Jason Burns Music

I thought I would put this up as I usually do to solicit feedback while I am working out ideas, arrangements, etc. What do ya think?

Some production notes:

Drums: Toontrack EZ-Drummer w/ Drumkit from Hell

Guitars: Ibanez RG 6 and 7 string, Ibanez Acoustic Electric, Ibanez 5-string bass

Guitar Tones: Guitar Rig 4

Ok, so I got the T-Racks 3 plugins today, and finally finished the master on this. I had been waiting to re-record the vocals, but with a couple nice compressors and an EQ, it actually settled in quite well. I feel finished with it, what do you think?

This is a biggie folks, this is the first time I have ever posted anything with ME singing in it. The words are almost finished and this is the first take at the vocals so I am sure it will get re-recorded a dozen times before I say it’s done, but it’s starting to take shape.

I have updated the track and consider it a pretty solid mix. Some thoughts on the song itself. Coming from a pretty traditional Republican background, and having been in the military myself, it’s probably a pretty odd sentiment to put into a song. It’s not really where I intended to go with it. The original title was Zero and was loosely based on a quote about the only efficient human population being zero. When I started actually trying to write some lyrics for it, the first line kept going through my head and it just took me somewhere else entirely. The first heavy guitar riff came first, I added the clean intro second and really was going for that huge plucky sound from Metallica’s Wherever I May Roam. Then I started breaking it up a bit, added some break pieces, the solo bed, a basic arrangement.

It had a few parts pretty long, so once I had some vocals in I started to chop out a bit, make the arrangement more concise. I added the haunting “You’ll die for honor” parts last, trimmed the arrangement a bit more, about 10 measures total were cut out, and then took it into Soundtrack Pro to add a little mastering touches to it.

I consider it pretty close to finished and all of the positive feedback I have gotten has really inspired me to try more with me singing. Thanks for all of the compliments!

A few people have asked for a copy of the MP3, so here it is. Download

Some recording notes:

• Logic Studio 8 on an 8-Core Mac Pro
• Guitars direct into M-Audio ProFire 2626
• Guitars: Ibanez RG, Ibanez Soundgear Bass and Schecter Omen 6
• Rode NT-1a Mic direct into M-Audio ProFire 2626
• Guitar Tones by Guitar Rig 3, custom preset
• Drums partially played on Roland TD3 kit, partially sequenced, sounds by ToonTrack EZ-Drummer with DrumKit from Hell
• 5 Tracks of Guitar, 1 Track of Bass, 3 Tracks of vocals and 1 Synth Track
• Mixed on Yamaha HSM-80 Monitors

This is the first little mix of this idea, still writing lyrics and thinking about arrangements and layering, just thought I would get some feedback.

Details: Recorded with Logic Studio 8, Guitars and Bass played by me through Guitar Rig 3, Drums by EZ-Drummer with Drumkit From Hell

This one is quite upbeat and light. It has the mood of some Disney music. That is if the Disney movie was Snow White and the 7 Circles of Hell or maybe Beauty and The Beast Who Burned For Eternity. Cheerful!

I decided to throw up some of these older songs for people to check out. Most of this stuff was done with Pro Tools on a PowerMac with an MBox, Pod Pro tones and drums with Reason 3.0 and the Drum Refill

Infinitarium
This tune is pretty crazy, synth sounds provide the sound bed to some smokin licks. There is also a pretty driving riff in there. Think the guitar was one of my Ibanez RGs, Humbucker in the bridge.

Take Everything Away
This was my first experiment with GarageBand. No guitars in here, all synth and beats.

Setting Out
This one has an interesting sound, there is some dodgy guitar playing in here, but most of my stuff is ideas with one take guitar parts, I think I should finish something sometime.

Around The Corner
This is another one that’s just kinda upbeat guitar solo stuff. Enjoy.

Electric Playground
I love this track, who would guess trumpets in a rock guitar song. Again, Reason 3.0, me on guitar and bass.

Serenity
This one is super old. I am talking 1999ish. Crappy Takamine Acoustic and Ibanez RG through a Digitech RP3 I think. Cool Edit Pro and an Alesis DM5 for drums.

Cabaret
This is some jazzy stuff I came up with one night.

Sometimes you get so down in the dumps learning a new programming language you just have to let it all out! I was finished with some coding exercises for the night so I picked up my guitar, let Garageband improv some background music and then just hit record and let it go. This is a one take, improvisational blues number I lovingly call “The Objective-C Blues” or in other words programming for iPhone is a pain in the butt. So here it is, mistakes included since I was too lazy to fix them.

I hope you enjoy it!

I got a new M-Audio Axiom keyboard controller for Christmas and wanted to play around with it, I started screwing around and this is what came out. All sounds courtesy of Logic Pro, including the guitar tone and effects.