Tag: Rpm Challenge

2024 RPM Challenge Day 6 & 7/29

Two days without an RPM Challenge update. Let’s get caught up. It’s getting to the point where keeping track of everything is difficult.

From the lame tumblr page for day six:

Day six was a little better than days four and five. I added song forms to song numbers seven and eight, started a new song (number nine) that now has a full song form and the bass and drums (both MIDI) complete. I also (finally) wrote some lyrics to one song. Song number one is now officially ready for vocals. I wanted to write lyrics for a second song too but I was toast by the time I finished one song, never mind two.

Here’s hoping I get a ton of rhythm guitars down tomorrow. Also maybe some more lyrics so that I can sing in the car before work on Thursday.

https://www.tumblr.com/musical-blathering-idiot

Hooray for lyrics, I guess. I am terrible at that sort of thing, but I still do it. One down.

Now for my tumblr update for day seven, yesterday, which I posted there about 10 minutes ago:

Day seven was productive, even if it wasn’t as productive as I would have liked.

I put rhythm guitars onto three songs. That’s it, I think. It’s getting hard to keep it all straight.

I have nine songs in the pipeline. At the close of day yesterday three of them needed rhythm guitars, and all but one are in need of a main melody and some lyrics.

One week down.

https://www.tumblr.com/musical-blathering-idiot

Yesterday was a busy day outside of pointless music projects so I was happy to get that much work in, even if I didn’t get nearly as much as I was hoping for. It’s something. All progress is good progress.

The additional good news, which will be included in the next tumblr update, is that I was able to put rhythm guitars onto three songs this morning. That means all nine songs in the pipeline have a full rhythm section in place now. Nice. I am still one song shy of the RPM Challenge goal, but it’s only day eight. Plenty of time for more songs. I just need to get my act together as far as melodies and lyrics go.

2024 RPM Challenge Day 5/29

Here is what I wrote on my lame ass tumblr page:

My update for day five is identical for my update to day four. Just as I was drifting off to sleep I forced myself to wake up and noodle out a couple of bass guitar lines. Together they make up song number eight.

That’s all I have for February 5th. Hopefully I will be more productive tonight, but I somehow doubt it.

Musical Meanderings

Lame. Two days in a row of the absolute bare minimum. I need to do more tonight, but it’s a work in the office day today so there won’t be a lot of time. It would have been nice to be further along by the end of the first week, but I think I am about where I usually am at this point. I know I have a lot of progress in me, I just have to get it done. Or something like that.

Maybe before I sleep tonight I can work out the song form for songs seven and eight and in the morning tomorrow before the world wakes up I can crank out a crap load of rhythm guitar parts. I am off work tomorrow for Jen’s birthday (WOOHOO!!!). We have a couple of house painters coming over to give estimates, and we are planning on a birthday dinner together. I am not sure what we’re planning for the rest of the day. Hopefully our Star Wars re-watch or something goofy and fun like that. Maybe we’ll go shopping for computer components or something else like that. You know, the things my beloved bride likes to do for fun. There probably won’t be a lot of time for music and I am 100% fine with that. Tomorrow is my sweetie’s day and I am up for anything she wants to do. 

2024 RPM Challenge Day 3 & 4/29

I haven’t checked in with the RPM Challenge in a couple of days. How have I been doing, you ask? Have I made any progress? Sure.

Here is what I wrote on my dumb tumblr page to sum up day three:

Not quite as much as I had hoped to get to on day three, but not bad.

I put rhythm guitars onto two songs (songs number three and five). I finished the MIDI bass and MIDI drums and worked out the song form for song number four, and added a new idea that now has the bass/drums/form finished. That new one is song number six.

I failed to write any melodies or lyrics so I still don’t have anything ready for vocals. I am going to be traveling quite a bit today so there’s a good chance day four might be a bust. Maybe I’ll sneak something in after dinner tonight. Let’s hope.

Musical Meanderings

Okay, so we’re up to six songs in three days. Not a bad haul to start the month. No lyrics yet, that’s a little concerning, but half of the songs have their full rhythm section down. 

Now here is my dumb tumblr summary of day four, yesterday:

I expected to get shut out on day four. It was my step son’s 21st birthday and we drove to Vermont and back to celebrate with him a little. I would have been okay with not making any progress at all, but I did manage to sneak one little thing in.

Just before I fell asleep I noodled a couple of bass guitar ideas and called them song idea number seven. It’s probably terrible, but it’s in the pipeline now so it will become a song one way or another.

Musical Meanderings

Something is better than nothing, even if it’s barely something and not terribly interesting… at least I don’t think it was terribly interesting. I was falling asleep as I worked on it, and I haven’t listened back to it today.

Tomorrow is another potential day of being shut out. It’s my work from the office day this week so my morning won’t see any work. Maybe I will sneak some in before I go to bed again. We will have to see. Wednesday could be a big day. It’s Jen’s birthday and we both took the day off. I might be able to squeeze in some serious productivity in the morning at least. We have a couple of contractors coming over to give house painting estimates and I do want to do something nice for Jen’s birthday, so there might not be that much time for music. I’ll see what I can do. Thinking about Wednesday is getting way ahead of myself though. Let’s get some shit down tonight before we worry about anything else, m’kay?

2024 RPM Challenge Day 2/29

What did I post on that dumb music project Tumblr account as a summary for day two of the RPM Challenge?

Day two was not as productive as day one, but I got some stuff done and I am pleased.

I put rhythm guitars onto one song and also gave that song a melody. Later in the day I added song idea number five and finished the MIDI bass and MIDI drums and gave the whole thing a complete song form.

Day three has already seen some progress, but you’ll read about that tomorrow.

Musical Meanderings

Yup. A decent haul on day two. One new song format, one song’s worth of rhythm guitars, and one vocal melody without lyrics.

Similar to yesterday, I wrote my summary of day two after I did some work on day three. I put rhythm guitars onto two songs this morning after breakfast. Hopefully I will have some more melodies and maybe a lyric or two or three at some point today. I won’t be able to do an early morning car vocals tomorrow, but I should be able to do it on Monday so I want to have a lot of stuff available to work on by then.

Pics!

156/365
156/365

2024 RPM Challenge Day 1/29

Every February I try to post daily RPM Challenge updates on a Tumblr page that I set up a thousand years ago and only ever use to try and track daily updates of music projects. Why? Why do I do this? Why do I even keep this Tumblr account? What the hell is wrong with me? 

I find that I post to that page for a week or two and then I fall off and eventually forget all about it. It’s lame. I am lame. You could probably tell that by all the lame posts though, so I don’t expect anyone to be surprised.

Anyway, I posted the day one summary this morning even though I have already done some work on day two today. Whatever. Since I am a content whore I will quote the Tumblr post here because… ya know… reasons. I guess.

The RPM Challenge is underway once again. Will I manage to post daily updates here? Probably not. Oh well.

Day one went really well. I managed to start four songs before I punched into work for the day. Three of them were multiple riffs/changes that I noodled out on guitar. The fourth was just a bass/drum groove that I worked out on my iPhone.

After work I added bass and drum parts (MIDI) and a song form to two of the three ideas that started on guitar. I started adding bass and drums to the third but was unable to finish.

And that is my wrap up for day one. I’ve already done a little work on day two.

Musical Meanderings

There you go. There is my day one summary. I mentioned the morning stuff here yesterday but the after work stuff should be new news.

As for today? I put rhythm guitars (two guitars through two amps each for a total of four tracks) onto song idea number one. I didn’t have time to add them to song idea number two too. Maybe this evening. We’ll see.

155/365
155/365 – The two amps are a Fender Bassbreaker 15 and a Vox MV50 Clean. Both are running direct into my USB audio interface.

It Begins…

Well… I sent a message to the guitar shop that put new frets on my 1978 Les Paul. I said I have a 1979 ES-335 that probably needs new frets as well but also might need new wiring and maybe kinda might need to have the neck joint re-glued.

Yesterday I was excited about this. Now I’m terrified again. Uh oh.

DSC_0034

Note on the photo, I already replaced the missing knob. In fact, I replaced all four knobs. That’s about the extent of what I am willing to do myself as far as mods or repairs to any of my guitars.

Unrelated musical note… The RPM Challenge starts in eight hours and 14 minutes. My goal is to write and record either 10 new songs or 35 minutes of music entirely during the month of February. Actually, I am going to shoot for 20 songs or 70 minutes because double albums are fun (looking at you, The White Album and you, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway) so why not go for it?

It’s almost time to start. Will I start at midnight tonight? Don’t be silly, I will start tomorrow morning. I am way too old and feeble to stay up until after midnight on a school night. What do you think I am, young?

Sign Up

It happens around this time every year, or at least every year since 2008…

I just signed up for this year’s RPM Challenge. The annual musical extravaganza/torture event is happening and I will be eye ball deep in it all throughout the month of February. We wouldn’t have it any other way, would we?

I have no idea what I am going to do this year. No goals other than to finish. 10 songs or 35 minutes of music… or maybe 20 songs or 70 minutes of music, as maybe I might shoot for a double album this year. Who knows.

Maybe my 1978 Les Paul in your left speaker (or your left ear if you’re wearing headphones) and my 2020 Les Paul in your right speaker/ear? Fun, eh?

I went to sleep last night fully planning to record some singing in the car this morning but then when I woke up I just didn’t have the energy. Tomorrow, for sure. Then some lead guitar playing. That’s the plan at least. I’m not trying to write anything new this month as I am saving that up for RPM February. Maybe I should just noodle some riffs and chord changes onto a memo file to have in the bank for next month. I’ve done that before but I usually try to keep everything 100% February if I can. 

So I have signed up for the RPM Challenge… have you? Well why not! Make some music next month. It doesn’t have to be good, it just has to be.