Recording!

I can’t believe it is just over two weeks ago already, but I actually fulfilled a dream to record some songs.  What an experience.  The week before I was suffering with a sore throat, achy bones and felt I was definitely coming down with some horrible bug.  Why that week?!!!  Why the week I was due to sing my heart out?!!!  I lived on paracetamol, honey and lemon drinks, Lemsip (which is gross even with added honey to sweeten it) and some of Dad’s throat spray as advised by the Doctor.  I had ordered some VocalZone pastilles under recommendation.  They didn’t arrive until the day of the recording and I was advised not to take them on the day I am due to sing.  Happily my throat had recovered somewhat by Thursday evening.  I didn’t sleep a wink Thursday night I was so excited and also full of apprehension.

Friday morning I felt my throat was totally constricted, “just nerves” I kept telling myself. My boyfriend arrived early; he was going to look after M & D whilst I was singing.  My Guitar tutor arrived with his mobile recording studio and we made a sound booth with two music stands and a duvet…amazing.  Then my vocal coach arrived.  I wanted her to be there plus she was very interested in how the recording would all work out at home.

I was really nervous but we got started with the songs that are easier to sing.  It was weird to hear myself singing in my own ears alongside the backing track.  To stop and start. to break in later in the song, to rephrase a lyric, to put my own sound on it.  In two hours we had managed to record seven tracks; some Irish, some Country and some from totally different genres…all will be revealed in due course.  I was hoarse afterwards and I was on a high.  This was one huge tick off my “dreams come true” list.  I am very lucky that I managed to choose such wonderful people as Christine (Vocal Coach) and Roger (Guitar Tutor).

A week later I received the unedited tracks to listen to.  They sounded amazing, I really can’t believe that it is me.  The sound quality is excellent, you’d never think we recorded the songs at home.

Over that weekend my boyfriend took some photographs in the garden with a camera, rather than a mobile phone, so that I could start on my music social media work.  I had been out the night before to see John McNicholl so a tad tired looking but I do like some of the photo’s and have used them for my Music page.  I’ll use them for the You Tube channel when I get that up and going.  There is so much to do and so limited time to do it. However, I have no great expectations of ambitions.  Singing and music is my respite, my stress buster from the caring role which takes up the majority of my time. This is my hobby.  I have a lot to research regarding licensing, commercial obligations, royalties, CD’s etc but it will all have to be done in my own slow available time.

I also have the opportunity later in the year to make a video or two for a couple of the recorded tracks.  I’m very excited about this and yet this too will pose problems to get around.  I can’t not be at home in the morning so a full day out is out of the question. I will need cover whilst I am out so I’m looking at £20 per hour before I do anything with a video. Location is another question, I can’t be too far from home in case I need to get back quickly. I want to keep things as simple as possible as I don’t have people who want to appear in videos and I don’t want to have to hire rooms, theatre’s, bars etc.  So before I start I have some obstacles to overcome but as the saying goes, where there’s a will there’s a way.

I spotted some dresses on Instagram in June and when I visited the website I was amazed that they were so reasonably priced, plus there was a sale and a first purchase discount. So I bought two, one in Black and one in White. They arrived at the end of last week…from China.  The Black one is huge but I can work with it, that’s what we have clothes pegs for 🙂  The White one is a perfect fit.  These are for photos and also for wearing in the videos.  How exciting life has become.  I am so grateful and blessed to be getting the opportunity to do these things albeit at a very slow pace.

Dad made me laugh the day after the recordings when he asked me what was going to happen to him and Mom.  I asked him why he asked that question and he said now that I’ve recorded the tracks things will change.  I laughed and said that I had only recorded a few songs, I didn’t think I would be taking on a World Tour next week and in any case, him and Mom are my priority.  I’m here 100% for them and that won’t change, global stardom will have to wait.

Pictures are mine or via Pinterest.

With love and sparkles xxx