Yup, it’s been quiet around here. That doesn’t mean nothing’s happening, but it does indicate a certain lack of progress. See, I’m working on “Into The Shade” which is a track we haven’t recorded before, and didn’t really have lyrics. What we did have was a great instrumental middle eight, and a rough idea about what the song might sound like.

Since the great reset, I’ve been working through the tracks on Album #1 sequentially, and now there is no excuse. This track has gotta get done.

One thing: I’ve written the lyrics and I’m almost happy with them. This is important, because although we all like working on the music and the arrangement, it doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t sing the words in the same rhythm and key as the music. So, having the lyrics ahead of time? Useful.

Which brings me to now. I tried 100 bpm and the drum track seems too sluggish, so I tried again in 110 and it sounded better. Then I sketched out a full backing track (and yes, spent a little too much time on that infamous middle eight) and burned it on to CD so I could play it repeatedly in the car on the way to work. This lets me sing the lyrics in private and figure out melodies.

I thought it was going to work, but this weekend I tried recording a take and two things became clear that didn’t reveal themselves in The Car Sessions: 1) 110 bpm is too fast for the lyric, drums or no; and 2) I have to lower the key by about a fifth.

For now, I’ve given up on trying to sing in the car. Apparently, I only find out the cold hard reality when the little red light is on. (I mean the one on the sequencer, not the dashboard.)