Back From The Dead
It has been quite an adventure since my last update. About three weeks ago, as musicians and singers were lined up to add their special something, my computer began to act up. The song files were getting quite large but up until that point, everything had been running just great. I couldn’t get the song sequences to play without slowing down or stopping, so I had to think of something fast. Not to panic, I used a stereo rough mix of the song and started a whole new mini file which enabled me to add all of the new parts without taxing my computer. I would just figure out what was wrong after I got everybody recorded. After a long week of overdubs, I tried to figure out what the heck had happened to my sessions and no matter what I did, the problem persisted. It was like one of my processors had gone south and the computer couldn’t keep up. I did all the tests and the computer was fine. I then checked for any kind of virus or corruption and everything was clean. I tried talking to music software techs and nothing helped. I then called my buddy/composer, Steve Bauman, who basically has the same gear as me and together, we can usually get things worked out. Not this time! I had a few ideas left and tried them. I went to a newer version of Digital Performer, thinking that my software had somehow gone bad but that didn’t work either and caused a whole new set of problems. The new software was trying to analyze the song data and was trying to time-correct it as it was loading which was a really bad idea. I had one more trick up my sleeve which usually solves everything. I purchased a new hard drive and did a clean install of everything and held my breath as we booted up. Things got worse. When we opened up a song, each individual track played with its’ own tempo and none of them played together. Now I was beginning to get panicked. What if the data somehow was ruined and the last five months of work was lost? Steve (Bauman) had an idea. He owned a more powerful Mac than the one we were having problems with and offered it to me to see if that would solve the problem. I had to install everything into his computer and once everything was loaded, we opened up a song. It played perfectly!!!!! I had already lost over a week of mix time and called David Appelt, the mixing engineer, and we have been mixing now for eight straight days and have just started mixing our sixth song. I haven’t been tested like this since my first disaster night of mixing the music for 'Promised Land' where everything that could go wrong did. I ended up working all night and walked into the session at eight o’clock the next morning with the music completed. Sometimes I feel that the powers that be test all of us at times to see how we all handle severe adversities. It was like I was having too much fun and had to be slapped upside the head one more time as a reminder of just how lucky I am to be making such a cool new record. I know it sounds a little out there but you are talking to a songwriter and I still haven’t figured out where those magical ideas come from. I know that surviving that horrid week will make me stronger and will make me appreciate the project even more when it’s done.
To date, all of the recording is over with unless Timothy B. Schmidt decides to sing on a song. He hasn’t said yes yet, but he is leaving the door open just a crack. I would like to thank singers George Merrill, Dan Navarro, Gary Falcone, Andrea Robinson, Lily Wilson, Harry Stinson, Matt Batdorf, Bill Batstone, James Lee Stanley, Michael McLean, and Steve Bauman for their efforts. I’d also like to thank musicians Greg Leisz, Michael Dowdle, James Harrah, Phil Parlapiano, Kevin Dukes, Tom Walsh, Bill Batstone, Luke Halpin, Mark Browne, and Fred Sokol for their wonderful performances. Also thanks to David Appelt and Steve Bauman for their awesome tech help. Last but not least, I want to thank each and every one of you who have contributed and made it possible to make this CD. We still have to raise money for mastering, manufacturing, professional promotion and advertising so everyone can hear this music.
I will send a pre-mastered mix of "What D'ya Got?" to all new contributors to the project who donate upwards of $100.00**; AND if you love it, I would greatly appreciate it if you could do two things:
-tell me what you think so we can use your thoughts to inspire others who have not yet contributed - to get involved the way you have, and
-share it with your friends and maybe they too can help this project come to its fruition.
Thank you,
John Batdorf
4-25-09
**in addtion to all previously stated investment participation "awards"
Paypal Contributions can be sent direct to John at johnbatdorf@att.net
For a list of investment participation "awards", please reference this post: "Maybe I'm Not Dreamin' After All"
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