JenEric Designs

Feb 21: Ending. I think.

I made some silly mistakes in my learning app songs.

I found the chord trainer for the D chord (you have to play as many chords as you can before the time runs out). I did really well. I still need practice. I’m going to keep doing that.

I played my songs and the French song, and then I tried to figure out how to end the theme.

I think I figured it out. I’ll try it again tomorrow.

I also changed a chord in Get to Know You. Just one. From C to Cmaj7. It sounds so great, IMHO.

Feb 22: Pleased

I am pretty pleased with how my practice went today.

I did the learning app first. I got 3 gold stars on one part of Clair de Lune, which was a pleasant surprise. I almost beat my top score for the mountain king song. Then I played the chord trainer twice to work on hitting the D chord, with no problems. I think I’ll do it one more day, but I’m satisfied that I’m hitting the chord properly now.

Then I played my songs. I’m getting better at remembering the Cmaj7 in Get to Know You. I know I said I wasn’t going to change anything in that song, but I really like how this chord sounds, so I’m not going to be too much of a stickler in this case. It’s just one chord.

I’m thinking of rearranging one verse and one chorus at the end of the ballad. Currently the verse feels like it’s in the right place based on the lyrics, but structurally it needs to move. I’m conflicted. Tomorrow I’m going to try playing it in the moved position and see whether I like it.

Then I fiddled with the theme. I changed the ending chord for the harmony and I like it. I think I’ve figured it out, for the most part. I sent my chicken scratches off to my music mentor to see what he thinks. He’s going to laugh at how I chose to write it down, I know it. 🤣

Feb 23: Repetition

I played the learning app songs first, as usual. I do them first because my tuner is in the same app, and if it’s already out, I might as well use it, right?

I also played the chord trainer a couple times and did very well with it, so I’m going to stop it in the future.

Then I played my songs. I tried switching the location of the verse in the ballad and I think I like it. I’ll try it again tomorrow just to be sure, and then I’ll have to change it in the book.

I also worked on the theme, getting used to the melody, repeating it over and over.

I heard from my music mentor yesterday. He said I’m on the right track. He also said that it was easier to start with a melody and add harmony afterwards, but whoever said I did things easily?? I want the harmony specifically because it’s the chord progression from the chorus of the ballad.

Feb 24: Feeling Good

I only did mountain king on the learning app. I almost got a high score. I’m almost feeling like my fingers are moving faster than required. Considering the first time I played this, I barely made it through the first part, it was so fast, this is excellent progress.

I played my songs and the French song. I feel like I’m almost at the point in the wedding song where I feel comfortable recording it.

I also want to record the chorus from the ballad.

I’m thinking of joining Tiktok. Is that weird? It’s just that there’s a big presence of authors on it and I feel like it would be beneficial. Thoughts?

I also practiced the theme melody. It needs work. That’s ok. I’ll get there. I have time.

Feb 25: Song challenge

There was a new song challenge in my learning app today, so I gave it a shot. I forgot how annoying the learning app is for chords. I did decently, but not as good as if it were a melody line.

I practiced the songs I’m working on. I did very well. No gold stars, but I was happy with them.

I then played my songs, which went well, other than forgetting where I was a couple times. I’m getting complacent.

I did not play the French song, but I did practice the theme several times. I definitely need the practice.

Feb 26: Not well

Today’s practice did not go well. Sigh.

I stumbled over the learning app songs.

My fingers decided to hurt, so I used the pick. That put my rhythms off because I’m not used to using the pick. My chords were ok, at least.

I recorded the harmony and melody (separately) for the theme for the book trailer and sent it off to my publisher to see what he thinks. He’s happy, so I’m just going to keep working on it because I’m still making mistakes.

Then I tried listening to the French song through YouTube while I played it at the same time. Apparently my voice goes sharp when I try to imitate the female singer. Sigh.

Feb 15: Learning app

I’m really glad I didn’t pay for the upgraded learning app, but wow are the free songs ever great.

I’m super impressed at how much quicker my fingers are moving already.

I played my songs and the French song. My voice cracked a couple times. My rhythms are getting better, imho.

I still haven’t come up with the theme for Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers. I’m trying not to stress about it.

Feb 16: Bleh

Today’s practice was not the best. Not the worst either, but not the best.

I fumbled over silly things in all 3 learning app songs.

I messed up chords in all 3 of my songs.

But the rhythms seemed to be good?

And I think I’ve figured out what I want to do for Kennedy’s theme for Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers. I’m going to come up with a chord progression for the background and a melody line for the foreground and record them both and overlap them. Since I don’t have lyrics, the melody line will work as the lyrics.

Now I just have to write them…

Feb 17: Stress

So stress is not a good thing when I’m trying to do my learning app. I did not do very well today. I kept making mistakes. Ridiculous ones that shouldn’t have happened.

I did better when playing my songs, at least, but I missed the Fmaj7 chord when I was trying to get into it from the D chord.

I really need to work on the D chords. Maybe I’ll go back to the learning app and redo the D chord songs.

Feb 18: Melodies

I have come to the conclusion that writing a melody is really hard.

I have the harmony. I’m using the chorus from the ballad, but without the capo and much slower. I thought that was fitting.

I practiced the learning app songs (went much better than yesterday) and my songs (also much better) and the French song.

Feb 19: Potential

I did very well on my learning app songs today. I even got 3 stars on two parts of the mountain king song!

I played my songs, but not the French song.

And then I tried to figure out a melody for Kennedy’s theme. I’m told it currently sounds too country. I’m going to have to fix that. Not sure how? But it has potential.

Feb 20: Accompaniment

I played my learning app songs today. The quickness of the mountain king song is getting more manageable, which is nice.

Then I played my songs. I tried recording myself playing the harmony (chords) for the theme and then playing the melody with my recording. It didn’t work very well. I played the harmony too fast for the melody and I was getting very frustrated.

Then my husband picked up his ukulele and played the harmony for me. It’s so much easier when someone is playing with you.

So I’m going to keep practicing both the harmony and the melody and try to figure out how to end it because it doesn’t really sound like it ends.

Oh, and my kids wanted to help, so we took out the mini uke and the bass uke and gave those to the kids. Very discordant and made it hard to work on our music, but they were so happy to all be making music together. Hopefully they’ll let us work on it alone some time later this week.