MARC ANDRE: AFTER THE SHOW

Behind the Songs: Keeping Time

2012-01-23T19:25:00.001-05:00

I once auditioned a drummer who swore that the metronome I asked him to play with was “throwing him off because it was speeding up and slowing down.” This really has nothing to do with this post, except that it alludes to keeping time in a musical sense. I just thought that was pretty funny. On a side note, if you are a musician, practice with a metronome. It doesn’t matter if you’re a guitarist, bassist, pianist or drummer. Practice with a click track or a metronome. It will drastically improve your playing.

Music, Germs and Burglars
Years ago, I roomed with a guy who constantly worked. He hated many aspects of his job, and the hours he spent working revealed that his job was completely invading and controlling his life. When most people were hanging out with friends on a Friday night, he was at work. When he got home from work, we’d often talk about work. I felt really bad for him. I just wish he could break out of that pattern and “live” a little.

Workaholics are everywhere. In fact, I know I can be a workaholic when it comes to creative things. It’d be absurd for me to point a finger at my workaholic friend because I am guilty of obsessing over lyrics, arrangements, blogs, and even facebook comments. I’ve also been teased before because I can be obsessive compulsive. This is a little embarrassing, but I’m sort of a germaphobe and to add to that, I check to make sure our apartment door is locked and the stove is turned off at least two times before we go to bed each night. These are silly illustrations, but my obsessions go even deeper. I will admit I am obsessed with… you ready for this… it’s hard to admit… ok, here goes… I am obsessed with the temporary. I am so often consumed with the here and now. When I’m not sweating over today, I might be trying to imagine tomorrow or smear yesterday off of my mind’s stubborn dry erase board.

If you’re honest, I bet you’d admit that within the last 24 hours, you’ve been hyper focused on yesterday, today, or tomorrow. It’s human nature (ie. sinful nature) to put the temporary before the eternal. You may not be obsessed with work, music, germs or burglars, but I would guess that you too struggle with keeping eternity in mind in a world that worships the short-lived.

Losing Time, Keeping Time
The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that work (without an eternal perspective) is meaningless. In chapter 2, verse 22 and 23, Solomon concludes, “What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.” It’s ironic that the more we acquire on this earth, the more worried we become that we will lose what we’ve acquired. There’s a line in Keeping Time which says, “The more we grab, the more we’ll find/We’re losing time keeping time.” The more we hold on to today, the more we waste today. Matthew 6:19 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We actually earn imperishable investments when we lose our lives for the Kingdom of God and for God’s glory. Luke 9:24-25 reads, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” Some of us are consumed with our financial portfolio. Some of us simply want a carefree life with little responsibility or worry. Some of us care so much about our external appearance, but pay little attention to the unattractive condition of our own hearts.

Obsessed With A Speck On Eternity’s Line
We as humans have trouble imagining eternity. We are used to minutes, hours, days, weeks and years. Have you ever stopped to think about how your lifetime compares to eternity? If a single breath represents your life, consider inhaling all of the oxygen in the entire world. Now imagine inhaling all the oxygen that every human being has inhaled in the history of mankind. Now imagine if the entire universe was filled with oxygen and trees that helped to recycle the oxygen. Imagine inhaling a universe of oxygen over the course of the universe’s history. You can see where I’m going. Our lives are so brief in comparison to eternity.

How are you investing the fleeting moments of this life? Are you pouring into others or are you gathering fame and stockpiling riches only to step into eternity empty handed? Are you telling others about Jesus or are you distracting yourself with sport scores and social networking? Maybe you don’t even know Jesus? Maybe it’s time to look eternity in the eye and take a spiritual inventory.

Just like the drummer I auditioned denied the consistency of a metronome, we can live as if eternity doesn’t exist. Eternity is an absolute, and whether we deny it or ignore it, it’s still the underlying reality. Just as I need to daily refocus my eyes on the eternal, I encourage you to do so too.

Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Read the lyrics to Keeping Time here.

Other links:
Behind the Songs: Hanging in the Balance
Behind the Songs: More Than Broken
Behind the Songs: Shadows & Sunlight
Behind the Songs: Surfacing

Who's Reading the Blog?

2012-01-21T19:01:00.003-05:00

I thought I'd check who's been reading my blog. These are the page view stats from the last month.

United States - 247 - Canada - 36 - Germany - 36 - Russia - 25 - Ukraine - 17 - Pakistan - 7 - Latvia - 6 - Venezuela - 5 - France - 4 - Netherlands - 4

The blog has gone international! Thanks to all the readers out there!!!

Reading the Musical Compass

2012-01-18T15:16:00.007-05:00

Recently, I’ve been trying to write some new songs. It will probably be a little while before I release another album – however, it feels good to experiment with some new music. I thought I’d try to get some writing in before the baby comes in April.

I try to take a slightly different approach with every project I create. Sometimes, I find direction by considering what worked and what didn’t work on the last album. Snapshots of the Shattered Soul has only been out for several months, but I’m already trying to analyze its strongest and weakest points. It’s been interesting to see what songs on the album are the most popular. On Backstage Pass, Hurricane definitely took the cake. A number of people also liked Pull Through, A Thousand Gods and By Now, but Hurricane was the common denominator. Snapshots of the Shattered Soul, on the other hand, seems to have a little something for everyone. My “rock” friends like Surfacing, Shadows & Sunlight and Missing. My “acoustic folksy” friends like More Than Broken and Wherever Love Would Go. My “CCM” friends like Worshipping You and Portrait of Me. Other people like Keeping Time and Canyon’s Edge. I have one friend who likes A World Without and Today. Another friend likes Bed of Strangers. At this point, it’s hard to tell what worked because it seems like the album has worked as a whole.

I have had a couple friends tell me I should zero in on making a rock record, something that builds on the mood and energy of Surfacing and Shadows & Sunlight. What do you think?

Behind the Songs: Hanging in the Balance

2012-01-05T23:49:00.006-05:00

I wrote Hanging in the Balance in the middle of the night back in the fall of 2009. The song felt like it came out of the blue, but I think the emotions behind the lyrics had been brewing for a while. I was working on pieces of Shadows & Sunlight and More Than Broken, and somehow I ended up writing all of Hanging in the Balance that evening. At the time, I felt that God was really trying to teach me some tough lessons about trusting Him (I’m still learning those lessons). Let me give you a little back-story.

Paradise Lost
Crystal and I were married in September of 2008. We spent our honeymoon in an all-inclusive hotel in Aruba. It felt like a dream. However, real life hit us hard upon returning to Columbus, OH. It seemed like every day was a war field. We weren’t struggling in our marriage, but we were facing many circumstantial challenges – Crystal was having trouble finding a job, I was afraid of losing my job (at a production house which had developed a pattern of laying people off), and in addition to all this, I started to experience some weird health anomalies. One morning, I woke up and my right arm was numb and I couldn’t remember some very key names and locations. I ended up going to our primary doctor who recommended I see a neurologist. The neurologist ordered an MRI of my brain, and discovered that I had multiple spots in both frontal lobes of my brain. This was a very scary time for both Crystal and I. The neurologist ordered more tests. Over the next year, I had 4 MRIs, a spinal tap, multiple blood tests, and visual exams. I was tested for MS and a variety of other neurological diseases. We waited for months and months, but the doctor could not diagnose my condition. Eventually, he concluded that the spots in my brain were not causing any present concern. A virus may have caused them, or I may have been born with them. The numbness and confusion I had experienced may have been symptoms of a bad migraine headache. In the end, the only thing conclusive was that I have a blood-clotting disorder (maybe or maybe not related to the spots on my brain).

The challenges continued into 2009 and 2010. During our trip to celebrate our second anniversary in September of 2009, my ears began ringing, and have been ringing ever since. This has been quite frustrating for me as a musician. However, I’ve learned to deal with it. It does come and go to a degree and that makes it less annoying. In the winter of 2010 and 2011, I began having episodes of aura (or blurred vision) over a course of multiple days (I used to have these from time to time in college). Every day, I was afraid I would have another aura episode (which would leave me useless for about an hour and often worn out for the rest of the day). After a couple months, the aura suddenly went away. In the spring of 2011, I went to the hospital with chest pains and an abnormal EKG. The cardiologist discovered that I have Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease, which means I only have two flaps instead of three flaps in the aortic valve of my heart. My chest pains were probably caused by stress and/or pulled muscles, but I learned that my heart is abnormal. Nevertheless, this is a common disease, and is simply something that needs to be monitored, as I get older. However, the health issues have continued. Over the last year and a half, I’ve noticed increasing floaters in my eyes, and they’ve gotten to the point that it is sometimes hard to read or to use a computer. I don’t think I’m going to go blind, but I do worry how much worse the floaters will become. There are days when I wonder what health issue might be around the next corner. What I’m left with is this – I have spots on my brain, a blood clotting disorder, an abnormal heart, occasional aura, ringing in my ears, and floaters. However, none of these problems are ones that are life threatening (at least right now).

I don’t write all this to make you feel sorry for me. I know many people who have and/or are experiencing pain and struggle far beyond my realm of understanding. I just want to paint a background as I continue to explain the journey that we have been on.

This World is Not Our Home
I can’t deny it – I’m a seasoned worrier. I’m probably a hypochondriac as well. I really like to imagine the worst in most situations. It’s challenging for me to trust God for more than several hours, sometimes several minutes. That’s probably why He keeps bringing trials into my life. I’m thinking He’s trying to teach me something. So often, I dream about a world where everything is comfortable and in balance. I keep coming back to the reality that this dream world does not exist on this side of eternity. In fact, life may actually keep getting more and more difficult the older I get. The health issues I’ve experienced are only the beginning of a life of physical deterioration. The stresses and fears I know now are nothing compared to the ones I will soon face as the parent of a little boy.

Life is always going to be an uphill fight. This is a reality we all must come to grips with. This truth can really bring us down, especially if we don’t have any hope beyond this earth. One verse I’ve clung to in times of trouble is 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 which reads, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” The second verse of Hanging in the Balance reads “It’s in days like these/Our purpose is awakened/And we’re forced to face the place our treasure lies/As the earth below/Our mortal feet is shaken/The hope of glory wells within our eyes.” When trials come into our lives, we are pushed to consider what is most important to us. It is human nature to protect what we consider to be most valuable. If we worship our own health, our hopes will come crashing down when our bodies start to fail. If we worship wealth, we’ll have nowhere to turn when the economy suddenly collapses. If we worship the opinions of other people, we will despise ourselves when people don’t approve of us. If we worship our relationships, we will be completely devastated when we lose a loved one.

Everything in this world is fragile. Nevertheless, we like to construct our own castles and kingdoms in hopes that they will never be destroyed. When things succeed, we like to take the credit. When things go wrong, we like to blame God as if we deserve anything to begin with. The first verse of Hanging in the Balance reads, “It’s in days like these/Our fortresses are candid/How breakable, how fragile and exposed/There’s so much we love/And so much we‘ve abandoned/On a stage not ours, in a play we never wrote.”

It’s ironic that we Christians can both claim to trust God with our eternity yet fail to trust Him with even the smallest disappointments of this life. From the day we’re born, we want to be in control. I heard the other day that kids learn to manipulate as early as six months of age. The desire for monarchy comes as a factory default. As much as we might hate to admit this, the reality is, we are in control of nothing but our own attitudes.

An Unfailing Love, An Unshakable Hope
God is timeless and sees the whole story. He knew us each before we were a twinkle in our parents’ eyes. He also sees the future – our good days, our bad days, and our eternal existence beyond the grave. He is all-powerful, and created the entire universe with the Word of His mouth. It’s amazing that He also cares about us. David expresses his awe of God’s love in Psalm 8:3-4 “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” Luke 12:6-7 reminds us that God even knows the number of hairs on our heads – “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” The chorus of Hanging in the Balance reads, “You are The Lord, the First and Last/God of the Ages, Unsurpassed/Who are we here that You should care/We fade away like grass/You are above all time and space/You hold the galaxies in place/You know the hairs upon my head/Each breath is by Your grace.” What would our lives look like if our worries and our fears were overshadowed by a sincere trust in God? What would happen if we really believed that God loved each one of us and has our best in mind? I Corinthians 2:9 encourages us with this hope - “‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ the things God has prepared for those who love him.” Even when the waves of this life appear treacherous and insurmountable, we can take comfort in the fact that God is in complete control. Soon the waters will still, the storm will fade to a distant memory, and we’ll look back, amazed how God carried us through the impossible, protecting us and guiding us every inch of the way.

Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Read the lyrics to Hanging in the Balance here.

Other links:
Behind the Songs: More Than Broken
Behind the Songs: Shadows & Sunlight
Behind the Songs: Surfacing

Behind the Songs: More Than Broken

2011-12-19T21:05:00.003-05:00

One of the reoccurring themes throughout Snapshots of the Shattered Soul is the theme of brokenness. I really wanted to produce a project that met people where they were. I didn’t want to write songs about the way the things should be. Instead, I set out to write about real life – songs that could reach into the lives of both Christians and non-Christians alike.

We are all imperfect and broken people. There is something wrong with every one of us. To begin, we are all sinners and blemished before a perfect and holy God. In addition, we all have issues that hinder us in one way or another. Some of us are defeated by the destructive voices inside our own heads. Some of us are losing a fight with addiction. Some of us are crying out for love, yet are looking in all the wrong places. For some of us, pride is killing our relationship with God and with others. Some of us secretly despise our own looks or personality.

My Own Journey of Brokenness
For years, I’ve wrestled with whether God truly loves me. Even though the Bible tells me about God’s love, I’ve at times believed that God has abandoned or forgotten me. Maybe you’re there or have been there. On a personal note, I’m currently unemployed and have been without full time work for over five months. As a guy, this has been extremely frustrating and humbling. The desire to provide for my family is in my blood, yet it remains unfulfilled. My pregnant (and incredibly supportive) wife is working part time, and I’m still searching for work. Audio-for-video production jobs are scarce in Columbus, OH (I went to school for communications with a focus in broadcast media). Most of these jobs are in Los Angeles or New York, and we’d rather not move too far away from our family with a little baby on the way (however, we may have to). On the flip side, it’s tough to get a “low end” job because I’m over qualified. As an example, I’ve had no retail experience and very little warehouse experience. Even though I could easily be trained for some of these jobs, I’ve had no experience so that makes me a lesser candidate. At times, I’ve been able to make some extra money through freelance staging work or live sound work. However, freelance jobs tend to be few and far between in the wintertime.

I did work as a worship pastor for a little over two years, but I question whether I can ever bring myself to work in a church again (unless God changes my heart). Both Crystal and I were so hurt by how things were handled there. We desire to forgive everyone who was involved, but at the same time, it’s hard to imagine going through that sort of thing again. I was basically asked to resign because I was not showing enough “passion” from the stage. The pastor wanted to see people clapping and smiling all the time, while I was trying to lead people in the genuine worship of God, not the worship of experience (which tends to be theme at a lot of churches these days). One day, it seemed that everything was going well… then one Tuesday morning, I walked into what seemed to be a typical weekly meeting with the pastor, only to find out that he wanted me to resign immediately. A half hour later, I was clearing out my office, and was talking on the phone with my wife, who was both shocked and hurt. Less than a week later, we were standing in front of hundreds of our friends telling them that we were leaving the church (against our own will). Anyone who has gone through this sort of thing understands the emotions that come with having the rug pulled out from under you. One challenge of ministry jobs is this – if you lose your job, you lose more than just a job. You lose friends, you lose your support system, and you can become an outcast in the community. This is tough on a guy who tends to find identity in work, and it may be even more difficult for a woman who finds her identity in deep-rooted relationships.

A Constant Friend Along Uncertain Roads
Through this journey, there have been times when I have felt like quite a loser. I’ve often cried out, “God, where are you in all this? Have you forgotten us? I thought I was called to minister to people, but I feel so useless right now! I want to take care of my family, but I get turned down for every job I apply for. Why would you give us a baby and then not take care of us?”

The amazing thing is God has been taking care of us. We’ve been able to pay every bill on time. We haven’t had to use credit cards. We had thousands of dollars of medical bills earlier this year, all of which are paid off (65% was covered by financial aid). Our friends and family have been so supportive. Every time it feels like “we’re going under,” another miracle happens. A side job or a gift shows up. It’s truly incredible. God promised in his Word to provide for our basic needs (Matthew 6:25-34), yet I’ve doubted that promise so many times. It’s just been a reminder that God really does love us and he loves the little baby boy my wife is carrying (even more than we do).

I’ve been humbled a lot through this journey. For one, I’ve realized how much I want to do things my way. I want to be the one providing for my family. I want to feel the accomplishment of earning a paycheck. I want to plan for tomorrow, and I want to know that we have a back-up plan in place in case the floor falls out again. In such uncertainty, I’ve been reminded that God is the One who provides all things. If I have a job, it’s because He’s allowed me to have that job. If I don’t, He’s still the same Father who loves us as His children.

The bridge in More Than Broken speaks a lot into our current situation - Maybe there’s love that won’t let go/Maybe there’s One who heals the soul/A constant friend along uncertain roads/Maybe He meets us where we are/Making beautiful these scars/He hears the cries of our forsaken hearts (these words were written back in the fall of 2009). Last Sunday, I was guest worship leading at a church and the pastor said something that really resonated with me. He said that Jesus understood what it felt like to be rejected. Of course, I knew that already, but when I heard the pastor say this, it rang with a new meaning. Jesus was betrayed by friends. He was mocked and spit upon while he carried a cross He didn’t deserve to carry. He understands brokenness more than any of us could. What’s even more amazing is the reality that He loves each one of us, more than we could ever imagine. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The world may tell us that we’re worthless if we don’t have this or that or if we don’t look a certain way. Our own doubts may tell us that God doesn’t care. We may believe the lie that we are unlovable. Jesus loves us so much He died for us despite our sin. How can we doubt His love in light of such a great sacrifice?

The Stories Behind The Song
I wanted to take a story-telling approach with the lyrics of More Than Broken. The first verse talks of a woman who doesn’t feel loved by her husband. She hasn’t done anything wrong, but she doesn’t know what to do except to blame herself. The story is fictional, but was partially inspired by someone we knew who was going through some marriage struggles.

The second verse paints the picture of a boy who is not loved by his parents. There is also some dissension between his parents. He tries to ignore the pain, but it is still there no matter how far he runs from it. These lyrics are inspired by a true story. In sixth grade, a friend of mine took his own life. My friends and I could not believe it. One day he was there at school and the next thing we knew, he was gone. I still don’t know all the details except that his grades had something to do with the situation. To this day, I still think about my friend Luke and wonder what would have happened if he really believed that he was loved by God and by so many friends.

God’s Love For You
I know that there are people out there (maybe reading this very blog) who are hurting inside. A woman who doesn’t have anyone to talk to. A guy struggling to survive another day.

Psalm 34:18 reads, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” God knows our pain. It’s crazy to me that Jesus was both completely God and completely human. What this means is that He is able to help us like no one else (as He is God, all powerful and all knowing) and He is able to understand us and empathize with us like no human can (as He Himself was tempted and tried just like us – Hebrews 4:15).

Maybe you’re hurting. Cry out to God. Take it from someone who has cried out to God many times. He will hear you and if you let Him, He will reach in and heal your deepest wounds. One day, you may see that those wounds are for His glory. He may use what you’ve been through to encourage other people. He may use those scars to remind you where you’ve been, and how far He has brought you.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt 11:28-30

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” I Corinthians 1:27-29

Other links:
Behind the Songs: Shadows & Sunlight
Behind the Songs: Surfacing

Help Us Get Into Alive Festival 2012!!

2011-12-12T22:11:00.004-05:00

Hey friends and fans! My band has the opportunity to play at the Alive Festival this summer in Mineral City, OH (June 20-23)! The one catch is we have to sell 20 tickets. Are you planning to go to the Alive Festival this summer? (Alive Festival is a huge music festival featuring dozens of Christian music artists including Casting Crowns, Santus Real, Chris Tomlin, and many others!) If so, would you consider purchasing your tickets through the link below? If you do so, your ticket will count towards the tickets we need to sell. Thanks!

Here's the link:
https://secure.alive.org/?indie_artist=MARCANDRE

You can read more about Alive Festival at www.alive.org

Ticket sales requirements (from the Alive Festival web site): "To secure a performance slot, a registered artist must sell a minimum of 20 tickets. The following ticket types count toward the requirement: General Total Event, General One Day, General Weekend Wristband) These tickers can be sold to friends, family, fans, etc."

Behind the Songs: Shadows & Sunlight

2011-12-07T08:10:00.008-05:00

Shadows & Sunlight is one of the first songs I wrote for the new album, and it’s one I’ve been trying to get out for a long time. The lyrics of this song are written as a warning – an unusual approach in the context of today’s Christian music where many themes are tied off with a ribbon at the end. The Bible is full of warnings – both for the believer and the unbeliever. As Christians, we should be horrified of our own sin, and its devastating potential.

This Thing is Killing You
I remember watching a video called “Every Young Man’s Battle” years ago where guys in prison were explaining how their choices had led them down a path of loss and ruin. The stories were all the same. Every guy had started with a “small” sin that eventually evolved into a monster they could not control. If you’re like me, it’s easy to watch something like that and say, “I would never do that” or “Man, those are some sick people” when the truth is, any one of us could find ourselves in the same place. Sin is so deceptive, and as the Bible says, “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) Ultimately, if we don’t accept Christ as Savior, our own sin will result in spiritual death and separation from God (John 3:16), but even on this earth, sin can result in the destruction of marriages and friendships, physical sickness, and even death (For the Christian and the non-Christian alike).

The lyrics of Shadows & Sunlight speak of a double lifestyle. The beginning line “This is your silhouette, your midnight cigarette” implies a hidden addiction. The character in the song (very possibly a Christian) is entertaining two contradicting worlds. He is trying to maintain both lives, but in the end, these two lives are in conflict with each other. In time, one will rule the other. The long bridge of the song repeats, “And the shadows, and the shadows, get closer, get closer… to the sunlight” as the strings and guitars climb to a pinnacle, dropping into a final verse which turns the question on the listener and inquires, “The fog is hanging low, which way will you go?”

The Ripple Effect
Every day we have a choice. We can live for God, or we can turn from God. We can obey the Holy Spirit, or we can ignore Him. For me, I find that accountability is critical. I am so thankful for the friends in my life who are willing to ask me the tough questions. One story that comes to mind is the story of David and Bathsheba. David was away from the battlefield and alone when he chose to commit adultery with his neighbor’s wife. There was no one there to keep him accountable. After sinning, His one sin with Bathsheba led to another sin. He had Bathsheba’s husband Uriah killed in battle (2 Samuel 11:14-15). You can read David’s confession and lament in Psalm 51. God forgave him after he confessed before Nathan (2 Samuel 12:13), yet there were also consequences for David’s sin. As a result, his son (which he bore through Bathsheba) died at the age of seven days (2 Samuel 12:14-21). The Lord is willing to forgive us of our sins, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be earthly consequences for our sin.

The Blinking Red Light
The human nervous system is an amazing mechanism. With it, we experience both pleasure and pain. Taste buds allow us to enjoy a warm cup of hot chocolate, but they also warn us if that cup of hot chocolate is too hot to drink. As Christians, we’ve been given a spiritual nervous system - the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit serves a number of purposes. For one, He is given to teach and comfort (John 14:26-27). He also works as an interceder when we don’t know how to express our feelings in the presence of God (Romans 8:26). However, the Holy Spirit (like our nervous system) also acts as a warning sensor, and convicts us when we are disobeying God (John 16:8).

Conviction is a good thing. When the Holy Spirit says, “Don’t do that!” or “Get out of here!” we should respond immediately. However, we can also choose to ignore the whispers of the Holy Spirit. A rebellious heart can say, “I want it my way!” when God is saying, “You are going the wrong way!” If we continue to ignore The Holy Spirit’s voice, we will eventually find ourselves on a slippery slope where every high will require a bigger high, a pattern that will ultimately result in self-destruction.

Which Way Will You Go?
Maybe you’re at a place in your life where you’re toying with sin (I think if we’re honest, we all live that way at times). I encourage you to get right with God. Don’t allow yourself to believe that “you can handle it.” That’s exactly what the Devil wants us to believe. Attempting to manage our sin is like trying to manage cancer with acne cream. We have no power within ourselves to overcome our own sin tendencies. Only God can give us strength to live in righteousness.

Because of Christ’s death on the cross, the Christian is no longer indebted to the sinful nature. Romans 6:6 reads, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” In other words, the believer doesn’t have to give in to his/her fleshly desires, as strong as those may be. He/she has been set free from the control of sin. However, the reality is, we can all fall back into old habits and sin patterns. The Bible has a strong warning for those who have tasted the truth, and yet ignore what they have heard. Hebrews 10:26-27 reads, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”

Are you listening to the Holy Spirit today? Galatians 5:16-17 reads,

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” God will give us strength to do the right thing if we are willing to listen to the Spirit and obey.

Ephesians 5:8-14 exhorts us in this way –

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’”

Read the lyrics to Shadows & Sunlight here.
Listen to Shadows & Sunlight here.

Shadows & Sunlight Video Shoot

2011-12-04T19:59:00.008-05:00

Here are some pics from Saturday's Shadows & Sunlight video shoot. Pictured are drummer Jim Davis, bassist Joey Bradley and guitarists Mitch McKelvey (with the hat) and A.J. Maynard. The video was shot in a warehouse and soon-to-be art space/gallery in downtown Columbus. The final video will also feature actor Ian McCue (this footage was shot a couple weeks ago). Thanks to director Ben Bays (www.room101productions.com ) and camera operator Shawn Likely for catching the footage. The shoot went incredibly smoothly! Thanks to my father-in-law who let us borrow his kerosene heater! Ben recently also shot footage for a music video for Portrait of Me (featuring my visual artist father). Looking forward to seeing the final music videos - they should debut within the next 2-3 months.

Behind The Songs: Surfacing

2011-11-26T09:34:00.009-05:00

Over the course of the next several months, I hope to begin giving some background behind the lyrics of each of the songs on the new album. Today, I’ll be focusing on the first track, Surfacing.

In summary, Surfacing is a song about negative thinking and the power of the mind. The inspiration for this song came from a conversation I had with a friend over coffee back in the fall of 2009. We were sharing some of our own personal ups and downs, and were discussing how easy it can be to believe lies.

We all have our weaknesses. Some of us bounce back from let downs quickly, while some of us are more prone to over analyze and fall into snow balling self inflicting thought patterns. Personally, I have wrestled with depression for years. I’m one of those creative people who see the world around me in sharp shapes and intense colors. This is both a blessing and a curse. I can pick out nuances, but I can also dwell on details. I can imagine beauty from raw materials, but I can also imagine the worst in a situation or in a passing comment. Surfacing was written as an anthem for others like me who know the struggle of fighting off the inner voices.

The Bible has a lot to say about our thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we (should) take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Often, we don’t take our enemy seriously. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if most of us live most of our lives as if we don’t have an enemy. I Peter 5:8 reminds us that “(our) enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” and 2 Corinthians 11:14 warns us that “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” The Devil is as real as the air we breathe, but he’d like us to live as if he was non-existent.

Our minds are incredibly powerful. A brief thought can ripple into repeating thoughts. A repeating thought can take root as a thought pattern. A thought pattern can determine our actions, and can ultimately give way to a lifestyle. How can we find freedom from these destructive thoughts? The world will tell us to “believe in ourselves” or to “clear our minds” while God’s Word tells us to fill our minds with the truth. John 8:32 promises that “the truth will set (us) free.” There is a line in Surfacing that says, “I’m drowning in seas that don’t exist.” We can create an entire world of lies, and that world can suffocate and paralyze us. This imaginary world can be shattered if we are willing to believe the truth. Another line in Surfacing exclaims, “There’s no safe place inside I can turn, please give me guidance to discern the truth from all this fiction in my head.” Stepping outside of our illusions requires a paradigm shift. We need to first accept the fact that not everything we hear inside is reality.

Are you battling depression or thoughts of anxiety? A good place to start is to ask God for help. The answers don’t lie within us. God is the author of truth, and He can lead us to a place of hope, safety and freedom if we’re willing to follow.

Here are some great verses of promise that have helped me when I have found myself sinking in make believe.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:26-28

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?...But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matt 6:25-26, 33-34

Artwork by Phil Gegner

Listen to a clip of Surfacing on iTunes here.

"Worshipping You" on YouTube

2011-11-01T13:51:00.003-04:00

"Worshipping You" is now on YouTube! A very simple lyric presentation, but it's a start. In other news, I'm looking forward to shooting some music videos for Shadows & Sunlight and Portrait of Me with director Ben Bays this month!

Rush of Fools Show - October 8th, 2011

2011-10-10T10:31:00.010-04:00

What a great weekend! The band and I had a blast opening for Rush of Fools on Saturday in Norwalk, OH! Thanks to Bill and Sherry Thomas and Elevation Church for hosting the event, and thanks to all the fans who came out! Also, thanks to Steve Beal and Jeremy Awbrey for the pics. Finally, we'd like to send a big thank you out to Rush of Fools for the opportunity to open for you! You guys are awesome!!!

THE NEW ALBUM IS NOW AVAILABLE!!

2011-10-04T08:51:00.005-04:00

The new Marc Andre album Snapshots of the Shattered Soul is now available on iTunes and CDbaby.com!! You can purchase a download of the album on iTunes or you can purchase a physical CD (or download) from CDbaby.com. Visit www.marcandremusic.com for more details!

The Here and After

2011-09-23T10:55:00.001-04:00

Well, the album is finished. It’s hard to believe. For over two years, I’ve poured my heart and time into this all-consuming project, and suddenly, my part is complete, and it’s time to share the baby with the world. It’s hard to explain what I’m feeling right now as the emotions are so mixed. On one hand, I’m anxious to get this music out to people, and pray it will be a blessing to many. I’m also relieved that I can now return to a more “normal” and balanced life, yet on the flipside, I have to wonder what’s next.

It’s been about two and a half months since I lost my job at the church, and since that time, I’ve been able to focus completely on finishing the album. It’s really been a blessing in disguise in many ways, one being that I’ve had the time to complete a project that ended up being a little more entailed than I had first expected (especially as I got towards the end). However, the reality is now starting to set in that I don’t have a full time job, and quite honestly, I’m not really sure where to go from here. Crystal and I really thought a church would be a safe place – a place where it’d be difficult to lose your job (unless you did something immoral or really foolish). I won’t say much more except that I’m beginning to doubt that my calling is in full-time church ministry. All this to say, I’m exploring other options.

Through the years, I’ve had a lot of experience in audio production work – everything from composing custom music to mixing television shows, radio spots, and commercials. I’ve run sound for video shoots, live events, and television news broadcasts. I’ve worked as a stagehand and have set up/torn down sound and lighting equipment. I’ve even edited the video for a handful of commercials, and have designed several personal web sites. Regardless of this experience, it has been hard to find regular work in these areas, especially in Columbus, OH. Crystal and I would both prefer not to move, but it is a possibility, as Columbus doesn’t offer the same opportunities in audio production that you may find in other cities. I could really use prayer for direction. For the time being, I am trying to take as many freelance jobs as I can find, so if you know of anyone who has an audio need, please let me know.

Despite my career dilemma, God has provided for us in amazing ways. Somehow the money has always been there when we needed it. The last several months have pushed us to put our trust in God that much more. We believe He must have something incredible in store for the future. We certainly don’t want to predict anything (because who can know the heart of God), but it’s suspiciously odd how so many details have “fallen into place” with this new album. I never dreamed I’d be working with some of the people who worked on this project. In addition, God has provided an amazing tour band. I wasn’t even looking for a band, but the Lord brought three incredible musicians into my path – drummer Jim Davis, bassist Joey Bradley, and Matt Meyer. I’m really pumped about playing some shows with these guys. We’ll see where this thing goes.

Even in the uncertainty, I feel like I’m where God wants me right now. I feel so alive when I am playing and writing music, and I’ve learned through the years that there are some things you just have to do, whether you make any money at it or not. Of course, I face the reality of paying bills and providing for my family. I am by no means downplaying the importance of taking care of my family. However, in the midst of taking care of my family (however that ends up looking), I believe I need to keep making and playing music, as it’s something God has given to me to give to other people. In the light of eternity, two years of sweat and tears are completely worth it if the message of this album affects the life of just one person. Not everyone will get this project, but some people will click with it (some already have), and it’s those people I pray will find hope for a new day and another try.

In future months, I plan to begin unwrapping some of the lyrics and inspiration behind the new album. The project is a deep well, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of the stories behind the snapshots.

Marc’s new album Snapshots of the Shattered Soul debuts the first week of October.

2011-09-14T19:04:00.004-04:00

To kick off the tour schedule, we'll be opening for Rush of Fools on October 8th in Norwalk, OH!

"Missing" on iTunes and CDbaby!!!

2011-07-29T08:31:00.009-04:00

The new Marc Andre single Missing is now available on iTunes. Click here to listen.

It's also available on CDbaby. Click here to listen.

Band Practice

2011-07-26T09:20:00.008-04:00

The band has been practicing every other Saturday, and we're getting prepped to start touring! Pictured are Jim Davis on drums, Joey Bradley on bass, and Matt Meyer on guitar. Thanks to Jon Albright for running sound!

Update on "Missing" Single

2011-07-20T10:42:00.004-04:00

Just mailed the new Marc Andre single Missing to Nashville mix engineer Todd Robbins! Todd has a ton of credits, including dc Talk's Jesus Freak and Supernatural albums. He is going to mix the rest of my album too! I'm pumped! Check out his credits here: http://albumcredits.com/Profile/119065

A Pause for Celebration

2011-05-22T22:17:00.007-04:00

This week, I’m planning to start recording vocals for the new single Missing and will continue tracking vocals for the rest of the album over the next month or so. This is a huge milestone! Looking back, here are some of the other highlights (with blog links).

Aug 2009-Dec 2010 - wrote lyrics & music for 13 songs

“Creative Floodgates” - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2009/12/creative-floodgates.html

Jan-June 2010 – worked on demos and midi mock-ups, prep for Nashville

“Demos” - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2010/03/progress-of-album-demos-p1-chapter-3.html

June 18th, 2010 - recorded drums, bass and guitar at Darkhorse Recording in Nashville (1st trip to Nashville)

“The Big Day” - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2010/06/progress-of-album-big-day-ch-12.html

July 2010-Feb 2011 – editing, additional midi sounds

“Editing” - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2010/07/progress-of-album-editing-ch-13.html

Aug-Oct 2010 – recorded acoustic guitar with Matt Meyer at 10x12 Productions (Columbus)

Nov 2010 – began working with composer Rich Barrett & Robert Nugent

“Strings” - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2010/11/progress-of-album-pop-strings-ch-15.html

Feb 3rd-4th, 2011 – recorded strings and guitar leads/textures in Nashville (2nd trip to Nashville)

“The String & Guitar Sessions” - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2011/02/string-guitar-sessions.html

Feb-March 2011 – programmed midi strings

“Programming Midi Strings” - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2011/03/programming-midi-strings.html

March 2011 – additional overdubs with guitarist Mike Payne - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2011/03/overdubs-with-mike-payne.html

April 15th, 2011 – final string session

“The Last String Session” - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2011/04/last-string-session.html

April-May 2011 – recorded piano

“The Perfect Piano” - http://marcandremusic.blogspot.com/2011/04/finding-perfect-piano.html

A Portrait By My Father

2011-05-21T14:34:00.004-04:00

Some of you know that my dad is an amazing artist. The other day, Crystal and I were over at my parent's house and were looking at a number of his paintings as he is showing some of his art at a local event tonight. One of the paintings we came across was the one you see right here. This was painted in the original 10x12 Productions - one of the bedrooms at my parent's house (my small business was named after the dimensions of this room). This was painted in 2001, not long after the release of my first pop rock album Dishes (you can see a copy of this album sitting on a table toward the left side of the painting). You also will notice a black sheet hanging down from the top of one side of the windows - I didn't have any blinds in this room. I would simply pull the black sheet across the windows at night, attaching the sheet to a nail on the right side of the windows. Oh, the bachelor days.

One of the songs on the new album is actually dedicated to my father. It includes a beautiful string arrangement by composer Robert Nugent.

The Latest News

2011-05-13T13:49:00.004-04:00

The new album is coming together! So far, I’ve recorded piano for six songs using my new East West piano samples (I have three songs to go, which I hope to wrap up in the next week and a half or so).

The Final Recording Stage: Vocals
I plan to start recording vocals the week of May 23rd (at 10x12 Productions). A friend is renting me his compressor (Empirical Labs Distressor), which I’ll use in conjunction with my API pre-amp. I’ve allotted about a month of time for vocal tracking. I will probably record the vocal for Missing first (the soon-to-release single off of the new album). I hope to send this tune off to my mix engineer sometime in early June. Hopefully, the new single will hit the streets later June or early July.

A Song Gets a Face Lift
I recently made some significant changes to a tune called Bed of Strangers. This has been a tricky one all along. I’ve been consistently attached to the message of the song, but have at times been unsure about the musical arrangement. The other night at the point of discouragement, I asked Crystal if she liked the song, and she said, “Yeah, I like it, but it’s not my favorite on the project.” I then asked, “What don’t you like about it in particular?” and she responded, “The chorus… I think the first part of it.” I knew something wasn’t clicking with this song, and I think it hit me at that point that the chorus was indeed the weakest part. We prayed about it, and the next morning I woke up with stronger lyrics and a new improved chorus melody! I’ve also shortened the song by a minute. Wow, what a difference! I’m really digging this tune now! You may ask what is Bed of Strangers about? Well, I guess you’ll have to wait until the album releases to find out!

Graphic Design
In other news, I may meet with a graphic designer to start discussing the overall look of the album cover and jacket next week.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Starting to see the finish line. Back to the studio!

An Ever Present Help in Trouble

2011-05-05T12:43:00.006-04:00

Here's what one listener had to say (he discovered my music through a free mp3 site)....

"I returned from Afghanistan in January...I know I already mentioned it on your wall, but God really used your music to calm my nerves during my deployment. The two songs in particular were "Hurricane" and "Pull Through." Amazing... It was as if Hurricane was written for me. My father passed away this July, after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. And throughout the previous year in Afghanistan, I found myself listening to music whenever possible to keep my brain occupied; I knew that if I had a moment of quiet I'd be thinking about my dad, and I couldn't afford to bust out crying wherever I was. So... thank you for those songs...I can't wait to hear the new album!" - Brian

Maybe you need encouragement today. Here's a verse I referenced while writing the song Hurricane.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride...'Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold." - Psalm 46

(Brian's comments above were posted with permission)

New Marc Andre Single – Missing

2011-05-03T21:46:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to give a quick update on the new album, Snapshots of the Shattered Soul. Production wise, things are moving along! I’ve recorded final piano tracks for four songs now, and I hope to be wrapping up the piano parts in the next 2-3 weeks. After that, I will start recording the final vocals.

New Single Coming Soon…
I’m sure you’re curious what the new album sounds like! Well, in the next couple months, I will be releasing a single from the new album called Missing. You will be able to preview and purchase this single on my page at CDbaby.com. Stay tuned for more details!

Finding the Perfect Piano

2011-04-23T15:50:00.006-04:00

I'm having a blast today trying out my new East West Quantum Leap Piano samples. As far as piano goes for the new album, purchasing this library is absolutely the best move I could have made. With four pianos (a Bechstein D-280, Steinway D, Bösendorfer 290, and Yamaha C7), three mic positions for each instrument (close, player, and room) and dozens of reverb options, the sound possibilities are nearly endless. I've been spending this afternoon trying out various piano sounds on different songs. The Bösendorfer may not be used on this project (as this piano tends to be used more often in classical music), but the Yamaha will appear quite a bit, with a few guest appearances by the Bechstein and Steinway. The Bechstein sounds great on some of the more poppy songs and the Steinway is perfect for the more intimate tunes. The "size" and dynamic variations of the Yamaha is choice for the bigger and sometimes darker songs.

I would have never had such versatility had I tracked a live piano (I'd be limited to one piano and would have to pay for studio time and really wouldn't have the time for much experimentation). I also don't own the gear to record with multiple mics positions (I'm not sure how many mics & pre-amps the East West guys used to record these pianos, but it was definitely more than I could ever afford).

On a side note, installing this library was quite the big operation. It literally took me 24 hours (2 days of sitting by my computer) to install these samples, with 35 double layered DVDs! However, the quality of these instruments was totally worth the wait!

Backing Tracks

2011-04-16T16:38:00.007-04:00

Today, I’m spending a couple hours working on mixing the backing tracks we’ll be using at concerts. Our live band will be made up of drums (Jim Davis), bass (Joey Bradley), rhythm guitar (not sure yet), lead guitar (Matt Meyer), piano, and lead vocals. However, a lot of my music contains quite a bit of additional instrumentation – keyboards, strings, percussion, and background vocals. For most songs, we’ll be playing with a click track and we’ll have some of these background instruments playing along with the live band.

For concerts, the backing tracks will be played back using an iPod, an iPad or a laptop and will feed back to the soundboard and then one channel (the click track) will feed to the band’s in ear monitors, and the other track (a mono mix of all the backing instruments) will be mixed in with the band through the house sound system. Our drummer Jim will be triggering the backing tracks.

The mixing engineer at the concert will be responsible for balancing the backing tracks with the live band… with this in consideration, it’s my goal to set the overall level of the backing tracks so that they are the same from song to song (so the mix engineer won’t have any volume surprises). It’s also important that the click track is the same level from song to song (so the band doesn’t get blown away by the click, or lost because they can’t hear the click).

On another note, we had a great extended 3 ½ hour long band practice this morning. The band is sounding tighter and better every time we practice! Hoping to play our first full show sometime in June!

When All Instruments Are Spoken For

2011-04-13T22:48:00.003-04:00

I’m getting very close to having all the instruments recorded for Snapshots of the Shattered Soul. On Tuesday, I received all the audio files from Monday’s string session in Nashville (read previous blog). I’m very happy with the way the strings turned out! Thanks to David Davidson for playing violin and viola, John Catchings for playing cello, and thanks to Bobby Shin for engineering the session!

I still need to record piano and there are a few keyboard/synthesizer parts here and there that I’d like to tweak. Matt Meyer may also record a small electric guitar part at the beginning of one song (I didn’t get to this part while recording with Mike Payne). Otherwise, the instruments are pretty much ready to go.

I am currently saving up for East West Quantum Leap’s Piano Library (http://www.soundsonline.com/Pianos). Why am I now going with samples? Sounds like I’ve changed my tune, huh? Well, as opposed to recording a real piano, I won’t have to pay for piano tuning or studio time, and with this library, I’ll have access to four amazing pianos (including a Yamaha C7 and a Steinway, all with multiple mic positions)… and additionally, I’ll own these piano sounds for years to come - a great investment for future projects. Hopefully, I’ll be able to purchase these samples, finalize the piano parts, and wrap up the last bit of instrument tweaks by the middle of May. I will then start recording the final vocals (lead and background), and after that will come the mix stage.

It’s a funny feeling seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after about a year and a half of writing, recording and editing. What a blast it’s been to watch these songs come to life, from rough piano and vocal demos to complex arrangements!

The Last String Session

2011-04-07T20:03:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, I mailed a package to violinist David Davidson in Nashville (we recorded strings for five songs at his studio in early February). The package contained a DVD of two Pro Tool sessions, as well as some sheet music. This next Monday, he will be recording violin and viola for the opening song on the album, and John Catchings will be playing cello on a tune called “A World Without” (John was the cello player at the recording session back in February). This morning, I met with composer Robert Nugent to finalize this cello part. I will have to email the sheet music for this part to David before Monday’s session. After this session, all the strings for the album will be recorded. Things are moving along!

In other news, I’m still trying to figure out what to do with recording piano. I’ve been eyeing some piano samples (especially East West’s piano library), but I’m not completely sure whether or not I’m going to go this route.

The Performance Side

2011-04-05T21:51:00.002-04:00

Most bands live two competing lives. Much of their days are spent in the meticulous seclusion of a studio – tweaking and fixing to their heart’s content, while another significant part of their existence is exhausted on the road and on the stage – the true testing ground of their musicianship. Before the days of computers, it was much more challenging to get it right in the studio. There was no Beat Detective and no Auto-Tune. It wasn’t possible to line up a sloppy drummer or bassist “to the grid.” A pitchy singer couldn’t pass as a singer with good pitch – what went to tape was basically what you heard in the final mix.

And They Sounded So Good on the Record…
Thanks to today’s technology, the studio can give a musician a false sense of his/her own ability. With a live performance, what a musician plays is what the crowd hears. There are no re-takes or punch-ins (however, many nuances you’d hear in a recording are lost when the same music is pumped one time through large speakers in a noisy room of fans). Additionally, the stage brings with it many unique uncontrollable variables (bad monitor mixes, poor acoustics, unruly fans, tight schedules for set-up, tear-down, etc.). A performer has to be at the top of his/her game regardless of the circumstances.

An Honest Self-Critique
It can be humbling to hear yourself recorded, especially when you are listening back to a live performance. I know I have areas to improve. For example, as a singer, I know I don’t sing my best when I am nervous. I don’t usually get nervous on stage, but there have been times when I have been and my singing has suffered. Usually, if I’m nervous, I’ll hold back which results in bad tone and/or shaky pitch (especially high long notes). I’ve also noticed that my vocals aren’t their strongest when I am playing an unfamiliar piano part at the same time. For some reason, I won’t hold notes as long as I normally would, and my pitch loses its importance when I am pre-occupied with remembering chord changes or piano melodies. I also am aware that I have a tendency to rush my piano playing in louder song sections, and my piano playing becomes a little more generic when I am singing, and especially when I am trying to follow a click track. Obviously, every performer has areas where he/she needs to improve. On a random note, my drummer Jim recently mentioned that many drummers tend to rush when they have to go to the bathroom, and are forced to hold it. Funny but true!

I Don’t Want to Kill Any Birds, But If I Had To Kill Two, I’d Use One Stone
I made a big mistake with my last album Backstage Pass (2004). I didn’t start practicing with a band until after the album was released. Why was this choice such a mistake? Well, for one, I wasn’t really ready to promote the album through live shows when the project came out. I think it’s true that people are the most excited about an artist and/or recording at or after a live show. I also think that I would have benefited from practicing with a band before I sang all the vocals parts on Backstage Pass (although I did rehearse a lot in the car and in my parent’s basement).

On the new album Snapshots of the Shattered Soul, I am doing something different in that I am playing all of the piano parts as well as singing (Rich Barrett played piano on Backstage Pass). For most concerts, I will also be singing and playing piano (or keyboard as real pianos quickly go out of tune when you carry them from one venue to another). Rehearsing with the band has been helping me to prepare both for live shows and also for the final tracking of piano and vocals on the album. There are definitely trouble songs/sections that I am working on refining – both on my own, and also during our Saturday morning band rehearsals.

Until the Good Gets Better and the Better Gets Best
Over the last couple weeks, Jim, Matt, Joey, and I have been recording our practices and what a mirror that has been! We are each taking notes on our own performance and are working to iron out the rough spots. Currently, we are focusing on about nine key songs from the new album, but will also soon be incorporating a handful of tunes from Backstage Pass. We’re really looking forward to playing out – hopefully starting in June!

Coming soon… “Developing an Engaging Set List”

Overdubs with Mike Payne

2011-03-31T14:31:00.002-04:00

On March 11th, Nashville studio guitarist Mike Payne started recording overdubs for three songs that we were unable to get to on our trip to Nashville back in early February. This past Monday, he posted the audio files from these sessions for me to download. Over the past week, I’ve been pulling these new guitar parts into Pro Tools, and just finished importing the last of these files last night. I have to say, Mike’s guitar parts have taken these last several songs to a new level! Two of these tunes are the worship song and the love song I’ve mentioned in previous blogs. I can tell Mike really spent his time on these tunes. The harmonies and counter melodies he came up with aren’t just icing on the cake; I believe they are foundational in bringing these songs to life!

Tones and Parts
I have learned quite a bit from working with Mike (I’ve recorded with him twice now – once on February 4th at his home studio, and then again on March 11th over iChat). Not only is he a skilled guitar player; he is extremely adept at choosing guitar tones that work well in the mix and guitar parts that compliment the other instruments. I’ve heard a couple professional engineers comment about “Mike’s (great) tone.” He just knows his amps, pedals, and guitars and knows what it takes to get a certain sound. At one point, I remember saying to him, “This song is partially inspired by The Fray. I don’t want to sound exactly like them, but do you think you could find a guitar tone which might fit this style?” Sure enough he did – and he actually came up with a slightly varied tone that sounded somewhat “Frayish,” but different enough to give my song it’s own sound.

The Skill of Listening
I find that a lot of musicians don’t listen to anyone but themselves when they are playing. It’s good to be aware of what you are playing/singing as a musician, but in a band setting, it’s important to make sure your tones/parts/pitch/etc. are blending well with everyone else. I’ve played with some musicians who are determined to play at all times with as many notes as possible. Often, silence is as much a musical tool as musical notes themselves. Simplicity is also at times more powerful than complexity. Sometimes, silence is used to give a song dynamics (instruments are brought in and out at key song sections) and other times, silence is used to help a melody or counter melody “breathe.” Simplicity can likewise be used to communicate a certain emotion (intimacy or innocence) or to punctuate a more note heavy musical passage.

I think one thing that makes Mike such a good studio musician is the fact that he is a careful listener. While recording overdubs, he actually asked me to turn his guitar down quite a bit in the mix so that he could hear how his parts were blending with the other instruments. He also had me turn the drums up a bit higher than everything else so that he could make sure that his playing was tight. As I go back to listen to his parts, I am amazed at his sense of rhythm. I’ve hardly had to edit any of his parts because about 99% of the time, he is locked to the drums like a leech to a leg. Absolutely amazing.

A Pleased Costumer
In conclusion, I am so thankful that my friend Dave Bechtel introduced me to Mike Payne. It has been awesome to work with him, and I hope we have more opportunities to work together in the future!

Back to the Drawing Board

2011-03-27T18:25:00.003-04:00

This past week has been a rollercoaster. I performed a piano tracking test on Sunday night at our church, recorded piano parts for four songs on Tuesday night at Liberty Presbyterian in Delaware, OH, and then found out that I would probably need to re-record all the piano parts after a professional told me that the piano tracks I recorded didn’t sound good enough. He suggested that I use samples instead of the real thing. Back to the drawing board. This project is getting so expensive. I do have decent piano samples, but I would need to spend $300 to $500 to purchase really high quality piano samples. The other option is to find a nice “recordable quality” piano in town that I could pay to have tuned. I’m trying to get creative and figure out how I can finish this project while staying within my budget. I did talk to a friend who is probably going to rent me his Distressor (a compressor which I’ll use for recording vocals), so that should save me from having to buy one.

Mixing will be quite expensive. I’m now considering the possibility of taking a break after I have all the audio tweaked and ready for mixing. The reason? It may take me up to six or more months to save up for the mix stage. Also, I’m getting emotionally exhausted. I actually really think I could use the break. I’m so hyper focused on this project that I could use some time away from it. Both Crystal and I are ready for a vacation.

Most of my work will be completed once all the audio files are prepped for mixing (as someone else will be mixing the album). I’m hoping to record vocals in May (the last step before mixing), which means I should be able to take my hiatus toward the beginning of June. It’s now looking like the album may not be finished until this fall or even the beginning of 2012, depending on quickly I can save up the money. I am definitely having trouble with all the waiting, but this is the way it goes when you’re paying as you go. It will be worth it in the end, I’m sure.

Piano Tracking at Liberty Presbyterian

2011-03-23T11:50:00.006-04:00

Well, last night, I began to officially track piano for the new album. I got through about four songs, and have six to go. Here are some pics from Liberty Presbyterian in Delaware, OH. I've decided to go with the Yamaha C7 for many of the songs. Our church's Kawai just doesn't sound grand enough for the big tunes. However, I may use the Kawai on a couple of the more popish songs.

Piano Tracking Test

2011-03-21T11:16:00.013-04:00

Yesterday was quite the busy day. As usual, Crystal and I were at church at 7:30am for band practice (church services at 9 & 10:45), followed by "Pizza with the Pastors" after the 2nd service. Finally, around 1:30 we slipped home for a quick two hour nap. Then at 5:15, we made our way back to the church for a 6:00pm hymn sing (people can request which hymns they'd like to sing - we sang while our friend Theresea played the upright). The hymn sing wrapped up around 7:30. After a quick trip to McDonald's (which we very rarely eat), we headed back to the church where I began to set up for a test recording session with the church's Kawai piano. My friend Matt Meyer had graciously let me borrow his pair of Audio Technica 4030's which I used in conjunction with my API A2D pre-amp (which was feeding into Pro Tools LE via SDIF). By suggestion of my friend Dave Bechtel, I also set up a single Shure SM7 at the foot of the piano for a mono piano sound. The SM7 was running through the pre-amp on my Mbox 2 - not nearly the quality of my API pre-amp, but the mono piano mic will mainly be used for effects (heavy compression, etc.), so the audio quality doesn't need to be as pristine. I also draped the piano dust cover over the open lid of the piano to cut down on room noise. Fortunately, we were able to temporarily turn off the AC fan over the stage, which was making quite a bit of noise.
It took me about a half hour to get set up, and I began recording around 9:00pm. Crystal was reading a book while I played. I did 2-3 takes on one song, and wrapped up around 9:45. You'd think I'd be exhausted by the time we got home at 10:30, but I couldn't help but boot up Pro Tools and take a listen to the recorded piano through my studio speakers. I think we finally got to bed around midnight.

I hope to track the piano for real in the next several weeks. The Kawai at the church is due for its spring tuning, and I will probably try to record it immediately after it is tuned. It is so refreshing to hear a real piano in one of these new songs. Next time I record, I will be tracking piano for 10 tunes. There are some good piano samples out there, but there ain't nothing like the real thing, baby.

One Piece at a Time

2011-03-15T21:58:00.005-04:00

The pieces are really coming together for the new album! Last Friday, Mike Payne recorded guitar overdubs for the 3 songs we were unable to get to while in Nashville last month. He should be sending me those files in the near future. Also, this coming Thursday, I will be meeting with composer Robert Nugent to listen to a cello part he arranged for one of the new tunes.

I now have most of the MIDI strings programmed. These sampled strings will be mixed underneath the real strings to create a larger sound. I’ve also been quite busy practicing and making final tweaks to piano parts. I hope to record real piano in the next month or so. Next week, I may do a practice recording session where I will set up some mics on a live piano and experiment with different mic positions and pre-amp settings. In addition, I’ve been practicing vocal parts – mostly in the car while driving (I’ve created a variety of mixes – some without vocals, some without piano and vocals). You may see me driving down the road singing at the top of my lungs!

I’m still paying for the album as I go. I’m currently saving up for an Empirical Labs Distressor, a compressor that I will use on the final vocals, along with my API A2D pre-amp. I want to use the highest quality signal chain as possible!

I’m still hoping to release the new album sometime the middle of this year.

Programming MIDI Strings (Video)

2011-03-07T12:24:00.011-05:00

Marc talks about string articulations, and the process of programming MIDI strings which will used to fill out the sound of a smaller string section.

Click on the photo for video. Video is 12.5 MB and may take a minute or two to load. You can also right click on the photo and select "save target as..."

Oceans of Creativity

2011-03-04T15:52:00.007-05:00

Piecing It All Together
It’s been about a month since we recorded strings and guitar overdubs in Nashville, and since then, things have been quite busy here at 10x12 Productions. At this point, I’ve cleaned up most of the string and guitar tracks, and have pulled those tracks into my “main” Pro Tool sessions (the strings and guitars were recorded and edited in separate Pro Tools sessions to cut down on clutter with all the unused takes). I’ve also been busy working on programming the MIDI strings that will be mixed in under the real strings for a larger orchestra sound (I’m preparing a video blog which will explain this process in more detail). This is quite an exciting stage as I am for the first time hearing all of the “final” instruments together - with the exception of the real piano, which I hope to record in the next month or so. As mentioned in my previous blogs, I still need to record guitar overdubs for 3 more tunes. I am planning to track these guitar parts with Mike Payne next Friday, March 11th (remotely, over iChat, as he is in Nashville and I am in Columbus).

Practice Makes Perfect
In addition to studio work, I’ve been busy practicing with my live band (drums: Jim Davis, bass: Joey Bradley, guitar: Matt Meyer). We’ve been rehearsing almost every Saturday at Jim’s place (he has a nice finished basement space with an in-ear monitoring system). We don’t have any official shows lined up yet, but we do have a possible gig in June, which would have us opening for a national Christian act. We hope to start playing out officially in early summer (mainly regional shows at first).

An Overcrowded Boat
The creative process continues to be exciting and wearying. I’m currently working on a tune that is overly concentrated with instruments, and I’m trying to figure out what parts to cut out. This song has been driving me crazy the last couple days, but I think I am making some headway on deciding what to eliminate. Sometimes less is more. I’m a sucker for big production, but even with “grand” songs, you have to find a tasteful limit to the number of musical layers. Originally, the “size” of this song was built around some guitar power chords, a big organ, a couple synth pads, and an arpeggiating synth lead (not to mention a few drum loops here and there). As the song developed, I had Rich Barrett add some string parts, and Mike Payne added some cool guitar accents that I hadn’t originally envisioned. Suddenly, I was having trouble finding space for everything. I think I’ve solved some of the clutter issue by cutting out the organ and some of the pads for much of the song. I also lost the drum loop in the choruses, and pulled out the strings for the first part of the first chorus. Just like an overloaded boat, sometimes you have to sacrifice some non-crucial luggage to the sea for the well being of the vessel.

Video blog coming soon...

What’s Next on the Menu?

2011-02-12T16:08:00.004-05:00

For the next couple months or so, I will be attending to some miscellaneous to-dos.

(1) I still need to record a cello part for one tune. I was going to record this in Nashville during our last trip, but decided it’d be more cost effective to have John Catchings (the cellist) record the cello part at his home studio at a later date, instead of recording the part at David Davidson’s, where 3 other players would be sitting around twittling their thumbs… not to mention I’d be racking up unnecessary studio and engineer costs. Robert Nugent will be arranging the cello part. I will simply mail John a Pro Tools session, he’ll record the cello, and he’ll then mail/email me with the audio files.

(2) I also need to record string parts for the first song on the album. It’s a pretty simple string arrangement, and for cost reasons, I will have a single string player layer violin and viola parts over some full orchestra string samples I am already using on this tune.

(3) I need to record guitar overdubs for 3 more songs with Mike Payne. Unfortunately, we were unable to get to these songs last week when we were in Nashville. We will use iChat (similar to Skype) to communicate while recording (I’ll be in Columbus and he’ll be in Nashville). I think this should work relatively smoothly as we’ve already worked together a little bit. He will be tracking to his Pro Tools system and will mail the sessions to me once we are finished recording.

(4) Additionally, I will start working on editing the live strings we recorded last week and the MIDI strings which will be layered under the live strings. Basically, the rhythms of the real strings and fake strings need to line up. I will also need to program a number of MIDI articulations (marcato, slurs, etc.) that will emulate the articulations of the real strings. String arrangers Robert Nugent and Rich Barrett are providing me with MIDI files of the string parts, which I will further edit to align with the real strings.

(5) Also, in the near future, I will begin recording all the piano parts on a real piano. Still working on a location for this.

(6) After all these miscellaneous tasks have been completed, I will begin recording the final lead vocals as well as the background vocals (at 10x12 Productions). After these have been edited, I will hand all the files off to Dave Bechtel for mixing!

The String & Guitar Sessions

2011-02-08T11:54:00.013-05:00

Our trip to Nashville was exceptionally smooth – no snow, hardly any traffic, and we made great time! Crystal and I left Columbus a little after 5:00 am and got into Nashville around 11:00am (Nashville time). We grabbed some lunch at O’Charley’s, rested in the car for a little while, and then headed over to violinist’s David Davidson’s house around 1:30. It was nice to not feel rushed! After meeting David Davidson and engineer Bobby Shin, we headed inside and up to the control room. I gave my hard drive to Bobby, who copied all my Pro Tools sessions to his computer, and then imported his Pro Tools templates into each of my Pro Tools sessions (his templates contained audio channels set up to accommodate all of the string mics). The other string players began rolling in around 1:45 – David Angell on 2nd violin, Monisa Angell on viola, and John Catchings on cello (and David Davidson on 1st violin).

My friend Dave Bechtel was to be at the session, but had unfortunately come down with appendicitis the night before, and was in the hospital getting his appendix removed. David Davidson made the comment, “Well, Dave did say he might not be able to make it because he might have another gig… he got another gig alright… at the hospital! Ha!” All humor aside, we were disappointed that Dave could not be there and we continue to pray for his speedy recovery!

The plan was to track strings for 5 songs, all within 3 to 4 hours. We ended up recording 3 passes for 3 songs and 2 passes for 2 songs in 3 ½ hours. Why 3 passes on some songs and 2 on others? Well, most of the strings are going to be supplemented with strings samples in the final mix, but some of the tunes have more unique string articulations (slides, runs, etc.) that will be hard to copy with string samples. I wanted to keep the recording time to a minimum as I was trying to stay within a budget, and I figured 2 of the songs would be easier to fill out with samples while the other 3 might need more layers of real strings.

We finished recording around 5:30pm. What an amazing session! I was so happy with the audio we captured. Bobby was a great engineer, and David, David, Monisa, and John were phenomenal! Not to mention, David Davidson provided us with coffee, snacks, and a bag of oranges and grapefruits for the road! The day couldn’t have gone better. I think the musicians really enjoyed playing the songs. Thanks to Robert Nugent and Rich Barrett for some killer arrangements!

Crystal and I headed back to the Hampton Inn, where I immediately began copying the audio files to a backup hard drive. I also began burning the string Pro Tools sessions onto DVD. It’s always comforting to know you have a hard copy of such important data. After kicking back at the hotel for a little while, we went out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants – The Olive Garden! Afterwards, we returned to the hotel, and I began exporting stem files (sub-mixes) of the strings, as I would be using them for the guitar session with Mike Payne the next day. We finally got to bed around midnight. It was going to be a short night.

We woke up Friday morning around 7am, and after getting ready, we headed downstairs for a surprisingly tasty continental breakfast. I’ve had some pretty lousy hotel breakfasts in my day, but this was pretty good! We left the hotel around 8:40 and arrived at Mike Payne’s house at 9:00am. Mike took us upstairs to his home studio, and asked me if I’d be willing to man the Pro Tools system while he played guitar. “Sure!” I exclaimed. I plugged my trusty dusty self-powered firewire drive into his iMac, he grabbed several of his guitars, and we began recording!

Depending on the song, Mike used one of 3 guitars – a beautiful red Gretch, a warm toned Telecaster, or a PSR90 Jr. (which sounded remarkably great for the low price tag). All of his amps were set up in another room, and were feeding through a Chandler Limited Germanium Pre and a Universal Audio 1176 compressor into Pro Tools LE. He implemented a variety of pedals (delays, reverb, chorus, etc.), none of which I was familiar with, but then again, I’m not a guitar player - I just know his effects sounded amazing and he knew how to use his gear!

We stopped for lunch at noon and the 3 of us headed over to one of Nashville’s favorites, Oscar’s Tacos. We exchanged conversation about marriage (Mike is a newlywed), church, recording and touring, financial planning, and of course, the Toyota Matrix (as both of us are owners).

We returned to the house about 1:00pm and picked up on song #4. I had hoped to spend about a ½ hour recording guitar overdubs for each song (we had 12 to record), but unfortunately, we were only able to get through 9 of the 12 songs. Mike had to wrap up at 6:00pm. We could have worked faster, but I really didn’t want to rush through the songs, as I was so happy with the sounds we were getting, and didn’t want to skimp on anything. We will end up recording guitar overdubs for the remaining 3 songs via. iChat (more about this later).

We concluded the recording session at 6:15 and again, Crystal and I headed back to the Hampton for some chill time. I also copied the guitar sessions to a second drive, and began burning backup DVDs. We then went out to celebrate at another one of our favorite restaurants – The Cheesecake Factory (the restaurant where Crystal and I first met in February of 2008). We had to wait a little while, but the food was worth the sitting. We couldn’t believe how busy the restaurant was at 10:00pm at night!

Saturday morning, we slept in, which was great. We were both struggling from some serious sleep debt. After packing up our things, and grabbing some breakfast (at the Hampton again), we went to visit my friend Dave Bechtel, who had just got out of the hospital. It was great catching up with he and his family!

We got on the road around noon (Nashville time) and arrived back into Columbus around 8:15pm or so (Columbus time). Again, the roads were clear and we had very little traffic. Thank you Lord for a wonderful trip!

What’s next on the production schedule? There is still plenty of work to do. Stay tuned for details…

Video Clips From Nashville

2011-02-05T01:06:00.002-05:00

Video 1: Mike Payne playing guitar. Video 2: The David Davidson string group.
Click on the photos for video.

Leaving for Nashville

2011-02-02T15:20:00.007-05:00

It’s hard to believe the time is here! Here’s the plan. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be leaving at 5am for a close-to-seven-hour trip to Nashville, TN. We’re hoping the roads are clear and the traffic is minimal! We’re aiming to get to Nashville around 11am (Nashville time), we’ll grab some lunch, and then we’ll head over to David Davidson’s studio for a 2pm string session. We will be recording strings for 5 songs. The session will last anywhere from 3-4 hours. We’re hoping we can get everything tracked in 3 hours, as every hour is an additional $460! There will be 4 players – cello, viola, and 2 violins. Depending on the song, we will be recording 1-3 takes… for some songs, we’ll be layering multiple takes; for other songs, a single pass will suffice (as we will later be layering the real strings with sampled strings). All I’ll be bringing is a hard drive that I’ll plug into David Davidson’s Pro Tools system. After the string session, we’ll probably grab dinner with my friend Dave Bechtel. Later that evening, I may need to do some quick mixes of the strings – these mixes will be useful for the guitar overdub sessions the following day.

Friday morning, we’ll head over to studio guitarist Mike Payne’s place at 9am. The goal is to record for 7 hours with a one-hour lunch break. Mike needs to wrap up by 6pm. I’d like to track guitar overdubs for 12 songs - this amounts to just over 30 minutes of recording time per song. Again, I’ll just bring a hard drive and plug it into Mike’s Pro Tools rig. I’m sure we’ll we exhausted that night and will just want to chill out after a long day of recording! We'll return to Columbus on Saturday.

If you’d like to pray for us, here are some prayer requests:

(1)We’d appreciate your prayers for safe and quick travel!
(2) Pray that we’ll be able to get through the string tracking in a timely fashion on Thursday, and pray that the players will have skill as they play!
(3) Pray that we’ll have creativity as we record with Mike Payne on Friday. His guitar tones and playing are going to greatly define the sound of this project.
(4) Pray that Lord willing, we won’t have any technical difficulties!

Thanks for all your support! I’m very anxious to share this new music with you! It still looks like the album should be finished towards the middle of this year (maybe June-July).

What a Men’s Retreat Taught Me About Recording

2011-02-01T16:03:00.004-05:00

This past weekend, I attended a men’s retreat at our church. It was both an encouraging and a convicting time. Our speaker, Tom Burns, focused his attention in the book of Ecclesiastes and compared our lives with Solomon. Solomon spent much of his life searching for the meaning of life. He diligently pursued knowledge, pleasure, wisdom, foolishness, and toil, but none of these things satisfied his empty heart. In the end, Solomon concluded that man could only discover true meaning through a relationship with God. Our speaker Tom went on to encourage us to look to the Lord for our purpose and satisfaction.

As we broke into small groups, a number of men shared about their own struggles. Some guys were looking for their identity in work; some of the single guys wrestled with believing that a mate would make them happy. I was going to open up, but never got a chance to do so. Nevertheless, I went away from the retreat sensing that God was trying to tell me something.

Over the course of the weekend, two verses especially stood out to me. One was Ecclesiastes 2:4 which reads, “I undertook great projects…” and the other is 2:23 which reads, “All his days his work is pain and grief, even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.” Ever since I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with projects. Before my teenage years, I was preoccupied with LEGOS. In fact, I remember once having a temper tantrum because I was missing a key piece to one of my building sets. In middle school, I became enamored with skateboarding, and spent most of my summer days rattling my wheels down the sidewalks of Clintonville, OH. Later in middle school, I became consumed with music and recording, and have been consumed ever since.

So here I am, days away from another trip to Nashville. I am both excited and nervous. I can’t wait to hear the live strings and I’m dying to hear what cool sounds studio guitarist Mike Payne brings to the table. However, I’m also worried that we’ll be delayed by bad weather or traffic on our way down, and I’m afraid we may not get everything completed in the allotted recording time. I’m concerned I may have to spend more money than I was planning to spend. Then there’s the possibility of technical difficulties. I really doubt I’ll even sleep the night before we leave.

Throughout the course of making this album, I’ve battled panic attacks and physical anomalies most likely triggered by stress (headaches with broken vision, ringing in the ears, occasional numbness in my arms and/or hands). I am keenly aware that I am an uptight guy. I don’t need anyone to tell me that. I obsess and worry a lot. It’s one of my many issues. I constantly have to hand “my plans” and “my comfort” over to the Lord.

Despite all my fretting, it’s good to know God is in control. I know He cares about this album, but more importantly, He is concerned about where my heart is. He wants me to trust Him, and He wants me to keep the small things of this world in perspective with the big things of eternity. Thank you Solomon (and speaker Tom) for the timely reminder.

” Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

Marc Andre & Band Performs at InsideOut

2011-02-01T15:39:00.005-05:00

This past Saturday, we got the chance to perform some of my new songs for the first time at Grace Brethren of Polaris' InsideOut Creative Forum. No electric guitars or drum kits this time - just a small acoustic set. Pictured left to right is the touring band: Joey Bradley (bass), Matt Meyer (guitar), Marc Andre (vocals & keys), Jim Davis (drums). To learn more about InsideOut and to see a video of us playing, visit http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=132754520101762

Making Final Preparations

2011-01-16T20:42:00.002-05:00

This week, I hope to wrap up exporting stem mixes that will be used in the Pro Tools sessions we’ll use for recording in Nashville. Stem mixes are basically sub mixes of groups of instruments. I’m specifically creating stem mixes for bass, drums, rhythm guitars, keyboards, vocals, as well as fake lead guitars and fake strings (these will be used for reference when we are tracking the real lead guitars and strings). The purpose of stem files in this situation is to allow for some monitoring flexibility while recording. In other words, the studio musicians can adjust their headphone mix to their own tastes – more vocal, less bass, more drums, etc.

I am also working on getting some decent demo mixes in Pro Tools. Previously, all demo mixes were in Logic Pro, the program where all the songs were originally composed. My friend Dave Bechtel will eventually be mixing the songs in Pro Tools, but in the meantime, it helps me to hear what the songs might sound like.

I met with composer Rich Barrett last Monday, and plan to meet with him at least one more time before we go to Nashville Feb 3rd-5th. Rich is wrapping up string arrangements for two songs. He initially played all the string parts into Logic Pro, but is now completing the actual notation (for the string players) in Sibelius. Logic is a great program, but is a bit unintuitive when it comes to notation.

Here’s a quick recap of what we’ll be doing in Nashville – we’ll be recording a string quartet (which will be layered multiple times to create a large string sound) as well as guitar overdubs with Nashville studio musician Mike Payne. All of the “bread and butter” rhythm guitar parts have already been recorded. However, Mike will be adding the guitar “seasoning,” if you will – effect based guitar sounds and leads. The guitar sounds we’ve recorded so far fall into two categories – acoustic rhythm guitar and distortion/overdrive rhythm guitar. Mike will be adding guitar tones that make use of other effects – delay, chorus, tremolo, etc. These sounds will function to further set each song apart from each other, giving each tune a unique guitar color palate.

Today, I practiced for the first time with drummer Jim Davis and guitarist Matt Meyer. We hope to start playing out in the spring or summer to promote the new album. Eventually, the live band will consist of drums, bass, two guitars, 1-2 keyboards, and vocals. However, we plan to first nail down our parts as a three piece, and after doing that, we will start adding other players.

Nashville, Here We Come!

2011-01-04T14:06:00.007-05:00

Looks like we will be tracking strings in Nashville on Thursday, February 3rd and electric guitar overdubs (in Franklin, TN) on Friday, February 4th. Can't wait!!!

In other news, I got a Korg nanoKONTROL from my sister for Christmas. It's been fun using this with Logic 8 and Pro Tools 8!

The album is coming along! I've basically been doing a lot of miscellaneous work - tightening up guitars, adding a few extra synth/loop parts here and there, as well as stream lining and backing up Pro Tool sessions to DVD. I also met with composer Rich Barrett before Christmas and am meeting with him again this week. We're trying to wrap up string arrangements for two songs. We need to hurry as we will be heading to Nashville in less than a month!

Production Update

2010-12-26T10:32:00.007-05:00

Here are some things I’ve accomplished over the last few weeks.

1. Updated the operating system and firmware on my iMac and installed Pro Tools 8 (in the meantime, I’ve been running Pro Tools on my MacBook). I’ve been putting off this iMac update for nearly a year, fearing that it might interfere with the function of all my software instruments, effect plug-ins, and Logic Pro. Surprisingly, the updates have caused no trouble at all! Both Pro Tools and Logic (and all plug-ins) run seamlessly together on the same machine. There are many benefits to having Pro Tools installed on my iMac – (1) I am able to more easily export sounds out of Logic and then pull them directly into Pro Tools. (2) I plan to record background vocals and lead vocals using Pro Tools on the iMac, as the iMac is much quieter than my laptop and takes less time to get up and running. Before updating the iMac, I had to put the laptop in a closet when I was tracking to Pro Tools (3) the 21” iMac screen is much larger and is better on my eyes!

2. Consolidated most of the edited drum tracks (took the chopped up edited audio files and converted them to continuous files – ie. one kick drum audio file, one snare drum audio file, etc.)

3. Created “no drum” mixes of all the songs for drummer Jim Davis who will be playing in my live band. Jim and guitarist Matt Meyer are already getting together to work through some of the new songs. These no drum mixes will help them as they practice. I hope to start playing out with these guys (and a few others) this next spring or early summer.

4. Exported “no string” mixes for composer Rich Barrett who is working on tweaking the string arrangements for two songs.

I am gearing up to begin recording background vocals in January. As far as signal chain goes, I am using a Shure SM7 mic which runs into an API A2D pre-amp and then feeds via SPDIF (a digital connection) into Pro Tools. I’m looking at picking up a FMR RNC compressor for background vocals and an Emiperical Labs Distressor for lead vocals (both of which will be inserted into the API, separately of course depending on whether I am tracking background or lead vocals).

Catching the Bug

2010-12-15T16:26:00.003-05:00

The last weeks have been slow as far as album progress goes. I’ve been a bit under the weather with what seems to be either the cold or the flu, accompanied by sinus and sometimes migraine headaches. Not the most fun thing in the world. Nevertheless, the album continues to move along. I met with composer Robert Nugent on Monday to go over the string arrangements for a couple songs, and am meeting with composer Rich Barrett on Thursday to go over the string arrangements for a couple more songs. I am also “consolidating” my drum edits, which basically means I am committing to the edits by converting sliced up files in single continuous files (one kick drum audio file, one snare drum file, etc.).

I’m getting close to having the money for the next Nashville trip. It now looks like we will be going to Nashville in early February to record real strings and electric guitar overdubs. Feels like I’ve been waiting forever for this next step!

I haven’t gotten around to recording new background vocals yet. I’ve already recorded some background vocals, but have more to record. It’s looking like January may be a good month for tracking BGVs. My good friend Matt Stepp may be singing some back up on a couple tunes!

These projects always take longer than expected. Nevertheless, it is rewarding to slowly see the finished product come together!

Demographically Speaking

2010-12-12T21:58:00.003-05:00

Over the last couple months, I’ve been subscribing to Jango.com, an online radio station. It’s been a very helpful service! I submitted “Hurricane” from my 2004 album Backstage Pass and so far it’s been played about 2000 times, and I’ve made 84 new fans (from all over the world)! Jango is really cool in that it shows stats about the demographic and listening habits of one’s fans. For example, many of my fans also listen to Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Lifehouse, Linkin Park, Kutless, Newsboys, Daughtry, MercyMe, Jars of Clay, and the David Crowder Band. This list of artists is constantly changing as I make new fans. Nevertheless, it helps to narrow down who might listen to my music. I don’t think I sound exactly like any of these artists, but people who listen to these artists may also like my music. It also appears that the strongest listening audience (at least according to Jango) are female age 25-34.

So I’m curious if you think I sound similar to any artists/bands? (If you do comment, I ask that you use my album Backstage Pass as a reference, not Dishes or anything previous to Dishes).

Production Update

2010-11-24T22:08:00.006-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful time with your families over the holidays!

Just wanted to briefly share with you what’s going on with the new album. Here are some highlights.

Met with composer Rich Barrett last week. Rich is giving me some pointers on a string arrangement I am working on for one of the new tunes.

Recorded English horn with Karen Pfeifer this past Sunday night. Really adds a cool touch to one of the new songs!

Re-recorded a couple electric guitar parts with guitarist Matt Meyer Monday evening. Matt’s Mesa Boogie amp was miked up in his basement while we recorded into my laptop upstairs (Pro Tools). Fun!

I’ve also made a few lyric tweaks here and there, and actually totally rewrote the chorus melody of one of the tunes. The melody is so much stronger!

I’m still doing a little bit of editing here and there, but I’d say I’m about 95% finished with all the editing (for what we’ve tracked so far).

It’s looking like we’ll probably be tracking strings and guitar overdubs (with the David Davidson string group and Nashville guitarist Mike Payne) sometime the first month or two of the year, possibly the end of the January. Exciting times!

Progress of the Album: Strings (Ch. 15)

2010-11-03T14:12:00.006-04:00

Over the last couple weeks, I’ve been focusing heavily on finalizing string arrangements for two songs on the new album. Eight of the thirteen songs on Snapshots of the Shattered Soul have string parts. Rich Barrett has composed the strings for one song and Robert Nugent has composed strings for two songs, and I am writing the string parts for four songs (one being a song with a solo cello part only). I'm not nearly as experienced as Rich or Robert, but thankfully, they are giving me some feedback along the way. It’s definitely been a fun undertaking!

As far as the songs go, Rich has arranged strings for one of the key darker tunes on the new album (Rich arranged the strings for Hurricane, After Everything, A Thousand Gods, and By Now on my 2004 album Backstage Pass), while Robert has arranged the strings for two more positive sounding songs, one of which is a string/piano/vocal only piece. I really dig what both of these guys have brought to the project! I am working on the string arrangements for a couple heavier tunes (one faster, one slower), and two pop rock ballads (one louder, one quieter).

Writing Strings for Pop Music
Obviously, pop music and classical music are two completely opposite styles. With this, the string arranging process for each genre needs to be approached quite differently. Generally, classical music is made up of traditional orchestra instruments only –strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, sometimes piano - while pop music is comprised of many other “modern” instruments – a drum kit, bass, electric and acoustic guitar, keyboards, piano, etc…. and of course, vocals. Both styles have their challenges when it comes to string arranging.

Classical music challenges the composer to carry the rhythmic energy of a song with orchestral instruments alone (there is no acoustic guitar strumming along to keep the song going). Pop music, on the other hand, may challenge the composer to squeeze string parts into an already full and busy mix of rhythm and lead instruments. As an example, string basses and cellos are a bit limited in what they can do in the lower octaves as there is usually already a bass guitar taking up much of the lower frequencies in a song. A bass guitar and a string bass would most likely clash if they were played at the same time in the same register (octave), especially if they were playing different notes. With this said, there aren’t many string bass parts on my album, although there is a lot of cello, as the cello has a much wider pitch range, and can potentially stay out of the way of the bass guitar. Violin or viola parts can also get in the way of guitar, piano, or synthesizer parts. As the rule goes with all arranging: every instrument/part should have its own sonic space.

Thinning the Parts
As Rich Barrett was working on his string arrangement, he spoke often of needing to “thin out the parts” which basically means that after his first draft, he had to go back and take out some of the more intricate inner parts (usually harmonies) as they would most likely be buried and unheard in the final mix with everything else going on (electric guitars, keyboards, etc.).

On Backstage Pass, Rich was limited in the number of parts he could write as we worked with the Nashville String Machine Orchestra and they would only allow us to record two passes for each song (a union thing, I think). We hired seven players, which means we walked away with what sounded like a fourteen-piece orchestra (7 players x 2 takes). If we wanted to have a bigger sound, we simply would have had to hire more players. Nevertheless, later in the mix stage, we did supplement these live strings with some string samples, which ultimately made the fourteen-piece orchestra sound even larger.

For Snapshots of the Shattered Soul, we are going a new route and are working with a Nashville-based quartet under the direction of David Davidson. One cool thing about this group is that they will let us record as many takes as we want – it’s just a matter of how much I want to spend as they bill per hour. This means that the string parts can be thicker than the number of players. In other words, we aren’t limited to four parts – that being cello, viola, 2nd violin, and 1st violin. Since we can record as many takes as we’d like, we can introduce a 2nd viola part if we want, or even a 3rd violin part. However, with this, we have to be conscious of the limitations that are presented when arranging strings for pop music – depending on the song and instrumentation, some string parts could be buried and unheard. Nevertheless, it’s nice to have the option of incorporating some thicker string harmonies into some of the tunes. As I mentioned before, Robert has arranged the strings for one song that is made up of piano, strings, and vocals only. He was able to take much more liberty with string intricacies, as the only other instrument besides the strings will be piano. In a sense, the strings act as the rhythm engine behind the piano and really help to carry the energy of the song from start to finish.

Recording the String Quartet
I explained this in my previous video blog, but will reiterate for those who missed the video. Although we are only hiring four players, we can easily make them sound like sixteen or more players. Why sixteen? Well, each player brings a 2nd instrument – that is, the cello player brings two cellos, the violist brings two violas, and each of the two violin players brings two violins. We will first record a pass of the quartet playing on their “first” instruments. We will next record a pass of the quartet playing on their “second” instruments. Then, each player will put a mute on his/her “first” instrument. We will record this as the third pass. Finally, each player will put a mute on his/her “second” instrument. We will record this as the forth pass. At this point, we would have created the sound of a sixteen-piece orchestra (4 players with 4 different instruments x 4 recording passes). However, if we wanted, we could record even more passes if there were more than four string parts in the song (like a 2nd viola part or a 3rd violin part, as mentioned above). The limitation is that we can only have four passes per string part. In other words, the 1st violin part could only be “four players thick” because the 1st violin player would only have four instruments (actually 2 instruments with and without a mute, giving the perception of 4 different violins). It is really not that beneficial to stack the exact same violin sound more than once. I can’t really explain why. I’ll just say that it’s similar to a choir made up of clones. Overdubbing the same voice(s) over and over wouldn’t create as large of a sound as a choir of many different voices. The same concept goes for string layering.

In a future blog, I will explain a little more about string samples and how they are selected, managed and integrated with the live strings.

Arranging The Strings

2010-10-22T18:02:00.005-04:00

Marc talks about the process of arranging and recording the string parts for his new album.
(click on photo for video)

Progress of the Album: The Married Man (Ch.14)

2010-10-15T13:30:00.004-04:00

Recently, I’ve had several friends ask me if “the way I go about writing and producing music has changed since I’ve been married.” Great question. In short, the answer is yes. For one, I’ve had to become more intentional about when I work on the album. When I was single, I could pretty much indulge in music whenever I wanted. There were times when my life was quite imbalanced. My social life really suffered when I was working on Backstage Pass. I would lock myself up for hours in my roommate’s basement trying to finalize an arrangement or a lead vocal. There were days and weeks when I was downright obsessive. Has marriage cured me of my obsessive tendencies? No, this focus on detail and perfection is part of who I am and is something I will fight to keep in balance for the rest of my life. However, now that I’m married, I’ve learned to better limit my studio time and try to break up the long production days with some healthy variety - a walk in the park, an evening with friends, or a trip to Graeter’s Ice Cream. Generally, I work on music Monday nights and all day Thursday (as Thursday is my day off from the church) and occasionally, I will be so wired that I’ll stay up all night only to pay for my lack of sleep the next day or two. A doctor once told me that I have an overactive brain, and I think he was right. Some nights, I’ll lay in bed with my iPod still listening to a mix I created earlier that day. I often listen to my own songs driving to work, either for the purpose of analyzing a mix or creating new parts (background vocals, etc.). I wish that my brain had an “off” switch, but since it doesn’t, I’m learning how to better put some space between myself and the things I obsess over. I am so thankful that Crystal is patient with and supportive of me as I work through this long musical and emotional journey.

Marriage has also been helpful in that Crystal has really inspired me to focus more attention on people and their needs. It’s funny that I once wrote a song called Look Like You that talks of Christ’s compassion towards people, yet I often struggle to really care about others like I should. My wife Crystal has such a beautiful heart and is always trying to help other people – whether it’s a card she sends to someone discouraged or a delicious dessert she makes for someone’s birthday. I have really been challenged and inspired with her love and concern for others. The lyrics to Snapshots of the Shattered Soul deal with a lot of issues, yet many of the themes are more outwardly focused (in that the songs are often inspired or supported by the experiences and struggles of other people) and I believe this subtle change in direction can in part be attributed to the compassionate example of my wife.

Finally, as most married people would say, marriage really acts as a mirror. I see problems with myself that I was completely unaware of when I was single. Issues I thought were fixed have often simply reinvented themselves. As the old kid’s song goes, He’s still working me! ("He" being God, of course) Since I’ve been married, I’ve been that much more challenged to confront my own immaturities face on. Looking in the mirror is good for growth, and on top of that, it gives a writer that much more writing material!

As the years go on, I’m sure I will have much more to write on as it relates to marriage, but for the time being, I am including a song of promise on Snapshots of the Shattered Soul which will be a reminder to me of what I’ve committed to Crystal. It has been a tough song to write as love songs are a dime a dozen, and I’ve struggled to find the words to communicate my love for my bride. This album would not have happened if it wasn’t for her encouragement and companionship. In conclusion, I’d have to say that making music is that much sweeter and meaningful now that I have a friend and teammate like Crystal with whom to share the journey.

Production Update 10-11-10

2010-10-11T21:40:00.004-04:00

Sometimes producing an album is like watching paint dry. It can be quite a long road, and not every part of the production process is as exciting as the big recording day. There are some days when I feel burnt out and need a break. There are also moments of celebration as a new milestone is reached. I’m really looking forward to our next recording sessions in Nashville – however, there is still a fair amount of work to do before I take this next step, and there is still a good chunk of money yet to be raised. Some days, I get a little impatient, but I know the finished product will be worth the wait.

So where am I along the production time line? Well, I’m getting close to having all the editing completed (for what I’ve recorded so far), and I’ve finalized and transferred the majority of the MIDI sounds (synthesizers, organs, orchestral percussion, drum programming, etc.) from Logic Audio to Pro Tools (the songs were arranged in Logic Audio, but will be mixed in Pro Tools, thus the transfer). Many of the songs already have 50 audio tracks or more, and I haven’t even recorded the real strings yet, and have not imported any of the background vocals. When all is said and done, many songs will contain a good 100 audio tracks or more. As I’ve mentioned before, my friend Dave Bechtel will be mixing the album, and I’ve been busy preparing the Pro Tools sessions that I will eventually hand off to Dave for mixing. Some of this preparation includes setting up busses (for instrument groups – drums, guitars, etc.) and assigning colors to each audio track (according to each instrument’s group). Backstage Pass was arranged in Apple’s Logic, recorded with Pro Tools, but was then mixed in Steinberg’s Nuendo. With this album, Dave will be mixing the project in Pro Tools HD, and it will be nice to give him prepped Pro Tools sessions that are set up and ready to go. This will save both of us a lot of time.

Yesterday, I again recorded acoustic guitar with Matt Meyer (at 10x12 Productions). We have now officially tracked all acoustic guitar parts for the album. Thanks to Derek Hunt for letting us borrow his beautiful Taylor!

As far as preparation for Nashville trip #2 goes, I still have to finalize the string arrangements for three songs. Robert Nugent and Rich Barrett have given me their string arrangements; now I just need to wrap up my own arrangements (which includes preparing the sheet music). In addition, I have a small amount of audio editing left to do, and need to prep a number of Pro Tools sessions that I’ll use while tracking strings, guitar leads/textures, and piano during our next trip to Nashville. Financially, I’m continuing to save. It’s looking like I’ll have about 2/3 of what I need for the trip by the end of this year. I’m hoping that this next Nashville trip will happen sometime at the beginning of 2011. It’s tough to wait, but it feels good to pay as I go.

In other news, a couple weeks ago, Crystal and I took a long overdue vacation to Lakeside, OH and then to Chicago. It was so nice to get away from the daily grind and it felt very healthy to step away from the computer and the meticulous editing and exporting. I’ve returned to the project with a new excitement and a fresh perspective on the songs. It has indeed been a long haul, but little words of encouragement here and there have kept me going, all the while reminding me that this music is meant for something bigger than myself. I continue to pray that God will use Snapshots of the Shattered Soul for His glory.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1

Production Update 9-15-10

2010-09-15T13:44:00.005-04:00

The new album continues to progress. I haven’t given many updates recently because I’ve been quite pre-occupied in the studio. Nevertheless, I wanted to stop and give you a quick rundown of some of what’s been happening this last month.

On August 15th, I tracked acoustic guitar with Matt Meyer for 2 songs and tracked acoustic guitar for 3 more songs this past Sunday. This coming Sunday afternoon, we will be recording acoustic guitar for 2 final songs. Matt and I will also be meeting over the next month or two to record some additional rhythm electric guitar parts which we were unable to record on June 18th in Nashville, due to time constraints.

I’ve also exported about 75% of the audio from Logic Pro – this includes keyboards, organ, drum programming, and orchestral percussion - just to name some of the instruments. All of these audio files will eventually be imported into Pro Tools as the album will be mixed in Pro Tools. My good friend Dave Bechtel will be mixing the project.

I’d also say I’m about 75% finished with editing the audio that I’ve recorded to date – this includes real drums, bass, and rhythm guitar which was recorded on June 18th at DarkHorse Recording in Nashville, as well as the acoustic guitar which Matt Meyer and I have tracked over the last month or so.

I hope to spend much of October recording additional background vocals and preparing for the next trip to Nashville (which may happen in November, December, or January depending on how quickly I can raise the money). Preparations for this trip include (1) finishing the string sheet music for two songs that I’ve arranged the strings for (2), solidifying/fine tuning all piano arrangements, and (3) creating new simplified Pro Tools sessions which will be used during the Nashville recording sessions. This next trip will include 3 recording sessions – one for strings (with the David Davidson string quartet), one for guitar overdubs (with studio guitarist Mike Payne), and one for piano (which will probably be recorded at pianist’s Blair Master’s studio).

Snapshots of the Shattered Soul Synopsis

2010-09-11T23:30:00.003-04:00

I wrote this last August as I began working on the new album...

"The over arching purpose of Snapshots of the Shattered Soul is to point the listener away from the lies of this world and toward the truth of Christ. Some songs seek to resolve a specified tension, while others simply define a tension, without resolving it (as sometimes, the awareness of a problem is what first sparks a desire for change). Scripturally, the lyrics are derived from a variety of passages, many from the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The album deals with a number of difficult issues, including depression, addiction, self-esteem, materialism, fractured relationships and poverty. It would be easy for the listener to assume that the majority of these songs are written about me, when in fact much of the content of this project has been inspired by others and their stories of struggle. Some songs may speak of places I’ve been, but more readily, many of the songs represent the brokenness I’ve seen in the world around me, sadly often within the church and the circle of Christianity. Ultimately, I pray that these lyrics will inspire and/or re-inspire the listener to live a life grounded on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His promises."

"Your Secret Name" by Kary Oberbrunner

2010-08-27T11:20:00.008-04:00

Check out my friend Kary Oberbrunner's new book, Your Secret Name. http://www.yoursecretname.com/

"We all have one–a Secret Name that is. The Bible tells us so. Yet few of us know ours. Ignorantly, we’re stuck, caught up in the “Name Game,” searching for our true identity. Author Kary Oberbrunner takes you deep, past clichés to discover Your Secret Name and the vision God has for your life."

Buy the Book on Amazon.com.

Production Update

2010-08-24T22:53:00.007-04:00

The new album Snapshots of the Shattered Soul is coming along! On Sunday, August 15th, I tracked acoustic guitar for two songs with Matt Meyer at 10x12 Productions. We still have to record acoustic guitar for five more songs, and plan to do so mid September. I’ve also been very busy with editing recently. A couple weeks ago, I picked up DigiDesign’s Music Production Toolkit 2 that now allows me to use multi-track Beat Detective and run up to 64 audio tracks in Pro Tools (instead of 48 tracks, which I was limited to before the upgrade). In summary, multi-track Beat Detective is an incredibly useful tool that streamlines editing of drums and other instruments that span over multiple tracks (drums for example have multiple audio channels for kick, snare, high hat, etc.). So far, I’ve used Beat Detective on six of the thirteen songs on the new album.

I hope to have the majority of the editing (for the instruments I’ve recorded so far) finished by the end of September. I also hope to have all of the MIDI instruments exported from Logic by the end of September. Basically, each instrument that was birthed in Logic (synthesizers, organs, electronic drums & effects, etc.) needs to be exported as an individual stereo audio file, and then imported into Pro Tools, as the album will be mixed in Pro Tools.

Yesterday afternoon, I met with composer Robert Nugent to finalize one of the string arrangements. Robert has arranged the strings for two of the songs on the new album, and Rich Barrett has arranged the strings for one of the songs.

October will be spent recording new background vocals and supplementing some of the background vocals I recorded earlier this year for the demos (in other words, I may add some additional layers/parts to the already recorded background vocals.)

During my next trip to Nashville, I will be recording (1) live strings with the David Davidson string group, (2) guitar lead/texture overdubs with studio guitarist Mike Payne, and (3) real piano (which I will be playing). This trip is still not scheduled, but I’m hoping to take this trip sometime in November (depending on how quickly I can save the money). Upon returning from Nashville, I will repeat the clean-up/editing process for all newly recorded instruments (the strings, guitar overdubs, and piano), and will hopefully begin recording the final lead vocals early in the New Year.

I hope to release the new album by the first or second quarter of 2011.

Production Update

2010-08-06T13:16:00.005-04:00

I’m really excited about how the songs for the new album are sounding! Over the last month and half or so, I’ve been focusing on two things: (1) editing the audio from the June 18th recording session at Dark Horse Recording in Nashville (drums, bass, rhythm guitar) and (2) tweaking and cleaning up the arrangements for any MIDI/programmed instruments. These programmed instruments fall into two categories: (1) electronic sounds which will be part of the final mix (synthesizer pads and leads, organ, drum loops, orchestral percussion, and various effects) and (2) sampled instruments that have yet to be replaced with real instruments (this includes strings, guitar leads, and piano).

Back to Nashville
I’m hoping to make a second trip to Nashville in the fall to record live strings, live guitar leads/textures, and live piano. At this point, there is no set date for this next session. It all depends how quickly I can raise the money as I’m paying for this project as I go.

In Other News
Composer Robert Nugent is currently working on the string arrangement sheet music for two songs on the new album, and composer Rich Barrett is finishing the string arrangement sheet music for one song. I’m also arranging the strings for several songs, and am finalizing these arrangements (which includes preparing the sheet music).

Next Sunday, August 15th, I will be recording acoustic guitar with Matt Meyer at 10x12 Productions (for seven of the thirteen songs on the album).

The new Marc Andre rock album “Snapshots of the Shattered Soul” is set to release early 2011.

Progress of the Album: Editing (Ch. 13)

2010-07-25T23:04:00.010-04:00

The new album continues to come along! So far, I’ve completed rough Pro Tools edits on seven of the twelve songs we tracked at Dark Horse Recording in Nashville on June 18th. Editing is definitely not the flashiest part of the production process, but it is crucial. In this blog, I will try to de-mystify this important stage.

Slicing and Splicing
Years ago in the days of reel-to-reel recording, audio editing was accomplished with a razor blade. If an audio technician wanted to make an edit in a recording, he/she would literally cut the tape where desired and re-attach the tape with an adhesive (usually tape). Now a days, editing has become much more easy and precise with the release of digital audio systems (the software Pro Tools being the most widely used). Today, audio can be sliced into pieces and re-positioned with a few simple clicks of the mouse – no razor or tape necessary.

Editing Basics
As I mentioned in the previous blog, I prefer to edit in layers (at least when numerous live tracks have been recorded). The first layer of editing involves two elements: (1) replacing wrong notes by cutting right notes from another take or another portion of the song and replacing the wrong notes with the right notes, and (2) swapping out any bass/guitar notes, drums fills, etc. which I deem as misplaced or inappropriate to a given song (this is pretty rare given the players at the June 18th Nashville session).

When opening the Pro Tools session of a song, I begin by setting up a rough mix so I can hear all the instruments. I start by turning down all the audio channels and then I carefully bring up the drum mics, starting with the overhead mics, followed by the kick drum mics, and then the snare drums mics (in addition, I'll mix in some tom mics and room mics here and there). I also bus all the drum channels to a single stereo audio track so that I can control the overall drum mix with a single fader. I then slowly bring up the bass and guitar channels until they are well balanced with the drums.

After I have a rough mix, I solo out the drums and listen to them very carefully from start to finish to make sure there are no questionable hits or fills. I will also re-adjust any edits that were made the day of recording. During the recording session in Nashville, we would sometimes re-record a portion of the song – this is otherwise known as a “punch-in.” For example, if we had re-recorded the first chorus of a song, I will listen carefully to the start and end of the first chorus to make sure the edits both at the beginning and at the end of the chorus are clean (no clicks or pops) and natural (undetectable by the listener). Usually a punch-in begins a measure or two before and lasts a measure or two after the section that is being re-recorded. This allows for some “handles,” allowing the editor to re-align the actual place of the edit if necessary. For example, I may find that the first edit sounds awkward if it happens right before the downbeat of the first chorus. I may instead re-position the edit to beat four immediately before the downbeat of the chorus. It all depends on the section being edited. Every edit is going to be different.

In most cases, I will add a cross-fade everywhere where there is an edit. A cross-fade connects two adjacent audio files by overlapping them with a quick fade out and quick fade in. Cross-fades help to eliminate any pops or clicks, and aid in smoothing out an otherwise abrupt edit.

The Second Layer of Editing
During the first stage/layer of editing, I do most of my editing manually. By this, I mean I cut and move audio around by ear. I am always working on a visual grid which can be set anywhere from whole notes to 1/64th notes and beyond. This visual grid can be helpful when I am trying to figure out why an instrument sounds ahead or behind the beat. I may also synchronize instruments by visually lining them up next to each (as I can see the actual audio waveforms). An example of this would be two unison acoustic guitar takes - one panned to left and one to right.

During the second stage/layer of editing, I use a software tool called Beat Detective that allows me to quickly tighten things up by a percentage. For example, I may edit the drums to 92% instead of 100% (which might happen if I manually lined up every drum hit to a 16th note grid). It’s a pretty amazing technology. Within minutes, the program can (1) find all the drum hits (2) slice the drum audio at every drum hit (3) align the drums to a grid by percentage, (4) fill any gaps caused by the moved audio, and (5) add cross-fades where necessary. This is much easier understood if you actually see the program at work. I may post a video tutorial one of these days.

As far as editing order, I usually begin by doing some moderate Beat Detective editing on the drums and then I re-adjust the bass and guitar as necessary. I also always keep a backup of the original unedited audio in case my edits end up hurting the groove of the song.

A Delicate Cascade
Editing is both miraculous and dangerous. You can save a song with editing, but you can also destroy it. It’s important to understand that an edit made to one instrument can greatly affect the feel of the other instruments in a song, and can quickly upset the rhythmic equilibrium. No edit is an island. Moving the bass can mess up the groove of the drums and guitars, and locking the high hat to a 16th note grid can make the drums sound robotic (which may be intentional, depending on the style and song).

Some styles such as dance music imply a robotic feel, but most rock music calls for a human touch with some moderate rhythm inconsistency. Even the most accomplished musicians can’t play with the precision of a drum machine, but this rhythmic “imperfection” is one key ingredient to making music sound alive.

So why edit? Well, editing becomes a necessary evil especially when a musician is combining live and programmed elements (which much of my music incorporates). Live drums have to be a lot tighter than usual if they are being played along side programmed drum loops and synthesizers. At the end of the day, it’s really a matter of taste, and I prefer my music to be tight, but not mechanical.

Most of the songs you hear on the radio these days have undergone significant clean up and editing. The real test always becomes whether a band/musician can reproduce this sound from stage (although the stage is much more forgiving than recorded media).

Pictured is a classic 2" tape machine. These machines still record great audio, but make editing very difficult. Some musicians will actually record to tape and then transfer the tape audio into Pro Tools where they can more easily tweak and edit the audio.

Production Update July 19, 2010

2010-07-19T12:33:00.002-04:00

As you may have noticed, I have not been writing in the blog recently. The reason? I’ve been very busy in the studio. I’m currently going through the album song by song and am doing a variety of clean up. What do I mean by clean up? Well, for one, I am editing some of the drum, bass, and guitar audio we tracked on June 18th at Dark Horse Recording in Nashville. I usually go about editing in “layers.” This first layer of editing includes simple copying and pasting of parts. For example, if there is a wrong guitar note in one of the choruses, I will simply grab the right note from another chorus and paste it in where the wrong note was. This editing “layer” also includes some swapping of drum fills and bass licks. Occasionally, there may be a drum fill or bass lick that I’m not happy with, and I’ll grab a drum fill or bass note from another section of the song and paste it in where needed. All of this editing is being done in Pro Tools. Along with this process, I am also creating rough mixes of the live instruments for each of the songs. Once I am happy with the rough mix and the rough edits (editing layer 1, which I’ve been calling it), I will export a stereo mix (or bounce) of the drums, bass, and guitar and will import this mix of live instruments back into Logic (where the songs were originally created). I next delete all of the fake MIDI drums, bass, and guitars in the Logic session and replace them with the live instrument mix.

After this, I begin cleaning up all the programmed MIDI parts (in Logic). These programmed parts include piano (which will be replaced with real piano in the Fall), synthesizer, organ, electronic drum programming and effects. From time to time, there may be a wrong note, or I also may find that I need to either simplify or embellish some MIDI parts to now compliment the live instruments. I also go through a process of labeling every channel and instrument set up so I can easily rebuild the session down the road if need be. After the MIDI parts have been tweaked, I will begin exporting each individual instrument as an audio file. All of these audio files will later be imported into Pro Tools, as the album will ultimately be mixed in Pro Tools (not Logic).

In the coming months, I will be recording more acoustic guitar parts for the album with Matt Meyer (at 10x12 Productions). I will also begin layer 2 of the editing process, which incorporates a program called Beat Detective – I am still saving up to buy this. More about this later…

Production Update July 11, 2010

2010-07-11T10:03:00.004-04:00

The last several weeks since Nashville have been very busy, so I haven't had much time to work on the album until recently. This past week, I've been pulling rough mixes of the drums, bass, and guitar (from the Nashville session on June 18th) into Logic (they were recorded in Pro Tools). I've been focusing a lot recently on cleaning up the programming parts I've created in Logic (piano, synths, percussion, etc.). Also, yesterday, I tracked acoustic guitar with my friend Patrick Skelton for one of the songs on the new album. Patrick is also working on a new project, and we were also recording some of his guitar parts for his songs at 10x12 Productions.

Progress of the Album: The Big Day (Ch. 12)

2010-06-28T12:04:00.019-04:00

Thursday afternoon (July 17th), Crystal and I arrived at our hotel in Brentwood, TN around 4:00pm. We had made surprisingly great time and had encountered very little traffic. It seemed quite unreal that in less than 24 hours, we’d be tracking at Dark Horse Recording about a half hour away in Nashville. The last time I had recorded at Dark Horse was in October of 2003. It felt like a dream to be back at it again.

‘Twas The Night Before Tracking…
We chilled out in our hotel for a little while, and then headed down to the local O’Charley’s for a bite to eat. I had a turkey burger with salad and sweet potato fries, and Crystal had cheesy potato soup and shrimp salad. Good stuff! After filling our bellies, we traveled north to Dark Horse to drop off the Pro Tools files that needed to be imported for the morning recording session. Unfortunately, our mapquest directions were quite inaccurate so we had to call co-producer Dave Bechtel for help. It took us a little while to find our way, but we eventually arrived at Dark Horse at around 8:00pm. We stepped out of the car into the still yet muggy Nashville night air and headed in to The Lodge (the largest room in Dark Horse) where we met co-producer Dave Bechtel and studio assistant Mike Carr. This is the first time I had ever met Mike, a bearded and friendly heavy rock bassist who shook my hand, and after a moment of awkward silence exclaimed, “So I hear you brought a hard drive?” “Why yes!” I said. I pulled my new firewire 500 gig hard drive out of its shiny black pouch, and handed it to Dave who took it to a back room and plugged it into Dark Horse’s Mac which sported the latest version of Pro Tools HD. After the drive was plugged in, Mike opened the very first Pro Tools session (for track #1) only to be met by an unwelcoming screen with a white box that read “DAE Error.” The air pulsed with tension as Dave and Mike scratched their heads. Fortunately, I had brought a back up drive as well as a stack of DVDs that contained copies of the Pro Tools sessions. Nevertheless, I was a bit concerned as this whole trip could be a loss if those Pro Tools sessions failed to open. After several minutes of discussion, Dave and Mike concluded that my firewire 800 drive must not be compatible with Pro Tools HD (Pro Tools LE seems to work fine with firewire 800, but apparently Pro Tools HD prefers the firewire 400 protocol). The solution was simple – copy all of my files onto one of Dark Horse’s hard drives. Dave, Mike, Crystal and I chatted for a good twenty minutes as the files copied, and after the files were transferred, Mike opened each Pro Tools session to ensure that everything was playing back correctly. I think we ended up leaving Dark Horse around 9:30pm.

Let The Recording Begin!
Crystal and I awoke around 8:00am Friday morning unexpectedly rested. I had figured I wouldn’t sleep with all the excitement of the big day, but I surprisingly passed out Thursday night. After getting ready, we sampled our hotel “continental” breakfast (which was rather lame with fruit loops, muffins, strange sausage, and egg beaters), packed the car, and stopped at Starbucks for an am pick-me-up. We arrived at the studio around 9:00am. Guitarist Matt Meyer (our friend from Hilliard, OH) had arrived about an hour before us, had set up his amp and pedals, and was practicing through his notebook of song charts. Drummer Miles McPherson was in the other room setting up his drum set. I took a moment to say hi to Miles and then sat down on one of the leather couches and began reviewing my recording notes. Crystal contently sipped her coffee in a big leather chair to my left.

Dave and Mike skipped from one room to the next, adjusting microphones and sound deadening material. Dustin, one of the interns, entered the room with a large stack of unnecessary chart copies (as I had brought 5 tabbed and colored-coded notebooks - one for each person involved). Bassist Joeie Canaday stepped into The Lodge around 9:45 and greeted me with a smile. Not long after this, Dave began setting recording levels starting with Mile’s kick drum. We began rolling as planned just around 10:01 am. With the first two bars of the first song, I knew this was going to be a great day.

You Know You’re a Professional When…
The goal was to track drums, bass, and electric rhythm guitar for twelve songs in six hours. We had a lot to accomplish. Basically, we had just about thirty minutes allotted for each tune (This was similar to our Backstage Pass recording session in 2003, although that session included two guitarists - Mark Baldwin and Jerry McPherson (drummer Mile’s McPherson dad), pianist Rich Barrett, and the Nashville String Machine orchestra). The first four songs went relatively smoothly although by noon, we were about 45 minutes behind the predicted schedule. The players nailed most of the songs in one take (with a punch in or two), yet additional time was required as Miles and Joeie had to re-write each of my number charts. Here is the typical order of events. First, studio assistant Mike would play back a song’s MIDI demo 1-2 times as Miles and Joeie stood at a table in the control room and feverishly transcribed their own simplified versions of my number charts. Moments later, Miles would grab his bottle of orange juice and slip into the drum room with a quirky comment and an energetic “Let’s do this!” (I think he must have drunk about four bottles of orange juice that Friday).

I still can’t believe the talent of these guys. I don’t think Miles or Joeie had listened to any of the demos, yet they played each song nearly perfectly in a single take. It was so amazing to hear the songs come to life! You can do a lot with MIDI these days, but there is nothing like a real drummer, bassist, and guitarist.

Tacos, Tours, and Technical Difficulties
We broke for lunch around 1:15pm. We had tracked six songs, and had six to go. One of the interns had made a run to Franklin’s Oscar’s Taco Shop and had returned with food for the band. Crystal, Matt, Dave, and I sat in Dark Horse’s dining area and chatted with Miles and Joeie about touring, recording, and music (Miles will soon be going on the road with Kelly Clarkson and Joeie will be touring with LeAnne Rimes). For dessert, Crystal shared a batch of her homemade chocolate chip peanut butter cookies – a definite hit.

Everyone trickled back into the studio, and after the last cookie was devoured, the recording re-insued around 1:45. We were still about forty-five minutes behind, but made up for lost time after lunch (despite the taco comas). The guys navigated the remaining six songs with ease, and hit the last note of the 12th song a little before 4:00pm (there is a 13th song on the album, but it is a piano/strings/vocal only song and will be recorded at a later date). While Miles and Joeie were packing up their instruments, studio assistant Mike Carr made copies of all the Pro Tools sessions as the recorded files had inadvertently ended up on multiple drives (a very bad thing). Basically, making a copy of a Pro Tools session consolidates all the media to one location (which in this case happened to be Dave’s personal drive as my drive did not play well with Pro Tools HD). It’s really important that all the files are in one location. Otherwise, it’s easy to loose/misplace valuable data.

Guitar Overdubs and File Transfers
In the meantime, Matt, Crystal, and I helped Miles carry his drum set pieces out to his SUV. He was on his way to pick up a birthday present for his wife, which was the next day. It was entertaining to watch Miles and Joeie shake, hug and say their farewells. I think they had a lot of fun. What great guys.

After all the Pro Tools files were copied, Dave and I spent a couple hours recording additional electric guitar parts with Matt Meyer. Our purpose for this day was to simply capture rhythm electric guitar, which means much of what we recorded were power chords and arpeggios (lead parts will be done at a later date, and acoustic guitar will be recorded here in Columbus at 10x12 Productions). Matt has done such a great job so far and I’m so thankful that he can be a part of this project! Thanks Matt!

We finished recording around 7:00pm. The final step was to copy all the files onto my personal drive. Dave would be keeping a copy and I would be keeping a copy. The total data count was about 32 gigs of 24-bit 48kHz audio (each song took up about 2-3 gigs).

The day had been a success! To celebrate, Dave, Matt, Crystal and I journeyed to downtown Nashville for a mouth-watering pizza at the Mellow Mushroom. We chatted about recording, the World Cup, and reminisced on what had turned out to be an unbelievable session. Crystal and I arrived back at our hotel around 11:00pm. This time, I found it difficult to sleep. I was still ramped up about the day, and felt that I should back up all the data to a second drive. I also began opening the Pro Tools sessions to ensure that everything was there and playing properly. I think we finally fell asleep about 1:30am.

The next day, I finished checking the Pro Tools sessions and discovered that one song was missing some guitar files! Fortunately, they were still on one of Dark Horse’s hard drives, and Dave was able to post the files on his site for me to download.

I returned to Columbus a happy camper. Thanks again to everyone who prayed for us! I’m looking forward to sharing this new music with you.

To hear some humorous audio out takes from our Dark Horse session, click here.

The Hints Unraveled

2010-06-22T10:18:00.012-04:00

If you haven’t heard yet, the name of the new Marc Andre rock album is Snapshots of the Shattered Soul. Were you one of the many people trying to figure out the name? If so, click here for the answers to all the clues (given on the blog during the month of June).

The New Album Name Unveiled!!!

2010-06-15T12:03:00.001-04:00

SNAPSHOTS OF THE SHATTERED SOUL - the name of the new Marc Andre rock album. Congrats to Amy Margraff who guessed the name!! Amy, you win a free download of the album when it is released!!

Recording FAQ

2010-06-14T15:57:00.003-04:00

This Friday, we’ll be heading down to Dark Horse Recording in Nashville to record drums, bass, and rhythm guitar for the new Marc Andre rock album. All the Pro Tools sessions and chart notebooks are ready to go! Now I just have to pack my toothbrush and other essentials for the big trip!

Dispelling the Confusion
From time to time, I will talk to people who only skim the blog, but don’t know exactly what I’m working on or why I’m going to Nashville. Below are some questions I’ve been asked, and I thought I would clarify some details.

1. Why Are You Going to Nashville?
To record drums, bass, and guitar for the new Marc Andre rock album.

2. Who Is Playing On The Album?
So far, we have Miles McPherson on drums, Joey Canaday on bass, and Matt Meyer on electric guitar.

3. Will The Album Be Finished After This Week’s Recording Session?
No. When I return to Columbus, I will edit what we have recorded in Nashville and will return to Nashville (probably in the fall) to record guitar overdubs and live strings. I will make a final trip to Nashville for mastering (probably this winter).

4. When Will The Album Be Released?
Hopefully, the album will be released early 2011.

5. Who Will Be Promoting The Album?
I will be the one promoting the album.

6. Are You Trying To Get Signed With A Record Label?
No, that is not one of my goals.

7. Who Is Producing The Album?
My friend Dave Bechtel and I are co-producing the album, which means it is a combined effort.

8. Is This Another Rap Album?
No. This is a Christian rock album. I don’t rap anymore.

9. Do You Have Any Other CDs?
Yes. Both of my most recent CDs are on iTunes and CDbaby.com.

10. Who Is Marc Andre? I Know You By Another Name.
I am Marc Andre. Andre is my middle name, and Marc Andre is my stage name.

Hope this clears some things up!

Keep your eye on the blog for pictures and videos from Friday’s recording session.

Practice with Guitarist Matt Meyer

2010-06-06T20:53:00.003-04:00

Today, Hilliard native Matt Meyer and I met for the second time to go over guitar parts for the new rock album. Matt will be joining us at Dark Horse Recording on June 18th. The music is really coming together! I'm anxious to hear Matt's guitar parts with real drums and bass! Less than two weeks until we head to Nashville!

Production Update June 03, 2010

2010-06-03T17:15:00.002-04:00

Two weeks from tomorrow, we’ll be recording drums, bass, and rhythm guitar at Dark Horse Recording in Nashville! I don’t have a lot of time right now, but wanted to give you a quick update on what I’ve been up to over the last week or so.

- I purchased a DigiDesign Mbox 2 and Installed Pro Tools on my laptop. I didn’t want to install it on my iMac quite yet, as this is the computer that has been running Logic Pro all along, and I would have to do an operating system update to install Pro Tools (from Mac OSX 10.5.1 to OSX 10.5.8). Operating system updates can be a bit scary at times, and may require updates of multiple third-party plug-ins (I’ve been avoiding any updates for the last 10 months). I don’t want to risk having to re-build my whole computer at this 11th hour, so I just installed Pro Tools on my laptop instead. The iMac is much faster and will be used for editing and mixing down the road, but for the time being, the laptop will work great for setting up basic Pro Tools sessions for June 18th at Dark Horse.

- I exported all the sub-mix files from Logic and imported those into Pro Tools. The Pro Tools sessions are basically ready to go except for a few tweaks here and there (I was actually able to set them up much faster than I had anticipated). I will be working on finishing up the Pro Tools sessions over the next several days. I also may possibly mail some DVDs of the Pro Tools sessions to engineer/co-producer Dave Bechtel in Nashville early this week so that all the files can be imported into the Pro Tools system at Dark Horse Recording ahead of time (this will save time the day of recording).

- I began the process of registering my new songs with ASCAP. This is required for radio play (if the songs end up getting played on the radio). I’ll give more details on ASCAP later.

- Today, I’ve been working on organizing a number of hard drives and have been backing up a bunch of old files so I have more room on my drives. This isn’t the most exciting thing, but is important as I will need two drives on the day of recording – one which we’ll record to, and one which I’ll use for backup. Unfortunately, I may have to drop $150-$180 and get a larger and faster Firewire 7200 rpm drive which will be used throughout the entire recording, editing, and mixing stages.

- This Sunday, I will be meeting with guitarist Matt Meyer to go over guitar parts again. He will be joining us at Dark Horse on June 18th.

- Over the next two weeks, I’ll be listening to the demos very carefully and will be adding additional notes to the Nashville number charts we’ll be using at Dark Horse.

- That’s it for now! More updates are on their way!

Progress of the Album: Game Plan (Ch. 11)

2010-05-27T22:34:00.003-04:00

Three weeks from today, we’ll be leaving for Nashville! If you haven’t heard yet, on June 18th, I’ll be at Dark Horse Recording in Nashville recording drums, bass, and rhythm guitar for the new Marc Andre rock album that is set to release early 2011. It’s hard to believe it’s been 6 ½ years (October 2003) since I was at Dark Horse tracking my last album Backstage Pass. This trip should be a lot of fun!

Prepping the Demos
So far, I’ve already spent about 6 months preparing MIDI demos for the live band to emulate. In addition, I’m now currently working on exporting all the instruments from the demos as sub-mixes. In other words, all of the instruments are now being sup-grouped into the following categories/channels: (1-2) drums, (3) bass, (4-5) rhythm guitar, (6-7) lead guitar, (8-9) keys, (10-11) percussion, (12-13) lead vocals, and (14-15) background vocals. On the day of recording, the musicians can adjust the volume of these sub-mixes to taste. For example, the drummer may want to turn up the percussion a bit more than the bassist, just to stay tight with any drum programming. As another example, some musicians may want to hear a lot of the lead vocal and some may want to turn it down quite a bit. The band will probably listen to the fake drums, bass, and guitars once for demo purposes only and then those channels will be muted once we start recording (as we are replacing all the fake drums, bass, and guitar with real instruments).

Making the Most of the Time
As you can probably imagine, studio time isn’t cheap. Neither are studio musicians. With this in consideration, I am sketching out a game plan so that we (co-producer Dave Bechtel and I) can work as quickly and as efficiently as possible while we are at Dark Horse. My goal is to spend about a ½ hour on each song, which equals out to about 6 hours per tune (we have 12 songs to track on June 18th. The 13th song on the album is a piano/strings/vocal only song, and will be recorded later). If we go over a little, that’s ok, but 6 hours would be ideal. I hope to record 6 songs in the morning before lunch and 6 songs after lunch.

The Order of Tracking
We also will probably group the songs by sound, and will record songs with similar qualities back-to-back. In other words, all of the heavier songs may be recorded one after the other as they may call for complimentary drum tones… similar kick and toms possibly with a varied snare drum from song to song. Dave Bechtel will be engineering the session and will have a better idea how to arrange the order of song tracking, although I am trying to plan things the best I can. Dave is a very seasoned engineer who knows a lot about miking technique, and has a great understanding of how to get particular sounds out of live instruments. He has been responsible for lining up the studio and the studio musicians, and has been giving me pointers throughout this entire process. I am extremely thankful to him for his involvement in this project!

The name of the new album will be unveiled on June 15th. Be sure to check the blog next Tuesday, June 1st for the first hint of what the album will be called.

Mouse in the House Remix on CDBaby.com!!

2010-05-24T16:43:00.006-04:00

Want to contribute a little towards the recording costs of Marc Andre's new rock album? One small way you can help is by purchasing the Mouse in the House (Alumni Remix) on CDbaby.com for just $0.99. Click the CDbaby image above to sample the song and to read more details. Every dollar counts!! Thanks for your support!!

(NOTE: This is a remix of a rap song I released in 1994. It is simply a fundraiser and something I created for the fun of it. The new rock album will sound nothing like this, but will instead sound somewhat like Backstage Pass, yet a good bit more aggressive).

The Album: Motivation (Chapter 10, Part 2 of 2)

2010-05-22T15:37:00.004-04:00

So why am I working on a new rock album? That is a great question. It’s a question I often ask myself, especially when the going gets tough and I start to get a little weary of the long vertical climb. Nobody forced me to take this challenge on. Nobody is paying me to put out another CD. Aren’t I being a little too analytical here? Why even consider my motives? Because like I mentioned earlier, motives are the backbone of why we do things, and if the purpose of what we do is grounded in something bigger than ourselves, we can have that much more confidence to keep trying when our emotions tempt us to throw in the towel. I wouldn’t say I am exactly tempted to give up now, but I do sometimes run through a list of “what ifs.” What if few people buy my CD? What if people don’t like the new music? What if they like my old music better? What if I don’t make any profit? Will I feel like a failure? What if people don’t get where I’m coming from with such strong and emotional songs? What if I can’t afford to finish the project? What if I get done with the CD, and I don’t even like the songs? What if this is the last CD I ever make? The list can become quite ridiculous at times. These are often the moments when God stops me and asks, “Marc, what about people and what about my glory? What about the relationships between you and others who are giving their time and talent to help make this project a reality? Will these friendships grow or will they be damaged through this process?” Wow. We sure can get focused on the wrong things real quick, can’t we? Here’s a good verse I often come back to.

”Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” Psalm 127:1

I have often fallen into the trap of believing that my songs are what will change people’s lives. However, the older I get, the more I realize that music and songs mean nothing if I am inconsiderate of my family and friends, and if I am unconscious of the God that gave me the opportunities and the mind to create. Of course, I want these new songs to encourage and challenge people, but I also understand that my interaction with others is so much more important than the music I release.

A Different Conception
In addition to the purpose of wanting to glorify the Lord and encourage people, there are some other reasons why I am working on this new album. In some of my previous blogs, I’ve mentioned that I went through a five-year writing drought between the years of 2004 and 2009. For years, I wanted to produce a new album, but felt so lost creatively and didn’t know which direction to go topically and musically (I also had no idea how I could afford to make another CD, as I was still paying off a huge debt accrued from Backstage Pass). Throughout these five years, I believe I was burying a lot of emotions in an attempt to survive, and I’m now convinced I was likewise squelching my feelings to the point that I no longer knew how to get those feelings out constructively in song. I remember telling myself repeatedly, “My feelings don’t matter” because it was the only way I could stop feeling the pain. As an author friend of mine put it, “I was killing my heart.” I began feeding myself a lie that nobody cared about my pain, and with this, I started believing that I shouldn’t care either.

Nevertheless, the Lord brought me out of that. He reminded me that I needed to bring my pain and my flattened hopes to Him. This began a God-led emotional healing in my life. I felt a new freedom to let go and trust Him. However, for a time, I believe this new perspective actually threw me off creatively. From all I knew, it was my darker and heavier songs that moved people the most – songs like Pull Through, Hurricane, and By Now. I was convinced that emotionally charged music was my strongest suit, but I didn’t know how to write heavy songs when my heart was no longer heavy. For years, I kept a journal that covered the topic of writing new songs, but I never actually wrote any songs (or at least ones that I liked).

Then, in August 2009, songs started pouring out in the middle of the night about a week after a coffee shop conversation I had had with a friend who was struggling with depression and negative thoughts. It was as if something had just clicked. For once, I stepped outside of my own life and started writing from other people’s perspectives. I began to notice the struggle in others’ lives and how those struggles related to the struggles I had in my own life. For a long time, I wanted to write an album for the down and outer, and finally, I figured out how to do it in my own way. I decided I was going to be completely honest instead of hiding behind the façade that is so prevalent in Christian music these days. This single conversation over coffee with my friend was the first of many situations that encouraged me to not only write about where I was currently, but also about where I had been. As I was composing these new songs, this verse came to mind -

”Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

Centering Our Motives
Let’s be honest. Sometimes, it’s really tough to know our true motives. Even good motives can quickly turn sour and selfish. Paul even addressed the topic of motives in I Corinthians 4:3-5 -

”I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”

I know that my motives have not always been pure (even though I’ve tried to keep God in the center of my endeavors). As I look back, I can see that there were many times when I found my identity through music. In middle school and high school, I was the Christian rapper. It seems silly in hindsight, but at the time, it was a big deal to be the school rap star. Even then, I wanted to glorify Christ through my music, but underneath, I think I did eat up people’s praise from time to time. Even now, there are moments when I wrestle with truly giving the glory to God instead of taking it for myself. As Paul said, God is the ultimate judge, and it’s possible that we’re still guilty of hoarding the glory even when we think we’re innocent. I still often pray, “Lord, help me with my motives. Help me to keep You, others, and eternity in mind.”

Lowered Expectations and Heightened Freedom
In closing, I’m going to talk a little about expectations. Being that there have been some let downs in the past, I’m trying to lose some of the expectations I carried during previous projects. For one, I’m not working to make a profit. I’m paying for the project outright, and I’m avoiding using credit cards. I don’t want to dig myself a deep hole in the pocket hoping for something I have zero control over. If anything, I just don’t want to pay for the album for years to come.

I’m also not setting out to get signed by a record label. I’m going to market this project myself, and if someone “in the business” hears it and likes it, that’s great, but I’m not counting on that, nor am I shaping the content of this album with a mysterious Christian label executive in mind.

In addition, I don’t expect everybody to like my music. Some people don’t even like music at all, let alone Christian rock. This doesn’t mean these people don’t like me, and it doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t like them either. It’s not going to be for everyone, and I’m ok with that.

I’m not expecting these songs to change the world. They’re just songs, but I do hope they encourage people – even if I never hear about it. Ultimately, I pray that hearts will be changed, but this is only something God can do. He can use whatever He wants to make Himself known to people.

Finally, I have to admit that there is part of me that just likes a challenge, and likes to see rough ideas turn into art. God is a creative being and after making the universe, He stepped back, rested, and exclaimed, “It is good!” As long as God is in the center, I suppose there is nothing wrong with simply doing something because you enjoy the process and like to admire the finished product.

Quick Production Update

2010-05-18T10:56:00.006-04:00

In just over four weeks, we’ll be heading to Dark Horse Recording in Nashville to record drums, bass, and rhythm guitar for the new album. Joining us will be studio drummer Miles McPherson, bassist Joey Canaday, and Hilliard, OH native guitarist Matt Meyer. For those of you just tuning in, I am working on a new rock album, set to release early 2011. This will be my third pop rock CD. You can listen to my previous albums Dishes and Backstage Pass either on iTunes or CDbaby.com.

For those of you who have been following along for a while… all demos and Nashville number charts for the new album have been completed, except for one tune which I am still tweaking (track #5). I hope to work on this song some later this week.

I’ve also been busy raising some extra money for the first phase of the recording process. So far, I’ve made enough to pay for the first Nashville trip (coming up on June 18th), and now I am working to make some extra cash to purchase a Pro Tools Mbox2 system, which I will use for the editing and mixing stages of the new album (All work so far has been done in Logic Pro). This past Saturday, I helped tear down some audio gear at the Race for the Cure in downtown Columbus, and on Sunday night, I spent about 6 ½ hours in the rain tearing down sound and light equipment at the Nelsonville Music Festival in Nelsonville, OH (near Hocking Hills). In addition, I’m running sound for some weddings on the weekends, and am possibly producing and recording some songs for a friend or two (not to mention I’m giving a few haircuts here and there). I should probably order the Pro Tools Mbox2 in the next couple weeks, as I want to have at least two weeks to set up all the Pro Tools sessions that we’ll need when we go to Nashville in June.

This past weekend, marcandremusic.com went back online. For a while, this URL has forwarded to 10x12productions.com (my small business), but I’ve now set up a temporary page for this URL that will be revamped (and will look a lot cooler) once the new album is released.

On The Schedule This Week…
This Thursday, I’ll be meeting with composer Robert Nugent to review string arrangements (for two songs on the new album). I’m also preparing a game plan for our big day at Dark Horse Recording (June 18th). I will cover this in a future blog.

Progress of the Album: Motivation (Chapter 10 part 2 of 2) coming this weekend…

Musician Spotlight: Joey Canaday

2010-05-18T10:43:00.002-04:00

Joining drummer Miles McPherson and guitarist Matt Meyer at Dark Horse Recording on June 18th will be bassist Joey Canaday. Some of his credits include playing for artists LeAnne Rimes and Matthew West. You can read more about Joey on his website at: http://joeycanadaybass.com

The Album: Motivation (Chapter 10, Part 1 of 2)

2010-05-15T14:14:00.004-04:00

Are you a person who starts things and doesn’t finish them or are you a person who fights with sweaty determination to complete what you’ve started? Why are some of us so bad at follow-through and why are some of us so driven and persistent, even to the point of imbalance? I’m not sure if I have an answer for this. I suppose we all just have a different make-up. However, I do know that motives are critical to why many of us go to such great lengths to accomplish this or that. What pushes a summer sports Olympian to spend years and years preparing for an event that only happens once every four years? What drives an ice sculptor to work so long and diligently on one piece of art that is going to melt when the sun comes out and the temperature rises?

A Little History Lesson
Behind every goal and every project is a motive. As with anything else, the conception of a CD comes through a variety of motives - some good, some bad, some clear and intentional, some subliminal. There have been purposes behind every album I’ve produced. In 1989, I began my first rap album Initial Cut believing that I could reach people through Christian music, all the while attempting to follow in the shoes of my favorite band dc Talk. I also just thought it’d be a lot of fun to record an album! In 1994, I went on to record my second Christian rap album Mouse in the House, again hoping that listeners would be encouraged through the Christian songs and entertained through the fun songs. In 1995, I released a single at Word of Life Bible Institute called The Institute Thang (can you see the dc Talk influence?), this time with intentions of making a little extra cash, as I was a poor college student. There was also part of me that just really missed recording, and I felt that the production of a single like this was something I could do cheaply and without much time commitment (I produced it during the winter of 1994, during my Christmas break). In 1996, I released another rap single at Liberty University – My Almamater. This time around, I was attempting to raise some money to buy a computer so I could start recording digitally using Pro Tools. I made some money from the sales of the cassette, but not as much as I had hoped. The following semester, a friend of mine produced a music video for My Almamater, and it was through the sales of this video that I made enough cash to purchase my first computer, a Macintosh clone). After buying this computer, I began recording songs in my dorm room at Liberty University. One of the first songs I recorded was Dishes (which was later re-recorded for my Dishes album, which debuted in 2001). There weren’t any deep motives behind the production of the first version of Dishes; I simply was trying to get more acquainted with Pro Tools and digital recording. In 2007, I put out my first rap CD that included two versions of My Almamater, and two other Liberty University inspired songs – Jerryland and Red Mudd (all projects previous to this had been released on cassette). During the school year of 1996, My Almamater had grown in popularity at Liberty University (it was often played on the campus radio station, C-91). Some people were asking me if I had the song on CD instead of cassette… so I assumed that a re-release of My Almamater on CD would be just the ticket to more sales. I also thought some additional songs (Jerryland, and Red Mudd) would increase the value of the album. However, sadly, the Jerryland CD did not sell well at all, and the song Jerryland never gained the popularity of the formally released My Almamater.

From Rap To Pop to Rock
After graduating from Liberty University in 1998, I began considering the possibility of producing a pop rock CD. From what I remember, there were several motives behind this move. For one, I wanted to step away from rap and try something more challenging. The more I examined the rap medium, the more I felt that it was relatively simple and didn’t require that much talent to produce. I also felt a little ashamed that I couldn’t sing, so I started trying to write melodic songs and sing them. It’s possible I was also again trying to follow in the shoes of dc Talk, who was likewise moving away from rap and towards rock. I remember hearing the song Jesus Freak and thinking, “Wow! That is really cool! I bet I’ll be more current if I start singing pop rock songs instead of rapping.” At first, I wasn’t sure how I would ever record a professional band-driven CD. However, one day my friend Dave Bechtel introduced me to an incredible Columbus-based guitarist named Tom Tussing. Tom ended up playing about 90% of the guitar parts on the Dishes album, and Dave helped to produce the album. The excitement of working towards a finished product was also coupled with a hope that a record label would likewise gain an interest in me as an artist. For the first time in my life, I began dreaming seriously about a career in music. This hope served as a backdrop behind two years of dedicated sweat and tears. The Dishes album was released in July of 2001.

After a two-year recording hiatus, I began writing my second rock album Backstage Pass in 2003. The motives behind this project were much different than those behind any other project. I was very heart-broken at the time, and I just needed to get my feelings out in a constructive way (this is seen in songs like Hurricane, After Everything, and Pull Through.) The lyrics from this album poured from an aching spirit instead of from a spirit forcing itself to find topics to write about. Backstage Pass debuted in October of 2004.

The Rollercoaster of Music Production
The creative journey can be a mixture of disappointment and soaring fulfillment. Along my musical path have been many ups and downs. Looking back, I can remember some really discouraging moments. I recall being quite discouraged at one point during my college years, so discouraged that I threw an entire box of unsold My Almamater cassettes in a dumpster behind one of the dorms. I remember a campus grounds student employee calling me to say he had found a box of my cassettes in a dumpster, to which I responded that I had meant to throw them away. I don’t think he knew what to say to that.

Days after the release of Dishes in 2001, I was set to perform some of my new songs for thousands of teenagers in Anaheim, CA. I actually rush ordered the first run of Dishes, and had about 300 CDs shipped ahead of time to Anaheim, hoping that I could sell them all to my new found fans. It turns out that the coordinator for this event cancelled my slot in the program, and instead scheduled me to sing for a roomful of 50+ year-old pastors who didn’t understand my music, and likewise found no interest in purchasing my CDs. I came back from Anaheim disappointed after only selling about 15 CDs (about 285 CDs were shipped back to Columbus).

In 2005 (a year after the release of Backstage Pass), I remember sitting on a rock outside a hotel in Bristol, TN after a show at King College. My band mates and I were struggling to see eye-to-eye and the turn out for the show at King was far from what I had expected. This was the straw that began to break the camel’s back, and I think it was at this point that I really started considering giving up on the idea of pursuing music as a career. I felt like I was hitting one brick wall after another, and wasn’t sure how much more let down I could take.

In 2006, I performed my last show (for nearly 4 years) at Huntington University in Indiana. I had had so many expectations for where my music would go, and so many of those fell flat. Record labels wouldn’t respond to my emails and packets. Most radio stations refused to play my music. I played a number of concerts, but I had a terrible time scheduling band musicians, and the lack of turn out at many shows was disheartening. Once, the band and I drove to a summer camp in West Virginia in hopes of playing for hundreds of kids. What we found was a crowd of about 30 kids, half of them literally passed out in their seats from the scorching summer sun. At many concerts, hardly anyone went out of their way to visit my merchandise table. I often found myself standing there alone while kids visited the merchandise tables of other bands.

To add to all this, between 2004 and 2008, I found myself paying off $10,000 of credit card debt, which would have been easily been paid off with the sale of 1000 CDs (this never happened).

I don’t say all this to make you feel sorry for me. Instead, I’m sharing these stories to give you some background on where I’ve been, and to put into perspective the significance of this new album. A lot has happened in my life since that last concert at Huntington University in 2006, both circumstantially and spiritually. It certainly is interesting to look back and see how God’s fingerprints have been all over those situations that at the time left me discouraged and even at times angry. I imagine you probably have some stories of your own. It’s very easy to focus on our short-term earthly goals without remembering God’s bigger purpose of shaping the attitudes and priorities of our hearts.

Up Next… So why am I working on a new album? What is driving me to take on another project? What is the inspiration behind this CD? Read part 2 of this post...

Production Update May 9th, 2010

2010-05-11T15:24:00.006-04:00

I’ve accomplished a lot recently! Here is a list of what I’ve done over the week or so.

(1) Met with composer Robert Nugent last Thursday to discuss string arrangements for track #8 and track #13. Robert has rough string arrangements for both of these songs, and they are sounding great! I'm really glad he's a part of the team!

(2) Created guitar split track mixes for Matt Meyer (so far I’ve sent him split track mixes for 6 of the 13 songs; all fake guitars are on the right side, and all the other instruments and vocals are on the left side – this makes it easier for him to practice his guitar parts). Matt will be playing electric guitar on the album, and will be joining us at DarkHorse Recording on June 18th (as we also record drums and bass).

(3) Wrote Nashville number charts for track #11 (the worship song) and also track #10 (a fast guitar driven song), which I apparently overlooked when I was creating all of the other Nashville Number charts.

(4) Reworked the MIDI demo for track #12 (the love song) to match the most recent arrangement that I finally nailed down after playing the song at church the other Sunday with our worship band. The MIDI arrangement is currently about 75% finished. I will be recording vocals for this song later this week.

(5) Tweaked the bridge and the final chorus of track #7 and also wrote a Nashville number chart for this song (I did this in the middle of the night last night! I’m crazy!)

This week, I will be focusing heavily upon finishing the MIDI demo for track #12 (the love song). I also still need to create a Nashville number chart for this tune. After this, I’ll move on to finalizing the MIDI demo for track #5 (the last remaining trouble song). Once I'm finished with this, I’ll start creating Pro Tools sessions for the June 18th session at Dark Horse Recording. Just over 5 weeks until Nashville!

Musician Spotlight: Miles McPherson

2010-05-10T12:04:00.006-04:00

Nashville studio drummer Miles McPherson is slated to play drums on the new Marc Andre rock album! In addition to playing in the studio, he's played with a number of bands live (Kelly Clarkson, Bo Bice and Matt Redman to name a few). Check out some of his YouTube videos below.

Miles plays drums with Kelly Clarkson on Leno
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGe-7sd3CzE

Miles talks about Vator Percussion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfnhpKP7M7M

A Track-by-Track Production Update

2010-05-03T15:21:00.011-04:00

This past week has been extremely significant to the progression of the new rock album. Here is a list of some of the things that have happened over the last seven days.

(1) I added a bridge and a different ending to track #11, the worship song. This included writing additional lyrics, re-working the MIDI demo and recording new lead and background vocals. The demo for this song is basically complete now, which means I can start creating a Nashville number chart for this tune.

(2) I solidified the arrangement for track #12, the love song. I actually played this song with my church’s worship band yesterday morning at church (the topic was on marriage). It was quite helpful to hear this song played by a real band. A few of the band guys actually gave me some great ideas that will become part of the final arrangement (including some cut offs and rhythmic accents). I’ll be creating a Nashville number chart for this song in the near future, after I re-work the MIDI demo (as the arrangement has changed a little now that I’ve played the song with a real band).

(3) Last night, I met with guitarist Matt Meyer for about 3 hours to go over electric guitar parts. He will be joining co-producer Dave Bechtel and I at Darkhorse Recording in Nashville on June 18th as we record drums, bass, and rhythm guitar. He had some excellent ideas and his guitar tones were awesome (I really dig the sound of his Bad Cat amp)! His playing is going to make a great addition to this project! Thanks for being involved Matt!

(4) I received a rough string arrangement from Rich Barrett last night for track #2. This song may possibly be the album single. The string arrangement sounds great and takes this tune to a totally new level of intensity. (Rich also composed the string parts for Hurricane , After Everything, A Thousand Gods and By Now on my last rock album Backstage Pass.) It will be fun to replace the fake strings with real ones (this will happen at a later date, probably in the fall). It’s awesome to have Rich on board as part of this project’s creative team!

(5) I also made some headway on track #5 this past week. This song has undergone a lot of modification over the last couple months, but I’m really starting to like how the song is sounding. I will highlight some of the changes/challenges associated with this song in another blog.

On The Schedule This Week
This week, I hope to re-program the MIDI demo for track #12 (the love song I played in church yesterday) and I can plan to create Nashville number charts for this song and track #11 (the worship song). This will mark the completion of two of the three trouble songs mentioned in a previous blog (The Nashville Hustle, Chapter 9). I still need to do some significant work on track #5, the third trouble song. The Nashville number chart for this song will have to wait until the arrangement is completely ironed out (hopefully, this will happen in the next couple of weeks).

In addition, I need to create some alternate demo mixes for guitarist Matt Meyer. I will either raise the levels of all the fake guitar parts so Matt can better pick out what the guitars are doing, or I will create split tracks (with the fake guitars on one side, and the remaining instruments and vocals on the other side). I also need to notate some of these guitars parts on sheet music.

As a side note, all of the demos will need to be converted to Pro Tools sessions (all the demos were created in Logic Pro). I hope to start this process by the later part of May.

46 days until we head to Nashville!

A Roadmap to Writing Worship Songs

2010-04-29T14:18:00.002-04:00

What makes a worship song a worship song? What differentiates a worship song from a “regular” song? What are the qualities of a good worship song? These are all questions I’ve been chewing on especially as I’ve recently written my first worship song, one that I hope to include on the new rock album.

Let me start out by saying I am no Chris Tomlin or Matt Redman, so my actual experience in writing worship songs is quite limited. However, as a worship pastor, I’ve played and charted a myriad of worship songs, and have observed a number of similarities between them.

Getting From Point G to Point C
To begin, it is a no brainer that most worship songs are simple. As a whole, they tend to be straightforward musically and lyrically. Musically, the chords are most often rather basic. How many worship songs have you heard that use U2’s With or Without You I V vi IV chord progression? (In the key of G, this would be G D Em C) Blessed Be Your Name, Hallelujah Your Love is Amazing, Came To My Rescue, and Majesty (Delirious’ version) are just a few of many examples (mind you, U2 owns no copyright on this chord progression; it’s probably been used in thousands of songs throughout the years).

Have you ever wondered why most worship songs use such elementary chord progressions? My thinking is that this simplicity makes worship songs more accessible to a broad group of church musicians, regardless of skill level. Also, melodies are sometimes easier to write and sing over standard chord progressions. The writers of worship songs may or may not intend to use simple chord progressions, although it’s possible. Sometimes, I wonder if some of the popular worship leaders of our day ever long to add a few major 7, diminished or augmented chords to their songs, only to back down for simplicities’ sake.

Stay Away From The Winding Roads (And The Vocal Acrobatics)
In addition to using simple chord progressions, many worship songs use vocal melodies that are relatively basic. This doesn’t mean that they are bad melodies; they are just limited in their range and in their rhythm, probably so that a wide variety of worshippers can sing along. You just don’t hear many Justin Timberlake or Maria Carey inspired melodies in congregational worship songs. Generally, worship songs aren’t written exclusively for the artist; they are written for the many worshippers who will sing these songs Sunday after Sunday.

The Easy Map Is Quick To Fold, But It May Be Missing Some Streets
Have you ever noticed that most worship songs are lyrically less complicated and less descriptive than your “regular” song? You may enjoy decoding the lyrics of your favorite rock band, but there isn’t a lot of room for lyrical ambiguity when it comes to worship songs (or at least, there shouldn’t be). If I’m singing a worship song, I don’t want to have to guess if the lyrics were written for a girl or for God and I don’t want to wonder what God or god the writer is speaking of. I want to worship the one true God, and the one true Lord Jesus Christ, not some vague god removed from the foundation of scripture. I also don’t want to sing songs that are overly focused on the praise-ie instead of the One being praised (How often do you hear the words “I,” “me” or “us” in some of today’s worship songs?). I believe worship lyrics should be God-centered and clearly defined in message, but that doesn’t mean that worship songwriters need to settle for non-descriptive and/or over-used Christian-speak. I really appreciate how many hymn writers use colorful illustrations and imagery to communicate timeless truths. Some people may go further in arguing that many hymns have a greater concentration of theological content than the standard worship song (although there are also some silly hymns out there including one of my favorites Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition). As a general rule, I would agree that hymns tend to have stronger theological content than most “worship choruses” (as some people call them), although I’m hearing more and more modern worship songs with deep Biblical rooting. I hope we see more of this!

The Simplest Route is Sometimes The Best Route
Don’t get me wrong. Simplicity is not necessarily a bad thing. Some of the best songs ever written (worship and non-worship songs) are musically uncomplicated. To be honest, I personally wrestle with writing worship songs just for this very reason. I often want to embellish simple songs when sometimes the best thing to do is to let simple songs stay simple (especially when you’re writing songs that are meant to be sung by others in a church setting). I actually admire artists who can write strong and unique songs that implement simple chords, catchy melodies, and simple yet insightful and Christ-centered lyrics.

Progress of the Album: The Nashville Hustle (Chapter 9)

2010-04-21T13:00:00.008-04:00

Ten Aglow and Three to Go
Well, in less than two months, I should be down in Nashville recording drums and bass (and rhythm guitar) for the new rock album. Crystal and I just returned from a relaxing eight-day trip to San Diego and Laguna Beach (my sister lives there) and now it’s time to get back to work. When I left Columbus, I had completed Nashville number charts for ten of the thirteen songs on the new album (check out the video blogs if you haven’t seen them yet). I am intentionally waiting to create Nashville number charts for three remaining songs as these songs are still under construction. By this, I mean the arrangements are not completely nailed down. To begin, I’m not sure how I’m going to end one of the songs. I was planning to taper the song off with a quiet bridge and a quiet last chorus, but I’m now rethinking things. This particular tune has been a challenge all along as it is a relationship song (these are the toughest ones for me to write) and the topic it is covering is quite delicate and I’m having trouble narrowing down the right closing mood both musically and lyrically (I’m still messing around with the lyrics of the bridge and the last chorus as I’m not sure if I want it to end with a feeling of hope or a feeling of tension). Two other songs I’m reworking are in need of some trimming. The arrangements are just too long and they feel like they are dragging a bit. I will probably end up shortening some of the instrumental sections on these tunes. Besides these three songs, I’m feeling pretty good about the project as a whole. I will be concentrating very heavily upon these three “trouble songs” over the next month or so.

What’s For Tweaking and What’s for Keeping
Tempos, chord progressions, and song arrangements (specifically hits or rhythmic “pushes”) have to be solidified before the rhythmic foundation is laid (in my case, the drums, bass, and rhythm guitar parts recorded on June 18th will be the initial foundation). The next step will be to record real guitars and strings (probably in later summer). After this, a handful of things will be left for tweaking. Lyrics can be changed (if need be) later in the production process, which means lyrics are not currently top priority. I can always tweak a word or two after we’ve tracked all the instruments. Also, synthesizer parts will be for a while secondary in importance. I really like all the synthesizer parts I’ve programmed to date (pads, loops, sound effects, etc.), but these are basically icing on the cake which can be re-visited later if need be. As I approach the recording date in Nashville, I am asking myself, “What things have to be completely ironed out and what things can sit comfortably as variables?” I wouldn’t say I’m nervous, but I’m certainly feeling a pressure with only two months before the big recording session.

Every Penny Counts When You’re Counting on Pennies
Money continues to be a major piece of the whole. I’m still saving up for the trip to Nashville, and thankfully, God has provided several extra music production and haircutting side jobs. I’m thinking I should create an alternate 10x12 Productions logo with the “X” being a pair of scissors.

Up Next… “A Roadmap to Writing Worship Songs”

Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 1)

2010-04-09T13:00:00.001-04:00

Simplifying the MIDI demo sequence.
(click on photo for video)

Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 2)

2010-04-09T12:59:00.005-04:00

Basic setup of a lead sheet.
(click on photo for video)

Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 3)

2010-04-09T12:59:00.003-04:00

Explanation of Nashville number system.
(click on photo for video)

Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 4)

2010-04-09T12:59:00.001-04:00

Complex chords.
(click on photo for video)

Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 5)

2010-04-09T12:58:00.006-04:00

Adding notes.
(click on photo for video)

Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 6)

2010-04-09T12:58:00.005-04:00

Adding notes, specifically for the bass.
(click on photo for video)

Video Blog: Nashville Numbers (part 7)

2010-04-09T12:58:00.001-04:00

Exporting the sheet music.
(click on photo for video)

Progress of the Album: Musicians: Rich Barrett

2010-04-05T18:15:00.010-04:00

There were several people who played extremely significant musical roles in the production of my 2004 rock album Backstage Pass. One of those was my good friend Rich Barrett. Rich arranged the string parts for Hurricane, After Everything, A Thousand Gods, and By Now and directed the string players during the recording session at DarkHorse Recording in 2003. In addition, Rich played piano and organ throughout the project, and translated all of my chord charts into sheet music that was used by the studio musicians. I’m excited to say that Rich is again involved in my new project! Currently, he is working on the string arrangement for the second track on the album, a song that may very possibly be the album single. I’m anxious to hear what he comes up with!

Recently, I’ve been busy reading my Logic Pro manual trying to figure out the process of translating my chord charts to sheet music (as Rich did on Backstage Pass). It is quite a learning curve! Thankfully, Rich has kindly given me some pointers (as he works in Logic as well). Wow, it’s a lot of work! I now realize how much effort he put into getting all our ideas down on paper! So far, I’ve created music for the drum and bass parts of one song, and am just starting my second song. 12 songs to go!

These pictures were all taken in October 2003 during the recording of Backstage Pass.

Scroll down to read about my talented friend Matt Meyer, who will be playing guitar on the new album.

The Purpose of Music (part 1)

2010-04-01T12:39:00.004-04:00

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m an analyzer. When other people appear to just do things, I often find myself asking why I do the things I do before I do them and while I’m doing them. This is probably one reason I often have trouble fitting in. I like to dissect thoughts, emotions, and the world around me, but not everyone wants to stop running the rat race long enough to ponder the underlying purposes of why we as humans go such distances to accomplish this or that. That’s probably a good thing. If we were all analyzers, we’d never get anything done.

I want to live my life with a big picture in mind. I can become very discouraged and frustrated when I don’t have a direction, and when I don’t feel like I’m going somewhere. There are times when I just need to re-envision the over arching reasoning behind my pursuits, both as a Christian, and as a musician. I suppose this is one of those times.

As a Christian, it’s hard for me to separate my music from the responsibility I have to glorify God. That means I would have a tough time writing lyrics that contradict what I believe about Jesus Christ. However, I do wrestle with the question whether every song I write needs to explicitly communicate a thought about Jesus. Is it possible for a Christian to write songs that are glorifying to God without ever mentioning God? Take for example a Christian who writes a love song for his wife. When it comes to human love between two people, is it always necessary for a Christian musician to bring God into the lyrical foreground? Is it possible that the expression of love between a married man and woman can in itself bring glory to God?

What defines a song as Christian or non-Christian? According to the Bible, we know how a person becomes a Christian (he/she must accept Jesus Christ as his/her Savior – John 3:16, Romans 10:9), but how does a song become “Christian”? Are words what set a Christian song apart from a non-Christian song? The birds and fish don’t say a lot verbally, but doesn’t the Bible say that they bring glory to God (Psalm 8)? Certainly, we are different than any other creature as we can create, love, and exchange thoughts and feelings with one another. Maybe if the fish could sing, they would constantly talk of God and His majesty... or maybe they would just swim around most of the time showing off their God-painted colors, speaking of their Creator in wisdom, clarity, and at the appropriate moment. Who knows? I guess what I’m wresting with here is the definition of “glorifying God.” Shouldn’t we as Christians be glorifying God continually whether we’re singing a song or not? When we go to work, should we talk about Jesus all the time, or should we focus on being honest and conscientious employees, knowing that we are stewards and have a greater boss above who we’re seeking to please?

Music is such a powerful tool. With it, we can honor God or dishonor God. I suppose one question I’m asking myself right now is how candid I should be about my own doubts and frustrations, and what point is self-expression too far removed from God-expression. What do you think? Can a Christian song express doubt, frustration, or even anger? Can you think of any writers in the Bible who poured out their hearts to God without reserve?

Progress of the Album: Sharing (Chapter 8)

2010-03-30T17:20:00.002-04:00

There’s always a point in the album production process when the artist/writer has to start sharing responsibilities with others. I don’t know that I would generally consider myself a micro manager, but when it comes to producing an album, I struggle a bit when it comes to handing off duties to other people. Why? Put simply, it’s just hard to “let your baby go” when you’ve poured so much time and effort into it. A dramatic shift of thinking is required when you cross that line where it’s no longer just you moving the process along. Suddenly, you find yourself depending on others to meet deadlines and expectations of quality. Nevertheless, this stage is crucial, and can be one of the most significant dividing factors between a good product and a great product.

It’s been humbling for me to accept the fact that I need others to make my music what I want it to be. I keep going back to a phrase a good friend of mine once etched in my mind – “aces in their places.” There are a few artists out there who do it all (playing all the instruments, mixing the project, etc.) and do it well, but I would argue that generally, the best albums are the ones that have been birthed through a group effort. It’s funny to me that for the most part, musical artists get all the credit when a team has helped to make that artist sound his/her best.

With this being said, I’m extremely excited about the people who will be involved in the development of this new album. Some of these individuals include Dave Bechtel, Rich Barrett, Robert Nugent, Matt Meyer, and 7-8 Nashville studio musicians (drums, bass, guitar, and strings). I will say more about each of these people in future blogs (you can read a little about Matt Meyer in the previous blog).

“Up next… Musician Spotlight: Rich Barrett”

Progress of the Album: Musicians: Matt Meyer

2010-03-30T09:53:00.004-04:00

Joining us on the June 18th drum and bass session at DarkHorse Recording studio will be Hilliard, OH native Matt Meyer (in this picture, he is the one to the far right playing the red guitar). Matt is a good friend and an accomplished guitar player, and will be cutting guitar rhythm tracks (and possibly some leads) while we are recording drums and bass at DarkHorse. Here is a YouTube video of Matt demonstrating some of his guitar tones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTiaEkO6AGI

First Session at DarkHorse - June 18th, 2010

2010-03-26T23:01:00.003-04:00

IT'S OFFICIAL!!! We're heading to DarkHorse Recording in Nashville to record drums & bass on June 18th!!

Pictured is Steve Brewster at DarkHorse's Lodge studio during the tracking of Backstage Pass in October 2003.

For more info on DarkHorse Recording, visit: http://www.darkhorserecording.com)

Progress of the Album: Emotions (Chapter 7)

2010-03-24T15:24:00.010-04:00

I spent about two years writing and recording my last rock album Backstage Pass – a long and challenging process which included a number of emotional highs and lows. Some of you understand the artistic temperament. If you’re an artist, you know what it’s like struggling to come up with ideas. You can relate to the feelings of excitement and let down which accompany the road of creation. One moment you’re pumped about a new song you’ve written and the next minute, you’re discouraged when you play the song for someone else and don’t get the reaction you’re looking for. You know what it’s like to compare yourself to others, all the while wishing you were better at singing or playing your instrument. If you’re an artist, you’re familiar with the vulnerability that comes with releasing your baby to the public. Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Waiting for the Rain
Personally, I underwent a creative drought between the years of 2004 and 2009. For five years, I attempted to write songs, but nothing came to me… or at least nothing I was proud of. I’m still not sure why I had so much trouble writing songs for such an extended period of time. I can only guess. I’m thinking initially it had to do with the fact that I wasn’t motivated to produce another album. I really began to feel that God wanted me to step away from music, mainly because it seemed that everything I was trying was failing, and I just didn’t sense God’s blessing on what I was doing musically. I basically threw in the towel for about a year or so starting in 2005. Then towards the end of 2005, I started trying to write again, although I was more or less journaling about what I was going to write, without ever actually penning any songs that represented what I was hoping to output. Here is an excerpt from a journal entry I wrote in late 2005.

“Right now, I am wrestling with a lot of emotions...fear, doubt, cynicism, confusion. There are days when I wake up and wonder what I’ve done with my life, if anything. As a 30-year old, I’ve begun to feel that I am “outdated”...maybe even “lost”...wandering the wilderness of singlehood, not knowing where I am to turn. If there were one thing I wish I had right now, it would be hope. Hope that God still has great things in store for me. Hope that I am making a difference in the lives of those around me. Hope that I will not grow more and more cynical and withdrawn as years pass. Hope that I can find intimacy in friendships, or even a lifelong mate. Hope that I can truly open up and be accepted for who I really am inside. Hope that I can overcome the evil one and the sin in my life with the strength of Christ. Hope that I can actually make friends and keep them...hope that they will stick with me even when I am unlovable. Hope that I will find a mentor and/or partner who will be a musical sounding board, and will push me to be a better musician/writer/performer and hopefully, a better man of faith. It’s interesting how hope is the one thing which combats so many of the emotions I face these days…

…I think I’ve been brought up in an environment that tells me to make myself as presentable as possible. I don’t think you can really appreciate the beauty of life until you come to grips with how evil man is, how dangerous the world is, and how loving God is.

…My point is I want to write from an adult’s perspective...I may be finished with writing cute songs. If anything, I feel that this project needs to be more transparent and more penetrating emotionally. I don’t want to limit my wording to a particular audience necessarily and I don’t want to over analyze my approach. In the end, I want to write what I know and what I feel honestly, from the heart, from the spirit...without the limitations of what “Christian music is supposed to look like.” My faith and my wrestling’s, and the Word of God will be the guide, not the expectations of others.” – written 12/26/05

As I look back, I can see how God was stretching and building my faith. Those years of drought were actually years I wouldn’t dare trade. I learned a lot of life lessons through those low points that transcended my musical journey. I believe the Lord brought me through a number of doubts and trials so that I could encourage others that may be going through some of the same things I’ve been through. No, I’m not single anymore, but I distinctly remember how difficult it was wondering if I would ever find my soul mate. No, I wouldn’t consider myself depressed now, but I’ve been depressed in the past, and I’ve learned that the voices in my head are not always necessarily speaking God’s truth. Regardless, even now as I work on this new project, I have to be careful to stay balanced emotionally. It’s been incredible this time around to share the creative process with my wonderful wife Crystal. She has been such a great support and encouragement, and quite honestly, I wouldn’t have started this project if it weren’t for her pushing me to do it. The simple words “you can” from someone you love can make all the difference.

Your Feelings are Your Friends
Those of you that know me know I am an analyzer. I probably drive some of you insane, but diversity is what makes the world go around, right? For me, the writing process is like nothing else I have experienced. Why? It demands that I dig deep inside my heart to see what I’m really feeling and what really matters to me. Any other time, it’s easier to ignore your feelings, but when it’s time to write, you have to look those feelings right in the face because for once, whether good or bad, they are your friends. Those feelings are the parents of your newborn songs.

For me, clarifying and filtering my feelings can be an extremely difficult task. It’s one thing to feel something. It’s another thing to communicate those feelings to others in a constructive way. If I straight out told you I was sad, you might not care (just for the record, I’m not sad… I’m just using this as an example). However, you might stop and listen if I wrote a song that made you sad, or embodied your own sadness. All this to say… song writing pushes me to a new level of analyzing. I never throw a song together… every lyric has been stewing for months in a creative crock-pot.

Two is Better Than One
Being married has been awesome… on many levels… even creatively. For one, I have a Godly wife who is extremely supportive, but along with this, Crystal has taught me a lot about balance. I used to write and record whenever I wanted to, but now I need to (and want to) think about what is best for my wife. Usually, we have one day and one evening during the week which are set apart as “music times.” Having a schedule like this has caused me to be both more intentional (setting musical goals for each week) and more balanced (as I’m usually not working on music every single evening and weekend). Even years ago, I began to realize the importance of taking breaks. Good songs come through life experiences, and many of the most life building experiences happen outside of the studio. In other words, it’s important for the artist to get outside, smell the roses, play a game, take a trip… whatever it takes to keep his/her life in balance so that his/her purpose of helping others through music isn’t snuffed out because he/she is never engaging in the lives of others.

The Mental War Zone
I recently spoke with a writer friend who said he also had to “battle many voices inside his head,” especially throughout the creative processes of writing his books. I think it’s probably a common thing for artists (and even non-artists) to wrestle with thoughts of self-criticism and doubt. Here are some lessons I’ve learned (and continue to learn) which have helped me to maneuver the landmines of the artistic mind’s warzone.

First, you can’t live your life trying to please everybody. Some people won’t like you and/or your art no matter what you do or change. As the old Steven Curtis Chapman song says, “You’ve Gotta B True.” I believe the best and most powerful art happens when we’re willing to be ourselves. Second, as important as it can be to analyze, don’t think yourself to death. We can be our worst enemies by thinking ourselves into a corner of self-paralysis (analysis of paralysis, as the saying goes). Think constructive thoughts, not destructive ones. Third, realize that your art is not nearly as important to others as it is to you… and be ok with that. As an example, moviemakers spend years and millions of dollars making a movie that people (usually) watch one time for two hours. After the movie is over, the audience is on to something else. So it goes with music. Some people may play your CD over and over, but they’ll never play it as many times as you’ve played it trying to get everything just right. For you, your music may be your life, but for most people, your music is entertainment, a point of interest that often turns as quickly as the turn sty of a box office hit. That can be a tough one to stomach. Forth, and this is critical… though art may be an extension of you, it is not what makes you who you are. In other words, you as a person have much more value than your art. As Christians, we need to be confident in who we are in Christ. That’s where our real value lies.

The Best I Have To Offer
I like how one artist put it at the release of his new album… “This is the best I have to offer right now.” It’s important to see the creative process as a journey. We’re all on the road to becoming better, and no one project is going to completely sum up what we want to say or where God is ultimately taking us.

Up Next… “Meet the Musicians: The Team Behind The New Album”

Progress of the Album: DarkHorse (Chapter 6)

2010-03-21T10:07:00.008-04:00

Tentatively, I’ll be recording drums and bass at DarkHorse Recording in Nashville, Tennessee this coming June (this is where Dave Bechtel and I recorded much of my last rock album Backstage Pass in 2003-2004). However, a number of things need to happen before I move to this next stage in the production process.

Financial Planning
First, I need to save enough money to pay for the trip. I’ve actually built some buffer time into the production schedule so that I can focus a couple months on doing side jobs to fund the recording sessions (If you or someone you know is in need of audio/music work, please let me know! This is how I am mostly funding this project – with side jobs). I’ve decided to approach this project in stages both for production and financial purposes. Production wise, the audio editing process is going to be easier if I first record and edit the drums and bass (I find it's trickier to edit a lot of instruments together. The guitars, strings, and other live instruments are easier to edit if they have been recorded to a solid drums and bass track). Also, financially, it only makes sense to divide the recording process into several Nashville trips, specifically over 5-6 months. (The cost of food and gas with multiple trips is minor compared to the accumulating recording costs). I will probably take two additional trips to Nashville in the late summer or fall – one for strings and guitar overdubs, and a final trip for mastering. I’m praying God will provide the money somehow in His time and in His way.

Chord Charts & Sheet Music
Throughout the last eight months of writing songs and creating demos, I’ve also compiled chord charts for each of the 13 songs on the album. For now, these charts function to help me remember what chords go where as I arrange the demos. However, before I go to Nashville in June, I will need to write out basic sheet music that notates where the chord changes happen, and I’ll also need to identify any specific drum and bass licks. Certain instructions may include “bass with overdrive” or “kick on all four” or “use toms instead of high hat.” In addition, all of the chord changes need to be notated in the Nashville Notation System, which substitutes numbers for chords. For example, a G in the key of G would be written as a “1” and an E minor in the key of G would be written as “6-“ (as E minor is the 6 chord in the key of G, with the “-“ symbolizing a minor chord). Nashville studio musicians use this system as it simplifies songs to a basic structure, allowing for faster sight-reading and on-the-fly key changes.

Moving to Pro Tools
I generally use Apple’s Logic Pro for music creation and recording (that’s what I’ve used for years, and what I’ve used to create all the MIDI demos for this project). However, in Nashville, we will be recording using DigiDesign’s Pro Tools. This means I will need to prepare in advance a basic Pro Tools session for each song (and will need to transfer some audio elements over from my Logic demo sessions). What audio elements will be included in these Pro Tools sessions? First, each song will have a click track, which will assist the drummer and bassist in keeping with the tempo of the song (even if there is a retard in the song). Second, for each tune, there will be a mix of all the fake instruments minus the fake drums & bass. This will allow the drummer & bassist to play along with the demos and simply replace the fake drums & bass. There will also be several other audio tracks, including the lead vocal, and another track for the background vocals. These elements will be separated, allowing the volume of the vocals to be boosted or lowered depending on the needs of each player (they will each be wearing headphones, and will be able to make various volume adjustments to their liking).

Up next… “The emotional side of recording.”

(Pictured is DarkHorse Recording in Nashville. This photo was taken in 2004 during the recording of Backstage Pass. For more info on DarkHorse Recording, visit: http://www.darkhorserecording.com)

Check out my 2004 album Backstage Pass on iTunes.

The Progress of the Album: The Sound (Chapter 5)

2010-03-17T16:34:00.005-04:00

I’ve had a few people ask me, “What is this new album about?” and “What will it sound like?” I’d be glad to answer these questions, but I’m going to speak broadly as I don’t want to completely spoil the surprise.

The Lyrics
First, I’ll begin by saying this is not a rap album. It is instead a modern rock album which springboards off of my last project Backstage Pass, yet delves into some heavier topics, including depression, addiction, self-esteem, troubled relationships, and a variety of other tough subjects. The 13-song album is filled with stories of struggle (many of which are struggles I’ve observed in the lives of others, and some of which are struggles I’ve dealt with in my own life). Amid these candid stories of struggle is an overarching purpose of pointing the listener to the purpose and hope we can only find in Christ. However, this doesn’t mean every song ends happily. Some songs end with resolve, while others end with some tension (as is common to the Christian experience). Scripturally, the album draws a lot from the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes (but there is some New Testament inspiration as well). I guess you could say this project offers hope while remaining honest about the tensions of life.

The Music
The overall sound of the album will be a good bit darker and at times heavier than Backstage Pass, and instrumentally, it will rely even more upon the piano. Some musical influences include The Fray, ColdPlay, Daughtry, Switchfoot, Muse, Keane, U2, and RadioHead, to name a few. In addition to piano, you will hear plenty of drums, guitars, strings, and synths. I will also be using a different set of musicians for this project which will help to vary the sound a bit.

More To Come
I plan to release the title of the album in the next several months, and will also share some lyrical and musical clips as we get closer to the release date (early 2011). In the meantime, keep checking the blog for new entries, not to mention photos and videos (including some from our first Nashville trip, tentatively in June).

Thanks for following along!

Up next… “Preparing for the first Nashville session.”

The Progress of the Album: Vocals (Ch. 4)

2010-03-14T20:11:00.006-04:00

Unlike Backstage Pass, I am tracking all of my vocals at 10x12 Productions (in Columbus) instead of in Nashville. For those who don’t know, much of Backstage Pass, including the vocals, were recorded at DarkHorse Recording in Nashville. Why would I track vocals at home when I could record at a beautiful Nashville studio? First, it’s free to record at home. Second, there is no hourly rate to worry about. I can do as many takes as I’d like and I don’t have to look at the clock (unless it’s time for dinner). Third, I can arguably get the same quality of sound at home as I might get in some Nashville studios. Forth, I just feel more comfortable and at home… well, at home.

The Signal Chain
As far as signal path goes, I am using a Shure SM7 mic in conjunction with an API A2D pre-amp. The API output is running digitally into a MOTU UltraLite and from there, the signal travels through FireWire into Logic Pro (which is running on a 2.4 GHz iMac). I’m recording everything at a resolution of 24 bit, 48 KHz. I’m also using a number of sound panels in the studio, which help to mute the reflections in the room (sound reflections).

Background Vocals
I’m also doing something slightly different this time around in that I am recording all the background vocals as I assemble the MIDI demos. With Backstage Pass, I only recorded scratch lead vocals with the demos (no background vocals). I didn’t get around to recording background vocals until after I had recorded all the live instruments in Nashville (and I actually tracked many of the background vocals at home, although I really didn’t have the gear to do it right at that time). In fact, it’s possible I may even keep some or many of the background vocals and lead vocals I am currently recording, and you will hear them on the finished album. We’ll see once all the real instruments are recorded. The live instruments (starting with real drums and bass this summer) may add a new level of energy that may cause me to re-think some of my lead and even background vocals. We’ll see. If anything, I am working now to nail down all the vocal arrangements before we head to Nashville. Why go through all this trouble at this early stage? My reasoning is that these vocals will ultimately affect what the live musicians play or don’t play. I want to leave space for background vocals (they are a crucial part of many of the songs), so I’m arranging and recording them before we add any real instruments.

The Best Way To Sing a Song
Every song is unique. Some songs call for a lot of background vocals. Some don’t. I’m currently working on one tune where I’ve stacked my own voice about 40 times. Some other tunes on the project have no background vocals, or maybe one simple harmony. In addition to the background vocals, the sound of the lead vocal may vary quite a bit as well. Recording these demos has really helped me in discovering and shaping the vocal sound for each song. This may include adjustments to phrasing (where to breathe) and tone. One song may contain a lot of falsetto. Another may call for a whisper, while another may be in need of a more aggressive sound. During the process of creating these demos, I’ve even had to change the key of the song to better fit my vocal range. Actually, there are probably 3-4 songs that are now a ½ step or a whole step above the original piano and vocal demo. They are now much more comfortable to sing.

Vocal Continuity
Even with scratch (potentially temporary) vocals, I try to only record 1-3 takes of the lead vocal. I find that usually I lose the flow and believability of the vocal if I piece it together with too many small “best takes.” Generally, I’ll record the entire vocal of a song 1-3 times and pick the best take, and then I may record a couple additional takes of any trouble spots, but I try to keep this to a minimum. If I can’t sing something well within 1-3 takes, I’d better alter the melody and/or lyrics to better fit my voice.

Up Next… “What is this new album about and what will it sound like?”

Progress of the Album – Demos (Ch. 3)

2010-03-09T15:46:00.008-05:00

Why a Demo?
Every musician is going to have a different definition of the word “demo.” For some, a demo is nothing more than a scratchy cassette recording of their vocal and a guitar. Ultimately, one has to decide what the purpose of a demo is, and construct the demo with that purpose in mind. Sometimes, a demo is simply the initial capturing of a song’s melody and chord structure, and is used only to help the songwriter remember the basics of a song before it is fully committed to memory. At times, a songwriter may record a demo with hopes of sending that recording to a professional, possibly a producer or even a record company’s A&R rep. Depending on the purpose of the demo, a musician may keep the recording as raw as possible, or may work to make the demo a bit more polished.

Each of the 13 songs on this new album started with a very raw vocal & piano mp3 recording. Starting last August, I began using a Tascam DR-07 recorder to capture all of my song ideas. Along the way, these recordings have been transferred to my laptop and have been sorted into folders depending on what song each recording belongs to. Some of the recordings are only small sections of songs (for example, the chorus only when I was first writing the chorus melody) while other recordings are of full-length songs (piano & vocal only). For each song, I may have recorded anywhere from 25 to 100 mini demos, each a progressive snapshot of what each song would eventually become.

Back to the Drawing Board
Generally, after a piano and vocal demo was complete, I would email it to my friend Dave Bechtel (who is helping to co-produce the album) just to get a second educated opinion. His input has been extremely helpful. Often, he really liked the songs I sent him. However, from time to time, he would give me suggestions of how I could make a song better. There were even times when a song was completely shot down as it didn’t fit with the overall feel of the album, or was weak thematically or melodically. I’ve really appreciated Dave’s honest feedback as it has only helped me to improve.

The Elaborated Demo
For this album, I’ve taken demo creation to an extreme. The above-mentioned piano and vocal recordings were only the first stage of a much more involved process. As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, I am now working to develop full MIDI mock-ups of each song. The reason? I want to go into the Nashville recording studio as prepared as possible. Every minute costs (literally) when you are working with studio players, and it should save me a lot of time and money if I step into the studio with a solid plan of what I want each song to sound like. This doesn’t mean I won’t be open to new ideas that arise in the studio, but I want to at least walk in the door with a good blueprint of each tune.

Assembling a MIDI Mock-Up
Here is how I go about making a MIDI demo. After opening a new session in Logic Pro, I begin by selecting a tempo and a time signature (if the song is not in standard 4/4) and then I play in the piano part of the song (remember this is MIDI, so no audio is being recorded, only MIDI data) using my 88-key controller. Next, I add markers for each section of the song (verse 1, pre-chorus 1, chorus, turn-around 1, etc.). These markers assist me later in jumping quickly to any portion of the song.

Usually, after I set up the song session (tempo, time signature, markers) and record the piano part (via MIDI), I add a drum pattern. I have a smaller MIDI controller that I use to trigger everything but piano, including the drums (this smaller controller has un-weighted keys, which makes it easier to play organs, drums, etc.). Often, I begin by adding a 2-bar drum loop that I repeat throughout the entire song (on occasion, I’ll even add this before I play in the piano part), but other times, I will start by playing the drums real time from start to finish. It really depends upon the song. The point is, I usually try to get some drum pattern established at least right after I record the piano part (or sometimes before). I usually try to pick a drum patch that is appropriate for the song. For example, a slower heavier song may call for a deep kick drum, a meaty snare, and heavy high hats while a faster pop song may demand a snappier kick and snare, and small high hats. These choices should later direct the real drummer as he adjusts his drum kit(s) to fit each particular song. I also may add electronic drums behind the “real” drums for additional rhythm texture.

Generally, the second instrument I record is bass. Hearing the drums, bass, and piano together helps me to visualize the overall groove of the song. It’s important to note that everything I record initially is a very rough pass. This means there may be wrong notes here and there, but the goal is to simply get all the colors on the page, in the same way a painter may start a masterpiece out by selecting his color palette. Typically, I will later go back and re-record most of the instruments (or correct wrong notes as needed).

From here on out, the order of instruments may vary a lot, but often, I will start adding guitars after I have recorded piano, drums, and bass. The question I subconsciously ask myself is, “What instruments make this song come alive or set it apart from other songs?” These are the instruments I usually add immediately after the rhythm foundation (meaning piano, drums, and bass). If a song is going to be very ambient, I may next add some synth pads to give the song an ethereal feel. If the song is going be carried by strings, I will record a rough string pass just to get the mood in the right ballpark. If the mood is ethnic, I may add a Japanese flute or a sitar. If the mood is to be grand, I may add some large taiko drums or timpani.

Up next… Demos P2: recording vocals and background vocals.

The Progress of the Album - Songwriting (Ch. 2)

2010-03-03T13:29:00.003-05:00

I’m not one to write songs anywhere or anytime. In fact, there are some days when I just don’t want to write, usually because I have nothing to say or I’m just too tired or emotionally worn. Those are the days when I’d rather go to the pool or watch a mindless movie. However, there are days and nights when I am really inspired. I may be inspired by a powerful church message, a passage of Scripture, or more often than not, a personal frustration that is begging to get out constructively. On the other hand, there are those times when I’ll write a song out of the blue, without any premeditation. At times, an innocent tinkering at the piano may unexpectedly grow into an album-worthy song. With every song, I try to write about something that I am passionate about (and something which others can relate to). For example, a song about my struggle with being an introvert may not go as far as a song that deals with a broken relationship.

I would say most of the songs for this new album have been written in the middle of the night in my home studio. It is not my general practice to stay up all night, but from time to time, I can’t sleep because I’m creatively wound up, and just need to get it down on paper (or computer). I prefer to write lyrics using Microsoft Word (for Mac), as it’s easier to cut and move phrases around on the computer compared to editing lyrics which have been written by hand on a notepad. I usually prefer to be sitting by a keyboard (or piano), as I tend to work on the melody, chords, and lyrics at the same time.

Chorus & Verses
I generally aim to write the chorus of a song first, as it is the most crucial and the part that most people usually remember and sing in the shower, or on the way to work. Most often, I’ll start with a general topic and a title (or working title, basically a place holder for the eventual title). I’ll then try out various melodies while experimenting with chords and rhythms on the piano. During this process, I always do my best to make sure the melody, chord progression, and tempo is varied from other songs I’ve written.

After I land a good chorus melody and a few words or phrases that seem to reflect the feeling of the song, I enter the lyrical brainstorming process. As I brainstorm, I write down anything that comes to mind… descriptive words that fit the topic at hand, phrases that help to communicate the feeling of the song, even verses which seem to embody the message. As I write down these words and phrases, I likewise write down any rhyming words, whether they are related or not. This helps to give me some ammo when I later attempt to assemble phrases into rhyming lines.

Sometimes, I write a chorus in a half hour. Other times, I may piece a chorus together over a couple weeks, or even months. However, usually, I’ll come up with a chorus over a couple days. Once I am happy with the chorus, I begin to write verses. I almost always find that the first couple lines of the verse are the most difficult to write as they are what ultimately establish the overall feel and rhythm of the rest of the verses. They also play a key part in grabbing the listener from the top of the song. I really struggle with making verses distinct and catchy. It’s tricky as you want the verses to be strong and unique, but they can’t overpower the chorus. The chorus has to be the top of the rollercoaster. Often for me, the second verse is much easier to write compared to the first verse as the second verse usually plays off of or contrasts the first verse (and the feel of the verses has already been established).

The Bridge
Usually, after the chorus and verse have been written, I tackle the bridge (if the song calls for a bridge). The bridge can do a lot of things. It can further reveal what the song is about (similar to the explaining of a parable). It can change the perspective or direction of the song (like a surprise scene in a movie where the true plot is revealed). Sometimes, it simply works as an alternate chorus (it says the same thing, but just takes the theme from a different angle). Musically, the bridge may sometimes transition the song into a new key. Occasionally, the bridge is instrumental and is an easy way to turn a 2.5-minute song into a 3-minute song. I find that bridges are usually easier to write than choruses or verses. However, there have been times when it’s taken me several weeks to write a decent bridge.

A Relationship of Songs
Typically, I have no idea what the overall theme of an album will be when I write that first several songs for the album. However, there comes a point (maybe after I’ve written 5-6 songs) where the songs begin to fit together (hopefully). As I get further into writing an album, I sometimes discover the need to write connecting songs or contrasting songs. A connecting song may serve to bridge two completely unrelated songs together, while a contrasting song may give some variety when variety is needed (for example, a faster positive song after several darker slower songs). Just as there are various scenes in a movie (a quieter and slower moment after a chase sequence, or a heartwarming family moment before the aliens take over the earth), albums need to have variety to keep the listener engaged and emotionally balanced.

It’s Fun (But It’s Still Work)
Song Writing is usually never easy. Sometimes, one can forget about that fact when one has been away from song writing for a while. Rarely does a complete album-worthy song fall from the sky (although there have been occasions when I’ve written an entire song within an hour or two, and it turns out to be one of my strongest, but that is rare). I find that some songs do come more naturally and quickly, while others develop over time. Most often, I find that relationship songs are the most challenging to write, and typically, those are the ones that take longer to evolve. I may compose an entire song rather quickly, yet may find that it takes several months to nail down one or two questionable words and phrases. I’ve heard it said that every word in a song should count. Just as scenes are deleted in movies, lines that add nothing to a song should be eliminated.

Up Next… “What Goes Into Making a Demo?”

The Progress of the Album: Planning (Ch. 1)

2010-02-12T12:21:00.002-05:00

It’s been a busy last 4-5 months at 10x12 Productions. I’ve pretty much been spending all my “small business” time working on the new rock album. The songs were all written between August and November of last year, and I’ve been spending the last three months or so programming MIDI “sketches” of the twelve new songs. Many of the instruments on these demos are simply placeholders. Fake drums, bass, and guitars will all be replaced with real instruments, and sampled strings will be layered with real cello, viola, and violin. Along with arranging instruments, I’ve been recording many of the lead and background vocals, some of which will be replaced down the road, while some will end up on the finished product. These MIDI renderings will really help to speed up the recording process and will help the real musicians to see more clearly what tones, etc. I’m looking for.

Drums & Bass
This time around, I’m approaching the production process slightly differently by dividing it into 3-4 phases. On “Backstage Pass,” the majority of the live instruments were recorded on one expensive day (drums, bass, guitars, piano, organ, and strings), and then we added vocals and guitar overdubs here and there over the following months (mostly in Nashville). On this project, I’m going to begin by only tracking real drums and bass (we’ll call this Phase 1). We’re hoping to do this in Nashville in later spring/early summer. I will then bring these files back to Columbus and spend a month or so editing them. To this date, I’ve been using Logic Pro to create all MIDI arrangements, but I will need to move to Pro Tools to edit the drums (using Beat Detective) as Logic Pro doesn’t have a good multi-channel audio editor. The majority of the drums you have heard on the radio have probably been edited using Pro Tool’s Beat Detective software. I currently don’t own Pro Tools, so this stage will require one more expense.

Guitars
After the drums and bass have been edited, I will return to Nashville to record guitars (I’m calling this Phase 2). It’s also possible I may record some additional guitars here in Columbus, but we’ll have to see. (Currently, I’m using EastWest PLAY’s Ministry of Rock and Fab Four along with Native Instrument’s Guitar Rig 4 to simulate the guitars I’d like to hear on the final recordings.) After this trip, I will again return to Columbus and spend a couple weeks to a month editing the guitars, although they should require less editing then the drums and bass. I’ve found that the best way to edit live songs is to start with the drums, and once they are solid rhythmically, everything tends to fall into a place a little easier (pending that you have good players, which we will).

Piano & Organ
Somewhere, along the way, I’ll record live piano. There are a couple options I am juggling. One is send the piano MIDI files to a guy in Nashville who has a player piano that will play back any MIDI files you put into it. That way, I can play the songs at home, but can achieve a real piano sound. I may possibly use a software organ as the quality is so convincing with today’s technology. I’m considering having a good friend of mine cover the organ parts. He is a much better organ player than I.

Strings
We will probably return to Nashville a third time (Phase 3) to record live strings (although it’s possible we may group the guitar sessions & string sessions into a two-day trip to save money.) We will probably only record a string quartet (cello, viola, 2 violins) and we’ll layer multiple takes and then stack these audio files on top of sample strings. This is a very convincing and cost effective way of achieving a big orchestra sound. I have some friends who are helping to arrange string parts.

Vocals
As mentioned before, I’m recording all the vocals at 10x12 Productions in Columbus. This is very convenient and cost effective.

Mixing & Mastering
The album will most likely be mixed here in Columbus, although there’s a possibility it may be mixed in Nashville. I’m still not sure. Nevertheless, I do plan to have the album mastered in Nashville. This mastering trip would be considered Phase 4.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Creative Floodgates

2009-12-14T14:26:00.004-05:00

It’s been over five years since my last album Backstage Pass was released. That’s hard to believe. A lot has happened since then. A lot. Most recently, I married my wonderful wife Crystal a little over a year ago, and about six months ago, I shifted to full time ministry after ten long years in the television industry. Wow. It’s amazing what God has done!

I met with a friend for coffee about four months ago and as we shared prayer requests, I went out on a seemingly selfish limb, and asked prayer that God would grant me new songs. From that day forward, it feels like the floodgates of creativity have burst wide open! After years of writing songs that have seemed only fit for the trashcan, the Lord has given me twelve new pieces that I actually really like. It’s been fun to watch them grow from snippets of lyrics and/or melodies to full blown songs.

One of my goals during the writing process was to focus intensely on vocal melody and piano, while leaving all the other “cool sounds” for a later stage. I am now at that next stage. So far, I’ve programmed demos and fleshed out the arrangements for three of the twelve songs on the new album. The hope is to start with sample instruments and slowly replace “fake sounds” with real ones as needed. After I have finished producing twelve demos, my goal is to record live drums and bass in Nashville. I will then record much of the guitars, and all of the vocals in Columbus (at 10x12 Productions). It’s possible we’ll also track live strings somewhere along the way. Not sure where yet. This journey should be a lot of fun!

I’ll keep you posted along the way.

Where Have You Been?

2009-11-28T23:28:00.004-05:00

It's been a long time since I've written in the blog. In fact, I've put it on the back burner as I have been working on a new album! I'm currently in the writing stage and almost have 12 new songs composed (lyrics, melody, chord progressions, and general arrangements). My next step is to put the final touches on the lyrics, and start creating some MIDI demos, which will eventually be fleshed out with real instruments. Stay tuned for more updates!

What We've Been Up To

2009-05-13T10:38:00.004-04:00

Life has been busy recently. So what have we been doing with our time? Last weekend, we were in Ashland. Not long before that, we were in California. We usually try to get to the gym three nights of the week. Freelance music and audio jobs on Monday or Tuesday evenings. Wednesday night band practices. Thursday night bible study. Weddings occasionally on Saturdays (I run sound). Sunday morning and often evening church. Video shoots at the station throughout the week with early mornings. Meetings at Delaware. Dinner with our family. Social time with our friends. Generally stuff - bill paying, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, doctor visits, etc. All this to say, I haven't had much time to write in the blog. I know I promised an entry about our trip to California... that's still on its way.

This Friday is my last day at the tv station. I've worked in television for nearly 10 years, so the move to full time ministry will be a significant, yet exciting change. Much of my focus and energy over the last several months has been in preparation for this transition. We know the Lord will lead us in this next stage of life.

Stay tuned for more blogs...

New Job at Delaware Grace Brethren Church

2009-05-11T12:21:00.005-04:00

For those of you who don't know, I will soon be joining the staff at Delaware Grace Brethren Church as the new worship pastor. Both Crystal and I are super excited about this new opportunity and adventure! Praise the Lord for opening the door! It'll be fun to work along such a fun and passionate group of folks!

Pictured from left to right: me, Crystal, youth pastor Dave Pacheco, senior pastor Gary Underwood.

Pictures from California

2009-04-26T12:18:00.006-04:00