The G League, I wonder how many fans of the NBA are actually aware of it?
Changes
There’s a few new changes in the basketball world in this past year. Actually since roughly February of 2017. Prior to that the NBA’s development league was known as the D League. Now in a multi-year deal with Gatorade its known as the G League.
Another change is the number of teams. Previously there were 17. The total now is 27.
Why do I know this
I wrote a song called Do You Want To Play that has multiple versions of the song. Like lots of multiples. I’ve done versions for basketball, baseball, football, and hockey.
Once I completed them I wasn’t sure that I’d ever pull them out again. However, the change of the league name to G League and all the additional teams left me with a gaping hole. So I dug it out.
Newer Process
My recording software has been updated substantially since I last worked with the song. One of the handiest new features is something called Track Alternatives. Which gives a producer the means to make edits to little portions of an audio without increasing the need for plugin load, or massive track counts.
I took the needed vocal file for most of the song and clipped out where I needed to update team and G League parts. This made it real easy to quickly sing new parts.
New Mix
A side effect of doing parts for the G League is a new mix. Much like the updated recording software, there are also updated plugins. All this led me to saying, I don’t want to do a whole new mix, but alas, I couldn’t stop myself.
After getting the original files transferred into a new file template, it really made sense to just do a new mix. I was able to get a crispier sound on the guitars. A little more punch and depth to the drums. There’s a bit more sizzle on the vocals and the bass gets a little deeper in vibe. Its crazy how a little adjustment in a song mix can alter the feel. These are subtle changes individually, but together it adds up.
New Master
Along with a new mixes for the G League, I have to do new masters. In case you’re not aware there is a process called mastering that provides a song recording with its final sheen and gets it to sound good on a variety of sound ups.
In the couple of years since the last compilation release, the state of music delivery changed drastically. Now instead of a single master meant for being super loud on a CD, there’s one master for Apple Music (and services that operate at -16LUFS, that’s a relative volume level for the laymen out there) and there’s a master for Spotify (and services that operate at -14LUFS).
Yes, I’m that bizarre that I do specific masters for the service the music is going to. I do that so that I’m not left wondering what the music is going to sound like based on automated volume level changes that occur to meet those service outputs.
All it really means is that the music will sound more dynamic.
Goals
I’m currently doing all the master outputs as I’m writing this. Listening intently for any output errors. Thus one goal is to make sure I release this set of songs before the next season starts. Thus if you’re a fan of any team in the G League, I do hope you’ll stream your team’s song.
Looking into contacting Gatorade’s marketing team, as I do have an advertisement idea as well.
Oh and I’d like to get in touch with various team’s marketing departments to talk about doing a pregame performance of the song for fans of the team.
Looking forward to the G League’s season later this year!
Yesterday I happened to catch a Facebook post by a long time friend of mine. We both played on the Los Angeles circuit with our bands when we were cutting our teeth. His post was how he had just discovered an artist called Ian Thornley who fronts a little group known as Big Wreck. It reminded me how I had heard of Big Wreck from some friends in Las Vegas some time after they had released The Pleasure and The Greed. I was hooked immediately. Amazing and creative rock guitar based writing, smothered with clever lyrics and an insanely awesome rock voice that I kinda wish I could have. Ian also had a band after Big Wreck called Thornley. However, about a year and a half ago Big Wreck put itself back together and recorded a new set of songs. My favorite single from the release is Wolves. I love the groove, the guitar parts, the mandolin parts, the lyrics, and the amazing melody. It hits a great niche of music where being awesomely clever still means something to rock ‘n’ roll – unfortunately the masses don’t get it. Immerse yourself and bleed out your heart from beating for other music that isn’t so clever. 😉
Wolves
Oh mark my words
In between the lines
And every little piece
Of the story’s entwined
I always told my side my way.
There was no more room
In the packet of wolves
They wouldn’t let me in
Saw the mission was afoot
They showed us all we were without
Oh, they said bleed out your heart
If it’s still beating for someone else
Trap all those chains
That keep you tethered, that keep you safe
A rosie little world
In your packet of wolves
A cosy little hang
In the back of your school
Those stories always get so old
Well is that one night
Going off the grid
I never said you didn’t
I never said you did
And all of my favourite stories are about you
You said bleed out your heart
If it’s still beating for someone else
Break all those chains
That keep you tethered, that keep you safe
They said bleed out your heart
If it’s still beating for someone else
Trap all those chains
That keep you tethered, that keep you safe
Bleed out your heart
If it’s still beating for someone else
Break all those chains
That keep you tethered, that keep you safe.