Old Best Friend
In 1990 I moved to Seattle from Michigan. Outside of one good work friend and a few work acquaintances I knew no one here. It was far from a lonely time though because I was in love with my new city and…I bought a 4-track cassette recorder. It was a Fostex X-18 and while it was pretty limited in features, I loved it. I spent the next several years filling up dozens and dozens of Maxell and TDK cassette tapes with countless songs and explorations of (sometimes bad) ideas. As corny and pathetic as it sounds that 4-track was my best friend.
I was living downtown at 8th and Spring on the 7th floor of an old hotel converted to studio apartments. I learned how to arrange a handful of belongings and few pieces of furniture in a manner that minimized the angry knocks on the walls/ceilings from neighbors while recording music. I got it dialed in to the point of being able to record acoustic guitar and light vocals anytime, day or night, with no knocks. Electric guitar was trickier but eventually I figured that out too. I recall listening to some of those early recordings sometime later and actually hearing the urgency in my vocals from trying to get though a pass without a take-ruining knock. I also recall that the ancient steam heat in that tiny apartment was always cranked with no way to regulate it so I had the window open year round. As a result all of those recordings had the sound of the I-5 Freeway – which ran through downtown a couple blocks from my window – in the background. I made lots of songs about things and places within walking distance of that old place.
There was a Borders Books a few blocks away and I spent many a Friday or Saturday night down there. I’d grab a large Americano from their cafeteria and pore over the books and magazines on home recording. I learned how to get better sounds by using mic selection and mic placement and some really cost effective ways to make my recordings more listenable. I discovered the RadioShack PZM mic that was about $60.00 and gave the vocals and acoustic guitar a much better sound than my single Sure SM57. I also discovered the RadioShack Mini Minus 7 reference speakers that were $60.00 (on sale once a year). Those served as great near-field monitors.
Back then I spent countless weekends and many a weeknight writing and recording music. My rig was ALWAYS setup so all I needed to do was plugin in and hit record. It was during this time when I created and recorded demos for all of the songs that would eventually appear on my first Seattle band’s full length release. I remember how panicked I got one day when the machine started acting up and would no longer stay in record mode. I found someone at an electronics shop who agreed to do a rush repair if I got it to them by 6:00 that night. I had to work until 5 so I sprinted home, grabbed the recorder and sprinted another 30 or so blocks to make it to the shop on time. The thought of being 4-track-less for more than a day or two was terrifying. Turned out it was a trivial repair and I was back in business the very next day.
Eventually I met up with some great, talented people and starting making music outside of my apartment. While I still leaned on the 4-track for fleshing out ideas and making quick demos, slowly, the 4-track and I left the best friend stage. Then the day came when I found myself with a MAC and the ability to record music on a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). Game over for the 4-track.
After so many years creating music in a dedicated space and joyfully embracing the steady stream of affordable home recording technology I realize I’m pretty spoiled. I can now look back on those days spent micing battery operated guitar amps in kitchenette ovens and trying to sing passable rock vocals into chair cushions and laugh. I did learn a lot from old best friend though. Mostly:
1. Pointing out that The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper” was recorded on a 4-track when discussing the 4-track cassette machine is like pointing out that the ocean is made of water to someone drinking a glass of water.
2. The RadioShack PZM is still cool.
3. 1000 tracks and 400 plugins can’t polish a turd.