Tag: music

January 2020 Update: Workshop, Writing, and Music

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Today is my first day in a Free Poetry Workshop! Last September I bought Windows and Doors: A Poet Read Literary Theory by Natasha Sajé. I read a few chapters and then looked up Natasha Sajé, I found out she is a professor at Westminster right here in Salt Lake City. Then I found out she was doing a free Poetry Workshop this Spring. To sum it up, I applied to the workshop and got in. Today is the start of this four-month workshop and I am so excited. I am hoping to get a lot out of this workshop and make progress with my poetry.

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Besides my poetry, I have been doing my daily writing routine, a mere 1,000 words a day required. I feel like I’ve been hitting a wall lately when it comes to my writing. On the backburner is My First Novel which I talked about regularly in my posts last year. At this point, I have only one tiny chapter to write and the book is done. After that I need to have it fully edited/proofed and then I want to start submitting it to Literary Agents for representation. I have very little left to do, maybe a couple rewrites here and there and some more polishing but I have put my book on the back burner since November and haven’t had the guts to break it open again.

(More about My First Novel)

Instead, I’ve been working on my music. I’ve been researching and learning Ableton (DAW), I’ve been practicing guitar, recording, and learning the ins and outs of my midi keyboard. I’ve also lately become interested in Modular Synthesizers, so I’ve been taking a course on the basics through lynda.com and messing around with a Cherry Audio Virtual Mod Synth I got with the purchase of Computer Music magazine (what a cool find!). It’s been a fun and time-consuming venture. Currently, I have about five songs in the works. A few of these songs will finish the playlist I started on my SoundCloud, taking inspiration from Dante’s circles of hell.

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Botticelli

That’s it for this update! I want to say THANK YOU to all my followers and those that read my poems regularly, I deeply appreciate your interest and readership.

-Alina

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https://www.alinahappyhansenwriter.com/portfolio-publications-events/

Latest Release “Fraud” Now on SoundCloud

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Back in May, I got my hands dirty and started making music. I played around with a free trial of Ableton, bought a MIDI keyboard, and a microphone. I messed around and had fun mixing samples together. I also got an audio interface so I can hook up my guitar and record stuff (I have yet to do this but I am planning on doing it asap).

So far I have posted four original tracks on Soundcloud, amateur artist right here. This is all for fun so I can get my feet wet and experiment. If you have any free time I would love to know your comments and thoughts!

Influences/Inspirations: Sneaker Pimps, Cocteau Twins, Nine Inch Nails, Grimes, and FKA Twigs just to name a few

LATEST TRACK “FRAUD” (Released December 2019)

Thank you to all my followers!

-Alina

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Liked this post? Check out these:

January 2020 Update: Workshop, Writing, and Music(Opens in a new browser tab)

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My Summer: Madness, Music and Monsters

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Summer is my time for working and then working some more. It’s madness when I look back at my week and think about how crazy my schedule has been and how much I work. Work is nothing, it’s what I do outside of work that I really care about: editing my book, rewriting chapters, and putting together crummy monthly playlists on Spotify. But now thanks to my partner, I’ve been experimenting with my music again.

For the past couple of months, I’ve been messing with Ableton. When I finished with the trial period I got the basic Live Intro package, how much am I really going to use it for the $$$ is the question. I bought a small 25-key midi keyboard, an audio interface to hook up my guitar and record (still need to do this) and a microphone set. So far I’ve just been messing around and mixing samples, editing, I guess producing? Is that what they call it? I have no idea. I’m just a guitarist really that’s all I know so this is an attempt at me diving headfirst into the deep unknown world of DAW’s and music production.

What I have so far (that’s done) you can listen to ALINA HAPPY HANSEN SOUNDCLOUD

I’ll probably put in a playlist player on the homepage of my blog as well. These songs are really just experimental mixes. I’m mainly just practicing editing and song structure but it’s still fun.

What I’m listening to right now,

What I’m reading,

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Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

I’m rereading this classic, it’s been a few years but it is a fantastic read and I’d recommend it any writer at any level. The chapters are short and concise and totally inspirational. I can’t help but want to write after reading a chapter or two of this book.

MONSTERS

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A Discovery of Witches

I read half this book in only a couple weeks then ignored it for a couple more. Reading this book is more entertainment than anything else right now and it’s inspiring me to write a gorey vampire short story right now (the vampires in here are too romanticized and the story set up and style echoes the infamous Twilight– the only difference I can find is that this is a vampire romance for people 30+). I’m sick of romantic vampires, I want sadistic serial killers, I want an ugly vampire – a Nosferatu set in modern times.

That pretty much sums up the last few weeks for me. I will be posting an update on “Writing My First Novel” series soon plus of course, my regular poetry posts.

Thank you to all my followers and Thank YOU for taking the time to read this post!

-Alina

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My First Novel: Breaking Through (5/12/19)

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

A few days after my last post I had a breakthrough. I was working on my daily writing one morning and finally got up enough courage to look over the rough draft of my book I’ve been working on. I ended up editing and rewriting a few pages and before I knew it I had worked my way all the way to Part 3 of my book. I was surprised, after more than a month of struggling I had just slipped back into working on my book. After a couple more days I finished my third rough draft of my book at a local coffee shop. The final chapters still need quite a bit of work and I need to solidify a final ending but the climax action scenes (the most important stuff) is all done.

I am so relieved that I was finally able to break through my wall, whatever it was. The expectations, the stress, the pain of doubting myself and my work. I know there is still more work to be done and I’m barely even close to having a finished manuscript but the progress I’ve made this last week pushes me to continue.

What else have I been up to?

I’m currently reading Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin, I forgot that I have read this book before and I get a sneaky feeling it might’ve been last year. I love the way this story is written and Levin’s style is something that I respond to, how he synthesizes facts and real-world events with the otherworldly and supernatural. By grounding his horrifying story with descriptions pulled from the real-world, he creates a foundation in which I can easily find myself falling for the trick of ‘is this possible?’ (of course not).

I”m also reading, Leonard Cohen’s Beautiful Losers. This work feels like a surreal dreamscape interwoven with sex. It is compelling, funny, and a little disorienting but I like Cohen’s writing. His style is different, free-flowing and almost scattered but when I take a closer look, I think it only feels ‘scattered’ because Cohen wants me to think it is.

What I’m listening to:

Thank you for reading and following me on my journey,

-Alina

 

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General Announcement + My Summer Playlist Featuring Dilly Dally, Goat Girl, Ride, Snail Mail, Pulp, Nothing and More

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

 

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Dilly Dally (Photo Source: Songkick)

I used to have this great habit of creating playlists of my (new) favorite songs every month, especially during school. This summer has been chaotic for me and full of so much change I feel like I’m just finally getting back to normality and my playlists…

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Goat Girl (Photo Source: Wonderland)

The Summer Chaos…I graduated from college and switched between two jobs. I have spent the last couple of months adjusting to the idea I don’t have any more school. What do I do now? (Relax) I now have my BA in English and plenty of time to read whatever I want and as much as I want…(I will be posting a list of what I am currently reading right now soon, a staggering 12-14 books)…

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Snail Mail (Photo Source: Bandcamp)

ALSO, I’m not sure if anyone has noticed but I have transitioned from a wordpress.com blog to an official wordpress.org site with my own domain name and everything (very official) this transition was two months of hard work, including registering my domain, figuring out wordpress.org, loading themes and working out the details…my new site is a little over a week old now and I’m so relieved it’s over with! 

 

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Dream Wife (Photo Source: Bandcamp)

So I have finally had time to put together some playlists on my Spotify I haven’t shared my playlists publically before but I think it’s about time. I spend most of my spare time listening to music, reading, and writing as well as painting the odd painting here and there. My music drives me, gives me focus, and helps me work out problems, obstacles, and creative challenges that come my way. Without my music, I think I would be a very dull and very quiet person…

MA PLAYLITZ!!!

I want to say thank you to all my followers, regular readers, and everyone who takes time out of their day to read my words (poems, scatterbrain thoughts, book reviews, whatever). I am so grateful to you all!

I am planning on posting more content with a more regular schedule in the following weeks. This will include continuing the Bertha Short Story Series, writing more book reviews, and music/film discussions.

As usual, I am open to any suggestions for discussion topics from readers that would love to read my response or criticism on literature, poetry, film, music, or art. Please leave any suggestions or comments below!

-Alina