This is a photo of Barack Obama speaking in St. Louis yesterday, October 18, 2008 (my birthday). Official estimates put the crowd at 100,000, which means it was probably closer to 150,000 or more. There is no way that this man will not win the election and become our next President. And I can’t wait. I finally feel some hope for the future, for my daughter, for all of us, and for the world. This country must come together, under the leadership of Barack Obama, to correct the wrongs that past eight years have wrought. The world is watching us, and they too, are hoping for an end to war, the destruction of the planet, the globalization and monetary policies that have destroyed their economies as it has our own. Is it too late for us, and for the planet?? No, I don’t believe it is. Can we change it all for the better, for ALL of our brothers and sisters every where??? YES! WE! CAN!!! GObama!!!

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I’m sitting at my computer, working at my “day gig” (my marketing company, Girl Friday), and watching the Democratic National Convention on TV (I moved my office onto the dining room table so I can watch while I work).

I’m watching the convention on C-SPAN, because, unlike on the “main stream media” stations like CNN and MSNBC, C-SPAN has no bloviating talking-heads opining and talking OVER the speeches I want to hear by people like Gov. Bill Richardson and others. So….C-SPAN is definitely the way to go. GREAT coverage. No talking heads. Just the info, thanks very much.

In between speeches, C-SPAN is showing the live music performances taking place by artists like Will.i.am (I LOVE his song, “Yes We Can” - it’s so beautiful I cry every time)….Cheryl Crowe just played. Over the PA system, in between acts, they’ve played Earth, Wind and Fire, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, U2…all uplifting, great, positive lyrics…and ROCKIN’ or FUNKY or GROOVIN’.

So, I’ve got the TV blasting through the surround sound, and it’s LOUD and I’m getting up and dancing.

Yes, dancing with those 75,000 people in the Mile High Stadium in Denver who are attending a political convention! But not just any convention! Oh no, this is the convention for the first African American Presidential nominee…the future leader of the free world. I wish I were there in Denver sharing this moment in history!!

Oh….here is Stevie Wonder with Take 6 performing live….be right back!!!!!

Wow, Take 6 are amazing. And I notice all the performers have ear monitors in both ears, rather than just one. I guess it must be really difficult singing in such a large stadium, with at least a one-second delay in the sound…

Anyway, I feel so excited, so hopeful and so PROUD of our country today. After almost eight years of near rage and almost physical illness every time I would hear or see the current resident of OUR White House, it is so refreshing to watch and listen to a beautiful, brilliant, inspiring, CLASSY man and his gorgeous family poised to bring us back a position of respect and admiration around the world.

I just hope and pray it’s not too late to repair what has been lost, destroyed or corrupted during the ‘long, national nightmare’ of the administration of He Who Shall Not Be Named So As Not To Sully My Blog.

Now, here’s Al Gore. Don’t even get me started on what could have been with him as our president.

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Well, I’m kidding, of course. I think.

Can’t believe it’s been almost two months since I’ve had the time or the inclination to post anything to this blog. I’ve been so focused on recording, mixing, mastering, doing the graphics, getting the liner notes, manufacturing, making mistakes, fixing those mistakes, spending way more money than I planned, marketing, promoting, obsessing, worrying and planning…oh, I’m sorry…did I go off on a tangent? Uh..yeah! Hello, Elaine? Your Life is on the phone…could you please answer now?

Meanwhile, I’m running my own business (Girl Friday Virtual Marketing), raising a daughter (well, she’s grown up by now…how did that happen so fast?), and trying to just maintain a sense of sanity and stability during this amazing time of change and growth in my personal life, and in my family, my community, and the country and the world….my head is spinning as I type this!!

You know that Paul Simon song: “Maybe I think too much, maybe I think too much oh ooooh, maybe I think too much, maybe I think too much oh ooh…”

well, he just sings that line over and over…geez…ya think??

Maybe I think too much!!!!

The CD, “Let’s Live Again,” has been mailed to media, and Monday it gets mailed to over 250 jazz radio stations across the country. It’s so exciting, and so gratifying that people seem to really like it. I had doubts, because I never think it’s EVER good enough, no matter what. But with this project the big lesson was learning to LET. GO….just LET. IT. GO.  For a control freak perfectionist that is a tall order. The process is just so much darn fun, though. I LOVE to record! So much hard work, and time, invested; I can only believe that it’s “worth it,” but really the way I think of it…it’s simply what I have been compelled to do. And I love every minute of the process.

So, it’s painful, you’re forced to grow, to stretch, and give birth to your creation through those labor pains. ALMOST as fun as giving birth (which I loved)!!

Are you an artist? musician? dancer? writer? actor? scuptor?

What’s your process about?

I’d love to hear from you!!

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OK, OK…finally we get to the fun part! If you’ve read Part I and Part II of Mixing Your Vocals, you’ll know that laying the musical foundation – a great mix on the instrumental tracks - will give you a ‘frame’ for your vocal track. The instrumentals need to enhance, showcase, support your vocal instrument, not distract or cover.

By the way, everything I’m describing in these posts occurs using ProTools recording/editing/mixing software. It’s the industry standard and it’s all I have ever used for my released projects. It works for me.

Start with a completely dry vocal track, that is, a track with no reverb or effects. As I stated in Part I, a good mic and a great room or recording booth will give you a clean, organic vocal slate to begin with.

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OK, OK, it’s not THAT bad! Mixing is actually quite fun. No, honest…really. It IS!

As I mention in Part I, you need to start with vocal tracks that are pristine, ‘dry’ (no effects), and of the very best performance quality. Think of the mixing procedure as the Recipe, and you are the Chef. You MUST have the freshest, highest quality ingredients before you begin putting it all together…the sum is only as good as the parts! So…let’s start mixing!

Generally speaking, I ask the engineer (my engineer is the fabulous Jamie Bridges, of “Room With a View Studio” in Petaluma, CA) to first mix the instrumental tracks separately from the vocal tracks. “But I thought we were going to start with mixing my VOICE!!” Well, “Patience, Grasshopper,” is my response to you, O Impatient One. You need to build the ‘frame’ for your fabulous vocals FIRST. THEN you mix your vocals….So, where was I? Oh yes… (more…)

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