Notes in the Making

The process of creating music is a fascinating journey, distinct and personal for each artist. It can involve discovering a rhythm, penning the perfect lyrics, or perfecting the art of mixing and audio production. Today, we'll take you behind the scenes with Wendy, a singer-songwriter who has been exploring her musical talents at The Edge Recording Studio. 

From Concept to Creation: The Evolution of Wendy's Songs in the Studio 

Every great song begins with an idea. For Wendy, her songwriting journey always starts with a top line - a lyrical concept or melody that resonates with her on a personal level. She often comes up with a snippet of a lyric or melody that she likes and then writes the vocal melody gradually in her head. 

These melodies and concepts, inspired by real-life experiences, don't come to her fully formed. Instead, they grow over time, often captured in recorded voice memos on her phone. These snippets of ideas are then expanded upon by experimenting with the lyrical and melodic concepts.   

Wendy places great importance on lyrics. They are always thoughtfully considered and carefully crafted. This meticulous attention to the lyrics is part of her process of trying to capture the emotions and experiences she wants to share in her music.  

The Studio Sessions: Bringing the Songs to Life 

With a strong focus on her top lines and lyrics, Wendy then moves on to The Edge Recording Studio, where she brings her songs to life. Her songs are built slowly, piece by piece, as she adds different elements over time. From laying down basic chords on the piano to recording different sections of the song, she builds the tracks in a way that reflects the emotion of the story she's trying to tell. 

One of the benefits of recording in a studio like The Edge is the access to high-quality equipment that allows Wendy to experiment with different sounds. For example, she mentioned re-recording an old song she wrote many years ago, trying a softer piano sound that unexpectedly changed the way she wanted to sing it. It's such tweaks and experiments that can sometimes unlock new dimensions in a song. 

The studio isn't just a place for final recordings. It's also a space where Wendy can try out new ideas and continue to develop her songs. Even half-verses or melodies without words can be recorded, giving her the chance to see how they work within the song and how they can be developed further. 

Collaboration and Community 

Wendy's process doesn't happen in isolation. Collaboration and community are integral to her journey. She mentioned a performance at City Hall, where she performed with a harpist and violinist, and even the possibility of incorporating live instruments into her studio recordings. It’s clear that collaboration and the sharing of ideas are key elements in Wendy’s music-making process. 

In the end, Wendy's journey, from the first spark of an idea to the final recording of a song, is one of discovery, patience, and creativity. Her process, unfolding gradually and thoughtfully, reflects her dedication to her craft. Her music is not just a collection of sounds but a carefully constructed narrative that reflects her experiences, emotions, and artistry. 

Recording at The Edge Studio has offered Wendy the space and tools to explore her sound, refine her process, and continue to grow as a songwriter and musician. Her ongoing journey is a testament to the power of creative spaces and the transformative process of making music. 

Wendy describes in her own words a recent songwriting process culminating in a performance at Brisbane City Hall.  

"One December night, many moons ago, I found myself standing outside a large cathedral in Sydney. Its sandstone exterior was bathed in a Christmas light show; colourful moving images of baubles and trees were projected from ground to spires, synchronised to a soundtrack. 

The French call this a ‘son et lumière’ show - a sound and light show. Fun fact: the first one was presented in 1952, on a château. (Because…France).  

That night for me was bittersweet. I was celebrating a friend’s birthday - but as I glanced up at the magical projections, the back of someone else I considered a friend, maybe more, was in my line of sight. He felt painfully distant. And I realised in the pit of my stomach, after a few discoveries that week, that maybe he wasn’t the person I thought he was. Maybe he wasn’t entirely transparent. Maybe his friendliness was little more than a ‘sound and light’ show’. 

I don’t know what most people do with their big emotions, but I like to funnel them into music. So, 8 days later, I started jotting down words and melodies. 

You know how famous musicians tell that one story of a song coming to them fully-formed? The song that fell to the earth like Mr Bean, or was gifted to them in a delightful dream? Well, that hasn’t happened to me yet. The initial idea can appear out of thin air, but then a lot of work goes into fleshing it out!

Some musicians begin with chords or percussion as the foundation for their song, but I prefer to write top-down, using lyrics and melodies to guide the way. This probably comes from my word-nerdyness, and the fact that my first instrument was clarinet, which often carries the melody in ensembles. I love a good melody! 

Those initial song ideas swirled around in my head for years, but struggled to find their footing. Songwriting can be like that. If I’m not progressing with a song, it can help to shelve it and work on something else. Days, months, or years later, I might return to it with more clarity and fresh ideas. 

Since that December brainstorm, I learnt to use the recording studio at The Edge, and taught myself Logic Pro. I’ve spent many a weekend or weeknight in that studio, AKA my ‘happy place’, slowly chipping away at demo recordings. Eventually, I finished the lyrics to ‘Son et Lumière’ and recorded 19 versions of the demo, using midi instruments for all the parts, except for the low whistle line which I played, and of course my vocals. I wanted the song to feel melancholy and haunting, but hopeful, and I used warm-sounding instruments to evoke the earthiness of an old cathedral. 

I’ve now performed the song at occasional small gigs, but earlier this year it led to something exciting! 

My harpist friend Nicole Tate shared on Facebook that she’d be playing at a Lord Mayor’s City Hall Concert, with a duo called the ‘Son et Lumière Ensemble’. “How funny”, I thought. It’s not a phrase you see very often, at least not in Australia. I typed to her, “Oh wow. I wrote a song called ‘Son et Lumière’!”. She wrote back “Could we possibly arrange it to perform at our concert?”. So I sent her the latest demo I’d recorded at The Edge (in which I’m sure I’m mispronouncing the French!). I was over the moon when she kindly described it as “Utterly enchanting” and asked me if I’d sing it with them on the stage.

“Yes!!!”.  

To get the chance to perform my own song in Brisbane City Hall was a dream come true. And, a terrifying proposition, because I’d never sung in a venue that big before. On the day, imposter syndrome was looming LARGE. I felt like a deer in the headlights, as hundreds of people watched me sing a very personal song. As you can see in the video, I barely moved my hands because I was holding on for dear life! 

But, thanks to having sung it thousands of times behind that black curtain at The Edge recording studio, my voice went into autopilot mode. No mistakes! And the performance came out rather well!  

It was such an honour to perform it on that big stage with beautiful acoustic instruments. I’m so grateful for the experience. Thank you to the staff at The Edge for their help and encouragement along the way!"