Recording Week: Reality Check

Recording session. Notice the blankets on the chairs in the front. Used to unwanted sound into the microphones.
Photo from the official blog of the choir. 

This week is a recording week. We are recording music for a new album. Here is the schedule:

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: recording session begins at 6:45 pm in the Tabernacle. That means ready, prepared with music and in the choir loft at that time. The recording session each evening is scheduled to end at 10:00 pm, however, if we are not finished, we push through it. For example, last night we ended at 10:30 pm.

Saturday: recording session will begin in the morning and end by 5:00 pm, or whenever we finish the last piece. Lunch is provided.

When you couple this with a weekly work schedule, there isn't a lot of time to spare for many of us during a recording week.

The Elders Quorum in my ward contacted me for an interview this week. Yeah, not going to happen this week or probably next week. (I'm also participating in the "Be One" Choir with Gladys Knight on June 1st)

Is every week like this? No. But Christmas Concerts, General Conferences, Tour (two weeks of vacation to go on tour) and other projects (Tanner Gift of Music, rehearsals to prepare for events, etc.) require a serious time commitment. It requires time away from family and sometimes from family events. This week I missed Ileina's Spring Orchestra Concert. We talked about it as a family and felt I needed to be at choir. Other times, I will skip choir events to attend family things. For example, I missed the Choir Christmas dinner for Ileina's Winter Orchestra Concert. It's not one or the other but a balance with everyone.

I'll be honest, at a different point of time in my life I could not have done this. The time commitment requires a lot for individuals and families. Fortunately, now I am at a point in my personal and professional life that allows me to do this. I am extremely grateful.

What is recording an album like with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? 

There are microphones everywhere.

It's both terrifying and miraculous. Terrifying because having a full orchestra and a full choir loft with live microphones presents some serious challenges. Especially in the Tabernacle with its world reknowned acoustics where you can hear a needle dropped on a wooden table from one end of the Tabernacle to the other without a microphone. Imagine 400-500 people in that same space being quiet. Even turning your sheet music can be heard. One person singing more loudly than another person can ruin a take and would require us to redo a section. One orchestra member flubbing a line can stop the entire process. Outside noises seep into the Tabernacle when we are trying to record, amublances and police sirens, the wind, the bell on Temple Square that rings every hour. These things affect the recording process. Not to mention technical issues that can arise. There is so much equipment, anything can go wrong at any time. There are so many variables, it's terrifying.

Miraculous because we can actually record things in that space with that many people in the time given despite all of the challenges I mentioned above. It really is a miracle.

A few weeks ago I was in the recording studio doing work for a different music project. Studio work was so much easier because the space lends itself to that type of work. Motab recordings are much more challenging and yet the way Mack and Ryan do recordings make them extremely efficient. It is amazing how much music we can record in such a limited amount of time.

We record the music sections at a time. Each section has multiple people listening to it for pitch, volume, timbre, blend, timing, etc. These amazing individuals, listening in a sound booth, can pick out even slight problems. For example, during a recording when the entire orchestra was playing and the choir was singing, they stopped us because the harp needed to be adjusted. It's like putting a handful of jellybeans in your mouth and being able to tell every flavor of each jellybean individually without mixing them up. It's remarkable what they can pick out.

We will work on one section at a time. We will go over it multiple times, rehearse it and record it again and again and again. Always being asked to be "smart" about the approach and to adjust as needed. It requires focus and attention. Sometimes you feel like you are giving everything that is asked and they still ask for more. It can be daunting. Still, it's inspiring to finally get things right. Mack said it last night, "We don't ask for much. We just ask for perfection." I laughed. His constant striving to be better and get better is a testament to what kind of a leader he is. Never resting on laurels and never complacent, he expects excellence and in turn, we push ourselves harder to be better. I'm grateful for his influence.

To people interested in joining the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

We are also fast approaching the time of year that new people apply to become members of the choir. I am keenly aware of people who are interested in auditioning who do not understand the nuances of being in this particular organization. What they see is are performances, all polished and shiny. What they don't see are the other things that require time, focus and sacrifice. As the saying goes, blessings require sacrifice and being in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a huge blessing. Why should we not have to sacrifice for this blessing?

I'm grateful to be a part of this organization for this part of my life. One day, someone else will occupy my place so I'll take advantage of every opportunity now.