"Happiest Music On Accordion" (2011)

As I had been thinking about going back to my book (finish up printing) after fixing the size of the pages and any errors. Resizing each page took the notation down from 120% to 110% and adjusted the fingering and directions around that was throw off. That in it's self was a huge job.

Then it came time to play through the final pieces and make sure the pages numbers were correct. This is where is got really interesting. For some reason I thought that I didn't have to refer to a table on context. This was a big mistake, I wasted hours printing and reprinting thinking I could change this and that when I was wrong every time.

After getting the table of context corrected it was then easier to just follow along and plug in the correct page numbers. Duh. Finally when I was all ready to go I noticed several song were written wrong. So I took a few days patiently going though them until they were ALL corrected.

Then I went to print I spent $50 printing placing each page on the glass palette. Later I learned you can feed it all at once and program it what to do. The quality on this new machine was far better than the rest of the other xerox machines. No specks nice dark blacks and illustrations looked really sharp with the text.

Now I went to show Dave I found several mistakes on "Mr. Sandman". The reason being it was originally in the key of "D" but reworked it in "C". So some of it need to be fixed. This is after PRINTING IT TWICE. 10 books at a time.

So now, I am going through the book again rereading and checking for errors. Meanwhile a blank page in book prompted me to do a new illustration. I work on it all today you can see it on "Eric Stefani's Animation History and Research".

Swan Lake

This took 4 hours! But it's done!!!!!!

Need to still add fingering

Micheal Aarons (Book #2)

Played these songs so many times I wonder if I can play the song by seeing the title and key the song is in. If not flip to the page by the page number , which you could memorize too!

"Choral" - Michael Aaron Piano Course

Piano Solo

Here is the piano solo for "Places You Get To Go ". It is not as easy as you might think.

"Place You Get To Go"

This song is finally coming together.

1) Doubling the vocals on the chorus was scrapped.

2) Putting delay on vocals to sit better in track scrapped (better dry)

3) The organ solo was replaced by a piano (much better)

4) The guitar removed completely during the solo.

5) Editing the song down to one solo section and still four verses.

6) Still not please with final verse but oh well.

The best description of the title is the first verse. With my songs this is always the case. Trying to make a similar verse using the same frame of story or continued story is always troubling.

Some place you want to go and then you discover something that makes you want to go there. That's the basic idea I'd like in every verse, and have the end rhyme "the flower", "the pay off" "the kiss", "the smile" or of course "the tear".

In a lyric there is not much time, so every word should have words that describe or color the simple melody line.

WORD LIKE DOUBLE RYHME

"Damp Rain Forest" "Ended Up Dating the Florist"

"Hit A Brick Wall" "Set Up For A Big Fall"

"Money In Bank" "Pirate Walked The Plank"

This fuzzy verse idea was coming to me throughout the day

"You got to stop at a Hotel, before you get to where your going

you might need to go through hell, before you get flowing."

I found that in this particular song, it's better if the second line follows a different storyline. In this case just a revision to focus the end lead better into the verse.

"You got to stop at a Hotel, before you get to where your going

or hit a brick wall, you may of had no way of not knowing!"

and I like exploring 3 or 4 approaches before deciding . . .

"You got to stop at a Hotel, before you make it to the next morning

You got to hit a brick wall, before you find the way and without warning!"

I enjoy taking it to the next level by throwing in more, and swapping words around.

"You got to stop at a Hotel, before you make it to the next stop

And if you come to a brick wall, you might be hit with a loud pop!"

Rework it, until you really enjoy it!

"Captain!" from the Album "On Time" (2011)

At this time I could not print so I took a screen shot to get it on the Blog.

Caro mio ben

Piano music I need to learn by the end of the month.

Today's Music Lesson

1) Editing your mix can really pay off, by "Eliminate that Second Solo Altogether!"

2) You can not "Burn to Disc" from an iPod!

3) You can rewrite the song until the lyrics are correct, or until you are exhausted.

4) There is an "h" and no "l" in the word "exhausted".

5) The background music should "Spotlight the Vocalist" in the best possible light.

6) When mixing you might have to go through a few "trails" until you get to the good ones.

7) A song with four verses could be shortened down to three if there is a good spot to edit.

8) Be sure to label your mixes, in the computer and on disc.

9) Put discs away when your done.

10) Look how much time you spent to get it corrected and completed.

11) Don't listen to the song so much that you can not tell if it's any good, take a break!

12) Get the verses to "sing the lyrics" by singing them over and over until they are comfortable!

You can check my new mix of "Places You Get to Go" from my new album "On Time" (2011) at ericstefani.net under Podcast.

Places You Get To Go

You got to come to a closed door

before you're going get inside

and not until you get up the tree

will you find the honey in the beehive!

and to the places, you get to know

I hope you get to go

and all the others you haven't seen

I hope your lights are green

You got to come to a stoplight

before you get to go ahead

and to play the Blue Danube

you don't have to flying to Budapest

and to the places, you get to know

I hope you get to go

and all the others you haven't seen

I hope your lights are green

(Instrumental)

Yes you got to put your order in

if you want to come up

and you got to keep momentum going

you don’t want it to end abrupt

and to the places, you get to know

I hope you get to go

and all the others you haven't seen

I hope your lights are green

(Instrumental)

and to the places you get to go

and to the places you get to know

(This lyric has started to lean towards food, should not it be 'places'?)

"Places You Get To Go"

Again today I found another line that may be a better rhyme:

"You gotta to come to a stoplight, the rules you must abide

and if you you’re taking up two lanes, you might wanna move a side!"

Help the song to to keep moving along.

"Places You Get To Go" (verse 2)

I've lived with the teacup line for a few days but I think now I got it.

The lyrics should lead in the "places" chorus or lyric so . . .

"When you come to a stop light, you can not go because it's red

and if you're taking up two lanes, then go on, go ahead!"

Although it doesn't have the variation on the story, it does feel more natural than the "teacup" line.

"You got to put your order in, if you want it to come up,

and you better take the caffeine out, if you wanna a teacup!"

Russian Sailor's Dance

"Russian Sailor's Dance" is written in key of Cm minor key with a time signature of 2/4. It was written by Reinhold Gliere and played pesante which means heavy or lumpy. The Bass Clef plays the melody line while the striking violins and Violas play striking accents.

The recordings I've heard are very very fast. There are 5 pages with the same idea played in different speeds/tempos. Moderato, Animato, Allegro, Piu tranquillo, Presto, Pui mosso, Tranquillo: Tranquil, calm.

Dave said his students can just learn part of the song if they choose so, that you do not have to learn to play the entire piece. Although I enjoy this song it does go on and on with variations on the same theme, similar the way my sketchbook were in college.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I'm finding out these horrifying 5 pages are nothing but the same thing over and over, just different variations. They add a harmony here, they take one there. Octave thing with the bass playing runs, so just really learn the main theme and you got it.

Hey I thought Horrifying would drop the "y" if they add an "ing".

"Prelude" - Baroque Piano

This is a nice song with familiar sounding melodies. I'm not too sure what the song is saying but it serves as a good study for "note reading". Composer Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722). You can remember his name by (kAh) the Lion from Jungle Book, (nAh) like your Uncle Mike always says - and "OO" the reaction someone makes to someone else who is trying to show off.

Making an Album Cover Sleeve (Booklet)

The paper I ended up using was a "Exact Vellum Bristol" 67 lb. Bristol semi-smooth finish by wausau paper. It's a card stock that is too thick, after it's folded the edge looks terrible! I went searching to Office Depot and Office Supply Warehouse but they both sell the same as far as thickness 67 lb ... When I asked the fella I said Kelly's Paper before it could leave his mouth. . . . . but I know it will be that stuff only for Color Copies not inkjet.

The only problem when you fold it down the center, what you think is 'center' for one page

is 'another center' because you have to compensate for the extra “right side” space the

printer adds!!!!! What is that extra space that gives the creator the biggest head aches?

One thing I learned about printing covers in Photoshop is to put both the front and back in the same file on different levels. This way you are using the same exactly space and pixel ratio and everything. You don't need to make two, and make sure they are both the same. Since they are in the same file it's really makes it a no brainer.

I don't know who owns the copyright on the "Clock Pictures", I should do a drawing to be safe.

"Fruit Tree" - Songs Take Time To Mature

This song was written 10-2006 and have recently got it typed up correctly. You really need more people working on this stuff to get it done on time. But like plants they need time to mature. Originally written on a sequencer then jotted down with pen, this typed up version is spaced correctly, it has corrected key signatures, corrected ties and slurs, added repeats, corrected timing and octaves. This is simple but catchy.

Funeral March (Introduction)

Funeral March (Introduction)

I notated this from listening to the original introduction of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"

"The End" - Sheet Music

I was trying to combine the original version of this song which was in a different key and a different Time Signature. Actually these original working song titles were "Man of the Forest" and "Always". Both lead up to yet another "Looping a three-chord progression" song working-title "Precious". All together will make a fantastic ending song.

"The End" - lyrics

When it's that you've reached the end
Then it's time to start again
There's something to locate
and don't you dare wait

And as soon as you start again
You'll soon come to another end
You're finished and you feel complete
The world is at your feet

as it's certain as your feelings show
they're just as certain as you let them go
and weather you like it or not

you'll be running in circle a lot

You think that you have reached the end
And now your done, but let's not pretend
Your time here is incomplete
You know you can not retreat

After that is all done and neat
There is something you must repeat
Because again you've come up into the end
Then it's time to start again

More "The End" lyrics from "On Time" (2011)

"The End" lyrical attempts to a final song

When it's that you've reached the end
Then it's time to up and start again
There's something to locate and don't you dare wait

And as soon as you start again
You'll soon come to another end
You're finished and you feel complete
The world is at your feet

So Certain your feeling will show
But you learn to let them go
Now you're running in circles a lot
Whether you like it or not!

You think that you've reached the end
And now your done, but let's not pretend
Your time here is incomplete
You know you can not retreat

After that is all done and neat
There is something you must repeat
That were you'll find me
That's where you'll find me