Pulling Up My Socks

I took quite a big break from music over the summer. Of course I still listened to music and read books that pertained to music, I worked on random lyrics I would wake up singing from a dream, and I would even write down new ideas and requests for videos. However, I did not do any home recording or live singing, I did not fiddle around with my music production equipment, and I practiced my singing and piano less. 

Covid brought with it a change of pace. It meant spending more time around the house and in the yard - starting (and even finishing) some outdoor projects and focusing on enjoying the weather. We all knew that a second wave was bound to appear in the Autumn and Winter, and locking down when there is snow on the ground can be a little more daunting. 

Over the past few weeks, a few key things have happened: 

1. The snow fell - bringing with it a sense of creativity. 

2. My nephew has been learning to create music using a specific program and a launch pad. I was able to watch how he used his program and get some much-needed tips from the younger generation so that I could better comprehend my own production program. 

3. I got to meet - and spend some quality time with - a musical icon whom I have admired since I was a teenager. Someone whose story-telling capabilities know no rival - a dedicated talent with morals, standards, and so down-to-earth you would never know how successful this person has been by just having a conversation. 

With these three occurences, I knew it was time to pull up my socks and bring my focus back to musical endeavors. 

Today I started by just playing around with the music program I currently own. I tried different virtual instruments (the recording will have to wait until I get a better grasp on utilizing the program and all its features), I read through my notes on a few things, and I even played with some track-based effects. 

Tomorrow I will be going through all sorts of effects on various sounds and instruments to give myself a better idea of what the effects actually produce in the sound of an instrument. 

It is a steep learning curve for me, but I am fixed to learning - however slowly. 

I have also noticed my complete lack of knowledge when it comes to setting up drum tracks. 🤦‍♀️

I love My Musical Life.