News
20-06-2020: What the guitar means to me
Just a short reflexion that I’m writing today to talk about why I play the guitar. There’s a reason why guitarists are motivated to pick up this wonderful instrument day after day. Playing the guitar impacts us in amazing ways. As much as we may think it's true, playing guitar has nothing to do with playing a million notes per minute. It isn’t about learning 1,000 scales in 10 positions and 12 keys, either. And it’s certainly not a competition or an academic contest.
Playing guitar is about much more than that. It’s about the feeling of accomplishment when you finally master a concept or song you’ve been struggling with. It’s about the nerves and ultimate joy you feel when playing a piece you’ve learned for a loved one. It’s about recreating the sense of curiosity you had when you first touched your instrument. It's about exchanging smiles with the singer during a gig saying that it could not get any better than that. Or more simply put, coming home from a long day of work and finding relief from pouring yourself into your music and switch off. It is surely an experience we know all too well.
I know how much the guitar means to all guitar heroes that I grew up with. Because it means that much to me, too.
I’ve had some serious ups and downs in my life. And throughout it all, my guitar has been there, always there. It’s been a screaming machine for loud concerts or in my teenage bedroom making me feel that I am on top of the world and a comforting therapist and a faithful friend when I’m lower than low. Because playing guitar has positively affected my life, both musically and personally, I felt (and still do) that writing songs, finding melodies and the sweet sound that goes with it was the only option to share my heartbeat and invite our listeners to this beautiful and infinite musical universe.
The most memorable dinners are not related to number of stars of the restaurant that you booked, the rating of the wine that you picked or how much you finally spent. This not entirely also about how much excellence, care and passion have been put into the cooking. This is about what connects the Chef behind his oven to its guests in the dining room and how the guests are together celebrating his talent and enjoying the moment. This is the idea behind Soundkitchen and my best cooking receipt as a guitar player.
Playing guitar is about much more than that. It’s about the feeling of accomplishment when you finally master a concept or song you’ve been struggling with. It’s about the nerves and ultimate joy you feel when playing a piece you’ve learned for a loved one. It’s about recreating the sense of curiosity you had when you first touched your instrument. It's about exchanging smiles with the singer during a gig saying that it could not get any better than that. Or more simply put, coming home from a long day of work and finding relief from pouring yourself into your music and switch off. It is surely an experience we know all too well.
I know how much the guitar means to all guitar heroes that I grew up with. Because it means that much to me, too.
I’ve had some serious ups and downs in my life. And throughout it all, my guitar has been there, always there. It’s been a screaming machine for loud concerts or in my teenage bedroom making me feel that I am on top of the world and a comforting therapist and a faithful friend when I’m lower than low. Because playing guitar has positively affected my life, both musically and personally, I felt (and still do) that writing songs, finding melodies and the sweet sound that goes with it was the only option to share my heartbeat and invite our listeners to this beautiful and infinite musical universe.
The most memorable dinners are not related to number of stars of the restaurant that you booked, the rating of the wine that you picked or how much you finally spent. This not entirely also about how much excellence, care and passion have been put into the cooking. This is about what connects the Chef behind his oven to its guests in the dining room and how the guests are together celebrating his talent and enjoying the moment. This is the idea behind Soundkitchen and my best cooking receipt as a guitar player.
23-08-2018: Run-up to the first concert, final rehearsals
After countless hours spent in composition and recording, we are finally presenting the album to a discerning audience. This time, we need to get it right the first time: no second take, no editing, no overdubs and multi-tracking downsized to five musicians playing together. Line-up for the first gig: Celia (vocals), Jonas (keys), Jérôme (guitars), Roland (bass), Robert (drums) supported by Urs (bass) and Daniele (drums). An amazing night in perspective at the Papiersaal. Check all the pictures in our MEDIA tab and on Instagram.
After countless hours spent in composition and recording, we are finally presenting the album to a discerning audience. This time, we need to get it right the first time: no second take, no editing, no overdubs and multi-tracking downsized to five musicians playing together. Line-up for the first gig: Celia (vocals), Jonas (keys), Jérôme (guitars), Roland (bass), Robert (drums) supported by Urs (bass) and Daniele (drums). An amazing night in perspective at the Papiersaal. Check all the pictures in our MEDIA tab and on Instagram.
30-07-2018: This time it's cooked!
Songs have been mixed, re-mixed and we hope not over-mixed. Such as for preparing a good soup, the cooking must be over at some stage: no more ingredients or add-ons and the meal has to be brought to the dining room. Well… sending the mastered files and the cover design to the printers remembers me of giving back my copy to the exam experts ... "alea jacta est”.
Songs have been mixed, re-mixed and we hope not over-mixed. Such as for preparing a good soup, the cooking must be over at some stage: no more ingredients or add-ons and the meal has to be brought to the dining room. Well… sending the mastered files and the cover design to the printers remembers me of giving back my copy to the exam experts ... "alea jacta est”.
25-07-2018: Mixes delivered to Sterling Sound Studios for mastering
We now start to realise the long journey from drafting song ideas in our first tiny band room to delivering twelve polished compositions to one of the most famous mastering studio in the world. While it initially looked fine on music paper the adventure proved to be anything but a straight line. Oscillating between euphoria and despair, doubts and firm convictions we might have lost ourselves several times but never lost the harmonic compass. The dream is in sight...
We now start to realise the long journey from drafting song ideas in our first tiny band room to delivering twelve polished compositions to one of the most famous mastering studio in the world. While it initially looked fine on music paper the adventure proved to be anything but a straight line. Oscillating between euphoria and despair, doubts and firm convictions we might have lost ourselves several times but never lost the harmonic compass. The dream is in sight...
July 2018: It's not over before it's over
Once the twelve songs are completed and decently mixed, the moment of of truth consists in putting all the pieces side by side and have a listen. The resulting "assemblage" has to fit together, be consistent and be qualitatively homogenous. So when your producer tells you with a sweet voice when you are grabbing your coat before leaving the studio: "I would eventually consider re-recording the second rhythm guitar", it means that all guitar tracks need to be redone from scratch, including the "solo of your life". Same for keys. Happened to us, guess that we are not the only ones.
Once the twelve songs are completed and decently mixed, the moment of of truth consists in putting all the pieces side by side and have a listen. The resulting "assemblage" has to fit together, be consistent and be qualitatively homogenous. So when your producer tells you with a sweet voice when you are grabbing your coat before leaving the studio: "I would eventually consider re-recording the second rhythm guitar", it means that all guitar tracks need to be redone from scratch, including the "solo of your life". Same for keys. Happened to us, guess that we are not the only ones.
13-06-2018: "Angry Girl" mixed and produced by Tommy Vetterli from New Sound Studios
This piece mainly driven by guitar riffs needed to find someone with a "clear" distorted mix sound idea in his head. For us, there was only one address miles around. Great experience, great result. Thanks Tommy!
This piece mainly driven by guitar riffs needed to find someone with a "clear" distorted mix sound idea in his head. For us, there was only one address miles around. Great experience, great result. Thanks Tommy!
30-04-2018: The band is re-born and we become "Soundkitchen"
After a phase of "artistic repositioning", two talented and willing musicians Roland Schumacher (bass) and Robert Niklaus (drums) decided to join the adventure. We are now moving again full steam ahead towards the first gig and the release.
After a phase of "artistic repositioning", two talented and willing musicians Roland Schumacher (bass) and Robert Niklaus (drums) decided to join the adventure. We are now moving again full steam ahead towards the first gig and the release.
2-3 March 2018 : Last vocal recording sessions with Celia
After another two-day-jaw-dropper vocal recording session by Celia. Quite intense sessions in all respects and again an amazing performance delivery. We slowly get the big picture of the album as most of the musical material is now under the hood.
After another two-day-jaw-dropper vocal recording session by Celia. Quite intense sessions in all respects and again an amazing performance delivery. We slowly get the big picture of the album as most of the musical material is now under the hood.
26-12-2017: We got flooded!
A large boiler has exploded on the fifth floor and most of its water has found its way five stories lower into our band room. Our beloved preamps, digital racks and mixing board took a bath. Jonas saved the instruments (guitars and basses) from the tropical heat of our band studio where three huge industrial heaters had been already installed. Lucky us, we were well insured this time.
A large boiler has exploded on the fifth floor and most of its water has found its way five stories lower into our band room. Our beloved preamps, digital racks and mixing board took a bath. Jonas saved the instruments (guitars and basses) from the tropical heat of our band studio where three huge industrial heaters had been already installed. Lucky us, we were well insured this time.
29-30 November 2017: Big sessions at 571 Studios
Amazing instrumental recording session for Angry Girl, Yazdeh and Nightfly with Mario Caspar, Urs Nüssli, Michael Chylewsky and Andi Pupato. Jerome and Jonas realize that they will need a lot of inspiration, talent and vitamins to match the quality of the basic tracks that these seasoned musicians have delivered.
Amazing instrumental recording session for Angry Girl, Yazdeh and Nightfly with Mario Caspar, Urs Nüssli, Michael Chylewsky and Andi Pupato. Jerome and Jonas realize that they will need a lot of inspiration, talent and vitamins to match the quality of the basic tracks that these seasoned musicians have delivered.