RELATED PAGES: Here is the recording setup that Lyle Ritz and Gerald Ross has used to record ukulele CDs.
Gerald Ross's Recording Setup
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Links
Be sure to visit Gerald's web site for sample of his style. Gerald is a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, lap steel and ukulele.
Artist Info
What the critics say... Successfully blending the sounds of jazz blues and swing, Gerald Ross has created a guitar style uniquely his own. Whether he is playing jazz standards, popular favorites, delta and urban blues, Tin Pan Alley melodies, New Orleans rhythms or boogie woogie, it's bound to be a delightful surprise to any listener.
When the mood strikes him, he has been known to pick up a mandolin, bass, steel guitar, banjo, harmonica, Cajun accordion and ukulele. A ukulele is not a toy.
Transcriptions of Gerald Ross's songs are available at Dominator's Ukulele TABS:
- Aboriginal Blue
- Easter Parade
- Runaway
Gerald's Recording Process
From Gerald Ross (Flea Market Music - Bulletin Board reply to a posting)
Multi track recording - my technique.
- I use Pro Tools LE for my recording software.
- I generate a bass line for the song using Band In A Box. I dump that bass line to a WAV file. I import this to a single track in Pro Tools. The bass is much nicer to play against that a boring click.
- I record the scratch melody line of the song. I don't care if I make mistakes on this track. This "scratch" track is solely used as a guide for the rhythm guitar.
- I record the rhythm guitar track listening to the bass and scratch melody.
- Once the rhythm guitar is in the can I erase the scratch melody tracks and re-record them.
- Then mix and you are done.
It's hard to say whether the ukulele is making a comeback -- if it will ever again be as popular as it was in the 1920s and '30s. Certainly many musicians in a number of different and sometimes unexpected genres such as rock 'n' roll and pop are taking it up. Not only musicians, either. Warren Buffett, the second richest man in the world, plays one. (I wonder what Bill Gates plays: a piccolo?) top
Links
One of the industry standards is ProTools by DigiDesign. Some advantages...
- ProTools files can be read by most professional studios for final mastering.
- Many instructional books and large user community.
- Very powerful editing capabilities.
- ProTools offers a free version online.
- Many community colleges offer classes in ProTools.
Disadvantages... somewhat long learning curve.
I recorded my entire 'Ukulele Stomp' CD using ProTools. I took my raw tunes to a professional studio for final mastering. I like it.
I used an Audio-Technica Pro 37 microphone to record both my uke CD's "Ukulele Stomp" and "Moonlight And Shadows".
Ukulele Stomp
Instrumental Swing, Blues, Pop, Latin and Hawaiian music arranged for the ukulele. Solo uke, ukulele duets, and full band arrangements.
Moonlight and Shadows
An eclectic collection of instrumental favorites.
Swing, Blues, Pop, Latin and South Sea flavored selections performed on the Ukulele and Hawaiian Steel guitar. Solo ukulele, uke/steel duets and full band arrangements!
Lyle Ritz's Recording Setup
( 1.10.1930 - )
Lyle Recorded No Frills with:
- iBook
- GarageBand
- M-Audio MobilePre
- M-Audio Keystation 49e
- Sony MDRV-900 Stereo Headphones
- Ko’olau custom acoustic-electric tenor ukulele
In the studio with Ray Charles
Links
- Lyle Ritz: 2007 Hall of Fame Inductee
- www.koolauukulele.com/ritz.html
- eFolkMusic
- Bassist Lyle Ritz: Father of Jazz Ukulele
Info
How a Hollywood studio musician became a Hawai'i 'ukulele legend.
Barney Kessel, who at the time was the West Coast A&R for Verve Records heard Lyle play and offered him a recording contract. The result of that was two jazz ukulele albums, "How About Uke" and "50th State Jazz". Unbeknownst to Lyle, these two albums became an integral and significant influence to many of Hawaii's most respected musicians today. (from Roy Sakuma Productions web site copyright 1997-2002 Roy Sakuma Productions, Inc.)
Additional Links:
- NEW Lyle Ritz: No Frills by Nancy Eaton - link
- Ukulele Spotlight - (KPFK 90.7 FM, Lyle Ritz and August 2006 SoCal Ukulele Events, Thursday, 27 July 2006) - link
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