Months of Music

In February I wrote a post called 'Days of Music' (you can view it here) which was an insight into the recording process of making an album.


Now we're five months on, and a lot has advanced in that time. I'd thought I'd write another post, just to keep you all informed on the album's progress and give some insight on how its all done. Just to refresh - the album is called 'To Him Be The Glory', and has 12 congregational worship songs aimed as accessible and easy to pick up songs for churches.

Matters Sorted:
Since recording week, the album cover and booklet have been designed. A website that has all the resources for each of the songs has been made. Plans have been more firmly formed for a Church Tour next January/February where myself and a few more accompanying musicians will be hopping around the North Island in a van for three weeks, serving churches in whatever way we can and taking some of these songs out there for people to learn and be blessed by! Also just recently, someone to distribute of the CD to stores and ITunes has also been organised.

Mixing:
With the music itself - the songs have gone through a process called mixing. This is where some guy (in this case Tom Mepham, the album producer and designer) sits at a computer for long, long hours, going through each song - changing lots of levels in volume, sound, and feel for all the different instrument parts. After some time, the songs begin to sound much better - there's balance between the different instruments and the voice, and you can hear everything more clearly (so it's no longer just lots of 'noise'). At least as much time is spend mixing each song as recording it. Often more time actually. And tomorrow, yes tomorrow - the final mixes will be finished for these 12 congregational worship songs!

Mastering:
Then next week they will be sent for some mastering. This is the next step in a song's process. What happens here is that another guy (not Tom this time) will sit at a desk and work with the songs. He'll not so much be working with the songs individually, but with all of them together collectively. It'll be the final touch to help bring consistency and flow and balance between all the tracks.

Manufacturing:
Finally, at some point in the next month or two I'll send off the CD for some actual manufacturing. They'll be sent to a place who will replicate 500 copies of the album complete with booklet - ready to go out, and people in New Zealand to be blessed by it. I'll aim for releasing the album Mid-November this year.


So it's been very exciting and a really interesting and learning experience to see this project unfold. Prayer continues to be the foundation for every aspect, with a number of prayer supporters out there holding the project before the Lord and asking Him to use it for His purposes and receive the due glory from start to finish. And God has opened so many doors and answered prayers already! But above all it's just been a privilege, thrill, and joy to offer myself in surrender for God's service - and let Him do what He wants with these songs that He's given me the ability and passion to write.