KICKSTARTER: Album = Finished!

"To My Project Backers:

As of today the project is complete! Jason, the audio engineer, and I spent a few hours today double checking levels and making a few other adjustments. I've just barely submitted the tracks and artwork to the CD printing company. They estimate that I will be receiving the final product sometime between July 3rd and 9th. Afterwards, I will be mailing you your copy(s) and other rewards! I will send another update to let you know they are on the way.

If you have not responded to the survey I sent out to receive your mailing address please do so as soon as possible.

I've set up an official webiste: www.chelseyjoy.bandcamp.com. In a few weeks the album will be posted. For those that might be interested, there is some sheet music available for purchase as well as a couple items of merchandise. There will be more later on.

I cannot express how excited I am. This project has been on my mind for a long, long time. You have made it possible in its entirety. I have poured so much emotion into these songs. I hope you are able to feel the message that each portrays. I hope that it can aid in comforting you, help you to feel something other than numbness, or help make you even happier then you may already be.

I have one more request. When you receive your copy, please listen to it in the order in which the tracks appear. You may be tempted to skip through, but at least once please do this. This album tells a story. :)"

KICKSTARTER: Album = Successfully Funded!

"To My Project Backers:

I have some good news.... WE DID IT!! As of three hours ago, this project was FUNDED, not only 100%, but 105%! You guys are crazy! 

Is it possible to adequately express how grateful I feel for your contributions to this album? I honestly don't know how to thank you enough for what you all have done for me, and those that will listen to it in the future. So many of you have shared my Kickstarter with others through social media and by word of mouth. Some of you have probably prayed that this fundraiser would pull through. 

Because of your contributions and extra sacrifices, I'm adjusting the rewards. EVERYONE that has pledged will be receiving a physical copy of the album when finished. For those of you that have contributed a large sum and would like another reward in addition to the ones already promised, please don't hesitate to contact me and we'll discuss it. (As of right now I don't have any way to contact some of you).

If Kickstarter/Amazon has not already withdrawn your pledged funds from your banking account, they will do so within the next couple weeks. If there are any problems with your card they will notify you through email. 

I won't receive the funds for a couple more weeks. In the meantime I'm going to take a lot of time to prepare songs for recording so that when I get back into the studio, your money is not wasted through poor preparation or mistakes that will cost more studio time. I hope to finish this project up by the latest August, but I suspect that it will be completed sometime in July. 

I will keep in contact with you as needs arise through Kickstarter, but most updates on the progress of the album (including photos and videos) will be posted on my facebook music page.

Thank you again! If you need anything, or have any questions, let me know! :)"

My First Professional Recording Session!

Good news! Next week I'll be at Art City Sound recording a piece for piano, cello, and voice. I've been working on it the past few months! It will be my first experience working with a professional in a fully decked-out studio. The past few years I have been trying to do some really basic recording in my bedroom, and it's not turning out as well as I'd like. I'm really excited about it, and can't wait to see how things sound! :)

The title of this song is called "Bestia." If this is a good experience, I will continue to record and hopefully produce an album in the future. :)

The Recording Process (Taken from Behind Bestia | Lullabied)

This was the first song off the album that was recorded, and my first real professional studio experience. A few years prior I had recorded a demo of "Lullabied," which didn't turn out so well and wasn't a good experience, so I was weary of trying it again. As a potential new independent artist with very limited knowledge of the music business, understanding what resources were available to me took some time.

I saw a picture of one of my friends from college playing the drums at a nice studio. As I looked further into where the picture was taken, I found out that the studio was only an hour from my house. After listening to samples on the website, I contacted Jason Jones at Art City Sound to set up an appointment. 

Jason was incredible to work with. He took the time to listen to my needs, what similar artists sounded like, and he worked with me to get the sound I was looking for. I knew I had found the right place to create. The prospect of recording an album soon became a reality. 

My brother came to the studio with me. He was a good sport, as he sat through this first six hour session. He even sang four notes, which can be heard from 3:22 - 3:36. What was originally intended to be a piano piece quickly turned into an in-studio-writing-marathon as I learned what tools and instruments were available to me. 

The cello was played by Kathryn Andelin, who had been a client of the studio before. As we recorded there was confusion and the cello didn't turn out nearly at all like I had written, which was a blessing in disguise. It much better suits the song how it is.

Because we recorded the piano without a click track, the drums were entered in manually instead of using a looping method. 

UPDATE (10/2015):

Watch the Official Music Video!