Tag: Music

Uncover the Secrets of the Scoop

Yesterday I wrote about the existential crisis I faced when trying to mix up my first protein shake. I had been lead to believe, by my own eyes, that the huge bucket of protein shake powder did not come with a scoop. Today, day two of the new shake world order, I took a tablespoon and tried to dig out about 32 grams of powder. While digging in the huge bucket I found the scoop buried inside.

Now, knowing what the shake tastes like with the exact correct milk to powder ration, how’d it taste? Okay. I promise I won’t be drinking it for fun, but I also won’t be turning my nose up at it. I’ll put it into the weight loss surgery win column.

What else is going on today, no the first business day of vacation? I tried to watch The Walking Dead on my iPad while sitting in the living room with Jen and Harry last night, but they were watching Rick and Morty and I had to join them. I mean… Mr Nimbus, right? I am watching the new episode on AMC’s website and the stream during the commercial breaks is screwing up left and right. I’m not very optimistic that it’s going to let me get through the whole episode, but amazingly I just heard one of the new bad guys use the phrase, “mother puss bucket” in what can only be thought of as a verbal tip of the hat to Ghostbusters but given that I use that phrase as a verbal tip of the hat to Ghostbusters I am feeling seen and acknowledged right now.

So what’s the music plan for my vacation week? I mentioned doing an album in a day, but I am not going to go through with it. Instead I will just try to come up with a couple of song ideas for Record Every Month. I was also thinking of hitting up Guitar Center and trying to trade in my Strat. Instead I might get back into the idea of finding someone to overhaul my Les Paul Custom. Like everything else, it all depends on money.

What about non-musical plans for the vacation week? Well, I’m glad you asked. We are thinking about getting back to figuring out the ways and means of upgrading out kitchen. We’re going to do some research tonight. You know, do some interviews. Ask some questions. Rattle some trees and see what shakes out. We’ll let you know.

Okay, this morning’s zombie watch is now past the point where I stopped last night. I’m going to pay more attention now. Talk to ya’ll later.

Mutha Puss Bucket.

Music Idea for My Vacation Week

Harry’s home and it’s awesome. He’s in the living room kicking Orc ass in some Playstation Game that I don’t know the name of. He’ll be here today and tomorrow. On Monday and Tuesday he’ll be at his dad’s.

I was thinking about a music project that I could mess with while he’s at the other house. I assume the RPM Challenge site’s Record Every Month thing is on going. At first I thought maybe to try and record two songs each month and call it a single or something. I might do that. That sounds interesting. Then I thought… what about an album in a day thing?

I did it once before, following the rules on this page. I’m thinking maybe start around 8-9pm, write the music using my iPad, write the lyrics and melodies as soon as I start coming up with riffs, then go to sleep for a while. The next morning do a car music and then come home and add the guitars. The trick would be getting all of that done and still having time to mix the whole thing before the 24 hours are up.

I’m still undecided, but I’m thinking about it. It might happen.

Now What

RPM is over. Now for the annual “now what?” Post.

I assume the folks at RPMHQ will kick off another Record Every Month challenge. I’ll do that. I’m thinking two songs each month, sort of like a single. Then at the end of the year re-record the best songs?

In the real world I have to buckle down on the weight loss surgery prep. I have a bunch of directives from the dietician and so far have only integrated two. I think there are three more and one of them is a little Earth shattering.

Outside of that? There’s the band. I think I may have reached the point in the pandemic where I’m willing to try a band practice. I think. We will have to see. Fingers crossed I don’t panic and chicken out.

I’ll see if I can dream up anything else. I’ll let you know.

I’m Finished! – #RPM2022

2022 marks the 11th consecutive year with a completed RPM Challenge project.

I’m all done!

Here’s a link to the final playlist on alonetone.com if that embedded playlist doesn’t work.

Also, for shits and giggles, here’s the outtake playlist as well. These were the songs that didn’t make the cut.

And again here is a link to the outtakes playlist on alonetone.com, if you’d prefer to listen to my unlistenable crap there.

In summary…

WOOHOO!

Woah, Really?

I knew this, and I was aware of it, and it wasn’t actually a surprise, but I just looked at my work calendar for next week and saw that I have the entire week off and it sort of just hit me… Wow! Really? I am off all next week? Kick ass!

I have two hours and fifteen minutes left in the work day. After that I am cooking dinner for my love. Chicken and quinoa and broccoli. Broccoli is like a special occasion thing. I just steam it, but it is so good. Maybe we should have it every day. After that, I am going to mix the last two songs. It’s a moral imperative. I’ve had enough music finished to declare RPM a success for over 24 hours now, but I’m not done until every note of every song is mixed and that means two more songs.

There are currently six songs on the A List, meaning they are definitely on the final album, and eight songs on the B List, meaning they might make the album but also might not, and four songs on the C List, meaning they suck too much to share even by my low standards. I would like to end up with 10 songs on the album and 10 songs on a not-album. A leftovers, or outtakes album if you will. I might go with more than 10 on the submission though, but I want to make sure only the better stuff gets submitted, even though in all honesty they all suck pretty bad. I should really hire a singer next year. Yeah, right.

My watch has been blowing up all afternoon. After all of these years of RPMing, I follow a lot of RPM Challenge participants on alonetone.com. They are all uploading songs in batches today and I am getting email notifications for all of them. It’s pretty funny. I would like to apologize to anyone who follows me on alonetone because of the consistent, steady bomb of notifications they got yesterday as I was uploading songs all day long. Sorry about that, folks.

Back to work now. Just get through these last two hours and you can get back to the tunes, Robert. You can do it.

The Last Day – #RPM2022

Hello and welcome to February 28, 2022, the final day of this year’s RPM Challenge! Are you excited?

When I woke up this morning I had three songs left to mix. That was then and this is now, and now I only have two left to mix!

Usually when I write something that swings a little I end up with a terrible song that’s kinda fun to play. This time I think I ended up with the best song of the bunch so far. It is possible though that I will be saying the same thing about the other two songs that still need to be mixed. I think I saved all the best songs for last this year.

Okay. Post this, go to work, finish work, get back to mixing, pick the 10 songs for the final album, sequence the songs appropriately, submit the final album. That’s my agenda for today.

Let’s go!

Done for the Night

The Walking Dead starts in 12 minutes. I’m done mixing for the night.

I mixed 10 songs for a personal single day world record. Of those 10 only two are definitely going to end up on the final RPM Challenge album. This is one of them…

The Mixing Continues

I have mixed eight songs today and my brain isn’t quite working correctly anymore. I want to get through at least two more if I can. I’ve been doing laundry and helping Jen with little things here and there all day as a sort of palette cleanser to help my ears from quitting on me. It’s worked so far but for how much longer.

Let’s not forget that it’s Sunday too. That means a new Walking Dead episode. I have to save some hearing for that too. Yikes! My poor brain!

On a totally unrelated note, I just read a tweet that I really hope is true. It said that the Ukrainian government just gave the entire military a pay raise. How bad ass is that? A super power has invaded but you folks are doing such a great job that we’re going to give you a raise. Now all they have to do is win the war so that the government continues to exist and the currency they are paid in continues to have value.