The Making of "The Rise and Fall of The Songwriter" Album
This webpage will summarise the lessons learned from creating the music for The Fluffy Jackets' third album, "The Rise and Fall of The Songwriter" (2024). Produced between 2020 and 2024, this album marks the first project completed at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio. The content is derived from detailed recording notes taken during the recording and mixing of each song.
In the notes below, you will find insights on the songwriting, recording process, the hardware equipment used (such as microphones, pre-amps, guitars, amps, and pedals), and detailed notes on production and mixing techniques. This encompasses engineering methods, the use of digital plug-ins, EQ settings, compression techniques, and the addition of various effects.
Click on the song titles to learn how each track was recorded and mixed:
The below are some of the lessons learned from producing and mixing "The Rise and Fall of The Songwriter" (2024) album.
1. Use one hat at a time! If you are doing the whole "job" yourself (songwriting, performing, engineering, recording, producing, mixing, mastering, website, social media, shop, marketing, etc), it’s very helpful to compartmentalise the different tasks. In other words, do not attempt to do everything at once. It is easy to be overwhelmed with the amount of work involved, and the things you should think about. If you are in the vocal booth on the microphone you should never wear the "engineer cap" - but the "singer-cap" to get the best performance, etc.
2. The value of writing down "recording notes" (keeping track of progress!) Keep one easy-accessible document in the cloud, in order to write and update a "to do list". This will help you track progress on each song, incl. ongoing mixing / recording notes. I found it useful to keep the "recording notes" on a cloud-based server, so that I quickly could go in and add ideas for the song production whilst out on the road etc. Not only that, but I also used this for noting down the overall goals and thoughts with the overall record, so that I could go back and look at my goals to see "am I on the right path with what I am doing today". I found this recording notes very useful, as it often could go a month between each time I got the chance (or inspiration) to go back to a particular song. It was of great value to go back to the written recording notes, see what guitars I used to record with, how far I got with the vocal production, see my notes on reference tracks, if the vocals were done tuning, or if they needed cross-fades, volume ride, etc. Many times, you will be interupted in a session - such as picking up kids from school, taking out stuff from the washing machine. So, after such a break it is useful to be able to read up on the latest thing you did, and get right back to where you were in terms of the song production.
3. Songwriting Spend time on getting the words right. It is advisable to keep each lyric sheet in the cloud, so you can add/change words easily and "on-the-go" as and when inspiration hits. (this is separate to the recording notes)
4. Recording - in general A good performance will always beat trying to "fix it in the mix", so the advice is to get it right the first time! For more recording lessons, check out The Fluffy Jackets' feature on Studio Workflow and Mixing.
5. Recording vocals Commit to one Lead Vocal track (LV) before starting Backing Vocals (BV). Recording the full song in one session will help maintain consistency (recording vocals on different days can result in varying sounds due to natural voice variations and environmental factors like humidity and temperature).
6. Guitars
Pan rhythm guitars hard L and hard R (general advice).
7. Bass Recording: If you are outsourcing bass overdubs, make the drums louder in the mix - or send separate drum stem. This will help the bassist maintaining a good groove. Make sure that the song structure - especially drums are finished BEFORE you send the track for external bass overdubs. Mixing: split the signal into low end vs. high end. Treat low end with Kick-drum in mind + add coloring (amps) to top end signal. When mixing low end, do not remove the very low bass frequencies when accommodating the Kick Drum (usualy at 60Hz) - instead making the bass dip around that space (carve out space for the Kick).
8. Drums Create space for the Kick vs other tracks in the mix (control low-end, especially versus the bass). Kick and Snare are most important (place them Center, make these sound good with Bass + same volume as Rhythm guitar), pan Toms and High Hats L-R (to suit the song / general advice). Use Waves L2 plugin (slightly!) to control peaks / avoid digital clipping.
9. "The Slippery Fader Move" and "Tricking the Brain" Create interest in the chorus by making that louder vs. the verses, this can be done by increasing width of backing vocals, or increasing vocal volume in the chorus - or simply by increasing the overall volume during the chorus part of the song. If there is one instrument you want to feature, you can make it loud at the beginning, but then reduce the sound, as the brain will then be able to follow that instrument, even if the volume is later turned down. This is useful when you have a busy mix and want to feature different parts at different times.
10. Mix with purpose! Sing the different part of the song (if you sing the melody, then you will understand what the key instrument is in that particular track). Make sure your mix convey the overall feeling and the key parts in the mix. Make the cool parts of the song stand out even more!
11. Master BUS compression I like to use the Waves SSL plugin "11 Lillywhite Mix Buss" which has 4:1 compression at 300 attack and .1 release. I got this idea from the legendary mixing engineer Bob Clearmountain famously use his hardware SSL G-Master Bus Compressor, with Attack = 100 and Release = .300. He use a compression ratio of 2:1 for ballads and 4:1 for rock songs, where the mix needs to "pump" a little more. I also find it useful to apply the L2 Peak Limiter - the “Dave Pensado” small boost preset - on the Master BUS because this tiny boost sounds good in most situations, and prevents the song from accidentally going into digital clipping.
12. Crossfade check Make sure you fix for crossfades (avoiding clicks).
13. Back up - export files to the cloud? Keep a back up of each track as you go along (computers do crash!).
14. Check your mix on different sound systems - Soundcloud, etc. Prior to release, export your track to a private Soundcloud area, and check your final mix on different sound systems (playback in car, in living room, etc). Finalise the audio for consistent volume and tone across all devices. Also check particularly the low end, listen for unwanted sounds, clicks (needing crossfades), overall volume / balance, if you hear errors etc.
15. Vinyl releases need separate mastering For vinyl release, prepare separate masters (Vinyl = you need a mastering engineer for that).
16. Use external mastering engineers for Vinyl and/or if you need quick quality assurance (pre-release) For vinyl and/or quick recording and release, consider an external mastering engineer for fresh ears and quality assurance. If working on a song over time, internal review might suffice, reducing the need for external mastering.
17. Decide on the running order.
18. Export and store differernt formats Export and store the master files in various formats required (MP3 + WAV 16bit Stereo file)
19. Create stems + keep a dry file for each instrument Create stems and archive the project file for future remixing (inside the DAW / LUNA) – Back up each song. This will be useful if the tracks will be re-mastered or re-mixed in future. Keeping stems ensures that the project remains accessible even if plugins become outdated. Keep one file with FX printed, the other one dry (vocals, guitars, bass, drums etc).
Performers: Helge Rognstad (lead vocal, guitars, bass), Matija Bajtal (drums)
Background: I wrote this song in February 2021, and recorded a first version immidiatly after. However, that first version did not make the final cut. It ended up having too much instrumentation (including organ, fiddle and an ukulele!), so there was no overall cohesion to the track. Since I really liked the lyrics I decided to record the whole thing from scratch, paying more attention to getting the time signature right for the song (95 BPM) and recording each instrument, paying close attention to detail. The second recorded version is the one you hear on the album. I am really proud of this song.
On a trip to London during my 50th birthday, I took the opportunity to record a music video on the actual Waterloo Bridge. The video was shot by photographer (Sasha) via Splento, a professional video production company based in London UK. Since I was travelling with Manny Charlton’s 1974 Gibson Flying V guitar at the time (I was passing through London on my way to Cordoba Spain for his memorial concert on the 3rd of February 2024), I think it was really nice to feature this historic instrument on the film - celebrating the guitar's 50th as well as my own 50th year!
In this Podcast Episode, Radio DJ HerrMarklePotz, also known as "The God of Thunder," chats with singer/songwriter Helge Rognstad of The Fluffy Jackets about the song "Waterloo Bridge": "I recorded this song twice, since I was not happy with the first version. The first version ended up having far too much instrumentation, and I kept adding more things to make it sound better -which it never did. So, I decided to scrap that and instead started from scratch. And, this song ended up sounding great, and is actually one of my favorites from the record."
Vocals on "Waterloo Bridge" The vocals for Goodbye were recorded at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio in Bergen Norway.
There are two vocal tracks on this song. I took inspiration from a reference track “Brother” by Morten Harket while producing the vocal track for this. Specifically, I took inspiration from how the deep bass vocals are recorded with a higher pitched vocal. I used my standard vocal chain which is the Neumann TLM 103 mono condenser microphone through the Avalon 737 Mic-pre for the close-up vocal, and then added a distance vocal (SM57 through my Neve 1073 mic pre, which is usually my guitar-recording chain).
This picture shows some effects used on the vocals. Aside from adding some minor compression using the Avalon hardware, I mix entirely in the box. For vocals I use gentle compression using the LA-2A, and I use the Waves Silk vocal which and the CLA vocal to add reverbs and other features. Backing vocals were recorded 5 Oct. 2022. I also learned som new mixing techniques from Jacquire King (in conversation with Andrew Scheps, Ep. 29 “talking to awesome people) - who is using EQ to split frequency range on vox, then apply different reverbs on a parallel bus, ditto for compression.
Accoustic Guitar on "Waterloo Bridge"
This is the first instrument I recorded along with the click-track (using drum program BFD3), which gave me the opportunity to record the guitar with immpeccable timing vs the click track. This Fender acoustic guitar was recorded into the "vocal chain" consisting of a Neumann Mic + Avalon 737. I broke the song up and recorded a single line at the time, creating natural “drone-like” natural reverb - as each chord is individually plucked and allowed to ring out. I later learned that this trick was also used by The Bangles (to get each note to be heard and create atmosphere)
The different guitar-recordings were then on 6 tracks (each note rings out, creating that drone-sound you hear on the record), which I bounced down to one before adding the o,ther effects. In terms of mixing the acoustic, I used an EQ to remove stuff under 200htz (keeping that space for the bass and kick drum), then added air around 7000 (EQ), basically taking out bass and adding air/ top end. I also used de-esser to take out unwanted sounds.
The acoustic guitar is doubled using my Dobro guitar, and as you can hear, various parts are spread hard L-R to create some space in the song. I also added harmonics (placing finger light on the 5th and 12th frets - to add some high notes) using the Dobro. First a 6 band EQ used to remove stuff under 200 and add 7000 (EQ). Helios legacy 69 plugin is used to fill in some body where the bass is left out - which sounds really amazing (this is an lucky error in design - as if you add +60 bass, and the volume output is 0 - it will actually add some nice bass without increasing volume). I exported a WAV file from the Dobro, and then treated this with various effects, incl. Pultec Accoustic body, LA2A, Helios (for warmth).
Output recording is from acoustic BUS mix - has -7 in volume not to produce digital overload. The acoustic BUS have a Fairchild for added warmth (spent a lot of time finding the best sound for this).
Electric guitar on "Waterloo Bridge" The one-and-only electric guitar you hear on this track is a Fender Stratocaster played through a Fender Princeton amplifier with the built in reverb employed. The guitar is recorded twice (panned hard Left and hard Right), but instead of playing all the time, I employed alternate picking at the start, so you hear only Left for a short while, then only Right the next. When the full instrumentation kicks in, both these guitar tracks come into play. I always use this method of panning rythm guitars, because it creates a more dynamic and interesting sound. with slight shifting and pitch change in the earphones. I find it useful to record my L and R rhythm parts in the same sitting, as I find it almost impossible to go back and record "the same way" even an hour later. For some reason, you will rarely end up with the same tightness then. Also, since there is only one guitarist on this album (me), I am able to get really tight to the first part. I do change guitars and / or amps to create a difference in sound on the L-R guitars. Mixing-wise, I applied EQ to remove everything under 200htz in order not to compete with bass/drums, as this does not take away from the electric guitars in the mix.
Bass on "Waterloo Bridge"
The bass was recorded in stages, I recorded each section several times (we are talking 70-100 takes here), and picked out the best bass line from each. I then spent some time to ensure that the bass fitted perfectly in with the kick drum. In retrospect, this manual shifting of the bass hits made the track sound a bit too sterile, so I (arguably) should have gone back to the original but once I had done the whole track - it was too much work to go back and undo it. In short, I fucked up the timing of the bass so that it sounds too programmed, and the original sounds better. But, that is in any case small niggles but a lesson learned for the next time: Better to get the performance 100% rather than "fix in the mix"!
The high-pass Bass signal over 200htz is treated with an UAD Ampeg Plugin in order to add color.
Mixing-wise, the Bass on "Waterloo Bridge" is mixed as my usual method: the bass is copied into 3 separate tracks which have pre-sets loaded for easy mixing. Track 1 = direct input, no effects Track 2 = low end bass: has FTA 6 band EQ - with the deep bass amplified at the right places, plus a Distressor plugin with a Bass Mix preset. Also has Oxide Tape Machine driven at 75% for added warmth for the low end. Track 3 = using Waves EQ 6 band - which amplifies the high bass part (and takes out the low end of the bass). Also has Oxide Tape Machine driven at 75% for added warmth. This track has an Ampeg digital Amp with a 15x cab preset added. Essentially a copy of the High-pass bass but with a cooking Ampeg bass amp plugin from UAD. Also has Oxide Tape Machine driven at 75% for added warmth.
Drums on "Waterloo Bridge"
Matija liked the song "Waterloo Bridge", and really got into the spirit of it, adding his own feelings and personal touch, which I think adds to the overall feeling of the track. Here is a picture of Matja and the drums he used on this track: Ddrum dios maple - 10, 12, 13, 16”, 22x20, Snare - Mapex black Panther sledge hammer 14x6”, Cymbals - Amedia Set.
Matija used these microphones to record drums: 1.Kick in - senheizer e902, 2. Kick out - senheizer e901, 3. Snare - Shure sm57, 4. Toms - 4x senheizer e904, 5.Hi hat - Behringer C2, 6. Ride - Behringer C2, 7. Overheads - Behringer C2, 8. Room - Rode K2. The drums were recorded on the 31st January 2023 by Matija Bajtal at his home studio in Croatia (95 BPM and 4/4 time).
Mixing-wise, for drums on "Waterloo Bridge":
Kick = High pass on the bottom low end (get rid of very low bass) below 27htz (to focus low sound) (setting 27htz, and 24q), then add approx 4db around 60htz, then cut approx 4db around 100htz where the bass sits - but make this cut narrow no too loose too much. Cut dramatically 5db ugly drum sounds around 350htz.Then increase 2500htz by +5. Attack =11, Release =80. Then add Helios Type 69 plugin - with preset =Snappy Kick. Kick is further improved by precision enhancer, Helios plugin – a kick preset. I took special notice of the low end to make sure it is good vs. the bass (Low end - SubKick - mixed at 50, Kick in =60, Bass = 90 (and sub incl), I also spent some time to take out bass from other tracks to make the low end sound good. This might sound excessive focus on the Kick, and that is right, but it is an important part of the overall sound and moreover, this is - to some degree - song specific edits, as each song will have its own unique "problems" or issues in the low end that you need to take into account when mixing for the overall sound. I found that - whenever I mix low end - I must use my headphones, as I do not have a subwoofer speaker in my studio. I have listen back on several platforms - and different speakers (Sonos, i-Phone - Bose headset, in-car speakers, etc) to make sure that the end sound is ok, and with time I will learn to understand how the sound is transferred automatically - by ear training / learning.
Snare = The snare has a gentle chorus effect appied from a CS plugin, which enables both eq, compressor and a chorus effect; I also added reverb to snare for the right sound.
Toms and High Hats = Toms and HiHats have API 500-series plugin from Waves. Also panned high-hats L-R to create space in the song.
Master Bus on "Waterloo Bridge" I used gain staging and SSL and MV2 plugins to mix the overall sound, and avoid digital clipping + checked for crossfades etc. before exporting to WAV.
Performers: Helge Rognstad (lead vocal, guitars, bass), Matija Bajtal (drums), Annette Bergsland Rognstad (backing vocals), Mark Cochrane (backing vocals)
Background: This is the first song I worked on in The Fluffy Jackets Jackets Sound Studio in Bergen. After I set up all the equipment correctly, I had a lot to learn! From using the LUNA DAW, record vocals, guitars, program drums, and playing bass right through to mixing and mastering. I needed a song to practice on, so I decided to do this cover of a Mark Cochrane song, which I have always liked. It turned out so good that it ended up on the record!
Vocals on "Red Sky"
I recorded the vocals for "Red Sky" over the course of three distinct sessions. Despite using the same vocal recording chain and settings each time, I noticed that each session produced a slightly different sound. I attribute this to the natural variations in my voice from day to day, as well as changes in humidity and air temperature. My mentor and producer friend, Manny Charlton, often mentioned the impact of these factors. (+ famously, Abbey Road sound engineers wrote down air humidity during recordings – to keep track of this during their early recording sessions).
Each of the three sessions started by recording the full vocals 3-4 times, before going back to fix + overdub different parts of the song. And, one overdub of a verse could have up to 50-80 takes to get it right. At the time, due to my inexperience, I chose to keep 2-3 complete vocal takes from each session. My thinking was that the second and third best lead vocal takes would suffice as backing vocals, since they were recorded with similar performance quality. However, in hindsight, I realized this approach was flawed. (I’ll elaborate on the lessons learned later.)
So, after my 3 different days of recording, I probably had 9 different vocal takes of the full song. And that is before we are starting talking about the harmony vocals, which I also did by way of the same procedure. When it comes to Backing Vocals (BV’s), my wife Annette joined on the last chorus for added for texture. Although her voice was slightly "out of tune," it contributed to a richer overall sound, making the vocals feel bigger without any noticeable pitch issues. Furthermore, my friend Mark Cochrane (who wrote this song) also added some backing vocals which he did during one of his visits to Bergen, on the 19th May 2022. It is a special memory to hear them both on "Red Sky".
As you can imagine, with so many lead vocal (LV) tracks and even more backing vocals (BVs), mixing became quite challenging. I found it difficult to objectively assess what sounded best because I was "too close" to the performances. This phenomenon, often referred to as "demo-itis," occurs when you become so accustomed to a particular vocal take that any other version feels wrong.
The long and winding vocal mix and recording process led me to seek professional help for future projects (recording engineer and mixer Shane at Westpoint Studios in London) to learn how to achieve professional vocal recordings. However, this vocal recording was completed before my time at Westpoint Studios, so I was still "learning by doing" at this point—which, in hindsight, was a valuable experience.
In summary, despite this, I eventually achieved great vocal tracks from my numerous takes and am proud of the final vocal production (it just took longer time than needed).
While mixing, I initially tried the CLA Vocal plugin from Waves but encountered excessive sibilance. This led me to manually remove the "esses" and use the Waves De-Esser plugin for additional control. In addition, I sometimes go in and manually adjust volume for these "problem-areas" as they can be hard to control. I usually always take out the low frequenzies from vocals using the Waves basic equaliser, just to make sure that the bass + kick drum have good space to live, and the vocals are not heard in that area anyway. I also add some top end to make the vocals a bit more "airy" around the 10k mark. I use light R-Vox compression and also added the Waves Silk vocal plugin and the Waves MV2 (take down the tops and bring up the lows) - the MV2 makes vocals stand in the track. I panned the backing vocals 80% stereo for the verses and 100% stereo for the choruses, making them sound wider during the choruses. I also increased the volume of the LV and BV during the choruses. Despite using a variety of plugins and effects during mixing, I didn't use any tuning software like Autotune or Melodyne, so what you hear is real performances.
To future-proof the project, I mixed the various tracks down to stems, ensuring that the work remains accessible even if plugins become outdated.
Key vocal lessons learned from recording "Red Sky"
Recording vocals on different days can result in varying sounds due to natural voice variations and environmental factors like humidity and temperature. Recording the full song in one session therefore help maintain consistency.
Focusing on getting ONE strong lead vocal first saves time overall. Aim to get one great lead vocal (LV) performance before doing any backing vocals (BVs)!
Backing vocals should be purposefully recorded with ONE single lead vocal track in mind.
Panning backing vocals 80% stereo for verses and 100% for choruses, along with increasing volume in the choruses, effectively makes the choruses more impactful. (this could also be applied to the full mix bus, known by Rick Rubin as "the slippery fader move").
Mixing tracks down to stems ensures that the project remains accessible even if plugins become outdated. Keep one file with FX printed, the other one dry.
However, it might be better to wait to bounce the vocals (record the vocal stems digitally) until exporting the full song. There seems to be a slight loss of fidelity when comparing the final song export (LUNA TRACKS) to the first export (WAV STEMS) from Luna DAW.
Acoustic Guitars on "Red Sky" For the acoustic guitar recordings, I used my 12-string Martin in addition to my 6-string Fender, capturing their sound with a Neumann condenser mic via the Avalon 737 mic preamp. These are panned L-R. For the recording of the 6-string guitar, I employed a technique learned from Manny Charlton, which involves playing the various chords in different positions of the fretboard using only two fingers (thus incorporating a lot of open strings, which rings out better). This technique, which Charlton employed on Nazareth’s “Hearts Grown Cold” from the Malice in Wonderland (1980) album and The Fluffy Jackets’ “Everything Must Change” from the Something From Nothing (2019) album, enhances the overall sound. (You can see Manny using this technique in the music video for “Everything Must Change” where he plays the Fender Stratocaster). During the mixing phase, I encountered distracting finger-slide noises (my condensor mic picks up EVERYTHING!), which I manually addressed during mixing by reducing the volume in the affected parts. This was a time-consuming process.
Electric Guitars on "Red Sky" For the electric guitar parts, I recorded with my Fender Telecaster Custom Shop through a Fender Princeton amp. To add interest, I overdubbed harmonic parts by lightly placing my finger on the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets. These harmonics were panned left and right to enhance the song’s depth. Additionally, I incorporated a spacey reverb effect during mixing, inspired by John Mayer's "Love on the Weekend.", making these parts stand out in the mix. I used a Gibson Les Paul Standard through a Marshall amp for the rock-guitar part at the end, recorded via an SM57 mic through a Neve 1073 mic pre.
Strings on "Red Sky"
The strings you hear on this track is added using a digital keyboard plugged into the LUNA DAW, using the built-in "Shape" instrument. Processing on this signal includes the Waves Abbey Road Reverb, which suited the song perfect.
Bass on "Red Sky"
I played my Fender Precision bass on this, plugged recorded directly into the desk/Luna DAW via the Avalon 737, which is a valved mic-pre amp, that subtly enriches the bass signal / adding warmth. Following a mixing technique learned from Warren Huart of "Produce Like A Pro" on YouTube, the bass signal undergoes a sophisticated routing process:
The Bass BUS comprises four distinct sub-files:
Dry Bass Signal: This track remains muted, preserved in its original state without added effects or EQ, kept for potential future adjustments.
Low-Pass Bass Signal: Utilizing the FTA 6-band EQ plugin, this track isolates frequencies below 250 Hz to emphasize the bass's low end. It is strategically EQ'd to complement the kick drum, enhanced further by the R bass equalizer, a Distressor with a Bass Mix preset, and Luna’s Oxide Tape Machine set to 75% for added warmth.
High-Pass Bass Signal: Managed through Waves EQ 6-band, this track separates frequencies above 250 Hz to accentuate the higher register of the bass. It also benefits from the Oxide Tape Machine at 75% for additional warmth.
High-Pass Bass with Ampeg Virtual Amplifier: A duplicate of the High-Pass Bass track, this version employs the UAD Ampeg bass amp plugin. I liked the 15x cab setting preset for this track. I also add the Oxide Tape Machine UAD plugin driven at 75% for added warmth.
This meticulous approach allows for precise control over the bass's low end while maintaining clarity and color in the higher frequencies. The key technique is to subtly reducing the low end to accommodate the kick drum without entirely eliminating the bass's low frequencies. The latter is a common mistake among mixers starting out (since it is hard to hear the low bass in the mix – it requires a subwoofer / good listening environment).
Drums on "Red Sky" As already mentioned, this was the first song I recorded at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio, so I incorporated a lot of things that I had learned from other people. I got the idea to use BFD3 drum plugin from my mentor Manny Charlton (Nazareth), who had extensive experience using this particular drum program. Though the BFD3 interface is a bit dated and not UX-friendly, the drum sounds coming out are great.
So, I programmed drums using BFD3 but later felt the need for live drums, especially for the final rock segment where BFD fell short. I enlisted my Croatian drummer friend Matija Bajtal to record the entire song, adding dynamic fills that complemented the BFD3 drums throughout.
When it comes to the BFD3 drums, these are mixed as follows: Kick boosted under 200Hz (to accommodate the bass for clarity). Additional processing included Helios, Distressor, Noise Reduction plugins, and reflector delay. LUNA’s Shape instrument was also used for supplementary percussion parts.
Mixing-wise, Matija Bajtal's live drums were treated with experimental panning techniques. I got this idea from listening to John Coltrane's "Crescent” (one of the first songs mixed in stereo). Various plugins were used for the treatment of Matija’s drums, including EQ, 1176 limiting, and Andrew Scheps parallel particles. Matija sent a snare drum sample of a black beauty which I also used, and I also panned the Toms left-to-right and treated these separately.
Performers: Helge Rognstad (lead vocal, guitars), Neil Murray (bass), Matija Bajtal (drums)
Background: It was always planned for Manny Charlton (25 July 1941 - 5. July 2022, RIP) to contribute to The Fluffy Jackets' third album. With my own recording studio (The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio) in Norway recently completed, I had already taken on the producer role and we had agreed for Manny to contribute guitar on two tracks; "Now that she is gone" and what later became "The Well is Dry" (originally under a different title).
However, when I visited Manny in Cordoba, Spain, in early March 2022, my originals were still unfinished. I had no lyrics for "The Well is Dry" at that time (though I had already recorded the riff). During our downtime, Manny played me Steve Earle's "Goodbye," which he thought would be perfect for our album. He also suggested covering "Sitting on Top of the World," inspired by its feature in "Sons of Anarchy." We made rough demos of these covers in Cordoba.
In July 2022, just as I was working on sending files to Manny, I received the devastating news of his sudden passing in Texas on July 5th. It was a profound loss that hit me hard.
A few weeks later, I decided to honor Manny's last wish by recording "Goodbye" for the album, especially after connecting with his daughter Vicky and receiving 2 of his Manny's guitars (a Hofner Lap Steel + a self-built guitar).
"Goodbye" became the album's first single, released January 19, 2024, coinciding with our performance at his memorial gig in Cordoba on February 3, 2024. So, this track "Goodbye" is released in his memory. PS: The album's second single "The Well is Dry" is also a tribute to Manny, as he was due to perform on that song. The words on "The Well Is Dry" were re-written in his memory.
The official lyric video for "Goodbye" was released in January 2024, four months prior to the release of the album “The Rise And Fall Of The Songwriter” (17 May 2024).
In this Podcast Episode, Radio DJ HerrMarklePotz, also known as "The God of Thunder," chats with singer/songwriter Helge Rognstad of The Fluffy Jackets about the song "Goodbye".
Vocals on "Goodbye"
Before going into the studio to record anything, during pre-production, I experimented with singing in different keys while playing acoustic guitar to find the correct match for the song.
The vocals for "Goodbye" were meticulously captured in two distinct sessions. Initial demo vocals were recorded at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio in Norway using a Neumann TLM 103 condenser microphone, routed through an Avalon 737 preamp into the UAD Apollo x8 interface, and managed within the UAD Luna DAW. Minimal processing, primarily AutoTune, was applied to these vocals, which were then bounced into a flat track to conserve DSP resources. Additional vocal tracks were processed separately: main vocals were EQ'd to eliminate nasal tones and honkiness in the 400-700 Hz range, while other versions were treated with LA2A, 1176, de-esser, spring reverb, plate reverb, and echo effects. Various plugins such as MV2 and CLA Vocal from Waves were also employed to refine the vocal sound. Ultimately, the lead vocals from my home studio session captured the raw emotion of the song in a really heartfelt take that I felt honored both the lyrics and melody.
However, aiming for an even more polished performance, I decided to collaborate with Shane Shanahan at Westpoint Studios in London. Despite being satisfied with the initial takes from Norway, I believed a stronger vocal performance was essential, particularly to complement the full instrumentation of the song.
This decision brought me back to Westpoint Studios on April 3, 2023, where the lead vocals were re-recorded using top-tier equipment including the Sony C800 microphone, Neve 1081 Mic-Pre-Amp, Un-Fairchild Compressor, Michelangelo EQ, and MAAG EQ 500 series through an SSL G-Series mixing desk.
MAAG EQ 500 series at Westpoint Studio, Acton, UK
Un-Fairchild Compressor at Westpoint Studio, Acton, UK
SSL G-Series mixing desk at Westpoint Studio, Acton, UK
Five to seven vocal takes were recorded, then meticulously comped and tuned using Melodyne. Effects such as Microshift Delay, Valhalla Vintage Reverb, and Seventh Heaven were added to a parallel track to enrich depth and ambiance.
Microshift vocal FX setting on the track "Goodbye"
Seventh Heaven vocal FX setting on the track "Goodbye"
Valhalla Vintage Verb - vocal FX setting on the track "Goodbye"
Upon returning to The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio in Norway, I blended both sets of vocal performances to achieve the best possible outcome. One notable lesson learned during this process was the importance of clarity amidst instrumentation; for instance, adjusting frequencies in other instruments ensured that critical lyrics like "Remember" were distinctly audible.
Guitars on "Goodbye"
Guitars for "Goodbye" were captured at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio using a selection of iconic instruments, some of which were once owned by Manny Charlton. The setup featured a Shure SM57 dynamic microphone positioned in front of a Fender Princeton Reverb amplifier, set with the volume at 3, Treble at 6, Bass at 3, Speed at 6.5, and Intensity at 4. This microphone was routed through a Neve 1073 SPX mic preamp, preserving the distinct tonal characteristics of each guitar and facilitating exploration of various playing techniques and tonal textures.
I used my Gibson Les Paul Wildwood-Custom Shop 2011, with the Bridge pickup set to 8 and treble at 3, and a Duisenberg Star Player. In addition to the main rhythm part, the pitch harmonics heard at the song's beginning were created using the Les Paul.
The Duisenberg doubled the Les Paul track: the two guitars are panned hard left and right to create a stereo effect. Manny Charlton's Hofner Lap Steel, tuned to Dropped D, was played at full volume thereby added long low notes during the final chorus and slide parts.
Mixing-wise for "Goodbye" guitars; attention was given to preserving the integrity and character of each guitar track. EQ adjustments were carefully applied to carve out space to suit other instrumentation. The introduction, which lacks bass and drums, was mixed separately to maintain interest and contrast with the main body of the song (which is mixed completely differently to b,ring out various instrumentation). To prevent muddiness, frequencies below 100 Hz were removed from the guitar tracks to avoid interference with the bass and kick drum. Additionally, the Eddie Kramer Guitar plugin and Noise Remover EQ were utilized to enhance clarity throughout the track.
Bass on "Goodbye"
The Bass for "Goodbye" was performed by Neil Murray, renowned for his work with bands like Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, and artists such as Brian May and Peter Green. Neil recorded his bass parts in Scotland, where he recorded into Logic DAW.
For the introduction of the song, Neil used a unique fretless bass, the Spector Spectorcore 4 (pictured left above) with a passive EMG pickup and black nylon-coated strings, giving it an upright bass-like sound. This choice added a distinctive character to the track's opening. During the main band section, Neil switched to a Nordstrand Acinonyx short-scale bass (pictured right above) with flatwound strings and solely the neck pickup. This modern interpretation of a '60s bass provided a different sonic texture, although Neil found it a bit of an adjustment compared to larger, heavier basses he typically plays. Nonetheless, he selected it as the most suitable bass for this particular song.
Neil's bass signal was recorded directly into an Audient iD14 interface and then into Logic. He applied tweaked plugins from previous sessions, utilizing Logic's built-in plugins for compression, clean amp settings, and necessary EQ adjustments.
In the mixing phase, I did some slight adjustments to ensure the bass aligned perfectly with the beat in specific sections of the song. The fretless bass was mixed lower volume in the overall mix to complement the song effectively without overwhelming other elements, spesifically in the start where there is some low end guitars that also have some bass strings ringing out. Special attention was given to separating the mixing treatment between the intro bass and the main track bass to accommodate the differing instrumentation and dynamics. This approach ensured that each bass sound fit seamlessly throughout the song.
Furthermore, and as usual, I mixed the bass in such a way avoid overlap with the kick drum and harmonic guitar, especially in lower frequencies tuned to low D (this is used by carving out frequencies for the Kick-drum to live around 50-80htz, pending the song).
Reflecting on the remote recording process when it comes to the bass: I noted the importance of ensuring that final drum tracks are ready before sending the track off to record bass parts remotely. This was not a problem this time, but I had to send the track again – due to volume: when sending the track off to receive bass-overdubs it is handy to have a separate drum Stem – or alternatively to send a mix where the drums are the loudest part of the mix. This is because it is handy for the bassist to hear the drums very clearly - when it comes to maintaining timing and the groove.
Drums on "Goodbye":
Recording-wise, Matija Bajtal tracked the drums for "Goodbye" remotely from Croatia, utilizing a Ddrum Dios Maple kit with sizes 10", 12", 13", 16", and a 22"x20" kick drum. The snare featured was a Mapex Black Panther Sledge Hammer measuring 14"x6", accompanied by an Amedia Set of cymbals.
The drum setup included microphones: Sennheiser e902 and e901 for capturing the kick drum's depth, a Shure SM57 on the snare, Sennheiser e904s on the toms, Behringer C2s handling the hi-hat and ride cymbals, and a Rode K2 for capturing the room ambiance. These were routed through a variety of preamps before entering an Audient iD14 interface for recording.
After Matija Bajtal’s first pass of the drums on this track, I encouraged him to do a re-recording to achieve a more impactful sound. I am influenced by my mentor / producer Manny Charlton (RIP), who was renowned for his approach to creating hard-hitting drums even on tender ballads like "Love Hurts," I aimed to infuse our track with a similar energy and character. The second take yielded excellent results and the drums now resonate with purpose and intent, significantly enhancing both the fills and overall presence of the song.
Mixing wise, I rely heavily on Waves and UAD plugins, which I've come to know inside out. Starting with the kick, I used the Helios Type 69 (Kick preset) and the UAD Distressor (Kick preset) to add punch and character. To warm it up, I drove the UAD Oxide Tape Machine at 75% (plugin - I mix entirely in the box). Waves Abbey Road Plates (11 Drum Buss setting) and R-EQ ensured the kick sat just right in the mix.Moving to the snare, I employed UAD Helios 69 (add punch setting) and AKG BX 20 for reverb. EchoPlex34 (Rockabilly room setting) and Realverb-Pro (Small Warm Hall preset), P-reflections (Drum Room preset) while Waves Scheps Parallel Particles (snare setting) and API 550A/B shaped the snare's tonality. For Toms, Waves API 550A/B provided versatile EQ settings tailored to each drum's needs (especially as I panned these individually from Left to Right - I could have different Tom plugins on each hit). The High Hats had the API-550A (HH with snare preset), Waves API-550B (HH 2 preset) and the UAD Helios 69 (70s acoustic driver preset). The ride cymbal benefited from Waves API-550A (BD3 preset) and UAD 1176 (beat limiting slow preset) and the LA-2A (gentle compression preset) for controlled dynamics.Overheads were treated with UAD Helios Type 69 (overhead preset) to capture the full drum kit's natural sound. On the Drum Bus, I applied UAD Fairchild 670 and Waves SSL compressor to glue everything together.
I split both Toms and High-Hats into multiple tracks and panned these to create a dynamic experience. Panning high hats from left to right (alternate hits, L-R hard panned) and manually placing tom fills in different stereo positions works really well on this track. I kept the High Hats from the first programmed drums (though I also panned the high hats manually), but all the rest of the drums are real, and I even kept the sound of Matija laying down the drum-sticks on the snare right at the end, because I think it is cool and analogue-sounding!
Key takeaways from recording drums on "Goodbye": a good performance is king! For instance, when aiming for drums to stand out more, it proves more effective to re-record them rather than attempting extensive fixes during the mix, as this method preserves the energy crucial for a lively sound.
I've adopted a strategy of limiting my use of plugin companies to enhance proficiency with a select few. This approach focuses on mastering the intricacies of specific plugins from Waves and/or UAD, rather than juggling numerous options that necessitate re-learning with each use. (You do not need 50 reverb plugins: 5 is more than enough).
To optimize DSP resources, I have learned to commit by bouncing tracks down into stems, preserving CPU efficiency (freeing up space).
Additionally, panning separation of Tom hits (placing Rack Toms + Floor Toms L-R in the mix) takes a lot of time (!) but it works really well, particularly to add characters to cool drum fills.
Lessons learned from "Goodbye":
1. Listen to the mastering track on different speakers! I realized during mastering that the compression was possibly too heavy-handed, diminishing some of the dynamic range I intended, especially at the beginning of the track. Moving forward, I recognize the importance of checking various listening environments before finalizing after mastering (IE: I checked the final mix, but not after mastering).
2. Carefully think twice when managing the low end on a track! Additionally, I acknowledge that I may have over-cut the low-end frequencies from the bass track on this particular song. I should have made the Bass dip to accommodate the Kick Drum at 60Hz, rather than completely removing those frequencies. But it is a very minor detail, as the bass can still be clearly heard.
These issues are ultimately my responsibility as both a mixer and producer, and I chalk them up to learning experiences. However, the positive outcome is that addressing these concerns early with "Goodbye," our first single (19 January 2024), allowed me to correct these aspects in time for the album release (17 May 2024). Even with the above, I have laboured over this song for over one and a half year, so I am very proud of this song. I achieved exactly what I set out to do: namely to record Goodbye in honor of Manny’s memory. I know he would have been proud.
Background: This was one of the first songs I wrote for this album, though I was still refining the structure in July 2022, when I received the sad news that my friend and mentor Manny Charlton (Nazareth) had passed away. Prior to his passing, we had agreed for him to record the solo on this track, but unfortunately, he never got to hear it. After completing the song's structure, I approached Liam Creedon, Manny's guitar tech from Aberdeen whom I'd met in Scotland, to finish the solo; he delivered two outstanding solos for this track.
Vocals on "Now That She Is Gone"
I completed the lyrics while on holiday in Croatia in August 2022. It was a fantastic opportunity to have uninterrupted time to craft the words. I had written another song that didn’t make it onto the album, and I borrowed several lines from it, including "keeping busy, avoid going crazy," which fit perfectly.
Typical plugins used on vocals in The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio in Norway.
I initially recorded the vocals in my home studio but re-recorded them with Shane Shanahan at Westpoint Studios in Acton, London, on April 3, 2023. We did 5-7 takes using a high-end vocal chain that included a Sony C800 microphone, Neve 1081 Mic-Pre-Amp, Un-Fairchild Compressor, Michelangelo EQ (by Hendy Amps), MAAG EQ 500 series recorded through an SSL G-Series mixing desk. Shane then spent time compiling the best performance from these takes and also tuning the vocals with Melodyne. He added parallel effects, including Valhalla Vintage Verb, Seventh Heaven, and Echoboy, to enhance the final vocal track. So I have one dry lead vocal, and one vocals with the FX.
Rhythm Guitar on "Now That She Is Gone"
I played the rhythm guitars on this track, and I'm really pleased with the final sound. It has a rich, well-recorded tone. You're hearing my Fender Telecaster Custom Shop 1950’s reissue, played on the bridge pickup through a Fender Princeton setting (342243), and a Hall of Fame Reverb stomp pedal (setting: Church-delay, Level: 60, Decay: 40, Tone: 75). I also used a Boss distortion pedal (settings: L to R = 40, 25, 40). Everything was recorded with a Shure SM57 mic close-up, routed through a Neve 1073 pre-amp into the UAD Luna DAW.
Solo Guitar on "Now That She Is Gone"
Guitarist Liam Creedon recorded the guitar overdub in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Liam's pedal board includes a Cornish P2 and G2, a Boss MZ-2, a prototype FX MadCap pedal he designed, a 1974 modded Crybaby, a Rocktron Banshee Talkbox, an analog audio switcher, and a Boss GT-8 as a MIDI controller. The signal chain has a stereo output to two Fender Bassman clones.
Liam Creedon used a 1982 japaneese Squier E series with tonerider surfari pickups.
The solo was recorded in mono, close-mic’d with a Shure SM57, and then received some EQ adjustments in his Cubase DAW.
Bass on "Now That She Is Gone"
Neil Murray delivers an outstanding bass performance on this track, particularly in the second half, where his sublime inflections make the song danceable. Neil used his short-scale Nordstrand Acinonyx bass, a modernized version of an obscure ‘60s model. He opted for flatwound strings and exclusively used the neck pickup. You can learn more about the bass here.
Despite its short scale, the bass has a big sound that fits the track perfectly. The bass was recorded directly into an Audient iD14 interface and then into Logic. Neil used tweaked plugins (all Logic plugins) with his preferred settings, including some compression, a clean amp setting, and minor EQ adjustments. I received the bass part on March 22, 2023, and mixed it with the pre-programmed drums. Mixing was straightforward due to the impeccable timing of Neil’s bass performance.
Drums on "Now That She Is Gone"
The drums on this track were programmed using the BFD3 drumming plugin, which is an excellent tool. The settings are 115 BPM with a ¾ time signature. Although the drums are programmed, they were originally recorded by a real drummer using a Gretsch Purple DV kit. I selected the “Swing, Swing, Swing” preset, which is a waltz.
I adjusted the settings as follows: Human Time = 0, Swing = +33, Human Velocity = +7. To suit the song, I exported different settings and fills, including presets #2, #3, #4, and #6, plus HiHat #2, and most of the five available drum fills. I considered replacing the programmed drums with live drums by Matija Bajtal but decided to "leave well enough alone" because the programmed drums fit the song perfectly. Moreover, after Neil’s excellent bass performance, I didn’t want to disrupt the perfect flow between the drums and bass.
The drums were mixed to ensure they didn’t compete with other instruments. Splashes are panned from left to right, including the hi-hats. The kick drum is mixed to avoid clashing with the bass, maintaining a balanced and cohesive sound.
Performers: Helge Rognstad (lead vocal, guitars), Neil Murray (bass), Matija Bajtal (drums)
Background: I absolutely love this slow blues track. The basic elements—vocals and slide guitar—were composed and recorded fairly quickly in October 2022. I recorded it "live in the studio" using Manny Charlton’s Hofner Lap Steel, which I acquired from his daughter Vicky the previous month. Initially, I laid down the vocals and guitar over a drum loop, which was later replaced with an excellent performance by Matija Bajtal. Wanting some cool bass, I enlisted Neil Murray, who added his part from his home studio in Scotland in 2023. The track is mixed to allow his sublime bass lines to stand out.
In this Podcast Episode, Radio DJ HerrMarklePotz, also known as "The God of Thunder," chats with singer/songwriter Helge Rognstad of The Fluffy Jackets about the song "When The Telephone Rings".
Slide guitar on “When The Telephone Rings”
I recorded the Hofner Lap Steel using an SM57 mic placed in front of a Fender Princeton Reverb amp. The signal was routed through a Neve 1073SPX mic preamp into the UAD Luna DAW. The guitar was tuned to Dropped-D, which involves lowering the pitch of the low E string by a full step to D.
Mixing-wise, I keep the full signal of the slide guitar when it plays solo. However, when Neil Murray's bass enters, I cut everything below 100 Hz from the slide guitar to make room for the bass and kick drum. I also added some piano in parts to highlight Neil's fantastic bass riffs. The bass on this track is sublime, so I aimed to create space in the mix for it. To achieve a clean bottom end, I removed frequencies below 100 Hz from all the tracks, including vocals. The only instruments with really low frequencies are the piano, bass, kick drum, and the slide guitar when it appears solo in the mix.
Rhythm Guitars on "When The Telephone Rings"
For the other rhythm guitars on "When The Telephone Rings," I used a Fender Custom Shop Strat 1962 re-issue, which I purchased from Manny Charlton (Nazareth) in March 2022. This guitar was played through a Princeton amp with a Hall of Fame plate reverb pedal. Additionally, I played a Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop, which is panned to the right in the stereo mix. My Dobro guitar also features on this track, panned to the left.
Vocals on “When The Telephone Rings”
The initial guide vocals were recorded simultaneously with the Hofner Lap Steel using a Neumann microphone through my Avalon 737 mic preamp. To capture a true "performance" feel, I recorded the entire song 3-4 times and selected the best overall take based on both the guitar and vocal performances. Some parts of the vocals you hear are from that first recording, but the majority were professionally overdubbed at Westpoint Studios, Acton, London, on April 3, 2023.
At Westpoint, the vocals were recorded 5-7 times, engineered by Shane Shanahan, who used an advanced vocal chain: a Sony C800 microphone, Neve 1081 mic preamp, Un-Fairchild compressor, Michelangelo EQ (by Hendy Amps), MAAG EQ 500 series, all routed through an SSL G-Series mixing desk. The vocals were then comped and tuned. One track is dry, while the other has added effects, including Valhalla Vintage Reverb, Microshift (Soundtoys plugin), and Echoboy delay.
I mixed the vocals by adjusting the effects in different parts of the song. For instance, the line "Do YOU WANT ME TO STAY" has more effects applied. I found that approaching the song in this way, made it an enjoyable song to mix as I learned a lot in the process. I used a similar technique with the drums, manually adjusting their volume in different parts of the song, almost like automation but done note-by-note.
Bass on “When The Telephone Rings” I often find that the simplest songs are the hardest to make stand out. To achieve this, I enlisted Neil Murray, who recorded the bass in Scotland in March 2023. Neil used a short-scale Nordstrand Acinonyx bass, a modernized version of an obscure 1960s model, which you can see here. He opted for flatwound strings and the neck pickup, resulting in a big, heavy sound that perfectly complements the drums and the overall song.
Neil delivered a consistently excellent performance with great bass lines throughout. His bass playing gives the song the "voice" it deserves. He recorded his bass directly into an Audient iD14 interface and used Logic DAW, applying Logic plugins for compression, a clean amp setting, and his preferred EQ adjustments.
For mixing, I always treat the bass signal by splitting the high and low frequencies and shaping the low end to complement the kick drum, ensuring both stand out. Specifically, I duplicate the bass into three different tracks, EQ each separately, and send them to a bass bus. For a detailed explanation, check out Warren Huart's video on YouTube. For the high-end bass track, I added the Ampeg bass plugin available with UAD Apollo 8x, using the "10x1x15 cabinet" setting, which I felt suited the song best.
Piano on "When The Telephone Rings"
Given that this song is in Dropped D tuning and the bass is playing very low, it can sometimes be challenging to distinguish the bass lines. To address this, I doubled some key bass parts on a piano to make them stand out. I used a digital keyboard plugged directly into the DAW, utilizing UAD Luna's Shape instrument plugin called "Ravel Piano." This setup allows me to record a digital instrument track and then apply effects virtually, printing the Ravel Piano to a WAV file.
This technique, often used for doubling rhythm parts (such as on Nazareth's track "Telegram"), enhances the heaviness of the bass in certain sections. I applied this trick selectively, only on the bass parts I wanted to emphasize, rather than throughout the entire song. The result is a richer, more prominent bass presence in those key sections. You can also use a barritone guitar for this effect, but as I have no such guitar here - the piano does the trick well!
Drums on “When The Telephone Rings”
I recorded the guitars and vocals to a click track and drum loop. However, all the drums you hear on this song are live, recorded later by Matija Bajtal in two separate sessions. The first take, on February 28, 2023, was a conventional slow blues style, but it sounded a bit too "straight" and "bar-room blues" for the record. While I liked some of the fills, we decided to record the drums again, this time without any cymbals—no hi-hats or overheads.
For mixing, I approached it with a "mix with feeling" mindset to sculpt the drums to suit various parts of the song. To "mix with feeling," I sometimes close my eyes and let the song guide which drum parts to keep. This approach creates a dynamic interplay between the fills, especially in the quieter sections, utilizing both drum takes and alternating between them. I made sure to highlight the 16th notes on the hi-hat for added prominence.
Matija used a Ludwig Black Beauty snare in one take and a Dios Maple 14x6 snare in the other, adding tonal variety. The snare is heavily produced using a range of tools, including Helios, API, Fairchild, AKG reverb, 1176, and Distressor. I also applied parallel compression via the Andrew Scheps Parallel Particles plugin and added another reverb in parallel.
The kick drum is similarly mixed to sound huge on this track, with no samples used. I also removed unnecessary elements to clear up the low end, cutting low frequencies from the guitar and vocal tracks (and parts of the drums, except for the kick and toms) to maintain focus on the low end.
Performers: Helge Rognstad (lead vocal, rhythm guitars, programmed drums, keyboard), Matt Bradford (Slide guitar), Neil Murray (bass).
Background: In late 2021, I came up with a cool guitar riff and recorded two rhythm guitar tracks (panned hard right and hard left) along with some drums. I was extremely happy with the basic drum and rhythm guitar track but needed the right lyrics to complete it. In February 2022, I visited Cordoba and discussed the song with Manny Charlton. We agreed that he would play lead guitar on this track, nicknamed "Manny's Blues," as well as another song called "Now That She Is Gone." However, both songs were unfinished in terms of lyrics and structure, so I decided to wait until they were just right before sending them to Manny. Tragically, Manny passed away on July 5, 2022, before I could share the songs with him. His death hit me hard, so later that month, I penned new lyrics for this song in about five minutes, channeling the theme of Cronos, the Harvest god, known for cutting down people. I wanted some really amazing guitars on this track, so I contacted Matt Bradford, a LA-based slide-guitar expert. He does a wonderful job on this. The song was released as a single on Spotify /streaming sites on the 15th of April 2024 and also appears on the subsequent Fluffy Jackets album "The Rise and Fall of The Songwriter" (17 May 2024).
This music video on YouTube includes the actual guitar solo performance by Matt Bradford, a slide guitarist from Los Angeles. The track was released on the 15th of April as a single. It became the The Fluffy Jackets' best performing single on Spotify to date (last updated 12 June 2024).
In this Podcast Episode, Radio DJ HerrMarklePotz, also known as "The God of Thunder," chats with singer/songwriter Helge Rognstad of The Fluffy Jackets about the song "The Well Is Dry".
Vocals on "The Well Is Dry" In January 2023, I recorded some demo vocals in my studio. The final, professionally recorded vocals were done at Westpoint Studios in Acton, London, on April 3, 2023, under the expert guidance of engineer and studio owner Shane Shanahan.
At Westpoint Studios, I used a vocal recording chain that included a Sony C800 microphone, a Neve 1081 Mic-Pre-Amp, an Un-Fairchild Compressor, a Michelangelo EQ (by Hendy Amps), and a MAAG EQ 500 series, all routed into the SSL G-Series mixing desk. I sang the song 5-7 times, and the best performances were comped into one lead vocal track, which was then tuned using Melodyne.
Shane taught me an important lesson: don't start with the backing vocals (BVs) until you're 100% happy and committed to the lead vocals (LVs). This saves a lot of time and improves the track. Another good tip is to start recording BVs with the last verse and last chorus first, as this helps build the song logically and ensures you know how the end should sound when working on the beginning. Recording individual harmony parts, rather than copy-pasting them, avoids boring repetition and ensures a logical progression.
We recorded the backing vocals 6-8 times, allowing Shane to select the best 3-4 takes for the harmony parts, ensuring each track was in tune and matched the rhythm of the song. The BVs were developed by Shane through a process of trial and error, ultimately achieving a sound reminiscent of a Georgian church choir, which suited the song perfectly.
Once the lead and backing vocals were finalized, we added vocal effects, including three instances of Echoboy from Soundtoys, Alti-verb, and Valhalla Vintage reverb, all added at Westpoint.
Back at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio, I worked further on the vocals, recording additional double-vocals to complement the lead track. I also copied harmony parts where suitable, moved the guitar solo forward, and copied the last chorus vocals to the first chorus to maintain the listener's interest.
Rhythm Guitars on "The Well Is Dry"
I recorded the rhythm guitars using a Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop through a handwired Marshall 18w combo amp and a Fulltone PlimSoul distortion pedal. I doubled these parts (panned left and right) by playing the rhythm repeatedly until it sounded perfectly natural, similar to Bob Marley's recording method. This approach creates a more organic sound compared to adjusting notes manually in a DAW. As a guitarist with a well-equipped studio, I had no trouble re-recording as many times as I needed.
I also recorded the "dive bomb guitar" solo during the bridge using Manny's self-built guitar, played through a Marshall Handwired 18watt 1974x amplifier. And I used Manny Charlton's Hofner Lap Steel guitar, which can be heard among the synths in the verse starting with "He don't care about your people," enhanced by the AKG BX 20 reverb plugin from UAD with the "long and airy" preset.
As mentioned, I needed some awesome guitars on this track so I reached out to Matt Bradford - www.MattBradfordMusic.com, who is a slide guitarist from Los Angeles. He recorded the solo using his own custom-buit Lap Steel guitar through a "DCC" handwired amplifier (Marshall clone) via a Fuzz Factory pedal. He recorded the solo three times, and the first take was perfect! He also made a video of the main solo, showcasing the lap
Keyboard / Synthesizer on "The Well is Dry"
It is very rare for me to use keyboards, but on this track I found that one verse in the song needed some spaced out synthesizer or modulation sounds. For this, I used "Shape" which is a digital instrument that comes with UAD's LUNA digital audio workstation. I added some additional sound effects via the Brauer Motion FX plugin, which is really good for creating dynamic depth and space. I used several different sounds from that plugin, and then bounced the synth+FX into a standard audio stereo wav file (which means that it is preserved for future - even if the plugin should go out of date). I also considered adding a harp solo on this track - West Weston (Southend on Sea, UK) on Scott McLain (Cordoba, Spain)- but eventually decided against it, as Matt Bradford played such a fantastic solo on this, and I wanted the slide to stand out in the track.
Bass on "The Well Is Dry"
One good tip for the future, is to only send tracks for external overdubs once you are 100% sure about the song key and structure, as this saves potential double-work! So, once I was happy with the drums and other instrumentation, I then sent the track to Neil Murray who added his bass from his home studio in Scotland.
Neil Murray's bass played straight without much frills but the bass tone was sounding very full and cool at the outset.
The bass was mixed on Dec. 10, 2023, with EQ carving out frequency area around 65htz for kick drum. The bass is otherwise mixed the "usual way" of splitting one bass track into 2 different tracks. The low end signal (under 200htz frequency) is untreated except has a LA2A light compression and a Distressor with a Bass Mix preset to keep the low end consistent, wheras a digital Ampeg amp-simulator colors the high pass bass frequencies (above 200 frequency range). On the Bass BUS track I use a Fairchild 670 (thick bass preset) for compression.
Drums on "The Well Is Dry" The drums are programmed using BFD3 plugin (120 BPM, 4/4 time) and is structured to suit the vocals. The programmed drums ended up sounding absolutely great in the mix (no need for live drums on this).
Mixing wise, for drums I like to use the UAD Helios 69 plugin and the Waves API 500-series, as these plugins have some really cool drum-presets, which makes the various drums (kick, snare, toms, high hats) stand out.
The drum BUS is benefitting from a Fairchild digital plugin from Waves.
Performers: Helge Rognstad (lead vocal, rhythm guitars, programmed drums, keyboard), Matt Bradford (Slide guitar), Neil Murray (bass).
Background: The idea behind this song was first derived from a lyric that I started working on. However, quite quickly after that - when I decided that this would be a "rock-song", I got very inspired by the 1970s prog-rock band ELO, particularly the track "Hold On Tight," which I used as a reference track through the creative process. If you listen to that track, you will find that the tightness between the bass-and-drums-and-vocals is phenomenal.
Vocals on "I Think Too Much"
For the lyrics, I drew inspiration from Chuck Berry, ensuring they were tightly synchronized with the kick and snare drums. During a holiday in Croatia in August 2022, I perfected the lyrics, applying songwriting lessons from Manny Charlton; This involved experimenting with different words and coming up with new phrases that match the song's rhythmic sounds and feel. When I get a week or two to work on lyrics like this, I find this to be a very enjoyable. Almost like treating the songwriting process as a strategic game of chess. I'm pleased with the final result.
On April 3, 2023, I recorded the vocals at Westpoint Studios in Acton, London, with engineer Shane Shanahan. We used a Sony C800 microphone, Neve 1081 Mic-Pre-Amp, Un-Fairchild Compressor, Michelangelo EQ (by Hendy Amps), MAAG EQ 500 series, and an SSL G-Series mixing desk. I sang the song 5-7 times, and Shane professionally comped and tuned the vocals using Melodyne. He also added effects with his studio's plugins.
The chorus vocals were recorded similarly after we committed to the lead vocals. Back at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio, I had to fix a couple of cross-fade errors (a click) in the first chorus on the word "you" by cutting in the dry BV R mono track into the stereo FX track. A similar error in the next chorus on "really wanna do" was also corrected.
Lap Steel Guitar Solos on "I Think Too Much"
I am so pleased that I got Matt Bradford to play slide guitar on this. His incredible lap-steel guitar adds so much to the overall wibe of the song. He plays his purpose-made "one-of-a-kind" Lap Steel guitar, through a Fuzz Factory pedal + a Marshall clone amp to produce the incredible guitar tone that you hear on the track. Mixing-wise I have his solo Loud in the mix, and also made sure I reduced the volume of the rhythm guitars to let the Fuzz solo really shine. I did not add any sound-effects to the recorded Lap Steel, but I added some Brauer Motion plugin spatial effects in parts of the solo to make it stand out even more. I am such a fan of Matt Bradford and his slide playing: he has a totally unique sound and feel for playing this instrument. You can learn more about his incredible work at www.MattBradfordMusic.com , MattBradfordMusic@gmail.com / or www.facebook.com/MattBradfordMusic
Electric Rythm and Dobro guitars on "I Think Too Much"
I am playing the electric fuzz intro using a Big Muff fuzz pedal via a Gibson Les Paul guitar. The accoustic Dobro guitar that you can hear throughout, is actually made up of two separately recorded tracks, panned hard-Left and hard-Right to create width in the mix. As mentioned, I reduced the volume of the dobro during the solo-parts / or where I wanted the bass to stand out (rhythm guitars dive in and out of focus through the song).
Keyboard / synth on "I Think Too Much"
I recorded some synth sounds at the start of the song, using the UAD Luna (DAW) Shape instrument. Mixing-wise, I treated this with the Waves Brauer Motion plugin, which I think works exceedingly well for Synths, creating dynamic space in the song.
I then doubled the bass-lines using my digital keyboard (using the Shape UAD plugin / grand piano) in key parts of the song, where I wanted the bass-part to stick out (this is an old 1970’s mixing trick, which you can also hear on that ELO “Hold On Tight” reference track).
Bass on "I Think Too Much" I recorded / performed the bass on "I Think Too Much" using my Mexico-made Fender Precision Player-series bass. The bass lines are inspired by the aforementioned reference track “Hold On Tight” by ELO. It took me a long time to perfect the bass as I wanted it to align 100% with the drums. Instead of "fixing-in-the-mix", I basically played each 4-bar repeatedly until I got the performance that naturally fell in with the drums.
I wanted the bass to sit really tight with the Kick-drum. As already mentioned, I double-tracked the piano (UAD Shape instrument) with the Bass in certain parts of the song, making the bass stick out even further during some bass runs.
Mixing wise, I edited the individual volume on each bass note, to make it sound even tighter with the drums. The bass is otherwise mixed using the standard crossfade check first, before splitting the signal into low + high pass bass
The low pass is clean and sculptured to stick out versus the kick drum, whereas the high bass has an Ampeg overdriven digital amplifier to add character / distortion to the bass track. The bass track is treated with 1176 and LA2A for limiting and compression, making the bass track is sounding consistent throughout.
Drumson "I Think Too Much"
I programmed the drums using the BFD3 drum plugin that I have in The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio. The drums are professionally recorded by real drummers, so that the sound and fills are just like hearing it live – but obviously performed flawlessly.
I liked using the BFD drums plugin on this, because I wanted the rhythm on this track to be exceptionally tight with all the other instrumentation. And this is the best way to achieve that. Even the fills are programmed, though I have added other percussion to suit, including Hand-Clapping in the studio. Drums are then checked for cross-fades, and also mixed individually so that the kick stays away from the bass, etc, etc.
Think Snare treatment: as you can see I am using the MV2 to reduce the snare hits, to prevent them going into digital overload. I am loving the API 550 series (digital plugin from Waves) on drums, so I often go back to that when mixing drums.
Master BUS Mixing Treatment / settings on "I Think Too Much"
The L2 Peak Limiter is added to prevent the song going into red, and the “Dave Pensado” small boost preset on that plugin is also added on the Master Bus. This solved peaks going into the red on this track. As you see I also use the Waves R-EQ to add some air to the overall song and the SSL plugin on the Master-BUS (Lillywhite preset) adds some overall colour.
Performers: Helge Rognstad (lead vocal, rhythm and lead guitars, programmed drums, percussion / egg-shaker, keyboard, bass).
Background: This song dates back to 2021, when I found myself in a cool bar in Madrid, Spain, penning down the lyrics. The inspiration for the main riff struck while I was jamming along with a reggae drum loop on the BFD3 drum plugin in my LUNA Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). This track holds special significance for me as it is the first one where I am entirely responsible for every aspect. I wrote it in a studio I built myself, recorded all the instruments—vocals, bass, guitars, and drums—produced, mixed, and mastered it. I even painted the album cover and sold it through a shop I set up on my own. Creating this from A-to-Z is a huge personal milestone and personal ambition of mine, so I am proud of it for that reason alone. Moreover, it brings back good memories, as it was the first song from the new album to be played on the radio the day after its release on May 17, 2024. A big shoutout to DJ HerrMarklePotz from Blackpool Radio for playing it—your support made my day!
In this Podcast Episode, Radio DJ HerrMarklePotz, also known as "The God of Thunder," chats with singer/songwriter Helge Rognstad of The Fluffy Jackets about the song "Black Magic and Bad Choices".
Vocals on "Black Magic and Bad Choices"
Recording sessions took place in November 2021 at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio. From these sessions, the best three performances were selected for further processing. Each performance was individually mixed.
Vocals were recorded into the Luna DAW using a Neumann 103 TLS microphone, through my Avalon 737 microphone pre-amp. The specific pre-amp settings used were: Hi-Gain input mode was unselected (I use this for bass recording), while the +48DB power was enabled for the condenser mic. The preamp drive was set at 50%, and the output was adjusted to suit the voice, ensuring no clipping occurred. For EQ adjustments on the Avalon, +3 was added to the bass, +2 to the low mid, with no adjustments to the hi mids or treble. The compressor on the Avalon was not used (compression was applied later during the mixing stage).
The editing process involved soloing the vocals to identify and rectify weak areas. Parts where the text was unclear, out of sync, or out of tune were re-recorded. The vocals were then synced with the drums to ensure perfect alignment with the snare and kick drum. Specific lines such as “Cannot seem to get arrested” were overdubbed to follow exactly in step with the bass line, and the line “All I do is get shot down” was also overdubbed for better timing. Additional words and phrases like “You make a grown man cry” (specifically the word “cry”), “When is this going to stop,” “Give me everything you got,” and “Break free from your spell now” were overdubbed to fit perfectly with the timing and groove of the song.
Backing and harmony vocals were added where necessary to enrich the song, with these vocals panned to create a fuller sound. The process included using the Melodyne plugin to perfect one harmony vocal track first, then recording additional harmony vocals while listening to the perfected track through headphones. This ensures that the overdubbed vocals sound “real” instead of auto-tuned. All guide vocals, were subsequently deleted after the final takes were recorded (in other words – I used Melodyne to help my pitch during the vocal recording, rather than to fix any performance later/ I think this leads to a better result on this track).
The mixing phase occurred in July 2022 and involved several steps. Manual volume-riding took a lot of time, but was needed to ensure consistent volume levels throughout the track. The CLA Vocal plugin from Waves was used on the line “I see your evil eye now” for enhanced effect. Volume levels were edited again to maintain consistency. Compression was applied in stages, with a small amount on each individual track and additional compression on the main vocal master bus to ensure the vocals stood out while sounding natural. Reverb and other effects were added separately by copying the lead vocal (LV) or backing vocal (BV) files and adding effects to the copied files to blend with the original vocal tracks. The original vocal tracks remained untouched to allow for future adjustments to the effects if needed.
I used Melodyne to come up with the harmony parts that worked with the Lead Vocals LV, and later deleted that Melodyne / tuned track. The real vocals sound better in the mix (even if they are sung along with a "fake" Melodyne track). The only time tuning was actually applied was to some specific Backing Vocals BV that have some Melodyne in places to align those with the Lead Vocals LV.
Guitars on "Black Magic and Bad Choices"
The rhythm and lead parts in this song consist of three electric guitars, interwoven to stand out where needed in the mix. The first guitar used is a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Junior, played through a Marshall 1958x, a handwired 18w valve amp. To achieve the final sound, I utilized the Fulltone Plimsoul and Boss Overdrive pedals. The second guitar, a 1975 Gibson Flying V, was also played through the Marshall 1958x. The third guitar is a 2014 Fender Classic Player '60s Series Stratocaster (made in Mexico) played through the Marshall 1958x with a Boss distortion pedal. (I have since sold this guitar on March 6, 2022, after acquiring Manny Charlton’s custom shop Stratocaster that same month).
Alongside the electric guitars, I incorporated a Fender acoustic 6-string guitar. This acoustic guitar was heavily edited to sit tightly with the bass track, especially in the second verse. The editing ensured that the hand-muted guitar aligned perfectly with the bass and drums throughout the song. Unwanted fingering and fretboard noises were also manually removed or fixed.
The intro features a blend of the Les Paul Junior and the Gibson Flying V, both played through the 18w Marshall 1958x. These guitars are panned hard left and hard right, creating a wide stereo effect.
To enhance the spatial quality and depth of the intro, I added several virtual effects, including Abbey Road Plate Reverb, Virtual 100w Marshall Plexi (virtual amp), AKG BX 20 (reverb), and UAD Reflections Engine (echo). Some guitars are treated witht he Eddie Kramer Guitar plugin, and I also remove the low end on guitars, as I want that room for bass and the kick drums to live. The effects contribute to the rich and immersive listening experience on the song, setting the tone for the rest of the track.
Bass on "Black Magic and Bad Choices"
I played the bass on this track using a Fender Player Series Precision Bass (made in Mexico), which I bought brand new in 2021. Inspired by Neil Murray's melodic style, I incorporated alternate melodic bass lines throughout the song.
All recorded sounds at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio, Norway goes into this UAD Apollo x8, which is a high-end audio interface renowned for its exceptional sound quality, advanced A/D and D/A conversion, and powerful real-time UAD processing capabilities.
In my studio, I always record the bass the same way. The Fender Precision is plugged straight into the Avalon 737 valve mic-preamp, set to receive the line signal. This mic-preamp is also used for vocals, with the +48v power added for the condenser microphone, and the signal is amplified slightly. The signal goes from the Avalon 737 into the UAD Apollo x8 audio interface, managed via my Apple Macbook Pro laptop.
The DI bass track is then split into three different tracks, each treated with low-cut or high-cut EQ to handle different parts of the bass signal uniquely. To add color to the high-end frequency range, I use the UAD virtual Ampeg amp (UAD plugin).
A useful tip for dealing with "DSP memory issues" in LUNA DAW, which can occur when there are many tracks, is to bounce down or record the tracks. This can be done virtually in LUNA by sending the bass signal to a virtual channel and then recording that virtual signal with the plugin into a track that has no plugins, thereby saving DSP memory. More details on DSP memory issues can be found here, and a review of memory usage by various UAD plugins is available here.
The bass tracks were mixed into a single stem on March 1, 2024. Subsequently, I found the low end to be a bit muddy, so I made further adjustments on March 15, 2024. To address this, I added some air to the kick drum and ensured the bass was driving the song throughout. I also added fuzz to some bass parts where needed and removed the low end from the electric guitars to make sure the bass was the primary driver of the track's low end.
Drums on "Black Magic and Bad Choices"
For the drums on this track, I used a reggae drum loop from the BFD3 plugin, specifically the 1970 Reggae Beat #5 preset at 122 BPM. Additionally, I manually programmed several loops, including G8, F9, and G#9, and crafted fills like A#9 and C#10 to seamlessly transition into verses and other song sections. The drums benefit from unique conga fills that complement the reggae beat.
To enhance the percussion, I used the Shape instrument plugin included with my UAD LUNA DAW, adding cowbell sounds that meshed well with the conga fills. An interesting addition to the track is an egg-shaker I found at an Ark bookstore in Åsane Senter near Bergen during the summer of 2021, which added a live percussion element to the digital setup.
Initially, I considered sending the track to a drummer for live drum recording, as I typically prefer real drums. This was in September 2021, over a year before I met Croatian drumming sensation Matija Bajtal. I reached out to session drummer Simon Phillips (known for his work with Toto, Jeff Beck, and Jack Bruce) for advice. He suggested using a standard blues-based shuffle instead of spending money to replace these drums. I obviously think he could easily have done a blues-based shuffle for this (of course), but I also get that it is really not “his thing”, being more into progressive rock / jazz etc.
In any case, after revisiting the track when it came to mixing it, I realized that the BFD3 plugin and the programmed drum parts were exceptionally well-suited to the song. So I decided to keep these, as they sound great. I further perfected the drum parts by adding EQ to separate the kick drum from the bass track, applying effects to the snare, and panning the hi-hats 60% to the right. Ditto with the egg-shaker at the start.
Once the song was complete, I realised that this is the very first song whereby I have performed everything, incl. vocals, guitars, bass and drums.
9. Ship Of Dreams (feat. The Halloween Project)
Songwriter: Manny Charlton
Producer and Mixer: Helge Rognstad
Engineeringby: Helge Rognstad (Bergen) and Kjartan Hesthagen (Bøverbru)
Performers: Helge Rognstad (vocals, guitars, drum programming), Leif Knashaug / The Halloween Project (vocals and backing vocals), Neil Murray (bass).
Background: This is the second song I recorded at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio, but the first to be released from the new studio. This song was originally released as a single on the 25 July 2021 as a tribute to Manny Charlton (Nazareth) on his 80th birthday. The single was released along with Telegram (recorded by Halloween Project at Ronni Le Tekrø’s Studio Studio Nyhagen in Norway with overdubs by The Fluffy Jackets). This song also appears on The Fluffy Jackets’ third album “The Rise And Fall Of The Songwriter”, released 17th of May, 2024.
Vocals on “Ship of Dreams”
This is a duet performance. I (Helge Rognstad / The Fluffy Jackets) recorded my vocal parts at The Fluffy Jackets Sound Studio in Bergen, Norway. Leif Krashaug (The Halloween Project) recorded his lead + backing vocals at Studio Studio Nyhagen (This is Ronni Le Tekrø´s TNT studio in Bøverbru, Norway).
Guitars on “Ship of Dreams”
Guitars were recorded through an SM57 via the Neve 1073SPX mic-pre.
The rhythm guitar was recorded in an unconventional key using a 2005 Gibson Les Paul Standard plugged into a Marshall 18w amp with a Hall of Fame reverb and a Boss chorus pedal. The top string was tuned to B, with a capo on the 4th fret.
Manny Charlton's Gibson Flying V was used for the slide guitar at the end, also run through the Marshall 18w combo amp with a Hall of Fame reverb and a Boss chorus pedal.
The guitar solo in the middle features a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Junior, played through a Boss Metal Zone, Boss Distortion, and Hall of Fame reverb into a Marshall handwired 18w amp, cranked up loud.
Mixing- wise, for the rhythm guitars, I recorded two guitars (panned hard left and hard right), one arpeggio and one plucking arpeggio. First, I cut out low and high notes, ensuring not to remove any noticeable top end (cutting from 5k up and from 200 down). Created two copies of the EQ'd guitars, panned each hard left and hard right. Applied an LA-2A compressor to both tracks for consistent sound levels. Added an echo effect and a de-esser to the right guitar. Plucking Arpeggio Guitar: Used a basic electric guitar FX preset from Distressor and EQ'd it to sit well in the mix. Applied a gentle FX preset from Distressor for compression.
Bass on “Ship of Dreams” Neil Murray played the bass on this track, delivering an impressive performance despite the unconventional key I chose for the guitar parts. The bass track was received via email and seamlessly integrated into the mix.
Mixing-wise, I was inspired by Warren Huart's video on professional bass mixing (highly recommended: watch here), I duplicated the single bass track into three separate files, EQ'd them individually, and sent them to a Bass Bus. This allowed for a versatile and dynamic mix
Low Bass:
EQ Settings: Applied a low-pass filter to remove high frequencies, retaining only the low end below 1000 Hz and tapering off sharply up to 2k Hz. Preset Used: Waves EQ 6-band upright bass preset, which includes a slight high-pass filter.
High Bass:
EQ Settings: Focused on the midrange, retaining frequencies around 1k Hz, with sharp cuts below that. The range around 2k Hz was reduced, but frequencies from 4k Hz to 8k Hz were boosted by +12dB.
Final Bass:
Additional Processing: Added the Ampeg bass amp simulation from LUNA DAW / UAD Apollo 8x using the "10x1x15 cabinet" setting, which complemented the track perfectly.
Drums on "Ship of Dreams
The drums on this track were programmed using BFD3 and mixed with a 6-band EQ (F5 Waves) set to the "drum bus" preset, boosting the low end below 50 Hz and enhancing frequencies at 3 kHz and 9 kHz.
I checked the mix with both bass and drums, ensuring they cut through effectively. To further enhance the main drums, I used several inserts: the UAD Pultec (congas and presence preset) and the UAD Fairchild orchestra preset. For the chorus, I added manual drum rides and used the "beat me up" preset on the F6 Waves plugin to add extra sparkle. This complemented other plugins, including the Helios Type 69 drum overheads preset and the drum snare punch preset on the Pultec UAD plugin.
Additionally, I extended the drum hits with some extra "air," treated with the UAD Distressor plugin using the Giant Drum Room preset. This layering resulted in a dynamic and polished drum sound that stands out in the mix.
Lessons learned ref Mastering of "Ship of Dreams"
This track was not sent to a mastering engineer, because I judged that the track sounded good without it. The overall file is therefore free from any master-bus compression or limiting in any way, leading to a more dynamic sound. I could have made it louder by adding serial compression (on various bus-parts + master bus) but since this is well recorded – each individual tracks sound good on their own – it was really not required.