Hurry Up And Wait: The Second Round Ends
It took around five and a half hours from setup to bouncing, but today the recording session that will determine the next year (or more) of my life was a success. We did four tunes, three of which I really like, and one of which is still pretty cool. A few mistakes were made, mostly by myself, but overall I’m really happy with the results. This demo is by far the best sounding CD I’ve ever been on, and my only worry is that it contains enough ownership and conviction, the absence of which I feel was my downfall the first time around.
A recording session that you have to do, especially one that needs to be done that day, with no second chances, and a tight budget, is never going to allow enough “breathing room” for full artistic expression. But I think we came as close as we could. It’s light years better than the tape I did last year.
Since I’ve been so busy doing this, I have forgotten to update you faithful readers every step of the way. I think what I missed includes finally rounding up recommendation letters from three separate professors, receiving official college transcripts from Capital, typing my artist’s statement for three different schools, transcribing a Happy Apple tune that we played on the session today, finishing a couple more of the tunes I wrote for the session, writing an arrangement of Footprints for the session, typing a paper explaining my thoughts regarding each of the tracks that I sent in my applications, purchasing envelopes to mail the applications in, purchasing clear plastic report covers for my applications, and purchasing CD labels for my audition tapes.
After the session I ran to FedEx and overnighted everything. Then I synced up the crappy video I took of the session with the audio, and uploaded it to youtube (for NYU, who wants video). That’s the final step, and the only thing that stands between me and a four month waiting period, during which time I will do my best not to get my hopes up.
For full disclosure, anyone who is thinking about doing this should consider the cost:
1. $50 CalArts application fee
2. $75 NYU application fee
3. $100 NEC application fee
4. $15x3 for official college transcripts ($45)
5. $5 for various envelopes at various times
6. $5.97 for CD labels
7. $1.50 for three clear report covers
8. $220.00 for a four and a half hour recording session at Relay Recording
9. $145 for overnight shipping of three envelopes (this was the biggest surprise to me, a surprise I would have avoided if I had any other options at this incredibly late stage in the game).
10. an unknown amount between $200 and $300 for travel expenses (assuming I pass the prescreen and get invited to NEC for a live audition, as I did last year) from Columbus to Boston for a day. This is the only school at which a live audition is required.
…..which (if you land halfway on #10 and say $250…perhaps a conservative estimate), brings the total to $897.47
Not counting the expenses paid for doing this whole thing last year, when I didn’t pay for a recording session, but when I also did three live auditions in LA, New York, and Boston.
It’s worth it if I can get in, but I have yet to file my FAFSA, so I have no idea if CalArts (or any school) will help me offset the anywhere from $30 to $50,000 tuition………….
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