[NaSoAlMo 2013] Week 2 Progress

Unfortunately, there's been far less progress this week. Just a few more musical bits and pieces, a possible chord progression, and a wispy idea for another song.

Two weeks into NaSoAlMo, I have:
- New song idea
- Musical bits and pieces for 2 songs
- Full lyrics draft for 2.5 songs
- Theme snippet for 1 song
- Larger theme motif + piece layout for a trio
- General instrumentation/motifs for a duet

Tentative song titles:
- Mender of Dreams
- When I Grow Up
- Marimo
- The Path Less Taken
- I Hold Two Pineapples in My Octopus Arms

[NaSoAlMo 2013] Week 1 Progress

One week into NaSoAlMo, I have:
- Full lyrics draft for 2.5 songs
- Theme snippet for 1 song
- Larger theme motif + piece layout for a trio
- General instrumentation/motifs for a duet

I have no idea if this is much or little progress, but it's something, and it's way more than I've ever gotten in previous "attempts" at NaSoAlMo, so I'll try to be satisfied and just keep pushing on ^_^

Here's to hoping the next week sees more musical progress, as fun as it is to write poetry/lyrics, haha.

[NaSoAlMo 2013] National Solo Album Month

As many of you may already know, November is National Novel Writing Month, more fondly known as "NaNoWriMo" during which people attempt to write a novel. In one month. As intriguing as the idea was, I've never actually participated in that, nor felt particularly compelled to, because I enjoy writing short stories once in a while, but I don't like writing *THAT* much.

I was very interested, however, to find out from my roommate a few years ago about something called National Solo Album Month, which is basically a musical adaptation of NaNoWriMo. The idea is to produce a 35-minute solo album in the span of one month (November). You're not allowed to start writing music/lyrics until November 1, and everything must be done by the end of November 30. What actually goes into this album is up to the composer (so, I *could* just... record myself improvising for 35 minutes straight if I really wanted to...).

I've toyed with the idea of participating every year, but never actually signed up for it, or put much real effort into it (I think I composed maybe two thematic motifs last year and then ran out of time/motivation to really continue with it). But I've decided, THIS YEAR, will be the year that I put real effort into completing NaSoAlMo, not with the intention of outputting anything actually good, but just to force myself to really get back into music writing. Besides, I have more free time now than I've ever had at any previous point in my life, right?

So here's to my first real NaSoAlMo attempt (yes, I even actually 'registered' with them, and am listed on their website as participating)!! Hopefully I'll have some actual positive updates every week, or twice a week, or something (probably not every day... that would get boring), and maybe even a whole 35-minute album by the end of November!