Layer by Layer

Recording technology sure has changed over the years. Albums used to be recorded on 4, 8, 16 or 24 track magnetic tape. Now you can have umpteen tracks, all digital without a tape machine in sight.

The act of actually recording the musician playing on the individual tracks has changed too, but some of the process is still the same. Unless you're recording the entire band live, you still have to record individual performances in a layer by layer process.

In our case, we laid down a metronome track to help keep us in time, and along with those tracks, we laid down some "dummy" guitar and vocals. From there we laid down the drum performance for each song, then the bass guitar and then the rhythm guitars.

After that we will record guitar solos, steel guitar, fiddle, vocals and any other instrumentation, peformance by performance and track by track.

It's all very time intensive, but a lot of fun at the same time.

Back in the studio

Ah...it feels good to be back in the recording studio! We're laying down tracks to our new CD and hope to have it out by March sometime. Lots of new songs to swing by!

Asleep at the Wheel

We got quite the treat when Asleep at the Wheel was in town this month for their concert at Western Oregon University. Ray Benson appeared at a meet and greet at Mamere's Bed and Breakfast in Monmouth prior to the concert. Of course, a band photo with Ray was in order. After the show we were introduced to AATW's pianist, "Dangerous" Dan Walton by his mother Anne Walton. The show was great and we were inspired.

Scotts Mills

Super time in Scotts Mills at the grange hall last night! Chili dogs and western swing...what a combo!

They Like Us! They Really Like Us!

We are just plumb tickled beyond belief to have been nominated by the American Academy of Western Artists for not one, not two, but three award categories: "Best Western Swing Band," Best Western Swing Song" and Best Western Swing Album." The award ceremony will be held next January in Ft. Worth. Here's hoping that we win!

Dancin' In The Streets - August 3, 2011 Downtown Salem

It was nice to be invited back this year to the annual Dancin' In The Streets celebration put on by Go Downtown Salem every year. Highlights of this year's gig was watching a man and a large dog two-steppin' to our music. Then there was the unidentified gentleman who has showed up more than once to our gigs to sway to the music (if you know what we mean).

Loren, Hank and Doc get ready for the gig

Loren tries out his new cherry flavored guitar picks

Smokey having fun plunkin' on his gee-tar

It's not every day that we get to play in the middle of the street

Smokey

Good times at the Polk County Fair

The Oregon Valley Boys were honored to play at this year's Polk County Fair in Rickreall, Oregon. Lots of cattle, sheep and other varmints were on display throughout the fairgrounds (including us). We followed "A Tribute to Patsy Cline" by Jeanne Coady and then Joe Shinkle and his band followed us. Lot's of fun and about as close as you can get to how rural county fairs were back in the day.

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Swingin' on the Les Schwab stage.

Vicki greets some friends off stage

Oregon Valley girls Dawn and Robin cool off in the van

Hank goes incognito