Woke up this morning feeling pretty sick. Tongue felt like I'd tried to drink scalding hot chocolate (I hadn't).
Feel a general lethargy. Doubtful anything will get accomplished today.
Update: did my twenty-five around 1 PM.
Update: Well, I actually put in a lot of work on the Cat Song. In fact, apart from the vocal, I assembled it. Well, there are still details to do. The verse section runs a bit long, and the chorus section is kind of muddy. I may have to re-do some settings on it and re-export it. But overall I'm quite pleased with it. It's not what I imagined it would be--it's better.
And again. Cut the verse section into the proper length, re-did the chorus section and inserted where appropriate. Re-placed the drum bits, and it's basically now in finished form, apart from lack of vocal. Because of the speed, I'm going to have to bellow it, so I'm hoping I can record that at Tom's house.
Later still: did the final tweaking on the Cat Song, and I believe the music is done. Hooray, etc.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
August 30, 2010
Woke up late, around 9:30 AM. I was hoping to get to the pool around 9. No matter, the pool was clear and I did my twenty-five. Then went immediately to the laundry and spent an hour and a half getting that chore out of the way.
I've had no creative impulses today. I finally glued the broken bits back on my Kindle. That's been about it, really, without any promise of more to come. It may be that breaking through on the Cat project has kind of left a triumphal air that's blanketing other options.
We'll see how that goes for the rest of the day. Probably doesn't help that I just got a double-feature disk from NetFlix, as television requires many of the other senses I would use in creative work.
Perhaps more to come.
I've had no creative impulses today. I finally glued the broken bits back on my Kindle. That's been about it, really, without any promise of more to come. It may be that breaking through on the Cat project has kind of left a triumphal air that's blanketing other options.
We'll see how that goes for the rest of the day. Probably doesn't help that I just got a double-feature disk from NetFlix, as television requires many of the other senses I would use in creative work.
Perhaps more to come.
Monday, August 30, 2010
August 29, 2010
Well, I put the drums I'd worked on last night with the guitars from a few days ago, and damn it it doesn't work just beautifully. Or at least, my tiredness of this project is making me think so. But, in fact, I don't think so. Maybe some distance is required, but I believe I actually have something today. Thank goodness for Audacity. Nothing else I've tried has worked as well. Takes a bit of getting used to, and still has some primitive bits to it, but damn, results matter.
No swimming yet, I figure I'll try that around 7 PM.
Update: Swimming got well in, 25 laps around 6:45 or so. Seems to be a good time on Sunday.
When I came back, I did a complete little section of song from beginning to end--starting with drums, adding bass guitar and rhythm guitar. Assembled in Audacity and you know, it's pretty good. It's only about 14 seconds or so, but long enough (short songs are best). But what makes it most encouraging is that conception to "final" product was only about an hour or so. Either I'm getting pretty good or my idea of quality is dropping enough to compensate.
Two bits of music hardly seem like the sort of thing to constitute a day's activity, but I feel today has been a good one.
No swimming yet, I figure I'll try that around 7 PM.
Update: Swimming got well in, 25 laps around 6:45 or so. Seems to be a good time on Sunday.
When I came back, I did a complete little section of song from beginning to end--starting with drums, adding bass guitar and rhythm guitar. Assembled in Audacity and you know, it's pretty good. It's only about 14 seconds or so, but long enough (short songs are best). But what makes it most encouraging is that conception to "final" product was only about an hour or so. Either I'm getting pretty good or my idea of quality is dropping enough to compensate.
Two bits of music hardly seem like the sort of thing to constitute a day's activity, but I feel today has been a good one.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
August 28, 2010
Tried several software drum machines, and wasn't really happy with any of them. There was one I remember using years ago which would be perfect, alas I cannot remember the name.
Spent some time instead trying to build drum tracks in Audacity. The more I use the program, the more I like it, but there are certain things I wish it would do that it does not.
Later: built up a pretty decent drum track. Not perfect, but pretty close to what I want. Now to see if I can meld some guitars to it.
This has certainly been an instructive project. Especially considering it was kind of a throwaway.
Spent some time instead trying to build drum tracks in Audacity. The more I use the program, the more I like it, but there are certain things I wish it would do that it does not.
Later: built up a pretty decent drum track. Not perfect, but pretty close to what I want. Now to see if I can meld some guitars to it.
This has certainly been an instructive project. Especially considering it was kind of a throwaway.
Friday, August 27, 2010
August 27, 2010
Up around 8 AM, yes (successfully), then set out to do twenty-five laps.
Thought about the Cat Project. I think that what I've got son far is good, though I'm concerned that it's a bit too fast. I'll listen to it a bit later and see if I can't do one of two things: either adapt what I have, or re-record at a somewhat more singable speed.
Later: well, I did some re-recording, though I'm not sure how good (or usable, I should say) it is. However, I'm encouraged by the fact that doing re-recording doesn't automatically mean, "Abandon ship, nothing is possible." I feel as though I can be dissatisfied with elements to the point where I can do them better, if that makes any sense. In other words, acknowledged defeat can lead to a better campaign, rather than the idea of inevitable defeat.
Later still: I thought that perhaps I was making the wrong approach to this song. What if, instead of going from the top down, perhaps I should start with the drums and build a solid foundation, and then go upward? With that in mind, I thought perhaps drum machine software might be better than me trying to pound out something from the PSA-5 via keyboard.
I also started a new painting. We'll see how that goes.
All in all not a bad day. I'd like to have done more, but I'll take what I can get.
Thought about the Cat Project. I think that what I've got son far is good, though I'm concerned that it's a bit too fast. I'll listen to it a bit later and see if I can't do one of two things: either adapt what I have, or re-record at a somewhat more singable speed.
Later: well, I did some re-recording, though I'm not sure how good (or usable, I should say) it is. However, I'm encouraged by the fact that doing re-recording doesn't automatically mean, "Abandon ship, nothing is possible." I feel as though I can be dissatisfied with elements to the point where I can do them better, if that makes any sense. In other words, acknowledged defeat can lead to a better campaign, rather than the idea of inevitable defeat.
Later still: I thought that perhaps I was making the wrong approach to this song. What if, instead of going from the top down, perhaps I should start with the drums and build a solid foundation, and then go upward? With that in mind, I thought perhaps drum machine software might be better than me trying to pound out something from the PSA-5 via keyboard.
I also started a new painting. We'll see how that goes.
All in all not a bad day. I'd like to have done more, but I'll take what I can get.
August 26, 2010
Got off to a fairly early start back home. Stopped at the pool and did twenty-five laps. Was heartened to see that the parking lot work had been completed while I was gone; I dreaded another notice, "Due to bad weather, the parking lot project has been put off to next week..."
Too exhausted to do much of anything. Spent a great deal of time sleeping. This may end up being little more than a recovery day.
Update: pretty much.
Too exhausted to do much of anything. Spent a great deal of time sleeping. This may end up being little more than a recovery day.
Update: pretty much.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
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