22 October 2008

Lack of Motivation

So as you probably know, I am a freshman at FLCC now. I am a Music Recording major. The only problem with that is that I suck at music theory. I'm pretty sure I'm failing it. I need four semesters of theory for the degree. All of this being said, I have filled out my MCC application for next semester, and all that is left to do is send in my confirmation or whatever. I think I'm going to do liberal arts. I'm going to try to get into there recording II class, because I am in techniques of audio recording I at FLCC right now. I'm also going to try to make it into the same jazz band with kevin quinn. It will be like old times at Olympia.
Having made the decision to transfer to MCC next semester, I think I am doing even worse in music theory now, because i know its not going to count for what I am doing. Plus I feel like there is no way to pass it. The only class I am taking right now that will count towards a liberal arts degree is ENG 101, which I am done with tomorrow night, as it is a minimester.
I think I'm going to drop music theory, theory lab and keyboard lab soon. That will leave me with audio I, jazz and percussion lessons. I am considering dropping percussion lesson too, because i'm not really willing to put the effort into learning to play the marimba, because it's not like I have one at my apartment to practice on. That's enough about escuela.

RLS is doing pretty well. We've started demoing out our songs, in hopes to go into the studio sometime in early 2009 to have an E.P. or album that we are proud of out by Spring 2009. We're starting to get more serious which is good. I play with a metronome live now, which has help solidify the band. I wish we practiced more than once a week though. We could really use it. I also wish we played more shows. We were offered a show in Ohio for November 14th, but the band seems to be split on whether to play it or not. I really want to, but in a way I feel it is imperative that we become even more solid before broadening our playing area. Next Friday, Halloween, we are playing at Water Street Music Hall for their Halloween Video Contest thing, which means we are shooting a five minute long horror flick on Sunday, should be brutal. November 8th we are playing in Nichols, NY at Tioga Downs, which is a little bit past Elmira, where we played in May, making this our farthest show to date. November 8th is right around our one year anniversary. It's weird to think that we've been around for a year already. It's almost been a year since I first met Adam, and he is one of my best friends now, and I live with him. It has almost been a year since we reluctantly let Joel in the band, almost as reluctantly as he was reluctant to join. I'm glad he did join, because he has really played a key role in developing our style, which I feel is rather unique. It has almost been a year since we had our first promo photo shoot. I guess that means we should shoot some new ones soon.
As we have been demoing out our songs, I have started to feel some tension as we provide criticism for each other. I hope we can learn to get along, while trying to make our songs sound as best as they can. I really wish we had a third person perspective while recording. I guess we did on Sunday, because our friends Brian Jackson and Sam Updyke came over. I am really looking forward to going to MCC next semester and living at home so I can practice my drums daily. I really feel that it is crucial that each of us practices every day, as tedious as it may get, in order to solidify our sound. The band is torn between perfecting the songs we have already written and writing new songs. I for one feel that we have written some good songs, and would like to solidfy them before writing more. We have about twelve written, two that we never play anymore, leaving us with ten to work with. I think ten songs is a good number. We usually end up playing between four and eight songs, and in some cases, we have played a little more, or a little less, but I really feel like we can do ten. Its a good number for a full length, with an acoustic track at the end or something. I really want to tour next summer, but I feel like the rest of the band doesn't. I will be working alot next semester and be saving up, and If we do tour next summer, we really need to start booking sometime around January.

Well, I guess thats it for now. I really should work on my final english research paper.

Mitch