Michael Mucklow

Latest Review…

Midwest Record

http://www.midwestrecord.com

The crafty guitarist changes things up this time around by not being so solo in his approach adding some sidekicks and some effects. Using the theme of healing and quieting the soul as a thread running through this instrumentation, Mucklow veers from the tried and true but makes a clever statement anyway. One of those left field sets that has a little something lurking under the music, Mucklow shares his feelings freely and it makes for a real connection to the listener. Smart set.

~ Review by Chris Spector

About the Music…

Inspiration

Contained herein is a collection of multi-instrument compositions. While it is a departure from my last recording of mainly solo guitar, it none the less is filled with songs born of a minstrels heart…they are calming, soothing, relaxing, contemplative & healing.

Rather than describe the influence for each composition it is enough to say they all came about during times of quieting my soul. I will let you the listener determine what each of them will stir within your own being. But by the end of the last note of the last song I hope you have been refreshed.

Peace be unto you!

Instrumentation

Guitars – The main guitar used on this album, except on the songs ‘Your Help’ (6) and ‘Weeping Spirit’ (10), is the Ibanez AM73 (mine is brown). This is a small bodied 335 style electric guitar. I got this guitar because it reminded me of the Ibanez AM250 I had back in the 80’s, and I really liked the sound of the smaller hollow body. The nylon string guitar used on ‘Emotion Of Love’ (2), ‘Your Help’ (6) and ‘Contemplating’ (8) is a Walden N550CE. I recorded this guitar directly then EQ’d it to fit into each song’s mix. The rhythm guitar tracks on ‘Pictures’ (3), ‘Your Help’ (6), ‘Vesper Sails’ (7) ‘Weeping Spirit’ (10) were recorded with a Walden G1070 or Walden G2070 using a Rode NT1-A mic and were not EQ’d at all. Just a bit of compression and I think I may have added a bit of reverb too. Walden acoustic guitars record so well!

Piano/Synth – Well, actually, I used a quite inexpensive keyboard…the Yamaha YPT-300. I’m not a keys player but I know scales and this comes in handy for composing parts on a keyboard. Though most everything I compose is on and for the guitar there are times when inspiration comes for the sound of piano or synth. I bought the Yamaha just for sketching out ideas but they put really good (piano & synth) patches in this thing…so I used it for the recording. For ‘Emotion Of Love’ (3) I used a loop I found out on the Internet.

Percussion – Several libraries were used in creating the drum and percussion tracks. These tracks are created using real instruments played by real people ~ they’re not computer generated. I like these much more because unlike the perfectly syncopated computer based rhythm tracks these retain the human feel to them.

Bass – A former band mate from years ago, Dean Cerny, performed all the bass tracks on this album using his Alembic Rogue 5. Dean and I fell out of touch with one another back in the early 90’s. Interestingly, we reconnected in 2006 through the Internet. I used to have a page on MySpace and Dean had looked up our former band mates and saw that I was in his friends list. He emailed me from there. I figured the connection just wasn’t coincidence and invited him to be the bassist on the recording. I’ve always liked Dean’s melodic style playing and am truly blessed to have him on this, and future, albums.

Guest Appearances – On this album I invited several friends to add their talent and I am so honored to have them appear on some of the songs. John Whoolilurie performed Saxophone on ‘2nd Groove’ (1) and ‘Pictures’ (3). Bob Garcia performed lead Guitar on ‘Vesper Sails’ (7). David Shook performed Flute on ‘Your Help’ (6) and ‘Deep Within’ (9). Thomas & Amara Alban performed Didgeridoo (TA) and Vocalization (AA) on ‘Weeping Spirit’ (10). Thank you to all for your wonderful contribution!