Who doesn’t love a good spooky story? With Halloween activities kicking off, let's take a moment and have some fun. So, since we are a Marietta based studio we are going to take a virtual haunted tour and talk about Marietta’s spookiest places.

 Hemingway’s

Once Marietta’s oldest bars, the building was once the home of the city morgue. Patrons and staff members alike have reported a faint scent of formaldehyde while some have claimed to feel an eerie presence and even a few voices coming from the darkness. The bar and grill did close recently, however the public will still be able to visit as Red Hare Brewing Company recently announced that it will be taking over the now vacant building. 

The Statue of Mary Meinert

Marking a grave at St. James Episcopal Cemetery, the Statue of Mary Meinert features the likeness of Mary Meinert and her beloved infant twins. Legend says that the mother lost her life and her two infant children in a tragic house fire sometime in the 1800s. Locals believe that the grieving mother still mourns for her children as the statue is said to weep. Others say that if you circle the statue 13 times at night and ask “Oh Mary, Oh Mary, what happened to your babies?” the statue will begin to cry. While this may sound like a fun Halloween activity, doing so is strongly discouraged as trespassing is an arrestable offense.

Kennesaw House

Currently the Marietta Museum of History, Kennesaw House is believed to be the home of over 700 ghosts! Once a hospital during the Civil War, the property has seen its share of death and tragedy. The building was later turned into a hotel following the civil war. The most famed account of paranormal activity came from a guest who claimed to have entered the third floor only to see a full vision of the hospital including a doctor tending to a wounded patient. He enquired about the scene, but when hotel officials investigated all they found was an empty hallway.

Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art

Formerly a post office built in 1908, The Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art is the home of one playful and mischievous spirit named Katherine. Katherine is believed to be the ghost of the post master’s mistress. Exposed, she was shot by the post master’s wife in the building and remains there to this day. Guests and staff at the museum report falling books and voices are the spirit’s handy work and she is known for making her presence known from time to time.
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Root House Museum

The former home of the town’s first druggist and merchant, William Root, the Root House Museum is believed to be haunted by the merchant’s wife. Guests have reported seeing the woman’s shadowy figure in the bedroom windows. Staff members also claim that the rope bed in the main bedroom of the house appears to have been slept in overnight.

The funny thing about inspiration is that it can strike anywhere and at any time. It can be found in the most amazing situations or as subtle as a mundane object. The key to understanding inspiration is knowing how to capture it and use it to fuel your creative projects.

It’s true that you can’t force inspiration. That kind of thing comes whether you’re asking for it or not. But you can try to coax it out. The first step to finding inspiration is learning what drives you. What gets you going? What makes you excited and ready to tackle your next project? Consider your favorite artists. Maybe there is a certain place where new ideas seem to magically come to mind, or maybe a conversation with a certain person gives you the energy to explore new ideas and concepts. Inspiration is out there; you just have to know how to tap into the source. Here are a few ideas on how you can find the inspiration for your next big idea.
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1. Change your scenery. Go for a walk or get out of town, your choice, but sometimes seeing something new is enough to get your creative juices flowing.
2. Try journaling. Journaling is a great tool to help you get thoughts and ideas out of your head. You will be surprised with what can come out when you’re not really thinking about it. Try to spend at least fifteen minutes a day just writing whatever comes to mind. It’s therapeutic at the least, but you may just amaze yourself.
3. Talk with a friend. Much like journaling sometimes just saying things outload can help your mind unload and process new ideas. Even better, your friend can help guide you through some concepts and add a new point of view that you haven’t thought of yet.
4. Meditate. Day to day life can throw a lot at us. From hectic schedules to trying to figure out your next meal, its easy to let your mind get jumbled with a variety of thoughts. Meditation can help you clear your mind and focus on the things that matter to you the most. Set aside some time each day to just sit. Be still and be yourself, its as simple as that.
5. Consider a collaboration. Two minds are usually better than one. When you open the door to a collaboration with another artist you open the door for new ideas from a different perspective. Between the two of you, you just may strike gold.

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Whatever you do to find inspiration in your life, its important to make sure you capture it for future reference. Record or write everything you find and don’t forget to review every once in a while, for a fresh perspective. How will you find your inspiration today?

As October moves forward spook enthusiasts everywhere are getting their yearly fix on all things scary. This week let’s talk about Halloween movies and their theme songs. The following is a list of five movies with a theme song that screams Halloween. What other movie theme songs can you think of that make you think of Halloween?

Psycho

Nothing says creepy like a full-grown man peeping on an unsuspecting woman then killing her dressed as his mother. Psycho, the 1960 psychological horror was released with mixed reviews but is often considered to be Alfred Hitchcock's best film. The movie’s score was composed by Bernard Herrmann who reluctantly accepted the gig at a reduced fee. Due to budgetary restraints, Herrmann opted to write for a string orchestra giving the score an eery and suspenseful feel throughout the movie.

The Shining

Directed by Stanley Kubrick, The Shining released in 1980 with mixed reviews. The psychological horror was initially reviewed by Janet Maslin of the New York Times stating that “the supernatural story knows frustratingly little rhyme or reason” Other reviews noted the film’s slow pacing and difficulty connecting with the story’s characters. Yet despite the complaints, Kubrick’s The Shining still grossed over $620,000 over the four-day release weekend placing it in the third highest-grossing opening weekend film behind Star Wars and The Rose. The movie’s main title theme was composed by Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind. During the scoring of the film, Carlos complained about the amount of work that never made it to the film. Having experienced something similar during her work on Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange, Carlos became frustrated and vowed to never work with the director again.

Rosemary’s Baby

​Impending motherhood typically conjures ideas of rosy cheeks and sweet lullabies, but not for this 1968 psychological horror. Rosemary’s Baby directed by Roman Polanski is a mix of paranoia, women’s rights, religion, and the literal spawn of satan. The opening lullaby in the film sets an uneasy tone with a sweet feminine voice against a chilling melody. The lullaby titled “Sleep Safe and Warm was sung by Mia Farrow herself and composed by Krzysztof Komeda. 

The Omen

​As we learned from Rosemary’s Baby, children can be terrifying. The 1976 Richard Donner film The Omen is no exception. The supernatural horror detailing the birth and rise of the antichrist is spooky enough to question any child with a mysterious look in their eyes. The main theme song “Ave Satani” is powerful and chilling featuring full orchestral accompaniment against a foreboding choir. The composer Jerry Goldsmith struggled with the score until inspiration hit, resulting in “I hear voices.” Although the statement was said to his wife about hearing the choir in his head, the quote seems to share the same supernatural and disturbing feel as the movie itself.

There are a variety of tools inside the music studio designed to give us improved performance and recording for our musical projects. This week we’ll be looking at the center of the studio unit, the Digital Audio Workstation, or DAW for short. Read on to learn more about the DAW, what it is, how it is used, and what we use in our very own studio.

What is a DAW

The Digital Audio Workstation is the central hub of the recording studio. It’s what allows music engineers to record, edit, and mix multiple tracks. While many consider a DAW to be a software program, some would say that it is a complete station from a computer, to a midi controller, to audio interference. Whatever side of the what makes a DAW debate you land on, the one thing that stays the same is that it is the heart of the music production operation.

What Can You Do with a DAW?

You can pretty much use a DAW for anything in the recording studio. The list of projects is long ranging from albums, to sound effects, voice acting, podcasts, mixes and remixes, masters, sound effects, scores, and radio shows. If there is audio involved, a DAW is your friend.

Perhaps one of the most common uses of the DAW would be for the recording and arrangement of music. But what if your song needs an instrument that you don’t have or aren’t able to play? The DAW can help. With a variety of instrumental options available in the marketplace, artists no longer need to invest thousands into hiring a full orchestra or acquiring and storing a large catalog of instruments. Many programs today offer a full inventory of sampled sounds to use for your ever projects’ needs.
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DAW also opens the possibility of song making to those without any prior music experience. Because of the equipment’s capabilities individuals are now able to piece together various samples to create a piece of their own. And for those who consider themselves to be vocally challenged, there is always autotune for a quick confidence boost.

Ashcraft Studios’ Setup

Here at Ashcraft Studios, we take pride in the equipment we source. Currently, we house Slate Raven MTi2 Touchscreen Mixing Boards with UA Apollo 8p Hardware, 2 UAD 2 Satellite Accelerators, Audience ASP 800, and UA 4-710 D, 20+ Simultaneous Tracks, and Logic ProX Software. You can see a full list of our studio equipmenthere. Visit us online at www.ashcraftstudios.net today and see how we can help you craft your next audio project today.

Its that time of year when all things ooky and spooky come out to play. Let’s forget about pumpkins spice for the moment and let’s talk Halloween Music. Drop these Spooktacular tracks in your Halloween party playlist and you’ll be sure to have a killer time.

Time Warp – Rocky Horror Picture Show
What’s more Halloween than grown adults dressed in drag singing about interdimensional dancing? The cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show released in 1975 and was “ignored by pretty much everyone” according to Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times. Fast forward to 1979 and the film was shown every Friday and Saturday night at midnight in over 230 theaters across America.

Pet Semetary – The Ramones
Originally a horror novel written by Stephen King in 1983, Pet Sematary was adapted to film and released in 1989 and a remake in 2019. The movie’s theme song was recorded by The Ramones and was also featured on their album, Brain Drain.

A Nightmare on my Street – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
A Nightmare on My Street was released in 1988 as part of the album He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. Despite the song’s obvious reference to the Halloween movie favorite A Nightmare on Elm Street, the movie’s producers chose not to include the single in the movie’s soundtrack. As a result, the copyright holders of the A Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise, New Line Cinema, sued DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for copyright infringement. The case was settled out of court, however the label to destroy the song’s music video, but not before a version could be saved online.

Thriller – Michael Jackson
Thriller came out in 1984 by pop icon Michael Jackson. The release received positive reviews and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video’s theatrical elements lead it to be the first music video inducted into the National Film Registry.

​Red Right Hand – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Based on John Milton’s Paradise Lost, “Red Right Hand” is a reference to the vengeful hand of God. The song was released in 1994 by Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It was featured as the theme song for the British crime series Peaky Blinders, and was covered by artist such as Artic Monkeys, Iggy Pop, and Snoop Dogg.