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March 22, 2006
Off to the Suwannee Springfest
Today we’ve been getting ready to go Live Oak for the Suwannee Springfest. At the same time, we’re still working on getting over the flu.
We’re going to be camping at the festival, and I have not camped out since the Carter Administration. I didn’t enjoy my last camping experience much, but then I was camping with a bunch of sweaty, rowdy teenage guys who didn’t care if I was having a good time or not. In addition, I knew nothing about camping, so I was completely at the mercy of those who did (or at least said they did).
I still know nothing about camping, but this time, I will be camping with an elegant, talented lady who also happens to be a very experienced camper, and cares more than a little about my comfort. I will make every effort to learn about camping this weekend, and I will also enjoy cheering her on in the songwriting competition.
I’ll be back on Sunday with a brief word on how it went.
For more information on Suwannee Springfest
http://www.magmusic.com/suwannee.htm
Posted by leon at 08:20 PM | Comments (0)
March 21, 2006
Ah, Show Business!
It’s 10:45PM on a Monday night, and Sheryl and I are now both dealing with the flu. So how do we deal with it? By sitting in the upstairs office together, working on getting our “tax stuff” together for our anxiously waiting accountant.
Not exactly the glamorous side of show business.
We have to get well fast, since we are planning to leave on Thursday morning for Live Oak, FL where Sheryl will be taking part in the Suwannee Springfest. As one of six finalists in the songwriting competition, she'll be performing 3 tunes for a panel of judges on Thursday night. (She has to play alone, so I'll be watching and cheering her on!)
We'll be coming back in time for me to play keyboard for Sandz of Time at the Majestic Restaurant in Titusville on Saturday evening. Sunday after church we spend the day getting ready in order to leave at the crack of dawn on Monday for Nashville!
All right, it’s now 11:33PM. I’ll post this tomorrow. Time to get some rest!
…It’s 12 hours later, and I’m back ready to post this bit of writing. One last thing to add – here’s Sheryl’s newest publicity photo.
Ah, now we’re back to the glamorous side of show business.
Must go get some more tea.
Posted by leon at 11:57 AM | Comments (1)
March 20, 2006
A Fine Day for a Wedding
I’m feeling a bit under the weather today. The old flu bug has finally caught up with the PSG. I used to pride myself on rarely getting sick. Well, so much for that.
One bright spot from the past few days…Sheryl and I attended a wedding last Saturday (March 18th.) It was the marriage of our friends Christopher and LeAnn. We got to know them through our activities in the Cocoa Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, and Christopher became one of our clients when Sheryl designed his Website.
The ceremony was held outdoors at the Veterans Memorial Park in Merritt Island, with the Banana River providing a picturesque backdrop.
At the reception, Chris wanted to make the traditional “first dance” with his bride something truly special, so he donned a wireless headset mic and sang the song “Too Marvelous for Words” to his new bride while they danced. It was one of the most romantic things Sheryl and I had ever seen. It went off without a hitch, too.
I would have done something like that at our wedding reception, except for three reasons:
1. I couldn’t sing (at least not 25 years ago).
2. I couldn’t dance (but I’m still willing to learn!)
3. I didn’t think of it. (I just wanted to get through the wedding without falling down, messing up my lines, knocking over the cake, etc.)
In addition, I’m not sure that wireless headset mics had been invented yet. If they had been, they wouldn’t have looked nearly as cool as the one Christopher wore.
The entire ceremony was expertly captured on video by Complete Music and Video, but none of the footage will ever show up on “AFV” (America’s Funniest Home Videos”) since nothing went wrong. No falling wedding cake, no dancers tripping up, no embarrassing toasts, and no wrestling match fought for the bridal bouquet.
Congratulations, Christopher and LeAnn, and our best wishes for a long and happy life together.
“Too Marvelous for Words”
Lyrics by: Johnny Mercer
Music by: Richard Whiting
You're just too marvelous
Too marvelous for words
Like glorious, glamorous
And that old standby amorous
It's all too wonderful
I'll never find the words
That say enough, tell enough
I mean they just aren't swell enough
You're much too much, and just too very very
To ever be, in Webster's dictionary
And so, I'm borrowing a love song from the birds
To tell you that you're marvelous
Too marvelous for words
It may be a cliché, but they just don’t write ‘em like that anymore!
Posted by leon at 05:27 PM | Comments (1)
March 17, 2006
Performing in the Studio – Part 4
How can you keep your confidence level up?
Remind yourself that you are “work in progress.” If you’ve worked hard on your craft, then you are the best you can be at that moment. You may not be as good as you want to be, but if you think about it logically, if you desire to keep growing and maturing as a musician, you may never be as good as you want to be! What you’re recording today is a “snapshot” of where you are now. You’ll be a better singer and songwriter tomorrow or next year, but even then you’ll want to improve. All you can do now is your best, and if you’ve been diligent in practicing, learning and growing, your best will be great!
Remind yourself that your recording can be great without being perfect. There was a sign in the control room of the first studio I ever worked in that stated, “Perfection is Expensive.” Not only is perfection expensive, it’s rare. Listen to a lot of recordings and you’ll begin to hear the flaws. Maybe the recording itself is immaculate, but the song may not be the greatest (slick production can be used to disguise the weakness of a song). In the days before hard disk audio editing and pitch correction software, you could really hear the flaws in recordings. Fluffed notes and off-key singing can be found in abundance when listening to the oldies station. There are hard-core Beatles fans that can tell you about every mistake that appeared in all the band’s recordings. Nowadays, the musical flaws are not so evident (although the highly polished, perfectly edited, pitch-corrected, sound of today’s pop can be said to be a flaw in and of itself, since it often sounds somewhat inhuman), but the idea is the same. Every artist has room to grow, and has to be able to accept where they are in the present. A modern studio may have the technology to disguise some of your flaws, but chances are you still won’t be completely happy with everything. That’s OK. If you’re happy with 95% of it, you’re doing great!
Most performing songwriters set their goals high. They want their album to be the best thing ever recorded. After it’s done, almost every artist will listen to their work and wish they had done certain things differently. That’s normal! Remember, if you’re an “artist for life” it most likely will not be your last album, and the vast majority of your audience will remain blissfully unaware of any flaws you may have detected in your work.
Performing in the studio, whether on your instrument or with your voice, is a lot like live performance in one respect, you get better at it by doing it.
Posted by leon at 09:27 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2006
Performing in the Studio – Part 3
So what can you do to prepare for studio singing?
Cutting vocals is hard work! When you perform live, you sing in short bursts, and only for an hour or two. In the studio, you may have to sing intensely for hours on end. You’ll probably have to record “scratch” vocals for the players, then go back and do the lead vocals on each song. In recording lead vocals, you may have to do certain parts of the song over many times, each time trying to match the intensity and energy level of the original take. You may spend some time “punching in” different lines, or even a word or two. If you’re not careful, this hard work can leave your voice feeling and sounding tired and raspy.
The best way to prepare for studio singing is to strengthen your voice by practicing and vocalizing for long periods of time each day for a few weeks before your sessions. Get your “voice” muscles accustomed to working for hours at a time. This may seem like a lot of work (and it is) but you’ll be glad you did it once you hit the studio. When you’re into recording, you don’t need to practice much outside the studio, and you can devote all your energy into recording your best vocals.
Don’t let yourself get swamped in self-doubt. It can be very disconcerting to hear yourself on tape, and notice every little flaw. When your producer or engineer says to you after a take, “That may have been a little flat,” or “That was OK, but I think you have a better one in you,” don’t let your confidence be undermined. You may initially go into the studio feeling pretty good about your abilities, but after trying for the tenth time to get a line right that you thought you knew cold, your confidence may fade fast. You may start thinking, “I’m the worst singer in the world! No one’s going to like this. What was I thinking? Am I really as bad as I think? Do I really sound like that? Are the engineer and the producer shaking their heads and thinking “what a joke” behind my back? What made me think I could do this?”
When these thoughts start coursing through your brain, it gets harder and harder to accomplish anything. How can you keep your confidence level up?
Tune in tomorrow!
Posted by leon at 10:11 AM | Comments (1)
March 15, 2006
Performing in the Studio – Part 2 / Studio Singing vs. Live Singing
Cutting studio vocals can be a daunting, humbling experience for an artist just starting to record.
Like many performers, you’ve probably done most of your singing for a live audience, not into a funny looking studio mic. When you’re singing for the public, you obviously want to sound your best, but you know it will never be perfect. If you’ve been performing a while, you know that audiences have a short memory for little imperfections (if they even notice them at all!). A note sung slightly flat, a missed note on the guitar, these vanish into thin air the moment they appear. Your audience is left with the overall impression. They judge the performance by whether they like your song and your performance. If the audience is “with” you, you can almost do no wrong!
In the studio, you may feel a bit out of place at first. Many singers have a hard time listening to the sound of their own voice. It’s a bit like looking at a beautiful painting from a ways off, and it looks perfect until closer inspection reveals flaws not previously seen. If you put a section of the painting under a microscope and examine it even more closely, you begin to spot even more imperfections. Cracks in the paint, colors blurred, bits of dirt and dust clinging to it.
When you sing in the studio, your voice is put under a microscope, so to speak. Everything is revealed, good or bad. (Especially if the engineer decides to listen to your voice without the backing!) You’ll be able to hear every intake of breath, every smack of the lips, every bit of phlegm rattling around on your vocal cords. You’ll be able to hear every time you drift off-pitch, and every phrase that doesn’t sound quite right. You’ll quickly learn that the human voice can be an endlessly beautiful, but imperfect instrument.
So what can you do to prepare for studio singing?
I’ll be back tomorrow to tell you!
Posted by leon at 11:56 AM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2006
Performing in the Studio – Part 1
I don’t have much time to write this week. I’ve got a lot of work waiting for me in the studio. But that’s how it is for the PSG. I wouldn’t be much of a PSG if I never did any actual studio work!
So here’s the first part of an article I had published a few years back about performing in the studio. If you haven’t done much recording, or even if you have a little studio experience, I think you’ll find this helpful.
Veterans of live performance and studio performance know that these are two completely different musical disciplines.
Recording, whether a demo, a single, or an entire album, can be the most exhilarating experience of your musical life, and also the most frustrating.
Don’t let that statement scare you off of recording, there’s nothing like experiencing the intense creative energy that often accompanies studio work, but for a musician used to primarily performing live, it can take a little getting used to.
Recording Your Playing
Most performing songwriters are also guitarists or a keyboardists, as well as singers, and are used to playing and singing at the same time.
In most studio situations, playing and singing are done separately, and that may take some getting used to.
There are exceptions of course, while Elton John usually records his piano and vocals separately so he can better concentrate on each, his counterpart Billy Joel finds that he sings with more fervor and passion if he plays along with himself.
The majority of artists record their playing and singing separately.
Ideally, you will have practiced your instrumental parts and vocal parts separately before going in to the studio.
In most situations you will begin by recording basic tracks.
If your song calls for a full “band sound” this would mean starting with drums, bass, keyboard and / or guitar.
This can be done with live musicians, or it can be done by an arranger / programmer, using MIDI and sequencing to create the sound of a full band.
If you’re a player / singer, then you may be a part of these basic tracks, either as part of the band, or by dubbing your instrument parts on later.
If you are new to recording, you may find that your playing is not “clean” enough for recording at first (This happens most often with guitarists. Depending on the studio’s set up, keyboard players can record their parts on a sequencer, and have them “cleaned up.”).
Don’t get discouraged, if you keep at it long enough, you’re studio playing skills will soon match your live playing skills.
Tomorrow I'll deal with recording vocals.
Listen to some examples of our work!
http://www.solocreativemedia.com/new_demo.htm
Posted by leon at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2006
Attack of the No See ‘ums (The Wekiva Riverfest)
It was our privilege to perform at the first annual Wekiva Riverfest on Saturday, March 11.
Put on by the Friends of the Wekiva River, this outdoor festival featured speakers, live music, exhibits, artwork, canoe races and activities for all ages.
We were invited to play at the festival by Asli and Greg Walker, who were in charge of the music.
It turned out to be a beautiful day. Sheryl and I were the first to play, followed by Dominic Gadious, who played a custom-made double neck guitar, one neck being a six string guitar, the other a 12 stringer.
He also played the didgeridoo. If you’ve ever heard a movie soundtrack that attempted to capture the sounds of Australia, then you’ve most likely heard the sound of the didgeridoo. Needless to say, we had never before seen and heard anyone who played this exotic instrument and the guitar at the same time!
Check out Dominic’s unique music at http://www.DominicGaudious.com.
We also heard the Space Coast Bluegrass Quartet, and the band Borrowed Reality (featuring Asli and Greg, along with their drummer Bill).
Several of our good friends from NSAI and the Musical Kottage where there to enjoy the day with us.
The only problem we encountered were the “no see ‘ums”, those bothersome miniscule creatures that Asli Walker aptly referred to as “flying teeth.” Sheryl unfortunately sustained several bites, as did a number of of our friends.
The insect bites will eventually go away, but we will retain the more pleasant memories.
Sheryl Paige and the PSG Perform at the Wekiva Riverfest
Leon Olguin, Sheryl Paige, Denise Rutjens, Sandy Ferris, Asli Walker
The Performer's View
(Ah, the sacrifices we make for our art!)
Dominic Gaudios
Borrowed Reality
I Got to Run Sound for Borrowed Reality
Posted by leon at 03:36 PM | Comments (2)
March 10, 2006
Presidential Pianos – Part 2
My entry yesterday about Presidential Pianos promoted a response and a query: which Presidents actually played the piano?
I know for sure that Harry S Truman did, but I don’t know how good he was.
Recently, I saw on PBS a clip from the Jack Paar show during the early 1960’s, featuring Richard Nixon playing the piano. In fact, I think he was playing one of his own compositions, complete with orchestral accompaniment.
As for the quality of his playing, let’s just say that you won’t find too many Richard Nixon LPs for sale on eBay.
Now of course, Nixon is also famous for some tapes he made later on, but that’s another story.
Posted by leon at 03:01 PM | Comments (1)
March 09, 2006
Presidential Pianos
(Courtesy of the Pierce Piano Atlas)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0911138048/allaboutpianosA/102-4340732-2312945
I’ve always been interested in Presidential trivia. With this list, you’ll always have an answer in case one of your friends should ask: “What kind of piano did Abraham Lincoln have?” (He actually had two pianos, but I don’t know if he owned them both at the same time).
So, here are the presidents and their pianos:
1st President - George Washington - Longman & Broderip Harpsichord; Schoen & Vinsen Pianoforte
2nd President - John Adams - Currier & Co.
3rd President - Thomas Jefferson - Astor Pianoforte
4th President - James Madison - Square Grand (name destroyed by fire)
5th President - James Monroe - Astor Piano
6th President - John Quincy Adams - Currier & Co.
7th President - Andrew Jackson - T. Gilbert & Co. Square Piano
8th President - Martin Van Buren - Hallet & Cumston Square Piano
9th President - William Henry Harrison - Haines Brothers
10th President - John Tyler - Thomas Tomkinson Upright Piano
11th President - James Knox Polk - Astor & Harwood Square Piano
12th President - Zachary Taylor - name unknown
13th President - Millard Fillmore - name unknown
14th President - Franklin Pierce - Chickering Square Piano
15th President - James Buchanan - Chickering Grand Piano
16th President - Abraham Lincoln - Chickering Square Piano & Chickering Upright
17th President - Andrew Johnson - Steinway & Sons Square Piano
18th President - Ulysses S. Grant - Melodeon
19th President - Rutherford B. Hayes - Bradbury Upright & Harpsichord (name destroyed by fire)
20th President - James A. Garfield - Hallet & Davis Upright
21st President - Chester A. Arthur - Piano cannot be located.
22nd President - Grover Cleveland - Combination Piano & Harpsichord (name destroyed by fire)
23rd President - Benjamin Harrison - J. & C. Fischer Upright Piano, Haines Brothers Square
24th President - Grover Cleveland - (same as above)
25th President - William McKinley - A. H. Gale Co. Square Piano
26th President - Theodore Roosevelt - Chickering Upright, Steinway Grand Piano
27th President - William Howard Taft - Baldwin Grand Piano
28th President - Woodrow Wilson - Ernst Rosenkranst Square Piano, Knabe Grand
29th President - Warren G. Harding - A. B. Chase Electric Player Piano
30th President - Calvin Coolidge - Sohmer Upright Piano
31st President - Herbert Hoover - Knabe Grand & A. B. Chase Grand
32nd President - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Hardman Grand
33rd President - Harry S. Truman - Steinway Grand, Baldwin Grand & Steinway Upright
34th President - Dwight D. Eisenhower - Hallet & Cumston Upright
35th President - John F. Kennedy - Ivers & Pond Grand Piano
36th President - Lyndon B. Johnson - Style L. Steinway, Knabe Console
37th President - Richard M. Nixon - Geo. P. Bent Upright, Baldwin Vertical
38th President - Gerald Ford - No personal piano
39th President - James (Jimmy) Carter - Ludden & Bates
40th President - Ronald Reagan - Steinway Grand
41st President - George Bush - Did not own personal piano.
42nd President - William (Bill) Clinton - Baldwin Grand in the Governor's Mansion.
43rd President - George W. Bush - No personal piano. Steinway Grand in the White House residence.
My personal piano? A 1928 Knabe Grand, built in Germany.
Woodrow Wilson owned a Knabe, as did Herbert Hoover and Lyndon B. Johnson.
Our current President does not have a personal piano. Too bad, since playing the piano can be very relaxing, and as you know, his job can sometimes be a bit stressful.
Posted by leon at 01:09 PM | Comments (1)
March 08, 2006
Hangin’ With Songwriters
Last night Sheryl and I attended the monthly NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) meeting at Sam Ash Music in Orlando.
This is always one of the highlights of our month.
It was quite a lively meeting, and our little meeting room was standing room-only.
Asli Walker, one of our three coordinators (along with Rich Allen and Sheryl), led the group through a songwriting exercise. Then, as usual, we spent the rest of our time listening to and critiquing each other’s songs.
(Check out my entries for July 7, 18, and 21, 2005 for more about NSAI)
After the meeting, we usually head over to the nearby TGI Fridays for food and further discussion. Most of the time we talk about music, songwriting, who’s playing where, what we thought of each other’s latest songs, etc.
There’s a special spirit about this group. The members are very supportive of each other; there is little or no jealousy or backbiting. Any musical triumph achieved by a member is shared and rejoiced over by all.
Why do Sheryl and I enjoy spending time with this group so much?
Well, of course, we have one main thing in common: we are all creators and performers of our own music.
We’re trying to write good songs, we’re working to create something of beauty and worth. We’re looking to get across a meaningful message in what we write and sing. We want to have fun writing and playing music!
There are few things more beneficial to a creative musician than to hang out with other creative musicians.
Check out the NSAI site: http://www.nashvillesongwriters.com.
Posted by leon at 08:37 PM | Comments (0)
March 07, 2006
Mamapalooza is Coming!
Sheryl has taken on the job of Regional Coordinator in Central Florida for this upcoming event. She will play a major role in putting this event together.
MAMAPALOOZA 2006 is an international festival that takes place annually in May with the purpose of promoting and celebrating the arts in motherhood.
The theme is simple: “Moms Rock.”
Mamapalooza comprises nearly 40 events held in 30 cities around the world, most of which are in the U.S., and also in the U.K. and Australia.
Our local event will be held at the Cocoa Beach Holiday Inn. Our executive producer, Joy Rose, founded the MAMAPALOOZA movement in 2002 and the movement continues to grow every year.
Our Cocoa Beach Event Details:
Date: Friday May 26th: 5-6PM Sponsor and Artist reception, 6-11PM Concert Event
Location: Cocoa Beach Holiday Inn
Tickets: (price to be determined)
Hors d’oeuvres and cash bar
Proceeds to be donated to: ALR (Lupus Research), Hidden Potentials (Brevard County non-profit assisting disabled children), The Brevard Humane Society, and Unconditional Love (provides food and support to AIDS patients and their families).
Featured mom performers include:
Sheryl Paige, award winning adult contemporary singer/songwriter
Celtic Sessions, acoustic Celtic music
Magda Hiller, Jazz and Contemporary Folk artist
Dianne Carr, Author, doing a reading from “The River Dragon” book
Poetry readings from local writers
Music from local performing songwriters
Displays of artwork from local women in the visual arts (painters, sculptors, etc.)
Other artists to be confirmed
Local businesses can invest in a Vendor Table and set up a display promoting their business.
For more details, contact us.
As we get closer to the event, I’ll give you more details!
Posted by leon at 12:44 PM | Comments (0)
March 06, 2006
Cover Tunes
Last Saturday Sheryl and I played for a VIP reception held by a group of Doctors in Brevard County. Before the reception they put on a “Doctors’ Talent Show” with the proceeds going to the Brevard Alzheimer’s Association.
Our job at the reception was to play background music. This was a somewhat new experience for Sheryl. Usually she plays for an attentive audience, or in a coffeehouse type setting, where some people might be talking, but usually there are some who are paying attention to the music.
This evening, we were strictly background, so there was no talking between songs, and we did a mixture of cover tunes and Sheryl’s songs.
As for me, I’m an old veteran of the “background music” gig. Sometimes the conditions are less than ideal for soul-satisfying music making. It can be hard to play when seemingly no one is paying attention, or when the manager comes up and says “Can you bring the volume down a little? Some of our patrons say they can still hear you.” (I am NOT making this up, that really happened to me.)
So why do a gig like this? Several reasons:
1. It’s a low-pressure way to hone performance skills. I’m a big believer in the benefits of learning and playing cover tunes. Even when most folks are not paying attention, there are always a few who are listening, so you have to do your best.
2. It’s a bit like being paid to practice. You can try out new original material, or sing a cover tune that up to then you’ve only rehearsed.
3. You never know whom you are going to meet. Occasionally folks will come up to talk to you during your breaks. I’ve had the opportunity to tell people about the studio or about my teaching, or find out about their musical experiences. Sometimes we’ve met folks who wanted us to play for another function. (That’s how we got this job; someone had heard us play for a Christmas party. We got to play at the Christmas party because someone had heard us play somewhere else…)
So if you’re looking to sharpen your skills as a player and a songwriter, consider getting out there and playing some cover tunes.
Want to know more? Give me a call or email me by posting a comment.
Sheryl Paige
(I put this picture up 'cause I like it!)
Posted by leon at 09:57 PM | Comments (0)
March 02, 2006
My Other Life
As I write this, Sheryl is in the studio with one of her students. She has a few private students who study voice and guitar with her. She doesn’t advertise for students, but every now and then someone will ask if she teaches privately, and if she has an opening in her schedule and the prospective student is serious about learning, she’ll work with them.
Well, I haven’t written about this here, but I have a few private students as well. In addition, I have hundreds of “public” students.
Besides being the PSG (Project Studio Guy) I am also the KTTK guy.
KTTK stands for “Keys to the Keyboard,” the overall name I use for my keyboard classes. A few times a month, I teach groups of students how to play by ear, and how to play the piano (or keyboard) using the “popular”, chord-based approach. This is done in a 3-hour workshop format.
The classes, which are held at various colleges and recreation centers throughout Florida, range in size from 10 to 50, and the students range in age from 10 to 90!
It’s a great way to get out of the studio, meet new people, and share the joy of making music.
For a while, I tried to keep two blogs going. The other blog is still up, and you can find it at http://www.keystothekeyboard.com, but I have decided to concentrate my writing efforts on this blog alone, and incorporate my experiences as a teacher as well.
You can read about my classes at http://www.solocreativemedia.com.
Teaching at the Vero Beach Community Center
Posted by leon at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)
March 01, 2006
Career Shadowing
On Monday, February 27th, I welcomed four high school juniors in to my studio as part of the Brevard County Schools Career Shadowing Program.
This program provides the students with the chance to spend the day at a place of business in line with their interests, and observe and ask questions. I’ve been a participating business for the last several years.
Normally the schools will send me one or two students, but this time they asked me to host four.
My students were Meg Spivey, Shain Honkanen, Ember Everett, and Wesley Anderson.
Meg wanted to learn more about music production. She’s a musician, having studied cello, bass and guitar.
Shain is already a working musician, as guitarist in a band called Vintage. They recently played at the Cocoa Village Mardi Gras.
Ember plays the French Horn and is a singer. She wants to someday work as a wedding planner, but is also interested in music production.
Wesley is also a guitarist, and also wants to find out more about music production.
I began by telling them about the history of S.O.L.O. Creative Media, and then giving them a picture of what a “typical” day in the studio was like.
If you are a regular reader, you know that there are no “typical days!”
I gave a demonstration on mixing, showing them how to process a vocal. Several of them already had experience with soundboards and running sound.
Sheryl came in for a while to record a song demo, and the students were able to observe and ask questions about the recording process. They watched and listened to Sheryl record an acoustic guitar part. I then showed them how I added drums, bass, and piano. We then had Sheryl record a scratch vocal.
After lunch, we gave them a chance to record something themselves. They elected to perform the song “Sweet Home Alabama.”
Shain took the lead guitar part (it was obviously a song he had practiced before!), Wesley handled rhythm acoustic guitar, Meg played the bass, and Ember provided a partly ad-libbed vocal, which included the line, “Mr. Olguin is so cool.” It’s not often that someone literally sings my praises!
These were the kind of students that restore your faith in “young people.” They were all bright, well mannered (Meg even called me “sir!”), and very attentive. My time with them was over before I knew it.
I should mention that they were all from Edgewood Junior / Senior High in Brevard County, FL.
Hey guys, if you’re reading this, thanks for coming over!
Meg, Shain, Wesley, Ember
Shain, Ember, Wesley and Meg with the PSG
Shain, Ember and Wesley
Wesley and Meg play "Sweet Home Alabama"
Posted by leon at 08:54 PM | Comments (2)