Our Truck

We've talked about it, and we want to incorporate our truck.  We bought it in CO when we lived in Golden, and we're looking at selling it now.  So, we're hoping to remember God's provision by filming it. Making it the setting of our first music video.  So, we'll detail it, wash it, fix a few things to make it look its best. Maybe we'll begin shooting this week...

First video to work on

The song we're thinking about working on first is "Sing Your People".  We're all singing on this one, and we have this idea of a lot of close up video shots. So, the more people singing - the better.  This is the first worship song that I wrote so it seems appropriate for this to be the first video we make.

Oreo discussion

Good times reminiscing about recording. And lunch.

Deep Fat Fried Oreos

When I asked Aubri about her last experience recording in the studio, I thought it would be a good question to ask... something to write about. At the time, we were stuck with not much to do downtown. It was a great conversation, but not really what I was shooting for. She mostly recalled leaving the studio in between recording sessions, for lunch - of course...  We had gone to a nearby Chinese restaurant in downtown Tacoma. It was good food.  At the time, we didn't plan on doing desert. We didn't expect any dessert. We didn't order dessert.  But lo and behold these... odd, things, showed up. Weren't sure what they were at first.  Turns out: Deep Fat fried Oreos. Brought to us by the owners, as a gift. Kind staff. We didn't order them, we didn't see them on the menu, and even if we had... nah. Aubri recalled "We have had pink peppermint Oreos before, double stuffed Oreos, Oreos ala mode. Had birthday cake Oreos once as a family, and Oreo ice cream. But those were nothing compared to this new oreo-esk experience." And because there are thousands of readers of this blog who are very curious about our recording experiences, we will describe these unusual, Oreos. To both of our readers: Beneath rainbow colored sprinkles atop swirls of whipped cream, lay the surprisingly good tasting yet odd, fried, Oreos. The picture below is not of our actual Oreos, but an internet knockoff. As I recall, Andréa was the first to suggest, while chewing her desert, that she might be eating an Oreo, that is, after taking a bite of the unidentified object... We laughed. We thought she was kidding, at first. My kids aren't very daring when it comes to food. Not at all. But when it comes to Desert, it can be a No-Holds Barred type of thing. Now, Aubri would say that she is fairly daring, although I don't remember - perhaps she was the very first to bite into the strange creamy sprinkle covered somewhat circular concoction. Okay, so now you know about deserts experienced whilst in the studio.  Wait. She also remembers creating back-up parts with her sisters in the studio. No Doubt, with Oreo breath... (my words, definitely not hers.) I really liked the vocals they created. Aubri does admit that Baelina made up most of the backup vocals. She and her sister Andrea mostly harmonized with Baelina. This brings us to the end of Aubri contemplating her most recent... previous experience in the studio. And of her coinciding, remarkable, Oreo experience.

keep old plates spinning

For someone who desires to both perform and write, a decent amount of time needs to be spent on both writing new material and practicing older songs. When you're working a day job, and have 4 kids, a mortgage, etc... neither of these seem to not get enough attention. Constant juggling act. How well do you want to be able to perform your old songs? How fast do you want to write new ones? How tired of your old ones are you getting? etc... how bad you want to crawl under your house and fix your broken sewer pipe instead of practicing? The one right there by that big nasty puddle. Life and its demands - good times. 

writing while working

Sometimes working on the house can be a bit mindless. Painting, mudding, sanding, gluing, framing. They all take my attention, but not much thought. I am writing songs and vocal melodies while I build. I'll replay some guitar riffs in my head until I like the structure. Or, play some prerecorded stuff from a friend... on my phone, until they're memorized... rebuild sounds into a structure that I like.  Time can fly when I'm thinking about music. And hey, I just got 2 birds when I arranged a song.

'71 Subaru 360

Baya

Baya doodles while waiting to sing in the studio. She and her sisters did backup vocals for the songs: Mighty flame and For All Time. This wasn't for the album - just a fun side project.

Travel Guitar

I love carting around this a little travel guitar that my mother-in-law gave me. It's a little Yamaha which sounds pretty nice despite its size. I've heard other guitar players tell me that it has some decent tones to it. And then I remember that the strings are about 7 years old...and it still sounds fine. Keeps me practicing when I'm on a trip so I don't get rusty on songs, or I can write songs while traveling.

Lyrics are difficult

It's crazy. It might take 10 minutes to come up with a good chord progression, and another 10 minutes for a good vocal melody. Maybe it would take up to an hour for both. But LYRICS seem to take me a couple of years. I've gotta figure out a new way to come up with lyrics. Inspiration...

Working on newer songs.

My friend Mike and I have been practicing about once per week as of late. We just finished practicing the structure and vocal melody of a song I finished a couple of days ago. I'm not sure what the song should be about. I think the next album will have something to do with the Love of God for us. We're playing with a Drummer we found on Craigslist. Easy to play with, cool guy.  We probably need to hook up sometime next week for a rehearsal.

It's time to ramp up to some more music.

I've been waiting for the right time to start writing, and playing again. I'm also wanting to either do a plugged version of Prayers of the Saints, or just re-record the entire album.  Either way, heavier drums, more driving bass, and maybe a few less keys with a few more guitars. I'm wanting more of a Springchamber style.  Much less laid back, more plugged in. Before I began recording with Springchamber in the 90s,  I played off and on with about a dozen musicians. One of those musicians was Mike Healey. We've remained friends for all these years. He was playing bass with Sky and I way back in the day before we met Chris Magnusson or Kevin McGlothan, or asked Paul Moment to join us. Mike is a guitar and bass player, and we're officially looking for a drummer... we have a bass player who's skills are pretty much off the hook.. . Maybe it's time?

Come Thou Fount Blog

http://journeythroughhymns.blogspot.com/2014/07/come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing.html

Someone sent me a blog they started regarding the differing sounds of Come Thou Fount.  Thought I'd share it.  Back in the mid-nineties, my friend "Sky" and I would occasionally sing the song at a wedding or at an occasional church service.  In Glorietta NM, we played it at a conference where a guy named David Crowder was also playing.  He'd never heard it before apparently, thanked us and put it on an album.  I've been meaning to record it since I can remember hearing it... I do believe I need to add some drums to the version I have now.  Anyway, enjoy the link to the blog, it is a collection of many differing versions of the song recorded and displayed around the web.