Just done a recording with a 20 piece brass band :D

[Wooks79]

...and it was an awesome experience!

We got an opportunity to work with the excellent Leyland Band, as a nice little collaboration on one of our new songs, they scored a 20 piece brass section to accompany what we already had and it sounds great

We got together on thursday in the old St. Peters church in Preston to do a recording and a performance together for a short video, and I have to say It was just so cool to hear the brass live and gave the song a massive feel (and it was massive to start with)!

Sorry, this is kind of just a big chance to vent cos I'm still buzzing from the experience.

I will post the video up here once its edited and back to us from the film crew.

Here is a link to a bit in The Lancashire Evening Post about it -
[url="http://www.lep.co.uk/lifestyle/culture/leyland_band_and_the_man_from_the_ministry_1_3340897"]http://www.lep.co.uk/lifestyle/culture/ley...istry_1_3340897[/url]

HERE IS THE VIDEO -

Edited May 29, 2011 by Wooks79

[Skol303]

Hi Wooks,

This sounds great! Looking forward to hearing the track and watching the vid...

I have a mate who plays in a brass band over in Rhyl (who helps me with learning notation); they compete in various competitions nationally, as I guess most brass bands do. It's one helluva big sound when they're in full swing! Totally understand why you're buzzing about it ;-)

[Wooks79]

Here is the finished video in case anyone fancies a watch -



Cheers.

Edited May 29, 2011 by Wooks79

[deepbass5]

Really impressed, well done. sound is great it works very well.

Post some more info, how it was recorded, seperation and takes etc. equipment used, was that a complete run through. About ya band and are you hoping to do this live soon.

All the Best

[Skol303]

Absolutely epic, mate!

I mean really... fantastic song; great video and production. You should be rightly chuffed about it

Let me know next time you're playing locally around Manchester - I'd certainly like to see you guys live.

[Wooks79]

Thanks for watching

Here is another slightly longer video, mainly has a load of waffle at the start, but its got footage of us setting it all up to record.



We set it up to record ourselves, all sorts of mics (that our keys player/producer could tell you) I can remember some neumann's being there but I'm not massively techy on that side of stuff myself. All just set up and ran into protools behind the stage.

We had a plan of how we were going to position the mics prior to turning up, basically just singling out the brass in sections, and seeing how it sounded.

We did about 6 takes altogether for the camera crew to get lots of angles, but they had a couple of cameras that they found to be defective AFTER we had finished, so we didn't get as much footage of the brass band as we would have liked to be honest.

We have mentioned with the band the idea of doing a full gig with them, and they were really excited at the idea, but it may end up hard to put together due to the space needed to have us all there, and they have a very busy schedule generally... I'm really hoping it does happen though!

As far as us, Dresden, you can get our debut album for free at [url="http://dresdenmusic.com"]dresdenmusic.com[/url]

This track isn't on there, its one of the first we have started recording for our 2nd album, but we are in no rush with it at the mo.

[Wooks79]

[quote name='Skol303' post='1249097' date='May 29 2011, 12:58 PM']Absolutely epic, mate!

I mean really... fantastic song; great video and production. You should be rightly chuffed about it

Let me know next time you're playing locally around Manchester - I'd certainly like to see you guys live.[/quote]

Thanks very much mate

We try not to do 'normal' gigs, but we played a gig last night for the The Laboratory Project indie label that have included this track on a compilation, its on iTunes and all other places now, so I reckon we are looking at September for our next event, I will let you know

Thanks again for watching, its nice to know people are

[deepbass5]

Just had another couple of listens, like the making of. Is Cold hands a number you have already done as a band electrically and adapted for Brass band for the energy? If so have you changed your approach or part to accommodate the sheer power of the lower brass instruments? Just curious

All the best it deserves to get noticed

[Bassman Sam]

Wow, that's bloody brill. Going to download your 1st album and I too want to see you live. Keep us informed. Great stuff.

[Wooks79]

[quote name='deepbass5' post='1249551' date='May 29 2011, 07:37 PM']Just had another couple of listens, like the making of. Is Cold hands a number you have already done as a band electrically and adapted for Brass band for the energy? If so have you changed your approach or part to accommodate the sheer power of the lower brass instruments? Just curious

All the best it deserves to get noticed[/quote]

Thanks man

Yeah, Cold Hands was already done as a band, when we had the opportunity offered to us to work with the Leyland Band, it was kind of meant to be on another of our new tracks, but the idea of brass on that just seemed a bit too much like shoehorning it in and didn't feel like it would have fitted right, but we felt that it would be really suited if we took a bit of instrumentation out of Cold Hands to make some space for the brass to build the sound that it would fit really well.

The original idea we had was to film a lot more of the process of the collaboration between Dresden and the Leyland Band, a bit more of the meeting and talking, and working on arrangement etc. but unfortunately we didn't have the cameras or film people involved as early as we would have liked to get that on tape...

We often have grandiose ideas but lack the equipment or contacts to pull it off.

That said, I'm still over the moon with the finished thing and very proud of it

[ShergoldSnickers]

One spine hugely tingled. Bloody marvellous.

[Wooks79]

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' post='1250326' date='May 30 2011, 02:32 PM']One spine hugely tingled. Bloody marvellous. [/quote]

Wow, thanks for the comment Much appreciated...

[bassintheface]

I've got to say - Awesome stuff.
Epic isn't word I use too often, but that certainly is.
Sometimes we're all probably guilty of thinking that there are "no good new bands" about anymore, or no decent new music - mainly due to the cack we're spoon fed by the media (or majority of).
Listening to that has almost reinforced to me that there is great new music about - you just need to look!!
It's pretty motivational too when you hear something great and also interesting!
Keep the faith!

That particularly 'struck a chord' with me as I'm also a 'brass bander' - well used to be.....
my instrument is in it's case upstairs!!
Think I might dust it off and get the valves going again.

The Tuba is my main instrument really - did it in college and although I don't play at the moment - due to being too busy with 4 strings, I've still got a massive soft spot for the music & brass band movement.
I've played for all sorts of brass bands (an orchestras etc) since I was about 14, it's taken me to the Albert Hall and nearly every other concert hall in the UK, military tattoos abroad, the US & Canada - believe me - it's not all Floral Dance and the William Tell Overture......

Without boring you all too much and veering off topic, brass bands are graded from Championship to 4th section.
Think football - Championship section brass band = Premier league football team (minus the money).
You're talking Black Dyke, Grimethorpe, Fodens, Fairey, Cory, Tredegar, Leyland and many many more.

The Leyland Band are rightly so one of the best around and it's great to hear what you've done together.
There's a few familiar faces on the video!!

I will be keeping an eye out for you and would like try and catch you somewhere!!

All the best!