Category Archives: history

A few thoughts on playing and composing music

Delta Ladies, Diana Stones Songs, Musings, piano works, whatever

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. 

So How Did We Get Here

Delta Ladies, Diana Stones Songs, glass cage, history, music, Musings, other

The last couple of years have been a rough ride mentally for me and have left me somewhat exhausted.  One foot in front of the other and all that, a  day at a time and other cliches.  It’s hard though. I have learnt a few things though, mostly about myself. Things like, you can’t like or understand all of the people all of the time and trying to messes your head up. I have given up on trying to figure out other people’s motivations or at least trying to. I am also having trouble trusting people and getting perhaps a little paranoid. That’s I guess the effect of years depression sadly. I suppose it may make me seem just a bit unfriendly but I used to be a lot jumpier a few years back unbelievably.      

I have just got my latest release approved “Moving Through The Vale” which will be available on Amazon Apple Spotify and so forth from October 22. The title is a bit ambiguous but what’s life if we can’t have  a little mystery. 

This track is not on the release though.

I am spending far too much time watching old retro TV at the moment. Its comfortable like an old blanket on the sofa perhaps.  It  is an aid to sanity in a small way. Easy access to the familiar. I used to wonder why so many older people seemed to live in the past. Now I know though I never thought I would feel that way.

Diana Stone making a phone call
Diana Stone at the Keys 2020
Diana Stone Is Trouble
Indeed
Diana Stone Sunny uplands
Diana Stone and Ralph Stephenson

   

   

       

Summers Last Fling

Diana Stones Songs, glass cage, history, music, Musings

 

 

Its suddenly warm and the sun has returned to confuse us all as it is  now meteorological autumn. Today I am not feeling so great with a headache, but it’s not the rona, as I have just done a test.  The rhythm of the late summer days continues lazily as you would expect. Music pops in to may head as ever. I have  a sort of gospel tune brewing up now on the piano that feels like it has legs. On a walk I saw a snow white cat. Just perfect for a Bond villain to nestle in their arms. It politely said “Meow”, and let me pet it and licked my knees. Is this a good omen or are my knees particularly dirty? I know very little about cats to be fair, but it seemed a very proper and correct well mannered one. I should have taken a picture but strangely I didn’t. perhaps I should seek out that cat again?

My health is a little out of wac as they say at present, but I am rolling along just about. I am not sure how much my depression is affecting me at present. I feel a bit off but less anxious than I have been for a while. I have been trying a new approach to helping my  arthritis with a supplement which seems to have helped somewhat along with my other daily routines.  I do feel very tired though again which is a bit worrying. 

I seemed to have found finally a garage that will do  a service and MOT but also collect and deliver. That makes life a bit easier in present circumstances. Fingers crossed for that as cars are tricky coves and one never knows. As I write this there is a  remembrance of  the 9/11 attack taking place. Its now 20 years past but still very vivid to recall the news breaking.  I was working as a civil servant at the time and we pressed a TV set in to action when we finally found one. It’s never seemed quite real.

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