So recently I have been doing a crazy amount of recording using the ukulele.  Recording the Ukulele has similarities to that of recording a guitar but the obvious difference to me is the tone of the instrument and it’s dynamics.

So that being said, here’s a video that I prepped on how I do home-style recording of the Ukulele.

EMKE Starting off the WOW at The Loading Zone

Got an invite to an event from Poi Planet to see the surging movement of music being produced at China Town hot spot The Loading Zone.  WOW!

So stoke at the cross-section of talent that was there performing.  Hawaii has such a rich music movement but seldom gets the spin they DESERVE!

The night opened up with a young group named EMKE.  You have to hear them to believe it.  Great sounding band and not one of them are 18 years old.  Great musicianship and vocals.  I got there a bit late so I only heard three of their songs but they covered tracks that were not easy to do and sounded unreal.  You’re gonna hear more from them in the near future.

Desert Sea Duo

Next was a powerful duo called The Desert Sea Duo (Derek Ho and Kevin Jones).  It’s a testament to talent when you can take two musicians with acoustic guitars and solid vocals performing so well that the songs themselves take you to a place where you forget it’s a duo.  Lead guitar player Derek Ho really filled in the solos with clean leads as well as keeping the four on the floor rhythm.

Kevin Jones as the lead vocals is real powerful and entertaining.  I really got into his style of singing and he’s a real stand out with his presence on stage.  Man, can’t tell you how important that is when you’re doing the duo thing.  Anyhow, great range and confidence in performance makes The Desert Sea Duo a stand-out.

King of Spade

Finally but definitely not last, Kings of Spade – Kasi Nunes (vox), Jesse Savio (gtr), Matt Kato (drms), Tim Corker (bass), Natalie Phoenix, DJ Packo, Musa.  If you have not heard of them keep your head in the sand!  Nananaaaa….just kidd’n, but really.  This band is without a doubt one of the most pure, organic solid rock bands I have ever heard here in Hawaii.  OMG the singer is unreal in her capabilities.  Vocals, stage presence, energy and obvious love for what she does permeates the performance.

The band also slams solid.  Guitar player Jesse Savio pulled out an array of playing styles that supported the rock sound to the fullest – great soloing to boot – powerful! Always backing up any lead musician be it guitar or vocals is a solid drive and bottom.  Both Matt Kato and Tim Corker kept the power driving through the songs in sic time.

Okay then, I’m real stoked to see that attention is being giving to the music scene that at times seems to be buried beneath the Hawaiian Music scene.  As there are amazing Hawaiian Music artists in Hawaii there are amazing artist that creates music that live in Hawaii.  Thank you Poi Planet for the invite and support of The Loading Zone for the space…….good times!

When I was offered to take over the studio as a manager the first thing I did was look over the marketability of On The Rock Recording.  After having a few meetings with owner Tim Strickland I decided I was going to use video to do a “virtual tour” of the facility.

It’s not a stretch that people also choose where they want to express their creativity based on the personality of the place.  As a studio manager and project producer I have seen studios that have UNREAL space and gear suck wind because of the people inside.  I went through that myself as an engineer in training at Studio Sound n 1984-86ish.

So here it is – hoping that the video will bring OTR Media Center some feel-good energy with a forward thinking business model.

Man, trying to get studio foam out here form the mainland is as mind numbing as the sound of nails on a chalkboard.  As I’m doing what I can to get the control room to sound as tight as I can I purchased some bass traps.

As well, as I’m setting up the Zen room I got a package of audio foam that will take up all four walls.  Being that there was no previous audio treatment in the room I charted out the foam today and will be tacking it on Monday.

Fumes anyone……

It doesn’t make the wall all the tome >_<

Well, it’s really getting to take some shape now.  That back office area that was all stacked with gear and juice is cleared and cleaned.  Into the walls are a couple of patches and a new coat of paint.

Loading in new audio foam to soak up the last boom in the bums.  Shipped in some new bass traps for both the main room and the new Zen Room for a boost in the audio treatment area.

The main studio area got blown out and is being set-up as a multi purpose room for streaming live shows and other social media gigs.  WiFi is already tapped and we’re looking to either get a T1 line or even an ISDN for the ADR scene.

Wow, I’m back in the studio game after swearing off that end of the biz.  Brings back old memories of my days at the infamous Studio Sound Recording in Burbank.  The hazing of the 70′s and the 80′s still give me the chills.