So, the country is struck with two Covid-19 mutations which spread more easily. In retrospect this should have been anticipated, as the mutations which are easily deterred by our restrictions will die off, leaving only the ones that can spread even in lockdowns. It seems to me that the best solution is the Chinese 'hide until clear' option, and focus totally on mass vaccination during this time while the populace cower in bunkers, because the current situation of allowing a large virus population to exist to any extent will otherwise serve only to evolve it. The current policies act like a deliberate breeding ground. I doubt the government will take this action.
I was optimistic that we were approaching the halfway point in this pandemic but now I think that a 25% mark is more likely, that Covid will remain as bad and as damaging as it has been this year for at least 3 more years, but by 2024 things should be better.
Well, we are all in the hands of fate. So many plagues of the past were worse, but had less impact or fear because most people were not aware of them. When not knowing about diseases, one can assume they are all random and survivable. Nowadays we know too much.
Music moves on. I've re-recorded a guitar part for The Myth of Sisyphus track 'Life in the Mirror', and added a new solo for The Invisible Man. It sounds remarkably similar in tone to the old one, despite sounding so very different in the recording. Basically, the earlier draft used extra balancing and EQ to make up the difference. Anyway, the new one definitely has more oomph too it. The old guitars are very screechy or hissy, like a featherless bird coughing out a melody, a tap dance of marbles down a washboard. This itself has a certain charm, but the new tones sound like, well a 'normal' electric guitar. God bless the Yamaha THR30II.
I've also rewritten the melody for the main 'I, Sisyphus' track, to turn it up a few semi-tones and place it in a nicer vocal range. I've tried to match the melody to the mood of the words, so 'I've been pushing this rock for a million years' has a stoic, tedious melody of two notes, relatively low. '...and a faraway peak to tempt me' moves up into a higher octave, as does 'and I scream to the void'. The highest note, a high G, is reserved for the 'top' of 'until I reach the top' at the climax of the chorus. The melody is rather simple, overall. The tune itself is simple and only has a few chords, but there's only so much that can be done.
I did 40 minutes of singing training today, all went well, I even managed 'And it ain't me who gonna leave!' in a notably stronger and more operatic voice than Russell Mael (though, of course, his voice back then wasn't strong, he's a far better singer now). This was one of my few highlights. I feel I'm turning a corner in training, in control and technical management rather than actual sound quality. If things continue then I can keep training with more confidence. I read today that singers don't use their instrument, they use it up... blessed then are my decades of silence.
I need a plan for the coming days. I could re-record the I, Sisyphus guitars. That's the last job really until I'm ready to record the vocals (which I'm saving for 2021). Next week I plan on starting The Infinite Forest re-recording, but, of course, I also have the Jabberwocky video... we will film some elements tomorrow on the only dry day of this very wet week in this very wet month.
I will probably spend next year also making concept albums, which will be one of my key legacies to art. My goal is to do with music what Ingmar Bergman did with film. I need to build a canon of 40 or 50... or 100 albums/symphonies, and easily have the ideas... At first nobody will notice or care, then one day, they will.
