Author: Hannah Sterry

Morning Walks in November

| Hannah Sterry

Last Friday one of my photographs (Start Point Lighthouse) was published in the Kingsbridge, Salcombe and South Hams Gazette (link). I was happily surprised to see it there and hope that someone out there likes it.

This week I’ve been practicing a set for my harp gig at The Cottage Hotel on 27th December. There’ll be mulled wine and a chance to chat over a selection of carols and well known tunes.

To end, here’s a picture from my morning walk the other day. I’m struggling to believe how warm and sunny it is, when this time last year everything was covered in a thick layer of ice. Hope the weather stays this way!

Malborough-Salcombe Cycle Path

Jazz Sketch

| Hannah Sterry

This is just a little idea for a jazz tune. I’ll embed a better video once I’ve recorded it properly, but for now, here’s some real, rough-around-the-edges music:

Let me know if you like the sketch. I still don’t know whether uploading at this stage is a good idea. Most music isn’t seen at this sketchy, made-up-on-the-spot stage.

On another note, does anyone else look like a crazy fool when they’re playing piano? I seem to rock, grin madly and occasionally headbang (all unintentionally).

Advertising and Promoting Music on a Budget (Free)

| Hannah Sterry

Here are a few useful sites I’ve found whilst researching how to start advertising and and selling my music without having to pay anything. Hope it helps!

  • Bandcamp is probably the best website regarding ease and freedom of music sale. You just upload the tracks and album art and name your price. They take 15% commission, and PayPal take a little too, but if you read through their FAQs there’s plenty of information and advice to help you manage your music independently. UPDATE: Bandcamp now have a facebook app, so it’s possible to sell music via facebook pages. Here’s the info: http://bandcamp.com/facebook_app.
  • RouteNote are advertising that they can get your tunes on itunes, and you don’t have to pay anything up front as they take a percentage of the money from sales. If salesincrease you can pay a flat rate each month and keep all of the money from your sales.
  • RootMusic have quite a neat module for playing music on facebook pages. If you want to customise it, you have to pay,but the free version looks quite tidy and does the job. You can also use a facebook app by ReverbNation, but in my opinion it didn’t look so tidy.
  • Get British Businesses Online will give you 2 years worth of free domain name. The only catch that I can see (other than the fact that you have to be based in Britain) is that you have to use google sites to build a website.

If you’ve found any other useful sites like this, please don’t hesitate to comment!

Creativity or Die

| Hannah Sterry
The Fire Horse

I’m considering going back to university to study Sound and Music Technology. I’ve been looking at dbs

It’s scary – I still have a pretty bad/embarrassing reaction to conversations about higher education, because I’m not over past experience yet. But I guess the only way to counter it is to go back and do something I love so that I end up feeling better about it.

Anyway, the prospect of a life stuck in horribly uncreative/dead jobs is scarier than the idea of learning more about technology and meeting people who want the same things as me. I think.

Brain Chemicals and General Puzzlement

| Hannah Sterry
“Hearts” by Hannah Sterry

So… apparently I can’t have a conversation about my time at university, or sort out anything
to do with it, without bursting into tears still.

It’s strange.
I don’t consciously feel upset or panicky or worried, I just become very aware that I’m going cry, and it suddenly happens. This is more irritating than anything else. It feels a bit weird and leaves me wondering what’s going on because my feelings don’t match my actions/expressions.

Does anyone know why this happens?
Is it just the chemicals in my brain larking about again?

Tips for Learning an Instrument

| Hannah Sterry
Whenever music comes up in conversation, there seems to be an instant divide between people who do and don’t class themselves as musicians. Most of the time the people who don’t class themselves as musicians mumble something along the lines of “I wish I could play an instrument”.
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Take Five Covers

| Hannah Sterry

 

I’ve been thinking about covers of tunes recently, and have to say that 2 of my favourite covers are of Dave Brubeck’s tune, “Take Five”.

Tito Puente – Take Five in 4/4:

Val Bennet – Reggae Take Five Cover (from The Russians are Coming)

Just thought I should share those with you.

The Completely Unfinished Album

| Hannah Sterry

Uploaded some half-tunes on bandcamp. I seem to have lyrics block at the moment which is why they’re not finished. Hopefully I’ll finish them soon, but in the meantime I hope you like some of the bits I’ve made so far.

I’ll post updates on twitter @HannahSterry.

Ada Lovelace and the School Syllabus

| Hannah Sterry

Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace

Why is Ada Lovelace not on the school syllabus? Learning about interesting scientists and inventors in history lessons would be much more fun than killing the enthusiasm of students by studying the same two wars for years and years.

Other things that should be on the school syllabus:

  • Cooking realistic meals for one.
  • Managing tax, bills and finances.
  • General DIY
  • Basic Car/Bike Repair

These subjects shouldn’t be graded in the normal way, because the focus should be on encouragement of hard work, and not on a pointless letter on a piece of paper.

I’ll probably edit this and add some more in the future.