Blog Archives

BOP STOP STUDIOS Proudly Presents "The JUNCTION of ART & SOUND" Art that reflects the connection between Visual Arts and Music

8/16/2014

BOP STOP STUDIOS Proudly PRESENTS
"THE JUNCTION OF ART AND SOUND"!!

Here at the Bop Stop we continue our dedication to supporting and advancing the ARTS by FEATURING Original artwork by Local, National, and International Artists for PUBLIC SALE.

We will be both DISPLAYING the work in our Music Recording Studio and here on our webpage.

The Art work is selected from artists and pieces that bear the strong connection between the Visual Arts and Music! These works are meant to not only potentially decorate and beautify your home or rehearsal space, but we hope they will INSPIRE your MUSIC ART!

I can say that living in a music home, having music related art has been something I have always wanted. Each even small piece of music art we have encountered has had an impact in our lives.

ALSO, consider using one of these PHYSICAL PIECES OF ART as ARTWORK for your upcoming ALBUM COVER! We can also commission our artists to create ORIGINAL AND UNIQUE Art for your Album covers.

by Samuel Burbury Hanchett

It is our GREAT Pleasure to Feature Artist SAMUEL BurBury Hanchett!!!

FEATURED ARTIST:
Samuel Burbury Hanchett
Sam is an EXCITING and Talented Artist who I have had the pleasure knowing from my past. He comes from an amazingly talented and intellectual family and is certainly an artist that could have been anything from a mathematician to a doctor aptitude-wise, but Sam was drawn to a LIFE OF ART!!   He studied at Gettysburg College and then at Syracuse University but abroad in Florence Italy. Sam has been painting for over 15 yrs now and he currently resides in Beverly Massachusetts. His essence and expression as with most great artists, shows his life’s journey through his painting perspective.

His works will be displayed shortly and will be available for sale.

COMING SOON
We WILL BE FEATURING
the ARTWORK of Larry Terry, Artist and Musician.
If you happen know Larry, you already know Larry’s incredible Positive Spirit and his love and talent for MUSIC & Art.
I know his use of color will just put u right in the Larry VIBE!!!

1 Comment

Acoustic Jazz DUet - Stray Fox and Zack Stewart - Acoustic Guitar and Vocals Original Compositions

8/14/2014

0 Comments

Again Bop Stop Studios was blessed with duties to track a PURE ACOUSTIC DUET with two outstanding musicians, composers, and artists!!!

Savannah Grean (Stray Fox) - Vocals
Zack Stewart - Guitar and Bells

Together they composed some musical and captivating tunes that once you hear the samples you will know they have something special here!!!

Immediately the intimate sound envelope of this DYNAMIC DUO captured the moment.

We are excited to get the final mix done as the songs, singing, and playing were just wonderful!! I already know you will agree. I don't think anyone will not like this music!! I will go out on a limb and say the vocals are Sweet and Natural and the guitar comping is crisp and tasteful!!

Vocal was tracked with a Manley Gold Reference into Grace Designs Preamplifier.

Guitar was tracked with a Stereo Ribbon Royer SF12 into AEA RPQ preamplifiers and a second stereo set of Beyerdynamic MC930 SDCs into Millennia Media Preamplifiers.

We are extremely happy to have these artists in the Bop Stop family!

We will have the Mix up here very shortly as not much post processing needed here!!

0 Comments

Acoustic Jazz Duet recording session - Doug Leaffer and Dr. Geoff Hicks!!!!!

8/12/2014

1 Comment

Jazz was alive and well today at the Bop Stop Studios. It was our pleasure to host two EXCELLENT Musicians in Saxophonist, Doug Leaffer and Pianist, Dr. Geoff Hicks!

It was wonderful to hear some beautiful acoustic sounds emanating from the studio. It was an intimate DUET, by necessity as these gentleman both have such beautiful tone and sweetness!

10 minute set up, sound check, and we tracked 11 tunes in 4 hours of some gorgeous sounding Straight Ahead JAZZ!!

Piano was freshly tuned and most of all had a deep voicing done, which just sweetened it right up!!

Piano was recorded with a Stereo Ribbon Royer SF12 (into AEA RPQ) above the piano and a stereo pair of Beyerdynamic MC930 SDCs (into Millennia Stereo) behind the sound board.

Saxophone was recorded with a Manley Gold Reference Tube Mic (into Grace Designs) and a Beyerdynamic Opus 83 SDC (into Benchmark).

A U47 clone Stereo Tube microphone (into Earthworks Lab 201) was used to capture the room!

All direct analog monitoring into headphones, meaning no roundtrip latency at all!!

Please do check back for some sound clips as these guys are TONE MONSTERS!!!!

We are lucky to have them as a part of the Bop Stop Family!!!!!

We will update links for their future CD!!!!

1 Comment

Part III Acoustic Treatment - Building Quadratic Residue Diffusers, Primitive Root Diffusers, and finishing T-fusers

8/8/2014

0 Comments

SO just to update my ongoing acoustic treatment implementation and development.

Here you will see finally the finished three QRD stack made up of two units purchased from RPG and a custom bottom larger QRD. It ended up being 9ft and 6 inches tall!!!! Let me say, me and my wife lifted the top two QRD section with the added Period wings and it was about 60+ lbs alone onto the bottom QRD and wedged it between the two stabilization brackets on the sides. Once we lifted it I really didn't think we were going to be able to do it and I suddenly had immediate visions of a trip to the emergency room as this thing was heavy and if it fell we would be at the hospital for sure. None the less it is done. The back section is 6 inch thick Broad band absorption panels.

OK, so here are the purchased Skyline Primitive Root diffusers purchased from SoundArt. They were kind of yellowish in the original state. I began to spray finish these with white primer, must be water based, which I prefer for clean up reasons. Well, as many have mentioned these type of diffusers just suck up paint and finish. This after 5-6 coats of sprayed white primer. I will apply another 5-6 coats looks like, whew. Even with my new hi volume low pressure spray machine, this takes lots of time and paint!! Getting close and still debating painting them black or just keeping them white, but they will be mounted into stained wood frames.

Next are SIX Auralex T-Fusers. They were WHITE originally and now they are STILL WHITE, but this is an oil based primer, they I sprayed on very light coats. It looks really nice and flat. I will paint these flat black next.

OK, so this is for those who like MDF finishing and pure wood staining.

First is the raw cut sanded MDF boards that will be the 4'x10"x.5" WINGS for the QRD. You can see them go from light brown to three coats of white primer, with sanding in between. This was a lot of work, but it is not easy to get MDF nice and smooth on the cut edges. I used oil based primer, can't be water based. Then I sprayed a water based Black flat paint, but was learning how to use my new paint machine, so it was thick and had to brush it. This is just the first coat, but already looks pretty good. I will apply one more to all sides.

Last is the outer frame of the QRDs, which will be stained Spruce.
You can see the first coat of miniwax golden oak stain. and the finished second coat.

Thats all for now, but I promise next time I will have at least one of the FOUR huge 4'x2'x10" black and stained wood QRDs done, finish the Q-fusers, and also be done with the Skyline PRDs. So there will be more finished products to look at!!!!!

0 Comments

ProgRessive ROck Session - "Alibis For Leisure"

8/8/2014

1 Comment

Bop Stop Studios was thrilled to do a rather last minute recording session for the recently formed band the “Alibis for Leisure”. Their musical momentum led them to our doors!!!!

The band is led by vocalist, guitarist, and composer Bryan Murphy. Band includes guitarist Michael Morse, bass Greg Wysch, and drums Andy Henderson.

They came in and 2.5 hours later had laid down several demo tracks.

Done all in one room without any overdubbing, no click tracks, so I went pure analog into my HP amp dialing each individual instrument on each headphone channel. Hence, no monitoring latency!

Here are some pics from the session.

We were thrilled to host a Progressive Rock band with excellent players and a great sound. Mixing has already begun, so check back as we will post some sound clips and link up some of the band’s media.

You will for sure be seeing these guys out there on some of Boston’s finest stages soon enough!!! We certainly enjoyed TRACKING THEM!!!!!!!