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O Come O Come Emmanuel

I’ve been very busy creating music and playing for my Church and daughter’s School. I am also working on some more original songs but in the meantime here is my version of a classic Christmas/Advent carol.

I provide music for my local Church and usually sing and play acoustic guitar accompanied by backing tracks (stored on a TCH Voicelive 3) which I mostly create in BIAB/Sonar. I made this song for a service at the end of November. The church version didn't have vocals on the backing track as I sing it live; just instruments with a guide melody on a VST flute so that the congregation know when to sing.

This is the first song I have recorded using my new mic (Audio Technica AT2035) and iZotope Neutron on the vocal tracks. Black Friday was busy and expensive for me this year! I’m now also tempted by BIAB 2017

The song was created in BIAB and then the MIDI was exported into Sonar. Here’s a summary of what I then added/changed/updated:

Vocals – I recorded the main vocal twice to create true doubling which I think sound better than FX double tracking. For the choruses I generated two tracks of harmonies. The first was 4 part higher register harmonies grouped around the centre of the stereo field (panned +/- 35). The second was a 4 part middle register grouped wider in the stereo field (+/- 80). Added a touch of echo on the last word of the last chorus (“Israel-el-el-el”).

Strings and Bass – Cello/Strings using Rapture.

Guitar – Sampletank 3 (Grace Nylon Pad).

Piano - Sampletank 3 (Grand piano 1).

Flute - Sampletank 3 (Flute).


****** Song Summary *************
Title: O Come O Come Emmanuel (Main)
Key=Em , Tempo 100, Length (m:s)=4:26
8 bar intro, 20 bar chorus, from bar 9 to bar 28. Repeat x5 choruses
Style is _CLAIRPS.STY (Celtic Air w/ Piano, Guitar, Str)

N.B. RTs not used in Sonar only MIDI
*******************

Lyrics:

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Enjoy!
Jez