The reactions to Ben Folds' newest album, "Way to Normal", have been, to say the least, mixed. Some people hail Folds' return to poppy, peppy irreverence as a good thing, while others consider it an "unconscionably awful" album.
As a dedicated Ben Folds fan, I will enjoy pretty much anything Folds puts out with rare exception. And I'm one who has felt his recent albums have been a touch too subtle and nuanced for my personal tastes.
So I'm on the side that is glad Folds has opened up the throttle on Way to Normal. I really like it as an album. At times, it feels like Folds is overcompensating for three albums of easy listening and restraint. I learned about halfway through my first listen that Folds had gotten divorced right before he started the album. The song "Errant Dog" told me that pretty clearly, and I had only to confirm with Google.
I do hope Folds isn't through with the softer sound of some of his other works. Songs for Silverman was an amazing album and includes some of my favorite songs of his. "Time" is an amazingly sweet and selfless breakup song with great lyrics and a haunting melody.
But I'm also very glad that he lays about a half a dozen F-bombs on Way To Normal.
One last note: I am loving Folds catering to old-school and new-school sensibilities by offering Way to Normal in vinyl and live performances from his tour off of iTunes.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
A Capella Karaoke crooning - for charity!
Although I haven't picked up my guitar in months, I have been finding other ways to rock out. For example, I recently sang some karaoke for charity.
The Pod Five podcast is holding a Pod Five Idol contest. Contestants sing 2 minutes of a podsafe song, a capella, and listeners vote on their favorites.
Each contestant chooses a charity, and the contestant with the most votes gets at least $100 donated to that charity, though most everybody who is stopping by to vote is giving money.
I am singing Barney's In the Vent, by George Hrab. I'm playing for Equality Now, a womens' rights charity.
There's some pretty good singers up there, so I encourage you to check it out.
The Pod Five podcast is holding a Pod Five Idol contest. Contestants sing 2 minutes of a podsafe song, a capella, and listeners vote on their favorites.
Each contestant chooses a charity, and the contestant with the most votes gets at least $100 donated to that charity, though most everybody who is stopping by to vote is giving money.
I am singing Barney's In the Vent, by George Hrab. I'm playing for Equality Now, a womens' rights charity.
There's some pretty good singers up there, so I encourage you to check it out.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Light my fire
Got together with some friends last weekend, one of whom plays guitar. She's been playing since high school, and I was friends with her as she was first learning.
We had a conversation about learning and practice,and she gave me some great advice. The highlights:
* Practice at least once a week.
* Practice until you get tired. This is enough to to get calluses and build up stamina, but not too much to cause injury.
* Learning chords is good, but learning an actual song is better to help with changing between chords quickly. She suggested La Bamba or some Beatles' songs as good first songs because most songs are only 3 basic chords.
The brief conversation was very encouraging and motivating for me. It turns out that she was only practicing a couple times a week, max, when she first started out. It was really good to learn that I'm, more or less, on the right track, and that it may take a while, but my current practice setup is enough to build strength and proficiency.
So, that goal of playing at an open mike night sometime in 2008 may be realistic after all. Yay! Of course, if I choose a Beatles' song, it means I will have to learn the dreaded "F" chord (insert A minor chord here for dramatic effect).
We had a conversation about learning and practice,and she gave me some great advice. The highlights:
* Practice at least once a week.
* Practice until you get tired. This is enough to to get calluses and build up stamina, but not too much to cause injury.
* Learning chords is good, but learning an actual song is better to help with changing between chords quickly. She suggested La Bamba or some Beatles' songs as good first songs because most songs are only 3 basic chords.
The brief conversation was very encouraging and motivating for me. It turns out that she was only practicing a couple times a week, max, when she first started out. It was really good to learn that I'm, more or less, on the right track, and that it may take a while, but my current practice setup is enough to build strength and proficiency.
So, that goal of playing at an open mike night sometime in 2008 may be realistic after all. Yay! Of course, if I choose a Beatles' song, it means I will have to learn the dreaded "F" chord (insert A minor chord here for dramatic effect).
Friday, February 8, 2008
Snap! Crackle! Pop!
No, I'm not having cereal for lunch, I'm finally getting around to practicing after nearly a month of idle fingers (well, idle from strumming, at any rate).
I'm not any worse than last time I picked up the guitar, but I'm not any better. I remember the fingerings of all the 6 chords I've learned, if not always their names, and my scales went swimmingly. And, for the song I am learning (Eagles - Take it Easy), I'm really starting to internalize the strings and notes, so if I'm "guessing" at the next chord, or a guitar solo melody line, I'm pretty good at getting it right. (e.g. Playing by ear. Sort of).
But none of that is translating to improvement in sound.
The other nice thing is that my hands, fingers and wrists don't hurt from overpractice.
I need to start on another lesson, but with such sporadic practice right now, I wanted to get back to regular practice before jumping in to something new. Now that today's practice has clearly shown to me that I'm in some freaky-bizzaro plateau-land, I'll definitely be moving on to put some more variety in my practice. Even if I'm only practicing twice a week.
I'm not any worse than last time I picked up the guitar, but I'm not any better. I remember the fingerings of all the 6 chords I've learned, if not always their names, and my scales went swimmingly. And, for the song I am learning (Eagles - Take it Easy), I'm really starting to internalize the strings and notes, so if I'm "guessing" at the next chord, or a guitar solo melody line, I'm pretty good at getting it right. (e.g. Playing by ear. Sort of).
But none of that is translating to improvement in sound.
The other nice thing is that my hands, fingers and wrists don't hurt from overpractice.
I need to start on another lesson, but with such sporadic practice right now, I wanted to get back to regular practice before jumping in to something new. Now that today's practice has clearly shown to me that I'm in some freaky-bizzaro plateau-land, I'll definitely be moving on to put some more variety in my practice. Even if I'm only practicing twice a week.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Rocked out?
I've not been able to get momentum going to practice since the holidays, but I'm still around. I've got a lot of other stuff that I've been working on that has gotten in the way. I'm still hoping to carve out time to practice. The guitar is at work now, and I'm hoping to use a couple lunch hour's a week to practice. We'll see how that goes.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
My stickers? Iz can show you them?
I know it's going to be a very, very long time until I get any proficiency with my guitar. I've got to keep motivated, and find ways to keep practicing and keep things interesting when the practicing doesn't seem to be helping much.
So, I've decided to start collecting guitar stickers and slap 'em on my guitar.
You know, those cool stickers that all guitarists have on their guitar cases? Or the stickers that rockers make and give out as swag? Or the stickers that come with Guitar Hero?
I've got a couple already, that I haven't stuck on my guitar yet. One is from www.keneally.com, that says "Mike Keneally Ripped My Head Off," (and he did, too). The other is not rock-related, but it's irreverant and funny. It's a picture of a cartooninzed nautilius, with the text "Naughtylus: Would you like to see my Chambers?" I got that one from the Gargoyle Humor Magazine.
Though I'd like to save them for my "new" guitar, that I will buy when I am "good," I've decided I can't wait.
I shall try to post pictures of these stickers later in the week.
Practice Notes: I practiced for about 10 minutes toninght. The standard 6 chords, Chord changes in "Take it easy," then a quick set of scales. My fingertips hurt. Not sure if more frequent practices or longer practices will be better to develop calluses. I'm sure both would help.
So, I've decided to start collecting guitar stickers and slap 'em on my guitar.
You know, those cool stickers that all guitarists have on their guitar cases? Or the stickers that rockers make and give out as swag? Or the stickers that come with Guitar Hero?
I've got a couple already, that I haven't stuck on my guitar yet. One is from www.keneally.com, that says "Mike Keneally Ripped My Head Off," (and he did, too). The other is not rock-related, but it's irreverant and funny. It's a picture of a cartooninzed nautilius, with the text "Naughtylus: Would you like to see my Chambers?" I got that one from the Gargoyle Humor Magazine.
Though I'd like to save them for my "new" guitar, that I will buy when I am "good," I've decided I can't wait.
I shall try to post pictures of these stickers later in the week.
Practice Notes: I practiced for about 10 minutes toninght. The standard 6 chords, Chord changes in "Take it easy," then a quick set of scales. My fingertips hurt. Not sure if more frequent practices or longer practices will be better to develop calluses. I'm sure both would help.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Rock On!
Pulled out the guitar for a short 7-minute practice, to see what I remembered and how much I've lost/forgotten.
The good news is, I've got a lot of the muscle memory still there. Scales, in particular, were pretty easy.
I remembered nearly all the chords I've learned, though not exactly what they're called. So I can play D minor, but I'd forgotten it was D minor. Same problem with E minor and A minor--I forgot which was which.
My chords sound a lot worse than they did before. Part of this is because my nails are getting long again. Part of this is I've lost a bit of flexibility over the past month. Part of this is I was never terribly good with the chords in the first place, and part of this is my arms are very tired due to an intense Aikido session this morning.
I will need to make the most of my practice sessions, and try to improve, and learn new things. A short practice is all well and good to retain skills, but if the practice is too short, I won't necessarily see improvement during the practice.
My goals over the next couple months will be to get better at the chords I already know, learn some new chords, and pick a song to practice. Ideally, this song will be fun, a bit challenging, and something I can play at an open mike night sometime this year. If anyone has suggestions, let me know.
--The musishian
The good news is, I've got a lot of the muscle memory still there. Scales, in particular, were pretty easy.
I remembered nearly all the chords I've learned, though not exactly what they're called. So I can play D minor, but I'd forgotten it was D minor. Same problem with E minor and A minor--I forgot which was which.
My chords sound a lot worse than they did before. Part of this is because my nails are getting long again. Part of this is I've lost a bit of flexibility over the past month. Part of this is I was never terribly good with the chords in the first place, and part of this is my arms are very tired due to an intense Aikido session this morning.
I will need to make the most of my practice sessions, and try to improve, and learn new things. A short practice is all well and good to retain skills, but if the practice is too short, I won't necessarily see improvement during the practice.
My goals over the next couple months will be to get better at the chords I already know, learn some new chords, and pick a song to practice. Ideally, this song will be fun, a bit challenging, and something I can play at an open mike night sometime this year. If anyone has suggestions, let me know.
--The musishian
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
New Year's Resolutions
Well, I won't have time to pick up the guitar until Thursday at the latest, but I can certainly get back into blogging before then.
I came across some good information on how to make and keep New Year's Resolutions. Highlights from the article:
One resolution is better than many.
Set specific, measurable, realistic goals
Tell lots of people about the goals. Even blog about them. The peer pressure, especially for women, will help you stay on track.
Don't treat setbacks as failures.
So, my resolution for 2008 is to learn how to play guitar. More specifically, I will:
Practice at least twice a week
Blog at least once a week
And, as an over-arching goal, I hope to play a tune at an open mike night and not completely embarrass myself before the end of the year.
I came across some good information on how to make and keep New Year's Resolutions. Highlights from the article:
One resolution is better than many.
Set specific, measurable, realistic goals
Tell lots of people about the goals. Even blog about them. The peer pressure, especially for women, will help you stay on track.
Don't treat setbacks as failures.
So, my resolution for 2008 is to learn how to play guitar. More specifically, I will:
Practice at least twice a week
Blog at least once a week
And, as an over-arching goal, I hope to play a tune at an open mike night and not completely embarrass myself before the end of the year.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Hiatus post
The good news is I've been keeping my nails short, and keeping my guitar in the car, so I can be ready to practice at a moment's notice. The bad news is, life has been so busy, I've not had time to practice.
I hope to get back into the swing of things around the new year. Thanks for your patience and understanding (all 6 of you who read my blog).
In the meantime, you can check out my other blog, Garlic is Love, which is all about food and cooking, something I do a lot during the holidays. Non-garlic lovers also welcome.
I will be back, though.
--the Musishian.
I hope to get back into the swing of things around the new year. Thanks for your patience and understanding (all 6 of you who read my blog).
In the meantime, you can check out my other blog, Garlic is Love, which is all about food and cooking, something I do a lot during the holidays. Non-garlic lovers also welcome.
I will be back, though.
--the Musishian.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
TSO Concert Debriefing
If you've never heard of The Trans-Siberian Orchestra (or TSO, for short), their shtick is that they play Christmas songs and classical songs, but with a rock arrangement. So, in addition to piano .and violin, there's drums, two lead guitars, a bass, and lots of singers.
Okay, so it's a little bit cheesy, very 70's and 80's, with the laser light effects, pyrotechnics, and big, big hair. But on the other hand, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra rocked out for three solid hours, playing their guts out on the stage
These guys are amazing. If you ever have a chance to go see them, do it. I've seen them twice now, and each concert is a high-energy, superb experience.
They, essentially, play two full concerts every show. The first half is a Rock-Opera story thing, where a narrator guy links the songs together. Around the Holidays it's a story where an angel goes around trying to learn a valuable lesson, and helping others in the process. It's a little heavy-handed and didactic, but it's really good music, and fun to listen to.
Then, the second half of the concert is more free form, where we get introduced to the band, and lots of popular and classical songs are played. Where else are you gonna hear "Proud Mary" and "Carmina Burana" in the same concert?
(Oh, and the Carmina Burana was simply spectacular. It will hopefully be out on their new CD, in Summer of 2008).
I totally appreciate these guys work ethic. They know that they've got a good gig going, and they still bring tons of energy to the show. They have an insane touring schedule, too. But if you can get a chance to see them live, totally do it. It's a spectacle in every sense of the word.
(Addendum: Apparently, in certain venues, like Detroit, they play two full concerts a day--a matinee, and a later show. That means they play 6 hours of concert music in a day. Makes me feel tired just thiking about it. Huge props to the band.)
Okay, so it's a little bit cheesy, very 70's and 80's, with the laser light effects, pyrotechnics, and big, big hair. But on the other hand, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra rocked out for three solid hours, playing their guts out on the stage
These guys are amazing. If you ever have a chance to go see them, do it. I've seen them twice now, and each concert is a high-energy, superb experience.
They, essentially, play two full concerts every show. The first half is a Rock-Opera story thing, where a narrator guy links the songs together. Around the Holidays it's a story where an angel goes around trying to learn a valuable lesson, and helping others in the process. It's a little heavy-handed and didactic, but it's really good music, and fun to listen to.
Then, the second half of the concert is more free form, where we get introduced to the band, and lots of popular and classical songs are played. Where else are you gonna hear "Proud Mary" and "Carmina Burana" in the same concert?
(Oh, and the Carmina Burana was simply spectacular. It will hopefully be out on their new CD, in Summer of 2008).
I totally appreciate these guys work ethic. They know that they've got a good gig going, and they still bring tons of energy to the show. They have an insane touring schedule, too. But if you can get a chance to see them live, totally do it. It's a spectacle in every sense of the word.
(Addendum: Apparently, in certain venues, like Detroit, they play two full concerts a day--a matinee, and a later show. That means they play 6 hours of concert music in a day. Makes me feel tired just thiking about it. Huge props to the band.)
Friday, November 30, 2007
Immersing myself in some rock tonight
It's just another way to say "I'm going to a TSO concert instead of practicing."
I had some good inertia going with the practice schedule, then Thanksgiving came up and BLAM! Nothing.
I have very little free time between now and the end of the year, and I was thinking about just saying "screw it," and picking a practice schedule back up after January 1st. But I've decided to try to get back into a practice schedule starting Monday.
It may only be one or two days a week, but it'll be something, and then I can kick it into a higher gear in 2008. I've already found that lunch practice works well for me, and it's an otherwise less-than-productive time of day (other than the days I go out to run errands, that is).
Look for an update on the TSO concert sometime this weekend.
--the musishian
I had some good inertia going with the practice schedule, then Thanksgiving came up and BLAM! Nothing.
I have very little free time between now and the end of the year, and I was thinking about just saying "screw it," and picking a practice schedule back up after January 1st. But I've decided to try to get back into a practice schedule starting Monday.
It may only be one or two days a week, but it'll be something, and then I can kick it into a higher gear in 2008. I've already found that lunch practice works well for me, and it's an otherwise less-than-productive time of day (other than the days I go out to run errands, that is).
Look for an update on the TSO concert sometime this weekend.
--the musishian
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Taking a (short) break
The guitar won't fit in the car when we go out of town for Thanksgiving. With guitar, Aikido and the typing I do for work and at home, my wrists are killing me.
After about a half a week of rest, doing nothing more difficult than icing some cookies or lifting a glass or two of wine, I hope to be well-rested and ready to come back at it.
--The Musishian
After about a half a week of rest, doing nothing more difficult than icing some cookies or lifting a glass or two of wine, I hope to be well-rested and ready to come back at it.
--The Musishian
Friday, November 16, 2007
Thursday Lunch practice
Another lunch practice (that's 4 practices this week for those counting). About 20 minutes.
1 set of E Phrigyan and cromatic scales, forwards and backwards.
Practiced chords
Practiced "Take It Easy" rhythm guitar
Practiced "Day Tripper" lead guitar - first verse to refrain
I made an effort to slow down my practice this time, and I was able to hit the notes in the scales without making many mistakes.
For "Day Tripper" I was able to go through it several times without screwing it up. I even started trying to figure out the part under the refrain.
Was having some trouble hitting chords today, for some reason. My fingers wouldn't go into the right positions, and kept getting in the way of other strings. Perhaps I need to do some finger stretches in addition to the scales warm-ups, or maybe just more scales.
There's several good hand stretches in Aikido that, once I learn them all the way, I'll probably use to warm up for guitar practice (and probably at my desk job when my hands get tired from all the typing).
Until next time,
--The musishian
1 set of E Phrigyan and cromatic scales, forwards and backwards.
Practiced chords
Practiced "Take It Easy" rhythm guitar
Practiced "Day Tripper" lead guitar - first verse to refrain
I made an effort to slow down my practice this time, and I was able to hit the notes in the scales without making many mistakes.
For "Day Tripper" I was able to go through it several times without screwing it up. I even started trying to figure out the part under the refrain.
Was having some trouble hitting chords today, for some reason. My fingers wouldn't go into the right positions, and kept getting in the way of other strings. Perhaps I need to do some finger stretches in addition to the scales warm-ups, or maybe just more scales.
There's several good hand stretches in Aikido that, once I learn them all the way, I'll probably use to warm up for guitar practice (and probably at my desk job when my hands get tired from all the typing).
Until next time,
--The musishian
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Lunchtime practice debriefing
Not only did I practice on Tuesday, I also got about of 20 minutes of practice in at lunch today! Wow, 3 days this week already! Go me!
After only one lunchtime practice, I've decided that I love it. It was a great break in the day, a mood-booster, and, frankly, a way to make practice fun. It's certainly more fun than working...
I did notice that I started out playing much quieter, so as not to disturb any co-workers who were still at their desks for lunch. Which was interesting because it seemed to make me a bit more accurate with my scales. As I got into it, though, I started to get louder, and nobody seemed to notice.
The scales are coming along well--E Phrygian is super-easy for me now. I've also noticed I tend to do scales faster backwards (from high E string to low E string) than forwards. Odd.
I continued to focus on songs, changing from chord to chord, and working on some strumming technique. I also discovered that I had a different Web site bookmarked for guitar help at work then the one I have at home. This site, Guitar Noise, is one I may also check out at home.
Still noticing problems with my playing. Like many things in my life, it's hard for me to slow down. I want to speed up and do the song at the "correct" tempo, but to learn it, I need to go laboriously slowly.
Another thing that tends to get me off track is when I want to sing along with the guitar. A lunchtime practice is good to get me out of this habit because there's no way I'm singing and playing where all my co-workers can hear. That's what Wednesday night Karaoke is for.
All in all, the practice was very good. It was rather relaxing to switch gears during work, and I had plenty of time to practice, eat lunch, and do other things (like surf the 'Net, go for a walk, or, write this blog entry).
After only one lunchtime practice, I've decided that I love it. It was a great break in the day, a mood-booster, and, frankly, a way to make practice fun. It's certainly more fun than working...
I did notice that I started out playing much quieter, so as not to disturb any co-workers who were still at their desks for lunch. Which was interesting because it seemed to make me a bit more accurate with my scales. As I got into it, though, I started to get louder, and nobody seemed to notice.
The scales are coming along well--E Phrygian is super-easy for me now. I've also noticed I tend to do scales faster backwards (from high E string to low E string) than forwards. Odd.
I continued to focus on songs, changing from chord to chord, and working on some strumming technique. I also discovered that I had a different Web site bookmarked for guitar help at work then the one I have at home. This site, Guitar Noise, is one I may also check out at home.
Still noticing problems with my playing. Like many things in my life, it's hard for me to slow down. I want to speed up and do the song at the "correct" tempo, but to learn it, I need to go laboriously slowly.
Another thing that tends to get me off track is when I want to sing along with the guitar. A lunchtime practice is good to get me out of this habit because there's no way I'm singing and playing where all my co-workers can hear. That's what Wednesday night Karaoke is for.
All in all, the practice was very good. It was rather relaxing to switch gears during work, and I had plenty of time to practice, eat lunch, and do other things (like surf the 'Net, go for a walk, or, write this blog entry).
Love me two times...
Had the day off yesterday, was able to squeeze in two 15-minute practices in one day, for the first time.
Unfortunately, I feel like I'm hitting a plateau. I'm doing the chromatic and E Phrygian scales correctly, but slowly, and I've memorized the 6 chords I know so far. However, I'm playing the notes very, very slowly, and I'm not good at switching between chords yet. Perhaps it's time to go to Lesson 3 and learn some more chords.
For my "free practice," I worked on the lead part from "Day Tripper." It's really catchy, pretty easy to play by ear, and uses (at least) four strings of the guitar. So it's a good one to learn the strings and to learn the individual notes on the strings. It's also fun to play.
I also re-tuned my guitar yesterday. Since I don't have a guitar stand, every time I take my guitar in and out of its case, it gets a little more out of tune. But it was much faster to re-tune it now that I've memorized the string names. I can just plunk out the note on my electronic keyboard, and not have to take 2 minutes figuring out which string corresponds to which note.
Unfortunately, I feel like I'm hitting a plateau. I'm doing the chromatic and E Phrygian scales correctly, but slowly, and I've memorized the 6 chords I know so far. However, I'm playing the notes very, very slowly, and I'm not good at switching between chords yet. Perhaps it's time to go to Lesson 3 and learn some more chords.
For my "free practice," I worked on the lead part from "Day Tripper." It's really catchy, pretty easy to play by ear, and uses (at least) four strings of the guitar. So it's a good one to learn the strings and to learn the individual notes on the strings. It's also fun to play.
I also re-tuned my guitar yesterday. Since I don't have a guitar stand, every time I take my guitar in and out of its case, it gets a little more out of tune. But it was much faster to re-tune it now that I've memorized the string names. I can just plunk out the note on my electronic keyboard, and not have to take 2 minutes figuring out which string corresponds to which note.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Mastering the speed practice
Friday night, home from another aikido lesson, ready to sleep, but I know I don't have to get up for anything in the morning. Before bed, I kicked out a 10 minute practice--2 sets of scales, both Chromatic and E Phrygian, and a quick study of chords. The good news, I remembered the chords. The better news, I was able to get a practice in when I thought I didn't have time.
The only bad thing: My guitar is getting pretty out of tune. Will need to take some time to tune on Monday. Since I no longer have my little tuning device, I have to tune using my keyboard, which is not a problem, just takes about 5 extra minutes. The one good thing about my (near) perfect-pitch--I can tell that it's my guitar out of tune, and not me getting the chord wrong. I still know what it should sound like, and what it will sound like when it's tuned properly. I do need to work on internalizing the correct tones, though. I'm sure it will come with practice.
A short practice is certainly better than no practice at all. I'm happy with myself. This is a step in the right direction. Will post again when I get my first lunchtime practice in, to let y'all know how that goes.
--the Musishian
The only bad thing: My guitar is getting pretty out of tune. Will need to take some time to tune on Monday. Since I no longer have my little tuning device, I have to tune using my keyboard, which is not a problem, just takes about 5 extra minutes. The one good thing about my (near) perfect-pitch--I can tell that it's my guitar out of tune, and not me getting the chord wrong. I still know what it should sound like, and what it will sound like when it's tuned properly. I do need to work on internalizing the correct tones, though. I'm sure it will come with practice.
A short practice is certainly better than no practice at all. I'm happy with myself. This is a step in the right direction. Will post again when I get my first lunchtime practice in, to let y'all know how that goes.
--the Musishian
Friday, November 9, 2007
Lyrics epiphiany
(Author's Note: If you promise to recognize that learning how to write lyrics is just as important as learning how to play guitar and compose melodies, I promise I won't foist critical analysis of rock songs on you all that much.)
While listening to Coverville, I heard a version of Overkill (originally by Men at Work) and had an epiphany. We all know the song--
"I can't get to sleep!
I'm tired of all the, something something!"
--It was played so much in the 80’s that we may even be sick of it. We tend to think of the song’s melody, and only a few lyrics stand out:
“Day after day, it reappears,
Night after night, my something, shows the fear,
Something here and fade away.”
As I listened to the cover version, I actually caught all the lyrics for the first time. And I realized that the song is a perfect statement about anxiety, and its obsessive nature. And it has narrative structure to boot!
The lyrics of the song paint a picture of a guy with insomnia.
I can't get to sleep
I think about the implications
Of diving in too deep
And possibly the complications
He knows that he’s only getting anxious because it’s night, and he’s alone. He knows he’s blowing things out of proportion.
Especially at night
I worry over situations
I know will be alright
Perahaps it’s just my imagination
Then we get the end of the verse, which resolves the anxiety. The melody line descends here, which evokes a sense of relaxation and quieting down of the mind:
Day after day it reappears
Night after night my heartbeat, shows the fear
Ghosts appear and fade away
In the second verse, though, it seems the anxiety is still there:
Alone between the sheets
Only brings exasperation
So, he goes for a walk to try to distract himself from the anxieties. It seems to work:
It's time to walk the streets
Smell the desperation
At least there's pretty lights
And though there's little variation
It nullifies the night
From overkill
Ah. Now we’ve gotten to the crux (and the title) of the song—Overkill. Which is the anxiety he’s feeling about every little thing, that he doesn’t need to worry about, but he’s worrying about anyway.
The end of the second ‘verse repeats the lines from the end of the first verse, showing that the anxiety does, in fact, go away again.
Yet, the anxiety comes back (the very next day—wait, wrong song), and it’s worse this time, which we know because he’s singing the melody an octave higher:
I can’t get to SLEEEEP!
But, the anxiety goes away, at least for a little while. The end of the verse, like the other two, is always the same:
Ghosts appear and fade away.
Even the form of the song evokes a recurrent, unavoidable anxiety. With the short lines, limited rhyme, and repetition of entire stanzas.
The beauty of this song is it’s such a common experience. Everyone’s gone though this at least once in their lives, where the cares of the world get you the wrong way and keep you up at night. You think you’ve got it under control and you’re calm, but then a stray thought sets you off again.
Very cool.
p.s. if this sort of thing interests you at all, I must recommend an amusing analysis of Jailhouse Rock by maestro George Hrab, from his Geologic Podcast episode 22. Unlike my work, his is edgy, laced with profanity, and very, very funny.
While listening to Coverville, I heard a version of Overkill (originally by Men at Work) and had an epiphany. We all know the song--
"I can't get to sleep!
I'm tired of all the, something something!"
--It was played so much in the 80’s that we may even be sick of it. We tend to think of the song’s melody, and only a few lyrics stand out:
“Day after day, it reappears,
Night after night, my something, shows the fear,
Something here and fade away.”
As I listened to the cover version, I actually caught all the lyrics for the first time. And I realized that the song is a perfect statement about anxiety, and its obsessive nature. And it has narrative structure to boot!
The lyrics of the song paint a picture of a guy with insomnia.
I can't get to sleep
I think about the implications
Of diving in too deep
And possibly the complications
He knows that he’s only getting anxious because it’s night, and he’s alone. He knows he’s blowing things out of proportion.
Especially at night
I worry over situations
I know will be alright
Perahaps it’s just my imagination
Then we get the end of the verse, which resolves the anxiety. The melody line descends here, which evokes a sense of relaxation and quieting down of the mind:
Day after day it reappears
Night after night my heartbeat, shows the fear
Ghosts appear and fade away
In the second verse, though, it seems the anxiety is still there:
Alone between the sheets
Only brings exasperation
So, he goes for a walk to try to distract himself from the anxieties. It seems to work:
It's time to walk the streets
Smell the desperation
At least there's pretty lights
And though there's little variation
It nullifies the night
From overkill
Ah. Now we’ve gotten to the crux (and the title) of the song—Overkill. Which is the anxiety he’s feeling about every little thing, that he doesn’t need to worry about, but he’s worrying about anyway.
The end of the second ‘verse repeats the lines from the end of the first verse, showing that the anxiety does, in fact, go away again.
Yet, the anxiety comes back (the very next day—wait, wrong song), and it’s worse this time, which we know because he’s singing the melody an octave higher:
I can’t get to SLEEEEP!
But, the anxiety goes away, at least for a little while. The end of the verse, like the other two, is always the same:
Ghosts appear and fade away.
Even the form of the song evokes a recurrent, unavoidable anxiety. With the short lines, limited rhyme, and repetition of entire stanzas.
The beauty of this song is it’s such a common experience. Everyone’s gone though this at least once in their lives, where the cares of the world get you the wrong way and keep you up at night. You think you’ve got it under control and you’re calm, but then a stray thought sets you off again.
Very cool.
p.s. if this sort of thing interests you at all, I must recommend an amusing analysis of Jailhouse Rock by maestro George Hrab, from his Geologic Podcast episode 22. Unlike my work, his is edgy, laced with profanity, and very, very funny.
Excuses, excuses
Good excuses, but still excuses, for not practcing since early this week.
1. Started Aikido.
2. Had to finish a job application and walk it over to HR during my lunch hour, when I would have otherwise tried to practice at lunch.
3. Chose to go out to a Guitar Hero event being run by a local radio station. If you played the game, they would enter you in a trip to London to see Led Zepplin in concert. Free trip to London = coool.
4. Rode the bus to work today, did not have room for my guitar on the bus (well, actually, forgot it).
I still feel like a slacker, though.
1. Started Aikido.
2. Had to finish a job application and walk it over to HR during my lunch hour, when I would have otherwise tried to practice at lunch.
3. Chose to go out to a Guitar Hero event being run by a local radio station. If you played the game, they would enter you in a trip to London to see Led Zepplin in concert. Free trip to London = coool.
4. Rode the bus to work today, did not have room for my guitar on the bus (well, actually, forgot it).
I still feel like a slacker, though.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Aikido = Guitar?
I went to my first Aikido class last night. As expected, it was pretty hard, but it was largely a mental challenge rather than a physical challenge.
Now, it's always hard learning something new, but I have no aptitude for this sort of thing at all. I may have some innate musical aptitude (near-perfect pitch, for example)which helps me along with the guitar, but kinesthetic stuff?
Let me put it this way: back in high school, when I was in the musicals, learning the dance choreography for the chorus parts always made me cry.
Aikido is just like that. I'm not a spatially-inclined sort of person, so to watch two people attack and defend, and try to figure out what they are doing, is not the best way for me to learn.
But, thankfully, there was time for one-on-one practice, where I sorta started to learn what I was supposed to be doing. And I did see places where I was improving during the lesson, which was also helpful. The teachers were very gentle, and very encouraging with the positive feedback and corrections. Even so, it was a struggle not to get really, really frustrated. Scratch that. To not show how frustrated I was. Lots of deep breathing to keep the growing anxiety at bay.
The reason I'm learning Aikido (and playing guitar) is not because it's easy, but because it's hard. I know I'm going to totally suck at first, but if I keep at it, I'll continue to get better. It doesn't really matter what it is I'm learning. And learning how to keep my calm when doing something really, really, hard.
Now, it's always hard learning something new, but I have no aptitude for this sort of thing at all. I may have some innate musical aptitude (near-perfect pitch, for example)which helps me along with the guitar, but kinesthetic stuff?
Let me put it this way: back in high school, when I was in the musicals, learning the dance choreography for the chorus parts always made me cry.
Aikido is just like that. I'm not a spatially-inclined sort of person, so to watch two people attack and defend, and try to figure out what they are doing, is not the best way for me to learn.
But, thankfully, there was time for one-on-one practice, where I sorta started to learn what I was supposed to be doing. And I did see places where I was improving during the lesson, which was also helpful. The teachers were very gentle, and very encouraging with the positive feedback and corrections. Even so, it was a struggle not to get really, really frustrated. Scratch that. To not show how frustrated I was. Lots of deep breathing to keep the growing anxiety at bay.
The reason I'm learning Aikido (and playing guitar) is not because it's easy, but because it's hard. I know I'm going to totally suck at first, but if I keep at it, I'll continue to get better. It doesn't really matter what it is I'm learning. And learning how to keep my calm when doing something really, really, hard.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Need more practice, but how?
Practiced today. Did not record. Focused on memorizing the chords I've learned so far. (Note, chords are Major unless otherwise noted) Pretty good with G C D A. A minor is OK, E minor is OK. D minor is a pain in the ass. It's a hard chord for me to form because my fingers aren't flexible. I have to form it from the bottom up; I can't form it from the top down. I shouldn't complain; I haven't even hit the F chord yet in my lessons.
I'm averaging about 2 practices per week. I'm not happy with this, but I'm having trouble finding time to practice. You'd think that finding 20-30 minutes, tops, every day wouldn't be so hard, but it is.
George Hrab, musician and podcaster extrodanaire, says in episode 38 of his Geologic Podcast that, when he practices, he breaks it up into several short sessions throughout the day. So, he'll do lots of 15 minute practice sessions in one day rather than one big session.
I'm wondering if I can apply this to my practice schedule, but in 5 minute chunks instead of 15 minute chunks. Like do scales before work, do chords at lunch, and play around with melodies and songs after dinner. It couldn't hurt to try.
I'm especially enamored with the lunchtime practice idea. Nobody near me stays at their desk during lunch, and without the amp, it should be pretty quiet. Not sure if I should try to ask the brass first, or just go for it and wait for somebody to complain.
I'm averaging about 2 practices per week. I'm not happy with this, but I'm having trouble finding time to practice. You'd think that finding 20-30 minutes, tops, every day wouldn't be so hard, but it is.
George Hrab, musician and podcaster extrodanaire, says in episode 38 of his Geologic Podcast that, when he practices, he breaks it up into several short sessions throughout the day. So, he'll do lots of 15 minute practice sessions in one day rather than one big session.
I'm wondering if I can apply this to my practice schedule, but in 5 minute chunks instead of 15 minute chunks. Like do scales before work, do chords at lunch, and play around with melodies and songs after dinner. It couldn't hurt to try.
I'm especially enamored with the lunchtime practice idea. Nobody near me stays at their desk during lunch, and without the amp, it should be pretty quiet. Not sure if I should try to ask the brass first, or just go for it and wait for somebody to complain.
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