tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354758302024-03-12T20:47:44.955-07:00The Adventures of Don ChapmanI lead an exciting life.Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-72123392016302130112010-06-26T11:08:00.000-07:002010-06-28T15:42:13.657-07:00Why I Switched from the iPhone to the Sprint EVO<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I've been a proud owner of an iPhone 3G for two years <a href="http://theadventuresofdonchapman.blogspot.com/2008/11/iphone-review.html">(read my love letter about the iPhone</a>.) This little device has enhanced my life - I don't think of it as merely a phone but as a personal computing device. And as my lifestyle has adapted to it I've realized I want more. Here's why I made the switch to the Sprint EVO:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>1. Bigger screen</b>. Since I'm starting to treat my smartphone as a mini-laptop I want a bigger screen. I'm finding myself browsing the web, reading articles and watching puppy videos posted by my Facebook friends. After I wake up in the morning I reach for my phone for the latest news. I'll plop down on the couch later in the day and catch up on Twitter. The new iPhone 4G has higher resolution but the same size screen as my 3G model. I don't want crisper, tinier text - I want a bigger screen. I love how double tapping any EVO web browser page will automatically center the text on the screen and enlarge it. It's a pleasurable breeze to surf websites with this thing. I picked up my old iPhone the other day and was amused at how tiny it seemed. I can't imagine going back to it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>2. Flash.</b> It seems like one out of three posts or news items I view on my iPhone link to a Flash video and I can't see it. Very frustrating. And from <a href="http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/">Steve Job's recent, disturbing diatribe about Adobe Flash</a> I assume the iPhone will never have it (Flash is "closed and proprietary?" LOL really, Mr. Jobs?) When I visited the Sprint store to test the EVO I immediately pulled up my <a href="http://www.hymncharts.com/">HymnCharts.com</a> website that has a flash MP3 player on the homepage. I literally gasped. Not only is the EVO screen huge, brilliant and beautiful, the MP3 Flash player on my website appeared and worked perfectly. I didn't think Android would get Flash until 2.2 but there it was, working and playing MP3s like a charm. Plus, the Android browser rendered my website as perfectly as any laptop, whereas iPhone's Safari browser never could get the spacing correct.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;"><b>3. Tethering.</b> If I recall correctly, AT&T claimed the iPhone would tether last summer. As of the time of this writing, still nothing (tethering is your phone's ability to connect to your laptop and provide Internet service.) The EVO can tether up to 8 computers. On the zippy 4G network this will supposedly approach DSL speeds. I only have 3G where I live but this morning I got 1.33 mbps download and .70 mbps upload speeds - fine for checking email and browsing. The EVO's hotspot app worked instantly and perfectly with my laptop, setting up a WiFi hotspot with a password of my choosing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Sprint sells a mobile broadband device that has a 5 gig limit for about $60 a month. I have unlimited Internet with the Sprint EVO for an extra $30 a month, so it's quite a deal.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I was out of town recently and needed WiFi so I headed to the local library. Got a signal but couldn't connect. Talked to two librarians and moved around the building three times. Nothing. That clinched the deal - I needed an EVO. I travel a lot and now I never have to worry again about getting Internet.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>4. Navigation.</b> The iPhone's navigation is abysmal unless you pay extra. My previous Blackberry was a primitive brick compared to the iPhone 3G but boy, could it navigate like nobody's bizness with a lovely female robotic voice providing directions. The EVO has TWO turn-by-turn navigation programs built in. I tested the EVO's Google Maps turn-by-turn vocal navigation and now I know what people have been raving about - it was mind boggling with the satellite overlay.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>5. Sound quality.</b> My first call on the EVO took me to a customer service rep who cheerfully welcomed me to Sprint. I immediately noticed a much fuller, louder sound quality than my iPhone.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>6. Kickstand.</b> I love this little bonus - an attached, sturdy kickstand to prop up the EVO. I used it to show off my YouTube videos the other day and the speaker is actually loud enough to be heard in a restaurant (forget that with the iPhone.) I can imagine propping up the EVO on the nightstand as my alarm clock when I travel.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>7. Camera</b>. Crisp, colorful 8 meg photos that are better than my point-and-shoot. High def video recorder, too.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>8. Connection.</b> Before I made the switch I Googled cell phone coverage comparisons. From what I could tell (and who knows if the information is accurate) Verizon is in the lead, followed by Sprint with AT&T far behind. I would tend to believe this as a buddy and I had dinner in a nearby little town - he couldn't send or receive texts on his iPhone but I had full coverage. An additional bonus is that you can hold the EVO any way you want and it will make calls. Steve Jobs has responded to iPhone 4 reception complaints by suggesting the iPhone should not be held on the left side (<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ytech_gadg/ytech_gadg_tc2844">You're holding it wrong, Jobs says!</a>)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>9. Freedom.</b> One blogger compared leaving the iPhone for the EVO to escaping a Communist work state. I feel the same way. I can customize the EVO to look and act the way I want. I'm amazed at how easy it is to transfer files of any type to my EVO. Plug it in to my laptop, click and drag (I just discovered an app that will transfer files wirelessly.) I hate clunky iTunes and now will never have to use it again.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Supposed Drawbacks:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>1. Battery.</b> I've read much ranting on blogs about the EVO's battery life. TechCrunch's Michael Arrington's <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/09/dont-buy-the-android-evo-it-is-a-seriously-flawed-device/">bizarre rant against the EVO</a> makes me question the man's motives. While the EVO doesn't last as long as my iPhone, it does last me well through the day and I plug it in at night with usually 20-30% battery life left. My 2 year old iPhone would last a day and a half and I would still plug it in every night anyway.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The iPhone 3G's straight jacketed operating system is what extended battery life - it won't multitask, tether or navigate - all things the EVO does naturally. When I tether, I plug the EVO into my laptop. When I navigate, I plug it into my car charger. One blogger contended that his jailbroken iPhone would gobble up the battery when tethering. Of course any CPU intensive activity will use energy.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The EVO should be managed just as you'd manage a laptop. I have an app to control the screen brightness and an app to close other apps working in the background that I don't need.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">And I'll bet the way battery development is going, we'll have a nuclear powered battery by next year this time that will allow the EVO to last four months without a charge. And I'll be able to use this nuclear battery because the EVO's battery CAN be changed. Until then I've found several companies that already offer more powerful batteries for the EVO but so far I'm not finding I need one.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>2. Apps.</b> I'd say the Android app store is about 75% as good as the iPhone app store. I'm not an app person but I've found an Android version of just about everything I had on my iPhone - The Weather Channel, DropBox, PhotoShop, etc.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>Bottom Line:</b> If you want a bigger, brighter screen, an almost tablet/netbook experience and tethering, the EVO is for you.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /><object width="435" height="279"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iGJ-b570-fw&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iGJ-b570-fw&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="435" height="279"></embed></object><br /><br /></span></div>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-49156270596454353542009-05-20T19:04:00.000-07:002009-05-20T19:05:48.858-07:00American Idol 2009<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">America has spoken. They don't like guys who wear black nail polish and guyliner.</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-57216596703888201552009-02-16T21:05:00.001-08:002009-02-16T21:56:14.948-08:00Disney's American Idol Experience<div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5dcVDGju4djg-x2zplmS0S1Dwz1RMtmBdyGEuI4YdUUiQ0i9b3cg0uCgo6Jd2n9DdsLYEKtic1ZTahc6qK3hwBNPaR_H1z1ZuIKHyqVCcNgH57ES-vlg7WRpZh1-s0Mup6AeDQ/s1600-h/4_idolentrance.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5dcVDGju4djg-x2zplmS0S1Dwz1RMtmBdyGEuI4YdUUiQ0i9b3cg0uCgo6Jd2n9DdsLYEKtic1ZTahc6qK3hwBNPaR_H1z1ZuIKHyqVCcNgH57ES-vlg7WRpZh1-s0Mup6AeDQ/s400/4_idolentrance.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303638516780841698" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Here's a behind the scenes look at my visit with <a href="http://www.chrissligh.com/">Chris Sligh</a> to the premier of Disney's new American Idol Experience on February 12, 2009.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Before the Disney experience, Chris led worship and I played the piano at the Metro II Music Conference - a gathering of church music directors. That evening we had dinner at <a href="http://www.boizao.com/">Boizao Steakhouse</a> in Tampa - the best Brazilian steakhouse I've been to so far. There we celebrated Chris's <a href="http://www.rascalflatts.com/">Rascal Flatts</a> cut and first single "Here Comes Goodbye." This achievement is probably why American Idol invited Chris to the Disney premier - not all top ten finalists were invited as not all top ten finalists have careers.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;">Chris and I got to Orlando on Wednesday and Disney gave us each $100 meal cards. I've always wanted to eat at the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/contemporary-resort/dining/california-grill/">California Grill</a> - it's the restaurant on top of Disney's futuristic Contemporary Resort. The meal was great (not outstanding) but the service was exceptional. Our waiter was top-notch and loved telling stories of famous people he's waited on. He said his most unfriendly customers have been Rosie O'Donnell and Teresa Heinz Kerry! We didn't leave the place until after midnight. The view is incredible - big windows that look out to the Magic Kingdom and surrounding lake. This would be a great place to watch the nightly fireworks. Make sure you get reservations way in advance if you'd like to try it.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">On Thursday Chris and I had lunch with Sligh SuperFan Carmen and her husband at Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney. I had eaten at a Planet Hollywood once, many years ago when one opened in Nashville (it has since closed) and thought it was one of the worst meals of my entire life. Unfortunately nothing has changed.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After lunch, Chris and I met up with his manager, Mitch, and a Disney representative chauffeured us to the backstage of Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM) so Chris could get ready for the Idol parade. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XKCJyt9tTjs9HXqj13BD1ZeAQibdbz7YVn-M2slmkUkjnLhRhreW-mdPh-CINSFtYHtRt0O7WDzwyXqI7aUDCuufxAzCY_neGgBjb65PSRp-e4QsUedHNadid5O7yioW6b6RgQ/s400/2_harvey.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303638289359268098" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;">The Disney rep took Mitch and I into the park and led us to the VIP section where we could watch the parade. I recognized <a href="http://www.harveywalden.com/">Harvey</a> from <a href="http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/celebrity_fit_club/series.jhtml">Celebrity Fit Club</a>. Chris is currently negotiating to be on the show. I asked Harvey what brought him to the premier. He said that he's never seen an episode of the show, but is dating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimberley_Locke">Kimberly Locke</a> (she was 3rd place on season 2, right behind Ruben and Clay.)</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhr3XImj0t52U7M66u_g-gblmr3xpcQ10VAI6tv07IsxUx7W5MwO0XEPkR_vFec0GjqCD3brcs23Y-D6cUjwq2NdMEVO3i3TPVjSglH8jIzo3KBlxXSy2eLM-HEE5ZaL3rgn-_bg/s400/3_chrisparade.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303638035867347698" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;">The Idols rode their own convertibles down a blue carpet through main street of the Hollywood Studios, and were interviewed at the end of the carpet.</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ucwdKZiZDVquvl7rK6Jkc0RUkCTAc0dt5RTLzXLRa7z8-ijB666HydYPOjHjVI25aSN-MisRTCa6RZvibaz4xEewQdzACPmPKMO4keicCVBLIs3gBfnqySITtfaga8D2lr7FnA/s400/5_chrisline.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303637685159816466" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After that they entered a tent for interviews, then walked down a press corridor for even more interviews.<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;">Chris, Mitch and I were next ushered into a restaurant where we were served delicious hors d'oeuvres as we waited for the premier to begin. We sat next to <a href="http://www.acemusic.com/">Ace Young</a> and his girlfriend - you almost wouldn't recognize him now that his hair is cut.</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTb73mZQPN3gy0CWZ7-s_PxFRmUIx6DC_KyFjWtUiA70vOYtRxNHWUDFHo2dL8iwhek4RMQEpZgA55_cP4obz5sv12yfNBo9Q7pJR30wB6Zl3vKA6129oMz9LT_WQtXhcLta49A/s400/7_philaudience.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303637287960303970" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">When the show was about to start we were all led into the American Idol Experience building. The first two front rows were all reserved for guests and we each had an assigned seat with our name on it. I sat between Chris and <a href="http://philstacey.musiccitynetworks.com/">Phil Stacey</a>. Phil's excited about working with super producer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Bannister">Brown Bannister</a> on his new album. I noticed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Archuleta">David Archuleta</a> and his spooky dad in front of me to my left, <a href="http://www.bobice.com/">Bo Bice</a> in front of me to my right.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Both Chris and Phil were amazed at how eerily realistic the set is. It really is just like being on the show. Every day they'll have several shows with people who've auditioned in the park. At the end of the day, all the daily winners will compete for a ticket that will get them straight to an audition with Randy, Simon and Paula - no waiting for hours.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;">The show opened with a guest appearance from Ryan Seacrest. He introduced the five finalists. Paula came out on stage, rambled a bit then inexplicably started giving the contestants back rubs. Ryan said something like "Paula, remember the rules about interacting with contestants!" The audience howled. Paula stood there perturbed and said "shut up, Ryan!"</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHRtozAM5RUuAwRAfJ0WRR4vi7wqscqbggOW072xkJqPa16JoQkoSBMoKbm0Bby8MRBERwMnWG29QPhLISA5Xqkq64yL5PRBsEeI-LMaNDGesw4uux1AA7Xs8aF4KMrha_GHKOw/s400/8_fakejudges.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303636937038817506" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The show even comes complete with a fake Ryan Seacrest, a fake Randy, Paula and a fake Simon with British accent. Each contestant performed and received critiques from the judges.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFKtQvQS3NEox44rFpLGM0dwzu1YhGj-X1jFK6a6q-rj8o0a7Y6Fb190bLGjcmNvRTk4maPKmvus49S2Tl4LWRufwQB1AMHSlg5bztcfafbtUL5DPjeT0hd2nzeotm_N7miVajQ/s400/9_davidcarrie.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303636279346690898" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">But before the winner was announced, the real Ryan came out and told us we'd hear from some special guests. <a href="http://www.davidcookofficial.com/">David Cook</a> and 5 of his band members came out, sat on stools and sang an acoustic version of his hit "Lights On." Then <a href="http://www.carrieunderwoodofficial.com/">Carrie Underwood</a> came out with her band members and did an acoustic version of "All-American Girl." David came back out and they did a duet on the old Fleetwood Mac tune "Go Your Own Way." All I can say is wow - the sound was incredible, the musicianship was incredible and their vocals were incredible. Carrie has really grown as an artist.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVfQqBNg-R65inY__ffCQuwS7XZpGiM3d3qwCImaGtEBxNAOCLEwPske6YUReOrKpcq0l_I8cXN28eWs6QXTgFcrn7foxJ_tn1N4DQ9ADvVe9Y5mAf7ZCim86CWbwkTOLFxiOgg/s400/10_idols.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303635936832021714" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Ryan introduced the other Idol winners from past years and they all were there: Ruben, Taylor, Fantasia, David, Carrie, Jordan... and then, sheepishly, Kelly walked out on stage. She seemed to have a weird vibe about her. I found out later there had been negotiations for days to get her there. That morning the negotiations were finalized and she flew out to Disney on a private jet and arrived an hour and half before the show! Two different Idols told me that they have hung out with Kelly several times in the past and she acted as if she didn't know them at the premier. Sounds like she's going through a diva spell.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">It's clear who Idol wants to promote - their current favorites are definitely David and Carrie, and these talented two deserve it. They both sparkle. I heard Fantasia was let go from her management contract with 19 Entertainment and she didn't look so hot. Ruben has lost lots of weight but you don't hear much about him. Taylor also looked good but he, too, has fallen out of the public eye. At least Jordan's getting a few hits under her belt.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2xKbiPy1uTmeKYjcpf5heyIH_UAaq_67vU6AW82ZZwRdN7PMB_a9YDFPs8VnUARZcnYEJQrrklr5dSX6r03I7P-ZTuR3-Am4MYV4HcNPOqspEunArS2vNTMWN2Qw3W74Z5ciUg/s400/11_confettii.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303635547003294802" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After the audience voted electronically (Phil's voting thingy didn't work and he said "what do you expect, it's Florida!") and the winner was announced (some quirky guy who beat out a real vocalist with talent) explosions and confetti filled the room.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgwvmHfk-OB6QbKUPANFufciYn_qAWxSp9iFecZgfPsKUzEa37kJteIc7qJwjvZW7Kdu6eJ9hxUqYIRZzQc_UTDVlWq9fW1XAGwywcEfgQuY6vovPz9kyD4QEwnZUMQxE9Ka0mg/s400/13_idols.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303634512688051938" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After the show the Idols gathered out front and had their pics taken with Mickey. Conspicuously absent were Clay Aiken, Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2mTWlxjayhpjZLl7TKgXkmelhWFnRainuwZJUJqOOaHGUKylKwwwKn93hyphenhyphenABtjH_OHgk7WUbdFkh0qBFoEzrRhwowo5nmctqg77sEjMnulWTbycbpO_-WOMsgovO6UgwGDUK4Q/s400/12_mandissa.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303634975557939858" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I chatted with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandisa">Mandissa</a> for a few moments - I had played piano for her and Matthew West when they did a Christmas concert at Brookwood Church a few months ago. Mandissa looked great - she's lost 70 lbs and plans on losing 30 more before her new single comes out.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I also got to talk with one of my favorite Idols - <a href="http://melindadoolittle.com/">Melinda Doolittle</a>. She had just been on the Ellen Show that week promoting her new CD. I reminisced with her about how all of this happened - we all sat in Chris's hotel room two years ago in Pasadena after they had gotten word they'd made it into the top twenty, and we all watched the Idol episode that night where Melinda had her original audition.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Everyone headed down to the Tower of Terror part of the park where Disney had food and drinks galore: sushi, chicken, fish, carved meats... you name it, and all delicious. By this time Disney had closed the park and this party was just for Idol guests. I stood at one of the neon-glowing tables and had a wonderful time chatting with Mike Blanton. He's one of the architects of Christian music, guiding the careers of Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and others (including Chris, Phil and Melinda.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Mike, Melinda and I went on the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with some others (three times in a row with no waiting) and then joined Chris for the Tower of Terror. Melinda prayed loudly throughout the entire ride!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">When that party died down we were whisked away by limo to an after party thrown by Idol's 19 Entertainment, held at Rix Lounge at the Coronado Springs Resort. Security guards were everywhere, and only the Idols and their friends & family were allowed to enter. Just more to eat in a dark place with very loud music.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">If you want to see what it's like being on an American Idol show, I recommend Disney's American Idol Experience. It's actually two experiences in one: an audition experience and an audience experience. I was in the live audience on the real show I can tell you it's very realistic. Click through some of my posts on this blog and you can read about my visits to the show.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://twitter.com/chapbot">Follow me on Twitter</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div></div>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-58443167241218920772008-11-21T13:13:00.001-08:002008-11-21T13:14:57.470-08:00iPhone Review<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">My Sprint contract is up and it's time for a new phone. Of course I've been interested in the iPhone, especially now since the new version is out and it's less expensive.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I'm one to relentlessly investigate every option and wanted to make sure the iPhone was the best deal.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">First I looked at Sprint. There's been much hype over the Sprint Instinct. I went to the Sprint store, played with it, then immediately went to Best Buy and played with the iPhone. No comparison - the iPhone is much more elegant. The screen is crisper, brighter and can best be described as watching a mini TV. The Instinct's web browser was slow and clunky, although it did render websites satisfactorily. The Sprint TV feature is cool but choppy - not breathtakingly, sharply beautiful like watching an iPhone YouTube clip over WiFi.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">However, the Instinct is a nice phone, and several smartphone reviews place it 2nd, with iPhone being 1st. It's not a true smartphone - it doesn't have an operating system like the iPhone, but mimics smartphone capability with GPS, email and web browsing (tech guru Jason Calacanis has said he thinks of his iPhone as a mini laptop.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Sprint has a great plan going for them: $99 for everything - unlimited text, voice calling and data. I've gotten used to the turn by turn GPS nav on my BlackBerry which the iPhone does not have and the Instinct does. I've also been with Sprint so long I can't remember NOT being with Sprint. Plus, the Instinct is about $70 cheaper than the iPhone.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">So I decided on the Instinct. Circuit City had an Instinct special a few weeks ago - $99 for the phone (regularly $139.) I missed the sale but thought "well, I'm such a long-time, loyal Sprint customer, maybe they'll give me a deal."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I went to two Sprint stores. Neither would budge: $139 for the Instinct. So I called Sprint directly. Nope, wouldn't budge either - $139 and that's final. "But I just saw the Instinct on sale at Circuit City for $99!" Well, how about this, Sprint offered: we'll throw in free shipping! How generous.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Sprint's financial woes have been in the press lately and now I know why. If the Sprint customer service rep had said, "sure, we'll knock off $39 bucks and let you have the Instinct for $99 since you're such a great customer" I would have jumped. Aren't we in a recession or something? You'd think they'd be a little more willing to cut a deal.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">With the Instinct option gone, I turned my attention to the Google phone. I'm a huge Google fan and since the release date was quickly approaching for the TMobile launch of Android, I started researching it. Reviews were mixed - some liked it, some didn't. One reviewer described it as "homely." It would be cool to have a new, talked-about phone not many people had, so I called a local TMobile store to find out more. Phone rang and rang, nobody answered. Called 2nd local store. No answer. Called 3rd local store. No answer. I turned to the Internet for info, which I'm finding should be my first choice for everything since customer service in all aspects of life is wretched.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Lo and behold, TMobile isn't even selling Android in South Carolina. I gave up, went straight to Best Buy and bought me an iPhone.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">It's been one of the best purchases I've ever made.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">First of all, the iPhone is now in its second generation. Bugs have been worked out with the hardware (for instance, the new iPhone can accept any headphone jack, the old iPhone wouldn't) and the operating system is being continually refined. Google and other smartphones are still in their first generation.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Basically I decided what's most important to me: web access. I'm a web guy and am constantly on the net for business and info. I don't care for the iPhone's Safari browser and wish it rendered flash, but it's still the best mobile browsing experience by leaps and bounds. On WiFi the browsing is even more zippy. Many smartphones, even the recently touted BlackBerry Storm as well as the Instinct, don't have WiFi capability.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">People are complaining about 3G not being fast enough. 3G is the faster ATT network and is in most major metropolitan areas. Where there is no 3G there's the slower, older Edge network. I'm happy with 3G. I was on my way to Atlanta and was using the UrbanSpoon app to look for restaurants. I was in a dead Edge zone and the searches were sluggish. As I approached Atlanta I connected to 3G and the searches were noticeably faster.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Speaking of apps, the iPhone app store in itself provides lots of entertainment value. I love searching for new apps at the store and on the web. Many are free and most are under $5. My current faves are all free: Google search with voice, Flashlight (makes your iPhone screen shine as a decently bright flashlight if you need it), MiniPiano, GoogleEarth, Jott (talk into the iPhone and it transcribes your voice), TwitterFon and Twitterific. I think my first purchase will be AirSharing which turns the iPhone into a wireless USB storage device. I've also created links to USAToday, Gmail and PlanningCenterOnline which instantly open Safari to render app-like, custom iPhone views of these websites.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I hate to sound like an Apple fanboy (I'm a staunch Windows guy) but I consider the iPhone to be my most cherished possession. I was sold on Election Day. Stuck in the voting line for two hours, the iPhone kept me completely entertained the entire time. For somebody who hates being bored, I realized then and there I loved the device and I now keep it with me at all times.</span></div>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-79498528349234709542008-11-07T15:25:00.001-08:002008-11-07T15:25:59.124-08:00D.O.N.C.H.A.P.M.A.N.<p align="center"><a href="http://cyborg.namedecoder.com"><br /><img src="http://cyborg.namedecoder.com/webimages/handyvac-DONCHAPMAN.png" width="240" height="180" alt="Digital Operational Neohuman Calibrated for Hazardous Assassination, Potential Mathematics and Accurate Nullification" border="0"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://cyborg.namedecoder.com"><small>Get Your Cyborg Name</small></a></p>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-32108698142326106312008-09-05T20:44:00.000-07:002008-09-05T21:29:16.302-07:00Strings on Jeremy Camp's New CD<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LFrYqWUvdkCwqGD_zaXjxxalpRYHTJZS_BLrLUuuhkzqT8F9e66X6AwvXquFBIPip0iwGodNaIfCNw0o9lf24cTPliywr-trrtc5RkmNobcMMFQH2onq33rVNsVQg1k1elT6EQ/s1600-h/brownedit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LFrYqWUvdkCwqGD_zaXjxxalpRYHTJZS_BLrLUuuhkzqT8F9e66X6AwvXquFBIPip0iwGodNaIfCNw0o9lf24cTPliywr-trrtc5RkmNobcMMFQH2onq33rVNsVQg1k1elT6EQ/s400/brownedit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242759224904721010" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />A few weeks ago I got this random email from Brown Bannister that said something like "do you have time to orchestrate a track - I need it in a few days." I happened to be in Nashville visiting Chris Sligh so we went over to Brown's studio. On the way I said "he probably wants me to do a demo or something." Chris replied "Brown doesn't do demos."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">In the studio, Brown showed us his copy of the just-released </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2008/leadmeon20th.html">20th anniversary edition of Amy Grant's <span style="font-style: italic;">Lead Me On</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. I can't believe it's been 20 years!! I remember reading back then in the liner notes that one of the tracks had a Synclavier piano and I was amazed. A synthesized piano that sounds that good? Wow! What's funny is, 20 years later, the sound of my software piano from </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.truepianos.com/">TruePianos.com</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> sounds way better. Plus, TruePianos cost $180.00 and the Synclavier cost at least $200,000.00 (that's not a typo!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">After some chit chat, Brown says, "so, I have this </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Camp">Jeremy Camp</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> track I need strings for..." and I, of course, nearly wet my pants! He told me a little bit of what he wanted, burned me the track and I got in my car and raced back home to Greenville.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Importing the track into </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://cakewalk.com/Products/DAWs.asp">Sonar</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">, I started playing around with some strings and we emailed back and forth until Brown was happy with the arrangement. Four days later I went back to Nashville for the most exciting session of my life - 5 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos - a 9 piece studio strings section stacked two times for a rich, full sound.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Brown said "can you conduct?" I said "sure" and mentally retrieved my conducting class from college LOL! Arranger </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.phillipkeveren.com/">Philip Keveren</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">, who had arranged strings for two songs at the same session, was kind enough to let me use his baton.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Since I had previously done a syth mockup of the strings, I knew how everything would sound and the session, thankfully, went off without a hitch. You don't want to be sitting there with 9 highly-hourly-paid session players in a high-dollar studio (</span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.firstavenuesound.com/">1st Avenue in Franklin</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">) trying to figure out what's wrong with your charts!<br /><br />I worked on Jeremy's new song <span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >I Know Who I Am</span> which is on his upcoming CD. The last I heard it's coming out this November 2008. <span style="font-family:verdana;">One of the songs Philip arranged is called </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >You Will Be There</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> and it has a very cool vibe to it.</span></span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-28885234902757292902008-03-10T21:49:00.000-07:002008-03-10T21:53:29.155-07:00Radio Tour<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidstA2D2dZK4kiCk_3WhiVSjuP5YJe4zsZee_tpmtsLlsyapYaFNqcE23jYtHrNOUQuRp0TafzSDxnixh2ge9mnDAgaCTSqev4xhG-MNXuoDOZLpDWeGb2jzRhrHfZTJLL16d1ag/s1600-h/radioedit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidstA2D2dZK4kiCk_3WhiVSjuP5YJe4zsZee_tpmtsLlsyapYaFNqcE23jYtHrNOUQuRp0TafzSDxnixh2ge9mnDAgaCTSqev4xhG-MNXuoDOZLpDWeGb2jzRhrHfZTJLL16d1ag/s400/radioedit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176342492584431730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Chris is currently on a multi-city radio promotions tour to support his new single, "<a href="http://www.myspace.com/chrissligh">Empty Me</a>."<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Since Greenville, SC (my home) has this crazy airline that offers one way flights for as low as $39, I thought I'd jet down to Orlando last week to observe this next stage of his adventures.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Chris is traveling with the talented Jon Skaggs, drummer extraordinaire. Jon acts as road manager, keeping Chris on schedule, then whips out his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djembe">djembe</a> on command to accompany Chris for in-house, live over-the-air performances.<br /><br />Jon is a dream drummer who does two things, in particular, that I have begged church drummers to do over the years: he's happy to play to a click if need be and enjoys creating his own custom drum loops on his computer. That's probably why he's played with Nichole Nordeman, Bethany Dillon, Brandon Heath and Casting Crowns to name a few, and your church drummer... sells insurance.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The boys arise as early as 5am to make a station's morning show, entertaining folks as they drive to work. After lunch and perhaps a mid-day nap, they're off to another town for an interview on a station's afternoon show, entertaining folks as they drive home from work.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Most artists hate doing radio promos. Chris, on the other hand, is not your average artist, and loves promoting his music any way he can (plus he's had great experience doing radio promos while on American Idol.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">In between the excitement we managed to experience the wonders of the Magic Kingdom, and dine at my new, favorite type of restaurant: the Brazilian Steakhouse. Try the delicious <a href="http://www.texasdebrazil.com/">Texas de Brazil</a> the next time you're in Orlando. You'll be in meat-lover's heaven as "Gauchos" bring you all the slow-roasted steak and chicken you could possibly want.</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-32785935355300647312008-02-11T23:32:00.000-08:002008-09-05T20:44:19.072-07:00Recording Strings for Chris Sligh's CD<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxR3Fc3FlCam0L8Sy-bG1BmDxZBjXQlcsFdTJRnewy5c-VUM_F5vNkehyphenhyphenFo6zatGmHwEpnJRShLrsznB66IfHU4H4jcRy2VvIw5gdLieGi-6J1qlFeur0jcVnrbsl80EjVtljIjw/s1600-h/DonChris2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165996136654306658" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxR3Fc3FlCam0L8Sy-bG1BmDxZBjXQlcsFdTJRnewy5c-VUM_F5vNkehyphenhyphenFo6zatGmHwEpnJRShLrsznB66IfHU4H4jcRy2VvIw5gdLieGi-6J1qlFeur0jcVnrbsl80EjVtljIjw/s400/DonChris2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Super Tuesday 2008 was especially super for me - I was in Nashville recording strings for Chris Sligh's upcoming major label debut with producer Brown Bannister.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165997635597892978" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAek6uZRDg_phEXIaQO34FxaSyMaC1wBoaQX31ukFbPKi5QrsT7GZ-_-4h4T81vIoj1ENHQrJmyGngKIDJ_WP5-p_8n4hn8BCEeDlYdfGwaNbytxq87p336Qwj-kquNAFWksE1LQ/s400/BrownDon.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">One of my favorite things is arranging orchestra for pop music, and usually I just do what is called a "MIDI mockup" - emulating a real orchestra with synthesizer on my computer. <a href="http://theadventuresofdonchapman.blogspot.com/2007/03/orchestrating-chris-slighs-cd.html">I did this on Half Past Forever's "Take a Chance On Something Beautiful"</a> (Chris's band.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">However, with a major label budget, real string players were hired. These days, even major label budgets are tight, so a full string section was not hired. With the fantastic sounds of today's synths, you can achieve quite a beautiful, realistic string sound using synths and only a few players - dubbing them over and mixing in digital strings.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165998735109520770" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yG3LNQHZxAOchjFKmLMc2JUC5JpiHrB-_ON3Jj9GEAA9JY_AAr__-ysLgd3UJomm3MGGpZ6D7HM4DstEHDeeB9PSOTTRJnWXzCtg8HKKdOT5EoNrue19uJ4xT8SjkSDYPiUY0g/s400/strings.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The day of the session Chris and I were like little kids on Christmas morning - it was thrilling to hear some of the finest session players in the world record music that he had written and I had arranged. An added treat was meeting renowned cellist John Catchings (on far right.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Chris is re-doing a few songs from "Take a Chance On Something Beautiful." The new recording is aimed at the Christian market but has a few secular songs that could cross over. Since I now had the luxury of writing for real strings I amplified my original string parts on these songs, getting a little more adventurous by giving the lines a few more twists and turns. Here's a rundown on the tunes I arranged:</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">1. In a Moment. Brown has toyed with the dramatic key change at the end. It still changes key but you may not even notice!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">2. Know. Similar to the original.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">3. Cry Tonight. Brown's genius shines through on this one - I like this new version better than Chris's original - it really grooves.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">4. Loaded Gun. A new song you haven't heard - Chris has a pop/rock version of this song, but wanted to try something out of the box for the recording. We collaborated on this one: He played me a new Eleanor Rigbyesque version for me on his keyboard and I took it and ran with it. The arrangement is only a string section with vocal. There's been nothing like it in Christian music. We're not talking lush, lullaby strings, here - it's a throbbing, pulsing arrangement. One word that comes to mind in describing it is "violent!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">5. Vessel. Chris needed a quiet ballad for the recording since most of his tunes are so epic. He dusted off "Vessel" - a song he had written years ago - and asked me to arrange a string quartet over his acoustic guitar track. The string players performed this so beautifully in the studio that I almost choked up! My guess is that the song will be popular in churches across the country.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">After the session I took home a DVD of the string recordings, imported them into my computer and spent the next few days mixing them with my digital orchestra to create the perfect blend. Then I emailed sound files back to Brown and Nashville where the final recording will be mixed. The CD will be mastered later this month in LA (mastering is the process that gives the recording the final crispness and punch for the radio.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Look for the new CD on May 6. If you're a Chris Sligh fan and own "Take a Chance On Something Beautiful" (sold in North America in stores like Best Buy or online at Amazon) you'll enjoy hearing new versions of his catchy songs, plus some new gems.</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-81534713097781202692008-01-01T22:26:00.000-08:002008-01-01T23:07:14.308-08:00Chris Sligh's New RecordingFinally, Chris is able to make the major label recording he's always dreamed of. He began recording in December with Grammy-winning uber producer Brown Bannister along with the finest Nashville session players. Chris is using a few songs on the new CD from his independent recording "Take a Chance On Something Beautiful." He told me that Brown liked <a href="http://theadventuresofdonchapman.blogspot.com/2007/03/orchestrating-chris-slighs-cd.html">my string arrangements</a> and wants to use them on the new CD.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150766149548329314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJhSQiplc7NMoaoMNk3lO1n7ExfHVYmT2VhEDuJAZmGYXkCO5v_PUf1NiFAA-io-x60mtfu3TCl6f38cKNltSXm_BpRcAt7e_HT7dRsJ49zTBCZbHVNPkWssh4V4F79zJbznTJg/s400/Chris2.jpg" border="0" /><br />Before Christmas I visited Chris in Nashville and got to meet Brown and watch Chris record. Brown is a great guy! None of that Nashville attitude. It seems like people at the top of their game are nice, normal folks and the wannabes are often the ones with the fake smile.<br /><br />We had lunch at the famous Lovelace Cafe and I enjoyed hearing Brown's stories of the early days of Christian music. I remember those days fondly. Sigh - the golden age of Christian music, when a new Amy Grant record was a major event.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150766390066497922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBWMZFZqT993OokNH5CKkcqjlvdCd3zqpT4TekNzQLHs-nP9O6X9k-Z5jEAzT12MZ-J8X_S2Hu5CuC2j9znuu5tjxt1AaInyVfOhK7WfJEGCHrsJ0Clg9083t3aMEayXR0V8pAQ/s400/Chris4.jpg" border="0" /><br />Every hit song of hers would spawn new genres. When she sang "El Shaddai" suddenly everyone had a song out with some Hebrew words in it. When "Angels Watching Over Me" came out, suddenly everyone had a song about angels! And did you know Amy had planned on releasing "I Can Only Imagine," but instead let Mercy Me do it first (the song was written by Mercy Me's lead singer, Bart Millard) - graciously allowing the song to launch the band's career. I really loved it when Michael W. Smith and Amy would collaborate. He'd play on her records and they'd write songs - like "Thy Word." I told Brown I missed those days. He said he does, too!<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150766269807413618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Tk8Dh__m21qGLyVUWg2xP1nh54g61bzas_9DkzhK4BXgguFg35OczUUAsGx54JWSWJRWv3EKbTGNl1BMPIVI4l6eA9a2k_5Mj0m9ahJU147fL-nSYbx69NbQKBGHCNohsv0b8Q/s400/Chris3.jpg" border="0" />Producer Stephen Leiweke on left, Brown on right<br /><br />Along with Blanton & Harrell, Brown was around at the birth of CCM - he produced Amy's first recording and others from her heyday. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Bannister">Check out his wikipedia entry</a> - the list of artists he's worked with is astounding. And now I get to work with the man who's produced music I've loved for over 20 years! Somebody pinch me. Chris Sligh is my hero LOL!<br /><br />If anyone has a chance of making it in music, Chris Sligh does: great voice and songwriting talent, funny personality plus a top team of professionals behind him. The new CD should be out in the first quarter of 08 and he'll then begin a short tour.Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-5983714220086889502008-01-01T22:22:00.000-08:002008-01-01T22:26:11.772-08:00Chris Sligh UpdatePeople often ask me about Chris Sligh and what's going on with him. Chris moved to Nashville right after the American Idol tour at the end of the summer.<br /><br />At one point he had 11 record labels interested in him. Two in particular were practically fighting over him. And to think he was about ready to give up music and get a real job only a year ago!<br /><br />He eventually decided on <a href="http://www.brashmusic.com/">Brash Music</a>. I really like these guys - they're ex music biz people who want to reinvent the industry. And to help them think outside the music biz box - CEO Mike McQuary (known as "McQ") was the president of MindSpring, an old Internet company that merged with Earthlink around the turn of the century.<br /><br />Brash has quite a track record. They're not a Christian music company, but they're behind the mega-popular <a href="http://www.aaronshust.com/">Aaron Shust</a>, a humble worship leader from Atlanta's Perimeter Church who has taken the CCM world by storm. Out of nowhere Aaron won the Dove award (Christian Grammys) for artist of the year, songwriter of the year, and his song, "My Savior, My God" won song of the year. Something tells me the inbred Nashville CCM suits aren't too happy about that.<br />Brash sought Chris out and we all went to lunch one day here in Greenville. I love hearing music biz stories and they had a bunch. One familiar thread that ran through the conversation was how traditional record labels tend to flush money down toilets. I mean just burn through money like there's no tomorrow. After explaining how they're attempting to save themselves - and the artists - tons of money by actually thinking and planning, I exclaimed, "What? You're trying to apply business principals to... the music industry?" Cackles ensued.<br /><br />Chris is managed by <a href="http://www.bhccmgt.com/default.aspx">Blanton, Harrell, Cooke & Corzine</a> - the people who virtually invented the Christian music industry some 20 years ago - the people behind Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Kathy Troccoli, Point of Grace, Aaron Shust and Bebo Norman. I think Chris is in very good hands with them.Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-90766801983285044542007-12-26T23:08:00.000-08:002007-12-26T23:58:09.844-08:00Tim Light, Adam Fisher and Me on TVLast month (November 2007) Tim Light and his wife Amber visited the USA. Tim won my 2003 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">WorshipIdeas</span>.com worship songwriting contest with his excellent song "Our God Reigns" (you can download it at <a href="http://www.worshipideas.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">WorshipIdeas</span>.com</a>.)<br /><br />Since then, Tim and I have become buds - I'll go over to the UK to visit, he'll come here to do concerts. Plus we usually write a song or three while he's here (this trip we wrote a new Easter ballad I'm excited about.)<br /><br />A year or two ago when Tim visited, I suggested we write a Christmas worship song for churches - there aren't that many out there, and you can sing "Hark the Herald" only so many times! We wrote "<a href="http://www.iadoreyou.net/">I Adore You</a>" and it's become a hit - downloaded by over 20,000 churches and sung all over the world.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CBN</span> News wanted to do a story about it and reporter Tracy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Winborn</span> invited us up to Virginia Beach while Tim was visiting last month. Adam Fisher (<a href="http://www.homerecordinghowto.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">HomeRecordingHowTo</span>.com</a>) and his wife, Megan, joined the fun. We had a great time visiting colonial <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Williamsburg</span> and Jamestown.<br /><br />Since it was around Thanksgiving, I mentioned to Tim how grateful I was that the pilgrims left his horribly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">oppressive</span> country to find religious freedom in this new land. He suggested that he record a CD of patriotic songs. (This sort of ribbing goes on continually when we're together.)<br /><br />Before the taping we had the pleasure of leading worship for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">CBN</span> staff - what a nice bunch of folks. We even met Pat Robertson:<br /><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148549585646340322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6LBoERfGRUPbyxHXoN1RG5xZLzBE5g6lMydtAvkPcKrIPWVRW1p-3cD2BOW4uY7-78pA6cfVAcfe0jEM2Sdo9TEjRYXZV0tdAjVUQSlNM95DywCIr1weDNHRz9-OBJXwZ7VSlA/s400/CBN7.jpg" border="0" /><br />After their chapel service we toured <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">CBN</span> studios and had lunch at their fabulous <a href="http://www.foundersinn.com/Dining_Entertainment/Swan_Terrace_Restaurant.asp"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Swann</span> Terrace restaurant</a> in the Founder's Inn.<br /><br /><p>After lunch, Tracy made final preparations for the shoot. Here she is talking with Tim at her desk in the newsroom. I was surprised at how high tech the place is - it's like walking into Epcot or something:</p><p></p></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148553945038145778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBRYsbEK9aGtLlZPQTpVsDFd1_lZhvmj_BLKsODapUFAczDNlDnZGcezQwLGr0wlpPZCl6KFyXc63y_hl5Gw1WBk88EfY4UH3Q2APDKBhIxdoKA99PPemgzK69lrbBoE1jZZcOA/s400/CBN5.jpg" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>Next came makeup:</div><div></div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148554232800954626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ54S_NfnSbkXdcNNzG2hNwMo4UBYN4zEvAog60ULmwoPdK6jXDBRp4OaL3zsFRT9DN-XIrKJ0gMekKlSyqqj5-lndiCPxuVQ2BJtQbR5m2f87fxQ_FdGnlvclD626cZl-0ZJZjg/s400/CBN4.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148554353060038930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrPM-ynPF7LqTCXuE3YGfTczg18EgHzW0y4u5EZ32yq3mK-1yp8P2nU1MQXS4_MKp9vKftPHJcfeKwnAcIejSj16v17HjVpkBbk9XY93C6odi4CD7kuxxqF8PqQWbAhu1SHsi0Q/s400/CBN6.jpg" border="0" /> </div><br /><div>Then microphones:</div><div><br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148554924290689330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Ym8-PtpsmjQBAR6_OX-SYg4dTKjTbV2zsddALyAzyCB-C3x0ZzBdzoC5ttXxi55D61lPcDTjpbUhBFAxEYbdxRJ2z52rMrwO_ACTqKoCySjw6ajhLOJ102JQ1pFwzbJYPtIa9g/s400/CBN2.jpg" border="0" /> Then the interview. I chose this picture in particular because Tim looks like a goon:</div><div></div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148554597873174818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwiGGqVlzF6zpVPmvTGNLYiBCH75NHIopu0ivWTuGhIAR5y8TvG-wRfwKEzR2CqfBxG4L6qmXTA5Cb5UmYw2guTxTMbIMAPmCmF9ZsD1gtmgKoKaI8tb22DApo-mqAR__2vTgYRQ/s400/CBN3.jpg" border="0" /> Here's a pic of the group. From left to right: Tracy, Adam, Megan, Tim, Amber, me.</div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148555555650881858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvXdcc4LK7im_942qNkO7jeuxqVjxbe-HHp6PqKC01MVBvcdZjFDvWtqvr7MQAYjLiJOQ2NuUpMjkhe6MHLhfqIst8m6EiYrmaweuoUwtdFFEvA0TveQYxOoO-B_Em4QKuqWg-Q/s400/CBN1.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div><p>The clip has aired on Tracy's show, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Newswatch</span>, as well as the 700 Club on Thursday, Dec. 27. <a href="http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/286968.aspx">Watch the clip online</a>. It's basically about how we record music across the planet. Tim and I write a song, I record the track here, Adam plays guitar, Tim sings it in England, emails his voice to me, Adam and I mix the music, and churches across the world download it and use it in their worship services. Who needs a record label these days?</p>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-6512715224418621522007-08-27T13:05:00.000-07:002007-08-27T13:41:33.155-07:00Robotz!!<span style="font-family:verdana;">Last year I disclosed that </span><a href="http://theadventuresofdonchapman.blogspot.com/2006/10/mr-roboto.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I'm obsessed with robots</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. </span><a href="http://www.irobot.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I even have one that vacuums my floor</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">My friend Ben Lane, who's an animator on <em><strong>The Simpsons</strong></em>, also loves robots. </span><a href="http://www.donchapman.name/Don-Chapman-on-The-Simpsons.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Click to see a Simpsonised version he drew of me</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">One time when I was at his house, I saw a portrait painting he had made of a robot. I thought it was hilarious. Kind of like one of my favorite Wired Magazine features - artifacts from the future - as if someone in the future had a painting commissioned of their personal housebot.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Anyway, when I saw it I wanted it, so he gave it to me. It now hangs proudly in my studio. I think it's funny that it showed up on the </span></span><a href="http://www.donchapman.name/700-Club.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">TV clip of when I was on the 700 Club</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBO40g73l4KtTvAq-7RO2q6-_rYRwi9W09bpbHjnuz23f4pk8LiPLKzdZIcCiyhCP2zjW7j_lgNPnlFbZLLnQ4xocMyCjyKqqQsoCIDtmHvNm9_hfwjSx9AOyppSYG0HgEOUBEQ/s1600-h/700ClubRobot.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103480311806119410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBO40g73l4KtTvAq-7RO2q6-_rYRwi9W09bpbHjnuz23f4pk8LiPLKzdZIcCiyhCP2zjW7j_lgNPnlFbZLLnQ4xocMyCjyKqqQsoCIDtmHvNm9_hfwjSx9AOyppSYG0HgEOUBEQ/s320/700ClubRobot.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">Here's a pic straight on:</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103480749892783634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixp4k2tLSTs_fxg7uhP8AxFFJJl2W_fbpJA5VK9OvazPxBozteyep7RVFFFxvOsMiSWFE6aLOcqLQpB1MD3VFsMHlVdtZZpDhKzJ4c5xIa_cIovm9k8-IW-nzOhNUrnssXDlH8dw/s320/BenRobot.jpg" border="0" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ben has upload more awesome drawings of robots to his blog. </span><a href="http://weezl.blogspot.com/2007/04/robots.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Check them out, robot loverz!</span></a>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-20341185948887140332007-07-10T22:31:00.000-07:002007-07-10T22:43:40.896-07:00The Final Idol Adventure<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8rJhuW7pT8-SAU02KUp4EBGxZwzouTFP-Snvc-FsX6LHQNODYGzcJXV5QZSfGd7h_b2rX0abtfLnDAvOgmo-cFtg6y4JeW0pGtraoDn5fR6XFMs3dyqm8UnLdr_5GDq-HiZLnw/s1600-h/DonChris2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085808832594756434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8rJhuW7pT8-SAU02KUp4EBGxZwzouTFP-Snvc-FsX6LHQNODYGzcJXV5QZSfGd7h_b2rX0abtfLnDAvOgmo-cFtg6y4JeW0pGtraoDn5fR6XFMs3dyqm8UnLdr_5GDq-HiZLnw/s400/DonChris2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">Last night ended a fun chapter of my life - watching and being a part of Chris <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sligh's</span> American Idol adventure.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">The Idol Tour came to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Greenville</span>, SC - our home town. Chris had an emergency root canal in the morning but was able to sing. Jay and Adam, two great friends of mine and fellow Half Past Forever <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">bandmates</span>, plus their wives, shared in the experience. <a href="http://www.hymncharts.com/Chris-Sligh-American-Idol.htm">Here's a link to a pic of us all back when it all started on January 30<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span></a>.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">The show and entourage is quite an event. Tour producer Simon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Sidi</span> describes it as "a big circus crossing the country" and that's pretty much accurate - dancing contests, red carpet photo simulations and giant walking Pop Tarts in the venue lobby add to the craziness.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">The show kicked off with "Let's Get It Started" (Black Eyed Peas) sung by several contestants. By the way, keep an eye on the janitor sweeping the stage right before the show starts!</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">The rest of the show is a mix of solos, duets and group numbers - mostly current and recent top 40 stuff. Some quick observations:</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong>Blake</strong> is a star<strong>.</strong> I could have watched him all night. One of his highlights was Maroon Five's "She Will Be Loved." Blake looped his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">beatboxing</span> with a recording device, then played guitar and sang over the rhythm. Very cool.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong>Phil Stacey</strong> is a fantastic singer and entertainer. If you go to the show, you will be floored. I don't remember him like this on the show. After hearing him sing and interact with the audience, I wondered why he didn't win.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">I never cared for <strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">LaKisha</span></strong>, but her rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Loved You" was breathtaking. Her powerful voice filled and commanded the room. It was the one song of the evening that gave me chills.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong>Melinda</strong> didn't sing enough. Her solo, "Natural Woman" came towards the end of the 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">nd</span> half, and I remembered just what a perfect vocalist she is. Great performer, too.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">I</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> was also never a fan of <strong>Chris Richardson</strong>, but I liked his version of Maroon Five's "This Love" better than Adam Levine's. Another good and energetic performer who can work the crowd.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong>Haley</strong>: I never thought much of her as a vocalist but last night she earned my respect. She sounded great and showed spunk and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">pizazz</span> as a performer. Yes, her legs are, thankfully, well displayed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">I didn't expect much from the show but actually had a fun time. Looking past the cheesiness and blatant commercial tie-ins (everywhere you look is something sponsored by somebody) you'll find a few memorable performances and a chance to see some stars of tomorrow early in their careers.</span></div>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-56346850031021476582007-05-24T22:53:00.000-07:002007-05-26T17:43:39.509-07:00What's Wrong With American Idol<span style="font-family:verdana;">In my previous posts you'll read my raves about the show. Uh oh, I was duped again by the music biz. You would think I'd learn by now, after spending years in it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Idol has <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark">jumped the shark</a>. I'll reveal some behind the scenes shenanigans in a few months.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">But what's going on now - heck, anyone can see that something is wrong with the show.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It simply is not about the contestants.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">You can't really blame the Idol powers-that-be. After all, how can mere humans retain their sanity when their show is the most powerful force in the history of television. It's a rare thing to maintain popularity with credibility and level heads.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Self-importance is what's going on here. Take the "Idol Gives Back" nonsense as an example. I'm all for feeding the homeless and helping <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">underprivileged</span> nations, but I watch American Idol for... the contestants. If you remember that week, the contestants were a laughable afterthought. We see Ryan and Simon in Africa. Paula at a youth center. Randy in New Orleans. What about the... contestants?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">In fact, the contestants have been an afterthought all season. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">grandeur</span> of the show itself has taken center stage. In previous years we've come to know the contestants. TV crews make a trek to their hometowns. We meet their families. Find out about their hobbies. What they do for a living. Why not this year? Until the final 3 it didn't happen, because it's not about the contestants anymore.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">What's sad is that these contestants are cool, quality people and you really haven't seen much of their personalities on the tube. There are stories to be told that haven't. I've had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with several of them, and they're awesome. Melinda really is that sweet and kind (and humble.) Gina is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">hil</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ar</span>-i-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ous</span> and bubbly. Chris R is so polite. Blake is a bundle of energy and creativity. Phil would make a great buddy. And on top of it, they're all friends with each other and will probably have the time of their lives this summer. I guess you'd never know that unless I told you, 'cause the show didn't. [Update 05.26.07 If you caught Larry King Live last night, you saw that friendly interaction between the top 10.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And the finale. What on earth was that? Smokey Robinson with plastic surgery gone awry (has he been hanging with Kenny Rogers?) Bette <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Midler</span></span></span></span> couldn't find a pitch. Clive Davis is a boring old coot (what a hoot - inadvertently, or intentionally, dissing Taylor by comparing his sales with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Daughtry's</span></span></span></span> right before Taylor performs!) Tony Bennett, please retire. And that weird segment with the fat woman in the yellow outfit humping Ryan made me uncomfortable (I was at the Birmingham auditions and watched her antics all day. Yes, she really is that nuts.) But, thank goodness, we heard again from Gwen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Stefani</span></span></span></span> via satellite.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Please, all I want is to hear the contestants and get to know them. Even <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Sanjaya</span></span></span></span>. I'd love to hear Phil again, Brandon again, Gina again, Stephanie again, Chris R again, Chris S again. Even Lakisha, again. Did we really need to hear Sanjaya again?</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It was great while it lasted.</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-66725644986311992122007-04-03T00:30:00.000-07:002007-04-03T01:25:07.071-07:00What's It Like To Be On American Idol Part 3<span style="font-family:verdana;">Last week I was in LA with my buddy Cliff to see Chris get kicked off American Idol. Funny how God works. We were going to go out a week earlier but it didn't work out. So I got to see the whole journey... from Chris's first audition to his final appearance on the show.<br /><br />Now that they're in the finals, the American Idol producers have completely changed the studio (CBS Studios in Hollywood right by The Grove shopping area.) The last time I was at the show, during the top 24, there were only about 100 people in the audience. Now there were between 500-700.<br /><br />More people means more excitement, and boy, it sure was exciting. The band has grown to include a mini-orchestra complete with a few strings. I love strings. Or should I say, professional, studio string players playing in perfect tune.<br /><br />And the lighting... they can do so much with the stage simply by using different lighting effects. Pay attention to this the next time you watch the show - the entire set changes mood according to the song and performer. It's a good lesson for any contemporary church - lighting is an overlooked element in today's worship.<br /><br />About Chris's performance: while not his best, it certainly wasn't as bad as what the judges [and that dork Gwen] said. Now Chris is pegged as the guy who can't follow the beat. If you listen back to his performance [search for it on YouTube.com] you probably wouldn't notice anything if they hadn't harped on it.<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />If you watch Chris's earlier auditions, the judges just love him. They even hinted around in the early stages that he would win the whole thing. What happened?<br /><br />I think they lost interest in Chris because he made a dumb remark about a website that is the arch enemy of Idol. This website, along with Howard Stern, encourages people to vote for the worst contestant. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.<br /><br />The Idol producers didn't <em><strong>have</strong></em> to edit Gwen's clip to include her dissing Chris's timing. The judges didn't <em><strong>have</strong></em> to harp on his timing. Compare their comments to Chris verses their comments to the lackluster Haley and Sanjaya. Something ain't right there.<br /><br />The next day Chris had a tip that he'd be kicked off so we knew it was coming. There's some website that gives weekly spoilers and it's usually right [it's probably run by an Idol insider.]<br /><br />Gwen's performance on the results show was something. Indeed, isn't it something how some people get as far as they do. And that Akon guy... what a talent. Jumping around and everything.<br /><br />After the results show, all the Idols, along with their friends & family, meet in a restaurant to have a little dinner party for the person who's kicked off.<br /><br />When it's all said and done, I'm really happy for Chris and proud of him. By making the top 10 out of thousands, he'll be on tour with the other Idols all summer [and make a nice income on top of it!] He'll probably get a record deal and fulfill his dream of doing music for a living. It's the Great American Dream, isn't it!<br /><br /><br /><div style="width:360px; text-align: center;"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://w157.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w157.photobucket.com/albums/t52/DonChapman_photos/.my_first_widget.pbw" height="240" width="360"></embed><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/getyourown.gif" style="border-width: 0;" vspace="1"></a></div><br /><br /></span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-22157052870375591412007-03-12T23:03:00.000-07:002008-09-08T20:55:04.800-07:00Orchestrating Chris Sligh's CD<span style="font-family:verdana;">American Idol contestant Chris Sligh's former band, Half Past Forever, has just released their new recording <em>Take a Chance on Something Beautiful</em>. Chris and I were both raised on classical music and we both like orchestra stuff, so Chris asked me to add some of my trademarked fake orchestra to his tracks. If this bores you, just scroll down to my previous posts about my visit to the American Idol show : )</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />When I was a little boy I saw my first synthesizer at the Knoxville World's Fair. It was a Synclavier, one of the first super [and super expensive] synths, and I was absolutely enthralled by it. Since then I've always been obsessed with synthesizers and have especially loved re-creating symphonic textures.<br /><br />What's wonderful about being alive today is that you can literally have an entire orchestra at your fingertips. A typical software orchestra library will cost far less than a synth module would have a few years ago. I can remember pining away for a $2000 Roland module about 10 years ago, and the <a href="http://www.garritan.com/GPO.html">Garritan Personal Orchestra</a> today costs $199. The technology is amazing - wouldn't Bach have flipped!<br /><br />Here's how I orchestrated Chris's music. Chris gave me a CD of the songs which I ripped and loaded into Sonar. Then I improvised around with the Garritan Personal Orchestra until I came up with something I liked. If my noodling flowers into complexity I'll shift into composer mode and actually write it out.<br /><br />Once the part is composed to my satisfaction I'll play it into Sonar, performing the part right along with the song, playing in violin, viola, cello and bass parts separately.<br /><br />The nice thing about the Garritan library is that I can control volume with my keyboard's expression wheel. The part isn't just a static sample but a living, breathing, musical part. This is very important for realism. If I have a soaring string line I may double or triple it with different string samples to thicken the sound.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Once mixed, strings are sometimes felt and not heard, except for choruses where you hear the soaring string lines. Strings really add a professional, epic, big-production feel.<br /><br />I added strings to:<br /><br /><strong><em>Know</em></strong>: This is Chris's big pop hit. My favorite part is the jumpy string part on the intro and midtros - I can envision an orchestra bowing away one day behind Chris at the Grammys! <a href="http://www.donchapman.name/Strings_Know.mp3">Listen to an MP3 excerpt from the 2nd verse</a>.<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><strong><em>In a Moment</em></strong>: Chris calls this his "Edwin McCain" song. My friend Cliff predicts it will end up in a movie soundtrack.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong><em>Need</em></strong>: I made great use of the Garritan tremolo patch on this song. On the intro, Chris asked me to double the guitar lick with strings. I love the sound of electric guitar and strings. <a href="http://www.donchapman.name/Stings_Need.mp3">Hear a clip</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Sometimes it helps to visually picture a mini-movie in your head. In this case, I envisioned someone reaching out, stretching their arms, and tried to mimic that in the string line that struggles upward. The lyrics tell the story: "Don't let go, don't let go of love, don't let go, it's everything that you need." <a href="http://www.donchapman.name/Stings_NeedChorus.mp3">Hear a clip</a>.<br /><br /><strong><em>Cry Tonight</em></strong>: We thought we were done, and Chris played the final mixes for me as we drove around town in my new Tribeca. When <em>Cry Tonight</em> came on, I said "Oh no, I hear strings!" Chris had wanted strings on this one but time was running out so we skipped it. I went home and whipped some up, and they turned out to be my favorite arrangements on the recording.<br /><br />You might hear artists say things like "I'm hearing such and such..." and you might wonder what that means. For me it's kinda weird. When Chris played the stringless track for Cry Tonight I actually heard strings - my mind fills in what it wants to hear.<br /><br />Chris also wanted a little orchestral intro so I created one based on the chord progression of the intro. The beautiful french horn sound is from the EastWest Symphonic Orchestra library. If you turn it up and listen closely you can hear a slight "gurgle" in the french horn when it reaches the top of the melodic line and takes a "breath." French horns are not the easiest instruments to play and you would hear a little gurgle like this on a difficult high note. The realism of this sample is amazing. <a href="http://www.donchapman.name/Strings_CryTonightIntro.mp3">Hear a clip</a>.<br /><br />We were finally done. Unfortunately I was just starting to get on this synth orchestration kick and felt the strange urge to create an orchestral interlude based on <em>Cry Tonight</em>. I orchestrated part of the second verse of the song, going into the chorus. This lyric is the title of the CD: "Is this just romance, or will we take a chance on something beautiful..."<br /><br />I turned this part of the song into a movie score. To add even more realism to the string I blended the Garritan strings with a violin patch from the EastWest library - if you close your eyes you can hear the violinists playing with vibrato on some notes - very realistic. Chris and Adam loved it. Since it was in the same key as How Long, they used it as an instrumental intro, making a perfect ending to the perfect album.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><a href="http://www.donchapman.name/Strings_CryTonight2ndVerse.mp3">Here's a clip from the 2nd verse of the recording</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><a href="http://www.donchapman.name/Strings_Beautiful.mp3">Here's my orchestration of that clip</a>. I really like the string line in the chorus and use it in the orchestrated version.</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-12315107984771975432007-03-06T15:19:00.000-08:002007-03-06T16:33:47.596-08:00What's It Like To Be On American Idol Part 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHPc81VhQ7XBCkXw7Dx00IScLijrAe7UTyWCOBLIatkqCCFm7mC0tjkXV1qbSABD0-qMcFp_HYhzOnOiyDWYaLRkE3-I9FFgw142lCAFod_wytHRs9CZH831GYi7_SYRc5JP75Q/s1600-h/ChrisJudges.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038955984271061490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHPc81VhQ7XBCkXw7Dx00IScLijrAe7UTyWCOBLIatkqCCFm7mC0tjkXV1qbSABD0-qMcFp_HYhzOnOiyDWYaLRkE3-I9FFgw142lCAFod_wytHRs9CZH831GYi7_SYRc5JP75Q/s400/ChrisJudges.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">The guy's performance night was a blast to attend. I love hearing good singers and I enjoyed every minute of the show. It's quite intimate - there are only about 100 seats [this will grow larger when it gets down to the top 12.]</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">I wasn't too thrilled with Chris's MuteMath song choice the previous week. Nothing against MuteMath, but the judges want to hear you sing, not jump around, be kewl and yelp out a rock song [Simon said of Chris's performance that he felt like he "was at some weird student gig" which then launched the whole Teletubby bru-ha-ha.] Chris dropped in the polls.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Chris brought it this week, not only with a heartwarming tribute to Sarah which brought tears to housewife eyes across the country, but with a song that showed off his voice. Simon loved it and Chris jumped back up in the polls. So Chris, please sing. You can be kewl later.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">People have asked me why they sometimes see me and Sarah in the front and sometimes don't. During commercial time they switch people around. They want the friends & fam of the person singing to be visible on the front row for reaction shots.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">What's hilarious is my 15 minutes of fame from my 20 seconds of face time on the show:</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpBDdVqssBt9sL5h7N9Jp_zPo9KHq3MRHRuT1TgbCDAsN8q-PK2LGs-fbPFKEB2_L4DM-tzoZJrfZIlTvJu1DF6MA_foOeCghBVfbnPl-F_ALLdJkhYmS6TfrggTW3uTLXcHBCw/s1600-h/DonSarah.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038956130299949570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpBDdVqssBt9sL5h7N9Jp_zPo9KHq3MRHRuT1TgbCDAsN8q-PK2LGs-fbPFKEB2_L4DM-tzoZJrfZIlTvJu1DF6MA_foOeCghBVfbnPl-F_ALLdJkhYmS6TfrggTW3uTLXcHBCw/s400/DonSarah.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />You wouldn't believe the people I've heard from... people from college days... high school days... you name it. The typical story is "I was watching the show and saw some guy sitting next to Chris's wife... was that Don Chapman???!?? Then they showed you again and I fell out of my chair!!"</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">It's fun being in a celebrity entourage. Everywhere we go Chris is recognized... mobbed even. He tried to disguise himself, but you just can't hide that head of hair. We went to Saddleback Church Sunday and Chris was swarmed for autographs and pictures. We get free food at restaurants. Now I know how Paris Hilton feels!</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Me, Chris and Sarah at Saddleback Church</span></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhWP5h7UgwqXvEr1RReDzzhaxvspw5x669vpo8B7r_r1fvl4345C9YFY2j_X9zE_SV9HKi_nkmckf9NyJ21FImNE8zigWFqpNGUwQCkr6RN7XIs5u6FIUA-sDT4JPkC_X8VzUOA/s1600-h/DonChrisSarah.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038956564091646482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhWP5h7UgwqXvEr1RReDzzhaxvspw5x669vpo8B7r_r1fvl4345C9YFY2j_X9zE_SV9HKi_nkmckf9NyJ21FImNE8zigWFqpNGUwQCkr6RN7XIs5u6FIUA-sDT4JPkC_X8VzUOA/s400/DonChrisSarah.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Here's me and Chris at a restaurant called "Hof's Hut" in Garden Grove. No, it's not David Hasselfhoff's restaurant!</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC77eaKt06Z7f94FrXdB2z5nz-oaogKSaPSKfWp3b2SeP_LIDdfew8OjMWmsRfwupC3ZWCbb7g8RtACzlwOZDuKWZ7d62teZJAZ0NYj2-OD1DktflB8Tp4FNim8Q89wlw8urSAYQ/s1600-h/ChrisDon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038957173977002530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC77eaKt06Z7f94FrXdB2z5nz-oaogKSaPSKfWp3b2SeP_LIDdfew8OjMWmsRfwupC3ZWCbb7g8RtACzlwOZDuKWZ7d62teZJAZ0NYj2-OD1DktflB8Tp4FNim8Q89wlw8urSAYQ/s400/ChrisDon.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Here's Blake, Chris, and me at the Hollywood Cheesecake Factory after the show. See the necklace Chris is wearing? Paula evidently has a jewelry line and gave each contestant a necklace inscribed with their initials.</span></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_8UuiNoqTSSIfZ2oHazjW57gb_RlprzLREdyRDqdlxh894NkWodUtgCtHQHSBKE5zL7jlCP4S1L0RcF9He5_lfcPIrbDtDnHEUL7EwZgt7DcNBrBWiwkwrGnWkCrPINh9AaiOw/s1600-h/BlakeDonChris.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038958110279873074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_8UuiNoqTSSIfZ2oHazjW57gb_RlprzLREdyRDqdlxh894NkWodUtgCtHQHSBKE5zL7jlCP4S1L0RcF9He5_lfcPIrbDtDnHEUL7EwZgt7DcNBrBWiwkwrGnWkCrPINh9AaiOw/s400/BlakeDonChris.jpg" border="0" /></a>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-87852051143194627692007-03-06T15:03:00.000-08:002007-03-06T15:59:36.734-08:00What's It Like To Be On American Idol<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhti2ED8hBcsHaQVfcup-hB02xTL28ISGB-esuHrZoplgQW3T8tFkJJPVTiBMTXxi1u49oX42qBBR0C7sNspfSbQOxZx_L1Rbj_1XlLv2Qtx_lfGWmOkTkDzyn5oLcP0RL8VYob6A/s1600-h/AILOGO.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038951547569844642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhti2ED8hBcsHaQVfcup-hB02xTL28ISGB-esuHrZoplgQW3T8tFkJJPVTiBMTXxi1u49oX42qBBR0C7sNspfSbQOxZx_L1Rbj_1XlLv2Qtx_lfGWmOkTkDzyn5oLcP0RL8VYob6A/s400/AILOGO.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:verdana;">Last week, Sarah Sligh and I were in Hollywood to watch Chris perform.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Thursday, Feb. 22 was the results show. You have to get to CBS Studios in Hollywood by 3:30pm for the live 5 o'clock show. It's a bunch of waiting. After checking through security, you wait with the other friends and family. I recognized Blake's [the beatboxer guy] dad from seeing him on the show the previous week, and said "you're famous!" He cracked up, and Sarah and I talked with him and his wife. Really nice people.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Then you're ushered into what they call "the peanut gallery" - a bunch of chairs in the back of the studio. When the guys are lined up on stage for eliminations, they rush all of the guy's friends & family up to the couch room - what they call "the red room." That's the place where you often see Ryan interviewing the contestants before they perform.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">We're encouraged to be reactionary - happy, sad, etc. Here's me and Sarah being sad after Paul Kim got booted. Blake's parents are on the left.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK4YrX8nef97TmH5utcFVqwzqieBZELEbPQQk92QL0eVi_Xqh3RoSGKmV9mjpjqsnIisYJND2jvlsmuQhYgHKzmGpLaEEVKVbjJfPSpsHisk_yQk4pJ-NNB3A6rrG6Fhl2gmxOg/s1600-h/DonSarah2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038952333548859858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK4YrX8nef97TmH5utcFVqwzqieBZELEbPQQk92QL0eVi_Xqh3RoSGKmV9mjpjqsnIisYJND2jvlsmuQhYgHKzmGpLaEEVKVbjJfPSpsHisk_yQk4pJ-NNB3A6rrG6Fhl2gmxOg/s400/DonSarah2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Yay! We're happy here. Sundance's mother is happy here.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFF8zsFezjusPwwy2drqHG_V3PE6h-6tdc9Z9YvzY_0fbcboQDy-M0gXoM0XgSdN5dEwd5sUyQ7lsUk7ML9YZZEkylhImR4z0fhMI76Y4i_OQzyVZ_5Nz5VFBhPaY0Dwh-df0UQ/s1600-h/Sundance.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038964320802583106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFF8zsFezjusPwwy2drqHG_V3PE6h-6tdc9Z9YvzY_0fbcboQDy-M0gXoM0XgSdN5dEwd5sUyQ7lsUk7ML9YZZEkylhImR4z0fhMI76Y4i_OQzyVZ_5Nz5VFBhPaY0Dwh-df0UQ/s400/Sundance.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Then when the girls are lined up for elimination, the girl's friends & family are rushed up to the couch room. And back and forth. Sarah and I actually missed the entire show - I didn't see it until I got home!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sadly, Chris's good buddy Rudy was voted off. Rudy's a sharp, cool guy and a very talented vocalist. Unfortunately he was stuck with "Free Ride" - he wanted to do a Marc Anthony song with a Latin vibe that would have fitted him wonderfully, but the go-ahead from Marc's people came too late. Morons. </span><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuDoRsOvsO2Wd7XcStkKwEWlw_8IErRNM1Ne94AQk82QbfP-UvelAzEmwyJniVCWdYdaCy2rlYtgqyYqo89dq2ffdGJ6M8VgCSqLdGOzjTOX-hV7iixX78nTbRKKXewtHqkN5cA/s1600-h/DonChrisSarahRudy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038952793110360546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuDoRsOvsO2Wd7XcStkKwEWlw_8IErRNM1Ne94AQk82QbfP-UvelAzEmwyJniVCWdYdaCy2rlYtgqyYqo89dq2ffdGJ6M8VgCSqLdGOzjTOX-hV7iixX78nTbRKKXewtHqkN5cA/s400/DonChrisSarahRudy.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br /><p></p><span style="font-family:verdana;">If you've read my <a href="http://www.worshipideas.com">WorshipIdeas.com</a> newsletter for any length of time you've probably heard me rant about the perils of the music industry, specifically the Christian music industry. I lived through it. My advice for any Christian artist who just signed a record deal would be to put a gun to your head - you're probably better off in heaven. Chris himself was spared a record deal a few years ago with a major Christian label... it fell through at the last minute. Could this, perhaps, be the greatest Christian music blunder of all time? We shall see.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">However, I was quite surprised at what a good vibe I got from the American Idol people. They all seem like a very happy, nice, professional bunch. In Nashville Christian music circles you often get that snob attitude... when they look at you, you can just see them calculating in their minds "hmmmm, is this person good enough for me to be talking to?" Anyone who's ever been to GMA week knows what I'm talking about!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I didn't get a whiff of attitude from anyone... even Paula, Randy and Simon seemed down-to-earth, approachable, and... nice! The production manager is a scream - whenever Ryan would goof up an intro and they'd have to re-tape it, she'd make some hilarious comment and the audience would cackle. You would think they'd be stressed out - after all, it's the most popular show in the history of TV. But no, they all just seemed to be having a ball. In the press you might hear that Ryan is said to be a diva but I really didn't see any of that - he appears genuine, affable. The guy probably has the greatest work ethic in LA. How many shows does he do now?<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Get this - after the show, the bass player walked up to us. I was almost a little startled - but he just said something like "hi, thanks for coming!" Huh?? Unheard-of friendliness. This guy is probably the top bass player in LA and he walks up to you just to say "hi." That would never happen in Nashvega$, I'm tellin ya!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And isn't that band smoking... and those backup singers... talent just oozing everywhere.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">So what about a record deal with American Idol? Even the Idol contestants who are booted often get a record deal with the American Idol machine. And what a machine it is - I heard that American Idol recordings sold more last year than all the other labels combined! If Chris gets voted off [I have a feeling he'll win it, though!] and was offered a deal, I'd feel really good about him working with the Idol folks.</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-66186549853383661022007-02-04T15:20:00.000-08:002007-03-08T15:59:52.802-08:00Poor Billy Joel<span style="font-family:verdana;">Billy Joel's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" for the Super Bowl was absolutely the most wretched thing I've ever heard on network television. Some idiot must have convinced him to auto-tune his voice - it sounded like a version of Cher's "Believe" gone haywire. [For non-musicians - Antares is a company that makes a device that, when plugged into a sound board, can instantly correct the pitch of anyone singing into the mic. Unfortunately if your pitch isn't very good, the device will choose to correct to the wrong note and it can sound robotic.]</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The last time I heard that weird pitch correction sound was when I attempted to auto-tune off-pitch housewives who sang on the church praise team. They were so flat that the auto-tune couldn't detect the right pitch and would flutter the note back and forth.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=OYIMmi7JtHc">Update 03.08.07 I just found it on YouTube for your listening pleasure. Hideous.</a></span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-38462298709332804192007-02-01T00:02:00.000-08:002007-02-01T00:03:49.743-08:00Idol Updates<span style="font-family:verdana;">I'm keeping track of all the Chris Sligh American Idol hoopla at my HymnCharts website. Chris is a worship leader at my church, Seacoast Greenville, and sings on my HymnCharts tracks. Check out the link where Katherine McPhee sorta disses his audition on NBC's Today Show.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.hymncharts.com/Chris-Sligh-American-Idol.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;">http://www.hymncharts.com/Chris-Sligh-American-Idol.htm</span></a>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-13931193635015302662007-01-31T23:58:00.000-08:002007-02-01T00:00:51.693-08:0021st Century Shopping<p><span style="font-family:verdana;">It's a yearly ritual here in upstate South Carolina. Upon threat of snow or ice, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">Greenvillians</span> rush to the grocery store to stock up on bread and milk.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Me, I need milk and frozen dinners since I refuse to cook [<a href="http://www.fairfieldfarmkitchens.com/CMS/">Organic Classics</a> are <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">delish</span>.]</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">We have this cool new grocery store called <a href="http://www.shopbloom.com/">Bloom</a>. Why would I write about such a thing? Because Bloom is a store for the 21st century!</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Don't you hate to wander around a grocery store looking for stuff? Bloom has little touch screens all over the place which will show you a map of stuff. You can scan your items as you shop with a little hand held device, keep track of the total, and instantly check out instead of waiting for the cashier to scan your items. They're open 24 hours [why the heck does <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">Publix</span> close at 10pm???] You can even create a shopping list online and print it out at the store! Too bad I only grocery shop upon threat of snow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Best of all, there's a big silver robot in the parking lot to help you park and carry your groceries [I made that up.]</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">I sure hope it snows <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">tomorrow</span>.</span></p>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-33455990150758037662007-01-31T11:20:00.000-08:002007-01-31T14:28:16.163-08:00Why Newspapers Are Dying<span style="font-family:verdana;">Is it any wonder newspapers are dying.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">My friend Chris <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">Sligh</span>, who just auditioned last night on American Idol, is creating quite a buzz on the Internet [</span><a href="http://worshipideas.blogspot.com/2006/08/my-american-idol-experience.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">read about my trip with him to his initial audition</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">.] Paula has hinted that he could win the whole thing. He's mentioned in today's issue of <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">USAToday</span></em>. His audition clip was shown and discussed this morning on "The Today Show" (Meredith said she loves him, last year's 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">nd</span> place winner Katharine <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">McPhee</span> turned her nose up at him!) Mike Gallagher talked about him on his radio show. His audition clip is #5 at AOL. He was the star of the Fox News at 10 o'clock last night, with 3 stories about him scattered across the hour. He's the biggest thing to happen to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">Greenville</span>, SC in quite some time.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And not one word in the local <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">Greenville</span> News</em>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Or maybe it's just the <em>Greenville News</em>, since he's on the front page of the <em>Fort Worth Star-Telegram</em>, <strong>and</strong> on the front page of their website.</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-67848986145738267312007-01-12T12:42:00.000-08:002007-01-12T13:02:22.016-08:00The Lady and Sons<span style="font-family:verdana;">I'm in the process of creating a new worship background website and was in Savannah this week to take some photos.<br /><br />I've been to Savannah twice before and have tried to eat in the famed "</span><a href="http://www.ladyandsons.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The Lady and Sons</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">" restaurant with no luck. The place is so crazy crowded all the time you simply can't get in. There's like a 3 hour wait.<br /><br />One trip I thought, "well I'll eat late and go there about 3 o'clock." I was turned away - they were booked for the rest of the day!<br /><br />Thankfully <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">nobody's</span> in Savannah this time of year, plus the local college hadn't started yet, so my buddy Kevin and I got in with only a 15 minute wait. What a thrill - I told the waitress it was finally a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">privilege</span> and honor to be a guest.<br /><br />And it was worth the wait. The place is in a unique 3-story building. We ate on the third story and took an elevator to our table. Each floor is sort of like a separate restaurant with its own <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">buffet</span>.<br /><br />You can order from a menu but skip it and get the buffet. It's the finest southern cardiac <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">cookin</span> cuisine you'll ever eat.<br /><br />And the bread... a delicious cheese biscuit and cornbread that looked like a pancake. Pour some syrup on it.<br /><br />The only sad part of the meal was the dessert. Instead of being on the buffet, the waitress brings out 3 choices in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">teenie</span> little bowls: a scrawny piece of cake, a molecule of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">banana</span> pudding or a teaspoon of peach cobbler. The worst part is that it's all on the tray for you to drool over but you can have only one. What's up with that?</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-1166597123902292702006-12-19T22:43:00.000-08:002006-12-20T00:04:41.003-08:00Piano Bike<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7093/3204/1600/115293/pianobike.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7093/3204/400/61616/pianobike.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I like to ride my bike, and I love to play the piano. I saw the perfect vehicle for both last week at Disney's Boardwalk. He pedals the bike with one foot and pedals the piano with the other.</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35475830.post-1165392357928350252006-12-06T00:03:00.000-08:002006-12-06T00:05:57.950-08:00Auto[matic] Parallel Parking<span style="font-family:verdana;">Lexus is making a new car that will parallel park by itself. Well, almost - you have to keep your foot on the brake but the car will actually steer for you. </span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2006-12-04-auto-park-systems_x.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Read about it in USAToday</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It's about time. We should all be driving anti-gravity hovercrafts by now.</span>Don Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06902289460906789338noreply@blogger.com0