Various updates
Just some updates about the pertinent things.
Acoustic panels
I’ve been building some simple acoustic panels to improve the acoustics and aesthetics in my recording studio. Mostly the aesthetics, really, but still.
I have a pretty good process for something that’s easy and cheap to build. And it doesn’t hurt the sound, at least.
Today’s accomplishments
I managed to actually get a lot of stuff done today, and I’m feeling quite tired, but in a good way.
- Assembled three of my acoustic panels for the studio (and then ran out of adhesive, oops)
- Assembled my new fire pit ring (still need the brick surrounds and probably some gravel for the bottom)
- Set up a photo shoot for album cover art (pending the completion of the acoustic panels and some general tidying up of the studio space)
- Got caught up on a week’s worth of dirty dishes (oops)
- Made some more tiny tweaks to the album track ordering, and got a couple folks signed up for the listening beta (but I could still use more!)
- Glazed my two pots
- Also somehow managed to get some piano practice in, too???
Album almost done — test listeners needed!
Several years ago I started an album called “Instrumental,” which was meant to be a showcase of my game and video music production skills, and a place for all of the little leftovers from canceled projects and one-off tunes to live. I’d been considering this to be “on the backburner” for years, but a few days ago a thing made me realize that I actually had a lot of music ready to go for it, and a reason to finally get it completed.
So, that lit a fire under my ass and I’ve been working hard for the last few days on finishing up the songs that needed finishing, and pulling in a bunch more music that’s suitable for inclusion too.
Anyway, I’m looking for a few test listeners to give it a once-over to get feedback.
February updates
Bandcamp Friday, February 2024 edition
I don’t have any new releases on my bandcamp but if you’re interested in a wide variety of music, it is there for the buying, and during Bandcamp Friday none of the money from that goes to Songtradr/Bandcamp.
This weekend, you can also buy anything in my discography, including my entire discography, for 50% off using discount code TOOMUCHMUSIC.
And as usual I’m also trying to hype up others. This month I’m planning on buying:
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
It’s December, when people start on the Baby, It’s Cold Outside discourse again.
The song was written in a different era when different idioms were in place. It is not a song about aggressive sexual advances (much less date rape!), it’s a song about an unmarried couple trying to come up with excuses to spend the night together, in a society where that was extremely frowned upon.
There’s a pretty good explanation of it by Pessoa on Genius Lyrics:
In a modern climate, these lines are often seen as Marilyn catching Dean putting a roofie in her drink, followed by simpler date-sexual assault. Dean also defends that his feelings are ostensibly more meaningful than Marilyn’s.
When the song was written in 1944, it was seen as scandalous for women to stay the night with someone who wasn’t their husband. As seen earlier (and later) in the song, the girl has a strong desire to stay with the man, regardless of the social norm—not to mention there’s a strong blizzard outside.
The line “Say, what’s in this drink?” was a common phrase women would use as a way to attribute their deviance to a strong drink. The phrase was originally a nod to the idea that alcohol is “making” them do something unusual when there is actually nothing in the drink—the drink is to blame. In Frank Loesser’s original version, the girl pretends to resist his advancements so she can tell others it wasn’t her fault for deviating from the then-current societal expectations.
There’s also a pretty good discussion about this song in Rolling Stone Magazine.
Also the song was originally written by Frank Loesser to have something he and his wife could sing to their party guests when it was time for them to go the fuck home.
Music keyboard upgrade downgrade change: Casio PX-S1100
So the new keyboard arrived today and I swapped it into my setup, along with the Akai MPK49 (which I also finally restored to working condition). Here’s some vague unstructured thoughts about it.
Music stuff for sale
Hey y'all, I’m trying to sell some music gear that I no longer need or find helpful or which otherwise doesn’t spark joy. Here’s what I’m selling. Local Seattle pickup preferred (except for the software licenses), although I’m willing to ship (but keep in mind that shipping prices will be pretty high, especially for the keyboards). Prices are negotiable.
If you’re interested in buying any of this stuff, get in touch with me and we can work something out.
All items are in excellent condition unless otherwise noted.
Final Bandcamp Friday of 2023!
Today is Bandcamp Friday. That makes it a very good time to support independent musicians.
Right now I could use a bit of cash, as I’ve been hit with some unexpected expenses and I don’t have much of a safety net regarding money I can access right now. So, if you have any interest in my music, right now is a very good time to buy some of it. Or my whole discography, even. I have around two dozen releases each in a wide variety of genres, almost all written by me.