# The Shanty Project



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Hi everyone.

I held back for a week or so on posting this thread out of respect and admiration of B-nads amazing post of White Squall.

It deserves more attention in my opinion.

Back in late november and december of last year I was plagued with severe ear bugs (the songs below).

In my neurotic world, sometimes the only way to exorcize such demons is to break them down and learn them. This time I decided to dabble with a recording.

The tracks were recorded on a Tascam DP24SD, using a Neumann mic (sorry, don't know the model) and was engineered by Brantford jazz guitarist and band leader, Paul Monne.

I did all vocal parts.

Thanks to the genius of Stan Rogers and Great Big Sea.

I hope you enjoy.

Barrett's Privateers - Stan Rogers

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https://soundcloud.com/https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fuser-566229450%2Fbarretswav-1


General Taylor - Great Big Sea

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https://soundcloud.com/https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fuser-566229450%2Fgeneral-taylorwav-1


Northwest Passage - Stan Rogers

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https://soundcloud.com/https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fuser-566229450%2Fnorthwestwav-1


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Banging me cup on the table..RRr,, thanks Mike


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

The mic

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b221/MikeLaPointe/image_zpsfg9dfamo.jpeg


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## Paul M (Mar 27, 2015)

T'was a Neumann U-87. I take it that the act of you posting and sharing the tracks means I finally got the mix satosfactory?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

LOL, I need faders on my car radio. I could remix everyday and never be satisfied.

But, at some point you have to draw a line and say it's done.

I'm very happy with the results. I had no end use or commercial purpose in mind for this recording and still don't.

It's not even a demo as I have no intention of taking it any farther than I have.

But, it's a different world than it was in the 70s and 80s. Back then it was a crappy little four track porta studio or a full recording studio.

Now you can do so much in your own home.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Awesome stuff Mike. Did you record all harmony parts individually or did you use some auto harmony tool? I suspect the former but if the latter please tell me what you used, LOL.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

davetcan said:


> Awesome stuff Mike. Did you record all harmony parts individually or did you use some auto harmony tool? I suspect the former but if the latter please tell me what you used, LOL.


Thanks Dave

No automatic stuff. It was old school overdubbing with a modern toy (Tascam DP24SD)

I had serious doubts as to whether I could actually do this. I mean, where do you start?

But, I used a visual metronome to keep me on time and was able to maintain pitch fairly well. I'd just hit a note on a guitar before I started each track and seemed able to stay on pitch (checked with a guitar again after the track was recorded).

I recorded a lot of tracks but we may have used the first take in some cases.

Mixing was much harder than the recording.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

I know the feeling. I just posted one of my first attempts over in the recording section, turned out "OK" but I've got a lot to learn  Your vocal harmonies are excellent.


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## b-nads (Apr 9, 2010)

Jesus, Mike - you give me way too much credit. That was great. Loved the harmonies, and th recording is excellent. ;-)


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

Plenty of great memories of Barrett's Privateers including my best buddy's dad singing it to us when we were kids after he'd had a few beer on a Saturday night and my first really good drunk in residence at STFX.

Very well done!


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## b-nads (Apr 9, 2010)

Which house, Johnny? Burke here.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

Great job Mike. Loved it. I was at a St Patty's Day dance Sat night featuring the Cobourg Pipe & Drums band. One of the senior drummers had an idea for a song of his own so starting with whistling the tune, the band helped him bring the song to completion. He was like a kid again when they played it for us and the band presented him with a framed copy of the sheet music. Listening to the amount of work and effort you put into recording these tunes and the amazing result, I think you should start writing and lay down your own song. I for one, would love to hear what you could come up with.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

b-nads said:


> Jesus, Mike - you give me way too much credit. That was great. Loved the harmonies, and th recording is excellent. ;-)


Not at all Brent.

I suspect you don't realize how good your White Squall was. I almost didn't post mine after hearing yours.

Thanks for the kind words.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Guitar101 said:


> Great job Mike. Loved it. I was at a St Patty's Day dance Sat night featuring the Cobourg Pipe & Drums band. One of the senior drummers had an idea for a song of his own so starting with whistling the tune, the band helped him bring the song to completion. He was like a kid again when they played it for us and the band presented him with a framed copy of the sheet music. Listening to the amount of work and effort you put into recording these tunes and the amazing result, I think you should start writing and lay down your own song. I for one, would love to hear what you could come up with.


Thanks man,

I actually do have an album of original material I released about ten years ago and have enough new material for another.

I'll eventally record the new songs, but really there's not much I can do with it other than share it freely. I've given up on any commercial musical actvities.

I do enjoy recording, in fact, I prefer it to live shows.

Thanks to all for taking tme to listen.


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