The Vocal Writing Process

Happy Springtime!

I know it's been quiet for a while as the vocals progress for the upcoming album. Despite some delays, I'm very pleased to say that we're nearing the final touches. It's a 13 track album with 11 songs finished entirely down to lyrical revisions and other minor adjustments. The excitement is definitely building for us- it's been 4 months since I was handed the instrumental album, and well over a year since the instrumentals were written.

The vocal writing process is a little different right now than it will be in the future; for the next album I'll be working right alongside the guys from the getgo and laying in my ideas with theirs as we build songs from the ground up with a clear idea of the finished result in mind. This album, however, was instrumentally written and recorded before I came on board. I like to call this process of vocal writing "intuitive math" because I draw the vocal melodies in a complimentary fashion from the melodies already present. It's more of an "on top of the music" approach as compared to "entwined with the music" approach. (But hopefully by the end of the process it will seem as though the music and vocal parts were written side by side.)

Lyrics usually come last and all of the songs have undergone major lyrical changes and revisions since I first started writing. Thematically you can expect a lot of desire, a lot of dreaming, and a hint of desperation shared by every member of the human family. The lyrics are very personal to me, but I feel everyone can find messages in them that resonate with a core part of being human. I have my favorites among the songs already; there's a ballad-type piece based on a very central struggle present in today's society, there's a major key "anthem to hope", and there's also a chilling accusation towards the "predators" in the world. The vocal styles change to fit the mood; on some songs you'll hear classical type vocals, and others will have harsher, more belting-type vocals. Also, Duck will be providing male counterbalance vocals with aggressive tones and some really nice "edgier" touches that will solidify the picture we're painting.

Hopefully I'll have some sample material available within the next few weeks. =) Have a lovely Sunday, and rock on!

Love,
Zozo