Instrumental History #3: Eight Track Recordings (1997-2002)

In 1997 when i purchased an early portable digital eight track, i headed into the world of instrumental music in earnest. Vocal music had been less interesting to me for some time, and at first instrumental music was probably a deviation, but one that completely caught my interest. The first three collections of tunes i recorded on the eight track still contained some vocal element, but to a lesser and lesser degree as i found that vocals tended to overshadow what was essentially going on behind them and i found myself trying to listen around the vocals to hear everything that lay behind.

I also became very interested in multiple bass tracks for quite some time, 'Ping Pong' (unreleased) for instance uses six bass guitars and drums, with the basses played in a variety of ways to achieve different tones. This is possibly an extreme example, but for some time it was common for me to use two or three bass guitar parts in a tune, even as late as 2002 when i was writing material for what i intended to be the King Buffalo King record that lead to the formation of the group 'A Buffalo Crossing'.

The fourth and fifth collection of tunes that i wrote and recorded that year were my first conscious attempt at completely instrumental recordings, more learning experiences thatn anything which lead to my sixth collection that year, 'In These Clothes I Am The Future', recording of which took me into 1998. The mix of this was entirely made on headphones and that's my one regret as without the depth that speakers can provide i mixed the drums too loud on most tracks, meaning that i was ultimately unhappy with the finished mix shortly afterwards. I was very pleased with some of the music though, and that collection included the first version of 'Greedo', a tune i returned to in 2001 with a live group and intend to return to again at some point.

I continued recording to digtial eight-track until 2002 when i aquired a mac for the first time, though i still occasionally use it for it's portability.