Category Archives: history

Land of longer daylight

Delta Ladies, Diana Stones Songs, glass cage, music, Musings, whatever

So sunset moves a little later from today.  Its dull here and cloudy and slightly windy so there are not many folk out except for a few dog walkers and the occasional passing EDM bass drum riffing from the passing traffics sound system. So no particular outbreak of sunny up land isums today from the general populace.  Its so dull we wont get much of a sunset either by the look of things. 

Yesterday was spent mostly sketching out musical ideas. So I have the outline for a new number that really ought to be a song sitting on the music stand. Its watching me begging for attention like a friendly dog or unfed cat, but I am ignoring it at present.  I should really make more use of programming drum rhythms as I have the facilities and it does make a more or organic vibe to the tracks. just that little extra thing but seems quite a benefit. Also the sheer mental exercise cant hurt either.  The wind chimes on my balcony came adrift from there moorings  which somewhat broke my revery too.  I had an interesting discussion with a songwriting friend who I have recently been collaborating with via na online live link.  He said  “I write songs, but you make records”. My approach to music is often made with arrangement in mind that would often be difficult to replicate in a live environment with te kind of resources I have. Often what I create tends to sound more and more as though its the sound track from some unmade film. This is not a conscious thing, it’s just the way it manifests itself now frequently. I seem to have mislaid the ability to just write a song by picking up a guitar and bashing out the lyrics. I suppose it’s the way my head works now and a year of virtual isolation has pushed me further in that direction. This may all sound somewhat pretentious but it is not meant to in any way. It’s Just the way I do things now.  In my defense I have been doing it for about 40 years or so. perhaps I am a bit set in my way now.    As I write this I am listen to a few recent tracks playing back at fairly low volume.  That’s usually a good test of how well a track works, if it works at a just above ambient playback level.  At present writing and recording and composing  is about the only thing keeping me sane and frankly it’s getting to be touch and go in recent weeks.  

At the time of writing we are just about to have the first level of opening up of the lockdown for meeting people outside. I don’t think that it will make much difference to me personally yet until its possible to meet people indoors. That will not be until mid May assuming that there are no hiccups. Perhaps then I will be able to think about getting things prepared to a potential return to some sort of live performance again and the opportunity to work face to face with other musicians again.   It will be interesting to see if there is much more in the way of people out and about.  I am guessing here it will not be much different with mums and kids roaming about in the short term.  The promise is that on June 21 we seriously unlock  and I really hope that happens otherwise what is the point of the current vaccination program?  

I have pretty much lost touch with casual acquaintances now apart from a few facebook message. two of my close trusted friends died within the last two years. That’s not helping me with attempts to keep on top of things as I have gotten into a very negative mindset.  I have continued generalized anxiety that will not abate as well.  I have tried everything to sort this out and it seems nothing much helps.
Is there a roadmap for  back to normal. I am not convinced. 

So here is a tune for you all.

 

Marching on

Diana Stones Songs, glass cage, whatever

Its now 10 days since my Covid vax jab.  I made a to do list and I have 15 items on it so far and still seem to be finding stuff to add to it.  I am in to my 9th week of extended exercise routine.  Some things are better. For example my posture when playing  violin is  much better which also helps to make tone production much better in terms of effort required. My posture generally is much improved though it will never be right due  to spinal curvature which also causes me quite a bit of pain.   I mostly type standing when using the PC which is also a help in some respects. 

The last 3 months seem to have been much harder to get through though and I don’t really know why. Perhaps mental reserves just run out  after a while if there is no way to recharge them?  Often I spend a good deal of the day standing as I get too uncomfortable sitting for any length of time. That’s fine for recording and playing but for some of the stuff at the PC that I used to do its not practical to work standing so some things have gone by the board now that I would like to have been doing .
That’s really frustrating at times.   
     

here is a track from last year…

February first thoughts

glass cage, music, Musings, whatever

February has got off to a slightly wonky start it has to be said.  I have now been doing my extended daily exercise routine for about 3 weeks and I have had to row back slightly due to problems that I suspect are linked to over enthusiasm. Currently I am doing most of  my typing standing up. This seems to be mostly an improvement in on area. Some gain but this  week a little too much pain sadly has put the kibosh on it a tad. Also anxiety is still a major issue. 

In the world outside  this room there is some better news at least including the possibility of an early  relaxation of some Covid restrictions.  This due to evidence mounting that vaccination is reducing the  the R rate and also natural immunity having a similar effect.  There is still plenty of fake pandemic ant-vax news flowing far and wide sadly.  Especially on Facebook where everyone is a virologist of course. But  some good news along the way. 

And of course the last Trump has well and truly sounded….

So musically I continue to boldly go, but sadly only via the internet at present of course which is sometimes a difficult thing to do in terms of motivation.  Often though it is simply a matter of starting and stuff happens. Occasionally on a day of zero inspiration just going though a practice routine may awaken an idea or two that starts in a  fairly uninspired way but finds its own life in the process of simply doing stuff.  The molding of the clay suggests something random and so it is with sounds too.  The result may be far removed from the starting point or original direction at inception.
Technically I have plenty  of resources which almost leads to having too much choice, which leads to dithering and time wasting.  The main point is of course the result, and of course results and your millage may vary 🙂 The dulcima looks at me sort of funny from the corner daring me to do something with it. I have tried and continue to do so but so far I have not managed to hit my stride with it.  It remains a little aloof it seems. 

In Delta Ladies  news  the last remaining festival we are booked on has now moved to July 2022 as I expected it would. That seems a very long way off at the moment but there is talk of a virtual appearance of some sort this year as a place older and moral booster hinting at better times.

Our building works nearby are in the final phase so soon we should have our public open space open. By April though sooner would I hope if possible. That will make a huge difference as we approach the start of our 4th year in Great Denham. So much has changed since moving here of course and most of my expectations have been swept away on the wind.  And find I have very little left to say about anything now.