trevorpetrie 3Speak Podcast

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=trevorpetrie/hhrbzfzi
I thought I'd give you all a preview of a new song I'm working on and while I'm at it take a bit of a deep dive into my song writing / recording process.

I'll start off by saying I need to sing this one about another 20-30 times before I record the final vocals. My phrasing and projection are still all over the place.

Drums

I recorded the drums using my Arturia BeatStep Black Edition (pictured below). The chorus is two sequences overlapped and then edited to add in the cymbals.

The drum sounds are courtesy of Toontrack EZdrummer2. I'm using the UK Pop EZX and my custom preset GCS House Kit UK. My home studio is called Golden City Sound, hence the GCS. The preset is a customised version of the "Original Mix" preset but I've swapped out a few of the instruments. The kick is the 14x22" Ludwig Hollywood, the snare is the 5x14" Yamaha Club Custom, the hats are the 14” 60s Zildjian A, Cymbal 1 is the 18" Zildjian Kerope, Cymbal 2 is the 19" Zildjian Kerope and the ride is the 22" Zildjian K Constantinople Renaissance.

Bass

I played the bass part in the verse on the BeatStep’s pads. The bass in the chorus however is a “Groove” from the EZbass MIDI library, though I couldn’t tell you which one. The bass sound is a preset from IK Multimedia’s MODO Bass: “Studio Starting Point” which you can find under the “Pick” preset category.

I’ve made some mods here too though. Under Play Style I’ve set Muting to 27% and dropped the Detach Noise to 1.0. In the Strings tab, I’ve set the Action to High, swapped the Round Wound strings for Flat Wound strings, changed the gauge from Heavy to Medium and set the Age to Broken In.

The electronics are largely unchanged although I’ve boosted the signal strength of the Piezo pickup from 1.0 to 6.1. On the Amp tab, I’ve swapped out the Solid State amp for the Tube amp because I’ve never been a fan of the sound of solid state amps – they always sound trebly and over crisp to my ears.

The pedalboard is unchanged from the original preset.

Just reading this back I’m noticing how much I changed the preset. I’m going to go save this as its own preset, GCS Studio Bass ;)

Acoustic Guitar

The acoustic guitar is actually a live recorded acoustic guitar! My Cole Clark Fat Lady to be precise. I bought it off a friend shortly before he died in a tragic accident. It has a beautiful sound, and it means the world to me. Sometimes I feel like he’s in the room with me when I’m playing, and I find that quite comforting.

No major tricks here, I used a Samson C01 and the factory DI. Both were routed through one of my ART Pro MPA II tube preamps (I loved the first one so much I bought a second). They’re both rack-mounted in my desk, as is my Arturia AudioFuse 8Pre interface and the patch panel for accessing all the rear ports.

Keys

I’ve used the Concert preset in Toontrack EZkeys Vintage Upright. The MIDI for both the verse and chorus were originally from the MIDI library but both have been significantly modified. I still think the keys in the chorus are a tad busy so I may play around with them a little more yet.

I’ve also got a plugin on the tracks called MSW1 by Soundspot to give them some stereo width.

Vocals

The vocals were recorded using my Jeanne Audio JA-87F which is inspired by the Neumann U-87. It’s a gorgeous sounding microphone and I was sad to see they’re no longer being manufactured. I had my eye on they’re JA-251 (inspired by the AKG C12) but never managed to get my hands on one.

I sang the chorus twice. The stronger of the two takes is the loudest of the three tracks and it center panned. The second take is around 12db lower and duplicated with one panned 100% left and the other 100% right. The only other little trick I’m employing here is a plugin by Boz Digital Labs, simply called Pan Knob. It does exactly what it says on the box - makes the pan sound more natural.

Mix Buses

I’ve recently started using IK Multimedia’s Mix Box. At this stage of the mix, which is almost still really the writing stage, I’ve just got a saturator and compressor on each bus. I find by mixing as I write I get a better idea of where the final sound might end up and I get a bit more excited about the track too.

I hope you enjoyed this little dive into my new track. I’ll share more as I go and as the track gets nearer to completion.

-Trevor-

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=trevorpetrie/osqdzifa
I'd just had a discussion with my wife about how I hadn't managed to get into the studio all week. I was feeling a bit down about it all when a flood of words and ideas came to me.

Devil On My Shoulder is definitely an introspective piece. Clearly I'd been spending way too much time with my own thoughts.

I've given my reflection and my head-space a personality in previous songs. This time I went so far as to put that personality into a black suit. Thankfully he appears to be on my side.

lyrics

There’s a man in a black suit following me

He’s reading my fortunes and he’s reading me my misery

He knows where I live and he knows where I sleep

At night he sits outside my door and he watches over me Sometimes I can’t sleep at night

There’s a devil on my shoulder hanging on for dear life

Sometimes I can’t sleep at night

With each turn of the page, with each turn of the cheek

with each turn of the tide I loose another place to hide

I saw him watching from under the tress across the street

That’s when I noticed the lines and the look upon his face and I swear it startled me

He’s full of worry but he comes back, time and again

I’m starting to wonder, maybe he’s my only friend

Sometimes I can’t sleep at night

Is there a devil on my shoulder or is that just the street light?

Sometimes I can’t sleep at night

With each roll of the dice, with each roll of the punches

with each roll of the deep blue night, I loose another little piece of light

I don’t recall when it all began

Or when he started following me

I thought, he was only there, whenever I was down

I’ve come to realise he’s my strength in my time of need

Sometimes I can’t sleep at night

There’s a devil on my shoulder hanging on for dear life

Sometimes I can’t sleep at night

With each turn of the page, with each turn of the cheek

with each turn of the tide I loose another

Sometimes I can’t sleep at night

Is there a devil on my shoulder or is that just the street light?

Sometimes I can’t sleep at night

With each roll of the dice, with each roll of the punches

with each roll of the deep blue night

I find another little piece of light

Credits

Recorded live at Mouse Mountain Studios

Written and performed by Trevor Petrie

Feedback If you enjoyed this track, I'd love to hear your thoughts. It really makes a difference to know that someone has connected to one of my songs. Thanks for listening!

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=trevorpetrie/rdwnygug
This is a song I wrote about my experiences with depression and anxiety.

“Lion in the Closet” was released in 2015 and featured ananimated video clip by designer and illustrator Dylan Fowler. The single version also features some hauntingly beautiful cello, performed by Skye Myers.

Lyrics

There’s a lion in the closet in my room

He’s waiting for me to get home soon

When I open the door I don’t get a fright

We’ve been playing this game since the other night But when I wake up it’s another illusion

Why do I make up these disillusions?

There’s a bird in the tree he talks to me

We have discussions about foreign policy

He’s an expert on migration, he’s in a bad situation

We’ve been talking for years but I don’t know his name

But when I wake up it’s another illusion

Why do I make up these disillusions?

Perhaps it’s a need?

Perhaps it’s desire?

I’ll burn all this baggage

When I light the fire

There’s a lion in the closet in my room

Credits

Recorded live at Mouse Mountain Studios

Written and performed by Trevor Petrie

If you enjoyed this track, I'd love to hear your thoughts. It really makes a difference to know that someone has connected to one of my songs. Thanks for listening!

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=trevorpetrie/jnblxlzx
This is the first song I finished on my Cole Clarke Fat Lady guitar. I was borrowing it from a friend at the time and ended up buying it off him. Sadly he tragically passed away a few months later. The guitar means the world to me.

This song is about finding that special person who keeps you grounded, lets you into their world - shares your world and makes your life better.

That said, there's often challenges along the way and it's how you meet those challenges that determines the strength of any relationship.

Lyrics

You know some days just never felt quite right

But when you came in to my life

A calming breeze blew right through my soul

And there’s no doubting the fact that baby you make me whole Oh my love, we nearly drowned

But we made it through the darkness and we came back out

We set our fears aside and put the pain to bed

And now I feel your soul touch mine every time you stroke my head

Hold me baby I love you like crazy

Hold me baby I love

I love you

I need you

I'll be with you forever now

Credits

Recorded live at Mouse Mountain Studios

Written and performed by Trevor Petrie

If you enjoyed this track, I'd love to hear your thoughts. It really makes a difference to know that someone has connected to one of my songs. Thanks for listening!

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=trevorpetrie/umztuhxc
Hey there folks,

This is a brand new song I wrote just a few days ago. It's also the first song I've recorded since setting up the studio for live streams. This recording went relatively well, a few technical hiccups along the way but I think I've ironed them out now so hopefully I'll manage to stream a few songs in the coming weeks.

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=trevorpetrie/oclrgkig
I wrote this song the day after watching "Searching For Sugar Man" a film about a songwriter who failed to gain a following in his home country (the USA) but unbeknownst to him, inspired an entire generation in South Africa.

One of my take-aways from the film, is that it is easy to forget to make time to sit and reflect. To enjoy what you have, and not to worry about what you don't have.

It's a powerful and moving film that I would encourage any artist or songwriter to watch.

Lyrics

This emblem I’ve been wearing has got people staring

I hope they can’t see through my charade

Because it’s a pretty price I pay for living different lives both night and day

I aint sure it’s gonna work out right And these thoughts I’ve been collecting just haven’t been connecting

I get on and off and off and on the line

And I’ve been listening to the prophet but I’m sure I still don’t got it

I’ve got the answers but I just can’t find the time

So take these lyrics I’ve been scratching into eggs that won’t be hatching

And slam them in the faces of the youth

With all their instant gratification and their shameless masturbation

They’ll never understand the beauty of solitude

And all I really want is some silence from all the anger hate and violence

But I’m as much to blame as everyone else

And for all I’ve come to see and understand what burdens me

I’ve done nothing but simply get this off my chest

Will I fight, will I fight for you?

Will I fight or will I find something new.

This emblem I’ve been wearing has got people staring.

I hope they can’t see through my charade.

Credits

Recorded live at Mouse Mountain Studios

Written and performed by Trevor Petrie

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=trevorpetrie/poynxgts
We all have moments where we wish we could hand over the reins to someone else and let them take the helm for a while. Unfortunately that's just not an option. What we can do is surround ourselves with a few good people who can look past the impossibility or enormity of things and gently guide us back on course.

Lyrics

Holding on to thoughts from far too many years before

Holding on to thoughts I know I don't need anymore

A perfect storm of interwoven under-action

And time keeps ticking by

I need a friend who can tell me it will be alright

I need a friend who can tell me to pick myself back up again

I need a friend who can tell it will be just fine

I need a friend who can lie Overanalysing every single interaction

Over compensates for lack of meaningful distraction

Burnt to the core but fuel is sourced from somewhere higher

Almost year without you has gone

I need a friend who can tell me it will be alright

I need a friend who can tell me to pick myself back up again

I need a friend who can tell it will be just fine

I need a friend who can lie

I need a friend

I need a friend who can tell me what to say

Who can write the words tell me what to play

Tell me where to go, tell me who to see

Help me find a better version of me

Can stay up all night

Can fulfil my dreams

Can be anything that they'd like to be

Can live without fear

Can be young and free

So long as they lie, lie to me

Lie to me

I need a friend who can tell me it will be alright

I need a friend who can tell me to pick my feet back up again

I need a friend who can tell it will be just fine

I need a friend who can lie

Credits

Recorded live at Mouse Mountain Studios

Written and performed by Trevor Petrie

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=trevorpetrie/rnfmetju
'I Need You' is the first single from Inner City Traders, a four-piece grunge revival band formed by the remaining members of the disbanded Indie Rock group The War of Ideas... What else would four 40+ lads do when they're left in the studio with guitars, amps and a slab of beer?

Written after the death of a close friend, the three tracks on the debut EP are heavily influenced by grief and loss. In this track, I explored the feeling of sanity slipping away as I descended into despair.

'I Need You' is a straight out grunge tune that any ageing rocker will find instantly familiar.

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Trevor Petrie