Some Guitar PLAYING Tips for the Studio

One thing you find out when recording guitar players on a frequent basis is that most guitar players have the idea of playing all wrong. Please don't think that this is me saying that I'm "Yngwie Malmsteen" or anything but, it really does seem to me that when it comes to guitar playing most players tend to think faster is better. Completely overlooking tone and accuracy.

*Guitar Tone*
It baffles the HELL out of me when I see someone come into my studio who spends hundreds and hundreds of dollars on his guitar setup. He's got a Gibson Les Paul studio.. and an Orange half stack just to get that "Vintage" sound that he wants and then when it comes to playing with his drummer and bass player he just has no dynamics at all. Guitarists need to learn that there are many ways to enhance their tone that does NOT center around hundreds of dollars worth of equipment. If you try out my quick little suggestion you might find that it will change the way you approach guitar.

Tip#1 - HOW TO PRACTICE..
To understand how to improve your playing you must understand how to practice. Most people will just pick up their guitar and try to play as fast as they can and get tired and stop. The fact of the matter is that… when you push yourself to an uncomfortable level while trying to achieve speed it's never going to help. Remember the saying Practice Makes Perfect?.. it's untrue.. in actuality Practice Makes PERMINANT. Which means.. if you practice a scale fast and messed up… that's all it will ever be. Practicing scales doesn't have to be boring. He are a few tips to mixing stuff up while practicing your "HOT LICKS!"

Try alternate picking in reverse. Instead of starting on the "down" try starting on the "up" at first it will completely throw off your game but when it comes to descending scales doesn't it make sense to start them with an up stroke instead of down? One thing I like to practice is doing a regular Harmonic Minor (SLOWLY) using Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down.

E|--10-8-7-----------------------------------------
B|-----------10-9----------------------------------
G|-------------------10-9-7-----------------------
D|-----------------------------10-9-7-------------
A|---------------------------------------8-7--------
E|----------------------------------------------10-

In fact, try to become extremely familiar with this pattern. Practice it slow and steady with variations. Example: Try picking every note the first run all the way down and back up the scale. Then, on the 2^nd pass try picking the first note of each string and using pull-offs to get the rest of the notes. Then, on the 3^rd pass try picking the 1^st and 3^rd note in each phrase of 4. So pick 1 x 3 x. Try "echoing" the scale in groups of 4 so it looks like this…

E|--10-8-7-----8-7--------7----------------------
B|---------10------10-9-----10 9-----10-9-------
G|--------------------------------10--------10 9-
D|-----------------------------------------------
A|------------------------------------------------
E|------------------------------------------------

Repeat the scale all the way down and back up again reversing the pattern. Again, one scale and be a HELL of a finger workout if you actually take the time to vary it up. Make your own patters like "First time straight through, 2^nd time doubling every note, third time through groups of 4, fourth time through skipping a string (aka going from high E to G then from B to D and so fourth). Familiarity will make you a much better player.. and different patterns will greatly change the boring mundane (ascending scale) that so many guitar players rely on.

Tip #2 – PICKS MAKE SOUNDS!!!!!!!

It is surprising how many guitar players don't stop and think that the pick you are using will dramatically change your sounds in the studio. How you hold your pick is just as important as the picking technique you're using. For example, If I'm playing something acoustic I want a medium plastic pick. But, where do I go from here.. Well if I'm strumming I want a loose grip on the pick it's going to make things much more open and airy sounding… if I'm looking to do arpeggios I'm going to hold the pick slightly on a 45 degree angle to hit the strings to get that almost "Choppy" sound. It's going to make the notes sing and cut through the rest of the music. Again, viewing this from a producer's standpoint it's important that a guitar player realizes how their picks and picking effect their playing. Nylon picks with a heavy guitar tone just sound better… and if you have a player that can attack the strings at almost a sideways angle it makes all the difference in the world. When you get a chance… buy the thinnest pick and the thickest pick available at your local guitar store. Take them home and try them out for different styles of music. You will find that it makes a world of difference in sound. I'm not saying play with picks that are uncomfortable to you.. but become familiar with the sounds your instrument can make.

Tip#3 – STRINGS!

Thin strings have no bottom end! Which is fine if you are recording a black metal type project where you want no bottom end at all, but if you are putting 8's on your guitar and are expecting to play some low tuned metal it's just not going to happen. You should be sticking with 10's (regular gauge) for standard rock music. I've been known to buy two packs of strings.. heavy gauge for the E,A,D, and light gauge for the G,B,A,. Again, that's a little extreme and it's just my tastes but, I find that it gives me the light touch for solos as well as the "Stomping a mudhole in yer ass" heavy sound.

***Remember the more bottom end your guitar takes up.. the more bass frequencies you are taking away from your bass player and by law that gives him the right to kick you in the sensitive private parts.

Tip#4 – NOTES!
We're making music here people. Please understand that there are times to lay back and times to rip solos. There are times where a singer should sing. Where a drummer should drum.. where a bass player should… sit back and get some coffee for the band! (I kid, I kid) but, I've heard so many bands fighting with each other for "space" that it's really sad. Sit back.. listen to your band.. if your bass player is doing a sweet groove.. let it shine for a moment. Same thing with the drums. It's not just about one part of the band.. it's about the band…

I hope these little tips help and I hope that it gives you something new to think about when you're ready to go into the studio.
Goodluck and happy playing.
Sincerely
H

The Next Gemini Release

The next Planet Gemini release slated for December 2009 release is titled...
"This Could Be the End of Everything"

The album is written and just needs to be polished and fixed up production-wise.
I will probably do a little more work on this album for the rest of July and then stop in August to start working on Cauldron of Fuzz 6.

This Could Be the End of Everything is very heavy, dark. Very much classic Gemini. Probably not as "Heavy" as Wicked was but much more deep I think. Primal is the word I would use to describe the music. Very ritualistic... I mean this is the first new Gemini album in some time (Since 2007 if you can believe that) and I think you will all be satisfied with my choice in direction. Tons of new instrumentation. Lots of percussion... you'll probably be surprised at all of the strange percussive stuff on this album.

I'm really hoping to make this a 2 Gemini year so please bare with me if I seem to be distant... I have a lot of work to do... I am still hard at work on another project that I've been throwing a TON of my time to. I'm very... cautious about the presentation of this project. In my mind it has to be perfect and .. well you saw how that worked out with Wicked. hehe

Luckily for me Cauldron of Fuzz 6 is going to be much more... play, record, mix, release... I think that this is going to be a year where you REALLY notice the differences between Planet Gemini and Cauldron of Fuzz.. From a production standpoint I want COF6 to sound almost like a basement recording. It'll be much more polished than say... some of the old Electric Wizard stuff.. but, think along those lines production-wise.

Musically it's anyone's guess what it's going to sound like. I've got a while to get out some of my creative juices until I start working on it so... It's all fair game.

Planet Gemini Q2 Update

I know it's been a while since I've done an update on here (2 months). But, my last one was quite huge so hopefully all is forgiven. I figured since I have a couple of minutes here that I would give you all a quick status report on what's going on with Planet Gemini so far in the year 2009.

Right now I am working on two projects. A new Planet Gemini album which I hope will be finished and released in November, and another project that I've been working on for a while that I can't really speak of just yet. I'm not even sure that one is going to see the 2009 calendar as it is really a huge deal and a lot of work.

Some quick Planet Gemini _notes that might (or might not) interest you all.

 

_ I got a new drumkit for the next recording. Sounds pretty good and I'm happy with it.

_ New album is being recorded through Orange Amps… first time I've used something other than my Marshall

_ New Planet Gemini songs are available for streaming on my myspace page. One track is called "Rise of the RedGod" it's the complete version of a song that I recorded for a compilation album. I'll have more on that once I get more info.

_ I'm thinking about buying a new guitar. It's been a couple of years since I broke down and bought something new. I had a nice Gibson V in my hands a couple of weeks ago and almost bought it but it's hard to justify spending the cash when you own so many guitars already.

_I'm looking to also buy a new vehicle so… if you like to donate to the "Hellion buys a Charger fund" please do so now ;)

 

Hope you are all doing well. Check the myspace page for anymore updates.
Planetgemini.net will be getting a new look very soon. Maybe some streaming sounds and whatnot.
Take care and if you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me. I'll try to do another q&a soon.
Hellion@planetgemini.net

 

Hope to talk to you all soon
Sincerely
H

How to Record Drums (Getting a GOOD Drum sound)

This is actually quite the ambitious post I am about to make on this webpage but, if there is one question that I have found myself getting over the time I have been producing other bands it is "How do you get your drums to sound like that?". On the Wicked album my micing technique was actually quite basic. I used about 5-7 mics and just "let her rip" so to speak. I do like the sound of the drums on Wicked but, I will say that as I have worked with a lot more drummers (drumsets, mics…etc) I have grown leaps and bounds as to what I can accomplish in the drum field. So let me take a little time and maybe dispel some vicious rumors that may be floating through the heads of some people that are trying to record themselves. Maybe in the future I'll post different drumset configuration audio files so you can hear the results. My major goal with these articles is to help out the DIY bands so they can actually achieve a good sound themselves without paying through the nose for a professional studio or producer.

 

First of all there is no "WRONG" way to mic a drumkit. There are however, wrong ways to mix drums. I'm proud to say (and somewhat embarrassed I suppose) that I've learned the wrong ways to mix on many occasions. As with anything in life you learn from working with people who are better than you and I feel that I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing players in my day. Combine that with a little bit of trial and error and you've got yourself what some would call "Experience".

So let's get to it shall we.

Microphones
"Say "ello" to my little friends" I know, I know.. lame right? But, still Mic's are important. The normal person would probably go out and buy the most expensive mics that they could afford and I will be the first to contest that… buying a mic for the name or price might not be the best bet. Let's start with the standard.

The SM57 by Shure is "Surely" (oh jesus did I just do that) the most "goto" mic you'll have in your collection. It just sounds good, on pretty much everything. Guitar Cabs, Drums, Bass Cabs (with a little tweaking) Vocals… etc. It is not the best sounding mic you'll ever hear but, dammit if it isn't the most diverse. I personally have about 10 of these in my collection. Just mic's that I've accumulated over time. They cost anywhere from $80-100 and are pretty much worth every penny. This is your first line of defense, and personally I don't think that there is a microphone out there more suited to mic a snare drum with.

 

The Beta 52A by Shure would be my next big suggestion. 57's are great an all but you are going to need something with a little more bottom end to get the frequencies you'll need from the bass drum. Luckily the Beta 52A has dropped significantly in price since I bought it years ago and now you should be able to pick this mic up for around $150 (Maybe less if you shop around). This mic brings tons of "PUNCH" to the table in terms of sound. It is designed to be an "Inside" mic but, I've got some amazing sounds out of it on the outside of the bass drum as well.

 

Shure has a whole "drum micing kit" available that you can purchase and save yourself about $50 (and get some decent tom mounting clamps and a nice box carrying case thingie). The going price for the kit is about $399 and it is probably cheaper somewhere if you shop around online. I highly suggest going for this package first as it is a nice entry level to drum recording and basically is going to get you a semi-decent sound for a hell of a price.

We now run into the "touchy" subject of overheads. I tend to use them a lot. I like to get a nice "Room" sound so I tend to use about 4 or 5 overheads at any given time. These can basically be any type of mic that pics up a signal. Christ, I've used a reverse engineered speaker as a mic before to pick up the bass drum subs. But, that's besides the point. Overheads are basically the icing on the cake. The cherry on top of the sundae. While you can achieve an okay sound without them, you are going to find that once you get in the habit of using them you'll begin to rely on them more and more for sound.

I can't even really pinpoint "must have" overhead mics because they really do range anywhere from $200-$10,000. I will however say this, do not go out and buy the most expensive mics you find just because some dude at a music store tells you it's going to get you a "superior" sound. Fact of the matter remains that there are tons of cheaper overheads (or condenser) microphones that are going to give you a great sound if you know how to blend them in your mix. There are so many subjects to touch on with EQ and Panning and I'll try to get into everything here for those of you who haven't had a chance to fiddle around with cheaper mics yet. Fact of the matter is that the room is more important than the overheads. You could have $10,000+ overheads in a shitty, tinny room and that is what they are going to capture.

You Need a Drumkit
Chapter 1: The Kit
Okay, I'm going to let you in on a secret that very few people know. This is going to change your thinking when it comes to drums and probably is going to stop you from ever listening to drums on an album the same way ever again. 90%+ of drums that are recorded today are not real drums. So, if you look on the inside of your favorite artist CD… chances are he is not using a "Pearl Masterworks" kit to get that amazing Drum sound. Chances are he is using what they call "Triggers". It's a fact of life and I would go so far as to say that 90% of the music that is produced today (if not more) "Trigger" their Kick Drum. I would say that there are a good %70 that trigger their Toms and probably about %40 that trigger their snare. It's just common practice in today's music. I was shocked to go back and listen to a lot of albums to find how many of the bands I liked in the 90's and early 00's (why does that sound weird?) that just canned their drum sounds. There are still some drummers that forge on and get a really good drum sound out of their kit but, the fact remains that triggers make a cheap kit sound better. So, keep that in mind as we go on.

I guess the major thing that I'm trying to get across here is that you don't have to go out and spend $2,000+ on a DW drumkit to get a great sound in the studio. In fact when I was talking to Vinnie Appice he told me that he recorded the Black Sabbath album "Dehumanizer" on a pawnshop Tama Rockstar beat up kit that they bought the day of recording. Again, it's all how you skin your kit, tune your kit, mic your kit, record your kit and most importantly MIX your kit.

But, let's say for the sake of argument that you are starting from scratch and need to buy a kit today. There are a few kits in the entry/intermediate range that will pay off huge for little coin.

Pacific by DW X7 – 7 Piece Drum Kit – Priced around $699.99.
I know we're starting off with a kit that's a little more pricey but, really I would say that this kit would be the best bargain for your money. A 7 piece kit (which you do NOT need all of those toms but it's nice to have a choice) made of 100% birch and made by a sister company of one of the finest drum makers in the world "DW". I personally have owned this kit. It sounds nice, holds tune well. It really is the best kit out there for the price.

Ludwig Accent with Zildjan ZBT Cymbals + Stands – Priced around $599.99
I own this kit and while it is not the kit that the Pacific is, it is still a damn fine drumkit for the price. I haven't ran into any tuning problems and I outfitted the kit with Evans G2 heads and it sounds great. Both live and on tape. The ZBT Cymbals are decent for what they are. They will record well as long as you take the time to learn how to mix in a cymbal sound. This kit comes with pretty much everything cymbal stands, drum throne (as crappy as it is). Bass drum pedal…etc. Everything you'll need to start the rockin'. I would like to push you a little more to the Pacific kit above. But, again if you need to get started on the cheap this one should do you just fine.

Mapex Meridian 6 Piece Studio Drumkit – Priced around $1,249.99
I own a Mapex Saturn kit and personally can't believe how great it is. I've played a lot of drumkits and the Mapex Saturn is by far my favorite. It's got 7 plys of Maple with 1 ply of oak around the outside. The thing just sings (HIT ME!) and paired with a nice set of Remo's Coated Ambassadors the Saturn will make you feel like you are in the middle of an earthquake. A 22inch bassdrum that is just as thunderous as any 24 I've played and a snare crack like you wouldn't believe. I love my Mapex kit… and would HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend Mapex to anyone. Their hardware is nice and durable. Their drums hold tune extremely well and their maple snares are some of the most amazing snare drums on the market in my opinion. I've played their entry level kits. (Cheaper than this) and I was astounded at how well it sounded. Again, if you're looking for a cheaper kit the Ludwig might tickle your fancy more, but if you want to bring the thunda. This kit is sure to please. This kit comes with cymbal stands and a solid bass drum pedal (for those curious).

 

*CLOSING*
The most important thing is do some research on the company you're buying your kit from. You always want to TRY to get a kit that has real wood whether it be mahogany, maple, birch..etc. You want to try to avoid the polyboard shit that is put out there. But, again.. if you find something used for say "150-200" and you need to make an album on the cheap. Go for it!

Chapter 2: The Heads
Okay, regardless if you buy a $3,000 drumkit or a $300 used kit in a store. Drumheads are going to be the thing that either makes or breaks your drums. A well tuned drum with fresh drum heads on it can sound like a million bucks. Don't get me wrong they are pricey, but in the longrun they are worth it.

Chapter 2 - Verse 1: On a bass drum I only go with one drumhead. It's the Evans EMAD2 drumhead. It runs around $50 and is very much well worth every penny. I've used the powerstroke in the past and really just never felt "blown away" by the sound of it. Just trust me on this one and try the EMAD and I think you'll agree your bass drum will sound huge.
Chapter 2 - Verse 2: be sure to do your research when buying heads for your toms. Ask yourself "What do I want my drums to sound like?" and then find out what head will give you the tone you're looking for. Most "Rock" drums today use Remo's Pinstriped heads. They are very nice and will produce a nice punchy sound. As for me I've moved from the Remo Pinstriped to the Evans G2 heads. I find them to produce a much nicer punch (for my tastes) and they seem to be a little more durable. On my Mapex kit I used coated heads. I've used Remo's Fiberskyn heads in the past and those produced a nice sound (They replicate the old calf-skin heads) I found that they kind of deadened a little more than I would have liked but, again it's all in your personal taste. I tend to go with Coated Ambassadors now. They sound great and are durable like you wouldn't believe. I've had them on my kit for like 6 months now and they still look as good as new and sound fantastic. Needless to say I'll probably stick with them for this kit as they do sound enormous.

Chapter 2 – Verse 3: The Snare drum is another issue altogether. I personally use the Coated Ambassador on my snare as well but I have used the Emperors as well and sometimes you get a free snare head when you buy a drum head pack. I believe I've used a coated Aquarian in the past with decent results.

Chapter 2 – Verse 4: Resonate heads (The bottom drumhead) are very important. Be sure that your resonate heads are not beat up, nice and smooth. They don't look like they've been hit much (if at all). They are going to decide a good portion of your tone. (unless you remove them)

Chapter 3: Drum Sounds

"Bang, Boom or Thud ?" is the question I ask most drummers who come into my studio.
BANG: There are a couple ways to get a really "BANG'n" sound out of drums, but the way that I find to be most effective is to remove the resonant head (the head at the bottom of the drums) on your Bass drum and toms. Leave everything open and when the drums are hit it really produces this "Pop" almost instead of a full-on note. A great resource for drums that are more "hip-hoppy". I've even mic'd the toms by clamping the mics on the inside instead of on the batter (top) head of the toms. Almost like what you do with the bass drum. Granted you have to let the overheads be the mics to capture the "attack" of the actual drum hit but it is very effective in getting an interesting tone. Again, it's all in technique and learning how to mix things down to sound right. I've gotten great results with doing that and, actually produced some really "Black Metal-esque" sounding drums using the "bang" method. Again, thing of the "Bang" sound as almost a drum machine sound. Lots of Power Metal bands like their drums to be more "processed" and this is really a way to generate this sound without triggers (Which we will get to later on)

BOOM: (said in a incredibly cheesy James Hetfield – Enter Sandman sort of way) is the way that I like my drums to sound. In fact, if I had a choice I would re-record all of my material with a nice "boomy" sound as I just feel that it is more ambient and lets the instrument breathe. When I say "BOOM" thing John Bonham, or a really solid Jazz Drummer. Think

THUD: While it is true that a nice drumkit is going to produce a nice drum sound (in theory) it is also widely known that most drummers deaden (or dampen) their kit to a point where you basically can't hear any notes out of the drums at all. Thus creating a "THUD" sound out of every drum. I don't knock this sound per-say but it is not my personal cup of tea. Thud'ing (as I've affectionately termed it) is basically done by stuffing your bass drum with a pillow (which is very commonplace), Duck taping the shit out of your toms and snare. Think of the "Pantera" type drum sound here. Toms don't really sound huge they are very attacky it almost sounds like there is some EQ placed on them with the mids pressed up. It's an acquired taste and works for some styles of music. I like my drums to ring more but, again that's my personal preference.

Chapter 4:
Stick Around!

You know what makes me laugh? When I see a drummer take all of this time to get their drums to sound amazing and they don't pay attention to what size sticks they use. Seriously, THIS HAPPENS! "Oh, I don't care I can use anything" I mean, sure you COULD use anything but, why would you want to? Different sticks produce different sounds. One of my friends who was a Berklee Graduate and a drum teacher used to use M2 Marching sticks. They shouldn't even be called "Sticks" by law. They are freakin' lumber for all intensive purposes. But, man did his snare work shine like no one I've ever recorded. That guy could sit down with a 3 piece drumkit and make it sing. Now, I'm not saying go out and buy some M2 drumsticks and demolish your cymbals. The fact of the matter is, for those sticks to work correctly you need to have a level of finesse that very few drummers I've met acquire. Most people use the standard 5a stick and I have no issues with that. I'm just saying, play around. Try different sticks to evoke different emotions and moods out of your drums. A thinner stick will produce a thinner sound. A plastic tip gives a thinner sound than a wood tip. A heavier stick will produce more punch and power yet make playing cymbal swells more difficult. Just, take the time to try out different things. Brushes, Rods..etc


So now, we have our mics, our drumkit, drum heads and I'm going to go ahead and assume you already have a recording interface and a mixing board of your choice. I have a Mackie 32x8 mixer going into two Delta 10/10 audio cards. I basically use one whole card just for drums. (sometimes more) I like to mic quite extensively and decide what I want to keep and discard later.

Recording Methods
First of all remember less is more in terms of a drumkit. Add all of the cymbals that your heart desires (I generally use about 9 cymbals on my kit when recording) but, when it comes to drums try to be as basic as you can. Remember more drums constitutes in more mics which constitutes as more bleed, which means MORE WORK to get the kit sounding nice. When I first started recording drums I mic'd my whole kit (which was 7 pieces at the time). So here I am with 5 toms (8,10,12,14,16) and a Kick and Snare. Which means 7 mics and 2 overheads. FOOLISH! I am not (nor will I probably ever be) Neil Peart and having that many drums mic'd (for me personally) just ended up being stupid. There's just too much bleed to deal with and yes, you can totally go and individually chop up every track and just keep the sounds of when the tom is being hit. But, personally I think that takes away from the "open" feel of the kit. I've done it for many customers and it works but again it's not for me (personal preference).

I would suggest recording a 5 piece drum kit. 2 Rack Toms, 1 Floor a Bass and a Snare. If you can get away with 4 you will sound even better in the long run. Especially if you are a novice at recording drums, you do not need to have to worry about phasing issues and all of that junk.

The most common drum micing technique is when you mic every drum (with the mic facing the middle of the drum that it is clamped to) and have the overheads in what is referred to in the industry as the X/Y position. Basically have the drummer in question sit on the drumthrone and have him raise his arms with the sticks in his hands as high as he will go and place the mics a couple of inches above his reach. (to insure no disasters will happen) Place 2 overheads (one on each side of the drummer) and slant both mics down at the same angle. This is the most basic of overhead placement. It is quite simple and kind of "ho-hum" to some people but, it works and it will get you a sound that is going to work for you for starters.

When micing always be certain to take the drummers strengths into account, if your drummer is very articulate on the snare then you probably should double mic the snare. Use the "Over/Under" technique. Clamp one mic to the top of the snare and one mic on the bottom (preferably one right on top of the other) Double micing the snare will really bring out the "buzz" of the snare work and add a lot of color to his playing. Again, if I'm dealing with someone who is doing a lot of fancy Hi-Hat work I will put a SM57 on his hi hat (just over it off axis so the air from the pedal doesn't make a loud "swish" in the mic). I know that earlier I said less is more in terms of micing a drumkit. However, just because you mic something doesn't necessarily mean that you have to use the tracks you recorded. I have had sessions where I've had 14 channels of drum mics and I only ended up using 6 or 7 of those tracks. As with everything else I would rather have more and take away the unneeded mics then find myself short and need to do a full re-recording.

Common sense should really guide you through your drum micing adventures. The thing with most things recording based is experimentation. Find what is right for you. Once you realize the sounds your mic's receive you'll find that there are certain applications for each mic. Just try everything and make a list (whether it be on the computer or in a notebook) about your techniques and what the results were.

Mixing with a Digital Signal
One of the most common misconceptions out there is that "digital recording" lacks the "warmth" of the old analog tape machines. To that I cry bullshit. We have amazing plugins that can pretty much emulate everything in this day and age. Tube warmth is no exception. The problem with Digital is that you're just getting a lot more frequencies than the old tape machines got. We grew dependant on the noise that the old tape machines made, how they handled sound. We mistook a less treble filled sound for warmth. Just remember when mixing a digital signal you are best served rolling down some of the high end. It gets rid of that "Digital Harshness". I could do a whole HUGE writeup about how to mix drums and what to do to get your drums to sound a certain way. But, in the end it can all be summed up in a few sentences. Experiment, play around with everything and don't be afraid to think outside the box.

To give a brief example; one of the things that I tend to do to try to achieve a nice bass drum sound is to clone the bass drum channel 2 times so that I have 3 mono bass drum tracks. I name them "Bass Inside" "Bass Outside" and "Bass Sub" on the bass inside track I want to get a nice thwack. I want to basically roll off the low end and just pull up some of the midrange. It will sound terrible on it's own but trust me we'll compensate with the others. From there I'll go to the "Bass Sub" track and roll off all of the high end and pull up the low end a bit. I want to get the "Sub" channel to almost have no note to it I just want that "rumble' to come out. We can also port that to a subwoofer channel later on in the mixing process but that's a whole other tutorial. With the outside mic (depending on the project) I will put a bit of reverb on the bass drum. A nice "Drum Plate" or a "Studio Room" we want this to be a smoother signal than the "Inside" signal. I want to to sound wet. Generally I'll create a drum bus with a nice reverb (I like the Waves Rverb Plugin).

I do not use any Compressors or Noisegate on my mics. I like to do that in the post mixing (which is NOT a common way to do things when it comes to recording) but, I just like having the bleed in case I need it for something…. (and I often do).

So, depending on the project I will create a new Drum Bus with a nice tight compression and maybe even a little reverb on it and send my Bass Drum channels and my Snare Drum channels to it. I almost want to get a bit of a distorted feel to the drums on the bus. When I feel it sounds a little TOO harsh I pull it back just a touch and then I try it in with my mix. Again, a lot of engineers eq every track of the drums. I personally just like to maybe raise the treble a bit on the toms to make the notes sing more and to make the attack of the toms a little more potent. Experimentation is the key and after recording a couple of artists you'll probably be getting a better drum sound than I do.

To Trigger or Not to Trigger
In the world of Heavy Metal we have so many intense frequencies going on that sometimes just having a straight up mic'd drumkit isn't enough. Sometimes a drummer might ask more of you than you can produce (especially the black metal guys. They really want their drums sounding tinny as hell). Over the last 10+ years of Drum recording Triggers have kind of become a staple. I personally have triggers set up on my kit but very very rarely use them in a final mix for my own projects. Again, I go with the "I would rather have the notes there" theory. Before I get to carried away on this subject I'm going to take the time and explain what Triggers are and what they do.

This is the DDRUM Acoustic Trigger Kit – Priced Around $200

To make these work, you need one of these.

The Alesis Trigger I/O – Priced Around $200

Now, for these Triggers to work you must attach those red bastids (he says in his best Boston accent) to the drum of your choice and then via a XLR to TRS cable you connect them to the Alesis Trigger I/O which then connects to your computer via USB. When a drum is struck the Trigger sends the information to the Trigger I/O and the Trigger I/O converts your hit into a MIDI note. There are other ways to go about this process but to be honest this is the easiest and most effective I have found. The Trigger I/O really simplifies the whole thing by making everything kind of idiot proof. Basically you plug your triggers in. Set the threshold, Make sure the crosstalk is eliminated (Crosstalk is when you strike one drum and another registers) You can even customize how you want the midi note to be processed. Linear signal, more on the flattened side, again it's all there to play around with. Different drummers are going to have different settings but the Trigger I/O has 20 presets so you should be able to save a setting for every style of drummer.

Once you get that you'll need something that will play your MIDI notes. There are tons of sample software out there and I'm not going to go into drastic detail about this because chances are something came with your DAW Recording Software. Whether it be ProTools, Sonar, Logic, Cubase or what have you.

Now, When I HAVE to Trigger I like to do a mix. I never want my drums to sound fake so I blend the sample behind the mic'd drum.

Which brings me to my next approach on this subject…

DRUMAGOG Software – Priced around $250
This software is actually quite useful. What it does is it reads the waveforms that your mic picks up and whenever a "hit" is registered it plays a Drum Sample. Cool thing is that it comes with some decent samples and I hear that they just signed a deal with Modern Drummer to use some really nice samples of some amazing individual instruments. Thing about DRUMAGOG is that it is extremely versatile and to my astonishment it actually WORKS. Sometimes there is some major tweaking that needs to be done but, to be 100% honest if you have a system that can handle running DRUMGOG without any latency issues I highly recommend this software. There are youtube videos of people making drumkits out of cardboard boxes. It really is something special and in a couple of years I see this rendering triggers somewhat obsolete. With that being said, it is not without it's issues. There are latency problems sometimes and there are some notes that it just WON'T pick up. The snare articulation isn't as good as a real trigger (yet) and obviously any "Bleed" you might have could actually trigger a drum sample if it's loud enough. With that being said for those meticulous types (and you know who you are) you could always copy the track you're looking to trigger and just cut it up into the portions you want to use.

I really hope this tutorial helps some of you out there. One of the most frequently asked questions I get is "I just started recording and I'm having a hard time with the drums. What should I do?" and while this article isn't the "end all be all" it is probably a start for what you'll need. What you should expect, and most importantly I hope this article gives you enough information to make you want to experiment.

All of the brand names I have mentioned in this are done with no endorsements, no sponsorship. I genuinely use the products I say I use. I have been toying with the idea of doing a Podcast about recording techniques as I am quite crazy with my different ideas. But, we'll have to see how that goes. I think that we can't forget that recording is a community, and if we all share ideas we'll all benefit from the information shared. Remember, there is no right or wrong way. There are just right ways for you and wrong ways for you. Every idea has potential it's the execution of that idea that will make it truly great.

 

Thanks for reading
H

Guns n' Roses - Chinese Democracy (Review)

So, I've been listening to the new Guns n' Roses album for the last week (about 4 or 5 spins) and I must say that my thoughts on it are generally positive. I find it somewhat shocking because I have not really been a fan of a Guns n Roses... well.. ever.

Okay, that's sort of a lie right there. I actually liked Appetite for Destruction for what it was (a solid "rock" album) and don't get me wrong they have had their moments. I really enjoyed the track "The Garden" from one of the "Use Your Illusions" albums. I guess what I'm saying here folks is... The new Guns n' Roses is different than normal Guns n' Roses and I think that is a good thing.

First of all I have to be honest 2008 has not been a stellar year for music in terms of releases. If you held a gun to my head (and please don't) I'm not entirely sure that I could come up with 10 great releases from this year. Metallica released a great album and I really enjoyed the new Alice Cooper disc. That Planet Gemini album released this year was something special and I really do enjoy the Lord Vicar stuff I've been listening to...but, other than that I can't really say that there is anything that has blown me away.

Enter Chinese Democracy: with 14 years against him and millions and millions of dollars spent on studio time Axl has finally pruned and proded this album to it's conceptual release and in my opinion the final product is good. Over-produced but, good.

*The Music*
First of all forget what you know about GnR as this album sounds very little like the older GnR stuff which for me was a nice change. I really enjoyed the techno industrial drums that Axl used on a lot of these songs they added a nice bit of variety so a lot of these tracks. Songs like "If the World" just groove so much more due to the "Reznor-ish" sampled drum licks with a nice thumping bassline behind them. Also noted is the rooting of the guitar solos on this album. Some of the stuff that Bumblefoot or Buckethead or whoever-the-fuck is playing for Axl on each track (which differs I believe) is nothing short of amazing. The harmonies are nice and they add that "off the wall" element that roots this music into the hard rock catagory. There is definitely an heir of "Slash can't do this" thrown in there when you hear those A harmonic minor rakes coming through on the first song. Well done and I love the little backhanded slap that is put out there.

*The Voice*
I think that Axl's voice is going to be a big topic of discussion. Now, I know that he is... well.. Axl and that he's always kind of sounded like that but, I find that there are tracks where his voice just sounds outright obtrucive. The above mentioned track "If the World" is a great example of that. The music is more groovin' and layed back and he is screaming in this whiney falsetto and it almost floats over the music instead of blending in with it. But, on the other hand. I don't know if I could imagine it any other way.

There are some standout tracks. I really enjoy the first 2 tracks and Axl really puts an emphasis on his low voice in these tracks. In "Chinese Democracy" (the song) he even has this tone on the chorus vocals that sounds completely different. But, mostly this album is not going to blow you away vocally.

*The Lyrics*
I think that lyrically is where this album shines. Axl has a lot of pent up aggression and a bit of the broken hearted, jilted lover type lyrics that he is putting out there. Along with some very pretty piano playing on certain songs and some very well place moments of rebellion this album is vocally a tour de force. As with every ebb there is a flow I must admit that there are some tracks (like "Sorry") where there could be a bit more wordsmithing involved. I think whenever you use the term "I'll kick your ass" in a song that is a good sign that you're either A) in a punk band, or B) strapped for lyrics.

Out of the 14 songs on this album I would say that 7-9 of them are very solid and they are getting better with each listen. My stand out tracks are...

Chinese Democracy, Shackler's Revenge, Better, If the World, Riad n The Bedouins, Sorry and This I Love. (with Sorry probably being my favorite of the bunch).

This is Axl's album. I'm quite surprised that it got released and I definitely didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I have. I must admit that I didn't enjoy Slash's offerings very much so I guess that means that I'm taking Axl's side in the big GnR split. I hope the album does well. It needs it to actually recoup from the INSANE production costs of this thing. With all that being said there is something to be said about this guy toiling over this album for 10+ years and finally thinking it is good enough to release. I think some of the songs suffered for it don't get me wrong. There is a lot of tracks that just don't end when they should. They linger on (Like this review) but all in all this album is solid in my book.

7.5 out of 10 (Very listenable)
Thanks for reading
H

Cauldron of Fuzz VI "PostPOWNED"

So, if you haven't been paying attention to my blog on my myspace page you might not be entirely aware the Cauldron of Fuzz VI has been canceled for this year. Due to a bunch of computer problems and a little bit of personal issues things have kind of gotten to a point where I can't see finishing the album.

I will say though that a Planet Gemini release IS indeed in the works and should be done around late 2008/early 2009. Until then please stay tuned here (any my myspace page) to hear the latest on Planet Gemini's releases.

I will probably be putting "The Man Who Burnt the Sun" and "Locked in a Paper Cage" up for download for the visitors of this webpage soon enough.

If I don't update have a very happy and safe Halloween/Samhain and keep checking in for updates

Thanks
H

Recent Interview (Talk about Wicked, The state of Heavy Metal, Influences, Scary Devil Music and more…)

(Interview curousy of Earthdog's blog. To be posted on stonerrock.com, hellridemusic.com..etc)

Having formed in 1997 the work of H and Planet Gemini has produced some of the most interesting Metal around. Planet Gemini has managed to walk the same path as Sabbath, Cathedral and Trouble while remaining totally unique in the world of Doom. The latest recording "Wicked" is one of the freshest sounding releases of the last year so i contacted H and he agreed to a interview. Here is the interview, unedited.

ED: First of all i must say your recordings are all very impressive with the lastest "Wicked" being my favorite so far. How has the recordings progressed over the years? What has been the most rewarding progression for you?

H: Well, I would have to say the biggest change is doing everything myself. Before when my friend Josh (former bass player) was in the band it was much easier to just jam on a riff and make it into a song. Now it takes a little more planning. I still do try to keep it as free flowing as possible but I find that the music is a lot more focused, and I'd like to think that it is quite noticeable. Another big change is my skill level. I learned to play drums for Planet Gemini because we couldn't find a full time drummer, and now I find myself becoming a full time drummer. I practice a lot more than the average musician. I actually practice all of my instruments like a maniac. It's my unhealthy obsession really, but I think that it pays off in the music. Wicked is a great example of that. I completely went into a different state of mind while recording that album. Very dark and very angry, and while I don't consider all of the album to be a lashing out of rage. I do feel that the album has a fair amount of vitriol to it.

ED: It's hard to pinpoint a specific term to describe your style of metal but Doom Metal seems to describe it the best to me. Is this accurate to you?

H: I always tend to call my music "Doom" because that's really the feeling and emotion I like to go for when I write music. I know a lot of the "tr00 Doom" zealots tend to disagree but I think that they take themselves a little too seriously sometimes. One of the things that I think sets Planet Gemini apart from a lot of other bands is that I can tap into any genre I want and it would still be Planet Gemini. Whether that be Planet Gemini playing a more "Swing" based up tempo track like "Burning Laughter" or even a quieter more acoustic piece like "Eden" off of my last album Wicked. When you start becoming a slave to your genre it pretty much guarantees that you will never do anything new and creative. So I guess in the end you can call me Doom or Heavy Metal… I've even been called NWOBH. To be honest it's just a label. But to get back to your question: I say if you think the band's "Trouble" or "Candlemass" are Doom bands then I can't see how you couldn't view Planet Gemini as Doom as well.

ED: What is your honest opinion on the current Metal scene as a whole?

H: That's a pretty broad question there. I view a lot of the current metal scene to be the equivalent of someone yelling down a dark empty cave. The echo seems to go on forever but the sound quality degrades with every instance of the echo. There are a lot of genres out there where I can't for the life of me tell the difference between some of these bands. No guitar riffs, drumming as fast as they can with very little control and vocals where I can't hear a thing they are trying to say. Then, by some act of morbid curiosity I check out their lyrics and I see why they are so incoherent. They have nothing to say in their music it only makes sense because if they did why would they make their message so muddled and unintelligible? Sadly that about covers 80-90% of the modern acts out there today. It's so paint-by-numbers and uninspiring that I just can't really get into a lot of metal acts anymore. I mean on a more positive note there are still some great bands that are putting out some good albums, but for the most part they are all bands that are quite a few albums in.

ED: I like the fact you offer recordings for free over the internet, what is your reasons for doing this?

H: I started off in a conventional band. We played for about 5 years doing shows at bars and clubs and sadly at the time my "local scene" was dying due to the influx of DJ's in nightclubs and bars were turning towards Karaoke. Live acts were really dwindling and it got to a point where my band was doing more cover songs than originals because that's all people wanted to hear. I think it got to a point where I was playing a motorcycle rally and I'm performing this half-hearted version of "born to be wild" and I looked over at my angry band-mates and thought to myself "This is absolute bullshit". We kind of became known as a "Sabbath" cover band. We did a ton of Sabbath stuff live and it was really the only thing that was getting people somewhat interested in our originals. To me it was quite clear that playing bars and clubs was not the way for me to get my music out there.

I've always been a tech savvy person and I knew how powerful the internet was/is. Josh and I ended up buying some cheap PC recording equipment to see how easy it would be to record ourselves a demo. We did about 5 songs and I sent a couple to some people I had been chatting with at the time and they were all quite positive about it. So I built a small webpage on one of those banner laden free webhosting sites and it just took off really well. From there I had a dream of building us a recording studio one night. I woke up at 5am and called Josh and he was like "Let's fucking do it". So we did. We spent a ridiculous amount of money getting a professional studio together. We were completely clueless as to what we were doing. I knew a little bit about recording with an 8 track Tascam but had no idea how confusing recording digitally could be. I ended up buying a program called Cakewalk 7 and the rest just escaladed from there.

So now we have this professional studio and a lot of people e-mailing us about our music… Hell, at this point I didn't even want to press any CDs. I Just wanted to give my stuff away. I loved the fact that it really felt like people were not just interested in the music but the project behind making the music. So I tried to give people an inside look at what the band was doing. I would put up early demos, lyrics, song ideas, song titles. I just wanted to make people feel like they were part of the project as much as possible. In my opinion that's where it really paid off. People started taking a special interest in the band and started spreading the word and copying our music for their friends. We ended pressing CD's later on because Dan (The owner of Stonerrock. com) really made a compelling argument to me that I was alienating a big portion of my audience by making my music download only. So we went down that route but in the long run I really liked the idea that someone could just get the music and enjoy it. Not worry about money. Just give me your time and attention, that's pretty much all I could ask for. It got to a point where people were sending me e-mails saying they listen to Planet Gemini everyday and to me… that's worth more than money. I've always said "I'd rather have people singing my songs than buying my cds" and I can honestly say without hesitation that statement rings just as true today as it did back then. Today I see people getting Planet Gemini tattoos and I hear from people who are quoting my lyrics as words that they use to inspire them. I have people write me telling me how influential I have been in being an artist who does everything themselves, and, well, I've been blessed with this magic I call Planet Gemini. I've worked with Jeff "Oly" Olson (Founding member of Trouble) I've collaborated ideas with Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath/Dio drummer) I've worked with some of my heroes and I'm just a normal fan who loves music. So for me to be respected among some of these musicians I grew up idolizing is just amazing.

The music industry is now learning that the internet is really the way to distribute music. You're seeing more acts now leave their labels and just make their album on Pro-Tools and put it on i-tunes themselves. The age of being a slave to a record label is really starting to fall behind us. Leave that bullshit to the pop music acts. In metal we shouldn't have a flavor of the month. Our music is made to be indelibly etched into our listeners psyche. I'm 32 years old and I've been listening to metal for like 75% of my life. You don't see that in pop music. They tend to deny even liking the garbage that they listen to. You won't find a guy out there admitting to buying a New Kids on the Block tape back in the day. But they sold a millions and millions of albums and that couldn't be all from teeny bopper girls. All of those top40 sheep out there are so embarrassed at the fashions they follow that they won't even admit to it most of the time. While I personally can put on any album I bought when I was 12 years old whether it be Black Sabbath, Manowar, Deep Purple, Riot, Helloween or Judas Priest and still hear the greatness that I heard in that music. That is why I feel metal is stronger than other genres. It's eternal in my opinion and I'm proud to be a part no matter how small of a part I am.

ED: I know from reading your blogs you are a fan of the older heavy bands like Purple and Priest. Are these bands a inspiration for you?

H: Without a doubt. They made me who I am. If it wasn't for Black Sabbath I wouldn't be half of the person I am today. I actually can't imagine where my life would be without them. They gave me a passion for music that I can't even begin to explain. I learned to play guitar by watching the 1978 concert Never Say Die on videotape. I would play that show over and over and over again. I never took a guitar lesson. I would pause the tape to see where Iommi's fingers were to play the songs perfectly. My parents had to have wanted to strangle me, or destroy that tape. Because I would come home and play to that tape four or five times through a day. I had no idea what distortion was.. I was like "how the hell does his guitar sound like that?".

Even now as I'm older and I'm playing drums more often I can look to these bands as blueprints of what I want to be as a musician. The great Ian Paice from Deep Purple could drum circles around pretty much anyone in the music industry and yet… he sits back in 4/4 time and serves the song. Here is a guy who can do a snare roll with one hand faster than most drummers can do with two and yet.. he sits back and serves the song. Ian Paice to the untrained ear is just another drummer. He's a guy who plays on two and four. But, you ask a trained drummer about Ian Paice and you'll get a totally different reaction. Drummers like Bill Ward, John Bonham, Ian Paice, Vinny Appice and Cozy Powell are all inspirations for this style of music, and then being the avid music freak that I am I also dip back into the older Jazz drummers Art Blakey, Max Roach, Gene Krupa, Joe Morello and of course the greatest of all time Buddy Rich. Because you need to think of it like this, these are the drummers that Ward, Paice, Bonham and Powell learned from. So why not learn from them as well.

As far as vocalists people like Rob Halford, Dio, and Ian Gillan basically sculpted what I wanted to sing like growing up. Their range and power was unparalleled. Again you take your major influences and try to do your own thing with the groundwork they have laid down for you. It's funny because a lot of people site Ozzy as my major vocal influence but in all reality the only thing that Ozzy ever did that blew me away vocally is "Sabotage". He sang that album with some real power and I really enjoyed that era of Ozzy. Personally though I feel he whines too much for my tastes. I am a big fan of his music and you can't deny what he's done for metal however, I do not know if I would consider him a major influence.

Also if you really think about the bands that you mentioned "Deep Purple" and "Judas Priest" they are both bands that have evolved as musicians over the years. Listen to Judas Priest's "Stained Class" and then put on "Painkiller" it doesn't even sound like it could possibly be the same band and that's something that bands today could learn a little something from. Deep Purple is making better albums today than they were in the 80's and it's because they have adapted their style. They've added a bit more funk into their music and it suits them perfectly. It's still heavy and it's just great Rock & Roll but they have put some swing and blues in there and this overall groove that few bands can achieve. I hate when I hear a band that releases the same album over and over again and sadly there are a lot of bands who do that.

ED: What Metal act pisses you off the most. Name one band at least you wish that would just go away.

H: Jesus, ummm anyone who I think is faking it. I could probably fill a small island with bands that I could care less about. But, in all honesty there is a need for bands like that. Just because it's not my cup of tea doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. I'm not a fan of Avenged Sevenfold and that new wave of glam metal bullshit that is out there but, I'm sure there is someone who is… and to be honest at least they are people who can play their instruments well. Bands that tend to worry about their image more than their musicianship tend to really annoy me. Or bands with potential that are just so worried about making a "Radio song' that they can't write a song over 3 and a half minutes. While I don't consider them metal I just got done listening to the new Black Stone Cherry album and that is a band that is the epitome of what I don't like in music. I put the album on and I'm really loving their drummers groove and their guitar tone and then every song on that album is riddled with a bubblegum chorus. It's almost like they were told by someone "okay guys you have to make sure every song has a chorus and it's repeated at least 4 times…. Oh and.. be sure to sing three harmony tracks over every chorus" that shit drives me nuts. I just can't sit back as a musician and think that's what they wanted to do.

I can't stand the Rap/Metal hybrids or the Hardcore/Metal combo either to be honest. I'm very much not a fan of the over-the-top satanic bands out there either. I tried to listen to that band Deicide when I was younger. I remember buying the CD because the cover looked awesome and really evil… and it's like the Disney of evil. It's so over-the-top that it becomes Evil Dead-like funny. Some of that nonsense is so cliché it's like; who listens to that and says wow that guy is evil? My music touches on evil from a primal place. A place we all have within. Evil exists it's not by "scary" man in a black wizard's robe who's sacrificing a goat. "what did that goat ever do to you?" I find the nightmares in my head ten times more evil than the rubbish that dude sings about.

ED: What inspires you to write songs,i get a feeling that anger is one of them.

H: I love to write music about things that we really don't understand. I enjoy the paranormal and the occult if it's done in a tasteful way. I don't want to listen to some death metal band just singing the Ghostbusters theme song at four hundred beats per minute. I like the unknown of the human psyche and tapping into power that we don't know is there. I like the power of suggestion and what can manifest from it. While I will say that most of my music is written from a much darker place I will say that more times than not it's done in a very positive light. If you really think about it… how could it not be? I'm lucky enough to live my dream every day.

I do tend to write about human emotions a lot obsession, love, hate, betrayal we all feel this on a very personal level. I try to keep things as metaphorical as possible. I'm very lucky that people actually read and analyze my lyrics it's nice when someone takes the time to understand what you're saying and the places that you are trying to either take them or take them away from. Music is an escape and when someone writes me and says they can relate with something I've written it's very rewarding.

ED: How important is internet promotion to you?

H: I think that the most important thing in the world in anything is word of mouth advertising. If my friend tells me to check out a new restaurant I'm going to be much more likely to check it out from his recommendation as opposed to seeing some ad about it. The thing that helps me a lot is that the people who like my music really do go out of their way to post on online forums about my work and just spread the word about Planet Gemini. Believe me I do understand that there is no shortage of bands to check out with the advent of Myspace and the digital recording era. So for me it is really cool when someone is putting their stamp of approval on what I do.

ED: What do you want to achieve with Planet Gemini in the future.Any tours?

H: I think I've achieved everything I could hope for really. I never wanted to become a millionaire because of my music. If that were the case I'd be playing a completely different style of music. It would be watered down and incredibly fake but I could do it. If it wasn't for my damn conscious that would never let me release anything that wasn't 100% real. I get to write and record music and be somewhat successful at it. To me that is probably the biggest accomplishment I could hope for. I wouldn't fool myself and think that my style of music is for everyone because I know that it isn't. But, in the end I know I have people who will probably carry my music with them for a long long time and I have 8 year olds learning my songs on guitar who write me and send me sound samples of them playing my stuff. There is a pretty damn good chance that my music will outlive me. That's where the "Doom Eternal" concept really came from. When you create someone and people listen to it a lot it becomes part of their lives. It's quite humbling to know that right now, someone is probably listening to a Planet Gemini record. I'm just a fan of this style of music so it is extremely moving to have people putting me on the same level as some of the greats. I remember when Vinny Appice first heard Planet Gemini he was like "You are like the next generation of Black Sabbath" and I was completely floored by that comment coming from him.

As far as touring goes I have little to no interest in doing shows anymore. I do have some friends who know the material and would be happy to come and do some shows with me. Oly Olson (founding member of Trouble) even offered a while back to be the drummer for Planet Gemini but I must admit that my life right now is perfect as is. I don't want a road schedule screwing with my family life, friends and whatnot. Plus when a band like "Trouble' is only pulling in 30-50 people a night in the clubs they are playing I personally don't know how lucrative a PG tour would be. Sure I would be winning over a bigger fan-base but, as I said I am very happy with things as they are for now.

ED: What's your favorite bands at the moment?

H: My favorite bands haven't changed much since I was a child. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Mercyful Fate, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio and the list goes on and on. If you mean more "newer" bands I really love the new Grand Magus album and bands like Gates of Slumber and Clutch are some bands that I constantly keep in rotation of my MP3 player. Also Terra Firma who are now defunked.

Man I would kill to work with Christian Linderson (Lord Chritus) of Terra Firma on a couple of tracks. He recently did a doom project with Peter Vicar of Reverend Bizarre fame and it sounds good, but I really feel that I could bring out a really really heavy Terra Firma type feel for him. If I could choose to work with two musicians it would be either Ronnie James Dio and Lord Chritus. Both of which I feel that I could bring something new yet old and create something very fun. Also I wouldn't mind working with Eric Wagner (former singer of Trouble) on a couple of tracks. Just to bring a blindingly heavy approach to his beatles-esque style. But, if it didn't prove to be fun for all parties involved I would axe it. Even if it was with someone I grew up idolizing like Dio, music should be stress-free and enjoyable once it becomes work is when you bow out gracefully.

ED: Doom Metal has always been underground and will more than likely always will be.I kind of like this fact about Doom Metal, I would hate for it to be thrown into the mainstream because shit goes downhill usually when that happens. Do you agree?

H: I think we kind of had a mainstream scare in the Doom metal community. Doom was becoming the "in" thing for a little while and with "The Sword" and their popularity it was quite odd to see people listening to music that was so down-trodden. I don't hate the Sword at all mind you. I just didn't think their album sounding incredibly authentic to me. It kind of sounded like a poor man's Sleep to me in some parts and their 2nd album sounds more like High on Fire so… maybe they are Matt Pike fans. Personally I think that every time the light gets shined down on Doom Metal it'll find a way to crawl back into the shadows. This style of music was born in the underground and personally I feel that's where it belongs. Again if someone is out there doing it for all the right reasons and gets mainstream attention then I can't fault them for it. But, I just can't see turning on the radio and hearing Gates of Slumber anytime soon, and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

ED: Why should people listen to Planet Gemini?

H: Well, if you've got a little bit of spare time and want to hear someone who lives, eats and bleeds their music then I would suggest checking out a song or two. If you even remotely like it check out the album. I understand the music might be a little more "artsy" than most Doom Metal fans are used to but they are free to download and 100% real. Packed with emotion and power and I think if you take the time to let the music sink in you'll get it right away. If it's not your thing then delete the files and thank you for taking the time to check it out. But, if you are a fan of bands like Candlemass, Trouble, Black Sabbath…etc what do you really have to lose? Every review I get usually uses the terms "Soul" and "Passion" and that is no coincidence. I've always said Planet Gemini is my soul in music form. It's what I am and what I always wanted to be. I inhale life and exhale Planet Gemini. I love both and I think that it shows in my art.