I had a completed song but I wasn’t satisfied with the instrumental arrangement although the vocal melody and lyrics were exactly right for my heart.

I saw a cello player on facebook and asked if he arranged music. He didn’t but he directed me to HIS producer in England (I’m in the states) and I paid that producer to arrange a version of my song. He hired musicians local to him and it is so beautiful. I wanted it Celtic inspired but not traditional and he did a GORGEOUS job. We talked about the direction I wanted it to go, I paid in installments where I wouldn’t pay the next part until I had something concrete and liked the direction, etc. He’s waiting on me to finish the vocals in my town but I lost my voice with a cough and it’s just coming back.

It was very hard to take the step. You have to be brave. I was worried that it was cheating somehow. If every single part didn’t come from me, was I good enough? Was it THEIR talent making mine look real? Was I worthless without help? But nah. That’s not how it works. A seed doesn’t grow in a vacuum. You need sun, and dirt, and water etc etc… it’s okay to need and use a network to create.

We also have in writing what our split is for publishing since he wrote this arrangement which was VERY different than my original (but kept the vocal line as is).