Labor Day means Recording

It's been two months since Frank came into the house, He's now 20 lbs big instead of the 5 lbs when we got him. The past two months have also been quite busy with raising Frank, wedding plans, and a nice trip to Vegas for a week for my bachelor party. All good times. However, my ability to get on the recording process has been greatly diminished due to said events.

However, Labor Day provided the perfect opportunity to finally find time to record. I spent time with Gaslight Society playing a gig at Dr. Dremo's in Arlington on Saturday night. I spent time with my family at brunch in Old Town Alexandria on Sunday morning, plus plenty of time with my fiance and the puppy. All this lead to a very productive Labor Day. I had previously downloaded some "how to" instructional videos on my recording program and sat through them learning a few steps. Then I put it to use. I was able to record guitar and vocals in seperate tracks for I Want You Now. I even spent a little time mixing it and messing with effects. I only used reverb really. My vocals during the chorus need to be rerecorded still and I think I want to reduce the already low reverb, but I have a finished, albeit unmastered, mp3 that I can play on my iPod. That was the most exciting part.

It's good enough to stick on a the Wedding CD that we are planning as a gift to all our guests in October, but I think I want to make it better still. (Go figure, a perfectionist at work...) It was immensly fun and now that I know that I can get through a project, I am going to learn how to do more with it and get better sound.

I'll update with the MP3s when I have a product that I think is ready to debut... without waiting till it's "perfect." But since no one reads this anyway (not yet anyway) I don't think anyone needs to hold their breath. I'll also get around to puting up some pictures too.

Ah, my motivation for recording has returned once again!

Insecure

Ok, not much has changed since I put my studio together. However, I did take a picture which I will publish soon as the camera is no where near me right now. In the mean time, I have been actively trying to finish the lyrics to Insecure. I played it last Friday when I needed more material but I totally flubbed the words since I haven't finished it. So, I think I have now, But a few more plays and I will know or change as I see fit. But for now, here they are:

Find me in the middle of the street
You think its complicated.
I think you're being indiscrete
Thats what you've implicated

But you're not far from the sea
It's not your wishing well
Nothing in this life is for free
Becareful what you sell

I think you're insecure

To late you're up against a wall
There's no place left to go
Watch out you don't want to fall
Lets just take it slow

But I can't be the one you want
Don't make it out to be too much
Or you'll never be let free...

I think you're insecure
I think you're insecure

But I can't be the one you want
Don't make it out to be too much
If you try to hold on to me
then you can never be set free
Cuz I can't be the one you want
Just get up on your own two feet
And you can set yourself free...

I think you're insecure
I think you're insecure
I think you're insecure
I think you're insecure

They aren't the best lyrics or even my proudest, They just happen to flow with this song I think. It's very much a departure of my usual sound. It is also loosly based on someone I know, but very loose and no one you'd expect.

In other news, Gaslight Society practiced last night. We sounded tight, and we have some new additions we're working on. Specifically an untitled rift that SL came up with and then I resurected Dave Beats from early early Jebus days to see what these guys would come up with. It's awesome, and they seem to like it too. Now we are calling it Bjerke's Beats, for alliteration purposes I'm sure.

We have lift off!

Ok, I'm finally up and running. I had some time on Saturday to finally put the studio together. My computer was ready to go, I just had to find the instalation CD to the MOTU 828mk2. But I couldn't find it, so I looked on the MOTU website, registered, and found the software available for download. I've set everything up in my kitchen and I have Cubase 3.1 running on it. It looks to be working. Now I just need to find the time to learn how to use it. Tonight, however, I have band practice with Gaslight Society. The have some new material. Perhaps I'll even be able to record it soon!

New Show

Ok, I'm in Richmond tonight. I have some time to kill as I am taking classes for work for two days down here and therefor spending the night. That means I'm away from Annika and my new puppy, Frank the Tank. Here's a picture of him licking my nose.

I have a show coming up on Friday. I'm actually playing guitar for it. Joanne from Firehouse asked me to play the night. Well I'm not one to deny such requests so I said yes. But I also cannot play 3 hours of music on my own. I also don't have the kind of friday night draw on my own to make a successful evening for the bar just playing on my own. So I enlisted the help of some friends. Gabe, Charlie Mooney, and the Apaga Brothers whom I have lovingly dubbed the Brothers Apaga. Aparently they aren't on speaking terms with each other at the moment (brothers and all) so I don't know how their set will work out. But they close the evening while the rest of us play our own sets. Gabe will start at 9, Charlie at 10, and me at 11 with the Apagas starting around 11:15 to 11:30. So tonight I'm trying to get my set list together. It sucks because I still haven't finished Insecure or Uncontrollable Desire even though they are so close to the end. I just wish I could finish them.

Here is a picture of the night:

In other news: My band, Masked Marvel, have recently changed our name to Gaslight Society. I think we all have our own interpretations of what that is, but we all like it better than the old name. Plus, with a new album coming out, a name change to fit our current lineup and music just made sense. I wish I had more time for them, but then I wish I had more time for everything.

Anyway, still no recording yet, but as soon as I can find my drivers, it's on.... jebus, I feel like I've been saying that forever. Oh well, it'll happen eventually, that's for sure.

A fruitfull Memorial Day weekend

So annika kicked my proverbial ass in gear yesterday and we cleaned house in preparation for our housewarming party on saturday. the basement (and my many boxes) received a much needed cleaning. throughout that process I was able to setup my drumset and stack boxes strategically on one wall to help facilitate the soundproofing. I also nailed a blanket to wall. a huge blanket that costs $5 worked great! I'm going to get 10 more. unfortunately, I can't float the room so it will be more difficult than expected to keep the vibrations away from the neighbors. But it still might be ok. I'll be able to record guitars and vocals and then forwarn my neighbors when its time for the drums. This should all be able to start very soon. the excitement builds...

Been a long time...

Ok, I've finally started settling into my new job, new place, new.... I've recently become infatuated with the music of KT Tunstall and will be learning her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" very soon. I'm also in the midst of a writing a new song. The arrangements are almost finished as is the melody, but no words yet. The studio is starting to come along. The computer is fixed but the drivers for the MOTU 828mkII are missing. Plus the drumset is now in the basement, but the basement is not yet tidy enough to try and setup. I have a house warming party coming up so I have a deadline in which the place must look nice. The soundproofing is a difficult mess. I probably will not be able to play drums the way I'd like, but we'll see. I have lots of blankets to hang plus a layer of shelving and boxes along the one wall that will help for the time being. Everything else is outside my budget right now. The updates should start

A lot can happen in a week

Ok, I have leased a townhouse with my fiance. It's great! It has a basement, complete with a full bathroom, laundry room, rec room, and MUSIC ROOM! Now this is a rental so any sound proofing I do will have to be easily removed. My current thoughts are to install a layer of drywall or sheet rock over the wall with maybe a half inch of air space between. That way layers are created with the sound barriers thereby depleting the sound better. Then I'll hang some heavy and thick velvet curtains so the place looks nice. The room is open so I'll have to double the curtains on that one side, and I'll have to figure out something for the ceiling, but I think it's going to be very possible.

Additionally, I've discovered a new song called "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's. It's a fantastic song that I've learned how to play with my style of playing. Hopefully, I'll learn how to play the actual picking later, but for now, it still sounds good to me. I'll hopefully debut it tonight at open mic night.

Ok, looking to a busy next two weeks as we move into our new place, and got to the Outer Banks for more wedding planning, and getting used to my new, much longer and worse, commute. I'll post when I can.

Leonard Cohen

Today is gorgeous. The weather is warm and breezy, and much longed for after the coldest february in memory. I am so ready for the warm weather. I played my guitar at lunch. I thought about taking it out of my car and playing on the grass and day dreaming of a lunch-time concert. That would be funny. But I just played it 3 levels underground in my car. I haven't played much this week at all and felt I need to shake the rust off for my hosting duties at the Calabash open mic tonight. Hopefully it will be warm enough to bring out lots of people and we can open the patio.

But while I was in the happy playful mood I was reading some of my usual go-to blogs on the internet. A post about Leonard Cohen caught my fancy. I looked him up, read his biography a bit and some of his poetry. I found this poem he wrote called Teachers:

TEACHERS

I met a woman long ago
Her hair the black that black can go
Are you a teacher of the heart
Soft she answered No

I met a girl across the sea
Her hair the gold that gold can be
Are you a teacher of the heart
Yes but not for thee

I met a man who lost his mind
In some lost place I had to find
Follow me the wise man said
But he walked behind

I walked into a hospital
Where none was sick and none was well
When at night the nurses left
I could not walk at all

Morning came
And then came noon
Dinner time a scalpel blade
Lay beside my spoon

Some girls wander by mistake
Into the mess that scalpels make
Are you the teachers of the heart
We teach old hearts to break

One morning I woke up alone
The hospital and the nurses gone
Have I carved enough, my Lord
Child, you are a bone

I ate and ate and ate
I did not miss a plate
How much do these suppers cost
We'll take it out in hate

I spent my hatred every place
On every work on every face
Someone gave me wishes
And I wished for an embrace

Several girls embraced me, then
I was embraced by men
Is my passion perfect
No, do it once again

I was handsome, I was strong
I knew the words of every song
Did my singing please you
No, the words you sang were wrong

Who is it whom I address
Who takes down what I confess
Are you the teachers of my heart
We teach old hearts to rest

Teachers are my lessons done
I cannot do another one
They laughed and laughed and laughed and said
Well child, are your lessons done
Are your lessons done

Since this is his poetry, and not a song (at least that I can tell), I think I'll try to put it to some music. I, like many before me, have learned to play Hallelujah and will most likely play it at my wedding, but I would love to put something else of Leonard Cohen's into my playlist. Something obscure that no one would really know, but, if I made it big, I could get some "street cred" for doing it.

just an update

Well, no further progress. Still haven't talked to Ponch about what I should do. Too much going on and I certainly don't expect him to return my call about the matter, he's done so much for me over the years on this stuff already.

Masked Marvel had a good show on Saturday. We played second and I let the other drummers of the evening share my drumset for smooth, quick transitions. We probably played the best show up to this point, which means that our show on Friday at the Red and Black should go like gang busters. We practice again tonight to work out a few kinks.

Otherwise, Annika and I went to Montclaire (Dumfries) to look at a townhouse. We hate that we love it. Its perfect for us in everyway except how far away it is. It even has a good basement for me to soundproof and do the recording deal. So we'll see if we get it. We will take another look on Saturday.

bad computer

So, I was unfortunate last night after all. It's getting to be that favorite time of year where everyone becomes Irish as St. Patty's day approaches, so even luck decided to turn into Murphy's Law last night. I stopped by Ponch's house to pick up a usable OS for the new computer since Dell apparently forgot to ship my parents original disk. Ponch actually gave me two to use just in case. Well the first one had a bad serial number. The second one rebooted my system, formatted my drives, copied the files, then restarted. And the restart went into a loop. It just kept loading the bios, then restarting. I tried to boot from the disk again, and that works fine, but as soon as windows wants to restart, it just goes into loop from the restart. So, it's for stupids. I'll have to pick the brains of someone who knows something. UGH!

In the mean time, I did learn America, Fuck Yeah! enough that I can fake my way through it. So that's cool. Always find a reason to smile. Life gets you down but there's always a reason to be happy. Tonight I'm practicing with Masked Marvel. That and we are drinking Yuengling and Whiskey. It's not Whiskey & Wine, but that's a personal thing anyway. This band likes to rock a little harder so wine won't do.

Hope for today

Last night was dead at open mic thanks primarily to the snow. I played a few songs that I haven't played in years as requests from the girls that work there. My confidence in doing songs I'm not sure I know all the lyrics too had drastically increased. I feel really good about it. Thankfully, Ponch and EJ made it out, as did a new artist, Charlie, with his father, Tim. I let Charlie play to his hearts content since we were pretty dead in the water with paying costumers. We ended early I packed and went home with Annika.

Some notes on songs I need to learn: Say it Ain't So by Weezer (why I haven't already learned it really is beyond me); America, Fuck Yeah! by the South Park Guys in their movie Team America. Those will be great additions to my live show.

Ok, besides that, wish me luck tonight. Hopefully, I can figure out a way to get an OS on this new computer and have it set up and ready to record before bedtime. That would be sweet!

Open Mic Night

Whew, what a night. I was barely at Firehouse Grill and it was still enough to tell a story. I knew Ponch could take care of it, but I still showed up for Charlie and JoAnne just to put in some face time on the front end. So I made sure Ponch and EJ (The Brothers Apaga) had everything they need. But it turns out they could have used better mic stands and mics. I gave them one of my mic stands and then realized I don't have my 2 new and good mics! Good thing I discovered that fact before showing up to my open mic tonight. But I called Calabash just to check, and Aaron assured me I had just left them there last week (smooth move, Dave).

Anyway, They grabbed my instrument mic to use for vocals and did the set up, then I got on stage and introduced myself and the Brothers Apaga and giving the talk for Charlie. Then I played a few songs. It must have turned out alright, because I got a pretty good reception and nicely surprised expressions. That always makes me feel good. And as I discussed with the guys that night, I chalked it up to experience. Which really is how it goes. The more you get up in front of an audience, the calmer and smoother your performance will go.

I finished my drink and drove home to the waiting fiance. Even then 6am came too early this morning. I am exhausted. I may need a power nap before going to my open mic tonight.

Recording Theory

I have class on Monday nights at George Mason University. I'm currently taking Macroeconomics and I'm in pursuance of a Masters in either Public Policy or Economics, tho they tell me there is the conbination "Public Choice" that I might want to consider. Anyway, last night just before class started I was talking to Ben. He is a fellow drummer that I met at Firehouse Grill and he has a band that has changed people and names many times over the past couple years. But always he and his guitarist are together. I think they are very good guys. He was telling me about his timing; he thinks he can't keep time to a metronome. He thinks it's especially bad when they are recording, he just doesn't like how it sounds.

Now, I'm no recording engineer. I have never taken a class. But I have been in several different studios and watched closely what the engineers do. It's a definite art form that I don't intend to master (I just want to record music my way and I don't care if you like it or not). These guys know their stuff and I can tell you it takes a lifetime to master these specific skills. One producer told me once that you never have the same guy master a recording that has just mixed it, AND the guy that masters it better have at least 10 years experience and some grey hair. I believe him. However, I also believe in the power of technology and I think the Mastering programs out there today have advanced enough that you can get a comparable sound without needing the years of experience and specific color hair. I said comparable, not better.

The reason I bring this up is because I've been day dreaming about recording for years now. And I've also learned a lot from the guys I have worked with. I have come up with a theory that I wasn't sure was entirely a new idea but telling Ben about it really seemed to open his mind about how to finish his recording process.

I told him to start a recording with a metronome and the singer/guitarist. Essentially record a real track but use it as a scratch track. Then track the rhythm sections but also use them as scratch tracks, each of them. When all of that is done, re-record everything but without the metronome. Have the guitarist go in there and play with the rhythm section only. Then have the rhythm section play again to just the guitarist and the other half of the rhythm section. When all is done have the singers record their final tracks and then mix only those last tracks.

The reason I like this is because good music to me is about feel. The musicians need to feel the music and not feel chained to a metronome to make the beet fit. Listening to the music is the most important part. But you also don't want foolish unkept music... usually. So using the metronome as a guide is important, but not for the track you want recorded... you want to follow the music. Ben seemed very receptive to this thought. And it had me thinking just how often recording engineers and musicians recorded this way. I know studio time is expensive so when not as rich musicians go into a studio they try to record the best version on the first take, but if I'm going to have my own studio, I might as well make the time factor work for me. I may not have the greatest skills or equipment, but I'll make the best out of what I do have to work with.

In the mood for a post

Just in the mood for updating. Still haven't done anything towards recording. But a good friend of mine runs the original open mic (well, the original to me, it's how I know anything about it) over at Firehouse Grill in Old Town Fairfax. He's been doing that gig for probably 5 years now. But he asked if I would take over tonight. I want to. I would like to. But as stressed as my schedule is, and with an almost completely differing schedule with my fiance, I have to pass. Well I thought I did. I said yes to him knowing that if, in fact, I could not, I could call my friend Ponch to do it as he usually subs for me at my open mics. Well, now I'm told it would be best if I at least show up at the beginning and get the ball rolling. I'm ok with that, you get all the front end, without having to stay the whole night and not get sleep for a 6am alarm. But you also barely get the pay. Which is most of the reason I want to take over tonight. My fiance wants me to call the owner, whom I know very well, to see if I can talk my way out of it and just let Ponch run it. It is worth it to her to have me home for the night at 9:30 instead of getting the money I'd get otherwise, even if I'm home by 10:30 or 11. I see her point, we don't have any time together this week until bed time. None, really Monday through Saturday despite essentially living together. Then we spend all of our time together sleeping. I know I can call the owner and tell her the situation and all will be just peachy, but I think that reflects poorly on me. I think the best scenario is for me to go out there, start the open mic a little early so I can play and have a beer with the bartenders and friends, make sure Ponch is ready to go, and then leave to be home with Annika as soon as possible....

... And this is why I don't have nearly enough time for recording. Did I mention I also have practice with Masked Marvel tonight at my house in Alexandria at 7pm? So I woke up at 6am in Alexandria to drive to Tyson's Corner by 9am (1 hour in traffic), so I'll drive back to Alexandria (usually about 45 min) by 7pm and then drive out to Old Town Alexandria (25 min) by 9:30pm only to return home in Alexandria again asap... we are shooting for 10:30/11ish here. Then wake back up at 6am and do it again.... Only I'll be at my open mic by 8pm and won't be home till 2am....

At least Thursday night I will have some time back in the recording. Also, Annika claims to be babysitting for a while friday night, so I might actually have time, if all goes well, to do some REAL recording for a change. Oh I hope this is not me getting my hopes to high.

Small progress

Ok, life has not shown any slowdown! wow. But last night I hung out with my parents and fiance in the kitchen of my parents place. Annika did homework, my mother was able to burn irish songs and a learning video for her schools, my father helped me and Annika in our work, and I fixed their new computer. It is completely updated with the latest and greatest plus the little niknaks that they requested. They are ready to roll with the new computer.

This means I can take their computer, wipe it clean and set it up as a dedicated recording machine. This is exciting. But, I have class tonight, band practice tomorrow, open mic wednesday, but I think Thursday I'll have time to do it. I will need that long to find an OS that I can install cleanly anyhow. But These are good healthy steps.

I also made it to the Shotglass / Jackie Gino show this weekend... I should mend that to say I arrived on time for Shotglass but had forgotten my wallet in my jacket at my friend Wesley's friends house way across town. So after a lot lot LOT of figurative roadblocks, we made it to see Jackie Gino. And they put on a great show per usual, but they also inspired my writing juices again. I picked up a guitar this morning and, with their style in mind, started to write a new rift. I doubt anything will come of that rift (not that good) but it makes me want to sit down and write some more. Just need the time.

I also finally put the rest of my heads on the RetroSpec, and she sounds so much sweeter with those heads. A Rich deep sound that is no longer plasticy sounding. I get to practice with Masked Marvel tomorrow night and will get to break the heads in proper with their lively sound.
Hopefully friday I'll have some new info regarding my new recording machine. But, a lot to do in the mean time...

new computer

Yeah, it has been yet another while. Busy life things getting in the way like job interviews, and wedding planning, and school, and hosting a new open mic night. Whew. BUT, I was given a used computer a few months ago. A solid computer that I put a new OS on and wanted to try to run all my recording through it. The only problem was that it is lacking in speed and memory... which tend to be key elements of recording. However, talking with my parents, their current desktop is not very useful to them. They said I could have it on the condition that I give them a computer that works. So, I'm going to set up the one I was given with everything they need. Then I get to format theirs, which is a much superior machine in speed and memory, and dedicate it to recording only. It has me very excited.

I also finally got new heads for the RetroSpec but have only changed the 16" so far. But the difference in sound is so apparent. The old heads just sound plastic compared to the hydrolic's rich deep tones. I'll be happy when all of this is set up and I can be productive again.

Still have yet to get back to the song writing, everything has been on hold for life... but soon all will be good!

It's been awhile

Haven't done anything much the past few days. Busy personal stuff going on. But one of the bands I play drums for went into the studio on Saturday. We recorded one song. It's going to turn out pretty good, I think. But it got my kick to record even more, especially after they made my Pearl Export sound so good. I just know, once I replace all the heads on my Pearl Masters RetroSpec that it's going to sound great under the mic.

My current plan is to find a day to reinstall everything on my laptop. Starting with the recording software. First I'll set up another computer for internet things that I need, but then I'm going full speed with this reinstallation. I need to record... SOON!

writing at work

Just messing around, I have a melody in my head, but don't know the chords... hopefully I'll be able to remember it later when I have a guitar in my hands. The lyrics will obviously be modified, but if I can get this down, I think I have finished a new song. That would be exciting!

I am running out of things to say
starting and stoping and then I throw it away
I want to start a music holiday
So I can find some time to spend this way

I'm just having fun.
I'm just having fun.

I am here to entertain you now
Don't care about lyrics or the technical
I just want to see you dance now
Get your ass on the dance floor and do what you will allow.

You're just having fun.
You're just having fun.

But, then, 1:30 comes and the ugly lights turn on
Everyone scatters to chug that last drink done
paying bar tabs we'd rather keep going on
sober drivers are our last bittersweet mission

We're just having fun.
We're just having fun.

So let us party the night away
Forget the day job and the bills we have to pay
By dawn we should all be getting laid
And the bartender says your bill is already paid

I'm just having fun
Your're just having fun
We're just having fun

New Song?

Last night I started my new class for the semester. I am taking one class a semester until I get a Master's degree. This means Monday nights for the next few months will not be musical at all. I woke up this morning and had an itch to play. So I played three songs in a place where no one could hear me. I still don't have my car back so practicing at lunch is still not very possible. I keep looking at my song list for this album and I really need another song. Of the songs I have Tonight and Pimps & Whores are my catchy, fun, pop songs. I need another one. I already have the indie/dark/about an exgirlfriend song in Lost You Faith which, don't get me wrong, could be a good, loud rock song if recorded right, but it's not the poppy/happy writing that I'd rather be known for. I also have the sentimental love song in I Want You Now which is very Irish drinking song/folksy, I think, so that is happy but not really poppy and danceable. It really is a love song for my baby. I do need to finish Uncontrollable Desire (and change it's name) because that will be a very good acoustic punk song that I want to give a MUSE style sound. So I guess that will be my third rock song, but I think I still need to write one more. But what is my subject? What is my "muse"? That is what I'll be thinking about today.

Recording... tried and failed...

So I had Saturday night to myself. I decided I would take off all of the recording software, move a lot of files to my external hard drive, and defrag my system to see if it would be more efficient. I even went so far as to disable certain start up menu items that might be eating away at my CPU while I tried to record. But it was all to no avail. I can't seem to get my computer sound to play through the MOTU 828. I get the Windows start up music, but no applications. I figure that once I get that working, I can probably record, but still nothing. Ponch recomended that I just reinstall Windows. I'm nearly there. Just wipe the system clean, re-install all the software, and see if that works out. I just don't have that kind of time right now tho. I just really want to start recording and do the little bits as often as possible. Ugh. Very Frustrating.

Lost your faith

Before I go home for the weekend, I thought maybe I'd go ahead and get this post out of the way. I wrote the chords and melody to this song a long time before the words were actually added. The music was inspired by the ending of a significant relationship. I knew in time I would be able to finish the words but couldn't because I was not ready for whatever reason. The ending of this relationship really hurt more than I thought most things could, it was really a great experience for me as I am such a "happy-g0-lucky" type personality, I am happy to have seen emotional misery in this form. For that I am grateful. Finally, I knew the time was here many many months later and I knew by actually finishing the lyrics to this song, I would officially close that chapter of my life and move on to greener pasteurs. Most people will probably look at these lyrics and think I'm not over her, but, in fact, it allowed me to voice how I felt during that dark period in my life right after the relationship ended. And now I write happy songs and love songs that are inspired more by my best friend and soon to be wife. So I know I've moved on, and I've found my greener pasteur. So here are the lyrics as I've finished. ... so I didn' post this before the weekend, so I finished it today, oh well. it's hard for me to remember the words with out the lyric sheet or music.

As I lay here in the middle of the night
Wondering why we just got in a fight
Words were said and things were thrown
But I just want you back in the morn

Because you walked out on me

I used to drive for hours
Knowing the weekend would be ours
We spent the time making love all afternoon
Not knowing it would all be over so soon

Because you walked out on me
Because you lost your faith in me

Now I feel so alone
Why won't you just pick up the telephone
And call me here, you won't be scared
And we can reconcile all the love that we shared

Before you walked out on me
Because you lost your faith in me

I wish I could go back in time
And fix the things you thought were crimes
Then you wouldn't have to know...
know...
know...
NO!!!...

I grew so cold from the lies you told
I had to drink the pain away
I broke just once as it rained for months
But now I'm healed most all the way

Because you walked out on me
Because you lost your faith in me

Problems

I am having problems recording. I bought a MOTU 828 mkII so it could act as my mixing board and soundcard for multiple instruments at once. I also got some recording software including Sonar. But now when ever I get it all hooked up and start recording, the recording just stops working. Ponch, a friend of mine, thinks I probably just don’t have enough RAM on my system or I need to reformat. Personally, I do need to clean off a bunch of files, and I think I need to remove all recording software and then just install one of them. I get some time to myself tomorrow evening; hopefully I can do all that then.

Whiskey & Wine

The song that is titling this album I just finished a few days ago. The music for it was written a couple years ago and I never had the muse to sit down and complete the lyrics. The only lyrics I ever wrote for it were "Whiskey & Wine." This is a rare instrumental piece mostly. I say it is rare because normally I focus on vocal melodies when I write and back it up with simple chord progressions. But this song was specifically written instrumentally. There is still not a lot of finger picking or even advanced guitar ability, but I like the sound I make with it. It really has two very distinct on different sections, a kind of mini-epic, if you will. And while I think the first part is more of the Wine section and the second part is more of the whiskey section, I call it Whiskey & Wine because it flows better when said I think. Ok here are the words I've settled on:

I want it so badly
I can't kill is slowly
I need it to survive

This time, I've come back to play and not rewind
To write the songs that are mine
I know it's time to put the past behind
With Whiskey and Wine...
Put me right back in the middle of....

I basically repeat this twice, with the last verse technically being the chorus and repeat it once more before ending.

Also, if anyone ever happens to actually read this post, I've been indecisive about one lyric. In the second line of the chorus I write "To write the songs that are mine" But I've been considering changing it too "To play the songs that are mine" It's a pretty small thing, but some people look at even the smallest details sometimes. So if you have any thoughts, feel free to send them.

Songs

Ok, for now, I only have a few songs ready. When I was writing with Jeffro we were under the Bring Mommy the Scotch name so I'm not sure if I want to include those songs on this album They included Pimps & Whores and Insomniac. You can find Pimps & Whores at www.myspace.com/bmsrecords

Otherwise, the songs that will definitely go on this album are Tonight, Whiskey & Wine, I Want You Now, Lost Your Faith, Stay, and Sunday Afternoon.

Songs I've written many years ago that I'm considering include Religion (which is about questioning all religion), I Never (about a exgirlfriend), Insecure (loosely about a friend but not sure it's very appealing to anyone but me), Fall Leaves (I think I stole the melody), Uncontrollable Desire (I need a new title), Song for Mom (which I think I may rewrite the whole thing) and a couple others.

I'm also considering some covers including my versions of Waste by Phish, Lucky One by Alyson Kraus, and Hallelujiah by Jeff Buckley (or Leonard Cohen).

The begining

Whiskey & Wine is the start of my first album. I am a musician who has been playing drums for over a decade and dabbling with guitar for at least that long. I have written many songs in my time, most of them not so good. But I have decided it's time I put together an album. I have the software and the hardware and the instruments to record this at home. So here I will try and give myself the motivation to keep pursuing this goal despite working full time, school part time, planning a wedding, and playing gigs and practices with side-project bands.