Guitar Accompli

Well, it’s been almost a month. I’m still slugging away at the album, but these songs are seriously kicking some ass!

Let me backtrack a bit. A month ago, I was recovering from a f’ed up hand. It was slowly getting better, but the knuckles for my pinky and ring finger were starting to get cramped and stiff. For some reason, I decided to grab the 2 fingers and lightly pull. They pulled out about ¼”! That was a little scary for a minute, I thought I’d pulled them off! They instantly started to feel better, and have been fine ever since. I guess they just needed realigning.

As for the record, I just finished the guitar tracks on the weekend.
I tried a new routine this time. Normally I’ll record in this order:

1. drum programming
2. bass guitar
3. acoustic guitars as a foundation
4. electric guitars
5. keyboards, pianos, synthesizers
6. vocals

This time I switched it up a little. I recorded all the electric guitars first, then added the acoustic guitars. I wouldn’t have thought it would make a difference, but it really has. Instead of having a fat acoustic bulking each song, they’ve become more of just an accent on some tracks. Sure, some have a driving acoustic rhythm behind them, but on others it’s just a chord here and there or a subtle riff. On a few of the songs it’s really changed the feel. I also did most of the synths and keyboards before the acoustics. I’m really loving these tracks. It’s not unusual to find me rocking out these days with the speakers blasting!

Next up: Vocals.  I haven’t done any real singing in over a year, except for the live stuff with The Boys From County Hell. And for the live shows I usually can’t hear myself and just shout while hoping I’m getting close to the right notes.
I have notes from my signing lessons, and am going to spend a few weeks going through those and rebuilding my vocal chords. Like an athlete’s muscles, they get flabby and weak if you don’t practice and keep them in shape. Once my throat is buff again, I’ll be ready to step up to the microphone.
I'm getting close!