Studio Update - Coronavirus (Covid-19)

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**Update 3/18/2020**

WE ARE NOW CLOSED FOR RECORDING UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. We will still be taking business for mixing projects. Please contact us for any further details

Thank you!

-Kyle

Hello all,

Panic regarding the coronavirus outbreak is unwarranted and completely unhelpful, but not being prepared is arguably worse. Soon, as has already happened in parts of some of our clients' home state of Washington (and around the country), schools have been close here in Puyallup/Tacoma as a mitigation effort, and other measures may be put in place by local governments to encourage "social distancing" to further slow the spread of the virus.

Many of us - certainly those with children with regard to school closures - will have to make adjustments and may have major disruptions to our lives.

And those of us - and I know it's not only me - with family members who are sick with compromised immune systems, must be ever more cautious and vigilant.

But life - and work - must go on, and we are ready to move forward.

As a company, Cold Clock is prepared in two important ways:

For our clients, measures for remote working are already in place. All projects have been moving forward with central coordination. At the moment, there are no facility closures, and no reported sicknesses for on-site personnel; so, with simple precautions in place, meeting for recording/mixing is still a very straight-forward, practical reality.

Our normal jovial handshakes or hugs will be replaced with nods and smiles. Please know this going in: I will, as you certainly will, make every effort not to endanger those I have at home with compromised immune systems.

Further, if and only if meeting for mixes becomes an activity that is deemed risky, then, barring any interruption of internet capabilities in the city, we will be able to produce full premixes and uploads for you to evaluate and send notes, and we can continue to work to produce a mix that will at minimum fulfill broadcast standards.

Cold Clock is promoting material guidance for fighting coronavirus in a calm, community-centered, proactive, thoughtful manner - it's called Be a Barrier, not a Carrier. The material is attached below as a JPG - meant to be shared as widely as possible on social media.

The message is simple: you may be healthy, but others in your community may not be; following simple precautions may help save a life.

As an individual that not only cares about his community, but cares about my at-risk family members at home - and yours - I humbly ask that you share this card on social media, without political or partisan viewpoint, but with the health of our neighbors and friends as your motivation.

Cold Clock believes that as a community we can help slow the spread of the virus with the goal of not overwhelming our health care system, and that consistent messaging - especially to those that are still skeptical about the virus or have not been educated on how it differs dangerously from the flu - can help make that a reality for all communities.

Slight behavioral change is an absolutely essential local need - and I believe that that change can begin with a simple message that can persuade, and that all can agree on.

Thank you so much for your time, and above all, stay healthy!

Thank you,

Kyle - Cold Clock Productions.

Be a barrier, not a carrier.

5 Effective Tips for the Recording Vocalist.

Hello music makers!

It's hard to ignore the fact that more and more recording sessions these days consist of quick work and a quick turnaround. Let's face it, we live in a "right now" kind of world, where we expect instant gratification. With that, follows extra excitement and expectations. This can sometimes lead to oversights on the overall picture. So, we thought we'd take a few minutes to help organize the process and give you guys a few effective tips that have proven to be extremely efficient along the way.

1. Practice

We can't emphasize enough how important this is. Furthermore, knowing your lyrics and timing isn't enough. For instance, have you ever gotten partially through your verse and then realized, "wow, I don't have enough breath for this?” Don't worry it happens all too often. Let me guess, when you rehearse, you're looking through your phone or your notebook and are performing to an audience of one? Unfortunately, this doesn't always translate well when you have to use full breath support at the microphone. Instead, use some free time to run through your songs at full volume, taking notice of how much endurance you'll need for the performance. If you find yourself in an impossible situation, it might be time to re-write or plan for a punch-in. The last thing you need is to waste precious studio time fixing things that could have been prevented beforehand. Practice makes perfect.

2. Utilize Your Notebook

Lyrics? Obviously. Song title? Probably (not a big deal, right?). What about ad libs, doubles, harmonies, emphasis lines or whatever you like to call 'em? Did you think about when you're gonna breathe? All of this is super easy and quick to add in! Put together a system that works for you. There's more than one way to make a sandwich. Everyone is different. 

3. Maybe Less Is More

Are you at a fork in the road? Maybe you're overthinking things. It's not always your responsibility to cover every inch of every song with words. Let the overall song dictate lyric placement. It’s all about teamwork.

4. Dynamics

If you start a song at 100%, then there will be nowhere left to go. Treat your energy like a roller coaster. Build them up and take them down! Remember when a song hit you so hard that you just needed to hear it again and again? It tapped into you and kept you interested while at the same time leaving you wanting more. This is your goal. Keep your audience on the edge of their seat.

5. Vibe

Your energy needs to convey the emotion. Meaning, if you are performing an emotional song, then you need to match the emotion you want your listeners to feel. Performing an angry song? Then you need to have an aggressive and angry approach. If your audience cannot connect with the feeling of your song, then what are we even doing? And furthermore, “Vibe” also carries over into the setting of the studio. Don’t be afraid to communicate with your engineer about anything you need. This could be studio lighting, amenities, or just something as simple as tea. We are here for you. Remember that!

I hope this helps! Happy creating everyone!