Treelady News

Famed author Bob Katz and Treelady Studios’ Chief Mastering Engineer Garrett Haines have coauthored a new article concerning digital clocking and jitter.   The piece is a part of the team’s review of the Grimm Audio CC1 master clock, and appears in the January/February 2010 Issue of Tape Op Magazine.

Grimm Audio CC1 Digital Clock

“The last chapter in the Jitter Saga has yet to be written. But the penultimate chapter has just been written by Grimm Audio, who have challenged the most sacred concept, the commonly-held notion that internal clock always performs better than external.   Digital clocking has been a hot topic among audio engineers in recent years.   Someone started the idea that the built-in clocks found in most converters were poor.  And it snowballed from there.” So begins the article, which not only examines the performance of the Grimm CC1, but also includes head-to-head tests of many popular converters and clocks from companies like Digidesign, Apogee, Lynx, and others.

Almost a year in the writing, the review dispels many marketing myths that surround digital clocks, and explains the benefits and trade-offs of using a central clock.   In addition to testing the Grimm CC1 in their respective mastering studios, Haines and Katz sought outside ears by visiting tracking studios and doing double-blind shoot outs with the Grimm and other brand gear.

Bob Katz, owner and Chief Mastering Engineer at Florida-based Digital Domain, is the author of Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science (Focal Press), a book that is widely considered one of the best resources on the topics of contemporary digital audio and audio mastering.   Mastering Audio is available at Amazon.com, at the author’s website, and at fine booksellers everywhere.   Garrett Haines is the Chief Mastering Engineer at Treelady Studios and a Senior Contributor at Tape Op Magazine.

Treelady Studios is proud to be a sponsor of the 2010 105.9 FM WXDX Radio / Hard Rock Cafe Winter Rock Challenge IV.  Come support local music at the Hard Rock Cafe at Station Square.  Bands have been selected and will play through a serious of rounds in February, leading up to the March Finals.

The Schedule is as follows:

• SEMI-FINALS:
  Doors 8:00 pm / Show 9 pm approx. (5 Bands – 20 minute set / 15 minute changeover) Limited amount of All Ages tickets available
• THURSDAY, JANUARY 28
  THE SILENT WIRE, BISHOP CLAY, SEASON ZERO,SOLE NEMESIS, MACE BALLARD
• THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4
  MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, YOU THE SYMPHONY, SHIRTCOLLARSMILE, VALIDICTORIAN, SOMEONE’S GOTTA BE SANE
• THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11
  THE CATCH, ANTHONY RANKIN BAND, THE COMPOSURE, BLOODSHOT ROBOT, SHATTERED
• THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18
  EAST COAST TURNAROUND, VESTA, CHUX BETA, MUSIC FROM ANOTHER ROOM, THE SPEEDS

FINALS – WILL BE HELD FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2010

THE FOUR WINNING BANDS FROM THE SEMI-FINALS COMPETE FOR THE TOP HONOR

Treelady Studios assisted BBC Radio 2 by digitizing rare audio assets for a upcoming special on the life of Pennsylvania’s Stephen Foster.   The two part segement, called “Hard Times: The Short, Sad Life of Stephen Foster” features rarely heard Foster recordings, including 1930’s era Japanese renditions of the composer’s works.

BBC Radio’s Michael Feinstein pays tribute to the first great American songwriter Stephen Foster. Stephen (1826 – 1864) was the first songwriter to earn his living solely through his music rather than subsisting, as other songwriters did at the time, by teaching or performing. His life marks the start of popular music as we recognize it today.

The assets are part of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center For American Music.  The Center manages Foster’s assets, including various recordings made of his compositions.  Director of the Center, Deane Root, was interviewed for the piece.  Biographer Ken Emerson talked about the key aspects of Foster’s personal life and Deane L Root, musicologist and director of the Center for American Music explained the musical context of the time and why what Foster was attempting to do was so groundbreaking.

Episode one airs 15 December 2009.

Rolling Stone October 15, 2009

Treelady Mastering client Drummer received a good review in the October 15, 2009 edition of Rolling Stone Magazine.  Drummer, which features the drummers from five independent bands is the side project of The Black Key’s Patrick Carney.  Carney, the Black Key’s drummer, plays bass on the project.

The Drummer CD, entitled “Feel Good Together” was released in October 2009 by Audio Eagle Records.   In an era with decreasing page counts for all print media, its notable to be reviewed in a prominent title such as Rolling Stone.  The review, which ranked three stars, was positive, noting, “. . .it’s the wiry, hyper guitars and weird, snarly keyboards that spark this fatty up”.

Feel Good Together is available and CD vendors nationwide, and online.

Treelady Mastering client The Royal Bangs have been awarded the rare AMG Album Pick Award for their latest release “Let It Beep.” Opening the review, Rick Anderson writes, “For their second album, the Royal Bangs are back on Patrick Carney’s Audio Eagle label, and their sound is, if anything, even more insane than it was the first time around.”

The Knoxville, TN Royal Bangs are currently on tour across the U.S. and head for Europe in December 2009.

The Royal Bangs "Let It Bleed"

The All Music Guide and website was created in 1995 as a place for music fans to indulge their passion. Whether you’re visiting allmusic to look up an out-of-print recording, to get our take on a new release, or simply to explore the world of music and see where it may lead, you’ve come to the right spot.

The AMG editorial staff, along with hundreds of expert contributors (all music fanatics in their own right), has made allmusic the most comprehensive music reference source on the planet. We are all dedicated to creating and maintaining the knowledgeable, spirited content that music lovers and industry professionals have come to expect from AMG.

All genres and styles of music are covered here, ranging from the most commercially popular to the most obscure. We critique albums and artists within the context of their own genres – from opera to garage rock to traditional country. This ensures that fans of any style of music can depend on us to keep them up-to-date with their favorite artists as well as introduce them to new sounds.

Several projects that utilized Treelady Studios have made the 52nd GRAMMY Awards Nominations Ballot.

In the ALBUM OF THE YEAR CATEGORY, Eye Ball Records’ artist KISS KISS new release “The Meek Shall Inherit What’s Left” can be found in the ALTERNATIVE category.   Mixed by D James Goodwin, at the Isokon in New York, the CD was mastered at Treelady Studios by Garrett Haines.

Also in ALBUM OF THE YEAR, under ROCK is Akron, Ohio’s Houseguest, with their 2009 release “Welcome, All That’s Difficult.”  Mixed by Ted Mallison at Tangerine Sound Studios and mastered at Treelady Studios by Garrett Haines.

House Guest - Welcome All That's Difficult (Audio Eagle Records)

In the PERFORMANCE CATEOGRY, local group Somerhill placed two songs in the ROCK DUO/GROUP and ROCK Categories:

“Free Your Mind (Tara Na)” – single
and
“Today or Tomorrow”  – single

Both tracks were recorded, mixed, mastered at Treelady Studios, and produced by Charles Constantino for Core Media Productions.

Please join us in congratulating all involved and wishing them the best of luck in the voting.

Clearly Ritilin supplies have not been getting through to the Oklahoma countryside, which is evident in the new Starlight Mints video for Power Bleed. In a new piece evocative of New Order’s “True Faith” or even David Bowie’s “Ashes To Ashes” the Mints are in fine form. Directed by Nape Foll & George Salisbury and Produced by Geek House) you can watch the video by clicking on the link below.

The Starlight Mints latest CD, “Change Remains” was mastered at Treelady Studios by Garrett Haines, is available on Barsuk Records in Compact Disc, digital download, and LP Vinyl formats.

Starlight Mints "Power Bleed"

Treelady Studios owner Garrett Haines was a panelist at the 1st Annual Sardonyx Pittsburgh Music Conference held Saturday May 30th at the Altar bar in the Strip District. The conference featured music business professionals from the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus and Los Angeles markets. The evening was capped with a showcase of Pittsburgh artists, including: Fountain Infinity, Joel Lindsey, Patrick Ryan, and Catgut Tonic (to name a few).

The opening panel, entitled ‘The State of the Music Business,’ was moderated by Sardonyx Productions’ President Mike Moscato, and included Dan Kimpel (lecturer at the Musician’s Institute and Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts), Don Grierson (Tina Turner, Celene Dion, Iron Maiden), Treelady Studios’ owner Garrett Haines (The Starlight Mints, Watermelon Slim, Kiss Kiss) Jeff Blue (Hoobastank, Better Than Ezra, Korn), Kevin Amos (legendary Pittsburgh radio producer), and Renee Asher (Reckless Abandon Records).

Other panels included Booking and Touring, DIY Record Labels, and Legal Aspects of the Music Industry. Featured panelists included Pittsburgh-based Liz Rueger, President of Independent Artist Representatives, Jim Pitulski, Managing Director of Blistering Records N.A. (House of Lords, Almah, Covered Call), and Columbus-based entertainment attorney Leon Bass.

Sardonyx Productions, a Pittsburgh-based company with the slogan “Bringin’ the Biz to the ‘Burgh” is hoping to do that with the launch of the first annual Sardonyx Music Conference. It is rare to find situations where artists can interact with music business professionals, making this conference a unique opportunity to network and become better educated about the industry.

Treelady Studios is happy to sponsor the first annual Best in the Burgh Music Showcase. The showcase is open to local bands, with applications being submitted to the Selection Committee. From the applicant pool, 16 artists will be selected for the semi-final competition.

The 16 semi-finalists will perform in a one of the shows on June 14, June 28, July 12, and July 26 at d’Vine Wine Bar in Wexford.

Treelady will provide recording prizes for First, Second, and Third Prize winners. As sponsors, Treelady will not be part of the artist screening, selection, or judging process.

For more details, schedules, bands, sponsors, and more, please visit the Best in the Burg web site.

Barsuk Records recording artists The Starlight Mints are finishing up their new CD with mastering engineer Garrett Haines.

The new CD, which will be titled CHANGE REMAINS, was recorded by Allan Vest, and mixed by Trent Bell at Bell Labs Recording Studios in Norman, OK.

The Starlight Mints: Change Remains

While the release date is not firm, Barsuk records Vice President Christopher Possanza indicated the label wanted to make sure it was in stores to support a summer 2009 tour for the Mints. Their full schedule can be found here.

The band’s previous CD, DROWATOWN, was also mastered at Treelady Studios. The three year gap between recordings was due to the successful placement of the band’s songs in numerous productions, including several Disney animated features, and National Lampoon’s feature film, The Rise of Taj.  The band receives critical praise for their unique sound.  NPR notes:  “The Oklahoma-based rock group excels at immaculately crafted songs, but also keeps a truckload of tinsel, chimes and other sparkly trimmings in tow at all times, designing entire houses of sound and then decorating them to the nines.”

The Starlight Mints