Rob Lunn's Blog

I’ve got a new CD due out by the end of the month. I’m releasing it in stages. It is currently available through Bandcamp. In two weeks it will be available on iTunes and Amazon. The physical CD will be available by the end of the month. This CD contains an eclectic mix of originals and arrangements for classical and electric guitars, a solo piano piece, and an electronic piece that may freak out your neighbors (Red Desert).

Prayer, Sun Kiss, Sunshine, Improv #5, and Northern Lights feature the guitar paired with the computer program, Max/MSP. Through the use of this program, the solo guitar is made to sound like many guitars. None of the sounds on these tracks were pre-recorded. All sounds were processed in real time.

The classical guitar originals (Renaissance Dance, Greenwood, Two Childhood Sketches, and Evensong) were composed over a 16-year period, with Renaissance Dance being the earliest and Evensong being the most recent piece.

The two arrangements, Scarborough Fair and House of the Rising Sun, fill out the rest of the CD. Scarborough Fair remains gentle in this arrangement, while House of the Rising Sun becomes increasingly more and more frantic before reaching the  climax in the final verse.

I’ve got a CD coming out soon. It’s the first of 2 I will be releasing this summer. This one is classical guitar standards by composers like Sor, Tarrega, Narvaez, Albeniz, etc. The next CD will contain electric/classical guitar originals, arrangements and pieces that utilize Max/MSP. To listen to sound samples you can visit my website at: http:www.robertlunncomposer.com

This is my first CD and so I figured I would learn a lot about what not to do so that my next CD is a little easier.

Here are a few items on the “what not to do list:”

1. When CD baby says that you should upload your files at a sampling rate of 44100 Hz at 16 bit, they really mean that. I found that out after a 2 1/2 hour download failed because I was at 44100 Hz and 32-bit.

2. If you don’t record in a soundproof room, record at night. I didn’t realize how many birds chirp outside my window, cars drive down my street, and trains go by during the day. The hours from 11 PM to 1 AM work well, other than the occasional cop or ambulance (I live near a hospital.)

3. Windows Media Files are worse than MP3′s. I did not find out that little nugget until after the CD was sent to the duplication company. Luckily, the company anticipates little things like that and allows me to make changes. This all stems from the fact that when I first tried to burn a CD, Windows media didn’t like my wave files, so I made the Windows Media Files. I have since realized I can burn wave files using Real Player.

4. Finally, a 4-year-old is never quiet, even when they are sleeping. Sam (my 4-year-old) is either burping, screaming, running, talking, laughing, or crying. He is especially prone to these outbursts when I am recording.

My CD is recorded. Tomorrow I will upload the files to the company that will be producing the physical CD. I will also upload the files to CD Baby and Bandcamp. The rest of the week will be spent revamping my website and making a youtube video promoting my CD. Early next week I will officially release the new CD and then I will begin the next CD. Hopefully, and if I have truly learned the lessons from this CD, it should be out sometime in July.

Here is the title track from my upcoming CD.

Leyenda (Albeniz) performed by Rob Lunn by Robertlunn

Rob
www.robertlunncomposer.com