Recording Identity
THE NEW SINGLE – SEQUOIA
January 5, 2021Recording Identity
Recording Identity was done in 3 hour blocks, with breaks in between. The room can make a massive difference to how musicians play and having real daylight and not being trapped in an environment with just artificial lights is crucial. It’s enough to make the most patient person go mad.
Musicians add such personality to their performances so my scores are always adapted throughout the sessions because what I may have composed and scored on paper before the sessions may not necessarily be what I end up with at the end of the recording. I always take a mobile printer and lots of paper and ink to recordings.
Once the music is recorded, then it’s back to another studio to listen, listen and listen again and start mixing the sessions. This could take weeks or months, depending on schedules.
Following on from mixing is another very vital part of the process, the mastering which adds another layer of fairy dust to the recording and gets it ready for production to vinyl or digital.
Album artwork is very important to me and I have created and produced every single album cover since Porcelain.
The back of the Identity CD cover was actually going to be the front, I had no plans to be on the cover of any album. However, we started playing with an image taken at the photoshoot of me sat on some old cinema seats and then we played with having my name on it somewhere. We then thought about hanging the word ‘Identity’ like a framed piece of art at the top of the album cover and then rearranging my name to be under my feet. With the help of a superb photographer Simon Fowler, he manipulated the photo to be just as the album cover exists today.
5 Comments
70-year-old piano dude still has goosebumps on his neck from listening to your music almost daily (on my Alexa!)…..when are you coming to Charlotte, North Carolina?
Hey 70 year old dude, another Helen Jane Long album is being released in a few weeks called Disconnect.
Dear Helen Jane Long… First.. I absolutely love your CD ‘At Your Feet’! I have a unusual request. I am a amateur oil painter artist. The cover of your CD is beautiful and whimsical. I was hoping to try to paint this image and.. If… If it came out could I post it with permission from you and your photographer (it would give credit to both you and your photographer on the painting) I never re-create someones else’s work of art w/o permission and always include the original names on the painting itself. If you or your photographer are uncomfortable with my request I will respect your decisions. Keeping in mind that I am amateur so I can understand if this wouldn’t work. Anyway Thank you for your most beautiful compositions to enjoy. Kindest regards… M. Stephen
Hi there
We would love to see your oil painting of the artwork cover and look forward to seeing your creation
I don’t have a website. I’m just an older lady who paints for a hobby.