I have gone a long
time now without writing new music. I did write an instrumental
piece in December of 2015, but forgot to write of it in this space.
In other words, I have neglected writing here for these many months.
The condition remains, having failed to write any new lyrical music
since last summer. I have however been staying busy with music
without writing new pieces. I came upon the resolve to record all
the music I have written in my life, for the purpose of creating a
presentation of it, in its best available form, to allow you the
opportunity to hear it at your own will. This has in general
presented a whole new and different challenge.
If you want to
listen to it, you can do a web search for, “the music of Thomas
Peterson” and you should find it easily. You are also free to use
this link the music of Thomas Peterson.
The recording
process is very complex, beyond what I had previously recognized.
The old days of using the audio tape medium is long gone. Now it is
all digital, requiring both hardware and software to make quality
multi-track recordings. Being a poor man fiscally presents its own
complications. Over the years I have attained adequate instruments
along with sound capture devices (microphones) for performance yet
more is needed to enter the digital recording world. Having no
education in this area, I had to first figure out what is available
to facilitate the process, then discern which of these tools are in
my budget. I have a rather good computer, but old as technology
goes. Many years back I had arrived at the conclusion that for
profit computer software is ridiculous in costs, because it goes
obsolete so rapidly. I turned to the free open source software
available for a Linux operating system. This meant learning a lot
about computing, rather than concentrating on music. It has been a
big deal however, but through staying at the course for an extended
time I am finding success. None the less it remains difficult to do
it all by myself. It is challenging enough to be a musician by
itself. In this process I am also the recording engineer. I play
all the instruments, or program the computer's midi processor to play
specific parts (generally the bass and or drums), plus I sing all the
vocal parts. In its entirety it is taxing upon my capabilities.
Probably the most difficult part of the process is learning to use
the software, because my lack of computer education which is
compounded even further by the lack of directions that covers the
entire process.
Over this long haul,
I have made a great deal of progress mostly through trial and error.
Each song project delivers a bit more understanding in the process,
and how to create the desired results. All I know to do is, to stay
on the path using these tools to continue building an understanding
in the process while attempting to achieve better results through the
repetition of trial and error. Learning to mix tracks together with
each track being optimized to its unique best potential is one part
of the puzzle that I find illusive. I am finding it all too easy to
bury or otherwise loose the aliveness in a song in the process of
production. Slowly I am developing a better understanding along
with better results.
The fun never ends.
The fun never ends.
