Check the “Early EPs and other songs” tag for the file.
The formatting isn’t 100% perfect as I would have hoped; some accidentals are crowded into other notes, so be sure to check closely. If anyone learns this (preferably on harp), please post a video! I may arrange a piano version as well – I have to play through it for awhile first. Enjoy!
-dw
It’s been about two years since I’ve accomplished anything with this project. Life kind of happened, I lost interest, and feeling like I HAD to do it made me want to do it even less. But as I’ve switched over to the WordPress hosting (and as I find myself increasingly bored this summer), I am trying to do a little bit each day – enough to keep me engaged, but not so much that I hate it. No deadlines – just gradual progress.
For those of you who are curious as to what’s in the works, here’s a list. There are four parts in the transcription process: accompaniment first (the piano/harp part), the vocal line, lyrics, and formatting.
Easy: accomp. is done
What We Have Known: I’m halfway through accomp.
Good Intentions Paving Co: accomp. is done, I am currently putting my effort into finishing this one
Occident: accomp. is done
Does Not Suffice: no clue how much of the accomp. I completed seeing as how I last touched it over three years ago, but I’d like to finish it in the next few rounds
In California: the accomp. was almost totally finished last time I touched it, but I struggled with one little bit and haven’t touched it since then. This will require some additional research and perhaps some inventiveness, seeing as how I am super familiar with her style of improvising.
Look & Despair: accomp. for the last section is finished – I did it for my own enjoyment, but I would like to learn the whole thing, so it’ll probably be focused on in the near future
Diver’s Wife: Rosa transcribed the harp part to this and I offered some formatting advice. I’ve been meaning to add the vocal line in but never got around to it, so hopefully this will happen soon as well.
I will not give tentative release dates for any of this because it’ll stress me out if I have to meet a deadline. I can tell you, though, that my plan is to finish Good Intentions and move on to Easy, then address Diver’s Wife along with WWHK. There are lots of other half-started songs as well as lots of songs by other musicians I’ve taught myself but never written down, and I’d like to do those as well – they are usually pretty easy one-offs (LOTS of St. Vincent).
Until next time!
-dw
The Joanna Newsom Transcription Project 