36 Years Ago

36 Years Ago, Vienna 1971—A Student Journal

Day 089: If a tree falls in a forest

36yearsago.com

Vienna 1971—A Student Journal
A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.



Day 89 — If a tree falls in a forest...
30-October-1971 (Sat.)


TRANSCRIPT

Spent most of today trying to gather sounds on the portable tape recorder for our electronic music project. Some interesting ideas and sounds, but most don’t seem to be “fantastic.” I’m learning that nothing is easy, and [I] must use a good amount of creativity, imagination, and thought. Of course, the problems are always the aggravating parts—i.e. batteries dead. That always seems to be a part of life.


REFLECTIONS

Trekking for sounds. Today, I’m in search of the elusive sound for use in my electronic music project. It sounds like I didn’t find it. I am using a portable tape recorder and, of course, after a while the batteries go dead. Murphy’s Law. Technology’s Law.

Learning and discovery. I’m learning that “nothing is easy.” Not even the recording of sounds on a small tape recorder. All of this is good, however.

Learning is trying out things and discovering what works and what doesn’t work. You learn from your mistakes, and you learn from your successes. Of course, while you are actually on the path of learning, the difficulties turn out to be frustrating—a consistent theme of this blog. My horn practicing frustrations are a prime example. The good news—take one step at a time, put one foot in front of the other, move forward, keep trying. Learning will take place. Just don’t give up too early.

All of these recurring themes. Is anyone noticing?

Interestingly, during the course of this year, a
single sound will become of extreme importance to me and my school work. How’s that for intrigue and suspense? Ok, the Bourne Supremacy has more suspense and intrigue.

See you tomorrow.

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

John

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