Anticipate: 6 : to look forward to as certain. Anticipation: the action of anticipating something.
Ever wonder the definition of a word that you’ve used all your life, then when you read the definition you wonder, how the hell did it come to mean that? I looked up anticipation today, that lead me to look up anticipate. The definition that I’m familiar with for anticipate is the last one. The rest of the definitions used did not seem to be the strong value to the word for me. Obviously I don’t seem to know anticipate very well. But I do know the last definition.
For me I’m anticipating the release of my next song Hero Unexpected. Last night the final decisions were made on the version being released. The contracts have all been signed for the remixers. The information for digital distribution has all been filled out. The last thing to finalize is the cover art. It’s getting to the point where I can’t believe it’s almost there. It’s the kind of thing where if you’ve seen That Thing You Do, the experience where they get on the radio for the first time. The excitement.
I bet lots of people feel anticipation for someone the like as well. Looking forward to seeing them type of thing. Everyone has someone like that in their life right? Well maybe not constantly but I’m sure it happens at some point even if it’s a brief while. Are you anticipating anything right now? What would that be?
Over the weekend I spoke to a friend in Las Vegas. I was getting opinions on the cover art to make sure it was hitting the mark or to also see if it was heading in the right direction. His name is Nick and he was the leader of the band Big Bad Zero. We got to talking about the music of Hero Unexpected. It turns out that the mastering guy really liked my mix and that’s not a small compliment based on who it’s coming from. Nick is now working on new music and he asked if I’d be willing to record someone else. I said sure.
The hardest part of anticipation is waiting. At least when you really want something it can be. Sometimes you only need a little sign. Funny there’s a song Big Bad Zero wrote that is pretty much about that very thing, waiting for a sign. It’s a mellower number. It builds across the song which is an effective way to retain interest in the listener. The acoustic guitar changes to a simpler pattern at the build of the chorus. Another good way to set the sections apart. Once the second verse hits you get the rest of the band. All coming in to support the delicate nature of the song. More and more parts added as the second chorus comes in.
You have to wait in anticipation for the song as it builds. Not a bad thing.
Go support them! May your anticipation for whatever you’re looking forward to, not kill you.