by Kirby Lindsay, posted 26 September 2011
On Friday, September 30th, at 7:30p, a very special concert will take the stage at Dusty Strings, to mark the release of the first CD by harpist (and Fremonster) Molly Bauckham, entitled Maid On The Shore.
A talented musician and singer, Bauckham just celebrated her 10th anniversary as an employee at Dusty Strings (her unofficial title is ‘Harp Pixie.’) The concert promises a celebration of Bauckham’s talent, as well as a gathering together of a community that supports her journey to creating this CD.
What It Takes
Bauckham admitted, “I’ve been singing most of my life.” She graduated from the University of Oregon as a theater major, but ultimately, “I have a creative outlet that theater didn’t satisfy,” she explained, “I got a lot more positive feedback with the harp.” She can remember the first time she strummed the instrument – a Dusty Strings harp, natch’ – but she admitted, “I can’t really pinpoint when I got obsessed with the harp.” Yet, at age 23 she firmly turned her back on theater and immersed herself in music.
After 13 years practicing and playing professionally, she still admitted that recording her own CD, “it’s an intimidating idea.” She knew that she couldn’t wait for a record company to ‘discover’ her. “I’m a big fan of the democratization caused by the internet,” she admitted. It has taken making music, “out of the hands of the huge record labels,” and left it to her to decide when she was ready.
“Part of it,” she explained of her decision, “was being invited to play on Eric Miller’s album, and going into the studio with my harp.” With her YouTube audience consistently clamoring for a CD they could purchase, Bauckham said, “the realization I had was, ‘you’re never ready.’” She looked at the 11 videos she’d posted and also realized, “that is a repertoire.”
Questions, And Decisions
Bauckham extensively researched the costs and process of recording. She built a spreadsheet of what the album would contain, and identified her preference for accompanying musicians. When Michael Connolly, of Empty Sea Studios, came in to Dusty Strings, she asked him questions. “He encouraged me,” she said, and he agreed to meet with her. They met, in April 2011.
At his studio, Connolly can do recording, mixing, mastering and graphic design, and Bauckham hired him for the whole package. “Conventional wisdom,” she admitted, says that, “who mixes your album shouldn’t master it, but I decided to go with Michael.” She liked the one-stop shop aspect and, “I think Michael is the bee’s knees!”
“My harp playing is very improvisational,” Bauckham admitted, “but in life I have to map everything out.” Before entering she entered the studio, from July 2nd to 6th, she had her songs selected.
For the album, she sings 12 tracks, with backup vocals by Rich Hill. Two songs were a cappella, three accompanied by John Peekstok on guitar, and seven with her on the Celtic harp. The songs are Irish, Scottish and English, mostly, with a couple of contemporary songs – including a belly dancing piece, based on a Shakespeare song, written by Beth Kollé, and called, ‘Sheba’s Belly Button’.
In April, she began a 90-day Kickstarter campaign to raise a portion of the funds for the CD, using credit cards and family for the rest. “I didn’t do the whole amount,” she admitted, of Kickstarter, “I asked for about half.” She likes the service, which allows donors to select the level – and reward – they want. “Social networking was huge,” Bauckham admitted, “I got a big donation from a friend of a friend.”
In The Studio
“I definitely made the right choices in my musicians,” she praised, repeatedly. Sarah Bost accompanied on the flute. “Sarah is classically trained,” Bauckham explained. Bost doesn’t improvise, Bauckham explained, but “she can play off the page perfectly.” When Connolly suggested adding to ‘Sheba’s Belly Button,’ he scribbled a piece of music, Bost sight-read it and played it.
“Scott is the opposite,” Bauckham described. Scott Mercado played percussion, mostly on the doumbek. “He’s an innate percussionist,” she described, and handy as well. When ‘Sheba’s…’ needed more percussion, Mercado scavenged the studio and built an instrument from metal pieces attached to a drill bit by wire.
Mixing, Mastering & Printing
“Mixing happened at the beginning of August,” she explained. They waited due to Connolly’s schedule, and to give their ears a needed rest, then waited again – to the end of August – for mastering. “I got the master back and I cried,” she admitted, “it sounds so good!”
“I was going to go to one of the big companies for printing,” she said, then, again at Dusty Strings, she spoke with a fellow harper – someone she knows to be, “a very discerning customer,” – who recommended a local broker, NW Discs. “I’m much happier going to a local company,” she admitted.
“I might not be so happy if they don’t show up on time,” she said. The printer promised the CDs to deliver a week before the concert, but, “as long as they arrive by September 30th, I’ll be okay.” Bauckham isn’t even daunted at having to distribute, and sell, the album herself. “If I sold 350 copies, I’d break even,” she said, “I’m having 1000 printed.”
As she sees it, doing the recording herself, she takes all the risk but she also gains the advantage of deciding to put herself – and her music – out in the marketplace, “without waiting to be discovered.” For those looking to discover Bauckham, or enjoy her music again, tickets to the concert on Friday, September 30th at 7:30p can be purchased in advance, or at the doors, through Dusty Strings. Discover local, lovely music made in Fremont!
Related Articles
- MITSG: A Concert Series To Entertain, And Build Community
- by Kirby Lindsay, June 3, 2011
- From The Center Of The Harp Universe
- by Kirby Lindsay, November 2, 2009
- Caspar Babypants Rocks Dusty Strings
- by Kirby Lindsay, June 22, 2011
©2011 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.