The title song of the same name was inspired by a journey he took around Europe by himself. Even amidst times of loneliness, David felt the comforting presence of the Lord at all stages of his journey. This song is just one reflection of his faith.
In addition to the fact that many of the songs on the album were inspired by experiences he had on his travels, the album itself has been an exciting journey.
This page has been dedicated as a record of the various stages involved with the project.
Since the release of his most recent album "Making Up for Lost Time," David has been writing and performing these new songs. Concert guests have been able to enjoy listening to them in a live setting for the past 4 years.
Now that the project nears its completion and release, people will soon be able to experience quality recordings of these songs. Please enjoy learning about the recording experience!
David has given his album the title "Traveling Companion."
David’s Album #3 Log
Every stage of the project has been captured, from the day David started writing songs for the new project until now. There are 4 stages to this project: Songwriting, Pre-production, Production, and Post-production. In the last 3 stages, where applicable, the number of hours spent on a given task is captured in brackets [ ]. As you can see, a lot of exciting, hard work goes into a project like this!
10/20/02
Album #2 “Making Up for Lost Time” released
Album #2 “Making Up for Lost Time” releasedNovember 2002 Songwriting stage for Album #3 begins!
Songwriting stage for Album #3 begins!11/11/02Completion of “Unknown”
Completion of “Unknown”12/17/02Completion of “Receive Me”
Completion of “Receive Me”01/10/03Completion of “The Little Things”
Completion of “The Little Things”02/02/03Completion of “Satisfied”
Completion of “Satisfied”07/05/03Completion of “Witness”
Completion of “Witness”09/30/03Completion of “When the Rain Pours Down”
Completion of “When the Rain Pours Down”12/22/03Completion of “Blues for Lazarus”
Completion of “Blues for Lazarus”04/03/04Completion of “Four Limbs”
Completion of “Four Limbs”06/11/04Completion of “Dry Bones”
Completion of “Dry Bones”11/11/04Completion of “A Tiny Space”
Completion of “A Tiny Space”03/10/05Completion of “I’m Alive”
Completion of “I’m Alive”March 2005 Selection of 3 remaining songs from previous recorded and unrecorded repertoire: “Amy’s Song” (completed
Selection of 3 remaining songs from previous recorded and unrecorded repertoire: “Amy’s Song” (completed 07/02/97, re-arranged Winter, 2006), “Dance with Me” (completed 8/13/97, re-arranged Fall, 2004), and “Traveling Companion” (completed 3/13/00, re-arranged Spring, 2004)March-May 2005 Studio research and interviews with several producers, selection of studio and producer
Studio research and interviews with several producers, selection of studio and producerMay 2005 Pre-production stage for Album #3 begins!
Pre-production stage for Album #3 begins!05/27/05“Scratch” (reference) guitar and vocals for 11 songs [6]
“Scratch” (reference) guitar and vocals for 11 songs [6]07/12/05Pre-production meeting, 2 scratch guitar & vocals, 3 scratch piano &
Pre-production meeting, 2 scratch guitar & vocals, 3 scratch piano &Vocals [4]08/26/05Pre-production meeting [6]
Pre-production meeting [6]09/01/05Pre-production meeting, transposition tracking of 1 song [3]
Pre-production meeting, transposition tracking of 1 song [3]10/04/05Pre-production meeting, listening to instrumentalists, discussion [2]
Pre-production meeting, listening to instrumentalists, discussion [2]Oct. – Nov. 2005 Pre-production research, producer attends 3 of David’s concerts for Perspective, and to gain insight into
Pre-production research, producer attends 3 of David’s concerts for Perspective, and to gain insight into capturing David’s live sound12/15/05Pre-production meeting [2]
Pre-production meeting [2]02/04/06Pre-production meeting [1.5]
Pre-production meeting [1.5]February 2006 Production stage for Album #3 begins!
Production stage for Album #3 begins!02/07/06Tuning the studio room to accommodate guitar, tracking legitimate guitar for “Unknown” [7.5]
Tuning the studio room to accommodate guitar, tracking legitimate guitar for “Unknown” [7.5]02/08/06Tracking of legitimate guitar for "The Little Things" – some experimentation [6]
Tracking of legitimate guitar for "The Little Things" – some experimentation [6]02/14/06Tracking of legitimate guitar for "Amy's Song" and "A Tiny Space" [7.5]
Tracking of legitimate guitar for "Amy's Song" and "A Tiny Space" [7.5]02/15/06Tracking of legitimate fingerstyle guitar for "I'm Alive," experimentation with "Blues for Lazarus" [6]
Tracking of legitimate fingerstyle guitar for "I'm Alive," experimentation with "Blues for Lazarus" [6]02/17/06Further experimentation with mic settings for "Blues for Lazarus" [4.5]
Further experimentation with mic settings for "Blues for Lazarus" [4.5]02/21/06Tracking of legitimate guitar and vocals for "Blues for Lazarus" [5.5]
Tracking of legitimate guitar and vocals for "Blues for Lazarus" [5.5]02/22/06Thorough experimentation with strumming styles & picks [5.5]
Thorough experimentation with strumming styles & picks [5.5]02/24/06Visits to area studios for piano selection
Visits to area studios for piano selection03/03/06Experimentation with mic selection for strummed songs [6]
Experimentation with mic selection for strummed songs [6]03/04/06Experimental tracking of reference strummed guitar for "I’m Alive" and "Dry Bones," experimenting with settings
Experimental tracking of reference strummed guitar for "I’m Alive" and "Dry Bones," experimenting with settingsand editing [4.5]03/08/06Tracking of legitimate guitar for "Satisfied" [5]
Tracking of legitimate guitar for "Satisfied" [5]03/09/06Tracking of legitimate guitar for "When the Rain Pours Down," and "Witness" [7.5]
Tracking of legitimate guitar for "When the Rain Pours Down," and "Witness" [7.5]03/14/06Experimentation with multiple methods of capturing "Four Limbs" [5]
Experimentation with multiple methods of capturing "Four Limbs" [5]03/14/06Action adjusted for guitar, 7 frets replaced for studio recording precision
Action adjusted for guitar, 7 frets replaced for studio recording precision03/15/06Tracking of legitimate piano for “Traveling Companion,” “TC (Reprise)” and “Dance with Me” at Avast 2 studio,
Tracking of legitimate piano for “Traveling Companion,” “TC (Reprise)” and “Dance with Me” at Avast 2 studio,Seattle [4]03/22/06Tracking of legitimate strummed guitar for "I'm Alive" and "Dry Bones" [6]
Tracking of legitimate strummed guitar for "I'm Alive" and "Dry Bones" [6]03/29/06Tracking of legitimate guitars for "Four Limbs" [5.5]
Tracking of legitimate guitars for "Four Limbs" [5.5]03/30/06Editing, tweaking, and cataloguing of songs for practice CDs for upcoming studio musicians [5.5]
Editing, tweaking, and cataloguing of songs for practice CDs for upcoming studio musicians [5.5]04/18/06Editing, tracking of 9 reference vocals for practice CDs for upcoming studio musicians [3]
Editing, tracking of 9 reference vocals for practice CDs for upcoming studio musicians [3]04/21/06Importing of piano tracks to new drives, tracking of reference vocals for “Traveling Companion,” “TC (Reprise)” and
Importing of piano tracks to new drives, tracking of reference vocals for “Traveling Companion,” “TC (Reprise)” and “Unknown.” [3.5]04/25/06Tracking of reference vocals for “Dance with Me” and “Amy’s Song”, more editing [3]
Tracking of reference vocals for “Dance with Me” and “Amy’s Song”, more editing [3]05/16/06Tracking of bass guitar for 3 songs. Started tracking of loops for “Receive Me” [4]
Tracking of bass guitar for 3 songs. Started tracking of loops for “Receive Me” [4]05/17/06Continued tracking of loops for “Receive Me” [5]
Continued tracking of loops for “Receive Me” [5]June 2006 Composing and arranging cello and violin parts on multiple songs
Composing and arranging cello and violin parts on multiple songs06/02/06Tracking of drums, and bass guitar for 8 songs [9]
Tracking of drums, and bass guitar for 8 songs [9]06/07/06Design meeting with photographer and graphics designer
Design meeting with photographer and graphics designer06/13/06Tracking of legitimate vocals for “Dry Bones” [4.5]
Tracking of legitimate vocals for “Dry Bones” [4.5]06/14/06Photo shoot #1 – Shoreline, WA
Photo shoot #1 – Shoreline, WA06/16/06Tracking of legitimate vocals for “Traveling Companion” and “TC (Reprise)” [4.5]
Tracking of legitimate vocals for “Traveling Companion” and “TC (Reprise)” [4.5]07/03/06Tracking of cello for 4 songs. Tracking of legitimate vocals for “Four Limbs” [8]
Tracking of cello for 4 songs. Tracking of legitimate vocals for “Four Limbs” [8]07/07/06Tracking of violin for 5 songs [8]
Tracking of violin for 5 songs [8]07/10/06Editing of cello for 2 songs, editing of violin for 1 song [7]
Editing of cello for 2 songs, editing of violin for 1 song [7]07/11/06Editing of bass and cello for 1 song, editing of cello for 1 song. Tracking of legitimate vocals for “I’m Alive” [8]
Editing of bass and cello for 1 song, editing of cello for 1 song. Tracking of legitimate vocals for “I’m Alive” [8]07/18/06Editing of violin for 1 song, tracking of more legitimate loops for “Receive Me” [7]
Editing of violin for 1 song, tracking of more legitimate loops for “Receive Me” [7]07/20/06Re-cutting some loops for “Receive Me,” editing and cutting of guitar solos for “Four Limbs” [5]
Re-cutting some loops for “Receive Me,” editing and cutting of guitar solos for “Four Limbs” [5]07/24/06Editing of bass and violin for 1 song, tracking of legitimate vocals for “Amy’s Song” [6]
Editing of bass and violin for 1 song, tracking of legitimate vocals for “Amy’s Song” [6]07/25/06Editing of violin for 1 song, tracking of legitimate vocals for “A Tiny Space” and “Dance with Me” [7]
Editing of violin for 1 song, tracking of legitimate vocals for “A Tiny Space” and “Dance with Me” [7]08/04/06Slight editing, tracking of loops and legitimate vocals for “Satisfied” [6.5]
Slight editing, tracking of loops and legitimate vocals for “Satisfied” [6.5]08/05/06Tracking of legitimate vocals and all remaining loops for “Receive Me” [6]
Tracking of legitimate vocals and all remaining loops for “Receive Me” [6] 08/06/06Photo shoot #2 – Friday Harbor, WA
Photo shoot #2 – Friday Harbor, WA08/07/06Photo shoot #3 – Seattle, WA and SeaTac, WA
Photo shoot #3 – Seattle, WA and SeaTac, WA08/08/06Tracking of legitimate vocals for “The Little Things” and “Unknown” [5]
Tracking of legitimate vocals for “The Little Things” and “Unknown” [5]August 2006 Re-cutting of all cello tracks at The House of Broken Glass – Seattle, WA
Re-cutting of all cello tracks at The House of Broken Glass – Seattle, WA08/25/06 Editing and placing of 4 new cello tracks [4]
08/31/06 Tracking of legitimate vocals for “When the Rain Pours Down” and “Witness” [5]
09/06/06 Editing and placing of more new cello tracks and fixed cello sections [5]
09/07/06 Editing and placing of more new cello tracks and fixed cello sections [4]
09/14/06 Editing and placing of more new cello tracks and fixed cello sections, small edits and tweaks in several songs [4]
09/18/06 All remaining edits and mix levels for all songs [3.5]
August 2006 Post-production stage for Album #3 begins!
Post-production stage for Album #3 begins!Mid August 2006 Design and full-color layout of album, CD, booklet, postcards, posters, begins
Late August 2006 Pre-mixing of all songs
Early September 2006 Further mixing of all songs, small tweaks, volume automation, slight presence and reverb tweaks
09/19/06 Mastering of album at RFI / CD Mastering – Seattle, WA [6]
09/20/06 Proofing of first master reference CD
09/29/06 Proofing of second master reference CD - master approved!
10/26/06 All design & layout final templates proofed - album approved for pressing of 2000 units!
Click here to order David's new album.
Click here to LISTEN to sound clips from the new album.
