The Cat's Artist Colony

Things started for me with Cubase Artist 5 in 2011 after years with a port-a-studio. I had little clue then of what could be done via computer based recordings, and this very recording was the first project from my early Cubase days. I’d never shared that recording here, and thought the folder had been lost in a computer crash in about 2016. The original has been on my soundcloud page since 2013, but it didn’t seem anything short of a new effort from scratch with the song would result in anything better. Happily, I recently found a copy of the original project folder on a laptop that was being replaced. That Artist 5 project was opened in 14 Pro, and here’s the result.

It’s the original recording minus a nylon stringed guitar solo and an electric rhythm guitar that were both removed. From 2011, you’ll still hear a few guitars, a fretless electric bass, and an Alesis synth and Boss drum machine that went into my interface via phone jacks and not MIDI. I had no idea then about softsynths, and very little idea of how to present a decent quality recording or mix. The only new recording for what’s heard here is an electric piano from Amped Elektra and a bass drum and cymbal from Groove Agent. That being said, all of the original tracks were remastered and remixed in the last few days in 14. The first of 2 guitar solos had been buried under that now gone nylon string solo, and the 2nd solo is actually a steel stringed acoustic that probably won’t sound much like that any more thanks to recent processing for this share.

What a difference from what had been there, and I’m so happy to see that these older projects can get this kind of resurrection in the newer environment. Here it now is, and there’s a story about where the song name came from in the bandcamp blurb, if anyone cares about that. Thanks for listening, if you do, and please remember the context behind this track relative to any “rookie mistakes” made back then.

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Hi John, to me it sounds very fusion. I like it! We’ve all gone through a journey of ever improving sounds thanks to the digital revolution, so not going to comment on the sound! For myself, I’m amazed at what is possible just sitting in front of my computer with a couple of analog instruments (guitar and bass) and interfaces into Cubase, along with virtual instruments.

Maybe we humans have just peaked when it comes to making music. AI seems to be taking over, and it’s getting tough to draw the line. I just listened to Ian’s (Sherz) new piece, and he made extensive use of AI. I need to comment on that one, but it’s getting hard to tell who is doing what in their compositions.

So it is very refreshing to hear stuff from you that is most definitely from a human. I guess!

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Great melody and chords, and great guitar tone! Agree with @Early21 about the fusion bit. The main part reminds me a bit of Pat Metheny.

great tune !