Mouse in the House Remix on CDBaby.com!!

Want to contribute a little towards the recording costs of Marc Andre's new rock album? One small way you can help is by purchasing the Mouse in the House (Alumni Remix) on CDbaby.com for just $0.99. Click the CDbaby image above to sample the song and to read more details. Every dollar counts!! Thanks for your support!!

(NOTE: This is a remix of a rap song I released in 1994. It is simply a fundraiser and something I created for the fun of it. The new rock album will sound nothing like this, but will instead sound somewhat like Backstage Pass, yet a good bit more aggressive).

The Album: Motivation (Chapter 10, Part 2 of 2)

So why am I working on a new rock album? That is a great question. It’s a question I often ask myself, especially when the going gets tough and I start to get a little weary of the long vertical climb. Nobody forced me to take this challenge on. Nobody is paying me to put out another CD. Aren’t I being a little too analytical here? Why even consider my motives? Because like I mentioned earlier, motives are the backbone of why we do things, and if the purpose of what we do is grounded in something bigger than ourselves, we can have that much more confidence to keep trying when our emotions tempt us to throw in the towel. I wouldn’t say I am exactly tempted to give up now, but I do sometimes run through a list of “what ifs.” What if few people buy my CD? What if people don’t like the new music? What if they like my old music better? What if I don’t make any profit? Will I feel like a failure? What if people don’t get where I’m coming from with such strong and emotional songs? What if I can’t afford to finish the project? What if I get done with the CD, and I don’t even like the songs? What if this is the last CD I ever make? The list can become quite ridiculous at times. These are often the moments when God stops me and asks, “Marc, what about people and what about my glory? What about the relationships between you and others who are giving their time and talent to help make this project a reality? Will these friendships grow or will they be damaged through this process?” Wow. We sure can get focused on the wrong things real quick, can’t we? Here’s a good verse I often come back to.

”Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” Psalm 127:1

I have often fallen into the trap of believing that my songs are what will change people’s lives. However, the older I get, the more I realize that music and songs mean nothing if I am inconsiderate of my family and friends, and if I am unconscious of the God that gave me the opportunities and the mind to create. Of course, I want these new songs to encourage and challenge people, but I also understand that my interaction with others is so much more important than the music I release.

A Different Conception
In addition to the purpose of wanting to glorify the Lord and encourage people, there are some other reasons why I am working on this new album. In some of my previous blogs, I’ve mentioned that I went through a five-year writing drought between the years of 2004 and 2009. For years, I wanted to produce a new album, but felt so lost creatively and didn’t know which direction to go topically and musically (I also had no idea how I could afford to make another CD, as I was still paying off a huge debt accrued from Backstage Pass). Throughout these five years, I believe I was burying a lot of emotions in an attempt to survive, and I’m now convinced I was likewise squelching my feelings to the point that I no longer knew how to get those feelings out constructively in song. I remember telling myself repeatedly, “My feelings don’t matter” because it was the only way I could stop feeling the pain. As an author friend of mine put it, “I was killing my heart.” I began feeding myself a lie that nobody cared about my pain, and with this, I started believing that I shouldn’t care either.

Nevertheless, the Lord brought me out of that. He reminded me that I needed to bring my pain and my flattened hopes to Him. This began a God-led emotional healing in my life. I felt a new freedom to let go and trust Him. However, for a time, I believe this new perspective actually threw me off creatively. From all I knew, it was my darker and heavier songs that moved people the most – songs like Pull Through, Hurricane, and By Now. I was convinced that emotionally charged music was my strongest suit, but I didn’t know how to write heavy songs when my heart was no longer heavy. For years, I kept a journal that covered the topic of writing new songs, but I never actually wrote any songs (or at least ones that I liked).

Then, in August 2009, songs started pouring out in the middle of the night about a week after a coffee shop conversation I had had with a friend who was struggling with depression and negative thoughts. It was as if something had just clicked. For once, I stepped outside of my own life and started writing from other people’s perspectives. I began to notice the struggle in others’ lives and how those struggles related to the struggles I had in my own life. For a long time, I wanted to write an album for the down and outer, and finally, I figured out how to do it in my own way. I decided I was going to be completely honest instead of hiding behind the façade that is so prevalent in Christian music these days. This single conversation over coffee with my friend was the first of many situations that encouraged me to not only write about where I was currently, but also about where I had been. As I was composing these new songs, this verse came to mind -

”Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

Centering Our Motives
Let’s be honest. Sometimes, it’s really tough to know our true motives. Even good motives can quickly turn sour and selfish. Paul even addressed the topic of motives in I Corinthians 4:3-5 -

”I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”

I know that my motives have not always been pure (even though I’ve tried to keep God in the center of my endeavors). As I look back, I can see that there were many times when I found my identity through music. In middle school and high school, I was the Christian rapper. It seems silly in hindsight, but at the time, it was a big deal to be the school rap star. Even then, I wanted to glorify Christ through my music, but underneath, I think I did eat up people’s praise from time to time. Even now, there are moments when I wrestle with truly giving the glory to God instead of taking it for myself. As Paul said, God is the ultimate judge, and it’s possible that we’re still guilty of hoarding the glory even when we think we’re innocent. I still often pray, “Lord, help me with my motives. Help me to keep You, others, and eternity in mind.”

Lowered Expectations and Heightened Freedom
In closing, I’m going to talk a little about expectations. Being that there have been some let downs in the past, I’m trying to lose some of the expectations I carried during previous projects. For one, I’m not working to make a profit. I’m paying for the project outright, and I’m avoiding using credit cards. I don’t want to dig myself a deep hole in the pocket hoping for something I have zero control over. If anything, I just don’t want to pay for the album for years to come.

I’m also not setting out to get signed by a record label. I’m going to market this project myself, and if someone “in the business” hears it and likes it, that’s great, but I’m not counting on that, nor am I shaping the content of this album with a mysterious Christian label executive in mind.

In addition, I don’t expect everybody to like my music. Some people don’t even like music at all, let alone Christian rock. This doesn’t mean these people don’t like me, and it doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t like them either. It’s not going to be for everyone, and I’m ok with that.

I’m not expecting these songs to change the world. They’re just songs, but I do hope they encourage people – even if I never hear about it. Ultimately, I pray that hearts will be changed, but this is only something God can do. He can use whatever He wants to make Himself known to people.

Finally, I have to admit that there is part of me that just likes a challenge, and likes to see rough ideas turn into art. God is a creative being and after making the universe, He stepped back, rested, and exclaimed, “It is good!” As long as God is in the center, I suppose there is nothing wrong with simply doing something because you enjoy the process and like to admire the finished product.

Quick Production Update

In just over four weeks, we’ll be heading to Dark Horse Recording in Nashville to record drums, bass, and rhythm guitar for the new album. Joining us will be studio drummer Miles McPherson, bassist Joey Canaday, and Hilliard, OH native guitarist Matt Meyer. For those of you just tuning in, I am working on a new rock album, set to release early 2011. This will be my third pop rock CD. You can listen to my previous albums Dishes and Backstage Pass either on iTunes or CDbaby.com.

For those of you who have been following along for a while… all demos and Nashville number charts for the new album have been completed, except for one tune which I am still tweaking (track #5). I hope to work on this song some later this week.

I’ve also been busy raising some extra money for the first phase of the recording process. So far, I’ve made enough to pay for the first Nashville trip (coming up on June 18th), and now I am working to make some extra cash to purchase a Pro Tools Mbox2 system, which I will use for the editing and mixing stages of the new album (All work so far has been done in Logic Pro). This past Saturday, I helped tear down some audio gear at the Race for the Cure in downtown Columbus, and on Sunday night, I spent about 6 ½ hours in the rain tearing down sound and light equipment at the Nelsonville Music Festival in Nelsonville, OH (near Hocking Hills). In addition, I’m running sound for some weddings on the weekends, and am possibly producing and recording some songs for a friend or two (not to mention I’m giving a few haircuts here and there). I should probably order the Pro Tools Mbox2 in the next couple weeks, as I want to have at least two weeks to set up all the Pro Tools sessions that we’ll need when we go to Nashville in June.

This past weekend, marcandremusic.com went back online. For a while, this URL has forwarded to 10x12productions.com (my small business), but I’ve now set up a temporary page for this URL that will be revamped (and will look a lot cooler) once the new album is released.

On The Schedule This Week…
This Thursday, I’ll be meeting with composer Robert Nugent to review string arrangements (for two songs on the new album). I’m also preparing a game plan for our big day at Dark Horse Recording (June 18th). I will cover this in a future blog.

Progress of the Album: Motivation (Chapter 10 part 2 of 2) coming this weekend…

Musician Spotlight: Joey Canaday

Joining drummer Miles McPherson and guitarist Matt Meyer at Dark Horse Recording on June 18th will be bassist Joey Canaday. Some of his credits include playing for artists LeAnne Rimes and Matthew West. You can read more about Joey on his website at: http://joeycanadaybass.com

The Album: Motivation (Chapter 10, Part 1 of 2)

Are you a person who starts things and doesn’t finish them or are you a person who fights with sweaty determination to complete what you’ve started? Why are some of us so bad at follow-through and why are some of us so driven and persistent, even to the point of imbalance? I’m not sure if I have an answer for this. I suppose we all just have a different make-up. However, I do know that motives are critical to why many of us go to such great lengths to accomplish this or that. What pushes a summer sports Olympian to spend years and years preparing for an event that only happens once every four years? What drives an ice sculptor to work so long and diligently on one piece of art that is going to melt when the sun comes out and the temperature rises?

A Little History Lesson
Behind every goal and every project is a motive. As with anything else, the conception of a CD comes through a variety of motives - some good, some bad, some clear and intentional, some subliminal. There have been purposes behind every album I’ve produced. In 1989, I began my first rap album Initial Cut believing that I could reach people through Christian music, all the while attempting to follow in the shoes of my favorite band dc Talk. I also just thought it’d be a lot of fun to record an album! In 1994, I went on to record my second Christian rap album Mouse in the House, again hoping that listeners would be encouraged through the Christian songs and entertained through the fun songs. In 1995, I released a single at Word of Life Bible Institute called The Institute Thang (can you see the dc Talk influence?), this time with intentions of making a little extra cash, as I was a poor college student. There was also part of me that just really missed recording, and I felt that the production of a single like this was something I could do cheaply and without much time commitment (I produced it during the winter of 1994, during my Christmas break). In 1996, I released another rap single at Liberty University – My Almamater. This time around, I was attempting to raise some money to buy a computer so I could start recording digitally using Pro Tools. I made some money from the sales of the cassette, but not as much as I had hoped. The following semester, a friend of mine produced a music video for My Almamater, and it was through the sales of this video that I made enough cash to purchase my first computer, a Macintosh clone). After buying this computer, I began recording songs in my dorm room at Liberty University. One of the first songs I recorded was Dishes (which was later re-recorded for my Dishes album, which debuted in 2001). There weren’t any deep motives behind the production of the first version of Dishes; I simply was trying to get more acquainted with Pro Tools and digital recording. In 2007, I put out my first rap CD that included two versions of My Almamater, and two other Liberty University inspired songs – Jerryland and Red Mudd (all projects previous to this had been released on cassette). During the school year of 1996, My Almamater had grown in popularity at Liberty University (it was often played on the campus radio station, C-91). Some people were asking me if I had the song on CD instead of cassette… so I assumed that a re-release of My Almamater on CD would be just the ticket to more sales. I also thought some additional songs (Jerryland, and Red Mudd) would increase the value of the album. However, sadly, the Jerryland CD did not sell well at all, and the song Jerryland never gained the popularity of the formally released My Almamater.

From Rap To Pop to Rock
After graduating from Liberty University in 1998, I began considering the possibility of producing a pop rock CD. From what I remember, there were several motives behind this move. For one, I wanted to step away from rap and try something more challenging. The more I examined the rap medium, the more I felt that it was relatively simple and didn’t require that much talent to produce. I also felt a little ashamed that I couldn’t sing, so I started trying to write melodic songs and sing them. It’s possible I was also again trying to follow in the shoes of dc Talk, who was likewise moving away from rap and towards rock. I remember hearing the song Jesus Freak and thinking, “Wow! That is really cool! I bet I’ll be more current if I start singing pop rock songs instead of rapping.” At first, I wasn’t sure how I would ever record a professional band-driven CD. However, one day my friend Dave Bechtel introduced me to an incredible Columbus-based guitarist named Tom Tussing. Tom ended up playing about 90% of the guitar parts on the Dishes album, and Dave helped to produce the album. The excitement of working towards a finished product was also coupled with a hope that a record label would likewise gain an interest in me as an artist. For the first time in my life, I began dreaming seriously about a career in music. This hope served as a backdrop behind two years of dedicated sweat and tears. The Dishes album was released in July of 2001.

After a two-year recording hiatus, I began writing my second rock album Backstage Pass in 2003. The motives behind this project were much different than those behind any other project. I was very heart-broken at the time, and I just needed to get my feelings out in a constructive way (this is seen in songs like Hurricane, After Everything, and Pull Through.) The lyrics from this album poured from an aching spirit instead of from a spirit forcing itself to find topics to write about. Backstage Pass debuted in October of 2004.

The Rollercoaster of Music Production
The creative journey can be a mixture of disappointment and soaring fulfillment. Along my musical path have been many ups and downs. Looking back, I can remember some really discouraging moments. I recall being quite discouraged at one point during my college years, so discouraged that I threw an entire box of unsold My Almamater cassettes in a dumpster behind one of the dorms. I remember a campus grounds student employee calling me to say he had found a box of my cassettes in a dumpster, to which I responded that I had meant to throw them away. I don’t think he knew what to say to that.

Days after the release of Dishes in 2001, I was set to perform some of my new songs for thousands of teenagers in Anaheim, CA. I actually rush ordered the first run of Dishes, and had about 300 CDs shipped ahead of time to Anaheim, hoping that I could sell them all to my new found fans. It turns out that the coordinator for this event cancelled my slot in the program, and instead scheduled me to sing for a roomful of 50+ year-old pastors who didn’t understand my music, and likewise found no interest in purchasing my CDs. I came back from Anaheim disappointed after only selling about 15 CDs (about 285 CDs were shipped back to Columbus).

In 2005 (a year after the release of Backstage Pass), I remember sitting on a rock outside a hotel in Bristol, TN after a show at King College. My band mates and I were struggling to see eye-to-eye and the turn out for the show at King was far from what I had expected. This was the straw that began to break the camel’s back, and I think it was at this point that I really started considering giving up on the idea of pursuing music as a career. I felt like I was hitting one brick wall after another, and wasn’t sure how much more let down I could take.

In 2006, I performed my last show (for nearly 4 years) at Huntington University in Indiana. I had had so many expectations for where my music would go, and so many of those fell flat. Record labels wouldn’t respond to my emails and packets. Most radio stations refused to play my music. I played a number of concerts, but I had a terrible time scheduling band musicians, and the lack of turn out at many shows was disheartening. Once, the band and I drove to a summer camp in West Virginia in hopes of playing for hundreds of kids. What we found was a crowd of about 30 kids, half of them literally passed out in their seats from the scorching summer sun. At many concerts, hardly anyone went out of their way to visit my merchandise table. I often found myself standing there alone while kids visited the merchandise tables of other bands.

To add to all this, between 2004 and 2008, I found myself paying off $10,000 of credit card debt, which would have been easily been paid off with the sale of 1000 CDs (this never happened).

I don’t say all this to make you feel sorry for me. Instead, I’m sharing these stories to give you some background on where I’ve been, and to put into perspective the significance of this new album. A lot has happened in my life since that last concert at Huntington University in 2006, both circumstantially and spiritually. It certainly is interesting to look back and see how God’s fingerprints have been all over those situations that at the time left me discouraged and even at times angry. I imagine you probably have some stories of your own. It’s very easy to focus on our short-term earthly goals without remembering God’s bigger purpose of shaping the attitudes and priorities of our hearts.

Up Next… So why am I working on a new album? What is driving me to take on another project? What is the inspiration behind this CD? Read part 2 of this post...

Production Update May 9th, 2010

I’ve accomplished a lot recently! Here is a list of what I’ve done over the week or so.

(1) Met with composer Robert Nugent last Thursday to discuss string arrangements for track #8 and track #13. Robert has rough string arrangements for both of these songs, and they are sounding great! I'm really glad he's a part of the team!

(2) Created guitar split track mixes for Matt Meyer (so far I’ve sent him split track mixes for 6 of the 13 songs; all fake guitars are on the right side, and all the other instruments and vocals are on the left side – this makes it easier for him to practice his guitar parts). Matt will be playing electric guitar on the album, and will be joining us at DarkHorse Recording on June 18th (as we also record drums and bass).

(3) Wrote Nashville number charts for track #11 (the worship song) and also track #10 (a fast guitar driven song), which I apparently overlooked when I was creating all of the other Nashville Number charts.

(4) Reworked the MIDI demo for track #12 (the love song) to match the most recent arrangement that I finally nailed down after playing the song at church the other Sunday with our worship band. The MIDI arrangement is currently about 75% finished. I will be recording vocals for this song later this week.

(5) Tweaked the bridge and the final chorus of track #7 and also wrote a Nashville number chart for this song (I did this in the middle of the night last night! I’m crazy!)

This week, I will be focusing heavily upon finishing the MIDI demo for track #12 (the love song). I also still need to create a Nashville number chart for this tune. After this, I’ll move on to finalizing the MIDI demo for track #5 (the last remaining trouble song). Once I'm finished with this, I’ll start creating Pro Tools sessions for the June 18th session at Dark Horse Recording. Just over 5 weeks until Nashville!

Musician Spotlight: Miles McPherson

Nashville studio drummer Miles McPherson is slated to play drums on the new Marc Andre rock album! In addition to playing in the studio, he's played with a number of bands live (Kelly Clarkson, Bo Bice and Matt Redman to name a few). Check out some of his YouTube videos below.

Miles plays drums with Kelly Clarkson on Leno
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGe-7sd3CzE

Miles talks about Vator Percussion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfnhpKP7M7M

A Track-by-Track Production Update

This past week has been extremely significant to the progression of the new rock album. Here is a list of some of the things that have happened over the last seven days.

(1) I added a bridge and a different ending to track #11, the worship song. This included writing additional lyrics, re-working the MIDI demo and recording new lead and background vocals. The demo for this song is basically complete now, which means I can start creating a Nashville number chart for this tune.

(2) I solidified the arrangement for track #12, the love song. I actually played this song with my church’s worship band yesterday morning at church (the topic was on marriage). It was quite helpful to hear this song played by a real band. A few of the band guys actually gave me some great ideas that will become part of the final arrangement (including some cut offs and rhythmic accents). I’ll be creating a Nashville number chart for this song in the near future, after I re-work the MIDI demo (as the arrangement has changed a little now that I’ve played the song with a real band).

(3) Last night, I met with guitarist Matt Meyer for about 3 hours to go over electric guitar parts. He will be joining co-producer Dave Bechtel and I at Darkhorse Recording in Nashville on June 18th as we record drums, bass, and rhythm guitar. He had some excellent ideas and his guitar tones were awesome (I really dig the sound of his Bad Cat amp)! His playing is going to make a great addition to this project! Thanks for being involved Matt!

(4) I received a rough string arrangement from Rich Barrett last night for track #2. This song may possibly be the album single. The string arrangement sounds great and takes this tune to a totally new level of intensity. (Rich also composed the string parts for Hurricane , After Everything, A Thousand Gods and By Now on my last rock album Backstage Pass.) It will be fun to replace the fake strings with real ones (this will happen at a later date, probably in the fall). It’s awesome to have Rich on board as part of this project’s creative team!

(5) I also made some headway on track #5 this past week. This song has undergone a lot of modification over the last couple months, but I’m really starting to like how the song is sounding. I will highlight some of the changes/challenges associated with this song in another blog.

On The Schedule This Week
This week, I hope to re-program the MIDI demo for track #12 (the love song I played in church yesterday) and I can plan to create Nashville number charts for this song and track #11 (the worship song). This will mark the completion of two of the three trouble songs mentioned in a previous blog (The Nashville Hustle, Chapter 9). I still need to do some significant work on track #5, the third trouble song. The Nashville number chart for this song will have to wait until the arrangement is completely ironed out (hopefully, this will happen in the next couple of weeks).

In addition, I need to create some alternate demo mixes for guitarist Matt Meyer. I will either raise the levels of all the fake guitar parts so Matt can better pick out what the guitars are doing, or I will create split tracks (with the fake guitars on one side, and the remaining instruments and vocals on the other side). I also need to notate some of these guitars parts on sheet music.

As a side note, all of the demos will need to be converted to Pro Tools sessions (all the demos were created in Logic Pro). I hope to start this process by the later part of May.

46 days until we head to Nashville!

A Roadmap to Writing Worship Songs

What makes a worship song a worship song? What differentiates a worship song from a “regular” song? What are the qualities of a good worship song? These are all questions I’ve been chewing on especially as I’ve recently written my first worship song, one that I hope to include on the new rock album.

Let me start out by saying I am no Chris Tomlin or Matt Redman, so my actual experience in writing worship songs is quite limited. However, as a worship pastor, I’ve played and charted a myriad of worship songs, and have observed a number of similarities between them.

Getting From Point G to Point C
To begin, it is a no brainer that most worship songs are simple. As a whole, they tend to be straightforward musically and lyrically. Musically, the chords are most often rather basic. How many worship songs have you heard that use U2’s With or Without You I V vi IV chord progression? (In the key of G, this would be G D Em C) Blessed Be Your Name, Hallelujah Your Love is Amazing, Came To My Rescue, and Majesty (Delirious’ version) are just a few of many examples (mind you, U2 owns no copyright on this chord progression; it’s probably been used in thousands of songs throughout the years).

Have you ever wondered why most worship songs use such elementary chord progressions? My thinking is that this simplicity makes worship songs more accessible to a broad group of church musicians, regardless of skill level. Also, melodies are sometimes easier to write and sing over standard chord progressions. The writers of worship songs may or may not intend to use simple chord progressions, although it’s possible. Sometimes, I wonder if some of the popular worship leaders of our day ever long to add a few major 7, diminished or augmented chords to their songs, only to back down for simplicities’ sake.

Stay Away From The Winding Roads (And The Vocal Acrobatics)
In addition to using simple chord progressions, many worship songs use vocal melodies that are relatively basic. This doesn’t mean that they are bad melodies; they are just limited in their range and in their rhythm, probably so that a wide variety of worshippers can sing along. You just don’t hear many Justin Timberlake or Maria Carey inspired melodies in congregational worship songs. Generally, worship songs aren’t written exclusively for the artist; they are written for the many worshippers who will sing these songs Sunday after Sunday.

The Easy Map Is Quick To Fold, But It May Be Missing Some Streets
Have you ever noticed that most worship songs are lyrically less complicated and less descriptive than your “regular” song? You may enjoy decoding the lyrics of your favorite rock band, but there isn’t a lot of room for lyrical ambiguity when it comes to worship songs (or at least, there shouldn’t be). If I’m singing a worship song, I don’t want to have to guess if the lyrics were written for a girl or for God and I don’t want to wonder what God or god the writer is speaking of. I want to worship the one true God, and the one true Lord Jesus Christ, not some vague god removed from the foundation of scripture. I also don’t want to sing songs that are overly focused on the praise-ie instead of the One being praised (How often do you hear the words “I,” “me” or “us” in some of today’s worship songs?). I believe worship lyrics should be God-centered and clearly defined in message, but that doesn’t mean that worship songwriters need to settle for non-descriptive and/or over-used Christian-speak. I really appreciate how many hymn writers use colorful illustrations and imagery to communicate timeless truths. Some people may go further in arguing that many hymns have a greater concentration of theological content than the standard worship song (although there are also some silly hymns out there including one of my favorites Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition). As a general rule, I would agree that hymns tend to have stronger theological content than most “worship choruses” (as some people call them), although I’m hearing more and more modern worship songs with deep Biblical rooting. I hope we see more of this!

The Simplest Route is Sometimes The Best Route
Don’t get me wrong. Simplicity is not necessarily a bad thing. Some of the best songs ever written (worship and non-worship songs) are musically uncomplicated. To be honest, I personally wrestle with writing worship songs just for this very reason. I often want to embellish simple songs when sometimes the best thing to do is to let simple songs stay simple (especially when you’re writing songs that are meant to be sung by others in a church setting). I actually admire artists who can write strong and unique songs that implement simple chords, catchy melodies, and simple yet insightful and Christ-centered lyrics.

Progress of the Album: The Nashville Hustle (Chapter 9)

Ten Aglow and Three to Go
Well, in less than two months, I should be down in Nashville recording drums and bass (and rhythm guitar) for the new rock album. Crystal and I just returned from a relaxing eight-day trip to San Diego and Laguna Beach (my sister lives there) and now it’s time to get back to work. When I left Columbus, I had completed Nashville number charts for ten of the thirteen songs on the new album (check out the video blogs if you haven’t seen them yet). I am intentionally waiting to create Nashville number charts for three remaining songs as these songs are still under construction. By this, I mean the arrangements are not completely nailed down. To begin, I’m not sure how I’m going to end one of the songs. I was planning to taper the song off with a quiet bridge and a quiet last chorus, but I’m now rethinking things. This particular tune has been a challenge all along as it is a relationship song (these are the toughest ones for me to write) and the topic it is covering is quite delicate and I’m having trouble narrowing down the right closing mood both musically and lyrically (I’m still messing around with the lyrics of the bridge and the last chorus as I’m not sure if I want it to end with a feeling of hope or a feeling of tension). Two other songs I’m reworking are in need of some trimming. The arrangements are just too long and they feel like they are dragging a bit. I will probably end up shortening some of the instrumental sections on these tunes. Besides these three songs, I’m feeling pretty good about the project as a whole. I will be concentrating very heavily upon these three “trouble songs” over the next month or so.

What’s For Tweaking and What’s for Keeping
Tempos, chord progressions, and song arrangements (specifically hits or rhythmic “pushes”) have to be solidified before the rhythmic foundation is laid (in my case, the drums, bass, and rhythm guitar parts recorded on June 18th will be the initial foundation). The next step will be to record real guitars and strings (probably in later summer). After this, a handful of things will be left for tweaking. Lyrics can be changed (if need be) later in the production process, which means lyrics are not currently top priority. I can always tweak a word or two after we’ve tracked all the instruments. Also, synthesizer parts will be for a while secondary in importance. I really like all the synthesizer parts I’ve programmed to date (pads, loops, sound effects, etc.), but these are basically icing on the cake which can be re-visited later if need be. As I approach the recording date in Nashville, I am asking myself, “What things have to be completely ironed out and what things can sit comfortably as variables?” I wouldn’t say I’m nervous, but I’m certainly feeling a pressure with only two months before the big recording session.

Every Penny Counts When You’re Counting on Pennies
Money continues to be a major piece of the whole. I’m still saving up for the trip to Nashville, and thankfully, God has provided several extra music production and haircutting side jobs. I’m thinking I should create an alternate 10x12 Productions logo with the “X” being a pair of scissors.

Up Next… “A Roadmap to Writing Worship Songs”

Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 1)

Simplifying the MIDI demo sequence.
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Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 2)

Basic setup of a lead sheet.
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Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 3)

Explanation of Nashville number system.
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Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 4)

Complex chords.
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Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 5)

Adding notes.
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Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 6)

Adding notes, specifically for the bass.
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Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 7)

Exporting the sheet music.
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Progress of the Album: Musicians: Rich Barrett

There were several people who played extremely significant musical roles in the production of my 2004 rock album Backstage Pass. One of those was my good friend Rich Barrett. Rich arranged the string parts for Hurricane, After Everything, A Thousand Gods, and By Now and directed the string players during the recording session at DarkHorse Recording in 2003. In addition, Rich played piano and organ throughout the project, and translated all of my chord charts into sheet music that was used by the studio musicians. I’m excited to say that Rich is again involved in my new project! Currently, he is working on the string arrangement for the second track on the album, a song that may very possibly be the album single. I’m anxious to hear what he comes up with!

Recently, I’ve been busy reading my Logic Pro manual trying to figure out the process of translating my chord charts to sheet music (as Rich did on Backstage Pass). It is quite a learning curve! Thankfully, Rich has kindly given me some pointers (as he works in Logic as well). Wow, it’s a lot of work! I now realize how much effort he put into getting all our ideas down on paper! So far, I’ve created music for the drum and bass parts of one song, and am just starting my second song. 12 songs to go!

These pictures were all taken in October 2003 during the recording of Backstage Pass.

Scroll down to read about my talented friend Matt Meyer, who will be playing guitar on the new album.

The Purpose of Music (part 1)

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m an analyzer. When other people appear to just do things, I often find myself asking why I do the things I do before I do them and while I’m doing them. This is probably one reason I often have trouble fitting in. I like to dissect thoughts, emotions, and the world around me, but not everyone wants to stop running the rat race long enough to ponder the underlying purposes of why we as humans go such distances to accomplish this or that. That’s probably a good thing. If we were all analyzers, we’d never get anything done.

I want to live my life with a big picture in mind. I can become very discouraged and frustrated when I don’t have a direction, and when I don’t feel like I’m going somewhere. There are times when I just need to re-envision the over arching reasoning behind my pursuits, both as a Christian, and as a musician. I suppose this is one of those times.

As a Christian, it’s hard for me to separate my music from the responsibility I have to glorify God. That means I would have a tough time writing lyrics that contradict what I believe about Jesus Christ. However, I do wrestle with the question whether every song I write needs to explicitly communicate a thought about Jesus. Is it possible for a Christian to write songs that are glorifying to God without ever mentioning God? Take for example a Christian who writes a love song for his wife. When it comes to human love between two people, is it always necessary for a Christian musician to bring God into the lyrical foreground? Is it possible that the expression of love between a married man and woman can in itself bring glory to God?

What defines a song as Christian or non-Christian? According to the Bible, we know how a person becomes a Christian (he/she must accept Jesus Christ as his/her Savior – John 3:16, Romans 10:9), but how does a song become “Christian”? Are words what set a Christian song apart from a non-Christian song? The birds and fish don’t say a lot verbally, but doesn’t the Bible say that they bring glory to God (Psalm 8)? Certainly, we are different than any other creature as we can create, love, and exchange thoughts and feelings with one another. Maybe if the fish could sing, they would constantly talk of God and His majesty... or maybe they would just swim around most of the time showing off their God-painted colors, speaking of their Creator in wisdom, clarity, and at the appropriate moment. Who knows? I guess what I’m wresting with here is the definition of “glorifying God.” Shouldn’t we as Christians be glorifying God continually whether we’re singing a song or not? When we go to work, should we talk about Jesus all the time, or should we focus on being honest and conscientious employees, knowing that we are stewards and have a greater boss above who we’re seeking to please?

Music is such a powerful tool. With it, we can honor God or dishonor God. I suppose one question I’m asking myself right now is how candid I should be about my own doubts and frustrations, and what point is self-expression too far removed from God-expression. What do you think? Can a Christian song express doubt, frustration, or even anger? Can you think of any writers in the Bible who poured out their hearts to God without reserve?

Progress of the Album: Sharing (Chapter 8)

There’s always a point in the album production process when the artist/writer has to start sharing responsibilities with others. I don’t know that I would generally consider myself a micro manager, but when it comes to producing an album, I struggle a bit when it comes to handing off duties to other people. Why? Put simply, it’s just hard to “let your baby go” when you’ve poured so much time and effort into it. A dramatic shift of thinking is required when you cross that line where it’s no longer just you moving the process along. Suddenly, you find yourself depending on others to meet deadlines and expectations of quality. Nevertheless, this stage is crucial, and can be one of the most significant dividing factors between a good product and a great product.

It’s been humbling for me to accept the fact that I need others to make my music what I want it to be. I keep going back to a phrase a good friend of mine once etched in my mind – “aces in their places.” There are a few artists out there who do it all (playing all the instruments, mixing the project, etc.) and do it well, but I would argue that generally, the best albums are the ones that have been birthed through a group effort. It’s funny to me that for the most part, musical artists get all the credit when a team has helped to make that artist sound his/her best.

With this being said, I’m extremely excited about the people who will be involved in the development of this new album. Some of these individuals include Dave Bechtel, Rich Barrett, Robert Nugent, Matt Meyer, and 7-8 Nashville studio musicians (drums, bass, guitar, and strings). I will say more about each of these people in future blogs (you can read a little about Matt Meyer in the previous blog).

“Up next… Musician Spotlight: Rich Barrett”

Progress of the Album: Musicians: Matt Meyer

Joining us on the June 18th drum and bass session at DarkHorse Recording studio will be Hilliard, OH native Matt Meyer (in this picture, he is the one to the far right playing the red guitar). Matt is a good friend and an accomplished guitar player, and will be cutting guitar rhythm tracks (and possibly some leads) while we are recording drums and bass at DarkHorse. Here is a YouTube video of Matt demonstrating some of his guitar tones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTiaEkO6AGI

First Session at DarkHorse - June 18th, 2010

IT'S OFFICIAL!!! We're heading to DarkHorse Recording in Nashville to record drums & bass on June 18th!!

Pictured is Steve Brewster at DarkHorse's Lodge studio during the tracking of Backstage Pass in October 2003.

For more info on DarkHorse Recording, visit: http://www.darkhorserecording.com)

Progress of the Album: Emotions (Chapter 7)

I spent about two years writing and recording my last rock album Backstage Pass – a long and challenging process which included a number of emotional highs and lows. Some of you understand the artistic temperament. If you’re an artist, you know what it’s like struggling to come up with ideas. You can relate to the feelings of excitement and let down which accompany the road of creation. One moment you’re pumped about a new song you’ve written and the next minute, you’re discouraged when you play the song for someone else and don’t get the reaction you’re looking for. You know what it’s like to compare yourself to others, all the while wishing you were better at singing or playing your instrument. If you’re an artist, you’re familiar with the vulnerability that comes with releasing your baby to the public. Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Waiting for the Rain
Personally, I underwent a creative drought between the years of 2004 and 2009. For five years, I attempted to write songs, but nothing came to me… or at least nothing I was proud of. I’m still not sure why I had so much trouble writing songs for such an extended period of time. I can only guess. I’m thinking initially it had to do with the fact that I wasn’t motivated to produce another album. I really began to feel that God wanted me to step away from music, mainly because it seemed that everything I was trying was failing, and I just didn’t sense God’s blessing on what I was doing musically. I basically threw in the towel for about a year or so starting in 2005. Then towards the end of 2005, I started trying to write again, although I was more or less journaling about what I was going to write, without ever actually penning any songs that represented what I was hoping to output. Here is an excerpt from a journal entry I wrote in late 2005.

“Right now, I am wrestling with a lot of emotions...fear, doubt, cynicism, confusion. There are days when I wake up and wonder what I’ve done with my life, if anything. As a 30-year old, I’ve begun to feel that I am “outdated”...maybe even “lost”...wandering the wilderness of singlehood, not knowing where I am to turn. If there were one thing I wish I had right now, it would be hope. Hope that God still has great things in store for me. Hope that I am making a difference in the lives of those around me. Hope that I will not grow more and more cynical and withdrawn as years pass. Hope that I can find intimacy in friendships, or even a lifelong mate. Hope that I can truly open up and be accepted for who I really am inside. Hope that I can overcome the evil one and the sin in my life with the strength of Christ. Hope that I can actually make friends and keep them...hope that they will stick with me even when I am unlovable. Hope that I will find a mentor and/or partner who will be a musical sounding board, and will push me to be a better musician/writer/performer and hopefully, a better man of faith. It’s interesting how hope is the one thing which combats so many of the emotions I face these days…

…I think I’ve been brought up in an environment that tells me to make myself as presentable as possible. I don’t think you can really appreciate the beauty of life until you come to grips with how evil man is, how dangerous the world is, and how loving God is.

…My point is I want to write from an adult’s perspective...I may be finished with writing cute songs. If anything, I feel that this project needs to be more transparent and more penetrating emotionally. I don’t want to limit my wording to a particular audience necessarily and I don’t want to over analyze my approach. In the end, I want to write what I know and what I feel honestly, from the heart, from the spirit...without the limitations of what “Christian music is supposed to look like.” My faith and my wrestling’s, and the Word of God will be the guide, not the expectations of others.” – written 12/26/05

As I look back, I can see how God was stretching and building my faith. Those years of drought were actually years I wouldn’t dare trade. I learned a lot of life lessons through those low points that transcended my musical journey. I believe the Lord brought me through a number of doubts and trials so that I could encourage others that may be going through some of the same things I’ve been through. No, I’m not single anymore, but I distinctly remember how difficult it was wondering if I would ever find my soul mate. No, I wouldn’t consider myself depressed now, but I’ve been depressed in the past, and I’ve learned that the voices in my head are not always necessarily speaking God’s truth. Regardless, even now as I work on this new project, I have to be careful to stay balanced emotionally. It’s been incredible this time around to share the creative process with my wonderful wife Crystal. She has been such a great support and encouragement, and quite honestly, I wouldn’t have started this project if it weren’t for her pushing me to do it. The simple words “you can” from someone you love can make all the difference.

Your Feelings are Your Friends
Those of you that know me know I am an analyzer. I probably drive some of you insane, but diversity is what makes the world go around, right? For me, the writing process is like nothing else I have experienced. Why? It demands that I dig deep inside my heart to see what I’m really feeling and what really matters to me. Any other time, it’s easier to ignore your feelings, but when it’s time to write, you have to look those feelings right in the face because for once, whether good or bad, they are your friends. Those feelings are the parents of your newborn songs.

For me, clarifying and filtering my feelings can be an extremely difficult task. It’s one thing to feel something. It’s another thing to communicate those feelings to others in a constructive way. If I straight out told you I was sad, you might not care (just for the record, I’m not sad… I’m just using this as an example). However, you might stop and listen if I wrote a song that made you sad, or embodied your own sadness. All this to say… song writing pushes me to a new level of analyzing. I never throw a song together… every lyric has been stewing for months in a creative crock-pot.

Two is Better Than One
Being married has been awesome… on many levels… even creatively. For one, I have a Godly wife who is extremely supportive, but along with this, Crystal has taught me a lot about balance. I used to write and record whenever I wanted to, but now I need to (and want to) think about what is best for my wife. Usually, we have one day and one evening during the week which are set apart as “music times.” Having a schedule like this has caused me to be both more intentional (setting musical goals for each week) and more balanced (as I’m usually not working on music every single evening and weekend). Even years ago, I began to realize the importance of taking breaks. Good songs come through life experiences, and many of the most life building experiences happen outside of the studio. In other words, it’s important for the artist to get outside, smell the roses, play a game, take a trip… whatever it takes to keep his/her life in balance so that his/her purpose of helping others through music isn’t snuffed out because he/she is never engaging in the lives of others.

The Mental War Zone
I recently spoke with a writer friend who said he also had to “battle many voices inside his head,” especially throughout the creative processes of writing his books. I think it’s probably a common thing for artists (and even non-artists) to wrestle with thoughts of self-criticism and doubt. Here are some lessons I’ve learned (and continue to learn) which have helped me to maneuver the landmines of the artistic mind’s warzone.

First, you can’t live your life trying to please everybody. Some people won’t like you and/or your art no matter what you do or change. As the old Steven Curtis Chapman song says, “You’ve Gotta B True.” I believe the best and most powerful art happens when we’re willing to be ourselves. Second, as important as it can be to analyze, don’t think yourself to death. We can be our worst enemies by thinking ourselves into a corner of self-paralysis (analysis of paralysis, as the saying goes). Think constructive thoughts, not destructive ones. Third, realize that your art is not nearly as important to others as it is to you… and be ok with that. As an example, moviemakers spend years and millions of dollars making a movie that people (usually) watch one time for two hours. After the movie is over, the audience is on to something else. So it goes with music. Some people may play your CD over and over, but they’ll never play it as many times as you’ve played it trying to get everything just right. For you, your music may be your life, but for most people, your music is entertainment, a point of interest that often turns as quickly as the turn sty of a box office hit. That can be a tough one to stomach. Forth, and this is critical… though art may be an extension of you, it is not what makes you who you are. In other words, you as a person have much more value than your art. As Christians, we need to be confident in who we are in Christ. That’s where our real value lies.

The Best I Have To Offer
I like how one artist put it at the release of his new album… “This is the best I have to offer right now.” It’s important to see the creative process as a journey. We’re all on the road to becoming better, and no one project is going to completely sum up what we want to say or where God is ultimately taking us.

Up Next… “Meet the Musicians: The Team Behind The New Album”

Progress of the Album: DarkHorse (Chapter 6)

Tentatively, I’ll be recording drums and bass at DarkHorse Recording in Nashville, Tennessee this coming June (this is where Dave Bechtel and I recorded much of my last rock album Backstage Pass in 2003-2004). However, a number of things need to happen before I move to this next stage in the production process.

Financial Planning
First, I need to save enough money to pay for the trip. I’ve actually built some buffer time into the production schedule so that I can focus a couple months on doing side jobs to fund the recording sessions (If you or someone you know is in need of audio/music work, please let me know! This is how I am mostly funding this project – with side jobs). I’ve decided to approach this project in stages both for production and financial purposes. Production wise, the audio editing process is going to be easier if I first record and edit the drums and bass (I find it's trickier to edit a lot of instruments together. The guitars, strings, and other live instruments are easier to edit if they have been recorded to a solid drums and bass track). Also, financially, it only makes sense to divide the recording process into several Nashville trips, specifically over 5-6 months. (The cost of food and gas with multiple trips is minor compared to the accumulating recording costs). I will probably take two additional trips to Nashville in the late summer or fall – one for strings and guitar overdubs, and a final trip for mastering. I’m praying God will provide the money somehow in His time and in His way.

Chord Charts & Sheet Music
Throughout the last eight months of writing songs and creating demos, I’ve also compiled chord charts for each of the 13 songs on the album. For now, these charts function to help me remember what chords go where as I arrange the demos. However, before I go to Nashville in June, I will need to write out basic sheet music that notates where the chord changes happen, and I’ll also need to identify any specific drum and bass licks. Certain instructions may include “bass with overdrive” or “kick on all four” or “use toms instead of high hat.” In addition, all of the chord changes need to be notated in the Nashville Notation System, which substitutes numbers for chords. For example, a G in the key of G would be written as a “1” and an E minor in the key of G would be written as “6-“ (as E minor is the 6 chord in the key of G, with the “-“ symbolizing a minor chord). Nashville studio musicians use this system as it simplifies songs to a basic structure, allowing for faster sight-reading and on-the-fly key changes.

Moving to Pro Tools
I generally use Apple’s Logic Pro for music creation and recording (that’s what I’ve used for years, and what I’ve used to create all the MIDI demos for this project). However, in Nashville, we will be recording using DigiDesign’s Pro Tools. This means I will need to prepare in advance a basic Pro Tools session for each song (and will need to transfer some audio elements over from my Logic demo sessions). What audio elements will be included in these Pro Tools sessions? First, each song will have a click track, which will assist the drummer and bassist in keeping with the tempo of the song (even if there is a retard in the song). Second, for each tune, there will be a mix of all the fake instruments minus the fake drums & bass. This will allow the drummer & bassist to play along with the demos and simply replace the fake drums & bass. There will also be several other audio tracks, including the lead vocal, and another track for the background vocals. These elements will be separated, allowing the volume of the vocals to be boosted or lowered depending on the needs of each player (they will each be wearing headphones, and will be able to make various volume adjustments to their liking).

Up next… “The emotional side of recording.”

(Pictured is DarkHorse Recording in Nashville. This photo was taken in 2004 during the recording of Backstage Pass. For more info on DarkHorse Recording, visit: http://www.darkhorserecording.com)

Check out my 2004 album Backstage Pass on iTunes.

The Progress of the Album: The Sound (Chapter 5)

I’ve had a few people ask me, “What is this new album about?” and “What will it sound like?” I’d be glad to answer these questions, but I’m going to speak broadly as I don’t want to completely spoil the surprise.

The Lyrics
First, I’ll begin by saying this is not a rap album. It is instead a modern rock album which springboards off of my last project Backstage Pass, yet delves into some heavier topics, including depression, addiction, self-esteem, troubled relationships, and a variety of other tough subjects. The 13-song album is filled with stories of struggle (many of which are struggles I’ve observed in the lives of others, and some of which are struggles I’ve dealt with in my own life). Amid these candid stories of struggle is an overarching purpose of pointing the listener to the purpose and hope we can only find in Christ. However, this doesn’t mean every song ends happily. Some songs end with resolve, while others end with some tension (as is common to the Christian experience). Scripturally, the album draws a lot from the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes (but there is some New Testament inspiration as well). I guess you could say this project offers hope while remaining honest about the tensions of life.

The Music
The overall sound of the album will be a good bit darker and at times heavier than Backstage Pass, and instrumentally, it will rely even more upon the piano. Some musical influences include The Fray, ColdPlay, Daughtry, Switchfoot, Muse, Keane, U2, and RadioHead, to name a few. In addition to piano, you will hear plenty of drums, guitars, strings, and synths. I will also be using a different set of musicians for this project which will help to vary the sound a bit.

More To Come
I plan to release the title of the album in the next several months, and will also share some lyrical and musical clips as we get closer to the release date (early 2011). In the meantime, keep checking the blog for new entries, not to mention photos and videos (including some from our first Nashville trip, tentatively in June).

Thanks for following along!

Up next… “Preparing for the first Nashville session.”

The Progress of the Album: Vocals (Ch. 4)

Unlike Backstage Pass, I am tracking all of my vocals at 10x12 Productions (in Columbus) instead of in Nashville. For those who don’t know, much of Backstage Pass, including the vocals, were recorded at DarkHorse Recording in Nashville. Why would I track vocals at home when I could record at a beautiful Nashville studio? First, it’s free to record at home. Second, there is no hourly rate to worry about. I can do as many takes as I’d like and I don’t have to look at the clock (unless it’s time for dinner). Third, I can arguably get the same quality of sound at home as I might get in some Nashville studios. Forth, I just feel more comfortable and at home… well, at home.

The Signal Chain
As far as signal path goes, I am using a Shure SM7 mic in conjunction with an API A2D pre-amp. The API output is running digitally into a MOTU UltraLite and from there, the signal travels through FireWire into Logic Pro (which is running on a 2.4 GHz iMac). I’m recording everything at a resolution of 24 bit, 48 KHz. I’m also using a number of sound panels in the studio, which help to mute the reflections in the room (sound reflections).

Background Vocals
I’m also doing something slightly different this time around in that I am recording all the background vocals as I assemble the MIDI demos. With Backstage Pass, I only recorded scratch lead vocals with the demos (no background vocals). I didn’t get around to recording background vocals until after I had recorded all the live instruments in Nashville (and I actually tracked many of the background vocals at home, although I really didn’t have the gear to do it right at that time). In fact, it’s possible I may even keep some or many of the background vocals and lead vocals I am currently recording, and you will hear them on the finished album. We’ll see once all the real instruments are recorded. The live instruments (starting with real drums and bass this summer) may add a new level of energy that may cause me to re-think some of my lead and even background vocals. We’ll see. If anything, I am working now to nail down all the vocal arrangements before we head to Nashville. Why go through all this trouble at this early stage? My reasoning is that these vocals will ultimately affect what the live musicians play or don’t play. I want to leave space for background vocals (they are a crucial part of many of the songs), so I’m arranging and recording them before we add any real instruments.

The Best Way To Sing a Song
Every song is unique. Some songs call for a lot of background vocals. Some don’t. I’m currently working on one tune where I’ve stacked my own voice about 40 times. Some other tunes on the project have no background vocals, or maybe one simple harmony. In addition to the background vocals, the sound of the lead vocal may vary quite a bit as well. Recording these demos has really helped me in discovering and shaping the vocal sound for each song. This may include adjustments to phrasing (where to breathe) and tone. One song may contain a lot of falsetto. Another may call for a whisper, while another may be in need of a more aggressive sound. During the process of creating these demos, I’ve even had to change the key of the song to better fit my vocal range. Actually, there are probably 3-4 songs that are now a ½ step or a whole step above the original piano and vocal demo. They are now much more comfortable to sing.

Vocal Continuity
Even with scratch (potentially temporary) vocals, I try to only record 1-3 takes of the lead vocal. I find that usually I lose the flow and believability of the vocal if I piece it together with too many small “best takes.” Generally, I’ll record the entire vocal of a song 1-3 times and pick the best take, and then I may record a couple additional takes of any trouble spots, but I try to keep this to a minimum. If I can’t sing something well within 1-3 takes, I’d better alter the melody and/or lyrics to better fit my voice.

Up Next… “What is this new album about and what will it sound like?”

Progress of the Album – Demos (Ch. 3)

Why a Demo?
Every musician is going to have a different definition of the word “demo.” For some, a demo is nothing more than a scratchy cassette recording of their vocal and a guitar. Ultimately, one has to decide what the purpose of a demo is, and construct the demo with that purpose in mind. Sometimes, a demo is simply the initial capturing of a song’s melody and chord structure, and is used only to help the songwriter remember the basics of a song before it is fully committed to memory. At times, a songwriter may record a demo with hopes of sending that recording to a professional, possibly a producer or even a record company’s A&R rep. Depending on the purpose of the demo, a musician may keep the recording as raw as possible, or may work to make the demo a bit more polished.

Each of the 13 songs on this new album started with a very raw vocal & piano mp3 recording. Starting last August, I began using a Tascam DR-07 recorder to capture all of my song ideas. Along the way, these recordings have been transferred to my laptop and have been sorted into folders depending on what song each recording belongs to. Some of the recordings are only small sections of songs (for example, the chorus only when I was first writing the chorus melody) while other recordings are of full-length songs (piano & vocal only). For each song, I may have recorded anywhere from 25 to 100 mini demos, each a progressive snapshot of what each song would eventually become.

Back to the Drawing Board
Generally, after a piano and vocal demo was complete, I would email it to my friend Dave Bechtel (who is helping to co-produce the album) just to get a second educated opinion. His input has been extremely helpful. Often, he really liked the songs I sent him. However, from time to time, he would give me suggestions of how I could make a song better. There were even times when a song was completely shot down as it didn’t fit with the overall feel of the album, or was weak thematically or melodically. I’ve really appreciated Dave’s honest feedback as it has only helped me to improve.

The Elaborated Demo
For this album, I’ve taken demo creation to an extreme. The above-mentioned piano and vocal recordings were only the first stage of a much more involved process. As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, I am now working to develop full MIDI mock-ups of each song. The reason? I want to go into the Nashville recording studio as prepared as possible. Every minute costs (literally) when you are working with studio players, and it should save me a lot of time and money if I step into the studio with a solid plan of what I want each song to sound like. This doesn’t mean I won’t be open to new ideas that arise in the studio, but I want to at least walk in the door with a good blueprint of each tune.

Assembling a MIDI Mock-Up
Here is how I go about making a MIDI demo. After opening a new session in Logic Pro, I begin by selecting a tempo and a time signature (if the song is not in standard 4/4) and then I play in the piano part of the song (remember this is MIDI, so no audio is being recorded, only MIDI data) using my 88-key controller. Next, I add markers for each section of the song (verse 1, pre-chorus 1, chorus, turn-around 1, etc.). These markers assist me later in jumping quickly to any portion of the song.

Usually, after I set up the song session (tempo, time signature, markers) and record the piano part (via MIDI), I add a drum pattern. I have a smaller MIDI controller that I use to trigger everything but piano, including the drums (this smaller controller has un-weighted keys, which makes it easier to play organs, drums, etc.). Often, I begin by adding a 2-bar drum loop that I repeat throughout the entire song (on occasion, I’ll even add this before I play in the piano part), but other times, I will start by playing the drums real time from start to finish. It really depends upon the song. The point is, I usually try to get some drum pattern established at least right after I record the piano part (or sometimes before). I usually try to pick a drum patch that is appropriate for the song. For example, a slower heavier song may call for a deep kick drum, a meaty snare, and heavy high hats while a faster pop song may demand a snappier kick and snare, and small high hats. These choices should later direct the real drummer as he adjusts his drum kit(s) to fit each particular song. I also may add electronic drums behind the “real” drums for additional rhythm texture.

Generally, the second instrument I record is bass. Hearing the drums, bass, and piano together helps me to visualize the overall groove of the song. It’s important to note that everything I record initially is a very rough pass. This means there may be wrong notes here and there, but the goal is to simply get all the colors on the page, in the same way a painter may start a masterpiece out by selecting his color palette. Typically, I will later go back and re-record most of the instruments (or correct wrong notes as needed).

From here on out, the order of instruments may vary a lot, but often, I will start adding guitars after I have recorded piano, drums, and bass. The question I subconsciously ask myself is, “What instruments make this song come alive or set it apart from other songs?” These are the instruments I usually add immediately after the rhythm foundation (meaning piano, drums, and bass). If a song is going to be very ambient, I may next add some synth pads to give the song an ethereal feel. If the song is going be carried by strings, I will record a rough string pass just to get the mood in the right ballpark. If the mood is ethnic, I may add a Japanese flute or a sitar. If the mood is to be grand, I may add some large taiko drums or timpani.

Up next… Demos P2: recording vocals and background vocals.

The Progress of the Album - Songwriting (Ch. 2)

I’m not one to write songs anywhere or anytime. In fact, there are some days when I just don’t want to write, usually because I have nothing to say or I’m just too tired or emotionally worn. Those are the days when I’d rather go to the pool or watch a mindless movie. However, there are days and nights when I am really inspired. I may be inspired by a powerful church message, a passage of Scripture, or more often than not, a personal frustration that is begging to get out constructively. On the other hand, there are those times when I’ll write a song out of the blue, without any premeditation. At times, an innocent tinkering at the piano may unexpectedly grow into an album-worthy song. With every song, I try to write about something that I am passionate about (and something which others can relate to). For example, a song about my struggle with being an introvert may not go as far as a song that deals with a broken relationship.

I would say most of the songs for this new album have been written in the middle of the night in my home studio. It is not my general practice to stay up all night, but from time to time, I can’t sleep because I’m creatively wound up, and just need to get it down on paper (or computer). I prefer to write lyrics using Microsoft Word (for Mac), as it’s easier to cut and move phrases around on the computer compared to editing lyrics which have been written by hand on a notepad. I usually prefer to be sitting by a keyboard (or piano), as I tend to work on the melody, chords, and lyrics at the same time.

Chorus & Verses
I generally aim to write the chorus of a song first, as it is the most crucial and the part that most people usually remember and sing in the shower, or on the way to work. Most often, I’ll start with a general topic and a title (or working title, basically a place holder for the eventual title). I’ll then try out various melodies while experimenting with chords and rhythms on the piano. During this process, I always do my best to make sure the melody, chord progression, and tempo is varied from other songs I’ve written.

After I land a good chorus melody and a few words or phrases that seem to reflect the feeling of the song, I enter the lyrical brainstorming process. As I brainstorm, I write down anything that comes to mind… descriptive words that fit the topic at hand, phrases that help to communicate the feeling of the song, even verses which seem to embody the message. As I write down these words and phrases, I likewise write down any rhyming words, whether they are related or not. This helps to give me some ammo when I later attempt to assemble phrases into rhyming lines.

Sometimes, I write a chorus in a half hour. Other times, I may piece a chorus together over a couple weeks, or even months. However, usually, I’ll come up with a chorus over a couple days. Once I am happy with the chorus, I begin to write verses. I almost always find that the first couple lines of the verse are the most difficult to write as they are what ultimately establish the overall feel and rhythm of the rest of the verses. They also play a key part in grabbing the listener from the top of the song. I really struggle with making verses distinct and catchy. It’s tricky as you want the verses to be strong and unique, but they can’t overpower the chorus. The chorus has to be the top of the rollercoaster. Often for me, the second verse is much easier to write compared to the first verse as the second verse usually plays off of or contrasts the first verse (and the feel of the verses has already been established).

The Bridge
Usually, after the chorus and verse have been written, I tackle the bridge (if the song calls for a bridge). The bridge can do a lot of things. It can further reveal what the song is about (similar to the explaining of a parable). It can change the perspective or direction of the song (like a surprise scene in a movie where the true plot is revealed). Sometimes, it simply works as an alternate chorus (it says the same thing, but just takes the theme from a different angle). Musically, the bridge may sometimes transition the song into a new key. Occasionally, the bridge is instrumental and is an easy way to turn a 2.5-minute song into a 3-minute song. I find that bridges are usually easier to write than choruses or verses. However, there have been times when it’s taken me several weeks to write a decent bridge.

A Relationship of Songs
Typically, I have no idea what the overall theme of an album will be when I write that first several songs for the album. However, there comes a point (maybe after I’ve written 5-6 songs) where the songs begin to fit together (hopefully). As I get further into writing an album, I sometimes discover the need to write connecting songs or contrasting songs. A connecting song may serve to bridge two completely unrelated songs together, while a contrasting song may give some variety when variety is needed (for example, a faster positive song after several darker slower songs). Just as there are various scenes in a movie (a quieter and slower moment after a chase sequence, or a heartwarming family moment before the aliens take over the earth), albums need to have variety to keep the listener engaged and emotionally balanced.

It’s Fun (But It’s Still Work)
Song Writing is usually never easy. Sometimes, one can forget about that fact when one has been away from song writing for a while. Rarely does a complete album-worthy song fall from the sky (although there have been occasions when I’ve written an entire song within an hour or two, and it turns out to be one of my strongest, but that is rare). I find that some songs do come more naturally and quickly, while others develop over time. Most often, I find that relationship songs are the most challenging to write, and typically, those are the ones that take longer to evolve. I may compose an entire song rather quickly, yet may find that it takes several months to nail down one or two questionable words and phrases. I’ve heard it said that every word in a song should count. Just as scenes are deleted in movies, lines that add nothing to a song should be eliminated.

Up Next… “What Goes Into Making a Demo?”