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Home recording song collection using self-made effect pedals

Smooth jazz songs (My own composition)

[New]　Beyond the Sky (Inspired by Brian Culbertson)

This is my own song inspired by my favorite musician Brian Culbertson. As the title of the song suggests, it makes me want to fly beyond the blue sky. I don't think distorted guitars are used in the Smooth Jazz genre, but I tried put it in with a single note backing. The piano sound is played by Roland RD-88. （Sept., 2022）

Happy Saturday (Inspired by Brian Culbertson)

This is my own smooth jazz song with horn section inspired by my favorite musician Brian Culbertson. This song depicts a sunny Saturday, with two children in the lead, going out to play in the city. When we get a little tired, we take a rest in the shade and start walking again. After enjoying the day, everyone ends with a high five. The piano sound is played by Roland RD-88.
（Aug., 2022）

Lasting Memory (Inspired by Brian Culbertson)

This is my own smoothjazz song inspired by my favorite musician Brian Culbertson. It's a song that depicts how unforgettable memories are revived. At the end, memories become one light and continue long and far. The piano sound is played with the software instruments included with Studio One 5. （Jul., 2022）

Thinking About You

This is my own song that I was influenced by various songs while listening to "The Wave Smooth Jazz Tampa Bay Florida" on the internet radio. It's a song about sitting on a couch thinking about someone. The phrase is a repetition of 16 bars, and it contains the feeling of thinking over and over again. The piano sound is played with the software instruments included with Studio One 5. （April., 2022）

Other genre songs (My own composition)

My Delight

It is based on a song that I made when I was young. At that time, I wanted to make it look like Japanese POP artist Tatsuro Yamashita, but this time I made it a piano song, so it has changed a lot. Minor third modulation is performed in the middle of the song, and it drops one step immediately, so it makes a strange transition. (C -> E.flat -> D.flat) The piano sound is played with the software instruments included with Studio One 5

Midnight Rain

This is the first song I made for a band over 30 years ago when I was in my twenties. It's a song about the rain falling quietly in the middle of the night.

Binaural processing (using Oculus Spatializer) is applied to the rain effect sound. When you listen with headphones, the sound image spreads outside your head. The piano sound is played with the software instruments included with Studio One 5

 

Home recording tips

Using RD-88 as an external piano tone generator

The software piano sound source (supplied with Studio One) sounds distorted when the EQ is raised to High, so I was considering purchasing a piano sound source (Keyscape) that has a good sound. I am hesitant because it is quite expensive.

I use a Roland RD-88 as my master keyboard. The RD-88 is used by Brian Culbertson in Studio B at "The Hang LIVE" every Friday night (Saturday morning here in Japan) and it sounds great.

Therefore, in "Happy Saturday" posted above, I sent the pre-programmed MIDI piano track from the DAW to the RD-88, returned the analog sound of the RD-88's GrandPiano (preset 1) to the DAW, and recorded it.

The sound quality of the piano has definitely improved. In the future, I will try to use this method when mixing down.

Effect pedal sound samples

This is a sound sample of the effect pedal used in the above two songs.

Creamy distortion of self-made BB-Preamp

I think BB-Preamp's own work is easy to use for solos because of the clear distortion.

Mild Tone of self-made VEMURAM Jan Ray

The mild tone of the Les Paul front pickup is lightly distorted using the self-made surface-mounted mini size Jan Ray.

Fast wah followability of self-made MXR Envelop Filter

The self-made MXR Envelop Filter can follow fast rhythm phrases that you can't do with an actual wah pedal.

Natural Compression of self-made Keeley Compressor Direct Mix

The self-made Keeley Compressor Direct Mix has almost no feeling of compression even when I strumming a rhythm guitar.

Equipment used

DAW: Studio One Professional
Audio i / o: Steinberg UR22mkII
MIDI Keyboard: Roland RD-88
Headphone: SONY MDR-7506
Monitor speakers: YAMAHA MSP3
Software drums: BFD3
Other Software Sound Source: Included with Studio One

Guitar1: Gibson Les Paul Standard '20
Guitar2: Fender American Professional II '20
Bass: Fender Jazz Bass '85 (direct input to UR22mkII)
Pedal board: Self-made, the photo at the bottom of this page

Smooth Jazz songs, my own composition

For the last few years, I've been addicted to Smooth Jazz pianist / trombone player "Brian Culbertson". I love his album "Another Long Night Out" performed by famous musicians such as Alex Al, Michael Brand, Chuck Loeb and Lee Ritenour.

I am inspired by his music and creating my own smooth jazz songs. BFD3 is used for the drum sound source, and "Studio One 5" is used for the DAW. The audio interface issmall "Steinburg UR22mkII".

I play the bass and guitar myself. I'm not good at playing the piano, so I modified the MIDI data I actually played. All other instruments such as drums are programmed byDAW's MIDI editor.

Language

• • Japanese

Self-made
effect pedals