Two very busy days. Spent most of yesterday darting from shop to shop with Deb, enjoying every moment. I also did a bit of work on the Tycho Brahe song, and it's nearly complete, as well as notating our version of Mr Tambourine Man. My greater focus on sheet music this year has really helped me musically, I find I can much more easily make and refer to notated notes now, rather than my simple lettering mnemonics.
Today, my regular filing, as it's the first of December. This took longer than hoped, because I had a lot to back-up. The Prometheus changes are, I think, complete. One new plugin change I've made today is an addition to the panning to boost pans to the side a little, apparently 1/sqr(0.5) is a common boost to give an 'even' impression of equal sound power from any location; equal power, 3dB. To me this sounds too strong, but my new changes permit any setting, even dynamically altering this.
I've heard that our Salomé CD, which is released tomorrow, is now part of the Nietzsche Foundation Archive about the philosopher, so our first work in a museum, and my second after the Chester painting.
The rest of the day has been spent working on the Crewe Library Fall in Green event. I've made a new 'wreath hat' for The Ghost of Christmas Present, designed a few more instruments, and written a melody for 'I, Snowman'. Deb will perform a live Stylophone solo, fed thorough the MODX to add a few effects to make it sound better. It's not a bad instrument, I much prefer the stylus control than a finger ribbon control, but it needs more octaves.
We've had an unexpected amount of interest for this small Christmas show. It's a shame that the venue has no lighting controls, so we can't use lighting or projection, and for a free event we have little incentive to spend a lot to make it a good show. Still, we'll have three full days of rehearsals and will spend about £100 on new props alone. I've suggested to Angus that library visitors can write a 'word for snow' on post-it notes throughout the week, but it's Friday tomorrow and I've not heard back about this idea. Both of us can't help but put everything we can into each event, even if after each event I wonder why I've worked so hard for nothing. Some artists seem to love performing, the roar of the applause, the joy of performing; but to me it's hard physical and mental work. The challenge of doing my best and getting everything right is my joy, just as I've always enjoyed exams or tests; the opportunity for self-improvement.
