I finished editing what I could for my album. I now know exactly what I need to work on. Or I should say, which pieces I need to work on. There are several "what to work on"s that could be applied to each piece.

I checked out "Sound In Motion" by David McGill. It explains Tabuteau's numerical method for creating "greater musical expression". Because, dayum, my playing is pretty boring.

I tried to apply the dynamic number system to one of the pieces and realized how little control I have over my fingers - I can neither play at the volume I expect, or play the same volume with the same finger consistently.

My next goal is to apply this method... methodically to Looking Glass River.

Still working on memorizing Automne.

Still working on being able to play Grey Donkeys at all.

Also, doing the scales Monthly Mastery Theme over at myharpmastery.com. Hopefully that will help with control over my fingers, or at least point me in a good direction to achieve that.

Worked on 1st 3 Preludes. Gave myself 2nd finger blisters - both hands!

Figured out I need to lean back from my harp in order to play the top register without doing weird (and double-jointed) things to my fingers.

Started trying to transcribe Peter Gabriel's "Here Comes the Flood". In order to be in tune with the recording I have, I have to be in all flats. However, the chords (I think) are D♭m7 and B♭♭m7 (playing A♮). It would make more sense these would be Dm7 and B♭m7 in the realm of sensible chords. Are these sensible chords? I guess if you're Peter Gabriel, you can do whatever the heck you want.

I also canNOT hear notes in the lower registers. I could not distinguish between 5th octave A and D. My music theory instructor said that would come with practice, but I'm not so sure.

Wore myself out being OUTSIDE. Finally, summer seems to be here. Short practice of Sonata in C Maj.

Need to:
-analyze it
-figure out how to play f and f♯ at the same time. Transpose it down 1/2 step? That would be B♯/C♭ major. Oy. Actually, C♭ would be just fine - I think that's what Salzedo did with Chaconne by Durand. Except that part is in C minor. Oy again. C♭ minor? What key signature would that even be? Need to analyze it, definitely.

ETA -and scan it in to Finale and clean it up because it looks like it was engraved on a sandy beach during an earthquake.

Uuuurrggghh...

I think I'm done with school. I mean, as in, I think I've turned in everything I'm supposed to turn in, or will soon.

I basically had to stop playing while I was in school as this term was a much heavier workload, despite dropping a class. But... but... BUT...

I now have many of the music theory skills I was hoping to have! I can identify Renaissance chorales and fantasias, Baroque Fugues, and Classical Rondos and Sonatas. I can (sort of) hear a tune and replicate it on my harp. I can tell when something modulates, and I know what a Napoleon 6th is, even though those were not on my list of things to learn.

This is exciting, people!

Been snowed under by homework, but today played a bunch of Clementi Sonatinas to study the chord changes and modulations. It's all I - V7 - I!!! (With some variations, of course.) And I love me some intervals of a 4th. Case in point: I keep trying to write in CMaj and end up in FMaj.

Was inspired to do my music hw instead of practicing so thought I should take advantage. But I did the hw on my harp, so I did play. Lots of lovely I - viiº / V - V⁷ 's.

Fingernail still oogy, but I am doing music homework so I'm still doing something. The superglue is helping to hold it and prevent snagging and ripping. *shudder*

I am also debating buying a recorder instead of a camera. Both are pretty desirable for the projects I do. Although, the recorder is a bit more pressing at this time.

For music theory, I am to write a chorale as a final project. The instructor recommended if we are not good at writing lyrics to use a poem, or failing that, since a lot of poetry is not suited to music, pick a song that has lyrics we like and use that. He also mentioned that bad poetry makes good music.

I absolutely cannot stand poetry and I'm not really a 'lyrics' person, so I asked my sister, who is more of a wordsmith-y person, what she would recommend. And I got Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll, anything by Judas Preist, and Shake That by Eminem. Which would all be hilarious in chorale form, but she also had some serious suggestions, as well. I am waiting for a couple books from her, one written by a friend.

At this point I'm not clear on what kind of melody and shape I'd like, so I don't have much of a frame on which to hang lyrics. I think I'd like to have it be in a major key and modulate in the middle to minor, and back to major.

Maybe if I get a first line, I can use the Bad Poetry Generator.

ETA: And end up with something like this:

Bad poetry makes good music
And, now nekked, they shiver, oh how they shiver
love is chemistry, sex is physics,
Porcupines will rule the world forever!

Exactly what I was looking for: a table listing songs that start with different ascending and descending intervals!

The three that I'd been using - perfect 4th: Auld Lang Syne, perfect 5th: Star Wars, and major 6th: NBC jingle - were helpful only for ascending and only for those three.

Thanks, Footprints, whoever you are.

OR! You can make your own!

Starting around 6:50, this made me giggle uncontrollably.

Note in the list of adjectives, "brown-noise" is not included.

Made a note in class today to look into getting a copy of "The Art of Modulating: for Harpists, Pianist, and Organists" by Carlos Salzedo & Lucile Lawrence. Because we're learning modulation! I was not aware that instigating a key change with a chord change was called modulating.

I have the book. I seem to remember being told by someone years ago to get it as it is a useful reference to have. Well, it's a useful reference if you know what modulating means.

Now that I do, the final discussion of constructing glissandi is SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING. There are two kinds: harmonic and melodic. Melodic is not discussed because they are 'the domain of composition and are unlimited in number, but,[...] they have no modulating value' and now I'm curious about those.

BUT harmonic glisses are constructed on dominant 7th and 9th chords, major tonic triads with added 2nd and 6th, diminished 7th chords, and whole tone scales. Thus facilitating key and/or chord changes. Delicious!

Practice notes: still making lots of progress on Passacaille, goal of ♪=144
Practicing goes better if I do not also do all my upper body PT exercises in the morning.
**Find another time to do them.**

Worked on Passacaille up two down one, arms got shaky. Tried to move on to Rumba, but got discouraged.

Managed to complete melody writing assignment. Things are starting to click in to place, but this is something that takes practice and continual practice, at that.

Blogger is so effing slow!

Tried to write music, I think I need to try something simpler.

No practicing today; it is just too cold without a heater. So I guess getting one is the goal for tomorrow. Not that I need to spend time studying or anything.

I'm also having problems with dominant 7ths. We were analyzing a song in theory and one of the markings was D7. Everyone seemed to know that's a G chord. wtf. It's clearly marked as a D. I asked for clarification and am still completely confused. And a C7 is actually an F chord? Because it's a dominant 7th it's automatically a V (dominant) chord? If that's so, is there an even more confusing way it could be written? And why did some people automatically know this?

Things worked on: Exercises, posture, variations.
Things played through: Clementi. Passacaille by "Haendel" (that's what I was comparing my variations to; it's simplistically brilliant)

Tried to write music today. Emphasis on tried.

Got out some old "theme and variations" pieces because my interest was piqued in class today.

This video features the lovely Catrin Finch playing harmonics. Watch until 2:36 (but the whole video is good):


Then take a look at the first measure of Bach's Prelude in D for Cello:

Specifically the first three notes. :)

Played lots of exercises, more than was absolutely necessary. But they are necessary.

Worked on more spots in 3rd movement. I had some scales starting out with 1 2 4, and I'm not sure why, but it's equally as difficult either way. So I guess I'm relearning it with 1 2 3.

Tried to play, serious concentration problems. Looked at arpeggio etude, not enough room in higher register for my hand, have to bend fingers at first knuckle instead of second. Wrote 1st inversion harmony to melody. Finished more chord identifications.

Finished 1st mouvement, started on 3rd. Working on music homework which involves identifying major, minor, augmented, and diminished chords.

Taking a break, though, and listening to a wonderful podcast from NPR. And unintentionally turning my printer on with my knitting needles.

Lots more done on Clementi. Just one more line and I'll have the first movement done. I like this whole more-practice-time thing. It doesn't matter that my arms are completely tired and next to useless now. I don't have to lift them for anything else today. Really.

And from my heightened awareness inspired by my class, I realized the first movement changes from G to D (circle of fifths!) quite smoothly, and the beginning melody line is simply the 1st and 2nd inversions of a G major chord. Pretty sneaky. And I wish I could do that! And I'm assuming I will at some point in the future.