Home Recording Studio

Ladies and Gentlemen, we live in a world where anyone can have their very own home recording studio.  As a matter of fact, not only can you have a recording studio, you can even bring it with you all the way to Germany!  

Fritz had a conference in London for three days this week, so while he was presenting his research over there, I stayed in Frankfurt and made my very first music video.  

A few years ago, my friends gave me an awesome USB microphone which I brought with me to Germany.  I found my guitar at a flee market for 35 euros the first weekend we were in Frankfurt.  And computers these days have all the programs neccessary for an amature production. 

So there you have it, all the makings for a home studio!  

The last essential part of a home recording studio, is a perfectly silent room.  This was actually the trickiest part of the whole opporation.  We live one block from the busiest section of railroad in Frankfurt.  Our bedroom window goes right to the street closest to the tracks.  A clattering, squealing background cacophony is not exactly what I was going for, so the bedroom was out for a plausable recording space.  

Monday mornings, the housekeeper is in the building and you can hear her vacuuming from about 9am to 12:30pm.  So that meant no recording on Monday morning.  Then there is a guy who diligently practices the saxaphone from about 10am to 11:30am every single day without fail.  I am completely amazed at his (or her) commitment.  I have played musical instruments almost my entire life starting with the piano at 7 years old, but I have never been as conscientious about maintaining a practice schedule as this person.  Perhaps if I had, I would be a better musician.  Oh well.  Kudos to you Mr. Saxaphone Practicer!  Kudos! 

The last sound that I had to battle with, was the obnoxious and constant buzz of our refrigorator.  I tried angling the mic away from it.  I tried recording in the far opposite corner of the living room.  But our appartment is just too small to escape the off-key drone of the fridge.  So, I unplugged it.  I may or may not have forgotten to plug it back in once or twice during the process... but I think everything is still more or less edible.  

So that's it!  I recorded everything with Garage Band, then used iMovie to edit a few differnt clips of video footage that I took in the apartment.  I learned that it's a lot harder to lipsync than the celebrities make it look at the Super Bowl.  Seriously, I don't know how they do it! 

I recorded the song "Dona Nobis Pacem."  My mom taught it to me when I was little and we would sometimes sing it in rounds during car rides or when we were hiking in the woods as a family.  It's one of my favorite Christmas songs, although I think it's appropriate for any time of year.  There are only three words in the entire song, with three variations on the same melody.  Out of simplicity comes complexity as the three melodies are woven together.  The words mean "Grant Us Peace."  A beautiful wish for the world we are living in today. 

I've posted the finished product on youtube.  You can watch it by clicking here if you'd like.  

Koblenz

Settled between two rivers, the Rhine and the Moselle, rests a little German town called Koblenz.  A train headed northwest out of Frankfurt's main station will take you here in less than an hour.  Fritz and I spent last week in Koblenz as it is home to the Bundesarchiv (Federal archive), an important spot for Fritz's research.  

The town was established way back in 8 BC when it was used as a military post.  Koblenz still has a few historical landmarks, but more than anything, I'd say it's an awesome shopping town.  It's basically a big outdoor mall with cobbled pedestrian streets interspersed with an occasional church.  

It was full of little squares that have the traditional Christmas Market huts set up to sell sausage, Glühwein, and holiday knick-knacks. 

One of my favorite Christmas Market set-ups is the hovering sausage grill.  A grate is suspended from the ceiling with a bed of hot coals below it.  The grate can then be spun and swung over the coals until the sausages are nicely roasted. 

The first two days were pretty cold and rainy, so while Fritz was at work, I sought out a bit of coziness to read and write for a while.  

I found a cafe in the middle of town that ended up being my home-base for the week.  I ate that bright pink beet soup 3 out of the 4 days we were in Koblenz.  I'm not usually one to get stuck in a rut when there is so much culinary potential to explore, but it was just so good!!!  I couldn't help myself!  

On the third day, the sun came out so I put on my sneakers and hit the road.  I walked through the main shopping area, but due to limited suitcase real-estate, I wasn't in a place to acquire extra things on this trip.  Window shopping is entertaining for a finite period.  Fritz and I will be heading back to the US soon and we need to be able to carry all of our belongings without hiring a donkey to take a bonus load.  I hear donkeys don't do well on airplanes anyway.  

I left the shops and headed to the river.  

At the northern tip of town, there is a giant monument where the Rhine River meets the Moselle.  

The original monument to Emperor William I of Germany was built in 1897.  It was destroyed in World War II, but was rebuilt in 1953 and re-dedicated to German unity.  

You can climb to the top of the monument and enjoy a lovely view of the two rivers at their point of convergence.  

Of course, it is always fun to take double exposures. 

The Basilica of St. Castor is the oldest church in the German state of Rhineland Palatinate.  It was built between 817 and 836.  The church was named a basilica minor by Pope John Paul II in 1991.  A rich history has unfolded around the church since it was built.  Through the years, it served as an important meeting place for emperors and kings and their descendants and was a place where disputes between these powerful people were negotiated and settled.  

The church had a pretty door knob. 

I was surprised to find it completely empty, although I suppose not many people go to church on a Wednesday afternoon.  

Koblenz had several very beautiful churches spread throughout the town.  This is another rather pretty one set right on the main road leading to the shopping area.  

Thursday provided more sun and good weather.  After a lunch of beet soup, I thought it would be nice to get a glimpse of Fritz's world at the Bundesarchiv (again, that is Federal archive).  I knew the archive was kind of on the outskirts of town and that Fritz usually takes a bus to get there, but since it was a nice day I figured a walk would be better.  

I had to hike up a substantial hill that divides the town.  At the top of the hill sat an antiquated fort that looked ripe for exploring- a nice detour on my way to the archive.

 

Fort Grand Duke Constantine was part of the Prussian fortress that belonged to Feste Kaiser Alexander in the 1820s.  Upon reaching the main gates at the top of the hill, I found the Fort to be closed for the season.  I snapped a few photos of the outside and continued my walk to the Bundesarchiv.  

I learned that the walk to the archive is almost entirely uphill.  Now I understand why Fritz takes the bus every day.  

To give myself a breather every now and again, I stopped to take pictures of dead flowers and winter berries. 

Along with a self-portrait or two... because why not?  

I finally made it to the massive structure that is the Bundesarchiv.  Looking at the map, the archive takes up several blocks.  It isn't really very pretty.  It's probably good they kept it out of the middle of town.  It's a bit of an eye-sore for tourists I imagine. 

Fritz came out to say hello.  It was a nice reward to see his handsome face after my long up-hill hike.  I wasn't allowed to go in the archive since I'm not a researcher or a student so I basically said "hi" and "bye", turned around and started my walk back down the hill.  

Back in town, I wandered the street for a bit, then bought some yarn from a lady who knits faster than my Aunt Carol (which is really saying something- Aunt Carol is a machine!), and then I watched this guy perform his one-man show.  He had an elaborate percussion section rigged up to his back.  His puppet friends were dangling from the neck of his guitar by fishing line.  When he bounced up and down they danced, and he blew into the wooden pipes around his neck to provide some lovely treble overtones.  I can only assume the llama was actually quite vicious and was therefore standing guard of his money collection.