WORSHIP GUITAR TALK WITH
MICHAEL GUY CHISLETT
continued from 11 is the part with “I am Yours, and You are mine,” instrument. On one part she’s doubling Joel’s
which is just an off the cuff thing that Matt was vocals, and then she’s on her own.” I loved the
scratch vocals that Matt Crocker had sung, singing in the demo. Other than that, some way you went back and forth with the male and
and Joel said, “You’re right, it’s beautiful. It’s of the early lyrics were just unlistenable. As a female parts, rather than just having one person
going to be awesome.” And then two massive producer, you’re supposed to look past that and singing the entire song. What’s it like to work with
things happened for “Oceans” to be what it is know that the artist is going to deliver something somebody who has that kind of musical quality?
now. One, is that Taya Smith sang it, and did an that’s worth listening to. In this case, it was amazing job. And two, Joel found a way to write very special.
[MGC] What I’ll do in the studio is that I record
lyrics with a very personal point of view that really
anyone doing anything, which is way more work
resonated with a lot of people. And I was just [WM] One of my favorite things about “Wonder” than you’ll ever hear, because, obviously, not
happy to play a part in facilitating something like is how you used Taya’s voice like ‘salt and everything makes it. Then, I’ll usually have an
that, because I think it’s so awesome. Without pepper’ all over the record. I grew up listening agenda. I’ll say, “I really want Taya to sing the
the lyrics and Taya’s vocals, it would have been to all of the Beatles records, and when I heard first verse of this, and then in the second verse I
a pretty rough demo! The only lyrics that stayed, the disc I thought, “Wow! He’s using her like an want Jad to sing, and then Joel on the bridge.”
I’ll actually have everyone backed up and ready
to go in case we end up switching it in the mix,
and a lot of times we do end up switching. Like
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on the song “Splinters and Stones”, Joel just
hated his voice on the last chorus for some
strange reason. And he said, “I just wish Taya
was singing it.” And I said, “She is singing it.
I’ve just got it muted, but I’ll unmute it and we’ll
be good to go.” And that’s the way I’ve been
operating for the past few years now.
With the Beatles, one thing I will say is, for
example, I don’t like Ringo’s voice, but when you
hear them all singing together, it just works. John
Lennon has a really sharp, nasally voice. And
Paul has a really silky voice, and when you hear
it all together it makes something really awesome
to listen to. I’ve tried to use that same dynamic
with the United guys, because everyone has
such a different voice. When you put two people
together who sound really different, it creates
something totally different. It’s been a lot of fun,
but it’s a lot of work. You end up having to do a
A living
legacy.
lot of backups. Like if Jad’s vocal doesn’t come
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out very well, then I’ve got Matt. And it it’s not
going to be Matt, then I’ve got Joel. There’s a lot
of guys that can sing really well, but you’ve got to
have a focus and a concept of what the song
should be or you’ll end up doing more work than
you need to.
S I N C E 19 79
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January 2018
Doug Doppler
Doug is the Editorial Director for Worship Musician
and Gear Tech + Recording magazines.
WorshipMusician.com
WorshipMusician.com
10/17/2017 9:30:27 AM