We begin "pre-recording" and get some new instruments!

 Last week we did some rough recording to help us with arrangements of the music, and to hear how the instruments we choose to use on a particular song actually sound. We got at least parts of four songs recorded, and are really enjoying the process.

Mark was given a drum machine that uses only sampled drum sounds. Sampled sounds are actual recordings of real drums, so they sound natural, like you actually had someone playing them for you. This particular drum machine is from India, and so the rhythms can be very intricate and complex as you mix the different drums together. We chose a couple of simpler rhythms as we listened through them. One sounded more mid-eastern and very driving. Kerah immediately thought of L’David Mizmor, a song based on Ps. 110, a Messianic battle song. Another was reminiscent of a celtic rhythm with triplets overlaying a 4/4 rhythm. Again it was Kerah who started singing “Let the righteous be glad and rejoice before You, Let the righteous be glad, who trust in You, Let the righteous be glad and rejoice before you, those who keep Your commandments delight in You! It was different than I had imagined the song, but it worked nicely, and gave it a more lilting skipping feel. I can’t wait to see what dancers will do with this one!

We also recorded harp and vocal with a smooth Latin conga rhythm, this time it was Kerah who hadn’t imagined the song this way! I love it, and can’t wait to hear what my Uncle Russ will do with it! It is based on Ps. 139 and begins, “Where can I go to escape Your presence, Where can I run and hide from You, If I fly up to the highest heaven You are there...” I’d like to use my deep Bansuri flute on this one, to help fill it out.

I was very recently given a gift of a set of Andean pipes. They are beautiful, and have an incredible tone (video coming!) I’m learning very quickly how to play them and will look through our song list tonight to see what song they might enhance, to give us all a “selah” moment!

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