Blog On 5/17/13

Sitting here questioning my sanity, while jamming to some Dylan, or trying at least. My celly, in his every other day ritual, has his damn alarm clock radio taken apart, with the earbuds blaring some shit as he pokes and prods at the brand. It's like, there is nothing ever wrong with it - other than almost every screw on it is almost stripped - and that elusive, whatever in God's name he is trying to fix, NEVER gets fixed.

It's some kind of OCD manifestation, that becomes maddening in that HE IS DEAF.

Not totally, but one ear is aided and the other isn't far behind. God, I love living in a double bunked bathroom - less, of course, the bathing facilities. But the handy "bird bath" set of the sink, has on many occasions, sufficed.

Music school is kicking ass. Playing the Hendrix inspired "Heaven Bound Child", raised some great issues beyond the door slamming Sgt. It brought to the forefront the issue of sound, and the differences between what we get over headphones, and what comes out the stacks over/through the mixing board and amp.

The issue is huge, I mean, come on, music is all about sound, and we had no classes on how to use the equipment to its potential; nor, because of time constraints, did we have adequate time over the "live" equipment, to adjust to the sound we as individual musicians, desired.

After some serious conversation with the Music School Director, we now have access to the manuals regarding the guitar pedals, and we are going to start a class on using the effects. This is great.

We are also getting more lab time to hear the different effects over the sound system. This is awesome, as well.

We have been hamstrung by our limitations, and rather than working in the confinements of what we do know, this is giving us the opportunity to learn: music school.

I'm spending a lot of time on voice. I'm currently involved in a Vocal Harmony class that is great, as well as participating in choir and Beg. Vocals. The latter of the two being little else than just opportunities to sing and receive feedback. It is disappointing to receive feedback on how good your singing is, rather than pinpointing weaknesses and direction on improving.

Like a lot of my aspirations, my expectations of those in positions of instruction, often exceed their experience. Thankfully, the tutor involved in the Vocal Harmony, continues to impress.

Until next time: Rock on.