"Up On The Roof" (James Taylor version) by Carole King and Gerry Goffin

[DJC]

Hi Glenn

Long time viewer - first time commenter. Love your videos - they’re a delight.

Your comments earlier about your mic placement etc were really interesting. I wonder if you’ve ever given us a full overview of your set up? If so could you direct me to it…and if not would you feel comfortable sharing a bit more?

I’m just starting off doing some home recording and I’m sure could
Learn a lot from you.

Thanks a lot for your
Productions - much appreciated.

David.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

I liked this one. The production sounded very natural, which to me is the ultimate goal! And the song fits your laid back vocal very well. Just another good one all around, I liked that you sat with the song awhile before you recorded. I thinks that helps if you really want to own the song!

Thank you Daniel!

Thanks for checking this out, for taking time to watch this and then to provide feedback!

It does help to live with a song for a while, even a couple of weeks, as you point out. When I listen to what James Taylor does with this after he's lived with this for 20 or 30 years, I realize that, yes, time with a song really helps!

I hope all is well for you Daniel and that your music business is doing well! Take care and stay well!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by DJC

Hi Glenn

Long time viewer - first time commenter. Love your videos - they’re a delight.

Your comments earlier about your mic placement etc were really interesting. I wonder if you’ve ever given us a full overview of your set up? If so could you direct me to it…and if not would you feel comfortable sharing a bit more?

I’m just starting off doing some home recording and I’m sure could
Learn a lot from you.

Thanks a lot for your
Productions - much appreciated.

David.

Hi David,

Thank you for your kind comments! How wonderful to hear from you after all your time on the AGF! This is very cool!!!

I made a video on request about 3 1/2 years ago, shown below, laying out how I do these videos. A lot has changed for me since this video, but still, this video lays out the system I use in my studio, which is an upstairs room over my garage.



I use different microphones today: I use a Warm Audio WA-47 large diaphragm tube condenser mic for my voice, and I use two Warm Audio WA-84 small diaphragm condenser mics for recording the guitar in stereo. I got these microphones from Sweetwater Sound, who is an AGF sponsor.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, up till now I have been mounting both SDC WA-84 mics on a 7" flat bar and aiming them out from each other at almost a 90° angle to each other. For this video, I purchased a second small mic stand and mounted the two mics farther apart from each other and each aimed squarely at the guitar, one pointing at about the 12th fret and one pointing at the guitar body beyond the sound hole. The mic at the neck was probably 8"-10" away and the mic at the body was further back, about 18" because it was picking up so much more sound.

Today (and not shown in the video) I do my video recordings with a large green screen behind me that I purchased online from one of the camera sales companies in New York City. By using a green screen I can use various background images or videos or I can use a colored or black background. I add these images or videos after video recording the song once I am doing the video programming in the video editing program.

Otherwise, everything is pretty much the same as shown on my video.

The RECORD section of the AGF has a lot of discussion of recording techniques and microphone information. Some of the guys who take part there are professional recording engineers, so there is a lot of knowledge available. So you might check that section out. There is also a list of videos at the top of the RECORD section that you may want to check out to help you obtain more background. My video linked above is pretty simple in comparison.

However, to get started, things don't need to be any more complicated than what is shown in my video. The only way to get experience is to stick your neck out and try some audio and video recording and start making mistakes and getting better, which is what I have been doing for, I think, 4 1/2 years. That's about when I made my first video. My YouTube channel is linked at the bottom of my post here and all the videos I have done are listed there.

However, I have been doing audio recording since I was a 16-year-old kid, just learning to play guitar. I have always loved recording.

Best wishes to you!

- Glenn

[DJC]

Thanks a lot for your reply Glenn - will watch with interest

Appreciated.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by DJC

Thanks a lot for your reply Glenn - will watch with interest

Appreciated.

Hi David,

If you have questions send me a PM (private message).

Best of luck,
Glenn

[TBman]

Good job Glenn, I enjoyed it!

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by TBman

Good job Glenn, I enjoyed it!

Thank you Barry!

I'm glad you are listening! I hope all is well for you!

- Glenn

[Aimelie]

Glenn,

This may very well be the nicest guitar tone recording I’ve had the pleasure of hearing on this forum. Seriously.

And your performance is, as always, just simply wonderful.

Beautifully done, Glenn—I’m grateful that you shared.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Aimelie

Glenn,

This may very well be the nicest guitar tone recording I’ve had the pleasure of hearing on this forum. Seriously.

And your performance is, as always, just simply wonderful.

Beautifully done, Glenn—I’m grateful that you shared.

Bonjour Aimelie!

How nice of you! Thanks so much for your kind and encouraging words! I'm so glad you appreciate the guitar tones coming through on the recording!

Thanks for listening and for taking time to offer support and encouragement! It's all very much appreciated!

I hope you and your family are doing well and that the year 2022 will be very good for you!

- Glenn

[KevWind]

Very nice indeed Glenn such a great song to cover

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Very nice indeed Glenn such a great song to cover

Thank you Kevin!

I'm glad you felt this came out okay! I appreciate your watching and your comments!

For you and me, who live way out in the country in relative isolation, I suppose a song about living in the big city like this seems hard to identify with. Maybe that's why it took so long for me to latch onto this song. As I noted at the start of this thread, this is a song my wife really identified with. In the process of learning the song for her, I grew to appreciate the song and what it was saying. It's kind of cool to vicariously experience how the other 83% of the country live.

I hope all is well for you Kevin and that things stay healthy and peaceful for you in 2022.

- Glenn

[Alex&r]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

https://youtu.be/1u4fUd8QrEg

I learned this song for my wife, who has always loved this song. By the time I had this song down, I was loving it, too! Thanks for listening!

I did learn a lot about all the activity that takes place on the rooftops of the tall buildings of New York City in the course of studying up on this song. I really had no idea.

- Glenn

From what you say here it sounds as though you dig deep into the meanings and intimations of the songs you sing and that really comes across in how expressive you are. I love that!
This one prompts to plug away at a half-finished song 'Roofdog' and a favourite Carole King tune 'No easy way down.'
Thanks for sharing.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Alex&r

From what you say here it sounds as though you dig deep into the meanings and intimations of the songs you sing and that really comes across in how expressive you are. I love that!
This one prompts to plug away at a half-finished song 'Roofdog' and a favourite Carole King tune 'No easy way down.'
Thanks for sharing.

Thank you Alex&r!

How nice of you to take time to watch, listen and comment! Thanks for your kind words!

I do tend to take time to research the songs I record for YouTube; I'm not sure why, but I have the time in retirement and the information tends to help me somehow appreciate the song more.

I hope all is well for you! Take care and be well!

- Glenn

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Thank you Kevin!

I'm glad you felt this came out okay! I appreciate your watching and your comments!

For you and me, who live way out in the country in relative isolation, I suppose a song about living in the big city like this seems hard to identify with. Maybe that's why it took so long for me to latch onto this song. As I noted at the start of this thread, this is a song my wife really identified with. In the process of learning the song for her, I grew to appreciate the song and what it was saying. It's kind of cool to vicariously experience how the other 83% of the country live.

I hope all is well for you Kevin and that things stay healthy and peaceful for you in 2022.

- Glenn

Yes we are well thanks. I suppose I had not really thought about it much.
The summer when I was 10 my family traveled from the suburbs of Portland Ore. (where I grew up) to NYC and stayed for about a week with an aunt and uncle right in the city in a big apartment complex . Even then the contrast struck me .. But because of that I can (sort of) identify, especially with Lovin' Spoonful " In the Summer In the City. "

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Yes we are well thanks. I suppose I had not really thought about it much.
The summer when I was 10 my family traveled from the suburbs of Portland Ore. (where I grew up) to NYC and stayed for about a week with an aunt and uncle right in the city in a big apartment complex . Even then the contrast struck me .. But because of that I can (sort of) identify, especially with Lovin' Spoonful " In the Summer In the City. "

How interesting that you grew up in Portland, OR and also had the experience of living in NYC!

I remember the Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer in the City" very well! I had just graduated from high school and was working as a lifeguard that summer at a pool for a large apartment complex with the radio on constantly. It was a hot summer and that song fit right in! I was in a suburb of Cleveland, OH, very much in the city, but not quite like New York City.

I'm glad you are doing well Kev! Thanks for your reply!

- Glenn