I had a really great week last week. In fact, it has continued into this week with all its goodness. The deglazing of a pan to prepare for the delicious flavor of last week cooking its way into this week’s gravy. Yum.
I took a week off from blog posting after I released the video for Little Sparks and continued working on other mixes. Last week I got to re-establish myself as a college student for the Spring semester. What I’m going to learn this semester is going be be fun for a lot of reasons, but tedious for other reasons.
For instance:
I’m really excited for Live Sound as well as World Music Studies. Both of those classes are really what I’m in school for. For World Music, Eryn and I are planning to go to a couple of shows this season for sure. We have already decided on going to a Tango concert in February and then to an African Drum concert in April. Very exciting stuff.
Live Sound is going to be a class where I already kind of know enough to get by behind a live sound board, but this class will make me more efficient, give me a lot of practice behind a board, and confidence to be able to use the knowledge as a service for money or barter. Very useful stuff.
On the other hand:
I’ve got Math. Nothing against mathematics, I actually enjoy doing math. I’m a carpenter. I’m a musician. I like Math. I will say that doing math in the hypothetical sense, without a future of seeing your work put into reality…is tedious. Practicing numbers…it’s not really my bag. Nah…but I’ll do it for some credits. So here we go…math. Yeah.
The other class that I’m really on the fence about is “Western Music History II: A Continuation of Western Music History I”…. I’ll start off by saying that I enjoy what this class taught me last year. There are some things that I have really been in the dark about before I took this class, and I know this second part will teach me just as many things as well as fill in some blanks I have about the history of Western Music. It’s an online class, but it’s a “fast track” course that you have spend heaps of time making sure that you participate in the discussions, and read the book, and go to online concerts. and write an essay about the whole concert, and do this like 6 times, while taking quizzes and stuff. It’s a lot really, and last year, this was one of the classes that kind of stressed me out a bit.
Either way, I am looking forward to this semester.
I did lots of mix work on the Octopus Tree single last week. I’m at the point where I want and need more and fresher ears on the project. I’ve sent it to the dudes so I can get their input on the sounds and panning and levels so far. It’s mostly so I can make sure I’m heading in the right direction and that they are hearing all the things they like to hear in the mix. It also gives me a chance to listen on regular consumer grade speakers, and now I have a really good idea about some of the things I want to hear differently on my mix. It’s a process. It always is. I love it.
Work has been going well. I’ve accumulated 23 students a week over the time I’ve been there and I’m having a blast teaching the students all the things I know about music and about playing their instruments. I feel that it has not only made me a better musician on all of my main instruments, but made me a way better teacher than I thought I could be. I even bought a ukulele that should be arriving soon! I’ve been having to use the studio’s uke, and it is now time to expand my arsenal of axes. Even if this one’s very small. A hatchet if you will. They are going to be starting a drum group and I’m gonna get to be one of the main instructors for that. I’m so stoked. It’ll be like in high school with the drum line except for the kids will be on drum sets. I’m glad I got those nice earplugs. It’s gonna be so much fun.
Alfred and the Teddinators had a raging show on Friday. It was a blast. The night started really great and just kept getting better. Both openers played so well, and we also did what I think was probably our best. The venue was spectacular and I will definitely be booking us at Enigma Bazaar in the near future. In fact, I’ve already reached out. From what I remember from the conversations Friday night, we are always welcome to come back. the show was so fun that I was literally on one of the best natural highs I’ve been on in a long while. Pure bliss. I’ll be booking way more electric shows for that band. We leveled up Friday in my opinion.
I spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with Eryn and staying in contact with all my loved ones. Teddi tells me she’s really enjoying her school and that she is very happy. I love her. She’s super good at making friends.
Oh! And I got my hair trimmed. Splits ends.
Thanks for reading.
Joe
jpalmermusic.com 