What a wonderful week it has been! I’ve finally had the time to get through some of the things that have sat on my to-do list for quite some time now. Sadly, as I write this, it’s raining outside. Rain in late December is like having temperatures in the 30’s in August; it’s just plain [...]
That’s right! Today is the first day of winter. It wasn’t a super chilly (~22º) day here in Vermont and we have far less snow than we should have. That didn’t stop me from getting outdoors and enjoying a nice hike through the woods. The Allen Brook stream was frozen so I was able to [...]
Finally! My vacation has begun and I’m back in the Green Mountain State. It truly is a wonderful thing. I love school and my friends and all of that fun stuff, but there’s something that is enjoyable about Vermont. It’s so sincere and lively. I have to say though, I could use a good snow [...]
(As published in the Racquette Newspaper) I listen to music as often as possible. Listening sources range from an iTunes library through studio monitors, to an iPod with headphones, to Pandora online radio, to standard FM radios. I am a fan of high fidelity, but I can by no means consider myself an “audiophile.” I enjoy [...]
The last week of classes has come and gone and I am lucky to count myself as one o the survivors. This coming week will be easier for some than others. I am looking forward to checking exams off of my list as I go. Here’s what I’ve got for this week; Ithaca College of Music [...]
My friend and I were filling up her gas tank the other day before we left for Thanksgiving vacation and I noticed this SUV at the next pump over. Of course, it was none other than a New York State Environmental Conservation Police SUV…(WHAT?!?) Oh the irony… I took a few photos while on the Plattsburgh/Grand [...]
The past week did not go as originally expected. Yes, I made it home to Vermont for a wonderful Thanksgiving with the family, though I have been without my Mac since Tuesday. Apparently the logic board that was installed several weeks ago during a repair was faulty. I get the full details of it when [...]
And we’re on to round two of the Weekly Roundup Series. The points are bulleted for separation and comprehension. This week includes some live music, music technology and a short ditty about a concert I went to this weekend. Enjoy! Behold! A sneak preview of Marco Benevento’s upcoming DVD, “Live in NYC: The Sullivan Hall Residency.” A […]
That’s been the best way to describe the past two and a half months. I’ve been working on 1,001 things that require my focused attention and simultaneously trying to stay sane. The result has been a lack of blog posts. This makes me sad. I love writing and I love posting my findings from the [...]
What a wonderful week it has been! I’ve finally had the time to get through some of the things that have sat on my to-do list for quite some time now. Sadly, as I write this, it’s raining outside. Rain in late December is like having temperatures in the 30’s in August; it’s just plain WRONG. I would most certainly like to have what little snow we had back. It would appear as though that process will begin tomorrow. In the meantime, here’s the roundup for this past week:
Carol of the Bells: Muppets style. I’m not sure how I managed to miss this when it was part of a Christmas special, but I wanted to bring it back for your entertainment. Enjoy!
Consider the Source: This progressive-middle eastern-fusion group is absolutely amazing and they have a bunch of their live recordings available for free download over at Archive.org.
DIYPhotography.net: This is an awesome blog with all kinds of great DIY tricks for photographers. Everything from making grids for flashes to modding gear and whatnot. Very cool!*
*I’ll be posting a bit of DIY material from a project of mine in the next day or two…
Musicians Lost in 2009: NPR did a great photo feature on musicians who passed away in 2009. Some big names in the world of music…
I grabbed a couple of photos while I was out snowshoeing in Stowe, VT the other day. The weather was quite nice up there and the snow coverage was great. I hope to get out for some skiing in the coming weeks before my trip to California for NAMM.
Stowe, VT | 12.24.09
Broadcast Towers and Snow Covered Trees | 12.24.09
Icicles of Epic Proportions | 12.24.09
I’ll be announcing a project for the coming year in just a few days. Keep your eyes open…
That’s right! Today is the first day of winter. It wasn’t a super chilly (~22º) day here in Vermont and we have far less snow than we should have. That didn’t stop me from getting outdoors and enjoying a nice hike through the woods. The Allen Brook stream was frozen so I was able to walk down the center of the creek and sneak up on a bluheron and grab a photo. Here are a few shots from the afternoon:
Finally! My vacation has begun and I’m back in the Green Mountain State. It truly is a wonderful thing. I love school and my friends and all of that fun stuff, but there’s something that is enjoyable about Vermont. It’s so sincere and lively. I have to say though, I could use a good snow storm right about now. Still, it is beautiful out there. Here’s a shot I grabbed of Mt. Mansfield on Friday once I got back home:
Mt. Mansfield | 12.18.09
Mike Reed & Chicago Jazz: NPR story on a Jazz drummer doing some great things. He’s bringing back some classic Chicago Jazz along with doing some serious booking for the Pitchfork Music Festival. Gotta love them drummers!
Haunting music for 5 pianos and no pianists: Incredibly cool story about composer Heiner Goebbles and his latest project in NYC. It’s part musical performance, part theatrical performance and part art installation.
I listen to music as often as possible. Listening sources range from an iTunes library through studio monitors, to an iPod with headphones, to Pandora online radio, to standard FM radios. I am a fan of high fidelity, but I can by no means consider myself an “audiophile.” I enjoy listening to music in almost any convenient capacity, especially in a live environment where I can actually witness music happening.
I try to make at least 30-40 percent of my music listening “active” instead of simply having music playing in the background during other activities. This means actually sitting down and taking in the music without distraction. Sometimes it can be tough to take the time to focus explicitly on music but the experience is always worth it. I often catch enjoyable subtleties in the mix and arrangement that might otherwise be overlooked. I also make a point of listening to the album in its entirety in the original track order.
Obviously it would be unrealistic to listen to all music in an active manner. I love to have music playing in the background. The genre doesn’t matter. Sometimes it’s instrumental and sometimes the lyrics are of the utmost importance. I find that listening to music while working on other things helps to make me more productive. I’m actually listening to music as I write this.
Though I am a fiend for listening to albums in their entirety, I also enjoy making playlists of music to use for various occasions as well as casual listening. I try to put some serious effort into the track choices in order to create the best possible listening experience. A lot of this is based on intuition, but tempo, vibe and tonal center can play into it. Regardless, I try to listen to good variety of music as much as I can.
The last week of classes has come and gone and I am lucky to count myself as one o the survivors. This coming week will be easier for some than others. I am looking forward to checking exams off of my list as I go. Here’s what I’ve got for this week;
Ithaca College of Music Pianos and Percussion vandalized: Though some of the facts on this story are still fuzzy and unverified, it seems that approximately 60 pianos and some keyboard percussion instruments (marimbas, vibraphones) from unlocked practice rooms were vandalized on Saturday night. Seeing some of the pictures can be painful. Hopefully the vandals will be found and punished.
A marimba in shambles in a practice room
LEGO Architecture: LEGO has gone and done it again. Constantly looking for new designs and creations, LEGO has created the Architecture series. New kits are coming out but the highlights for me were the Frank Lloyd WrightFallingwater and Guggenheim Museum packages. How cool is that?
Piano Phase Yourself: I happen to be a huge fan of the music of Steve Reich and happened to stumble upon this video of someone playing Piano Phase on their own. Yes, two pianos, two hands, one mind. The video features certain sections instead of the entire performance, but it’s truly mind boggling.
Speaking of Steve Reich: WQXR in New York is doing a weeklong feature on the music of Steve Reich on their radio stream. It’s being called Maximum Reich. Check it out!
Uncertain Future for Recording Studios: This is the sad truth of it. Though there are many benefits to the increase in availability of high quality recording technology at affordable price points, it’s contributing to the lack of business at established recording studios. Is this good or bad?
My friend and I were filling up her gas tank the other day before we left for Thanksgiving vacation and I noticed this SUV at the next pump over. Of course, it was none other than a New York State Environmental Conservation Police SUV…(WHAT?!?) Oh the irony…
"Serving since 1880" (Did they have SUV's back then too?)
I took a few photos while on the Plattsburgh/Grand Isle Ferry on my way home last week. The sun was setting on a Lake Champlain and I couldn’t resist. (The moon and Jupiter are visible just to the right of the flag)
Lake Champlain | 11.24.09
Fun with Motorized Faders: All of us audio engineers like to geek out over flying faders and there are quite a few videos on the old ‘Tube for us to indulge but none of them are quite like this one:
Sound ideas to help make it through music school: Check out this great new blog about dealing with the realities of attending a college in pursuit of a music degree. Though the blog is young, Bryan has already done a great job of covering some important ground. Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed!
I went to see the band Rubblebucket at the Java Barn last night. The show was nothing short of fantastic. Their sound has certainly evolved since the last time I saw them. Though the live mix could have used some work, the atmosphere was lively and enjoyable. I picked up their new album and was quite satisfied. These guys know how to do it. The writing is great, the recorded quality is great and the mix is solid. Here are some photos from the show last night:
The past week did not go as originally expected. Yes, I made it home to Vermont for a wonderful Thanksgiving with the family, though I have been without my Mac since Tuesday. Apparently the logic board that was installed several weeks ago during a repair was faulty. I get the full details of it when I get it back tomorrow. I’m typing on a spiffy new MacBook that I managed to borrow from a friend for a few minutes.
Technical mishaps aside, it was a great week full of fantastic food, great family and memorable times with close friends. Here are some links I picked up while I still had a Mac regularly available to me:
Harp Therapy: Cool article on NPR’s website about music therapy.
Imogen Heap | Recording Ellipse: Great article from the latest Sound On Sound magazine. Pick up a copy of the issue to read the whole thing.
How To Lose An Argument Online: Great blog post by Seth Godin. This really says it all. Before you decide to respond to attack someone online with a bitter diatribe in an attempt to convince them of something, consider this article.
And we’re on to round two of the Weekly Roundup Series. The points are bulleted for separation and comprehension. This week includes some live music, music technology and a short ditty about a concert I went to this weekend. Enjoy!
Behold! A sneak preview of Marco Benevento’s upcoming DVD, “Live in NYC: The Sullivan Hall Residency.”
Also check out this great video of Jazzpianist/composer Erik Deutsch performing the track “Hush Money” live at 58N6: http://www.vimeo.com/1628920
I traveled back to Vermont with my girlfriend to see singer/songwriter Peter Mulvey perform at the UVM Recital Hall in Burlington on Friday night. The performance was part of the University of Vermont Lane Series. It was great to get to see him again after several years of missing his shows. The performance quality was magnified by the gorgeous hall. I was pleasantly surprised to hear him include some of the “letters” from his latest album, Letters from a Flying Machine. Mulvey used an iPod nano for the ambient airplane sound and musical backing track while he recited letters addressed to his young nieces and nephews.
Peter Mulvey | 11.20.09 UVM Recital Hall
That’s all for this week. Hopefully I’ll have some more time to post this coming week as a result of my Thanksgiving vacation.
This is the first of hopefully many more “Weekly Roundups” in which I will supply you with a virtual smorgasbord of links, music and other tidbits.
First, some music:
Into the Light | Dana Hall
Multitude, Solitude | Ergo
Abyss | Jacques Shwarz-Bart
After the Air Raid | Zevious
I may post some detailed reviews of a CD or two later on. The aforementioned albums are Jazz and ambient-based music. They’re quite eclectic (and will likely show up on a certain radio show I do…Eclectic Mondays).
Also, if you haven’t checked out the funky vibes of Revision (Ithaca, NY), then you should get on that! They played an amazing show at Hurley’s @ SUNY Potsdam last Saturday and they’ve got some killin’ music.
Revision @ Hurley's | 11.7.09 (Photo by Ben O'Brien Smith)
That’s been the best way to describe the past two and a half months. I’ve been working on 1,001 things that require my focused attention and simultaneously trying to stay sane. The result has been a lack of blog posts. This makes me sad. I love writing and I love posting my findings from the rest of the world and what I’m up to.
It is my plan to get back to posting at least once a week with a bit of a “weekly round-up” of sorts. This will likely contain brief comments on interesting things from throughout the week. I would hazard a guess to them being primarily link driven, meaning that my commentary will be minimal. But who knows? Things could go in any direction. I will be sure to get back to posting reviews of things, be it a product, performance, etc.
As a side note, here’s a photo I shot of the moon a couple of weeks ago that I was particularly happy with. As usual, I was “burning the midnight oil” and decided to take a break and see if I could catch a decent shot of the moon with my new Canon 55-250mm lens. Here’s to getting back in the game!
