In the summer, I posted that I was annoyed to notice that my new selection of demos would have 18 songs. That's just too many songs.
But I've decided to take "Your Strength of Will" off the record. The song's old and I look forward to releasing it, but none of my guitar takes from the Summer were good enough. I hope to release it with nothing but a single guitar take and a vocal—no synthesizer, no drum machine, no bass—but it doesn't look like it's gonna' happen this time. It was the last guitar part I recorded, and I was worn-out. However, it bugs me: will I ever have the chance to make the song exist in the future? Really, I've recorded this many songs because I'm totally freaked out that I might not have another chance to make a record. 17 tracks is still more than enough, but it's hard to let one go. I know that many songs end-up as B-Sides and lost tracks, but I don't feel as if I have the time for that. It's just a set of demos. I can't act like these songs will ever see the light of day if I can't put them here.
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Here's another rough mix from the upcoming demos. It'll get some harmonies, natural ride cymbal, and a couple other frills before it's done, but it's sounding pretty good so far, I think. I've been able to get a few things done on my demos over the last few months.
In October and November, I recorded synthesizer and electric piano at my apartment. This has been an important element in making the songs sound a little more full and professional. I added synth pads to "Lost Cause" and "I Still See You," organs to "Check Once, Check Twice" and "Hello, Old Friend, Hello," and some Rhodes to "Business or Pleasure" and a couple others. Just over the Christmas Break, I took some time to do some recording at Agassiz Elementary-Secondary school, where I teach. I recorded vocals from a friend, Jenn Lane, and my wife, Rachel Nordstrom. I also had Gord McLeod record some alto saxophone for "Soothe Me." It sounds wonderful. Other than that, I've just been trying to make the songs a little more pristine before I take them to mixing. There are still a few important parts that need to be recorded:
So there's a lot to do yet. However, I hope to have the entirety of the recording finished by the end of Spring Break at the end of March. Then I can get it all mixed and mastered when I'm in Victoria this summer. So it's moving at a pretty good pace. At the beginning of September, I moved to Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia. I moved here because I am teaching at a school in Agassiz, only 8 kilometers down the road. I moved into a small apartment a couple blocks from the lake. I haven't really been able to make any music. Our apartment is still rather unlivable, certainly not very friendly to making music.
I'm trying to sing a little more because I'd like to redo most of my lead vocal takes sometime over the next few months, probably during the Winter Break. If I can get my voice up to snuff, I should be able to get the vocals recorded in an adequate manner. Although I did all the vocal takes in the summer, my voice is shaky and uncontrolled, at least when compared with my first CD. So I need to get this going again to a more adequate level. I'm hoping to get a group together here in Harrison, or to get a performance going of some sort. But I'm not there yet. Just so you have an update. |
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April 2024
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