Bandcamp Site

I now have a page with Bandcamp.  I will slowly put my songs on their as they are finished.  To start they will all be instrumentals as I still am struggling with how to get crisp vocals.  This is my recording "Holy Grail."  Take a look.  The address is http://jonathanwangsgard.bandcamp.com/.  Have a great day!

Drought

Well, for while there was a lot of flow here.  Now the drought has arrived.  I started teaching again a few weeks back.  There has barely been time to even pick up a guitar, a paint brush or power tool, let alone write about them.  I am sure I will get back to doing something interesting enough to post again but for now this may be a very dull blog.

Plumeria #2

This is my second Plumeria painting.

Hawaiian Cowgirl: Acrylic Painting

We went to Maui last year with my wife's sister and her husband (not to mention a few other wonderful people).  This is a painting of my sister-in-law in her incredibly funky pink/orange cowboy hat.  It looks a lot like my sister-in-law which is nice.  Pretty girl that she is.  This is also the first time I have been satisfied with my depiction of waves.  I'll bet you can guess who is getting this painting.

Last year my wife and I were able to go to Maui.  She took pictures of nearly every flower we saw.  It has given me a great amount of material to paint.  This painting of plumeria is one of my favorites.  I took video of each step of the painting so that you can see the process.  I hope you enjoy it!

Jazz Piece

This is the result of playing around with some jazz chords.  Enjoy!

Homemade Reflection Filter or Microphone Isolation Panel

I have had my problems with recording vocals.  One of them is simply my vocal ability.  However, I figure that if I limit the other issues, I can focus on improving the ability more easily.  A reflection filter eliminates the ambient noise in a room, allowing you to control what sound gets into the microphone.  It isn't as good as an isolation booth in a real studio, but it works.

I made a reflection filter instead of spending the $100 to $300 for one.  I have certainly been pleased with the results and also the price tag ($15).  If you have had similar issues with home recording, this should be helpful to you as well.

Finished with the Post!

Yes, the post is finished!  The light however is not.  It is wired, it has juice.  Yes, all the necessary components for it to come on are there, but no illumination!  It is at the end of a crazy chain of GFI outlets on the outside of the house and they have conspired against my poor little light.  Every time I switch it on they trip and go on electrical strike.  It is a good thing the guy who wired my house is a friend of mine.  Maybe it's time to invite him over for dinner.

Haggai 2:9

I have been teaching through the minor prophets for nearly a year now at Oak Run Bible Church.  Most recently I have been studying Haggai.  The prophet relays God's word to the people in four different messages, each dated to the day in relation to the reign of Darius, king of Persia.  He tells them to get their priorities right.  Which, essentially means rebuilding God's temple.

In chapter two the older generations cry because they remember the former glory of the temple.  This version of it must have paled in comparison.  I can imagine those who spent so much time building it being quite discouraged.  However, God gives them courage by saying that He is abiding in it and that He will be bring them peace.

This got me thinking about two things.  First, as a Christian each of us is God's temple. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?"  How often do we (do I) neglect the Holy Spirit and introduce impure thoughts, actions, or objects into His temple?  More often than we are comfortable admitting, I am sure.

Second, it is comforting to note that God never gave up on Israel.  He still has a plan for her.  He also does not give up on us.  1 John 1:9 says that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  That gives me courage.

The Wise Pass On

This is another song with my brother-in-law.

Come Back to Me

Family vacations are wonderful occasions.  When the kids take naps, my brother-in-law, Matt, and I often sit back and play music.  Matt has been playing the harmonica for a while now and we had a great time.  "Come Back to Me" is a song I wrote when my wife and our kids were gone for a week.  I couldn't sleep at all and so I wrote a song in the middle of the night.  I hope you enjoy it.

July Art Hop and June's Review

The July ArtHop is already around the corner and I have signed up to play again.  It will be at Carnegie's on Oregon Street in downtown Redding.  It begins at 6:00 p.m. and continues until 9:00 p.m. If you are interested it would be great to see you there.

I have already posted about the June ArtHop, but I could resist posting a bit more.  Jamie Solorio  has a wonderful blog about the ArtHop each month in which she documents what goes on with amazing photographs.  She has an amazing picture of Davy and Dale sharing the microphone as they deliver their joyous blue grass.  Unfortunately, she thought it was me.  I got credit for their music.  Bearing in mind the content of the article about me in the Record Searchlight it is an understandable mistake (the picture of me even looks a bit like Davy).  I sent an e-mail to clear things up.  On the other hand maybe I should just just learn how to play blue grass and call it good!

Eddy's Restaurant Performance

I played at Eddy's Restaurant on the second Saturday of June.  Friends of mine from Oak Run came and played some blue grass, too.  We had a great time and best of all the owner asked us to come back and play.  He made the comment that we needed more microphones.  As you can see there was only one.  It worked fine for me, but when there were two vocalists sharing it you couldn't hear anyone.  That can be fixed.  We're planning on it in July.

Yard Project Progress

One of my last posts said that I had "catch up" to do.  This is a bit of that.  Before I continue to work on the light post I thought I should edit and post what has been happening up to this point.  I'll add more as I complete it.

Catch Up and Blues

Well, there is much that I need to post.  However, I just wanted to put a hold on that and post a little blues piece that I was having some fun with.  For the first time I used my keyboard as a bass.  I want to go back to add it into some of my previous recordings now.  Enjoy!

Performance!

Well, I have few songs that I have written over the past two years and somehow I got it into my head that I should find a venue to perform them.  There is a local event in Redding, Ca. each month called the Art Hop.  I got in touch with the coordinator and now I am signed up to play Eddy's Gastro Pub on Market St. from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 11th.  Adam, the coordinator even put an article in the local paper!  I am excited and, of course, nervous.  We saw "The King's Speech" last night and I thought, "What if that happens when I try to sing?"

I have about 8 or 9 songs.  Fortunately, I have about a week to practice them.  I tend to write a song and then go on to the next pretty quickly.  As a result they aren't always "down pat."  Now it's time to get them down.

If your in Redding it would be great to see you there.  Eddy's is known for great food.  The proprietor's name is actually Tom.  I read somewhere that his dog is "Eddy."  So, come have some great food, listen to music, and see art from a popular local painter.

Habakkuk and a Real Life Lesson in Trusting God

I have been teaching an adult Sunday school class at church about the minor prophets for about  the past 9 months.  Most recently we have been looking at the book of Habakkuk.  Here is the "Reader's Digest" version of the book:  The prophet named Habakkuk pleads with God about the problems of his nation.  God answers telling him that the perpetrators will be judged by the Babylonians.  The prophet responds by questioning God's use of an unrighteous nation to judge a more righteous nation.  God responds by assuring that Babylon will be punished and the faithful will be rewarded.  Habakkuk then spends the last chapter or the book praising and remembering His past promises.

Since studying the minor prophets I have learned quite a bit about God's faithfulness and how these books fit into the tapestry of the Bible.  However, this book in particular has come at a pivotal point in my life, a point at which I have also had many questions as Habakkuk has.

My wife gave birth to our son a few weeks ago.  This past Monday we received a phone call saying that they completed all the normal tests and found that he has Cystic Fibrosis.  Cf is a genetic disease that often takes life at early to mid adulthood, although people are living longer these days.  My mother has the disease and she will be 60 in a few months.

Needless to say I have had a few questions for God, much like Habakkuk.  Similarly to the prophet, God has reminded me of His past faithfulness, His faithfulness in the life of my mother, and His constant watchcare over my family and me.  We have had numerous people we don't even know writing to us to express their concern and prayers.

It is amazing how God seemed to foreshadow this event to me before it even took place.  Now, in retrospect, I realize He was preparing me for it.  My dad and I had a conversation two months ago and he said, "you never know, he might have cf."  The first week of his little life he seemed to have terrible problems with gas.  My mother said, "oh, that could be a sign of cf."  Earlier in the same day the doctor called us, I received a text from my brother-in-law about a promising treatment for cf.  He intended it as an encouragement concerning my mother.  He had no idea that about an hour later my wife would tell me that our son also had cf.

My mother's life has been amazing testimony to God's faithfulness in the midst of pain and trial.  I never expected that my child would go through a similar journey.  I have always admired my mother's attitude toward this adversity.  She has been used mightily by the Lord.  I hope that I can help encourage my son to do the same.  Together we can praise God in the midst of adversity as Habakkuk did.


¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud
   and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
   and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
   and no cattle in the stalls,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
   I will be joyful in God my Savior.  ¹⁹ The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
   he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
   he enables me to tread on the heights.

Landscape Progress

Some of the progress made on the landscape project is displayed here.  Enjoy!

Guitar Builds

Well, I cleaned the garage which is always the first step in a project.  I also found a great source for bolt-on guitar necks.  It is an e-bay store called EDEN Mart.  There is a great selection of both angled and straight necks for bass and 6 string guitars.  They are all about $45 a piece and $20 S&H.  EDEN also carries everything else you would need to build a guitar.  I am not sure about the quality of things.  I'll see if I can find some reviews and post again.  For now I am simply excited to find necks for a good price (not to mention that they have many inlay options and look good).

Babies

Well, my wife gave birth to our son two days ago and all went very well.  Such an amazing wonder to see God's display of creativity in such a small package.  We had to drive 50 minutes to the hospital and by the time we arrived my wife was ready to push our son out.  Saying that we made it in the nick of time would be an understatement.  That drive was one of the most tense I have ever made.  However, all went well, our son is healthy and we are blissfully sleep deprived.  For others this same scenario isn't always a resolution of fears and anxiety.  It is only the beginning.

Today I found another blog with a link to three songs by Matt Hammitt, the lead singer of Sanctus Real.  His son Bowen needed two major heart surgeries shortly after birth.  He just had his third in March.  In response to the experience Matt wrote three songs from his troubled heart.  They are general enough that anyone can relate to the fear and anxiety in his lyrics, and be inspired by his resolve to let go and trust God.  Click on the links below to listen to his songs.  Depending on who you are you made need a box of tissue.

Prayers for Bowen

 links to the songs:

Holding You 
Let Go 
Trust 

The Majesty of You

This a  new song I started on Monday.  It is a bit rough right now, but it'll get there.

Something Different

This is a video for my brother-in-law, Matt.  The rest of you get to see it.  It is a little offbeat from what I usually put on here.  Enjoy!

Guitar Build(s)

So, I found templates for the bass and... I also found a template for a double cutaway Les Paul (one of my favorite electrics).  I'll probably put two humbuckers on the lp.  I may try to carve the top with a router.  The body will be chambered to provide less weight.  One difference is that the lp will have a bolt on neck instead of set.  The bass will be the same as I have mentioned before.

Here they are.  I may not get started on these for a while due to expense of necks and hardware, but I can begin the bodies at any time.  Expect to see something in the next two weeks!

 

David Potter

 

Yes, another bandcamp find.  Actually, I found David Potter several months ago and never put anything up about him.  "Man of Sorrows Glorious King " is a series of classic hymns that have been reworked.  They are really well done!  Some are the original melodies, while others have been altered.  Potter puts a fresh musical take on the these theologically rich songs.

Willy and the Poor Boys

 

Do you all remember Beck and his song "Loser?"  It was a mix of white boy rap (very possibly intoxicated or high) and singing with acoustic guitar, drums and bass.  It was incredibly popular when I was in high school.  While searching bandcamp I found "Willy and the Poor Boys" and their record "Undragoned ."  It is almost a direct copy of Beck's sound. Nearly every song sounds like "Loser."  This aspect does lessen the pleasure of listening to it, but never the less it is fun to see someone paying "homage" to a song so well liked in my teenage years.

Comments

I have had several e-mails and texts from friends and family members about the inability to make a comment on the posts.  Please accept my apology.  It was my fault.  A search through my settings revealed that I had denied comments from non-gmail addresses.  Hopefully, this is truly what was wrong.

Sojourn

Sojourn is a group that describes itself as writers of "New songs for modern missional worship, rich in Christian teaching and contextualized in modern culture. Contemporary hymns, psalms, songs of lament and praise written by members of the Louisville, KY-based Sojourn Community."  They have seven albums that they have available on bandcamp's website and each is excellent in craftsmanship and messages (If you click on the image below you will go to their website).

Micah

I have been reading the Bible for a while now, and yet there are still several sections that are akin to reading the phone book.  Leviticus, and the Major and Minor Prophets tend to have a soporific effect on me.  Lately, however, I have been reading the minor prophets through a new lens. 

Context can make such a difference in anything.  A statement about a murder in the news we find sad and disturbing, but in a mystery movie we find it intriguing.  Often what was written in the Minor Prophets is devoid of context; simply personal messages stripped of a background story.  So, where do you find the background on the one of the Minor Prophets like Micah?  Well, the book of 1 and 2 Kings (which inconveniently isn't even near the prophets) tells the history of what was going on in Israel at the time they wrote.  Essentially Kings provides the overview to the primary sources of the prophets.  Many of the names and stories that are briefly referred to in the prophets are described in depth in the book of Kings.  It provides a framework to which one can place the messages of the prophets such as Hosea, Joel, or Jonah. 

As a result of this I have found the prophets to be much less of a sleep inducer than I once did.  Instead they add a great amount of depth to an already rich story of the nation of Israel from which our Savior came.

Next Guitar Build?

It is amazing what a little success can do for one's courage.  I have never owned a bass, but have always wanted one.  My all time favorite is of course a Fender.  The Jazz bass is their best looking model in my opinion and the most affordable version is the Squire.  Still, it is $300.

Another great looking bass by Fender is the Jaguar.  It came out recently and is vying for my aesthetic admiration.  Again this is still $300.

Really, $300 isn't bad, but after building a guitar for around $50 (that doesn't include the price of the neck) I have trouble thinking in terms of that much money.

So...I have two thoughts.
1).  guitarfetish.com sells kits for the Jazz bass for a measly $104.
2).  rondomusic.com sells an already finished Jazz bass copy for $119.

Of course, this is only the beginning.  The idea is to take the neck, electronics, and pickguard and transplant them into a body that I would build to match the telecaster thinline I just finished.  I'll have to think it through a bit more, but it might just work!

Pokey LaFarge

NPR has a great music page.  One section, called "Tiny Desk Concerts" has about 2 videos per week of unplugged musicians playing in NPR's All Songs Considered office.  Some of them are familiar, but most are refreshingly unfamiliar.  Pokey LaFarge is one such artist.  He plays songs both from and inspired by 1920's and 30's America.  He and his band even dress the part.  Enjoy!

Overflow Draft 2

So, today I had a thought about recording vocals.  The goal is to have a dead sound (not referring to the singer but the room).  I took some bi-fold doors left over from building our house and formed a circle with them and draped blankets inside of it.  Although not a perfect "dead" space, it did improve the sound of the vocals.  Because of the size requirements for these videos the audio quality isn't very good.  That will make what you hear be of poorer quality.  Even on my computer the song does still sound like someone recorded it in his office, basement or bedroom, but it is getting better!

Discovered Stats

Today I discovered that blogger lets you keep track of statistics about your page.  Amazing!  I had no idea how many of you out there are looking at this site.  Either there are a few of you or my mother keeps looking at it over and over again from different addresses (I'm wondering how she posts from Malaysia, Denmark and France, though).  Anyway, I greatly appreciate all 20 of you that watched the "Finished!" video today.  Post a comment if you can.  I'd love to know what you think.

Overflow Draft 1

Well, I have spent the day working on recording.  There are still a few things that I need to do but it is pretty close.  Vocal quality is still not the way I want it.  I need to record in a room with fewer hard surfaces.  Julie also said that the verses should be more staccato.  I think she is right.  The tele sounds great!  I am very pleased with that.  I also recorded myself on the piano and ukulele for the first on this song.  Fun.

Intonation

The intonation on the tele is now set thanks to some great advice from my Uncle Kevin.  It plays wonderfully!  Coupled with my little Vox tube amp it sounds great.  Tomorrow I'll record tracks for "Overflow."

Overflow

I finished the song "Overflow" recently.  In the next few days I hope to record it.  I need to make sure I have the whole thing mapped out, lay down the rhythm section, add instruments and finally record vocals.

Having the "tele" finished will be great for this song.  I have been working through different tones on my Vox Valvetronix amp to find the right setting.  I think I will also throw in a little ukulele on this song since it is starting to have a little bit of a Jack Johnson feel to it.

Finished!

It is finished!  Here is a video of the way is sounds and looks.  It is amazing to think that only a few months ago this was an idea.  This wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  Maybe I should build another one in the future?  Next time I think I'll do a Les Paul.  We'll see.  Thanks for being a part of all of this with me!

Polyurethane!

The end is near!  I put the second coat of polyurethane on today.  Take a look.

Stain

A quick video about staining.  It shows how the color of the guitar has changed with the stain.  It really brings out the grain.

Sanding and Striping

More progress.  It is looking less like a goofy woodworking project and more like a guitar!

The neck is on!

I got to work on the telecaster more yesterday and today.  The neck is on and it is looking good!  I still need to do the fine sanding, drill a few more holes, stain and finish it with polyurethane.  Strings won't be on for at least a week, but my fingers are itchin' already!

Artist?

Do you ever read something amazing and wonder how you found it.  I often find myself thankful for "favorites" tab on Explorer.  That way I don't lose a great site.  I thought of this because of an article I found today.

The article begins with the premise, "what is the difference between art and music?"  What a great question for all of the arts (ex. what is the difference between art and drawing?).  In his article Scott James asserts that artists create from within, aren't afraid of failure, believe that art matters, create art in every aspect of their lives, and try to make art happen in the real world.

These are challenging thoughts for someone who claims to be an artist.  Two of his points hit especially close to home: artists believe it matters, and they try to make it happen in the real world.  I have quite a few paintings stuffed away, never to see the light of day.  Much of what I do, even this guitar project, is for my own benefit and not in the service of others.

Scott alludes to the idea that art should be created to benefit others.  In education, researchers have found that students perform the best when they create for an authentic audience.  However, there is even one greater rung on the ladder of student performance.  If the object they create benefits or serves an authentic audience, their learning and performance will be at its maximum.

It would make logical sense then that artists will create the best when they know that their art is done in service.  It is a worthy aspiration to strive toward.  I wonder, could this be the highest goal of art?

Gluing

Well, it is coming together!  Starting to look good, too.  I have learned that I need to purchase more clamps.  There are two spots that didn't clamp down and you can see a gap between the poplar and pine.  Oops!  Now I know.  I think it is still fixable.  I'll need to try that next along with fixing the pick guard.  It does look good though.  I'm pleased.

New Video Coming Soon!

Today I finished cutting the top and gluing the three pieces together.  I also started to cut out the pickguard.  That wasn't as successful as I had planned.  I think I can salvage it though.  The rest is looking good.  It should be done drying tomorrow night!  I'll post a video of it all soon.  Time for bed.

Coming Together

I got home early today and Julie wanted the girls to get exercise.  So, that meant while they ran around outside in the snow flurries, I worked in the garage. I think I like it.

More Progress!

I finished my grading early today, so I got to work a bit more on the guitar!  This is a really quick video of what I did.  I also found out that Fender does make a guitar very similar to what I am creating.  The only real differences are the pick guard, the Les Paul like bridge and the dual tone and volume knobs.It is called the Jim Adkins model.  Julie says it sounds like a "fad diet."  Jim Adkins is the lead singer for Jimmy Eat World.  I'll have to look it up.

Telecaster Progress

I've done some more work on the telecaster.  Here is a brief summary of the progress.

"This is My Overflow" music

This is the music to the song that I used for the title of this blog.  Hopefully you enjoy it!

"The Measure of Your Grace" is ever changing

This past Sunday I recorded more vocals, redoing the melody in places and adding a high harmony.  Then on Tuesday night I was playing it for my wife and decided to place the capo back one fret changing it from A# to A.  It was much easier to sing and eliminated the strain on the higher notes.  So, I may go back and record the whole thing a half step lower now.  It keeps getting better all around.  Hopefully, this makes the vocals more pleasing.

Tele Build: Day 1

The girls and I went through the snow to the garage at about 10:00 Saturday morning.  It was cold in the garage.  If I had cut a finger off I wouldn't have known it and I am sure the blood would have been as viscous as pudding. I finished at 4:00 and went in to thaw out.  The video below explains what I was doing.  My breath and layers of clothing give an indication of the temperature.  Ultimately, the redwood was a failure.  I got it all glued together and realized that it needed to be planed.  Planers are about $300.  I considered this briefly, but in the end opted to buy a piece of pine for $5.  My wife acknowledged my profound wisdom.

Bandcamp and Russ Mohr

As I have mentioned before, Bandcamp is a great site for discovering people who are exceptionally talented (and some who aren't).  Most of these people are independent and offer their music for download or the purchase of a cd.

Today I found Russ Mohr.  He is from Greenville Illonois where he is a worship director for City Church.  He and his wife adopted a child this Spring, and to help pay for that wonderful blessing he is selling his EP called "Hymns and Spiritual Songs. "  I highly recommend it!  Several songs are original and others are arrangements of classic hymns.  Who could imagine that a rolling snare and double-bass drum rhythm on the classic hymn "My Jesus" could sound so good?  "What a Friend in Jesus" begins with an effect that sounds like you are listening over a telephone connection.  It gets your attention.  The only song I didn't like was "My Jesus (Reprise)."  It ends the EP and is done differently from the first "My Jesus."  It sounds like the recording went above 0db because it distorts slightly and his voice begins to hurt your ears.  I am not sure why it does that.  My recordings probably do that all the time.  Other than that it is cleverly done and for a good cause.  Take a look.

The Measure of Your Grace Draft 1

I talked about recording this song in relation to its tricky 6/8 time signature.  I have it close to liking it.  The vocals (I had a cold) and electric guitars (goofing around) need to be redone.  There is also a spot where the drum track is off (editing mistake).  However, this is getting better.  Through it I have learned quite a bit.

Telecaster Thinline Build

So, here it begins.  On Wednesday I remembered that I had store credit at Home Depot.  You may ask, "what does that have to do with anything?"  Well, they sell wood.  I found 1/4 inch poplar that they were discontinuing and bought enough for the top of the guitar.  It only cost about $5.  I didn't think that was even possible!

 I also found a template on the Internet for telecaster thinlines.

 You can see the drawing on the wood here.  It is hard to tell but the middle piece has a beautiful grain that is going to look great when finished.  I was able to find three different pieces that transition somewhat seamlessly from one to the next.  We'll see how it looks when it is finished.

I made a drawing of it with a parchment pick guard that is typically found with single coil thinlines.  This one will be a bit unique with its P-90's.

So, what is next?  I have three pieces of redwood 2/6 that will form the body underneath the poplar.  I need to glue things up and then cut, sand and finish.  Of course, it won't be that simple.  When that is done I will be using the Cort neck from the guitar you see to the right.  I plan to order a tortoise shell pick guard and hard tail bridge from Guitar Fetish (http://www.guitarfetish.com/). 

It is amazing what a little thought on the way to work can turn into!

Telecaster Body?

I have been working on my telecaster copy for a while now.  This is not a steady project.  It happens in little punctuations.  Anyway, I have an idea reborn.  I thought about making a semi-hollow body for it.  Of course, that involved buying new wood for it.  That does involve money which I don't want to spend at the moment.

So, my mind traveled to what I already have (these thought journeys occur in the 1/2 hour drive to and from work).  In the deep and dark recesses of my garage I have pine headers from building our house and also a fair amount of redwood.  I am not sure which to use.  Telecasters have been made from pine at various times in history, but redwood?  The only redwood guitar I am familiar with is made by Breedlove.  It costs an amazing amount of money, so maybe there is something to it. 

It would have three parts to it.  The middle would be hollow in the upper bout, while the center would be solid and the lower bout would be open for electronics.  It would involve much cutting, gluing, sanding, and finishing, but it would create a body much nicer than the one I currently have.  It would also have that great "jangle pop" tone of a semi-hollow Tele.  Perhaps this weekend.

Luke Parker: Home

I search through the website called bandcamp while I grade papers.  Tonight I discovered Luke Parker and his EP called "home."  If there is anyone out there who reads this, do yourself a favor and look him up.  His songs are wonderful.  He writes mellow worship songs that stir your heart toward your creator.  I was blessed by his lyrics and voice.  I hope you are, too.

Perseverance

Do you ever feel like you can't get on the right track with a song?  I wrote several lines for "Overflow" which I  can't decide whether to make the verse or the chorus.  I also am having trouble finding the right chords for the melody.  I can hear what I want in my head, but when I get my guitar out and play, the melody changes.  I'll keep working on it.  I really like what I have right now even though it seems to be a hard process.  Some songs seem to write themselves in a course of 5 minutes, others seems to take 5 weeks.  Perseverance!

Recording Separate Tracks

Last night my daughter and I trecked through the snow to the makeshift recording studio in our guest bedroom (also the garage).  She played with Cinderella while I tried to sing along with the song I wrote in 6/8 time (I will post it when it is done...whenever that will be).   In between takes she asked me to put Cinderella's dress on, take it off, put on a different dress, or some other article of clothing.  We were each in our own world (In child psychology they call this parallel play). 

Anyway, I discovered several flaws in my recording.  They aren't major, but they are quite annoying.  Before recording I sat down and "mapped" the song out with my guitar.  Essentially Iwrote out the duration of each chord in the song on a piece of paper.  That way I wouldn't play for a measure longer than was necessary.  Apparently I wasn't very accurate.  I had an extra measure in several different places which threw the vocals off completely.  It will be fixable, but it sure made singing awkward.  Imagine going to that higher note as you have always done when you sing it in a service, but the music doesn't rise with you for another six beats.  So...time to cut more. 

One of things that I learned through this is that I prefer recording vocals and guitar simultaneously (It consumed much of my thought process on the way to work today).  This is what I am used to and it usually results in better vocals.  It also prevents the issue I just mentioned.  Of course, then I get back into the problem with 6/8 time.  Maybe I need to just get a drum set.

Somebody's Daughter

I recorded this a few weeks ago. Recording is getting a bit easier.  After a year, I feel like I kind-of have an idea of what I am doing...kind-of.

Story behind the song: I was listening to NPR one day.  They were talking human trafficking of teenage girls in Oakland California.  It was rather astonishing.  Being a father of little girls, I kept thinking, "she is someone's daughter, she's is someone's niece..."  The injustice of this seemed so unreal.  Pretty soon I had a song.  Here it is.  

6/8 Time and Recording

Recording in 6/8 time is a whole new world to me.  Recording in 4/4 is incredibly simple.  You set the drum track or click track and play.  Little thought of staying on beat is involved.  It is more like breathing than anything else.  6/8 is completely different.

I wrote a song that I came to find out was in 6/8 time when began the recording process.  My Digital Audio Workstation has drum plug-ins that can be altered to different time signatures.  I found a great rolling drum beat that fit the feel of the song well, changed it to six eight and played along.

Apparently, the software uses the same 4/4 time but makes have an end point that shares a common multiple between 4 and 6.  So, every 24 beats the 6/8 time goes back into sync with the 4/4 time.  If that seems a bit complex it is.  I ended up recording and then severely editing/cutting my guitar track to fit the drum beat.  It works great now, but wow!  Very complex.

Next, I need to re-record the guitar while listening to the one I cut (it has pops due to the editing).  Then I will lay down the vocals and electric guitar.  Hopefully it all goes well!

Overflow

My mother-in-law and I were discussing joy.  She mentioned a verse that talks about how, as Christians, our joy should "overflow."  Lyrics began to form in my mind on my way to school.  Before the first bell rang the following thoughts were on paper.

This is my overflow
This is the joy I know
In You... my God

This song I can't contain
This is my love's refrain
To You... my God

It floods my pulsing veins
The beat of Thanksgiving
To You... my God

I'm still working on whether this is a verse or chorus.  It has a definite melody and I have begun to work on chords for it.  Hopefully, I can get all together soon.  In the meantime it was the inspiration for the title of this blog.

Hosea

I have been doing a Sunday School series on Hosea.  In preparation this morning I was struck by Hosea 6. The first several verses Israel (the northern 10 tribes) seem to give a repentant offering of words to God.  It becomes clear, however, that it is only that...words.  How often do I placate God with words that make me feel like I am in the clear, but have resulted in no change of heart?  Our Heavenly Father tells Israel multiple times that He wants them to "rend their hearts" not their garments.  He wants them to offer the sacrifice of a contrite heart rather than lambs and goats.  Today, we don't (I don't) rend garments or offer literal sacrifices, but we certainly are good with words that are empty, false emotion and self flagellation as means of appearing pious before the Lord.  He simply wants our hearts.  May my heart, may your heart truly be humble before Him today.  May our spiritual service of worship be true and sweet in His ears.

Blogging

Blogging is one of those things that seems illusive to me.  I do it about once a year because...I honestly have no idea why.  This is my second blog.  The other one has been mothballed.  Ideally, I want to post lyrics to songs I write, figure out how to place mp3's on hear so that people can hear them, write about the writing and recording process and anything else that strikes.  Anyway, it should be interesting to my wife and mother at the very least (I hope).