# My First Single



## Craig Sharmat (Jun 23, 2009)

Fixed Link!

I decided fairly recently to give the recording artist thing a go before I got to old to perform. My first single just went online and you can find the whole tune here.

It is available on Rhapsody and will be on itunes in about a month but I wanted to share this with my peers so...

The song is "So Cal Drivin"

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default ... tent=music

My main love as a guitarist is groove with jazz sensibilities.

I am on guitar
Brass is live as are drums and percussion
Bass is a Marcus Miller type patch from Roland/Spectrasonics
Organ is B4
Strings-Atmosphere


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## Daniel James (Jun 23, 2009)

Only available in the US?

Dan


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## Alex W (Jun 23, 2009)

yeah, bummer...


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 23, 2009)

Well my goal was not to sell it to you guys. I just noticed it played the full version and was write protected so it seemed like a good way to post. I know it will be available on itunes within the month.

Is it playing the full version for people outside of the U.S.?


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## artsoundz (Jun 23, 2009)

Wonderful. And w.vibes,baby! way to go ,Craig.


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## Aaron Dirk (Jun 23, 2009)

Already heard it at the FAS site

Congrats on making it a single!
Here's to someday quitting your day job!
o-[][]-o .... :shock: .... :lol:


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## poseur (Jun 23, 2009)

very, very funkay, cs!

d


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## Hannes_F (Jun 23, 2009)

Craig Sharmat @ Tue Jun 23 said:


> I decided fairly recently to give the recording artist thing a go before I got to old to perform.



Finally =o 

No, it does not play here ... :shock:


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## JohnG (Jun 23, 2009)

sounds great, Craig! Made me want to get out the saxophone.


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 23, 2009)

For all my friends outside the U.S.

and maybe new ones to be.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default ... tent=music

320kbps


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## schatzus (Jun 23, 2009)

Very...very...cool...


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## Jack Weaver (Jun 23, 2009)

Serious snap on that snare. After the first backbeat I instinctively dove for the volume knob of my playback system - only to realize that I didn't need to do that after I heard the 2nd backbeat. I'm so used to samples I almost forgot what real transients are. 

Love the various guitar tones - very visceral. 

After the first guitar melody it seems that the guitar came down in the mix just a tad too much since it it the feature instrument. 

Gooves from stem to stern. 

Some time I'd like to hear all the gory details of what it took to make this recording. 

Cheers!


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## artsoundz (Jun 23, 2009)

yeah- real drums make such a difference. Not to mention real drums played by a very good musician as is the case here.


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## ChrisAxia (Jun 23, 2009)

Excellent Craig!

You're up there with George Benson, one of my all time heroes. Funnily enough, I recently listened to that song you played on for me many years ago and your guitar work still sounds great!

Take it easy,

~C


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## sebuko (Jun 24, 2009)

Very great funky easy listening stuff. I like it very much =o


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## Dan Selby (Jun 24, 2009)

Nice work, Craig - sounds great!


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## Hannes_F (Jun 24, 2009)

Ah, great. I love your tone!


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## Rob (Jun 24, 2009)

very nice, Craig, bensonian in places...

Roberto


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## germancomponist (Jun 24, 2009)

Very nice, Craig, I like this music very much and you did it very well!

Thanks for sharing!

Gunther


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 24, 2009)

Thanks guys for the listen!!

Chris I can't even remember what we recorded but thanks!

Artsoundz, you know what I say, A day without vibes is like a day without sunshine which actually you should be very used to by now...




Jack Weaver @ Tue Jun 23 said:


> Serious snap on that snare. After the first backbeat I instinctively dove for the volume knob of my playback system - only to realize that I didn't need to do that after I heard the 2nd backbeat. I'm so used to samples I almost forgot what real transients are.
> 
> Love the various guitar tones - very visceral.
> 
> ...



Jack,

If there was one thing I would do over is go back and boost a few guitar lines in the mix but this horse has left the barn. If the single does well I will revisit the mix for the album which is just about complete.


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## bryla (Jun 24, 2009)

Excellent Craig ! Really love your tone and groove


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 24, 2009)

Thanks bryla, Rob,

The guitar is actually a fairly inexpensive Brian Moore run direct through an Axe-Fx. The Axe-Fx is doing all the processing. It was originally a demo track for Fractal Audio who makes the Axe-Fx. I did it in an evening but when a promotion friend heard the track he suggested doing the full production. It then took on a new life.


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## kid-surf (Jun 24, 2009)

What I'm most impressed with is your playing. I honestly didn't know you had that much chops. How do you keep them [chops] up amongst all the scoring?

Good for you for writing something personally gratifying. Bet that was liberating!


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## Hans Adamson (Jun 24, 2009)

kid-surf @ Wed Jun 24 said:


> What I'm most impressed with is your playing. I honestly didn't know you had that much chops.


Kid, you should know that Craig is a pro. He has toured with Randy Crawford and others.


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## rJames (Jun 24, 2009)

Craig, that sounds great as usual. Although, there is a sound in there that scared the heck out of me...I thought my smoke detector was going off.

I'm going to listen to the whole cue now.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 24, 2009)

Was I supposed to hear DNA too? It's great - not to say that the first one is shite, but DNA is unique.


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## Alex W (Jun 24, 2009)

Very nice playing and great tone.


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## lux (Jun 24, 2009)

"so cool drivin"


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## kid-surf (Jun 24, 2009)

Hans Adamson @ Wed Jun 24 said:


> kid-surf @ Wed Jun 24 said:
> 
> 
> > What I'm most impressed with is your playing. I honestly didn't know you had that much chops.
> ...



I knew he was a pro, but not that he could play like _that_. :D

Thanks for the back story...


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 24, 2009)

"back story"

Illegal Hollywood expression!

That and loafers with no socks are against forum rules! This is a true outrage.


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## kid-surf (Jun 24, 2009)

*We feel*, that *at the end of the day*...my apologies.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 24, 2009)

Well...okay. I've calmed down a little, so apology accepted.


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## gamalataki (Jun 24, 2009)

Titled socaldriving, I expected something a bit edgier, but the picture tells the story; Malibu Cruzing??

Smooth groove for sure Craig, but I can't help but think a little dog, panned left, would compliment the percussion overdub 
It was overdubbed, right? o 

How old is Score now?? Retired from session work?

Seriously, nice production as always.

_Scott


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 24, 2009)

Nick Batzdorf @ Wed Jun 24 said:


> Was I supposed to hear DNA too? It's great - not to say that the first one is shite, but DNA is unique.



Thanks Nick

I threw DNA up there as a test a while ago and so it remains. it is actually somewhat a "poseur" inspired cop cue.

Thanks Kid for the listen and your comments. I like your playing too. 
Alex appreciate you revisiting the thread and the kick to get the song up here so everyone can hear it.

As Always thank you Luca for your ears during the process.


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## Jack Weaver (Jun 24, 2009)

Oh yeah Craig,

Forgot to say congrats - there's literally hundreds of dollars to be made in the online single genre!


.


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 24, 2009)

gamalataki @ Wed Jun 24 said:


> Titled socaldriving, I expected something a bit edgier, but the picture tells the story; Malibu Cruzing??
> 
> Smooth groove for sure Craig, but I can't help but think a little dog, panned left, would compliment the percussion overdub
> It was overdubbed, right? o
> ...



Thanks for asking about Score. His voice ain't what it used to be. Still have the recording though. We have been on the the fence a few times about sending him to the big dog house in the sky but he is still with us.

I think So Cal Drivin is more an ideal than reality. I think when most people think of Southern Cal and driving they picture beaches and sunshine. Those who live here know the reality though I have to say the dream still seems alive around Laguna.


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 24, 2009)

Jack Weaver @ Wed Jun 24 said:


> Oh yeah Craig,
> 
> Forgot to say congrats - there's literally hundreds of dollars to be made in the online single genre!
> 
> ...



I am here to break the mold!
and what better way to start than a smooth jazz single...

My biggest hope is some form of airplay. Any sales are gravy and unexpected.


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## Frederick Russ (Jun 24, 2009)

Nice work man - but you knew that since I've heard several incarnations of this already. Congrats.


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## JohnG (Jun 24, 2009)

sounds great, Craig!

smooth and classic


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## ChrisAxia (Jun 24, 2009)

Craig Sharmat @ Wed Jun 24 said:


> Thanks guys for the listen!!
> 
> Chris I can't even remember what we recorded but thanks!
> 
> Artsoundz, you know what I say, A day without vibes is like a day without sunshine which actually you should be very used to by now...



Hey Craig,

It was track called 'Take my Heart' which has 'sat on the shelf' for many years, but a recent meeting with a top publisher meant dusting off many old songs, and excitingly, a CD of my work is on its way to L.A to be heard by a producer I really admire! Your excellent playing may well help sell that song!! 

Keep up the excellent work,

~C


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## Hans Scheffler (Jun 25, 2009)

Awesome track and great chops.
Exactly my cup of tea!


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## Ashermusic (Jun 25, 2009)

If it were not my policy not to comment on people's work publicly even when they ask for it, I would probably say what a nice track this is and how very skilled I think Craig is.


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## Patrick de Caumette (Jun 25, 2009)

Cool

Best of luck with the project Craig!


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 26, 2009)

Thanks Patrick,Jay (for not commenting), Hans,Chris,John and Frederick for the listen.

Thanks again Frederick for being ears along the way.

Chris, best of luck as always with placements.


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## José Herring (Jun 27, 2009)

As I mentioned before, I think this is top notch for the smooth Jazz genre and I'm looking forward to hearing this on the radio. Really outstanding production and playing.


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 29, 2009)

Thanks Jose,

Radio airplay would be nice and is the goal here but I am not counting on it. That said if it does not make any smooth jazz rotation I will be disappointed.


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## poseur (Jun 29, 2009)

Craig Sharmat @ Mon Jun 29 said:


> Thanks Jose,
> 
> Radio airplay would be nice and is the goal here but I am not counting on it. That said if it does not make any smooth jazz rotation I will be disappointed.


is there someone "working it" to radio, cs?
you? someone else?
d


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## Craig Sharmat (Jun 29, 2009)

Thanks d for asking,

I have a radio promotion guy who is a good friend and who is tied solely into the "Smooth Jazz" genre. Someone suggested maybe I should hire a publicist but I have not gone that route. I am entering this arena as it is a fading genre but I like what I like.


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## synthetic (Jul 4, 2009)

I liked the tune. The vibraphone seems to be in a different space than the rest, it's too far forward for me. Aside from that, great tune and mix.


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## ENW (Jul 7, 2009)

Crag,

Cool tune. I've been to your site a few times before - always beautiful, fluid guitar work.

The Ax-Fx? Great... something else expensive I've got to buy 

Eric


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