Studio Blog Day 3: The Long and Winding Road

Greetings again. 

The new album is starting to take a bit more shape after the last few days. For starters, it looks a lot more like a Westminster Adult Worship Team Album (or WAWTA) than it does a solo joint. The gang seems pretty pumped to be a part of this, so I'm trying to work my way through my parts now as quickly as I can so we can get them involved. 

Here are some highlights that I'm looking forward to in the coming weeks:

• There are spaces set up in each track for four, count em, four different vocalists (me, Ed, Alan, and Linda). Now if only I were as good as the other three...
• In addition to the worship band, we're hoping to have special guest spots for cool people like Curt Scott, Dan Shaffer, Ben Beitzel, and a bunch of other people. Rock.
• Speaking of Dan Shaffer, we're going to have a percussion day, where we set up a ton of percussion instruments (as well as items that were not intended to be percussion instruments but can be) and playing along in a room. Should be interesting
• We're looking to add one or both of the kids choirs on "Loving Wings" to end the album. I have big plans.

Today I spent some time setting up some more acoustic guitar tracks. I finished "Hold Me Closer" and "Lights of Eden", as well as the intro track tentatively titled "Prelude" (I swear before it comes out I will come up with a better name than that...anyone have any suggestions?) I don't have my chart with me at home, but I think I only have 4 or 5 more songs to do for the acoustic. Then I'm going to go back and lay down some scratch vocals. Then Ed has to set up his two songs. Then we have to get the rest of the band in the studio. Then we have to bring in special guests. Man, we have a lot to do!

My goal this week is to get all of my stuff set up enough that people can start recording over it next week. I think that's reasonable, especially if I block out some time on Tuesday for a solid session. 

And if I can keep myself from playing too much Mario Kart in the breaks...

Last post will come later tonight. Topic: Plans.

Godspeed,

Jason

Studio Blog Day 2

Hello everybody!

I am so sorry I've been missing for a little while here. I've been busy. 

Ed went to Hawaii and left me in charge for another week. Matt came to Veritas that Wednesday (which was what, like a month ago?) and filled in. He did spectacular! When Ed got home, we started gearing up for a meeting we have tomorrow about our future goals and plans for Veritas. It has been one of the most exciting weeks for me in Youth Ministry, to think of all the plans that we're working on right now, if even 2% of them come true, I will be super pumped. We're going in the right direction.

Last Friday we played a show at Westminster. It was supposed to be at Farmhouse, but they accidentally double booked the show (don't worry, we'll be back soon) so we moved it back home. It was an awesome time! Ed, Ben (Beitzel) and Curt played with me, and we didn't have that bad of a crowd either. It was awesome.

All that focus on the music side of my Dr. Jeckle/Mr. Hyde had me all kinds of jazzed to get into the studio and work on some stuff. Today I finished guitar tracking on Chemwehmweh and Loving Wings, and I completely finished my role on Redemption Song. Though after the discussions we were having Tuesday night, it may turn into a band album rather than a solo album by the time things are said and done. Good things are in the works. 

But all of this is by way of saying I may not be around the blog much in the coming days. You'll all just have to learn to suffer through without me. 

Godspeed,

Jason

Studio Blog Day 1.5

Greetings bloggers!

I wrapped up the sermon yesterday. I'm pretty pumped about it. Deffinately old school J Freyer preachin. We'll see how it turns out tomorrow I suppose.

About a month ago I started working on a follow up record to my critically acclaimed "Between the Trees" (if everyone's a critic, and my mom liked it, then it's critically acclaimed.)At the moment the studio has moved into my house, and I'm starting out with some pre-production. Basically, figuring out which songs I want to include on the CD, what tempos they're going to be recorded at, and if I'm lucky, I'll set up the track for people to play along to later. I started on "Chemwehmweh", and had to give up because my fingers weren't doing as they were told. So a quick blogging break to get me out of my own head, and then I'm back to the grind. It would be nice to have this CD done by the sum sum summertime. 

Keep me in your prayers!

Godspeed,

Jason