The Process of Recording

I spent several days last week in Vancouver with my producer, Jarome, recording several songs for my upcoming CD on the theme of marriage. It will include a number of songs using quotations from various sources for the lyrics. I am excited about this project as I believe that the diversity of sources (which include Native American sayings, a Biblical passage and quotations from the Baha’i Writings) will help the CD reach a wider audience than my previous music.
The first day we recorded the vocals for one of the tracks which will be called ‘Blessing for Women’. One of the challenges for a singer is to be completely at ease in the studio in order to achieve optimal results when recording. As I have my own small studio in our house in Beijing, I had the luxury of recording most of the vocals for ‘Fire and Gold’ at home. For me it is easier to let go when I am by myself, so I was curious to see if I could attain the same vocal performance away from home in Jarome’s professional studio. Of course, the quality of his equipment is so much better than mine, so I was determined to get it right while I was there. I am happy to say that with Jarome’s encouragement, patience and guidance, I was not only able to fulfill the standards I had set for myself, but I was even able to surpass my expectations!
Has there ever been a time when you were challenged to achieve a lofty goal and surpassed your expectations? I would love to hear about it.