"A Glass of Tears Half Empty" Music Video Released

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Studio Update — March 15, 2015: Mastering

The final phase of the production process has commenced as all tracks have been sent out to the mastering house. 

I am honored to have the privilege of working with a person whom I would undoubtedly consider one of the most talented engineers in the industry, Heba Kadry of Timeless Mastering. Based in Brooklyn, NY, Heba has utilized her incredible skills putting the finishing touches on albums by such highly-acclaimed acts as The Mars Volta, Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo, White Hills, Surfer Blood, Nothing, Future Island and Liturgy.

The initial two masters sound absolutely brilliant, extrapolating upon the atmospheres I have established in my mixes with a higher degree of brightness and punch, wider stereo imaging, and an all-encompassing aura of vitality and liveliness that had been lacking in the unmastered versions. Judging from the quality of these tracks, I have no doubt in my mind that the rest of the album will become something far better than I could have hoped for.

—R

Studio Update — February 14, 2015: Final Editing Sessions

Hello, one and all! I first want to thank those of you who have been inquiring about the completion of the album and the timetable as to when it will be available. I do not have any specific dates to offer just yet but I am estimating, though there are a number of factors involved that can and likely will influence this estimation, that the album will be released this spring, around mid-May. 

During the last few weeks I have been taking a closer look at each song, fixing a few vocal lines here and there as needed (EQ, delay, reverb settings and so forth) and making edits to a number of instrument tracks that I believed would benefit from the extra attention. It certainly has proved to be a worthwhile effort as the album is sounding fantastic. 

I will keep this update brief as there is not much to say other than the fact that all of the final edits and extra samples/effects/panning etc. have been performed to the fullest of my abilities and I am very happy with the results. All of the tracking, both instrumental and vocal, has been done for almost a month and with these last few mixing corrections and modifications comes the close to my end of the production process. 

I will now be sending these tracks off to a very reputable mastering house to have the full potential of this work be brought to life. Be on the lookout for an update regarding this very soon. 

Thank you for your patience and your continued interest in this project of mine. I cannot wait to share it with you.

—R

New Song "It's a Ride" Preview Available for Streaming

"It's a Ride" will be available on Aura Blaze's debut album, release date TBA in 2015. Check this website for latest updates or keep in touch via Facebook




(Please note that the above preview is a work-in-progress and does not necessarily reflect the sonic quality of the final version)

Studio Update — November 28, 2014: Vocal Recording Sessions for "Gold Sparkle Sun Design" and "The Velveteen Valleys"

Throughout the last few weeks a great deal of attention has been dedicated to perfecting the vocal tracks for the songs "Gold Sparkle Sun Design" and "The Velveteen Valleys," both of which have developed into sonically massive works with a multitude of layers spanning the full stereo field. As any experienced mixing engineer will tell you, achieving a healthy balance between a large amount of tracks varying in frequency range and panning depth can prove to be a gargantuan undertaking.

Such has been my experience with the aforementioned works in regards to fine-tuning EQ and effects settings as well as adjusting overdub volumes, but thankfully my attention to these details is proving to be extremely worthwhile as the sound and atmosphere I envision begins to take form.

With such heavily-layered pieces, getting the vocals to sit prominently in the mix without overshadowing the rest of the music can be a bit of a trick. It is my estimation that the lushness of the composition of these two tracks, especially in the case of "The Velveteen Valleys" which features heavy use of orchestral elements (timpanis, strings, flutes, etc.) is the origin from which the need to incessantly adjust vocal track parameters derives. I have in effect been finding myself in situations where the adjustment of a gain setting for a particular vocal track or series thereof would influence the overall power of the instrumentation behind it, either weakening or intensifying it, thus requiring me to constantly alternate adjustments between vocal settings and instrument settings alike. 

Should this be the case, it is always a good idea to bypass all plugins running on the offending tracks so as to hear the raw audio without any processing. Working backwards in this manner will allow you to hear the individual tracks in a new light, oftentimes granting you the ability to pick up on aural subtleties and important frequencies of the original untouched audio that you may have overlooked the first time around. When you then reactivate your plugins one-by-one, you will immediately hear how these aspects are affected and can then make the necessary changes based around your new understanding of their sonic nature. I have been taking these steps with "The Velveteen" Valleys" in regards to the orchestral tracks in the song and have noticed quite a positive difference.

It is my plan this coming week to continue to direct my attention to the clarity of the mixdown of both "The Velveteen Valleys" and "Gold Sparkle Sun Design," finishing the final vocal edits and laying down additional overdubs. 

As these songs continue to take take shape I cannot help but be struck with the impression that they will certainly be among the highlights of the album.

—R

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New Song "Life is a Lucid Dream" Debuts On WDVR 89.7FM, Preview Available For Streaming

Those who tuned in to the "World of Work" show on WDVR 89.7FM this Friday would have heard my father and I discussing our musical aspirations and appreciation for non-corporate, non-government free speech radio as well as a few original compositions including a new Aura Blaze track entitled "Life is a Lucid Dream" which will be featured on the upcoming album.

Though the song is still in the working stages, I was able to render out a preliminary master cut to air this afternoon at the WDVR studio, a sample of which can be heard below. (Please note that this is a work-in-progress preview and does not necessarily reflect the sonic quality of the final version). 

Did you guys catch the show? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments and feel free to share the "Life is a Lucid Dream" preview on your social media pages. Thanks so much for your support, hope your weekend proves to be nothing short of monumental. 

Peace,

-R

News: Friday October 10, 2014

Hello! Today my father Carl Rachel and I will be guests on WDVR 89.7FM to talk about our experiences with the station as well as showcasing some of his latest music which I helped to produce. There may even be a brand new Aura Blaze song debut so make sure to tune in! 4:00 EST

-R