The official start of the competition looks to be only four days away, yet we might not see anyone with a completed song just yet. The passing of Yule has made things pretty busy, but not so busy that at least some time could be put into my soon-to-be-number-one hit.

I've given myself the target of early February to make something resembling a final recording so as to motivate the writing side of things over the next month. It's looking unlikely someone will launch something straight after the New Year, but I think with some strong drive I could aim to be the first to release something.

It's been a while since I wrote up anything. so here is a quick summary of what's been happening.

Initially, I was doing "research" in actually listening to things that have been popular over the last year. I've also been listening to a lot of 80s hits. In an ideal world, I'd combine the two. Somehow.

My music "studio" has undergone some massive improvements. I've played with more software and, thanks to some Christmas gifts, I will soon have a computer feeding off a proper PA system, an electric piano, a keyboard and have the ability to take in other instruments and microphones whenever I can source those.

I think I may well have the most superior studio setup out of all entrants to the competition.

I also helped my dad put together a folk/blues/jazz CD full of tunes he's wanted to record onto a CD for some time now. It's a little hobby project of his, but it's given me a chance to try out my "studio" properly.

The sequenced first draft of my first song that I entered into the PC using the mouse to click on notes is slowly giving way to a version actually played in with a keyboard by hand. Hopefully this will sounds more professional.

This brings me up to today where I have a few snippets of riffs and basses that I need to arrange into a full song. The idea is sort of there. I'm somewhat lacking in lyrics or even a theme for the words. I might try and seek inspiration as I celebrate the beginning of 2009 and hope to get back to dedicating most of my free time to finishing at least one song within a month.