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'One Minute With Dec'

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The Archive - '2'

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This Email first mailed to all Members of 'The Serious Writers Guild' and subscribers to 'One Minute With Dec' on

03 July 05

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=================================

'One Minute With Dec'

"My Emails Are Written With Good Humour And Should Be Read With A Smile"

[-The views of any contributor to 'One Minute with Dec' are not necessarily the views of Dec Cluskey-]

"Always Remember:

Humpty Dumpty was pushed!"

MENU:

Live 8, how was it for you?

Worst and Best of Everything?

BEST Lessons to learn?

Last week run up to Monday 11th weeks run up to Monday 11th July

Success Stories

Charts

Chart Comment

Subscriber's Section

The Gags

Live 8, what did you think?

It was fabulous..... I won't say amazing...as every single person interviewed said that! [but it was amazing]

I have never seen such a collection of the best talents from today, yesterday and yesteryear. A brilliant chance to compare the best of every genre and to see the masters at work....and they were masters.

Full marks to Bob Geldof, my fellow Dublin man ... he managed to stay nicely in the background and just timed his appearances to perfection.

I particularly like the obvious instruction to each act to punch the message of the concert home...and each did it beautifully, even the USA guys who somehow thought that the concert was a benefit...no it wasn't.

What a day...what a night?

I watched it from the first second to the last second...in glorious full sound.... I couldn't help but give marks out of ten although it should be remembered that everyone appeared free and most artists in that situation are dependant on the sound engineers.

Worst sound presentation?

Black Eyed Peas. I cannot get my head around the fact that every time they appear in a major festival or benefit they come off worst. I have puzzled over it and apart from the fact they insist on pulling the mics away from their mouths in time honoured 'cabaret' fashion, I can only think that they must employ a sound engineer who muscles in and consistently screws it for them.

Best Sound Presentation:

Dido in London ... the sound just suddenly took off. Track or live? Probably half in half...she was live but most of the backing was on track ... just sounded amazing...particularly the bass and kik drum.

Best Emotion:

Had to be REM in London. "Everybody Hurts" is a classic tear jerker. My band do it in concert [in our own style] and it just kills audiences...take a bit of my advice and include it in your set, if you are a performer [but in your own style]

Of course the biggest tear jerker was the beautiful survivor of the original Ethiopian famine who came on stage and then stayed in awe as Madonna thrilled the audience..what a moment?

Best "what was all that about moment"?

Elton John and 'Babyshambles' singer Pete Doherty....what WAS that all about? Perhaps Elton would do anything to give him a peck full on the lips? 'Velvet Revolver' was a close second though.

Best colour of the show?

White is definitely the new black....but Hey, Members of The Serious Writers Guild know that I have been advising that for some time now....white works every time. Killers proved it beautifully...then Madonna ... and Stevie Wonder ...Wow! All the colour advice I give in 'How To Make A Million From Your Music' was proved beyond doubt. www.makehits.com

Best microphone of the day?

Shure Beta 58 romped home....clever location of the brand name ensured that every close up shot had 'Shure' in full view. such a simple idea [just like the Marshall name placing] ... It works every time!

Voice of the day?

Joss Stone proved yet again that pure emotion and energy wins every time.....however, the elongated end to her act was pinched from her concert shows and made her set lop sided...she pulled it off though....brave girl in bare feet on a well used stage....must have taken her an hour to clean the black off?

Smartest Cookies of the day?

The bands who had Perspex blast screens around the drums and percussion. Always helps the sound boys and certainly helps if the drummers are miming to track. Also the guitar players who had the 'prime mic. position' marked on their amp. cabinets with a cross. Old trick but it works every time.

Most style of the day?

Will Smith .. walked away with that title. So simple, a brilliantly designed T shirt and simple expensive outfit. It let his charm and personality shine through.

Bravest of the day?

Velvet Revolver for playing that set in London which left the audience speechless in fright and Joss Stone for braving it with bare feet.

Best Improved Talent on the Day

Craig David in Paris....what an improvement. He is aiming straight down the throats of the USA market and showing them how to do it...I was in shock....sensational. By the way, what a guitar player with him .... pity Craig doesn't include him in the plaudits ... anyone know his name?

Most Marshall amps?

Velvet Revolver and The Who. With Def Leppard coming in close.

Best Guitar playing?

Slash and Craig David's guy ... in differing styles but totally awesome...at a pinch I would say Craig's guy did it for me.

Best Line of the Day?

Jonathan Ross immediately after the stunned silence when Velvet Revolver finished in London: "You can come out now - they've gone"

Most used guitar?

By far Gibson Les Paul.....such an old design and still can't be beaten...the choice of all top players [me included!]

Most used synth?

Yamaha Motif and Korg Triton...but we all know that anyway? I say it enough. Kurtsweill was well represented.

BEST Lessons to learn?

[Black Eyed Peas take careful note]

In a major festival/benefit/stadium situation where you are in the hands of a strange sound man, simply glue your lips to the mic. and don't move them from there. All the seasoned smart cookies proved this beautifully. The compressors and limiters do the work...you just have to sing!

New Skins on drums for every major show [the overhead shots showed this 100%]

New Strings before each show.....there was not one broken string anywhere to be seen...reason? New strings.

Always use an added instruments track running with the live musicians...gives gloss and sound perfection in the instrumentation [Mariah Carey and Dido were most noticeable?]

Spend the time perfectly tuning the drum kit ... or use triggers and samples....Pink Ffloyd proved this point ...stunning drum sound...and guitar sound to die for, by the way.

Use whatever is the safest to give the best sound at home in front of the Telly. Destiny's Child....track or live? ... nobody knew and nobody cared....the entertainment value was 100%. Phenomenal.

And finally:

The USA sound engineers showed that it is easy to present great Effects on vocals ... I can never figure out why UK engineers present such dry sound. But then USA entertainers are never afraid to use a track or added instruments tracks...whatever gives the best result.

And very finally.....best entertainment value?

Would have to be Robbie Williams .....but this was not a competition...it was Show Business, yet again showing that we care...and that we want change in a very unequal world....and an end to the corrupt practices of most Governments who ask for and accept aid from those willing to give.

Last week run up to Monday 11th July

I am now in the final stages of producing the mega Benefit: "A Gala Evening in the Presence of Jeremy Beadle MBE" at The Congress Theatre here in Eastbourne. Ticket sales are amazing - so if you haven't got yours...just call 01323.412000. It will be a phenomenal night.

How can you help?

Simply by buying a ticket and coming along. ... you get to meet me!!!!!!! Now isn't that exciting? Seriously, if you follow what I always say about giving to a 'worthwhile charity' and not the mainstream charities that seem to swallow the most of the money in administration charges, then this 'Lark in the Park Charitable Trust' is perfect. 100% goes to help the Special Needs Children in Eastbourne.

We have Joe Brown and the Bruvvers...Rick Wakeman [need I say more?] just returned from South America and Cuba....Bruce Welch [The Shadows]. I get to fulfil another life goal...to play 'Apache' as lead guitar with the man himself...awesome!

Of course Con and I will be on hand as The Bachelors.

Theatre Details:

Congress Theatre 01323.412000. 7.30pm Monday 11th July. Brochure space can also be obtained [better be quick, we go to press this week] Simply call 01323.728005 or Email me for availability. Fender, Marshall Amplification, John Hornby Skewes, Bonners and many more are on board.

"If you employ one person you have a problem, if you employ 10 - you have an adult day care centre."

alan radcliff

Success Stories:

Go to www.makehits.com/testimonials.htm for stories that will amaze you and fill you full of hope for YOUR future.]

"Hi Dec

Have listened a few times to your consultation of my song "Am I to Blame?" Well, talk about value for money. You didn't rate the song very highly, which was a bit of a bruising, but you explained exactly why and I'm more than happy with that. I've had six months schooling from your consultation which I would have only learned through a time consuming, costly process otherwise. If anybody really wants to know what the industry wants in a demo they should start with a Dec Demo Consultation. Quality. I'll listen a few more times to learn the lessons and then move on, Dec. Thanks very much indeed.

Chris"

=====================

And currently The War of the Worlds is No.1 (Eve of the War) and No.2 (Ulladubullah) on the I
Tunes chart.

Is there anything else that needs doing before the 11th? , if so ring me.

Speak soon .... Best for now

Rob [Mayston] Creative Director War of the Worlds World Tour [also staging and directing our benefit at Congress Theatre 11th July, next Monday]

Charts:

USA [my thanks to Charles in the USA for supplying this]

(1) We Belong Together, Mariah Carey

(2) Inside Your Heaven, Bo Bice

(3) Inside Your Heaven, Carrie Underwood

1) Tupac Ft Elton John - 'Ghetto Gospel'

2) Charlotte Church - 'Crazy Chick'

3) James Blunt - 'You're Beautiful'

UK Download Chart [now the most important chart in the UK]

(1) James Blunt ... You're Beautiful

(2) Audio Bullys Ft N Sinatra ... Shot You Down

(3) 2Pac ... Ghetto Gospel

"We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull.

Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box."

Chart Comment:

Weird to see two songs in the top three in the states of the same title...years ago, two versions of a song could reach the chart but not nowadays....weird!

The continuing chart career of Tupac Shakur has long been the source of humour and astonishment. Despite being murdered in September 1996, hits in the rappers name have kept coming at a steady pace, a testament to just how productive he had been in the months leading up to his death whilst at the same time providing endless fuel to the conspiracy theories that suggest he is not actually dead. Now the line of posthumous hits reaches its zenith as 2Pac finally lands himself a UK Number One hit.

Subscriber's Section:

Here is a good one on home studios and mics.

Hi Dec

I hope you are well and life is good. Quickie - turning my focus onto my theatre - musical project, I've decided to
record the whole 2.5 hours via my home recording setup, so I have something tangible to work with as a demo including all
acting/singing parts. I have the gear, but no mics yet.

(1) You mentioned previously the Shure mic for live performance - would you also recommend this mic for recording vocal, or
should I get something else?

(2) My home studio is situated upstairs in a detached house. I intend having a 'window' put into the separating wall between
main bedroom (control room) and box room (live room for vocals). Would you recommend I spend cash on soundproofing my
box room - or will a single-directional mic do the trick to reduce extraneous noise getting onto tape? I live in a quiet cul-de-sac.

any thanks.
G******

My Reply:

G*****

As with most guys you misunderstand the way that mics. react and take in sound.

The sound is not created by the microphone...the microphone only takes in what 'it hears'. So, provided a microphone is full frequency, then it will take in, accurately, the sound presented to it.

Differing mics. have ever so slightly different response in the varying frequencies. Usually, a good mic. will have a frequency graph with it so that you can see which frequencies it exaggerates and which it diminishes...thus each mic. will give a 'unique' sonar pattern. The high grade condenser mics. are generally total flat in response through the frequencies and the frequency capabilities stretch right up to say 20,000HZ...thus they have an indefinable 'transparency' in their response.

Condenser mics. also are 'powerful', in that they will pick up from a much greater distance without degrading the sound. Dynamic and ribbon mics. sound great close in [proximity factor] but quickly lose that quality in the first six inches away. Or even half inch to the side! So they are useful when you don't want extraneous sounds and noises on the recording or live performance [useful for live gigging, TV and a studio with other musicians present.]

I don't want to get into detail here..and that is enough about the mics.

What you need to concentrate your brain on is the fact that the mic. will pick up the 'reflections' in the room. That is called the 'ambience'. So a brick walled room will have a hard edgy sound to it. The vocal will be affected by this as the voice will reflect off the walls and add the reflections to the sound recorded...you cannot get rid of those reflections.

A glass or mirrored room, or marble floored room will give a brittle sound to everything [Phil Collins drum sound?].

So, what you need is:

Get rid of the reflections by (a) totally sound deadening all the surfaces (b) ensuring that there are no 'parallel' surfaces (c) ensuring there are no right angle corners. This is easily achieved, at tiny cost, by just thinking about it in a logical manner.

Using the mic. as close to the sound source [with vocals, the mouth] as possible....get yourself the best pop shield you can afford ['Popper Stoppers' from Studiospares are Industry Standard]

Ensure the vocalist remains in a constant position in relation to the mic.

Record all vocals at the highest possible DB level on the meters without distortion [this uses the maximum number of 'bits' in digital recording]

SM58 [standard or Beta for extended frequency range] - the reasonably priced AKG D880, are the best dynamic mics. and are workhorses that will take care of almost any close miking situation.

The Stagg MC7 condenser mic. is my favourite high quality mic. for those stunning vocals, acoustic guitar and percussion tracks. But you need a mixer or recorder that will give 'phantom power' for this mic. Mic. available from Guitar Amp and Keyboard Centre...talk to Sanjib and mention my name...details in 'Uncle Dec's Lil' Instruction Book'. www.makehits.co.uk/qabook.htm The Shure KSM27 is a more expensive condenser mic. that I can recommend highly.

You will find that for most applications a separate recording room is a nuisance [I don't use one]. It is much cosier [and quicker] to adopt a 'singing in the control room' situation...but then you have to follow all my detail on making sure of no hums etc. in the control room.

So there you have it.

There is a mountain of this information, in detail, in 'One Minute With Dec - The Annual' plus the TWO Interactive audio CD's. www.makehits.co.uk/annual.htm

Regards

DEC [Cluskey]
mailto:dec@makehits.co.uk

"Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late."

Regards

Dec

You may use any part of this 'One Minute' in your own publications...we simply require you to add:

Start ============

'One Minute With Dec' is written each week by Dec Cluskey. Dec's advice?

Get in touch personally to discuss what you want to achieve in music dec@makehits.com

web: www.makehits.com or call +44 (0)1323.728005

Finish===========

============================================

The gags: [the blonde gags are back!]

"Dear Diary,

Last year I replaced all the windows in my house with those expensive double-pane energy-efficient kind, but this week I got a call from the contractor complaining his work had been completed a year ago and I had yet to pay for them.

Boy oh boy, did we go around and around!

Just because I'm a blonde does not mean I'm automatically stupid.

So, I proceeded to tell him just what his fast-talking sales guy told me last year - namely, that in one year, the windows would pay for themselves.

There was silence on the other end of the line, so I just hung up.

I have not heard anything since.

Guess I won that stupid argument."

============================================

How to set up a Demo consultation with Dec?

The Professional service the Professionals use. Even available for voice and guitar!

Simply get in touch by Email - click this link: demo@makehits.co.uk and tell me that you want to send your material for a full critique and appraisal. We will then send you a unique PIN number to put on your letter or Jiffy Bag. This will ensure you get immediate attention. This is also for security reasons. We do not open unsolicited Jiffy Bags.

For full details click on this link: www.makehits.co.uk/demo.htm

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Email: dec@makehits.com

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