Garret Gengler (''Just like my Dearmond archtop & my 40-year old acoustic guitar etc... They do what they do beautifully. The M-Tron is like that.'')

There's little question that the combination of computers, music software and the internet has truly democratized music and made it possible for anyone to become published and release their own compositions to the world at large.

Indeed, one of the great things we love about the internet is that we get to hear a huge diversity of music created by people from all walks of life. And while much of this music is created by DIY musicians, thankfully the days are long gone when being DIY and non-professional meant being "unpublished" and largely unheard of outside your local community.

Of course there is the argument that a general increase in musical output isn't necessarily a guarantee of an increase in musical quality, but in our opinion that makes the significant finds all the more important. Championing these gems becomes very personal because of the direct relationship between listener and artist either via a website or a forum.

Garret Gengler first came to our attention when we frequented the KvR forums. While most music software developers were using these forums as a place from which to market their wares, we preferred the creativity and banter of the 'Everything Else' and 'Music Cafe' forums. In the latter we happened across many talented artists including, Garret, Donkey Tugger, Vurt, Cypher One and of course Putte. In fact, at one point we did a podcast largely devoted to artists who frequented this cool corner of the net and included Garret's wonderful Codes & Ciphers, a song which blew us away with it's immediate melody and yet underlying complexity.

For various reasons we stopped frequenting KvR but one thing remained consistent. Many people from this era remain friends of ours and we champion their cause at every opportunity.

Garret is a prime case in point and when we received an email asking for our address due to him finishing his album, we jumped at the chance to both talk again and listen to his labour of love, Tomorrow Is Already Here

Described by some as "Sufjan Stevens without a banjo" or "the pretty stuff that Pete Townsend wrote" the album features 17 well-crafted and intimate songs that belie the fact that this is effectively a DIY release.

Q. So, I have to ask. Considering the first time we heard Codes and Ciphers was over three years ago and it also appears on this release, why has it taken you so long to do an album?

"That's a good question. It has indeed taken ages. I could take the easy excuse and say my "music time" is limited due to family and work obligations. I have two wonderful kids now, one is 4 years old, and the other is 18 months, and a third is on the way any moment now. And I work full-time in a professional position (computer systems and web programming.)

But the real reasons for the delay are artistic things. For this album, I chose to do almost everything myself. Insanity perhaps, but now that I have the album finished, I don't think I'd do it differently. I wrote everything, played (or programmed) almost all the instruments, did all the audio engineering work, the artwork, etc. Insanity, really.

Codes and Ciphers is the oldest song on the album, by far. When I wrote it, it caught me off guard. It was so much better than anything else I'd ever written. That's an incredible feeling, but also terrifying. Okay, you made that. Now, can you do it again, 20 times? (When you write two- or three-minute songs, you need a lot of them for a full-length album!)

When you heard Codes and Ciphers years ago, it was something I never expected could be released. Yes, the song was good, but I was working under the mind-set that I was creating demos. Later, I'd shop the set around to recruit bandmates and label interest, and re-record everything "for real" when I could book studio time.

I spent a lot of time trapped in that mind-set... at least a year, maybe two. I was writing and producing demos of increasing sophistication, but I never thought they could be the final product. Then one day I had something of an epiphany. I had spent hours and hours re-recording First Words with a good drummer, and was working on the mix. The drummer was a good guy and very talented. But I didn't want to hear it. I missed my programmed drums... the tune wasn't the same anymore, and it wasn't as good. Mute drum kit group, un-mute the drum sampler track, and there it was.

So my mindset changed, in an instant. The programmed stuff was not just demo material - it was the material. With that change in goals, I quickly found I could finish things, and they were good things.

About a year ago, I was talked into trying the 2007 RPM Challenge by a friend. RPM stands for "record production month." It's an artistic challenge, where you write and record an album of 10 new songs in one month (February). In March, you reintroduce yourself to your spouse and your kids. Anyway, after I finished the RPM Challenge last year, I knew I had enough good material for an album. The rest of the year was spent combing through old material, remixing, re-recording tracks here and there, and making something unified out of a fairly diverse collection of songs."

Q. So now you've got your own CD of carefully crafted and well produced material, what's next? Are you actively seeking a deal with a label or looking at alternative ways of getting it out there?

"Right now, I'm selling the record myself (at CDBABY, iTunes, and other places)... since it took so long to come together, I just couldn't imagine waiting any longer to shop it around.

Am I seeking a deal with a label? Absolutely! I'd love help finding a larger audience for my music... if not for this record, then for the next. I'm very happy with how this record turned out, and I'm already halfway through developing material for the next one. It won't take three years to finish, I promise."

Q. What does your writing and recording system consist of?

"I keep things very simple when I'm writing. My songs usually start on acoustic guitar, as just an interesting progression of chords, with maybe a couple of melody hooks. I have a terrible memory, so I record early and record often. I keep a cheap mic hooked up, so I can always record a draft. I write a lot of the vocal melodies while walking my dogs. Folks in the neighborhood must think I'm insane, muttering to myself, but it works, and so far they haven't locked me up.

I've been using Cakewalk Sonar for many years now, and I've settled on a handful of plugins that work well for me. For an all-around control strip (eq/compression/gating), I use WaveArts Trackplug. It's clean, fast to dial-in, and versatile. I have a few other favorite effects plugins... some Voxengo plugins like Impulse (convolution reverb) and Tape Bus (saturation). Db Tempo Delay... MultiLens for special effects (the chattery drums on the bridge in Silver King).

I use a lot of sampled instruments. You just have to learn to choose very high quality libraries, be artful about it, and be willing to take the time to get it right. Learn how tempo mapping works and velocity layering. Learn how the humanize effects work, and shuffle/swing... Most importantly, learn how to write proper arrangements for each instrument... i.e., make it sound like a violin, two violas, and a cello, not like someone playing a chord on an electric piano set to "strings."

For realistic strings and horns, I use Garritan Personal Orchestra. But for vibey strings, horns, or choirs, M-Tron is a huge favorite of mine. A secret trick I like is to blend in some M-Tron strings with the more realistic GPO samples. Probably half the songs on this new record have some M-Tron somewhere, and on several songs (the flutes on First Words for instance) the M-Tron steals the show."

Q. So what is it that appeals to you about the M-Tron?

"The simplicity... I get overwhelmed with all the patches and effects and million parameters you find in most plugins. The M-Tron does a few things very well, but doesn't try to do everything... Just like my Dearmond archtop, my 40-year old acoustic guitar, the even older upright piano in my dining room, etc... They do what they do beautifully. The M-Tron is like that."

Q. If the M-Tron came with only three sounds as per the original, which are the ones you'd insist on?

"Well the Flutes, for sure. I also use the Cello a lot. And the third is a toss-up... Choir 2 or Violins 1."

Q. Do you have any plans to play live?

"Yes, but in a limited fashion.... a stripped down solo acoustic thing. Maybe some day I'll have a killer backing band like Beck, and wear velvet pants. There's always hope."

Q. What's next?

"Promote this record, and work on the next. The best song I've written is always "the new song." There's really nothing like the feeling of creating a new piece of music out of thin air. Music is such a joy.

One of the most amazing things for me has been to see my oldest son grow up and learn to appreciate music. He's a preschooler now, but can tell you the name of every Beatles song, who sings lead, etc... After six months where he wouldn't go a day without listening to Abbey Road. He's moved on to other music. Gilberto & Getz (bossanova greats) were a favorite for a few months... and he now insists on playing my record. It's great of course, but not so great when you've heard the songs as much as I have. :) He has some things to learn, however.. tonight he panned Sir Duke! It was a travesty.

What else is next? I'm also looking forward to doing more production and mixing work on other people's records. It's very rewarding to help someone get past whatever block they're facing. I know a lot of indie bands & diy recordists who have been writing and recording for long enough that they feel like they should have a "product" in hand. But there's something stopping them... maybe it's limited mixing skills, or the difficulty of being your own editor (you're either too harsh or too lenient). Or they worked up the cash to track basics at a local studio, but they want to do something more than just a quick mix of the tracks... some overdubs, add some orchestral tracks, crank up the vibe with an inventive remix, etc.

I'm working up an artist-friendly spec contract where I'll be able to do work for clients in exchange for a credit and a small share of future royalties. That will let me get involved in projects that I find particularly appealing, even if the budgets are lean or non-existent. Making more great records, that's the goal. So to advertise a bit: readers, if you'd like to share what you're working on, and talk about how I might be able to help, visit my website to get contact info."

More info on Garret Gengler

Website:

www.cdbaby.com/tiah/

Blog:

www.worksongs.net