning out a two week tour in California and Nevada in support of the album. Trying to see if mid to late March is do-able for the band. It's looking like 12-14 show dates in those two weeks With two days off. Since shit changes not sure how many dates we can get or exacly what date the tour will start on. Work in progress... and of course i'll keep you all posted cause we will need your support if you get a chance to make it out to one of our tour dates.


So hope this post makes up for the dead air the past weeks.

Feel free to post questions or comments.

Attention Bands

If you are in a band and would like to play in Monterey County contact me.
Some venues let us bring in other bands and if you give me your info i can keep it on file. Not every band that contacts me will get a show, but if we need a band we will know who to contact. Some shows might be on short notice, within one to two weeks of the event. The majority of shows are usually on Thursdays and Sundays.
If we can get you on the bill, please do some type of promotion. It will benefit everyone.

Leeching bands: don't bother contacting me. We've dealt with alot of bands who always want shows, but never return the favor. It's one thing if your band can't hook other bands up for shows, but it's another when you're only out for yourself.
Also, bands that expect to make a fortune off a show would have better luck on American Idol. If you're trying to sell your band, try Ebay.

Don't be discouraged in contacting us for shows for your band if you don't know a promoter or venue to hook up other bands. We know how hard it can be to get booked and this is why i'm compiling a list of bands who would be interested in playing some shows in Monterey county.

How to submit your band's info:
Go to www.hellnightrecords.com and click on "Contact us" on the left of the website. Submit the information below by copying and pasting in the contact form. Select Ray Treason in the "Attention" drop-down box. We will be checking out your band's music to make sure all bands fit the bill, because an acoustic band on the same bill as a grindcore band might not work.

Band Name:
Contact Name (please include an email and/or phone number):
City you are from:
Your website/Myspace:
Youtube Channel:
URL/Link to your band's promo picture:
URL/Link to your band's Logo:

Upcoming Show [November 16th]

Please help get the word out about this event and pass this info to your friends.

Kick Start Devils show.

11-16-2008 8:00PM at The Hippodrome
321 Alvarado St D, Monterey, Ca

For more information go to:
www.hellnightrecords.com
www.myspace.com/kickstartdevils

Tonight at the Halloween Party in Soledad, Ca.

It was really cool to play here in Soledad, If you noticed where we have played we've played some really cool places, but Soledad is my fav. I got to see some old friends i grew up with, that was my favorite part of the night. I got to talk to my old friends Freddy, Bobby, and Boner. i haven't spoke with them in years, maybe even a decade, its good to see that they are doing well. I hope to see them again sometime really soon.

Also, X came down from san fransisco, he was on tour in Europe for a while. He was working with Nekromantix and a few other bands on tour, I havent seem him in over a year. We were talking about a new project he is going to be working on, so you all should keep an eye out for it. When i get more info on his new project you can bet i'll be listing it on our website.
I think its fucking awesome that he has been going out there and travling all over doing what he loves, its so cool to see someone from our area really making it out there!

Well enough blogging for now my beer is getting warm.