life, the spatio-temporal realm, and macgamut
life is stressful, mainly because there is too much space and not enough time in the universe (as opposed to the world, parts of which are both non-spatial and non-temporal, and thus very confusing to ponder). too much space results in a 45-minute commute (one way) to the building that devours all of my time--which wouldn't be a problem if there was more time to begin with. but there isn't.
and then there's macgamut, a fiendish computer program which makes me wish that computers had never been invented. why is it fiendish? because it expects me to be able to hear two chords played rapidly on a computerish sound that supposedly resembles a piano, and tell it:
- what notes it just played, in the soprano and bass voices, IN THE CORRECT OCTAVES,
- and what chords said notes represent
moreover, it expects me to do this 8 out of 10 times within the next 4 hours in order to get a passing grade in a certain class.
thus far i have been unable to get more than 1/10 correct. why, you ask? because what it wants me to do is pretty much impossible. i'd have trouble hearing that (with that degree of accuracy) on a real live instrument. now, if it would just let me give it roman numerals, i might survive. but as it is . . . . ugh.
and the worst part? yeah, we're back to time. if it weren't for this pernicious little program, i could be using this time to practice organ (which is supposedly why i'm here in the first place)--or to practice sight-singing, which would actually help me learn what this class is supposed to be teaching me. but do i have time to practice sight-singing? of course not. because i'm going to spend my entire afternoon on macgamut, and still probably fail the blasted level.
sorry, that wasn't supposed to come out quite so rant-ish. i'll try to post more cheerful postings later. at the moment, however, i am going to seek lunch.
and lunch today includes chocolate--so at least one thing in the universe as it should be.
and then there's macgamut, a fiendish computer program which makes me wish that computers had never been invented. why is it fiendish? because it expects me to be able to hear two chords played rapidly on a computerish sound that supposedly resembles a piano, and tell it:
- what notes it just played, in the soprano and bass voices, IN THE CORRECT OCTAVES,
- and what chords said notes represent
moreover, it expects me to do this 8 out of 10 times within the next 4 hours in order to get a passing grade in a certain class.
thus far i have been unable to get more than 1/10 correct. why, you ask? because what it wants me to do is pretty much impossible. i'd have trouble hearing that (with that degree of accuracy) on a real live instrument. now, if it would just let me give it roman numerals, i might survive. but as it is . . . . ugh.
and the worst part? yeah, we're back to time. if it weren't for this pernicious little program, i could be using this time to practice organ (which is supposedly why i'm here in the first place)--or to practice sight-singing, which would actually help me learn what this class is supposed to be teaching me. but do i have time to practice sight-singing? of course not. because i'm going to spend my entire afternoon on macgamut, and still probably fail the blasted level.
sorry, that wasn't supposed to come out quite so rant-ish. i'll try to post more cheerful postings later. at the moment, however, i am going to seek lunch.
and lunch today includes chocolate--so at least one thing in the universe as it should be.
posted by erendis nasard at 12:55 PM
3 Comments:
I am very sorry.
My woefull news is only that I CAN'T seek lunch... it's 1:35 and I'm hungry but I can't go home because I don't have a car. *sob*
but at least I'm not trying to pass an evil test.
I feel your pain friend. My Aural Skills class is great--even fun at times, but when the prof. whips out the syllabus and points to macGAMUT melodic dictation, i shudder. harmonic dictation--easy. but i can't remember the blasted melodies. he plays it once and expects to sing the first measure--pshaw! i wouldn't be able to sing the first note excpet its freaking written down already. GAH!
I have the exact same problem with MacGAMUT. I think I might kill myself before the night it over. :)
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