Linda Stout

Had a gig in Rochester this weekend, the very lovely Veneto, East Ave. at Union, for the High Falls Film Festival. Back home, I am working with some new recording gear at home (one toy -- I should say, tool -- begs for another). It should be easier and faster. I'm using a TASCAM box with CueBase software. I have this high-powered Mac G-5 we got for $500 after an ad agency went out of business, but we'll probably get another external hard drive for more memory. I am surprisingly not completely lost. I did some sitting in front of the console in producing "Good Luck Child," mostly told the engineer, Al, what I wanted, but am not completely ignorant. I might feel that way again, ignorant, but I use computers for some graphic design. It's sort of logical, sometimes anyway. In a test, I nailed a vocal harmony I'd never thought of or sung because I go around singing melody on my songs. But that was a test, only a test and needs a different mic and a drum track that doesn't drive me crazy. I don't know why the click could only be set to A (I was playing in D) and hit the 1 at an annoying high, ugly quality. I am disturbed by harsh sounds, especially when trying to make lovely music. I have some ideas for importing a better-sounding click through my keyboard. I am only making demos toward deciding what and how to go forward, at this point, so don't need to worry about perfection. But I worry about perfection, though I know that's unattainable. I like raw and emotionally out there, too. But it still has to be professional. I was playing the keyboard on the porch. It's still nice out. Fall is fine. I am not a fan of winter.