Making a Recording—Part 3
Recording the piano tracks was probably the most challenging aspect of the recording process. Though I did study as a pianist in college, I found my career leading me in a slightly different path, focusing more on the organization, development, and implementation of corporate church worship, as well as leading various musical groups, with a primary focus on the choir. Through the years I have used my skills as a pianist primarily as a spring-board to facilitate the writing of vocal and instrumental music. And while I often hear the compliment (or criticism—I can never tell) that my songs sound like they were written by a pianist, I felt like I had little time to actively develop my skill of piano playing.
So the obvious challenge was to rise to a new level, and actually become a “performer.” That means I actually had to practice my songs (cherish the thought!). It was a good discipline, and it paid off in the studio. I obviously don’t think I performed perfectly, but I am overall pleased with the final product. We tend to be our own worst critics, so I know where the flaws are (maybe you do too), but this was an opportunity for growth, and I viewed it as such.
The piano I recorded on was a Yamaha C7. From the get-go, you need to know that I’m a huge Yamaha piano fan. Even more than a Steinway. (I probably just lost some readers there.) I’m simply enamored with the touch of the instrument, as well as the sound. (And, I’m told by those who know more than I do that Yamaha incorporates the earlier, now public domain technology of Steinways. So we’re in good company.) I’m really not sure how to explain this, but there’s something about playing on a superior instrument (unlike the typical instruments in our churches or homes) that really inspire creativity. I actually play better on a great instrument. Some of you would probably be surprised to know this, but I write the majority of my music on a Yamaha Clavinova. While it’s a great keyboard (and a Yamaha), it pales in comparison to what it would be like to write on an acoustic piano. (I once heard of a song-writer who said that writing music on a keyboard is like kissing your wife through a screen door… it’s not quite the same.)
The other major challenge involved keeping in time with the orchestra tracks. I know of some musicians who take time (sometimes months) to rehearse with the orchestra tracks before they record the piano tracks. That’s a great idea, if you have the time. But as I was recording in Indiana (and home is Georgia), we needed to complete the majority of the project in the space of five days. That meant I had to be flexible and adapt to subtle tempo nuances that don’t exist when it’s just you at the keyboard. Although we had what’s known as a “click track” (which in essence is the result of a musician playing a clicking sound from a keyboard while the orchestra played), it still was a challenge to stay on the beat. Further, for difficult spots, I had to be willing to do multiple takes just to get it right. Then there were the times when I just felt like the music would need to be adapted for special considerations. (For example, the piano part in “Amazing Grace” was highly improvised, the piano near the end of “I Stand Amazed” was added to provide a more vigorously percussive element to the brass section, and the run at the end of “I Sing the Mighty Power” never did fit with the orchestra’s run, so I just played three eighth notes. These are just a few examples.)
This was a genuinely rewarding experience, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it. It is thrilling to see how God is using this music for His kingdom.
Here I am playing through a song while listening to the orchestra tracks in my head-set. Isn’t that a pretty cool grey board behind the music? That was a cork board that allowed you to pin up your music, should you have a lot of pages. I believe it’s an official accessory found on the Yamaha website.
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