Latest tracks by Jon Jarvis

This is my main set-up for producing these tracks, nothing spectacular but it gets the job done nonetheless:

On the iMac is Pro Tools 9 and on the MacBook is Logic.

I produced most of the first movement, ‘Innocence’, on Logic, and most of the second, ‘Indulgence’, on Pro Tools, but using the strengths of each when needed. For example Pro Tools is better for recording and has more powerful plug-ins and Logic’s sample editor is unbeatable in my opinion.

For the third movement I tried to use both equally, both in keeping with the whole concept of the project and also….just because it kinda turned out that way…

There were a few vocal lines I needed for the 3rd movement, ‘Integration’, and here are some nice photos of me recording Fran Anderson doing just that:

Unfortunately, there were no pop-shields available for some unbeknown reason and the wind guard that was supplied with this AKG C414 didn’t actually fit, but the lines came out fine and I was intending to run a number of effects on them that would make any slight distortion unnoticeable anyway.

There were a number of things I needed to record in the Dubbing Theatre/foley studio. I’ll just present them in picture form…

Firstly, I needed to record various everyday objects used in a musical form for the 3rd movement, ‘Integration’, such as vitamin jars and pill packets as shakers:

-My instruments and microphones…

-My microphones positioned (right: Shure SM57 left: AKG C414) with my laptop as a metronymic guide.

-Shaking away…

And also making percussive sounds using computer keyboards and mouses (yes, that’s the correct term for the computer kind):

Making ‘tea tinkling’ sounds with a spoon in a mug:

And lastly, the footsteps in time and preferred velocity for what I had in mind to do with them.

The foley studio control room:

Recently bought a contact microphone of a guy called Jez Riley French, who came in and gave us a seminar demonstrating them. Basically you place them on or in things and you get really interesting resonant sounds, so i decided to go on a little walk and see if I could get some nice textures to use in any of the 3 movements really.

Here’s what one looks like:

Aaand here’s me using mine, which only cost £20! Bargain!

Got some really nice sounds from cutting a slit in the stem of a half-dead thistle, placing the mic in there and letting the breeze blow through the thistle naturally.

If you’re interested in these things and similar stuff Jez has got to offer, head over to http://hydrophones.blogspot.com/