14th January. A week ago about seven of us met here for cheese, mulled wine and a run-through of the sets for tomorrow’s session. We were not at our best, so I hope all goes well tomorrow.
When we were using Zoom to practice during lockdown, we used YouTube clips converted to mp3s. These were spliced onto other mp3s so that we would have something to play to. It was rough. Different volumes and speeds, and transitions that were anything but smooth. Over the past year I have become quite good at editing music using abc notation. I say ‘editing’ because I rarely have to create a file from scratch as there is so much available online. However, as tunes are uploaded by amateurs like myself, errors abound.
Anyway, I have begun 2023 by converting abc files to mp3s. I have known how to do that for a stand-alone jig or reel for quite a while, but I have now learnt how to link two or three tunes with different key signatures and/or different rhythms. I download a product as a WAV file and use an online converter to change it to an mp3, which is a of more manageable size than a WAV. The results are better than MIDIs but not as good as listening to real musicians, but the transitions are smoother than my previous solution, and the recordings are exactly the same as the sheet music provided for the sessions. In short, the mp3s are very useful practice aids.
16th January. The first session of the year kicked off quite successfully. It was a good decision not to put in too much new material. The bar was crowded – always good to see, and those actively listening to us seemed to appreciate the music.
I have made two decisions for 2023. First, I have temporarily abandoned the idea of forming a group. Second, I am moving the centre of gravity for rehearsals from Thessaloniki to the Thermaic Gulf. I’m trying to schedule something for 26th January. More later.
25th January. The weather has taken a turn for the worse. I don’t want to drag people out for a practice tomorrow. And nobody has asked me why nothing is happening.
Our next sessions are on 12th February and 12th March.
And two treats. I love these guys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=badECKjd1eU
Not traditional but this one was a big hit in the 70s. These kids are even better than the original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T3B502Ut94