Reflections on Day 1

Well, as often is the case, I was worrying over nothing!  

I had a great first day in the studio.  There was a lot of planning and talking through how we're going to approach each track.  You know, I think Stuart might be onto something with this "ground up" approach.  Just taking the time to really think about each song and throwing around ideas of what the instrumentation of each one should be was really fun, and definitely time well spent.  I think we now have a solid plan for each track - and I do love a plan!  (I've also discovered that I love blackcurrant and blueberry tea.  With honey.  Who'd have known?)

And, I'm delighted to find that Stuart has arranged for a great drummer to come in to put kit on probably five or six out of the ten tracks.  I've heard this chap's work a lot in the past and let's just say I'm very excited to have him involved.  That's not until next week, though, so there is other work to be done in the meantime.

I'm having to get used to working with a click track, which is melting my brain a little bit.  Anyone who has worked with me in the past will know that I find timing somewhat arbitrary - in other words, I'm all over the place!  I like to say that my songs need space to breathe... ;)  I'm going to need to reign that in if I am going to get my guitar parts down in any kind of shape for the drummer to work with next week.  I reckon my main challenge keeping in time today, to be fair, was the sauna-like conditions of the live room...  The heat together with the lovely ambient light courtesy of the "ghost from pac-man" lamp (I need one of those for my house...) was almost enough to send me into a trance as I ran through my guitar parts.  Nothing like being in the zone!  Stuart's keeping me in line, it'll be all good I'm sure.  And I'll remember not to wear a jumper tomorrow...

So, I'm really looking forward to day two.  I'd be looking forward to it even more if I didn't have to go into my day job beforehand, but needs must, I guess.  It's going to be a loooong day - squeezing in a morning's work in the office before getting to the studio for midday.  That's when the real work starts!  Tomorrow, guitars and guide vocals.  I'll let you know how it goes - bring it on!

Have a lovely night x

My view from the hot seat.