A few minutes ago, I just finished the final mix of the recording. It’s such a huge feeling of accomplishment to see this thing come together, and to have something solid in hand, something people can hear and respond to. I’ve loved writing this piece, I’ve hated it at times, I’ve put more hours into it than anything I’ve ever done, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a musician because of doing it. I’m glad it’s behind me, but I’m very glad to have done it.

So, here it is.

Our Father, Vindicate
By Michael A. Lee
[See post to listen to audio]

Downlod the chart: Our Father, Vindicate.

The vocalists are, in order of part from top to bottom:
Anthony Maglione
Brent Froelich
David Loucks
Jessie Bullock
Kyle Campbell
David Kress
Lucas Short
Phil Nash

Additional vocals by Michael Lee, and Harold Clousing.

I’m finishing up the final edits and mix on “Our Father, Vindicate”, and I’m having a hard time deciding on the final ending solo. I have three options from 2 different singers, and I’m looking for input on which to choose. Take a listen to all three (the clips are about a minute each), and then tell me which ending solo (the very last phrase) you think is the best fit.

Try to ignore volume and reverb, and focus just on the vocal itself.

Here are the three options:

Option A
[See post to listen to audio]

Option B
[See post to listen to audio]

Option Salty
[See post to listen to audio]

Option 4
[See post to listen to audio]

Leave your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks!

Anyway, enjoy!

Underneath the Satellites
[See post to listen to audio]

I am a Logic guy. On Logic, I can fly. I can bend it and tweak it and make it do anything and everything I need, and I can do it with my eyes closed. But, this project was tracked in Pro Tools, and I need to really understand that software better, so I’m forcing myself to finish the whole project in Pro Tools.

Yesterday, I spent 90 minutes figuring out how to remove the basic volume automation that the tracking engineer had used to make a rough mix. I just about put a fist through the monitor.

I own a house now. Last week, I needed to fix a few small gaps in the brick around out pool. 90 minutes later, I was covered in mortar glue (which does not wash off), unable to touch anything without coating it with thick sludgy stainy cement glue gunk, the bricks were permanently stained with huge swaths of the crap, and the initial problem was still not solved.

I hate, HATE, feeling incompetent. I just want to scream “I am an intelligent, skilled, and valuable person … I just SUUUUUUUUCK at THIS!” I have to fight so hard not to give up, to force myself through to the other side. I know that someday, I will be able to set mix groups for Pro Tools in my sleep. I know that someday, I will be able to repair masonry without permanently damaging myself or our home.

It’s just that today, that someday seems eternally far away.

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” is a horrible experience of unbearable length, briefly punctuated by three or four amusing moments. One of these involves a dog-like robot humping the leg of the heroine. Such are the meager joys. If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination.

This might be the best bad review ever. Click to read the rest.

As I went to drop off my transcripts at CSULA, I saw two girls feeling each other up outside the admin building. I think this is going to be a little different experience than my first master’s degree; at Biola, the lesbians are still in hiding.

I’m going to be getting a Masters of Music in commercial music, with an emphasis in arranging. I’m actually looking forward to it, for two reasons. First, I need some outside impetus and set parameters to move my writing along in new directions. Second, I feel like this is as close as Professors ever get to a “student teaching” experience, where we get to see someone else do their thing, and learn from them. I’m interested in the content, but also in the methods and techniques of the teachers.

Just upgraded to Sibelius 6 – I love it! A bunch of fixed, a lot faster, it does some very intelligent things with layout (like making sure your lyrics don’t overlap your stems and dynamics, grouping things together so that when one dynamic moves, the vertical position of all of them in the line move). I have yet to do a big score to parts project, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to be great!

Anybody else using it? I’m waiting for the Sibelius / Protools integration to step up a bit more (graphic editing of midi data via score, for example), but when it does, I think APU will switch from Logic to that as our primary music platform.

So, the thing about Gretchen is that she remembers every lyric to every song, even songs she’s only heard once. I can’t remember the words to any songs, even songs I just lead the congregation through in worship, even songs I wrote and recorded and sang 50 times.

So, of course, one of my favorite things to do is start the first line of a song, and then immediately veer off into left field, just making up lyrics as I go along.

When we were dating, she thought it was cute. When we were dating a little longer, it was a little less cute. Then we got married, and she would just groan at me. This continued for like 7 years. Then, we had a pair of little ankle-biters. Sophia is sharp enough now to get what I’m doing, and she falls of the chair laughing, then says, “Nooooooo, Dadddddyyyyy!” In almost exactly the same exasperated tone that my wife uses. It’s hilarious.

So, I’m firmly convinced that this will be the running family gag for, like, the next 50 years. Sorry babe.

What about you all? Any long-standing gags that keep coming back around, 10 years in?

Ahmadinejad declared himself the victor in yesterday’s Iranian elections, and the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (who gets to decide which things are ‘islamic’ and which are not, and therefore actually runs things) gave his nod. Pre-election polling showed that the challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, would win by a wide margin, as much as 2-to-1 in some estimates.

The Iranian people are justifiably upset, and have taken to the streets in riot and protest.

If I were Ahmadinejad, I would be terrified right now. He has the guns and the media, but the people seem to have found their voice.

The illusion of democracy is a dangerous thing.

updated 6/14, 1:23 am

[See post to listen to audio]

Thing That Go Bump
by Michael Lee
[See post to listen to audio]

30 Rock is a rip-off of The Muppet Show!

I realize that the right thing to do at this point is sub-contract to an actual designer, but I’m working in trade for original awesome artwork, and I’m not sure I can really offer somebody 1/3 of a painting.

Anybody use anything on a mac that they really like for web design, that is either cheap or free?