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Laura Video Added Sharmat Andersson Final Release

Craig Sharmat

Craig Sharmat

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This is where threads go to die but thought I'd start one here anyway on the new album I am working on since the arrangements use so much EIS.
Two years after Neil Andersson and I finished our “Strings” album we have embarked on “Strings Too” or whatever it will be called. The first album two years after completion still gets pretty much daily airplay nationally on Sirius XM’s EZ listening station "Escape" here in the states. The production of these albums is not the typical let’s go play and have someone mix it and be done. This is under the microscope production to an extent like many of us VI people are used to. The guitar playing is pretty basic, lay down a rhythm track, thrown on a midi bass and do a solo or two till you get something you like. Then I arrange midi strings over the whole thing. Midi Bass then gets replaced as do the strings with real players. Drums get added if there are to be any, usually not. I will hire EIS grads Lauri Koivisto and Mike Worth to do the copy work for the live date for the strings.

Here is a mockup for "Stardust"...I will update the tracks and progress as the project continues, sometimes often. I'll offer up other songs too if anyone is interested. Happy to converse about the project if anyone wants.


View attachment Stardust 1_19.mp3
Click to read more...
 
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Perhaps I am among the few who have Escape among my Sirius XM presets, but I listen to the station to get ideas for orchestration & arrangements. The numbers I hear are skillfully produced & performed

I appreciate the heads-up, @Craig Sharmat: Now I know what to listen for
(If there is any way to find out when some of y'all's material will be on, shoot me PM)
 
Double Helix said:
Perhaps I am among the few who have Escape among my Sirius XM presets, but I listen to the station to get ideas for orchestration & arrangements. The numbers I hear are skillfully produced & performed

I appreciate the heads-up, @Craig Sharmat: Now I know what to listen for
(If there is any way to find out when some of y'all's material will be on, shoot me PM)
Click to expand...
That's kind of how all this started, I listened to Escape and the EZ listening station on Music Choice and thought those are great arrangements, I have to think of this as beyond old age home music and hear it for what it is. Now if I can add Gypsy Jazz guitar to it, that might be something a bit different.
The first album was done on a shoe string budget, most of the strings are sampled but we brought in a few individual players to work each tune overdubbing including Ben Osterhouse the sample developer here on cello for a few tunes. This was all during covid so it had to be remote.

I wish I knew when my arrangements are going to be played but I think it goes into some weird algorithm and the station then spits out the songs. It is about one a day but they didn't play any for close to three days recently and then today played three songs. I can check retroactively and I look for this below. I kept the shoe sale in because, well who doesn't like a good shoe sale.

You can also go on YouTube and search Sharmat Andersson and stuff will come up.


Screen Shot 2023-01-19 at 1.28.38 PM.png
 
So here is an update as we prepare to put strings on "Stardust".

I am doing some pre-mixing here as the strings will play to a click and I need the rhythm guitars and bass tight. I also have panned the rhythm guitars fairly wide to give the track some space. I hired Simon Planting, one of the worlds top Gypsy Jazz bass players as the bassist. I had Lauri Koivisto do the copy work and if anyone is interested I'll post the string chart. I change things a bit once I have the Sibelius file and it usually is not reflected in the mockup as that is just a place holder.

View attachment Stardust 3_27.mp3
 
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Craig Sharmat said:
So here is an update as we prepare to put strings on "Stardust".

I am doing some pre-mixing here as the strings will play to a click and I need the rhythm guitars and bass tight. I also have panned the rhythm guitars fairly wide to give the track some space. I hired Simon Planting, one of the worlds top Gypsy Jazz bass players as the bassist. I had Lauri Koivisto do the copy work and if anyone is interested I'll post the string chart. I change things a bit once I have the Sibelius file and it usually is not reflected in the mockup as that is just a place holder.

View attachment Stardust 3_27.mp3
Click to expand...
Wonderful! Panning the rhythm guitars really does add to the sense of space.
Great work, Craig.

Jim
 
Really nice stuff, Craig. I have been on a Nelson Riddle kick lately…

I would welcome getting a glance at the string charts, if you have a chance to post them.
 
sinkd said:
Really nice stuff, Craig. I have been on a Nelson Riddle kick lately…

I would welcome getting a glance at the string charts, if you have a chance to post them.
Click to expand...
posted the wrong chart, I’ll repost in the morning....fixed.
 

Attachments

  • CRAIG_SHARMAT_STARSDUST - Full Score.pdf
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Thanks!...there is a longer version which I am happy to send, this was edited down for radio.
 
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