Pickin Porch

There’s something about capturing raw talent in someone’s own living room.  Growing up listening to music, I also listened and read about folks in Country Music who wanted to capture that beloved feeling of playing to friends in their living room in their recordings.  And it was so with the last song for Adam’s first all-his-own-songs-CD due to be released in mid-January.   This special song, actually written when he was 18 (I just found out!), is a powerfully emotional message song from the point of view of the thief who was on the cross next to Jesus.  And as we were pressed for time, I thought I’d bring my studio equipment down his way and try out his living room for the final vocal and perhaps a fill organ or something else he may have dreamed up along the way. 

I was not prepared for what was to happen!  We first added the organ fill mostly because he likes to be able to emote with his voice after the production is set down.  So after several takes experimenting with different ideas, he pretty much nailed a ‘fill’ that does more than most fills I’ve heard these days of autotron type similar sounding licks on everyone’s recordings.  This sound filled me and moved me and after I pressed stop, I jumped up and ran around the corner (I was in the kitchen with my board!) and I could sense he felt the same way about his take.  I couldn’t help but give him a giant congratulatory hug knowing this moment was huge capping off an already impressive collection of songs from this young man. 

But that wasn’t all - remember we are in a living room, in a neighborhood, oh and with neighbor dogs :)  How they can bark when you don’t want this at all!  AND of course now it’s quittin’ time for folks so we hear cars roarin’ up the hill, shifting gears and such.  UGH!  What was I thinking!  But when we were planning out the vocals and getting it all set up for him, the dogs and neighborhood became strangely quiet just when we needed it.  Wondrous!  Adam delivered a strong and heartfelt vocal to this song with a message about Jesus “The Wayshower” even on the cross… beautiful, just beautiful.

Later that night we entered the coolest studio we’ve experienced to mix this song and final tweaks on others and then master the project.  This studio was the perfect choice with all it’s Christmas decorations twinkling about, looking every bit as much as a living room itself.  And the engineer Buck rolled well with us and I felt him a part of our musical family, too. 

I love recording but it’s extra special when you capture that living room feeling for all-time on a recording with dear friends.  Thanks Adam for letting me be a part of all the great moments and experiences and lessons learned on this project!

Lisa