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Alright, I think this is SA Rockstar 70. We're inching up on 2016's end times and that means we will soon be attacked by a veritable cacophony of tunes blaring from every supermarket and drug store exclaiming the virtues of red-clad home invaders and frigid weather. There's no fighting it, so for this SA Rockstar, we will be siding with the darkness and farting our symphonies into the snowy night with a round of holiday music. What is holiday music? Simply, any music which is thematically based around one of the various end-year holidays or the end year itself. -It can be traditional or modern. -It can be religious or secular. Whether it's about Jesus, dreidels, or how much holidays suck, have some fun with it. Do a screamo version of "The Christmas Song" or an acapella rendition of "Jingle Bells." A synthpop version of "What's This" from Nightmare Before Christmas or "White Christmas" performed in the style of Leon Redbone. Above all else, be creative! For inspiration, feel free to peruse the Wikipedia entry on Christmas music: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_music This topic has probably been covered before in SA Rockstar, so I ask that if you've submitted work for a holiday theme in the past that you create something original for this round. I have a marriage in the family that'll be keeping me busy early December, so I'm setting a tentative deadline for December 16. That's six weeks. That should be enough time to try out a few ideas and polish up at least one for the contest. If you have a habit of putting things off and then not doing them, just get it done right away. I BELIEVE IN YOU. GET IT, GOONS. Some goon of the distant past posted:
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Nov 7, 2016 19:26
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 17:34 |
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In with White (power) Christmas. Edit - if I don't submit by this Sunday, anybody can take this song.
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Nov 10, 2016 17:50
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magnificent7 posted:In with White (power) Christmas. Oh are we doing racist Christmas songs? Cool I'll do God Rest Ye Merry Klansmen
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Nov 11, 2016 02:50
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I've got Oh Honkey Night. Actually, I think I'll call The Grinch Song.
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Nov 11, 2016 19:00
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I'm calling Silent Night. No pun. Just ROCK.
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Nov 11, 2016 20:00
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Hawklad posted:Oh are we doing racist Christmas songs? Cool I'll do God Rest Ye Merry Klansmen HEFF YOU. FIRST STAB at this. Greatest sax solo in the world. USE THE OTHER ONE YOU HEATHENS. magnificent7 fucked around with this message at 21:58 on Dec 24, 2016 |
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Nov 13, 2016 02:40
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I'll go ahead and call Fairytale of New York.
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Nov 13, 2016 19:34
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magnificent7 posted:HEFF YOU. This time around I really want to focus on improving my production, since I don't think most audio engineers would recommend the recording setup of "a cellphone sitting on top of a piano." Hopefully I can figure out how to buy a microphone without breaking the bank. (Yes, I am aware there is a thread about this.) I also would not mind adding bass guitar and drums to a recording, and since I neither own nor play these instruments, that will mean synthesizing these sounds somehow. It all seems pretty challenging, but you guys do it so it must be possible I guess.
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Nov 14, 2016 18:52
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I can play all the instruments in my recordings with the exception of drums (which I can play, but not well enough for a recording,) but I do use a lot of sampled Kontakt libraries for my Rockstar recordings. Many of the libraries are decently priced (the bass library I use, vir2 BASiS, is only $100 and I use it in everything) and high quality, but they all require the full version of Kontakt which costs $400. It's usable right out of the box with a factory library that includes a no-frills "band" library for any basic drums and bass needs, but it's a hell of a financial hit if music production is something you just tinker around with from time to time. Of course, if you're super new to the whole thing, there are free alternatives out there you can use to get your hands dirty. Do you have any experience using a DAW?
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Nov 15, 2016 10:28
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blaise rascal posted:This is glorious. magnificent7 fucked around with this message at 15:24 on Nov 15, 2016 |
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Nov 15, 2016 15:09
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blaise rascal posted:This is glorious. As far as software goes, Steinberg puts out a fantastically priced basic edition of their Cubase software. IIRC it's $100 although they run deals every so often. After that you really only need a mic and a mixer. You can get both for under $300 total if you're willing to go the pre-owned route. Just make sure the mixer has a USB input as well as phantom power for the mic. Even if your mic doesn't need it, it opens up options as you upgrade. $100 for a decent vocal mic and instrument mic The exact mixer I used for recording and live acoustic stuff Alternative pants fucked around with this message at 19:55 on Nov 15, 2016 |
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Nov 15, 2016 16:46
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Relevant to learning, coursera.org has two courses available right now relating to music production: https://www.coursera.org/learn/technology-of-music-production https://www.coursera.org/learn/producing-music I can't vouch for the second one, but I took the first one a while back and it's good information. The videos teach some solid fundamentals for recording and mixing, and it's free (with the caveat that you're gonna get a lot of spam from Berklee trying to get you to sign up for paid courses.) I'm going to sign up for the second one to see what it's all about, but I'm going to assume it's good information since it's from the same school.
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Nov 15, 2016 19:21
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Thanks very much for the advice, all. I forgot to mention that I do actually have a Snowball USB microphone that I can use in place of my cell phone. I didn't use the Snowball in the last Rockstar because my laptop was in the repair shop, and I didn't feel like moving my desktop PC to my piano. Also, the Snowball seems to produce pretty abysmal recordings in general, almost as bad as my cell phone. I will probably start by fiddling with it again and seeing if I can make SOMETHING that sounds like a real recording.nh posted:Do you have any experience using a DAW? Anyway, for the sake of actual content, here are some brainstormy rough cuts of Christmas songs, done in a vaguely bossa nova style: https://soundcloud.com/user-95178703/xmas-songs-rough-take
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Nov 16, 2016 04:44
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blaise rascal posted:Anyway, for the sake of actual content, here are some brainstormy rough cuts of Christmas songs, done in a vaguely bossa nova style:
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Nov 16, 2016 06:45
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blaise rascal posted:Thanks very much for the advice, all. I forgot to mention that I do actually have a Snowball USB microphone that I can use in place of my cell phone. I didn't use the Snowball in the last Rockstar because my laptop was in the repair shop, and I didn't feel like moving my desktop PC to my piano. Also, the Snowball seems to produce pretty abysmal recordings in general, almost as bad as my cell phone. I will probably start by fiddling with it again and seeing if I can make SOMETHING that sounds like a real recording. What's wrong with the recordings from that microphone? I googled it and it looks like you should be able to get some decent sound out of it as long as you have it set to the right mode for the job and have it positioned properly. If you're having irreconcilable differences with it, I highly recommend the Shure SM-57 (https://www.amazon.com/Shure-SM57-LC-Cardioid-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B0000AQRST/). It's a highly versatile mic that can be used for pretty much anything, and it's only $100. I bought it to record acoustic guitar with, but now I use it for everything (including vocals since my SM58 poo poo the bed.) quote:I've used LMMS and Famitracker, although I have only ever made complete songs with the latter. LMMS is structurally similar to a more fully-featured DAW. If your goal is to record audio and don't want to spend any money, you're going to want something like Podium (http://zynewave.com/podium-free/) or Ardour (http://community.ardour.org/download) (Ardour does require payment, but it's pay-what-you-want and you can get it for as little as $1 and make a donation later if you find the program useful.) Both are loaded with all the features expected in a DAW. If you do decide to get a new microphone for some reason, you'll need an interface or mixer (like the one alt pants recommended.) Most mixers/interfaces come with a DAW (usually a light version like Cubase LE, but still very useful.)
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Nov 16, 2016 22:02
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nh posted:as long as you have it set to the right mode for the job and have it positioned properly https://soundcloud.com/user-95178703/orange magnificent7 posted:Oh poo poo you're a real musician. What are you doing slumming it around here. In case you're curious, here are the songs I stole the chord changes from to make these arrangements: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Triste by Antonio Jobim Santa Claus Is Coming To Town: Dindi by Antonio Jobim Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!: Para Machucar Meu Coracao by Ary Barroso
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Nov 17, 2016 04:50
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blaise rascal posted:I think that might be my problem. The main issue I have with the recording quality is that the sound is quiet and tinny, like in this recording I made a while back: I'm listening to the recording through tinny speakers right now, but if you're trying to record vocals and piano at the same time through a single microphone, that would be the source of your problems. If you're trying to capture both at the same time, you can't really get any fullness of sound and will likely end up with a lot of air in the recording. You might want to get a mixer and another microphone to record two sources at once. Just a heads up, pianos are a pain in the rear end to mike up. Unlike a guitar or a voice or a woodwind/brass instrument, the sound doesn't come from a single location but a range of locations depending on the note being played, so any single microphone location will always result in an uneven tonal distribution. This is usually remedied by miking a piano with two or more microphones and blending. Miking techniques also differ depending on the type of piano you're using, but if you're only using one microphone, the general rule of thumb is to point the microphone at where the sound is coming from. Towards the strings for your piano and towards your face for the voice. The best position for the piano will depend on the tonal and dynamic range of the part you're performing and will likely require some experimentation to get right. Personally, I use MIDI for recording, even though I own a piano, to avoid the headache. With the single microphone, you may have to record the parts individually if you're trying to achieve a fuller sound. For setting up the microphone, there should be a switch on the back of the microphone that adjusts how the microphone works. I looked at the manual the other day and if memory serves me right, I'm pretty sure they go like this: -Setting 1 is unidirectional from the front. This is your bread-and-butter setting. Set it to 1 and point the microphone at your sound source. -Setting 2 is the same with a -10db pad (makes the input quieter.) Use this for recording very loud sound sources. If your input is clipping, you'll want to use this setting. -Setting 3 is omnidirectional, so it'll pick up sound from every direction. If you want to get the sound of the room in the recording, you can use this setting, but you risk picking up unwanted noise. You're probably going to want to stick to settings 1 and 2.
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Nov 19, 2016 07:00
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Dammit I want this track to be louder than rear end, and I really can't tell. Just re-bounced it, with the volume turnt. Honestly, is there any difference at all? Let's pretend there is. https://soundcloud.com/beauregard-hall/white-christmas-v3 Why the hell can't I post this image? It is perfect. http://imgur.com/Ti7wxD1 Edit: Oh poo poo yeah. That's a lot louder. Yay volume knobs. So then, which one do you like better? The rock drums version or the first one? magnificent7 fucked around with this message at 18:20 on Nov 19, 2016 |
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Nov 19, 2016 16:28
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nh posted:extreme knowledge from a seriously good studio recording person. And I waffle on this, moving between electric drum kit, live drum kit miked, or drum program, as well as guitar amp simulator vs. miking an amp. In the end, I'm happy with the results of each, once I learned to accept each for what it is. Kind of the way electric guitar started out as just a way to make acoustic guitars louder and now the two are considered completely different instruments. Have you tried recording on your phone using your headphone mic where it normally sits when you talk? Sure, it'd record in mono, but the mic is placed relatively similar to where your ears are, and if you're adding other tracks, the negligible audio might be good enough. BUT. If you want to try a mic that could do what you want, maybe get a zoom H2, used. You can record to an SD card and then import into your computer. It can do 4-direction stereo, (2 in front 2 in back okay quadraphonic?). I've used mine for drums as well as guitar amps sometimes. Really. Just learn to use the limitations to your advantage instead of wasting hours and dollars trying to sound like big money recording studios.
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Nov 19, 2016 18:32
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Wow. This makes a lot of sense. I'll look into my keyboard's midi capabilities.magnificent7 posted:So then, which one do you like better? The rock drums version or the first one?
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Nov 19, 2016 23:01
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blaise rascal posted:I like the first minute of the new version better than the first minute of the old version, and the new guitar stuff sounds very good in general. I think the new version gets a little hectic at times, particularly at 1:37 when the sax and guitar seem to be playing the same line. I'm going to go open a vein in a warm tub now while I weep over Peggy Lee's "Is that all there is?" And then probably edit my song. I have this obsession with chaos solos where two different instruments just kind of start going off doing their own thing. It would appear my passion for noise like that outweighs my interest in something people might actually enjoy. Dammit. Well, that, and the fact that I'm just thrilled to string more than three squawks together on a sax I purchased half a year ago. Again, perhaps my passion for my own ability outweighs what some would call "listenable". EDIT TWELVE - oh wait - are you talking about where the guitar line is slightly different than the sax - the last notes of the riff, the guitars hit a different note. Yeah. That. I don't know that note on sax yet. For real. == segue into totally different subject: SYNTH MUSIC! == Hey you electronic music making types. I'm old school tape deck home studio, and I'm pushing myself into music styles that I haven't yet sucked horribly at. Right now, here's my basic approach to doing electronic music, (cough cough nine inch nails because that's how current i am), but in the end, I feel like all I've done is created a blanket of loopy echoey space noises that really don't do much for the song except magically make it electronic. Can you guys tell me how complicated you'll go into your electro poo poo? Like, for this song, there's four tracks that I think of as "electronic" - the drum machine drums, and three keyboard tracks. The rest are guitars, bass, sax, vox and drum kit drums, (still software, but trying to sound live). Those four tracks pretty much loop through the entire song, with no diversion except to cut them out completely. Do you guys play straight through a song, (vs. looping a take) or do you use loops and build them up to some kind of chaos level of intricacy? And yes, my coffee has kicked in. What's your point. magnificent7 fucked around with this message at 15:12 on Nov 21, 2016 |
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Nov 21, 2016 14:59
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Friendly piece of advice, if you're trying to record something don't go to a concert where literally everyone onstage has more musical ability in their turds than you will ever have. Also, if you like Rush's 2112 but wish it were two hours long check out Dream Theater's "The Astonishing".
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Nov 21, 2016 17:02
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magnificent7 posted:SYNTH MUSIC! I'm not sure I understand what you're asking, but electro poo poo can be as complicated as you need it to be. I think the way you used it is great. It gives the tune a harmonic foundation to hold everything else together. When I'm adding electronic elements to songs, I use them as I would any other instrument. If I'm making a song entirely out of electronic elements, that's a little different, but only in how the individual elements are constructed. At the end of the day, it's all arrangement. edit: Also, how is everyone else coming along? December is almost here, so only a few weeks left. Who's working on something?
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Nov 28, 2016 08:04
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nh posted:Who's working on something? https://soundcloud.com/user-95178703/drums-bass-have-yourself-a-merry-little-christmas
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Dec 1, 2016 03:26
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What kind of keyboard are you using?
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Dec 1, 2016 05:52
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I did a thing. Now I just need to get my friend to lay down pretty vocals, clean up the guitars, decide I hate the guitars and redo them entirely, hit the ballmer peak of producing skills, master, and post.
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Dec 2, 2016 01:58
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One week to go. I may not be finishing mine, and if I do submit something, it will likely be a different Christmas song. If anyone wants to take Silent Night, that's fine. Between a wedding and being sick, I don't have a lot of creative energy. Currently, we have one submission and two in-progresses. I'm really hoping there are some quiet people lurking in the background working on their own submissions. Last time I was responsible for picking a topic, alt pants won by default as the only person who submitted anything. This one may default to mag7 with the way things are proceeding. If necessary, I can extend the deadline a week in case people are getting bogged down by finals or end-of-year projects. Dec 23 is the latest I want to go. I'd like to get the voting thread up for the Christmas weekend.
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Dec 9, 2016 05:09
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I am secretly recording a masterpiece. The last thing we want would be mag7 to win be default. We would never hear the end of it.
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Dec 9, 2016 06:02
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Hawklad posted:I am secretly recording a masterpiece. The last thing we want would be mag7 to win be default. We would never hear the end of it. truth
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Dec 9, 2016 22:19
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Hawklad posted:The last thing we want would be mag7 to win be default. We would never hear the end of it. Truly, a victory not even Mag7's mom would be proud of.
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Dec 10, 2016 03:01
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Alternative pants posted:Truly, a victory not even Mag7's mom would be proud of. Unfortunately, I also went and got the flu and I've been down for the past seven days. That's been a real gift.
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Dec 15, 2016 15:36
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All I'm saying is I'm glad there's an extra week. Between finals and odd shifts, absolutely gently caress all has been done since that WIP I posted.
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Dec 15, 2016 21:08
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Here is something I made. Wrote some Christmas-themed lyrics to the song Memory from the musical Cats. I didn't make the music myself, it's just a karaoke track. I only wrote new words and sang, so it's very low-effort. It probably shouldn't count as an entry for that reason, so I'm going to put it in the Feliz Navidad thread. Koivunen fucked around with this message at 10:04 on Dec 20, 2016 |
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Dec 20, 2016 01:13
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Soooooo, uh, can we launch this thing before Christmas is over? I think the post should be titled: gently caress YOU AND YOUR JESUS. magnificent7 fucked around with this message at 15:44 on Dec 22, 2016 |
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Dec 22, 2016 15:30
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magnificent7 posted:Soooooo, uh, can we launch this thing before Christmas is over? Some people wouldn't participate on principle.
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Dec 22, 2016 17:43
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Alternative pants posted:Some people wouldn't participate on principle. gently caress them (I'm not going to participate coz I don't have the abilities)
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Dec 22, 2016 19:58
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Under the wire.
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Dec 24, 2016 01:26
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Y'all know that in 48 hours this music will be 364 days too early right.
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Dec 24, 2016 21:59
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I forgot about this until just now. We have two entries. Am I missing something? edit: Koivunen, are you submitting yours? Hawklad, is your masterpiece finished? blaise rascal, are you submitting something? If I don't hear back tonight, I guess I'll just post a poll with the two entries? edit2: Writing up the entry with mag7 and alt pant's entries, will be up shortly. Sorry I didn't have anything myself. Been suffering from a mild dissociative disorder for a while and I'm essentially useless as a human being. edit3: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3802857 If I missed something, let me know. I don't know what I'm doing. nh fucked around with this message at 07:40 on Dec 25, 2016 |
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Dec 24, 2016 22:28
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oh this is the most depressing tie in the world.
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Dec 27, 2016 18:46
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