Thank-you Paul Franklin

Robert Jones · Post by **Robert Jones** » 9 May 2003 12:26 pm

I just returned from Nashville where I was watching Paul Franklin and the "crew" lay down music tracks for our lead singer "Jason Campbell" who is doing a 4 song CD for Dreamworks/Nashville. I have put a few steel tracks down in the past but this was the first time that I have had the pleasure of seeing how the pros do it. I must say that it was an experience that I'll not soon forget. Thanks for taking time out to visit with me. I told Rudy you said hello too by the way. I am looking forward to hearing the finished product. Richard Landis is one heck of a producer. I am very proud to be a part of this project. Thanks once again Paul. All the best to you. www.dbcooperonline.com/

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 9 May 2003 12:29 pm

Tell us how they do it in Nashville!

Robert Jones · Post by **Robert Jones** » 9 May 2003 12:37 pm

I'll tell you this for sure Earnest. They put down tracks to all 4 songs starting at shortly after 10AM and was out of the studio by 1:45PM. It was a pleasure to watch. Brent Mason, Paul Franklin, Paul Leim. They are great players.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 9 May 2003 1:01 pm

Are you trying to tell me that several musicians were together in a room playing at the same time?

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 9 May 2003 1:18 pm

Yes, please tell us HOW they do it so great. We'd really like to know.

Robert Jones · Post by **Robert Jones** » 9 May 2003 1:32 pm

OK, I'll bite. Yes they were all together in one room. They all had their charts and they all played at the same time. Quoting a line in Lorrie Morgans song "I guess you had to be there." Gosh.

mtulbert · Post by **mtulbert** » 9 May 2003 1:32 pm

I can tell you how they do it as they continue to it the same way that it was done thirty years ago when I had the honor to record these guys.

As a rule the studio is set up in a way to optimize separation but keep the pickers close enough together to allow them to feel as a cohesive band.

One of the members is designated as the leader and he normally gets double scale for the session. The artist normally plays the song from a demo and the pickers write down the chords and they figure out who will play what where and on goes the machine and viola!!!! You have a hit record. Sessions are normally booked in three hour blocks but can be done differently with prior consent.

That is normally a limit of how much recorded music you can have for master sessions. On demo sessions there is no limit and our record was 12 songs in three hours. They were good and quick that night.

I always thought of myself as a relatively decent guitar player until I started engineering in Nashville. Watching the elite can make you feel like a beginner but what an experience to watch these guys work.

Absolutely amazing.

Mark T.

Robert Jones · Post by **Robert Jones** » 9 May 2003 1:40 pm

Thank-you Mark for that post. You hit the nail right on the head. The way I use to do it was so different than what I experienced in Nashville. I usually put down several instruments and not just steel. I would have loved to have had more than one musician in the studio with me, but in my neck of the woods you can't find them some times.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 9 May 2003 2:11 pm

Two things about these studio cats.
1 they are no longer afraid of tape.
The axiom "tape is cruel" still aplies, but much of the time in studios is lost to unexpirienced musican nevousness. These guys ain't nervous, and the producer knows he needn't ride them to get the best performance.

2 They are used to playing together very much like a band. They make a few arranging decisions based on what they are handed to play, but for the playing part they already know how the other guys will most likely do it.

One of the 1st things a band that hasn't recorded before learns is how many little places they step on each others toes. so to speak.
Players like Brent and Paul have heard each other taped so many times that they instinctively know on most arrangments where NOT to be. So they then fill in the holes they expect to take and leave holes for the other guys.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 09 May 2003 at 03:12 PM.]</p></FONT>

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 9 May 2003 6:51 pm

Doyle Dykes cut a CD with Duane Eddy and on that series of sessions, Paul Franklin, Jimmy Capps, Dave Pomeroy, Steve Turner and Stuart Duncan all showed their prowness in the studio and amazed the spectators that had never seen the pros in action. Hey, when you do this day in and day out, you are in your comfort zone and intimidation never enters your mind. That's why they get the call.

Hans Holzherr · Post by **Hans Holzherr** » 17 May 2003 10:23 am

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The artist normally plays the song from a demo and the pickers write down the chords and they figure out who will play what where
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Mark T.: Do the studio players usually emulate what's on the demo, or do they make up entirely new solos on the spot? I remember PF saying that the studio players play what the road players do.

mtulbert · Post by **mtulbert** » 17 May 2003 10:44 am

It really depends on the quality of the demo. They ranged all the way from just voice and guitar to a pretty complete sounding song. The producer normally decided how much lee way the pickers had and the good producers normally allowed the pickers to let their creative juices flow.

I also believe that you may have reversed the statement that Paul said. The road bands normally had to emulate what was done in the studio.

Regards,

Mark T.