Don what are we listening to?

Donny, it's a musical score for a TV commercial. Sounds great, Russ.

Gary

Russ will elaborate when he gets a chance. Briefly, it's a score he did for a commercial.

I would think it is a music score that Russ wrote and performed ?
Sounds like something 'Fourplay' or 'Chick Correa' would do ... Cool !

guess I started responding after you guys did

I asked Don to post this because, when I try to post, the URL rapidly repeats itself endlessly until I stop it.

This is a remake of a film ID score for a long-time client, who is having me do work for two different divisions. The first one, previously posted, was jazz oriented; this is different in that, while the other was mostly keyboards and horns, based on lots of changes using Major 7ths, this one is all stringed instruments (plus bongos and drum kit), using A Coronado Fender with Electrasonic (Gretsch) pick-ups, a PRS for solos, A P bass with a drop D for "balls", a Godin acoustic fretless bass and a Boss rotation sound effects pedal for organ tones.

Total was 8 tracks and took about 6 hours. Bill to client for the upgrade will be $5,000.00, since it is a simple remake.

The tricky part was, enough of the original had to remain to make the association with the over-all theme. But, it had to also be something that would become recognizable for the two new divisions. The other tricky part was getting old fingers to work like they used to. It's 8 full tracks, recorded one instrument at a time, which may expand by 4 if I use it on a longer film in the near future. The "adders" would be keys (Hammond SK-1) and a couple of "hired gun" horns.

The other factor is time. This is the background of two films to be the centerpiece of a large trade show in Orlando, Florida
(IBS), which loads in Monday, January 8. No chance for delays, the flu, sore fingers, output problems...from conception to completion all work was done in about 12 hours, with no time to spare. Simultaneously, 12 print projects, signage and lots more were in progress...all coordinated, in terms of graphics and audio.

I finally realized a year ago that the reason I'm so "connected at the hip" with music is, everything I do that matters to me dovetails with audio. My advantage in the communication business has, in large part, been the ability to supple superior audio.

In the last 5 years, print is being used less, replaced by near broadcast quality video...usually posted on a proprietary UTube channel. There is more work for well-rounded musicians than ever, and if you can write copy, do great still photography or graphic design, while the nature of the work has changed, there is plenty for a very comfortable, satisfying life. Multi-talented producers who can perform multiple tasks are at the top of the heap, job and money-wise.

Excuse the rant, but it's not easy to show what I do without examples. After the show, I'll post a link to the completed videos, if you'd like. A lot of this work is proprietary, so I'm glad the owner of this one lets me use it like this.

Be well, and thank-you for "tuning in".


Russ

Excellent Russ! If you don't mind, can you point me to your first one that was "jazz oriented?" Link to the post or URL for the box app? Really enjoyed listening to this, thanks!!

Would love to see the videos, Russ ...
Thank you ...

Thanx for the information... Good luck with it Russ..

Ted, I'll try to find it. Don posted it for me before...if he can put his hands on it easily, that may be the best way.

As I recall, it was the rough before the final. It is recognizable, however. I have permission to share the roughs on these, but not the finished piece. I'd have to hunt for the rough on the first one if Don can't put his hands on it.

Tony, the video is being played at the National Home Center show next week; then all business to business. I'll ask for permission to show the film (actually, a slide show on the history of the company....an 80 year old Italian manufacturer), which is looped with an installation film (same score).

Typically, these guys are pretty closed lipped about their internal stuff, and I have to agree not to post finished original scores. I have had two instances where much smaller businesses have stolen rough scores and used them for completely unrelated businesses. To give you an idea, a full-blown score, written precisely to the edit is a minimum of $1,000 per minute. A completed film; a simple one without animation, a lot of travel or difficult sets bills out at a minimum of $2,500-10,000 per finished minute. This, believe it or not, is often faster and less expensive than print alternatives.

FUN, exciting stuff. I've been at it over 50 years, and I'm excited about going to work tomorrow, when I'll be planning my next trip to Dubai.

Be well...sorry for the rant, but there IS an alternative to playing Jimmy Buffet tunes for $100.00 per night to drunks.

Russ

Haven't been able to locate it yet, but I will....
...and I did.
http://donmasonmusic.com/RussLay.mp3

Russ, it doesn’t get much better. I like the guitar solos, I can relate to them.
Nice to hear your music/work, John C.

Russ,

Great stuff to say the least! I'm with Tony it's reminiscent of Chick or Fourplay.

Cool, Russ. I am sure there is still work to be had, yes, but it requires the ability to compose well and not many people can do that. They might can play fine and dandy, but writing is another thing.

Nice guitar playing Wes....I mean Russ😉!
jingleman

Ted, notice, Don added the link to the first rough (thanks, bud). Same structure, using all keys, major 7ths and a pretty strong walking left hand bass; at least in part of it. Neither of these are the completed scores; those are proprietary, and much more polished.

My enjoyment in being involved in creating lots of different kinds of collateral (broadcast and print) is how various projects interface.

In this case, for instance, this is the score for two films that will be the centerpiece of a $250,000.00 show booth at the National Home show, opening Tuesday of next week. The score is a key element of the films, which will play in rotation on two giant monitors. In addition, in 10 days we produced a "walk" piece, a two pocket folder, 20 product brochures, an invitation, padded entry blanks, three site signs, a postcard and lots of little "extras". The track is the glue that holds the entire effort together.

I just decided to drive the work down to Orlando Sunday, rather than UPS it, because I'm in the early stages or restructuring three social media sites and a blog for product releases. I'll do stills and video for those projects at the Show on Tuesday. Plus, UPS cannot guarantee early morning delivery, due to weather issues, and Damnit, this stuff will GET THERE! It is the backbone of the whole effort.

The home office in Italy has decided to used the score for other projects; possibly for broadcast, which brings more recognition, compensation and credibility.

Music has been very good for me...much more than a means to get tipsy and L***! (As I remember, that wasn't bad, either!).

In my early 70's I'm still anxious to get up and to work in the mornings.

Why not widen your horizons and explore what other music related opportunities are out there?


Be well, and thanks for putting up with my "ramblings".


Russ (old but still "kikkin") Lay

I absolutely love this. It sure does make me think of Fourplay. What guitar were you using on this Russ, it sounds fantastic. The music is magic.

Nigel, chord vamps on a Fender Coronado with Electromagnetic pick-ups, similar to those on our Airlines. Swweetening with the Airline with a 12 string emulator. Solos on A Santana PRS, with humbuckers. Organ sound with a Guild Starfire with a Boss rotary sound emulator. Bass-P bass with a drop D. Other bass, a Godin acoustic/electric fretless. Percussion: Bongos (LP) and old Slingerland drum set I played in the 60's.

One track at a time: all in sequence. 8 tracks.

WHAT FUN! The final version will be much tighter, but I want to be careful to leave a little spontaneity.

Thanks, Nigel. If we were closer, you'd be playing on these with me.

Don, as always, thanks for the help. Because of our similar backgrounds away from music, I believe you understand this stuff better than anybody else.

Really appreciate the chance to "talk shop".

Russ

An update:

The track was for a history video to be played at a client booth at the Orlando National Home Builders Show. We had two monitors.

The show was to load in on Monday, the 8th, and run the 9th thru the 11th. At 4:PM on Friday, I got the news that, because of weather issues, I would have to pay next day air rates for a palate of paper (brochures, pocket folders, entry blanks, signs...all the little pieces that make things work), and delivery could not be guaranteed.

I was fighting off the flu big-time, but I got in a rental car , loaded up, and headed South. Stopped South of Macon after 11 hours of driving for a rest, continued at 8:00 in the AM and got to the convention Center at noon.

Placed the media, displayed the collateral material and headed back to Kentucky about 5:00 PM. After driving 5 hours, I stopped for a sandwich, continud for an hour, and stopped for the night. An hour later, I was leaning on the toilet with terrible problems...vomited so hard that I broke a rib. Somehow made it thru the night and got back on the road at 8:00 AM. Had a 10 hour drive in front of me. At noon, I'd had it. I stopped at a little town in Tennessee for what I thought was a 5 hour rest. Woke up at about 9:00 AM the next morning, sore as hell.
Made it to Lexington about 3:00 PM.

GOOD NEWS is, all participants, including top management of the Italian firm the work was for loved the collateral matetrial, Concept (we gave away a Vespa motor scooter to emphasize Italian quality) the two video's and want to arrange to use the music track for international productions.

In my business, that's a HOME RUN! It solidifies an expanded relationship with a long-standing, prestigious client, makes my contact look good and puts some really strong dollars (now and in the future) in my pocket.

This is why muic is so important to me. It was an integral part of the films and set the scene, mood-wise for the entire trade show and the company image for the future.

And that makes me feel GOOOOOOD! Here's a good example of great opportunities involving music if you look and work hard enough.

Russ