Back Up Your Files

Do as I say, not as I do (or in this case don’t do what I didn’t do). Back up your files. Always back up your damn files.

Yeah, you know that car music I did yesterday? The one where I put vocals on four songs? Yeah, I just accidentally deleted the vocal track from one of those songs. I didn’t notice until after I was past the point where undo could bring it back. Also, with all the travelin’ fun yesterday I never got around to backing up the work I did in the car and now that vocal take is gone forever and I have to do it again.

On the up side though, I did manage to put rhythm guitars onto four songs today and lead guitars onto three. It should have been leads on four, but one of them needs to have the vocals redone because I am a friggin’ idiot.

Back up your files. Always.

10/365
10/365

Note: Today’s work has already been backed up. That doesn’t fix what I didn’t back up yesterday though. Moron.

Friday Morning Music

I over slept a little today, and then took longer than usual to get my act together. That means I didn’t have a lot of time for music. I did get to spend about 45 minutes working on one song. Yesterday I started… I think… four new song ideas? One got guitars, one got a full song form, and then one song I started a few days ago (the only song I touched in the first six days of September) got a full song form. That last one was the one I put guitars on today.

Tonight I have to write lyrics. I need to do singing in the car both days this weekend. I need to have songs ready to mix by the time our Florida trip starts so that I can have something to do while we’re away and I can’t sleep at night because I am not in my own bed. You know how that goes, right? Although, I do expect to be physically wrecked after full days in the Disney World parks. You know how that goes, right?

Anyway, some photos.

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8/365 – Photo a Day Challenge
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Lowell

I said I was going to do it on Saturday and then didn’t.

I said I was going to do it on Sunday and then didn’t.

I didn’t say I was going to do it on Monday and then did it.

I took a couple of cameras out with me this morning. I went to downtown Lowell. Market Street, specifically. I walked from the parking garage to the train museum, shooting film the whole way. Then I turned around and went back, shooting digital the rest of the way.

I was going to stop at another place or two after I finished with that neighborhood, but the ticket machines in the parking garage were down and I couldn’t get out. I had to call their office for help, and while trying to move from one exit lane to the other I clipped a cement post and dented my car. I am so effin’ pissed at myself. I just went home.

Here are some pics.

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Photo a day challenge day 4/365
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I still have about half a roll of black and white Kentmere 400 in my film camera. I need to finish that roll before Disney World so I can load it up with color film. Probably just cheap drugstore Fuji. I could shoot black and white at Disney World but that feels wrong. I need to go color. Assuming I am going to bring a film camera with me when we go. I am still undecided on that, but I am leaning toward bringing it.

Guitar Playing Avalanche

Eight songs. I put lead guitars on eight songs this morning and it was all before 8:15am. My finger tips are a burning agony right now. I saved the song I am playing my step son’s guitar on for last. The strings are probably 7-8 years old and feel like barbed wire. I was hurting before I played that puppy, and I am hurting more now. Ouch babie, ouch.

364/365
364/365
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Two Days Left

I started my photo a day challenge on September 1st. There are only two days left in this year’s running. Tomorrow and the day after and that will be it for my fourth consecutive photo a day.

I took this picture this morning before I left for the office because I wanted to have something shot with my Z5 rather than my little point and shoot, or my iPhone. This is number 363 of 365. Crazy, right?

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Fun with Depth of Field

No guitar playing this morning. I’ve had a couple of personal screw ups that have messed my plans up quite a bit today, and all before 8:00am. Wonderful.

I meant to play guitar but instead I just took today’s photo a day picture. I had a little fun with depth of field. F2 for the win. Today’s photo a day is 362. Only three days left. It would be just my luck to screw it up now.

362/365
362/365
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Guitar Fun

I spent two hours recording guitars today. I got through so much that I can’t even remember it all.

I started by adding song idea #37. I threw it together on-mic, as it goes. I recorded it as I was writing the guitar parts. It’s super simple but it exists now when it didn’t before. Cool.

I then put rhythm guitars onto three more songs. There is a twist on one of them, I’ll share it in a bit.

I put lead guitars on a bunch of songs… I actually forget how many. Let me check my trello notes… five songs. I put leads onto five songs.

Add the five songs that got vocals this morning and it’s been a pretty cool day, music-wise.

How about some gratuitous guitar pics?

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So what about that twist that I mentioned? Years ago my step son was taking guitar lessons. For his birthday I bought him a very inexpensive beginner/student guitar. Given that it was me doing the shopping, I of course bought him a Les Paul. Not a Gibson, but an Epiphone package deal that came with a tiny little solid state amp.

When he moved out we cleaned out his room and I saw the guitar sitting in his closet. He doesn’t play anymore. He’s a piano guy and a percussion guy. Guitar fell off of his musical map. I told him I wanted to play his guitar on my recording project thingie and he didn’t say no so…

One of the songs that got rhythm guitars was played on Harry’s Epiphone Les Paul Special II. Gratuitous photos, of course.

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What’s left to do tonight? Hopefully more lyrics and melodies. Maybe a mix or two? We’ll see.

Morning Music

It’s 9:00am on Thursday. I am punched into work, starting the day for reals. What did I do before work? Besides my morning exercise, breakfast, a shower, and a kiss for my wife as she left for the office for the day?

I played some guitar. I put rhythm guitars onto two songs and lead guitars onto two other songs. I have a metric ton of stuff left to do by the end of next month, but we’re picking away at it and a little progress was made. Sigh of relief, babie!

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