Sax Player's Online Journal

Bobby Cruz and I worked on the Gospel CD again today. We have nice changes and a great arrangement for How Great Thou Art done, and messed around with drum grooves, loops and percussion parts today. It is really starting to sound good!

We also started tracking basic tracks for Amazing Grace. We picked a groove, worked out an arrangement and have a working set of changes that will probably be jazzed up a little more. This is the track I want my son, Ben to play fretless bass on an intro and outro in the style of Victor Wooten. We will have a nice bed of strings with the bass featured. Think it's gonna be great! The groove is medium and funky, and the vibe is great. More as it comes.

On the Smooth Jazz Classics disc - It seems the jury is still out on Biggest Part of Me and I will be re tracking it all on Alto in the next day or 2. I like the Tenor but others seem to disagree. Since I value others, I will explore the Alto and consider changing out the background saxes if need be - top Alto parts to Tenors. We'll see.

Computer issues have me upgrading the music recording system. I am waiting on a call from a friend that deals in memory. Since getting all the programs updated and loaded on the system that is supposed to be for music (and not my laptop), everything started freezing. A quick check and I found the RAM was 512 mbs. I can't run all these applications on that. ProTools, EMU interface, Live, Reason, soft synths and double monitors, keyboard controllers... I think you get the idea. 2 GIGs of RAM are coming later today or tomorrow. I hope this frees everything up so I can keep tracking and free up my laptop for the reason I bought it, when I'm out and about.

Writing Music. I started trying to write again. I don't consider myself a writer so it is a big step to say this out loud. I have a song I want to submit to Tony Guerrero for the smooth CD we are doing right now. I also have 2 or more things started for a possible new solo CD of original compositions, to be released in 2290 or sooner. I need to be writing and have finally started trying. Many a system has been explained as to how to write music. My current system is to carry a hand held recorder everywhere I go and sing melody ideas as they come to me. I think this is working well for now. Do any of you write music? Want to share your system? I am open to new ideas.

Gotta get back to work now. Thanks for visiting the Sax Players Blog! You can read more on my personal website - www.GregVail.com and post a comment if you would like right here. Blessings to all,

SAXBOY Greg Vail