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).