Creating buzz

Gospel choir continues to calm me in my times of flustering failures, in which it feels like there are many of late. We've been doing some 'improvised singing' at the end of each session and it is really eye-opening. Or rather, ear-opening. How it works is that we start on a hum, on whatever note you feel like singing. When you run out of breath, try to fade the note out rather than stopping abruptly (harder than it sounds) and fade back in when you're ready. The trick is to keep your eyes closed and listen to the people around you, feeling where you can match others, harmonise, provide counterpoint, be inspired by a change, swell, create buzz. The hum can become any sound you like - ahhs, doo-doos, la-la, ba-dups - as long as it fits into the soundscape. There will always be moments of dissonance but that is part of the experiment too. I would actually love to record one of these sessions and listen to it back later. The whole piece has a life of its own and sort of just comes to a natural conclusion. It's eerie and wonderful.

We also played a rhythm game today and that was fun. It involved singing a pattern with a couple of claps incorporated in it, and then doing it as a round. At one point the singing faded right down to barely audible and we all just clapped - I'm sure it would have sounded random and uninteresting to a passer-by, but sensing a heavy concentration amongst the sound in the room was wild. There is joy in feeling something like rhythm. I really hope my kids inherit it.

Joyful and triumphant

Last Saturday, I did my first public performance with the Glory Bound Groove Train. It was not in a pub, as promised, but a proper Christmas mass (sort of). Leichhardt Community Church held a fundraiser for Cambodian orphans of HIV/AIDS with the coming together of four local congregations of different denominations. It was a small but beautiful church, filled with people, many of whom were performing themselves over the 2-hour long event. The prepatory email from choirleader beforehand noted: "Will it be daggy? -yes. Will it be fun? - daggy IS fun." I enjoyed this sentiment.

Ben got quite anxious in the lead up. Neither of us had spent any real time in a church for a veeery long time, not for anything other than weddings or funerals anyway. I got weirdly excited about it. I've actually never attended a Christmas mass, and this one was going to be mostly carols! I told him he didn't have to come if he was uncomfortable, but he was steadfast, and determined to stay for at least our second stint - the choir sang at three different points during the night.

We had to learn "Prepare Ye The Way of the Lord" on the fly when we arrived. Fortunately it has only one line, and being an alto, my part was the melody which I already knew. After asking for peace on earth and good will to all humanity, the carols began. Such a small but resonant building filled with powerful voices was quite overwhelming. Other performers contributed. There was a bluegrass trio, three precocious brothers playing guitars and belting out self-composed Christmas songs (like Hanson, if they were John Williamson's kids), some soloists. We got up after this to do "Out of The Depths" - a solemn, majestic hymn-like song, "In The Morning" - a more uptempo call-and-response number with the lovely Lisa taking solo position, and "Soon I Will Be Done" - a proper gospel spiritual with hand clapping and a good old "ohhhh" hollered in the middle for good measure. It was magical. Ben said that some people actually walked into the church off the street because they were lured by the singing. As we sang the opening number, I could hear the voices swelling and soaring around the room. Was what I was feeling a response to the music, or to the whole experience? Religion is a touchy issue at best, and having not kept more than a private vigil to it since my Catholic school days, I couldn't help but try to interpret the emotion. However, I've been known to get blubbery listening to the likes of Hot Chip sometimes ('One Life Stand' is actually really powerful, okay??), so I tried to just go with it and not get bogged down in logic for a change.

After that Mic Conway got up and did an insane mix of ukulele, vaudeville, magic tricks and tap dancing. I could not believe my ears when he did a performance piece on an evolutionary race. This really was progressive religion (and thank God for it). I was absolutely entranced by the whole thing and wondered how a guy who had won an ARIA award was now singing "Puttin' on the Ritz" inside a small community church. Brilliant.

More carols followed, more soloists, an offering and a prayer, then we returned to the altar to sing our last two songs: "Trouble in my Way" - another call and response with the basses taking the coveted solo, and finally "Every Time I Feel The Spirit". I was scared our clapping was going to steer us all over the place (rehearsals have been hit and miss) but we kept it together and closed on a high. It was such a fantastic thing to be a part of and I was so proud of us all. Even Ben said he'd enjoyed singing along with the carols.

All that prolonged singing in a range higher than I'm used to made me a bit woozy and I had to go straight home rather than stay for the supper after the show. Ben and Crunk came to collect me and I was fast asleep within about 10 minutes. Must have been all that cleansing of the soul.

Flaming Lips = good for mental health

It feels different, being off on a weekday. I don't have the overwhelming desire to stab anyone, I can't feel the horrible sensation of my soul leaking out, I don't even need to discretely flee into the bathroom and sob! It's awesome!

Needless to say I have not achieved much today, although I did watch Yo Gabba Gabba and see Wayne Coyne wearing 2 hats at the same time. I have done some noodling on the guitar, but sadly my crowning achievement there was discovering that "I'm Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up" by LCD Soundsystem has the same chorus chords as "Live In Sunshine" by The Rapture. I wonder if James has ever noticed this.

Choir was enjoyable yesterday as we got to sing inside the church rather than in the little hall off the side of it. The resonance seemingly made the group a bit nervous. We got used to it. I am coming to realise what a funny thing rhythm is, and how not everybody naturally has it (even people who can sing beautifully). Being inside a church again was an experience in itself. I wonder if Cadbury is aware that Advent had this purple business sorted out long before they copywrited it.

In short: I'm not making any progress, but at least I'm a little less insane.

Lift me up like a doooo-oooove

It has been officially three weeks since I became a probationary member of the Glory Bound Groove Train, and all is well. Sonya and I (another girl who joined on the same day) have been told that paperwork pending, we’re in. I guess now is the time I should come clean about the 29 Before 30 thing, just in case this only lasts until the end of the year. I hope not, though. I’ve had a couple of rough Tuesdays, and there is a strange calm in singing about the Good Lord fixing things (regardless of your religious inclinations) and losing your voice within the community of warm tenors, beefy basses and twangy sopranos. Maybe it sounds cliché, but it does something uplifting for the spirit.

It's a very laid back affair, but at the same time it feels satisfying to be getting into the nuts and bolts a little bit - phrasing, how to breathe, dynamics.

And we have a ‘gig’ coming up! Early December. It’s in a pub in Glebe so that is excellently familiar, and a lovely way to lazy summer Sunday afternoon - just add Pimms. (Everyone seemed to think it was quaint when I produced a pen and diary to note the date. Regardless of being one of the youngest members of the group I think I’m probably the only one without an iPhone, and I’m totally ok with that).

I'm gonna let it shine!

Things that maybe should have been more obvious before last night:

1. Alto! I am one!
2. Sight singing! I am good at it!
3. My ears! They are clever!
4. Gospel harmonies! Beautiful and amazing! If I pay enough attention, this could do wonders for my songwriting.
5. Vocal warm ups! What a concept! I should do them!

I totally did not suck in my new gospel choir, which is super awesome news. Self esteem win. They are brilliant! There were only 10 of us last night, 3 of whom (including me) were new to the group, so it was a lot smaller than expected, but what they lack in numbers they make up for in volume. The choir leader was lovely and welcoming, big on charisma and obviously very good at what she does, and my nerves settled quite quickly as I came to terms with what I was doing and the sound that was being created around me. Having got through the initial awkwardness of the first session, I feel like a part of the group already. They are an affable, friendly bunch, and I can see myself looking forward to Tuesdays.

We started with some stretches and warm ups, and followed with a 'Circle Song', which is basically any kind of simple gospel standard, sung while standing in a circle with ours eyes closed, holding hands. This was a bit weird at first, particularly as I didn't know the song, but I started to get the feel for it and just let the voices wash over me. I later learned that there is no structure to a circle song, everyone just picks up a random harmony as the verses go along (sometimes resulting in a little more dissonance than intended, but mostly wonderful), and throwing in an old fashioned holler every now and then for good measure. We then learnt three songs (I figured out that the tenors get all the best harmonies – the weird ones like the sevenths) and at the end of two hours, had another circle song to close, before dispersing into the night with light in our spirits and souls. Hallelujah!

Glory Bound

Today, I am resting. I’ve taken to riding the bike almost every day and am getting better at tackling the big hills. I think it has more to do with me getting used to knowing what gears to use than it does me becoming fitter, but I’ll take whatever little milestones I can get. My back started having odd twinges yesterday so I thought I’d give Woodstock a day off.

I’m going to a Glory Bound Groove Train rehearsal next week! Praise the Lord! The first week is just to listen and then sing with the group to make sure I’m not rubbish, and then if that seems to work there is a 2 week probationary period to make sure it’s a mutual fit before I’m “officially accepted”. Rehearsals are every Tuesday until the big performance in early December. I am excited.

PS. A welcome to earth is extended to Isaac Len Charpentier who took his sweet ass time but finally arrived yesterday. I have a feeling I may now not get a postcard back from his mother anytime soon. Good job, Kimmy.