Michael Chan Productions
Music Production, Composition, Engineering, Film Making, Artist Development
Michael Chan is a dynamic and talented individual currently studying at Metalworks Institute of Sound and Music Production. He is considered a triple threat, mastering his craft as a multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer. Hailing from the city of Scarborough, Michael draws inspiration for his work from his hometown and ever changing environment. He is capable of working within different genres from mainstream pop, alternative to film scoring. His passion for music, music production and engineering is the source of determination to be the best of his kind. Michael has worked with other creative artists and continues to look for the next project. In this digital era of mass communication, he fully embraces networking through Facebook and other worldwide accessable means. If you are interested in collaborating with Michael, please contact him at:
mtlchan99@gmail.com
Check out Videos at:
www.youtube.com/mtlchan99
Text: Trieu
July 10
I recently took some instrumentals I've made over the past few months and uploaded them with video onto my youtube and my facebook. I'm really proud of these "Beats" and hope that they will help me reach new artists and start projects with other collaborators. They were all made using Apple's Logic Studio and a Macbook with all samples essentially stock. Hope they sound interesting as I am not a "Hip-Hop" guy and my beats show strong influences of other genres. The videos were done in iMovie.
I also recently started a facebook group to promote this site and my music. You can check it out at:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24731449601
Please join the group and invite your networks as I want my music to get to as many people as possible! If you know anyone who would be interesting in working together please contact me! Thanks for all the support!
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June 4
Two songs are now downloadable. They are "Maybe Baby (Buddy Holly Cover)" and "Regatta Two FT Rash".
Production Notes:
"I Feel Much Better Ft AMMO"
- Written and Produced by Michael Chan, Lyrics and Performance by Jesse Shearman
- Latest mix of session recorded at Metalworks Studio 1 in Mississauga, Ontario
- Mixed using a vintage NEVE console and Apple Logic Studio
- AMMO is founder of underground hip=hop group "Blind Psyence"
"Walk Away FT Joanna Mohammed"
- Mix session by Michael Chan, Music, Lyrics, and Performance by Joanna Mohammed
- Recorded at Humber College Studios
- Performances by Humber College of Music Students
- Mixed ITB using Apple Logic
"Maybe Baby (Buddy Holly Cover)
- Produced and Performed by Michael Chan, Lyrics by Buddy Holly
- Recorded in bedroom studio
- Recorded and Mixed using Cubase SE
- Mastered at Metalworks Studio 2 using SSL mixing console
"Regatta Two FT Rash"
- Written and Produced by Michael Chan, Lyrics and Performance by Rashvir
- Recorded in Bedroom using mobile recording studio
- Mixed using Apple Logic
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February 3
The song actually started as an idea in my head, I didn't have a concept. I was just about to go to sleep when I heard this melody in my head. It was kind of like a 3-chord R&B progression - I know that's far from what it ended up being. I just plugged in my M-Audio Trigger Finger and booted up Logic and started figuring out the tempo and beat. The tempo changed a lot as I was working on it but the main Kick and Snare are pretty much the same as they were in my head. It was really late at night and I didn't want to play guitar because it's so loud and didn't want to wake anyone in my home so I sat at the piano and hooked up the MIDI. When I was searching through sounds to use I kind of got distracted and the R&B feel disintegrated. Logic has so many sounds that sometimes I find myself just scrolling through them and playing licks that really have no purpose, I just want to hear the sounds! Anyways, I settled on a haunting "Stingers" sound from the Apple world music Jampack. It just sounded so creepy so I really wanted to build the entire song around it. By this time it was about 4am and I was moving a lot slower than normal. That's why the tempo ended up being under 70Bpm which I've never done before. The brass instruments were really an obvious choice to add an epic feeling. A mixed choir and strings section help add more dimension and smooth out the harshness from the "Stinger" sound. I love that kick drum, which is from one of the stock kits from the Ultrabeat instrument. Anyways, after I was done I listened back to it in the dark and I really felt "an impeding doom". I don't think I was after that when I first started writing it but I'm glad the way it turned out. Sounds like it could be used as a theme song, in a movie commercial, in a game, or the entrance music for UFC fighters. Anyways thanks for listening!
Michael
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January 14
The songs I just added were all done this morning in a session at Metalworks Studios. I used all the most expensive and most sought-after gear to see what I could learn from using high end equipment. Here's a list of some of the gear I used and what I thought about them after actually being able to use them after only reading about them for so long.
SSL 4080 G+ Mixing Console
- It was comfortable to lean on when listening to music
- A lot of convenient controls in each channel strip like independent dynamics
- Bus Compressor is phenomenal
UREI 1176LN & LA-4
- Nice vintage character
- Like to be pumped and pushed hard
- Evened out piano smooth like ice
TELETRONIX LA -2
- Pumped the bass up
AVALON 2044
- Best thing ever done to drums
- Pumps it like subs in the trunk
- Never heard that ever close in the digital realm
KRK V8, Yamaha NS-10, Yamaha HS80 Reference Monitors
- I thought KRK was the best sounding monitor until I heard the HS80
- I was thinking about getting the HS80 and felt reluctant based on reviews fro other people but after hearing them for myself I am really sold on them and will likely get a pair soon
- I still hate NS-10 but find them useful for critical listening
Overall I'd say the results are positive. I didn't get 100% what I was after but that's an experience and time sort of thing. I agree with many engineers that running your audio through analog equipment yields quality results. The only things I found distracting were the workflow and how unreliable vintage equipment is. The workflow is kinda of slow and a bit complicated with many steps involved. Patching is kind of hard to communicate sometimes between people and can get messy. You can't just bounce a song, you have to listen to it all the way through. This is kind of good because you have more time listening for any conflicts but it kind of sucks for wasting time when you just want to move on to the next project. Using so many faders and remember what is where at a glance can get confusing. Labeling with a marker just takes to much time when your moving fast. I also noticed that vintage equipment is sensitive and when you switch them in or out or are adjusting pots, they make awful scratchy sounds! I guess you could get over that by getting reissues.
Being in the big studio makes you feel inspired and excited because there's so much to take in. I didn't feel like the analog workflow could keep up with the pace that I wanted. I always try moving fast because I don't need a long time to make decisions. I'm kind of fast pace. Overall I think the results show promise and I hope to learn more when another opportunity arises.
Michael
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January 10
So when I went to the studio for a 5 hours session I ended up getting to listen to some of my reference music and I was immediately impressed with the sound of the room. There's nothing like listening to music through a proper audio monitor set-up. I noticed that the Yamaha NS-10s were very narrow sounding and had so much midrange. I preferred the KRK V8s because of the wide frequency range and full low-end sound.
While we were listening to music, the engineer Wayne set-up the gear I requested we use for vocal takes. I chose to use a Neumann U47 and Audio Technica AT4060 for Jesse's vocals on a song we are currently working on. It won't be posted until it's final mix. The U47 was great on the more melodic singing while the Audio Technica nailed the rap. It had the perfect definition and punch. I even used it for my vocal takes on the new song "Just Think About It". The tracking preamps were focusrite with just a hint of dbx compression to tame the transients.
This new song was actually written the day before I went into the studio. I had never tried to rap in my life and I am NOT saying I am a rapper of any kind, but I felt that the style suited the song and I wanted to at least get my idea down. I think it turned out pretty well. I did all the instruments and mixing at my home studio in Logic while the vocals were tracked at Metalworks Studio 1.
The song is about the counter-culture of anti-violence and anti-crime. It's ironic that these views seem to have become counter-culture as the media glorifies such negative outlooks on life. I've seen a lot of this type of media influence my generation to their disadvantage. I hope that people I know who need help should just wake up one day and get out of the darkness and out of the trap of "gangsterdom". This song is dedicated to you.
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