about
I've worked with many musicians over the years. I've accompanied, on guitar, many instrumental and vocal soloists. By far, the most challenging, is when you work with kids. It is the unpredictability, however, that makes for unique, inspired moments. I was fortunate enough to be able to capture one of those moments on tape (digital tape). April and her brother, friends of ours from church, were visiting my studio a few months ago. On this particular day, April was much more willing than her older brother, to humor me and see what this recording stuff was all about.
April comes by her talent honestly. Both her mother and father are accomplished musicians. I am privileged to be able to make music with each of them on a weekly basis. So, it didn't surprise me when April was willing to "show" me how the ABC's went. Under her direction, and at her tempo, she went through the alphabet almost as a "rap". When she was sure that I knew what I was doing, she then counted off the introduction tempo (1,2,3) and proceeded with the real version, with me doing my best to keep up.
April, apparently not wanting to waste any valuable studio time, segued right into her next vocal offering, "Twinkle, twinkle", I was relieved to find out that I knew this song as well. There was no time to practice, discuss phrasing, dynamics, tempo or anything. She finished "Twinkle, twinkle", and with her final words, there was no doubt that the recording session had come to an end. As with most artists, she knew when the masterpiece was complete; nothing more to be added nor taken away.
lyrics
LYRICS
ABCDEFG HIJK LMNOP QRS TUV W X Y and Z
Now I know my ABC's
Next time, won't you sing with me?
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
That's it!
credits
from
Music With My Friends,
track released March 15, 2014
CREDITS
All instruments and arrangement by Paul Palan
Acoustic Guitar - Taylor 810CE
Vocals - April
All instruments - Reason 5.0
Recording - Sonar 8
Edit and mix - Sonar 8
MIDI controller Kawai K4
Track art by Paul Palan
Adobe After Effects CS5
Adobe Photoshop CS5
license
all rights reserved