Wednesday, August 30, 2006

the work of the scribe.

In ancient times, even up to recent times, the job of writing down important events and laws, and scripture fell to the scribes.
I am googling now for links and passages to describe their work.

But let me tell you my feelings of how the job they did relates to the work i do.

I remember the first time I ever was given a cassette recorder, and figured out how to record.
maybe 10,12 year old. Maybe a bit older.
I knew from that moment this was something very special and would figure in a massive way in my life.
An epiphony.
The journey between that moment, that day, and this very day - the 'recording' journey has visited many places - technical places, learning places - developing the skills.
Why?
What is the drive?
Why have I been given this passion and ability to record, edit, produce.

I began to understand only recently, perhaps a year or so ago - a slow and still revealing revelation of what appears to be some kind of amazing and incredible plan.

On the way to Linsisfarne, Holy Island, some 18 months ago - driving a Good man of the cloth - he and I on a visit to prepare for a recording of the history of the early Saints - the first christians in England.
On the way, the discussion turned to faith, I think, I dont remember how or why, but I do remember in describing to my fellow traveller the reason at the time I thought I did the work I do - that being recording.
The old hymn - 'make me a channel of your peace' - well, I said that that is what mixing desks and recording machines use - channels.
The sound, the audio wave is captured by a microphone, and enters the channel at the input.
It then travels along a chain of electronics, is processed, mixed, equalised, filtered.
Then it is fed into a speaker via the channel output.
So, likening this operation, this process of the 'channel' on the mixing desk i used it as a metaphor to my understanding of the reason I do what I do.
I want to be a human channel of His peace.
And in a very direct way, the job of recording is unbreakably linked to my way of (in ever how small a way), I can be that, - a 'channel of His peace'.

My microphones and input channels are my ears and eyes and senses.
My electronics are brain impulses and blood vessels are the wiring.
My vital organs process and filter.
The signal always must pass through my heart, before finally exiting through my output channels of my words and actions.

The 'sound' that I am eternally picking up is the voice of Creation itself
The Good Vibe.
Good Vibrations.

I had never vocalised this in such an eloquent way to anyone, though the thoughts and understanding of this magical spiritual thing had been churning around inside for quite some time.
By expressing, I made it real.
And listening to myself describe these things helped my journey of understanding of who I am.
By writing this down now, it makes it even more real.

So, a few weeks later, i did the recording which was a 3 day 6 session, recording of the spoken word and storytelling, told by Canon Kate Tristram, of holy island church.
She brought to life the lives of those early saints - and in particular Aidan and Cuthbert - but also very notable mention of the scribe, Edfrith. I believe he began writing, recording, what we now know as the Lindisfarne Gospels.
He recorded.
The very same weekend was the weekend meeting of the management group and trustees of greenbelt Festival, and I left the Holy Island job and drove straight to that weekend session, my first ever as part of the management team.
Sometimes things are just too real to be coincidence. they really are.

We have just finished Greenbelt 2006, my feet are still sore and blistered.
We have recorded,my fantastic team and me, around 75 or so seminars by speakers from all over th Globe.
This week i will complete the task of turning those seminars into MP3's and you can buy them here
They are £3 each
If you prefer them on CD, they are available too.
All the money goes back into Greenbelt, and a commission usually to the speaker themselves, though I believe some donate that back to the festival.
greenbelt is a non profit making organisation and a charity, and gives money away to arts projects in this country and abroad, details of which you can find here

It is late and sleep encroaches.

i may pick this up tomorrow, but let me finish by trying to pull this rambling together.

I am learning about 'self-promotion'

It can be a marvellous thing, done in the right spirit and with true motivation.

I am an unfinished work. I am a channel that has pops and buzzes and clicks. This channel doesnt always work properly. It can easliy get distorted.
But this past weekend, it fired up and hummed like a fucking harley davidson.

Can you use me?
i am available.
my rates are reasonable.
I like beer and irish whiskey. and cigars.
This blog is my only CV

you can contact me here musicstudentuk@yahoo.co.uk




with love and respect to the memory of mike yaconelli.

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