News Archive - 3

We spent most of January 2003 in the studio, mixing DVD projects for Diante do Trono, and a praise and worship project in Hawaiian. Our control room was designed with 5.1 surround sound in mind, so it only takes a few minutes to convert to that listening environment. The surround environment is especially effective for praise and worship, since it really places the listener right in the middle of the audience. I tend to stay away from sonic gimmicks on those mixes, but the enhanced sense of "being there" really makes for a great listening experience.

Since almost every project now has the possibility of eventually being released in a surround format, I almost always record the audience on four tracks: front left and right, and back left and right. I used to do this just to make the audience sound bigger, but it is the perfect way to build a great surround mix. I do put some of the musical elements in the surround speakers, particularly some of the effects returns, and some of the group vocals, but the back pair of audience mics serves as the main element. Just as I did before I started mixing in surround, I often move the back pair forward to tighten up the timing during a particularly rhythmic song, then put the original timing back at the end of the song. You can also offset the back pair even more to create a larger audience sound.

Now more about this latest Hawaiian project: Everyone remembers where they were on September 11, 2001. I was in Hawaii, on the island of Maui, waking up for my last day of overdubs on a project for King’s Cathedral. As I drove to the church, I heard on the radio the news of the terrorist attacks which had happened while the islands in the Pacific were sleeping.

After realizing that I was going to be stranded there, along with over 2000 pounds of audio equipment ( I know, there are worse places to be stranded! ), I decided that the best way to cope was to keep working. Earlier in the week, a Hawaiian group called Na Leo Ho’onani (Voices of Praise) had sung one song during a service, and I really wanted to record them. Now I would have the chance.

The next day we started recording, all the while checking with American Airlines on the next available flight for me and my equipment. Sam Ahia and Harold Bacos played slack key guitar and ukulele, with Frank Carillo on bass. The entire project was finished in just a few days, when I was finally able to leave, barely making it to my next project in Knoxville. I made another brief trip to Hawaii last fall to record a few more songs, then finally found time to mix the project in January.

The final product is a collection of new and old songs, sung in the ancient language of the native Hawaiian people. There is a growing movement in Hawaii to reclaim their language and culture, and we want music that is glorifying to God to be a part of that effort. For more information on the project, log onto www.reign-music.com.

Another interesting recent project was finished at the beginning of the year for Hear the Word Church in Harare, Zimbabwe. The church was founded by Tom and Bonnie Deuschle, graduates of Christ for the Nations, and they are doing a great work in a very difficult place. The country is torn apart by racial and economic problems, is ruled by a corrupt dictator, and people are going hungry in a place that once exported food. In the midst of this extreme situation, these people take every opportunity to gather together in vibrant praise and sincere worship.

This project was arranged, produced, and recorded by Andrew Baird, a young man who came to the US two years ago to assist me on two Integrity projects; "I Will Sing" by Don Moen, and "Your Kingdom Come" by Craig Smith. After a few months of intense training, he went back to Zimbabwe to begin recording this project under the most primitive conditions imaginable, learning as he went along. He sent the files to me for the final mix and mastering.

City View Christian Fellowship of Lubbock, Texas helped financially with this project. Bruce Menefee is the worship and youth pastor there, and he has been a friend and musical co-conspirator for many years. He helped provide the speakers for the Selax studio in Minsk, Belarus, and has played on several CFNI projects, including the heavy reggae bass lines on the project for the school in Jamaica. The Zimbabwe project could not have been completed without their help. For more information on this great church, log onto www.cityviewfellowship.org.

All around the world, I am blessed to have the best location and studio equipment at my disposal, and to work with many great musicians and worship leaders. What makes this project special to me is that I helped teach someone how to record it, rather than doing it myself. That is what I am always working toward everywhere I go; empowering others to do what I do, and more. For more information on this project, log onto www.htwm.co.zw.

In February, we started production on the new project for Christ for the Nations. We had a great crew of musicians and singers this year; all students, faculty, or alumni. The project, titled "We Cry Out", was the first under the direction of new worship leader Sandy Nemeth. The final product, including the first Christ for the Nations DVD with 5.1 surround mix, will be available around May 1.

I have been working with Christ for the Nations for 12 years now, and this is one of the best projects yet. Even with all of the natural difficulties that a change in leadership brings, everyone pulled together to produce a great night of worship, and a great project. The band and singers are all current CFNI students, staff, or recent graduates, and everything was recorded and mixed in the new Music Production Studio on campus.

For more info, log onto www.cfnmusic.com
or call 1-800-GOD-SONG.

 

 

In March, immediately (and I really mean IMMEDIATELY!) after finishing the CFNI mix, I went to Brasil to record the vocals for Spanish and English versions of the latest Diante do Trono project: "Nos Bracos do Pai" (In the Arms of the Father). We also did the last few overdubs for a project for Nivea Soares, one of the singers in Diante do Trono. Nivea has been on all of the projects I have done there, and she is a great singer, but I had no idea she was such a great songwriter. Her husband, Gustavo is the producer, and he and Andre Espindola recorded everything, and they all did a great job. We brought all of the projects back to the studio at CFNI for mixing, and mastered with Ken Love at MasterMix in Nashville.

The English and Spanish versions of the Diante do Trono projects are part of a long term strategy to spread their ministry to as much of the world as possible. Ana has had a good command of the English language since attending school at CFNI, and is quite comfortable ministering in English, but in the past few years she has felt a burden to minister in Spanish, so she has been studying at every opportunity. The entire worship team has been studying along with her, and they are planning their first tour of the US in October, 2003. They have already begun ministering in Spanish speaking countries with a trip to Guatemala earlier this year.

If you missed the previous issue of New News ... click here to get caught up!