Jim Alfredson Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Hi friends, I've spent the last 16 years or so completely focused on the Hammond B3, trying to master the beast in the areas of jazz and blues. But when I was a kid one of my first loves was the synthesizer. My dad was my musical mentor and always supported me and greatly influenced how I approach music. We had an original DX7 and a Fostex four-track and I made tons of goofy music on that setup. In the early 90s we got an SY77 which I still have today. Anyway, I have a new CD coming out. It will be a limited edition run of only 100 copies. It's certainly not jazz or blues but all synthesized using a combination of digital and analog gear. It's called "In Memorandom" and was inspired by the loss of my dad last spring (May of 2008) and revisiting memories of my childhood and my mother (who passed in 1997) and their influence on me. You can read more about it and hear samples here: http://tinyurl.com/ykqc69q Gear used: Korg Wavestation A/D, Moog Voyager, Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, Roland JD-990, Steinberg Groove Agent, Studio Electronics ATC-x and SE1x, Yamaha EX5r, FS1r, SY77 and SY99. Recorded with Cubase 4.5. Any comments welcome. Thanks! http://www.big-o-records.com/zen-cart/images/2412_cover_sm.jpg Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogut Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 link is broken -Greg Motif XS8, MOXF8, Hammond XK1c, Vent Rhodes Mark II 88 suitcase, Yamaha P255 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 Thanks for the heads up! I fixed it. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridog6996 Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Very cool stuff. "Jibber Jabber" (out of the 3 songs you can preview) particularly stood out to me as a sweet track. I like the combination of the Wurly and the other electronic elements. Nice use of the Mellotron-ish choir sound, which can sound out of place in the wrong hands. Nifty cover art too. As a sort of aside: out of the two major electric piano brands, I've always preferred the tone of the Wurly over the Rhodes. My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Jim, you are so amazingly musical I am often surprised you are capable of anything else like writing or talking. I mean that as a compliment! "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B3_borne Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Nice job Jim SK2 /w Mini Vent / XK3 Pro System /w 142 Leslie, Roland D70, Korg SP250 B3 1959 (retired) , Porta B (retired), XB2 (retired) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 Brian, thanks for that! It means a lot; I really dig your stuff. Jibber Jabber was a fun track to make. You'd probably dig Khalimba as well; it's centered around a djembe rhythm sample and has some cool Rhodes over the top with big fat Moog bass. Joe, that's a funny comment! I've been playing all my life. Its just something I've always done. I keep looking for signs in my daughters! My middle one is very rhythmic and can already sing melodies in tune and in time at the age of 18 months! She can't even really talk yet. Scary! I wasn't really planning on releasing this stuff in an official form. Its a deeply personal project for me. But I played it for some friends and family and they all said I needed to do something with it, so... Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 jim very nice work and the fact that it's dedicated to your parents is very touching. i like the use of timbres and the sense of empty space -lots of place for the listener to put his feelings. there are parts that your work reminded me aestheticaly the music of marky mark (keys player for the beastie boys). Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJUSCULE Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I agree, Jibber Jabber is a sweet track with a cool, kind of subtle groove. And now that yannis mentioned it, I also hear some Marky Mark. Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Have you guys ordered yours? "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Warren Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Have you guys ordered yours? I have. Jim, your CD hasn't arrived yet. DigitalFakeBook Free chord/lyric display software for windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 Finishing up final mixes this weekend (hopefully) and then deciding on a final order for the tunes. Artwork should be done by early next week. I might be able to ship them much quicker than anticipated if everything goes as planned. I haven't listened to Marky Mark since "Check Your Head", but I always dug his laid-back, groovy style. I should mention, this is definitely a headphones album! Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJUSCULE Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 So why is this thread OT? Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightbg Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Jim, A very touching and moving tribute. You're a living legacy to your father's sacrifices and dedication. Very well done. Jake 1967 B-3 w/(2) 122's, Nord C1w/Leslie 2101 top, Nord PedalKeys 27, Nord Electro 4D, IK B3X, QSC K12.2, Yamaha reface YC+CS+CP "It needs a Hammond" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B3Nut Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 If this thread is off-topic, I'm a purple spotted aardvark. The tracks sound really good, you've created some gorgeous soundscapes here...I can hear both the space-music and prog influences in the sample tracks. A wonderful tribute, absolutely wonderful. Kudos. TP --- Todd A. Phipps "...no, I'm not a Hammondoholic...I can stop anytime..." http://www.facebook.com/b3nut ** http://www.blueolives.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 Thanks, Todd! I worked on a tune I wasn't happy with yesterday. Prepared piano, sampled piano, and some other fun stuff. Going in at the end of the week for mastering. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted November 8, 2009 Author Share Posted November 8, 2009 Mastered the disc on Friday. I am totally stoked. This is the first record I've mixed completely on my own and the mastering engineer (who is also a dear friend and owns a killer professional studio in E. Lansing) had some really great suggestions. We decided the best course of action would be to bring in my DAW rig and run a S/PDIF output from my interface to his ProTools HD rig. That way, if we needed to make any serious changes to the mixes, I could do it right there in Cubase on my computer. He also suggested outputting the bass track(s) separately (had to go analog out on those) so he could process them independently of the mix. We tried some plug-ins in Cubase first, but nothing sounded as good as going out analog and going through a vintage DBX 165. It just made the synth bass come alive. Anyway, I put up the remastered samples on the site. Less than 60 copies left! I'm very proud of this disc and excited to release it! Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 Only 50 copies left. The CD is off to the duplicators. Should be here by December 6th/7th. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Added another tune to the player on the Big O Store page. It's a track inspired by Tangerine Dream's seminal recording Rubycon, which was a big influence on me as a kid. 49 copies left. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanS Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Jim, did you not get the PM a few weeks ago where I said I'd take a copy? What we record in life, echoes in eternity. MOXF8, Electro 6D, XK1c, Motif XSr, PEKPER, Voyager, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Horne Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 DanS, thanks for posting. The tension of a possible fifth consecutive post by the OP was making me very uneasy. No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message. In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 This looks like it's gonna be a great album. Like all of Jim's stuff, you should get you some if you ain't already. "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogut Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Im going to try and make it out to your Cliff bells show in Detroit this weekend if I can get back in town. -Greg Motif XS8, MOXF8, Hammond XK1c, Vent Rhodes Mark II 88 suitcase, Yamaha P255 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Squeaky wheel gets the grease, Dave. Greg, that would be great if you could stop in. Cliff Bells is a very cool club and we'll be having a funky good time, I'm sure! Come say hi! Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanS Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 DanS, thanks for posting. The tension of a possible fifth consecutive post by the OP was making me very uneasy. I do what I can do break up the monophony. What we record in life, echoes in eternity. MOXF8, Electro 6D, XK1c, Motif XSr, PEKPER, Voyager, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 The CD is here and I'm shipping copies to all those that ordered tomorrow! http://www.organissimo.org/pub/100_4911.JPG Still some copies left. Mr. Horne hasn't ordered one yet. I know he'd love it since every single instrument on it uses electricity. In fact, some of them reside only in the RAM of a computer! Oh the nuttiness! Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted December 17, 2009 Author Share Posted December 17, 2009 All pre-orders shipped yesterday (Dec 15th). A big thank you to everyone who ordered. Still some copies left. I had to move servers so the Big O site has been intermittent as nameservers around the globe point to the new IP address. If you can't see the site, just try again (refresh). Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKeys Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 You have inspired me again Jim.... Since I finished school as a massage therapist I have threatened to write music for that profession and now I have a need for a real synth to do it. I have never been a synth player but I could have a lot of fun with one after listening to your stuff. Jimmy Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho NEW BAND CHECK THEM OUT www.steveowensandsummertime.com www.jimmyweaver.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 It's OT because it isn't all about Hammond B3 Organ. :-) Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 Jim, my dad made hours upon hours of ambient music that he packaged for massage therapists and other relaxation situations, just locally. It can be very enjoyable. He was certainly no synthesist, he just knew what sounded good. The digital powerhouses of the 1990s are so inexpensive these days and still very much viable; the Yamaha SY77 or SY99, Roland Super JD-990, Korg Wavestation... the options are limitless. Mark, your copy is going out tomorrow. Sorry for the delay! Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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