Moving on to Mastering

It’s on to the Mastering Phase. We had our last studio (mixing) session today to do our final tweaks. I have not listened to it yet on crummy speakers, but that’s the real test. I know we cam make it sound good in the studio on several thousands of dollars worth of high tech, flawless equipment, but will it sound good in your car? Ah, compression.

Michael (studio owner/engineer) will upload it to the mastering house in New York, TurtleTone Studio. http://www.turtletonestudio.com/ I could really have a finished product by the end of next week. Well, a finished recording. I’m still waiting for some kind of finished product from my artist. And then it goes to the graphic designer. And then to the duplication and packaging company, Oasis. http://oasiscd.com/

I’m still aiming for a late November release, just in time for Chanukah.

I had an interesting experience at a gig the other night. I was playing a slichot concert at Suburban Temple – Kol Ami in Cleveland (slichot is the formal entrance into the high holy days) and I opened with the song “She Knows God.” I was playing with David (on 2nd Guitar) and Ed Ridley (keyboard), and when the song ended, there was a conspicuous, stony silence and what I first thought were blank stares. After about a second and a half (which seemed like an eternity) I realized that it was an awed silence. A reverent silence. A silence filled with holiness. That kind of thing doesn’t happen very often. Probably most performers don’t experience it ever. I consider myself among the lucky and privileged to have been a recipient of it. You can’t plan it, or even predict it. But when it happens, you are transported, for just a few moments, maybe seconds, into a whole new realm, a realm that is just that much closer to holiness. To angels. To God.

I can’t really explain. And it wouldn’t do any good to say “you had to be there.” But if all things happen, not by happenstance, but for a reason, then this could not have happened at any other time, at any other place or with any other song. (And if you know the song, there’s added significance. And if you know the story behind the song, well…) And I just thank God for have been granted that moment of silent piety.