its a bit of departure from my usual stuff...i love telecasters.

The Path Less Travelled

classic creepy edm....
circa early 2016
maximized at +3db

On and On

there are two different kick drums and two different snares all mic'd differently with different mics in the chorus of this little juicy number.

all instrumentation and writing - mac mcdougall

Sun Eats Moon - Mix03 W Bass

remember back in summer 2016 [if you lived in Calgary] it rained havily for like a week and it sprang the whole city into summer but it was also super hot too so like the rain kinda like fried as it hit the ground, and didn't stick around much, but it was really nice during the night...when this song idea was concieved

drums, guitar, bass, vocals - mac mcdougall
tambourine - peter vesuwalla

Rain's Comin' Down (Really Comin' Down)

written, recorded, mixed and produced at Envision Audio 2016
https://www.facebook.com/envisionaudio/

ORGANZ MSTR 01

performed, recorded, mixed n mastered at ENVISION AUDIO
released: december 31 2016
envision records

longloop

Written, performed, recorded and engineered by: Mac McDougall 2017

...i was angered by "president" drumpf's recent ban on muslims into their own country.

N.W.O

big thanks to David Kristian of Applied Acoustic Systems for the sound bank.
https://www.applied-acoustics.com/entangled-species/

written, performed, recorded, and mixed @ EnvisionAudio 2017

Entangl'd Species feat. Sally

written, recorded and mixed @ envision audio 2017
all instrumentation and performance by mac mcdougall

fireflies

recorded with an iphone 5
in three different locations
at three different points of the night
digitally proccessed by mac
envisionaudio 2017

8102017

recorded live @ Envision Audio 2017

Jack Laver - Drums
Mac McDougall - Guitar
Peter Vesuwall - Tambourine

whoa whoa whoa

this track is in response to the cold
enjoy

freezing

Weißes Rauschen = White Noise [in German]

"white noise is a random signal having equal intensity at different frequencies, giving it a constant power spectral density"

Idea:
This track was conceived in about two hours in a coffee shop down my street. I used a white noise sample that I gathered from leaving mics on in my studio. The noise is actually signal noise from using sub-standard cables. I then processed the noise further to make it more appealing and the sample was born.

Step 1 [synthesis of the idea]
Then, to create an composition around this idea - I set a tempo of 130bpm, which is a nice groovy tempo for dancing, to a loop in my DAW for 2 bars, just playing the metronome over the white noise sample and started to hear rhythms. I then plotted various rhythms in two-bar phrases, not listening to reference the previous bar - in this way - I can make a satisfying arrangement that is both different every two bars but also has a cohesive sound due to the fact that I used the same white noise sample. This was also the perfect time to set levels of all the instrumentation thus far.. Since it was white noise [or at least as close to white noise as possible] I could set the levels of the instruments using the equal-level contour provided by that sample.

Step 2 [the work begins]
Then, when I was happy with the main rhythms, percussion beds and sound timbre's - I started chopping the white noise to hit on every kick. I then split the white noise into two groups - one hitting on every "kick" and one hitting on every "snare". This way I can keep the white noise going, have the cohesion and keep the listeners attention since it is following the rhythm < that is important. There are a few chops on the "snare" pitched white noise that actually work more like hi hats than snares. It all stays cohesive though. I then started to make a bunch of two-bar phrases and started labelling them by feeling: "verse" "chorus" "vibe" or "intro" to name a few. I then experimented with pan positions of each section and made judgement calls on what should go where and at what interval. The upper "snare" white noise sounded really good when panned furiously within some sections.

Step 3 [pre-arrangement]
Once I was happy with a few different bars of rhythmic ideas, I decided it was best to make a "drop" section, for a listening break. Since this composition was turning out to be so rhythm heavy, I decided this was the best course of action. Originally, I intended this section to just hit once, but once I listened to it with another section previously dubbed "chorus" [in step 2] I really liked how interchangeable it was. It was satisfying to listen to since the heavy rhythmic nature of the arrangement, then falling into nothingness, then back up into a very pulse heavy and driven chorus.

Step 4 [sweetening]
At this time, I took a moment to objectively think of the main idea to this piece. What is this trying to convey? While I thought of this, I decided to add a little groovy bassline to the chorus, as well as 2 sets of synth strings panned L and R to create a widening of the stereo field once the chorus was in. This was especially effective since the "drop" section featured some manic panning of the full white noise sample. I also extensively used the low cut filter on quite a few sections. I feel like this is a great alternative to volume adjustment or EQ. It sounds a lot more natural with the same effect. 

Step 5 [finishing]
Once all the pieces were together, I arranged the sections. Luckily, the program I use to make this stuff comes with a handy tool to make a flag above the timeline so that I can label appropriately what section is which [step 2 was where I labelled]. With those labels in place it makes it easy to arrange the sections. I simply have to make sure the transitions are good, levels are matched and that it all flows naturally one into the other. Once I was happy listening back, the composition was done.

Weißes Rauschen

I composed this track in one evening using my telecaster, a few guitar pedals, my amp and two mics.

Gearlist (in signal path order)
- Fender Telecaster
into:
- EH Holy Grail Nano
- Ibanez Analog Delay mini
- Joyo Tremolo
- Boss DD6
into:
- Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
captured by:
- Audiotechnica AT2020
- Shure SM57
into:
- Cubase 8

I like using really long delays with my DD6 to create atmospheric moments. I now have a second delay to add to the fun! The track moves slowly and swampy and has moments of shock while I'm learning to use two delays. The nature of the analog delay is somewhat uncontrollable and will burst into a quick delay out of nowhere. This proved to create nice contrast to the slow moving, sometimes still texture of the delay-loops. I then used two mics on my amp, both pointing at the speaker cone, and in Cubase, panned them hard left and right to create an interesting stereo picture when listening on headphones. The result is a full-stereo atmospheric journey guaranteed to surprise the listener.

January 19 Loops

glow, diffused

Idea:
Create a track with the use of my own sampled kit. Must have cool guitar, and syncopation.

Process [step 1]
I recorded samples of my drum kit using mics around my studio. The kick sample was recorded with 2 mics - one in front of the batter head and one in front of the porthole. I made sure the sound of the kick porthole was in phase with the batter side by adjusting it small amounts while kicking the drum. Snare was one close mic and 2 "room mics" that were just guitar amp mics left on. I panned hard L and R to create stereo field. The way that I mixed the drum sounds was unique in the sense that I mixed them into a song - an album o be exact - "ghost in the machine by the police" was my reference. I recorded a few more samples the night of Feb 4, but left a few more sample recordings for the morning of Feb 5. To name a few - hi hats, crash cymbals and "cymbal residue" tracks which were just extremely close mic'd cymbals.

Creation [step 2]
Started at 125 bpm, and started laying down beats in midi using the samples. I played one of two "cymbal residue" tracks I had recorded and was happy with the simplicity of the two units grooving [best heard from 0:00 to 1:15]. I then started experimenting with just using more of the samples I had created to make a complete composition - but it was lacking. I started on ideas with guitar. I knew I wanted it to be lush to compliment the stark / sparse rhythmic sound-field now being created. Once I was happy with a guitar progression - in this case just G#m to E major. I reversed the track to give it a more spooky feeling. The guitar already had such lush effect on it that it just gave it some more spice. I then processed the signal further in my DAW by adding a little EQ, more delays and reverb. I decided the "verses" {0:00-1:15 and 2:18-3:34) were too sparse with just the beat and cymbal residue, so I added a textural looping guitar line over those sections. I then EQ'd the 2 guitar tracks smoothly to get rid of the high frequencies so that it stayed in the "ethereal" realm. The choruses feature some interesting percussion calls, with the use of cabasa, shaker and tambourine. I also added a bassline using a Moog Subphatty synthesizer. The arrangement came together in little over 4 hours total. The last signal process to be added was limiting to boost the overall volume.

Experience [step 3]
This track has many twists, turns, dives, grooves and moves happening all at once. I'll leave it at this - every second is bound to have something to catch the listener in this one.

glow, diffused

Dancedancedance

Originally conceived as a voice memo, this track actually features the voice memo in certain parts as the main theme: “hu hu hu hu hu”

Designed the rest of the track around that central idea, and the higher melodic lines are that same voice memo, pitched up an octave and soaked in reverb to give it a synth-like feel while the rest of the rhythm rides.

The composition plays on those two ideas in synchronicity throughout the duration of the song, until at the end, the remainder of the voice memo is played out into a melodic choir-like motif that was also part of the voice memo - then fades into silence.

For best results, please play at maximum volume.

hu hu hu hu hu

Andromeda [demo fullcut]

Triple tracked acoustic guitars in E major.

Illusionary

This track was made using a series of delay and modulation guitar stomps with a few fx added in post. This particular section was the 4th track from a series in which I explored a more "spacey" pedalboard setup.

Recorded live in July 2019 by Mac McDougall - improvised material.
Photography by Marissa Poirier in 2015.
Dog: Unknown
(marissapoirierphotography.com)

Instruments:
- Squier Strat
- Boss DD6
- Echo Park Delay
- Boss CE20
- Mixcraft 7 (inc. post production fx)

Land Of The Living

Recorded and produced May 16th 2019. 
Written by Mac McDougall.
Image: M88 Galaxy - NASA

Envision Audio

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