Another Old Language

On the topic of old computer languages… I’ve recently been going back through books on the Perl programming language.  It was one of the first scripting languages I tried to learn back in high school… but I never felt like I really understood it.  Years later, I realize now that it really is a confusing programming language.  Even though it’s fairly simple to get up and going with Perl, it’s such a creative (or expressive,) language that programs can easily become confusing pieces of mangled artwork.  Perl.

I still like it, though.

DW Recording: Day 29

Recorded vocal parts for the twelfth song (Mother of Waters,) in the Dream World series, tonight.  I wish I hadn’t written down so many syllables in the verses… because it quickly became hard to sing without running out of breath, haha.  Even while taking breaths before each new line of words… it was challenging; not sure what I was thinking when I wrote the lyrics.  It’s like my brain is not in contact with my body, sometimes.  Communication, body, communication!

Old Languages

Been thinking about getting another degree.  Not sure, though, even if I could.  But it’s given me reason to go back and study up on an old computer language called C++.  I started out using it back in early college days… but it was a hard language for me to understand.  Looking back at  it now, it makes a lot more sense.  In the past, I guess I was just over-thinking the whole idea that C++ itself seems to be a really simple, bare-bones language.

Still have a lot to learn, though.

DW Recording: Day 28

Had time to get vocals recorded for song number 11 (Lonely Girl,) tonight.  It’s the first song on the second part of the Dream World project; a new start for the next album.  I have the feeling that the second album won’t vary (musically,) very much from the first part… but each song continues to tell the story that is Dream World.

Other than vocals, I’ve been working on arrangements for the first album (Dream,) lately.  Still aiming for getting it all done by sometime in November.

On Performing

Had the opportunity to play a couple of songs for an elderly-appreciation event at church, today.  Only had a week to figure out what songs I’d play… and how the arrangement would go.  The performance itself was pretty terrible.  Pretty dry… missed notes… boring rhythm.  I remembered why I kind of hate the piano, in some ways, and why I haven’t played it for a long time.  But more… I remembered how I both hate and love performing.

I hate performing because I will never perform perfectly.  And I love performing because of the attention.  I don’t want attention, though.  It’s kind of hypocritical.  My self wants attention… but my spirit is desiring to change; to not desire attention for my own sake… or at all.

Anyway, I hate performing.  And I feel sorry for the listeners who were in the audience, today. 🙂  Good thing it’s not all about me, anyway.  Glad to have the chance to spend a little time with people who often go unnoticed.

DW Recording: Day 27

Finished up vocals (I think,) for the final two songs on the first album, today!  Can’t believe it’s getting closer… to only getting the first album out the door.  The vocals recorded were for the songs “Winds of Change” and “Three Willows”.

Warming up before singing has really been making a difference.  My voice still seems so thin, though.  I wish I could add more body to it, though.  So thin and tired sounding.

DW Recording: Day 26

Had the opportunity to get vocals for songs 7 and 8 done, today.  The songs are “Morning Sun” and “Photographs”.  Vocals for Morning Sun really changed the song, a lot.  Kind of adds a little depth to the otherwise-boring song.  Photographs is just a straightforward country-esque pop song.  Unfortunately it became country, at some point.  I don’t even like country music.  🙁

DW Recording: Day 25

Recorded the vocals for the “Black Lake”, today.  Kind of a long song… so I didn’t think I’d have enough time to get the vocals recorded in one session.  But, I guess the vocals are getting a little easier to record… because it all got recorded, somehow.

DW Recording: Day 24

Recorded the vocals for “Little Secrets”, today.  Trying to work on controlling what little vibrato I may have when singing some of the notes… though in the end, it still feels like trying to catch the wind.

For vocals, I’m finding that warming up is similar to carving something out of wood–you begin by cutting off huge pieces… but by the time you finish the carving, you are only whittling off small pieces.  When I finally get to a point where I’m warmed up and ready to record vocals, rather than trying to force out the notes (or vibrato,) it becomes more like breathing… and less like yelling.

DW Recording: Day 23

Got the vocals recorded for the fourth song (Picnic Day,) today.  I kind of wish there was another way to say “picnic” in English… that still encompassed what a picnic is all about.  While recording this song, I found it a bit hard to sing the word “picnic” without having weird-sounding noises at the end of the word… ha ha.  I wish “picnic” had an extra vowel at the end, at least.  :/