An awful day yesterday, I one of my first experiences of what is called depression, something I've rarely, if ever, experenced as my logical mind tends to take over and keep working away when emotions start to interfere with the rational running of life. This was triggered by an early-morning doubt about whether to update the BIOS on my new PC, which is always a nerve-jangling occasion as a power failure during this will probably break the machine. This led to a day of angst about various computer system concerns. The code to the Prometheus plugins remains huge, 100 to 10,000 times bigger than the raw source files due to problems with Visual Studio's IntelliSense. I have about 200 pages of source for each plugin, and I rename them to the same file, 'Plugin.cpp', as I work on each one. This behaviour really seems to confuse the parser which loves to index the same files over and over, causing massive databases. I can delete them, fortunately, but it's a pain, and sometimes Visual Studio will simply crash at certain combinations of renaming and reusing files.
I decided to code a new plugin. This is a more advanced variation on one called Randy Monotone Sample II and is designed as a replacement. It will play one of four samples at random, with a random volume, random pitch, will start at a random offset, and pause for a random interval. This is useful for adding realism to an instrument in some circumstances. I've not implemented it yet, though, because I'll need to plan the full replacement of the old version first (the old one had but one sample and no option to set the starting offset).
I hardly did anything else yesterday, crippled by these silly fears of wanting everything to be correct. There is also a folder which I created on Day One of setting up the machine, then later moved to another volume, which keeps reappearing. I've tried everything I could find online to make it delete, but it keeps on coming back!
Today has been much more productive. I woke early and updated that BIOS - all fears, when identified must be talked with, reassured or faced. Then I recorded some new vocals: backing vocals for Art For Me (20 layers/takes recorded for the layers); some very short vocals for the Kiss Me song to fix a few difficult-to-make out words. The hardest part to sing of any song is the very first syllable. The timing and pitch have to be spot on, but also the attack has to be just right, not blasting with joy at the start of the song, not too gentle and running to catch up either. One trick is to sing something first and lead into the 'start'.
I also recorded some verse vocals for Cotan. These work better in the breathy and monstrous vocoded versions, but I thought they might benefit from a layer, and they sound alright. It's an artistic choice rather than an aesthetic/mixing one. As the chorus and climax really benefits from the real voice, it makes sense to include one in the verses.
Singing is different from any other form of instrument training for many reasons. Several instruments do need muscle training. A piano doesn't need muscles, just muscle memory, like proverbially 'riding a bike'. A guitar needs a little bit of strength, and probably other string instruments, but brass probably needs more. Vocals are unique in that the singing muscles are delicate and difficult to instruct by others. Training for an hour each day will give you good arm muscles in a month or two, but that's too much for singing, which requires gentle a repeated training over many months and years. There are more than muscles involved, but also vocal folds which don't always like being trilled and flapped, and the the muscle control memory needs simultaneous training, as does breathing. I find it fascinating.
This afternoon I've worked on the music to the song 'The Legend Of Zurbaran', which is largely complete. I love the odd chords to this. It sounds finished already.
I've watched a few videos from the local recording studio, Arena Studio, very interesting and engaging. Chris Cragg talked about songs with hundreds of tracks - how mind boggling! I don't think I've ever extended to 50 in my 15 years of music making, but 'layering' can be somewhat non-linear in Prometheus. My tracks are always organised for utility/ease of use rather than anything else. Prometheus shows 18 tracks on screen at once, and the majority of my songs and pieces of music, from the symphonic to pop, fit in those 18.
