January 17, 2007

• A Complete Blur

  EDIT ADD:

  You know what's ridiculous? The thousands and thousands of people that try out, don't make it, and then say into the camera, "This isn't the last time you'll see me" or "You'll see my name in lights" and so on and so forth. I can't believe the people that come spewing out of that room blurting out expletives, and saying that the judges don't know what they're talking about. I can't believe how surprised they are that they suck! PEOPLE.

  Listen folks. Excellence in anything takes hard work. You want to accomplish anything in this life? It's going to be difficult. Being a musician takes dedication. You can't just sit around and expect that all of a sudden you'll be great. I can't walk into CEO of Apple, Inc. Steve Jobs' office and expect that because I really think I should "get it" he'll give me a job as one of his top executives. But everyone else says I'm great? But, I just loooove Apple so much? I've owned like, two iPods, and two computers? I mean, what is he thinking telling me that I can't come up with a new marketing plan for selling Apple's products in Germany. I can do anything I want! Well! That's not the last you'll hear from me! Steve Jobs!! I'm a GREAT marketer and business man...

  NO

  I'm NOT. Know why? I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO MARKETING. I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING. And what if I did have a little experience, but was just bad at it?

  This is the weird thing about music. Everyone thinks they can do it and do it well. They also think they have the right to be the next American Idol, because "my friends say I'm good..." or whatever. It's just so crazy. What are you thinking? Music is a skill. Performing is a skill. These are things you learn, and not by osmosis or by listening to Queen.

  I'm certainly not going down to NASA and telling them I should build the next rocket ship to outer space because I've been building them all my life at home. They'd laugh in my face...
  UGH.
  
  

  ---

  

  I feel like 2007 has been a complete blur. I’m pretty sure I’ve lived at least 6 weeks worth of life in the past 2 weeks. I feel a little bit like Commander Riker, who kept waking up every morning feeling like he hadn’t slept a wink (yeah, it turns out he was being abducted secretly at night by aliens). I also feel like I just been constantly working. Working all day, and working all night. Working because I have to, for so many reasons.

  If you’re reading this, chances are you know I finished the Piano and Vocal run through (along with accompanying mp3 demo) for a meeting I had last night with the current director, producer, and the former music director of the show. This meeting was huge, because we were basically presenting our show to the guy that had created and written the show for the past four years. Wisely so, the leadership thought it best to seek out his feedback on what we had done so far. They wanted us to get input on some things that he had encountered in the past and hopefully gain some insight for this year’s show. It is a smart thing for them to ask us to do, since the three of us (director, producer, and I) are in these roles for the first time.

  I worked hard to make this deadline. I basically did a months worth of arranging in two weeks. I strung 38 songs together, connecting mp3s with transitions I wrote and other good stuff like that. Several times, if I couldn’t use an mp3, I just played and sang it into the computer (Christy helped too). Then I wrote out a piano part and vocal parts for about 1300 bars of music (approx 35 minutes worth). I finished the mp3 demo, and formatted the parts, making a finished product to look at and hear last night. So...in essence, the show is done. Now I just need to add the orchestration, which will be quite fun.

  Here’s the cool thing though--I went to this meeting not really knowing what to expect. I have some relationship with the former director (which is why he asked me in the first place) but he doesn’t know my abilities all that well. I just didn’t know what he’d say once he heard it all. I didn’t know how much he would want us to change or fix, and so on...so I went in completely open and ready to hear whatever, hoping it wouldn’t be too bad.

  We sat down, had the usual small talk, and got into the show. Our director read a little bit of the script, and I sat there with my laptop and just pushed play...we listened...listened some more...silence...thumbing through the 115 pages of sheet music...listening to the songs...silence...we all sat in silence as the music played...until I finally broke it. I had to sing in the part for “Maria” from Sound of Music. I know--it’s normally nuns that sing it---but we were going to be funny and make it all guys...so right before my voice comes out, I say, “I had to hire this next soloist. He was really expensive...” and then my little voice comes in “How do you solve a problem like Maria...”

  Laughter. Yessss...

  We stopped the music real quick to chat. Here’s the good part. He thought the show was brilliant. Yah, he said those words--brilliant. And the compliments flowed on from there...more listening...went on to the 2nd act...some chit chat about “I love this song...” and stuff like that. I was completely blown away. He said the show was solid, he was expecting to come in and give us a lot of pointers and such...but was impressed and had a few insights about the actual night itself, but mostly, I was free...all of that work? PAID OFF.

  Wow.

  It’s times like those that I am completely convinced that God has me on this earth for a reason, and it’s also times like that I am even more convinced that I am nothing.
  It’s quite the paradox.

  So I bring you to Psalm 33:3
  “Sing to Him a new song, play skillfully, and shout for joy”

  That’s what I want to do.
  Play skillfully.

  I need some sleep...

  • 4:22 pm
  • 18 Comments