Slowly but surely

Well I know I had said I was wanting to update this blog every night. But I have realized that this is just too hard of a thing to do.

Lately I have been mixing what material I already have. It has been turning out pretty decent actually. However last night I picked up the ukulele and just cranked out something totally new! I am working on the vocal tracks now and should have it finished and ready for editing/mixing in a day or two.

The trains here are so stupidly loud and I was having problems with Logic (recording software). So I think I am going to call it a night.

Oh uh... anyone want to buy me a one of these? http://apple.com/imac

Good night.

What am I really about?

I love music. I love recording and designing sound, mixing, mastering and all that. But what good is it if I forfeit my soul? I have been so focused on writing lately that I have slipped in to spiritual apathy. I cannot do this! Which is more important? Making music, or focusing on my relationship with the Almighty? Consider some of the words of Ecclesiastes:

"In the end, when all has been heard, fear God and keep His commandments. For this is the whole duty of mankind." - 12:13

Yeshua (Jesus) taught the same thing in saying that the two greatest commandments are to Love the LORD with all your heart, soul, and mind, and you are to love your neighbor as yourself.

What am I thinking, considering my wants to be greater than my relationship with God? What am I? What is my life? I am nothing. Absolutely nothing! Those words of Ecclesiastes ring true today! By keeping His commandments I am really walking in freedom. There is not a thing to worry about when I am living by them. That's what I was put on this earth to do; to love God and to glorify him in everything I do. Today I will do that. I will make a conscious effort to keep His commandments as His Son, our Messiah did knowing that every kept mitzvah (commandment) brings me closer to Him.

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the Torah of the LORD, and on His Torah he meditates day and night." - Psalm 1:1-2

Momentum

Things have been going rather well lately. I have finished two new tracks since my last update. It really is liberating, being able to just sit and write and have it work. Last night was rather... brick-wallish but I have no doubts that I will be able to sit back down and crank something out. I have been listening to a lot of Goran Bregovic, and some other more Mediterranean folk music. I hope to be putting together a band sometime...hopefully by the end of November. By then I am planning on finally finishing an album. The cool thing is that I have no idea where this is going to go. I don't want it to stop after this first album.

To my wife; Thank you for putting up with my long hours in the music room. Without you, this just wouldn't be possible. You inspire me in ways you don't even know. You make me want to create. You give me that sense of adventure. Being with you is like a constant vacation.

God has been amazing. This being the 9th of Av and all, I plan on working on something dealing with it tonight.

Ischia

Lately I have been feeling pull more and more toward European ethnic music. Emily and I have been wanting to relocate to the Island of Ischia ever since we visited. Ischia is an island out in the Mediterranean Sea about an hour and a half of the port of Naples, Italy. I making a commitment to recording music reminiscent of the areas in Western Europe we visited for a while. I am dropping the same old depressed American music that I have been trying to write and I am trading it for the fun, light-hearted yet moving sounds from across the pond.

I know a lot of people will think that I am trying to be something I am not. But frankly, I don't care. I don't make music so other people can give me praise or criticism. I make music because it is something that God put in my heart to do. I make music because I love it.

On a weirder note. I had put an ad up on craigslist looking for other musicians. A certain gentleman got ahold of me and said he was a sound engineer, and producer but wanted to make some music anyway... Meth is a hell of a drug. This guy was no sound engineer, nor producer. He was a cracked, cussing, shaking mess. He hadn't showered in days. and he was missing teeth. He couldn't not play the simplest scales for the life of him. He said that he liked playing music with me and that he wanted to start a "southern rock band." What caught my interest was that he said he wanted to trade his Fender Rhodes 88 for my xylophone! My xylophone!!! I went to go check out this rhodes piano... it was completely gutted and pieced together in the typical meth-head fashion. Pieces were missing, keys were dead. ALL electronics gone. Smelled like ammonia and sudafed. All logos were broken off. The top was missing. But sure enough it was a Fender Rhodes 88 key Electric Piano. I am still contemplating whether or not it would be a good move to trade him. After all those things in good shape are worth well over $2000.

Chris.