For better or for worse, here’s a small sample of the music & recording project I am working on.
As I mentioned, it’s chill electronica/deep house using medieval influences, melodies, and sometimes instruments. I know it’s weird. It has a element of soundscape to it as well.
I’m planning on doing eight tracks. Each one will have its own location and “story,” as this one does.
I figure eight tracks is good for an album, especially with these tending to be around four minutes. I’ll put it up on iTunes/Amazon/Spotify when all tracks are done and if people stumble upon it and enjoy it, that’s great. =)
I had some great news this week that I need to share.
I was very, very ill a year ago. Four operations, one over eight hours. Four months of two kinds of daily treatments with extreme side effects. A bag for four months that my stomach juice went into. I think you can probably see where I’m going with this. I was quiet about it, very few people knew.
It’s gone, and I am without a doubt the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. So, I don’t name it anymore. I’ve found another way of talking about it — I make fun of it.
This illness starts with a C and rhymes with “prancer.” So we’ll just call it that. Prancer. They rank it too, according to how much it’s moved around — one, two, three, four. I had Page Flea Prancer.
When you have Prancer, you often have a blob. The blob starts with a T and rhymes with “bloomer.” I had a Big Bloomer. There’s a number they measure called your Bloomer Marker. Average is below 3.0 to 5.0.
I had a CAT Scan on Monday and saw my Zoologist yesterday. Absolutely clear. There are no cats inside me. My Bloomer Marker level was 1.38 — way great! I’m one year Prancer-free. =)
Like, that’s my job and I’m on salary. As well as creating and playing music, I teach privately, just outside New York City. Piano and organ are my primary instruments, but I teach other music-y things too.
I always like to have a fun project going, something diverting and unusual. I realized that in the car I’ve been listening to the “Chill” station on SiriusXM more often. I also love medieval music.
“Well, why not?” I thought. So, I’m working on a project that is essentially chill/electronica/downtempo/deep house, but takes melodies and inspiration from medieval English and Welsh music. How’s that for specific? LOL
I normally use PreSonus Notion for classical (etc) composing and recording, but for this, I decided to use GarageBand. Seemed fun, more appropriate, bit of a novelty for me. I even bought myself a new Bluetooth controller keyboard. =)
I’m approaching it differently than the usual hobbyist would. While I am using loops (because that’s the nature of the music), I’m not using premade Apple (etc) loops. That is, I am playing and recording my own stuff.
Perhaps my more classical approach will show up in the sound. For instance, I’ve used the chord progressions from the original Welsh and English tunes, but funked them up; and I have a particular Mozart jam from the Requiem that I want to get in there somewhere.
I’m thinking of doing eight, but I’ll post a recording when I get this first track done.
I’ve tried to wrap my mind around beginner crochet many times.
I’ve tried it so many times, I have a drawer full of untouched yarn. Yesterday I opened the drawer and caught sight of some nice chunky 100% wool that I really like, so I thought it might be time to give it another go.
I feel a bit silly about not taking to it. Seems a bit doltish that someone who can sew a period gown from scratch can’t crochet a pot holder, but there it is.
I spoke to my good friend (and craft genius) Miss G this morning. She’s going to bring me a few simple patterns … and provide plenty of advice. Jonathan picked me up a couple of new hooks today while he was at the store. =)
We’ve made a commitment to fully restart renovations.
The two-year pause did us some good. “Charming and vintage” has always been important, but we’ve now added “and incredibly, absurdly comfortable.”
A big change will be hiring out a good amount of the work. Previously, I was doing everything myself. For friends that are not familiar, our house is a two-story downtown cottage built in the 1840s, with additions/bump-outs from the 1880s and the 1940s.
The day we moved in vs. one year later. I tore the front of the house off, replaced the windows, made functional period shutters, and reinstated the covered porch. No prefab or plastic — every post, beam, and stick of wood was cut by hand. =)
Jonathan had our contractor (who is also a friend and neighbor) in for a few small things while I was in London — a faucet here, a socket there. I’m inordinately excited about the plugs, because we’re replacing the old ones with sockets that have high-speed USB charging and smart-home-whatever.
The kitchen work begins this week. I’m eliminating this useless window so the refrigerator can be moved there. Then the pantry will be built where the refrigerator was.
The kitchen will be a big job — everything is being yanked out. We’re even tearing down the plaster ceiling to reveal the 1840s beams, and we’ll gain over a foot in height.
A few years ago I noticed an obvious trend toward countertop appliances — air fryers, stand-alone induction cooktops, convection ovens that can handle a large pizza or an average-sized turkey. Especially in apartments, I started to see entire kitchens outfitted with these types of things rather than full-sized appliances.
No gigantic range and nothing permanently fixed in place? Sign me up. I have a countertop induction unit and a French door convection oven in my shopping cart right now. The amount of times we’ve needed more than three burners or had to roast a 20-something pound turkey? Exactly never.
I don’t like cabinets, and we wanted the whole kitchen to be easy to clean. I landed on stainless steel restaurant fixtures. Easily cleaned and they can be moved! Perfect!
Sit Still Phill 