Jody Whitesides

Category: News

  • How I Use Apollo and Universal Audio Plugins to Craft Unique Cover Songs

    How I Use Apollo and Universal Audio Plugins to Craft Unique Cover Songs

    Now that I’m back in the studio, there’s been a desire to do some vocal experiments on my part.

    Signal Chains

    One of the things that producers worth their salt will do is experiment with different combinations of gear. Though there’s still some bronchitis to deal with, I have been getting a few hours here and there to try out some new signal chains and see how they affect the sound of my voice.

    Thanks to modern technology, its actually extremely easy to try out a much wider range of gear without the insane costs. Thank you Universal Audio and the Apollo system!

    Vocal Experiments

    There’s a project for TV music where we’re in the final phases of recording and mixing. In this project I’m spending some time to run some vocal experiments to hear the differences of what comes out. My most recent chains have included and API vision strip into an LA-2A. Then the absolute newest chain has been a Neve 1073 into a Studer Tape Machine followed by an LA-2A. Each lends itself to a different vibe. Don’t think I don’t realize that those gear terms likely all sound greek to you. They’re all geek to me!

    vocal experiments

    The image above is of my current favorite. What makes it strange is that when I solo a vocal recorded with this chain, it actually doesn’t sound all that great to my naked ear, but in the right track… It causes the vocal to sit like I can’t believe. The ultimate in vocal experiments, when you think the sound is bad, but its oh so right for the song.

    Daring Covers

    Along with the plethora of original tunes for this project are 10 cover songs that are so different from the originals that it may blow your mind. Hell not even may, they will blow your mind. A few of them are very different vocal experiments for me. It all comes down to figuring out the right way to present each song so that it has the right twist to give the song a double entendre.

    And therein is my one reason to ever do a cover, to give it a new meaning!

  • Beating Bronchitis in the Studio: An Independent Musician’s Survival Week

    Beating Bronchitis in the Studio: An Independent Musician’s Survival Week

    I’m gonna go right out there and say sore throats suck. I’m pretty sure there’s very few people on this planet that actually like them.

    When

    Right after I pretty much get my digital life back on track, I came down with some mild bronchitis. Maybe its some sort of bodily retaliation for spending so much time on something other than music?!? Eh, no. I don’t believe that. Obviously I came into contact with someone somewhere that probably had it.

    It might have been the trip to California. Namely the plane ride. Recently read that you’re only likely to get ill within a few passenger rows of someone else. Which means it would most likely have been the flight to Los Angeles. As that flight was full. The return flight was probably 10% full, if that. Very light flight.

    Coughing Goo

    Around Thursday of last week I started feeling rather beat when I woke up. Mind you this would have been about a week plus of incubation. I woke up to feeling a little lethargic and coughing profusely and wanting to get something out of my lungs.

    Could I have been singing to hard the several days before that? Tough to say. Yes, I’ve been in the studio working on a few new projects, especially now that my digital life is up and running again. I had been pushing pretty hard on a couple of heavier tunes destined for film/tv worlds. My throat was a little overtaxed, but nothing that a night of sleep wouldn’t cure.

    Instead  I started hacking up bright green goo. I hate sore throats, and shortly after the goo, one kicked in.

    Progress

    As things go, being ill means it progressively gets worse before it gets better. Not the case here. It has remained mild enough that I’m still quite functional. Not 100% full capacity but still functional.

    Despite feeling beat down for the past few days, I’m taking in as much rest as I can – while still attempting to get things done. Which means that today I’ll be opening up to singing again. I’m coughing less, throat is less sore. Will need to keep an eye on it, because pushing too hard means I may fall completely down the illness rabbit hole where I don’t want to be.

    Wish you well and hope you’re in great health, have a great rest of your Monday.

     

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  • Why This New Version of “I Want You to Want Me” Might Surprise You More Than the Original

    Why This New Version of “I Want You to Want Me” Might Surprise You More Than the Original

    If there is something I’ve learned – everyone wants to be heard by someone else; they also want others to want them. Have need for them. To love them.

    There really isn’t a more definitive song about wanting others to want you than the infamous song penned by Rick Nielson of Cheap Trick.

    I Want You To Want Me

    I Want You

    Actually I wish I had written this song. I’ve toyed with it for a long time. When I play it live solo acoustic, I slow it down and I stretch it out.

    I tried recording it once.

    Then I tried recording it again.

    And again.

    I was never quite satisfied with how I was conveying what I heard in my head as I interpreted the song.

    Things Change

    If you didn’t know, I’m working on musical endeavors outside of my artist persona. Thus I brought the concept of how to cover I Want You To Want Me to a co-producing friend of mine. We’ve been toiling over 30 original tracks for the past year and I decided we should heap on 10 more songs, 10 covers of classic hits in the style of our project. This is not something I would have considered even a year ago.

    Last week I began rethinking and retracking all the parts, while I let my partner come up with a viable drum part and a few other odds and ends. The biggest trick was how to approach the vocals so that they became modern but were an ode to the era they came from.

    Praise

    Two days ago I finally finished the mix and got it mastered.

    I want you to be able to hear it.

    Turns out that friends who have already heard it have been saying things like:

    “Dig this version!! Great vocals!”

    “Love, love love how your voice sounds on this!”

    “I just might love this better than the original.”

    I’m not sure how soon it will come to the light of the world via streaming services or via a license for use. But I Want You To Want Me as reimagined by Razor Wire is definitely something you should hear. I hope it will be sooner than later.

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