Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Update on recording

Recording has gone well.

The first 8 songs were worked on starting 3-4 weeks ago with my buddy Steve Bishir. We got those done very quickly.

We then began work on the final 6 songs, 5 with Pete Kipley and 1 (entitled "One") with Steve and me again.

6 songs have lead vocals completed. We have moved vocals over to my home studio now for the last 3 that Steve and I are working on, as well as the many background vocals and double and triple vocals I'm laying down on this record, plus on Modern Liturgy (which will be part of the pre-release package - this used to be known as Requiem, btw). So hopefully a lot of that will be completed in the next week or so.

We already have had one string session. We brought in an 8 piece string section (4 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos). We have put strings on Modern Liturgy, Beginning Not the End, Broken (beautiful), and Scars. I did the string arrangements this time around: my buddy Don Chapman is buried underneath Easter stuff, so with a little help from a copyist and the string contractor, I put together the arrangements...and man I'm excited about how everything sounds. Modern Liturgy sounds ridiculous.

So, what is left?

Well, as said before, I still have 3 lead vocals to do for the songs that Steve and I are working on. Then April 4 I'll be going out to Pete's studio/house in San Diego to cut the vocals on the 5 songs he's working on. I also have to lay down the vocals for Modern Liturgy, which is exciting.

I'll be going down in April to North Greenville College (my alma mater) to record my old choir on Modern Liturgy. I'm excited about that and it's a cool opportunity for them. Since Modern Liturgy has that classical element to it, it's great and natural to use those guys.

We'll have one more string session for One, Still You Love Me, and In the Weak.

Then it's on to mix.

Looks like F. Reid Shippen will be doing 7 songs and Steve Bishir and I will be mixing the other 7! And I will be mixing (with some thoughts from Steve) Modern Liturgy.

So, we're coming into the home stretch for this record!

Hopefully within the next 4-6 weeks you will hear the first single from this record on a radio station near you!