Fork In The Road Music » Russell Martin

Vote In One Final Push to Help Me Win $500 and a One Song Publishing Deal

Russell Martin — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:55:12 +0000

A few months ago I told you that I had submitted my song “Awaken My Hearts” into Indie Heaven’s Indie Song contest. The main prize for the contest is $500, a one song recording contract. All you had to do was vote once per day. You voted. I made it to round two.

At the beginning of December “Awaken our Hearts” went into the finals. Basically all the winners from the previous months went up against each other. If “Awaken Our Hearts” is in the top 10 at the end of December, it goes on to a panel of judges, who will determine the final winner. I asked you to vote again. You have been.

You have been voting since the first of December, and in that time “Awaken our Hearts” has settled in and maintained a healthy number 4 ranking. Which is ok, because it just needs to be in the top #10, but that doesn’t mean you should stop voting.

In fact, I am asking you to make sure that you continue voting for the next several days. I need you to help make that one last push at the end of the race.

So go and vote. Go to www.indieheaven.com/indiesong and vote by clicking the stars next to “Awaken our Hearts”. Then tell your friends and family to vote. Have their friends and family vote. We have just a few days for this final push.

Sunday Setlist 11/28/10

Russell Martin — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:14:05 +0000

We started the advent season this week in the Xperience Service. Advent is the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve. Though there is some debate on whether you should sing Christmas songs during Advent or not, we usually begin to slip a few Christmas carols in along with other songs that go along with the theme of the week.

This week the sermon was “Walking in the Light” from this week’s scripture Isaiah 2:1-5. Tommy Burton talked about, what the superscription over our lives read? What would the superscription over your church read?

Our songs were

Today is the Day- Lincoln Brewster

Come thou Long Expected Jesus- Hymn

Hosanna (Praise is Rising)- Paul Baloche

Flower -Kerri Crocker

Heart of Worship- Matt Redman

Gloria- Mercy me

Overall a great Sunday. Was great to pull out the in ears and listen to the congregation singing along.

Next week will be our all Christmas Music Sunday so we are preparing this week for that.

This is part of theworshipcommunity.com Sunday Setlist. Be sure and click the link, head over and see what other churches did this week.

Make sure and check out my Hopes Prayers and Lullabies CD. An instrumental piano CD raising money for our adoption process. Order from Indie Heaven. Also join the Hopes Prayers and Lullabies Facebook Page and keep up with our journey.

Using the IPhone to Teach Guitar and Piano Lessons

Russell Martin — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 03:52:37 +0000

I teach guitar and piano lessons. I love music, and it’s great to help others to enjoy it too.

I see most of my students once per week, and some once every other week. In those thirty minutes I try my best to explain, demonstrate, and encourage them to learn whatever concept or lesson we are learning that week. Then they walk out the door and I do not see them again for another 6 days.

I know they practice most days, but it is still easy to forget how a song goes, or that exact fingering. And once they forget, they either will get frustrated and stop practicing, or practice the wrong way and reinforce band habits.

Enter the iphone (or your favorite smartphone with video capability)

I recently have started taking short videos of myself playing, or demonstrating the song, or concept and put them up on my youtube channel. Then I send the link to the student or parents so they can be reminded of how to play the song.

Here’s an example:

5 Free Downloadable Instrumental Backgrounds

Russell Martin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 04:01:53 +0000

For a while I have been posting instrumental reflections for you to listen to or use for altar times, personal devotions etc. Up to this point the only way to listen was by clicking the play button with in the post. I am glad to announce that I will be making the instrumental reflections downloadable through a site called volumMonster.com. To get your free downloads go to www.volummonster.com and enter the code “fitrmusic” on the first page, and then Name, Email and Zip on the second page.

I have posted 5 for now, but there are over 25 that have been posted in all on the website. If there is one you would like for me to make available please let me know by commenting on that instrumental reflection post.

Instrumental Reflections #18-Waiting

Russell Martin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 05:04:15 +0000

Continuing the Instrumental reflections for lent with this one called “Waiting.” As you pray, reflect, journal and relax I would ask you, “What is it that you are waiting for?”

In case you missed them here are the links to first 3 Instrumental Reflections for lent.

#15 Ash Wednesday
#16 Hopeful
#17 Near the Cross

Instrumental Reflections #16- Hopeful

Russell Martin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:52:10 +0000

This is the second in my Instrumental Reflections for Lent. I titled it “Hopeful”. Listen to it as you read the scriptures, pray or meditate.

Hopeful

Instrumental Reflections #15- Reflections for Lent

Russell Martin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:37:51 +0000

Here is an instrumental reflection for you to use as you read the lent scriptures, pray or meditate.

Using Video- Incorporating Scripture in New Ways

Russell Martin — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:09:28 +0000

Isaiah 60:1-6 from russell martin on Vimeo

View on Youtube

Our contemporary worship service as well as our traditional service follow the lectionary. The lectionary usually provides four different scriptures for each Sunday that follow a theme. In the traditional service we have typically used one for the main scripture the sermon is based on, and then atleast two of the others are read or used as a responsive reading. Up until this point in the contemporary service we have only really used the one that the sermon is based on. I was trying to think of ways to incorporate more scripture in our service that fit the style of our service.

While I was at Youth Specialties in Nashville they used several scripture videos. (available on their resource page) The videos consisted of a moving background, generally a moving view from a car, or rollercoaster, or something like that, with the scripture laid on top and an audio loop in the background. The YS team used them very well for transitions during different parts of the general sessions.

So I thought I would try to create something in that same style. I took a section of video on a recent trip to Houston. Using Vegas Movie Studio I lightened, blurred, and added noise to the video. Then took the Old Testament reading for the week, Isaiah 60:1-10, and placed it on top. I then used Sonic Foundry Acid to make a short audio background loop and added it on.

So this is the result. I think we will play it after the offertory as a transition for the band to get off stage before the pastor and person reading the scripture for the sermon.

Oh.. if you use the lectionary in your church and you would like a copy without the little “Xperience Worship” tag on the end just leave me a reply and let me know. I can run it with out the tag and send it to you or upload it..

This Makes Me Laugh Everytime

Russell Martin — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 06:00:47 +0000

We were sitting in our living room watching the Polar Express on tv. The part came up where one of the characters was having his beard pulled and he sounded like a Caribou. 3 of our dogs could care less.. but one dog was at least a little curious.

Curious Dog from russell martin on Vimeo.

This is not the first time she has reacted to a sound in that curious manner just the first time we could catch it on video. I’m not sure why but it just makes us laugh each time she does it. So waht simple things make you laugh?

Sunday Setlist- 11/30/08

Russell Martin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:26:19 +0000

Worship went well at Williams this week. We did miss having our regular keyboard player with us which meant I rotated over to keys and we didn’t have much acoustic guitar. It sounded pretty good though. Apparently I did not give our screens operator the specific scripture, we have four per week because we use the lectionary, so he just put them all up there. Took a second to find the correct one but it all worked well. I do have to give some props to our vocals that are coming together nicely. We have hit the year mark with an almost completely new group of vocals and we are now starting to blend nicely.

Here were our songs for this week-

Brand New- This is a great song by one of our worship leaders Kerri Crocker
Ancient of Days-The band has started really liking this one.
Blessed Be Your Name-The congregation really sang on this one.
Wonderful You Are- From my last CD
He Reigns- Always a classic.

This is part of Fred McKinnon‘s Sunday Setlist on his blog at Fred McKinnon.com.