WTF, {Composer}!

Unexpected Hiatus.

Hi lovely followers-

As there have been some major changes in my life, I’ve been forced to go on a sort-of hiatus.

I’ll be back to posting in October, or maybe sooner! 

So, as the youngsters say on their Internets, “BRB”!

Sorry!

Sorry guys, I went home for the weekend, but now I’m back!

Expect much Regina Spektor-ing in this upcoming week!

Next Goal:

“Buildings” by Regina Spektor!

Lesson #2: Simplicity Can Be Underrated…?

So, I took a little vacation from my blog writing duties over July 4th weekend, but I am back, and at full force.  No worries, followers.

As I was in Connecticut for most of the weekend, and then at my job on Tuesday and Wednesday, I have also not had much time to practice.  But unlike the Sondheim, this Fiona piece didn’t present me with many challenges.  I’ll definitely be done with it by tomorrow. 

Through learning the Fiona (and probably practicing for a combined total of two hours, max), I’ve come upon my second lesson: simplicity can be underrated. 

I can’t even express to you how easy this song is to play, in comparison to the Sondheim.  The chords are incredibly straight-forward, and the rhythms are kind of pathetic.  That’s not to say that this isn’t a good song, but the simplicity of the writing really did shock me a bit at first.

Generally, this discovery would make me think less of an artist, but this isn’t true at all with Fiona Apple.  Fiona’s uniqueness lies in her lyrics, and the setting of her words.  Almost like a rapper, she has a certain pattern to how she sets her extremely poetic text.  She has a unique, almost awkward, sense of the English language, and she uses it completely to her advantage.

That being said, I also think that she’s an extremely badass bitch.  I only recently realized the genius of the whole “Extraordinary Machine” album.  It’s dark, but in a brilliant way.  To me, Fiona, above all other female musicians, represents my generation of women the best.  She’s strong, confident, and she doesn’t let any man get in the way of what she wants.  And though she may have some slip-ups with men, she makes it clear through her lyrics that she never lets it get the best of her.

As for the simplicity of her music—I don’t necessarily think that it’s a bad thing.  Although the writing isn’t exactly sophisticated, her songs never sound lacking to me, when performed live.  I happened upon an interview with Jack White the other night, which enlightened me a bit about this very subject.  In the interview, he was discussing the fact that people are always convinced that the White Stripes use (or used, tear) more than just a guitar and drums, or a piano and drums, etc.—but the White Stripes never used more than two instruments in their songs, both live and on the album.  His explanation for this, really, oddity, was that he wanted his songs to be as simple as possible.  Yet, when I stop to think of the most talented and intriguing musicians of the past decade, Jack White comes immediately to mind. 

And so, I have come to the conclusion that, perhaps, musical simplicity can be underrated.  I say “perhaps” because I’m the kind of person who really loves musical complexity, on occasion and in the right circumstance (i.e.-Sondheim).  Also, I think that the orchestrations on “EM” are pretty brilliant, and add a lot to Fiona’s writing.  I think that Jack White CAN rely on simplicity, because he is maybe a bit more innovative and quirky than Miss Apple.  Or, maybe just a bit more talented. 

So, as you can see, I’m a bit torn on this second lesson.  But enough of my rambling—what do you all think?

Lesson #1: Be Realistic

Alright, I told you all that I was going to prevail with “Another Hundred People”.  The truth is, I’m just not sure that’s it’s going to happen.

There’s a Sondheim lyric, from “Now You Know”, that goes “it’s called letting go your illusions, and don’t confuse them with dreams”.

This lyric has always spoken to me, but especially throughout the past year.  It’s essentially the idea that you’re allowed to have dreams, but they have to be realistic.  Now, I’m not saying that your dreams have to be small, or something like that.  You just have to be smart about which dreams you choose.

I’m not going to sit here and foster some dream that I’m going to be a concert pianist.  I just don’t have the hands for it (as proven by the photo before).

But I will foster my dream to be a singer/songwriter.  I can write, and I can sing, and I can play the piano pretty well.

See what I’m saying?  So my goal is to improve my piano skills so that I can become more comfortable with playing things like Ben Folds or Rufus Wainwright, not crazy Chopin pieces or something like that. 

I know that I said that I wanted to play the things that seemed impossible to me.  But let’s be realistic.  It’s a week!  A week to learn the pieces!

I think I set my sights too high.  Maybe, someday, I’ll come back to this piece.  And I learned the first two pages!  That’s pretty swell.  But for now, I’ll start with something that’s not difficult for an actual pianist to play, but is difficult for me to play.

Next week’s goal: “Not About Love” by Fiona Apple.

Just For Reference...

Frustration Sets In.

I have finally come to that special place in my process of learning of music known as “frustration”.

Frustration is a hard thing to deal with when you’re trying to practice.  You know that feeling where you’re so irritated that you get all hot and need to take a deep breath and just walk away?  Well, that’s about where I am.  Plus, it’s 90 degrees in my house, and I’m certain that, that doesn’t help at all.

But really, Sondheim:

a.) Did you actually need three key changes?

b.) Did you really have to write your music using no pattern whatsoever?  You’re allowed to repeat things, you know.

c.) Did you have to make the tempo the speed that it is?  Because we all know that’s never happening.

I know I’m supposed to be done with this song tomorrow, but this is not looking good. 

Remember that time when I promised you drama?  Well, here it is.  I know you’re all in a terrible amount of suspense right now.  Either that, or you’re browsing tumblr whilst lying on your bed, eating a snack, and this post just made you say, “Huh.”

Well, don’t worry, followers.  I will prevail!