Howdy friends and fans,
This week I finished a mix of "Hanging Out With Heroes at the Library" and one of "Big Red Fire Truck."
"Fire Truck" really got me excited as I cleaned it up a bit and the mix came together - it ROCKS! OK, I'm calm. After I mixed the instruments yesterday, I listened several times through just jamming out and enjoying the groove. I can't wait for you all to hear it.
Well this makes ten down and only THREE to go!! "Trick or Treat" is up next.
I am so sick of editing and mixing I could throw my computer out the window! I want to be creating new music - not hashing through stuff I recorded in November!!
I'm calm again. It's OK. Really.
When I hear the result, it's worth the effort. But I don't know if I'll ever record this way again - too much post-production. Maybe someday I'll be able to afford to pay someone to do this part for me!
The other day I was bouncing around the house doing my Daffy Duck laugh. It was scary. I'm going a little loopy being focused so intently on this one project. But by the end of next week I'll be able to move on to the mastering phase and that will be very good. I'll have Steve to help me with that and we can go loopy together.
Woo! Woohoo! Woohoohoo! Woohoohoohoo!
Bdb Bdbd Bd Bd That's all, folks!
Friday, March 25, 2005
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Great Green Squishy Mean Update
I've been working on my editing and mixing since I got back from Ft. Worth. I've finished "Loose Tooth" and I'm working on "The Great Green Squishy Mean Bibliovore" - should finish it today. That will make 8 down and 5 to go! And I've gotten some basics done on the 5 to go, so I estimate two or three weeks before the mixes are finished, another week for mastering, another couple of weeks for duplication.... I should definitely have these in hand by May, to throw out a conservative estimate. Guess I'd better get back at it!
Friday, March 11, 2005
Trinity Valley 2 of 5
Here are some photos from Wednesday's show at Trinity Valley. Many thanks to Carolyn Dowell for taking them and emailing them to me!!
Thursday, March 10, 2005
On the Road in Fort Worth - Part 3
Well, I'm home now! Sorry I didn't get a chance to post yesterday from Trinity Valley or Country Day School. John took some photos in the morning that came out too dark to use, so we tried, but it just didn't work out. The schools also took photos so I'll look for those in the email and share em when I get em.
Yesterday's shows were pretty amazing. At Trinity Valley I performed in a wonderful little theater, and using their sound system John said it was clear as a bell - he could hear every word. The kids were fantastic. They were so polite that during the opening song "Take Me to Your Library" I wondered if I was coming across, but they loosened up soon enough and their participation in "Grandma's House Tonight" was exemplary. The other songs in the program were "Lisa Lee Elizabeth," "The Brainiacs," "Library Bookaneers," "Hanging Out With Heroes" and "Trick or Treat." We just had a fun fun time with that group!
Twilight Zone moment of the week: John had made a joke the day before about the concertina I use with "Library Bookaneers." I usually have the kids guess what kind of instrument might be hiding in the little treasure chest I keep it in. He asked if anyone had ever guessed "Grand Piano." I said, no not that I remember. Then at BOTH of yesterday's shows we got "piano" as a joke guess-!!
The afternoon show at Country Day took place in a sort of a square carpeted pit with three or four levels leading down to the center. John and I didn't see how they planned to fit 300 kids in there, but the students arrived in an orderly manner and quickly took their places, and sure enough there was room to spare. I was close enough to everyone to see their eyes, so it felt very cozy.
I started off with "Jungle Junk" (for John), then "Take Me to Your Library," "The Brainiacs," "Frog Song" (being so close together this group was a bit more raucous - in a good way of course - and the frog song seemed a good choice to put some of that energy to use), "Library Bookaneers," "Hanging Out With Heroes." After "Library Bookaneers" I let myself get drawn in to answering a few questions from the audience, which is always fun, but then we ended up with time for only one more song. Ah, well.
The night before I had talked to my daughter Evalyn (4 years old next month!) on the phone. She told me, very excited, that she had heard me on XMKids. She said if the kids asked what my daughter told me to tell them she heard "Take Me to Your Library" on XMKids. Well, they didn't ask, but I told them anyway. I was surprised by how many hands went up when I asked who has XM radio and who listens to XMKids. It's very exciting to have a national outlet like that for kids' music!
Yesterday's shows were pretty amazing. At Trinity Valley I performed in a wonderful little theater, and using their sound system John said it was clear as a bell - he could hear every word. The kids were fantastic. They were so polite that during the opening song "Take Me to Your Library" I wondered if I was coming across, but they loosened up soon enough and their participation in "Grandma's House Tonight" was exemplary. The other songs in the program were "Lisa Lee Elizabeth," "The Brainiacs," "Library Bookaneers," "Hanging Out With Heroes" and "Trick or Treat." We just had a fun fun time with that group!
Twilight Zone moment of the week: John had made a joke the day before about the concertina I use with "Library Bookaneers." I usually have the kids guess what kind of instrument might be hiding in the little treasure chest I keep it in. He asked if anyone had ever guessed "Grand Piano." I said, no not that I remember. Then at BOTH of yesterday's shows we got "piano" as a joke guess-!!
The afternoon show at Country Day took place in a sort of a square carpeted pit with three or four levels leading down to the center. John and I didn't see how they planned to fit 300 kids in there, but the students arrived in an orderly manner and quickly took their places, and sure enough there was room to spare. I was close enough to everyone to see their eyes, so it felt very cozy.
I started off with "Jungle Junk" (for John), then "Take Me to Your Library," "The Brainiacs," "Frog Song" (being so close together this group was a bit more raucous - in a good way of course - and the frog song seemed a good choice to put some of that energy to use), "Library Bookaneers," "Hanging Out With Heroes." After "Library Bookaneers" I let myself get drawn in to answering a few questions from the audience, which is always fun, but then we ended up with time for only one more song. Ah, well.
The night before I had talked to my daughter Evalyn (4 years old next month!) on the phone. She told me, very excited, that she had heard me on XMKids. She said if the kids asked what my daughter told me to tell them she heard "Take Me to Your Library" on XMKids. Well, they didn't ask, but I told them anyway. I was surprised by how many hands went up when I asked who has XM radio and who listens to XMKids. It's very exciting to have a national outlet like that for kids' music!
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
On the Road in Fort Worth Part 2
Here I am at Remington Point Elementary School in Fort Worth, TX. This photo shows me wading into the audience with my concertina during the song "Library Bookaneers." If you click on the photo you'll go to flickr where you can see 11 others from the same concert!
This group sang particularly well, and "Silly Song" and "Grandma's House Tonight" were highlights of the show. I also did "Take Me to Your Library," "Loose Tooth," "Hanging Out With Heroes" and "Trick or Treat Smell My Feet."
It was picture day at Remington and we felt bad for the few kids who had to leave early, but as John likes to say "such is life." They only missed one song.
I hope all your pictures came out great!
This afternoon we were at Bryson Elementary. Another great group! The program was similar but instead of "Loose Tooth" we did "Our Principal Plays in a Rock n Roll Band" and Ms. Southerland did a great job rocking out on stage.
We had fun with "Grandma's House" - the kids began screaming at the mention of each new character - the alligator, polar bear, big foot and especially the T-Rex. It was all in good fun, but I've never seen that particular reaction before. Just goes to show - I can sing a song for years and years and still get a surprise from the audience!
We don't have photos from the Bryson show yet. John left his camera behind so we borrowed one from the school. They'll email 'em to me and I'll put them up when I get them. So please check back!
This group sang particularly well, and "Silly Song" and "Grandma's House Tonight" were highlights of the show. I also did "Take Me to Your Library," "Loose Tooth," "Hanging Out With Heroes" and "Trick or Treat Smell My Feet."
It was picture day at Remington and we felt bad for the few kids who had to leave early, but as John likes to say "such is life." They only missed one song.
I hope all your pictures came out great!
This afternoon we were at Bryson Elementary. Another great group! The program was similar but instead of "Loose Tooth" we did "Our Principal Plays in a Rock n Roll Band" and Ms. Southerland did a great job rocking out on stage.
We had fun with "Grandma's House" - the kids began screaming at the mention of each new character - the alligator, polar bear, big foot and especially the T-Rex. It was all in good fun, but I've never seen that particular reaction before. Just goes to show - I can sing a song for years and years and still get a surprise from the audience!
We don't have photos from the Bryson show yet. John left his camera behind so we borrowed one from the school. They'll email 'em to me and I'll put them up when I get them. So please check back!
Monday, March 07, 2005
On the Road in Ft. Worth, TX - Part 1
Today through Wednesday I have six schools in the Fort Worth area. This is my annual trip down (third year now) for John Prevost of Rainbow books. He hires me to perform as a thank-you to some of his best customers. (He sells books to school libraries.)
This morning we were at Peaster Elementary in Peaster, TX and this afternoon we were at Eagle Mountain Elementary in Ft. Worth, with about 400 kids in each group.
At Peaster I performed in a huge gym with big blank parallel cinderblock walls. Needless to say the sound bounced around in there like mad. John commented that he could tell how much better the sound is with the new Bose system as compared to the more traditional sound system I had last year. In that big gym, that's saying alot!
The kids (K-5th) were very enthusiastic, with lots of cheers and hoots and whistles after every song. Many of them had heard the CDs in class ahead of time. We did "Jungle Junk" (by request), "Take Me to Your Library," "The Brainiacs," "Lisa Lee Elizabeth" (a fav of John's), "Grandma's House Tonight," "Hanging With Heroes" (great clappers!), and "Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet."
At Eagle Heights the group was kindergarten through 3rd grade. It was mighty warm in the room, and I'm not sure we ever quite got completely quiet, but the kids were good participaters. We did "Take Me to Your Library," "Lisa Lee Elizabeth," "Silly Song," "Library Bookaneers," "The Great Green Squishy Mean Bibliovore," "Hanging With Heroes," and "Trick or Treat." I used the concertina for "Library Bookaneers" which helped draw their attention back after the chaos of the "Silly Song."
Before I left home I burned a disk of all the mixes for the new CD as they currently stand and I listened in the car last night on the way down. It's sounding good - this is the first time since the shows in November that I've heard all the songs back to back. It's coming along, sounding good - I can't wait to get it done and get it out there!!
Hi Lisa! Hi Evalyn! I love you!
This morning we were at Peaster Elementary in Peaster, TX and this afternoon we were at Eagle Mountain Elementary in Ft. Worth, with about 400 kids in each group.
At Peaster I performed in a huge gym with big blank parallel cinderblock walls. Needless to say the sound bounced around in there like mad. John commented that he could tell how much better the sound is with the new Bose system as compared to the more traditional sound system I had last year. In that big gym, that's saying alot!
The kids (K-5th) were very enthusiastic, with lots of cheers and hoots and whistles after every song. Many of them had heard the CDs in class ahead of time. We did "Jungle Junk" (by request), "Take Me to Your Library," "The Brainiacs," "Lisa Lee Elizabeth" (a fav of John's), "Grandma's House Tonight," "Hanging With Heroes" (great clappers!), and "Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet."
At Eagle Heights the group was kindergarten through 3rd grade. It was mighty warm in the room, and I'm not sure we ever quite got completely quiet, but the kids were good participaters. We did "Take Me to Your Library," "Lisa Lee Elizabeth," "Silly Song," "Library Bookaneers," "The Great Green Squishy Mean Bibliovore," "Hanging With Heroes," and "Trick or Treat." I used the concertina for "Library Bookaneers" which helped draw their attention back after the chaos of the "Silly Song."
Before I left home I burned a disk of all the mixes for the new CD as they currently stand and I listened in the car last night on the way down. It's sounding good - this is the first time since the shows in November that I've heard all the songs back to back. It's coming along, sounding good - I can't wait to get it done and get it out there!!
Hi Lisa! Hi Evalyn! I love you!
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Jenks West, 3/4/05
I performed at Jenks West Elementary today. This was one of their "traits" assemblies, about courage, so I was asked to speak and sing about courage. I didn't have time to write a song that was directly related, so I went through my catalog ahead of time and gave some thought to which songs might be related to courage and how. It was a thirty minute program, so I picked out five songs and wrote little introductions for each one (see below.)
The show went really well, considering it was the last thing on a Friday of a busy week and everyone was hot in the gym, and I did all that talking to introduce each song! I had three kids come up to add their responses to the "Fifty Ways to Say No" song, and Principal Tilkin came on stage with the air guitar for "Our Principal Plays in a Rock n Roll Band.
Many thanks to Bev Straub who took the photo of me with Principal Tilkin in her rock star get-up and emailed it to me!
Here's the program:
"Diving in the Deep Blue Sea"
Courage means facing the unknown. Nearly all the great things about modern life we owe to those few who were willing to take a risk and try something new. Our very country was founded on the spirit of exploration. This song is dedicated to all the scientists and explorers out there with the courage to discover something new. It's also dedicated to anyone who loves to read because reading is a great way to explore new places and new ideas.
"Howdy Song"
Courage means sticking your neck out. It takes courage to be the first to offer your hand in friendship, especially at a time of conflict. Violence may get you what you want in the short term, but it is the coward's way. Listening to the other side in an argument means risking that your ideas might be wrong. It takes true courage solve a problem through negotiation. This song is about bridging our differences and is dedicated to all the peacemakers of our world.
"Our Principal Plays in a Rock n Roll Band"
Courage means sticking with it. Those of us who work with kids have the most difficult and important jobs in the world, and also the most under appreciated. Your teachers face so many different challenges every day it can take a heap of courage sometimes just to get out of bed in the morning. This song is dedicated to all of your teachers and especially to Principal Tilkin.
"50 Ways to Say No to Drugs"
Courage means doing the right thing, even though you feel afraid. There will be times when you'll be afraid to make either choice, right or wrong. Doing the right thing might get you called a "fraidy cat" or "goody two shoes" while doing the wrong thing might be very hurtful or dangerous. Doing the right thing even in the face of ridicule is always courageous. Choosing the wrong thing because you are afraid of someone else's opinion is cowardly. This song is dedicated to you kids, because you will be making these kinds of choices as you grow up; they are what will make you the adult person you're going to be.
"Big Red Fire Truck"
Sometimes courage does mean facing danger. This song is dedicated to all the rescue workers - police, firemen, EMTs. These people face danger every day as part of their job in order to keep the rest of us safe.
The show went really well, considering it was the last thing on a Friday of a busy week and everyone was hot in the gym, and I did all that talking to introduce each song! I had three kids come up to add their responses to the "Fifty Ways to Say No" song, and Principal Tilkin came on stage with the air guitar for "Our Principal Plays in a Rock n Roll Band.
Many thanks to Bev Straub who took the photo of me with Principal Tilkin in her rock star get-up and emailed it to me!
Here's the program:
"Diving in the Deep Blue Sea"
Courage means facing the unknown. Nearly all the great things about modern life we owe to those few who were willing to take a risk and try something new. Our very country was founded on the spirit of exploration. This song is dedicated to all the scientists and explorers out there with the courage to discover something new. It's also dedicated to anyone who loves to read because reading is a great way to explore new places and new ideas.
"Howdy Song"
Courage means sticking your neck out. It takes courage to be the first to offer your hand in friendship, especially at a time of conflict. Violence may get you what you want in the short term, but it is the coward's way. Listening to the other side in an argument means risking that your ideas might be wrong. It takes true courage solve a problem through negotiation. This song is about bridging our differences and is dedicated to all the peacemakers of our world.
"Our Principal Plays in a Rock n Roll Band"
Courage means sticking with it. Those of us who work with kids have the most difficult and important jobs in the world, and also the most under appreciated. Your teachers face so many different challenges every day it can take a heap of courage sometimes just to get out of bed in the morning. This song is dedicated to all of your teachers and especially to Principal Tilkin.
"50 Ways to Say No to Drugs"
Courage means doing the right thing, even though you feel afraid. There will be times when you'll be afraid to make either choice, right or wrong. Doing the right thing might get you called a "fraidy cat" or "goody two shoes" while doing the wrong thing might be very hurtful or dangerous. Doing the right thing even in the face of ridicule is always courageous. Choosing the wrong thing because you are afraid of someone else's opinion is cowardly. This song is dedicated to you kids, because you will be making these kinds of choices as you grow up; they are what will make you the adult person you're going to be.
"Big Red Fire Truck"
Sometimes courage does mean facing danger. This song is dedicated to all the rescue workers - police, firemen, EMTs. These people face danger every day as part of their job in order to keep the rest of us safe.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
"Pop Up Sit Down"
Well I finished another song Friday - "Pop Up Sit Down." Actually I made two versions of it. If you know the song you know that I say a lot of things other than "Pop Up" just to play with the audience a bit and try to fool them. So each performance of this one was unique. I may find a way to release multiple versions so that once you learn what to expect on one you can surprise yourself by listening to a different performance.
It's been a long two days so far this week. I wanted to get the rest of the songs loaded up and ready to edit. I was maybe even going to do a quick mix of each so I could start working on sequencing the CD as a whole. Instead I've spent most of the time battling the computer. I won't bore you with the details, but I've done a lot of file copying and moving trying to get the software to deal properly with the audio so that I'll be able to take it to Steve later for mastering, bla bla bla. Anyhow, it's a lot of trying this or that and then waiting 20 minutes while big files get moved around. And I can't work on 'em while that's going on. And I may have just made a big mistake. Waiting for files to copy right now in an attempt to fix it. Very frustrating!
My guitarist, John, is coming over this evening to hear some of the mixes. It'll be the first time any of the band have heard the post production. Hopefully I'll have all this straightened out before he gets here! Wish me luck!
It's been a long two days so far this week. I wanted to get the rest of the songs loaded up and ready to edit. I was maybe even going to do a quick mix of each so I could start working on sequencing the CD as a whole. Instead I've spent most of the time battling the computer. I won't bore you with the details, but I've done a lot of file copying and moving trying to get the software to deal properly with the audio so that I'll be able to take it to Steve later for mastering, bla bla bla. Anyhow, it's a lot of trying this or that and then waiting 20 minutes while big files get moved around. And I can't work on 'em while that's going on. And I may have just made a big mistake. Waiting for files to copy right now in an attempt to fix it. Very frustrating!
My guitarist, John, is coming over this evening to hear some of the mixes. It'll be the first time any of the band have heard the post production. Hopefully I'll have all this straightened out before he gets here! Wish me luck!
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
"You're a Dinosaur"
I just finished a first mix of "You're a Dinosaur." This mix only took me two days. I'm definitely getting quicker at it!
This is one of the rockingest songs on the CD, and it features John's distinctive electric guitar part on the verses - it's an energetic little groove accented by a high pitched harmonic on the "and" of four. Very cool. This one also features the audience roaring like dinosaurs, and doing the "hadrosaur hoot" - which may be one of the most distinctive sounds ever captured in bits. (I almost said on tape - but this is a digital recording!)
It won't be too long before you can actually hear what I've been talking about - I have registered a domain name for the new CD and will soon put up a website to include sound clips of the mixes I'm working on along with lots of other exciting stuff.
You can check it out at www.greatgreensquishymeanconcertcd.com - yes, it's mighty long. But there it is.
Right now there's nothing there. But you will be able to say you were the first visitor!
This is one of the rockingest songs on the CD, and it features John's distinctive electric guitar part on the verses - it's an energetic little groove accented by a high pitched harmonic on the "and" of four. Very cool. This one also features the audience roaring like dinosaurs, and doing the "hadrosaur hoot" - which may be one of the most distinctive sounds ever captured in bits. (I almost said on tape - but this is a digital recording!)
It won't be too long before you can actually hear what I've been talking about - I have registered a domain name for the new CD and will soon put up a website to include sound clips of the mixes I'm working on along with lots of other exciting stuff.
You can check it out at www.greatgreensquishymeanconcertcd.com - yes, it's mighty long. But there it is.
Right now there's nothing there. But you will be able to say you were the first visitor!
Friday, February 18, 2005
"Love This Baby"
I've been editing and mixing "Love This Baby" this week. It took me only three days to "finish"!! I put finish in quotes because once I burn a mix to CD and listen around I always find a change or two to make.
On this song Bob, the bass player, played electric mandolin, and John, the guitar player, played bass. Bob's performance was better at Bartlesville, but my vocal was much better at Stillwater, so I used liberal portions of both shows to construct a "best" performance overall.
This one cleaned up very nicely. The wonderful mandolin sound, Cody's drumming with brushes, and John's solid style of bass all team up to give it a distinct feel.
I'll be submitting "Love This Baby" to a TAXI listing for a publisher who needs Father's day songs, which is why I put it at the head of the list this week. Wish me luck!
Four down; nine to go!
On this song Bob, the bass player, played electric mandolin, and John, the guitar player, played bass. Bob's performance was better at Bartlesville, but my vocal was much better at Stillwater, so I used liberal portions of both shows to construct a "best" performance overall.
This one cleaned up very nicely. The wonderful mandolin sound, Cody's drumming with brushes, and John's solid style of bass all team up to give it a distinct feel.
I'll be submitting "Love This Baby" to a TAXI listing for a publisher who needs Father's day songs, which is why I put it at the head of the list this week. Wish me luck!
Four down; nine to go!
Monday, February 14, 2005
Mixing Mixing Mixing, and Title
I took some mixes to Steve McLinn at Ojas studio in Oklahoma City this weekend. Steve is the one who recorded the live shows for my upcoming CDs. He'll be mastering the CD and he's advising me on the mixes. It was great to get a second set of ears listening, especially a set as knowledgeable as Steve's. I just spent the past two hours implementing his advice on the "Horny Toad" mix - things like: a bit of reverb on the snare (just the initial reflections, no tail), gate the snare, small adjustments to the EQ on bass and kick, put a limiter on the kick, pan more toward the center, a touch of plate reverb on the vocal, more acoustic guitar, and presto! Did you catch all that? It sounds much better, trust me, - Thanks, Steve! - and it sounded pretty darn good to begin with if I say so myself!
That was an important meeting because it gave me confidence in the mixing settings and decisions I've made so far. Many of these will be the same for all the songs, so mostly what I need to worry about now is editing - selecting the best bits from all three shows, pulling them together, correcting yucky mistakes where possible and smoothing out the peaks and valleys, one song, one instrument at a time.
It's incredible what digital editing lets you do! In "Horny Toad" alone, get this - there was a computer glitch during the Stillwater show and one section of the song did not get recorded, but Stillwater was the best performance otherwise. So I filled in the missing part with the Bartlesville show, which was recorded a different in a different room, and even at a different tempo-!! You can't hear the switch! It's smooth as silk. I even flew in a single word from the City Arts show (in which a different vocal mic was used!) to correct a missed note in the vocal - Steve couldn't tell, and his ears are golden. I reconstructed a bass line from individual notes because it had been played wrong and clashed with the other guitar parts. These were just a few of the biggest challenges I've tackled. It can get tedious, but when I hear the results it's a lot of fun to look back and know what it took to make it sound so great.
Don't worry - I'm not perfecting it to death. The energy and "liveness" of the recording is still very much present. I'm walking that fine line carefully. I was tempted to use two different acoustic guitar parts simultaneously - one from each of two different shows - but that was just a bit too odd - suddenly there's a phantom guitar player on stage? I nixed that idea. I want to keep it real, but also take out the clunkers so that you'll love to hear these recordings over and over.
Well, I'd best get back to work. I know I've said it before, but I think I'm at the point now, for real, where I'll start cranking out mixes at a much faster pace. More soon.
Oh, and the title of the new CD will be (drum roll please)...
-- The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD --
Leave a comment. Let me know what you think.
(My graphic designer will probably want to kill me when he tries to fit it on the spine!)
That was an important meeting because it gave me confidence in the mixing settings and decisions I've made so far. Many of these will be the same for all the songs, so mostly what I need to worry about now is editing - selecting the best bits from all three shows, pulling them together, correcting yucky mistakes where possible and smoothing out the peaks and valleys, one song, one instrument at a time.
It's incredible what digital editing lets you do! In "Horny Toad" alone, get this - there was a computer glitch during the Stillwater show and one section of the song did not get recorded, but Stillwater was the best performance otherwise. So I filled in the missing part with the Bartlesville show, which was recorded a different in a different room, and even at a different tempo-!! You can't hear the switch! It's smooth as silk. I even flew in a single word from the City Arts show (in which a different vocal mic was used!) to correct a missed note in the vocal - Steve couldn't tell, and his ears are golden. I reconstructed a bass line from individual notes because it had been played wrong and clashed with the other guitar parts. These were just a few of the biggest challenges I've tackled. It can get tedious, but when I hear the results it's a lot of fun to look back and know what it took to make it sound so great.
Don't worry - I'm not perfecting it to death. The energy and "liveness" of the recording is still very much present. I'm walking that fine line carefully. I was tempted to use two different acoustic guitar parts simultaneously - one from each of two different shows - but that was just a bit too odd - suddenly there's a phantom guitar player on stage? I nixed that idea. I want to keep it real, but also take out the clunkers so that you'll love to hear these recordings over and over.
Well, I'd best get back to work. I know I've said it before, but I think I'm at the point now, for real, where I'll start cranking out mixes at a much faster pace. More soon.
Oh, and the title of the new CD will be (drum roll please)...
-- The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD --
Leave a comment. Let me know what you think.
(My graphic designer will probably want to kill me when he tries to fit it on the spine!)
Monday, February 07, 2005
General Update
Let's see, since last I wrote...
My website now resides at Hostbaby.com (part of CDBaby.com). They have some cool gadgets I'm still learning how to use. One of them is a concert calendar, so hopefully it will help me keep you updated more easily.
Speaking of which, I've been adding new shows to the calendar lately, including eleven programs in the Tulsa libraries this June and July; I'm opening for Zoom City at Wacker Park in Paul's Valley June 10 at 7:00 PM (free show); I have six school programs in Fort Worth, TX March 7, 8, and 9; I'll be doing the Tulsa County Reading Council's Young Author's Fair again April 16 - very excited about that!
I'll try to get all these up on the concert page soon.
I've been struggling to get enough time in at the computer editing and mixing the new CD. It's been slower going than I'd hoped, but the results sound great. I'm just about finished with "The Frog Song." That one was particularly tricky due to all the audience interaction - lots of little bits to get just right. Later this week I plan to meet with Steve, my sound dude, to tweak the mixes I've got so far in his studio. That will give me some feedback on how I'm doing.
I've also been working on a brand new song for this summer, "Dragons, Dreams, and Daring Deeds" - that's the theme for the library programs. It's actually the same theme across many different states, so I'm hoping to end up with a song that will get some wide distribution.
I'll keep you posted!
My website now resides at Hostbaby.com (part of CDBaby.com). They have some cool gadgets I'm still learning how to use. One of them is a concert calendar, so hopefully it will help me keep you updated more easily.
Speaking of which, I've been adding new shows to the calendar lately, including eleven programs in the Tulsa libraries this June and July; I'm opening for Zoom City at Wacker Park in Paul's Valley June 10 at 7:00 PM (free show); I have six school programs in Fort Worth, TX March 7, 8, and 9; I'll be doing the Tulsa County Reading Council's Young Author's Fair again April 16 - very excited about that!
I'll try to get all these up on the concert page soon.
I've been struggling to get enough time in at the computer editing and mixing the new CD. It's been slower going than I'd hoped, but the results sound great. I'm just about finished with "The Frog Song." That one was particularly tricky due to all the audience interaction - lots of little bits to get just right. Later this week I plan to meet with Steve, my sound dude, to tweak the mixes I've got so far in his studio. That will give me some feedback on how I'm doing.
I've also been working on a brand new song for this summer, "Dragons, Dreams, and Daring Deeds" - that's the theme for the library programs. It's actually the same theme across many different states, so I'm hoping to end up with a song that will get some wide distribution.
I'll keep you posted!
Friday, January 28, 2005
Oops! - Lost Email!!!
I am in the process of changing Internet services and yesterday I inadvertantly deleted all the messages in my "in" box and my "sent" box.
This means that if I had a recent email conversation with you I have lost it. If you were waiting for a response it will not come.
Sorry!
If you happen to see this and you were waiting to hear from me please let me know!
This means that if I had a recent email conversation with you I have lost it. If you were waiting for a response it will not come.
Sorry!
If you happen to see this and you were waiting to hear from me please let me know!
Country Lane Elementary in Broken Arrow
I just got home from Country Lane Elementary in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. (Driving very slowly through snow! The highway was pretty clear, though - no great danger.)
I was there this morning to help kick off their reading challenge. If the students read enough books, the principal has agreed to dress like a chicken and roller skate through the halls doing the chicken dance! How fun is that?
I had two groups this morning, K-2nd first, then 3rd-5th. Both were exemplary groups. They came into the room and waited quietly for the program to start. They participated with enthusiasm but I never had to ask either group to settle down. I was very impressed.
It's been a while since I've had a chance to use my concertina. What's a concertina you ask? It's like a miniature accordion, with no keyboard - just buttons for the notes. Otherwise known as a "squeeze box." I do one song with it - "Library Bookaneers" and since this was a reading challenge kickoff, I brought it along to do the song. It seemed to work well for both groups. The kids seem to be fascinated by an instrument they don't see too often.
Other songs I did include "Diving in the Deep Blue Sea," "Take Me to Your Library," "The Great Green Squishy Mean Bibliovore," "Hanging Out With Heroes at the Library," "Grandma's House Tonight," "The Frog Song," and "Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet." Yes, I threw that last one in just for fun.
I've been promised some digital photos that were taken, so when those arrive I will post 'em here.
I was there this morning to help kick off their reading challenge. If the students read enough books, the principal has agreed to dress like a chicken and roller skate through the halls doing the chicken dance! How fun is that?
I had two groups this morning, K-2nd first, then 3rd-5th. Both were exemplary groups. They came into the room and waited quietly for the program to start. They participated with enthusiasm but I never had to ask either group to settle down. I was very impressed.
It's been a while since I've had a chance to use my concertina. What's a concertina you ask? It's like a miniature accordion, with no keyboard - just buttons for the notes. Otherwise known as a "squeeze box." I do one song with it - "Library Bookaneers" and since this was a reading challenge kickoff, I brought it along to do the song. It seemed to work well for both groups. The kids seem to be fascinated by an instrument they don't see too often.
Other songs I did include "Diving in the Deep Blue Sea," "Take Me to Your Library," "The Great Green Squishy Mean Bibliovore," "Hanging Out With Heroes at the Library," "Grandma's House Tonight," "The Frog Song," and "Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet." Yes, I threw that last one in just for fun.
I've been promised some digital photos that were taken, so when those arrive I will post 'em here.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Me on XMKids!
Yeah, we were just having lunch with XMKids on in the background and I heard my name, which just about startled me to death. They played "Take Me to Your Library!" That's the first I've heard me on XM since we got it, so we were all very excited around here. It's humbling to hear all the great kids music out there, much of which I've never had the opportunity to hear before, and it's inspiring. I have a new goal now: to land a song on the XMKids top 13 chart.
I'd better get back to work! I'm editing and mixing the "Frog Song" today, so I'd better hop to it. :-) Sorry about that. Really, I won't do it again.
I'd better get back to work! I'm editing and mixing the "Frog Song" today, so I'd better hop to it. :-) Sorry about that. Really, I won't do it again.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Super Saturday
Yesterday I performed for a Super Saturday event at the Oklahoma City Art Museum. This was my first appearance since before Christmas, so I was glad to be out performing again, even if my fingers did get sore! From 1:00 to 4:00 folks drifted in and out of the lobby area and I regaled them with songs from my "best of" list. There was a natural reverb to the room that sounded pretty good on my voice, so I was enjoying that. I sang for anywhere from one family to 50 people or so at a time, plus one birthday party. We did "Happy Birthday" and "Birthday Boogaloo" for Emma, who was turning five! We also got some fun participation going for the "Frog Song," "Tropeo the Pirate," and "You're a Dinosaur" at various times during the afternoon.
Lisa and Evalyn were with me, though I hardly saw them. They had a great time with the day's other attractions, including a movie and a 3-D art project. They made a mobile together with lots of colorful shapes and stickers and feathers. Evalyn calls it her dream catcher and says it keeps bad dreams away - it's hanging near her bed. As I type she's creating something new out of the leftover supplies she brought home.
If you haven't been to the art museum yet, check it out in downtown OKC. It's worth the trip just to gaze up at the gigantic colorful glass sculpture towering over the entrance!
Lisa and Evalyn were with me, though I hardly saw them. They had a great time with the day's other attractions, including a movie and a 3-D art project. They made a mobile together with lots of colorful shapes and stickers and feathers. Evalyn calls it her dream catcher and says it keeps bad dreams away - it's hanging near her bed. As I type she's creating something new out of the leftover supplies she brought home.
If you haven't been to the art museum yet, check it out in downtown OKC. It's worth the trip just to gaze up at the gigantic colorful glass sculpture towering over the entrance!
Monday, January 17, 2005
XM Kids
We got XM radio for Christmas this year. I finally got the antenna installed in the car and turned on the service. We've been listening to XM Kids everywhere we drive for the past week or two.
If you don't know what XM radio is, it's that satalite radio thing. It's cool because unlike FM stations, there are no commercials, and you never lose the signal no matter where you are.
We're jazzed about it for many reasons, but XM Kids is definitely one of the big ones. Being here in the middle of Oklahoma, where there is no children's radio to be heard at all, and having a slow dial-up Internet connection, I have not heard very much actual radio for kids!!! Which is ironic considering that I publish the children's radio list online.
So I'm enjoying this.
There's a lot of really great stuff out there. XM Kids plays a lot of independently produced music meant for kids, with occassional kid appropriate mainstream stuff thrown in (you know, like "Yellow Submarine" or "Particle Man") and some big media stuff like the Spongebob soundtrack. There is sometimes too much talking for my taste - just give me the music!!! And like on any radio station there are some songs that get played to death and drive me nuts. But overall, I've been enjoying hearing some of the great songs other kids' artists are putting out there. I feel plugged in! It's cool!
I have long felt that kids' music ought to be made with the potential in mind that it might "cross over" into the mainstream hit parade. Why not? Kids deserve the greatest of everything. Catchy tunes, skillful lyrics, great arrangements - these things are always in style. It's only in recent times that "children's music" became a separate genre. Why shouldn't children's music compete well in the general music market?
Well, the general trend seems to be toward this level of quality. There has always been great children's music out there of course. Now there seems to be a lot of it. Can it be that it's only a matter of time before some kids' singer breaks into the top 40 pop or rock charts? Established mainstream artists seem to love to do kids songs now and then, with mixed results. I believe it takes someone who performs in front of kids regularly to consistantly make great children's music. So I'd just love to see the tables turned the other way around and have a real kids' artist break in on mainstream territory!
Or maybe with music diversifying as it is, and moving more toward niche markets and independent releases, there will be room for lots of big stars (think Wiggles) within children's music itself.
Exciting times!
But still, out of all the many many categories of music on XM Radio, guess which one has the fewest stations? You got it - kids music! There's XM Kids and Disney. The Disney station seems to be playing top 40 music aimed at "tweens." I don't consider it kids' music really.
So I guess that leaves a lot of room to grow...
If you have XM radio, I hope you're listing to XM Kids and calling in to make requests and show your support. We need more such national outlets for children's music, but they'll have to prove their popularity before the industry takes notice.
Oh, yeah, and you might be wondering if you can hear me on XM. Well, I know that two years ago my song "Roundy Round" was added to the play list. It's probably been dropped since then! They might also have my song "I Go Bananas" on file through the Children's Music Web Awards. But since I've been listening, I haven't heard me at all. You can always call in and make a request!
If you don't know what XM radio is, it's that satalite radio thing. It's cool because unlike FM stations, there are no commercials, and you never lose the signal no matter where you are.
We're jazzed about it for many reasons, but XM Kids is definitely one of the big ones. Being here in the middle of Oklahoma, where there is no children's radio to be heard at all, and having a slow dial-up Internet connection, I have not heard very much actual radio for kids!!! Which is ironic considering that I publish the children's radio list online.
So I'm enjoying this.
There's a lot of really great stuff out there. XM Kids plays a lot of independently produced music meant for kids, with occassional kid appropriate mainstream stuff thrown in (you know, like "Yellow Submarine" or "Particle Man") and some big media stuff like the Spongebob soundtrack. There is sometimes too much talking for my taste - just give me the music!!! And like on any radio station there are some songs that get played to death and drive me nuts. But overall, I've been enjoying hearing some of the great songs other kids' artists are putting out there. I feel plugged in! It's cool!
I have long felt that kids' music ought to be made with the potential in mind that it might "cross over" into the mainstream hit parade. Why not? Kids deserve the greatest of everything. Catchy tunes, skillful lyrics, great arrangements - these things are always in style. It's only in recent times that "children's music" became a separate genre. Why shouldn't children's music compete well in the general music market?
Well, the general trend seems to be toward this level of quality. There has always been great children's music out there of course. Now there seems to be a lot of it. Can it be that it's only a matter of time before some kids' singer breaks into the top 40 pop or rock charts? Established mainstream artists seem to love to do kids songs now and then, with mixed results. I believe it takes someone who performs in front of kids regularly to consistantly make great children's music. So I'd just love to see the tables turned the other way around and have a real kids' artist break in on mainstream territory!
Or maybe with music diversifying as it is, and moving more toward niche markets and independent releases, there will be room for lots of big stars (think Wiggles) within children's music itself.
Exciting times!
But still, out of all the many many categories of music on XM Radio, guess which one has the fewest stations? You got it - kids music! There's XM Kids and Disney. The Disney station seems to be playing top 40 music aimed at "tweens." I don't consider it kids' music really.
So I guess that leaves a lot of room to grow...
If you have XM radio, I hope you're listing to XM Kids and calling in to make requests and show your support. We need more such national outlets for children's music, but they'll have to prove their popularity before the industry takes notice.
Oh, yeah, and you might be wondering if you can hear me on XM. Well, I know that two years ago my song "Roundy Round" was added to the play list. It's probably been dropped since then! They might also have my song "I Go Bananas" on file through the Children's Music Web Awards. But since I've been listening, I haven't heard me at all. You can always call in and make a request!
Has it Been Two More Weeks?
Good grief it really has. We've been sickies around here the past two weeks, passing various cold symptoms around amongst ourselves and my parents. Yesterday we took Evalyn to the doctor for the third time since Christmas, this time with a painful ear infection. Lucky for us, although her latest was the worst, it was also the shortest - today she already seems to be back to her normal self! But Lisa has now lost her voice. My turn for something next.
Anyhow, with all this going on I've been mixing when I can, and I have two songs at the "done for now" stage. I'm just burning them to a CD as I write this so that I can try them out on various players to hear how they sound and determine whether further adjustments are needed. Then they'll go into Steve's studio for some finishing touches and mastering.
Only eleven more songs to go!
Things should move along more quickly from here out, supposing we all feel healthy. Now that I know the software pretty well, having taken many wrong turns, I will get into a work groove with no wrong turns and start cranking them out.
The two songs that are finished: "Horny Toad" and "Silly Song." One reason I started with them was that each presented unique technical challenges to be worked out, i.e. they were two of the tough ones. So like I said, now I've learned a lot and it will go faster.
I'm debating whether to try and post mixes to this site as I finish them so you can hear how it's going. Or maybe I should just wait and let you hear the finished product when it's all ready. What do you think?
Anyhow, with all this going on I've been mixing when I can, and I have two songs at the "done for now" stage. I'm just burning them to a CD as I write this so that I can try them out on various players to hear how they sound and determine whether further adjustments are needed. Then they'll go into Steve's studio for some finishing touches and mastering.
Only eleven more songs to go!
Things should move along more quickly from here out, supposing we all feel healthy. Now that I know the software pretty well, having taken many wrong turns, I will get into a work groove with no wrong turns and start cranking them out.
The two songs that are finished: "Horny Toad" and "Silly Song." One reason I started with them was that each presented unique technical challenges to be worked out, i.e. they were two of the tough ones. So like I said, now I've learned a lot and it will go faster.
I'm debating whether to try and post mixes to this site as I finish them so you can hear how it's going. Or maybe I should just wait and let you hear the finished product when it's all ready. What do you think?
Monday, January 03, 2005
Back to Work! + Show This Month in OKC
Well, today it was back to work, sort of, after a two week vacation for the holidays. I say sort of cause it doesn't feel like I got much done, but oh, well. Getting back to the blog was on the to-do list, so...
This month I will be furiously editing and mixing, bringing the best of three shows together to make the new CD. Much more about that to come soon.
I will be performing January 22 from 1-4 at the Oklahoma City Art Museum. I'm part of a larger event for families and kids, including arts and crafts projects and a movie. Hope to see you there!!
My New Year's resolution... Write every day! I'm not sure if this counts, so I'm going to go work on a song or something.
This month I will be furiously editing and mixing, bringing the best of three shows together to make the new CD. Much more about that to come soon.
I will be performing January 22 from 1-4 at the Oklahoma City Art Museum. I'm part of a larger event for families and kids, including arts and crafts projects and a movie. Hope to see you there!!
My New Year's resolution... Write every day! I'm not sure if this counts, so I'm going to go work on a song or something.
Grandview Elementary in El Dorado, KS
Has it really been two weeks? Yes, it has - two weeks ago today I performed at Grandview Elementary in El Dorado, KS. I didn't write about it right when I got home, and the holidays snatched me away! (Lisa and I spent the week leading up to Christmas editing home video and burning it to DVD as a gift for Evalyn's grandparents. Then it was Christmas, and lots of friends and family to visit with, then New Years... you didn't want to read all that, did you? Back to El Dorado!)
It was a fun show as always! If you have my Take Me to Your Library CD, then you may have actually seen me performing at Grandview Elementary. It was two years (and two weeks) ago nearly to the day when I video taped a performance there of "Grandma's House Tonight," which is included in the computer extras on that CD. So it was a lot of fun to come back and perform again. The kids remembered the songs and did a great job singing along.
What made this show especially fun for me was that Evalyn (my daughter, 3 1/2), after a long hiatus, resumed her role as my opening act. She surprised us by agreeing to sing for the kids as they came into the room, each carrying their own chair. She sang her ABC's, Row Your Boat, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. These three songs are "hers" because I used to sing them to her every night at bedtime, and now they always seem to come out together when she sings for the kids. (She can belt out "Oklahoma" too, and I can't wait for the day she does that one for a crowd!) And she finished off with the ABCs again, this time asking the kids to sing along (her idea!), and of course everyone sang along - how could you refuse such a cutie-pie!
Nope, we didn't get it on video. We've really got to get better at remembering the camera!
It was a fun show as always! If you have my Take Me to Your Library CD, then you may have actually seen me performing at Grandview Elementary. It was two years (and two weeks) ago nearly to the day when I video taped a performance there of "Grandma's House Tonight," which is included in the computer extras on that CD. So it was a lot of fun to come back and perform again. The kids remembered the songs and did a great job singing along.
What made this show especially fun for me was that Evalyn (my daughter, 3 1/2), after a long hiatus, resumed her role as my opening act. She surprised us by agreeing to sing for the kids as they came into the room, each carrying their own chair. She sang her ABC's, Row Your Boat, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. These three songs are "hers" because I used to sing them to her every night at bedtime, and now they always seem to come out together when she sings for the kids. (She can belt out "Oklahoma" too, and I can't wait for the day she does that one for a crowd!) And she finished off with the ABCs again, this time asking the kids to sing along (her idea!), and of course everyone sang along - how could you refuse such a cutie-pie!
Nope, we didn't get it on video. We've really got to get better at remembering the camera!
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