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Hello everyone,
I had a chance to mix down another song last night, this isn’t a full mix down as much as it is a merge between two songs. I released Cold Black Sky a while back, but I forgot to add “The Sound of the Ocean” to it. Here is the new release of CBS and TSOTO together again.
Thanks again for reading & listening.
Hello everyone,
Just letting you know that “The World Through My Eyes” was released yesterday on SoundCloud.
Please click here to listen!
I’ve just released “Premonition” for everyone to hear! It’s on SoundCloud. Just click on the word and it’ll take you there!
Enjoy! If all goes well, we should be doing this one live shortly!
Hope everyone is having a wonderful new year, I know that I am. I’ve been pushing myself to get out there again and do things that I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
I’m taking drum lessons. I’ve wanted to play drums since I was a kid, but as it is with a lot of parents, drums were too noisy and expensive at the time. I’m going to try and practice at least 30 minutes per day.
I’m currently playing bass in two bands, one is an all original band and the other is a mix of covers and originals. Looking forward to starting to actually play in clubs or bars again.
I’m looking forward to getting married near the end of this year.
I’m working with my friend Dean to finish up our recordings as well. Dean and I are also working with a drummer to form a Nirvana tribute band. We’ll have to see how this goes as well.
I’m also going to try and finish another video for the For My Dear Friend stuff. I have a great idea for a video for “I Don’t Care” but I just don’t have the time to work on it.
Wishing you all the best!
— Mike
I hope everyone is having a great end of the year! It doesn’t feel like Christmas without the cold and snow. It also doesn’t feel like Christmas because of all the changes in my life this year:
I am thankful for everyone who reads the blog and follows me on Facebook, Twitter and anything else that I’m on. I’m thankful for all I have and all of my friends. I’ve had some bad stuff that happened this year as well, but I’m not going to go into that. I’m looking to the future and wishing for the best.
Things that I’m looking forward to next year
As for now, I’m taking a break from the blog and from recording. Going to look forward to next year, enjoy the time off of work and spend it with my family.
— Mike
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Today “Christmas (At Our House)” has been released on CD baby and probably any streaming system you know.
Just look for Mike Foerster or Christmas (At Our House)!
Here are some locations:
I’ll add more as I find them! Thanks for reading!
— Mike
I am! Why? it will be my first world wide release under my own name! Yes! Mike Foerster will have a Christmas release! Why did I wait until December 1st to release a Christmas song? Because Christmas music shouldn’t start until December 1st!
I’ll make a larger presentation once the song has been released!
If asked about my guitar playing, I would say, “Still learning, but getting better”. Guitar is one of those things that I would love to master, but I’m happy being the guy who fiddles with it and keeps trying.
I’m in the middle of finishing an original Christmas song right now. My goal is to unveil my “masterpiece” by the beginning of November. I was originally shooting for end of October, but changes in my day to day routine have move that date.
Honestly, only a few days ago, my answer would’ve been not this year. Why the change? I tried.
I started to work on the guitar tracks again. This time I kept at it instead of giving up on the first few attempts. I was able to finish most of the guitar tracks. My fingers started to hurt, due to lack of playing, so I stopped.
I also started to learn a bit of slide. I had to use a cap from a case from a cheap set of reading glasses, but I did start! I bought a true slide today, doesn’t fit my giant sausage fingers. I’m going to try it tonight and see how I do.
The Hollow Spirit stuff is coming along nicely. I employed my Fiancé and soon to be step daughter to add to the backing vocals. Dean also stepped forward and did a set. Hopefully, I’ll have some of those ready to be released by the end of the month as well.
Thanks for reading!
— Mike
I love documentaries, especially ones about the music and the industry. Last week I watched, 20 Feet from Stardom which is about back up singers. Some of them wanted or still want to be the star and others are simply happy being in the background boasting someone else’s career.
I bring this up because a lot of people that I’ve been talking to or dealing with in music are pretty much under the impression that they will become famous once their music hits the internet. I wish that was true. Most people, including me, will never have the kind of stardom in our lives. We are going to be in the background having to make our living doing something else.
I’m not trying to bring everyone down with this, but I am saying, make sure you have a backup plan if your dream fails. I did have a backup plan and I thank my parents for it.
I’m also not saying, don’t try. If you fail, keep going. Try again. I personally LOVE recording / playing / producing! Just because it may never become a full time position for me doesn’t mean I’m simply going to stop. I’m in the middle of recording a Christmas song so that I can release it shortly. Will it go anywhere? Who knows. Does it matter to me? Not really. I wrote it, I want to finish it and let the world hear it.
I think everyone should have this attitude, but keep it in perspective. There are a lot of talented people out there. There are a lot of beautiful people who want to be famous singers. If there wasn’t, shows like American Idol and The Voice wouldn’t have any contestants, but look at how many people try out for this and don’t get anywhere.
Music is a hard business and it is luck if you get far. Even these amazing backup singers, who were already known in the industry sometimes didn’t get any further than being back up singers.
Other documentaries I suggest watching on the music industry, not to bring you down, but because they are great films:
Thanks!
— Mike
As a musician, studio engineer and producer, I’ve heard a lot of different bands, be it in clubs, friend’s places, etc. One thing I can never stress enough is record a band rehearsal. Simple reason, all of us think we are sounding amazing when we are in the zone. You are playing along and hitting each note perfectly, but are you really as tight and great sounding as you think?
To record yourself isn’t hard. When I was starting out, we used to record ourselves with a cassette deck and a $5.00 stereo microphone that I bought at Radio Shack (now The Source in Canada) You simply need something that’ll give you a decent enough sound to listen back later.
Why do this? Because you want to hear what the audience would be hearing. There were times when I would play back something that in the moment thought was simply our best work and listened back and truly heard what was played and decided against it. It can also help mold the band into that tight sounding group we all want. Hearing yourself as a group will make you aware of what the other players are doing and playing.
Rose-coloured headphones
This process doesn’t work for everyone, some people’s hearing will distort what is being played and it will sound either amazing or poor to them. I’ve worked with people who simply focus on what they were playing and tune out what everyone else was playing and think it sounds amazing, yet, their part is either out of time or off key. Once I was able to break them of this, the band’s cohesion improved.
Listen to yourself! Really listen!
Do a proper sound check, record about a minute worth of a song, listen back and make sure you can hear all the instruments, then record some or all your songs. Make copies for each of you, with MP3’s now a days it is so easy! Take it with you and listen to it; through headphones; in your car; through your stereo. Take notes, what do you like, what needs improvement and what can be dropped. The next time you get together with the band, listen together and share your notes. You might not agree on everything, but at least you have a better understanding on what you sound like to the rest of the world.
— Mike