….That’s not true. Rain is a given in Ireland. The only reason one might hope for it, is to have something guaranteed on your wish-list; a sure thing to reassure you hoping is not futile. But who needs my pop philosophising?
This stretch of good weather we are having is marvellous. I’m drinking in every drop of sunshine and definitely not hoping for rain. No, the title of this post is such, because it is the title of my debut EP – the making of which is the main subject of this blog.
It is early April now. The last time I wrote a blog was the 26th of January, 2025. I was about to start recording and the blog was an effort to keep me right, as regards all I needed to do in preparation. I didn’t meet all the demands of my to-do-list on that blog, but I have progressed somewhat and am excited about the next phase.
I work in the Arts/Education sector. “Reflective Practice” is a thing you hear of a lot. I have noted a mixed reaction to this phrase. Some people find it patronising, like they are being constantly judged in a way that other professions aren’t. There is something in that, I think; (primarily that other professions could do with a shit-tonne more self-reflection). Some are bored by the notion, feeling that it takes them away from their own arts practice and the time investment required in getting better. Many feel like experience and practise will invariably make you better at whatever it is you do. There is truth in that, but being a great artist and being great at engaging people in arts activity are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For me, reflecting on the work I do essential. It can be uncomfortable, but far less uncomfortable than that niggling voice/feeling you have that you are not addressing something in your practice that needs attention, and which could be stopping you from being better at your art and communication. The reason I mention reflective practice at all, is because I want to revisit that January 26th blog and see on what I felt were the most important things I needed to think about, before heading into the recording studio. Below I get to look back from the other side.
Reflections below…
- Be prepared. Know the songs. Like I could play them in my sleep kind of know. Any expression or nice surprises that may come in the recording studio, can only come from a mind not completely occupied with just trying to play darn thing right…
- So I did reasonably well here. The songs on this EP were all written on guitar and the guitar part is important1. I knew the guitar parts well going into record and that did save time initially.
- Take notes, make observations, record any and all feelings you have during the process in as organised a way as possible; (not being funny but you’re not very good at keeping things in one place, Róis)….(also, not blowin smoke up your ass, but the one genuine talent I think you have, is a very good instinct for peoples’ character/situations. Trust it.….
- I didn’t do this so much, but I regard that as a good sign. I worked with one other person; Michael Mormecha of Tree song Studios (link below). I had a really good experience with Mike. He was very patient of my studio shortcomings, of the occasional nervousness that rendered me unable to sing/play/think albeit briefly. I wasn’t noting down feelings of inadequacy because although they were definitely there, I didn’t feel like I had to hide them/change myself/pretend they weren’t. With support from Mike I was able to plough on, even when I felt like I wasn’t giving the best account of myself.
- Understand that you have no experience of the recording process as it pertains to you having your own music recorded in a professional studio by someone else. You will likely only learn the true extent of your ignorance when you begin. That may not feel fine, but it is. Like it or not that’s how we learn. Your job is to know the songs/instruments/arrangements well, and then give yourself a chance.
- Understand too, that the other people working with you have done this many, times. You chose them on that basis and of course, on the basis that you like what they have done before. Go along with them for the ride if/when they suggest a short-cuts/scenic routes….
- Here again, I feel grateful to Mike for his input and support, because I had focused on knowing the guitar really well, I was far less sure of good harmony lines and piano/fiddle parts, all of which I knew i wanted included. It was great to work with someone who came up with (some of the best) musical ideas. It took me out of freeze mode and meant that just trying things out sometimes yielded very pleasant rewards.
- Finally, for now, and most importantly…….We know you will start, and not just because of strongly-worded-letters. There are dates booked and good people on board. But Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee Donkey, finish. That’s often been a struggle for you. You start something that doesn’t get completed. There are a number of pieces of work and interesting ideas that you have begun to look at but haven’t pursued. I am not chastising you. For some reason, these things are not linear and straightforward for you. You have thought that the nature of your life means that other things have priority and that you must wait for a better time. The wait becomes grows heavy. A dead weight…..
- In some ways this remains to be seen. I feel I have done one of the harder parts of the process – recording – somewhere I’m not naturally comfortable at all. I’ve heard some of what my songs sound like, and honestly, I’m a bit concerned that I’ll hate it all, as in hate everything I’ve done, (I really like where Mike is taking the music). So there is a bit of me saying to myself that if I don’t like it, I don’t have to release anything, I’ll still have my recordings for posterity and that’ll do me. But I think not. I think I’m coming around to a just put it out there and see, attitude. No-one but me cares anyway. Why should they?
There is much to be done. The mixing and mastering is yet to happen, the artwork will be created over coming weeks. I need to think about if/when releasing will happen and get my head around what that entails. But they all seem like details. I’m very glad to be at this juncture. I wasn’t sure I ever would be.
https://www.treesongstudios.com/
- I played a small bit of guitar as a young teenager, but never learnt how to play it well. I hated the poor sounding/drab strumming/picking I did on it and so I stopped playing. Fast forward some years and my husband, (himself a VERY good guitar player), showed me a few basic, solid techniques that I could take and develop myself into the kind of playing I felt worked for me and my songs ↩︎
roisin whyte 