Songs For The Deaf?

It's a Queens of the Stone Age reference.

The past two days, Luke has given me a few tasks to help better my skills in songwriting which, by the way, is what I want to focus on in STAC for at least the remainder of this year.

Yesterday, I was handed a sheet of paper. This paper had a guitar chord progression on it, complete with sections specific to each part of a song including the verses, choruses, and pre-choruses. My task was to write an entirely original song, minus the part about the already existing chord progression, complete with my own written lyrics for each part of the song. I had less than three periods to make it, perform it, and record it live in one take.

Today, Luke gave me a similar mission to yesterday's, except this time, the lyrics for the song were already written. Using the lyrics given to me, I was required to write my own chord progression to accompany them as well as a melody for the vocal part. I also had about three periods to write, perform, and record this song as well. Oh, and did I mention that, unlike yesterday's agenda, there was no specific verse, chorus, or any other musical section specified in these lyrics. For all I cared I could have written a spoken word poem with a simple G to C and back to G chord progression to complement it and the song would have been acceptable.

I am not complaining. I actually really enjoyed this project. I think that, even though I have never done something like this before, it has been a real learning experience and one of the more unorthodox, yet innovative and effective ways of getting my songwriting mana juices a flowin'.

As far as my final products are concerned, I am pretty content with the quality of each. However, I think my lyrics for the fist song could have been a little more progressive, for lack of a better word, and less forced-to-fit-the-melody kind of lyrics. I know that I could have done better and I know that if I had more than an hour and fifty minutes to write better lyrics, I would. I also need to work on my singing. I know that I am pretty capable of singing fairly mediocre tunes and nothing spectacular, but I would really like to have a better understanding of my vocal range and more comfort with my technique which, come due time, will hopefully eventually occur to an extent.

-Peter

P.S. Those are my initials
P.S.S. That's what I would name my boat...if I had one
P.S.S.S. I am deeply sorry for aligning my signature on the right instead of the left on my last post. I am very angry at myself for this.

Let's Get (meta)Physical

Is our universe infinite?

People say that our universe is ever-expanding, but it had to start from a singular point, right? If this is true, then there must be an edge to its plane somewhere... And if there is, indeed, an edge, what lies beyond?

Is there another universe?

Perhaps it is parallel, or at the least extremely similar to our own. If that is the case then is it possible that there are more than one? Think of all the universes as one infinite mirror. Could it be that there are an infinite amount of ever-expanding universes beyond our own infinitely expanding universe? A multiverse?

Or is it just void?

What if, past the edge of all that is currently known and perceived as plausible, there is nothing; something so empty that we humans cannot even begin to comprehend its importance.

But what if there is no edge?

What if our universe is circular, resembling a giant sphere, and is on one, giant, infinite loop? If this is true, then would it be possible to travel so far, so deep into the universe that one would eventually return to the same spot that he or she began their travels? But even then,

would it ever be exact?


And no, I do not use marijuana.

-Peter 

Art Sucks

Art really sucks.

Okay that was a lie.
Not all art sucks. Music is art. Film is art. The list continues indefinitely and infinitely. But art, from my perspective, does suck.

I am talking about the kinds of art you see in museums. The kind of art that is hung up on white walls by silver nails. To me, it's all just pretentious. You don't even have to be a good "artist" to make art; you just have to string a giant load of cohesive jargon together and hope for the best. And then you get by. Most of the time, with success.

But maybe it's just me.

I understand why the people who do like that kind of art, well, like that kind of art. They appreciate it. I appreciate what I do for my own separate reasons. Everyone has theirs. I wish, though, that art did communicate with me in a way that I could comprehend. It must be something special.

-Peter

Skin & Wires

The past couple days have been a productive few for my music and I.

When I attended the songwriting workshop with Brien from Australia I've been thinking about what he said: "To write good songs, you have to make time for it and do it everyday." (of course I am paraphrasing a bit...but I digress). I have taken that to heart and I'm writing more now than I ever have in the past.

I've also been recording more demos recently (I have had a 1:1 ration of recordings to days for the last 3 days). Overall, I'm feeling much more comfortably musically than I have been in a long while.

I'm thinking of making a short 4-song "EP", if you will, and self-releasing it as a made-up band comprised of anonymous musicians.

Skin And Wires

-Peter

Cheap Self-promotion!

Today I had as little homework as I will ever have ever again for the rest of my life.

Therefore I recorded another drum cover video for my YouTube channel (I will put the link for such at the bottom of this post). "Have A Cigar" by the legendary rock band Pink Floyd was a more than appropriate choice for today's cover, I think. I have always like Mr. Floyd and company, but I recently began listening to them a lot more often around a year or so ago. I played drums on "Have A Cigar" for a Pink Floyd cover show about four months ago and I have loved playing the song ever since.

John, Ellen, Lisa, Austin, and I are also looking to perform the song for the upcoming (and pending) STAClive...

I sure do enjoy music.

THE LINK TO MY FREAKING CHANNEL :D --> http://www.youtube.com/user/TheNoLoops?feature=mhee

-Peter

Smells Like Teen B.O.

I don't understand why so many people criticize their respective peers so often. Actually, I do understand, I just refuse to accept the fact that it is true.

This is especially evident when an occurrence of high interest (the recent shooting in Connecticut, for example) is publicized and therefore easily accessible to most of the general public.

NOW FOR THE POINT!

I cannot fathom all the legitimate bullshit that is floating around our heads each and every day. Who told you that it's not okay to express your opinion on something? You should've really paid attention in American history class, my friend, because I am almost certain that the first 40 percent of that course is composed of how we died for that right.

ALSO, who made you a god? How come everyone else's opinion is foolish besides your own? Show me your ruling scepter, Zeus. No one is righteous enough to put someone down and make them feel like crap, not even you.

-Peter

A "Monumental" Critic

Boy, isn't procrastinating just the greatest? I literally spent my entire day doing homework, with most of said homework being annotating Nathaniel Hawthorne's godforsaken The Scarlet Letter. When I finally completed that task, I moved on to beginning, and henceforth completing my photo series for STAC.

My concept for the entire series was, well, simply put, the image of my head "critiquing" some of the world's tallest and most recognizable structures. You're probably telling me "Peter, you bumbling idiot, that idea is completely out of left field and it will never suffice as a meaningful work of art.".

To you I say "Correct, young grasshopper!"

I do realize that this may be an odd idea, but I wanted something as entertaining and attention-grabbing as possible. Call me when you don't see someone stop and give five moments of their time to look at one of my pictures (that's about as conceded as I'll ever intentionally get).

Here's a sneak peak:

-Peter