And, while I'm still getting organized, here's a really awesome Tool cover (on koto!) to keep you entertained:
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Google Guitar
I love having an electronic tuner. Among other things, I can figure out what the notes of the guitar currently on Google are.
It's a G major scale, from a low G up to the B an octave and a third above it.
The arrangements of the notes (B' is an octave above B, etc):
C
E
A
G D
B F#
G' A'
B
It's a G major scale, from a low G up to the B an octave and a third above it.
The arrangements of the notes (B' is an octave above B, etc):
C
E
A
G D
B F#
G' A'
B
Monday, June 6, 2011
Weekend of my Senior Year
Extended weekend, that is, as it started on Thursday, with Awards Night. I won awards for having the highest math and science awards in the senior class - made even better by learning that my sister had got both three years ago. Mandachan was up on stage several times, including receiving a band award, and three of my close friends also won scholarships.
Friday night was my very last high school band concert, and it was my best. We played three neat songs in Symphonic Band, ending with von Suppe's Light Cavalry Overture. It was by far the most difficult and demanding piece I have ever played, and it was fantastic. You can listen to it here. Then, we played 4 good songs in Jazz Band, ending with "Rock with You" - an actual rock version - in which I had a solo. Finally, everyone in marching band came out into the audience to play one final song. I dropped the octave and played the trombone part on my trumpet at purely ridiculous volume. The perfect end to four great years of band.
After the concert, we hit the road. I drove to Bridgeport, and my dad (who, it should be noted, is rather awesome) drove the rest of the way to Penn State (a 7-hour drive, on I-80, overnight) for my last ARML math competition. Not a bad drive, except for the piece of semi-truck coilspring that got caught in our undercarriage for a few miles and made us think the bumper was falling off). I was on the Connecticut B1 team, and we did great. Third place in the nation in the B division, which means we'll be getting brand-new top-of-the-line TI N-spire calculators. I was one of three on the B1 team with a 7/10 on the individual round. (8/10 qualifies you to take another test for nation ranking). For the first time, there was a CT student who took that runoff - go Kei!
Here's my cell phone shot of the Delaware River Viaduct at Delaware Water Gap. Built in 1908-10, it's the largest continuous-pour-construction concrete structure in the world at 1452 feet long and 65 tall. It was built as one of the crowning jewels of the Lackawanna Cut-off for the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad, and it's in the beginning stages of being restored for NJ Transit passenger service.
After getting back on Sunday, I went straight to the final party/banquet for tennis. My last time hanging out with my team, and my coach. Buncha wackos, all of em, but a great team, and I will miss them.
Finally, I finished and printed out my senior critique - my last high school thesis paper, and analysis of an entire novel. My final title was "Console Cowboys, Razorgirls, and Artificial Intelligences, oh my: Elements of Transhumanism in William Gibson's Neuromancer". Doing it on Gibson's seminal cyberpunk work was far more enjoyable than reading a "classic" piece of literature.
So, that was my weekend. The end of band, tennis, and math team for my high school experience, and my last major paper completed. Bittersweet, but a wonderful weekend.
Friday night was my very last high school band concert, and it was my best. We played three neat songs in Symphonic Band, ending with von Suppe's Light Cavalry Overture. It was by far the most difficult and demanding piece I have ever played, and it was fantastic. You can listen to it here. Then, we played 4 good songs in Jazz Band, ending with "Rock with You" - an actual rock version - in which I had a solo. Finally, everyone in marching band came out into the audience to play one final song. I dropped the octave and played the trombone part on my trumpet at purely ridiculous volume. The perfect end to four great years of band.
After the concert, we hit the road. I drove to Bridgeport, and my dad (who, it should be noted, is rather awesome) drove the rest of the way to Penn State (a 7-hour drive, on I-80, overnight) for my last ARML math competition. Not a bad drive, except for the piece of semi-truck coilspring that got caught in our undercarriage for a few miles and made us think the bumper was falling off). I was on the Connecticut B1 team, and we did great. Third place in the nation in the B division, which means we'll be getting brand-new top-of-the-line TI N-spire calculators. I was one of three on the B1 team with a 7/10 on the individual round. (8/10 qualifies you to take another test for nation ranking). For the first time, there was a CT student who took that runoff - go Kei!
Here's my cell phone shot of the Delaware River Viaduct at Delaware Water Gap. Built in 1908-10, it's the largest continuous-pour-construction concrete structure in the world at 1452 feet long and 65 tall. It was built as one of the crowning jewels of the Lackawanna Cut-off for the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad, and it's in the beginning stages of being restored for NJ Transit passenger service.
After getting back on Sunday, I went straight to the final party/banquet for tennis. My last time hanging out with my team, and my coach. Buncha wackos, all of em, but a great team, and I will miss them.
Finally, I finished and printed out my senior critique - my last high school thesis paper, and analysis of an entire novel. My final title was "Console Cowboys, Razorgirls, and Artificial Intelligences, oh my: Elements of Transhumanism in William Gibson's Neuromancer". Doing it on Gibson's seminal cyberpunk work was far more enjoyable than reading a "classic" piece of literature.
So, that was my weekend. The end of band, tennis, and math team for my high school experience, and my last major paper completed. Bittersweet, but a wonderful weekend.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Vacation
It's music trip time! I will be spending the next four days playing trumpet and exploring Washington DC! And enjoying the company of my wacky friends!
...and not blogging. Ah well. I'll be back on Monday.
...and not blogging. Ah well. I'll be back on Monday.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Make Music
This is incredibly cool.
It's a music generator. Pitch is on the vertical axis, and time on the horizontal. You can play chord and scales (it uses xylophone notes) or create an ethereal drumbeat. There's very little dissonance to work around, and almost anything sounds neat. A fun way to waste some time.
It's a music generator. Pitch is on the vertical axis, and time on the horizontal. You can play chord and scales (it uses xylophone notes) or create an ethereal drumbeat. There's very little dissonance to work around, and almost anything sounds neat. A fun way to waste some time.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Best birthday weekend ever
On Friday, I had a solo in Jazz Band. I was bored and wanted to be different, so I made a tie out of duct tape. I don't have a picture, but it turned out pretty well. I also got a package from my aunt - a handmade Jayne hat, made to match the hat from Firefly down to the stitch. It is a cunning hat, and I love it.
On Saturday, I got up early with my dad to go skiing. We drove up to Okemo; on the way, he slipped in a CD and played me Alice Cooper's "I'm Eighteen" - appropriate given that is was my eighteenth birthday. We had a great day at Okemo - 22 runs, many of them on an uncrowded section of the mountain with good trails and a fast, uncrowded lift. I turned eighteen shortly after arriving home. My mom made a delicious berry trifle, and I was given two fractal t-shirts and two bags of candy. I also found out that I won a vintage Boston T publicity booklet (with cool images) via a trivia contest on a railroad forum.
Yesterday, mandachan took me out to a delicious dinner at an Indian restaurant. I had a delicious lamb korma (lamb chunks in a yellow cashew sauce). mandachan (yes, it's lowercase even when beginning a sentence) then surprised me with tickets to the Dropkick Murphys concert at the Sun. The concert was absolutely fantastic (and extremely loud).
On Saturday, I got up early with my dad to go skiing. We drove up to Okemo; on the way, he slipped in a CD and played me Alice Cooper's "I'm Eighteen" - appropriate given that is was my eighteenth birthday. We had a great day at Okemo - 22 runs, many of them on an uncrowded section of the mountain with good trails and a fast, uncrowded lift. I turned eighteen shortly after arriving home. My mom made a delicious berry trifle, and I was given two fractal t-shirts and two bags of candy. I also found out that I won a vintage Boston T publicity booklet (with cool images) via a trivia contest on a railroad forum.
Yesterday, mandachan took me out to a delicious dinner at an Indian restaurant. I had a delicious lamb korma (lamb chunks in a yellow cashew sauce). mandachan (yes, it's lowercase even when beginning a sentence) then surprised me with tickets to the Dropkick Murphys concert at the Sun. The concert was absolutely fantastic (and extremely loud).
Monday, January 31, 2011
Beethoven
A thought I had today:
What if Beethoven lived today? What if he'd been born in, say, 1993? He would be 17 and looking at college.
He showed musical promise early, though it wasn't until his early twenties that he showed his true musical abilities and his incredible abilities for composition. He was frequently depressed, and had massive mood swings, possibly brought on by his increasing deafness. Today, he would probably be diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
He would be an angsty teenager. Locally respected for his musical abilities, but not nationally known, because far more students are taught music now than were three centuries ago. Trouble respecting authority, and struggling to find his faith.
But there's a lot I don't know.
Would his talent win out; would he be applying to Julliard or another prestigious university? In a world devoid of royalty, would he have a patron? Or would be struggle with life in a broken home, with his mother dead and his father an alcoholic by the time he reached age seventeen?
His mood swings would be beginning to make themselves clear. Would he see a doctor and be medicated? Would he be diagnosed with ADD, or bipolar, or depression? Would medication make him saner, or would the calmness mask the brilliance, prevent him from truly creating?
If he did manage to compose, what would he write? The same classical music as he did in the seventeenth century, now relegated to NPR and the occasional professional orchestra? Would he adopt modern instruments, going from violins and brass to electric guitars and a drum set, in the Neoclassical style (as is done by groups like TSO with his music)? Or would he create something entirely different?
(Another interesting thought experiment: what if he were transported to modern times, as an adult? Would he be thrilled by the power of amplifiers and synthesizers, the ability to add a new depth to his music, or would he be horrified by the perversion of the purity of his compositions?)
It's a lot more questions than answers, and we cannot truly know much of it. But it's a real interesting thought experiment.
What if Beethoven lived today? What if he'd been born in, say, 1993? He would be 17 and looking at college.
He showed musical promise early, though it wasn't until his early twenties that he showed his true musical abilities and his incredible abilities for composition. He was frequently depressed, and had massive mood swings, possibly brought on by his increasing deafness. Today, he would probably be diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
He would be an angsty teenager. Locally respected for his musical abilities, but not nationally known, because far more students are taught music now than were three centuries ago. Trouble respecting authority, and struggling to find his faith.
But there's a lot I don't know.
Would his talent win out; would he be applying to Julliard or another prestigious university? In a world devoid of royalty, would he have a patron? Or would be struggle with life in a broken home, with his mother dead and his father an alcoholic by the time he reached age seventeen?
His mood swings would be beginning to make themselves clear. Would he see a doctor and be medicated? Would he be diagnosed with ADD, or bipolar, or depression? Would medication make him saner, or would the calmness mask the brilliance, prevent him from truly creating?
If he did manage to compose, what would he write? The same classical music as he did in the seventeenth century, now relegated to NPR and the occasional professional orchestra? Would he adopt modern instruments, going from violins and brass to electric guitars and a drum set, in the Neoclassical style (as is done by groups like TSO with his music)? Or would he create something entirely different?
(Another interesting thought experiment: what if he were transported to modern times, as an adult? Would he be thrilled by the power of amplifiers and synthesizers, the ability to add a new depth to his music, or would he be horrified by the perversion of the purity of his compositions?)
It's a lot more questions than answers, and we cannot truly know much of it. But it's a real interesting thought experiment.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Culture
I haven't blogged much in the past week. Part of that was first semester exams - which are now over. Part was plain old lazyness. And a whole lot was Wikipedia - 150+ edits in the past seven days.
But, most of it was, I've been busy with other stuff. You might even say I've been culturing myself. Here's all the neat stuff I've been up to:
I've been archive binging on four different webcomics. I've finished Head Trip which is a ... kinda slice-of-life comic, focusing mainly around a geek girl, Mal, who...beats people up, mostly. Also, there's really weird superheroes.
I'm very slowly going through Penny Arcade, a gaming webcomic with lots of really random side jokes.
I am really liking Girl Genius. It's a steampunk / gaslamp fantasy web serial, featuring the thoroughly original genius Agatha Heterodyne.
And, I'm attempting to finish Dr. McNinja which is exactly what you think it is.
Not to worry, though, I'm not wasting all my time reading webcomics. I'm also reading real books, too. I've started reading Isaac Asimov's Black Widowers short stories - mystery stories, featuring a club of gentlemen and of course the peerless waiter Henry.
I've also been reading some stuff on educational theory, particularly at the high school level. What makes certain teachers effective. Very interesting.
And, I have been listening to strange bands.
Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band. This is "Never Enough":
Van Canto is a German 'hero metal' band. They have no instruments, except the drum set. They are also probably the only a capella band that uses guitar amps for their microphones. This is "Kings of Metal":
Agata Kristi is a Russian goth (ish) metal band. This is "Серкет" ("Serket"):
But, most of it was, I've been busy with other stuff. You might even say I've been culturing myself. Here's all the neat stuff I've been up to:
I've been archive binging on four different webcomics. I've finished Head Trip which is a ... kinda slice-of-life comic, focusing mainly around a geek girl, Mal, who...beats people up, mostly. Also, there's really weird superheroes.
I'm very slowly going through Penny Arcade, a gaming webcomic with lots of really random side jokes.
I am really liking Girl Genius. It's a steampunk / gaslamp fantasy web serial, featuring the thoroughly original genius Agatha Heterodyne.
And, I'm attempting to finish Dr. McNinja which is exactly what you think it is.
Not to worry, though, I'm not wasting all my time reading webcomics. I'm also reading real books, too. I've started reading Isaac Asimov's Black Widowers short stories - mystery stories, featuring a club of gentlemen and of course the peerless waiter Henry.
I've also been reading some stuff on educational theory, particularly at the high school level. What makes certain teachers effective. Very interesting.
And, I have been listening to strange bands.
Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band. This is "Never Enough":
Van Canto is a German 'hero metal' band. They have no instruments, except the drum set. They are also probably the only a capella band that uses guitar amps for their microphones. This is "Kings of Metal":
Agata Kristi is a Russian goth (ish) metal band. This is "Серкет" ("Serket"):
Sunday, January 9, 2011
A Song to create Geocoordinates to
Post-punk goodness: Wire singing "41°N 93°W"
It's all about cartography - imposing grids of latitude and longitude on the landscape.
"Interrupting my train of thought
Lines of longitude and latitude
Define and refine my altitude"
The coordinates of the song's title are very appropriate - they lead to an area divided into the square sections created in the 1800s.
The Basement Geographer has much more, including the full lyrics, and maps of the coordinates. I recommend taking a look.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Brass Trio
What happens when your second trumpet and baritone player are late.
In retrospect, it's really fortunate than the first trumpet part had all the melodies. Otherwise, the dear folks at Mystic Aquarium would have been subjected to some rather strange harmonies.
In retrospect, it's really fortunate than the first trumpet part had all the melodies. Otherwise, the dear folks at Mystic Aquarium would have been subjected to some rather strange harmonies.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Trans-Siberian Orchestra!
Wow. Just wow. That was amazing... probably the best show of my life, better even than the Eagles.
I went to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra with my sister. It was just pure epic from the start. For the second song - "Beethoven" off of Beethoven's Last Night - two of the guitarists and the electric violinist descended from the ceiling on platforms. And, except for two minute-long interruptions to introduce the entire band, including the singers and the local string section, and to answer questions about their next album, they kept on rocking for two hours and forty minutes.
And they rocked hard. It was incredible beyond words. The reprise of "Joy to the World" that they ended with was awesome.
I went to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra with my sister. It was just pure epic from the start. For the second song - "Beethoven" off of Beethoven's Last Night - two of the guitarists and the electric violinist descended from the ceiling on platforms. And, except for two minute-long interruptions to introduce the entire band, including the singers and the local string section, and to answer questions about their next album, they kept on rocking for two hours and forty minutes.
And they rocked hard. It was incredible beyond words. The reprise of "Joy to the World" that they ended with was awesome.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
More Nerd Rock
Continuing on my theme of nerds rocking out, I present Jefferson Airplane playing 'White Rabbit'. It's about Alice in Wonderland. (and drugs...)
One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small / and the ones that mother gives you don't do anything at all / Go ask Alice / when she's ten feet tall
One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small / and the ones that mother gives you don't do anything at all / Go ask Alice / when she's ten feet tall
Monday, September 13, 2010
Heavy Mithril
For some reason, it seems that being a nerd can help you play epic music. TVTropes calls it Heavy Mithril.
For example:
Ozzy yells about wizards:
"Evil power disappears / Demons worry when the wizard is near"
And yells about spaceships and fleeing an apocalyptic Earth:
"Rocket engines burning fuel so fast / Up into the night sky they blast"
Led Zeppelin, meanwhile, has been reading their Tolkien:
"Twas in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair
But Gollum, and the Evil One, crept up and stole away with her"
But, for the ultimate nerdy songs, how about having an astrophysicist playing guitar. Queen does in Brian May. In '39, they sing about RELATIVISTIC TIME DILATION:
"For so many years have gone/though I'm older but a year"
For example:
Ozzy yells about wizards:
"Evil power disappears / Demons worry when the wizard is near"
And yells about spaceships and fleeing an apocalyptic Earth:
"Rocket engines burning fuel so fast / Up into the night sky they blast"
Led Zeppelin, meanwhile, has been reading their Tolkien:
"Twas in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair
But Gollum, and the Evil One, crept up and stole away with her"
But, for the ultimate nerdy songs, how about having an astrophysicist playing guitar. Queen does in Brian May. In '39, they sing about RELATIVISTIC TIME DILATION:
"For so many years have gone/though I'm older but a year"
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Things I Am Bad At
Getting homework done
Maintaining a proper sleep schedule
Resisting the urge to listen to metal for hours on end
Not dying in Nethack
Finishing books
Blogging semi-regularly
....yeah.
Maintaining a proper sleep schedule
Resisting the urge to listen to metal for hours on end
Not dying in Nethack
Finishing books
Blogging semi-regularly
....yeah.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
School Today
Woke up
Fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found the way downstairs
And drank a cup
And looking up
Noticed I was late..
-- The Beatles, 'A Day in the Life'
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The One Time At Band Camp...
On the first days, it was the squad leaders, and it was good.
On the second day, the freshmen came too, and it was chaos. But order eventually came, and marching was taught, and it was good.
On the third through sixth days, everyone came. There was rain, and there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth. But music was learned, and tired lips played new notes, and it was good.
On the seventh day, the marching routines came together. Not all was perfect, but much was good. Then, from buckets and pockets (and bras..), the seniors pulled water balloons and silly string. Freshmen were soaked. Sweet watery death fell from the sky. Revenge was gained on all who weeped and gnashed teeth, and it was good.
On the second day, the freshmen came too, and it was chaos. But order eventually came, and marching was taught, and it was good.
On the third through sixth days, everyone came. There was rain, and there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth. But music was learned, and tired lips played new notes, and it was good.
On the seventh day, the marching routines came together. Not all was perfect, but much was good. Then, from buckets and pockets (and bras..), the seniors pulled water balloons and silly string. Freshmen were soaked. Sweet watery death fell from the sky. Revenge was gained on all who weeped and gnashed teeth, and it was good.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Marian Call: Nerd Anthem
I really have nothing to post about until I get some building done tomorrow (after I go to work and get new lenses for my glasses, how exciting) so I'll share this video.
It's a fan video, slideshow to a Marian Call song. The song could not be awesomer.
It's a fan video, slideshow to a Marian Call song. The song could not be awesomer.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Modest Mouse!
Tonight, I am going to see Modest Mouse in Wallingford. I'm going with mandachan, and some friends from ARML (state math team). It's going to be awesome!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
For Science!
According to the paper today, Ozzy Osbourne's DNA is getting sequenced. For science.
You see, he was basically on a 40-year bender. He consumed quantities of drugs and alcohol that would kill most healthy humans. So, they're hoping to spot mutations in certain areas that would indicate a higher resistance to those substances. Ozzy even volunteered the 65 grand to get it done.
Ironically, now that he's cleaned up his act (though his stage shows are just as awesome, save the bat-eating), he even writes a health column for the British Sunday Times.
From CBS news
You see, he was basically on a 40-year bender. He consumed quantities of drugs and alcohol that would kill most healthy humans. So, they're hoping to spot mutations in certain areas that would indicate a higher resistance to those substances. Ozzy even volunteered the 65 grand to get it done.
Ironically, now that he's cleaned up his act (though his stage shows are just as awesome, save the bat-eating), he even writes a health column for the British Sunday Times.
From CBS news
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