Open to NEW possibilities...I am!

Feature in the paper...two completed tracks...50+ songs...Facebook Music page...those are the new things that have happened since the last time I wrote. Now for the old...stage fright, long distances, selfishness and unrequited love. Wait, what does long distance, selfishness and unrequited love have to do with my music? You'd be surprised at just how much they factor into songwriting, especially mine. Think about someone who writes in a journal - they could go on and on for pages and pages about those simple things. For me, they come out in 4-minute music compositions. So, thank you to all those who have contributed!

But seriously, my stage fright has entered a new "stage." This new stage of stage fright has made the possibility of performing more realistic to me. Yes, I said it. Performing. Live. For all of you...who want to see what happens when a musician chokes. Jokes! I can tell you how I know things have changed - the idea of taking the stage always made me shiver. The shivering I am experiencing now is less with fright and more with excitement. So I guess we can safely say I may have switched over from Stage Fright to Stage Excitement. Of course, I say that now - who knows what will happen when I actually get up there. But I am starting to become more and more comfortable sharing my music with the world and have even begun to look around at where I'd like to perform first - what type of setting, crowd, etc. My producer, Derek, and I have been talking about it and he has given me some advice. He has also told me that he will be behind me 100% on that stage - literally. As I've mentioned before, Derek likes to "push my buttons" and has made me stand outside of my comfort zone on more than one occasion. However, more importantly, he steadies me and that is the best part of working with him. It gives me the confidence I (sometimes) lack when it comes to playing my music for others. So as soon as things are cemented and I am ready to take the stage, you will be the first to know. Well, as long as you're following me. Thanks to Facebook, Myspace, Twitter - this isn't such a complicated thing these days. So stay tuned.

To back up a little bit, I have completed two songs in the studio (this will make eight completed tracks). In my opinion these two songs may be my favorite - lyrically and melodically. They are completely different from each other. "Hear Me Out" tells of my faltering faith coupled with a light, fun, rocking feel to it. I like the contradiction of it all - it made recording the song that much more fun. Most recently completed, "Untold Story" brings forward the darkest message of all of my songs so far. So dark that my sanity may actually need to be questioned. More importantly, though, these two songs show that there is much more going on underneath the surface of Arlanna Snow than meets the eye. Wink, wink. ;) It was a blast making them and I experienced different ways of recording vocals and sound effects, to name a few. It also gave me the opportunity to, once again, work with BJ Knights. Phenomenal, as always.

So - to wrap up - I just want you all to know that I continue to work hard at making music and, if possible, I have more love and passion for it than I did when I started. We belong together, music and me. Corny but true. Thanks to all of you for being a part of it - I will forever welcome your thoughts and criticisms. Okay, rock on ;)

dreamBIG,
Arlanna

One Year, One Song...Can't we all get along?

Hey everyone, its been a year and, to help you better understand the title of this blog, only A song has been completed. Yes, that is correct. "A" song. Not "A bunch of"...just "A." So to say that I have accomplished much musically in the last year is really, reeeeeeeeeeaaallllllllly stretching it. Actually, I had a minor blip in the last year concerning my recording studio, producer, etc... First of all, though, let me just say that an artist and a producer will definitely butt heads throughout the recording process. It's great when you find a producer and a studio that you can feel comfortable at, that you can be yourself and form friendships within. But you always need to remember one thing - YOU are the artist. YOU are in charge of YOU and YOUR creations, your time and your hard-earned savings. If you feel like things aren't going your way, speak up immediately or else you may end up feeling that you are being taken advantage of and you will, I promise you, be wasting a LOT of time and money. I, unfortunately, let myself get too comfortable. This, in turn, made those around me get too comfortable and that just spells c-a-t-a-s-t-r-o-p-h-e. It took about one full year to complete a song that we both (my producer and I) sort of lost the energy for and made us grumpy, unfocused people when, normally, we are very happy-go-lucky! There were arguments, cold shoulders and hurt feelings. I began looking elsewhere to finish my album. But, in the end, my heart and my mind knew that the best place for me was right back where I started. My studio felt the same way and we worked through it. Apologies and understandings (both personal and business) were made and there is absolutely no awkwardness. That's when you know that you've found somewhere you belong.

Now that a year has passed and a song, although my least favorite - mostly vocally - is complete, we are on to something new - a recently written song with recently felt feelings. Producer likes, I like and we are on the road to what I know will be one of the highlights of my album. The last song, "Awake" (which can be heard on http://www.myspace.com/arlannasnow) has music that is amazing, thanks to a very talented guitarist - BJ Knights - who knows his stuff and can take my original and pump it up about ten times over. It has a latin flair that was made to sound so authentic (Thank you, BJ) that my voice no longer had a place in it. This isn't a bad thing, it just showed me that this is a song that I wrote for someone else to record and that is just fine by me. Someone who could make it what it should be.

If I may quote myself from the beginning of this post: "So to say that I have accomplished much musically in the last year is really, reeeeeeeeeeaaallllllllly stretching it." This is partially false. It should read that I haven't accomplished much as a recording artist in the last year - but as a songwriter, I have accomplished MUCH. A little TOO much. I have written, if I may say so myself, some of my best songs in the last year. Experiences - both good and bad - have given me an entirely new volume of songs. All in good time, though. All in good time.

And finally, a bit of something cool - you can hear my first recorded track "All These Years" on the radio! Tuft University's radio station, 91.5 WMFO is spinning it. So for all of you old-school radio listeners out there who care - please, please, PLEASE (desperation should be felt here) - request it. 617-627-3800. Pretty cool, especially since hearing any of my songs on the radio means I have reached a personal goal. I'll say it again - pretty cool.

dreamBIG,
Arlanna

Being both poor & rich at the same time...

How is it possible, one might wonder, to be both poor AND rich at the same time? Well, it's not all about the monetariness (this word is underlined in red, meaning it's not a real word. I don't give a shit) of your life. Let me explain, if you care to listen. Please listen...

So let's start out simple. I'm poor in cash terms. If one were to look at my bank account, they would see that it is not spilling over the sides by any means. Yes, I do work in the financial world (unfortunately, and this is in no offense to those that do, good for you dull brainiacs) but this is not replenishing my account as fast as I am using it. The amount I am spending is much, much more than the amount I am making.

Now, what I am rich in is creativity. Creatively Rich? If you're still with me, let me explain...I know this isn't the most riveting blog you've ever laid eyes on. I apologize for that. I have a plentitude of songs, which I consider to be pretty catchy, heart-felt, melodic little ditties. (Why is plentitude underlined in red? I could have sworn that it was a real word! If it's not, it should be. Feel free to use it anytime.) I have lyrics and melodies coming out of every pore of my body. So fast I sometimes lose them to the land of the lost. If I could just figure out a mode of transportation to that land, life would be even richer. So, due to the extent of my creativity, I am producing these endless catalogs of four minute long wonders. Therefore, I am rich.

So there you go, rich AND poor at the same time. The thing I have to consider now, is, does one outweigh the other? And if so, which one wins? This might be worth my time to decide. Maybe I won't be happy with the result, but I can't let it get too late. Ok, here goes...

In one year, I have only been able to complete 4.75 songs in the recording studio. This, to me, is a bit ridiculous. In my opinion, a year's worth of studio time (and of course that is not every single day, it is a weekend here and a weekend there, four hours here and five hours there) should produce a heck of a lot more goods than what I have to show. Not only because of the time spent, but because of the money I have spent. I have practically cleaned myself out when I could have considered myself monetarily content in my thirty years. Instead, I decided to use the tools at my exposure that would take my songs and give them more life than I could have ever dreamed of. When expressing my concern to my producer/engineer, he consoles me by telling me we are not just laying down a track but that we are doing a LOT of production. Production that you get when your song is actually ready for the radio. We aren't spending our time making a demo. We are spending our time recording my first album. Sometimes he has me convinced that he is absolutely correct. Hey, he is the professional, after all. But then there are days like today where I would give anything to be at the studio but am not, thus forcing me to consider these things, flipping them over in my mind until they become like overdone pancakes all shriveled up in a frying pan. These next two weeks void of recording loom over me like a dark and angry cloud, bursting with these analyzing thoughts of "what the F is going on here? where is my money going? what age will I be when I finish this album?" raining down over my head.

But then I think back over the last recording session (last Sunday). It was a good one, I have to say. The fifth track is a ballad that I wrote at a pretty sad time in my life, when I watched someone slowly fading away from me and from themselves. It's pretty heavy in that way. But it's also just a really sweet melody. The music alone has desperation in it. That's really hard to create, but thanks to the studio and the professionals, it worked. And after adding my vocals and having one of my very best friends sing a pretty important backup element to the song, I can't help but be thankful. Because, see, this is when I realize that my money will get me there, I will make sure of it. I just thank my lucky stars every single day that I have what I have inside of me. Because I really do believe that it is going to change the world someday, somehow. Maybe not for everyone in it, but for those who really need it.

And that, my friends, is why my RICHness will always win.

dreamBIG,
Arlanna

Track #4 - Need To Shine

So the fourth track is officially complete, fresh and ripe from the studio. Just the way we like 'em! Its filled with guitar tracks a la BJ Knights and drum fills a la Matt Spitz from the Van Buren Boys band. Lets not forget Derek's "No Doubt-ish" bass line. All together, with my piano as the bottom line, the song came together (with many detours along the way) just fine.

Need To Shine was the first song I ever REALLY wrote. I played the pre-chorus melody that I woke up with in my head on my trusty piano and built the rest of the song around it. I was dreaming about someone who was going through a pretty rough time with a very scary, stubborn disease of the mind. The frustration of trying to help this person and constantly failing came out in melodic ways for me. It was a haunting feeling but with the hope of conclusion around the corner. One day I was playing it again for the millionth time...I started humming words to it...and Need To Shine was born. First, I recorded the music alone, very slow. Then I decided to play around with it on a keyboard, adding some percussion and kind of re-creating the song. Once I wrote the lyrics, I recorded the song with just vocals, piano, generic drum track and string effects. That version remains to be a family favorite, while the new version from the studio is the sound I dreamt about. My producer tells me it's a song that could be the theme for Rent Two, if ever there were a Rent Twp. Personally, I am not a fan of most of Rent's music. Then again, maybe if my song was in it, I would be a fan. Ha.

So now that you know a little background into the song, you will be ready to apply it to the first listen when it goes up on iTunes someday soon. Need To Shine is really my baby that I've probably spent the most time on. I hope someday it's the song that really puts me on the map. But then again, that is up to all of you. 

So onto the next song...track five and its been almost a year since I've been working at this record in the studio. Track five, I can promise you, will be a ballad through and through. Something, I'm told, that would come at the end of the CD. Not sure if I agree with where the track will go in terms of order, but for now it will be Track five. The title is still being decided on. Once I get closer to the final version of it, I will give that info away!

But until then - happy listening, everyone! Thanks for being my fans :)

dreamBIG,
Arlanna

Crawling along...

Whats up Blogsters/Twit-meisters/Face-munchers? Umm... ok.

So I haven't written in awhile and there is just no excuse for that. NO excuse. But I am here now, so that has to count for something, right? Hopefully all will be forgiven when you realize what I've been doing - nothing. Ha! Kidding.

Seriously, the third track has been complete for a couple of months now. You know the one I'm talking about - "Sometimes." I have to say it's a lot different than the other two songs I've completed. It doesnt have that upbeat feel but rather it's a bit dark with a bit of a hook. A dark hook. That would be a very cool documentary title, wouldnt it? Hmmm... 

So the third track has a little "Chris Isaac" and a little "David Bowie" hidden in there. Now don't get too excited, they didn't actually play on the track (a girl can dream!) but the sounds we created make me think of their material. The song is basically a ditty written at a time when I was feeling like the world was against me. And, let's face it, we all have those days. The difference is, I chose to write about it. I consider this challenging moment in my life as a good thing because when the song was finished, I felt a hell of a lot better. Thats the great part about songwriting - it relieves you.

So now for the bad news...the song is not going to be released on iTunes or anywhere else on the web - YET. Now that I'm writing this, I'm thinking I may have already broken this news to you. Senior moment at 29? Ugh. But I'm now working on the fourth track and I have to admit that so far, this year has not spared me much time to work as much as I'd like in the studio. However, I am starting to have withdrawals so it's time to head back, especially because, and I'm going to seriously toot my own horn here, I think the fourth track (spoiler alert: the first song I have ever written) is going to be the bomb-diggity. Do people say bomb-diggity anymore? I'm not becoming one of those women that still say "cool" to their kids' friends in my forties, right? Wait - I'm only 29. And I dont have kids. Ok, I think I'm safe.

Well, thank you for reading my weird blog today. I will return when I'm not so weird. Oh! One more thing before I go - check me out on www.whohub.com. I did a cool interview and it's...the bomb-diggity.  

dreamBIG,
Arlanna

Have A Little Courage

The release of my first two singles - wow. Seems crazy to think that anyone in the entire world can just type "Arlanna Snow" into Amazon.com, iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster and my album comes up. I just have to explain a few things, though.

First of all, my producer was hoping I would wait to finish the entire album before I released it to the world (which means it would have a normal amount of songs on it, not just my first two singles), but I guess when it comes to my music I get a teensy bit impatient. So for those of you wondering, what the heck kind of album has two songs on it? Well, mine. I call it a teeny-tiny mini EP. 

Secondly, the album cover that is currently gracing my songs is NOT -- I repeat NOT -- the official album cover. My official album cover is actually pretty amazing. It was designed by Abacab Designs - Brian Curran -- and will be taking the place of the extremely boring navy blue cover with white writing once my album is complete. 

Have a Little Courage is a personal title for me which I have always imagined to be the name of my freshman album for years upon years. Its kind of a throwback to my favorite film of all time - the Wizard of Oz. I guess I see myself as the Cowardly Lion - living his entire life afraid of everything but finally realizing he had courage all along when faced with some of his greatest fears. The songs on the album are sort of my journey into that realization. So it's all wrapped up into a nice, neat little package of fun. Now, isnt that cute?

Anyway - I am now nearing the finish line of the third song. I will only say that the title of it is "Sometimes" and is a bit different from the past two songs you've heard. I can't wait for the finished product, as it's one of my faves. 

Thanks to everyone who has downloaded the first two tracks so far - you should feel very charitable! Letting everyone hear what I have held in for so long makes me nervous, but your positive feedback has given me the continued courage I need to keep going. So, thank you a million times! And please stay with me because there is SO much more to come. Happy New Year to all!

dreamBIG,
Arlanna

New Song - 2nd cut off album

Hellooooo everyone! Thanks for checking back in here to see whats up on this musical journey of mine.

Well I will tell you what's up - I just completed my second song off of my album. The song "I Know" is really revolving around the idea that, although so much has changed, what would it be like to go back to the way things were? I'm sure everyone in the world has felt that way before about something or everything. That feeling of nostalgia? C'mon, we all know it!

It was fun in the studio, even more fun than recording the first track because this time I was able to work with a few great musicians - one of them being my producer Derek playing bass, keyboards and guitar, the others being lead guitarist Chad Stevens and drummer Eric Anderson. Each of the musicians recorded their parts separately, just listening to a scratch track. So cool to watch. I wrote the song so I know exactly how it's supposed to sound, but to have someone who has never heard the song before just come in, listen to a skeleton melody and add some of their own creativity is just awesome. Obviously this is what makes a musician a good musician, but I just can't imagine how much undiscovered talent is out there. It's amazing. 

Basically, this is what went down. Derek and I were working and fiddling away with "I Know" and it was turning into a little fluffy tune. Fluffy is not the adjective I was hoping for for this song. I was constantly being told that it sounded "pretty." And it got prettier and prettier. I knew it was pretty but I wanted it to be a feel good jam song - something you can sing along to and jam to at the same time. You can't jam to "pretty." I'm sorry but it's just not possible. I heard Delta Goodrem's song "In This Life" many times before but one Saturday morning on my way to the studio I was feeling defeated with the direction of "I Know." While listening to "In This Life," I realized her chorus in that song is something of the idea I was hoping for - where the guitars just blow it up. Make it jammable. When I played it for Derek I watched it click in his head of what exactly I was hoping for. From that point on, we turned the direction of the song and it took on a life of its own. I re-sang the vocals on the track, giving it much more strength and feeling and VOILA! "I Know" was reborn. 

Both songs - "All These Years" (the first track I completed at Mockingbird Music Studio) and "I Know" - will be released on iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, Amazon, etc... in just over a month. 

Stay with me - 3rd track to begin soon!

dreamBIG,
Arlanna