Friday, December 28, 2007

Digital Recorder Woes

OK... so I have been using a small Olympus DS-30 digital recorder for the past year to record practice CD's for use by the schola to learn new chant pieces... it is simple, makes fairly good recordings, is easy to use for uploading to the PC... but it has VERY limited editing capabilities.




So... before our Sacred Music Workshop, I bought another recorder, Zoom H4 digital recorder with mp3 capability. It does a great job of recording... but after much fiddling, re-reading the manual, button punching... I have determined that the unit is actually faulty. The recording part works fine... I got some great recordings from midnight Mass on Christmas Eve... but the menu buttons seem to be inoperable... I can't get it to upload onto the computer at all... I finally spoke with a technical assistance guy this morning, who was very helpful and authorized me to send it in for repair under the warranty.




So... I'll just use it to record the music in Colorado Springs first and then send it in... hopefully it won't take too long for it to be returned to me so that I can begin editing and sending out those (sure to be wonderful) recordings I'll get.

Political musings

I am glad Mike Huckabee is a Christian... I am glad he is pro-life. However, I don't agree with his views on several key issues... like his views on immigration, propensity toward taxing the heck out of his constituents, etc. I also find his huckster-like comedic quips on the campaign trail more than a bit annoying... Here's a quote I find troublesome...

Well, let’s remember that all law establishes morality. That’s what law does. The law of speeding is saying that it’s immoral to go at 85 miles an hour. The morality is that we have established a 65-mile-an-hour limit. So that’s what all law does: It establishes that it is wrong for me to murder you (emphasis added). – Mike Huckabee

Doesn't he have it backward? Doesn't morality provide the underlying basis for laws?

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Our Schola sings on January 1st at 10:00 a.m. Song selections are:

Entrance What Child is This? G#380
Kyrie de Angelis p. 103 GM
Gloria #157 Gather (English)
Psalm handout – Matt cantor
Alleluia handout
Credo spoken
Offertory Alma Redemptoris Mater (chant)
Gaudete (mini schola)
Sanctus #166 Gather (English)
Mysterium #167 Gather (English)
Pater noster English chant
Agnus Dei XVII
Communion Te Deum Laudamus
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming G#368
Meditation Ave Maria #71 LC
Closing Hark, the Herald Angels
.
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Thursday, December 27, 2007

The year is nearly ended...

As we approach the end of 2007, I see so much ahead. This past year has been quite exciting... the day after tomorrow I celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary with my sweet husband. It is hard to believe that much time has passed... it doesn't seem that long!

I look forward to a wonderful new year filled with beautiful music for our parish. 2008 is near!

In January, I will attend a Sacred Music Workshop in Colorado Springs with two of my four sisters. Neither of them has ever sung chant before... I am hoping they learn to love it as much as I do. I'll post information about the workshop after my return!