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Volume 11

Posts 251-275

Monday, June 2, 2008to

Thursday, July 3, 2008

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W E D N E SD A Y , J U N E 4 , 2 0 0 8

Equipment File #14: ART SGX effects unit

ART SGX LT

The Studio purchased this unit in 1993 during the big Studio upgrade. There were

not many effects in the unit, so it was mainly used to add delay or distortion to

drum machines or keyboard parts.

It was used in less than a dozen recordings over the years. Although the Studio stillhas it on-hand, the computers that are used today can do much more than this

unit. But it is a part of the Studio history and will remain with the Studio for a

while longer.

Posted by - Mune Mud - at 5:30 AM 0 comments

Labels: Equipment File

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Studio News: Hosting Problems

The website that I use(d) to host all audio files, Mediamax, has re-launched as TheLink Up. When they made the change, all paid subscribers had their data moved to

the new site. All free subscribers, myself included, were apparently forgotten. At

this point I cannot access my Mediamax account since they no longer exist and I

cannot access a Link Up account because the free accounts did not transfer. So

everything I uploaded is now in limbo and all links I created to those files are

broken.

My only solution is to find another site with free hosting and upload all the files

again. Then the longest part will be fixing all the links to those new files. This

affects all my websites: the Metal XOR blog, Metal XOR Information Source, The

Traveling Deengelburys site, the Albino Boy site, the Precursory 33official site,

etc. So this is going to be a big project to get straightened out.

I will begin the migration soon. Until then no audio will be available from any of

my sites. I will post another Studio News update when the files are available

again.

Posted by - Mune Mud - at 5:30 AM 0 commentsLabels: Studio News

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Web Log #2: Posts 26-50

This second entry contains posts #26-50.

Web Log 02 (26-50) - Upload a Document to Scribd


Labels: Web Log

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Album of the Week #42: Equation of Time 10th Anniversary

Project name: Mune MudAlbum name: Equation of Time 10th Anniversary Collection

Release date: 2006

Release format: CD

Studio name: Metal XOR Studio

Tracks:

1. Fake Houdini

2. In the Memory of Man

3. Follow the Steps

4. En Crypt

5. Krietner

6. Summer Song

7. Essence of Pearl

8. Bumpy and Jumpy

9. I'm With You (Outcome)

10. Ever Regret

11. One Night (v2.0)12. Under Venus

13. Before

14. Nightspell

15. On Good Terms

16. One Lunar Minute

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17. Deviate

18. One Night (v1.0)

19. Winter Song

20. Little Germany

21. The End Den

22. Etesian Wind (Metal-X Mix)

This was the fourth album in the 10th Anniversary Collection. It was a digital re-

release of the 1996 Equation of Timealbum.

The first seventeen tracks are the same as the original 1996 album, just digitally

remixed. Tracks 18-22 are the previously unreleased bonus tracks. They were

unused tracks from the Equation of Timerecording sessions.

Track 18 was the original version of the song. The version that appeared on the

album, "One Night (v2.0)", was the re-recorded version. The next three tracks

were finished songs, they just didn't seem to fit on the album. And the last track

was yet another version of the famous "Etesian Wind" song that first appeared on

the 1991 album Olympus. This was a faster, almost disco version of the song that

had lots of vocal effects.

Unfortunately, as with the previous album in this collection (Pryme Material 10th),

this album was never totally finished. The tracks were compiled but the CD's were

never burned. And in this case, none of the labels or covers were even designed or

printed. It does retain the 2006 release date though. The Studio is working to

hopefully complete the album soon.

Next week's Album of the Week: Sleep State F 10th Anniversary Collectionby

Mune Mud from 2007.Posted by - Mune Mud - at 5:30 AM 0 comments

Labels: Album of the Week

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Single #6: Clouds Set Free

Song name: "Clouds Set Free"Album name: Pryme Material

Release date: November 2, 1993

Tracks

1. Clouds Set Free (album version)

2. Up A Lonely Road (original demo)3. Clouds Set Free (instrumental)

Song History

This was the second single from the 1993 Mune Mud album Pryme Material.

This was a slower song, recorded just a month before its sister song, "I Still Know

You" (which also appears on Pryme Material). It is obviously some sort of love

song, but is the protagonist happy or sad? Are they in a relationship or is it after

the relationship was over? It is hard to tell, but it is still a pretty song to listen to.

Track Breakdown

The first track is the version that appeared on the album.

The second track was the original demo version of "Up A Lonely Road" recorded by

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Jason and Darrin on April 28, 1990. Two new versions of the song were recorded in

1993, the remake version that appears on Pryme Materialand the 'Splitz Mix'

version that appeared as a bonus track on the 2003 release of Pryme Material 10th

Anniversary Collection.

The third track is the instrumental version of the album track.


Labels: Singles

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This third entry contains posts #51-75.



Labels: Web Log

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Just For Fun #11

HappyFather'sDay

From all of us at Metal XOR Studio


Labels: Just for Fun

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Album of the Week #43: Sleep State F 10th Anniversary

Project name: Mune MudAlbum name: Sleep State F 10th Anniversary Collection

Release date: 2007

Release format: CD


Tracks:

1. Waxed

2. Ginkgo Biloba

3. Reflection

4. Occam's Razor

5. Locker Life

6. Contact

7. Before (Again)

8. Sleeping with the Fishes

9. Last Five Miles

10. Dofuzia

11. Molybdenum12. Clouds Set Free (Silent Cumulus Mix)

13. Overfed

14. The Phantom Funeral

15. Dolphins and a Seahorse

16. Biobot

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17. Just Denied

18. Etesian Wind (Denny's Mix)

19. Prospecting Saturn

20. Atlantis

21. Back Up, Please?

22. Crystal

23. One Second

24. Sepia

This was the fifth and final album in the Mune Mud 10th AnniversaryCollection. It

was a digital re-release of the 1997 Sleep State Falbum.

The first nineteen tracks are the same as the original 1997 album, just digitally

remixed. Tracks 20-24 are previously unreleased bonus tracks. They were unused

tracks from the Sleep State Frecording sessions.

Tracks 20-22 were not used on the original because they were not finished. The

versions included here are the unfinished versions, preserved exactly where Jason

left off with them. And tracks 23 and 24 come from a short four-song session that

Jason recorded while house-sitting some one's house in August of 1997. The other

two songs of the four recorded at the house were "Overfed" and "Contact", both of

which appeared on the original Sleep State Falbum. "One Second" also appeared

as the b-side to the "Reflection" single in November of 1997.

Unfortunately, as with the previous two albums in this collection (Pryme Material

10thand Equation of Time 10th), this album was never totally finished. The tracks

were compiled but the CD's were never burned. And in this case, none of the labels

or covers were even designed or printed. It does retain the 2007 release date

though. The Studio is working to hopefully complete the album soon.

Next week's Album of the Week: Parabolic Dish Festival 10th Anniversary Edition

by Isthmus from 2008.

Posted by - Mune Mud - at 1:00 PM 0 comments


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This Day in Studio History

It was on this day in 1996 that the Mune Mud album Monographwas recorded.

This is the only "live" solo album recorded to date. It was "live" because Jason sung

all the songs live to the pre-recorded music in one take. The music was from the

original 4-track master tapes, so the only thing new were the vocals. Most of the

songs came from the 1991 album Olympusand many others were preview songs for

the upcoming Equation of Timealbum.

Hopefully this won't be the last "live" solo album.


Labels: This Day in History

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Single #7: Summer Song

Song name: "Summer Song"Album name: Equation of Time

Release date: September 10, 1996

Tracks

1. Summer Song (album version)

2. Winter Song3. Summer Song (instrumental)

Song History

This was the first single from the 1996 Mune Mud album Equation of Time.

Jason was renting a small farmhouse with his friend Darrin when this song was

recorded. It was a nice, sunny, warm March Sunday and Jason decided to record a

song about the upcoming season. With the Studio window open, letting the cool

breeze blow in, the song was recorded. It was recorded as the opposite of "Winter

Song", which was recorded two months earlier during a snowstorm.

Track Breakdown


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W E D N E SD A Y , J U N E 1 8 , 2 0 0 8

Equipment File #16: Boss mixing board

Boss BX-8

It was in May of 1990 when the Studio received its first mixing board. It was an old,

dirty board that was going to be thrown away where Jason worked. So he took it

home and used it in the multi-track experiments with his home stereo (early Mune

Mud).

In late 1991, after he bought the 4-track recorder and upgraded his keyboard to

the Casio keyboard, it was time to upgrade the mixer. This little 8-channel Boss

mixer was made to be used with keyboards but he has run all his instruments and

equipment through it over the years.

And now in Metal XOR-E, it is currently being used as the funnel for his computer

input. All instruments and equipment run to this board and the board goes into the

computer. It is simple and efficient and will be the way the Studio is set up for

quite some time.



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This fourth entry contains posts #76-100.



Labels: Web Log

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Studio News: New Website

Metal XOR Studio presents a new website...

The Time Door Is Closing

The new site has nothing to do with music. It is a collection of memories and

stories from Jason's past. There will be a new story every Monday and Friday, so

stop by and read about events that helped make Jason what he is today.

* A link to the site is included in the Studio Linkssection on the right side of this page.


Labels: Studio News

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Album of the Week #44: PDF 10th Anniversary

Project name: IsthmusAlbum name: Parabolic Dish Festival 10th Anniversary Edition

Release date: May 22, 2008

Release format: CD


Tracks:Disc 1 - see Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 1

Disc 2 - see Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 2

Disc 3 - various

It wasn't long after the first two volumes were originally released in 1998 and 1999

that talks began of a deluxe edition since there was so much extra content

recorded and not used for the original two albums. So the project was started.

Soon things got hectic and it was put on the back burner. A few years later it was

worked on again, but it still was not finished.

Fast forward to 2008. The band was eagerly awaiting the release of the new

Indiana Jones movie on May 22. And there were talks of possibly recording a new

Isthmus album in June. So Harry said what would inspire him the most for another

jam session would be the release of the Parabolic Dish Festival Deluxe Edition.

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By coincidence, the date they recorded the album was May 22, 1998, exactly ten

years to the day prior to the new Indiana Jones release. Jason dug up the material

that was ready for the project and cleaned it up. Could it be done by May 22?

The new packaging was going to be adventure-themed since it was being released

on the same day Indiana Jones was coming out. But due to time constraints, the

only thing that remains of the adventure theme is the title font on the front cover.

It was decided to go with a space theme for the rest of the packaging.

So the album did release on May 22, the first Metal XOR Studio album not released

on a Tuesday. It contained 3 CD's, one for each of the original Volumes and a third

that contained all the bonus content in the form of MP3's and PDF's. Being a multi-

disc album was also a first for the Studio.

The band has been inspired to record the next album. Now it is a matter of getting

their three schedules to allow for a recording session. And as of now, July looks

promising.

Since the album was rather rushed to be completed by the May 22 deadline, there

were some things that did not make it in this edition. So there are already plans

for a bigger, much more complete edition to be released some time in the future.

Let's hope it doesn't take another ten years for this one to be released!

Next week's Album of the Week: Precursory 33by Mune Mud from 2008.



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Single #8: One Night

Song name: "One Night"Album name: Equation of Time

Release date: October 8, 1996

Tracks

1. One Night (v2.0) (album version)

2. One Night (v1.0)3. One Night (v2.0) (instrumental)

Song History

This was the second single from the 1996 Mune Mud album Equation of Time.

Jason had a group of friends over one night. Even though it was after midnight

when they left, he wanted to record a new song. So he recorded "One Night". The

song was good, but could have been better. So he re-recorded the song with better

vocals (still ad-libbed as the original version was) and slight changes in the

composition. It was the second version (v2.0) that was used for the album.

Track Breakdown


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The second track was the original version of the song. It could also be considered

the demo for the album version.



Labels: Singles

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Equipment File #17: Nexus MIDI switcher

Nexus MIDI switcher

This was purchased in the big Studio upgrade in June of 1993. As stated in a

previous post, the biggest change in the Studio at that time was the

implementation of MIDI. The Studio now had several pieces of equipment that was

MIDI capable: a synthesizer, a drum machine, an effects unit, a sequencer, a sound

module, and eventually the Studio computer itself. So it became clear that with all

of those MIDI inputs and outputs something was needed to control and manage it

all.

And that is where this little gem came in. It allowed up to three MIDI inputs (or

triggers) to control up to eight different outputs. So with the flick of a switch, thesynthesizer could go from controlling the sound module to triggering sounds from

the drum machine. And just as easily, the sound module could be triggered by

either the synthesizer or the drum machine with the flick of a switch.

So this unit provided the flexibility needed for the MIDI set -up the Studio used for

many years. But the switcher was recently retired since the only MIDI now in use

by the Studio is the synthesizer acting as a trigger for all instrument and drum

sounds in the computer. And that is accomplished by the use of one MIDI cable.



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This fifth entry contains posts #101-125.



Labels: Web Log

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Album of the Week #45: Precursory 33

Project name: Mune MudAlbum name: Precursory 33

Release date: April 8, 2008

Release format: CD


Tracks:

1. That's All I Need to Know2. Plutonic

3. Ominous

4. Peach Tree

5. Lyric

6. Why Did You Go? v2.0

7. Harley

8. Fruit Preserve

9. Under the Sky

10. Umbra Flame

11. That's Life

12. Decomposition of a Song

13. I'll Be Here

14. I Dream

15. Go West

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16. Tip 26

17. King Song

18. Just Defied

19. The One-Liner

20. Eighty-Eight II

21. We Dog

22. Suburban 70

23. Leaves Fall

When Mune Mud began recording in 1990, it was with rudimentary equipment and

talent. By early 1991 there was enough material to collect onto a tape. The

collection was simply called Mune Mud. Over the next couple of years Mune Mud

recorded more music and released more tapes. In 1994 it was decided to re-

release the original tape, so Mune Mudwas was reissued.

Years went by and many more Mune Mud albums were recorded and released. It

was decided in early 2008 to revisit the beginnings of the project once again. For

the re-re-release of Mune Mud, the songs would be put into the computer and

cleaned up, then released on CD. And for a more complete picture of the early

music, songs from the original Mune Mudwere used along with some songs from

the 1994 Mune Mud EP Devaulted, which was a small collection of unused material

from the debut Mune Mud album.

So when the songs were chosen and cleaned up in the computer, it was time for

packaging. It has been confusing over the years to refer to the original 1991 Mune

Mud album (usually refered to as the debut album) and the 1994 version (usually

referred to as the re-release), since they were both called MuneMud. So a new

name for this release was needed. That is why this album of previously used

material has a new name.

This album also had a Studio first... a website for the album. On the website you

can read the history of the album and listen/download most of the songs. You can

visit the website here.

The end.



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Single #9: Ginkgo Biloba

Song name: "Ginkgo Biloba"Album name: Sleep State F

Release date: October 21, 1997

Tracks

1. Ginkgo Biloba (album version)

2. Little Germany3. Ginkgo Biloba (instrumental)

Song History

This was the first single from the 1997 Mune Mud album Sleep State F.

And then Jason was interested in herbs and herbal remedies. One aspect that

interested him in particular was memory. And Ginkgo Biloba supposedly has

medicinal properties to improve memory. So this song is a story about someone

connecting with their Ancient Chinese past through herbal means.

Track Breakdown


The second track was recorded during the Sleep State Fsessions but was not

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included on the final album. It's a peppy, up-tempo song about Jason's German

grandma. The song is full of family inside jokes and is fun to listen to.



Labels: Singles

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State of the Studio #11: July '08

Summer is here! And I'm enjoying the air conditioning.

It seems like there is always something new starting up at the Studio. And this

month is no exception. A new feature will begin soon to replace the Album of the

Week. This is a sad occasion because the Album of the Week is the only weekly

feature that has been around since the very beginning of the blog. But I knew this

day would eventually come because there is a finite number of albums that have

been released. And to tell you the truth, I had NO idea it was 45 of them!!! WOW!

But the new feature to replace it is a very exciting one...

The new feature is called Ethical Travels. I won't go into details about it here, but

as a teaser I will say that it will be about an entirely new music project and

include new music to listen to. Watch for it in the upcoming weeks.

The Equipment File will continue. It will move into the stranger instruments that

have been used.

The Singles feature will end later this month with the twelfth Mune Mud singlethat was released. It is hard to believe this feature ran for three months, but as

with the Album of the Week I knew it would have an end for there were only

twelve single released.

And the Web Log feature will come to an end at the end of the month for it will

have caught up to the posts that have been made. But as each 25 new posts are

released, the next volume of Web Log will also be released. And watch for an

article around mid-month explaining what the Web Log Omnibusis.

And as was hinted at in last month's State of the Studio, there may be some HUGE

Isthmus news coming up soon...

Meet me here in 31 days and let's see what's going on in the Studio.

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Labels: State of the Studio

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Equipment File #18: Swanson flutophone

The Swanson Tonette

This instrument belonged to Jason's dad who bought it over 50 years ago when he

was in grade school. Jason ended up with it in an early incarnation of the Studio

and it has traveled with the Studio to all locations since.

It has only been used in two songs. The first was "Nightspell", which was on the

1996 Mune Mud album Equation of Time. The second was recorded on December

19, 1998, for the song "Cheese, You Lying Sack", an outtake from the 1999 ORC

album Purging the Great Abyss.

Although it has been almost ten years since its last use, it still resides in the Studio

as a permanent fixture and is always on-call to be used if the need should arise.



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This sixth entry contains posts #126-150.



Labels: Web Log

web log 11 (251-275)

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