#introduction Hello SoNoMu! I'm looking forward to talking music with y'all.
I'm a classical mezzosoprano and musicologist by training. I love #classicalmusic, #metal (mostly progressive), #ebm and a random assortment of other stuff.
I'm exploring creating my own music through challenges like #fawm and 50/90. I'm still in search of my own style.
I sing #choralmusic and play #classicalguitar as well as singer-songwriter style acoustic #guitar.
covid pandemic, mental health
I have a similar feeling like in the beginning of the pandemic. I itch to do something, to connect, to bring some color and joy into both my life and that of other people by sharing creative work.
But this time, I am booked with work and because the wife is teaching from home (and our space doesn't have much privacy), I have too little of that precious quiet time alone.
Good thing #fawm is less than 2 weeks away.
practice diary
I'm more consistent with my vocal practice again, even if there are a lot of days where I only manage to sing for 10-15 minutes. Still, that's better than nothing :)
Today's #workoutmusic: metal covers of Disney + pop songs.
practice diary, migraine, injury
#myLittlePracticeDiary some more singing today. Dug out "In darkness let me dwell" by John Dowland and tried to wrap my head around a small part of a very long recitativo by Monteverdi.
Having a light migraine, my brain is a mess, but perhaps I will be able to pull off some scales on the piano.
My injured shoulder is getting better slowly, I'm thinking about taking up the guitar again soon, if only for a few minutes per day.
low-ish budget video lighting gear recommendations wanted
I guess I can justify spending a little bit on this, bu I kinda don't want it to go too far into the 3-digit price range
low-ish budget video lighting gear recommendations wanted
So because both humans in this household are doing a lot of video conferences and teaching via video, I'm looking to improve our lighting situation. I'm currently undecided between a ring light and LED panels.
Does anyone have advice about one or the other? If we get LED panels, is one enough or should we go with two?
I enjoyed "Juvenile Hyperobject" by @jjbbllkk@twitter.com as my #workoutmusic today: https://soundvision.bandcamp.com/album/juvenile-hyperobject-deluxe-edition
#myLittlePracticeDiary singing: just a quick warmup and some belting practice. Highest belting note today: B4. I guess next time I want to record myself just to get feedback if what comes out actually sounds like belting.
keyboard practice: trying to put the two hands together in Bach's Invention #1. My left shoulder is so badly messed up that I can barely stand 10 min. of practice.
thanks everyone who replied! Schumann's "Album für die Jugend" was mentioned several times, I downloaded that & will look at it.
More sound design sketches for the piece I'm currently working on. A bell-like FM instrument, played at random pitches and durations through JPverb.
So there's a software called "Just Intonation", which is a program that can play MIDI input with adaptive just tuning and a bunch of historic tunings. It can also play stuff in those tunings statically, and it has pretty OK cembalo and organ sounds.
I fooled around with it tonight and I didn't know how much fun it is to try to find cadences that sound like utter garbage in, say, quarter-comma meantone tuning.
The frustrating bit is that I had about 6 years of lessons in my life. Two of my five teachers were useless and achieved nothing but making me go into mental blockade (but I had to go on because in one case, I was stuck in a contract, and in the other, it was part of music school and I didn't get to request a different teacher until the end of the year).
Interestingly, both of my horrible teachers were guys with huge hands.
(I want to up my piano game so I can teach theory better; however, trying to get better at sight-reading is frustrating when I have the feeling that my lacking piano skills slow me down to a standstill every time.)
Any #piano players who read this: Do you have recommendations for practice pieces for someone who has had a few years of lessons, but forgot a lot again and always felt a little awkward and nervous around the piano? I don't know if "beginner to intermediate" describes my skill level accurately...
Public domain stuff that I can find on ISMLP preferred.
Some days I just want to play something fun and motivating.
#myLittlePracticeDiary keyboard practice: a few measures of Bach's Invention #1. I am getting a little bit more fluid, and putting two hands together starts getting easier.
I ought to write down fingerings.
#myLittlePracticeDiary First longer singing practice in a while. Voice still works, but having no current project isn't good for my motivation.
I'n also practicing Bach's inventions a little bit. Polyphony is still killing me.
ok, it's not going to happen. Not this week at least. I have migraine and I haven't set up anything, and my time planning was off tonight.
Because of space and time constraints, Tuesday night is the only time I could use for streaming.
But the thought is here. For tonight, I'm just going to sit down and continue working on that composition.
Mezzosoprano. Geek with guitar. Metalhead (with a side of goth) at heart. Classical roots, curious about many styles of music. Genderqueer femme. Polytheist.