The Beauty of Progression

    I'm not sure about you, but I'm a person who likes the idea of pushing forward, learning new things and progressing in my skill, even if I don't always feel like doing it.  Notice I said that I like the idea of it. Sometimes that idea is easier thought of than carried out. I think that this is something that anyone with any skill set will experience.  

    I've witnessed that first hand already with our new album project that will release next year.  Our last project, "Greater Still", was released about a year ago and as far as recording goes, I've had some down time since then.  That down time was nice, but it didn't come without it's disadvantages.  For the new album, I began scratch tracks (a dry run through of the song to give the drummer something to record to) about a month ago and started to get back in the mindset of producing a record.  However, before getting too far into it, I had the idea that I would listen to the previous album to see if there's anything that I'd like to do differently, or if there's anything that I would change for the new album.  At this point, I hadn't listened to a single song on it since we received all the copies in, because from listening to them over and over while mixing them, I was just about sick of it. Within the first minute of the first track I was a bit taken back, to say the least.  Let me tell you that I am not ashamed to say that  I want to do everything differently! I'm talking about everything from scratch tracks to final mixdown...I want to do it all completely and totally different!  Just as much as this fact scared the living day lights out of me, it also excited me.  When I began thinking about it, I would have been really worried had I not found anything I would change.  For me, that was a sign of progression.  

       I think that listening to the previous record was a great wake up call for me.  Had I not heard it, I would have probably subconsciously followed some old habits.  It reminded me of the importance of learning and honing a skill-set.  After all, whatever we do for the Lord, we should attempt to do it with the utmost skill and give it our best.  I know that can sound a bit elementary at times, but it is so true.  No matter what you do, this will apply.  Just like everyone who has a skill and especially one they use for the Kindgom of God, I always want to keep getting better.  I'm a person who loves to learn, so I pray that as long as I have breath, I'm learning.  Not just in this area, but in everything concerning Jesus.  In a year and a half, I hope to begin yet another album project with pages worth of things that I want to change and do differently!  To me, that is where the beauty of progression lies; knowing you are always giving it everything you have for the magnification of Jesus.

Peace,

Justin