Category: Creative process, Songwriting, StudioTag: , , , , ,
Fantastic Saturday so far and the sun is just about to say hello properly on the balcony. Last weekend I started a new song Pocketful of Sand. Gracie Day was recording some songs for T489 and I mentioned I had an idea for a song but I couldn’t play this pattern of notes while try out my vocal at the same time. She was gracious and said ‘let me play it and you sing’. And that’s what we did. Thanks to that opportunity, it anchored the idea. By the end of the weekend ‘Pocketful’ was recorded fully. On piano. Steve (producer) loves it. I had Kiera Osment (emerging artist friend in Devon, UK) sanity check it, and we’re ready for the studio tomorrow to record it, plus ‘Honey Child’ and ‘NOW’.
 
Add to that an idea yesterday morning before work and spending this morning laying it down in the home studio and ‘just you, just me’ is another new song that imbibes the love of summer and that simple excitement you feel with your best peeps. Back to the song. And some balcony sun! As if Saturday wasn’t productive enough, Sunday was even better. Krizta Moon came into my home studio to record a few amazing unplugged songs as well as a T489 interview. Then it was off to the studio to try to get through 5 songs. In 4 hours that’s what we did, and more. Preparation is everything. Everything.
 
I signed off Lucky One for 3rd album ‘Second Life’ and did a ‘from scratch’ guitar and vocal for ‘Honey Child’ the final song to go on the album. Then it was ‘pop music time’. We finished ‘NOW’ a few weeks back but I was convinced a softer acoustic version had to be laid down. So, back in the vocal both I went. It wasn’t too hard to recognize the instruments that should remain. On the spot, Steve and I came up with a refreshing intro, and that was that.
 
We then went on to new song ‘Pocketful of Sand’ which I had recorded at home on piano last weekend. I’d asked an old friend and emerging Devon U.K. artist Kiera Osment to add some embellishments and Steve and I worked through the mix. The guide vocals I’d recorded at home were good but we agreed on a separate session to do those in a few days time.
 
Coffee time and a wee jam session for two new songs ‘Cry the Believer’ and the second with a working title ‘Aaah’ (admittedly not that exciting a title but hey, we do what we can :-)). I’m excited about what these two will become and having Steve’s dedication to their musical vision made it all the more enjoyable.
 
Finally, we finished with a fun song, the melody of which I’d written yesterday. ‘Just You, Just Me’ embodies those fun times you want to have with your best peeps but something always seems to get in the way. Steve and I share a sense of the story, so I’m looking forward to sitting down with fountain pen and paper :-).
 
And that was that.
 
Tired but happy, and time to let my voice and mind rest before Tuesday’s T489 Original Acoustic Music Night in Stamford.
We all have many distractions in life, but there is nothing finer than being lost in the reverie that is music. Wonderful music and hopeful poetry.
 
So, check out May 3, 17 and 31 as I’m sure a couple of these songs will be performed out live for the first time.
 
Happy times!
 
Steve tuning the Dove Pocketful of Sand

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