No Comprende...It's A Riddle...
I haven't had time to do a proper update for the last tfew weeks...Life has just been so goddamn busy...So, dear readers, here's the synopsis so far (bear with me, folks)...
Three weeks ago:
- Performed at SPARK Festival local showcase: did okay in my short segment, but felt out of place with all the other performers there who were playing much more complicated, academic material...Next time I play SPARK, I have to have a laptop...
- Saw spacebug's SPARK show, which was teh awesome: she's focusing more on beats and I think that's way cool...Also saw Doug Geers conducing one of his pieces at the Cedar: very inspirational - some beautiful melodic atonal lines for the violin accompanied by percussion and six laptops manipulating sound generators in MSPMax with Wii controllers...The future is now...
- Performed with Concert Choir at St. Olaf church...it felt like a long concert...Glad to be done with it...
Two weeks ago:
- I got very very sick...Missed a bunch of classes...Felt like crap for the most part...
- Attended a Free Jazz Workshop on Sunday, on which we'll be doing a presentation after Spring Break...Small ensemble performed 1/2 hour sets: Very. Awesome...My Free Jazz prof Guerino Mazzola is a monster pianist, as well as being incredibly brilliant...Was good to see Adam Linz on bass too...
This week:
- I've been playing major catchup this week and had ALOT of major things due...Had to do a presentation in Music and the Religious Experience about a book we just read about Trancing that analyzes religious trancing by way of both cultural behavior and bioneurological responce (like, Whoa!)...Also had to write a paper based on an interview I did with spacebug for Computer Music class...Plus theory homework...
It's been rough...I thought this was going to be an easier semester...But I'm running into problems...
Music Theory/Ear Training IV - I've always had an issue with this course, but now those issues are coming to a head and I'm REALLY having to buckle down and do some basic stuff, like write out note names on the music and alot of extra prep work to get an understanding of the material...I have to work hard, cuz if I don't pass the class, I have to retake the course NEXT YEAR...However, this week I finally started automatically hearing intervals in pop songs, which feels like a minor epiphany...This weekend will mainly be devoted to Theory homework...
Computer Music - It's basically become a computer programming course on how to work MaxMSP, an object-oriented programming software that allows sound generation/manipulation engines to be created from scratch...I did actually buy the program for my own use (Yay for student discounts!) and I love using it, but Holy Shit, I am so not a programmer, so I'm having to work extra hard to understand it...I still don't understand it...
* In many ways, my problem with Theory is the same as my problem with learning MaxMSP: confronting my own weaknesses in linear thought and logic...I know all this work is helping me develop the other half of my brain and that it'll be good for me in the long run, but I'm finding the process right now to be rather painful...
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Over and above school, I've also been having to learn material for the Kaiser's Jubilee that I'm performing with the Ethnic Dance Theatre...The Shows are THREE WEEKS from now and I'm still learning two hours worth of material...It basically feels like another class: learning new music, learning the idiom and learning how to play new instruments: Kontra (drone viola with flat bridge), Prim (Croatian Mandolin-type instrument)...The ensemble is filled with some really awesomely nice people and I'm glad to be working with them and I really like the music...But I'm still in the middle of my learning curve so I don't feel comfortable with everything quite yet...Thank ghods I got a couple more weeks...
Wheeeeeeeeeeee!!!
Three weeks ago:
- Performed at SPARK Festival local showcase: did okay in my short segment, but felt out of place with all the other performers there who were playing much more complicated, academic material...Next time I play SPARK, I have to have a laptop...
- Saw spacebug's SPARK show, which was teh awesome: she's focusing more on beats and I think that's way cool...Also saw Doug Geers conducing one of his pieces at the Cedar: very inspirational - some beautiful melodic atonal lines for the violin accompanied by percussion and six laptops manipulating sound generators in MSPMax with Wii controllers...The future is now...
- Performed with Concert Choir at St. Olaf church...it felt like a long concert...Glad to be done with it...
Two weeks ago:
- I got very very sick...Missed a bunch of classes...Felt like crap for the most part...
- Attended a Free Jazz Workshop on Sunday, on which we'll be doing a presentation after Spring Break...Small ensemble performed 1/2 hour sets: Very. Awesome...My Free Jazz prof Guerino Mazzola is a monster pianist, as well as being incredibly brilliant...Was good to see Adam Linz on bass too...
This week:
- I've been playing major catchup this week and had ALOT of major things due...Had to do a presentation in Music and the Religious Experience about a book we just read about Trancing that analyzes religious trancing by way of both cultural behavior and bioneurological responce (like, Whoa!)...Also had to write a paper based on an interview I did with spacebug for Computer Music class...Plus theory homework...
It's been rough...I thought this was going to be an easier semester...But I'm running into problems...
Music Theory/Ear Training IV - I've always had an issue with this course, but now those issues are coming to a head and I'm REALLY having to buckle down and do some basic stuff, like write out note names on the music and alot of extra prep work to get an understanding of the material...I have to work hard, cuz if I don't pass the class, I have to retake the course NEXT YEAR...However, this week I finally started automatically hearing intervals in pop songs, which feels like a minor epiphany...This weekend will mainly be devoted to Theory homework...
Computer Music - It's basically become a computer programming course on how to work MaxMSP, an object-oriented programming software that allows sound generation/manipulation engines to be created from scratch...I did actually buy the program for my own use (Yay for student discounts!) and I love using it, but Holy Shit, I am so not a programmer, so I'm having to work extra hard to understand it...I still don't understand it...
* In many ways, my problem with Theory is the same as my problem with learning MaxMSP: confronting my own weaknesses in linear thought and logic...I know all this work is helping me develop the other half of my brain and that it'll be good for me in the long run, but I'm finding the process right now to be rather painful...
--------------------------------------------------
Over and above school, I've also been having to learn material for the Kaiser's Jubilee that I'm performing with the Ethnic Dance Theatre...The Shows are THREE WEEKS from now and I'm still learning two hours worth of material...It basically feels like another class: learning new music, learning the idiom and learning how to play new instruments: Kontra (drone viola with flat bridge), Prim (Croatian Mandolin-type instrument)...The ensemble is filled with some really awesomely nice people and I'm glad to be working with them and I really like the music...But I'm still in the middle of my learning curve so I don't feel comfortable with everything quite yet...Thank ghods I got a couple more weeks...
Wheeeeeeeeeeee!!!