Monday 9 January 2012

Could I be a one-woman band?


As I tossed and turned last night, sleepless and hot, I wondered whether I should get up and go downstairs or turn on the light and read for another hour or two. All the animals were asleep, including Barry, and I could identify each one by the sounds they made.

Winston Ocicat, curled up next to me was wheeze-grunting, on my other side Barry was snoring and next to him Gus was breathing deeply and evenly in his bed on the floor. In her bed Jenna was whimpering as she followed dream deer and Bertie was rattling his claws on the chest of drawers as he stretched. Frodo was puffing out his cheeks as he slept, pfffffrrrrh, pfffffrrrrh. Somebody’s stomach was gurgling quite musically. How could I encourage sleep to come to me?

Suddenly I recalled the video clip of KT Tunstall that I had watched earlier in the day. I love her voice and the way she builds up sounds into a backing chorus for her singing. Why could I not do the same using the noises in my bedroom? Granted, it would not have the mesmeric power of KT’s music but the more I thought about it and tried to fit the different ‘notes’ in my bedroom into a harmony the greater became my enthusiasm. I could do this! I even started to incorporate other sounds from the night-time house, the noises that are always there but only heard in the wee, small hours – the hum of the freezer, the creaking of the stairs, the settling of the floors.

It was as I was listening for the wild scream of a lovelorn fox and a tawny owl’s soft, haunting call, and finally hoping for the guttural ‘kaark’ of a visiting grey heron in the early light of dawn that I fell asleep. It wouldn’t have been as good KT, though.

10 comments:

  1. I can see why you like KT. Love the background to her music also. My mom gave me a CD of whales singing, so I don't see why your 'night sounds' music wouldn't sell!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I do hope you sleep better tonight. Thank god both my dogs are QUIET sleepers. LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You could go to sleep listening to KT? She makes me want to stomp my feet! Hadn't heard her before. And I don't suffer insomnia. Can't imagine it... but then I don't get to hear the wild scream of a lovelorn fox or a tawny owl's soft, haunting call in the middle of the night either.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Brilliant post. :-) I could just imagine it! I reckon that done right you could give KT a run for her money. (though hers IS a great track.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hoohoo, hehehe. Giggling about your one-woman-all-animal-band ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. There's definitely something in the air this week. I've been sleeping poorly for the past few nights.

    Here's to a restful night for both of us!

    ReplyDelete
  7. If you need some more noise I can recommend Mr. G. He snores louder than a chainsaw ! Pookie is not bad either. I can only recommend ear plugs ! or move in the garden shed !
    I didn't now this singing girl but she really is a great artist !

    ReplyDelete
  8. Perhaps you should record the night sounds at your home and set them to music. Sorry to hear you had trouble sleeping. When I can't sleep I usually do get up and read for awhile, it does seem to help.

    ReplyDelete
  9. One of my son's does all this looping stuff, too. Amazing technology.

    ReplyDelete



Thank you for visiting. I love to read your comments and really appreciate you taking the time to respond to posts.

I will always try to repay your visit whenever possible.