Ciaran Flynn
Posts
One year ago I completed an EP; a CD sound-byte into my work over the past four years and a window into the album when it arrives. Intensely revisiting the old songs allowed them to adopt new meaning – mature reflection perhaps.
It took a lot of messing with convoluted recording techniques that I read about at one time or another. In the end, I set up about four microphones in a decently large hospital ward that welcomed the sick from 1796 to 1996... & again in 2005! The ceiling is pretty high and it still has the original huge windows; with a perched view over the city this was a good place to record!
I spent a lot of time preparing the sound that I am comfortable hearing; my whole music-listening life really.
I know what I like to hear and I really wanted to create a CD that best represents the music as I hear it (when playing at home) and not as another producer perceives it will sell – I think this is what fidelity is all about.
Inspiration: Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964); this is live recording at its best. Dylan coughs and laughs on the record; I think it is pretty representative of how things were that night he recorded it.
Woody Guthrie, Dustbowl Ballads (1941); I love this stuff. This is a guy with a guitar telling stories and motivating conscience.
Tom Waits, Mule Variations (2002); you can even hear his foot on the pedals.
Mainstream POP (anything from the past 40 years) is just mental chewing gum to me.
Christophe (violin) and I recorded alone in these hospital wards. For the first time I got the sound I wanted and could hear all of the other room noises and the songs came to life. Hearing it back for the first time, I came to life.
Comments
I've never had the chance to let the space really shape my recordings. I think one day I definitely will go for it. Maybe I'll record in the office on the weekend sometime (it's a big, sorta echoey room).
Well done lad.......... Couldn't agree more! Keep it up.