Life as an undergrad music major is not as easy as it looks.
In addition to the required music courses, we are also obligated to earn 40 credits outside of our major. That sounded easy enough to me at first glance. I figured I’d just load up on illustration, video production, philosophy, and poetry. You know. Stuff that I like, but in which I have no skills. But then I read the fine print.
Not so fast, Rembrandt.
Music majors are required to take one course each in M.A.T.H. and S.C.I.E.N.C.E. I let out a Charlie Brown-style “AAAARRRRRGH!” that was heard three doors down. Math and science are not my things. In 9th grade, I failed algebra and had to retake it in summer school. But I discovered that the math course I took in the fall of 1970 at Edinboro State College, transferred to WestConn and fulfilled the math requirement. Yes! Yes! Yes!
They Blind-Sided Me With Science
But there was still that pesky guillotine of science hanging over my head. I was so relieved to hear that an introductory course in electronics was being offered. Electronics fits perfectly with my audio production concentration. I could finally crack open the soldering iron I bought 30 years ago and become a true “solder head”. My advisor, who has a Ph.D. in music, even expressed interest in taking the course. Alas, the course was canceled.
So now I was faced with the task of registering for a science class with open seats, that also fit my schedule. I landed on Physical Geology. I decided to embrace a positive attitude even after I was told by a student with a double major in music and science, that geology was going to be a challenge. (Is my nonscienceness really that obvious?)
When Life Gives You Rocks, Make Rock Music
On the first day of class, our geology prof revealed that the field is somewhat vocabulary intensive. That means I’m going to have to remember geologic words. My best strategy for memorization is to sing it. Musical mnemonics. I decided that, while taking notes, I would try to musicalize the concepts in my head. I would at least start writing geology songs, i.e., rock music, to engage with the material and, hopefully, remember it.
Rockin’ Rocks In The Free World
A couple of ideas broke through the planetary crust of my noggin this week. I can’t promise they will solidify into finished songs like molten lava produces igneous rocks. But, they have already helped keep my head in the rock game. Here's my first - a love song to topographic maps called Topographic Map.
Topographic map
I don’t know you but I’m goin’ to
I don’t love you but I want to
Topographic map
Topographic map
Showing me the elevation change
From a valley to the mountain range
Topographic map
Don’t understand the stream gradient
But your contours are so radiant
Baby, tell me just what you meant by
Horizontal Datum
Topographic map
I don’t know you but I’m goin’ to
I don’t love you but I want to
Topographic map, topographic map, topographic map
If you're loving this new rock subgenre, I have a working title for a Sicilian gospel-rock song called God Made Rocks. You Got a Problem Wit’ Dat? We’ll see. Click here and scroll down to listen https://www.angelonatalie.com/music
Geologic comments and really any comments at all are welcome below.
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