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Category Archives: Diana Stones Songs
Thinking Time
Autumn is finally here. The weather is having a last burst of eccentricity to confuse us all. I am still in limbo to an extent waiting on others for various projects to start.
Today has been a mostly frustrating day for all sorts of reasons though there have some little victories. Also a lot of thinking time, in fact rather too much of it t be honest. We are out of lockdown now but for me little has changed. Many of my friends are back to business as usual now gigging with their bands in pubs and clubs pretty much as they were pre-pandemic. I do feel slight pangs at not being in a similar situation but then covid was only part of the problem of course. So i shall have to trust that something will turn up along the way. In truth I have been challenged and changed by events and I don’t think I have the confidence to front anything now. If there is a spot for me though I hope I shall be able to step up to the mark. Nothing is ever certain of course.
I feel very fragile these days for want of a better word and to be honest I have only just about finally escaped living in the past with luck. My old life as it was is gone. I hope if I am spared to set out on a new different path if its allowed. At present the days though have very little to distinguish between them. Weekends used to be the highlight. Friday Saturday Sunday for gigs. But that was then and this is now, the new normal. Perhaps a bit too normal to be honest. I hope I can rekindle my enthusiasm as it seems to have waned more than a little.
I have been recruited for a local band that hopes to play a bit of 60/70s style psych and folk and stuff. They are still trying to recruit a guitarist at present and it seems to be more difficult than they had expected. it would be rather fun if that came together. Fingers knees and toes crossed.
This time last year we had sunshine and good weather. Not this time. Its dull and blowy and generally not great. I had thought to try and get some pictures of autumn hues. It won’t be today though. My mind is wandering and I cant focus on anything. So here is a riffy violin and guitar instrumental tune for you all.
A few thoughts on playing and composing music
I took myself out for a brief ride in the surround countryside today. It’s all looking wonderful out there. I didn’t take any pictures today though. Life goes on pretty much the same as ever at the moment. A steady rhythm, week in and week out as the seasons change.
A few thoughts on playing and composing music:
Weirdly I accidently learnt a Flanagan and Allen song, “Forget me not lane” I was playing through a late 1940s songbook. Original paper published music (piano copy), not a reprint. And played it a couple of times and I have now memorized it. The piano copies were made relatively easy to read so usually not more that 5 note harmony and never anything more than 3 ledger lines above the treble clef. Also most things I hear I can play a version of on Piano almost straight off. I could always do this to an extent but the ability to do it seems to have improved a lot. Violin is of course easy to do as mostly it’s only one note with the odd double stop. Its as if my subconscious does all the work now. Also with the current collaborations I am having to stretch my music muscles a bit to learn the new material. It’s still predominantly USA listeners to my online music at present. I think this is because its loosely either rock towards prog and or folk or jazz/blues influences. Europe tends towards pop/dance more. A few outliers in the east of europe and on to the far East. Of course the stats only really show listeners with an account in the main so the actual geographical distributions may be a bit skewed.
I realise that one thing I would like to do again is work with a lyricist. I always have music bubbling up but words not so much. In the 80s I use to get people to send me lyrics (in the post) which I would set to music and send them a cassette tape back.
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