Just the simple of matter of whether to write lyrics or music first can sometimes spark lively debates and discussions amongst composers. Myself, I’m generally a music first guy. I have to come up with a good melody and a chord progression before I can start writing lyrics. I fit the lyrics with the music I’ve written.  There have been some cases, however, when I wrote a song, didn’t like the music, loved the lyrics I came up with, and wrote a whole new melody to go with them.

Some songwriters are prolific. Others, occasional. I fall somewhere in between. I’ve been writing pretty steadily as of late, steady for me being a song or two a week. Most of them will never see the light of day. Writing is therapeutic for me…I do it because I need to, and I’m blessed enough to get some songs good enough for everyone else to hear out of that. To give you some examples, Dolly Parton said in a recent interview that she writes every day, and that she has boxes filled with songs all over her house. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tom Petty quipped that he writes whenever he feels like it, which may only be every few months. In the middle, John Mellencamp says that, like me, he will always write because it’s what he does, and he needs to do it. But, the inspiration is only there some of the time. All of the songs for his last album were written in a period of 13 days, for example.

Which brings me to the next element…inspiration. The vast majority of songwriters believe in a higher power. I certainly do, and I give the credit to God for all of my songs. I can take a little credit for having a good vocabulary and a creative thought process, but a lot of the time, songs just seem to materialize out of nowhere. Ricky Skaggs made a comment on his “Live At the Charleston Music Hall” album along those lines about a song. He said it was like it just “fell out of the air…that’s where they all come from. And I’m thankful for that.”

A famous songwriter, I believe it was John Prinem said in an interview with Performing Songwriter magazine that when you get a song in your head at 3 AM, and it wakes you up, it’s your decision as to whether you get up and write it down or not. He said that there were several times he went back to sleep instead of getting up to write the song, and then 6 months to a year later, he heard someone else singing the song that originally came to him.

The bottom line is, God has something to say, and if you’re blessed enough, you’ll get the chance to be the one to say it. And if you don’t want to, he’ll give it to someone else. I can think of many songs that “fell out of the air” to me…”A Windy Night”…”I Won’t Burn Anymore”…”Stuck On You”…”The End”…”How To Find Me”…I could go on and on and on.

But that’s not how it always happens. Notice, I said, if you’re blessed enough, this will happen sometimes. There are plenty of other occasions when I’ve sat with my guitar, or at the piano with a notepad and a rhyming dictionary, painfully scraping together songs. This works sometimes too.  ”Never Be Mine”, from my latest album, took me a month or two to get together. “Still Be Home” from ‘The Way’, was certainly a work in progress for a while too. As was that albums opening song, “Deliver Me”. That took a couple of rewrites.

Finally, there is the burning question that everyone always asks…what do we write about? I remember when I first started dating my current girlfriend, she asked me if a particular song of mine was written about her. It wasn’t, but I did write several about her after that.

For me, there are three main categories, and they all kind of go hand in hand. Relationships, life experiences, and emotions. Relationships of not just the romantic type, but the relationships you have with everyone in your life. Family, friends, lovers, God, you name it. Even pets sometimes, as in the excellent song my friend Dean Phelps sings,  ”My Dog Jesus”.  Life experiences being of course, all you’ve seen, done, and been through. And emotions meaning that it’s crucial to put whatever you’re feeling into a song. If you’re feeling pain, write about it. If you’re feeling joyful, write about it. If you’re feeling angry…lonely…you get the point. Ray LaMontagne said that sometimes he doesn’t like performing, because for him to give a committed performance of the song, he has to put himself in the place he was when he wrote the song, and that can be very, very difficult to do night after night.

Unlike Ray, I do distance myself from the songs. I said earlier that songwriting is a release for me, and I’m oftentimes in very dark places when I write. The only way I can go out and play my songs is to distance myself slightly. I still give my performances all the passion and energy that I can, but I don’t attempt to tap into the emotions contained within the song. Maybe someday I’ll let my guard down like Ray and let all of my emotions show. I’m doing that a little bit here, I suppose.

There are so many elements to writing…I hope this post makes a little bit of sense. I know it’s a little jumbled. But, it’s 12:30 AM as I’m writing this, and I felt compelled to share. Hey, I don’t want to miss any opportunities.

I posted a status on Facebook that summed it up perfectly. Songwriting is a strange, beautiful, frustrating, rewarding thing. But you know what? I wouldn’t ever want to be anything but a singer/songwriter.

Here’s a new song from me. Just recorded it today. “Your Love Ain’t Mine”

Lyrics

Always going round and round
But never getting to the end
I don’t know how you can say
That you’ve always been my friend

Treat me worse than a wrecking ball
Treats a run down flat
But you will never tear me down
And you’ll never lay me out

It’s taken all of my restraint
Not to put in your place
Anger lives deep in my bones
And it boils in my veins

I’m tired of living for change
And getting the same old pain
I won’t wait for you to waste my time
Your love ain’t mine

I screamed until I lost my voice
Thinking you would finally hear
But you’re deaf to my love, babe
And you’re blind to my tears

Hit me hard in the face
When I caught you in your lie
It left me in so much hurt
That I thought I would die

But now you’ll be the one
With the agony inside
That burning flame will curse you
Every single night

I’m tired of living for change
And getting the same old pain
I won’t wait for you to waste my time
Your love ain’t mine

They say that love is blind
But I’m about to regain my sight…

Thanks for reading. Visit my website at briankeithwallen.com to hear some more of my weird songs.

Last night, I came across a song by Ray LaMontagne called “Empty”. It’s from an album which has incredible artwork and an amazing title…the cover is black, with a flashlight illuminating a small portion of the darkness, and the title is “Till The Sun Turns Black”. Ironically, before I’d even heard of Ray’s project, I put an album out called “The Darkest Light”, and the artwork for it was a pitch black night sky, with a sliver of the moon in the middle. And that is the perfect expression of what being an artist is often like. Overpowering darkness, with the smallest light…the light is what you have to cling to.

Ray LaMontagne surely understands this, perhaps better than anyone. His lyrics are some of the most poignant you will ever hear or read.

“Well, I looked my demons in the eyes, laid bare my chest, said “Do your best, destroy me. You see, I’ve been to hell and back so many times, I must admit you kind of bore me.

There’s a lot of things that can kill a man, there’s a lot of ways to die, listen, some already did that walked beside me. There’s a lot of things I don’t understand,
why so many people lie. Its the hurt I hide that fuels the fire inside me…”

You can listen to this incredible testimony here. I realize that everyone has probably felt this way at one time or another, but it seems to very much be a constant battle raging in the soul of an artist…

My last album opens up with a song called “Every Mile”. The first line is, “I’ve been down, but I’m going up. I’m trying to find what I’m made of.” You’d better believe it.

A friend of mine who just got the album pointed out to me how many times the word “pain” could be found in the lyrics of various songs on the project. You might think that this isn’t good, but here’s the thing…pain is my single biggest source of inspiration. It’s tough, but without it, I probably wouldn’t have anything to write about, so it’s an interesting juxtaposition…

Darkness comes…music is a release…darkness an inspiration, and then the surest way out of darkness is music. So, it’s a cycle that endlessly repeats itself. And you know, that’s ok. I have a slogan, or motto if you will for my music. “Soulful, blues tinged, acoustic-meets-electric music…at the intersection of darkness and light.”

I have a good life, assuredly. I’ve been blessed in so many ways. I have friends and family, a home, and everything you could ask for. I’m thankful for all of it, and I don’t pretend to bear the heavy burden that many others do. But I will always be in “the dark places” from time to time, regardless of my position in life.

Dublin Friends is on Maple Street, in Dublin, IN. (Click here for Google map.) From US 40, turn south at the stoplight, then take a right at the stop sign. Refreshments will be served.

A video for one of the songs featured on the CD is up on YouTube. Take a listen and hear some of what you have to look forward to. Hope to see you on the 10th!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSLw74-5Dkg

But, I hope you’ll think it’s been worth the wait when you listen to these exclusive new songs.

First, I’d like to share with you a new studio recording of a song I wrote back in February called “The Way”. I think this is one of the best songs I’ve come up with in some time, and I have started performing it on a few of my shows. Listen at the link below.

The Way by Brian Wallen

I also recorded a few songs from a performance at Carol’s Cornerstone Cafe in Greenfield. Check out these live performances of “Hush” and “Drivin’ On”.

Hush by Brian Wallen

Drivin’ On by Brian Wallen

I recently purchased some recording equipment that will enable to make high quality recordings of live material. So, you can look forward to studio quality recordings of my live work in the near future. If you don’t mind the current slightly reduced quality, and would like MP3′s of live performances, I have available the following songs. Just contact me through my website, http://brianwallenmusic.com, or on Facebook or Twitter and I can email you any of these songs.

Anything But Gone

Drivin’ On

He Will Be

Hush

November

Stuck On You

Take Him By the Hand

The Way

In addition, I’ll be performing at the Dutch Mill Buffet this Saturday in Milroy, from 6-8 PM. I’d love to see all of you there! You can visit their website at http://dutchmillbuffet.com/

As always, keep checking back, because I will be posting more songs and more info when I can. Hope you enjoy reading and listening!

I’m performing at one of my favorite places to play, Durham’s Ristorante in New Castle Friday night from 7-10 PM. Amazing food. Great atmosphere. All of my fans who have attended shows there love the place.  Visit their website at http://durhamsnewcastle.com/

I also want to share that I’m also currently planning Friends Helping Haiti 2. We had a lot of people from the Henry County area attend FHH at Spiceland Friends Church, and it was great. But I still feel led to keep trying to help Haiti as much as possible, and talking with several of my friends who were involved, they agree as well. So stay tuned, FHH may be coming to other communities in Indiana.

I was invited to take part in a recording session as part of a student project at Ball State University last night. I really enjoyed it, and I’ll be going back for more recording next week. I look forward to sharing the end result with you when it becomes available.

Here are some photos from Friends Helping Haiti. Hope you enjoy them. See you next time.

Photo by Penny Sitler

Photo by Tom and Cathy Harris

Photo by Penny Sitler. L-R, Daniel Sitler, Brian Wallen

Photo by Tom and Cathy Harris. L-R, Avery Perry, Daniel Sitler, Brian Wallen

We had 200 people in attendance, and we raised an absolutely staggering amount; $3,861 for Haiti relief. That’s right, just under $4,000 and checks are still coming in. The goal was to raise $1,000 for each of the four charities this concert was benefiting, and it looks like we will easily meet that goal.

So many talented people took part in the concert. Lift. Chris, Penny, and Daniel Sitler. Cathy Harris. Teresa Jordan. Abby Ulerick. Scott Ross. Terry Ferrell. Bob Hadsell. Robin Richey. Janis Lewman. Sharon Day. All of the Spiceland Dulcimer Players. Avery Perry. All the fantastic people who helped me organize the event. All the people who came out and supported us.

The greatest part is we’re not done. We are all already talking about other places that we can go do this. I felt called by God to do this, and I still feel the call to help the people in Haiti as much as I possibly can. I feel so blessed that God called on me to carry this out, and that he sent people like Chris and Penny Sitler, Cathy Harris and Steve and Joanne Anderson to put it all together with me.

And I offer my biggest thanks to anyone reading who donated to the Friends Helping Haiti earthquake relief fund. You are making a big difference in the life of someone. Remember, 100% of donations are going to World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Northwest Haiti Christian Mission and Christian Services International. Everything you give is going to help those who desperately need all the help we can give.

Stay tuned…don’t be surprised to hear about another concert coming up in a different part of the state. As long as I feel called to do this, I will continue to with the help of others around me. For now, I hope you enjoy this exclusive recording from the concert of one of my songs, “Peace of Mind”.

Peace of Mind by Brian Wallen

And a reminder, if you’d like to give and haven’t, please send a check to:

Spiceland Friends Church

401 West Main Street

PO Box 27

Spiceland, IN 47385

And of course, you can stay up to date at http://friendshelpinghaiti.com

Saturday, you have a rare opportunity to see me performing with a band. The vast majority of my shows are solo performances, and fall into the blues/rock vein. But I received an invitation to perform this Saturday at the Snowflake Festival in Anderson, which I gladly accepted. I’ll be performing with Daniel Sitler, Michael Yergin, and Avery Perry at 4 PM. The event starts at 12 PM, and features a lineup with 7 different bands. It will be held in the Rangeline Community Center, and you can find a map of the venue location at http://maps.google.com/places/us/anderson/n-rangeline-rd/1405/-rangeline-community-center-inc

Thanks for reading, hope to see you!

Pictured below is my primary recording microphone. It’s surrounded by a “Reflexion Filter”, which keeps background/room noise from being picked up by the mic. By itself, it makes a big difference, but when you combine it with the soundproofing measures I’ve already taken in my studio space, it’s an indispensable tool. The microphone itself is a large diaphragm condenser, which is a very sensitive type of mic that can pick up a wide range of tones.

From there, the signal (what’s being recorded by the microphone is called the signal) goes through a preamp. This is a recent addition, but it’s one of the best pieces of equipment in my studio. A preamp contains tubes and circuitry which amplify and add tone to the signal. Like the Reflexion Filter, it makes a big difference in the sound.

All of my recording is computer based, so first, I have an interface that connects to the computer via Firewire. Everything hooks up through that. The preamp is on top, and the interface is on the bottom in this picture.

The signal travels through the interface and into the computer, where it’s processed by recording software. Although you may think that we are done after this step, that is not the case at all. I have a lot of programs within the main software called plug-ins. One of the most important is my mastering plug-in. This allows me to add compression, EQ, and any number of things to the recording. This will be used on each individual track, and often times the overall mix. Reverb and chorus plug-ins will often be used on vocals. Here’s a screenshot of a typical recording session in the software.

That’s the basic process for recording vocals or acoustic instruments. With electric guitars, it’s a different process altogether. The guitar plugs in directly to the interface. From there, the signal is processed through some very advanced software called Amplitube, from a company called IK Multimedia. Amplitube is basically software that recreates the tone from some of the best amps in the world. There are literally thousands of different sounds available, none of which I would be able to get otherwise unless I went out and bought all of the guitar amps modeled in the software.

For piano, my digital keyboard hooks up directly to the computer via USB. Again, the signal is processed by a software plug-in, which gives me several possibilities for sound.

The drums on my recording are courtesy of a great plug-in called Addictive Drums. I have a set of Yamaha digital drums, pictured below, that I hook up to my interface, and the software transforms the signal into high quality drum sounds. I can play parts myself, make loops that run the length of the song, or use one of thousands of loops built into the software. This is what the industry is moving towards; you would be hard pressed to find a new release by a popular artist that did not make at least some use out of software such as this.

So, there you have it. Those are just some of the things that go into recording a song. A popular conception is that artists just go into a studio, stand at the microphone, and sing and play. In reality, it takes a lot of hours not just to record, but to mix, master, and engineer the song until it sounds good. Sometimes, it can take days, weeks, or months to get just one song right.

Hope you enjoyed this brief, behind the scenes look at recording. I hope to eventually make a video of the recording process on a song, start to finish. Keep checking back. Tomorrow, I’ll be posting detailed information about my performances coming up on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, so stay tuned for that. Thanks for reading!

I want to highlight in this post my concerns about an attitude I’ve seen and heard in some that we shouldn’t be helping Haiti, either because there are people who need help here in the States first, or because there is concern that the money given won’t actually go to the Haitians, it will line the pockets of a  charity board member or a politician somewhere.

First of all, it is our moral obligation to help those in need, wherever they are. And with the current economic state, there are certainly more people in need here in America than ever; but, there is also more help available than ever, with government programs, and charities like the Salvation Army doing a lot of good. I encourage you to donate to charities making a difference here as well.

But the difference with Haiti, and one of the many reasons we must do everything we can to help, is that they literally have nothing. The only help they are getting is what the rest of the world sends them. They live in poverty. Haiti has an 80% unemployment rate. We talk about how bad the recession is here with a 10% unemployment rate; can you imagine 80% of the population being unable to find work? They needed help long before the earthquake, and it’s even worse now.  It’s going to take months and years to rebuild, and we need to be there to help with that process.

The basic human conscience dictates that we help our brothers and sisters. It is our moral obligation to help those we see in need, not just here in America, but around the world. So for those who say that we shouldn’t be helping Haiti until every person is helped here, I encourage you to consider doing everything you can to help everyone you can, everywhere.

Secondly, there are people who have concerns about where the money is going when they give. This is a perfectly reasonable and justified concern. With board members on certain charities making six figures a year, and administrative costs cutting in, it’s important when giving to choose organizations based on what they are actually doing on the ground now. Below, I’m going to profile the four charities that Friends Helping Haiti is benefiting, and why they were chosen.

Samaritan’s Purse

Based in North Carolina, Samaritan’s Purse has a long history of helping people around the world. Operation Christmas Child, in which they collect shoeboxes filled with toys and other needed items, and deliver them to sick, orphaned and impoverished kids around the world, is one of their most popular programs. They have been on the ground in Haiti from day one, pretty much. One of the biggest things they’ve done is bring in water purification systems, which is a huge need in Haiti right now. They have been constantly delivering medical supplies to several hospitals, and have even set up their own medical clinic to treat the injured. They have treated over 4,000 people and performed operations on over 250. Just this week, they distributed 85 tons of food to 20,000 people. They have received extensive media coverage on all the major networks, and Doctors at various hospitals have commented multiple times in interviews that Samaritan’s Purse has given them the supplies they need to treat the wounded, and the general impression seems to be that they are doing more than just about anybody. 89% of money contributed goes to the cause.

World Vision

World Vision is another major, major charity. They had over 370 permanent staff based in Haiti before the earthquake hit, and that number has now grown to thousands. They have been there for over 30 years, and will continue to be there throughout the rebuilding process. They’ve brought in water purification kits, clothing, and food for thousands of Haitians in need. World Vision pretty much needs no introduction; they have a reputation as one of the best and most trusted charities in the world, and they’ve been doing it for 60 years. 87% of money contributed goes directly to the cause.

Christian Services International

This is one of two smaller charities that we are supporting. CSI is based in Muncie, Indiana; and they have an orphanage in Haiti, and a lot of staff down there. Within a couple days of the earthquake, they were already bringing in food, medical supplies, and medical personnel, and they have a medical clinic established to treat those who need medical care. They have received coverage on ABC and CNN for their efforts. This is taking a longer term view in Haiti relief, as their orphanage and medical clinic will be helping people in the months and years ahead.

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission

Again taking a longer term view with a smaller charity. NWHCM has done a lot. Immediately after the earthquake hit, they were able to start bringing in shipping containers filled with food and medical supplies, doctors, nurses, surgeons, water filters, you name it. I became aware of NWHCM through their partnership with Colts wide receiver, Pierre Garcon, who is of Haitian descent and has many family members living there. This is a charity I’m excited to support, because I think they have, and continue to do a great deal of good in Haiti.

So there you have it. This is what the Friends Helping Haiti concert is supporting. This is why we need you to donate, and that’s where 100% of your money is going. Help us help others. There are links to these charities websites on our website, friendshelpinghaiti.com

A reminder that the Friends Helping Haiti concert will be happening at 7 PM on Thursday, February 18th, at Spiceland Friends Church, in Spiceland, IN. If you can’t make it, please contribute by sending a check marked “Haiti Relief” to:

Spiceland Friends Church

401 West Main Street

PO Box 27

Spiceland, IN 47385

Thank you.