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Greetings Fellow Humans,
It’s been almost one year since my last blog entry. I hope it finds you in good health.
Whew! What a year’s time can reveal, right? Especially in this first half of this one. I’m not going to pile-on with more opines on the, do I even dare to type it, COVID-19 crisis? Too late. Of course, as everyone has, I have much to express on the topic, but I’m burned-out on it. I need a break, don’t you?
Instead, I’m inspired to share an update on my debut album project, which has been severely hampered by the hysteria, but I think I see some toilet paper at the end of the tunnel, which we’ve been virtually swirling through.
To illustrate how inhibitive our Governor’s executive orders have affected my progress—as of this date, I have not recorded even one audio track to put toward my endeavor. The initial announcement, I made on November 3rd, 2019, included my goal of a conservatively estimated release time for the album. That earnest forecast may prove to be unattainable, now, but I’m giving it my best effort to achieve the goal in spite of obstructive forces.
If you’re wondering what I have been doing in the past six months, well, not enough, in my opinion, but I would probably say the same thing If we weren’t invaded by the invisible enemy.
Research and more research has consumed much of my time, when I’m not fulfilling several obligations for which I believe are right and good, as a believer in Jesus Christ.
This, I can do myself, has always been my attitude. In regard to cutting an album, not so much. In addition to the vast amount of research, for the monumental task of attempting a partial “Do It Yourself” approach, I’ve purchased some additional small equipment items and I’m setting up a more adequate, but limited, home studio space. A temporary, modest ,99 sq. ft. bedroom-to-studio conversion, until I can move it into a larger space (our basement) which is currently in possession of a different, invasive, and visible enemy, called the Junk Force.
The former is a much more viable strategy for accomplishing the mission in a timely manner. It felt like “Mission Impossible,” until I started investigating the possibility of producing professional sounding homemade recordings. Thousands of artists have been successful in the practice of DIY, radio-ready, audio tracks.
On January 5th, 2019, I emailed a request to about sixty of my “A-List” potential prospects, including friends, family members and musician buddies, to participate in a “Top 7” poll. They are folks that, at some point in the past, had shown a genuine interest in my music. I asked them to rate their favorite seven, out of a list of 21 of my original demo song tracks. I explained that I wanted help from a group of music lovers, made from diverse personalities and interests, to assist me in deciding what songs might be suitable to include on an album. A task that I personally found difficult to complete, because I have been wrong when assuming certain songs would be well received and just as mistaken when I was sure that other tunes would be utterly rejected. It’s not a particularly pleasant surprise. Who better to assess that decision than myself?—I thought. Then God chimed in with a thought of His own.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that a significant number were willing to undertake the demanding and daunting task. It involved charting their preferences and endure two hours of listening to amateur quality recordings of strange audible ideas, in order to submit their Top 7 list. I was expecting about a dozen, max, to opt in. Out of the twenty seven well intentioned participants, nine followed through, for whom I’m very grateful. I can’t thank you enough!! There were enough of you, who submitted your list, to get a feel for which songs connect with a general audience.
There is an overwhelming mountain of knowledge, experience and applications involved in reaching the summit. I look forward to the return hike. It is near the top of my list of challenging treks that I’ve ever taken on and fully committed to. After spending countless hours, over the past forty eight years of writing, recording and performing my songs, it’s a bucket-list item that I most passionately and desperately want to checkoff, before I checkout. It’s overdue, don’t you think?—I mean the album, not kicking the bucket.
The old mantra I’ve chanted for nearly a half decade is, “You’re never to old to pursue your dreams.” Therefore, at the age of sixty four, by the grace of God, go I.
Here’s to dreams!
Anticipatorily,
DC
Greetings Fellow Humans,
It’s been almost one year since my last blog entry. I hope it finds you in good health.
Whew! What a year’s time can reveal, right? Especially in this first half of this one. I’m not going to pile-on with more opines on the, do I even dare to type it, COVID-19 crisis? Too late. Of course, as everyone has, I have much to express on the topic, but I’m burned-out on it. I need a break, don’t you?
Instead, I’m inspired to share an update on my debut album project, which has been severely hampered by the hysteria, but I think I see some toilet paper at the end of the tunnel, which we’ve been virtually swirling through.
To illustrate how inhibitive our Governor’s executive orders have affected my progress—as of this date, I have not recorded even one audio track to put toward my endeavor. The initial announcement, I made on November 3rd, 2019, included my goal of a conservatively estimated release time for the album. That earnest forecast may prove to be unattainable, now, but I’m giving it my best effort to achieve the goal in spite of obstructive forces.
If you’re wondering what I have been doing in the past six months, well, not enough, in my opinion, but I would probably say the same thing If we weren’t invaded by the invisible enemy.
Research and more research has consumed much of my time, when I’m not fulfilling several obligations for which I believe are right and good, as a believer in Jesus Christ.
This, I can do myself, has always been my attitude. In regard to cutting an album, not so much. In addition to the vast amount of research, for the monumental task of attempting a partial “Do It Yourself” approach, I’ve purchased some additional small equipment items and I’m setting up a more adequate, but limited, home studio space. A temporary, modest ,99 sq. ft. bedroom-to-studio conversion, until I can move it into a larger space (our basement) which is currently in possession of a different, invasive, and visible enemy, called the Junk Force.
The former is a much more viable strategy for accomplishing the mission in a timely manner. It felt like “Mission Impossible,” until I started investigating the possibility of producing professional sounding homemade recordings. Thousands of artists have been successful in the practice of DIY, radio-ready, audio tracks.
On January 5th, 2019, I emailed a request to about sixty of my “A-List” potential prospects, including friends, family members and musician buddies, to participate in a “Top 7” poll. They are folks that, at some point in the past, had shown a genuine interest in my music. I asked them to rate their favorite seven, out of a list of 21 of my original demo song tracks. I explained that I wanted help from a group of music lovers, made from diverse personalities and interests, to assist me in deciding what songs might be suitable to include on an album. A task that I personally found difficult to complete, because I have been wrong when assuming certain songs would be well received and just as mistaken when I was sure that other tunes would be utterly rejected. It’s not a particularly pleasant surprise. Who better to assess that decision than myself?—I thought. Then God chimed in with a thought of His own.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that a significant number were willing to undertake the demanding and daunting task. It involved charting their preferences and endure two hours of listening to amateur quality recordings of strange audible ideas, in order to submit their Top 7 list. I was expecting about a dozen, max, to opt in. Out of the twenty seven well intentioned participants, nine followed through, for whom I’m very grateful. I can’t thank you enough!! There were enough of you, who submitted your list, to get a feel for which songs connect with a general audience.
There is an overwhelming mountain of knowledge, experience and applications involved in reaching the summit. I look forward to the return hike. It is near the top of my list of challenging treks that I’ve ever taken on and fully committed to. After spending countless hours, over the past forty eight years of writing, recording and performing my songs, it’s a bucket-list item that I most passionately and desperately want to checkoff, before I checkout. It’s overdue, don’t you think?—I mean the album, not kicking the bucket.
The old mantra I’ve chanted for nearly a half decade is, “You’re never to old to pursue your dreams.” Therefore, at the age of sixty four, by the grace of God, go I.
Here’s to dreams!
Anticipatorily,
DC
