Family and music

Yesterday we went over to Grandma’s as the rest of the extended family descended on her house. It was good to catch up with my many cousins to find out just a little about what was going on in their lives. There’s never enough time, of course, especially as the family keeps growing. I met, let’s see…my new first cousin twice-removed. That wouldn’t be as impressive if she weren’t my grandmother’s great-great grandchild. Can you even imagine having great-great-grandchildren? Grandma’s 102 and still going strong.

On my dad’s side the extended family is broader, with third and fourth cousins abounding. I like having family and coming home to see them.

At the moment, I’m sitting in front of the fireplace with my dad. Normally, I say that I write daily so my folks don’t think I’m dead and this post started as an easy way to leave a toy for my dad to play with when we leave tomorrow (The Music Text Composition Generator ( A free online music utility)) but I gotta tell you, sitting here all I can think about is how glad I am to be home and how much I’ll miss everyone when I go back to New York.

Meanwhile, before I get to maudlin, really do go play with the Music Text Composition Generator. Try composing something that is interesting to read which doesn’t sound awful when you listen to the midi file it creates. This post? Ouch.

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5 thoughts on “Family and music”

  1. Fun toy! I found myself waxing poetic in the writing, and winding up (in acoustic piano) with something very like Erik Satie. A discovery- you can “generate music” in one instrument, and then change instruments and layer the tracks. Tubular bells and music box were quite pleasing together.

  2. My family made a lot of music together over the years — mostly string quartets or singalongs, mostly at my Dad’s instigation. Now he’s gone, we don’t seem to do that anymore, although most of us make music elsewhere . . . Ken plays trombone in a community band in Ashland-Medford area, Oregon; Toby plays viola in gatherings of friends for string quartets in Portland area and in a community orchestra in Newport, with whom David Ogden Stiers regularly appears as guest conductor; I sing karaoke and play timpani in an annual “Messiah” concert. That’s something I miss, I guess; playing card and board games with my Mom and brothers for 18 hours straight (well, we broke for an hour to get supplies, and another hour for dinner) two Saturdays ago was great, but not quite the same.

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