It did get worst after all

updates on my preparation for grad recital...(continued from here)

For an ensemble (band), I have chosen four not-so-simple-as-I-thought-it-would-be...Third Wind composed by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mas, Wildlife by Russell Ferrante, Rhapsody in Blue by our all famous George Gershwin and lastly, Mr. Melody, as sung by Natalie Cole and composed by Charles Jackson and Marvin Jerome Yancy....

Let's start with Wildlife, shall we??

....this is one complicated poly-rhythmic piece...as we had to juggle between a 7/8 time signature and a 12/8 time signature, both going on at the same time...it turned out to be quite simple, really...we were just suppose to take the sixteen notes that goes on throughout the 7/8 time...as a metronome...and count 12 sixteen notes from there...and WALLA...we have ourselves a poly-rhythmic pattern...the only problem is, how do we get the stupid sequence out of our head...and start listening out for what is "between-the-lines"....

But that wasn't the first problem I had to encounter...but I wouldn't want to spend 15 minutes elaborating on that...I have even shared this before in my previous post...though I must confess that after all that ordeal, I didn't come out very much techno-smart than I have before...

It turned out that the sequence that I have invested so many hours on...didn't really work for me(us)...not that it fell apart or anything...its just that the we never could end together with the sequence at the change of sections, you know what I mean?...somehow, somewhere...we, the human species sped up...and we leave little Woodchuck (I gave my sequence a name) behind...we didn't do it on purpose...but on the other hand, we couldn't afford the time of breaking down the whole song, and working out in sections once more...my graduation recital was in 2 weeks...and it is clear, time wasn't on our side...

So I decided that we go more primitive than we plan to...by asking another human species play Woodchuck's part...and we had to fire Woodchuck on the spot...he might be depressed...he might not...well, I will handle that later...may even use 'him' the next time...when we have the time to really sit down and nail the song down...

As for the choir, I've mentioned before...my original plan wasn't very much ambitious...just get a couple of my college-mates to sing the African words, suck in a couple of hand percussions...and we are good to go...but Mr. Arif's idea...was ingenious...he suggested that I go look out for an student from Africa to see if he/she could help me out...and that I did!!...He has not given me a reply, by the way...which reminds me, I need to do some follow up...

Third Wind...wasn't so difficult as I have expected...I discovered that when people say "You must listen to the song a couple of thousand times"...they were not joking...the last time I played it...I think I have listened to this song a couple of hundred times...and yet I failed...I couldn't pick up the 5 against 4 pattern easily...I am mis-counting ALL THE TIME...it led to quite a tension within my band, let me tell you...

But now, I have heard the song, till my ears peeled...and I find that...I can play all the tricky parts...of course, I make slips here and there...I'm still a slight tad nervous...

The song is almost done...we are just waiting to play with our lead guitarist...which was suppose to be a classmate of mine...but weeks back, he told me that he wouldn't be able to commit to practicing this piece...as he, too had his own graduation to prepare...he is graduating 3 days earlier than I...

No worries, thought...my now ex-lead guitarist is a responsible guy...and he managed to find me a replacement...frankly speaking, at first thought...I was slightly disappointed...and hesitant...but I now realized that all my worries was actually a waste of time...the current guitarist is a good one...managed to pick up the piece pronto...no problem...now, I just have got to find a good time where he and the rest of my band are free...so we can meet TOGETHER and practice...we have been practicing separately so far...

Rhapsody In Blue is A-okay...its about the only piece that we are REALLY down and good to go...I'm taking Chucho Valdes' arrangement more or less...a mix of mambo feel...and a dash of swing...ending with a solo flute and drums over a montuno...worked out nice...

Mr. Melody is okay too...I just need to work out several voicings in my chords that are found to be clashing with other of my band mates'...but besides that...we should be done...oh ya, we are adding in a guitarist to give it that funk-ish feel...it is after all a samba-funk-disco-poprock song...*grin*...

Well, that is all I can remember...now that I'm writing out the progress...I'm starting to feel better about this whole graduation performance thingy...thank God...

Just when one thought it couldn't get worse...

I thought I'd write myself an update of how my preparation for my graduation recital went...this is more for me, actually...I want to remember it...every itty gritty detail of the frustration...and contentment (as rare as it may be)...I want to continually reassure myself, that I have come a long way...that I am so close now, to the performance, that I shouldn't be entertaining the thought of withdrawing...

So, I've got 7 songs to work on, consisting of 2 solos, 1 duet, and 4 band songs...

I started work on my 2 solo pieces, one is Since We Met, composed by Bill Evans...and another, Over the Rainbow, composed by Harold Arlen...I started on both, last semester in September '07...Since We Met, was challenging in terms of constant change of chords (2-3 chords per bar)...but it wasn't so popular due to lack of promotion...those who are avid fans of Bill Evans, may have heard of it...many moons ago...So since this Bill Evans piece wasn't all that famous and known, there were very few CDs, that featured that piece...which means, I had to start from scratch...all purely my arrangements, and nothing more to depend on, other than my major piano teacher...and on top of that...my itchy brain, had to reharmonize it, now making it all the more harder to remember...

So that was a jazz piece...as uncommon as that song have been, Over The Rainbow, on the other hand, has been over-comercialized...everybody knows it...from the senior citizens of the old folks home, to a three year kiddo...everyone has heard of it once...from a mother humming a lullaby, to listening to it over the radio...hence, I had the difficult task, of producing an arrangement, that will be able to stand on its own...without having people to go..."Oh, that dreaded song...AGAIN"...so this time, I'd thought I'd add a bit of salsa latino rhythm into it...

Both songs are now complete...I just have got the mountainous task of memorizing it...so we'll see how that goes...

The duet piece, was more challenging in a way...Canto Antiguo is its name...the piece was suggested and picked out by one of my good friends...no prizes for the person who guessed the name right...*grin*...

Canto Antiguo is a folk song...very simple melody, which my friend would be playing, using a tenor recorder...and I, will be playing the counter-melody with my piano...Upon the existence of melody, and counter-melody...then it is understandable, that the first idea of arrangement that came into my head...was to compose a some-what Baroque like piece...ala J.S.Bach...

Yea...big mouth...and a big brain...the size of a tiger prawn...by day 2 of my grueling task of being a Bach wanna-be...I was ready to quit...but I was in a dilemma...its as if, my left brain which holds all logic...is screaming at my right brain "What the hell were you thinking??!!!"...which my right brain which holds all emotion tells it to shut up, as it has its pride to consider...(reference here)

For a week, I studied Bach's Perlude and Fugues...he is a total G-E-N-I-U-S... B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T...really...nothing short of that...for the life of me, I will never be able to do what he did...Do you know that J.S Bach had to produce a cantata (a piece which is sung) for church every single week??...that makes about 52 cantatas in a year!!...and just so you know, in composing a cantata, he will have to write for sectionals such as the violins, organs, trumpets, etc...and let's not forget the whole choir, with four individual parts...that is an insane job to have!!...and yet, he manages to find time to write the Brandenburg Concertos, Fugues, Inventions...and the list never ends...

And to think, that there was one day, that Lessajinomoto thought she could give this fugue composition a chance...when chickens and ostriches fly...and the cow jumps over the moon...then she will be able to compose a little canon...

Ah, but it was just completed a couple of days back...it doesn't and is not committed to every rule that Bach practices...but the sound is close enough...the rest, I'm too tired to give a care...I just want to get on with it...

Writings about the band later...need my ZZzzzz....

In the midst of turmoil...

THIS

IS ME...

My head is somewhere...I just need to take some time off to find it...

Fingers crossed

Graduation recital is drawing near...The song Wildlife (of African influence, mixed with insane poly-rhythms) is just about ready...I am just lacking of choir members that is able to pronounce Swahili words...thus, I have called Wisdom (yes, its a guys name...how cool is that!!), a guy from the Chemical department of my college...he came a long way from Cameroon, Africa...to study here...I understand that he and his friends love choir singing very much...and hopefully, they will agree to sing this piece for me...it will contribute so much more, in producing an African atmosphere...and best of all, they can probably teach me a thing or two about their culture!!...I just worry that they may refuse due to time constrains...so, I am praying really hard here...and keeping my fingers crossed!...

Updates later!!...

p.s : The idea of getting an African native choir group, was Mr. Arif's idea, I'll have you know...hehe...I would have never thought of that myself!...

Handling rejections

I've been sitting in front of the computer for quite a while now...While 3 years back, I have been a total doofus when it comes to computer...I have now gotten a hang of simple stuffs such as blogging, Microsoft Word, MP3 Converting, etc...SIMPLE STUFFS...

But I have never had a deep love for computers, if you know what I mean...I would not mind using the computer, learning how to install and un-install some softwares...but when it comes to hardwares, I leave it to the experts, no matter how easy they can be...

But today, I had to explore the world of transferring a MIDI (Music) file into an external hardware (my piano keyboard)...and with much confidence, I took the External Hardware Manual, plopped down on my chair and started my quest...I mean, transferring files should be a piece of cake, since I've doing it with a 'guide', wouldn't it??

WRONG...

I swear...I read and re-read...and re-read every freaking instruction that the Manual had to give...I followed EVERY ORDER...from going to Control Panel-System....yadaa, yadaa, yadaa...to Music Download software installer...and yet, there is this irritating tiny balloon that pops out ever so often, telling me that "There was a problem during the hardware installation. Hardware may not be in working order."

Every time that balloon appears, my heart seems to wince in pain a bit..."Calm down", I told myself...I might just have overseen some instructions here and there...no problem...flip through manual again, from Page 1...

Rechecked the USB connection...check...Piano keyboard switch on...check...MIDI instructions on...CHECK...ok, that should be it...I'll try again...

"There was a problem during the hardware installation. Hardware may not be in working order."

I clicked REFRESH...hopefully whatever stupid thing that the computer could have missed...it will be detected...

"There was a problem during the hardware installation. Hardware may not be in working order."

I clicked the REFRESH button again like crazy...Not that it will do me any good...I know...but I honestly didn't know what to do then...and I was irritated...

Same results...

Screw it, I thought...we'll try out the software first...its probably not a big problem...I clicked into the software...Opened the file I wanted to transfer...and clicked SEND...

30 seconds passed...

A bigger balloon popped out : Transfer failed. Connection cannot be found. Please try another port.

I looked at my computer screen...there it shows that there were six different ports...Cool, no problem...I'm sure one of the stupid ports will be the right one...

I clicked Port 1 : Failed
Port 2 : Failed
Port 3 : Failed
Port 4 : Failed
Port 5 : Failed
Port 6 (last resort, and I must say, my heart was thumping hard, and I was unconsciously praying fervently...)

FAILED...

I am sure that I am wrong about this...but my eyes tell me that the 'failed' word, seems to get bigger and bolder every time it appears on my screen...

I'm usually not a quitter...but for now, I put up a white flag...I'm depressed...I've never handled so many rejections in such a short time before...track record...more than 20 'fails' in less than 30 seconds...