Tortoise Climbing™: Home

See detailed status report below for updates.

Status Reports:

• Hymns and Songs for Living recording;
• Companion History Through 26 Hymns and Songs book; and
• New Website.

Updated 5/15/2022

Website

(4-24-2022) Added new webpages about first ever mastering of the 1959 performances by the Annapolis High School choirs of 1959, 60 and 61 of John Stainer's, The Crucifixion.

(4-18-22)Completed sitewide upgrade as part of replacing web fonts. Various new capabilities added, including a new look-and-feel.

Replaced all Adobe Edge fonts because Adobe announced they are discontinuing that service. The fonts selected from Google's Content Delivery Network (CDN) server for fonts are easier to read.

Added logo for TortoiseClimbing™ to all pages of website.

Detailed edits of content continue. Continuing to make updates/edits, revisions and expansions. There are several credit pages for musicians who are part of creating the Hymns and Songs for Living album still awaiting feedback from several artists to finalize their pages. Outreach to obtain info to update their placeholder credit pages is continuing.

Updated and expanded most of the webpages by including a button at the bottom that assists users to initiate providing comments about that webpage. That function passes the name of the webpage from which they initiated the comment to assist in linking the comment to the webpage about which the user is commenting.

Prepared collaboration materials for online editing with Ms. Heidi Gerber-Salins (Phase I producer, et al) to gather her refinement inputs on webpages about her and her mom. Waiting on her to have time to work with me to review and comment.

(4-26-2022) Expanded capabilities of TortoiseClimbing™'s 404 Error message for Page Not Found. Added a link enabling users to go back to the previous page where they triggered that error message, and from that webpage initiating submition of a comment about the broken link.

Recording

Advance Notice (5-8-2022). Creating a mastered version of the Annapolis High School combined choirs from classes of 1959, 1960 and 1961 performace of The Crucifixion. It is planned to complete that project later this year, 2022. Plan includes making available as a digital file download from the AHS download page. Details will follow, including other possible formats.

1. (2-8-2022) Recorded vocal for verses of "Welcome Home." That is the final song of the 26 hymns and songs on the playlist.
2. Completed initial post production of "Welcome Home" in mid February 2022 and provided electronically to recording engineer. Because of a volume issue with that version, in mid-April prepared a follow up version and sent electronically.
3. (March 2022) Final mixing sessions delayed by computer problems with vintage computer system used for this project. Replacement ordered.
4. (Mid-April) Notified that new equipment installed, but there are still a few missing software "plug-ins" that remain to be located and obtained. Will schedule mixing session ASAP after all software is received and operational.
5. Prepared detailed notes as guide for further refinements in mixes to be made during working sessions with engineer to produce final mixes of hymns and songs.
6. Changed order within hymn "Amazing Grace" by moving cello parts from the interlude to become the opening intro.
7. Provided detailed notes of suggestions for revisions in draft mixes to recording engineer who has incorporated.
8. Reviewing options for distribution of recording, as CD, Streaming, etc.

Book

1. (April) Solicited comments/edits on history writeup for "Welcome Home". Received feedback, finalized history and updated editors copy with revisions to that history.
2. As noted below, editor for final version identified.
3. Draft of book sent for planning purposes in early 2022.
4. Revised book sent to editor April 2022.
5. Hopefully work with editor will rapidly produce a final version of history book.

Older Historical Information

Accompaniment Materials on Recording

Welcome Home:

1. First Draft of lead recorded (2-8-2022);
2. On 10-13 and 10-21-2020, recorded vocal choral arrangement to refrains for "Welcome Home";
3. Practice tracks were sent to David to practice for recording lead.

Handbells and Shuttle Pipe (Baby Bagpipe):

On 9-11 & 12, 2020 worked with Wayne Morrison, and Westminster Ringers offsite in Westminster to record:

1. Baby bagpipe (Shuttle Pipe) as part of interlude for "Amazing Grace";
2. HandBell/HandChimes as part of interlude for "Amazing Grace";
3. HandBell/HandChimes for accompaniment on last verse of "Amazing Grace".
4. HandBell/HandChimes for accompaniment to augment last verse/refrain of othewise A Capella "Just A Closer Walk with Thee".

On 10-8-2020, recorded:

Cello parts now used as introduction to "Amazing Grace" (both melody and harmony lines);

On 11-12-2020:

Used newly acquired audio editing software and successfully transposed key of shuttle pipe to key of "Amazing Grace" recording for use with the handbells in the interlude.

6/12/2021

The focus of earlier work was on recording the augmenting vocal harmony parts and completing mixes of the most complicated hymns with many parts. Those recordings are completed and pending detailed final mixing.

Book - History Through 26 Hymns and Songs

During September 2020 - January 2022:

• April 2022, sent updated version to editor.
• January 2022, found new person to become editor. Working with editor on initial planning for initiating a thorough editing process.
• Initial Copy Editor provided comments for edits on first draft of book;
• Worked with suggested revisions and made appropriate edits;
• Initial Copy editor received heart pacemaker in October of 2020 and afterward did not have stamina to resume work;
• Performed detailed rereads and further editing of entire book;
• Received overview comments from friend in February 2021 that led to:
  • New title for book, which slightly changed flavor of how some material presented;
  • Revised descriptor of my role from editor to author.
  • Performing another round of detailed editing.