At A Loss

I can’t seem to find direction right now. There are just so many things going on, that I wonder what is coming next. I have several projects waiting in the hopper, but nothing seems to be motivating my creativity right now. In fact, it is everyone else’s creativity that seems to be interesting me the most. I’ve been jumping from blog to blog learning as much as I can… Trying out all kinds of sites and software. I’m starting to see how a life of passivity could be appealing, but I am wondering if this new trend of non-productivity has something to do with the fact that I also feel incredibly bored. Clearly I am in need of direction. Well, classes start soon, so maybe that will help.

Meanwhile, I was messing around with Bandcamp. All I have managed to do so far is upload something I was working with earlier to test out the site. I like the way it uploads quickly and some of the features like cover art and the ability to offer paid or free downloads. I’m going to paste in html below to test that out too.

Anyway, the only thing that I have really done recently is come up with a name that I would like to have for a band if I ever formed one: Evil Petting Zoo. I find it funny and ironic. Oh, and I haven’t decided whether it implies the people or the animals are evil… This is the “Venti” sized version of the Bandcamp html:

Music and Talent In Unusual Places

In a vending machine?

I have to say, this is one of my favorite applications of electronic music to date. I wish they had one of these machines at work. What do they put in those drinks anyway?

Nixon Goes… To The Concert Hall?

Who knew? He might not be a crook, but he was at least a musician at some point…

Is This Chick Insane?

That was rhetorical question.

More politicians in music?

You know, I don’t care what they say about Sarah Palin, she’s got rhythm. I think we can safely conclude that the real reason she stepped down as Governor of Alaska was to pursue a career in jazz. Personally, I think she is just one riff away from the presidency in 2012.

On a more analytical and serious note, it is very fascinating to observe the natural musical patterns we use when we speak. Although, I wonder if my voice pattern would come off as jazz or hillbilly. I can hear the Beverly Hillbillies theme in my head right now.

If you thought that was cool, check out what auto-tune can do for the news…

Not Your Average News

Not sure if I actually liked that one or thought it was just too weird not to post… I’ll let you decide.

Cat Concerto Anyone?

Same comment as the last one… However, this is a very good example of mixed media presentation… And mixed species presentation… And mixed languages. You’ll have to watch the pop-up subtitles to follow this one. Just remember, cats have musical feelings too.

Anyway, that’s all I have for today. These are just some fine examples of the diverse musical samplings that are available to you if you just start searching for them. I hope to feel as enriched as I do.

Alien Downlink

Alien Downlink: Trailer from Alien Downlink on Vimeo.

I can’t say enough about the awesomeness of this website. What an incredibly imaginative concept. Refreshingly enough, not only is the concept good, but so is the music. I have a couple of favorites. This one is funny.

I Wanna Be An Alien’s Pet

This one is just cool… And filled with a wisdom regarding an understanding of our culture’s view on what would be termed drug use, versus self-medication, versus dulling a headache. A snippet of the lyrics below gives you a good feel for the context.

Don’t Do Drugs

An excerpt from the Don’t Do Drugs lyrics:

“…and earlier today, federal agents raided a house suspected of being at the center of a local marijuana growing operation. The bust yielded five marijuana plants and also resulted in the arrest of the home’s owner, a 76 year-old grandmother who had to be rushed to the hospital after agents mistook her cup of tea for a handgun and shot her 24 times.”

Don’t do drugs! Unless it’s…
Ibuprofen, codeine, morphine, oxycodone, cephalexin, sertraline, prednisolone
They’ll make ya feel good!
Methadone, diazepam, hydrocodone, lidocaine, sildenafil citrate
Your wife says that you should!
Side effects may include anxiety, sweating, headaches, and a week of blurry vision.
But it’s alright because your pusher wrote your prescription.

And finally, a hilarious documentary that chronicles the discovery and revelation of signals from the depths of space… That happen to be Rock N’ Roll. Awesome.

Alien Downlink: Analysis Video #1 – Introduction from Alien Downlink on Vimeo.

The Importance of Being Earnest

If I ever feel like playing the saddest song in the world on the world’s smallest violin, I think about the de-emphasis of the arts in today’s society. Math and science are in the driver’s seat and the arts and even sports, particularly at the primary and secondary levels, are taking a back seat.

From a societal perspective, math and science make you smart. From an educational perspective, math and science make you have better test scores and therefore earn more money and support for your school. Rather than diminish the importance of math, science or money, I will spend my time earnestly advocating for music.

Music and the arts in general are critical to the fundamental, well-rounded education that every student deserves. Unfortunately, efforts like the No Child Left Behind Act and other programs, policies and reforms have put music in the back seat to math and science.

DEFINITION: The “Pyramid of Intervention” is a term applied to the system of supports that a school provides for its struggling students. It is assumed that author’s statement above refers to the actual application of this concept, rather than its theoretical implementation. Additionally, it is not known exactly what model was used in this case. The picture is for example only and is apparently designed for online curricula.

I’ll be the first to admit, a degree in music or the arts in-and-of-itself does not generally come with the promise of artistic or financial success. I have often heard the joke, “You can take your degree in music and 25 cents and go buy a cup of coffee.” Now we both know that is completely untrue, because you can’t find a good cup of coffee anywhere for 25 cents these days. The last one I bought at Starbucks (a latte) cost me nearly $5, so I am apparently $4.75 short of a valuable education. …And if you look at it in those kinds of terms, one could easily come to the conclusion that the arts are less valuable in regard to the potential for success.

However, there is much more to the complexity of education than a job that can be specifically attributed to one’s degree. In fact, I wonder how many people actually are doing exactly what the title on their diploma implies they are qualified to do. I suspect there are not as many as one would think. I am a perfect example of how the 25 cent cup of coffee theory is flawed. My career has literally nothing to do with music, even though my undergraduate degree is in music composition and theory. In fact, I am not only employed, but my degree (having a degree in general, that is) allowed me to get a job that is comparatively very good in terms of the average job prospect.

Getting a job with your diploma is only one aspect of an education, and certainly an important one at that… But my advocacy for music and arts education is more specific to their value as models for teamwork, excellence and success. I can think of no better example of teamwork than an orchestral, choral, band or theatrical performance. I believe music and the arts teach team-building skills even more efficiently than sports, as there is generally less emphasis on star players. In music, being part of the team means to contribute your personal best to the ensemble in order to reach the goal of the ensemble as a whole… An excellent performance.

A good performance is one thing, but developing one’s intellect and critical thinking skills is invaluable. The number of processes and decisions that occur during a single performance of music must be astounding. Such complex activity is responsible for the formation of long lasting connections that help keep the mind healthy and strong. Research suggests that persons who are involved in the arts or music throughout their lives are generally have sharper minds toward the latter years of their lives. This is partly due to the fact that such performance calls on nearly every aspect of the mind and body.

…Evidence suggests that long-term musical involvement reaps cognitive rewards–in language skills, reasoning and creativity–and boosts social adjustment. Music exercises the brain. Playing an instrument, for instance, involves vision, hearing, touch, motor planning, emotion, symbol interpretation–all of which activate different brain systems. This may be why some Alzheimer’s patients can perform music long after they have forgotten other things. (article)

Given this kind of information, one might conclude that the arts are of at least equal importance in the overall health and development of the mind. Sadly, society seems to be missing this critical point. Some schools of psychology would tend to agree:

It’s a disgrace. Some people claim that music programs are too expensive, but killing music programs deprives children of intellectual, personal and social benefits. I know it sounds corny, but by failing to foster musicality, our society is wasting its potential. Perhaps if more people knew music’s true benefits, it would be restored to more schools. (article)

An example of a perception that the arts are secondary to other forms of education:

A couple of years ago, I was required to document the time I spent as a high school choral director with students after school hours — not the time I spent planning or calculating grades, but actual time teaching students beyond the school day. When totaled, the time came to 66 extra eight-hour days between August and May. With my salary supplement, this came to roughly $3.79 per hour. During the school day, I was teaching double the number of students of a regular classroom teacher and working to raise money to pay for the activities and supplies needed to run my classes. I have been a financial bargain for the public school system. (article)

This example clearly illustrates the lack of support for arts education programs, at least in Georgia. That the program still exists and that there is someone who is willing to put in so much effort to make it work is, at least, encouraging. It will take more than the efforts of individual teachers to promote the value of a solid educational foundation in the arts. It will take a change in perception as a society and a government. …Perhaps a return to the importance of traditional culture as a mindset.

So, as I sit here playing the world’s smallest violin, I can take solace in knowing that I am, at least, ’stimulating my mind and attempting to live up to my full potential’. I hope the many more artists will pick up their instruments and play along. Hopefully, we will then be able to sound a chord in favor of the arts that will resonate throughout the educational and political communities.

Raw Links:

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/we-fail-students-by-106510.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060622172738.htm

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200009/music-the-mind

Second Life Graphics Issues

The Problem:

I continue to experience random graphics issues with SL. Most recently, my avatar has transformed back into the headless shadow-man. I was able to get him back after changing the settings back and forth. Strangely, the gamma setting has affected my 19” Westinghouse monitor by somehow changing the gamma setting on my GPU… Even when the game was not running.

The Fix:

I was able to correct the problem temporarily by going into the Catalyst Control Center and resetting the GPU gamma settings. This was accomplished by selecting “Color” from the sidebar drop down lists, then clicking on the “Reactivate ATI color controls” button. When it is reactivated, the button will remain grayed-out. Once my gamma was corrected and before I could see my avatar, I gave myself all white clothing, just to make sure I was still clothed in public.

Music Without Technology?

In a way, I am a purist. My favorite music will probably always be the work of the masters. But in another way, I have always been fascinated with technology. Sometimes, I am frustrated with the use of technology in place of musicians, but I like what it does for me in terms of creativity and productivity.

Technology in general is fascinating and ever-changing. I love to acquire new software or equipment, then to learn everything I can about that newly acquired toy. Initially, I probably waste way too much time messing with the software and not enough time composing. So, my future efforts will concentrate on integrating the music with the tech in a compositional, rather than purely practical sense. I started to explore some of these options in projects mentioned in earlier posts, such as Stare Wars, HL2, Thinkin’ of You, etc. These were student projects. However, I now plan to incorporate technology into some of my serious work.

I think that this combination of music and tech in a serious form should be approached with discretion. I don’t think throwing everything my software or hardware will let me do into a “classical” piece will work. My initial thoughts on how to use technology involve scene painting in regard to specific themes, scenes, ideas or emotions. I want to think of my tech voice as another member of the orchestra that adds character to a piece where needed. I want the music to be the focus, not the tech. I want to avoid changing the style of music I compose to fit the tech. It should be the other way around.

A lesson learned in my early experimentation with technology in music revealed at least one universal truth:

Using live, real instruments is ALWAYS the best scenario, but not always the most practical scenario.

Clearly, a midi performance, even with the best technology and mastering, will never fully emulate the nuance, quality and individuality of human performance. A dilemma is presented in my mind when I consider the game music industry and its heavy reliance on synthetic or sampled sounds. I think what they do is great and certainly on a similar talent level, perhaps an even greater creative level than other forms of composition. Even game composers will add at least one live musician when given the chance, and would probably jump at the chance to have their scores performed by a live orchestra. In their case, it comes down to a matter of practicality, rather than an intentional replacement of musicians.

Universal truth amendment #1:

Using live, real instruments is ALWAYS the best scenario, but not always the most practical scenario… Unless the instrument you are using is uniquely synthetic. That is, not a reproduction of something that already exists.

A second dilemma is created in my mind when I consider the impact that gaming music has on a generation that might not otherwise be exposed to this style of music. Some people are almost obsessed with game themes, as they are no doubt reminded of the many engrossing hours spent mastering the game. Games themselves would be empty shells of the virtual without any sense of reality if it were not for the finely crafted scores of game music composers.

This raises yet a third dilemma. Despite all of my concerns with the balance between music and tech, I find myself becoming increasingly interested in creating game music. As I continue to plan the course of my musical endeavors, I am gravitating toward this fascinating musical art form as a perfect combination of interests. I love music. I love technology. After all, those are the same reasons I decided to study music technology in pursuit of a degree.

The solution to these dilemmas (concerning my current plans to integrate technology into my serious compositions) lies in the balance and discretion that I mentioned earlier. Balance, in that the tech does not replace or overshadow the real… Discretion, in that those voices and effects chosen to enhance a musical composition truly add to the composition, help tell the story, or set the proper mood… Preferably these voices and effects will be unique to the world as an utterance of the digital creation of original media. Production, not reproduction. Enhancement, not replacement.

Here is a short summary of rules that I am forming in preparation for my new compositional theories and concepts:

1. The inclusion of technology in classical music should be approached with great discretion

2. Live music and musicians are always the best scenario vs. a simulation of the same

3. Synthetic voices should be used to compliment a score, not dominate

4. The musical form or style should not be slave to the addition of technology

5. The creative process should include the consideration of all available instrumentation, real or digital

6. Digital instrumentation should be limited to those voices that are uniquely technological

7. The same care and attention should be given to the creation of music that involves technology as those that are traditionally conceived

If it isn’t traditionally conceived, then it needs to sound that much better in order to compensate for the lack of realism. Thus, rule 7 was born. I think there is a tendency in my mind to think of music composed using virtual instrumentation as less serious. This is likely because I have been trying to use virtual means to reproduce what is intended to be live music. Here, I am discussing the prospect of using uniquely digital instrumentation to augment traditional orchestration as an actual part of the live performance.

While, in many ways I am a purist, I believe that the inclusion of technology as a part of live performance is a necessary exploration. I do not want to sacrifice the creative process for the conceit that real instrumentation is always better than digital. To fully exploit the added productivity and creativity that technology offers, I must make an attempt to fully integrate music with technology in my future musical endeavors.

My First Second Life

After reading a little about Second Life and looking at Torley’s island, I decided to give it a try. It was free, so I thought it couldn’t hurt… I spent most of my time trying to configure the graphics so that my GPU would stop freaking out–Huge spikes of random rendering kept obscuring my view, especially inside smaller rooms… And sometimes my avatar became a headless shadow-man (an effect I would consider keeping if it weren’t a glitch). It took some time but I think I narrowed the problem down to the following feature in the graphics menu:

Edit/Preferences/Graphics/Hardware Options/Enable VBO

For whatever reason, my ATI X1800XT 500MB GPU hates this setting. I haven’t had this problem since it was unchecked. I am still messing with a few of the parameters to get things just right, but I looked at Torley’s tutorial to help me configure things. A very useful tutorial (below).

I spent a lot of time editing parameters that were available to mess with for my… self. I ended up deleting my default clothes and now look terribly rendered. For a short while, I was stuck completely naked in public. Somehow, I accidentally deleted my hair during my experimentation, and now I am completely bald. The only other problem I had was when I started dancing and couldn’t figure out how to stop. This led to the interesting discovery that one’s avatar can dance while sitting down… Or doing anything for that matter. Trippy.

So after all this, I walked around New Berlin for a while and talked to a few people. The first thing that I noticed was that a lot of people like to dress their avatars like h**kers. Does this imply people are seeking their inner h**ker in second life? Who really knows? I saw only one female character dressed modestly and immediately assumed that she must be a lady of the night in real life. That was probably wrong of me.

The next observation made was that everyone just seemed to be standing around. Many of them were speaking in foreign languages, and I became paranoid that they were talking about me and my pathetic looking clothes. Then this little cardboard box robot kept running into me for fun, which was a little insulting. Plus, I had to wonder how a robot can be made of cardboard. I asked it, “What are you?” It responded, “I am a robot.” “You look like a cardboard box,” I said. “I am a robot,” it concluded, bumped into me again and ran off. Deep. (Please note the h**kers in the screenshots. I am the guy in the black shirt… And no, I didn’t talk to her)

So, bored again, I commented locally on the fact that people seemed to be dressed like h**kers. …In order to cause controversy. Instead, they acknowledged this fact and stated that it was because everyone dressed their avatars with clothes they could get for free. I don’t know if I buy that… Which leads me to my next observation.

What’s with the paying real money to buy cars and stuff? I hate paying for things that seem like they should be free. Well, at least $8 for a car! I can see a small fee like 50 cents or something, but $8! I would have stolen the car if the game would have let me. I’m not saying I want to stop playing the game yet, but I ‘m going to have to learn more about the game before I go buying real estate .

I don’t want to give the wrong impression. The concept of creating one’s own world and character is very intriguing and will no doubt keep me interested for a while. Some avatars out there were very creative, if not a little strange… But I love the creative possibilities and wonder if I will spend 90% of the time creating worlds and messing with my appearance rather than playing the actual game. Or is it “living my second life?” Oh, so much to learn and so little time.

As I was typing this, I was in SL taking screenshots for this post… I ran into a guy dressed as a Star Wars bounty hunter. He offered to show me where to get one and took me on a little tour. He even showed me the costumes before alteration and offered this advice:

“If you’re going to buy one, be sure to select the male model, if that’s what you’re after.”

I replied:

“Thx. That’s good advice. I don’t think I’d look good with bounty hunter boobs anyway.”

He seemed to think that was funny. (Female imperial model in picture to the right)

I think maybe I got my first real second life experience. I feel renewed, excited. Like a new avatar… Maybe this will be fun after all. Especially after I get out of my pathetic wardrobe and into some cool Star Wars threads.