Rafael Miranda
Thu 03 Aug 2023
Hey guys!
It's that time of the week again, and today's blog is about Rafael's guitar recording sessions for our EP!
In case you hadn't heard, we are currently recording our second studio release: a brand new EP, with the first single to be released within the next few months.
Our first studio album was an absolute success, with results and feedback from the public much better than expected, and if you haven't already don't forget to check it out on all digital platforms: Black Wolf Blues.
And now a couple of years later, a lot of hard work and preparation has been put into this EP, with some of the songs having been in the works for years, now finally ready to be released.
Just to clarify for those who are not too used to the nomenclature, the only difference between an EP and an album is the number of songs, with EPs usually having up to 5/6 songs, with anything more than that being an album.
Our EP will consist of 5 songs in total, but they will be released in singles, with the first one set to be released in a few months. From there we will be releasing a new single every month, and with the final one our EP will be officially and fully released.
Recording technology has evolved immensely in the last two decades, giving many independent artists the opportunities that once only big studios and labels could offer.
The music industry has also changed, allowing for artists to distribute their music directly to all digital platforms accessible to anyone around the world, as well as interact directly with their fanbase online and on social media.
And in case you didn't know, our guitarist Jake is also a certified music producer, fresh out of one of the best music universities in London, he will be in charge of the recording and production of our EP.
Taking all of this combined with the amazing creative output we have been getting from our new line up, and all the beautiful material that has been coming out of it, means that this EP is only the second of many releases yet to come.
Now on the bass recording sessions, let's start by telling you a little bit about our frontman and guitarist Rafael.
Rafael Miranda is a singer, guitarist, guitar teacher and songwriter from São Paulo, Brazil. He began studying guitar at the age of 10, with his influences ranging from Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry to SRV and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
He completed his formal studies in music at the age of 17 at the Conservatoire Of Music Juscelino Kubitscheck. He also studied guitar, singing and song writing at ICMP London. He has been involved in a number of projects, having founded Black Wolf Blues as its frontman in 2019.
After the release of the band's debut album he moved Black Wolf Blues' base of operations from São Paulo to London, to pursue the project with a new line up of musicians.
We are using Pirate Studios Greenwich for these recording sessions, an internationally recognized brand with excellent rooms and equipment available.
Check out a little bit of what Rafael had to say about the recording sessions:
"I just can't describe how happy I am to be recording my guitar tracks for our EP. A lot of hard work and dedication has been put into this studio project, with some of the songs being in the work for years, now finally being recorded.
We used Pirate Studios Greenwich for these recording sessions, a great brand with excellent rooms and equipment available.
We got there at around midday on a nice Sunday morning, the room was ready for us as Jake arrived and started setting up all the equipment.
We messed around with the set up and the pedals until we were sure we had the best possible sound.
As a musician it's always interesting to see how studio recording makes you look at details you hadn't noticed in the music during rehearsals, which always requires a special look at a detail here and there.
But he recording sessions went really smoothly, Jake is an awesome producer and conducted the session amazingly, and by the time our session was over we had some really nice tracks in the bag.
This weekend we're having our second session when we'll finish all of my guitars, and from there we start recording vocals really soon, for which I'm really excited too.
The EP is coming together beautifully and I just can't wait to release it to all our friends and fans..."
Also, check out a little bit of what Jake had to say, as the producer of our EP and of these recording sessions:
"Guitars have begun, the clock is ticking and the excitement is growing!
This past week we began working on Rafael’s guitar tracks! It’s been a great learning experience as we are both testing out different pedals and sounds to find what works for the songs and how to capture the best recording possible with what we have.
An example of this was when we discovered that one of the songs we had been recording required a slightly less distorted sound so we are learning how to adapt the guitar sound to work for the specific song.
The recording process has been really smooth and this time we did it at Pirate Studios so there was no distractions. We are hitting the studio again this Saturday to continue and finish the remaining tracks with exactly the same setup to maintain consistency.
We have really tried to capture the qualities of both Fender style and Gibson style guitars taking influence from albums like Ten from Pearl Jam.
Rafael usually plays with a Stratocaster and I a Les Paul so this makes for an awesome sound when mixed together as the two sounds compliment each other quite well! We are two tracks down so three more to go!..."
One thing that really amazed me personally and that became one of the funnest parts of the whole thing was the writing and recording process.
The writing and recording process we established in this new line up is better than ever! And on top of it all, the dynamic we established between us as band members during the writing process and during the planning of this recording project as a whole is something that finished closing the bonds between us as a band.
We are really excited and working on this project every single day, it will really blow your minds.
You will naturally also get to see the artwork of the EP - which will be awesome - from the very first single, as well as the name of the EP.
As an independent band we need all the support we can get, so we are running a crowdfunding campaign to help us fund the recording of our EP and make it as awesome as possible for you!
If you'd like to contribute with any amount just head on over to our website or Linktree and you will find the link to the crowdfunding there.
Our next gig is on Friday 18 August at the 93 Feet East, an amazing venue right in the heart of Brick Lane, on a rocking Friday summer night.
This a really special performance we’re preparing for you so make sure you are there!
Check out our Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for some of our videos, pictures and exclusive content.
A new video is uploaded to our YouTube channel every Tuesday, so don't forget to like and subscribe so that you don't miss out on new content weekly.
We also publish a new blog every Thursday, and next week's blog is going to be one of a kind. So stay tuned, rock on and have an amazing weekend!
Black Wolf Blues
Rafael, Jake, Liam & Cam