One Year Later ... − 27 November, 2007
There's an irony in that title.
I don't watch TV. The last show I followed was the new version of Battlestar Galactica. It was good for the first few seasons, then . . . well, sort of turned into Twin Peaks. No Agent Cooper, but a plot careening madly and seemingly out of control.
Anyway, there was one last great episode, finishing up a story arc that began with the phrase "One Year Later . . . ." Galactica pulled an impressive rescue of the folks stranded on New Caprica.
And now I find myself on similar ground.
A year ago, I released my first album on Jamendo: evolution. One year later, I've just finished releasing my third, La vie sous la mer. But a lot has changed, and a lot more is going to change.
First of all, in the space of this year, I've lost over 70 lbs. Today I'm at 188, and the numbers are still going down. I beat high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and who knows how many colds and viruses (being a schoolteacher, they all blend together after a while).
Second, I've reached a place in my music where I can compose fluently and make large scale structures. I'm comfortable with at least four main instruments.
Third, well, I've come to terms with having limited time for my music --- I've developed strategies to make better use of my practice time and 'dead time' (for instance, traveling in a car).
Now for the plot twists.
I started learning two new instruments. Trumpet, which I'd tried before, but literally choked on (it was my first year of teaching, and I was sick all the time); and Violin, a brand new skill, but one I certainly have familiarity with thanks to my time spent playing fretless bass.
Over the summer I developed a module called pcsets, which deals with Musical Set Theory. Today I'm working on a new branch, a program which joins musical sets to traditional chord / scale theory. Beyond that, I've actually been developing theoretical elements of my own --- a system of nontraditional chords which I call "Retrograde Triads." I don't know if they'll ever see the light of day, but they'll at least make an interesting story.
And finally, the biggest story . . . has to remain a secret for now. Yes, I'm planting this entry in the past, as a hook for an article that I will write in the future. All I can say is it ties into Galactica in an abstract way. This next year is going to be interesting.
One year later, everything has changed.
One year from now, everything will change again.
Stay tuned.
I don't watch TV. The last show I followed was the new version of Battlestar Galactica. It was good for the first few seasons, then . . . well, sort of turned into Twin Peaks. No Agent Cooper, but a plot careening madly and seemingly out of control.
Anyway, there was one last great episode, finishing up a story arc that began with the phrase "One Year Later . . . ." Galactica pulled an impressive rescue of the folks stranded on New Caprica.
And now I find myself on similar ground.
A year ago, I released my first album on Jamendo: evolution. One year later, I've just finished releasing my third, La vie sous la mer. But a lot has changed, and a lot more is going to change.
First of all, in the space of this year, I've lost over 70 lbs. Today I'm at 188, and the numbers are still going down. I beat high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and who knows how many colds and viruses (being a schoolteacher, they all blend together after a while).
Second, I've reached a place in my music where I can compose fluently and make large scale structures. I'm comfortable with at least four main instruments.
Third, well, I've come to terms with having limited time for my music --- I've developed strategies to make better use of my practice time and 'dead time' (for instance, traveling in a car).
Now for the plot twists.
I started learning two new instruments. Trumpet, which I'd tried before, but literally choked on (it was my first year of teaching, and I was sick all the time); and Violin, a brand new skill, but one I certainly have familiarity with thanks to my time spent playing fretless bass.
Over the summer I developed a module called pcsets, which deals with Musical Set Theory. Today I'm working on a new branch, a program which joins musical sets to traditional chord / scale theory. Beyond that, I've actually been developing theoretical elements of my own --- a system of nontraditional chords which I call "Retrograde Triads." I don't know if they'll ever see the light of day, but they'll at least make an interesting story.
And finally, the biggest story . . . has to remain a secret for now. Yes, I'm planting this entry in the past, as a hook for an article that I will write in the future. All I can say is it ties into Galactica in an abstract way. This next year is going to be interesting.
One year later, everything has changed.
One year from now, everything will change again.
Stay tuned.
Comments:
edunn (November 28, 2007. 03:54am)
I will stand by for further transmission! What an amazing year this has been for you. WOW. You deserve to feel very, very accomplished.