Thursday, May 3, 2012

Oh Nooooooooo! Pre-pro!


I don’t get out that much. So I don’t know what the rest of the world does to get ready to record an album. What I do know is that the work I’ve been doing to get ready for my 2nd round of recording is some of the hardest – and most gratifying – work I have ever done.

For my upcoming CD, I really wanted to go places I had not gone, both literally and figuratively. That’s why I enlisted the help of songwriter Gary Beard to be producer on the project. Because let’s face it, my thought processes can be like the fireflies in Summer: they disappear here and reappear there – they’re everywhere and nowhere.   blink! – darkness – blink! – darkness – blink!  And up until this project, I thought that was the only way to write: “Let the words come like fireflies” (copyright!) What I am learning – albeit in baby steps, mind you -- is focus, craft, and discipline…..tempered with a sprinkling of firefly.

A project of this level requires a lot of all of the above.  

For the past few months, we’ve been doing pre-production work, so that when we go into the studio, we are not wasting a second of time. During pre-pro, we've been working on:

Song selection
Song structure and lyrics
Recording the guitar tracks and vocals for the “work tapes.”
Delivery/Performance of the song
Each song is an individual and must receive its own attention, you see.

In a very short while now, we’ll be back in Nashville, making this record. And the pre-production work is almost finished.  More to come……

5 comments:

  1. I'm very excited for you! The session is going to go great.

    I admire your willingness to try new things and go to new places. Definitely a sign of a true artist --you will do whatever you can to grow and break through old boundaries. Good for you!

    Also, I find it so interesting to read about all that goes into pre-production, and all the thought you have to give to each song and the shape of the album. I hope you blog about your next trip to Nashville as soon as possible. Can't wait to read more about it. Godspeed and good luck!

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    1. well, you flatter me. but yeah, it's so totally all about growing! i'll be blogging .....

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  2. You WILL rock it friend!! Not to worry- after all the first three songs are awesome. Good luck and have FUN!!

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  3. good luck in nashville! enjoy each and every moment, and have a blast.

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