Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: Located on West 48th Street near the border of Midtown and Downtown, Right Track Studio is considered to be one of the world's most distinctive studios. Founded 25 years ago, it has seen home to the likes of Will Smith, Busta Rhymes, Barbara Streisand, Metallica, David Bowie, Sting, Whitney Houston, Madonna, and the Rolling Stones in their recording efforts. When Ita arrives, the receptionist gets her name and appointment, then asks her politely wait in the lobby...it will be just a few minutes.

Ita McNairee: *she's certaintly nervous. more than she thought she'd be, nibbling her lip and tugging at her green peasant blouse.. it was loose enough to cover the soft curve of her stomach that was begginning to make her condition obvious after a second glance. her loose cotton skirt a little wrinkled, but barely grass stained, even if it did have a little bit of dog hair on it, damn huskie. at least it wasn't from the birds. she'd had to change shirts twice. already today. she sits with a jingle and a merry smile to the receptionist*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: After a few moments, a door opens, and out comes Larry. The fifty-ish man is dressed in a black collarless shirt and a white sportcoat and slacks, his goateee trimmed and a smile on his face. Behind him comes a young woman, maybe in her mid-thirties, not attractive, but no major terror, either. Larry smiles to Ita and approaches. "You HAVE to be Ita. Right?"

Ita McNairee: Aye darlin *she singsongs, rising to her feet with a smile* Allo.. yer Larry?

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: He grins and nods, extending his hand. "That would be me, sweetie. A pleasure to meet you in person."

Ita McNairee: ye tae loves.. *a warm shake of his hand and a wink, she beams at him.. she'd been a bit worried she'd be meeting with a stuffy shark type, Larry in person was reassurring* Wha ye reckon we're oop tae.. ?

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: "Myself, about a hundred and sxity pounds." He grins a little, then turns to introduce the woman. "Ita, this is Deborah Martin. She's a music producer, and she'll be putting your demo tape together. She's harmless, I promise." Deborah smiles a little, looking Ita over very briefly before extending a hand. "Hello, Ita."

Ita McNairee: Och wan hundred an sexty? reckon ah'll nae be tossen folk aboot fer ye than. ye can dae yer own man handlen o wan hundred an sexty. *and another jingly shake from the pikey, and a nod as she chimes* Allo Debra lovies. nice tae meet ye. *she grins at Larry*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: Larry chuckles at that, and gestures toward the door the two came from. "C'mon...let's go make some music, okay?" He and Deborah turn to lead the woman through a hallway, one of those bright, open hallways that is so good for PR, displaying gold and platinum records awarded to the studio for tracks mixed here that climbed the charts and stayed there for a while.

Ita McNairee: *she looks at the records, nibbling her lip and trundling along. moccassins padding quitely down the hallway as she folows behind debbie and tries to see if there are names she might know*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: Most of them come from the names listed above...Will Smith, the Stones, Madonna, David Bowie, and so on. There's also several framed pictures of various artists here at the studio. Larry and Deborah lead Ita into the lounge of Studio C, gesturing toward a chair around the coffee table. "Go ahead and have a seat."

Ita McNairee: thank ye. *she plops down with a pleasant jiggle and jingle combination*

Ita McNairee: *her feet dangle a little as she looks around the posh space, a hand running through her hair*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: Larry takes a seat across from Ita, and Deborah goes to retrieve some sheet music. The manager smiles to Ita warmly. "So, bubullah. Tell me a little about yourself."

Ita McNairee: och.. wha ye wan tae kain loves.. *she cocks her head and smiles, leaning over on her seat to look at him with kind chocolate eyes* Name's Ita Scott McNairee.. came tae new york tae gie awa frem some bad folk ecross tha pond.. an found oot there wasnae really mooch o a place fer a wee pikey. whoren aboot the only way tae gawn when dancen doesnae dae et. *she gives an impressive shrug, goodnatured* ane ever thought aboot sengen afore.. ah like tae seng.. jes... never really thought o daen et tae make a bit o monies, aye?

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: He nods to that. "Any formal training in singing?"

Ita McNairee: *shakes her head* nae loves. reckon nae

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: He shrugs, and nods with a smile. "Not a big deal. Some have training, some don't. Michelle never really did, for example. Some just have the talent." He smiles. "You've done some dancing, you said. What types?"

Ita McNairee: a bet o belly dancen.. we had a folk en tha camp wha could dae tha spanish dancen.. wie tha wee clackers.. och.. *she closes an eye then chirps as she remembers* Cassanets? *she smiles pleased* jes regular sort of thengs.. tha kind o theng a felly'll gie ye hes pub money tae see ye dae fer hem. *a wink* nae ballet oor rubbish..

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: "Gotcha." He nods. "Just getting an idea of where your performance skills lie." Deborah hands over the music to Larry, who takes it, then looks back at Ita. "Can you read music? I mean, see notes on a page, and know how how to sing the words in those tones?"

Ita McNairee: *that gets a bitten lip, and she shakes her head, the gig was up* nae loves.. ah can jes read books, let alone music notes.

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: He nods with a smile, almost as if he expected it, and leans across the coffee table to pat Ita's knee. "It's okay, sweetie. We've got ways around it...in fact, I planned for just such a contingency." He sets the music aside and rises. "C'mon...lemme take you back down to the control room."

Ita McNairee: *she pats his hand back quickly, with a jingle, rising and following him, brightening a little.* thank ye loves.. soory. never ded learn the notes.. didnae need em dancen.. an ah reckon tha fiddlers an pipests didnae use a set song.. jes whaever popped entae em o tha moment...

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: "Not a problem, sweetie." They all head down to the control room, and Deborah hits a few buttons on the control panel. The music begins to play, and it's a song very Madonna-ish circa Life a Virgin, with a playful attitude and a little bit of vamp to it, but with a modern sound to it.

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio] -> Ita McNairee: Control Room Picture: http://www.righttrackrecording.com/images/studios/c_control_big.jpg

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: "This is the song, Ita. Just pay attention, try to learn it as best you can. Take all the time you need."

Ita McNairee: *she wipes clammy palms on her belly, hmmf. a look down at them. hand sweat? since when? a smile to Larry as she looks around at all the sliders and things and laughs.. good thing the baby boy was still in her.. she couldn't imaaaagine having a child around with all these buttons. she listens and nods* aye darlin.. thank ye *another nod to verify as she cocks an ear*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: ((Roll me an Int+Performance to try and learn the song.))

Ita McNairee: 5,6,5,5,5,

Ita McNairee: (*laughs*)

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: After the first few plays through of the song, Ita hasn't quite gotten it. The style is a little different then the stuff she's used to, just a bit too alternative. Larry looks to her. "How you doin', sweetie? Got it down pat, or do you need some time, still?"

Ita McNairee: och.. reckon ets a wee bet odd.. 'ave most o tha words memorized, jes nae certain ow tae shove em antae the tune exactly.. aye? *she laughs and shakes her head, giving a sigh* a bet odder than wha ah'm used tae hearen even.. toss a few moore minutes tae a pikey? *a cringe, apologetic*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: He nods and loops it back, playing it again, giving her all the time she needs. ((Roll again...extended roll. 5 successes will be enough to fully grasp the song...you already have one, of course.))

Ita McNairee: 2,10,3,10,6,

Ita McNairee: *some of the lyrics mumbled to herself.. doin pretty good and then.. a frown. *och.. shite.. *a hopeful look to Larry, lip nibbled* wan moore time loves?

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: "Sure thing." And one more time it loops for her.

Ita McNairee: 8,2,6,9,6,

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: Oh, yeah. She's got it good, now. The words, tones, and nuances of the song finally click in her head.

Ita McNairee: *more humming.. a little head bobbing and mumbling to herself in that accent. oh dear. that accent. she smiles finally, beaming.. ooooh it was IT that made so much more sense. a nod to Larry* thenk ah'm aulrecht darlin. thenk ah've et aul en me noggin noow.

Ita McNairee: *a cheeky smile as she wipes her hands on her skirt with a jingle*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: He smiles. "Beautiful. C'mon, let's get you set up to do some singin'." He takes her into the Live Room, where there's a microphone set up for her. "We're going to use the pre-recorded music and just have you sing for it, rather then use a live band. That work for you?"

Ita McNairee: aye.. tha's peaches loves.. *she gives a nod, one finger twirling a bangle round her wrist idly as she eyes the mic*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: He smiles, and pats her shoulder. "Just relax, bubullah. Do your thing, and you'll be fine. Okay?"

Ita McNairee: aye darlin.. ah jes.. *che cocks her head to the pleasant jewish man* jes.. wait tell tha music starts playen an seng?

Ita McNairee: *tap tap* enta tha mic...aye?

Ita McNairee: *there probably some poooor soundtech guy weeping silently as the pretty little gypsy fondles the mic with such little regard*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: "Exactly." He's got utter patience for the pikey...hardly the first untrained singer who didn't know a mic stand from a coat rack he's dealt with. He heads back into the control booth and shuts the door, as Deborah begins the music track. ((Cha+Performance))

Ita McNairee: 6,3,7,3,1,9,

Ita McNairee: (ouch)

Ita McNairee: *she gives a cringer, a little slow, suprised when the music starts, caught off guard the little pikey actually jumps, hand coming to her thigh. oop. nervous.. and it shows in her voice, pleasant to listen to certaintly, but not exactly stellar*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: They let her finish the song, Deborah altering the levels on the equalizer a little to confrom to Ita's voice a little better. When the track finishes, Larry turns on the speaker into the live room. "Not bad, Ita...not bad at all. We've made a couple alterations to the music to fit you more. Ready to give it another go?"

Ita McNairee: *a bit of color blossoms under that tanned complexion and she nods* aye.. ah'll try nae tae be rubbish.. *she laughs and nods again* thank ye

Ita McNairee: *she takes a deep breath and cocks her head,determined not taken off guard this time*(wp damnit!)

Ita McNairee: 1,2,6,5,3,7,

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: "You're not rubbish, Ita." He smiles through that soundproof glass, voice crackling a little hollow through the speakers but still giving of that warmth. "It's your first sing-through of the song. And it was still good. So just give it another go."

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: A little better, still not quite professional quality. The music melds to her voice a little better, but the tempo is just a little faster then she anticipated, making the timing a bit off.

Ita McNairee: *this time as she finishes she cocks her head, trying to figure out what was off. hmm. wonder how many shots she got at this? another laighing cringe, goodnatured*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: Patience from Larry and Deborah, and they talk for just a moment before Deborah nods and slides her chair to another control panel, moving some sliders. Larry's voice crackles through the speakers again. "All right...do it exactly like that, sweetie. We're just going to slow it down a tiny bit, okay?"

Ita McNairee: aye darlin.. thank ye.. soory. *she nods and waits for the music to start before opening her yap and closing her eyes. here's hoping something good comes out, otherwise it was back to whoring* (wp.)

Ita McNairee: 10,5,8,2,2,4,

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: And that's a lot better, as she matches much better. It's not perfect, but it's quite good, and the approving smile on Larry's face when she's done shows it.

Ita McNairee: *she quirks a smile at him, wiping the hair out of her face with a jingle*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: He shares a few words with Deborah, then moves to the door, opening it and stepping in. "Not bad, bubullah...not bad at all. I think that's a winner right there."

Ita McNairee: ets aulrecht ah reckon.. better'n tha ferst wan anyhoow.. *she laughs and trundles over with a jingle* ets fine?

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: "It's good, Ita." He nods, patting her arm. "Now, all we have to do is mix it together, add a few finishing touches, clear it up, take background noise out, and we'll send it around. And we'll see what we get, okay?"

Ita McNairee: och.. ye can dae tha? jes take oot tha noises?

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: A rich baritone chuckle comes from the man. "Sure can. It's a pretty standard part of the recording process, these days. C'mon, you think Michelle really sounds as good as her records sound when she comes in here?"

Ita McNairee: och well ah reckoned.. *continued jinglin as she follows the man with a smile*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: He takes her out of the live room, back into the control room, and leads her back up to the lounge. Deborah simply smiles to Ita and gets to work mixing it.

Ita McNairee: *she gives Deb a jingly wave and an appreciative smile as she trundles along after Larry like a housedog*

Larry Altmann [Right Track Recording Studio]: ((And we fadey here.))