Reaper, Bass clef, and more!

THE MUSICAL ENDED! FINALLY!
I swear I never need to hear any song from Jekyll & Hyde ever again. So, this week I will actually have time to write lyrics and horn sections! Of course, there are still regular complications such as a Owen's drum lesson and my guitar lesson but these things come and go. For the most part everything is back on track and hopefully will go smoothly.
So far, we have 4 tunes basically plotted out and finished that only need a bit of polishing up with the lyrics and horn sections. Since I am interested in learning multiple instruments, I will be recording drums on one song and Owen will be recording guitar on one song. This will probably make this song a little more simplistic but overall with make us better musicians. Anyway, the four songs consist of pretty easy chord progressions but with lots of changing time signatures and melodies. Although the chords themselves are not to complex, it's everything that goes over them that really builds the songs up to be as good as they can be. Lyrically speaking, I am trying to write 3 lyrics as well as Owen writing 3 lyrics for his three songs. The lyrics for our music is an interesting thing, Owen writes well, although generally his music tends to fall towards a depressing side which seems to only go over something in a very minor key. Unfortunately, only one of our songs is primarily minor. For me, I have always loved to write, but generally enjoy creative writing in a big picture sort of way. I would much rather write 30 pages for the beginning of a fantasy epic than a couple lyrics. That being said, I've been giving it my all and have plotted out something that could hopefully be considered "Artsy" although probably also considered "Pretentious". Either way, what are lyrics for if not being pretentious or talking about the three main rock topics (which probably should not be mentioned in this blog).

Hopefully it will end up looking like this

In addition, I have been given yet another task in the music field. For our social studies game project, we have been commissioned to create an advertizement for the game. Of course, what makes a better ad than a jingle?  Hence I have been given one more task: to write a jingle for a commercial. Time to break out a C chord over and over again! But, that is beside the point, I think a jingle may be just a little easier than a fully fledged rock song.
So, on to the reading portion. Actually, I have used a lot of resources in people. As far as learning Reaper recording software I have used Ben Chaiken and Ben Kessler as prime people to help tell me understand how to use everything. Since my guitar teacher has been sick for a while or I have been at pit orchestra, I haven't really had a chance to have him help me with Reaper. Other than them, I have found the Reaper User Guide at this website:
http://www.reaper.fm/userguide.php
The user guide has been really helpful as it really educates as to how you actually record with the audio-plugin. Essentially you plug the input into your computer and then plug the microphone/amp into the audio-input to start to record. The only annoying thing about this whole process is that with only two people we will be recording over ourselves multiple times. Also according to the user manual, depending on the audio-input you own is how many tracks you can record. Hopefully, Owen's will be able to record at least two at a time.
Essentially, our master plan for the recording process is to record drums and rhythm guitar together so that they may be a jumping off point for recording bass-lines, horn parts, lead guitar riffs, and most of all vocals.

Isn't Bass clef ugly?

Last but not least, I have been reading a lot about reading bass clef verses treble. Seeing as how both trumpet and guitar are written in treble, I have had virtually no experience with bass clef. (Bass clef is the one in the picture that is a little curly q with two dots, treble in on top with a large curly looking thing going below the bar lines). As sources for this reading, I have used Mr. Hood to help me read bass clef (As he is both a professional trombone player and a music teacher) and a blog about music theory I found online. This blog has really helped me to understand how to read this music as well as how to compose basic solos and melodies over the given chords. The blog can be found at:
http://musictheoryblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/staff.html
Overall, now that all of the time put into the musical is done and overwith, I think the project will go a lot smoother. Hopefully next week I can post our first complete song!

~~Max