In the bleak midwinter

Not so bleak here, though the house is down to 65 degrees. But this Christmas carol is just the thing for frozen Northerners contemplating the advent of hope. That Holst can really write a harmony.

16 comments:

Cass said...

That was truly lovely. This is one of my very favorite Christmas carols - you did a fantastic job!

You inspired me to go upstairs and play my old piano - I haven't played it in ages. If I can figure out how to do it, maybe I'll finally record some of the music I've written over the years! I'd better do it soon, before I forget them all :)

Grim said...

I didn't know that you wrote music, Cass.

Texan99 said...

I'd love to hear it!

Cass said...

I haven't written anything in the last 4-5 years. I recorded one song today but it's on my piano and I don't know how to get the file onto my laptop.

We'll see! Anyway, I'm really impressed with Tex's carols.

E Hines said...

it's on my piano and I don't know how to get the file onto my laptop.

Patience, Grasshopper. It just takes fine tweezers, and you move the file electron by electron....

Eric Hines

E Hines said...

Or play the piece again, and let your laptop record the live performance.

Eric Hines

Dad29 said...

Yah, Holst knew his stuff. Also did most excellent war-music ("Mars) in 5 beats/measure.

Cass said...

Patience, Grasshopper. It just takes fine tweezers, and you move the file electron by electron....

WHAP WHAP WHAP!!! :)

Unfortunately, my laptop doesn't have an external mic, and the microphone jack is shared with the headphone jack. Apparently it's sufficiently confusicating that there are whole forum threads discussing how to get things working.

I tried straight recording first -- no sound :)

Texan99 said...

Cass: These days, when any camera or smartphone can record audio, it ought to be cheap to pick up a recording device at the nearest Radio Shack or big box store that can record a track you can load straight onto your computer. Plug-in mikes are cheap, too, and should enable you to do this directly on your computer without an added device. Even if your computer makes the mike and the headphones share a jack, is that a problem? You don't need the headphones when you're recording a single track, right? I use the headphones only when I'm laying down a second track, to avoid feedback.

Anyway, if you can buy a device that can either upload straight to your computer or record a CD or flashdrive or the like, you're there. Then all you need to do is set up a free account at www.box.com and upload your file from the computer.

You know what would be fun? A Skype connection to enable us all to record together. It's kind of like the way my husband plays wargames online with people all over the world, because he doesn't know anyone locally who wants to play them.

Cass said...

Supposedly there are other issues - you need some kind of "adaptor" gadget to plug the mic into, which in turn plugs into the headphone dealio.

I'll figure it out eventually - it just wasn't worth the time/aggravation yesterday. Appreciate the tips, though!

Texan99 said...

In my experience, there's always a nice young man at Radio Shack who knows how to do all this stuff.

Texan99 said...

http://www.ehow.com/how_5101193_record-sound-pc.html

E Hines said...

[I]t just wasn't worth the time/aggravation yesterday.

Well, now it should be. An anxious world awaits.

Eric Hines

Grim said...

Don't leave my comments section with 13 comments, Mr. Hines. Especially not on New Year's Eve!

Do eat some black eyed peas and collard greens tomorrow, though.

E Hines said...

Don't leave my comments section with 13 comments....

??

13 is just a number. No particularly special meaning.

Unless you're concerned about an overloaded secondary backing up a strong line and linebacking corps on a football team of innumerates--the old 4-4-5 defense on 3d and where are we, now?.

Happy New Year to you, too. I'll probably chow down on the food that eats that food-food instead, though.

Eric Hines

Grim said...

My wife was born on Friday the 13th. All the same, if it's good enough for Gandalf, it's good enough for me.