Author: Jody Whitesides

  • Chandelier By Sia

    Chandelier By Sia

    chandelierWho knew that my horizons would get expanded by a Chandelier?

    Happiness is knowing that you can learn, grow and expand. Such is where I’m heading in my own career. Even as little as a few years ago I would have never been into hyper lush production of a song. At least not beyond getting a good sound and making a good blend with a standard type of band setup and maybe adding a few additional sounds. Now I’m checking out songs that are humongous arrangements with track counts that number well over 48. Ones that have awesome sounds in them built in layers and layers. Such is the case with Chandelier sung by Sia. The production on this tune was achieved by Jesse Shatkin and Greg Kurstin.

    What I really enjoy with this song is phrase “1, 2, 3, Drink.” There’s a really clever use of prosody in music with that part. It’s something that a musician would appreciate, but the consumer would just think “oh that’s cool.” What happens where she’s singing 1, 2, 3 is that the vocal is parsing in triplet quarter notes over the beat. Three counts getting a division of three across beats – as I said: clever. The melody soars when it hits the word Chandelier, which also has a sense of prosody thanks to the fact that Chandeliers tend to hang from a ceiling up above.

    Sonically, there’s a ton of ear candy and while a pop song doesn’t have to be chock full of ear candy to be good, said ear candy can take a good song with a memorable melody and push into great. I could listen to this on repeat and be happy.

    Chandelier by Sia

    YouTube player

    Party girls don’t get hurt
    Can’t feel anything, when will I learn
    I push it down, push it down

    I’m the one “for a good time call”
    Phone’s blowin’ up, they’re ringin’ my doorbell
    I feel the love, feel the love

    1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
    1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
    1,2,3 1,2,3 drink

    Throw em back, till I lose count

    I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
    I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist
    Like it doesn’t exist
    I’m gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry
    I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

    And I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes
    Keep my glass full until morning light, ’cause I’m just holding on for tonight
    Help me, I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes
    Keep my glass full until morning light, ’cause I’m just holding on for tonight
    On for tonight

    Sun is up, I’m a mess
    Gotta get out now, gotta run from this
    Here comes the shame, here comes the shame

    1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
    1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
    1,2,3 1,2,3 drink

    Throw em back till I lose count

    I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
    I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist
    Like it doesn’t exist
    I’m gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry
    I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

    And I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes
    Keep my glass full until morning light, ’cause I’m just holding on for tonight
    Help me, I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes
    Keep my glass full until morning light, ’cause I’m just holding on for tonight
    On for tonight

    Enjoy your day and the song!

  • Noisy Mouse In The Headphones

    Noisy Mouse In The Headphones

    noisy mouseNothing is more annoying than a noisy mouse in the headphones. Recently in the studio while getting ready to start knocking out vocals for American Mayhem and we had an issue with a hum type of noise going on in the headphones. This makes for unpleasant recording. Not to mention that it also can be an issue if it’s being recorded on to the track in question. Adding noise from an unknown source isn’t always a great idea.

    Find out what was causing the noise to occur. A kind of noise that flares up when the mouse is being moved. Nothing like a bad noisy mouse, however, that was a result of the issue, not a root for the cure. We did find it!

    Noisy Mouse In The Headphones

    YouTube player

    Transcript:

    What are we up for George? What are we looking at?

    I just hear some weird hum.

    Very briefly.

    Yeah, it came and then it kinda went.

    I can kinda hear your mouse moving.

    Yeah well…

    Mouse noise is what I’m saying. Not like the actual physical noise. I’m hearing in the system.

    Somethings tweaked in the system.

    That seems a bit quieter.

    Yeah, well the transformer was on the audio cable.

    Sittin right on the cable? Yeah, that’s bad. Studio badness. Do not put your audio cables right on a transformer.

    Oh yeah. Much better.

    Much better.

    Ok. We’ll be recording now. Shhhh.

    Red light ‘s going on.

    No squeaky chairs. No nothing.

  • Backseat Producing And Manolo Blahnik

    Backseat Producing And Manolo Blahnik

    jody in studioI’m usually a hermit in the studio, but I’ve opened up a little and had a little episode of backseat producing that led to a discussion that involved Manolo Blahnik shoes. In the past, I rarely let people in the studio while I’d be singing. Hence the reason why I’d produce them myself. I’m changing things around. Especially since I’ve been having George Leger III producing vocals for me.

    Another first happened during the vocal recording session of American Mayhem. I allowed my buddy Greg Nicholson and his girlfriend to sit in while I was recording vocals with George at Utopia Parkway studio. Greg and I have written songs in the past. But he’s never sat in on recording with me as the artist. George has one rule – which quickly gets reminded to Greg as he offers up some advice.

    While waiting for George we get into a discussion about the Apollo by Universal Audio and shoes by Manolo Blahnik. All of this prior to Greg and his girlfriend are about to go watch the World Cup football (soccer) between USA and Portugal. See, he’s for USA and she’s for Portugal. I’m sure that was an interesting match for the two of them. As we all now know, that was a moving match.

    Backseat Producing And Manolo Blahnik

    YouTube player

    Transcription:

    Are you’re P’s coming out okay?
    Pah. I don’t know.

    ‘Cause you had a lot of P’s. So I was just wondering how.

    Oh yeah, they’re not popping in the mic.

    Ok. Cause sometimes I have to like turn my head just a little bit when I’m singing a P even with a pop filter.

    Shhhhh.

    Sorry.

    Shhhhh.

    Ha ha ha.

    You’re a guest. Not a producer.

    No side, no backseat driving.

    Exactly. Please. We have work to do. Okay, here we go again. Ready?

    Yes.

    Mumbo jumbo. It makes people go really?

    Really?

    Really?

    In other words…

    Why do you need this?

    It’s like so when you start updating your studio and she’s living with you at some point in the future. I’m projecting here. And Greg’s like “I need to buy this.” and you’ll be like “Really? Really?”

    Remember, that’s what George and Jody said.

    This stuff does make a difference.

    Do I get a pair of Manolo Blahnik’s?

    Of what?

    Manolo Blahnik’s.

    I don’t know what that is.

    Really nice shoes.

    Oh. Okay.

    I don’t even know what the hell that is. But like, Okay.

    A pair of nice shoes is that what that is?

    Yeah. They cost quite a bit.

    Alright. So, you get the toys in the audio gear. She gets the toys in the shoes.

    That’s only fair.

    Right.

    I believe in this. I believe in being fair.

    But here’s a question. How much are those shoes?

    Between $300 and $500.

    Oh yeah.

    Whew.

    Alright.

    That’s totally fair.

    Per pair. How much is what you want to get?

    The Apollo? How much is that Apollo? About $2500?

    That one? $2799 plus tax. No. $2500 plus tax.

    I was thinking between somewhere between $2500 and $3000. Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.

    I was like, we already shook, we already negotiated this deal.

    I did not know how much that cost!

    I don’t know how much your shoes are, but I’m thinking my thing is 10x of what we just negotiated.

    Dammit!

    ha ha ha ha.

    Fair trade. Fair trade.

    Well, now I have to get the most expensive pair of Manolo Blahnik’s now.

    No I think it’s only fair that you would get at least a dress.

    Ha ha ha.

    To go with the shoes.

    Okay.

    Yes.

    Alright.

    That’s only fair.